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Glasspad vs Remote Mouse
Two ways to turn a phone into a mouse and keyboard for your computer.
In short
Remote Mouse turns an iPhone or Android phone into a mouse, keyboard and media remote for Mac, Windows or Linux, free with ads and paid extras. Glasspad is free with no ads, open source, and for iPhone and Android with a Mac or Windows PC. It adds a haptic trackpad with Mac gestures and buttons for the app in front.
Side by side
| Glasspad | Remote Mouse | |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | Partly. iPhone (iOS 18 or later) and Android (10 or later) | Yes. iPhone and iPad (iOS 15 or later), and Android |
| Computer | Partly. Mac (macOS 14 or later) and Windows 10 or 11 | Yes. Mac, Windows and Linux |
| Install | Partly. On a Mac, a one-line installer that builds the app with Xcode and a free Apple ID, and renews the iPhone app every 7 days; Windows and Android from GitHub Releases | Yes. App Store or Google Play, plus a helper app on the computer |
| Price | Yes. Free. No ads or in-app purchases | Partly. Free with ads. Pro is $1.49 a month or $13.99 a year; Remove Ads is $0.99 |
| Source code | Yes. Open source, MIT | No. Not open source |
| Connection | Yes. Same Wi-Fi, paired by QR code, encrypted | Same Wi-Fi |
| Trackpad | Yes. Your Mac's own gestures: Spaces, Mission Control, pinch, rotate, force click, with haptics | Partly. Touchpad, plus a mouse you move by tilting the phone |
| Also | Yes. Media, Remote, Dock, buttons for 70+ apps, macros, Shortcuts, Present, Clipboard, Displays, Layouts | Media and web remotes, app switcher, power options, voice typing, clipboard |
Has itPartly, or with limitsDoes not
Which one fits you
Choose Remote Mouse if
- You use Linux.
- You want to install from the App Store or Google Play in a minute.
Choose Glasspad if
- You want the Mac's own trackpad gestures, with haptics, on an iPhone or Android phone.
- You want everything free, with no ads, and code you can read.
- You want buttons for the app in front, window tiling and display control too.
Questions
Is Glasspad an open source alternative to Remote Mouse?
Yes. Glasspad's code is on GitHub under the MIT License, and every feature is free. It works with an iPhone or Android phone and a Mac or Windows PC, not Linux.
Why is Glasspad not on the App Store or Google Play?
The App Store needs Apple's paid developer program ($99 a year). Building from source with a free Apple ID keeps Glasspad free. The Android app and the Windows installer are free downloads from GitHub Releases.
Does Glasspad work on Windows or Linux?
Windows, yes: Glasspad works with a PC on Windows 10 or 11. There is no Linux version; for Linux, Remote Mouse is a good choice.
What other Remote Mouse alternatives are there for Mac?
Mobile Mouse is a paid one for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, with Mac and Windows. Glasspad vs Mobile Mouse compares them.
Do I need to pay Apple to install Glasspad?
No. A free Apple ID is enough for the iPhone app. Apps installed that way stop opening after 7 days, and your Mac renews Glasspad over Wi-Fi before then. Android and Windows need no account.
Keep exploring
Sources
Checked on 16 October 2026. Prices are from the US App Store and can differ in other countries.
Get Glasspad. It is free.
Glasspad is free and open source (MIT). It works with a Mac on macOS 14 or later or a PC on Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit, and an iPhone on iOS 18 or later or an Android phone on Android 10 or later, on the same Wi-Fi. On a Mac, paste this into Terminal:
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Soham109/glasspad/main/install.sh | bashThe script builds it with Xcode 26 or later and your free Apple ID, and waits for you where Apple needs a click. Windows and Android install from GitHub Releases. Every install step Help in the guide