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Glasspad vs Stream Deck Mobile
Two ways to put buttons for your Mac on your iPhone.
In short
Stream Deck Mobile, from Elgato, turns an iPhone or iPad into Stream Deck keys for a Mac or PC, free for 6 keys and paid for more. Glasspad is free and open source for iPhone and Android with a Mac or PC, with no key limit and buttons that follow the app in front. For live streaming plugins, Stream Deck is stronger.
Side by side
| Glasspad | Stream Deck Mobile | |
|---|---|---|
| Devices | Partly. iPhone (iOS 18 or later) or Android (10 or later), with a Mac (macOS 14 or later) or a Windows PC (10 or 11) | Yes. iPhone or iPad (iOS 17 or later) with a Mac or Windows PC; Android with Pro |
| Price | Yes. Free, everything | Partly. Free for 6 keys. Pro: $2.99 a month, $24.99 a year or $49.99 once |
| Keys | Yes. No limit on pinned buttons, plus up to 8 for each app | Partly. 6 free, up to 64 with Pro |
| Plugins | No. None. Buttons are apps, websites, keyboard shortcuts, macros, Shortcuts and Mac controls | Yes. Hundreds, for OBS, Twitch, music and more |
| Per app | Yes. Ready-made buttons for 70+ apps, following the app in front | Partly. Profiles can switch with the app in front |
| Also | Yes. Trackpad, keyboard, media, remote, Dock, displays and window tiling | Stream Deck keys |
| Install | Partly. On a Mac, a one-line installer that builds the app with Xcode and a free Apple ID; Windows and Android from GitHub Releases | Yes. App Store, plus the Stream Deck app on the computer |
| Source code | Yes. Open source, MIT | No. Not open source |
Has itPartly, or with limitsDoes not
Which one fits you
Choose Stream Deck Mobile if
- You stream, and want OBS scenes, Twitch and other plugins.
- You already use a Stream Deck and want the same profiles on your phone.
- You use an iPad, or want streaming plugins on Android.
Choose Glasspad if
- You want a free deck with no key limit for everyday Mac work.
- You want buttons that change with the app in front, ready made.
- You want the same iPhone to be a trackpad, keyboard and remote too.
Questions
Is Glasspad a free alternative to Stream Deck Mobile?
For everyday Mac work, yes: apps, websites, shortcuts, macros and Mac controls, with no key limit. It has no streaming plugins.
How many keys does Stream Deck Mobile give for free?
Six, with unlimited actions. Pro raises it to 64.
Can I use both?
Yes. They do not get in each other's way.
Does Glasspad work on iPad?
No. Glasspad is made for iPhone.
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