SilkRemote
The iPad is a superb screen for remote desktop. It is light, has a gorgeous display, and with a keyboard and trackpad it can stand in for a laptop. Paired with the right app, it lets you run full desktop software from your Mac or PC on the couch, in a café, or in another room.
The apps vary a lot in smoothness, touch handling and setup, so we tested ten of them on iPad with Mac and Windows hosts.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Platforms | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SilkRemote | Smoothest iPad experience | Yes, on your local network | Host: Mac, Windows (beta). Client: Safari on iPad, any browser, Android | 120 fps for ProMotion displays |
| Jump Desktop | Power users | Paid apps | Mac, Windows, iOS, Android | Fluid, RDP and VNC |
| Screens | Apple households | Trial | Mac, iPhone, iPad | Native Apple design |
| Windows App | Windows Pro PCs | Free (Pro host required) | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android | Native RDP |
| Moonlight | Game streaming | Yes, open source | Clients incl. iPad; host via Sunshine | High frame rates |
| Splashtop | Business access | Check current plans | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, more | Business tooling |
| TeamViewer | Cross-platform access | Personal use | Nearly everything | Feature depth |
| AnyDesk | Lightweight access | Personal use | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android | Quick setup |
| Chrome Remote Desktop | Free basics | Yes | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android | Free |
| RustDesk | Self-hosting | Yes, open source | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android | Own your server |
1. SilkRemote: best remote desktop app for iPad
Many recent iPads have high refresh ProMotion displays, and SilkRemote is one of the few remote desktop tools that can actually feed them. It streams at up to 120 fps and up to 2560x1440 at around 40 Mbps, so text stays Retina-sharp and scrolling looks fluid. On a Mac host (macOS 14+), SilkRemote creates a 120 Hz virtual display sized for the stream, and on a local network capture-to-screen latency is around 17 ms.
On iPad, SilkRemote runs in Safari 17 or later. Add it to your Home Screen and it launches full screen like any other app. We want to be clear that there is no native iPad app yet; the web app is how SilkRemote supports iPhone and iPad today. In our testing that did not hold it back: touch, keyboard and mouse input all work, and audio from the host streams too.
Security is excellent. Every session is end-to-end encrypted with ECDH P-256 key exchange and AES-256-GCM, so even the relay cannot see your screen. You pair your iPad by scanning a QR code or typing a one-time pairing code, and unpaired devices are refused.
It is free forever on your local network, which covers the classic "iPad on the couch, Mac in the office" setup. Pro ($6/month or $49/year) adds access from anywhere, with a 14-day free trial and a $129 Founder lifetime option.
Pros: 120 fps on ProMotion iPads, Retina-class sharpness, very low latency, end-to-end encryption, free on your local network. Cons: No native iPad app yet, no Linux host, Windows host in beta.
2. Jump Desktop
Jump Desktop is one of the most polished native remote desktop apps on iPad, with great keyboard, mouse and trackpad support. Its Fluid protocol is responsive, and it also connects to RDP and VNC servers.
Pros: Excellent iPad app, flexible protocols. Cons: Paid app, and Fluid requires its companion host app.
3. Screens
Screens is a beautifully designed VNC client for Apple devices and works with the screen sharing server built into macOS. Its iPad interface is among the nicest available.
Pros: Lovely native design, good touch controls. Cons: Subscription-based, Apple platforms only, and VNC is not tuned for high frame rates.
4. Windows App
Microsoft's Windows App (formerly Microsoft Remote Desktop) brings native RDP sessions to iPad. It is free and very capable, but the host needs Windows Pro or Enterprise, and reaching it outside your network takes extra setup.
Pros: Free, native Windows sessions. Cons: Requires Windows Pro on the host, no Mac hosting.
5. Moonlight
Moonlight is an open-source game streaming client that pairs with the Sunshine host on a gaming PC. It is very fast and supports controllers well.
Pros: Free, high frame rates. Cons: Gaming-focused and more involved to set up.
6. Splashtop
Splashtop's iPad app is mature and reliable, backed by a business-focused remote access suite.
Pros: Solid performance, good support. Cons: Business-oriented; check current pricing.
7. TeamViewer
TeamViewer's iPad app connects to almost any computer and includes file transfer and other tools. It is free for personal use with commercial-use detection.
Pros: Feature-rich, cross-platform. Cons: Heavier interface; personal users may be flagged.
8. AnyDesk
AnyDesk's iPad app is light and connects quickly. It is free for personal use with paid plans for business.
Pros: Quick and simple. Cons: Touch controls take some getting used to.
9. Chrome Remote Desktop
Chrome Remote Desktop has a free iPad app and works with Google accounts.
Pros: Free. Cons: Basic features and limited smoothness.
10. RustDesk
RustDesk is open source and self-hostable, with an iOS client for iPad.
Pros: Free, private. Cons: Less polished on iPad, and self-hosting takes effort.
Tips for the best iPad remote desktop experience
Use a keyboard and trackpad if you plan to work for long stretches; it makes desktop apps feel natural. Keep the iPad on 5 GHz or 6 GHz Wi-Fi, and if you can, connect the host computer by Ethernet. Finally, choose an app that matches your iPad's display: on a ProMotion iPad, a 120 fps stream is visibly smoother. If you also want to use your iPhone, read our guide on how to control your Mac from iPhone.
Verdict
SilkRemote is the best remote desktop app for iPad in 2026. It is one of the few that streams at up to 120 fps to match ProMotion displays, keeps text Retina-sharp, and encrypts every session end to end, all from Safari with no App Store download. It is free on your local network, with Pro for access from anywhere. Download the SilkRemote host for your computer, or see pricing.