Gamepad Pro vs Steam Link vs PC Remote
These three apps are often searched together, but they do different jobs. This page sets out what each one does so you can pick the one that matches what you want. It is written by the makers of Gamepad Pro, so every statement about the other two apps comes from their own store listings, which are linked at the bottom, and we do not rate them.
The short version: Steam Link streams a game from your PC to your phone or another device. Gamepad Pro does the opposite job: the game stays on your PC screen and the phone becomes the controller. PC Remote is a broader remote-control app for a computer that includes gaming layouts.
What each app does
Gamepad Pro pairs an Android phone or an iPhone with a Windows 10 or 11 PC over local Wi-Fi. The PC creates a virtual Xbox 360 controller, so games see ordinary controller hardware. The game is shown on the PC's screen. It is free and needs no account, and it also offers trackpad and keyboard mode and up to four phones as separate controllers.
Steam Link, according to its Steam store page, connects your device to any computer that is running Steam and lets you stream your games from your PC to other devices. The page describes video and audio going from the gaming PC to the device, and remote input going back to the PC. It lists many device types, including phones, tablets, TVs, computers and headsets.
PC Remote by Monect, according to its App Store description, is a free app to control a computer. Its listed features include custom button layouts and onboard sensors for gaming, sharing the PC screen and camera, using the phone as a virtual camera, mouse and keyboard control, up to four virtual displays and file transfer. Setup means installing the PC Remote Receiver from monect.com on the computer, and the listing names local Wi-Fi and remote Wi-Fi as connection options.
Side by side
The table lists only what the vendors say about their own apps. Details can change, so check the linked pages for current information.
| Gamepad Pro | Steam Link | PC Remote (Monect) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it does | Turns the phone into a virtual Xbox 360 controller for a Windows PC | Streams games from a PC running Steam to another device | Controls a computer from a phone, with gaming layouts among its features |
| Where the game is shown | On the PC's own screen | On the device receiving the stream | The listing describes sharing the PC screen to the phone |
| Needed on the computer | The Windows companion, Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit) | A computer running Steam | The PC Remote Receiver from monect.com |
| Phone platforms | Android and iPhone | Android and iPhone, among other devices | iPhone, per its App Store listing (we could not check Android) |
| Also listed | Trackpad and keyboard mode, up to four phones, controller skins | Remote Play Together, for sharing local multiplayer games with friends over the internet | Virtual camera, up to four virtual displays, file transfer |
Which job fits which app
If you want to play on a screen other than your PC's, for example a phone or a TV in another room, streaming is the job, and Steam Link is built for it. If you want to sit at the PC or in front of a monitor or TV connected to it and use your phone as the controller, that is the job Gamepad Pro is built for. If you want a general remote for a computer, with a screen view, files and a mouse and keyboard, PC Remote lists those.
These are not exclusive. You can use a streaming app for one purpose and a controller app for another. If the controller job sounds right, the setup guide takes about two minutes, and the download section on the home page has the downloads.
Sources and date
Statements about Steam Link and PC Remote were checked against the pages below on 14/10/2026. If something on those pages has changed since, they are right and this page is out of date; tell us at support@desoline.com. Steam, Xbox and Monect are trademarks of their owners; Gamepad Pro is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.