Macky is a secure mobile client that lets you connect to your Mac's screen and terminal from your iPhone using end-to-end encrypted WebRTC. It supports native shell (Zsh, Bash), Claude Code by Anthropic, Codex by OpenAI, and full remote desktop.

How does Macky connect my iPhone to my Mac?

Macky uses peer-to-peer WebRTC with DTLS-SRTP encryption. A signaling server coordinates the initial handshake, but all screen and terminal data flows directly between your devices without passing through any cloud server.

Yes. Macky uses four layers of security: E2E encrypted WebRTC transport, dual-layer identity verification (account tokens plus a master password), device allow-listing, and blind signaling where screen and terminal data never touches Macky's servers.

Does Macky log my terminal commands?

No. Macky has a zero-logs policy. Terminal commands, output, and screen data are never recorded, stored, or accessible by Macky's servers. All data is end-to-end encrypted between your devices.

What AI tools does Macky support?

Macky supports Claude Code (by Anthropic) and Codex (by OpenAI) in addition to native Zsh and Bash shells and full remote desktop, all accessible from your iPhone.

What are the system requirements for Macky?

The Mac host app requires macOS 15 or later. The iPhone remote app requires iOS 18 or later.

How much does Macky cost?

Macky offers a free Basic plan with 5-minute sessions, 1 Mac host, and 1 iPhone remote. The Pro plan costs $29 as a one-time lifetime payment and includes unlimited sessions, unlimited devices, 30-day connection logs, and background connect.

Why does TeamViewer disconnect after 60 seconds on Mac?

TeamViewer's automated detection algorithms frequently flag regular personal connections to your own Mac as commercial activity, imposing 60-second timeouts unless you purchase an expensive commercial license.

Is Jump Desktop a one-time purchase?

Yes. Jump Desktop charges a one-time fee ($14.99 on iOS and $34.99 on macOS) with no recurring monthly subscriptions.

August 1, 20265 min read

Jump Desktop vs TeamViewer for Mac: Which Should You Use in 2026?

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If you search for Mac remote desktop tools, Jump Desktop and TeamViewer are two of the biggest names you will run into. But they are built for completely different people.

Jump Desktop is made for people who want to access their own computers remotely. TeamViewer is built for enterprise IT help desks troubleshooting other people's machines.

Here is a practical breakdown of how they compare on a Mac, what they cost, and which one actually makes sense to install.

Feature	Jump Desktop	TeamViewer
Main focus	Personal access to your own Mac or PC	IT help desk and client support
Protocol	Fluid (low latency), RDP, VNC	Proprietary cloud streaming
Pricing	Pay once ($14.99 iOS / $34.99 Mac)	Subscription ($25 to $50+ per month)
Free version	None (paid app)	Free tier with session timeouts
Background footprint	Small helper utility	Heavy background daemon

Jump Desktop

Jump Desktop uses its own protocol called Fluid alongside standard RDP and VNC. Standard VNC sends raw screen updates that turn into a laggy slideshow over cellular or hotel WiFi. Fluid compresses video much better, so moving your mouse or dragging windows on a high-res Mac screen feels responsive.

The biggest upside to Jump is the pricing. It is a one-time purchase: $14.99 for the iOS app and $34.99 for the Mac app. In a world where every utility wants a $10/month subscription, buying software once and owning it is rare.

The main limitation: Jump is strictly a full desktop viewer. When you connect, you are streaming your entire monitor. That is fine for clicking around apps, but heavy if all you wanted was to run a shell command or check on a build.

TeamViewer

TeamViewer runs on practically everything: Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android. It is built for a technician who needs someone to read a 9-digit code over the phone so they can take over their computer through corporate firewalls.

For reaching your own Mac, it is usually a frustrating experience:

The commercial use flag: TeamViewer has a free tier for personal use, but its automated algorithms often decide your regular connections to your own Mac look like commercial activity. When that happens, it cuts your connection after 60 seconds with a timeout popup.
Expensive pricing: If you buy a license, it starts around $25/month billed annually ($300/year minimum). That makes sense for an IT department billing clients, but not for personal access.
Bloat: The app comes with ticketing features, support queues, and meeting tools that clutter your Mac menu bar.

Which one should you pick?

Between these two, Jump Desktop is the obvious pick for personal Mac access. It performs better, stays out of your way, and does not require an ongoing subscription.

The developer alternative

Both Jump Desktop and TeamViewer assume you always need to look at your full desktop screen. But if you spend your workday in the command line (checking git, managing Docker, tailing logs, or running Claude Code), streaming video is the slowest way to get work done.

Macky gives you both: a fast WebRTC screen share when you need the GUI, plus a direct native interactive terminal that sends raw text.

Because text takes negligible bandwidth, the terminal stays fast and responsive even when you only have one bar of cellular reception. No port forwarding, end-to-end encrypted with DTLS-SRTP, and a one-time $29 lifetime license.

For more details, check out our guide on Mac remote desktop options or our Screens 5 vs Jump Desktop breakdown.