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Kite vs OpenDisplay
OpenDisplay is free, open source and well made. If you just need extra pixels on the same desk, it's a great choice. Kite adds what it doesn't do: Apple Pencil pressure, use from outside your home, an encrypted Wi-Fi link, and the iPad camera.
| Feature | Kite | OpenDisplay |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 once Mac app free | Free, open source |
| Use it away from home | Yes, with Tailscale | No. Same network |
| iPad on a different Apple Account | Yes | Yes |
| Sign-up needed | None for Kite Wi-Fi uses a free Tailscale account | None |
| Ways to connect | USB-C · Wi-Fi · Tailscale | Wi-Fi · USB |
| Apple Pencil pressure | Yes, included | No |
| iPad camera as Mac webcam | Yes | No |
| Encrypted on your Wi-Fi | Yes, new key every session | Not yet, per its privacy page |
From each product's own website, support pages and App Store listing, checked October 10, 2026. “?” means the product doesn't say. Prices change; check before you buy.
Sources: opendisplay.app · OpenDisplay privacy
Where Kite is ahead
- Apple Pencil pressure, tilt and hover, with a pressure curve you can adjust.
- Works away from home over Tailscale.
- Video over Wi-Fi is encrypted with a new key every session.
- A sidebar with ⌘ ⌥ ⌃ ⇧, undo and redo, and pinch to zoom on the iPad.
- Your iPad's camera works as a Mac webcam.
Where OpenDisplay is ahead
- It's free, and the source code is public.
- Up to three screens at once, including iPhones and spare Macs.
Which one should you pick?
For extra screens on one desk, OpenDisplay is hard to beat on price. Pick Kite if you draw with Apple Pencil, work away from home, or want your Wi-Fi link encrypted today.