Beam vs Jump Desktop
Updated August 2026 · 4 min read
Controlling versus watching
Jump Desktop is a remote desktop client. You reach your Mac from your iPhone and drive it: click, type, open files. Beam is a one-way stream of your Mac's screen and audio, built for smooth full-frame-rate viewing. Need to operate the machine? Jump. Need to watch it? Beam.
Side by side
Beam vs Jump Desktop
| Beam | Jump Desktop | |
|---|---|---|
| What it's for | Watching your Mac | Operating your Mac |
| Control the Mac | No, one-way by design | Yes |
| Streams Mac audio | Yes | Limited |
| Tuned for video and motion | Yes, hardware encoded | Tuned for desktop work |
| Setup | Pair once, no account | Account and config |
| Price model | Free tier, $4.79 one-time | Paid app |
| Works away from home | With Unlimited, via Tailscale | Yes |
| Your traffic through a third party | Never, device to device | Relay possible |
Why a remote desktop feels wrong for watching
Remote desktop protocols were designed to make a desktop usable over a slow link. They send the parts of the screen that changed, prioritise crisp static text, and drop frame rate without hesitation because a stuttering cursor is a fair trade for a readable menu.
That is exactly the wrong set of tradeoffs for video. Point a remote desktop client at a film or a livestream and you tend to get a soft, low-frame-rate picture, usually with the audio still coming out of the Mac rather than the phone in your hand.
Beam goes the other way. It captures with ScreenCaptureKit, encodes in hardware with VideoToolbox, and sends a continuous video stream with the Mac's system audio alongside it. The result is meant to look like watching a video, because that is the job.
What you give up
Beam cannot click anything. There is no keyboard, no pointer, no file transfer. If your Mac shows a dialog you need to dismiss, you have to go to the Mac. That is a real limitation and it is deliberate: keeping the link one-way is what lets it stay simple and fast, and it means an app watching your screen never gains the ability to act on it.
If you regularly need to fix things on a machine remotely, use a remote desktop tool. Many people end up with both, for different jobs.
Privacy and the network path
On your own WiFi, Beam is strictly device to device. There is no Beam account, no sign-in and no server in the middle, and your screen never leaves your network.
Away from home, Beam Unlimited connects over your own Tailscale network, which is your private mesh rather than infrastructure operated by us. There is still no Beam server relaying your screen.
Which to pick
- Watching a render, download, match, film or livestream from elsewhere in the house: Beam.
- Fixing something on the Mac while away: a remote desktop app.
- Keeping an eye on a long job without touching it: Beam, and it is cheaper.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Beam and Jump Desktop?
Jump Desktop controls your Mac. Beam streams it to watch, one-way, with audio.
Is Beam better than a remote desktop app for watching video?
For video, yes. Remote desktop is tuned for static desktop work, not smooth motion, and usually leaves audio on the Mac.
Can Beam control my Mac from my iPhone?
No, and that's deliberate. It's a viewer.
Do either of them require a subscription?
Beam is free to start and $4.79 once. Jump Desktop is a paid app.
Just want to watch your Mac?
Full frame rate, with audio, free to download.