Free & Open Source · No Account Required
Turn any device into
a second display.
For free.
BetterCast is a free, open-source second display app that turns any iPad, Android tablet, phone, or laptop into an extended monitor for your Mac or Windows PC. It streams at up to 60 FPS over a direct peer-to-peer connection — no account, no cloud, no subscription.
Why BetterCast
Everything paid second monitor apps charge for — free.
HEVC
Hardware Encoding
Hardware-accelerated H.265/H.264 pipeline keeps latency low and quality high.
60FPS
Refresh Rate
Smooth, tear-free rendering at full display refresh rate over USB or direct P2P Wi-Fi.
4K
Resolution
Full Retina and HiDPI support. Every pixel rendered at native resolution.
Unlimited
Virtual Screens
Create secondary, third, and more virtual displays to expand your workspace as needed.
$0
Completely Free
Every feature included for everyone. No subscriptions, no feature gates, no trials. Pay what you want if you'd like to support us.
3MB
Install Size
Minimal footprint. No background daemons, no telemetry, no bloat.
5+
Platforms
Send from macOS or Windows, receive on Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, and Mac. One protocol across every device.
P2P
Direct Connection
Peer-to-peer streaming. Your devices communicate directly without relay servers.
Open Source
Contributions Welcome
Built by the community. PRs, issues, and ideas welcome. Help shape the future.
Who's This For
Built for anyone who needs more screen space.
Your Mac or Windows PC is the sender. Everything else becomes an extra display: your iPad, phone, spare laptop, or any device with a screen.
Developers
Code on your main machine, debug on a second screen. Keep docs, terminals, or browser devtools always visible.
Designers
Preview your work on a real device while editing on your desktop. Perfect for responsive design testing.
Streamers & Creators
Use a tablet as a dedicated chat monitor, OBS preview, or camera feed while you stream.
Remote Workers
Turn your iPad or spare laptop into a second monitor for video calls, Slack, or project management.
Students
Follow along with lectures on one screen while taking notes on another — no extra monitor needed.
Musicians & DJs
Keep your mixer, DAW controls, or setlist visible on a second device while you perform.
Use Cases
One app, dozens of setups.
Extend or mirror your Mac or Windows PC to any device — iPad, iPhone, Android, Windows, or Linux. Android screen mirroring also supported.
Extend
Extend your Mac or Windows display to an iPad, Android tablet, or any device as a seamless second screen.
Mirror
Mirror your desktop for presentations, streaming, or debugging on a second screen.
Android Mirror
Mirror your Android screen to your Mac — great for demos, testing, or presentations.
Desktop to Desktop
Turn a spare PC or Linux machine into a lag-free secondary monitor for your main computer.
Wi-Fi 6 Ready
Wireless display extension at wired speeds. No cables required.
USB-C Native
Direct connection for the absolute lowest latency possible.
How It Works
Up and running in under a minute.
No sign-ups, no configuration, no drivers. Just install and connect.
Install on the machine you want to extend
Download the .dmg on a Mac, or the installer on Windows. Each build includes both the sender and the receiver, so the same machine can extend its display or act as an extra screen for another one.
Install receivers on your other devices
Download the receiver on any device you want to use as an extra screen — another Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android, Windows PC, or Linux machine.
Connect to the same network
Make sure both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network or connected via USB-C. Open the sender on the machine you are extending and the receiver on the other device.
That's it — you're live
Your second display appears automatically. Drag windows across, extend your workspace, or mirror your screen. No accounts, no pairing codes.
Pricing
100% free. Every feature. No catch.
Other apps charge $4/mo for what BetterCast gives you for free. Every feature is unlocked from day one — no upgrade walls.
Comparison
How BetterCast stacks up.
Every screen-extension tool picks a lane. BetterCast is the one that doesn't: send from your Mac or Windows PC, receive on everything.
Scroll the table sideways to compare →
| BetterCast | Apple Sidecar | OpenDisplay | Duet Display | Luna Display | spacedesk | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, open source | Free (built in) | Free, open source | Subscription | Hardware dongle | Free (closed source) |
| Host (sender) | Mac + Windows beta | Mac | Mac | Mac & Windows | Mac & Windows | Windows |
| iPhone / iPad receiver | ✓ | iPad only¹ | ✓ | ✓ | iPad only | ✓ |
| Android receiver | ✓ | — | Community forks² | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| Windows receiver | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| Linux receiver | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mac as receiver | ✓ | — | Planned | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Audio streaming | ✓ | — | Planned | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| Multiple displays at once | ✓ | — | ✓ | Not documented | — | ✓ |
| Direct P2P, no router | Yes (AWDL) | ✓ | — | — | Not documented | — |
| Wired USB | Android (ADB) | ✓ | iPhone / iPad | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| No account needed | ✓ | Same Apple ID | ✓ | Account required | Not documented | ✓ |
¹ Sidecar requires both devices signed into the same Apple ID and supports only recent iPad models.
² Independent community projects add Android receivers to OpenDisplay; they are not part of the official app.
Accurate as of August 2026, based on each vendor's public documentation. Spotted an error? Tell us — this table is meant to be fair.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Get Started
Get started in under a minute.
Install BetterCast on the machine you want to extend — a Mac, or a Windows PC — then install the receiver on your tablet, phone, or spare laptop. Both devices connect over your local network, with no account needed.