At a glance
Astropad sells a screen-off tablet (Slate) and a mirroring app (Studio) separately. Duet and Astropad Studio charge every year. Deus XT does both in one app, for one price, on Mac, Windows and Linux.
 | Astropad Studio | Astropad Slate | Duet Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $14.99 once | $99.99 a year, or $179.99 once | $19.99 once | $71.88 a year |
| Tablet modethe iPad as a screen-off pen tablet | Yes | – | Yes | – |
| Display modeyour screen on the iPad, draw on it | Mirror or extend | Mirror or extend | – | Mirror or extend |
| Both modes in one purchase | Yes | – | – | – |
| Pressure and tilt | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Yes |
| Hover | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Pencil Pro squeeze | Any key you like | Any key | Not listed | Not listed |
| Barrel roll | Turns the brush | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Shortcuts that follow your app | Yes | Yes | – | – |
| Handwriting to text | Yes | – | Yes | – |
| Computers | Mac, Windows, Linux | Mac, Windows | Mac | Mac, Windows |
| Subscription | No | Yearly, or $179.99 once | No | Yearly |
“Not listed” means the maker’s pages don’t mention it, so we don’t claim it either way.
What three years costs
Deus XT costs less than one year of Duet Pro or Astropad Studio, and it includes both modes.
- Deus XT$14.99
- Astropad Slate$19.99
- Duet Pro$215.64
- Astropad Studio$299.97
| App | Price | Over three years |
|---|---|---|
| Deus XT | $14.99 once, both modes | $14.99 |
| Astropad Slate | $19.99 once, tablet mode only, Mac only | $19.99 |
| Duet Pro | $71.88 a year ($79.99 in the App Store) | $215.64 |
| Astropad Studio | $99.99 a year, or $179.99 once | $299.97 |
Or buy a tablet?
A dedicated tablet is lovely to draw on. It is also another device on your desk, and you already own an iPad and an Apple Pencil. Wacom’s list prices:
| Wacom | What it is | List price |
|---|---|---|
| Intuos Pro, medium | Pen tablet, no screen | $379.95 |
| Wacom One 14 | Pen display | $299.95 |
| Cintiq Pro 17 | Pro pen display | $2,499.95 |
| Cintiq Pro 27 | Pro pen display | $3,499.95 |
Deus XT gives you a screen-off tablet and a pen display from the iPad you have, for $14.99.
How we checked
Prices are US list prices from each maker’s website and App Store listing, checked on 10 October 2026, and they change. Features come from the same pages. Where a page doesn’t say, we write “Not listed” instead of guessing. See something out of date? Tell us and we’ll fix it.