PenCastInstall both apps
PenCast on your Galaxy from Google Play. The free receiver for your Mac or Windows PC from this page.
S Pen → Mac & Windows
Your S Pen is already a drawing tablet.
PenCast sends the pen — position, pressure, tilt, hover — from your Galaxy to your Mac or PC as native pen input. Not the picture, just the pen. Free to start. No ads. Pro is $7.99, once.
Download the Mac & Windows app
Coming soon to Google Play
The Android app is on its way to Google Play. Want a heads-up when it lands? Email me or watch the releases.
- Free tier with pressure
- No ads
- No subscription
- No account
A pen tablet, not a screen mirror: you look at your computer and draw on your Galaxy. Built around Samsung S Pen devices, Android 7.0+.
Your Galaxydemo
Try it — draw here
Your Mac or PCnative pen input
This is a browser illustration of what PenCast sends: a small packet of pen data per sample, never a video of your screen. With a mouse the pressure is simulated; use a pen or stylus and your real pressure and tilt drive it.
$0to start. WiFi, USB and pressure are free
$7.99once for Pro. No subscription
0ads. No account either
2desktop apps: Mac and Windows
3ways to connect: WiFi, USB, Bluetooth
What makes it different
We send the pen. Not the picture.
Most apps that turn a tablet into a drawing surface stream your computer screen to it as video, then send the pen back. PenCast skips the video. Your computer sees a pen tablet, like a Wacom Intuos, and your own screen stays the canvas.
Screen-mirroring apps
Computer screen
Encode videoon the computer
Decode videoon the tablet
Pen goes back
PenCast
S Pen on Galaxy
Small pen packetsposition · pressure · tilt · hover
Native pen inputon your Mac or PC
- No video to encode, send or decode.Pen data is a trickle compared to a video stream, so there's less to go wrong on the way.
- Your screen is still your canvas.Full-size, full-colour, on the monitor you already trust. The tablet is just the pen surface.
- Works from a phone, too.If your Galaxy phone has an S Pen (for example a Galaxy S Ultra or Note), it can be the tablet.
The honest trade-off
Your tablet won't show your canvas. If you want to draw directly on a picture of your desktop, a mirroring app is the right tool. PenCast is for people happy to look at the computer while they draw, exactly like a classic pen tablet.
For the curious
Each pen sample is a fixed-size 55-byte binary packet in the current protocol. WiFi uses UDP with mDNS discovery and QR pairing; USB uses an ADB tunnel. On macOS the receiver posts tablet events with pressure, tilt and proximity; on Windows it creates a synthetic pen device (Windows Ink).
Setup
Install, scan, draw.
Two small apps and a QR code. No IP addresses to type on a tablet keyboard.
Scan the QR code
The receiver shows a code, your Galaxy scans it, done. Prefer to skip the camera? WiFi auto-discovery finds your computer on its own.
Draw in a pen-aware app
Open your drawing, photo or design app and start. Some Windows apps need Windows Ink switched on in their tablet settings.
Pick how it connects
No cable. Scan the QR code or let auto-discovery find your computer on the same network. Speed depends on your network, and some guest or campus WiFi blocks device discovery — use USB there. WiFi mode is not encrypted yet, so stick to a network you trust.
Plug in, and PenCast talks through an ADB tunnel (USB debugging must be on). It's the most consistent mode and keeps pen data off your network. The app shows a live round-trip time so you can check your own setup.
Bluetooth LE works with no WiFi at all — handy in classrooms, cafés and hotels. It's part of Pro.
Pen features
All the things a pen does.
Pressure is free. The finer touches are Pro — one purchase, no subscription.
Pressure Free
Press harder, line gets bolder. Passed to pen-aware apps as pressure.
Tilt Pro
Lean the pen for shading in brushes that react to angle.
Hover Pro
See where the pen will land before it touches the glass.
Palm rejection Pro
Turn finger input off and rest your hand like it's paper.
Multi-monitor & hotkey Pro
Choose which display the pen maps to and toggle PenCast from your keyboard.
Canvas mode Free
Draw right in PenCast: pen, shapes, eraser, undo and a screenshot to your Desktop.
Presenter tools Pro
Transparent overlay, laser pointer and highlighter on top of any window.
QR pairing Free
Scan once or let auto-discovery find your computer. No typing IPs.
Pro
Make the pressure feel yours
A pressure curve decides how hard you have to press for a bold line. Slide it and watch the same light-to-heavy stroke change. (An illustration of the idea; the app has the real control.)
Firm
Who it's for
One pen. Four kinds of Tuesday.
The tablet in your bag was never just for Netflix.
Open Krita, Clip Studio, Photoshop or Affinity on your Mac or PC and draw with the S Pen you already know — on a canvas as big as your monitor.
- Pressure from the first stroke Free
- Tilt, hover and palm rejection when you want them Pro
- Tune the feel with a pressure curve Pro
Sign it, sketch it, annotate it. Without buying anything.
You already carry a tablet to class. Use it to sign PDFs, mark up a figure, or sketch in Figma on your laptop — and keep the $7.99 for lunch.
- Free tier with pressure and a real canvas, no time limit Free
- No ads, no account, no subscription
- Campus WiFi blocks discovery? Use USB, or Bluetooth Pro
Draw on the slide. Point with a laser. Clear. Next.
Share your screen in Zoom, Teams or Meet and annotate whatever is on it — with the pen in your hand, walking around the room.
- Transparent overlay on any window Pro
- Laser pointer and highlighter Pro
- Multi-page canvas for whiteboard moments Pro
- Cursor mode and canvas are free to try first Free
A pen tablet that fits in the laptop bag you already carry.
Retouch, sculpt, trace vectors or just want a break from the trackpad. Map the pen to the right monitor and flip between mouse and pen.
- Hover for precise placement Pro
- Multi-monitor selection and a global hotkey Pro
- Match aspect ratio so circles stay circles Pro
Straight comparison
Where PenCast fits, and where it doesn't.
Every one of these is a decent tool for somebody. Here's who each is for, with facts I checked on 4 Oct 2026.
| Feature | PenCast | SuperDisplay | VirtualTablet (S Pen) | Samsung Second Screen | Wacom One pen tablet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Pen tablet (pen data only) | Second screen + pen | Pen tablet over WiFi/USB | Second screen (Win+K) | Dedicated hardware |
| Computer | Mac + Windows | Windows 10/11 only | Windows + macOS | Windows only | Windows, macOS, Android, ChromeOS |
| Shows your canvas on the tablet | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Price | Free; Pro $7.99 once | About $15 once after a 3-day trial | Free with ads; Pro via in-app purchase | Free, built into Galaxy Tab S | €169.99 for the Medium (Wacom EU store) |
| Ads | None | None | In the free version | None | — |
| Needs | Samsung S Pen device | Android device; S Pen supported | Android tablet with stylus; best with S Pen | Galaxy Tab S (One UI 3.1+) | Nothing else; it's the tablet |
| Pick it if… | You use a Mac, or want a light pen tablet with no ads | You want to draw on the picture itself, on Windows | You want free and don't mind ads | You're on Windows and only need a free second screen | You want dedicated hardware |
Sources: each product's Google Play listing, website or store page, checked 4 Oct 2026. Products change — tell me if something is out of date. All names belong to their owners; PenCast is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of them.
Pricing
Free to start. $7.99 once for Pro.
No subscription, no ads. You buy Pro once on Android through Google Play; the Mac and Windows receivers unlock when your Pro device connects.
Free
$0
- WiFi and USB connection
- QR pairing and auto-discovery
- Cursor mode with S Pen pressure
- Canvas: pen, shapes, eraser, undo and redo
- Canvas screenshot to your Desktop
- No ads, no time limit
Pro
$7.99one-time, no subscription
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Tilt and hover
- Pressure curve and palm rejection
- Bluetooth connection
- Laser pointer, highlighter, transparent overlay
- Multi-page canvas, multi-monitor selection, global hotkey
- Scroll & zoom control, match aspect ratio, high-refresh canvas
Pro is a one-time Google Play purchase tied to your Google account. Try the free version first — it takes minutes to know whether PenCast works with your setup.
Download
Two apps. Both free.
Install PenCast on your Galaxy, then the receiver on your computer.
Android app
Built around Samsung S Pen devices. Android 7.0 or newer.
Coming soon to Google PlayMac receiver
macOS 10.15 or newer.
Download .dmgFirst launch on a Mac
The app isn't notarized yet, so macOS may say it can't verify it. Right-click the app, choose Open, then confirm.
Windows receiver
Windows 10 (1809 or newer) or 11, 64-bit.
Download installerIf SmartScreen warns you
The installer isn't code-signed yet. Choose More info, then Run anyway.
Straight talk
The rough edges, listed by me.
You'd find these in five minutes anyway. I'd rather you hear them first.
- It's a pen tablet, not a mirror. Your tablet won't show your canvas.
- Installers aren't signed yet. The Mac app isn't notarized and the Windows installer isn't code-signed, so both ask for one extra click.
- WiFi mode isn't encrypted yet. Use USB, Bluetooth or a network you trust.
- Built around Samsung S Pen devices. The app reads whatever Android reports as a stylus, so other styluses may work, but they aren't officially supported.
- Apps differ. Compatibility depends on your drawing app and OS pen settings. Try the free version first.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Do I see my canvas on the tablet?
No. PenCast is a pen tablet, not a screen mirror: you look at your computer and draw on your Galaxy. It sends pen data (position, pressure, tilt, hover), not a video of your screen. If you want the picture on the tablet, a mirroring app is the right tool.
Does it work with Photoshop, Clip Studio and Krita?
PenCast sends your S Pen as native pen input (tablet events on macOS, pen input on Windows), so pen-aware apps such as Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint and Krita can read pressure. Compatibility varies by app and OS settings — for example, some Windows apps need Windows Ink enabled. Try the free version first.
Which Samsung devices work?
PenCast is built around Samsung Galaxy devices that support an S Pen, for example Galaxy Tab S tablets, Galaxy S Ultra phones and Galaxy Note phones, on Android 7.0 or newer. The app has no device list: it reads whatever Android reports as a stylus. Other styluses may work but are not officially supported, so try the free version first.
What about latency?
PenCast sends small pen packets instead of streaming video. USB is the most consistent mode; WiFi depends on your network. The app shows a live round-trip time so you can check your own setup.
What's free and what's Pro?
Free: WiFi and USB, QR pairing, cursor mode with pressure, and a drawing canvas with shapes, undo and screenshot. Pro ($7.99 one-time, no subscription) adds Bluetooth, hover, tilt, pressure curve, palm rejection, laser pointer, highlighter, transparent overlay, multi-page canvas, multi-monitor selection and a global hotkey.
Are there ads or subscriptions?
No ads and no subscription. Pro is a single one-time purchase through Google Play. The app uses Firebase for crash reports and basic analytics — details in the privacy policy.
How does it compare to a Wacom tablet?
PenCast turns a device you already own into a pen tablet, which can save you the cost of dedicated hardware. A dedicated tablet still has its own drivers and a wired connection, so expect some differences, especially over WiFi.
Is my pen data private?
Pen data goes only to your own computer over your local network, USB or Bluetooth. There's no account. WiFi mode isn't encrypted yet, so use a network you trust, or choose USB or Bluetooth.
Guides
Straight answers, step by step.
Use an S Pen as a drawing tablet on MacSetup, permissions and what to expect.
Use an S Pen as a drawing tablet on WindowsSetup, Windows pen settings and what to expect.
Use a Galaxy Tab as a drawing tabletWhich devices, what you need, what it can't do.
SuperDisplay alternative for MacA fair comparison, with sources and a date.
Wake up the pen in your drawer.
Download the Mac & Windows app
Coming soon to Google Play
Free to start. No ads. Pro is $7.99, once.