Apple shipped Sidecar in macOS Catalina back in 2019. It lets you use an iPad as a second monitor over Wi-Fi or USB, and it's included with the OS at no extra cost. For dragging a window onto a nearby iPad, it works. Plenty of people use it exactly that way and are happy with it.

But the feature hasn't changed much since launch. The iPad hardware has moved considerably further: ProMotion displays, spatial audio, M-series chips. Sidecar still treats the iPad as a simple 60Hz extended display with no sound output. Mirage was designed to use more of what your hardware can actually do.

Refresh rate: 60Hz vs. 120Hz

Sidecar locks the stream to 60Hz regardless of the iPad model. If you've got a ProMotion display capable of 120Hz, half of those frames go unused.

Mirage streams at the display's native refresh rate, up to 120Hz. The difference shows up immediately in scrolling, cursor movement, and pencil input. It's the same jump you notice switching between a 60Hz and 120Hz iPhone, just applied to your Mac's output.

Streaming individual windows

With Sidecar, you're extending or mirroring the full desktop. There's no way to send just one app to the iPad. If you want Xcode on your iPad screen while keeping Slack on your Mac, you have to drag the window across the virtual display edge and position it manually. Every notification, every background app, everything on that extended desktop is visible.

Mirage lets you pick specific windows. You can stream just your browser, just your code editor, just a video call. Up to 8 windows at once with the Pro plan. It's a different mental model: instead of "here's another chunk of desktop," it's "here's exactly the app I want on this screen."

Audio

Sidecar doesn't stream audio. At all. If you're watching a tutorial, editing video, or on a call, the sound stays on the Mac. You'll need separate headphones or a speaker connected to it.

Mirage sends audio alongside the video stream. Stereo, 5.1 surround, and lossless are all supported. Audio stays in sync with the image, so you can actually use the iPad as a self-contained second workspace with its own speakers.

Which devices can connect

Sidecar requires both the Mac and iPad to be signed into the same Apple Account. That means your work iPad can't connect to your personal Mac, and a colleague can't borrow your iPad to use as a quick display for their machine. It's a reasonable security choice, but it limits flexibility in mixed-device setups.

Mirage has no account pairing requirement. Any compatible device can connect to any Mac running Mirage Host.

Remote access and VPN

Sidecar works on the local network or over USB. Leave the building and the connection drops. There's no built-in way to connect from somewhere else.

Mirage Pro adds support for Tailscale and OpenVPN, so you can reach your Mac from a different network. Your stream data stays between your devices without passing through external servers.

Headless Macs and virtual displays

If you've got a Mac mini under a desk, a Mac Studio in a closet, or a Mac Pro in a rack, Sidecar won't connect to it unless a physical display is attached. It was designed for laptops and desktops that already have screens.

Mirage creates virtual displays on headless Macs. No monitor needed, no HDMI dummy plug. You get a full macOS session on your iPad as if a real display were connected. For anyone running a home server, a build machine, or a render node, this is the core reason to use Mirage over Sidecar.

Encryption

Sidecar's video stream isn't end-to-end encrypted. On a trusted home network, that's probably fine. Over shared or public Wi-Fi, it's worth knowing about.

Mirage Pro encrypts the full stream with AES-256-GCM, a modern authenticated encryption scheme. Video and audio are both covered. If you're working with sensitive material, the stream stays private in transit.

Wake and unlock

When your Mac is asleep, Sidecar can't reach it. You need to physically wake the machine before connecting.

Mirage can wake a sleeping Mac remotely and present the lock screen on your client device so you can type your password and get straight in. Small convenience if your Mac is on the same desk. Bigger deal if it's in another room or another building.

Color depth

Sidecar streams in 8-bit color. Mirage Pro supports 10-bit Display P3, which matters for photo editing, color grading, and design work where you need accurate, wide-gamut color on the receiving screen.

Where they overlap

Both Sidecar and Mirage support Apple Pencil input and both work with Apple Vision Pro. If those are your primary needs and you don't care about refresh rate, audio, or remote access, Sidecar covers them without spending anything.

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