Automation
mobile-use
Natural-language control of a real Android or iOS device
★ 2.8k
August 2026
Apache-2.0
Automation
What we checked ourselves
Not copied from the project's own blurb. These are things we opened and verified, with the date.
- 23 Aug 2026We checked that the link to the project still resolves.
- 14 Aug 2026We read the licence text itself (LICENSE). No unusual restrictions were stated.
- 1 Sept 2026We read the project's own documentation and found no sign that development has stopped.
Where this sits among the 29 tools we list in Automation
- Runs on a phone alone6 of 29
- Commercial use confirmed as allowed15 of 29
- Requires terminal commands9 that do not →
- Requires an API key13 that do not →
- Sends your input to the provider2 that do not →
Only 2 of the 29 meet all of the conditions above.
Counted from our own checks: every tool we list is examined against the same criteria.
What it does
Drives a physical or emulated phone from plain instructions, reading the UI and tapping through it — aimed at app testing and repetitive mobile workflows that no API covers. Use a dedicated test device: on a personal handset the same capability reaches messaging and payment apps, and whatever appears on screen is sent to your model provider. Some services prohibit automated interaction in their terms. Apache-2.0.
Summary based on the project's own description. The Japanese page has a fuller beginner guide: setup difficulty, what to prepare, and a step-by-step start.
Screenshots & visuals
Before you start
- Setup difficultySome setup needed
- Command lineRequired
- API keyRequired
- Sends data onlineYes
Judged automatically from the project's own metadata. Always confirm on the official page.
mobile-use FAQ
- Is mobile-use free?
- mobile-use itself is free, but it needs an API key for an external AI service. That service charges separately, though some have a free tier.
- Do I need to install anything or write code to use mobile-use?
- It needs the command line. If you are not comfortable typing commands, expect to get stuck during setup.
- Does mobile-use work on a phone?
- Yes, it works on a phone.
- Can I use mobile-use commercially?
- The licence is Apache-2.0, which permits commercial use. Conditions such as keeping the copyright notice still apply, so read the licence text before shipping it inside something.
How it compares
The conditions that decide whether you can actually use it, side by side.
| Tool | Command line | API key | Sends data out | Phone | Commercial use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mobile-use (this page) | Required | Required | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| blurr | Required | Required | Yes | Yes | No |
| n8n | Required | Not needed | Yes | No | Not verified |
| screenshot-to-code | Required | Required | Yes | No | Yes |
"Sends data out" means your input is uploaded to someone's server. Pick "No" when the material cannot leave your organisation.