Comparison of remote desktop software

This page is a comparison of notable remote desktop software available for various platforms.

## Remote desktop software

[edit]

Software  | Protocols  | Creator  | First public release date  | Latest stable year, version  | License  | Free for personal use  | Free for commercial use

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AetherPal | Proprietary | AetherPal Inc.  | 2011  | 2016, Valet  | Proprietary | No  | No
Ammyy Admin | Proprietary | Ammyy Inc.  | 2007  | 2015, 3.5[1] | Proprietary | Yes  | No
AnyDesk | Proprietary | AnyDesk Software GmbH  | 2015  | 2024-09-18, 8.1.0  | Proprietary | Yes  | No
Anyplace Control | Proprietary | Anyplace Control Software  | 2002  | 2012, 5.4.0.0  | Proprietary | No  | No
Apple Remote Desktop | RFB (VNC) | Apple  | 2002  | 2023, 3.9.8[2] | Proprietary | No  | No
Apple Screen Sharing (iChat)  | Proprietary, RFB (VNC) | Apple  | 2007  | 2014, 1.6  | Proprietary | Yes  | Yes
AppliDis | RDP | Systancia | ?  | 2013, 4 SP3  | Proprietary | No  | No
Cendio ThinLinc | RFB (VNC) | Cendio AB  | 2003  | 2024-12-20, 4.18.0  | Proprietary | Yes[a] | Yes[a]
Chrome Remote Desktop | Chromoting | Google  | 2011  | 2023, 120.0.6099.8  | BSD Client, Proprietary Server  | Yes  | Yes
Citrix XenApp/Presentation Server/MetaFrame/WinFrame | RDP, ICA | Citrix Systems | 1995  | 2018-06-01, 7.18  | Proprietary | No  | No
ConnectWise Control (ScreenConnect)  | Proprietary | Elsinore Technologies  | 2008  | 2022, 22.5  | Proprietary | Yes[b] | Yes[b]
Ericom Connect | Proprietary | Ericom Software | 2015  | 2019, 9.1  | Proprietary | No  | No
GO-Global | Proprietary | GraphOn  | ?  | ?  | Proprietary | No  | No
Goverlan Systems Management (Goverlan Reach Remote Control)  | Proprietary, RDP, RFB (VNC), Intel vPro KVM, SSH | Goverlan Systems Management | 1998  | 2019, 9.01  | Proprietary | No  | No
GoToMyPC | Proprietary | Citrix Online | 2000  | 2013  | Proprietary | No  | No
HP Remote Graphics Software (RGS) / ZCentral Remote Boost  | HP RGS | HP Inc | 2003  | 2022-05-01, 22.1  | Proprietary | No[c] | No[c]
IBM Director Remote Control | Proprietary | IBM | ?  | ?  | Proprietary | No  | No
I'm InTouch | Proprietary | Communique  | 2000  | 2015, 9.51  | Proprietary | No  | No
Krdc | RFB (VNC), RDP | Tim Jansen, Urs Wolfer, a.o.  | 2010  | 2021-03-04, 20.12.3[d] | GPL-2.0-or-later | Yes  | Yes
LogMeIn | Proprietary | LogMeIn, Inc. | ?  | ?  | Proprietary | No  | No
Mikogo | Proprietary | BeamYourScreen GmbH  | ?  | 2015-03-24, 5.2.2[4] | Proprietary | Yes  | No
NetSupport Manager | Proprietary | NetSupport Software | 1989  | 2019  | Proprietary | No  | No
Netviewer | Proprietary | Netviewer AG  | ?  | ?  | Proprietary | No  | No
NX technology (NoMachine)  | Proprietary | NoMachine  | 2003  | 2025-01-28, 8.16.1  | Proprietary | Yes  | No
Oracle Secure Global Desktop Software/Sun VDI | AIP | Tarantella/Oracle Inc.  | 1997  | 2015-04, 5.2.903  | Proprietary | No  | No
Parsec | Proprietary | Parsec Cloud, Inc | 2016  | 2016-07, 3.5  | Proprietary | Yes  | No
Proxy Networks | Proprietary | Funk Software Inc. | 1993  | 2020-01-29, 10.2  | Proprietary | No  | No
QVD | NX and HTTP | Qindel Group | 2001  | 2020-10, 4.2[5] | GPL | Yes  | Yes
rdesktop | RDP | Matthew Chapman  | 2001  | 2019, 1.9.0  | GPL-3.0-or-later | Yes  | Yes
RealVNC VNC Server/Viewer | Proprietary, RFB (VNC), SSH | RealVNC | 2002  | 2024-01-11, Server 7.9.0, Viewer 7.9.0  | Proprietary | No  | No
Remmina | RDP, RFB (VNC), SPICE, XDMCP, SSH, EXEC | Originally written by Vic Lee  | 2009  | 2025-01-05, 1.4.39  | GPL-2.0-or-later | Yes  | Yes
Remote Desktop Services/Terminal Services | RDP | Microsoft | 1998  | 2016  | Proprietary | Yes  | Yes[e]
Remote Utilities | Proprietary | Alex Ter-Osipov, Remote Utilities LLC  | 2004  | 2019  | Proprietary | Yes  | No
RustDesk | Custom Rendezvous protocol  | Purslane Ltd.  | 2020  | 2024-04-07, 1.2.3-2  | AGPL-3.0-or-later | Yes  | Yes
Splashtop | Proprietary | Splashtop Inc  | 2010  | 2024-09-19, 3.7.2.0  | Proprietary | No  | No
SSH with X forwarding | X11 | ?  | 1999  | 2015, OpenSSH: 7.1, protocol: 2.0  | BSD | Yes  | Yes
Sun Ray/SRSS | ALP | ?  | ?  | ?  | Proprietary | ?  | ?
Symantec pcAnywhere | Proprietary | Symantec Corporation  | 1986  | 2012, 12.6.65  | Proprietary | No  | No
TeamViewer | Proprietary | TeamViewer GmbH  | 2005  | 2021-04-27, 15.17  | Proprietary | No  | No
Techinline | RDP | Techinline Ltd.  | 2006  | 2016, 4.2.2  | Proprietary | No  | No
TigerVNC | RFB (VNC) | Red Hat, Cendio AB, The VirtualGL Project  | 2009  | 2025-02-13, 1.15.0[6] | GPL-2.0-or-later | Yes  | Yes
TightVNC | RFB (VNC) | GlavSoft LLC, Constantin Kaplinsky  | 2001  | 2024-06-17, 2.8.85[7] | GPL-2.0-or-later | Yes  | Yes
Timbuktu | Proprietary | WOS Datasystems  | pre-1988  | 2013, 8.8.5 (macOS)/9.0.5 (Windows)  | Proprietary | Yes  | Yes
TurboVNC | RFB (VNC) | The VirtualGL Project  | 2004  | 2018, 2.2  | GPL | Yes  | Yes
UltraVNC | RFB (VNC) | Rudi De Vos, Ludovic Bocquet  | 2002  | April 24, 2025; May 7, 2025; Error: first parameter cannot be parsed as a date or time. (April 24, 2025; May 7, 2025), 1.6.0.0[8] | GPL-2.0-or-later | Yes  | Yes
Veyon | RFB (VNC) | ?  | 2005  | 2021-03-11, 4.5.4  | GPL-2.0-or-later | Yes  | Yes
Vinagre | RFB (VNC), SPICE, RDP, SSH | The GNOME Project | 2007  | 2019-05-08, 3.32.2  | GPL-2.0-or-later | Yes  | Yes
xpra | Bencode-based, rencode-based, YAML-based, RFB (VNC) for desktop mode  | Nathaniel Smith  | 2008  | 2025-04-23, 6.3[9] | GPL-2.0-or-later | Yes  | Yes
X11vnc | RFB (VNC) | Karl Runge  | 2001  | 2019, 0.9.16[10] | GPL-2.0-or-later | Yes  | Yes
X2Go | NX | Oleksandr Shneyder and Heinz-M. Graesing[11] | 2006[11] | 2020-02-13, 4.1.2.2  | GPL-2.0-or-later | Yes  | Yes
x2x | X11 | David Chaiken  | 1996  | 2003, 1.27  | BSD | Yes  | Yes

## Operating system support

[edit]

Software  | Windows | macOS | Linux  | FreeBSD  | Java (client) | Android | iOS |

Blackberry
(client)

| Windows Mobile  |

ChromeOS
(client)

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Server | Client | Server | Client | Server | Client | Server | Client | Client | Server | Client | Server | Server | Client
AetherPal | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | ?
Ammyy Admin | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?
AnyDesk | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | Yes
AppliDis | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | ?
Apple Remote Desktop | No  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?
Cendio ThinLinc | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes[f] | No  | Yes[g] | No  | Yes[h] | No  | Yes[h] | No  | Yes[h] | Yes[h]
Citrix XenApp | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | ?
Ericom Connect | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | Yes
GO-Global | ?  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | No  | No  | ?  | Yes  | ?
Goverlan Systems Management (Goverlan Reach Remote Control)  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No
GoToMyPC | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | ?
HP Remote Graphics Software (RGS) / ZCentral Remote Boost  | Yes[12] | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | No  | No  | ?  | Yes  | ?
IBM Director Remote Control | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | No  | ?  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?
I'm InTouch | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?
KRDC | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?
LogMeIn Pro | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | ?
Mikogo | ?  | Yes  | ?  | Yes[i] | ?  | Yes[j] | ?  | No  | No  | Yes[k] | ?  | Yes[l] | No  | No  | ?  | No  | ?
NetSupport Manager | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | No  | No  | ?  | Yes  | ?
Netviewer | ?  | Yes  | ?  | No  | ?  | No  | ?  | No  | No  | Yes[16] | ?  | ?  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | ?
NX Technology (NoMachine)  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | Yes
Oracle Secure Global Desktop Software | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | ?  | No  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | ?
Parsec | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | Yes
Proxy Networks | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | Yes
QVD | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?
rdesktop | No  | Yes[17] | ?  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | ?
RealVNC Free | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | ?
RealVNC Personal | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | ?
RealVNC Enterprise | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | ?
Remmina | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | ?
Remote Desktop Services/Terminal Services | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes[m] | Yes[19] | Yes  | No  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | No  | No  | ?  | Yes[n] | ?
Remote Utilities | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No
RustDesk | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?
ConnectWise Control | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?
Splashtop | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes[22] | Yes  | Yes
SSH with X forwarding | No  | Yes[o] | No  | Yes[o] | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes[23] | ?  | Yes  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | ?
Sun Ray/SRSS | ?  | Yes  | ?  | No  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | No  | Yes  | No  | ?  | No  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | ?
Sub7 | ?  | No  | ?  | No  | ?  | No  | ?  | No  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | ?
Symantec pcAnywhere | ?  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | No  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | ?
TeamViewer | Yes[24] | Yes[24] | Yes[25] | Yes[25] | Yes[26] | Yes[26] | No  | No  | Yes  | Yes[27] | Yes[27] | Yes[28] | No  | Yes[29] | Yes[30] | Yes[31] | Yes[32]
Techinline | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?
TightVNC | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes[p] | Yes[q] | Yes[q] | Yes[q] | Yes[q] | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | ?
TigerVNC | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes[r] | Yes[r] | Yes  | No  | ?  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?
Timbuktu | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No
TurboVNC | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes[s] | Yes  | Yes[t] | Yes[r] | Yes[r] | Yes[u] | No  | ?  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?
UltraVNC | Yes  | Yes[v] | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?
Veyon | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?
xpra | Yes[w] | Yes  | Yes[w] | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No[x] | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No[y]
X11vnc | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | No  | ?  | No  | ?
X2Go | No  | Yes[36] | No  | Yes[36] | Yes[37] | Yes[36] | No  | Yes[36] | No  | No  | ?  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?
x2x | No[z] | No[aa] | No[z] | Yes  | No[z] | Yes  | No[z] | Yes  | No  | ?  | No[z] | ?  | No  | No  | No[z] | No  | ?
Software  | Server | Client | Server | Client | Server | Client | Server | Client | Java (client) | Client | Server | Client | Server |

Blackberry
(client)

| Server | Client |

ChromeOS
(client)

## Features

[edit]

Software  |

Client/server
/listening

Built-in encryption

File transfer

Audio support

Multiple sessions

Seamless window

Remote assistance

Access permission
request

NAT passthrough

IPv6 support

Maximum
simultaneous connections

Video

Drag and drop
file transfer

Multiple passwords
for remote access

Session recording

Screen blanking

USB forwarding

Export network services

Remote Printing

Smartcard authentication

Whiteboard

Chat tool

H.264 support

Browser-based access

Session persistence

Free for personal use

Free for commercial use

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AetherPal | Client & server  | SSL, TLS | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Unlimited  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | No
Ammyy Admin | Client & server  | AES, RSA | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | No  | No  | No  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | ?  | ?  | No  | ?  | No  | No  | Yes  | No
AnyDesk | Client & server  | SSL, TLS 1.2, AES | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Unlimited (depends on license)  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | No
Anyplace Control | Client & server  | RC4, RSA | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Unlimited  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | No
AppliDis | Client & server  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Unlimited  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | No
Apple Remote Desktop | Client & server  | AES-128 | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes[ab] | No  | Yes  | Unlimited  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | No
Apple Screen Sharing
(iChat)  | Client & server  | AES-256 | No  | No  | Yes  | No  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Unlimited  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Yes
Cendio ThinLinc | Client & server (Linux only)  | SSH, TLS | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes[ac] | Unlimited  | Yes  | VirtualGL | No  | Yes  | No  | ?  | No  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes
Chrome Remote Desktop | Client & server  | SSL, TLS | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Unlimited  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Yes
Citrix XenApp | Client & server  | SSL, TLS | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Unlimited  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | No  | No
Ericom Connect | Client & server  | SSL, TLS[38] | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Unlimited  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | ?  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | No  | No
GO-Global | Client & server  | SSL, DES-56, DES-168, AES-256 | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | No
Goverlan Systems Management
(Goverlan Reach Remote Control)  | Client & server  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Unlimited  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | No  | No
GoToMyPC | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | No
HP Remote Graphics Software
(RGS)  | Client & server  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | No  | Unlimited  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | No  | No  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Yes
IBM Director Remote Control | Client & server  | AES, Triple DES, DES | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | No
I'm InTouch | Web client & Win server  | SSL, AES-256 | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | No
KRDC | Client only  | No  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Yes
LogMeIn | Pro only  | SSL, TLS[39] | ?  | Yes[40] | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes[40] | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes[41] | ?  | Yes[40] | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | No
Mikogo | Client & server[ad] | AES-256 | Yes  | No  | Yes[ae] | No  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | No
NetSupport Manager | Client & server  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Unlimited  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | No
Netviewer | Client & server  | AES-128 | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes[af] | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | No
NX technology (NoMachine)  | Client & server  | AES 128 | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No
Oracle Secure Global Desktop Software/Sun VDI | Client & server  | SSL, TLS (AES-256)  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | No
Parsec | Client, Win8+ server[42] & Enterprise Relay[43] | DTLS (AES-128)[44] | No  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | Paid[45] | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No
Proxy Networks | Client, server, & gateway  | SSL, AES-256 | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes, client  | Yes  | Unlimited  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | No  | No
QVD | Client & server  | SSL | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Unlimited  | No  | No  | Yes  | No  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Yes
rdesktop | Client only  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes[ag] | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Yes
RealVNC Home | Client, server & listening  | AES-128 | No  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes in listening mode  | No  | Unlimited  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?
RealVNC Professional | Client, server & listening  | AES-128 | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes in listening mode  | Yes  | Unlimited  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?
RealVNC Enterprise | Client, server & listening  | AES-256 | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes in listening mode  | Yes  | Unlimited  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes[ah] | ?  | ?  | ?
Remmina | Client only  | AES-256 | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Unlimited  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | No[ai] | ?  | Yes  | Yes
Remote Desktop Services/Terminal Services | Client & server  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes[aj] | Yes[ak] | Yes[al] | Yes[am] | No  | Yes  | Unlimited  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes
Remote Utilities | Client & server  | AES-256 | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Unlimited (depends on license)  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | No  | No  | Yes  | No  | No  | ?  | Yes  | No
RustDesk | Client & server  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | Yes
ConnectWise Control | Client & server  | AES-256 | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | No
Splashtop | Client & server  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Unlimited  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | No  | No
SSH with X forwarding | Client & server  | Yes  | Yes  | Partial[an] | Yes[ao] | Yes  | ?  | ?  | No  | Yes[ap] | Unlimited  | Yes  | Yes, server side[48] | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | Yes  | Yes
Sun Ray/SRSS | Client, server, & hardware  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?
Sub7 | Client & server  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Yes
Symantec pcAnywhere | Client & server  | AES-256 | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | No  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | No
TeamViewer | Client & server  | AES-256 | Yes  | Partial[aq] | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes, client & server  | Yes  | 3-15[ar] | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | ?  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | No
Techinline | Client & server  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | 1 or unlimited  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | No  | No
TightVNC | Client, server & listening  | SSH (Unix client only)  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes in listening mode  | No  | Unlimited  | ?  | ?  | No  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Yes
TigerVNC | Client, server & listening  | SSL, TLS | No  | No  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | Yes in listening mode  | Yes  | Unlimited  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes
Timbuktu | Client & server  | Yes  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Yes
TurboVNC | Client, server & listening  | SSL, TLS, SSH | No  | No  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | Yes in listening mode  | Yes  | Unlimited  | Yes  | VirtualGL | No  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | ?  | Yes  | Yes
UltraVNC | Client & server & listening  | With plugin  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | Partial[as] | Yes  | Yes  | Yes, with SC version + external "Repeater" server  | ?  | Unlimited  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Yes
Veyon | Client & server  | SSH | No  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | Unlimited  | Yes  | No  | No  | Token-Based  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Yes
xpra | Client & server  | SSH, TLS, AES | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes[at] | Yes  | Yes  | Yes, server[au] | Yes  | Unlimited  | Yes  | VirtualGL | Yes  | Yes[av] | Yes[aw] | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | No  | No  | No  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes
X11vnc | Server only  | SSL | Yes  | No  | Yes  | No  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Unlimited  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Yes
X2Go | Client & server  | SSH | Yes  | Yes[ax] | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes
x2x | Client only  | Yes[ay] | No  | No  | Yes  | —  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | ?  | Yes  | Yes

### Terminology

[edit]

In the table above, the following terminology is intended to be used to describe some important features:

* Listening mode: where a server connects to a viewer. The server site does not have to configure its firewall/NAT to allow access on a defined port; the onus is on the viewer, which is useful if the server site has no computer expertise, while the viewer user would be expected to be more knowledgeable.
* Built-in encryption: the software has at least one method of encrypting the data between the local and remote computers, and the encryption mechanism is built into the remote control software.
* File transfer: the software allows the user to transfer files between the local and remote computers, from within the client software's user interface.
* Audio support: the remote control software transfers audio signals across the network and plays the audio through the speakers attached to the local computer. For example, music playback software normally sends audio signals to the locally attached speakers, via some sound controller hardware. If the remote control software package supports audio transfer, the playback software can run on the remote computer, while the music can be heard from the local computer, as though the software were running locally.
* Multiple sessions: the ability to connect to a server as many users, and have each one see their individual desktops.
* Seamless window: the software allows an application to be run on the server, and just the application window to be shown on the client's desktop. Normally the remote user interface chrome is also removed, giving the impression that the application is running on the client machines.
* Remote assistance: remote and local users are able to view the same screen at the same time, so a remote user can assist a local user.
* Access permission request: local user should approve a remote access session start.
* NAT passthrough: the ability to connect to the server behind a NAT without configuring the router's port forwarding rules. It offers an advantage when you can't reconfigure the router/firewall (for example in case it is on the Internet service provider's side), but is a serious security risk (unless the traffic is end-to-end encrypted), because all the traffic will pass through some proxy server which in most cases is owned by the remote access application's developers.[citation needed]
* Maximum simultaneous connections: number of clients connected to the same session
* Screen blanking: the ability to prevent the user of the host/server from viewing what is currently being displayed on the screen while a remote user is connected.
* Remote Printing: the remote user can print a file from the host computer to a printer connected to the client computer.
* Session persistence: unsaved work will not be lost when the user disconnects or in the event of connection loss
* IPv6 support: supports connections over IPv6

## See also

[edit]

* Comparison of SSH clients
* List of Remote Desktop Protocol clients

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b Free use limited to 10 concurrent users.
2. ^ a b Single-technician license - 1 connection - 3 unattended access agents
3. ^ a b Receiver is a free download[3] Sender is free on HP Z Workstations.
4. ^ Since 2010 KRDC has been integrated with the KDE desktop manager.
5. ^ Admin mode available for servers & workstations without additional licensing, in TS mode a separate license is required.
6. ^ Web Access Client with Android support.
7. ^ Web Access Client with iOS support.
8. ^ a b c d Web Access Client with touch support.
9. ^ Some features are MS Windows-only.
10. ^ Some features are MS Windows- and Apple Mac-only.[13]
11. ^ Available to view a remote desktop from Google Android Linux devices.[14]
12. ^ Available to view a remote desktop from Apple iOS devices.[15]
13. ^ There exists an "official" client for Apple Mac OS, as well as several independent implementations. See for example the "CoRD" entry above, an alternative open source RDP client for Mac[18]
14. ^ Windows Mobile Remote Desktop is an optional part of WM 6.1.[20][21]
15. ^ a b To use Windows or Mac OS X as a client, an X server needs to be installed and running. Windows or Mac OS X can be used as a server, if they have an SSH server running; but only X11 applications (not native GUI applications) can display their GUI on the client; on Windows these probably have to be run within Cygwin.
16. ^ As X application, 1.3.x version only.[33]
17. ^ a b c d 1.3.x version only "Download (Previous Versions)". TightVNC. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
18. ^ a b c d Requires installation from source.
19. ^ Bundled Java application that uses libjpeg-turbo native library for accelerated JPEG decompression.[34]
20. ^ Bundled Java application that uses libjpeg-turbo native library for accelerated JPEG decompression.[34]
21. ^ Can use libjpeg-turbo through JNI to accelerate JPEG decompression.[34]
22. ^ UltraVNC v1.0.4 RC4 (beta) claims "Greatly improved Vista support" as of 1 October 2007.[35]
23. ^ a b No seamless mode
24. ^ Working code exists but it is unmaintained
25. ^ The server includes a built-in HTML5 client
26. ^ a b c d e f It is designed to run only on the client; it can connect to any X11 server.
27. ^ This could actually work when running an X server, but it is easier to use Win2VNC instead.
28. ^ Only for non-admin users.
29. ^ Only when host names are used.
30. ^ Connections are centrally negotiated via Mikogo server.
31. ^ Up to ten participants.
32. ^ 8 simultaneously.
33. ^ With the addition of SeamlessRDP.[46]
34. ^ Using a Java applet.
35. ^ Since it is a GTK+ application, it can be accessed using the Broadway HTML5 back-end, but this is not yet mature or a full replacement for a browser remote desktop client.
36. ^ Remote Desktop Services are single user only. Local screen is locked when remote user connects and local user can not view remote user's activities. Remote user is disconnected when local user logs in. Terminal Services use multiple independent desktops. Local user views its own desktop and can not view remote users' activities. Local user is not notified when remote user connects.
37. ^ Provided the server is running Windows 2008 or later.
38. ^ Assistance mode uses a separate client named MSRA (Microsoft Remote Assistance). Remote user must approve your access in assistance mode.
39. ^ Access approval is always requested in assistance mode and never in remote access mode.
40. ^ When using something like pulseaudio
41. ^ No sessions at all, just individual windows. However one can use Xnest.
42. ^ OpenSSH supports IPv6 and IPv6 forwarding.[47]
43. ^ Audio sharing not available on Mac
44. ^ 3 with the free version; up to 15 with a license
45. ^ UltraVNC allows a single Window to be shown, however it is still doing full screen polling and not capturing the application details. This can cause other windows to overlap and popup windows to "disappear".
46. ^ Only for X sessions.
47. ^ Using the proxy server.[49]
48. ^ Through SSH and/or xpra's authentication modules.[50]
49. ^ Via configuration and external tools.[51]
50. ^ Via PulseAudio.[52]
51. ^ Can be used over SSH session.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Ammyy Admin – kostenlose Remote Desktop-Freigabe- und Remote-Steuerungssoftware – Download". www.ammyy.com. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
2. ^ "Remote Desktop", Mac App Store, Apple.
3. ^ RGS, Hewlett-Packard.
4. ^ "Download". Mikogo. Beam Your Screen.
5. ^ "Release Notes 4.2 - QVD: The Linux VDI platform". QVD: The Linux VDI platform. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
6. ^ "TigerVNC/tigervnc". GitHub. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
7. ^ Kaplinsky, Constantin. "Download TightVNC". tightvnc.com. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
8. ^ "UltraVNC 1.6.0.0".
9. ^ xpra (source code archive).
10. ^ Christian Beier (5 January 2019), x11vnc 0.9.16.
11. ^ a b "about:start". X2Go. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
12. ^ HP Remote Graphics Software version 7 (PDF) (data sheet), Hewlett Packard, 2014, p. 3.
13. ^ "GNU/Linux", Download, Mikogo.
14. ^ "Google Android Linux", Download, Mikogo.
15. ^ "Apple iOS", Download, Mikogo.
16. ^ "Netviewer Meet Mobile Netviewer AG". Play. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
17. ^ "rdesktop 1.6 windows port". 40in. RU: 2g0. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
18. ^ Cord, Source forge.
19. ^ XDPxrdp: An open source remote desktop protocol (rdp) server, Source forge, archived from the original on 13 May 2011, retrieved 4 September 2008.
20. ^ Windows mobile remote desktop connect (blog), Mobile Views.
21. ^ WM6 RDP mobile remote desktop client, PDA Phone Home.
22. ^ "Splashtop Downloads". Splashtop. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
23. ^ "Darkside", Play (applications store), AU: Google.
24. ^ a b TeamViewer for Windows, TeamViewer.
25. ^ a b TeamViewer for macOS, TeamViewer.
26. ^ a b TeamViewer for Linux, TeamViewer.
27. ^ a b TeamViewer for Android, TeamViewer.
28. ^ TeamViewer for iOS, TeamViewer.
29. ^ TeamViewer for BlackBerry, TeamViewer.
30. ^ TeamViewer QuickSupport for Windows Mobile, TeamViewer.
31. ^ TeamViewer for Windows Mobile, TeamViewer.
32. ^ TeamViewer for Chrome OS, TeamViewer.
33. ^ "Tightvnc Portfile". MacPorts. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
34. ^ a b c User's Guide, TurboVNC.
35. ^ MS Windows Vista Support, UltraVNC, archived from the original on 11 October 2007, retrieved 11 October 2007.
36. ^ a b c d Client, X2Go.
37. ^ Server, X2Go.
38. ^ "Connect Admin 9.1.1 Guide - Overview". guide.ericom.com. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
39. ^ "Security Information". LogMeIn.com. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
40. ^ a b c "Remote Screen Sharing Software – LogMeIn". LogMeIn.com. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
41. ^ "Remote Computer Access: Control Your PC or Mac from Anywhere | LogMeIn Pro". LogMeIn.com. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
42. ^ "Operating System Support Matrix". Parsec. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
43. ^ "All Advanced Configuration Options". Parsec. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
44. ^ "Security At Parsec". Parsec. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
45. ^ "The Parsec Relay Server - An On-Prem High Performance Relay Server". Parsec. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
46. ^ Seamless RDP, Cendio, archived from the original on 22 July 2010, retrieved 26 May 2009.
47. ^ ssh (manual page), OpenBSD.
48. ^ Ars technica.
49. ^ Xpra Proxy Server.
50. ^ Xpra Authentication Modules.
51. ^ Feature Ticket.
52. ^ "doc:newtox2go". X2Go. Retrieved 8 March 2015.