If you’re one of those who has to keep working on your vacation, then you might know the pain of carrying a laptop and accessories all the time. What if you don’t need to bear that extra luggage? Maybe you can work on your iPad or Android tablet?
But at the same time, you don’t want to miss out on some important resources, documents, or perhaps some work that can only be done on a laptop or desktop. Or simply, you’re sitting on your couch and need to access something from your desktop in another room. That’s where some remote desktop software can be of great help, like TeamViewer.
However, it could be the case that you don’t like TeamViewer for some reason. In this list, you can have some of the best free alternatives to TeamViewer that can allow you to create a remote desktop connection and access the required resources easily.
6 Best TeamViewer Alternatives 2020
| Remote Access Tool | Price |
|---|---|
| AnyDesk | Free |
| Zoho Assist | Paid (Free Trial) |
| Splashtop | Free |
| Google Remote Desktop | Free |
| NoMachine | Free |
| Windows Remote Desktop | Free |
1. AnyDesk
AnyDesk is the name that is taken quite often when talking about remote desktop software. But it also serves as a great TeamViewer alternative.
You can use AnyDesk by installing it on your machine and also as a portable app in case you just need to try it out. While there is a paid version, AnyDesk’s free version offers enough features if you’re just getting started with remote computing.
Best features of AnyDesk
- Easily connects to remote machines using a unique device address.
- Has built-in chat functionality
- Supports file transfer, remote screen recording, clipboard sync, remote printing, and session history.
- Supports login credentials for unattended access.
- Supports multiple displays connected to the remote machine.
- Can detect and connect to other AnyDesk machines over LAN.
The bad part
- The user interface could have been better.
- Some features are not that easy to use.
Pricing
- Free Version: Available
- Premium: Starts at $10.99/mo
Supremo [Sponsored]: Supremo allows intuitive remote access without any type of configuration but, at the same time, full of a wide range of features. It is a cross-platform software available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS to connect from a PC, smartphone, or tablet if you are traveling, at home, or anywhere else. Supremo is a free software, but it is available for companies at an extremely competitive price starting from €5/month. Discover its features: https://www.supremocontrol.com/pricing/
2. Zoho Assist
Zoho Assist, this remote desktop software caters to the needs of more advanced and business users. It’s a great TeamViewer alternative for all the useful features it offers under a visually appealing UI.
The main selling point of Zoho Assist is its cloud-powered setup which means you don’t need to install anything on your system to provide remote support. However, it’s a paid tool that comes with a 15-day trial.
Best features of Zoho Assist
- Easy to setup remote access software with pro features
- Supports file sharing, annotations, text, voice calls, and video calls with the client
- Can be used as a system service for more controls on the client machine
- Provides direct access to Shutdown, Restart, and other quick launch options
- Support for unattended access on the client machine
- Provides favorites and past session history for later access
The bad part
- Setup process may be a little tedious on the client machine (depends on OS)
- Free trial version marketed as a free version
Pricing
- Free Version: Not Available
- Premium: Starts at $8/mo (15-day free trial)
3. Splashtop
Splashtop is yet another alternative to TeamViewer that you can use to mirror your computer remotely. Over nine years of its existence, this remote access software has made a good name across the industry by providing a good mix of video quality and latency over the remote connection.
The free version of Splashtop comes loaded with features that can be enough for beginners. You should prefer this remote access software if you’re planning to mostly connect to your host machine over LAN.
Best features of Splashtop
- Seamless one-click connectivity to the remote machine
- Support touchpad gestures such as two-finger scroll, pinch to zoom, etc
- Offers good quality even on moderately fast connections
- Supports file transfer from a remote device
- Functionality can be extended by installing add-ons (paid)
The bad part
- Requires two separate apps to be installed on both remote and client devices.
- UI doesn’t look appealing.
Pricing
- Free Version: Available
- Premium: Starts at $5/mo
4. Google Remote Desktop
Possibly the easiest TeamViewer alternative you can get is Chrome Remote Desktop. You might have heard about this free remote desktop software from Google many times, and it’s well known for its simplicity. It is based on Google’s proprietary protocol known as Chromoting.
One of the selling points of Chrome Remote Desktop is the fact that it works inside your Google Chrome browser. You don’t need to maintain a separate app on your computer (except the tools that you need to install while setting up a remote connection).
Best features of Chrome Remote Desktop
- It is an easy and simple to use remote desktop program
- Visually appealing user interface
- Can sync clipboard with the remote device
- Supports remapping of keys on the remote device
- Supports multiple displays connected to the remote device
- Quickly connect to other devices using One-time passwords
The bad part
- The setup process is a bit tedious
- Requires Google account for Remote Desktop connections (subjective).
Pricing
- Free Version: Available
- Premium: Not Available
5. NoMachine
NoMachine is yet another free TeamViewer alternative that you can install on your machine. It uses a proprietary remote desktop protocol called NX to establish connections.
However, the catch here is that this remote access software works better for connections over LAN. This means you cannot access your computer sitting in a far corner of your house.
Best features of NoMachine
- Automatically list other NoMachine-installed devices on your LAN
- Hassle-free setup for remote desktop connection
- Provides multiple authentication methods
- Support for sharing different connected peripherals and file sharing
The bad part
- The user interface doesn’t look good
- Some options aren’t easy to use.
- Performance could have been better.
Pricing
- Free Version: Available
- Premium: For Enterprise
6. Windows Remote Desktop
Why go so far when a free TeamViewer alternative is right there on your computer? Yes, I’m talking about Windows Remote Desktop which comes in-built in Windows 10 (and older versions).
As you might already know, it uses Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Protocol to connect with other machines over the internet and LAN. The reason I have put it on the bottom of this list is that Windows Remote Desktop is not there on the Windows 10 Home edition, which many people use.
Best features of Windows Remote Desktop
- Known for its reliability
- Allows you to use printers and other peripherals connected to a remote machine
- Supports clipboard sharing from a remote device
- Provides encrypted remote connections with TLS support
- Works with Windows username and password
The bad part
- Doesn’t work on Windows 10 Home edition
- Enabling the feature is a little tricky.
Pricing
- Free Version: Available
- Premium: Not Available
So, guys, these are some great TeamViewer alternatives that you can install on your computer to establish a remote connection. We’ll be adding more interesting apps, so don’t forget to check out this list in the future.
Also Read: Google Alternatives: Best Search Engines
Frequently Asked Questions
What the heck is a Remote Desktop Software?
As you might know, remote desktop software or remote access software lets you connect to your or another computer from any corner of the world, provided you have an active internet connection. However, this is very different from a Virtual Private Network.
Using a remote access tool, you can do many things like mirror your PC over the internet, transfer files, provide assistance to someone else remotely, and so on.
There are many different types of protocols supported by remote desktop services to establish a connection over the internet. For example, you get the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) on Windows. Then there is the Apple Remote Desktop (ARD) protocol, Remote Frame Buffer (RFB), amongst others.
Is a free screen sharing software enough for me?
In most cases, a no-cost screen sharing tool, or a free alternative to TeamViewer in this case, should be enough for a general user. Most of these solutions provide standard features, such as screen sharing and file transfer. However, they may not offer encryption and other security features, which shouldn’t be a deal-breaker for casual users.
What is TeamViewer?
TeamViewer was first released in 2005 and currently provides support for popular platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome OS, Android, iOS, etc.
If we talk about popular remote access services, I guess TeamViewer is the most popular free remote desktop software out there. It also lets you access other computers remotely without any issues.
Is TeamViewer free of cost?
Yes, there is a version of TeamViewer that comes for free and provides basic features to the user. But if you want you can shell out some cash for the premium version and more features.
But if it’s not your cup of tea at all, then you might consider some good TeamViewer alternatives mentioned in this list.
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