# Comparison of remote desktop software

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

## Remote desktop software

| Software | Protocols | Creator | First public release date | Latest stable year, version | License | Free for personal use | Free for commercial use |
| AetherPal | Proprietary | AetherPal Inc. | 2011 | 2016, Valet | Proprietary | No | No |
| Ammyy Admin | Proprietary | Ammyy Inc. | 2007 | 2015, 3.5 | 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 | 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 | Yes |
| 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 | Yes |
| 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 | No |
| 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 | GPL-2.0-or-later | Yes | Yes |
| LogMeIn | Proprietary | LogMeIn, Inc. | ? | ? | Proprietary | No | No |
| Mikogo | Proprietary | BeamYourScreen GmbH | ? | 2015-03-24, 5.2.2 | 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 | 2023-11-06, 8.10.1 | 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 | 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 |
| 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 | 2023-03-06, 1.12.0 | GPL-2.0-or-later | Yes | Yes |
| TightVNC | RFB (VNC) | GlavSoft LLC, Constantin Kaplinsky | 2001 | 2024-06-17, 2.8.85 | 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 | October 21, 2023; 16 months ago (October 21, 2023), 1.4.3.6 | 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 | 2020-06-04, 4.0.2 | GPL-2.0-or-later | Yes | Yes |
| X11vnc | RFB (VNC) | Karl Runge | 2001 | 2019, 0.9.16 | GPL-2.0-or-later | Yes | Yes |
| X2Go | NX | Oleksandr Shneyder and Heinz-M. Graesing | 2006 | 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

| Software | Windows | Windows | macOS | macOS | Linux | Linux | FreeBSD | FreeBSD | Java (client) | Android | Android | iOS | iOS | Blackberry (client) | Windows Mobile | Windows Mobile | ChromeOS (client) |
| Software | Server | Client | Server | Client | Server | Client | Server | Client | Java (client) | Client | Server | Client | Server | Blackberry (client) | Server | Client | ChromeOS (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 | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | 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 | ? | Yes | ? | No | No | Yes | ? | Yes | 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 | ? | ? | 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 | ? | 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 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | ? | Yes | ? | Yes | No | No | ? | Yes | ? |
| 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 | Yes | Yes |
| SSH with X forwarding | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | ? | 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 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Techinline | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | ? | No | No | No | No | No | ? |
| TightVNC | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | No | No | ? | No | ? |
| TigerVNC | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 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 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | ? | No | No | No | No | No | ? |
| UltraVNC | Yes | Yes | 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 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| X11vnc | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | ? | No | No | ? | No | ? |
| X2Go | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | ? | No | No | No | No | No | ? |
| x2x | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | ? | No | ? | No | No | No | No | ? |
| Software | Server | Client | Server | Client | Server | Client | Server | Client | Java (client) | Client | Server | Client | Server | Blackberry (client) | Server | Client | ChromeOS (client) |

## Features

| 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 | 3D | 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 |
| 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | ? | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Yes | ? | ? | ? | Yes | ? | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? | No | No |
| Mikogo | Client & server | AES-256 | Yes | No | Yes | 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 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | 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 & Enterprise Relay | DTLS (AES-128) | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Paid | 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 | ? | ? | ? | 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 | ? | ? | ? |
| Remmina | Client only | AES-256 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Unlimited | ? | ? | Yes | ? | ? | ? | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | ? | No | ? | Yes | Yes |
| Remote Desktop Services/Terminal Services | Client & server | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 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 | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | No | Yes | Unlimited | Yes | Yes, server side | 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 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes, client & server | Yes | 3-15 | 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 | 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 | Yes | Yes | Yes, server | Yes | Unlimited | Yes | VirtualGL | Yes | Yes | Yes | 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 | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| x2x | Client only | Yes | No | No | Yes | — | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Yes | Yes |

### Terminology

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.
* 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