Remote desktop software is an important tool for any business. With it you can share screen, teach someone to do something or show a presentation. There are a lot of remote desktop programs available and some of them also come with a free tier. But it might be hard to choose the best tool for your business without trying them all. So in this article, we will check the best 10 remote desktop software you can use for your small to medium-sized business in 2021.
What is Remote Desktop Software?
The remote desktop program, also known as remote access software allows users to get access to another computer remotely and in real-time. Other than being fast, the developers of these programs also need to take care of the security.
Who Need Remote Desktop Software?
- Support Team: Employees working in the support desk use a remote desktop tool to provide help to their customer remotely and to help their fellow employees on othersdepertments.
- Administrators: As remote desktop software can assist in scheduling and running maintenance, software and licensing admins uses remote desktop tools.
- General User: General people can also use a remote desktop program to help their friends and family with their computer.
Common Features of Remote Desktop Software
As the programs get developed further, most of the tools come with various other tools other than being a remote desktop tool.
- Multiple Monitor Support: Many businesses use multiple monitors set up to increase productivity so nowadays remote desktop tools also have support for it.
- Multiple OS Support: Although most IT companies use Windows as their OS of choice, people also use macOS and Linux for various purposes. Remote desktop programs can connect with all of them to ensure the best quality support.
- Encrypted Connection: As the computers get connected over the internet, there is a chance someone can get hold of the data transferred and tamper with it. That is why these programs encrypt all the data delivered.
- Smartphone Access: Not only with computers, nowadays you can get remote desktop administrators access with smartphones with operating systems like Android and iOS.
There are many other features, like file manager, real-time chat, application management, session transfer etc.
Things to Keep in Mind with Remote Desktop Programs
As you can see, there are many ways you can help or get help with a remote desktop program, but there are certain things you have to keep in mind while using it.
- Connectivity: As all the data goes through an internet connection, both computers should have reliable and fast internet speed. Otherwise, the experience will deteriorate and you will face disconnection frequently.
- Hardware Limitation: Many times these programs are heavy. So if your hardware is not capable enough to run the program, stream it via the internet and use other tools at once, the overall process will be much slower.
- Privacy: Finally, the most important point is privacy. If you are the one trying to get help over a remote desktop program, make sure you trust the person on the other side. There are many hackers who use these kinds of programs to get into your computer and do harm.
10 Best Remote Desktop Software for Small to Medium Business
Now you know all the basics of a remote desktop program. Now it is time to get into the list of the best programs, you can use for your business or personal use.
1. Zoho Assist
Zoho Assist is an affordable and comprehensive software solution, ideal for small and medium businesses. The free plan includes a variety of remote support features. Paid plans for remote support and unattended access with different subscription levels are priced at $10-$24/month and $10-$15/month, respectively. Zoho Assist is enriched with features, such as Screen and Application Sharing, File Transfer, Session Recording, a desktop plugin, Annotation, Reboot and Reconnect, and text, audio, and video chat. It is available for a variety of operating systems, including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, iPad, Linux, Raspberry Pi, and Chrome OS. Zoho Assist offers a 15-day free trial, so you can try out all of its helpful features.
2. ManageEngine Remote Access Plus
ManageEngine Remote Access Plus is a highly affordable, secure and HIPPA compliant remote access and troubleshooting software. It is a perfect tool kit for IT admins with advanced remote sessions, direct access to diagnostic tools, scaled up power operations, high resolution screen recordings, unlimited chat, voice and video call, seamless collaboration and much more. This feature-packed solution is suitable for small as well as large scale organizations. You can unlock and explore all these advancements with the free edition and the annual subscription for standard edition starts at 75$.
Start the 30 day free trial now and try out the fully equipped remote access software!
Supported OS: Windows, Mac, Linux
Mobile app: Androied and iOS
3. TeamViewer
One of the most used remote desktop tool for personal and business use is TeamViewer. The program offers secure remote access, support and collaboration tools to everyone. The app is also available on most operating systems, like Android, macOS, Android and Linux. Although recently customer feedback is not that great, mostly that is for their free plan. When it comes to paid plans, their entry barrier is $24.90 per month for a single user, from which you can control 3 computers. As most companies worldwide use TeamViewer, it will be easier to communicate and collaborate with them if you also choose to use it.
4. AnyDesk
Another popular program for remote desktop usage is AnyDesk. It comes with great customer review, and it is available on a variety of operating systems, including Linux and Rasberry Pi. Many people tend to use AnyDesk because their free plan offers much more functionality than the free plan of TeamViewer. When it comes to paid plans, they have 3 subscription plans for small business to enterprises, cost ranging from $10.99 to $52.49 per month.
5. LogMeIn
Next on the list, we have LogMeIn which provides advanced remote control to your home and office computers. The app is also feature reach as it supports video streaming, file sharing, collaboration, remote printing, password management etc. This program is meant for business usage, so after a 14 day trial period you have to subscribe. Although the plans are costlier, the features compensate for it. For companies, their plan costs up to $6999.99 per year.
6. Splashtop
After that, we have Splashtop, which is great for small companies because of the affordable pricing they offer. It comes with fast and easy remote access, file sharing and printing feature. Sadly, there is no free plan but you can try it for 7 days. After that their Business Access Solo plan starts with $5 per month. On the other hand, an enterprise plan cost $4.54 per month per user. Another reason to consider Splashtop is you can switch users during the season.
7. Chrome Remote Desktop
If you are just starting out your business, and do not want to spend a fortune on a remote desktop tool, Chrome is there to rescue you. You can use it in all the operating systems which support Google Chrome and it works as an extension with an unofficial protocol of Google, named Chromoting. One thing to remember, as it is totally free, other than the remote desktop feature, you will not get anything else, like you cannot share files.
Must Read: How to Create the Perfect Work Schedule for Your Team
8. Microsoft Remote Desktop
Just like Google, Microsoft also offers a free remote desktop tool. The feature set is not something great here, but for free it is fine. Just like Chrome Remote Desktop, it allows you to remotely use a machine on a secure connection and you can also record screen. The downside is it only works with operating systems build by Microsoft, like Windows 8, Windows 10 and Xbox One. So if you are using Mac for business, this tool is not for you.
9. ConnectWise Control
A recently launched remote desktop program is ConnectWise Control. It offers two types of tools – The Support and Access service. Choose Support if you need a full remote control and Access if you need management capabilities to help someone. This program is available on all the major operating systems and the starting price is only $19 per month. With a 14-day trial, their highest tier plan costs $45 per month, which will allow you to use 10 simultaneous connection at once.
10. Freshdesk
No matter what kind of business you are running, Freshdesk will be a good option for you. It comes with great customer support and it is enriched with features. For example, it has file sharing, screen sharing and recording, collaboration, real-time chatting options. Freshdesk cost ranges from $15 per month to $49 per year per agent, for organizations. It also comes with a 21-day free trial, so you will get a lot of time to test all the features it provides.
11. RemotePC
Developed by IDrive, an enterprise-centric remote desktop tool is RemotePC. When it comes to features, it has live chat, record sessions, remote printing etc. The app is available on all the major operating systems, and you can also invite your team members to collaborate in real time. With a 30-day trial period, their pricing starts from $22.12 for two computers for the first year to $187.12 for 50 users for the first year. If you have a medium-sized business, you can try it, but I will not recommend it for small start-ups.
12. FixMe.IT
Finally, we have FixMe.IT which is developed for IT farms and industries. This tool is an on-demand, unattended remote support software offering two-way desktop sharing, multiple monitor support, drag and drop file transfer, 4K video session, business branding, etc. The program is available on Windows only and the remote client can be downloaded on both Android and iOS. With a 15-day trial, for the monthly payment, it costs $30 and annually $300.
Verdict
There is all the best remote desktop software you can use for your small to medium-sized business. As all of them has a trial period, you can also try them before sticking with one. On the other hand, if you are looking to use the program for mainly personal usage, Chrome Remote Desktop, Microsoft Remote Desktop or AnyDesk will be your best bet as they are free and has the main features.
