# Best Remote Desktop Software in 2026 Source: https://listme.name/best/remote-desktop-software Remote desktop tools let you control another computer for personal access or IT support. They differ in whether you pay, whether you can self-host and which systems they cover. This ranking weighs access and support first, then openness, platform coverage and cost. ## 1. TeamViewer (score 89.5) The broadest platform list here, with Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and a web app, plus a personal-use product and paid business licenses. Business use needs a paid license, and add-ons are sold separately. - Best for: Personal sessions and IT support across mixed systems - Free plan, paid upgrades | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web - Website: https://www.teamviewer.com/en/ - Page: https://listme.name/software/teamviewer ## 2. AnyDesk (score 88.0) A remote desktop and support app with a free version for personal use and MSI and Group Policy options for IT. Business use needs a paid license, and its listed platforms are Windows, Android and iOS. - Best for: Personal remote access and small IT rollouts on Windows - Free plan, paid upgrades | Windows, Android, iOS - Website: https://anydesk.com/ - Page: https://listme.name/software/anydesk ## 3. RustDesk (score 87.0) An open-source remote desktop app for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android, with self-hosted servers for full control of connection data. It is free under AGPL-3.0, but you run and secure the server yourself. - Best for: Self-hosted remote access with open-source software - Free and open source | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Self-hosted | open source (AGPL-3.0) - Website: https://rustdesk.com/ - Page: https://listme.name/software/rustdesk ## 4. Zoho Assist (score 84.5) Cloud remote support and unattended access with a free plan and apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android and Chromebook. Advanced features sit in paid tiers, and pricing is organized around technicians and devices. - Best for: Support teams that want a free plan to start - Free plan, paid upgrades | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, ChromeOS - Website: https://www.zoho.com/assist/ - Page: https://listme.name/software/zoho-assist ## 5. NoMachine (score 83.5) A fast remote desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux, with terminal access in recent releases. Its free edition ended with version 10, so the Personal Edition and Network subscription are paid, and a 7-day trial is available. - Best for: Fast direct desktop access on Windows, macOS and Linux - Paid | Windows, macOS, Linux - Website: https://www.nomachine.com/ - Page: https://listme.name/software/nomachine ## 6. Parsec (score 81.0) A low-latency remote desktop app with a free Personal Use plan for non-commercial use and paid plans for work. Hosting is listed for Windows and macOS only, so it suits personal and gaming access more than IT support. - Best for: Personal and gaming remote access - Free plan, paid upgrades | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Web - Website: https://parsec.app/ - Page: https://listme.name/software/parsec ## 7. Apache Guacamole (score 79.5) A free, open-source gateway that gives browser-based access to desktops through an HTML5 client, under Apache-2.0. You install and maintain the server yourself, so setup is more involved than hosted apps. - Best for: Browser access to desktops on a server you run - Free and open source | Web, Self-hosted | open source (Apache-2.0) - Website: https://guacamole.apache.org/ - Page: https://listme.name/software/apache-guacamole ## 8. Remmina (score 78.0) A free GPL-2.0-or-later remote desktop client for Linux with RDP, VNC, SSH and SPICE in one app. It is a client only, so the computer you connect to needs a server, and it runs on Linux only. - Best for: Linux users who connect to Windows and Linux machines - Free and open source | Linux | open source (GPL-2.0-or-later) - Website: https://remmina.org/ - Page: https://listme.name/software/remmina ## 9. TightVNC (score 76.0) Free, GPL-licensed VNC remote desktop software with server builds for Windows, Linux and macOS, and a Windows release from October 2026. It is self-run, so you handle network and firewall setup, and it overlaps with TigerVNC. - Best for: Admins who run their own VNC servers - Free and open source | Windows, Linux, macOS | open source (GPL) - Website: https://www.tightvnc.com/ - Page: https://listme.name/software/tightvnc ## 10. TigerVNC (score 74.0) A free, open-source VNC server and viewer under GPL-2.0, packaged by major Linux distributions and available for Windows and macOS. It is software rather than a hosted service, so you set up network access yourself. - Best for: Open-source VNC access managed by administrators - Free and open source | Linux, Windows, macOS | open source (GPL-2.0) - Website: https://tigervnc.org/ - Page: https://listme.name/software/tigervnc ## How to choose - **Personal or business:** The free tiers of TeamViewer and AnyDesk suit personal use, and business use needs paid licenses for both. - **Control of data:** RustDesk and Apache Guacamole run on servers you host, so connection traffic can stay on infrastructure you control. - **Platforms:** TeamViewer covers many systems here, including a web app, while AnyDesk's listed platforms are Windows and mobile. - **Cost:** RustDesk, Apache Guacamole and TigerVNC are free and open source; NoMachine needs a paid Personal Edition or Network subscription. ## Criteria - Ease of setup and access - Platform coverage - Self-hosting and control - Price and license - Business and IT features ## FAQ **What is the best free remote desktop software?** AnyDesk and TeamViewer both have free personal options. RustDesk is free and open source and lets you run your own servers. **Can I use TeamViewer or AnyDesk for work for free?** Business use needs a paid license for both. AnyDesk's free version is for personal use, and TeamViewer sells business licenses separately from its personal-use product. **Which remote desktop tools can I host myself?** RustDesk and Apache Guacamole run on servers you control, and TigerVNC and TightVNC are software you install and run yourself. Each one requires you to manage network access. **Which remote tools cover both Linux and macOS?** TeamViewer, RustDesk, NoMachine and TigerVNC each list Linux and macOS in the sources checked. TightVNC, Zoho Assist and Parsec also cover Linux and macOS.