9 Best Remote Desktop Software in 2026 (Free and Paid)

Chrome Remote Desktop is Google's free remote access tool, and it has no session limits, no ads and no paid upsell. You sign in with a Google account, install a small host app on the computer you want to reach, set a PIN, and then connect from any browser or the Android and iPhone apps.

It has two modes. Remote Access is for your own computers and works unattended. Remote Support generates a one-time code that someone reads to you, which is handy for helping a relative who is not technical.

The trade-off is features. There is no proper file transfer window (you can upload and download single files from the side panel), switching between multiple monitors is basic, and there is no chat or session recording. For reaching your own PC, none of that matters much.

RustDesk is the open-source answer to TeamViewer and AnyDesk. It looks and works the same way: you get an ID and a one-time password, share them, and connect. It is free for personal and commercial use, and the current release is version 1.5.0 (September 30, 2026).

Its big advantage is that you can run your own relay server, so your sessions never pass through a third party. The free server is open source and runs fine on a small Linux box or in Docker. If you already run a home server, see our list of open-source home lab apps for other tools that pair well with it.

The paid Server Pro adds an admin console, user logins, address books and SSO, starting at $11.88 a month (1 user, 20 devices) billed yearly. The Android app comes from GitHub or F-Droid rather than Google Play.

AnyDesk is small, fast to start, and easy to explain over the phone: the other person opens the app and reads you their address. It runs on more platforms than almost anything else here, including Linux, ChromeOS and Raspberry Pi.

The free version is for personal use only. AnyDesk's terms say it may check how the free version is used, and it limits some features like screen sharing hours each month. Business use needs a paid plan. Solo (1 user, up to 3 devices) lists at $28.90 a month, billed yearly, and AnyDesk often runs a first-year discount.

File transfer, unattended access with a password, session recording and a whiteboard are all built in.

TeamViewer is the best-known name here, and the product is now called TeamViewer Remote. It does everything: unattended access, file transfer, remote printing, Wake-on-LAN, multi-monitor, session recording and controlling Android phones.

It is free for personal, non-commercial use, but TeamViewer is strict about this. Connecting to your work PC or helping a client counts as commercial use, and the app can flag your account and limit session length. The free tier also allows only one connection at a time.

Paid licences are annual subscriptions only, with no monthly option. The entry Remote Access plan covers one user and three devices. TeamViewer shows prices by region, so check its pricing page for your country.

Windows App is Microsoft's new remote desktop client, and it replaced the old Microsoft Remote Desktop apps. The Microsoft Store version of Remote Desktop reached end of support in May 2025, and the standalone Remote Desktop client for Windows followed on March 27, 2026. On Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android, the old Remote Desktop app was renamed Windows App.

It uses Microsoft's RDP protocol, which feels like sitting at the PC: sharp text, sound, clipboard, printers and multiple monitors. It also connects to Windows 365 Cloud PCs and Azure Virtual Desktop if your work uses them.

There are two catches. The PC you want to control needs Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise or Education, because Windows Home can only make outgoing connections. And RDP works best inside your home network or over a VPN, since opening RDP to the internet is a common attack route. The classic Remote Desktop Connection tool (mstsc) is still built into Windows and works the same way. On an Android phone, our guide to Android RDP clients covers the other options.

Splashtop is the cheapest way to get fast, paid remote access. Splashtop Personal is free for non-commercial use on your local home network, so you can use a tablet on the couch to run your desktop in another room, on up to 2 computers.

To connect from outside your home, add the Anywhere Access Pack for $5.99 a month or $23.99 a year. For work, Splashtop Remote Access Solo costs $6 a month, billed yearly ($72), and includes unattended access, file transfer and remote printing. The Pro plan ($99 a year per user) adds multi-monitor and session recording.

Streaming quality is a strength, with smooth video and sound even on average connections.

Parsec was built for game streaming, and it is the smoothest remote desktop on this list. It streams at up to 4K and 60 frames per second or higher with very low delay, so you can play a PC game from a laptop or edit video on a powerful desktop from anywhere.

The free version is for personal use. Parsec's own wording: anyone can game with it, but work needs a licence. Warp ($8.33 a month billed yearly, or $9.99 monthly) adds better colour, multiple monitors, drawing tablet support and file transfer. Teams starts at $30 per user per month, billed yearly.

Only Windows and Mac computers can be hosts. Linux can connect but cannot be controlled, and there is no iPhone app.

Jump Desktop is a polished client for people on Apple devices. It speaks RDP and VNC, so it can connect to a Windows Pro PC or a Mac with Screen Sharing turned on, and it has its own Fluid protocol for high-quality streaming to computers running the free Jump Desktop Connect app.

The Fluid protocol supports up to six 4K monitors, high refresh rates, game controllers and USB security keys. It is free on Windows, Android and in the browser. On Mac and iPhone or iPad it is a one-time purchase, not a subscription, with a 14-day free trial on Mac.

Teams plans add central management for companies.

Zoho Assist is made for helping other people, such as customers or staff, rather than reaching your own PC. The person you are helping clicks a link and joins from the browser, and you take over from your Zoho dashboard.

Its free plan is unusually generous for a business tool: 1 technician, 1 session at a time, 5 unattended computers and no time limit on sessions. Zoho says the free plan is designed for personal and small business use. The paid Standard plans add file transfer, multi-monitor support, Wake-on-LAN and more technicians.