3 Best Alternatives to Teamviewer and Anydesk
Teamviewer is the world’s most popular solution for remote computer support. At least, that’s what it says on the program’s official website. At first, this was the case, because Teamviewer had essentially no competitors. But then, other remote access programs, more convenient to use and more affordable, began to appear.
The main competitor of Teamviewer is the German company AnyDesk Software GmbH, which produces the well-known product of the same name. Therefore, I will not talk about AnyDesk in this top 3 — too obvious option. And it is almost as expensive for commercial use as its analogue.
In this rating, we will look at popular remote access programs abroad that are worthy analogues to Teamviewer and Anydesk, and meet the three main criteria of remote desktop: security, accessibility, and convenience.
3. Splashtop
The service for remote access and management of computers Splashtop works on desktop and mobile devices. It supports Windows, macOS, Chrome OS, Android, iOS, and Linux.
On the whole, it is quite fast software, but on Mac it loads the processor by 50–60% and lags a lot. The same applies to games — you can’t play remotely via Splashtop (no gamepad support and very laggy).
In the reviews, many users complain about the support service — they say they take a long time to respond, the decision on some tickets have to wait several days. But I got an answer in a few minutes, so it’s a matter of chance.
Security
In terms of security everything is ok, all connections are secured with TLS and 256-bit AES encryption. Splashtop also supports two-factor authentication.
Pricing
There is no free version, there is only a 7-day trial. After the trial period is over, access to the free version will be stopped until you purchase a subscription. Don’t be surprised by such a low price — the features of the most affordable tariff are very limited.
Personal tariff ($17/year):
- free connection for computers from the same local network only;
- max 5 computers;
- no commercial use allowed;
- email support only.
If you need to provide technical assistance to remote computers — there is a tariff SOS. Its cost starts from $199/year (for one technician). If you compare it with the same Teamviewer, which has a Premium plan with minimal technical support starting at $700/year, it’s bearable. But if you have 2–3 admins in your team, the cost of Splashtop license will be about the same.
2. Zoho Assist
The second service I want to consider is Zoho Assist. A fairly popular all-in-one remote support, screen sharing, and remote access solution overseas that helps users access the remote desktop of clients.
The developers describe the program as the safest, most reliable and affordable software. It supports Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone, iPad.
Zoho Assist integrates better than AnyDesk, and there are no version compatibility issues like Teamviewer. But I’ve seen reviews that the Zoho phone app conflicts with certain browser versions. For iPhone, only a viewer mode is possible.
Security
All data transfers are handled through SSL/256-bit AES encryption protocols, which are the industry standard for security. This is essentially the same standard used in online banking and payment transactions.
Pricing
There is a free period of 15 days with all the features of the paid version. Then you need to buy a subscription from $10/month.
Standart tariff ($120/year):
- 1 remote support specialist
- 5 computers
- 2 simultaneous sessions
- file transfer
With the discount, an annual subscription for a small team of two technicians and 25 devices costs $360.
1. Getscreen.me
The most unobvious solution in this ranking, вut that’s the one I picked. And I’ll tell you why.
Getscreen.me is a cloud-based remote access software that helps you work comfortably from home and assist users from all over the world. Judging by the reviews on Trustpilot or G2, the service is used in the USA, Germany, France and other countries.
Remote access to your desktop is provided directly from your browser via a direct link — this makes Getscreen.me stand out from the well-known competitors Teamviewer and AnyDesk. Many users write in their reviews that they were looking for an analogue of Teamviewer, and Getscreen.me has become an excellent substitute.
The first thing I noticed was the user-friendly and accessible UX/UI interface. Everything is concise and to the point.
I tried the demo version and got acquainted with the functionality. For quick access to your computer, just send the generated link to the right user, and he will get access to your desktop.
Versions are available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and there is an Android app. There is no full-fledged iOS application yet — and this is probably the only significant disadvantage. However, it is possible to go to a personal account, using the Progressive Web Application. The developers promise to make a version for viewing in the near future. I use Android, so this is not critical for me.
Security
Getscreen.me remote computer access software works over HTTPS and uses algorithms to detect and block one-time link and password attempts. Transmitted data, video/pictures, and executable commands are encrypted by default using a 128-bit AES algorithm within WebRTC and SSL protocols. Two-factor authentication can be configured if desired.
Pricing
The cost of the subscription and the available features on the tariff were the main reasons that made me choose Getscreen.me to control my computer remotely. In addition, I wanted to test the connection to the remote desktop via a browser.
Starter plan ($40/year):
- 10 computers
- 3 quick support sessions per day
- permanent access
- voice calls and chat
- integration with Telegram
- file sharing
- session recording
I had been testing the completely free version for a couple of months (always $0 for two computers) and decided to buy an annual subscription.
For those who have already paid for Teamviewer or AnyDesk, but got tired of them and are looking for an alternative, Getscreen.me offer to add the remaining time to the plan when switching.
And in this article I talk about how I got acquainted with this service when I tried to set up remote access to a Chinese client.
