No longer a foreign concept, remote access has gained traction with businesses to facilitate convenient off-site support and virtual meetings, especially during these recent pandemic times. TeamViewer has been a popular professional choice for remote administration with its all-in-one solution that can be installed and updated with ease. While it offers advantages like remote printing, desktop sharing, and easy file transfer from online storage services such as OneDrive and Google Drive, it also comes with some constraints, like possible slow file transfer speed and proxy limitations.
With both paid and free remote access software of various capabilities readily available today, it may be overwhelming to determine which option best suits your needs. A strong alternative to TeamViewer, SolarWinds® Dameware® Remote Everywhere provides what I think is one of the most comprehensive solutions on the market, combining remote support, remote work, and distance learning. Additionally, we share eight other remote access software options to help you identify the right TeamViewer alternative to fit your company size and requirements.
Continue reading or choose a link below to jump ahead to the product description:
- Dameware Remote Everywhere
- Dameware Remote Support
- Mikogo
- Ammyy Admin
- Chrome Remote Desktop
- Join.Me
- WebEx Remote
- LogMeIn Pro
- VNC Connect
Remote Access Isn’t Going Anywhere
Although many companies began transitioning to a work-from-home policy only recently due to the pandemic, remote access has been in use for a while. As its name suggests, remote access enables users to connect to devices and access files on a network from any location. Tools like TeamViewer and its alternatives take it one step further by allowing users to not only connect but also control the devices, as seen historically with remote support.
Businesses have used remote IT service as a standard customer service solution for years to provide quick response time around the clock. Remote desktop access benefits more than the customers. Companies also enjoy the advantage of addressing their customers’ needs from virtually anywhere in the world at reduced manpower costs.
Establishing a strong remote desktop connection has only become even more prevalent today. A recent study found nearly 80% of surveyed companies plan to keep some degree of remote work in the post-pandemic era. Adopting a remote access strategy offers companies much fluidity in employee collaboration and productivity. They can hire the best talent regardless of location, remove silos, and promote collaboration between teams and locations around the world.
The Best TeamViewer Alternatives for Remote Access
Whether the focus is complex remote management or holding online meetings with different participants, the following list should guide you in selecting a suitable TeamViewer alternative for your needs. From free versions to free trials, these nine options embody essentially everything TeamViewer offers and more. With employees working from home, it’s important for businesses to understand and adopt measures to maintain a productive work environment outside of a typical office setting.
1. Dameware Remote Everywhere
A cloud-based solution, Dameware Remote Everywhere (DRE) connects to workstations typically in less than eight seconds and includes encryption protocols to help keep data safe over the connection. With two-factor authentication and multi-level permissions, DRE’s security features alone position the software as a strong TeamViewer alternative.
Establish quick remote access—either attended or unattended access—from Windows, macOS X, or Linux to any desktop or mobile device such as Android or iOS. DRE users can also take screenshots and record videos during a remote desktop session. This reporting feature can then be saved to a file and uploaded to the cloud for future troubleshooting reference. In addition, DRE enables IT professionals to reboot unresponsive computers via Wake-on-LAN, so they don’t need to wait for the end user to be present before troubleshooting.
Other remote desktop features include pre-session or in-session chats with end users, voice conferencing, and multi-window toggling to run several sessions simultaneously. Admins can also add users to Active Directory (AD) and delegate permissions through the software’s AD management tool.
DRE may not be a free alternative to TeamViewer, but it offers a 14-day trial for users to see how comprehensive, robust, and safe it is.
2. Dameware Remote Support
For slightly different use cases than DRE, as an on-premises software, Dameware Remote Support (DRS) works with an unlimited number of end users over Linux, Windows, or macOS X. Remote connections are safely established over the internet or via LAN. In simplifying the Windows administration process, the software also accesses reboot systems and allows users to view and clear event logs and delete or move files.
Built-in remote admin tools facilitate remote management of Active Directory environments and deliver remote support from iOS and Android devices at any time from anywhere. A distinct feature of DRS is its partly remote system, which uses system tools to troubleshoot issues on a device without needing to launch a full remote-control session on the host. It also allows for mass deployment of agents to devices and integration with a help desk integration. Additionally, DRS offers user account and permissions management.
Users can try DRS with its fully functional 14-day trial.
3. Mikogo
Mikogo runs directly within the browser on most primary operating systems with no download or installation necessary, saving businesses and end users time. It features all the standard components of a strong online meeting software, such as chat features, interactive whiteboard functionality, recording and playback tools, and more. Admin roles can be switched out quickly and easily, and with the Mikogo HTML viewer, teams of up to 25 users can access a computer simultaneously.
With high-quality VoIP and teleconferencing numbers for many countries, Mikogo makes virtual meetings easy. Users will enjoy the convenience of multiple monitor support for up to four screens and a data transfer function to safely share and exchange sensitive files up to 200MB with each other.
A 14-day trial for a single user per session is available.
4. Ammyy Admin
With a zero-configuration requirement, users can immediately and easily share a remote desktop or control a server. No complicated firewall or router configurations mean straightforward security features, and a unique ID is created for each user to avoid unauthorized entry. Ideal for remote system administration, distance learning, remote support, and data isolation, Ammyy Admin is a simple but robust multi-tasking TeamViewer alternative you can use anywhere and at any time.
Free for personal use, this remote desktop software enables direct data transfer and basic chat functions. Unfortunately, it doesn’t support full-screen mode.
5. Chrome Remote Desktop
Perhaps the most simple, straightforward TeamViewer alternative on this list, Chrome Remote Desktop runs as an extension within the Google Chrome browser. You’ll need a Google account to access, but as lost of people already use a Gmail address, this shouldn’t be too much of a hindrance. Simply add the extension to the browser on the computers to which you want access, and you’ll instantly have remote control via a HTTPS connection.
This Chrome extension may be free to use, but as with most “you-get-what-you-pay-for” instances, limitations come with the free price tag. If you’re looking for functionalities like chat, video calls, and screen-sharing, Chrome Remote Desktop is unfortunately not the remote access solution for you.
6. Join.Me
As its name suggests, Join.Me is a useful alternative to TeamViewer for setting up remote meetings. Users can customize their online meeting, share screens, record sessions for future playback and tracking, and use an interactive whiteboard feature with real-time discussions via a personalized URL. Its integration with Google Calendar and Outlook also facilitates easy scheduling.
Join.Me is free for basic voice-over IP and meetings with up to ten participants upon downloading and registering. It also offers paid versions with additional administration capabilities for individuals and enterprise users. With one click, paid users can be connected to one another simultaneously from anywhere in the world and host meetings of up to 250 participants. As Join.Me is restricted to only Windows and macOS X, it’s still less than ideal for larger, varied enterprises.
7. Webex Remote
Cisco acquired Webex Communications in 2007. Now running on Cisco’s cloud servers, Webex Remote is a powerful cloud-based TeamViewer alternative offering maximum bandwidth and availability for large, distributed teams. Aimed to help organizations and individuals conduct online training and web conferencing, it integrates seamlessly with Outlook for convenient scheduling and enables real-time access to screen sharing. A great alternative to TeamViewer, Webex Remote makes it easy to transfer files, keep pace with regulatory changes, and manage company software, thereby reducing maintenance delays.
With its free version, users can hold online meetings with up to two other participants. Premium packages will grant access to additional features, such as password protection, setting up web conferences with as many as 100 guests, screen-sharing, and personalized user profiles and permissions.
8. LogMeIn Pro
LogMeIn Pro provides 1TB of cloud space to store relevant files, applications, and projects in one centralized place. While this TeamViewer alternative only allows access to a cap of ten computers, an unlimited number of users can access these files in the cloud.
LogMeIn Pro also features a cross-platform browser application to establish remote connections in local networks and over the internet, with all sessions protected via SSL/TLS. Additionally, it uses Public Key Infrastructure to verify the identity of both the server and the host. While its other features like multi-monitor display, task automation, and remote printer access are impressive, LogMeIn Pro doesn’t support web conference meetings.
Users can try out these features with a 14-day trial before committing to a paid version.
9. VNC Connect
With both free and paid versions, VNC Connect may appeal more to small businesses. It holds a security advantage with its password-protected 128-bit AES encryption and two-factor authentication. It also features a server app installed on the computer you’re controlling and a viewer application accessed from your work device. Users will appreciate the high-speed streaming for remote access across cloud and offline connections.
While its strength lies in its security, VNC Connect unfortunately lacks web conferencing features. However, its paid version gives enterprises comprehensive control over unlimited devices and standard features like data transfer and chat. There’s also a 30-day trial for users to fully explore its features.
Choosing the Right TeamViewer Alternative for You
Remote work is rapidly becoming the norm. Cloud-based programs like Dropbox and Google Drive already embody some aspects of remote access, but unlike remote access software like the nine we’ve shared above, these programs don’t grant users the control they need to remotely troubleshoot or host virtual meetings. As mentioned earlier, TeamViewer has consistently been a popular tool, but these alternatives offer expanded capabilities to propel businesses and individuals into the future of remote access and IT support.
Naturally, the right TeamViewer alternative depends on your business scale, budget, and remote needs like web conferencing and screen-sharing. In my opinion, a good remote access software should offer secure connection, comprehensive troubleshooting, Active Directory integration, and scalability. From my experience, Dameware Remote Everywhere checks all those requirements and positions itself as a powerful alternative to TeamViewer. In comparison to TeamViewer, DRE includes more functionality within an intuitive user interface, offering the full remote control over a vast network of remote workstations companies need in today’s remote-working world.
[As of July 2021]