Free Remote Desktop Software
Which remote desktop and remote support tools a startup can use for free today, whether the free plan allows business use, how many devices and sessions it covers, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs, read from each provider's own page.
Free allowances read on each provider's own pages, all checked on or after . Remote desktop tools change their free plans from time to time: confirm the terms on the provider's page before you rely on it for support.
Remote desktop tools a startup can use for free today include Getscreen.me (Free forever, 2 devices), RustDesk (Free, open source self-hosting), Zoho Assist (Free remote support and access), MeshCentral (Free, open source, self-hosted), and Splashtop (Fully functional free trial). Each of the 10 free plans below links to the provider's page that states it, with its main limit, whether commercial use is allowed, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs.
Supporting a customer's computer, reaching a machine in the office or helping a teammate all run on remote desktop software. Several tools have a free plan, and open-source tools can be self-hosted free.
The headline rarely tells you how far it goes. Many free plans are for personal use only, so supporting customers or a team needs a paid license, and others cap devices, technicians or session length. Each tool below shows what is free, its main limit, whether commercial use is allowed, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs, quoted from the provider's own page with the date we read it.
Which tools we picked and the order they appear in are our editorial choices; the terms are the providers'. Some of these providers pay us a referral commission when someone signs up through our link: those links are labeled, and they play no part in which tools are listed or where.
Remote desktop tools with a free plan
Connect to and support computers remotely, with a free plan or trial.
- 1
Getscreen.me
Free forever for a business, 2 devices
Getscreen.me's Free plan is forever-free with no card, for up to two devices and one technician seat. The page says it is perfect for both personal and business needs.
- Commercial use
- Personal and business use (source: getscreen.me)
- Payment card
- No card required (source: getscreen.me)
- First paid plan
- Personal lifetime: $249 one-time (source: getscreen.me)
Start free at Getscreen.meReferral linkTerms read on getscreen.me on Getscreen.me: the free allowance and how to start - 2
Zoho Assist
Small support teams that need a free plan
Zoho Assist's Free plan covers 1 technician and 5 unattended computers with no card. The page says it is designed for personal and small business use.
- Commercial use
- Personal and small business use (source: zoho.com)
- Payment card
- No card required (source: zoho.com)
- First paid plan
- Standard: US$10 per technician a month (source: zoho.com)
- 3
Splashtop
Trying remote access before paying
Splashtop offers a fully functional free trial with no credit card required. The first paid plan, Solo, is $6 a month billed annually at $72.
- Payment card
- No card required (source: splashtop.com)
Start free at SplashtopTerms read on splashtop.com on Splashtop: the free allowance and how to start - 4
RemotePC
A short test of one computer, no card
RemotePC's 7-day free trial needs no credit card and covers the Solo plan's 1 user and 1 computer. The Solo plan is listed at $1.84/Month.
- What's free
- 7-day free trial (source: remotepc.com)
- Payment card
- No card required (source: remotepc.com)
- First paid plan
- Solo: from $1.84 a month (source: remotepc.com)
- 5
AnyDesk
Personal, non-commercial remote support
AnyDesk's free software is for personal, non-commercial use, with no work or business activity. Free sessions time out, and avoiding timeouts needs a paid license.
- What's free
- Free for personal use (source: anydesk.com)
- Commercial use
- Personal, non-commercial use only (source: anydesk.com)
- 6
TeamViewer
Friends and family support, not work
TeamViewer's free version is available for personal use only. Work-related use, or any activity generating revenue, requires a commercial license.
Start free at TeamViewerTerms read on teamviewer.com on TeamViewer: the free allowance and how to start - 7
Parsec
Personal use of your own computer
Parsec's Personal Use plan is free, but it is licensed for personal, non-commercial use only. The table shows no multi-monitor streaming on that plan.
- What's free
- Free for personal use (source: parsec.app)
- Commercial use
- Personal, non-commercial use only (source: parsec.app)
Open-source remote desktop
Remote desktop software you can run and self-host, free.
- 1
RustDesk
Self-hosting your own remote access servers
RustDesk's free self-hosting plan is open source and free, with community support. Its Individual Pro server plan is $11.88 a month billed annually.
- 2
MeshCentral
Self-hosted device management you run
MeshCentral is an open source remote management site available freely on NPM. The page states no price, usage limit or commercial terms.
Start free at MeshCentralTerms read on meshcentral.com on MeshCentral: the free allowance and how to start - 3
Apache Guacamole
Browser access to desktops you host
Apache Guacamole is and will always be free and open source software. The page states no usage limit, commercial terms or price beyond that.
Start free at Apache GuacamoleTerms read on guacamole.apache.org on Apache Guacamole: the free allowance and how to start
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How this comparison is built
The list covers remote desktop and remote support tools a founder can use for free today without applying to a program. The order and the "best for" notes are our editorial reading of each tool's terms. Every term comes from the tool's own pricing or help page on the date shown, never from a third-party list; follow each link for the full conditions. A free plan for personal use only, or a cap on devices and sessions, can matter more than the headline, so the comparison quotes them wherever the provider states them. Some of these tools pay StartupPerks a referral commission, and their links are labeled as referral links; that decides neither whether nor where a tool appears, and no tool pays for a placement on this page.
Read the full methodologyCommon questions
Is AnyDesk free for commercial use?
No. AnyDesk is free for personal, non-commercial use only, and sessions time out on the free version; business use needs a paid plan.
Is TeamViewer free for business?
No. TeamViewer is free for personal use only, and work needs a license; its Premium plan is US$120.90 a month, billed yearly.
Which remote desktop software is free for business use?
By their own pages, Getscreen.me's free plan covers personal and business use on 2 devices, Zoho Assist's free plan covers personal and small business use with 1 technician, and RustDesk, MeshCentral and Apache Guacamole are open source and free to self-host.
What is the best free remote desktop software?
It depends on the use. For personal use, AnyDesk, TeamViewer and Parsec are free; for a business, Getscreen.me and Zoho Assist have free plans that allow it, and RustDesk can be self-hosted free.
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