Free Alternative to TeamViewer/AnyDesk

RustDesk is a free, open-source remote desktop application designed as a direct TeamViewer/AnyDesk replacement. Its killer feature is self-hosting capability—run your own relay server for complete data control and zero reliance on third-party infrastructure. No artificial limitations on personal vs commercial use, no accounts required, and no session timeouts.

The project has grown rapidly with over 75,000 GitHub stars and an active community contributing to its development. RustDesk uses modern Rust programming for security and performance, with end-to-end encryption built in by default. Unlike commercial solutions that treat free users as second-class citizens, RustDesk gives you the full feature set immediately.

The self-hosted server option means your remote desktop traffic never touches external servers, making it ideal for privacy-conscious users and businesses handling sensitive data. Setup is straightforward with Docker support, and the client applications work seamlessly across all major platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.

Parsec delivers exceptionally low-latency remote desktop access, originally designed for cloud gaming but now widely used for remote work. Stream at up to 4K 60fps with latency so low it feels like you're sitting at the remote computer. Now owned by Unity, Parsec's technology is battle-tested in game streaming where every millisecond matters.

Free for personal use with generous limits. The secret sauce is Parsec's proprietary encoding technology that leverages GPU hardware acceleration on both NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards. This makes it unbeatable for graphics-intensive tasks like video editing in Adobe Premiere, 3D modeling in Blender, or CAD work in AutoCAD.

Parsec's collaborative mode lets multiple users connect to the same machine simultaneously, perfect for pair programming or creative collaboration. The company's focus on gaming means they've optimized for responsiveness in a way traditional remote desktop tools never considered.

HopToDesk is a RustDesk fork that's free for both personal and business use with no restrictions. Built on the same solid foundation as RustDesk but with additional enterprise features baked in. The standout feature is true end-to-end encryption for all communications, with options for self-hosting your own relay servers.

Unlike TeamViewer's aggressive commercial detection, HopToDesk welcomes business users without upselling or feature gates. The project includes advanced security features like two-factor authentication, session recording for compliance, and Wake-on-LAN for accessing powered-down computers remotely. HopToDesk's interface is clean and straightforward, making it accessible for non-technical users while still offering power features for IT professionals. The software is lightweight, ad-free, and receives regular updates from an active development community.

Moonlight is an open-source client that implements NVIDIA GameStream protocol. Paired with Sunshine (an open-source host), it works with any GPU (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel). Streams your full desktop at up to 4K 120fps with HDR support.

Completely free and self-hosted—your data never touches third-party servers. This combination rivals or beats Parsec's quality while being fully open-source. Originally created to stream games from your gaming PC to other devices, the technology has matured into a robust remote desktop solution.

Sunshine has taken over where NVIDIA GameStream left off, providing an open-source host that works with any modern GPU. The combination delivers stunning visual quality with imperceptible latency on local networks. Advanced users can configure every aspect of the encoding pipeline, from bitrate to codec selection to color space. The open-source nature means no artificial limitations, no accounts, and no telemetry collecting your usage data.

Chrome Remote Desktop is completely free with no commercial-use restrictions—Google doesn't care if you use it for work. Works through Chrome browser or as a standalone app on mobile. Simple setup, reliable connections, backed by Google infrastructure.

No session limits, no timeouts, no upselling. Perfect for straightforward remote access needs without the complexity of self-hosting. The browser-based approach means you can access your computer from any device with Chrome installed, including Chromebooks, which many other remote desktop solutions don't support well.

Google's infrastructure ensures connections are reliable and consistent worldwide. Setup takes literally five minutes: install the extension, enable remote access, set a PIN, and you're done. The simplicity is both a strength and limitation—there are fewer features than dedicated tools, but also fewer things to configure or break. For basic remote access scenarios like checking your home computer while traveling or helping family with tech support, Chrome Remote Desktop hits the sweet spot of simplicity and reliability.

Apache Guacamole is a clientless remote desktop gateway supporting VNC, RDP, and SSH. Access any computer through a web browser with no plugins or client software needed. Perfect for IT teams managing multiple systems—connect to Windows via RDP, Linux via VNC or SSH, all through one web interface.

Session recording, multi-user access controls, and MFA support make it enterprise-ready. The architecture is elegant: a web application that translates between web protocols and remote desktop protocols, so end users only need a modern web browser. Deploy Guacamole on a server, configure your remote systems, and your entire team can access company computers from anywhere without installing client software.

Session recording captures everything for compliance or training purposes. The extensible architecture allows integration with LDAP, Active Directory, or database authentication. For IT departments tired of managing client software on every user's computer, Guacamole is transformative.

NoMachine uses the proprietary NX protocol to deliver what they claim is the fastest remote desktop experience available. Free for personal use with no time limits or feature restrictions, making it a solid TeamViewer alternative. Unlike VNC-based solutions, NX protocol is optimized for low-bandwidth connections and delivers smooth performance even on slower networks.

NoMachine includes advanced features like screen recording, file transfer, and clipboard sharing. The software supports remote printing, letting you print documents from the remote computer to your local printer. NoMachine's interface is polished and user-friendly, with smart defaults that work well out of the box.

The free version is surprisingly full-featured, including multi-monitor support and audio streaming. For users who need reliable remote access without the complexity of self-hosting or the restrictions of commercial software, NoMachine offers an excellent middle ground.

TigerVNC is a high-performance, free, and open-source VNC implementation that's available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Built on the fourth generation of VNC technology, it offers significant speed improvements over older VNC implementations. TigerVNC is completely free for both personal and commercial use with no licensing restrictions.

The software uses TLS encryption to secure all connections, protecting your data from interception. TigerVNC excels at providing a responsive remote desktop experience with minimal latency, making it suitable for interactive work. Being open-source means you can audit the code for security, customize it for specific needs, and contribute improvements back to the community.

The project is actively maintained with regular security updates. TigerVNC works as both a server and client, so you can set up remote access on any supported platform. For organizations that need a no-cost remote desktop solution with enterprise-grade security, TigerVNC is a proven choice.

Remmina is a feature-rich remote desktop client written in GTK+ that supports the widest range of protocols: VNC, SSH, RDP, XDMCP, and NX. It's completely free and open-source, designed for system administrators and users who need to manage multiple remote connections. Remmina's tabbed interface lets you manage numerous remote sessions from a single window, making it ideal for IT professionals juggling multiple systems.

The software includes a connection profile manager for saving frequently-used connections with all their settings. You can adjust color depth, resolution, and quality on the fly without disconnecting. Remmina supports SSH tunneling for secure connections through intermediary servers.

The plugin architecture means the community can extend Remmina with additional protocols and features. For Linux users particularly, Remmina is often the go-to remote desktop client because it handles every common protocol and integrates beautifully with the desktop environment.

Zoho Assist offers a genuinely useful free tier that includes one technician, five unattended computers, instant chat, and integration with major third-party tools. While technically a commercial product, the free version provides enough functionality for small businesses and freelancers doing occasional remote support. Zoho Assist uses 256-bit SSL encryption and supports multi-factor authentication for security.

The software handles attended and unattended remote support for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, and Chromebook devices. File transfer works smoothly, and the multi-monitor support is well-implemented. Chat integration lets you communicate with end users during support sessions.

The web-based interface means technicians can provide support from any device with a browser. For freelance IT consultants or small businesses not ready to invest in paid support tools, Zoho Assist's free tier punches above its weight. The integration with other Zoho products makes it even more valuable if you're already using their ecosystem.