Yesterday, I posted a video about how I had just randomly come across a remote desktop application called Remote Desktop Manager while poking about on X.
A few times a year, I look around to see what apps people are using for IT tasks, and for some reason - I don't recall anyone ever talking about it. Which surprised me! As I do when I discover something like this, I took to Tiktok to see if I was alone, or if this was a known tool. In that video, I mentioned that I had been maintaining a list of the tools that I've found over the years, because I like keeping track to make sure I'm aware of whats out there. Someone in the comments asked that I share that list, so here we are!
Note from the Author
In July 2024, I went down the “remote desktop” rabbit hole…again. I wanted to see what tools were out there, how the landscape had shifted, and see if if there were any other tools that became the latest and greatest. I’m a Windows and MacOS heavy user, looking for a functional yet cost effective solution as a homelabber and tech enthusiast. My SSH/Terminal needs are minimal and I’m not supporting remote customers or infrastructure - so my remote needs are GUI heavy and not CLI focused. This list is more focused on remote access and less remote management/monitoring, although a few of the tools mentioned bleed into the RMM category a bit. This list was updated in November of 2024. If there are any that I missed or should check out, shoot me an email to qna@naaackers.com
Most Popular
_These are the tools that are mentioned and recommended the most when I have disc
ussions on Tiktok, Reddit, X, and more. Everyone has their favorite, and there are multiple solutions that could work._
Remote Desktop Manager (”RDM”)
Remote Desktop Connection Manager (”RDman”)
ScreenConnect by ConnectWise
Splashtop (Personal | Business)
Other Options
Solutions in this section aren’t bad, in fact some of them are good. But how well they work is going to depend on your needs. While others like TeamViewer, LogMeIn, or AnyDesk are good products that have started to deteriorate in features, security, or stability.
[Microsoft Remote Desktop (Microsoft Store)](ht
tps://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9wzdncrfj3ps?hl=en-US&gl=US)
Soon to be replaced by “Windows App”
Honorable Mentions
Solutions listed in this section are more legacy options that are still viable but have been surpassed by more modern solutions. Or, they are less of “remote access” tools for administrators and more screen sharing or 1 to 1 [device] solutions. (i.e. Moonlight/Sunshine)
Remote Desktop Protocol (Windows OS Built-in)
[OPNsense + RDP]