COMPARISON OF REMOTE DESKTOP SOFTWARE

This page is a 'comparison of remote desktop software' available for various platforms.

Contents

Terminology

Comparison chart

Encryption

Terminology

In the tables below, the following terminology is used for features:

★ 'Cut and paste' - Seamlessly cut and paste between remote and local apps

★ 'Suspend' - Disconnect from the server while leaving all programs running, so that the session can be resumed later. Note that the programs remain in memory: this has nothing to do with suspending to disk. As a consequence, data loss may occur if the server is taken down and the user has not saved their work before suspending.

★ 'Force suspend' - Immediately suspend a session, without confirmation from the user (this may be an administrator-only action)

★ 'Transfer to another client' - Suspend session and then connect to it from another client

★ 'Shared session' - Two users can view and/or control the same desktop at the same time

Comparison chart

Program	Protocol	License	Client Client	Server Server	Java Viewer Java viewer	Native Encryption Native encryption	File Transfer File Transfer	Audio Support Audio Support	Multiple Sessions Multiple Sessions Multiple Sessions	Linux Linux	Mac OS	Microsoft Windows
Apple Remote Desktop	VNC	Proprietary
Chicken of the VNC	VNC	GPL
Citrix Presentation Server	RDP, ICA	Proprietary
Elusiva [1]	RDP	Proprietary
FreeNX [2]	NX, RDP, RFB	GPL
IBM Director Remote Control	Proprietary
Idokorro Mobile Desktop	RDP, VNC	Proprietary
KRDC (KDE client)	RDP, VNC	GPL
MetaVNC	VNC	GPL
NetOp Remote Control [3]	Proprietary	Proprietary
NX Client [4]	NX, RDP, RFB, VNC
NX Server [5]	NX, RDP, RFB
rdesktop	RDP	GPL
RealVNC Free	VNC	GPL
RealVNC Personal	VNC	Proprietary
RealVNC Enterprise	VNC	Proprietary
Remote Administrator	Proprietary	Proprietary
Remote Desktop Connection	RDP	Proprietary
Remote Graphics Software	Proprietary	Proprietary
Sun Secure Global Desktop Software	AIP	Proprietary
Symantec pcAnywhere	Proprietary	Proprietary
TightVNC	VNC	GPL
Timbuktu	Proprietary	Proprietary
TurboVNC	VNC	GPL
UltraVNC	VNC	GPL
Vine Server (OSXvnc)	VNC	GPL
XDMCP	X11	MIT
X11vnc	X11vnc	GPL
Program	Protocol	License	Client Client	Server Server	Java Viewer Java viewer	Native Encryption Native encryption	File Transfer File Transfer	Audio Support Audio Support	Multiple Sessions Multiple Sessions Multiple Sessions	Linux Linux	Mac OS	Microsoft Windows

Encryption

Note that a lack of native encryption is usually not a big problem. On MacOSX/Linux, it is possible to tunnel over SSH (use the ''vncviewer'' with the ''-via'' option, or use the -L option of the OpenSSH client); on Windows, if the server runs on a UNIX, it can be done by using PuTTY.