Whether you're working from home, providing IT support to a colleague, or accessing your office iMac while traveling, remote desktop software for Mac is essential. The right tool lets you control a distant computer as if you were sitting in front of it — full screen, keyboard, mouse, and file access included.
We tested the six leading remote desktop applications on macOS Sequoia and Sonoma, evaluating latency, image quality, security, ease of setup, and pricing. Here's what we found.
| Software | Best For | Free Tier | Paid Plans From |
|---|---|---|---|
| AnyDesk | Best overall | Yes (personal) | $9.90/mo |
| TeamViewer | IT support teams | Yes (personal) | $24.90/mo |
| Chrome Remote Desktop | Quick free access | Yes (fully free) | N/A |
| Splashtop | Creative professionals | No | $5/mo |
| ConnectWise Control | MSPs & help desks | 14-day trial | $24/mo |
| Parallels Access | iPad-to-Mac access | 14-day trial | $19.99/yr |
AnyDesk uses its proprietary DeskRT codec to deliver remarkably low-latency sessions even on bandwidth-constrained connections. On our test network (50 Mbps down / 10 Mbps up), mouse-to-screen lag measured under 40 ms — consistently the fastest of the group.
File transfer, session recording, custom namespace (e.g., yourname@ad), two-factor authentication, address book for frequent connections, unattended access, and whiteboard annotation during sessions.
Solo: $9.90/mo · Standard: $19.90/mo · Advanced: $29.90/mo · Enterprise: custom. All paid plans include commercial use rights and priority support.
TeamViewer remains the industry standard for managed IT support. Its cross-platform reach (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome OS) and deep feature set — including remote printing, device monitoring, and ticketing integration — make it the default choice for help-desk operations.
Unattended access, remote printing, session recording, mass deployment, endpoint monitoring and alerting, custom branding, two-factor authentication, and integration with ServiceNow, Jira, and Zendesk.
Business: $24.90/mo (1 user, 200 devices) · Premium: $50.90/mo · Corporate: $91.90/mo · Tensor: custom enterprise pricing.
Google's Chrome Remote Desktop is the simplest way to access a Mac from any Chrome browser — no dedicated app required on the client side. It's completely free with no time limits, making it ideal for occasional personal use.
Browser-based access (no client install needed on controlling device), PIN-based authentication, file transfer via Drive integration, and remote reconnection after reboot.
Completely free. No paid tiers, no subscriptions.
Splashtop's streaming engine delivers up to 4K @ 60 fps with low latency, making it the go-to choice for designers, video editors, and 3D artists who need to work on a powerful remote Mac from a laptop or iPad. On our test (Mac Studio → MacBook Air over Wi-Fi 6), we measured consistent 4K at 45–55 fps.
4K streaming at 60 fps, multi-monitor support (view all monitors simultaneously), microphone pass-through, stylus/Apple Pencil support, file transfer, and session recording.
Personal: $5/mo (2 computers) · Business Access Pro: $8.99/mo/user · Business Access Performance: $13.99/mo/user (4K @ 60 fps) · Enterprise: custom.
Formerly ScreenConnect, ConnectWise Control is built for managed service providers and internal IT departments. It offers self-hosted or cloud deployment, deep scripting capabilities, and robust access control — features that go well beyond basic screen sharing.
Self-hosted option, background command shell, registry editor, file transfer, session recording, two-factor authentication, role-based access control, custom tool integrations via REST API, and attended/unattended access.
Standard: $24/mo (1 concurrent technician) · Plus: $39/mo · Premium: $55/mo · Free trial: 14 days. Volume discounts for 10+ licenses.
Parallels Access takes a unique approach: rather than putting a tiny desktop on your iPad screen, it renders remote apps in a touch-native layout with tap-to-click and swipe-to-scroll. If your primary use case is controlling your Mac from an iPad, this is the most polished experience available.
App-centric view (individual Mac apps in full-screen on iPad), tap-to-click gesture system, magnifying glass for precision clicks, file transfer via Parallels cloud, clipboard sync, and microphone pass-through.
Personal: $19.99/yr · Business: $49.99/yr/user. Both include access from unlimited iOS devices.
Yes — all six products we reviewed encrypt sessions with TLS/AES (128-bit or 256-bit). Enable two-factor authentication wherever available, use strong passwords, and keep your macOS updated for the best security posture.
Yes. All six tools we tested run natively on Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) Macs. AnyDesk, TeamViewer, and Splashtop offer universal binaries; the others run via Rosetta 2 or are fully native.
In our tests, AnyDesk delivered the lowest latency (under 40 ms on a 50 Mbps connection). Splashtop matched it for frame rate but showed slightly higher input lag. For raw speed, AnyDesk edges ahead.
All six options support iPad as a client device. Parallels Access offers the best touch-optimized experience, while Splashtop provides the highest visual fidelity with Apple Pencil support.
Most tools require the host Mac to be awake. AnyDesk, TeamViewer, and ConnectWise Control support unattended access — they can wake the Mac or maintain a background service. Chrome Remote Desktop and Splashtop require the host to remain awake or be woken via Wake-on-LAN.
For small teams needing occasional access, Splashtop Business Access Pro ($8.99/mo/user) offers the best value. For dedicated IT support, ConnectWise Control or TeamViewer provide deeper tooling at a higher price.
We tested each remote desktop application on macOS Sequoia 15.x (Mac Studio M2 Ultra, MacBook Air M3) over both wired Gigabit Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6 connections. We measured latency (input-to-display round trip), image quality (resolution, color accuracy, frame rate), setup complexity, security features, and total cost of ownership for a 5-person team over 12 months. All testing was conducted in June 2025 with the latest versions available. No vendor sponsored or influenced this review.