Best Remote Support Software Shortlist
Here are the top 12 options that earned a spot in my shortlist for the best remote support software to optimize your support operations:
- RemotePC - Best for small businesses
- TeamViewer - Best for cross-platform use
- ConnectWise ScreenConnect - Best for customization
- Zoho Assist - Best for ease of use
- NinjaOne - Best for large enterprises
- GoTo Resolve - Best for IT professionals
- ISL Online - Best feature-rich option
- Blitzz - Best for video support
- Splashtop - Best for security
- ControlUp - Best for real-time monitoring
- Front - Best for collaborative customer communication and team inboxes
- UltraVNC - Best open-source option
Remote support software lets technicians quickly diagnose and resolve technical issues, minimizing downtime as they can assist users from anywhere in the world. This article will walk you through the top 12 options. I’ve examined each tool’s features and pricing and shared why I have included the tool.
What Is Remote Support Software?
Remote support software is an application that allows IT professionals to provide technical support to employees or customers remotely. This software enables technicians to access and troubleshoot devices from anywhere, reduce on-site visits, and solve technical issues outside regular business hours.
Overviews of the 12 Best Remote Support Software
Here’s a brief description of each remote support system featured on this top 12 list. I've also included a screenshot of each solution to give you a glimpse of their user interfaces.
1. RemotePC - Best for small businesses
RemotePC is a remote support tool that allows users to securely access and control their desktop or laptop computer from anywhere, using an internet connection.
Why I picked RemotePC: I picked RemotePC for small businesses because the tool is intuitive and easy to use, which saves time and minimizes the learning curve for employees. You can organize users into groups and see remote access logs for users via its web console. It also offers iOS and Android mobile apps to provide remote support on the fly.
RemotePC Standout Features and Integrations:
Features that I feel can benefit small businesses are RemotePC’s compatibility with multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. It also allows you to transfer files between local and remote computers. Users can watch videos from a remote computer on their local computer.
Integrations include native options, like Zendesk, Freshdesk, Freshservice, Jira Service Desk, Okta, GSuite, Jamf, and Azure Active Directory.
Pricing: From $18/user/year (first year)
Trial: 7-day free trial
Pros
- Can do remote printing
- Can use a whiteboard on screen
- Remote reboot possible
Cons
- Important features like backups and permissions available on advanced plans
- Can lead to high bandwidth usage
2. TeamViewer - Best for cross-platform use
TeamViewer is a remote access and support software solution that prioritizes security and privacy while maintaining simplicity.
Why I picked TeamViewer: I picked TeamViewer because it offers multi-platform access for Windows, macOS, Linux, and iOS and Android mobile devices. You can connect from mobile to PC, PC to mobile, and mobile to mobile. You can share your iPhone and iPad screens to a remote device, use its QuickSteps toolbars for shortcuts, and record sessions for training and auditing.
TeamViewer Standout Features and Integrations:
Features that stand out for me are that it can provide remote access for Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) devices, as well as Internet of Things (IoT) devices and sensors. It offers secure and encrypted connections with two-factor authentication (2FA) and support for HIPAA compliance. You can also share and transfer files with drag-and-drop functionality.
Integrations are available natively for Freshworks, Slack, ServiceNow, NinjaOne, Synology, Microsoft Teams, and Atlassian. APIs are available.
Pricing: From $24.90/user/month (billed annually)
Trial: 14-day free trial
Pros
- High-definition remote sessions with audio and video conferencing capabilities
- Wake-on-LAN functionality for accessing switched-off devices
- Access control for managing permissions and roles
Cons
- Pricing plans are higher than other competitors
- Speed may sometimes be slow
3. ConnectWise ScreenConnect - Best for customization
ConnectWise ScreenConnect is a cloud-based solution that offers remote support, remote access, and remote meetings.
Why I picked ConnectWise ScreenConnect: I chose ConnectWise for its customization capabilities — you can add your brand identity elements like logos without coding. There are over 1,200 edit options; you can use custom URLs and white label your portal with icons, favicons, colors, and designs. You can even use your local language for menu items and embed TeamViewer into your site with an iframe.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect Standout Features and Integrations:
Features that I liked are its compatibility with ChromeOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, and Unix operating systems and browser support for Edge, Safari, Chrome, and Firefox. Technicians can enable a live stream session to resolve user issues in real-time. They can even save visual records for evidence and billing purposes.
Integrations are available natively for platforms like Acronis, ConnectWise PSA, Freshdesk, Solarwinds Passportal, and Zendesk.
Pricing: From $27/user/month (billed annually)
Trial: 14-day free trial + Free demo available
Pros
- Unattended support available
- Self-hosted option
- 2FA and SSL connectivity
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Occasional glitches and bugs during use
4. Zoho Assist - Best for ease of use
With Zoho Assist, you can provide technical support for your customers, access files and folders remotely, and collaborate with team members in real-time.
Why I picked Zoho Assist: I like Zoho Assist’s ease of use yet robust features. You can remotely access devices, even unattended. Screen sharing, screen recording, file sharing, live chat, remote printing, and reboot — you get all this on multi-platform support, including Windows, Mac, Linux, and more.
Zoho Assist Standout Features and Integrations:
Features that I want to highlight are that you can use its whiteboard feature to draw diagrams, make annotations, or brainstorm ideas collaboratively. Zoho Assist supports Wake-on-LAN, allowing you to remotely turn on a device in sleep or hibernation mode. If you need to transfer the session to another technician, Zoho Assist makes it possible without interrupting the support session.
Integrations are available natively for Zendesk, Service Now, Jira, Freshdesk, Spiceworks, Zoho Desk, G Suite, Slack, ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus, and Microsoft Teams.
Pricing: From $12/user/month (billed annually)
Trial: 15-day free trial
Pros
- In-depth reports and easy downloads in CSV and PDF format
- Support for iOS and Android available
- Can record sessions
Cons
- Lacks advanced functionalities such as remote scripting
- Slow customer support
5. NinjaOne - Best for large enterprises
NinjaOne RMM provides real-time support and monitoring of servers, workstations, and endpoints to detect and troubleshoot issues proactively.
Why I picked NinjaOne: If you’re an enterprise looking for remote support solutions and unified IT management, I suggest NinjaOne. Along with support, it also provides solutions for managed service providers (MSPs), backup and disaster recovery, automated maintenance like disk cleanup, endpoint task automation, and patch management.
NinjaOne Standout Features and Integrations:
Features that work best for enterprises, in my opinion, are that you get multi-monitor support and can customize the resolution for video streaming to work with any bandwidth. It supports Windows, macOS, and Linux devices. Built-in security features available are TLS and AES encryption and end-of-session logout.
Integrations are available natively for TeamViewer, Splashtop, ConnectWise, Webroot, SentinelOne, Okta, Accelo, Autotask, and PagerDuty.
Pricing: Pay for what you use
Trial: 14-day free trial + Free demo available
Pros
- Remote mobile device management
- Scripting engine to automate tasks and perform complex actions on remote machines
- Remote command prompt feature to run command-line tools on remote machines
Cons
- Interface can be slow to respond
- Search feature lacks filters
6. GoTo Resolve - Best for IT professionals
GoTo Resolve offers various remote support and monitoring tools that allow IT professionals to access and fix devices remotely.
Why I picked GoTo Resolve: I like how GoTo is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems, and IT professionals can access and fix devices remotely without the user's presence. IT professionals can easily navigate between multiple monitors during a support session and restart a device remotely without ending the support session.
GoTo Resolve Standout Features and Integrations:
Features that I appreciate are that you can generate diagnostic reports to identify hardware or software issues. It lets you invite other team members to view or control a support session for training or additional support. You can draw attention to specific parts of a screen during a support session with annotation tools.
Integrations are available natively for Zendesk, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Docebo, Prezi, Hubspot, Marketo, ActiveDemand, and Zoho CRM.
Pricing: From $40/user/month (billed annually)
Trial: 14-day free trial
Pros
- Support multiple devices simultaneously
- Record support sessions for future reference or quality assurance purposes
- Transfer files securely between devices during a support session
Cons
- Pricing can be high for freelance IT professionals
- Requires fast internet connection to work
7. ISL Online - Best feature-rich option
ISL Online is a multi-platform remote support solution with features like file sharing, remote printing, and online collaboration tools.
Why I picked ISL Online: During my analysis, I found that ISL Online has plenty of features to simplify remote support. You can connect to ISL via options like a desktop app, website, email invite, live chat, access password, mobile app, and more. You can view, control, pause, resume, and share screens from Windows, macOS, or Linux computers.
ISL Online Standout Features and Integrations:
Features that I liked about ISL are that it lets you make a video call for personal support and you can work with multiple monitors. There are also whiteboard tools, customization options for language and colors, a clipboard for easy copy-paste, keyboard shortcuts, and groups and tags for selecting relevant remote computers.
Integrations are available natively for BMC Remedy, ConnectBox, and Remote Desktop Manager. APIs are available.
Pricing: From $34.90/user/month (billed annually)
Trial: 15-day free trial
Pros
- You can select a specific part of your client’s screen for easy resolution
- AES 256 end-to-end encryption and 2FA for enhanced security
- Can use a black screen to hide critical information
Cons
- Can require extensive training to utilize its features fully
- Limited integrations
8. Blitzz - Best for video support
Blitzz is a video-powered remote support software that enables enterprises to quickly and reliably support their customers and field employees.
Why I picked Blitzz: What impresses me about Blitzz is that field technicians, such as inspectors, claim specialists, or agents, can use it for remote visual support. Agents can simply create a link for support and send it to the end user. Once the user opens that link, the agent can identify the problem without an in-person visit, thus saving time and effort.
Blitzz Standout Features and Integrations:
Features that I focused on during my evaluation are that you can invite users to the video call by SMS, email, and WhatsApp on any device — the customer doesn’t have to download any app to open the invite link. You can magnify video streams and use the pointing and collaborative markup feature on screen share.
Integrations are available natively for Salesforce, Cisco Finesse, GSuite, Okta, Cisco Teams, AWS S3 Cloud storage, ServiceNow, and Zendesk. APIs and Zapier connection are available.
Pricing: From $35/user/month (billed annually)
Trial: 14-day free trial + Free demo available
Pros
- Easy to use
- Can recognize optical characters like Barcode
- Can easily adjust bandwidth depending on the internet strength
Cons
- Limited integrations
- Inconsistent performance and occasional glitches
9. Splashtop - Best for security
Splashtop offers a range of remote support products for various use cases like IT businesses, help desks, MSPs, and power users.
Why I picked Splashtop: If you want to prioritize security features, then Splashtop is a good choice. It comes with intrusion detection, TLS and 256-bit AES encryption, 2FA, single sign-on (SSO), endpoint multi-factor authentication (MFA), idle session timeout, remote connection alerts, audit logs of sessions, screen auto-lock, GDPR and SOC 2 compliance, and proxy server authentication.
Splashtop Standout Features and Integrations:
Features that I liked are attended access and cross-platform remote access for Windows, macOS, and Android devices. There are also features for chat, file transfer, multi-monitor screens, remote printing, and remote reboot.
Integrations are available natively for Bitdefender, Datto, Acronis, HaloITSM, NinjaOne, Atera, Syncro, Addigy, SuperOps, and ServiceNow.
Pricing: From $5/user/month
Trial: 7-day free trial
Pros
- Can use whiteboard
- Can record video sessions
- Permission settings available
Cons
- File manager is limited in terms of functionality
- May not be compatible with some older devices and operating systems
10. ControlUp - Best for real-time monitoring
ControlUp is primarily a digital experience monitoring and optimization platform. It lets you get insights into the health of your end-user environments from any location and workspace.
Why I picked ControlUp: ControlUp stands out to me for its real-time monitoring capabilities for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), End-User Computing (EUC), and servers. It can also alert you in case of critical failures, and you can customize issue resolution methods like cleaning up temporary directories, increasing disk space, and logging off idle users.
ControlUp Standout Features and Integrations:
Features that I admire about ControlUp are that it lets you customize dashboards to visualize the performance of resources. It offers script-based automation and remediation, and you can access historical performance data to analyze trends and make informed decisions about resource allocation. You can monitor and manage user sessions to ensure productivity and security.
Integrations are available natively for Citrix, Amazon Web Services (AWS), PowerShell, Windows Remote Desktop Services (RDS), and VMWare Horizon. APIs are available.
Pricing: Pricing upon request
Trial: 21-day free trial + Free demo available
Pros
- Automation capabilities for common tasks
- Multi-tenancy support available
- Role-based permissions
Cons
- Complexity of some features may require dedicated support staff
- Not suitable for smaller environments
11. Front - Best for collaborative customer communication and team inboxes
Front is a customer communication platform with powerful remote support software features like a team inbox that can improve response times and workflows.
Why I picked Front: Front caught my eye because it lets users access and manage emails, social media messages, chats, and SMSes in a shared inbox. It lets teams assign conversations to specific team members to ensure accountability. Team members can leave comments within conversations to share relevant information or seek input from others.
Front Standout Features and Integrations:
Features I want to highlight are collision detection, which prevents duplicate responses by alerting team members when someone else is working on a conversation. With automated workflows, you can set up rules and automation to streamline repetitive tasks (e.g., if an agent doesn’t reply to an email within 30 minutes, tag it as an SLA breach). You also get real-time notifications about updates and progress to stay informed.
Integrations are available natively for 50+ tools, including Asana, ClickUp, Drift, HipChat, Intercom, Jira, PagerDuty, Outreach, and Salesforce. APIs and Zapier connection are available.
Pricing: $59/user/month (billed annually)
Trial: 7-day free trial
Pros
- Can use live chat widget and chatbot
- Pre-built email templates for commonly used responses
- Lets you snooze conversations or set reminders to follow up at a later time
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Can be difficult to find older conversations from an email thread
12. UltraVNC - Best open-source option
UltraVNC is a powerful remote administration software that allows users to control other computers remotely over the internet or local network.
Why I picked UltraVNC: What I like about UltraVNC, even though it’s free and open-source, is that you can do a lot with it. It lets you transfer files securely, supports encryption to ensure secure remote access and protect sensitive data, and you can embed a chat widget. It offers screen scaling options to adjust the remote desktop's size to fit the local screen.
UltraVNC Standout Features and Integrations:
Features I liked during my assessment are that it supports multiple monitors, allowing users to control and view multiple screens remotely. You can capture screenshots or videos of the remote desktop for documentation or troubleshooting purposes. Users can copy and paste text or files between the local and remote computers with its clipboard.
Integrations are available as plugins, including Mirror Driver, MS Logon, and Java Viewer.
Pricing: Free
Trial: Free to use
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- Easy to install
- Can create custom keyboard shortcuts
Cons
- No Wake-on-LAN
- No remote printing support
Other Remote Support Software Options
Here are a few more options if you want additional suggestions:
- LogMeIn Pro - Best for file transfer
- AnyDesk - Best for fast and secure connections
- FixMe.IT - Best for on-demand support
- BeyondTrust Remote Support - Best for privileged access management
- Dameware Remote Support - Best for Active Directory integration
- Remote Utilities - Best for network administration
- DeskRoll - Best for remote meetings
- Goverlan Reach - Best on-premise option
- Chrome Remote Desktop - Best for free use
- Zendesk - Best for multi-channel customer support
- Anyplace Control - Best remote access software for Windows
- SupRemo - Best for non-technical users
Selection Criteria For Remote Support Software
I’ve used the following selection criteria to create the best remote support solution shortlist.
Core Functionalities
When choosing remote support software, these are the functionalities I considered:
- Capability to remotely access and troubleshoot devices, even without user interaction
- Ability to view and control a user's screen remotely
- Ability to record remote support sessions for future reference
- Compatibility with various operating systems to provide support to a range of devices
Key Features
The key features I examined were:
- Mobile support: Can the tool provide remote support on mobile devices, such as smartphones or tablets?
- Custom scripting: Can the software create custom scripts or macros to automate repetitive tasks during remote support sessions?
- Remote diagnostics: Can the solution allow support personnel to diagnose and troubleshoot issues remotely?
- Integrations: Can the software integrate with other tools like ticketing systems to streamline your support workflow?
Usability
For our purposes here, I assessed the usability of the tools for the following factors:
- An intuitive interface that allows easy navigation and quick access to necessary features
- Consistent design and behavior throughout different screens and functionalities to avoid confusion
- Keyboard shortcuts or saved settings to improve productivity
- Comprehensive help resources, such as user guides or FAQs, to assist users in troubleshooting and understanding the software
- Training materials or onboarding support to facilitate the adoption and usage of the software by support personnel
People Also Ask
Have some more questions on remote support software and what they have to offer? Here are some FAQs to help you out:
How does remote support software work?
What are the benefits of using remote support software?
Is remote support software secure?
Summary
By evaluating factors like pricing, features, and ease of use, I have identified the strengths and weaknesses of each software solution. This analysis aims to assist businesses in making an informed decision when selecting the remote support software that best aligns with their requirements.
Whether you prioritize affordability, robust functionality, or superior customer service, I hope my reviews will guide you toward finding the ideal remote support software for your organization.
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