Apple Remote Desktop vs. Remote Desktop Manager

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Apple Remote Desktop
Score 8.7 out of 10
N/A
Apple Remote Desktop (ARD), from Apple, is a remote administration tool for managing Apple computers running OS X across a network.N/A
Remote Desktop Manager
Score 8.4 out of 10
Mid-Size Companies (51-1,000 employees)
Remote Desktop Manager (RDM) from Canadian software company Devolutions is a remote administration and credential management tool for securely centralizing multiple remote connections and sensitive data.
$299.99
per year
Pricing
Apple Remote DesktopRemote Desktop Manager
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
Single User
$299.99
per year
Enterprise
$9999.99
per year
Platinum
Contact Sales
Unlimited Users, Multiple Sites, Worldwide
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Apple Remote DesktopRemote Desktop Manager
Free Trial
NoYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Apple Remote DesktopRemote Desktop Manager
Considered Both Products
Apple Remote Desktop
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
Chrome Remote Desktop is cross-platform but lacks the cool features especially automation related features like Apple Remote Desktop does. For supporting Mac computers, Apple Remote Desktop was a clear choice.
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
I have used the above two remote desktop services and have found it to be much harder than using the Apple Remote Desktop. They are slow to login with a lot of errors, time outs constantly, and interface its self moves incredibly slow. I felt a sense of relief when I started …
Remote Desktop Manager
Chose Remote Desktop Manager
  1. The types of sessions. You are not limited to just RDP sessions, you can do SSH, Web Browser, iLO, or really any session you can imagine that you might use to connect to a remote service
  2. The extensions, add-ons, and features of RDM. You simply can do a lot more.
  3. Automation - …
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
Apple Remote DesktopRemote Desktop Manager
Remote Administration
Comparison of Remote Administration features of Product A and Product B
Apple Remote Desktop
8.0
25 Ratings
3% below category average
Remote Desktop Manager
8.1
44 Ratings
2% below category average
Screen sharing8.925 Ratings7.823 Ratings
File transfer9.024 Ratings7.729 Ratings
Instant message9.320 Ratings00 Ratings
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication8.53 Ratings9.116 Ratings
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers7.219 Ratings8.75 Ratings
Over-the-Internet remote session9.019 Ratings8.438 Ratings
Initiate remote control from mobile7.06 Ratings8.022 Ratings
Remote management of servers & workstations8.421 Ratings8.142 Ratings
Remote Active Directory® management7.08 Ratings8.018 Ratings
Centralized management dashboard8.516 Ratings8.535 Ratings
Session record7.39 Ratings8.918 Ratings
Annotations7.05 Ratings9.125 Ratings
Monitoring and Alerts8.312 Ratings5.314 Ratings
Multi-platform remote control6.37 Ratings8.235 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Apple Remote DesktopRemote Desktop Manager
Small Businesses
Getscreen.me
Getscreen.me
Score 9.8 out of 10
Getscreen.me
Getscreen.me
Score 9.8 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
mRemoteNG
mRemoteNG
Score 9.7 out of 10
mRemoteNG
mRemoteNG
Score 9.7 out of 10
Enterprises
Remote Desktop Services
Remote Desktop Services
Score 9.0 out of 10
Remote Desktop Services
Remote Desktop Services
Score 9.0 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Apple Remote DesktopRemote Desktop Manager
Likelihood to Recommend
8.4
(25 ratings)
8.2
(44 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(3 ratings)
9.1
(2 ratings)
Usability
9.0
(4 ratings)
8.2
(2 ratings)
Support Rating
10.0
(4 ratings)
9.0
(7 ratings)
Implementation Rating
10.0
(3 ratings)
9.1
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
Apple Remote DesktopRemote Desktop Manager
Likelihood to Recommend
Apple
For a small deployment of macOS, I can see where Apple Remote Desktop could suffice. I can see where a company that is strapped for cash could benefit from a knowledgeable employee using it to automate some tasks. I am not comfortable giving an estimate number-wise. For a large deployment of macOS or iOS, this would be a very inappropriate tool. There are far too many obstacles for an app like Apple Remote Desktop to successfully manage a large fleet of macOS computers or really any number of iOS devices. You simply need an MDM solution in this day and age. This will become increasingly necessary, even in small numbers, but MDM providers have started to provide solutions for customers in these situations.
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Devolutions
If you have lots of servers to manage, lots of credentials, different protocols, documents, other files, and need a single tool to manage it, this is the tool. Active Directory integrated, user and groups permissions, audit everything, keep data in encrypted files or in a database, customize everything, even the installer,
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Pros
Apple
  • Automator Actions: This is a very cool feature and cost saving as it reduces human effort by automating the workflow of tasks.
  • Curtain Mode: This lets you block your local user's view of the desktop while performing administrative tasks.
  • Spotlight Search: It can perform lightning fast searches on machines using the spotlight search feature of OS X and thus saves a lot of time.
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Devolutions
  • Customer service delivery, whereby you can connect to clients to assist and resolve an incident.
  • Working from home logging onto office based machine.
  • It helps to attend to a problem more quickly, thereby saving the cost of relocation and commuting to distant places.
  • Speed and cost elements are critical here.
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Cons
Apple
  • I would like to see more included Unix scrips that can be pushed to clients.
  • Inclusion of a way to remote control or screen share with Windows machines would be useful, as I manage a handful of Windows machines. While this would be possible using VNC on the Windows machines, including the ability to connect using Windows terminal connections would be awesome, for me.
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Devolutions
  • I would like to see advanced auditing in the Devolution's drive data source like there are in some of the others. But that's just something I'd like to see, it doesn't hinder my using the app.
  • I would love to see even more addons available from even more software and service developers, but again the addon manager is great already so it's not a hindrance what so ever.
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Likelihood to Renew
Apple
We use it on a daily basis and works well in our environment and could see how other Apple owned organizations would benefit.
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Devolutions
I've been using RDM for about 10 years now. I started with the free version, which I used for a few years, and eventually switched to the Enterprise version. I can never go back now! I use this tool for everything and cannot see doing my job without it! Whenever we have someone new come in or bring in a vendor/contractor, they always ask me what RDP tool I'm using. Once I explain about it's features and all, they're usually instantly sold on it. :)
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Usability
Apple
The user interface is amazing. You don't have to dig in to look for options. It's not overwhelming and yet a powerful utility.
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Devolutions
I use this tool for almost everything in my day to day job. I launch the VMware VI Client from RDM. I launch vSphere Web Client Sessions from RDM. I RDP from RDM. Access Dell iDRAC and HP iLO via RDM, as well as Cisco UCS Manager and iKVM. I have saved SSH Sessions to my VMware hosts. I have URLs saved to get to things like IPAM, etc
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Support Rating
Apple
Apple support is great.
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Devolutions
I've never had to use support as I've never had an issue. That said, you can open a support ticket right from the UI. The user forums are active, and there are thousands of threads covering many topics. Very easy to get support if needed. This is an easy ten.
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Implementation Rating
Apple
Very quick and easy install with no real issues
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Devolutions
The implementation was completely successful. We had no issues!
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Alternatives Considered
Apple
I use TeamViewer with users who are having trouble connecting to the VPN. I think TeamViewer is a good alternative when ARD isn't working. However supporting the number of users we support, TeamViewer can come with a pretty hefty price tag.
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Devolutions
  1. The types of sessions. You are not limited to just RDP sessions, you can do SSH, Web Browser, iLO, or really any session you can imagine that you might use to connect to a remote service
  2. The extensions, add-ons, and features of RDM. You simply can do a lot more.
  3. Automation - There's additional things you can do that help automate your workday to make things easier
  4. The interface - It's easier to navigate and deal with multiple sessions at a time.
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Return on Investment
Apple
  • Apple Remote Desktop has a positive return on investment because for the expense to the school, the value it brings to teachers is important. The return on improved student performance is very difficult to measure financially, but there is a definite return.
  • The overall objective of education is to increase student learning, ARD does that phenomenally. Parents see the tool used and are impressed at what the capabilities of the tool can do and how it impacts how active their students are as well as how well they can learn.
  • One negative impact is that teachers rely too much on this tool rather than on actually teaching sometimes.
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Devolutions
  • A common place for storage for all users. Instead of employees using multiple different password management systems, they all use Remote Desktop Manager to store them now.
  • We don't have to buy licenses from multiple vendors when everyone uses Remote Desktop Manager.
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ScreenShots

Remote Desktop Manager Screenshots

Screenshot of EntryScreenshot of Main ScreenScreenshot of Tree ViewScreenshot of Overview