Apple Remote Desktop vs. Rocket Remote Desktop

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
Rocket Remote Desktop
Score 3.4 out of 10
N/A
Rocket Remote Desktop (formerly ASG-Remote Desktop) is a remote administration tool. Formerly known as visionapp (acquired by ASG in 2011), the ASG-Remote Desktop is a cross-platform toolset for support and remote access.N/A
Pricing
Apple Remote DesktopRocket Remote Desktop
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Apple Remote DesktopRocket Remote Desktop
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 DesktopRocket Remote Desktop
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
Apple Remote DesktopRocket Remote Desktop
Remote Administration
Comparison of Remote Administration features of Product A and Product B
Apple Remote Desktop
8.0
25 Ratings
3% below category average
Rocket Remote Desktop
9.6
3 Ratings
15% above category average
Screen sharing8.925 Ratings00 Ratings
File transfer9.024 Ratings8.02 Ratings
Instant message9.320 Ratings00 Ratings
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication8.53 Ratings10.01 Ratings
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers7.219 Ratings10.01 Ratings
Over-the-Internet remote session9.019 Ratings10.02 Ratings
Initiate remote control from mobile7.06 Ratings00 Ratings
Remote management of servers & workstations8.421 Ratings10.03 Ratings
Remote Active Directory® management7.08 Ratings10.01 Ratings
Centralized management dashboard8.516 Ratings8.42 Ratings
Session record7.39 Ratings10.01 Ratings
Annotations7.05 Ratings00 Ratings
Monitoring and Alerts8.312 Ratings00 Ratings
Multi-platform remote control6.37 Ratings10.02 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Apple Remote DesktopRocket Remote Desktop
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 DesktopRocket Remote Desktop
Likelihood to Recommend
8.4
(25 ratings)
10.0
(3 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
9.0
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
10.0
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
10.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Apple Remote DesktopRocket Remote Desktop
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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Rocket Software
If multiple sets of credentials and User Directories are involved across the servers you're connecting to, this is a huge help in organizing them all and managing changes over time. Having multiple concurrent server connections in tabs instead of separate windows is also much more convenient. While we're only using RDP, there are multiple connection methods to facilitate a mixed environment.
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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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Rocket Software
  • Organize remote desktop connections
  • Provide easy and fast connections
  • Backup and restore configurations
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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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Rocket Software
  • I'd like to be able to tag computers by criteria (ie location, function, etc) then be able to sort them in the left-hand pane.
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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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Rocket Software
No answers on this topic
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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Rocket Software
No answers on this topic
Support Rating
Apple
Apple support is great.
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Rocket Software
No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
Apple
Very quick and easy install with no real issues
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Rocket Software
No answers on this topic
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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Rocket Software
ASG-Remote is very flexible and with so many options available it makes the configuration you want for your setup super simple. Other products do not offer the extra features for database and reporting. As well, it offers all the connection types you can possibly think of. The ability to automate tasks for regular servers and workstations is amazing!
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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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Rocket Software
  • Saves DevOps team time recovering from forgotten credentials.
  • Saves DevOps team time from recovering lost/misplaced connection info.
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ScreenShots

Rocket Remote Desktop Screenshots

Screenshot of Open connections in overviewScreenshot of Properties dialogue with integrated help in background tabScreenshot of Connection config dialogue