Apple Remote Desktop vs. TeamViewer

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Apple Remote Desktop
Score 7.1 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
TeamViewer
Score 8.6 out of 10
N/A
Teamviewer offers secure remote access, IT support and device management on a scalable platform. It speeds up problem resolution, reduces downtime and enhances control through automation, unattended access and complete visibility of every device and location.
$24.90
per month (billed annually) 1 Licensed User
Pricing
Apple Remote DesktopTeamViewer
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
Remote Access
$24.90
per month (billed annually) 1 Licensed User
Business
$50.90
per month (billed annually) 1 Licensed User
Premium
$102.90
per month (billed annually) 15 Licensed Users
Corporate
$206.90
per month (billed annually) 30 Licensed Users
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Apple Remote DesktopTeamViewer
Free Trial
NoYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeOptional
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Apple Remote DesktopTeamViewer
Considered Both Products
Apple Remote Desktop
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
Apple Remote Desktop is very Apple specific, which as both good and bad aspects. We actually use both Bomgar/BeyondTrust and Apple Remote Desktop because each is good at certain aspects and bad at certain aspects. For instance, BeyondTrust is very good at ad hoc sessions with …
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
Apple Remote Desktop is far simpler than TeamViewer, especially for MacOSX. With Apple Remote Desktop native within OSX, it is simple and easy to use, and can be used with other Mac users with ease. I selected it because it has a much simpler design and is already integrated …
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
Apple Remote Desktop is Apple specific. There is no other software suite that controls the Mac like ARD. Apple built it specifically for Apple products and it has abilities that are definitely MacOS ONLY. If you administer Macs it is a must-have over the other solutions …
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
Apple Remote Desktop still requires more work on its functionality, but the other market giants are way ahead of it when it comes to utilities and services. Teamviewer was the first software that we used and it was so good, we wanted to try something else so we switched to …
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
Microsoft Remote desktop tends to perform better, especially over the internet and has multiple implementations, including open source.
AnyDesk is multi platform (both server and client) and more suitable for ad-hoc remote sessions.
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
Apple Remote Desktop is a good product when you have a need to manage Apple computers on-site and don't want a cloud solution with a recurring cost. We prefer it as an alternative or secondary solution in case your primary software has issues. I wouldn't use it as my only …
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
The Apple Remote Desktop application has a much faster connection once the computer has been properly configured.
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
For apple/mac products - hands down has the upper advantage when it comes to remote administration. It lacks in some areas that Datto and Kasyea have the upper hand on like some system monitoring. Overall, if I had multiple macs I needed to monitor and service, I would use …
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
I think that the one feature that sets ARD apart is the UI when in a remote session. There have been times where I've used Zoom, TeamViewer, etc. and couldn't access a part of the menu bar or accidentally closed a session due to the third-party UI that's been applied on the …
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
ARD does not have competition when it comes to working with Apple Devices in a 1:1 scenario.
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 would feel much more comfortable having one of these alternative solutions as our Remote Desktop management tools. Each has their drawbacks and expenses associated with them, but we simply have too large of a deployment to not be considering alternatives. If it is the only …
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
Apple Remote Desktop is unique in some of the abilities it has. I feel like there is not much in direct competition for much of what it can do.
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
If you are managing Apple systems, ARD is hands down the number one way to manage these systems. It beats every other product out there with its deep macOS integration. No other product has as much focus on Apple as this one. We are primarily a Mac environment so it makes total …
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
I actually use ConnectWise and ARD, if within my LAN. If I have VPN access I use ARD, if it's a new client and I haven't worked on their network or it's too small to warrant a VPN setup then I'll use ConnectWise
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 …
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
Apple Remote Desktop is the best device we were able to use for education that served the function. Being a school with all Apple products and Mac labs, using Apple Remote Desktop was the most logical choice. The only other alternative was to use the Adobe screen share software …
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
For multi-site remote support we utilize TeamViewer and for enterprise-wide device management we are using Cisco Meraki System Manager. ARD is a great Mac tool, but there are many options out there, that are cloud-based, that don't require you to have network tunnels into your …
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
Apple Remote Desktop allows me access and control that Casper doesn't always have. I love the use of the Remote sessions to be able to get on and see what exactly is going on and then to be able to fix it without having to run across campus to that classroom.
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
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.
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
We use both of these products and both are great in their own way.
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
No other product does remote desktop management of multiple Macs as good as ARD does, some come close, some have less features.
Chose Apple Remote Desktop
I have not used other applications--perfectly happy with Apple Remote Desktop.
TeamViewer
Chose TeamViewer
TeamViewer does as much, if not more, for client connectivity. Both allow copious notes for each support connection. Client-based MDM would be a valuable addition for our specific needs.
Chose TeamViewer
TeamViewer offers more advanced features than AnyDesk e.g. TeamViewer Dex which automatically tracks user's system performance and provides proactive issue resolution. This feature helps to fix common IT issues automatically and reduces manual intervention.
Chose TeamViewer
I have used Anydesk for little over an year and currently using TeamViewer. AnyDesk is a very light software which doesn't require heavy RAM to run also its very stable than TeamViewer most importantly its cheaper than TeamViewer.

But TeamViewer stands out in terms of loaded …
Chose TeamViewer
Although it is the most expensive on the market, it has many built-in features and, above all, resilience and security. It is much more practical to work with when there is a need to provide constant support to many users.On the downside, I see that it is very dependent on a …
Chose TeamViewer
1. AnyDesk stops working in between. And not many users use AnyDesk. It has a complex permission section where users are not able to give remote permissions easily, which consumes time. 2. Zoom Meetings is slow in remote access response and it's time bounded when it comes to a …
Chose TeamViewer
TeamViewer is a go-to product for almost all newbies and smaller organizations, allowing multiple simultaneous connections and the ability to transfer files, letting you serve multiple clients at once.
Chose TeamViewer
Apple Remote Desktop requires a VPN connection to the LAN to be useful, but it is still necessary to use it when TeamViewer will not connect. Datto RMM seems very solid, and I like it, though I only have access to it from our MPS. It can often connect when the TV cannot. …
Chose TeamViewer
TeamViewer is easier to use, has a better UI that I can control more easily than others, is faster, and I think it uses less bandwidth than others. Also, 5 stars for me, it has a better chat display that can be shown or hidden according to our needs during the remote session. …
Chose TeamViewer
Saw several other users comment and praise TeamViewer, saw they had a "free" option, downloaded it, and started using it; it fits our needs well.
Chose TeamViewer
Compared to the RMM features of NinjaOne, Datto RMM, and N-Able, TeamViewer's RMM toolkit is thinner and less automated. The TeamViewer RMM features are not as robust as those of dedicated RMM platforms, like the ones I mentioned above. This is an important point to keep in …
Chose TeamViewer
MS Teams is good, but not on all our devices. We also experience more latency issues with MS Teams. TeamViewer has a small footprint on the devices and just seems to work.
Chose TeamViewer
For mobile, TeamViewer was much better, especially since some of them don't support mobile devices at all. Performance seems to be generally better than AnyDesk and on par with ScreenConnect in both performance and the feature set. One system not in the list above is RustDesk. …
Chose TeamViewer
We choose TeamViewer over AnyDesk due to its advanced and more secured features. It also offered us better pricing on corporate licensing.
Chose TeamViewer
TeamViewer is superior with remote assistance when our user is at statile site where there is no VPN tunnel implemented. All we have to do instead is just send users an email with the invitation for remote access, and we can assist those who have trouble. Highly recommended …
Chose TeamViewer
TeamViewer has a stronger more stable connection for accessing other devices such as mobile devices.

I tried adding mobile devices into teams meetings using my teams account, however the presentation has not always been the best.
Chose TeamViewer
TeamViewer is a little more robust than many of the other options that we have compared it to. The patching and package deployment option alone sets it apart. The ability to conduct file transfers from machine to machine also gives it an edge where other options have come up …
Chose TeamViewer
Pricing wise, the TeamViewer license is a lot more costly, but makes up for it in feature-richness and reliability. Pulseway has the benefit of having the possibility to keep an eye the IT infrastructure so you can catch things before they go wrong but our main focus was a …
Chose TeamViewer
Anydesk is a great tool but TeamViewer is already established at our organization and switch would require software re-installation for each managed computer.
Chose TeamViewer
Found TeamViewer expensive compared to other services, but it does work efficiently. LogMeIn has become incredibly expensive, hence moving away from them. Splashtop is more cost-effective but perhaps not quite so reliable.
Chose TeamViewer
End-to-end and transport encryption, Multi-factor authentication, Secure transfer of patches, logs, configuration files, and backups during support sessions or deployments.
Chose TeamViewer
TeamViewer's cost is much lower than that of other solutions, and its security is far superior to RemotePC's. TeamViewer is also a request-based remote session manager, unlike other software that allows indefinite connection time. TeamViewer's free version makes it even better …
Features
Apple Remote DesktopTeamViewer
Remote Administration
Comparison of Remote Administration features of Product A and Product B
Apple Remote Desktop
6.8
Ratings
15% below category average
TeamViewer
8.7
Ratings
2% above category average
Screen sharing7.90 Ratings00 Ratings
File transfer7.90 Ratings8.80 Ratings
Instant message7.10 Ratings8.70 Ratings
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication5.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers8.80 Ratings7.30 Ratings
Over-the-Internet remote session7.10 Ratings00 Ratings
Initiate remote control from mobile4.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Remote management of servers & workstations8.40 Ratings00 Ratings
Remote Active Directory® management7.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Centralized management dashboard6.30 Ratings00 Ratings
Session record7.50 Ratings8.40 Ratings
Annotations3.40 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Monitoring and Alerts6.30 Ratings00 Ratings
Multi-platform remote control9.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Security
Comparison of Security features of Product A and Product B
Apple Remote Desktop
-
Ratings
TeamViewer
8.7
Ratings
0% above category average
Role-based user permissions00 Ratings8.70 Ratings
Platform & Infrastructure
Comparison of Platform & Infrastructure features of Product A and Product B
Apple Remote Desktop
-
Ratings
TeamViewer
8.0
Ratings
0% below category average
Third-party software integrations00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Remote Access
Comparison of Remote Access features of Product A and Product B
Apple Remote Desktop
-
Ratings
TeamViewer
8.4
Ratings
4% above category average
Attended device access00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Unattended device access00 Ratings8.50 Ratings
Mobile device access00 Ratings7.80 Ratings
Virtual device access00 Ratings8.40 Ratings
Multiple-display support00 Ratings8.30 Ratings
Multiple concurrent sessions00 Ratings8.30 Ratings
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Apple Remote DesktopTeamViewer
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Medium-sized Companies
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Score 9.6 out of 10
Action1
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Score 9.5 out of 10
Enterprises
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Score 9.6 out of 10
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Score 9.6 out of 10
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User Ratings
Apple Remote DesktopTeamViewer
Likelihood to Recommend
6.0
(0 ratings)
8.7
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
8.0
(0 ratings)
8.2
(0 ratings)
Usability
7.6
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Availability
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
10.0
(0 ratings)
9.5
(0 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Online Training
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
10.0
(0 ratings)
8.8
(0 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
8.4
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Apple Remote DesktopTeamViewer
Likelihood to Recommend
ARD for me is based on a LAN, but can be used over WAN via VPN, but the latency makes ARD a less ideal tool. There are other cross platform tools that can do what ARD does which to me add value when managing a mixed environment
Read full review
Helpful for organized IT teams supporting multiple manufacturing warehouse zones. Useful for training, auditing, and meeting ISO/quality or compliance documentation requirements. False positives can lock users out unexpectedly, particularly common when supporting remote home users. Session connections can be interrupted, which is painful when configuring warehouse automation systems and printers that require a restart.
Read full review
Pros
  • 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.
Read full review
  • Quick support is an nice feature to make it easy for the end user to download and use
  • Easy to connect using numbers
  • The connection is always good when connected to an end user
  • The tool is easy to use, the buttons are easy to understand what the use for it is
Read full review
Cons
  • It's onsite only without setting up a VPN or some other form of remote network access.
  • It can be a little slow sometimes when compared to local access.
  • It seems to be a neglected product by Apple and not continually developed.
Read full review
  • Now, it doesn’t work in fast network environments: sometimes, data is delayed during transfer.
  • There are a small number of ways that a user is allowed to change the interface on the device.
  • Some minor increases in difficulty with advanced functions of the application.
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
It is a fairly unique tool in the level of integration it has with Apple Desktop products. It definitely needs some engineering attention, and it should be expanded to the iOS arena. It is not perfect, but it is very useful and fills an otherwise fairly empty niche in the support toolkit realm. The built-in screen sharing app in macOS handles the direct screen control or viewing function fairly well, but it does not have all of the other mass control features that Apple Remote Desktop supplies.
Read full review
As long as I continue to provide remote support for my clients, it's a no brainier. For what I pay out, I probably make it back tenfold in the ability to provide remote support from wherever and whenever. Not to mention the saved gas money for a fix that only takes 5 minutes but it takes you 20 minutes to get there. As my business continues to grow, and I support more and more clients, my need for TeamViewer will only grow.
Read full review
Usability
It can be more usable, and if you are not in the Apple ecosystem, most likely you haven't even heard of it. Does it need improvements? Absolutely. Will it get improved? Most likely not. I believe this app is just part of the system app, which is nice to have, but any user will most likely choose some other option from the available apps.
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Compared to other products I've used (ConnectWise Control), TeamViewer is harder to set up and get connected. It is especially difficult to set up "permanent" unattended remote access, where you want to be able to connect to and control a remote computer without having to exchange codes and passwords every time you connect.
Read full review
Reliability and Availability
No answers on this topic
We get what we need with our TeamViewer licence.
Read full review
Performance
No answers on this topic
Steady connection and easy quick connect and disconnect
Read full review
Support Rating
I've never had to get support for ARD, so I can't give a real opinion.
Read full review
The support from the Teamviewer team has always been top notch. Any support ticket that we have submitted has been handled very quickly and with the best possible resolution. We find in most cases, contacting for a support ticket is not even necessary, as the knowledge base is more than adequate.
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In-Person Training
No answers on this topic
As expected without any problem! Alternate in-person training is another efficient way to learn how a product works. There are many third party supporters for TeamViewer courses available that can give additional ideas how to use TeamViewer for specific functions and features as we did require in respect of our usage.
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Online Training
No answers on this topic
I have never used the online training either. I have watched a few informational videos that were helpful when learning how to do a specific procedure within TeamViewer and get the most out of the software by utilizing one of the many features that are available with the software. Again, 5 if for neutral.
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Implementation Rating
None, very easy to setup and install.
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TeamViewer installation and deployment to other devices is pretty straightforward and does not require much technical know-how. This makes ease of use attractive when supporting both new and existing clients with limited technical knowledge. I think ease of use is a huge factor in getting new clients. TeamViewer handles that extremely well.
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Alternatives Considered
I would feel much more comfortable having one of these alternative solutions as our Remote Desktop management tools. Each has their drawbacks and expenses associated with them, but we simply have too large of a deployment to not be considering alternatives. If it is the only solution you can afford, it is OK to start here. I could see where this would have a return on investment, but it is really only suitable for a very small and localized scale. If employees are at all mobile, the duct taping of products necessary (VPN, distribution points, script repositories) would be very cumbersome.
Read full review
Apple Remote Desktop requires a VPN connection to the LAN to be useful, but it is still necessary to use it when TeamViewer will not connect. Datto RMM seems very solid, and I like it, though I only have access to it from our MPS. It can often connect when the TV cannot. ScreenConnect was not a good fit for us and did not seem to work well.
Read full review
Scalability
No answers on this topic
I've rarely had problems with the product.
Read full review
Return on Investment
  • 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.
Read full review
It took about 3 months.
  • Customer Support of our business has become more interactive with customers, leading to faster resolution of their problems.
  • Remotely accessing devices in our office allows employees to stay productive while working from home.
  • TeamViewer helps us to collaborate with other firms for projects we're doing.
Read full review
ScreenShots

TeamViewer Screenshots

Screenshot of how TeamViewer lets users connect to devices and provide remote support.Screenshot of AI, automation and remediation.Screenshot of the interface to monitor and manage devices proactively.Screenshot of some of TeamViewer's integrations.