ConnectWise ScreenConnect vs. VNC Connect

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
ConnectWise ScreenConnect
Score 9.0 out of 10
N/A
ConnectWise ScreenConnect is a remote support, access, and meeting solution. With it, users can utilize remote support and access to repair computers, provide updates, and manage machines. Users can also conduct online seminars and presentations using remote meetings.N/A
VNC Connect
Score 7.6 out of 10
N/A
VNC® Connect is presented as a secure, simple remote desktop solution. It enables users to remotely access and control their devices wherever they are in the world, whenever they need to. VNC® Connect covers a wide range of remote access use cases with a single subscription, from remote working to IT support.
$3.39
per remote computer per month
Pricing
ConnectWise ScreenConnectVNC Connect
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
Professional - Device Access
$3.39
per remote computer per month
Enterprise - Device Access
$4.59
per remote computer per month
Professional - Instant Support
$16.99
per named technician per month
Enterprise - Instant Support
$33.49
per named technician per month
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
ConnectWise ScreenConnectVNC Connect
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
YesYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
ConnectWise ScreenConnectVNC Connect
Considered Both Products
ConnectWise ScreenConnect
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
I have worked with Citrix, AnyDesk, LogMeIn, VNC Connect, and many others.

I ultimately installed ConnectWise as a self-hosted solution, based on the incredible list of features and capabilities, and the pricing at the time. I continue to use the product as it is still one of …
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
ConnectWise Control gives you a lot of the features that the other products provide, but nothing that you won't use. Nothing is worse than a clunky remote session where you are fighting for CPU/RAM resources, and ConnectWise Control beats them all hands down. This product is …
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
Selected ConnectWise Control because of the ability to easily deploy via an MSI or tarball.
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
ConnectWise was a better choice for us because it allowed us to better manage and organize access to our remote machines. It also added value because it provided the support and meeting sessions that we didn't have before.
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
This is not even a comparison. ConnectWise Control is so good that even though we have a baked in copy in our Continuum RMM product, we still find the need for efficiency is so great we pay for a separate instance of ConnectWise Control rather than spend the extra 2 minutes …
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
I tested multiple products, but ConnectWise gave me the best feature set for the most reasonable price. Security concerns were also a factor. I had experienced some compromised PCs using other remote access products.
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
Comparably, the features and ease of use aren't even in the same league. As far as cost, one is free and the other is extremely expensive, but Control rivals it in every way at a fraction of the cost.
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
Not only is ConnectWise far more flexible than previously used tools- it comes at a fraction of the price. My staff regularly comment about how bad previous tools were compared to ConnectWise.
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
We initially chose ScreenConnect because of the option to self-host with a perpetual license. It served us very well, with many more features and easier use than VNC. Other competitors had monthly subscription fees and didn't offer enough features to justify the higher prices. …
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
ConnectWise Control (formerly ScreenConnect) is faster, renders screens better, is more reliable, runs smaller, scales better, and is more dependable than the competition.
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
ConnectWise Control is at feature parity with all of the other tools.
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
Simplified features and layout. Incorporates most features from others that only some offer. Ease of install, setup, and day-to-day use.
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
ConnectWise Control is superior in speed, reliability and has a very lightweight agent. I like LogMeIn second best, but it does take quite a bit more time to connect and the speed moving around is not as quick. Agent installation is super fast as well. You can also convert an …
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
ConnectWise Control is much easier to use than all other alternatives, and is also highly secure. The compression is great, and the connection times and remote session speeds are hands down the best. The feature set can't be beat with the ability to cast your own screen, …
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
1. Quick and efficient customer service.
2. It acts as a meeting point for technicians and customers, solving the customers problem without having a call or chat.
3. Best for small business.
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
  • VNC - local use only.
  • TeamViewer - not so good with customisation and a lot more money to purchase but does seem to get past firewalls where sometimes ConnectWise doesn't.
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
ConnectWise Control (formerly ScreenConnect) is more cost effective and provides many more features than competitors I have tried. The user interface is much more intuitive and has a better variety of options when adding roles for different technicians (admin, standard user, …
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
I did a lot of research and when you compare price and functionality, ConnectWise Control is the definite winner! When comparing all the features in our original planning phase of multiple softwares, screenconnect or connectwise control did the most for the best price. Another …
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
ScreenConnect beats out all of the competitors in terms of ease of use, ease of access, and cost.
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
Teamviewer, LogMeIn and VNC. It is quicker than all 3 of them and works like a champ! The ability to organize clients into their companies, locations and other segments make it easy to find what your looking for. I love the 2FA as well.
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
ConnectWise Control is far superior to all of these in our opinion. Radmin used to be our go-to product many years ago, but required a VPN to access the clients.
Chose ConnectWise ScreenConnect
So much easier to use ConnectWise Control - it's "always on" and doesn't require describing to a user how to set up a connection.
VNC Connect
Chose VNC Connect
The best part is that [the] VNC Connect application supports multi-platform compatibility with Windows and Linux systems. In addition, it is simple, and the session is approved or unapproved, which enables us to provide quick support in the business process. The running service …
Chose VNC Connect
I'm afraid that the only thing VNC has going for it is that it's free. Otherwise ConnectWise is an infinitely superior product and one which I would heartily recommend. We also looked at Bomgar, but the pricing there was astronomical in comparison with Connectwise. The free …
Chose VNC Connect
Screen quality compared to others like ScreenConnect, Bomgar, and others is not as good. But I don't need quality screens. I just need the minimal when connecting to servers so RealVNC fits that need very nicely.
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
ConnectWise ScreenConnectVNC Connect
Remote Administration
Comparison of Remote Administration features of Product A and Product B
ConnectWise ScreenConnect
8.3
613 Ratings
1% above category average
VNC Connect
7.7
31 Ratings
7% below category average
Screen sharing9.4583 Ratings10.027 Ratings
File transfer8.5556 Ratings8.314 Ratings
Instant message8.2490 Ratings8.118 Ratings
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication7.573 Ratings9.04 Ratings
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers6.5303 Ratings6.09 Ratings
Over-the-Internet remote session9.3589 Ratings9.129 Ratings
Initiate remote control from mobile7.9381 Ratings8.118 Ratings
Remote management of servers & workstations9.2506 Ratings4.76 Ratings
Remote Active Directory® management8.8167 Ratings00 Ratings
Centralized management dashboard8.9470 Ratings9.015 Ratings
Session record8.4309 Ratings7.01 Ratings
Annotations8.0258 Ratings5.36 Ratings
Monitoring and Alerts6.6181 Ratings7.03 Ratings
Multi-platform remote control9.1390 Ratings9.010 Ratings
Best Alternatives
ConnectWise ScreenConnectVNC Connect
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
ConnectWise ScreenConnectVNC Connect
Likelihood to Recommend
8.7
(613 ratings)
9.0
(37 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(39 ratings)
8.0
(8 ratings)
Usability
9.3
(42 ratings)
8.0
(3 ratings)
Availability
10.0
(5 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
10.0
(9 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
8.2
(63 ratings)
8.0
(2 ratings)
Online Training
7.5
(24 ratings)
7.0
(2 ratings)
Implementation Rating
10.0
(20 ratings)
8.0
(2 ratings)
Configurability
10.0
(5 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
10.0
(16 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
10.0
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
5.0
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
ConnectWise ScreenConnectVNC Connect
Likelihood to Recommend
ConnectWise
We often need to create an ad-hoc session with a device that is not under our management. We find ourselves doing this more than ever in the COVID world. Many people are working from home on personal machines with their employer, our client's permission and we are facilitating more support for these personal machines. Connectwise Control [(formerly ScreenConnect)] gives us a robust resource to control the device, navigate anywhere we need, execute various commands, and engage in an on-screen chat with the client. The session is very simple to create and very user-friendly to initiate. We do not recommend it for Android, Apple, or Chromebook applications. There is little to no support for these platforms.
Read full review
RealVNC
It is very easy to use if the remote device is already set up to receive connections, so if you are setting up devices before deploying them, it is a great tool to have. It is well-suited to use when shadowing users or using it as a teaching tool. There are other products that are better if you are trying to help someone on a one-use basis.
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Pros
ConnectWise
  • The interface is easy to use and makes sense. It's easy to understand how to organize a large number of machines involving multiple clients. But, it's also applicable for smaller set of machines too.
  • The connection speed is very quick. I've used solutions in the past that take a variable amount of time to connect, or they just take a long time every time. Control is quick every time. It doesn't get in the way of being able to support the machines on the other end.
  • The connections are reliable. I haven't experienced random disconnects throughout hundreds of instances. It was a breath of fresh air coming from the previous solution we used. I consider Control a gold standard for what a great remote connection solution can be.
Read full review
RealVNC
  • VNC Connect does an excellent job in remotely connecting to a computer through either your local area network or even another computer on the internet. As long as the VNC Connect services is installed and the client is running in the background.
  • VNC Connect provides password protection to prevent unauthorized users from attempting to remotely access your computer. There's an option to have a separate password to remotely view vs view & access a computer. You can even add an additional level of security by turning on the feature to require Windows login credentials.
  • VNC Connect provides an additional set of controls after a remote connection has been established with another computer. You can have special keystrokes like Ctrl+Alt+Del sent as a command sequence to the other computer as well as access more than a single screen when in use at the remote computer location.
Read full review
Cons
ConnectWise
  • I'd like to see the ability to selectively log off the remote machine via a button on the toolbar. Currently it's a setting to always lock on disconnect, or never lock on disconnect, requiring the tech to manually lock the machine if called for at the end of a session. Its a small time save that would add up!
  • The chat feature could be expanded to be a lot more useful. Allowing clients to start conversations, and have conversations ping an email address if no one is monitoring the dashboard would be extremely valuable.
  • Some clarity on licensing when providing host-passes to guest technicians would be a boon, especially for one-off support sessions with vendors.
Read full review
RealVNC
  • Its a pretty straight forward product - I would like to see more tools with a "wow" factor.
  • Panel colors are blah - I would like more eye-catching colors.
  • A more consistent look with all platforms - like Mac & PC.
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Likelihood to Renew
ConnectWise
I would recommend this product for both internal remote control of end user workstations and remote access to other clients over the internet. It provides a secure and feature rich product that allows me to complete any necessary tasks without ever leaving the office. I will continue to renew as I'm eager to see what they do next. I would however wish the cloud service had a better API to work in conjunction with team collaboration or chat services to make it easier to connect with end users who use multiple workstations. (Slack or Stride provide this functionality)
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RealVNC
VNC is a solid product for the price. It simply works and its reliable across different platforms. Some products state they work well in the Mac environment but don't deliver. This one does what it says. Connections are reliable, but of course, this depends on internet connections. The product works well over wireless connections as well. It delivers on what a remote tool should deliver on. My technicians are happy with the product and customers appreciate the ease of use when letting us connect to their systems. Some also appreciate the remote support while they are multi-task.
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Usability
ConnectWise
On the whole SC is a very powerful tool that is a vital part of the IT service arsenal. On-site visits are an "emergency" only type of scenario. Just "showing your face" is not winning any browny points for me. If my client sees my face, it's usually just to upgrade hardware or to deal other aspects of business. SC provides me and my client the bulk of the info I need to get projects done.
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RealVNC
VNC Connect is a solid product and our techs are very confident that they can get the job done using it. Reliability is key for us since we have a small support team and many users to support. It also helps keep us in the background more allowing the end-users to multi-task. VNC supports our goal of providing quick and efficient services.
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Reliability and Availability
ConnectWise
In my 5 years of using the product, I am only aware of one time when the service was down and is was due to a backbone outage upstream.
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RealVNC
No answers on this topic
Performance
ConnectWise
It performs well. It also has full control over windows security and does not get hung up like GoToMeeting when trying to install remote software at the prompt to install as admin / override. I have used TeamViewer, WebEx, LogMeIn and GoToMeeting. This is by far the best at spontaneous, remote control. It is also very easy to get a novice user connected to the session.
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RealVNC
No answers on this topic
Support Rating
ConnectWise
There have been two times when something has went wrong and I needed immediate assistance in order to be able to use Screenconnect to be able to help clients and response has not been immediate. The response time has been within 24 hours. Both times if there had been easier to navigate self help I would have been able to help myself. With better self help and a speedier response it would definitely be a 10 as they always respond and help. Just a little more difficult or slow than it should be at times
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RealVNC
VNC Connect is a reliable product that has been around for a long time. It is reasonably priced and works well in the Mac & PC environment. When you have a small team that supports many users we need tools that we can rely upon and that will get the job done on the first try. Many customers appreciate the quick assistance and can multi-task while our team works on their computer issues remotely. From a customer service point of view, this tool gives us transparency and efficient effectiveness.
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Online Training
ConnectWise
I find ScreenConnect to be very simple and effective overall, with the main problem being that a number of my clients can't download the app due to existing firewalls and so on. Otherwise it does its job well, and I'm happy with it.
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RealVNC
The training is very informative, quick and to the point. All of the details one would need are present so the user doesn't have to go searching for additional information just to use the application. The layout of the training was also neat and concise, some of the other training sessions for other companies I've done in the past were confusing and not well thought out, this one is much more superior
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Implementation Rating
ConnectWise
ConnectWise has done everything they could to help us in any situation. Great support team and their new updates are always providing features that we need. Its a simple solution that works the way we need it to. Their legacy pricing model is still much better than their subscription based model however it is still fair pricing
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RealVNC
No problem at all, love the product.
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Alternatives Considered
ConnectWise
I have worked with Citrix, AnyDesk, LogMeIn, VNC Connect, and many others. I ultimately installed ConnectWise as a self-hosted solution, based on the incredible list of features and capabilities, and the pricing at the time. I continue to use the product as it is still one of the best solutions out there and is certainly capable of growing and expanding to meet the needs of my business.
Read full review
RealVNC
VNC is light and sleek with the quick setup, was impressed with the quick setup despite poor Internet connection outdoor. TeamViewer is good, but the pricing is not as good as VNC. Both do the basic job, but VNC still outperform TeamViewer in terms of performance and ease of use.
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Scalability
ConnectWise
I have used multiple remote desktop support software in the past (Bomgar, Team Viewer, Logmein and Join.me) and this is far the easiest of the bunch to use. It is very easy to create a session and easy to maintain remote desktops from their access view (where you install the software and can get in at any time) I highly recommend this product from ConnectWise!
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RealVNC
No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
ConnectWise
  • Instead of waiting 30+ seconds to initiate sessions, they initiate and display a desktop in two or three seconds. The amount of frustration this avoids is immeasurable.
  • Once installed it doesn't need more handholding, i.e., having the remote enter a username/password. It is always just there.
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RealVNC
  • I have just used the software for about 1 month and so far so god. I am saving time whenever I can access my client's computers from my desk as opposed to having to leave my office to go to their offices. Saves me time and the client money.
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ScreenShots

ConnectWise ScreenConnect Screenshots

Screenshot of The guest page, where end-users enter a code to join a session with a technicianScreenshot of Connecting from a Windows machine to a macOS machineScreenshot of The Extension Marketplace, where administrators can install and configure new features and integrationsScreenshot of The Access view of the Host page, where a technician can connect to unattended machinesScreenshot of The toolbox menu, which allows technicians to store and run executables, scripts, and other frequently-used filesScreenshot of the Host page, where a command can be run directly without connecting to the machine