Remote Desktop Services vs. RealVNC Connect

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Remote Desktop Services
Score 9.2 out of 10
N/A
Remote Desktop Services from Microsoft is virtual desktop and remote user session technology.N/A
RealVNC Connect
Score 7.4 out of 10
N/A
RealVNC® Connect is the secure remote access solution from RealVNC, the inventors of VNC technology. RealVNC Connect can be used to connect to a remote device anywhere in the world to view its desktop in real-time and take control as though sitting in front of it. From enabling remote working, to managing vital systems remotely, to providing IT support for organizations, RealVNC® Connect offers features to stay connected for IT teams around the world.
$44.28
per year per device (up to 3 devices to start)
Pricing
Remote Desktop ServicesRealVNC Connect
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
Essentials
$3.69
per month (billed annually) per device (up to 3 devices)
Plus
$4.19
per month (billed annually) per device (up to 25 devices)
Premium
$5.49
per month (billed annually) per device (up to 150 devices)
Enterprise
Custom
per year
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Remote Desktop ServicesRealVNC Connect
Free Trial
NoYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsPlans can also be purchased on a Per User basis. From Plus upwards, when paying Per User, access to On-Demand Assist, a tool for providing just-in-time remote support to end-users without them needing RealVNC Connect installed on their device, is included.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Remote Desktop ServicesRealVNC Connect
Considered Both Products
Remote Desktop Services
Chose Remote Desktop Services
Remote Desktop is great for onsite or point-to-point connections without having to have a mediator type server.
Chose Remote Desktop Services
Solutions can be expensive and often offer more options than you need/want. Paying those extra dollars is tough when you have a budget. RDS in many cases works well and is cost effective.
Chose Remote Desktop Services
Since Remote Desktop Services comes with the Windows OS, there's no need to install any additional software or agent for it to function. Even on the Mac, there's a client that can be installed for this to run properly. Unfortunately, unlike TeamViewer or Ultra VNC, Remote …
RealVNC Connect
Chose RealVNC 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 RealVNC Connect
VNC Connect stacks up very well to other competitors. With this simple program, you can remotely connect and access other computers with the same VNC Connect agent installed. The only reason we're moving away from using this is that our current Ninja RMM Tools computer …
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
Remote Desktop ServicesRealVNC Connect
Remote Administration
Comparison of Remote Administration features of Product A and Product B
Remote Desktop Services
8.9
3 Ratings
10% above category average
RealVNC Connect
7.5
32 Ratings
7% below category average
Screen sharing9.33 Ratings9.528 Ratings
File transfer9.33 Ratings8.015 Ratings
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication8.01 Ratings7.05 Ratings
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers8.01 Ratings6.09 Ratings
Over-the-Internet remote session8.73 Ratings9.030 Ratings
Initiate remote control from mobile10.02 Ratings8.519 Ratings
Remote management of servers & workstations9.02 Ratings4.76 Ratings
Remote Active Directory® management9.02 Ratings00 Ratings
Centralized management dashboard9.02 Ratings7.916 Ratings
Session record9.52 Ratings8.02 Ratings
Monitoring and Alerts8.02 Ratings7.03 Ratings
Instant message00 Ratings7.019 Ratings
Annotations00 Ratings5.36 Ratings
Multi-platform remote control00 Ratings9.011 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Remote Desktop ServicesRealVNC Connect
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Medium-sized Companies
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Score 9.3 out of 10
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Score 9.3 out of 10
Enterprises
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BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access
Score 9.6 out of 10
Remote Desktop Services
Remote Desktop Services
Score 9.2 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Remote Desktop ServicesRealVNC Connect
Likelihood to Recommend
9.3
(17 ratings)
8.5
(38 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
6.0
(1 ratings)
8.0
(8 ratings)
Usability
6.6
(2 ratings)
8.0
(4 ratings)
Performance
5.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
3.0
(1 ratings)
8.0
(2 ratings)
Online Training
-
(0 ratings)
7.0
(2 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(2 ratings)
Ease of integration
5.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Remote Desktop ServicesRealVNC Connect
Likelihood to Recommend
Microsoft
Remote Desktop services are well suited for people looking to connect to Local computers/Servers after connecting to VPN or Local Area Network. It is easy to use and performs superbly without any issues. However, it does not have support for connecting to Non-Windows-based Devices and Applications like Teamviewer beat RDP when it comes to connecting to machines outside one's network.
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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
Microsoft
  • When you connect with RDS, everything looks and feels (and is) exactly like you're sitting at that desktop. This is great for us and for users.
  • You can sign in with RDS and the desktop will be the same as when you left it (if you choose to set it up that way).
  • Although they take some setup, RemoteApps are a very handy way to let users access a program without requiring them to actually connect to a remote desktop on the server.
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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.
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Cons
Microsoft
  • Remote Desktop Services currently does not support multiple monitors on the terminal server. Unlike other applications such as Teamviewer, there's no feature to toggle between multiple screens even if they were connected to the terminal server.
  • Remote Desktop Services should provide an option to scale up or down the screen size after a connection is established. Currently you can only adjust the screen size prior to a connection is established. So you'll have to take a best guess at what display screen resolution will fit best on your screen.
  • Remote Desktop Services should offer some kind of menu to send special key strokes like Ctrl+Alt+Del to the terminal server. Currently the substitute for that particular combination is Ctrl+Alt+End. But I have yet to discover a replacement for other combination keystrokes such as Alt+PrintScrn.
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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
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
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
Microsoft
The initial setup for Remote Desktop Services is complex, and licensing is costly. Each user connects to their virtual desktop hosted by a single server or group of servers, so a change or issue with servers quickly impacts every single user at the same time. Aside from that, users appreciate seeing their same personal desktop from any device or geographical location.
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RealVNC
It's a niche product and in that niche they try to cater to as many use cases as they can. Other as a TCO aspect i don't see many use cases where you can't use this product as the one tool for all remote session use cases in your company
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Performance
Microsoft
There are some third party tools available that allow you to manage multiple connections.
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RealVNC
No answers on this topic
Support Rating
Microsoft
As with any Microsoft Server product, support for Remote Desktop Services requires a paid support package. These are license-based and very costly, on top of the already costly product licensing. Microsoft's licensing is complicated to begin with, so setting up licensing alone essentially requires a licensing expert's counsel. There is community documentation and support available on Microsoft websites, as well as community websites.
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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
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
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
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
RealVNC
No problem at all, love the product.
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Alternatives Considered
Microsoft
We selected Remote Desktop Services based upon price alone. Other solutions on the market are significantly more expensive, but if your company can foot the bill you should seriously consider products that have been on the market for longer. The lack of an ability to easily upgrade farm servers has been a challenge for us - although it is still faster than updating an application on 2000+ machines. The lack of a centralized management console in 2008 R2 is also challenging, but you get by with the tools available to you. If you don't have the money to spend on Citrix or VMWare Horizon, Remote Desktop Services is a decent replacement.
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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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Return on Investment
Microsoft
  • Allowed remote users access from home
  • Shared file access for multipolar users from a centralized location
  • Cost to add additional users when maxed out
  • Purchase multiple licenses for programs to run in virtual machines. Or unable to run on a virtual machine
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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