Parallels® Desktop for Mac is used to run Windows on Intel or Apple silicon. Users can switch between Mac and Windows applications, while retaining the macOS appearance, or use the familiar Windows desktop aesthetic.
$99.99
per year
Splashtop
Score 9.0 out of 10
N/A
Splashtop is a software solution for both remote access and remote support. Boasting 30+ million customers worldwide and users among both large and small organizations across the globe, Splashtop presents their solution as secure, high-performing, and fit to specific use-cases. Splashtop is ISO certified, SOC 2 and GDPR compliant. Splashtop Remote Access provides remote desktop connections for business professionals and teams to work from anywhere, using any device.…
$99
per year per user
Pricing
Parallels Desktop for Mac
Splashtop
Editions & Modules
Parallels Desktop Standard Edition
$99.99
per year
Mac App Store
$99.99
per year
Parallels Desktop Pro Edition
$119.99
per year
Parallels Desktop Business Edition
$149.99
per year
Splashtop Remote Access Solo
$6.00
per month per user, billed annually
Splashtop Remote Access Pro
$8.25
per month per user, billed annually
Splashtop Remote Access Performance
$13.00
per month per user, billed annually
Splashtop Remote Support Enterprise
Contact Sales
per month per concurrent technician, billed annually
Splashtop Remote Access Enterprise
Contact Sales
per month per user, billed annually
Splashtop On-Prem
Contact Sales
Splashtop Autonomous Endpoint Management (AEM)
Contact Sales
per month per endpoint, billed annually
Splashtop Remote Support SOS
Starting at $22.00
per month per concurrent technician, billed annually
Parallels is great for an end user that is primarily a macOS user, but occasionally needs Windows access to a specific application or service that is Windows only, or Windows primarily. It obviates the need for multiple desktop units or remote VMs where spin up time is an issue. It is not quite perfect due to the ARM version of Windows requirement, but that particular case is common to all ARM use of Windows.
Based on the price of their basic plan, Splashtop is easily the best solution available for small installations like mine. I am confident with their security implementation and reconnection to devices after a remote restart have never failed me. They feature many higher-level tools and solutions but I've just never needed to use them.
Seamless RMM Integration - Splashtop’s integration into Syncro is functionally invisible, but in a good way. I don't have to manage a separate contact list or worry about syncing credentials between my RMM and my remote tool. I click "Remote Desktop" in Syncro, and Splashtop launches instantly.
High Performance Graphics & Low Latency - The frame rate and refresh speed are consistently superior to competitors I’ve used in the past. Even when connecting to a client with a dual monitor setup or a slower upload speed, the lag is minimal. The picture quality is crisp enough that I can read fine print on error logs without squinting.
"SOS" Ad-Hoc Workflow - r clients who aren't on a managed contract (my "break/fix" customers), the SOS feature is a lifesaver. I don't have to walk a non-technical user through a complex installation. I just tell them to go to the site, give me the 9-digit code, and I'm in!
Compared to our prior solution, Splashtop does not "organize" devices nearly as well. They need some some sort of tagging solution so that you can, say, pull up a list of "all machines at this campus" or "All Macs at this site"
The Business App that runs locally feels clunky, and is presented in a weirdly-sized window
Users are familiar with the application which will keep us going for a little while. However since we are seeing a decline for a need for the software, I wouldn't be surprised to find that this answer changes dramatically in the near future. We would probably keep it to some extent, but we would probably reduce our licensing count.
I believe that I will renew Splashtop without any problems in the coming years as eating stable costs without increases even in critical periods such as the Covid virus, Splashtop allows access to 25 unattended stations and has continuous updates and new features. It also allows resale to users with sub-accounts
It has a good integration, including the connection of peripherals. Taking files back and forth works well and I can attach my Home drive as a network drive in Windows. There is even integration with iCloud and other macOS services. There are also a few different display modes which are useful and fleixible (coherence, windowed, full-screen with multiple screens)
It's hard to find any significant faults with Splashtop. It offers a very responsive remote access experience with clear and simple interface. There's very little learning curve as it's toolbar mimics other popular remote access solutions graphical user interface. It's gives you access to your remote computer quickly and stays out of your way
I recall one outage, and it wasn't very long. We use QuickAssist when someone's having a problem connecting with Splashtop on a Windows machine. Fortunately, that doesn't happen very often. QuickAssist is for the QUICK Assist. Splashtop is far better for addressing more complex support needs.
I've found occasional speed bumps and disconnects that are annoying. I don't know who or what to blame. If there was a way for Splashtop to survive through dropped packets, that might help. A tool like Microsoft Remote Desktop disconnects far more easily than Splashtop does, but Splashtop sometimes requires three to four sessions, or at least shows 3-4 sessions in the logs/reports for a given support call.
The Parallels documentation and support websites are great. I have not had much use for them, but a cursory check shows richly documented features aimed at both the layperson and the power user or software developer. Their website is well-designed and information is easy to find, and their list of known issues as well as bugfixes on point releases is clear and transparent. They aren't trying to hide any of the limitations of their software, and seem to be regularly updating it to fix new bugs that arise with Mac OS X updates.
The phone number is in the top right of each page of the website and app and when called, the person who picks up (before any automation delays the call) is ready to assist or immediately recognize the appropriate place for a transfer. If transferred to a different department, that department picks up immediately and each person is fully trained to help resolve a (typically user error) call.
It couldn't have been any easier to setup and I have had no issues with it since it was implemented. It's a great product and makes remotely connecting to another device so simple and quick. I can't recommend it enough
Main two features that made the balance decission go to the Parallels Desktop were the possibility to pause the Windows partition easily (allowing to consume less resources in Mac and save battery) and the other one is the user interface feature called "Coherence" with allows you to show the Windows application windows as if they were native to the macOS, allowing for a better user experience.
I have not looked at TeamViewer in quite some time but I found Splashtop SOS for me to be at least a 1 to 1 feature switch. And right now connecting to mobile devices to see a customers screen is included with Splashtop SOS and it is a real value add. I hope it says that way. TeamViewer is just too expensive in comparison.
A colleague got a significantly better deal that did not allow him to use Groups. His savings/pricing was far more attractive than mine was. I tried to get that from sales, and they told me it was not an option. That was disappointing.
I bought service for 250 unattended machines. I anticipate the next level will be very expensive, so I may stop at 250. It works very well for our needs. Only recently have I needed to add a second team to add a group of computers, but it's all been great.
Saves money on having to buy a Windows and MacBook, as the MacBook can run almost 99% of all Windows software and usually run it faster and share between your MacBook transparently.
Gives employers the most flexibility with regards to which OS to adopt across an enterprise
We are a media company and everyone uses Macs in our industry, Fortune 500 companies also use Windows and MS Project, Parallels gives you the most flexibility for almost all of these use cases
Improves efficiency as the MacBook Pro M3 systems are much faster than some of the fastest corporate issued Windows laptops. What takes me 3-10 seconds for a video export can take 5 minutes on a similar Windows laptop
Remote support makes my business possible, period.
Switching from TeamViewer to Splashtop has made a huge difference to my operation: the cost is both lower and more predictable, and getting from "answering the phone from a client in trouble" to "satisfied client" is much faster and easier.
I apologize that I don't actually have hard numbers, but I can sincerely recommend Splashtop and Splashtop SOS. It will make your life and business better!
