8 Remote Desktop (RDP) clients for Windows, macOS and Linux

January 3, 2023

Distance will never be an issue if you have a remote desktop client software as it will help you access and control your connected desktop from anywhere in the world.

Imagine that you forgot to bring your laptop to the office, which contains the files you need for your presentation. And the meeting will start soon. Would you like to come home to bring your laptop? What would you do if your home was far away?

Instead of bothering with all that, you can connect your laptop with the remote desktop client software and start your hard-working presentation.

Here is how this tool can work for you. You can access any device from anywhere, whether you want to help your parents with their device or help customers with technical issues without actually visiting their location.

Isn't this technology amazing?

And also very useful. Also, in this post-COVID world, most people work from home and if they encounter any problem, administrators can take over their devices to fix the problem so that nothing can interfere with their work.

So, let's understand what this remote desktop client software is and how it works.

What is Remote Desktop Client Software?

The Remote Desktop Client software is a tool that allows you to connect and interact with another computer located anywhere in the world over the Internet or an intranet. This allows you to view and control the connected computer by controlling the mouse and keyboard as if you were physically present at that location.

It is used for various purposes, including:

Transfer files between computers without using a file sharing service or email
Screen demonstration
Remote technical problem solving
Network monitoring of connected systems
Device, network and storage management
Printing Files Stored on Another Computer Using a Printer Connected to Your Computer
Collaborate on projects in real time

Don't confuse remote desktop clients with remote desktop server software.

How it works?

Remote access requires software installed on the computer you wish to connect to and access. This is the name of a host located anywhere in the world. Another computer with the proper authorization and credentials that connects to and controls the host is called a client.

The host computer runs the remote desktop client software and operating system to display the screen on the client computer. The software captures keyboard and mouse input from the client and sends it to the host.

Benefits of Remote Desktop Client Software

Remote desktop client software is becoming increasingly important in a post-COVID world where businesses work remotely. And this will continue as many businesses are likely to adapt to this work culture even when the pandemic is over. Here are some of the benefits of this software:

Works remotely

As the name suggests, the most significant advantage of the remote desktop client software is that it works remotely on any device located anywhere. You don't need any additional hardware to connect; just an internet connection is enough.

Simplicity

The Remote Desktop software offers an easy way to run updates, patches, diagnostics, troubleshooting, and more for IT teams. This way, they don't have to travel to users' offices or homes.

Reduced capital costs

The software helps reduce a company's capital expenditure on hardware or overhead on IT departments. Software updates, security, performance, etc. are taken care of by the remote desktop software company. Plus, you can always save on travel because everything is online.

Performance and Security

Choosing good remote desktop client software can improve IT security and productivity. You can quickly fix issues before they cause damage and optimize your device's performance so it can perform optimally. In addition, it helps improve employee productivity by allowing them to work smoothly without frequent interruptions.

Now let's learn about some of the best remote desktop client programs on the market for Windows, Linux and macOS devices.

mRemoteNG

mRemoteNG is an open, multi-remote, multi-protocol, tabbed, multi-protocol, next-generation remote connection manager for Windows. This allows you to visualize all remote connections in a powerful yet simple tabbed interface.

mRemoteNG has added new features and bug fixes to mRemote. It also supports many protocols such as RDP, VNC, ICA, SSH, Telnet, HTTP/HTTPS, rlogin and Raw Socket Connections. In addition, it supports keyboard shortcuts and themes to make your experience more convenient.

mRemoteNG uses panels and tabs to help you stay organized and create the perfect view of the tasks you perform within an application. You will find a connection option that will help you quickly connect to a remote host using various network protocols.

Another option is port scanning, which is similar to Nmap port scanning. It helps you scan a range of IP addresses and determine if supported protocols are active. You can use the notification panel to see connection errors, get lost connection information, and more.

Also, you can export or import your connections in various ways in mRemoteNG. Transfer files securely to a remote host through an encrypted tunnel using SCP or SFTP using the SSH file transfer feature. You can also run some external tools for more efficient work.

SupRemo

SupRemo is a powerful computer and server remote management solution that is simpler and cheaper than many competitors. It can be used on Windows, macOS and Linux (via Wine), as well as Android and iOS mobile devices.

the software is free for non-professional use, very easy to run and does not require installation or configuration: just download it from the site and run the file.

The use of this software is truly accessible to everyone, making it the perfect solution for both remote assistance and home work. To establish a connection, you need to run SupRemo on your device and on the managed device and enter in the software interface the identification code and password visible on the controller device.

Of particular interest is the ability to run SupRemo as a service that allows you to connect to remote PCs, even if there is no one physically in front of them.

Another important aspect is security: the user does not have to fear that the data is in danger or that someone else can access his workstation, since the application works through an encrypted data stream with the TLS 1.2 connection protocol.

SupRemo also provides a number of features intended mainly, but not exclusively, for companies and professionals, such as the ability to customize the interface of the software with your own logo, or the ability to write contacts to a free unlimited address book, as well as report contacts made.

Subscription plans are very inexpensive and scale based on the maximum number of concurrent connections you think you'll need to set up. Unlike other software, each license can be used on an unlimited number of PCs and purchased on a quarterly or annual basis.

For more information or to try it out right now, you can visit the SupRemo website directly and download it for free - no email address or credit card required.

RustDesk

Get secure, customizable and fast remote desktop software - RustDesk is written in Rust and use it without any configuration. This allows you to have complete control over your data without having to worry about security.

RustDesk allows you to use their relay/rendezvous server, write your own relay/rendezvous server, or set everything up yourself. You'll get the latest TLS 1.3 end-to-end encryption technology to protect your desktop from unauthorized access.

Plus, you can take full control of your data by easily setting up your corporate network. You can quickly set the image quality by adjusting the quantizer and bitrate. Use the built-in file manager to transfer files between desktops. Also, set up TCP tunneling and use RDP connection with one click.

RustDesk provides server relay programs and server IDs that can be easily installed without complex configuration. Relay/identity server addresses can also be easily set on the client side.

FreeRDP

Free RDP is a Remote Desktop Protocol client and library available for free. It is released under the Apache license and gives you the freedom to use the software anywhere and any way you like.

In this way, FreeRDP allows you to venture into the world of interoperability and feel like a liberating computing experience.

A quasar

If you are a Windows user, this remote administration tool - Quasar - is for you. It is a free and open source tool, lightweight and fast. Quasar is written in C# and is MIT licensed, and 4.5k is starting on GitHub. You can use it for user support for day to day administration and employee monitoring.

Quasar comes with an easy to use interface and high stability to help you when you need it. It has many useful features such as TCP network stream with IPv4 and IPv6 support, TLS encrypted and compressed communication, and high-speed network serialization.

You get a file manager, task manager, UPnP support, launch manager, remote shell, remote desktop, and remote execution. In addition, Quasar provides a registry editor, a keylogger, system power commands such as shutdown, reboot, and hibernate; reverse proxy, password recovery and more.

Quasar supports the .NET platform (4.5.2 or higher) and operating systems such as Windows 10, 8, 8.1, 7, Vista, Server 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2019.

Royal TS

Get a complete remote control solution with Royal TS . It is compatible with various types of connections such as RDP, SSH, VNC, S/FTP, etc. and you can share a list of them without having to worry about providing personal credentials.

Get secure team sharing features and built-in credential management. Key Sequence Task and Command Task make it easy to automate repetitive tasks. Royal TS integrates with SSH based tunneling which is a secure gateway.

You can dynamically import data into dynamic folders from external sources. You'll get connections such as remote desktop based on Microsoft RDP ActiveX control, terminals like Rebex.net and PuTTY, telnet and SSH, VNC based on UltraVNC and TightVNC, and a web interface based on Chrome and Internet Explorer.

In addition, you can transfer your files using SFTP, SCP and FTP and use TeamViewer to connect and manage sessions. Royal TS allows you to monitor real-time performance, connect and manage VMware and Hyper-V instances, and analyze Windows events.

You will have access to start, restart, stop Windows services, manage and monitor running processes, manage Terminal Services sessions, and run scripts to display results. You can integrate with other external apps and tools to make your job easier.

Royal TS allows you to store your personal credentials in a private, password-protected document and share other data needed within the team. Work your way with a customizable workspace, including ribbon commands, connection tabs, and docking bars.

MobaHterm

MobaXterm is an advanced terminal for Windows with a tabbed SSH client, networking tools, an X11 server, and more. It provides many features specifically designed for webmasters, IT administrators, programmers, and others who want to do their work remotely in an easier way.

It offers important networking tools like X11, SSH, MOSH, VNC, FTP, RDP and Unix commands like cat, Is, bash, grep, rsync, sed etc. MobaXterm has designed an intuitive user interface to access remote servers across different systems or networks efficiently.

You will receive a customized Xserver that allows your remote applications to be displayed on the Windows desktop. You can export DISPLAY from Unix to local windows and extend MobaXterm with various plugins and add-ons.

It is a lightweight and portable application as it does not require administrator rights and can be run from a USB stick. Higher versions are for greater stability and security while working remotely.

You'll get features like a graphical SFTP browser, multitasking, built-in servers and tools, an SSH gateway, SSH tunnels, a package manager, a text editor, macro support, password management, terminal syntax highlighting, and a professional customizer.

Remmina

Remmina helps you work remotely from anywhere and access your screen, file sharing, and more on your desktop. It allows you to remember the last viewing mode and preserve the quality, as well as customize the application with just one double click.

You will also get information about keystrokes, screenshot folder, file name, toolbar visibility, default view mode, tab configuration, full screen behavior configuration, etc. In addition, you can prevent screenshots from being taken and send usage statistics to developers .

Remmina provides host key configuration such as auto fit window, tab page switching, keyboard capture, full screen switching, zoom mode switching and more. You can use various plugins such as RDP, VNC, SSH, SFTP, SPICE, EXEC, NX, Simple Terminal, XDMCP to add additional packages to the application.

These plugins provide more features that add many benefits, such as setting a username and password, maintaining quality, security, audio, and domain. You can also set the Remote Desktop Gateway server, username, password, and domain. In addition, you will get the launch path, client name, launcher, load balance information, and more.

In addition, you can access the SSH session log folder, filename, and proxy command. Remmina introduces kiosk mode and other features to make your work easier. Install an app that gives you the whole package, from access to security to productivity.

Output

The remote work culture is flourishing these days and the technologies associated with it are flourishing, such as remote desktop client software. Thus, choose any of the programs mentioned above depending on your needs to perform quick fixes and enjoy other benefits with high performance and security, no matter which device you want to access from which location.