Pros & Cons
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- Affordable
- Fantastic performance between Windows computers
- Works well enough via a browser
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- No free version
- Confusing modes
RemotePC Specs
| Drag-and-Drop File Transfer | |
| Whiteboard |
Remote access software allows you to take control of someone else's computer, and it feels like magic when everything works smoothly. RemotePC by IDrive isn't the most well-known option on the market, but it performs well while undercutting competitors on price with its business plans. Chat, file transfer, and whiteboard features round out the full experience. RemotePC is an excellent value for companies that need to provide support to remote employees. It earns our Editors' Choice award alongside TeamViewer, which matches it on features and offers a fairly capable free version.
Pricing: Budget-Friendly Plans Built for Growing Teams
RemotePC doesn't offer a free version, but you can sign up for a seven-day trial of any of the four paid plans: Consumer, SOHO, Team, or Enterprise. The service's pricing page is somewhat difficult to decipher because of all the promotional prices. Furthermore, the rates depend on the number of computers you need to manage; you choose among preset limits with each plan. RemotePC should clean up this page.
The Consumer plan ($29.50 per year; one license for remote access to one computer) gives you unlimited concurrent remote access sessions across Linux, macOS, and Windows machines. At this level, you get file transfer, mic pass-through, remote printing, session recording, and whiteboard features.
Stepping up to the business-appropriate SOHO plan (starting at $77.50 per year for unlimited licenses and five computers) gives you the ability to add and organize users. The Team level (starting at $299.50 per year; unlimited licenses and 50 computers) unlocks Active Directory and SSO support, as well as on-demand support. Finally, the Enterprise plan (starting at $599.50 per year; unlimited licenses and 100 computers) introduces computer group management and custom user roles.
RemotePC's entry-level business plan is much more affordable than TeamViewer's equivalent, which costs $50.90 per month, billed annually. The latter supports only a single user and imposes limits on concurrent sessions, but it lets you manage far more computers (200). TeamViewer's Business plans just go up in price from there, though, as mentioned, it maintains a completely free version for personal use. For comparison, the pricey GoToMyPC starts at $44 per computer per month for a single user.
Importantly, you can easily cancel your RemotePC subscription online. TeamViewer makes this process unnecessarily complicated.
Interface and Ease of Use: A Simple Setup Process Across Multiple Platforms
The full RemotePC suite is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows computers. Viewers, which are versions of the app that can connect to but not share with computers, are available for Android and iOS. A separate host app lets you set up your Android device for remote control via your computer. Finally, a web version allows you to access and control remote devices.
You need to create an account with RemotePC, whether you pay for a plan or sign up for a trial (which doesn't require a payment method). Optionally, you can sign in with your Apple, Google, or Microsoft account. After you get access to the web portal, the next step is to download the desktop client on all the computers you want to control and on any computers from which you want to manage your devices.
(Credit: IDrive/PCMag)You can remotely manage computers in your account list by double-clicking on them. You need to provide a personal key for every computer, in addition to your account password, but you can opt out of that requirement for subsequent connections, if you prefer.
If you mainly intend to provide tech support to others, you might not ever need to connect your PC. You can simply direct people to download the Attended Access version of RemotePC to create a remote access connection. There are advantages and disadvantages to this method. On the one hand, you might have trouble getting people to actually download the program. On the other hand, the end-user software is much simpler—all it does is display a number they need to provide to the person who will remotely access their machine.
Performance: Fast and Smooth on Windows, Less Consistent Elsewhere
RemotePC offers two streaming modes: Classic and Performance. The Classic mode works fine. I tested the software in this mode locally on my home network and from my local library. I found it easy to browse the web and remotely edit a slideshow, though watching videos was a bit more than Classic mode could handle. Compared with TeamViewer, RemotePC in Classic mode just lacks speed and smoothness.
However, the aptly named Performance mode works every bit as well as TeamViewer. RemotePC claims this mode operates at up to 60fps, and although the "up to" is doing a lot of work for the claim, it's less of an exaggeration than you might think. In testing, I streamed videos with sound smoothly.
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(Credit: IDrive/PCMag)Unfortunately, the Performance mode is available only when you connect to a Windows PC from a Windows or macOS machine. In the past, company reps have said the feature would eventually be available on mobile devices, but that has not yet happened.
In any case, I find the existence of and difference between the two Classic and Performance modes confusing. TeamViewer works smoothly and consistently across all the platforms it supports.
Still, if you're primarily interested in connecting to Windows devices, Performance mode puts RemotePC on even footing with top competitors. I just hope that it rolls out to more platforms soon.
Browser and Mobile Experience: Manage Devices Remotely From Anywhere
RemotePC's web version is fairly unique. Just log into the RemotePC website on any device, and you can control every device on which you’ve installed the software. It's useful if you’re ever using a computer on which you're not allowed to install software. The downside? The streaming performance is a far cry from that of the Performance mode and even the Classic mode. Still, it's good enough for editing a document or retrieving a file.
(Credit: IDrive/PCMag)A mobile version of RemotePC, which I tested on an iPad mini, lets you control a PC from afar. Connecting to my Windows computer from the iPad was straightforward, and I like the brief gesture tutorial that shows you how to use the touch screen to control my computer. You can zoom in on any part of the screen, making navigation much easier. A handy toolbar is available to activate the keyboard, enable remote sound, and launch the whiteboard. Controlling a PC using a mobile device will always be a little awkward, but the app works well.
File Transfers, Whiteboards, and More: A Well-Rounded Set of Collaboration Tools
A recent update adds support for drag-and-drop file transfers. In practice, that involves dragging a file from your computer to the RemotePC window to transfer it to the computer you’re controlling. It makes quickly sharing a file easy, and this worked without issue between a macOS and Windows PC in testing.
(Credit: IDrive/PCMag)If you want more control, RemotePC offers a file transfer window. The two-pane file browser, which looks almost identical to TeamViewer's, lets you transfer files directly from a folder on one device to another.
Otherwise, RemotePC lets you draw on the screen, which is handy when you want to point out something while performing tech support. Whatever you draw will remain until you erase it, click Clear, or close the whiteboard window. Additionally, a text chat component helps you send quick messages to your coworkers, and a sticky note feature lets you leave notes if the end user is away.
Another useful feature is the command-line utility, which lets you run text-based commands on a device without a graphical connection. It’s a little hidden—you need to right-click a device and then click the Command line utility option.
(Credit: IDrive/PCMag)Every RemotePC plan comes with access to a video conferencing service: the browser-based RemotePC Meeting. The RemotePC user interface even has a dedicated button for starting a call. Sure, you can just as easily fire up any competing software, but it's convenient to have one available directly. Speaking of video chat, Zoom includes a remote access feature, even in the free version. Just keep in mind that it's extremely laggy compared with RemotePC and other dedicated apps.
Security: Is RemotePC Safe to Use?
Don't install remote access software if someone you don't know asks you to. It's a common technique hackers use to steal your information and remotely access your financial accounts. Hang up if someone claiming to be tech support calls you out of the blue and tells you to install a remote access app so they can diagnose a problem or fix your bank account. If you have any doubts about your accounts or device, reach out to the company in question via official channels instead.
Final Thoughts
(Credit: IDrive)
RemotePC
RemotePC delivers fast, full-featured remote access at a significantly lower price than most competitors, making it an excellent choice for businesses that need reliable remote support without paying a premium.