The best genuinely free remote desktop and remote access tools — including open-source options you can self-host.
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"Free" means different things in remote access — some tools are free only for personal,
non-commercial use; some have a limited free business tier; and a few are fully open-source and free for
any use. We've sorted out which is which, so you don't hit a paywall mid-support-call. Watch the
commercial-use rules especially: several "free" tools will block you the moment they detect business use.
Important: if you'll use a tool for business, check its licence.
TeamViewer and AnyDesk are free for personal use only and actively detect commercial use. For free
business use, look at GoTo Resolve's and Zoho Assist's free tiers, or open-source RustDesk.
Our top picks at a glance
RustDesk — best truly free / open-source
Zoho Assist — best free tier for business
GoTo Resolve — best free all-in-one
AnyDesk — best free for personal use
TeamViewer — most features (personal use)
The shortlist, reviewed
#1
4.1/5
best truly free / open-source
RustDesk
★★★★★★★★★★4.1
Best for: Anyone wanting a free, self-hostable tool for any use
Open-source and free for personal and commercial use, with the rare ability to self-host your own relay. The only pick here with no commercial-use catch — in exchange for a bit of DIY setup and community support.
Best for: Small IT teams wanting free support + ticketing
An unusually generous free tier covering core remote support for a limited number of devices — and it bundles ticketing. Great for solo techs and tiny teams.
Best for: Individuals helping family or their own devices
Free for personal, non-commercial use, fast and lightweight. Perfect for helping family or reaching your own machines — but you'll need a paid plan for business.
These picks come from our standard five-part framework — setup, features, security, support and value — weighing hands-on testing where possible, vendor documentation and aggregated, recent user feedback. See how we test. Rankings reflect overall fit for the category; the best choice for you depends on your specific needs, which each entry's "best for" line calls out.
A note on "free": we flag the licence type in each entry because the biggest frustration with free remote tools is hitting a commercial-use block. If in doubt, RustDesk (open-source) and the Zoho Assist / GoTo Resolve free tiers are the safest for business use.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free remote desktop software?
For any use including business, open-source RustDesk is the standout free option. For a free business tier with zero setup, Zoho Assist and GoTo Resolve are best. For personal use, AnyDesk and TeamViewer are free and full-featured.
Is TeamViewer free for business use?
No — TeamViewer is free only for personal, non-commercial use, and it actively detects commercial usage, which can interrupt free sessions. Business use requires a paid licence.
What's the best free open-source remote desktop?
RustDesk — it's free, open-source, cross-platform and can be self-hosted, with no commercial-use restriction. You trade polish and guaranteed support for that freedom.