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Remote Support Tools Comparison (TeamViewer, AnyDesk, UltraViewer & Alternatives): Pricing, Features, Performance, Pros/Cons, and Security Risks – Bison Knowledgebase

Remote Support Tools Comparison (TeamViewer, AnyDesk, UltraViewer & Alternatives): Pricing, Features, Performance, Pros/Cons, and Security Risks

📅 05 Jan 2026 📂 General 👁 19 views

Remote support tools let an IT technician view/control a user’s computer over the internet to troubleshoot issues, install software, transfer files, and provide real-time assistance. They are essential for helpdesks, MSPs, and distributed teams—but they are also frequently abused in scams and post-compromise “hands-on-keyboard” attacks because they provide legitimate, powerful remote control.

This Knowledge Base article compares popular branded tools—TeamViewer, AnyDesk, UltraViewer—and widely used alternatives (e.g., Splashtop, Zoho Assist, ConnectWise Control/ScreenConnect, LogMeIn Rescue, Chrome Remote Desktop, Microsoft Quick Assist, RustDesk) with a focus on pricing, features, speed/performance, pros/cons, and malware/ransomware risk.

Technical Explanation (How Remote Support Tools Work)

Most commercial remote support products use:

  • Brokered connections (vendor cloud relays): endpoints connect out to the vendor’s servers over HTTPS/TLS; sessions are established via IDs, session codes, or authenticated accounts.

  • NAT traversal: avoids opening inbound firewall ports by using outbound connections (common in corporate networks).

  • Streaming + input virtualization: screen is encoded (codecs vary), sent to technician; keyboard/mouse events are injected remotely.

  • Attended vs unattended access

    • Attended: user shares a one-time code, approves prompts.

    • Unattended: agent/service installed; technician connects anytime (high convenience, higher risk).

  • Optional modules: file transfer, clipboard, printing, session recording, scripting, device inventory, patching/RMM, and integrations (PSA/ITSM).

Common Use Cases

  • Helpdesk troubleshooting (apps, printers, user profile issues)

  • Server administration (if permitted by policy)

  • Remote onboarding/training (screen share + chat)

  • MSP management (unattended agents + device groups)

  • Mobile device support (Android/iOS limited by OS rules)

  • Emergency recovery (boot-safe modes, remote reboot/reconnect)

Tools Covered (At a Glance)

Vendor Pricing References (Public Pages)

  • TeamViewer pricing overview page TeamViewer

  • AnyDesk pricing page AnyDesk

  • UltraViewer pricing page (states freeware + optional licensing) UltraViewer

  • Splashtop pricing page (Remote Support/SOS starting point) Splashtop

  • Zoho Assist pricing page Zoho

  • ScreenConnect (ConnectWise Control) pricing page ScreenConnect

  • LogMeIn Rescue pricing page logmeinrescue.com

  • RustDesk pricing page (self-hosting options) RustDesk

Note: Prices change frequently and vary by region, billing term, and included limits (channels/concurrent sessions, managed devices/agents, mobile add-ons, etc.). Always validate against the vendor page at purchase time.

Comparison Table (Features, Pricing Style, Performance, Pros/Cons, Risk)

Legend

  • Licensing style examples: per technician, per concurrent session/channel, per endpoint/agent, per user

  • Risk level (practical): Lower doesn’t mean “safe”—it means “easier to control securely in enterprise settings.”

+--------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------------+---------------------------+----------------------+-----------------------------+------------------------+
| Tool                     | Pricing (public)        | Licensing style (typical)   | Notable strengths         | Common drawbacks     | Performance notes           | Malware/Ransomware risk|
+--------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------------+---------------------------+----------------------+-----------------------------+------------------------+
| TeamViewer               | Public pricing page     | User + channel/sessions +   | Mature enterprise controls| Can be costly;       | Usually strong on poor      | Medium-High (popular   |
|                          |                         | managed devices (varies)    | policies, allowlist, MFA  | licensing complexity | networks; relay fallback    | with scammers/actors)  |
|                          |                         |                             | wide OS support           |                      |                             |                        |
+--------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------------+---------------------------+----------------------+-----------------------------+------------------------+
| AnyDesk                  | Public pricing page     | Connections + users +       | Fast UI, lightweight      | Past supply-chain     | Often very responsive;      | Medium-High (widely    |
|                          |                         | managed devices (varies)    | good for SMEs             | incident requires     | depends on codec settings   | abused; also had 2024  |
|                          |                         |                             |                           | stronger validation   | and relay vs direct         | incident)              |
+--------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------------+---------------------------+----------------------+-----------------------------+------------------------+
| UltraViewer              | States freeware;        | Freeware + optional paid    | Very simple, easy for     | Fewer enterprise      | Typically OK for basic      | Medium (less enterprise|
|                          | optional plans          | license tiers               | quick support             | controls & integrations| support; fewer tuning knobs| hardening controls)    |
+--------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------------+---------------------------+----------------------+-----------------------------+------------------------+
| Splashtop (SOS/Support)  | Starting price shown    | Per concurrent technician   | Good balance: price/perf  | Feature set depends   | Known for smooth streaming  | Medium (common target) |
|                          |                         | (plan-dependent)            | strong remote support     | on edition            | especially on LAN/WAN       |                        |
+--------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------------+---------------------------+----------------------+-----------------------------+------------------------+
| Zoho Assist              | Public pricing page     | Technician + sessions       | Strong browser-based      | Some advanced features| Good for helpdesk flows;    | Medium (often used in  |
|                          |                         | / unattended endpoints      | workflows; good value     | locked to higher tiers| depends on region/relay     | remote-access scams)   |
+--------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------------+---------------------------+----------------------+-----------------------------+------------------------+
| ConnectWise Control      | Public pricing page     | Per technician / sessions   | MSP-friendly, flexible,   | MSP ecosystem         | Usually strong; supports    | Medium-High (explicitly|
| (ScreenConnect)          |                         | + unattended agents         | deep tooling              | complexity            | many admin functions        | cited in RMM abuse     |
+--------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------------+---------------------------+----------------------+-----------------------------+------------------------+
| LogMeIn Rescue           | Pricing shown on site   | Per technician (often high) | Enterprise support,       | Expensive             | Reliable for large orgs     | Medium (enterprise     |
|                          |                         |                             | workflows, reporting      |                      |                             | tool, still abusable)  |
+--------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------------+---------------------------+----------------------+-----------------------------+------------------------+
| RustDesk (self-host)     | Free + self-host plans  | Self-host: your infra;      | Privacy/control (your     | Requires server ops;  | Can be excellent on LAN;    | Lower-Medium (if truly |
|                          |                         | optional Pro features       | own relay); open-source   | security depends on   | WAN depends on your relay   | locked down + self-host|
|                          |                         |                             |                           | your setup            | placement                   |); higher if mismanaged |
+--------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------------+---------------------------+----------------------+-----------------------------+------------------------+
| Chrome Remote Desktop    | Free                    | Google account based        | Simple, free              | Limited enterprise     | Good for basic access;      | Medium (easy for scams |
|                          |                         |                             |                           | governance            | fewer support features      | to push)               |
+--------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------------+---------------------------+----------------------+-----------------------------+------------------------+
| Microsoft Quick Assist   | Included with Windows   | OS feature / MS account     | No install (often),       | Limited admin tooling | Usually fine for attended   | Medium (social-engineer|
|                          |                         | / code-based session        | good for attended support |                       | support                      | to launch)             |
+--------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------------+---------------------------+----------------------+-----------------------------+------------------------+

Sources for pricing pages are listed above (vendor pages). RustDesk+7TeamViewer+7AnyDesk+7

Speed & Performance (What Actually Matters)

“Fast” is usually determined more by network conditions and configuration than brand name:

Key performance drivers

  • Latency (ping) and jitter

  • Codec efficiency and adaptive bitrate

  • Direct connection vs relay routing

  • Host CPU/GPU encoding capability

  • Color depth / FPS settings

  • Features like “hardware acceleration,” “optimize speed,” “disable wallpaper,” etc.

Practical guidance

  • For LAN/on-prem support: nearly all tools feel fast; differences shrink.

  • For low bandwidth / high latency: tools with good adaptive encoding and efficient relays feel better.

  • For graphics-heavy apps (CAD/Design): choose tools known for high-FPS options and tunable codecs (often Splashtop-class offerings).

Pros and Cons (Operational View)

TeamViewer

Pros

  • Mature enterprise controls (policies, allowlist concepts, MFA guidance) TeamViewer+2TeamViewer+2

  • Broad ecosystem, common in corporate environments

Cons

  • Licensing can be complex and cost can rise with scale (channels/managed devices/add-ons)

AnyDesk

Pros

  • Lightweight client; often perceived as responsive

  • Simple end-user experience

Cons

  • Requires strong vendor-update hygiene and environment controls due to real-world incidents (see security section) 

UltraViewer

Pros

  • Very easy for quick attended sessions

  • Vendor states freeware availability UltraViewer

Cons

  • Typically fewer enterprise governance features (device approvals, granular policy management, SSO, advanced logging) compared to enterprise suites

Splashtop / Zoho Assist / ScreenConnect / LogMeIn Rescue

Pros

  • Strong “IT support” orientation (technician workflows, endpoints, reporting)

  • Often clearer mapping to MSP/helpdesk models

Cons

  • Capabilities vary widely by edition (you may need higher tiers for SSO, advanced logging, mobile, integrations, etc.)

RustDesk (Self-host)

Pros

  • Control: host your own relay/broker; reduce dependency on third-party cloud RustDesk+1

Cons

  • You own uptime, patching, authentication, access control, logging, and incident response

Malware & Ransomware Risk (Reality Check)

Remote support tools are not malware, but they are frequently used as:

  1. Scam entry points (user is convinced to install and share code/password), and

  2. Post-compromise tooling (attackers deploy legitimate remote monitoring/management tools to maintain persistence and operate interactively).

What reputable threat advisories say

  • CISA published a joint advisory describing a campaign involving malicious use of legitimate RMM tools. CISA

  • AnyDesk itself warns that scammers may misuse remote access software for theft and fraud. AnyDesk

Vendor/Supply-chain incidents matter

  • AnyDesk disclosed a 2024 production-systems compromise; multiple security researchers summarized impacts and mitigations (certificate revocation, password resets, update requirements). Akamai+1

Typical attack chain involving remote tools

  • Phishing / fake support call / popup → user installs tool

  • User shares code / approves access

  • Attacker disables security controls, steals credentials, deploys additional payloads

  • Attacker may install unattended agent for persistence

  • Data theft / ransomware execution

Risk rating (practical)

  • Highest risk situations

    • Uncontrolled endpoints where users can install anything

    • Unrestricted unattended access

    • No MFA / no allowlist / no device approval

    • No centralized logging/alerting

  • Lower risk situations

    • Tool is centrally deployed, configured by policy

    • MFA enforced

    • Allowlist / approved technicians only

    • Session recording + audit logs

    • Application control (AppLocker/WDAC) limits what can run

Step-by-Step: Secure Implementation Checklist (Recommended Baseline)

1) Choose an access model

  • Prefer attended support for normal user helpdesk.

  • Use unattended access only for managed devices with clear business justification.

2) Enforce strong identity controls

  • Enable MFA for technician accounts.

  • If available, use SSO/SAML and conditional access.

  • Require unique technician accounts (no shared logins).

(TeamViewer provides guidance around 2FA and allowlist approaches.) TeamViewer+1

3) Restrict who can connect (most important)

  • Use allowlists / approved accounts / device authorization.

  • Disable “easy access” unless you can enforce approvals and logging.

  • For unattended agents, restrict to device groups owned by IT.

4) Lock down endpoints (Windows)

  • Block end-users from installing remote tools without approval (AppLocker/WDAC or software restriction policies).

  • Restrict local admin rights.

  • Require signed installers from approved sources only.

5) Logging & alerting

  • Centralize:

    • Product audit logs (who connected, to what device, when)

    • Windows Event Logs (process execution, service install)

    • EDR telemetry (new remote tool binaries, suspicious parent processes)

  • Alert on:

    • New unattended agent installed

    • Remote tool executed from Downloads/Temp

    • Connection attempts outside business hours

    • Technician account logins from new geolocations

6) Safe support workflow (helpdesk script)

  • Verify customer identity (ticket + callback + OTP)

  • Tell user: “Do not open banking/email while support is active.”

  • Use attended code; user watches session

  • End session; confirm remote tool closed/uninstalled if policy says so

Commands / Examples (Windows) — Audit, Detect, and Remove Risky Remote Tools

Run PowerShell as Administrator.

A) Find common remote tool installs (basic inventory)

$patterns = @(
  "TeamViewer","AnyDesk","UltraViewer","Splashtop","Zoho Assist",
  "ScreenConnect","ConnectWise Control","LogMeIn","Rescue","RustDesk"
)

# Installed apps (32-bit + 64-bit)
$apps = @(
  "HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*",
  "HKLM:\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*"
) | ForEach-Object { Get-ItemProperty $_ -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue }

$apps | Where-Object {
  $dn = $_.DisplayName
  $dn -and ($patterns | Where-Object { $dn -like "*$_*" })
} | Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, Publisher, InstallDate | Sort-Object DisplayName

B) Detect running processes related to remote access

Get-Process | Where-Object {
  $n = $_.Name
  $n -match "teamviewer|anydesk|ultraviewer|splashtop|zoho|screenconnect|connectwise|logmein|rescue|rustdesk"
} | Select-Object Name, Id, StartTime -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

C) Check auto-start persistence (Startup + Services)

# Startup items
Get-CimInstance Win32_StartupCommand |
  Where-Object { $_.Command -match "teamviewer|anydesk|ultraviewer|screenconnect|rustdesk|splashtop|zoho|logmein" } |
  Select-Object Name, Command, Location, User

# Services that look like remote agents (name matching is not perfect)
Get-Service |
  Where-Object { $_.Name -match "TeamViewer|AnyDesk|UltraViewer|ScreenConnect|ConnectWise|RustDesk|Splashtop|Zoho|LogMeIn|Rescue" } |
  Select-Object Name, Status, StartType

D) Block execution from user-writable paths (quick mitigation idea)

If you cannot deploy WDAC/AppLocker immediately, start by blocking common “drop zones” via your EDR, or implement AppLocker rules (enterprise approach). As a quick operational policy:

  • Don’t allow remote tools to run from:

    • %USERPROFILE%\Downloads

    • %TEMP%

    • %APPDATA%

(Implementing AppLocker/WDAC is environment-specific; document and test carefully.)

Common Issues & Fixes

Issue: “Session is slow / laggy”

Likely causes

  • High latency, ISP jitter, Wi-Fi interference

  • Relay path (no direct connection)

  • High-resolution/4K streaming on weak CPU

Fixes

  • Switch endpoint to wired LAN

  • Reduce quality: lower resolution/FPS, disable wallpaper/animations

  • Confirm DNS and routing stability

  • Prefer tool settings: “Optimize speed” / “Adaptive quality”

Issue: “Unattended access not working”

Likely causes

  • Service/agent stopped

  • Policy blocks (UAC prompts, permissions)

  • Firewall/Proxy SSL inspection interfering

Fixes

  • Restart service/agent

  • Ensure correct technician permissions and device assignment

  • Allow vendor endpoints/domains in proxy, or use approved self-host relay (RustDesk model)

Issue: “Tool gets blocked by antivirus/EDR”

Explanation

  • Remote tools are commonly used in scams; security products may flag them (especially portable executables).

Fix

  • Use official installers

  • Use enterprise deployment package + signed binaries

  • Create tight allow rules: publisher + hash + path + admin-only install

Security Considerations (Must-Haves)

  • Treat remote tools like admin utilities: same controls as RDP/PowerShell remoting.

  • MFA everywhere (technicians + portal).

  • Allowlist/approved accounts and deny ad-hoc unknown IDs. TeamViewer

  • Disable unattended by default; enable only for managed endpoints.

  • Session recording (where allowed by law/policy) and audit logs.

  • Update discipline: keep clients/hosts current, especially after vendor security events. Akamai+1

  • User awareness: remote-access scams are primarily social engineering. Even vendors warn about misuse. AnyDesk+1

Best Practices (Enterprise / MSP Ready)

  • Standardize on one primary tool for support + one fallback.

  • Maintain an approved-software list and block everything else.

  • Separate roles:

    • Helpdesk: attended only

    • Sysadmin: unattended on servers (with approvals + recording)

  • Implement time-bound access (JIT): enable agent access only during support windows.

  • Alert on:

    • New remote tool installs

    • New services created

    • Unusual hours/geo logins

  • Maintain a “Remote Support Consent” policy (customer/employee acknowledgment).

Conclusion

Remote support tools (TeamViewer, AnyDesk, UltraViewer, and alternatives) are essential for modern IT—but they can also become a direct path to compromise if unmanaged. The correct approach is not “avoid remote tools,” but standardize, harden, log, and restrict:

  • Choose a tool that fits your support model (attended vs unattended).

  • Enforce MFA + allowlists + least privilege.

  • Centralize logs and alert on suspicious remote access behavior.

  • Train users to reject unsolicited remote access requests.

If you apply these controls, you reduce the chance of remote tools being used for malware delivery, credential theft, and ransomware staging—while keeping support fast and efficient.


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