# Alternatives to NoMachine

Fast NX-protocol remote desktop, free for personal.

NoMachine ranks #2 of 9 in Remote desktop tools, with an Alt Score of 91. It is proprietary, freemium from USD 44.50/year (Enterprise Desktop Subscription, per computer) and available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. 10 of 10 checklist rows are verified against a public source.

Source: https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/nomachine/
Category: Remote desktop tools

## Where NoMachine stands out

- **Self-hostable server** — 3 of 8 apps with a verified answer have this

## Overview

- **Who it's for**: Individuals, IT teams, and organizations who need to remotely access and control a Windows, Mac, or Linux computer from another device, including personal use, remote work, and technical support scenarios.
- **What you get**: NoMachine gives you remote desktop access built on its proprietary NX protocol, designed for high-performance, low-latency connections even with graphics-intensive or media-heavy sessions. It supports file transfer and printing between computers, encrypted connections (SSH, TLS/AES), and cross-platform clients for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, and Chrome OS. It's free for personal use, with paid tiers adding multi-user access, load balancing, and enterprise management features.
- **How it works**: You install the NoMachine software on both the computer you want to control and the device you're connecting from, then connect directly via IP address or through the NoMachine Network service to reach the remote desktop, including behind firewalls or without a public IP.

## Profile

- **License**: Proprietary (verified 2026-07-11)
- **Pricing model**: Freemium (verified 2026-07-11)
- **Starts at**: USD 44.50/year (Enterprise Desktop Subscription, per computer) (verified 2026-07-11)
- **Platforms**: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
- **Status**: active (verified 2026-07-11)

## Ranked alternatives

| # | App | Alt Score | Licence | Platforms |
|---|-----|-----------|---------|-----------|
| 1 | [AnyDesk](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/anydesk.md) | 91 | ? | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 2 | [Splashtop](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/splashtop.md) | 86 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 3 | [TeamViewer](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/teamviewer.md) | 82 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 4 | [RustDesk](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/rustdesk.md) | 78 | AGPL-3.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 5 | [Parsec](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/parsec.md) | 68 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android |
| 6 | [RealVNC](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/realvnc.md) | 46 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 7 | [Chrome Remote Desktop](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/chrome-remote-desktop.md) | 42 | ? | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 8 | [Remmina](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/remmina.md) | 32 | GPL-2.0-or-later | Linux |

Alt Score = Verified coverage (90%) + Visibility (10%). See https://altcatalog.com/how-alt-score-works/

## Feature comparison

Legend: Yes / No / Partial / ? (not verified).

| Remote desktop tools checklist | NoMachine | AnyDesk | Splashtop | TeamViewer | RustDesk | Parsec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium | Subscription | Freemium | OSS + paid hosting | Freemium |
| Starts at | USD 44.50/year (Enterprise Desktop Subscription, per computer) | ? | $6/month (Business Access Solo, billed annually) | ? | $11.88/month | $9.99/month |
| License | Proprietary | ? | Proprietary | Proprietary | AGPL-3.0 | Proprietary |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Web |
| Cross-platform | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Unattended access | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| File transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable server | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | Yes | No |
| E2E encryption | Yes | Partial | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free for personal use | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wake-on-LAN | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | No |
| Multi-monitor | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes |
| Low-latency mode (gaming) | Partial | Partial | Yes | ? | ? | Yes |
| Mobile clients | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial |

## Sources

Sources for NoMachine. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.

- **Pricing model**: Freemium — <https://www.nomachine.com/everybody> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “NoMachine comes loaded with features out-of-the-box and is free for personal use.”
- **License**: Proprietary — <https://kb.nomachine.com/AR09K00691> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “The technology behind NoMachine software is released under a closed source license with the exception of some components that we release as open source software or as contributions to other OSS projec”
- **Starts at**: USD 44.50/year (Enterprise Desktop Subscription, per computer) — <https://store.nomachine.com/product/enterprise-desktop-subscription?products=desktop> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “USD 44.50 /year”
- **Platforms**: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android — <https://www.nomachine.com/support/supported-operating-systems-and-supported-applications> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “NoMachine can be installed on Windows, macOS, Linux, Linux ARM, Android systems, including Chromebooks, and Apple's iOS/iPadOS.”
- **Status**: active — <https://kb.nomachine.com/SU12W00269> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “NoMachine 9.3.7 now available for download”
- **Cross-platform**: Yes — <https://www.nomachine.com/support/supported-operating-systems-and-supported-applications> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Note: server hosts") with stock desktop environments running on Windows, macOS and Linux."
  - Quote: “NoMachine enables remote access to systems (”
- **Unattended access**: Yes — <https://kb.nomachine.com/AR03W01271> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Unattended access with NoMachine enables secure remote access to devices without requiring physical approval.”
- **File transfer**: Yes — <https://www.nomachine.com/nomachine-features> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “File-transfer (including drag and drop)”
- **Self-hostable server**: Yes — <https://www.nomachine.com/enterprise/cloud-server-products> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Cloud Server, like all NoMachine products, works as a self-hosted remote access system, without relying on any external NoMachine server.”
- **E2E encryption**: Yes — <https://knowledgebase.nomachine.com/AR04S01121> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Data transmission is always encrypted using end-to-end encryption.”
- **Free for personal use**: Yes — <https://www.nomachine.com/everybody> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “NoMachine comes loaded with features out-of-the-box and is free for personal use.”
- **Wake-on-LAN**: Partial — <https://kb.nomachine.com/AR11R01101> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “At the moment, NoMachine doesn't support WOL outside the same network (like over the Internet), since it doesn't implement the magic packet allowing for that.”
- **Multi-monitor**: Yes — <https://www.nomachine.com/nomachine-features> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Support for multi-monitor set-ups and switch view between remote displays”
- **Low-latency mode (gaming)**: Partial — <https://www.nomachine.com/nomachine-features> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “play remotely your favorite video-game”
- **Mobile clients**: Yes — <https://apps.apple.com/us/app/nomachine/id874286563> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Connect from your device to any NoMachine-enabled PC or Mac at the speed of light. NoMachine is the fastest remote desktop software you have ever tried.”

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Ranked by verified data, never by who paid. https://altcatalog.com/trust/