Alternatives · Remote Desktop
Paperspace alternatives
As of Nov 13, 2026, the highest-graded Paperspace alternative is Parsec (2.6 GPA). It's also the best free one. The catch, in its listing's words: "Personal Use is free for non-commercial use."
Paperspace compared with 5 alternatives: Shadow PC, Vagon, Shells, Parsec and Cameyo.
Paperspace is a paid product, starting at $22 per month for the Air desktop; hourly machines from $0.0045 per hour. 1 of the 5 alternatives is free or has a free plan. One more offers a free trial.
Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from
Black Friday: is there a Paperspace sale?
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| PaperspaceThis tool | From $22/mo | No | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Shadow PC | From $29.99/mo | No | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Vagon | Free trial · from $7.99/mo | Trial only | Web |
| Shells | From $14.95/mo | No | Web, iOS, Android |
| Parsec | Free plan · from $8.33/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, Android |
| Cameyo | Paid | No | Web |
Price against what you get
Paperspace starts at $22 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 4 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.
Vagon, Shells and Parsec start lower without scoring higher.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Paperspace
Shadow PC
A full Windows PC in the cloud for gaming and creative work
- Shadow PC starts at $29.99 per month, no commitment.
- Shadow PC also lists iOS and Android apps.
Suits: Playing PC games on a Mac, Chromebook or phone
Vagon
Cloud workstations with GPUs, billed by the minute
- Vagon starts at $7.99 per month for storage, plus usage from $0.25 per hour.
- Vagon lists no Windows, macOS and Linux apps, which Paperspace has.
- Vagon also covers file sharing.
Suits: Occasional heavy rendering, editing or CAD without owning a workstation
Shells
A personal cloud computer you open from any device
- Shells starts at $14.95 per month, billed monthly.
- Shells also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Shells lists no Windows, macOS and Linux apps, which Paperspace has.
- Shells also covers file sync.
- Shells does not cover AI agents, which Paperspace does.
Suits: Students and coders who want a Linux desktop on a tablet or Chromebook
Parsec
Low-latency remote desktop for games and creative work
- Parsec starts at $8.33 per user / month, billed annually ($9.99 billed monthly).
- Parsec has a free plan, which Paperspace lacks.
- Parsec also lists an Android app.
- Parsec does not cover AI agents, which Paperspace does.
Suits: Playing games on a home PC from another computer or an Android device
Cameyo
Virtual app delivery that serves Windows apps as web apps
- Cameyo lists no Windows, macOS and Linux apps, which Paperspace has.
- Cameyo also covers file sharing.
- Cameyo does not cover AI agents, which Paperspace does.
Suits: IT teams moving legacy Windows apps to a browser-first setup
Limits worth knowing in Paperspace
- The pricing page lists no refunds and says exceptional cases go through a support ticket.
- Hourly machines add a monthly storage fee on top of the running time; the fee amount is not on the pricing page.
- The Gradient machine-learning platform has its own plans, and its Pro plan shows both $8 and $12 per month on the same page.
- Paperspace is now part of DigitalOcean, and the site points to DigitalOcean for its wider GPU range.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Paperspace?
The alternatives to Paperspace in this directory are Shadow PC, Vagon, Shells, Parsec and Cameyo. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Paperspace.
Is there a free alternative to Paperspace?
Yes. Parsec has a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which Paperspace alternatives work on Android?
The Paperspace listing does not include an Android app. Shadow PC, Shells and Parsec list one.
Which Paperspace alternatives work on iOS?
The Paperspace listing does not include an iOS app. Shadow PC and Shells list one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 18, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.