DWService vs MeshCentral (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, DWService grades higher than MeshCentral: 3.2 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
DWService grades higher on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use. They get the same grade on platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
DWService
Free browser-based remote access to computers via an agent
Which one is for you
Pick DWService if
- Fits if you need to reach a home or office computer from a browser for free
- Works for admins who want a shell and files on Linux, Windows or Mac boxes
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you need more than 6 Mbps, since every paid tier only raises that cap
- Watch out: subscriptions are in pounds sterling and exclude tax
- Watch out: the vendor says subscriptions are donations and buy no say in the project
- Skip it if you can't install an agent on the target computer, as that is the only way in
Pick MeshCentral if
- Fits if you manage a fleet of machines and are happy running your own server
- Works for home labs and small shops that want remote access they control
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't want to host and secure a server yourself
- Not for you if you need a company behind it, as it's a community project
- Too light on phone use, since no mobile apps are listed
- Watch out: an agent has to be installed on every managed device
How we grade them
| 3.2GPADWServiceVery good | 2.2GPAMeshCentralFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree with all applications included at 6 Mbps. Paid tiers start at £3 a month and add only bandwidth, which the vendor describes as optional support for the project. | CFree through NPM only if you run the server on your own hardware or hosting, so the real cost is on you. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe free plan includes every application, and its only limit is the 6 Mbps bandwidth cap. | BThe whole project is free, with no paid tier. The server you run it on is yours to pay for. |
| Features | BScreen control, files, shell, text editor and resource monitoring, plus APIs. Nothing in the listing is missing from the core remote-access job. | CA web management site, a multi-platform server and agent, light installation and LAN mode by default. The listing gives little detail of what the agent does beyond that. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. The agent must be installed on every computer you want to reach. | DNo rating on record. You host, secure and update the server yourself, and read PDF documentation. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb access, with agents for Windows, Linux and Mac, plus an API. No phone app is listed. | BWeb, with servers and agents for Windows, Linux and Mac, plus Docker, Cloudflare, JumpCloud and FIDO links. No phone apps are listed. |
| Best for | free remote access from any browser | managing your own devices from a web site you host |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: DWService and MeshCentral. How we grade
Price against what you get
DWService starts at about $4.02 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. MeshCentral has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
DWService scores higher, and starts $4.02 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other remote desktop apps on the chart, 2 score higher than DWService for less, and none scores higher than MeshCentral for less.
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
Where they differ
- MeshCentral is self-hostable, according to its own site.
At a glance
| DWService | MeshCentral | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | £3 per month, plus tax (£30 per year) | Free |
| Free plan | Free plan with a 6 Mbps maximum bandwidth; the vendor says the service is ad-free and free of charge by default. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | DWSNET s.r.l. | MeshCentral |
| Price read from | dwservice.net | meshcentral.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
DWService
- The free plan caps bandwidth at 6 Mbps; every paid tier raises only the bandwidth cap and adds a name or logo on the subscription page.
- Subscription prices are listed in pounds sterling and exclude tax.
- The vendor says subscriptions are optional contributions that support the project and give no control over its development.
- The agent must be installed on each computer you want to reach; the home page lists Windows, Linux and Mac OS.
MeshCentral
- You host, secure and update the server yourself; the download page describes self-installation only.
- Agents must be installed on each managed device.
- Documentation for management and security features is published as PDF files.
Key features
DWService
- Screen control
- Shows the remote screen in the browser with cursor and keyboard control; the session can be shared with other users, optionally without mouse and keyboard use.
- Files and folders
- Browse, upload and download files on the remote system, and share folders with others with permissions from read-only to full access.
- Shell and text editor
- Open a terminal session on the remote computer, and view or edit text files and watch a log file update live.
- Resource monitoring
- See memory, processors, disks, processes and services, and start or stop services or end processes.
- Open-source agent
- The vendor publishes the agent's source code, uses TLS on port 443, and offers TOTP two-factor authentication on accounts.
MeshCentral
- Web-based management site
- Devices are managed from a web site served by your own MeshCentral server, with a separate management agent installed on each device.
- Multi-platform server and agent
- The site says both the server and the agent run on Windows, Linux, macOS and FreeBSD.
- Light installation
- Setup is an npm install plus one command, with a built-in NeDB database and MongoDB recommended for larger setups. A small server can handle a few hundred devices.
- LAN mode by default
- A fresh install starts in LAN mode, where agents find the server by multicast; a DNS name is set in config.json for access from outside.
Plans
DWService
Free$0
All applications included, with a 6 Mbps maximum bandwidth.
Entry (monthly)£3
per month, plus tax
8 Mbps maximum bandwidth and your name on the subscription page.
Entry (annual)£30
per year, plus tax
Same as Entry monthly: 8 Mbps and your name on the subscription page.
Lite£5
per month, plus tax
10 Mbps maximum bandwidth; yearly price is £50.
Basic£10
per month, plus tax
14 Mbps maximum bandwidth; yearly price is £100.
Premium£100
per month, plus tax
50 Mbps maximum bandwidth, plus your logo and backlink on the subscription page.
MeshCentral
Open source$0
Free through NPM; you run the server on your own hardware or hosting.
Ways to pay less
DWService
- Annual discount
Annual billing: about two months free
Annual prices are ten times the monthly ones (Entry £30 a year against £3 a month), a saving of two months, computed from the page.
MeshCentral
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, DWService or MeshCentral?
As of Nov 13, 2026, MeshCentral is cheaper to start with: it is free, against about $4.02 a month for DWService. DWService starts at £3 per month, plus tax (£30 per year), and MeshCentral is free.
Which has a free plan, DWService or MeshCentral?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both DWService and MeshCentral have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.