NoMachine vs RealVNC Connect
We give NoMachine a 2.2 GPA and RealVNC Connect a 2.4, out of 4.0. RealVNC Connect grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
NoMachine
Self-hosted remote desktop sold as yearly server subscriptions
RealVNC Connect
Remote access from the makers of VNC, with end-to-end encryption
How we grade them
| 2.2GPANoMachineFair | 2.4GPARealVNC ConnectFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CPersonal Edition is $24.50 a year per computer, so two computers come to $49, and getting past a firewall by Machine Id adds Network Personal at $84.50, or $133.50 a year in all. RustDesk, Parsec and Jump Desktop reach your own computers for nothing, so for the same job it's on the dear side. | CNo price could be read: RealVNC's website refused our reader, so this listing has none. That's the C we give any missing price, with no figure to set against Splashtop, TeamViewer or Jump Desktop for the same job. RealVNC says free, paid and trial subscriptions exist. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan: only the Player is free, and it needs a paid server edition to connect to. Each server edition has a free trial, and NoMachine Network has a 7-day one; the listing doesn't mention a card. | CThere's a free Lite plan, which has replaced the old Home plan, and the phone viewer apps are free. But Lite's limits couldn't be read, so we can't say how far it gets you. On iPhone, connecting to other makers' VNC servers shows ads unless you subscribe. |
| Features | CThe NX protocol with hardware H.264, multi-monitor, terminal sessions, file, disk, printer and USB sharing, Wake-on-LAN and recording. The gaps it lists itself: Personal Edition allows one desktop connection at a time, and browser access, VPN and single sign-on are Enterprise only. | CCloud connections with no firewall setup, end-to-end encryption, free phone viewers and a synced address book. The gaps it lists itself: connecting directly by IP address needs Enterprise, and nothing on record covers file transfer or support sessions. |
| Ease of use | CNo App Store rating on record. You connect by IP address on your own network, and reaching a machine behind a firewall by ID needs a separate Network subscription. That's a learning curve. | BNo App Store rating on record. Sign in to the Viewer with your RealVNC account and your computers appear, with no router or firewall setup. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac, Linux and Raspberry Pi, with a free Player for iPhone and Android and browser access on Enterprise. Sign-in works with Okta, Entra ID and Active Directory, but there's no API on record. | BWindows, Mac and Linux computers, plus viewer apps for iPhone, iPad and Android. It also connects to other makers' VNC servers, but there's no web app, integrations or API on record. |
| Best for | fast remote desktops for Linux and your own network | reaching your computers from the makers of VNC |
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: NoMachine and RealVNC Connect. How we grade
Where they differ
- RealVNC Connect has a free plan. NoMachine does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only NoMachine lists a web app.
- NoMachine is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- RealVNC Connect is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
At a glance
| NoMachine | RealVNC Connect | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $24.50 per year (Personal Edition, one computer) | Not published |
| Free plan | None | RealVNC says free, paid and trial subscriptions exist, and its free Lite plan has replaced the old Home plan. The Lite plan's limits could not be read. |
| Free trial | Free trial of each server edition; NoMachine Network has a 7-day trial | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | NoMachine S.à r.l. | RealVNC Limited |
| Price read from | nomachine.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
Who each one suits
NoMachine
- Reaching your own home or office computer over your own network
- Linux users who need fast remote desktops, including Raspberry Pi
- Businesses running several virtual Linux desktops on one server
- People who want remote access without a vendor cloud in the middle
RealVNC Connect
- Reaching your own Windows, Mac or Linux computers from a phone or tablet
- IT teams already using VNC who want cloud connections without opening ports
- Connecting to VNC servers from other vendors as well as RealVNC's own
Worth knowing
NoMachine
- Personal Edition is now an annual subscription; only the Player client is free, and it needs a NoMachine server edition to connect to.
- Reaching a computer behind a firewall by Machine Id needs a separate NoMachine Network subscription on top of the server edition.
- Personal Edition allows one desktop connection at a time; browser access, VPN and single sign-on are Enterprise only.
- Terminal Server and Workstation editions host virtual desktops on Linux only.
RealVNC Connect
- RealVNC's website refused automated readers, so no prices or plan limits could be read; this listing has none.
- RealVNC is retiring its Home subscriptions and has replaced the Home plan with a new Lite plan, so older guides to the free tier are out of date.
- On iOS, connecting to non-RealVNC VNC servers shows ads unless you subscribe.
- Direct connections by IP address to RealVNC Connect need an Enterprise subscription.
Key features
NoMachine
- NX protocol
- Hardware-accelerated H.264 encoding and decoding, audio and video streaming, and multi-monitor support, for work, media and games.
- Free Player on every platform
- NoMachine Player is free for commercial and non-commercial use on Windows, Mac, Linux, ARM, Raspberry Pi, iOS and Android, with no limit on machines.
- Terminal access
- Open remote command-line sessions to Windows, macOS or Linux NoMachine systems without a full desktop and without SSH on the server.
- Devices and files
- File transfer with drag and drop, disk and printer sharing in both directions, USB device forwarding, port forwarding and Wake-on-LAN.
- Recording and guest sharing
- Record your session on the fly, and let guests join your desktop to collaborate or help troubleshoot.
- Enterprise sign-in and browser access
- Enterprise editions add access from any browser, a built-in VPN, and sign-in with Okta, Entra ID, Google Cloud Identity, Keycloak, LDAP or Active Directory.
RealVNC Connect
- Cloud connections
- Sign in to the Viewer with your RealVNC account and your remote computers appear automatically, with no firewall or router setup.
- Direct connections
- With an Enterprise subscription, or to other VNC-compatible software, connect straight to a computer by its IP address, which may need port forwarding.
- End-to-end encryption
- Each remote computer is password-protected out of the box, and RealVNC says all sessions are then encrypted end-to-end.
- Mobile viewer apps
- Free RealVNC Viewer apps for iPhone, iPad and Android turn the touch screen into a trackpad and support Bluetooth keyboards and mice.
- Synced address book
- Back up and sync your saved connections between devices by signing in to RealVNC Viewer on each one.
Plans
NoMachine
Personal Edition$24.50
per year per computer
For individuals and businesses: 1 desktop connection and up to 4 terminal connections from the same client. Also sold in packs of 5 to 100.
Enterprise Desktop$44.50
per year per computer
Unlimited connections, access from any browser, a built-in VPN and single sign-on. Also sold in packs of 10 to 100; the support table lists a pack at $244.50.
Network Personal$84.50
per year ($8.50 billed monthly)
Optional: 1 connection at a time over NoMachine Network by Machine Id, for computers behind a firewall. Plans for 4 to 32 connections cost more.
Workstation$124.50
per year per server
Runs up to 4 virtual Linux desktops and apps on one server, with unlimited connections and browser access.
Small Business Terminal Server$744.50
per year per server
Runs up to 10 virtual Linux desktops and apps on one server, for departments and small businesses.
RealVNC Connect
Pricing could not be confirmed. See realvnc.com.
Ways to pay less
NoMachine
- Annual discount
Network subscriptions cheaper paid yearly
Network Personal is $84.50 a year against $8.50 a month, which is $102 over twelve months: about 17% less.
RealVNC Connect
No public discounts listed.
