NoMachine vs TigerVNC (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, TigerVNC grades higher than NoMachine: 2.6 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
NoMachine grades higher on ease of use and platforms. TigerVNC grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features.
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
TigerVNC
Free open-source VNC client and server for Linux, Windows and macOS
Which one is for you
Pick NoMachine if
- Fits if you run Linux or a Raspberry Pi and want to connect straight to it
- Works for businesses hosting several virtual Linux desktops on one server
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you have lots of computers, as each needs its own $24.50 yearly license
- Skip it if you want something free, since only the Player is, and it needs a paid server to connect to
- Tight if two people need the same desktop at once, as Personal Edition allows one connection
- Watch out: reaching a machine behind a firewall by ID needs Network Personal at $84.50 a year on top
- Too light for browser access, VPN or single sign-on unless you pay for Enterprise at $44.50 a computer
Pick TigerVNC if
- Fits if you run Linux and want a free VNC server and viewer
- Works for admins whose distribution already packages it
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want paid support, as only mailing lists and a wiki are offered
- Not for you if you want phone apps, as none are listed
- Watch out: the man pages cover the Unix programs and are only mostly relevant to Windows
- Too light for one-click remote help, as setup is manual
How we grade them
| 2.2GPANoMachineFair | 2.6GPATigerVNCGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | AFree and open source with no paid plans, well under 60% of the cheaper quarter. |
| 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. | AFree outright, with no plan, no cap and no account to open. |
| 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. | CIt does VNC viewing and serving fully, which is a smaller job than a full remote-access suite. No relay or phone apps. |
| 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. | DSetting up servers and authentication takes command-line work. No store rating on record. |
| 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. | CLinux, Windows and macOS programs for computers, with no phone apps. |
| Best for | remote desktops for Linux and your own network | a free VNC viewer and server on Linux |
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 TigerVNC. How we grade
Price against what you get
NoMachine starts at $2.04 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. TigerVNC has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
NoMachine scores higher, and starts $2.04 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other remote desktop apps on the chart, 7 score higher than NoMachine for less, and none scores higher than TigerVNC 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
- NoMachine is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- TigerVNC is open source, according to its own site.
At a glance
| NoMachine | TigerVNC | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free |
| Starts at | $24.50 per year (Personal Edition, one computer) | Free |
| Free plan | None | None |
| 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.Ã r.l. | The TigerVNC project |
| Price read from | nomachine.com | tigervnc.org |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
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.
TigerVNC
- Support is through mailing lists and a wiki; no paid support is offered on the site.
- No iOS or Android apps are listed on the project's pages.
- The man pages describe the Unix programs, and the site says they are only mostly relevant to the Windows ones.
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.
TigerVNC
- VNC viewer and servers
- Documented programs include vncviewer, Xvnc, x0vncserver and the newer w0vncserver, plus vncconfig, vncpasswd and vncsession.
- Performance for graphics
- The project says it targets the performance needed to run 3D and video applications remotely.
- Authentication and TLS
- Extensions for advanced authentication methods and TLS encryption are provided.
- Shared look across platforms
- Common code and a similar look and feel are kept across the platforms it supports.
- Distribution packages
- Binaries come from GitHub releases, and the software ships in distributions such as Fedora, openSUSE, FreeBSD, Arch Linux and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
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.
TigerVNC
TigerVNC$0
Free, open-source software; releases are published on GitHub.
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.
TigerVNC
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, NoMachine or TigerVNC?
As of Nov 13, 2026, TigerVNC is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $2.04 a month when paid by the year for NoMachine. NoMachine starts at $24.50 per year (Personal Edition, one computer), and TigerVNC is free.
Which has a free plan, NoMachine or TigerVNC?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only TigerVNC has a free plan. NoMachine does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do NoMachine and TigerVNC run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only NoMachine lists a web app and iOS and Android apps. Both list macOS, Windows and Linux apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
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.