Remote Utilities vs TightVNC (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, TightVNC grades higher than Remote Utilities: 2.6 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Remote Utilities grades higher on platforms. TightVNC grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Remote Utilities
Remote administration tool with a self-hosted server option
Free plan
TightVNC
Free VNC remote desktop for Windows, with paid Pro encryption
Free plan · from $12/yr
Which one is for you
Pick Remote Utilities if
- Fits if you administer a set of Windows, Mac and Linux machines
- Works for teams whose connections have to run through their own server
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you live somewhere it isn't sold, as the vendor says some locations are excluded, India among them
- Not for you if you want prices up front, since we couldn't read any
- Too light for a help desk, as no on-demand support sessions, recording or ticket integrations are on record
- Watch out: how many computers a free license covers couldn't be read
- Not for you if you want to work from a browser, as there's no web app or API on record
Pick TightVNC if
- Fits if you want to control Windows machines on your own network for free
- Works for people who want a small VNC server and viewer with open-source roots
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac, Linux or a phone, as the downloads are Windows only
- Not for you if you need encrypted sessions on the free version, because encryption is Pro only
- Pricey if you need Pro on both ends, as checkout starts with two licenses at $12 each a year
- Watch out: a Corporate license allows one interactive Pro session per computer, so it does not suit terminal servers
- Watch out: Pro is billed once a year and needs internet access to activate
How we grade them
| 2.2GPARemote UtilitiesFair | 2.6GPATightVNCGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo price or licence terms could be read: the website answered our reader with a bot check from the US and a not-sold-here notice from India. That's the C we give any missing price, with no figure to set against RustDesk or ScreenConnect for the same job. | AFree outright, so it sits well under 60% of the $4.17 the cheaper quarter of remote access tools starts at. Pro encryption is $12 a user a year. |
| Free plan and trial | CThe Host module and the phone Viewer apps are free to install, and the phone app is free for work too. How many computers a free licence covers couldn't be read, so we can't say how far it gets you. | AThe base version is free for personal and commercial use and its features do not expire. The catch is that sessions are not encrypted without Pro. |
| Features | CConnections by Internet-ID or IP address, a self-hosted server, resumable file transfer, power controls, screen blanking and detailed address books. It covers the basics of administering machines, but the listing shows no on-demand support sessions or recording. | CRemote view and control, plus TLS 1.3 with Pro and a viewer SDK. The listing shows no encryption in the free version, which is a gap for a tool you point at the internet. |
| Ease of use | CNo App Store rating on record. Host modules, Internet-IDs, address book templates and an optional server of your own: it's an admin's tool, and there's a learning curve before it's any use. | CNo store rating on record. You install a server, set a password and sort out how to reach the machine, which is more than a click-and-go app. |
| Platforms and integrations | BHosts on Windows, Mac and Linux, and free viewer apps for iPhone, iPad and Android. There's no web app, integration list or API on record. | DThe download page lists Windows installers only. No Mac, Linux or phone version, and no integrations. |
| Best for | administering many computers through your own server | free VNC remote control of Windows PCs |
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: Remote Utilities and TightVNC. How we grade
Where they differ
- Remote Utilities is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- TightVNC is open source, according to its own site.
In commonFree planWindowsRemote desktop
At a glance
| Remote Utilities | TightVNC | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | $12 per year per user license (Pro); $1 / month, billed once a year |
| Free plan | The Host module and the mobile Viewer apps are free to install, and the mobile app is free for personal and business use. How many computers a free licence covers could not be read. | TightVNC 4 base version is free for personal and commercial use, with features that do not expire. Connections are not encrypted without Pro. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Remote Utilities Pty (Cy) Ltd. | PE Konstantin Kaplinskii |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | tightvnc.com |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Remote Utilities
- The vendor's website answered with a bot check from the US and a notice from India, so no prices or licence terms could be read; this listing has none.
- Remote Utilities says its software and services are not available in some locations; visitors from India were told it is not sold there.
- The Host module runs on Windows, macOS and Linux; the iPhone, iPad and Android apps are for connecting to those computers.
TightVNC
- TightVNC 4 is remote desktop software for Windows; the download page lists Windows installers only.
- Without Pro, sessions are not encrypted, and Pro needs a license at each end of the connection.
- Pro is billed once a year and needs internet access to activate.
- A Corporate license allows only one interactive Pro session per computer at a time, so it does not fit a terminal server.
Key features
Remote Utilities
- Internet-ID connections
- Connect to a Host by its Internet-ID with no router or firewall setup, or directly by IP address on a local network.
- Self-hosted server
- Run your own Remote Utilities server for address book sync, server-based sign-in and relaying connections through your own infrastructure.
- File transfer and power control
- Copy files both ways with resumable transfers, and shut down, restart, lock, sleep or hibernate the remote computer.
- Privacy controls
- Blank the remote screen and block local input while you work, then lock the computer and end the session in one step.
- Address book
- Folders, per-connection settings and templates, with several local or synced address books and full import and export.
TightVNC
- Remote view and control
- See the remote screen and use its keyboard and mouse, opening files and launching applications almost as if sitting at it.
- TLS 1.3 encryption with Pro
- Pro encrypts the whole session. Both the Viewer and the Server need a Pro license for a connection to be encrypted.
- Free base version that does not expire
- The free features stay available if a Pro subscription ends; only the Pro features switch off.
- Open-source TightVNC 2
- TightVNC 2 is available under the GNU GPL, with maintenance and security updates, and commercial source-code licenses are sold.
- Viewer SDK and source licenses
- Developers can license the source code or a Viewer SDK with libraries for .NET and other platforms.
- MightyViewer companion
- A separate paid viewer from the same authors monitors several VNC desktops on one screen and offers a 30-day trial.
Plans
Remote Utilities
Pricing could not be confirmed. See remoteutilities.com.
TightVNC
Free$0
TightVNC 4 base features for personal and commercial use, with no time limit. No session encryption.
Pro User License$12
per user account on one computer / year, billed annually
Adds TLS 1.3 encryption and email support. Encryption needs Pro at both ends, so checkout starts with two licenses.
Pro Corporate License$18
per computer / year, billed annually
Covers all user accounts on one computer, with one interactive Pro session at a time. Not suited to terminal servers.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Remote Utilities or TightVNC?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Remote Utilities has no price we could confirm, and TightVNC starts at $12 per year per user license (Pro); $1 / month, billed once a year.
Which has a free plan, Remote Utilities or TightVNC?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Remote Utilities and TightVNC have a free plan.
Which platforms do Remote Utilities and TightVNC run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Remote Utilities lists macOS, Linux, iOS and Android apps. Both list a Windows app. 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.