TightVNC vs UltraVNC (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, TightVNC and UltraVNC share a 2.6 GPA, both have a free plan, and UltraVNC has no paid plan to buy, against $1 a month when paid by the year for each person for TightVNC.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
TightVNC
Free VNC remote desktop for Windows, with paid Pro encryption
Which one is for you
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
Pick UltraVNC if
- Fits if you want free remote control of Windows machines and are fine with setting it up
- Works for support staff who want a Single Click session for the person they are helping
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want encryption built in, because it comes from a plugin
- Not for you if you use a Mac or Linux server, as the server runs on Windows
- Too light for managed fleets, since support is a forum and GitHub
- Watch out: the project is run by a team of two
- Watch out: the GPL stops you bundling UltraVNC with non-GPL commercial software in one installer
How we grade them
| 2.6GPATightVNCGood | 2.6GPAUltraVNCGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | AFree for all uses, commercial included, under the GPL, with no paid plans. A program anyone can download counts as free and substantial. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | AFree for everyone with no caps or time limit. The licence does not allow bundling it with non-GPL commercial software in one installer. |
| Features | 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. | CServer and viewer, file transfer, chat, Single Click support sessions and a repeater. Encryption comes from a plugin and the listing names no hosted option, so it does the job with gaps. |
| Ease of 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. | CNo store rating on record. You set up the server, passwords and perhaps the repeater and the encryption plugin yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | DThe download page lists Windows installers only. No Mac, Linux or phone version, and no integrations. | DThe supported-systems list names Windows versions, plus an embedded Java viewer for other systems. No phone apps or integrations are listed. |
| Best for | free VNC remote control of Windows PCs | free open-source VNC support sessions on Windows |
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: TightVNC and UltraVNC. How we grade
Price against what you get
TightVNC starts at $1 a month when paid by the year for each person and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. UltraVNC has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
They score the same, and UltraVNC starts $1 a month lower. Of the other remote desktop apps on the chart, 4 score higher than TightVNC for less, and none scores higher than UltraVNC 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
- UltraVNC is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- UltraVNC also covers file sharing.
At a glance
| TightVNC | UltraVNC | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $12 per year per user license (Pro); $1 / month, billed once a year | Free |
| Free plan | TightVNC 4 base version is free for personal and commercial use, with features that do not expire. Connections are not encrypted without Pro. | Free for all uses, including commercial use, under the GNU General Public License. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Windows | ||
| Made by | PE Konstantin Kaplinskii | UltraVNC |
| Price read from | tightvnc.com | uvnc.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
UltraVNC
- The server runs on Windows; the supported-systems list names Windows versions only, plus an embedded Java viewer for other systems with Java.
- Encryption is a plugin for the main UltraVNC product, and the default password is 8 characters.
- The GPL does not allow bundling UltraVNC with non-GPL commercial software in one installer; PcHelpWare and uvnc2me can be bundled.
- The project is run by a team of two people and support is through the forum and GitHub.
Key features
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.
UltraVNC
- VNC server and viewer
- Follows the RFB protocol, so most other VNC programs can talk to it. A server must run on the shared computer and a viewer on the one that connects.
- File transfer and chat
- The comparison table on the site lists file transfer and chat for UltraVNC and UltraVNC SC.
- Single Click for support sessions
- UltraVNC SC lets a customer start a session without installing software beforehand, which suits remote helpdesk work.
- Repeater for NAT-to-NAT links
- When both computers are behind NAT routers, a separate Repeater application relays the connection.
- Encryption by plugin
- The comparison table lists encryption as a plugin for UltraVNC, with a longer password or a predefined key available through it.
- Related tools
- The project also publishes PcHelpWare, uvnc2me, a mirror driver, a screen recorder and an Extend Display tool.
Plans
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.
UltraVNC
UltraVNC$0
Free for all uses, including commercial, under the GNU General Public License. No paid plans.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, TightVNC or UltraVNC?
As of Nov 12, 2026, UltraVNC is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $1 a month when paid by the year for each person for TightVNC. TightVNC starts at $12 per year per user license (Pro); $1 / month, billed once a year, and UltraVNC is free.
Which has a free plan, TightVNC or UltraVNC?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both TightVNC and UltraVNC 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.