The AnyDesk Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about AnyDesk in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
AnyDesk
The Insider’s Guide
Remote desktop app, free for personal use, licensed for business
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among remote desktop apps, read from AnyDesk’s own pages.
Made by AnyDesk Software GmbH · checked Oct 18, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from AnyDesk’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on AnyDesk’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 18, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 4 of the 15 other remote desktop apps we grade
AnyDesk is remote desktop software for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, ChromeOS and iOS, used both to reach your own computers and for IT and help desk support of other people's. It is free for personal use only: any computer that starts connections for commercial use needs a Solo, Standard, Advanced or Ultimate licence, while the computers being reached do not. Ultimate can also run on your own server.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about AnyDesk, taken from its own pages and our grades.
For work you need a licence, and we can't tell you what one costs: AnyDesk's site turned our reader away.
- 1
Best for remote access on nearly any device you own
AnyDesk runs on just about everything, from Windows and Linux to Raspberry Pi, iPhone and even Apple TV, and it's free for personal use.
- 2
There is a free plan
Free for personal, non-commercial use. Sessions on the free version time out and have to be restarted; a paid licence removes the time limit.
- 3
It runs on 5 platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
- 4
Interactive and unattended access
Connect to any number of devices when the person there accepts the request, or to managed devices without anyone present using a password: up to 100 on Solo and 1,000 on Advanced.
- 5
Wide platform coverage
Clients for Windows and Windows Server, macOS, Linux and Raspberry Pi, Android and ChromeOS, and iOS, iPadOS and tvOS.
- 6
Remote print and Wake-on-LAN
Print a document from a remote Windows computer on your local printer, and wake a sleeping Windows, Intel Mac or Linux device when another AnyDesk device on its network is online.
- 7
A 2.4 GPA, above 4 of 15
That is against the other remote desktop apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace AnyDesk you would be making a fast, secure link to another computer through any network. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
AnyDesk at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Made by
- AnyDesk Software GmbH
- Category
- Remote Desktop
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
- Store rating
- 4.5 on the App Store, 28,268 ratings
The report card
Best for remote access on nearly any device you own
AnyDesk runs on just about everything, from Windows and Linux to Raspberry Pi, iPhone and even Apple TV, and it's free for personal use. For work you need a licence, and we can't tell you what one costs: AnyDesk's site turned our reader away. Free sessions also time out and have to be restarted.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | No price could be read: AnyDesk's website answered our reader with a bot check, and its help centre sends buyers to the pricing page. With no figure to set against TeamViewer or Splashtop for the same job, it gets the C we give any missing price. Personal use is free; work use needs a licence. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free for personal, non-commercial use, which covers reaching your own computers. But free sessions time out and have to be restarted, and any outgoing connection for work needs a paid licence. No trial is on record. |
| Features | C | Attended and unattended access, remote printing, Wake-on-LAN, screen privacy, a management portal and an on-premises server with a REST API. The gaps it lists itself: Standard allows one outgoing connection at a time, and self-hosting is Ultimate only, quoted by sales. |
| Ease of use | B | 4.49 from 28,268 App Store ratings, which is a B on a crowd that size. The person at the other end accepts your request and you're connected. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Windows, Mac, Linux and Raspberry Pi, ChromeOS, iPhone, iPad, Android and Apple TV. That's a lot of devices, but there's no web app or integration list, and the REST API comes only with the on-premises server. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who AnyDesk is for
- Great if you want to reach your home computer from a phone or tablet for free
- Handy when you need a client for Linux, Raspberry Pi or ChromeOS too
- Good for firms that must keep remote access inside their own network, on Ultimate
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want to see a price before talking to anyone, as we couldn't read one
- Not for you if your free use is really work, since the free version is personal only
- Tight if your free sessions run long, as they time out and need restarting
Good to know
Good for
- Reaching your own home or work computer at no cost for personal use
- Self-employed IT specialists who need one user with up to 100 unattended devices
- IT teams and service providers supporting many people's computers
- Enterprises that need remote access hosted inside their own network
Worth knowing
- AnyDesk's website answered automated readers with a bot check, so no prices could be read; its help center sends buyers to the pricing page or the my.anydesk portal for figures.
- The free version is for personal use only; any outgoing connection for commercial use needs a paid licence.
- Standard includes 20 users but only one simultaneous outgoing connection; more are add-ons.
- On-premises hosting is only on the Ultimate licence, which is quoted by sales.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
AnyDesk's current pricing could not be confirmed from its own site.
No price could be read: AnyDesk's website answered our reader with a bot check, and its help centre sends buyers to the pricing page.
We could not confirm AnyDesk’s current prices from its own site, so this guide lists no plans. anydesk.com has them.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android
Remote desktop app, free for personal use, licensed for business. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: self-hostable, public API, remote desktop.
Attended and unattended access, remote printing, Wake-on-LAN, screen privacy, a management portal and an on-premises server with a REST API.
- Interactive and unattended access
- Connect to any number of devices when the person there accepts the request, or to managed devices without anyone present using a password: up to 100 on Solo and 1,000 on Advanced.
- Wide platform coverage
- Clients for Windows and Windows Server, macOS, Linux and Raspberry Pi, Android and ChromeOS, and iOS, iPadOS and tvOS.
- Remote print and Wake-on-LAN
- Print a document from a remote Windows computer on your local printer, and wake a sleeping Windows, Intel Mac or Linux device when another AnyDesk device on its network is online.
- Screen privacy
- Black out the remote screen so people near the device cannot see what you are doing during a session.
- my.anydesk portal
- A management portal to see licence and invoice details, manage linked clients and address books, review sessions and build custom clients.
- On-premises server
- The Ultimate licence can run on your own appliance server, so only your custom clients can connect, even without internet access, with a REST API for integration.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
AnyDesk is made by AnyDesk Software GmbH.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
4/15
Other remote desktop apps it is graded above
AnyDesk's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 4 of the 15 other remote desktop apps we grade, and level with 2.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 5 of 15) and worst on free plan and trial (C, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 16 remote desktop apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. AnyDesk’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 2 of 15
- CFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 15
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 15
- BEase of useAbove 5 of 15
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 15
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace AnyDesk you would be making a fast, secure link to another computer through any network. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 9 of the 15 other remote desktop apps grade higher.
What you could not
- A fast, secure link to another computer through any network.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- An API that other software can build on.
What this rests on. AnyDesk’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
TeamViewer, RustDesk, Splashtop, Chrome Remote Desktop and RemotePC
The 5 tools AnyDesk is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
TeamViewer
Free plan · from $619.99/yr
Remote access and IT support, free for personal use only.
- Only TeamViewer lists a web app.
- AnyDesk is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- TeamViewer is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 3.0GPA
RustDesk
Free plan · from $11.88/mo
Open-source remote desktop you can run on your own server.
- Only RustDesk lists a web app.
- RustDesk is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
Splashtop
Free plan · from $23.99/yr
Remote access to your own computers, plus separate IT support plans.
- 3.2GPA
Chrome Remote Desktop
Free
Google's free remote access to your own computers from a browser.
- Only Chrome Remote Desktop lists a web app.
- Only Chrome Remote Desktop lists a browser extension.
- AnyDesk is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
RemotePC
Free trial · from $2.46/mo
Low-cost remote access to your own computers, from IDrive.
- AnyDesk has a free plan. RemotePC does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only RemotePC lists a web app.
- AnyDesk is self-hostable, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
10
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is AnyDesk free?
AnyDesk has a free plan. Free for personal, non-commercial use.
What platforms does AnyDesk work on?
AnyDesk is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
How is AnyDesk rated?
AnyDesk's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.5 out of 5 from 28,268 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 18, 2026.
Is AnyDesk open source?
AnyDesk is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 18, 2026.
Can AnyDesk be self-hosted?
Yes. AnyDesk's own site says it can be run on a server of your own.
Does AnyDesk have an API?
Yes. AnyDesk offers a public API, according to its own site.
Who makes AnyDesk?
AnyDesk is made by AnyDesk Software GmbH.
What are the alternatives to AnyDesk?
The closest alternatives to AnyDesk in our directory are TeamViewer, RustDesk, Splashtop, Chrome Remote Desktop and RemotePC.
How does AnyDesk compare with other remote desktop apps?
AnyDesk's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 4 of the 15 other remote desktop apps we grade, and level with 2.
Could I make my own version of AnyDesk?
To replace AnyDesk you would be making a fast, secure link to another computer through any network.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from AnyDesk’s own pages on Oct 18, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 18, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from AnyDesk's own help pages on 18 October 2026, and its App Store rating. AnyDesk's pricing page turned our reader away when we checked it again that day. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by AnyDesk Software GmbH. Prices change, so check anydesk.com before you buy.
- support.anydesk.com/docs/anydesk-licenses.md
- support.anydesk.com/docs/how-is-anydesk-pricing-structured.md
- support.anydesk.com/docs/what-if-i-need-longer-sessions-time-on-the-free-version.md
- support.anydesk.com/docs/on-premises.md
- support.anydesk.com/docs/security-and-privacy.md
- support.anydesk.com/llms.txt
- apps.apple.com/us/app/anydesk-remote-desktop/id1176131273
- support.anydesk.com/docs/screen-privacy.md
- support.anydesk.com/docs/remote-print.md
- support.anydesk.com/docs/wake-on-lan.md
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
2,281
Tools graded, in 73 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
2,281
tools graded
73
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- AnyDesk, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/anydesk
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "AnyDesk: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 18, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/anydesk
Know someone choosing between remote desktop apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/anydesk/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded remote desktop apps after AnyDesk, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Remote Desktop Insider's GuideEvery one of the 16 remote desktop apps we grade, compared
- Chrome Remote Desktop Insider's GuideGoogle's free remote access to your own computers from a browser3.2 GPA
- Jump Desktop Insider's GuideRemote desktop with one-time app licences and a per-user team plan3.2 GPA
- RustDesk Insider's GuideOpen-source remote desktop you can run on your own server3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what AnyDesk’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. AnyDesk is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by AnyDesk Software GmbH. Prices and plans change: check anydesk.com before you buy.