AnyDesk and TeamViewer are the two best-known remote desktop tools for connecting to another computer — helping a relative fix something, or reaching your own PC from across the country. Both are free for personal use, both are fast, and both use strong encryption. The real difference is how much the free version gets in your way, and which one fits how you actually work. This guide compares them honestly and shows how to set up whichever you choose.
Last checked: September 2026.
What each one is
TeamViewer is the veteran — around since 2005, installed on hundreds of millions of devices, and the name most people recognize. It does remote control, file transfer, chat, and unattended access, and it runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
AnyDesk arrived in 2014, built by former TeamViewer engineers around a low-latency codec. Its calling cards are speed and a tiny download (a few megabytes) that runs without installation if you want. It covers the same platforms and the same core features.
Both are free for personal use — with strings
- TeamViewer is free strictly for personal, non-commercial use. It is famously aggressive at detecting anything that looks “commercial”: connect to an office-looking machine or use it a lot, and sessions can suddenly drop to five minutes with a banner asking you to buy a licence. The free tier also limits how many devices you can manage and disables extras like remote printing.
- AnyDesk is free for personal use too, and in day-to-day home use it tends to interrupt less for the same “help a family member” scenario.
For genuine personal use, most people find AnyDesk’s free tier less irritating. The moment either is used for work, both require a paid plan — and TeamViewer will flag it first. Neither should be pirated: a tampered remote-access installer is about the most dangerous thing you can run, because it hands someone full control of your PC.
How to install and connect
The flow is nearly identical for both. Download from the official site only — anydesk.com/downloads or teamviewer.com/download:
- Install (or, for AnyDesk, just run the portable file) on both computers.
- Each machine shows an ID — in AnyDesk a 9-digit address, in TeamViewer an ID plus a temporary password.
- On the computer you’re sitting at, type the other machine’s ID and connect.
- The person at the other end approves the session (or you enter the password). You now see and control their screen.
For unattended access to your own PC — reaching your home machine while you’re out — set a permanent password in the app’s security settings and enable unattended access. Then you can connect anytime the machine is powered on and not asleep.
Speed, security, and features
Speed. AnyDesk built its reputation on responsiveness, and on a modest connection it often feels a touch snappier. TeamViewer is close and perfectly smooth for most work. For plain screen control you won’t notice a big gap; for detailed graphics work over a weak link, AnyDesk’s codec has the edge.
Security. Both use end-to-end encryption (TLS with AES). The weak point is never the maths — it’s social engineering. The classic scam is a phone call (“I’m from Microsoft, your PC has a virus”) talking you into installing one of these tools and reading out the connection code. Never give remote access to someone who contacted you first. Enable two-factor authentication on your account, and set a strong unattended password.
Features. TeamViewer’s free tier removes some conveniences such as remote printing and file sync, while AnyDesk keeps core file transfer and control available. Both offer chat, clipboard sharing, and multi-monitor viewing.
Which should you install?
| Your situation | Pick |
|---|---|
| Occasional personal help, fewest interruptions | AnyDesk |
| You want the most familiar, widely-used name | TeamViewer |
| Any work or business context | Either — but buy a licence |
| Reach your own PC on the same home network | Built-in Windows Remote Desktop |
Free alternatives worth knowing
If both feel too limited, Chrome Remote Desktop is genuinely free with a Google account and about as simple as it gets, while Remote Utilities is free for up to 10 computers and better suited to managing a small fleet of machines. For a single PC on your own network, Windows’ built-in Remote Desktop costs nothing and gives the sharpest image because it isn’t relaying through a third party.
FAQ
Is AnyDesk or TeamViewer safer? Both are equally secure technically. Your safety depends on never granting access to unsolicited callers and turning on two-factor authentication.
Can I use them for free forever? Yes for personal use. For any work use, both require payment — and TeamViewer detects commercial use aggressively.
Do both computers need the same app? Yes — AnyDesk connects to AnyDesk, TeamViewer to TeamViewer. Pick one and install it on both ends.
Does the remote PC need to stay on? For unattended access, yes: it must be powered on and not asleep.
Featured image: Photo: Shixart1985 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0