ConnectWise ScreenConnect vs Microsoft Remote Desktop Services comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between ConnectWise ScreenConnect and Microsoft Remote Desktop Services based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Remote Access solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
To learn more, read our detailed ConnectWise ScreenConnect vs. Microsoft Remote Desktop Services Report (Updated: March 2024).
765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"Remote support is efficient and easy for our end users to receive support.""The remote management piece is the most valuable aspect of the solution for us due to the fact that we can support our clients after hours.""I've noted an ROI while using the solution.""Remote connect via webpage. I use it to support employees when I am not in the office or when they are at a remote location.""The flexibility to manage bandwidth and organize connections, and the price, make ConnectWise a really good choice.""It is super easy to use and relatively inexpensive.""Control lets us do remote management of machines without having to be on the VPN. It's super simple and super easy.""The product's two-factor authentication means we are not worried like before about the state of our security."

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"The product is stable.""Installing Microsoft Desktop Services is straightforward.""It's pretty stable.""Microsoft is very reasonable in its approach to cost.""The most valuable feature is ease of use.""The solution is easy to deploy and there are many features available that you can turn on or off depending on your budget.""The installation of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services was easy.""The solution is stable."

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Cons
"I was not thrilled with their support. I do not have a lot of time to deal with the attention which is needed to fix issues.""There can be some complexities when running patches or when building up all the profiles, making them areas where improvements are required.""The solution should add the ability to video chat with the user on the other end.""If it had Chrome capability, that would be great; being able to use it on a Chrome device. Right now, I can't use it on my Chrome device.""There is one back-end issue that I am running into at some of locations where I login to provide support, and sometimes port 443 is blocked. That is what it uses to connect. So, I am having to do workarounds to get a session started.""For my company, just installing the software and using it is very easy. But if I need to give one of my customers access to their machines, the process that you have to go through is some 15 to 20 steps. You have to create a group, and then you have to assign a policy. It takes 15 to 20 minutes to set up someone for remote access to their own machine.""I really didn't care for the onboarding process and it is something that should be improved.""Support for PAC files on the guest's side and support for proxy on the host's side. Currently, there is no support for guest-side PAC files or for the host-side proxy (which uses authentication)."

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"The solution should introduce a chat feature for end users.""Remote Desktop Services doesn't scale well.""Microsoft Remote Desktop Services could improve by having graphical acceleration.""We've had issues with security breaches.""Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is only available for the professional version of the Windows operating system. This restricts a lot of users. The feature should be available for all versions.""The DB card needs improvement. I have a lot of experience with other competitors and Citrix is better than VMware and Microsoft. Citrix has more extensive features.""We are searching for a product with better remote access and remote sessions.""I would like to be able to access the remote desktop using a web-based interface, rather than having to use the client."

More Microsoft Remote Desktop Services Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "Good price and works well."
  • "Their licensing model is good, their pricing model is good, their service is good; bandwidth is excellent. They're consistent."
  • "I think the product's pricing is a good value. I paid $600 a year and that was fine for me. It was about $50 a month. Licensing is all very straightforward."
  • "It is priced well and it is still a great value. Although I have been reading a lot about Splashtop. They are getting pretty competitive on their pricing, including a fairly easy to use remote support for mobile applications, like iOS and Android."
  • "Pricing is fair for Control and the licensing is simple."
  • "The cloud version is relatively inexpensive, but the on-premise version is expensive if you do not need three technicians, only one or two for concurrent sessions."
  • "It is priced fairly."
  • "Make sure you have enough licensing for all the techs that you have."
  • More ConnectWise ScreenConnect Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "The pricing is moderate."
  • "The solution has a perpetual license and it is purchased upfront."
  • "It will probably cost about $500 USD to get the resources set up in the cloud."
  • "Although not an expensive product, pricing is always something that can be improved."
  • "It's not an expensive solution."
  • "It's not an expensive product."
  • "Its licensing is on a yearly basis. We're on the educational or academic license, and our terms are good. We're very happy with the pricing."
  • "The pricing could always be improved."
  • More Microsoft Remote Desktop Services Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.
    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:I download the product for free with ConnectWise RMM's license.
    Top Answer:All the features provided by the product in terms of screen connectors have been good. There can be some complexities when running patches or when building up all the profiles, making them areas where… more »
    Ranking
    8th
    out of 45 in Remote Access
    Views
    2,006
    Comparisons
    1,375
    Reviews
    5
    Average Words per Review
    504
    Rating
    9.6
    2nd
    out of 45 in Remote Access
    Views
    10,005
    Comparisons
    8,806
    Reviews
    38
    Average Words per Review
    405
    Rating
    8.1
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    ConnectWise Control, ScreenConnect
    Remote Desktop Services, MS Remote Desktop Services
    Learn More
    Interactive Demo
    Overview

    With ConnectWise ScreenConnect, you can seamlessly connect to desktops, mobile devices, and more, ensuring that customer downtime is a thing of the past. With world-class security features, including AES-256 encryption and two-factor authentication, ConnectWise ScreenConnect is ready to safeguard your interactions right out of the box. What sets ConnectWise ScreenConnect apart is the power of customization – white-label your software with hundreds of appearance options to showcase your unique brand in every support interaction. In the ScreenConnect Support Premium edition, experience ConnectWise View, enabling live stream sessions for real-time hardware troubleshooting via the user's mobile device camera. Plus, with our robust configurability and granular permissions, you can tailor the experience to your exact needs, equipping your team with the precise access they require.

    Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is a highly regarded remote access tool in addition to being a top-ranked Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solution in the marketplace today.

    Microsoft Remote Desktop Services (RDS) is a suite of valuable elements of the Windows operating system (OS) that serve specific desired objectives. Microsoft RDS integrates various features that allow approved users to gain access to graphical desktops and Windows applications remotely. Approved users are able to deploy applications or even a complete desktop without having to install anything on their devices. Everything remains in the cloud. This ensures that there are never any compatibility issues and keeps the organization's original network secure at all times. Administrators are also able to ensure that data cannot be stored in any unapproved location, such as the local device, unapproved drives, or any other location.

    Microsoft RDS makes it easy for business organizations to access Windows Desktops and other Windows applications remotely to ensure today’s busy enterprise organizations are able to maintain the highest levels of productivity at all times. There are two basic ways organizations can effectively utilize RDS.


    • Microsoft Remote Desktop Component: This allows users to connect with various alternate desktops from their current device. Once the user has gained a secure connection based on the approved administrative permissions, the user can seamlessly access and interact with the remote desktop. Users have the feeling of having this new virtual desktop installed directly on their machine.


    • RemoteApp: Users are able to easily access cloud-based applications via their own personal desktop computers or other approved mobile devices. This application ensures overall application management is centralized and consistent throughout the entire business enterprise.


    Microsoft Remote Desktop Services Benefits

    Microsoft Remote Desktop Services has many benefits. Some of its most valuable benefits include:


    • Access Windows applications remotely from any device
    • Enhanced consistent application performance
    • Increased computing resources
    • Secure cloud-based data storage.
    • Streamlined management processes
    • Reduction in technical administrative resources
    • Reduction in hardware and device costs.
    • Improved employee productivity
    • Cost-effective
    • Improved Profitability
    • Reduce carbon footprint


    Microsoft Remote Desktop Services makes it easy for busy enterprise organizations to stay productive and remain competitive in today’s aggressive marketplace. An organization's end-users can be given access to their own specific desktops from any location, anytime, using any approved device. Additionally, users can access Microsoft applications without having an effect on their device's resource capacity or performance.

    Reviews from Real Users

    “What I found most valuable in Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is accessibility because the solution lets you take control of your computer remotely, and that's a good feature.” Pascal B., IT consultant at Secoptrial

    “The most valuable features of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services are unification, central management, and accessibility.” Jan S. Solution Architect at a tech services company

    “The most valuable features are that it is fast and cost-effective. I am not aware of a replacement currently on the market.” Ramon H. Director at Empaco

    Sample Customers
    Jon Rosen Systems
    Bank Alfalah Ltd.
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Hospitality Company11%
    Healthcare Company11%
    Media Company11%
    Wellness & Fitness Company11%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company16%
    Healthcare Company9%
    Financial Services Firm9%
    Manufacturing Company6%
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm17%
    Manufacturing Company12%
    Computer Software Company10%
    Healthcare Company7%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company13%
    Government9%
    Financial Services Firm8%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business54%
    Midsize Enterprise21%
    Large Enterprise25%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business31%
    Midsize Enterprise17%
    Large Enterprise52%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business47%
    Midsize Enterprise22%
    Large Enterprise32%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business27%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise58%
    Buyer's Guide
    ConnectWise ScreenConnect vs. Microsoft Remote Desktop Services
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about ConnectWise ScreenConnect vs. Microsoft Remote Desktop Services and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    ConnectWise ScreenConnect is ranked 8th in Remote Access with 37 reviews while Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is ranked 2nd in Remote Access with 69 reviews. ConnectWise ScreenConnect is rated 8.4, while Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is rated 8.2. The top reviewer of ConnectWise ScreenConnect writes "Multifeatured remote access software which offers security, stability, and easy scalability". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services writes "Easy to set up and reliable, but needs an additional control panel". ConnectWise ScreenConnect is most compared with Check Point Remote Access VPN, TeamViewer, LogMeIn Pro, Splashtop Remote Support and BeyondTrust Remote Support, whereas Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is most compared with TeamViewer, VMware Horizon, VMware Workstation and Citrix Workspace. See our ConnectWise ScreenConnect vs. Microsoft Remote Desktop Services report.

    See our list of best Remote Access vendors.

    We monitor all Remote Access reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.