Top 4 GoToMyPC Alternatives

The term “remote desktop” in computing refers to allowing graphical applications running on one machine to be displayed on another, regardless of the physical distance, as long as those computers share a network connection such as through the internet. This technology has some obvious real world applications such as remote administration, troubleshooting, and conferencing, but can also be necessary for more obscure purposes, for instance, safely connecting to a service which prohibits public access points while working from a library or cafe.

One of the most popular remote desktop applications is GoToMyPC, however there are valid reasons one may wish to explore other alternatives. Many people report that GoToMyPC performs slower and is more expensive than competing tools. In fact, Windows Vista and Mac OS X both come with a remote desktop integrated as part of the OS, but there are many excellent free, high quality remote desktop apps for any platform. There are even remote desktop sharing apps for iPhone and Blackberry.

The best GoToMyPC alternative will vary from person to person, depending on one’s needs, technical abilities, and budget. Below are some of the most popular alternatives to GoToMyPC detailing their specific features for quick comparison.

TightVNC
VNC stands for “Virtual Network Computing”, which is one of the oldest and most popular solutions for remote desktop. It’s completely free, being released under the General Public License (GPL), meaning anyone may copy and distribute it with very little restriction. It is available for most platforms, including Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. TightVNC boasts many improvements, bug fixes and optimizations over the original VNC software, yet it remains free, cross-platform and fully backwards compatible. Some of the extra functionality incorporated into TightVNC include: file transfers (Windows), support for video mirror driver, remote desktop scaling, zooming, and enhanced web browser access.

With an active development community, lack of commercial intent, and usefulness in mixed network environments, TightVNC continues to be the favored choice of advanced users. Less proficient users are often daunted by its more technical installation and configuration procedures however, and commercial offerings tend to use this as a selling point on behalf of their own systems. Like other remote desktop technologies, TightVNC is often used in distance learning situations and for remote customer support. It can be extended with a number of optional utilities and packages, yet aims to remain compliant with the standard Remote Framebuffer (RFB) protocol upon which the original VNC was developed. All-in-all, TightVNC is an excellent candidate as your GoToMyPC alternative.

TeamViewer
Unlike other alternatives that offer different modules or packages for different functionality, TeamViewer provides most features in a single, easy to use application. While the main program is provided freely for non-commercial use, additional functionality is granted when you purchase a business, premium, or corporate license, for which you pay a one time fee. For instance, the non-commercial version will not install on servers, does not contain their customer module, is only allowed to be installed on one workstation, and does not allow sessions to be started from more than one workstation at a time.

The free version does however support file transfer, chat, VoIP (audio and video), and is available for both Windows and Mac OS X. It can be used to control unattended computers, including the ability to reboot and reconnect. It’s ease of installation and use is comparable to other proprietary offerings such as GoToMyPC and LogMeIn. All versions feature secure data channels with key exchange and 256 bit AES encrypted sessions. TeamViewer works from behind a firewall, and overall is a great option for those needing a relatively powerful and free GoToMyPC alternative.

LogMeIn
LogMeIn is a very popular, proprietary piece of software similar to GoToMyPC. The main difference is that instead of simply offering a trial which you eventually must pay for in order to keep using it, they provide a totally free version, as well as a professional version with additional functionality. Like GoToMyPC, emphasis is on simplicity, and ease of use and installation. You simply install LogMeIn on the computer you want to access (which takes about 2 minutes), you may then log into your account from any other networked computer. The free version allows only basic remote desktop access, though all versions implement 128-to-256 bit SSL end-to-end data encryption for secure transmission of data.

The professional version of LogMeIn offers more control such as remote-to-local printing, file transfers, a diagnostic toolkit, and full remote desktop functionality. Both free and pro versions are available for Windows and Mac OS X. LogMeIn has also released an application for the iPhone, dubbed “Ignition”, which allows for control of a remote computer through an iPhone or iPod touch, for an additional charge.

Yuuguu
Yuuguu is another free remote desktop alternative offering all of the standard features you might expect, such as instant screen sharing, no downloads for viewers, web conferencing, remote support, and encrypted sessions. It is fully cross-platform, with versions available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. One great thing about Yuuguu is that it supports integration with services such as Skype, AIM, MSN, Yahoo and Google Talk. In addition to the free version, there are also upgraded versions you can purchase for a monthly subscription.

The free version allows unlimited screen sharing with other Yuuguu users, 100 minutes/month of screen sharing with people not on Yuuguu (through a browser or simple application requiring no install), limit of 5 participants per session, and free on-line support. Upgrade to Yuuguu plus and you get unlimited screen sharing with anyone, support for up to 30 participants per session, and email support. Yuuguu Teams gives you group set up and administration tools including support for up to teams of 20, unlimited screen sharing for every user in your group, and priority email support. Finally, Yuuguu Corporate offers co-branding, enhanced integration options, Bespoke audio solutions and training, and other professional services.