Distributed teams depend on reliable access to applications, files, workstations, and computing resources that may be located hundreds or thousands of miles away.

Remote access software can bridge that distance, allowing employees to interact with workplace computers while IT maintains control over how those connections are established.

The right platform depends on the team’s operating model. General knowledge workers may prioritize simple access from different devices, while creative professionals can require high-performance streaming.

Technical teams may prefer self-hosted infrastructure or private networking. Security, administration, operating system support, and connection quality also matter. The following six options are arranged alphabetically to provide a neutral comparison.

1. Splashtop

Splashtop supports employees who need to access workplace computers from other locations and devices. A distributed organization evaluating remote access software for distributed teams can consider capabilities spanning unattended access, file transfer, remote printing, multi-monitor use, user access management, and session recording.

Different distributed roles can have different requirements. A knowledge worker may primarily need reliable access to an office computer and its applications, while a creative professional can place greater emphasis on visual quality, audio, peripheral support, or responsiveness.

Centralized controls become increasingly important as teams grow. IT administrators need practical ways to determine who can access particular computers and adjust those permissions when responsibilities change.

Organizations should test Splashtop with representative users, devices, applications, and network conditions before a broader rollout. This provides a practical view of both the employee experience and the administrative workload.

2. AnyViewer

AnyViewer provides remote desktop software designed for scenarios including remote work and unattended access. Employees can connect to workplace computers from other devices, while capabilities such as file transfer support common workflows when information remains on the remote machine.

For organizations researching different approaches, the company’s broader workplace technology resource center discusses remote connectivity, device control, remote work, and related computing topics.

AnyViewer can be considered by distributed organizations looking for a conventional remote desktop experience across multiple device types. IT teams should evaluate how account management, device assignment, authentication, and administrative controls correspond with their internal policies.

A pilot involving employees in several locations can also reveal how effectively the software performs under the different network conditions that distributed teams encounter.

3. Parsec

Parsec focuses heavily on responsive remote interaction and has particular relevance to creative and technical workflows. Employees who depend on powerful workstations can remotely interact with computing resources without necessarily having equivalent hardware at their current location.

The vendor describes its own experience as a geographically dispersed organization in its perspectives on globally distributed work, providing broader context for the challenges and opportunities associated with working across locations.

This approach may interest teams whose employees work with graphics-intensive applications, development environments, or other workloads where responsiveness is especially important. Administrators should assess performance using the actual applications, displays, peripherals, and network connections their employees rely on.

Remote teams should also consider whether the available administrative and security controls fit their requirements rather than making a decision based exclusively on streaming performance.

4. RealVNC

RealVNC offers remote access technology for connecting to computers across locations and operating environments. It can support employees who need access to centralized workplace resources as well as organizations that use remote connectivity for broader operational purposes.

Its research on modern remote operations examines the changing remote access landscape from the perspective of IT professionals and highlights the importance of considering security alongside usability.

For distributed teams, RealVNC can be evaluated around device compatibility, connection architecture, access controls, deployment, and administration. Organizations with geographically dispersed employees should test performance from representative locations rather than assuming every user will have comparable connectivity.

IT should additionally establish clear procedures for granting and withdrawing access as employees join teams, change responsibilities, or leave the organization.

5. RustDesk

RustDesk provides an open-source remote desktop approach with self-hosting options. That model distinguishes it from services where organizations depend primarily on vendor-operated infrastructure for remote connectivity.

A look at the project’s open source platform development updates illustrates its work on browser-based access, including capabilities involving keyboard input, clipboard functionality, and file transfer.

Self-hosting can appeal to technical teams seeking more direct infrastructure control, but it also transfers additional operational responsibilities to the organization. Administrators may need to manage server availability, configuration, updates, monitoring, and security.

Distributed teams considering this approach should therefore calculate infrastructure and administrative effort alongside software requirements. A self-hosted model can provide greater control, but that advantage is most useful when the organization has the resources to operate it consistently.

6. Tailscale

Tailscale uses a private networking approach to connect authorized devices and services across locations. It differs from a conventional remote desktop application because its primary role is creating secure connectivity between resources rather than exclusively presenting and controlling another computer’s desktop.

The company’s perspectives from a remote organization describe technology and working practices considered by a team that has operated remotely across different cities.

For distributed technical teams, private networking can be useful when employees need access to more than graphical desktops. Engineers and administrators may need to reach development systems, servers, internal applications, or other resources.

Organizations should determine whether they need a complete remote desktop product, a private connectivity layer, or a combination of technologies. That architectural distinction can significantly affect deployment and administration.

What Distributed Teams Should Evaluate

Device diversity deserves particular attention. Employees may work from corporate laptops, personal mobile devices, or other endpoints outside traditional office environments. Organizations need policies that define which devices are permitted and what security requirements apply.

Established guidance for securing personal work devices explains that personal mobile devices used for work can create data-loss and privacy risks when they are not secured effectively.

IT teams should consequently evaluate remote access within a broader device-security strategy. Authentication, endpoint protection, software updates, permissions, and access revocation all contribute to the effectiveness of a distributed deployment.

Make Security Part of Remote Work Design

Distributed work expands the environments from which organizational resources are accessed. Security policies designed primarily around employees sitting inside an office may therefore require adjustment.

A useful principle comes from security practices for hybrid workplaces, which emphasizes explicit verification and least-privilege access as part of securing modern hybrid environments.

Remote access software should support rather than undermine those principles. Administrators need to understand how users authenticate, which resources they can reach, and how quickly permissions can be changed.

Ultimately, distributed teams should choose technology according to their actual work patterns. Testing candidate software across representative locations, networks, devices, and workloads provides a stronger basis for selection than comparing feature lists alone.

FAQs

What should distributed teams look for in remote access software?

Teams should assess security, performance, device compatibility, administration, access controls, deployment requirements, and support for their everyday applications.

Can remote access software support employees in different countries?

Yes, although actual performance depends on factors including network latency, bandwidth, endpoint capabilities, and the remote access technology being used.

Should remote teams use company-managed devices?

Company-managed devices can simplify security governance, but organizations should establish appropriate controls for any permitted device based on their security and operational requirements.