4 Top-Rated Affordable Remote Support Software

As an IT manager, you may have frequently witnessed team struggles involving lack of communication, delays in getting access to the client’s system, and difficulty in understanding IT issues. Fortunately, investing in remote support software can eliminate such daily challenges, ensuring an effective and efficient remote support process.

Remote support tools enable real-time communication with clients and allow technicians instant access to the remote system. These functionalities help quickly identify problems, enabling technicians to provide instant support. Yet, finding the right tool can be confusing, given the types of options available in the market.

To help you with your search, this article lists four top-rated affordable remote support software based on verified user reviews and the base or standard plan pricing found on vendor websites. Per our research, we’ve considered products priced less than $46.3 per month as affordable software and arranged them in ascending order of their prices. 

All the tools listed below are dedicated remote support software offering real-time chat, remote access and control, and screen sharing as core features.

We selected products for this article based on their average ratings between May 2022 - May 2024, which may differ from their current overall average ratings.

Getscreen.me allows you to have unlimited concurrent connections. This means you can assist multiple users at once by running multiple desktop sessions simultaneously and switching between them. Getscreen.me also lets you video record the sessions and communicate with the end users through chat, audio, and video calls.

While this remote desktop tool allows you to record sessions, the base plan provides 1GB of storage per user. You must invest in the higher-tier plan for 2GB or more storage.

Base plan features:*

• Event log: Record all activities and connections through the remote access software. It tracks key events such as session start and end times, IP addresses, and file transfers, offering insights for troubleshooting and security audits. 

• Permalink personalization: Create custom, branded links for your remote support sessions that include your branding elements, making it easy for clients to recognize and trust. This feature enhances the customer experience by offering a more professional interaction.

• Voice calls: Communicate directly with clients through integrated voice calls during a session. This eliminates the need for separate communication channels, improving clarity and efficiency in problem-solving. It also allows real-time feedback and instructions, ensuring quicker and more effective troubleshooting and training. 

Starting price: $5 per user per month

Cost to upgrade: $8 per user per month

Billing cycle: Annual

Customer support options: Knowledge base and inquiry via form

Who should consider Getscreen.me?

IT teams and support departments that prioritize efficient communication can consider investing in Getscreen.me. Its audio and video call capabilities facilitate real-time collaboration between technicians and clients, improving problem resolution speed and clarity. The session recording feature is valuable for training, compliance, and quality assurance, enabling managers to review past sessions for feedback and improvement. This tool is ideal for businesses aiming to enhance their remote support quality while maintaining detailed records for transparency and continuous improvement.

Splashtop enables support via the SOS app and is compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices. The user needing assistance runs the app and provides you with a code granting access to their device. Besides, Splashtop allows you to have two technicians in one support session, simplifying collaboration with team members. 

The base plan of Splashtop allows you to chat with the user on the remote computer. For in-session voice call functionality, you will have to invest in the tool’s higher-priced plan that comes with an antivirus add-on.

Base plan features:*

• Session reboot and reconnect: Restart a user's device and automatically reconnect to it after the reboot, ensuring uninterrupted support. This feature is useful when troubleshooting requires a system reboot, as technicians can maintain access without needing a new session code from the user.

• User role and access management: Manage access permissions of your team members based on their predefined roles. You can assign specific permissions to individual team members, ensuring that each person has the appropriate level of access according to their responsibilities. 

• File transfer: Send files between their local system and a remote device. Whether troubleshooting or sharing resources with clients, this tool simplifies the process by allowing direct, drag-and-drop transfers during an active session. 

Starting price: $10 per month

Cost to upgrade: $20 per month

Billing cycle: Annual

Customer support options: Knowledge base, chat, and inquiry via support ticket

Who should consider Splashtop?

IT managers seeking a collaboration tool can consider Splashtop, which allows two technicians to join a single support session simultaneously. This feature is valuable when a technician needs assistance, enabling them to get help from a colleague. It's also helpful for training purposes, as managers or trainers can guide new technicians through the troubleshooting process by joining their sessions directly.

Zoho Assist, with the help of remote audio functionality, allows the technicians to hear the audio through the customer’s remote device. This allows the technicians to address sound-related issues along with other technical issues on the customer’s device. This remote access software also allows you to import your Google Contacts into Zoho Assist, simplifying the process of inviting customers to remote access through their email addresses or by selecting their names in the console.

Zoho Assist's base plan allows for the management of individual users' roles and access levels. The premium version of the tool is required for department-level access management and advanced features such as rebranding, customer widgets, and computer grouping.

Base plan features:*

• Remote screen blanking: Enhance privacy and security during remote support sessions by blanking out the screen of the customer's device. This means the screen will appear completely black to anyone near the physical device while the technician works remotely. 

• Session transfer: Transfer an active remote support session to another technician. This is particularly useful when specialized assistance is needed or when a technician's shift ends during a session. 

• Screen capture: Take screenshots during an active remote support session to document technical issues, share troubleshooting steps, or maintain visual records for future reference. Captured images can be used for training, quality assurance, or reporting purposes, providing detailed insights into problems and solutions.

Starting price: $10 per user per month

Cost to upgrade: $15 per user per month

Billing cycle: Annual

Customer support options: Knowledge base, email, and chat support

Who should consider Zoho Assist?

IT teams that often troubleshoot sound-related issues can consider investing in Zoho Assist. The remote audio feature lets technicians hear and resolve audio problems directly from the customer's device. It simplifies the identification of sound issues which ensures technicians can provide quicker, more comprehensive resolutions, making it a valuable tool for businesses with diverse support needs.

AnyDesk remote solution lets you initiate a remote session by sending session invitations to users. It has an integrated whiteboard that you can use for visualization purposes while collaborating with the end user during a session. Besides, the tool lets you remotely restart a device if resolving an issue requires a restart and resumes the session where it left off. It also lets you print documents remotely to the nearest printer connected to the remote device.

AnyDesk allows you to manage up to 100 unattended devices (when nobody is present on the remote end) in the tool’s base plan. However, with the higher-priced plans, you can manage up to 2000 unattended devices. The higher-priced plans also let you add custom branding to the invitations.

Base plan features:*

• Wake-on-LAN: Remotely wake up computers from sleep mode or power them on if they're turned off. This feature relies on a network connection to send a wake-up signal to the computer's network card, enabling you to access and manage devices even when they're not actively in use. 

• Two-factor authentication: Add an extra layer of security to your account by generating a time-based one-time password (TOTP) through an authenticator app, which is needed alongside your regular login credentials. This ensures that only authorized users gain access, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorized entry.

• Auto disconnect: Automatically end inactive sessions after a specified time. This helps safeguard data and ensure security by preventing unattended, open connections from being inactive unnecessarily.

Starting price: $14.90 per month

Cost to upgrade: $29.90 per month

Billing cycle: Annual

Customer support options: Knowledge base, chat, and phone support

Who should consider AnyDesk?

IT teams working remotely can rely on AnyDesk due to its remote printing functionality. This feature allows employees to print documents directly from a remote computer to the nearest local printer, eliminating the need to transfer files manually or rely on email. It's especially useful for companies with global operations, managed service providers, and IT teams needing immediate access to printed materials. It simplifies workflows, ensuring vital documents are readily available wherever needed.

Reviewers of remote support software emphasize the critical importance of the following features. To identify these features, we asked users to rate, on a scale of “low importance” to “critical,” how important different features are for remote support software. The features showcased are those that the highest percentage of reviewers rated as “highly important” or “critical” over the past two years (as of May 07, 2024).

A remote support software solution can cost as low as $7.25 per month or up to $99.90+ per month, depending on various factors—features, number of users, infrastructure requirements, business size/type, training availability, deployment options, integrations, and storage. Most remote support solutions typically include the following pricing plans:

• Free trials: Range from seven to 14 days and give users access to either all or limited features of the software. These no-cost trial plans are ideal for small businesses that wish to try out a tool before purchasing it.

• Free versions: Offer perpetual access to limited software features. These free plans are ideal for businesses on a budget.

• Entry-level plans: Start at $7.25 per month and offer access to standard features. These are suitable for businesses with basic feature requirements, such as remote access and control, real-time chat, and session recording.

• Mid-tier plans: Range from $12.50 to $50.90 per month and offer advanced features such as multi-user access, unattended remote access, and automated scripts. These are suitable for businesses that have outgrown entry-level remote support solutions but don’t require the full range of functionality offered by enterprise-level tools.

• High-end plans: Cost more than $99.90 per month and offer a range of advanced features, including multi-language support, advanced analytics, priority customer support, and integrations with third-party systems. These are suitable for large businesses.

Here are some questions to ask software providers to find the best remote access software for your needs:

• What are the reporting and analytics features of the tool?

Reporting and analytics features in remote support software help generate detailed reports that help track key metrics such as session duration, resolution times, and customer satisfaction. These reports enable managers to identify trends, measure productivity, and address performance gaps. Therefore, ensuring the availability of reporting in the tool you invest in is crucial for effective management and continuous improvement of operations.

• Does the tool support a self-service portal?

The self-service portal empowers users to resolve common issues independently. Choosing a remote support tool that helps design a portal lets you give clients instant access to FAQs, guides, and troubleshooting resources, reducing the need for direct technician intervention. This enhances the user experience by offering immediate solutions and alleviates the support team's workload.

• Can the software create custom scripts or macros to automate repetitive tasks during remote support sessions?

Verifying if the tool enables custom scripts or macros for automating repetitive tasks is crucial. Automating routine actions such as system diagnostics, software updates, and data collection can save time and reduce errors during support sessions. Automation enhances productivity and efficiency, enabling technicians to focus on more complex issues.