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An AnyDesk alternative for reaching your own computers

AnyDesk is fast, light and free for personal use. The trouble starts where personal use ends — and by AnyDesk’s own definition, reaching the computer you use for your job ends it. If you mostly reach your own machines, ManyScreens does that without judging how you use them, and the side you watch from is a browser.

What AnyDesk says about its free version

“A license is required if you use AnyDesk for work-related tasks, provide paid technical support, or access a device you use for your job.” [1]
On the page shown to flagged users: “Your user pattern suggests you are using AnyDesk on a professional, work-related level.” And: “Using AnyDesk at home to access your workstation in the office also qualifies as a commercial use definition.” A user who believes the category is wrong can ask to be whitelisted. [2]
Free sessions time out: “You can restart your connection as many times as needed. If you want to avoid session timeouts altogether, consider upgrading to a paid license.” [3]

ManyScreens has neither. Nothing in it classifies how you use your computers, and sessions with your own computers have no timeout. Free’s limits are stated in advance — three computers, one screen at a time, lower quality through the relay — and none of them is about what you use it for.

Side by side

	AnyDesk	ManyScreens
Free version	Personal use only; 3 managed devices; sessions time out [4] [3]	Up to 3 computers, no usage classification, no timeout. Until 1 January 2027, every Pro feature too.
Cheapest plan for one person	Solo: €28.90 per month, billed yearly, excl. VAT; 20% off in the first year (€23.12). 100 managed devices, 1 connection [4]	Pro: €4.99 a month or €39 a year, unlimited computers (from 1 January 2027)
Billing	“Only available as annual subscriptions with yearly billing. The full amount is charged upfront” [5]; cancel at least 30 days before expiry to avoid renewal [6]	Monthly or yearly
Watching from a browser	AnyDesk runs installed or in portable mode [7]; its help center documents no browser client	Always: the viewer is a web page, in any current browser, iPhone Safari included
Linux on Wayland	“Wayland sessions are not supported for incoming sessions” [8]	GNOME and KDE: picture and control through the desktop’s portals; one monitor; the desktop asks once per start
Account	Not required [9]	Email and password. Guests you let in need none.
After a reboot, before login	Yes, with unattended access [10]	Mac login window and Linux X11 login screens, through an optional service. Not on Windows.
Two-factor sign-in	Yes, on every plan including free [4]	Yes, with an authenticator app
Made by	AnyDesk Software GmbH, Stuttgart, Germany [11]	One developer in Germany and Austria; servers in Berlin and Frankfurt

Where AnyDesk is the better choice

No account at all. AnyDesk works without one. ManyScreens needs an email address and a password.
The extras. AnyDesk’s free version lists text chat, a whiteboard, an address book and limited TCP tunnelling [4]. ManyScreens has none of these.
Windows after a reboot. AnyDesk reaches a Windows machine before anyone has signed in. ManyScreens does that on macOS and Linux X11 only.
Native apps on the viewing side, iOS and Android included [12]. A ManyScreens app for iPhone and Android is on the way.

Moving over

Install ManyScreens on each computer you want to reach. macOS 12+, Windows 10+, or Linux as an AppImage.
Create an account in its window and click Share this computer. Then switch on Start at login in its settings.
From anywhere else, open manyscreens.com and sign in. You can keep AnyDesk installed while you try it.

Free for everyone until 1 January 2027

No card. After that, Free stays at three computers with no time limit, and Pro is €4.99 a month for as many as you like.

Download Create a free account

Sources

Checked on 3 October 2026 on AnyDesk’s own pages. Prices as shown to a visitor from Germany; they vary by region and change over time. AnyDesk is a trademark of AnyDesk Software GmbH; ManyScreens is not affiliated with it.

All of them comparedTeamViewer, Chrome Remote Desktop, RustDesk, Splashtop and more. TeamViewer alternativeThe other one with a personal-use rule. Linux on WaylandGNOME and KDE, picture and control.