Apple Remote Desktop vs. TeamViewer

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Apple Remote Desktop
Score 6.4 out of 10
N/A
Apple Remote Desktop (ARD), from Apple, is a remote administration tool for managing Apple computers running OS X across a network.N/A
TeamViewer
Score 8.5 out of 10
N/A
TeamViewer provides software for both remote management and online collaborations. With TeamViewer, users have access to fully integrated online conference solutions for audio and video communication, including interactive screen sharing and remote access features.
$24.90
per month (billed annually) 1 Licensed User
Pricing
Apple Remote DesktopTeamViewer
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
Remote Access
$24.90
per month (billed annually) 1 Licensed User
Business
$50.90
per month (billed annually) 1 Licensed User
Premium
$102.90
per month (billed annually) 15 Licensed Users
Corporate
$206.90
per month (billed annually) 30 Licensed Users
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Apple Remote DesktopTeamViewer
Free Trial
NoYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeOptional
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Apple Remote DesktopTeamViewer
Features
Apple Remote DesktopTeamViewer
Remote Administration
Comparison of Remote Administration features of Product A and Product B
Apple Remote Desktop
8.0
Ratings
1% below category average
TeamViewer
8.4
Ratings
4% below category average
Screen sharing8.90 Ratings00 Ratings
File transfer9.00 Ratings8.70 Ratings
Instant message9.30 Ratings8.50 Ratings
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication8.50 Ratings00 Ratings
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers7.20 Ratings7.90 Ratings
Over-the-Internet remote session9.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Initiate remote control from mobile7.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Remote management of servers & workstations8.40 Ratings00 Ratings
Remote Active Directory® management7.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Centralized management dashboard8.50 Ratings00 Ratings
Session record7.30 Ratings8.50 Ratings
Annotations7.00 Ratings7.30 Ratings
Monitoring and Alerts8.30 Ratings00 Ratings
Multi-platform remote control6.30 Ratings00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Apple Remote DesktopTeamViewer
Small Businesses
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Score 9.7 out of 10
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Score 9.7 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Remote Desktop Manager
Remote Desktop Manager
Score 9.0 out of 10
Action1
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Score 9.5 out of 10
Enterprises
Remote Desktop Manager
Remote Desktop Manager
Score 9.0 out of 10
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Score 9.0 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Apple Remote DesktopTeamViewer
Likelihood to Recommend
8.4
(0 ratings)
8.7
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
Usability
9.0
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Availability
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
10.0
(0 ratings)
9.5
(0 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Online Training
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
10.0
(0 ratings)
8.9
(0 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
8.4
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Apple Remote DesktopTeamViewer
Likelihood to Recommend
ARD for me is based on a LAN, but can be used over WAN via VPN, but the latency makes ARD a less ideal tool. There are other cross platform tools that can do what ARD does which to me add value when managing a mixed environment
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Most suitable for large corporations who want to have real-time control of multiple devices in different countries. It is not suitable for scenarios where permissions for using the system need to be obtained from the user for every session if there is no support subscription in place.
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Pros
  • Automator Actions: This is a very cool feature and cost saving as it reduces human effort by automating the workflow of tasks.
  • Curtain Mode: This lets you block your local user's view of the desktop while performing administrative tasks.
  • Spotlight Search: It can perform lightning fast searches on machines using the spotlight search feature of OS X and thus saves a lot of time.
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  • Quick support is an nice feature to make it easy for the end user to download and use
  • Easy to connect using numbers
  • The connection is always good when connected to an end user
  • The tool is easy to use, the buttons are easy to understand what the use for it is
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Cons
  • It's onsite only without setting up a VPN or some other form of remote network access.
  • It can be a little slow sometimes when compared to local access.
  • It seems to be a neglected product by Apple and not continually developed.
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  • Now, it doesn’t work in fast network environments: sometimes, data is delayed during transfer.
  • There are a small number of ways that a user is allowed to change the interface on the device.
  • Some minor increases in difficulty with advanced functions of the application.
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Likelihood to Renew
It is a fairly unique tool in the level of integration it has with Apple Desktop products. It definitely needs some engineering attention, and it should be expanded to the iOS arena. It is not perfect, but it is very useful and fills an otherwise fairly empty niche in the support toolkit realm. The built-in screen sharing app in macOS handles the direct screen control or viewing function fairly well, but it does not have all of the other mass control features that Apple Remote Desktop supplies.
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As long as I continue to provide remote support for my clients, it's a no brainier. For what I pay out, I probably make it back tenfold in the ability to provide remote support from wherever and whenever. Not to mention the saved gas money for a fix that only takes 5 minutes but it takes you 20 minutes to get there. As my business continues to grow, and I support more and more clients, my need for TeamViewer will only grow.
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Usability
Once it is set up, it is quite straightforward to use. However, currently, it requires both a script to run to set up permissions and controls, AND a command from the MDM to authorize it to be active. The MDM management command is manual. This is not conducive to an automated workflow, and sometimes gets forgotten. Then, the endpoint is not contactable until someone realizes that the MDM command was not sent or was not successful.
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Compared to other products I've used (ConnectWise Control), TeamViewer is harder to set up and get connected. It is especially difficult to set up "permanent" unattended remote access, where you want to be able to connect to and control a remote computer without having to exchange codes and passwords every time you connect.
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Reliability and Availability
No answers on this topic
We get what we need with our TeamViewer licence.
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Performance
No answers on this topic
Steady connection and easy quick connect and disconnect
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Support Rating
I've never had to get support for ARD, so I can't give a real opinion.
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The support from the Teamviewer team has always been top notch. Any support ticket that we have submitted has been handled very quickly and with the best possible resolution. We find in most cases, contacting for a support ticket is not even necessary, as the knowledge base is more than adequate.
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In-Person Training
No answers on this topic
As expected without any problem! Alternate in-person training is another efficient way to learn how a product works. There are many third party supporters for TeamViewer courses available that can give additional ideas how to use TeamViewer for specific functions and features as we did require in respect of our usage.
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Online Training
No answers on this topic
I have never used the online training either. I have watched a few informational videos that were helpful when learning how to do a specific procedure within TeamViewer and get the most out of the software by utilizing one of the many features that are available with the software. Again, 5 if for neutral.
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Implementation Rating
None, very easy to setup and install.
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Installation and configuration of the TeamViewer does not pose a huge problem and we were able to install the software in our network within one week. Helping staff was organized in the form of training sessions to understand the different aspects that it offers and because of its rich graphical user interface, adoption was easy.
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Alternatives Considered
I would feel much more comfortable having one of these alternative solutions as our Remote Desktop management tools. Each has their drawbacks and expenses associated with them, but we simply have too large of a deployment to not be considering alternatives. If it is the only solution you can afford, it is OK to start here. I could see where this would have a return on investment, but it is really only suitable for a very small and localized scale. If employees are at all mobile, the duct taping of products necessary (VPN, distribution points, script repositories) would be very cumbersome.
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In my position, I have also used AnyDesk because we frequently utilize various software for different tasks. However, we opted for TeamViewer because our team members are not technically inclined. They are experts in other areas. TeamViewer was the ideal choice for us since we needed a software program that even non-techies could use.
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Scalability
No answers on this topic
I've rarely had problems with the product.
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Return on Investment
  • Apple Remote Desktop has a positive return on investment because for the expense to the school, the value it brings to teachers is important. The return on improved student performance is very difficult to measure financially, but there is a definite return.
  • The overall objective of education is to increase student learning, ARD does that phenomenally. Parents see the tool used and are impressed at what the capabilities of the tool can do and how it impacts how active their students are as well as how well they can learn.
  • One negative impact is that teachers rely too much on this tool rather than on actually teaching sometimes.
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It took about 3 months.
  • Customer Support of our business has become more interactive with customers, leading to faster resolution of their problems.
  • Remotely accessing devices in our office allows employees to stay productive while working from home.
  • TeamViewer helps us to collaborate with other firms for projects we're doing.
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ScreenShots

TeamViewer Screenshots

Screenshot of how TeamViewer lets users connect to devices and provide remote support.Screenshot of where devices are a few clicks away.Screenshot of the interface to monitor and manage devices proactively.Screenshot of some of TeamViewer's integrations