The following free software packages provide VNC functionality.
Some applications only support Windows PCs, while others are portable across different types of data pipe devices.
TightVNC
Free to download and install.
Cavan Images/Iconica/Getty Images
Very easy to learn and use.
Simple to configure on remote machines.
Small footprint (consumes little system resources).
Screen updates can lag at times.
Consumes more web link resources than other VNC alternatives.
app appearance is somewhat outdated.
Lacks advanced features offered by other VNC apps.
The TightVNC Server and Viewer use special data encoding techniques designed to better support lower-speed data pipe connections.
TigerVNC
Works on all OS platforms.
Extensions available for advanced authentication and encryption.
Large online user community.
Advanced features may require a learning curve for new users.
The creation of TigerVNC software was initiated by Red Hat with the goal of improving on TightVNC.
RealVNC: VNC Connect
Home versions free to install and use.
Any VNC client can connect to a RealVNC server.
Available for multiple platforms.
May experience performance issues inside corporate networks.
Configuration is more advanced (and more difficult) than other VNC alternatives.
Mostly geared to Enterprise users.
Chicken (of the VNC)
Automatically discovers VNC servers on a connection.
Remote screen updates are very accurate.
Only available for Mac PCs.
Only includes a VNC client.
Chicken can be paired with various VNC servers including UltraVNC.
JollysFastVNC
Ultra-fast.
Supports many encryption protocols.
Supports full Retina display.
No permanent free version available.
Does not support multiple monitors.
Complicated configuration for beginners.
JollysFastVNC is a shareware VNC client for Mac created by software developer Patrick Stein.
While the developer strongly encourages regular users to purchase a license, the software is free to try.
Mocha VNC Lite
Available for both iOS and Android.
Can connect to servers running on various platforms.
Supports zooming as well as portrait or landscape modes.
Good performance and speed.
Has a five-minute session time limit.
No support for multimonitors.
Free version only supports standard keyboard keys.
Session traffic is unencrypted.
The company has tested this client with various VNC servers including RealVNC, TightVNC and UltraVNC.
