AnyDesk vs TeamViewer vs ISL Online: Choosing Your Best Remote Support Platform in 2025

After four weeks of testing and comparing AnyDesk and TeamViewer across all their features, I discovered that, while each platform excels in specific areas, neither fully addresses all the needs of modern businesses requiring secure, reliable remote access:

AnyDesk	TeamViewer
Best for: Best for individuals and growing teams who need a straightforward, single-app experience with predictable feature upgrades and value clear, tiered pricing that scales with their needs.	Best for: Best for enterprise environments requiring specialized applications for different support scenarios, advanced annotation with AR capabilities, and account-based management with integration options for complex IT ecosystems.

AnyDesk offers a streamlined experience with its lightweight DeskRT codec, delivering low-latency connections even on limited bandwidth. Its single-app approach, ID-based connections, cross-regional keyboard switching, and custom client generator make it accessible for basic use. However, its limited support hours and proprietary session recording format may frustrate more demanding users, while the tiered pricing structure with device caps can become restrictive as your needs grow.

On the other hand, TeamViewer offers a comprehensive suite of specialized applications, flexible connection methods including browser-based access, and advanced annotation tools with AR-assisted troubleshooting. Its strength lies in enterprise features like account-based management and MP4 format session recordings. However, this versatility comes at the cost of higher resource consumption, a steeper learning curve, and a pricing structure with numerous add-ons that can quickly increase costs.

Neither platform delivers a balance of simplicity, security, and all-inclusive pricing that growing businesses need, which is why I’ve included ISL Online in this comparison.

ISL Online
Best for: Best for businesses of all sizes seeking the lightest client application, unlimited users and devices without escalating costs, and human-centered support with direct access to developers when technical challenges arise.

ISL Online offers the best of both worlds: the industry’s lightest client application (600kb), one-time codes for easy connections, advanced security with ECDSA P-256 encryption and direct connections, and an all-inclusive licensing model based solely on concurrent connections, supported by strong authentication and security controls for unattended remote access.

Its standout features include human support with prompt resolution of tech issues on all plans, RDP tunneling without VPN requirements, most intuitive multi monitor control, and extensive feature customizations. By eliminating device caps and user restrictions across all tiers, ISL Online provides enterprise-grade capabilities without the enterprise-level complexity or resource drain.

With human-operated live chat support available even for trial users, ISL Online delivers reliability without compromising on performance.

ISL Online offers a 15-day free trial, and no credit card is required.

In this comprehensive comparison, we’ll evaluate AnyDesk vs TeamViewer vs ISL Online across five areas:

1. Price Performance and Plan Complexity
2. Support
3. Security
4. Remote Support
5. Unattended Access

We’ll also cover integrations in the summary table below to give you a more complete picture of each platform.

Let’s dive in.

AnyDesk vs TeamViewer vs ISL Online: Comparison Summary

What is AnyDesk?
“Fast and Secure Remote Access” 💻

Founded in 2014 by Philipp Weiser, a former TeamViewer employee, AnyDesk emerged to address the need for a faster, more secure remote desktop access solution that outperformed existing tools. Weiser’s vision was to simplify remote access for IT professionals and remote workers, leveraging innovative technology to bridge connectivity gaps efficiently.

AnyDesk’s core functionality centers on its proprietary DeskRT codec, delivering low-latency, high-frame-rate connections even on low-bandwidth networks, paired with a single, lightweight app using ID-based connections. Key features include a straightforward whiteboard with five drawing modes, password-based unattended access with exclusive mode options, and a tiered pricing structure that scales from a free plan to enterprise-level Ultimate tiers with on-premises hosting and SSO. These capabilities tackle user pain points like sluggish performance and complex setups, offering a streamlined experience with flexible file transfers and keyboard-switching for cross-regional support.

AnyDesk is ideal for individuals, small to medium-sized businesses, and IT professionals seeking an affordable, efficient remote desktop tool. Since its inception, it has grown to over 200 million monthly sessions, focusing future development on enhancing its codec and mobile support to maintain its edge in performance-driven remote access.

What is TeamViewer?
“Comprehensive Remote Connectivity” 🔧

TeamViewer was launched in 2005 by a small Southern German company aiming to eliminate travel for software demonstrations by creating a versatile remote access tool. The founders envisioned a solution that maximized efficiency across distances, evolving into a global leader serving diverse industries.

TeamViewer’s strength lies in its suite of specialized apps—QuickSupport, Host, Full Client, and Meeting—offering multiple connection methods like Partner IDs, session links, and a browser-based web client, alongside advanced features like AR-guided troubleshooting and MP4 session recording. Its extensive annotation tools, centralized management, and integrations with platforms like Zendesk and ServiceNow distinguish it, though its pricing with add-ons can overwhelm end users; these features address needs for robust support and enterprise scalability.

Best suited for businesses of all sizes needing advanced functionality, TeamViewer has expanded from a basic tool to a platform embracing IoT and AR, with future efforts targeting diversification into remote monitoring and AI analytics, setting it apart as a multifaceted connectivity solution.

What is ISL Online?
“Trusted Remote Desktop Solution” 🔒

ISL Online was established in 2001 by a Slovenian team to fill the gap for secure, reliable remote desktop software tailored for IT professionals and help desks. The founders sought to deliver a dependable alternative in an era of clunky, insecure tools, prioritizing performance and trust.

ISL Online offers lightweight apps with one-time code connections, simultaneous control, and a simple, all-inclusive licensing model based on concurrent users, avoiding restrictive caps. Its standout security features—AES-256 encryption, ECDSA P-256 key negotiation, and compliance with HIPAA, ISO 27001, and GDPR—alongside unique offerings like Direct Connections via STUN/TURN servers and Managed Private Cloud, solve pain points around security and simplicity for regulated industries.

Ideal for businesses valuing security, reliability, and ease of use, particularly in healthcare and finance, ISL Online has matured in compliance-focused European and Japanese markets, directing future innovation toward browser-based access and global expansion.

AnyDesk vs TeamViewer vs ISL Online: Price Performance and Plan Complexity

AnyDesk and TeamViewer offer gradual feature unlocks, but the latter includes add-ons. ISL Online uses all-inclusive licensing based on concurrent users.

AnyDesk	TeamViewer	ISL Online
⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

AnyDesk: Tiered Plans with Gradual Feature Unlocks

AnyDesk’s pricing structure is built around clear, ascending tiers that deliver more features as you scale. It has a single pricing plan with five tiers:

(Data as of July 2025)

The Free plan offers only basic remote access capabilities for personal connections. It supports mobile devices, file transfers, session recording, and three unattended access devices. Note that the free plan also has a built-in monitoring feature that shuts your connection down if it detects commercial use.

The Solo plan allows one licensed user with three login devices, 100 managed devices and basic customization like custom aliases, while the Standard tier supports 20 licensed users in a team and introduces switch-side control, TCP tunneling, and administrative tools like dynamic client configuration.

The Advanced and Ultimate tiers cater to enterprises, with the addition of Group Policies, a custom client generator, a command-line interface, mass deployment (MSI), and up to 100 licensed users in a team. Features like Single Sign-On (SSO), on-premises hosting, Session Requests, AnyDesk Assist, and Integration Add-ons are exclusive to the Ultimate plan.

TeamViewer: Feature-Rich but Complex Tiering

Like AnyDesk, TeamViewer also offers a non-commercial free plan. However, TeamViewer users report getting flagged by the system even if they only use it personally. This causes 5-minute session timeouts which makes it pretty much unusable unless you request a manual review, removing the flag.

For professional or business features, they offer five paid plans:

(Data as of July 2025)

Like AnyDesk, the plans are tiered, with higher tiers unlocking more features. The difference is that TeamViewer offers mobile-to-mobile support as an add-on (except on the base remote access plan, where it’s unavailable), which gives you more modular customizability and makes its structure more complicated and expensive than AnyDesk.

The entry-level Remote Access plan only allows one licensed user and three unattended devices, considerably fewer than the 100 devices in AnyDesk’s Solo tier. The Business tier unlocks 200 managed devices, custom branding, and service case management, but only allows one licensed user.

Meanwhile, the Premium and Corporate tiers allow 15 and 30 licensed users, respectively, and expands scripting capabilities (15–30 scripts), device policies (10–15), and integrations (Zendesk, ServiceNow, Freshworks, Jamf, Miradore, etc.).

TeamViewer Tensor is tailored for enterprises. It offers 50+ in-session scripts, SSO, and audit logs, but requires direct negotiation.

ISL Online: Simplicity and All-Inclusive Licensing

Unlike the tiered structures of AnyDesk and TeamViewer, ISL Online’s all-in-one licensing model stands out for its simplicity and clear value proposition. It also offers a 15-day free trial that lets you test all the features instead of a limited free plan.

Aside from the robust feature options on even the base plan, it charges based on concurrent users rather than total users — meaning you can have unlimited licensed users and managed devices without worrying about escalating fees.

ISL offers five plans across three license models:

• Cloud license: The Standard, Premium, and Pay Per Use plans
• Server license: Self-Hosted (On-premises)
• Managed Private Cloud: The Enterprise license

(Data as of July 2025)

Every tier, except PPU, includes unlimited managed devices, unattended access, and enterprise-grade security. Also, ISL includes mobile apps on all plans, unlike TeamViewer that charges extra for them.

Unlike AnyDesk and TeamViewer, ISL Online eliminates restrictive user/device caps. 

For example, AnyDesk’s Advanced plan only allows 1,000 managed devices, and TeamViewer Corporate caps at 500, while ISL Online offers unlimited devices across all tiers (fair usage policy of 5000 devices that can be adjusted by contacting support).

ISL’s Standard plan covers mobile support, session recording, REST API and unlimited licensed users — features that AnyDesk and TeamViewer reserve for premium tiers. Its Premium and Enterprise plans only add features like single sign-on (SSO), advanced customization, and private cloud hosting, all without upsells.

ISL Online’s Self-Hosted plan is available on-premises and is perfect if you want complete control over the hosting environment. Like other plans, it includes unlimited users, managed devices, and licensed users, with unrestricted connectivity for accessing and connecting to end-users.

Plan Complexity: All three tools offer tiered plans, but TeamViewer’s add-ons add complexity, while ISL Online removes upsells for inclusivity and simplicity.

AnyDesk offers a structured, tiered approach with plans ranging from a Free option to the Ultimate tier.

Each level builds on the previous one with additional features. While this multiplicity of options allows you to tailor your purchase precisely, the inclusion of upsells (like add-ons for managed devices or custom branding) makes it somewhat complicated.

Compared to AnyDesk, TeamViewer’s offerings are even more granular.

It takes the multifaceted licensing strategy further by including options for single users, teams, and enterprise-level operations. However, like AnyDesk, the inclusion of upsells may complicate things.

Despite offering the same number of plans, ISL Online’s pricing is more streamlined.

Instead of layering multiple upsells and feature add-ons, it provides an all-in-one license with no user limit and charges based solely on the number of concurrent users. It also offers a unique pay per use option that charges you per minute, accommodating one-time users and those on a budget.

AnyDesk vs TeamViewer vs ISL Online: Support

AnyDesk offers form-based support during business hours, TeamViewer limits support to paying users with tiered response times, and ISL Online provides live chat, extended hours, and dev escalations for all users.

AnyDesk	TeamViewer	ISL Online
⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Evaluation/Trial Support: AnyDesk offers limited email help, TeamViewer provides none, and ISL Online delivers immediate live chat support for all users.

With AnyDesk’s free plan, you’re limited to an online support form. Also, you only get responses from the general support team, not the technical team.

In testing, we sent a general and a technical question and received a generic email reply within minutes. We got a human response about two hours later, only to the technical question — the general question wasn’t answered until 24 hours later. The answer was straight to the point and directly responded to the question, but didn’t provide any extra information or encourage further engagement.

While AnyDesk’s free plan offers support through an online form, TeamViewer doesn’t have anything similar. This means you can’t access support at all during your trial and have to figure everything out on your own.

Unlike AnyDesk and TeamViewer, ISL Online offers live chat support that you can access even if you’re on the 15-day trial.

We only had to input a name and were connected to a real person in less than a minute. While AnyDesk responded with basic support and TeamViewer couldn’t be reached, ISL Online gave us comprehensive and technically precise answers. They also provided links to helpful related materials despite already answering our questions.

Finally, they concluded the chat with an invitation for further engagement.

Customer Support Availability: AnyDesk limits free support to forms, TeamViewer restricts all support to paid users, while ISL Online offers human-only live chat support for everyone.

All three tools offer robust help centers and video tutorials. However, their customer support channels differ significantly in terms of accessibility and operation hours.

AnyDesk provides support through online forms, a chatbot, phone, and a customer portal.

You can access the chatbot and online forms for sales, billing, and general inquiries on the free plan. However, you only get technical support through the customer portal reserved for licensed users. You can also visit their offices in Germany (Stuttgart or Berlin), the United States (Tampa, Florida), Hong Kong, and China (Shanghai) for local support.

AnyDesk’s support team is available Monday to Friday for 9 hours between 8:00 and 17:00 (Central European Time; CET).

Aside from support, you can access a customer success manager if you’re on one of the higher plans.

Unlike AnyDesk, TeamViewer’s support is exclusive to paying users.

On a paid plan, you get access to a customer portal, live chat, and phone support and can submit a support request form.

TeamViewer offers the same 9 hours of standard support time as AnyDesk, running Monday through Friday from 10:00 to 19:00 (no specified timezone). However, you get 20 hours of support with a response time of 48–72 hours as an enterprise user.

Requesting their premium service level agreements (also for enterprise users) gets you personalized, 24-hour support from a dedicated expert with a response time of 1–8 hours.

ISL Online operates an agile support system that’s quite different from AnyDesk and TeamViewer.

Where AnyDesk routes free users through forms, and TeamViewer provides no support for non-paying customers, ISL Online connects you directly with real human support agents regardless of subscription status. It provides support through live chat, phone, email, and message forms, with live chat connecting you to an operator in seconds.

ISL Online has different operational periods for live chat and phone support, unlike AnyDesk and TeamViewer with a single time across all channels. 

Its live chat operates for 14 hours from 8:00 to 22:00 hours (CET) on weekdays, while phone support operates from 8:00 to 16:00 CET. Meanwhile, its email channel promises responses within one business day. It also provides local support, with offices in Germany, Slovenia, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, plus authorized partners worldwide.

ISL Online also has a more streamlined technical inquiry process than AnyDesk or TeamViewer. Technical issues that require more hands-on expertise get escalated directly to core developers responsible for creating the features in question; so you get exactly what you need, when you need it.

AnyDesk vs TeamViewer vs ISL Online: Security

AnyDesk offers basic safeguards and compliance, TeamViewer excels in certifications despite slightly less secure feature design, while ISL Online balances practical protections with international compliance standards — achieving 22 years without breaches.

AnyDesk	TeamViewer	ISL Online
⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Compliance and Certifications: AnyDesk meets essential compliance needs, TeamViewer caters to regulated industries with specialized certifications, while ISL Online offers broad international and government-aligned coverage.

AnyDesk doesn’t hold the ISO/IEC 27001 certification, however their data center partners do. It also complies with GDPR and other regional data protection laws, showing that it meets strict privacy and regulatory adherence standards.

Unlike AnyDesk, TeamViewer holds an ISO/IEC 27001 certification. However, it expands its compliance portfolio significantly to include industry-specific certifications:

• HIPAA/HITECH Compliance: designed to meet advanced security and privacy requirements for healthcare organizations.
• SOC 2 and SOC 3 Compliance: audited for system security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.
• TISAX Certification: a specialized certification for high-quality IT security assessments in the automotive industry.
• CSA STAR Registry: provides a comprehensive self-assessment of cloud security practices.

It also offers an ISO 9001-certified Quality Management System. Notably, TeamViewer has a Certified Numbering Authority (CNA) status, which allows it to issue Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) numbers for its products.

Like TeamViewer, ISL Online is ISO/IEC 27001-certified. 

It also adheres to an expansive collection of compliance and certification like HIPAA and SOC 2. ISL Online is committed to comply with appropriate national best practices when necessary, supported by its market-leading adoption in Japan, ENS High-Level Security Measures certification, Cyber Essentials (UK) certification, and GDPR regulatory adherence.

Security Features: AnyDesk offers basic protection, TeamViewer focuses on account authentication, while ISL Online’s system-based architecture and no-freemium model provide superior real-world security.

AnyDesk’s security framework revolves around encryption and access controls.

It uses TLS 1.2 and 256‑bit AES encryption to secure data in transit and at rest, while two‑factor authentication adds an extra layer of protection. It also has a Privacy Mode that hides screen contents and blocks input until you grant permission (with some exceptions: UAC prompts and locked desktops). Other security features include:

• Access Control Lists, 
• salted password hashing, 
• and exclusive unattended access.

AnyDesk offers on-premises deployment, an enterprise feature that gives you full data control with offline networks. It also does regular vulnerability scans via Detectify.

Like AnyDesk, TeamViewer offers AES-256 encryption and on-premise solutions.

However, it employs RSA 4096-bit key exchange and perfect forward secrecy to prevent compromise during breaches. TeamViewer’s 2FA is also more robust than AnyDesk’s. It extends to connection approvals via push notifications, requiring explicit consent for each session.

Unlike AnyDesk’s Privacy Mode exceptions, TeamViewer’s black screen completely hides remote displays during sessions. Meanwhile, TeamViewer’s conditional access features are limited to the Enterprise (Tensor) plan.

TeamViewer has unique safety features like Bring Your Own Certificate (BYOC) for device authentication and brute-force protection that imposes exponential wait times after failed logins.

ISL Online offers AES-256 encryption and on-premises deployment, like the other two.

ISL Online supports 2FA and also expands options to include email/SMS. Its multi-layered password system—account, access, connection, and one-time passwords—is also better than AnyDesk’s single unattended password requirement.

Like TeamViewer, ISL Online’s black screen hides the remote display during sessions. You can enable it during or before the start of a session for one-time use or permanently for a specific device.

In the backend, ISL Online automatically combines rate‑limited brute‑force defenses and a real‑time Customer Protection System (CPS). It also supports reverse‑proxy, NAT traversal, logs metadata for compliance, and strives to minimize the collection of personal data for GDPR compliance. However, it doesn’t offer BYOC certificate flexibility like TeamViewer.

AnyDesk vs TeamViewer vs ISL Online: Remote Support

AnyDesk has one app with ID setup, TeamViewer offers multiple apps and AR, and ISL Online has lightweight apps with one-time codes.

AnyDesk	TeamViewer	ISL Online
⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐

Setup: AnyDesk offers one app with ID connections, TeamViewer has multiple apps with ID/link/device options, and ISL Online uses lightweight apps with one-time code/link connections.

AnyDesk offers a single app for all supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Apple TV, Linux, FreeBSD, Raspberry Pi, and Chrome OS.

To establish a connection, the client must share their unique AnyDesk ID or Alias with your support technician, who then inputs this code to initiate the connection request. This process can be cumbersome for non-technical users. The recipient must also manually grant access each time unless you’ve set up unattended access. Once connected, AnyDesk lets you optimize for speed or quality.

During testing, we found that the mobile app doesn’t automatically notify you about needed permissions. Instead, you have to enable them individually from the settings. Once screen sharing begins, it’s not always clear whether the connection is active on the sharer’s side, which could lead to situations where the sharer forgets that someone still has access to their device.

Unlike AnyDesk’s single app, TeamViewer offers a suite of specialized applications for each of its specific use cases.

You have four apps for Windows and Mac: 

• QuickSupport for receiving assistance,
• Host for unattended access setup,
• Full Client for providing support,
• and Meeting for conferencing. 

TeamViewer offers greater flexibility than AnyDesk when establishing connections.

You can connect via Partner ID/Alias similar to AnyDesk, but TeamViewer also allows options for session links (shareable via the web client). A key advantage is its browser-based web client, which permits connections without requiring software installation.

It also offers performance optimization with adaptive image quality for low-bandwidth environments.

Like TeamViewer, ISL Online divides its functionality across several applications.

• ISL Light for providing remote support or accessing unattended computers
• ISL Light Client for receiving support 
• ISL AlwaysOn remote agent for unattended access
• ISL Conference Proxy allows you to run ISL Light on your server

ISL Online’s connection options are just as numerous, allowing you to generate a one-time-only session code or link, while the client joins via a lightweight (600kb) app, which makes it way more user-friendly than AnyDesk or Teamviewer if you’re providing support to non-technical users.

ISL Online also offers robust RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) and SSH (Secure Shell) tunnels alongside advanced connection options like connection transport boosts. Once connected, you can optimize connections for speed or quality, like AnyDesk and TeamViewer.

Remote Control & Annotation Tools: All tools have basic whiteboards. AnyDesk offers keyboard switching, TeamViewer has extensive annotations with AR, and ISL Online features timeout drawings and simultaneous control.

AnyDesk offers a straightforward toolset.

In terms of annotation, it offers 16 color options and five drawing modes:

• line,
• circle,
• freehand,
• rectangle,
• and an arrow.

Meanwhile, AnyDesk’s remote control capabilities allow for full access to the remote device’s desktop environment, except on iOS/iPadOS that require a paid outgoing client and Chrome OS, which doesn’t support remote control at all. It has chat features and device information viewing. 

One standout feature is the ability to switch between different keyboard settings (local or remote), which can be invaluable for cross-regional support scenarios where language differences might otherwise create barriers.

TeamViewer provides a more robust toolset.

For annotation, you get pens/highlighters with adjustable sizes, shapes with customizable fill/line colors, text with font/size/color options, an eraser with adjustable size, and a selector tool for modifying existing annotations. You can also save drawings as screenshots in various formats and control annotation permissions. Overall, based on our tests, TeamViewer’s drawing options are the most extensive of the three platforms.

For remote control, TeamViewer matches AnyDesk’s cross-platform compatibility while adding enterprise-focused features like centralized management for organizing devices into groups, monitoring connections, and deploying updates at scale.

A standout but niche TeamViewer feature is its augmented reality support for guided troubleshooting.

Then there’s ISL Online.

For visual assistance, it offers simple whiteboarding tools such as an eraser, marker, and pointer. Its implementation includes an automatic timeout feature that clears drawings after a configurable period (default 10 seconds). In slide mode, ISL Online expands these capabilities with tools for creating new slides, moving/resizing objects, using pointers, pens, markers, arrows, and text insertion with font/color/size options.

While more robust than AnyDesk’s drawing tools in presentation capabilities, they lack the intuitive implementation of TeamViewer’s annotation system. 

During remote control sessions, ISL Online enforces a 2-second timeout before the client or operator can take control. However, it has a compatibility mode that disables the 2-second timeout, allowing both parties to actively ‘compete’ for control during a session.

You can also configure the remote control to require explicit permission, making ISL Online safer sharing control.

Finally, there’s ISL’s quick launch feature, which is a simple way to access system applications like the command prompt, device manager, task manager, etc. during a remote session. This is especially useful for technicians.

Session Recording: AnyDesk and ISL Online use proprietary formats, with ISL allowing better image quality and storage use, while TeamViewer offers MP4 recordings.

AnyDesk supports session recording.

You can capture video, audio and microphone input. However, the files are stored in a proprietary .ANYDESK format that can only be played back using the AnyDesk client. Conversions to other formats are currently not supported.

Unlike AnyDesk, TeamViewer saves session recordings in MP4 format, making them viewable in any standard media player rather than requiring proprietary software.

You can also convert recordings to alternative formats like AVI or MPEG using system codecs. Aside from screen activity, system audio, and microphone input, TeamViewer captures webcam feeds, making it more comprehensive than AnyDesk.

ISL Online saves sessions in a format viewable with the ISL Player application, like AnyDesk. However, it preserves image quality and uses less space. The ISL Player also allows you to export session recordings in .avi format, where you can choose which elements to include — video, audio, and even chats.

Unlike AnyDesk’s automatic recording options, ISL Online requires explicit client approval via a pop-up window before recording begins.

File Transfers: AnyDesk and ISL Online offer file audits, while TeamViewer adds device-to-device transfers without connections.

AnyDesk’s file transfers are straightforward.

It doesn’t limit file size or quantity, and you can use simple copy-paste operations or the dedicated File Manager feature on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

TeamViewer offers in-session file transfers like AnyDesk.

However, it also allows you to send files directly to saved devices from the contacts list or even without initiating a full connection. In addition, it offers automatic file compression and supports automated transfers from unattended devices.

ISL Online comes with a comprehensive file manager.

It offers detailed permission controls with varying audit log levels that can track filename, size, application version, file paths, and even file hashes for security compliance. Beyond the file manager, ISL Online provides quick file transfer options like TeamViewer.

Multiple Monitor Support: AnyDesk offers basic monitor switching, TeamViewer provides flexible viewing options, and ISL Online delivers the most intuitive multi monitor experience.

AnyDesk represents multiple monitors with numbered rectangles in the toolbar. 

You can switch between remote displays by clicking these icons, with visual indicators showing which display is currently active and where the foreground window is located. AnyDesk includes a helpful “Follow remote window focus” feature to automatically switch to the display with the foreground window. 

However, to view multiple monitors simultaneously, you need to establish separate connections to the same device from different AnyDesk windows, which can be cumbersome and uses additional resources.

TeamViewer offers more integrated multi monitor handling. 

You can switch between monitors from the toolbar (Windows) or View menu (macOS), show all screens simultaneously in one window, or use “Monitors as individual tabs” to organize each display in separate tabs within the remote control window. For more flexibility, unchecking “Show sessions in tabs” displays monitors in separate session windows. 

TeamViewer’s approach eliminates the need for multiple connections when you want to view different monitors, though it lacks functional drag-and-drop functionality between separate monitor windows.

ISL Online provides the most intuitive multi monitor experience with three distinct viewing modes that balance flexibility and simplicity.

You can view each monitor in its own separate window with full drag-and-drop functionality between windows, switch between individual monitors, or view all monitors simultaneously in a single window. This functionality works seamlessly even when using RDP tunneling, making it particularly valuable for supporting users with complex multi-display setups. 

The implementation focuses on practical usability without requiring multiple connections or complex configuration.

AnyDesk vs TeamViewer vs ISL Online: Unattended Access

AnyDesk uses passwords and manual elevation against TeamViewer’s account access and Windows authentication, while ISL Online offers more deployment, user mapping, and restart options.

AnyDesk	TeamViewer	ISL Online
⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Setup: AnyDesk and ISL Online use a password-based system, but ISL adds more deployment options, while TeamViewer ties access to accounts.

AnyDesk’s unattended access relies on a password-based system.

It requires you to set a minimum 8-character password (although 12+ with symbols is advised) via its security settings or custom client generator. After enabling a password, the system generates a unique token that allows future logins without the password. You can reset tokens when needed.

AnyDesk supports two-factor authentication (2FA) and offers an “Exclusive Unattended Access Mode,” which hides connection prompts entirely and enforces password-only access. Notably, AnyDesk allows unattended access without permanent installation, even though it strongly recommends it.

Unlike AnyDesk, TeamViewer ties unattended access to account ownership rather than passwords.

It requires installing TeamViewer Host on the remote device, either manually or via a QuickSupport session (which itself requires initial manual approval). Once assigned to a TeamViewer account, devices become accessible through your account dashboard without passwords. This simplifies permission management and eliminates password-sharing risks.

While AnyDesk provides granular permission settings for each session, TeamViewer disables random passwords (used for ad-hoc sessions) and personal passwords, managing security through its centralized account system. Notably, it allows unattended access for Android devices via its Host app.

ISL Online uses access passwords like AnyDesk but includes exclusive features like RDP tunneling and mass deployment.

To set up unattended access, you need to install the ISL AlwaysOn agent and input an access password for each connection. However, you get more setup methods than AnyDesk and TeamViewer. You can deploy the agent via email, link, code, or even mid-session, bypassing the need for pre-installation tools like TeamViewer’s QuickSupport.

ISL Online also provides a Custom Deployment Link setup that lets you quickly generate a personalized link or executable for mass installing ISL AlwaysOn with predefined settings like device names, groups, tags, and passwords.

ISL Online also offers RDP tunneling to establish secure remote desktop protocol sessions without VPNs or firewall changes. This is ideal for locked-down networks. It also offers Wake-on-LAN support and mass deployment of settings through the registry, allowing you to pre-define aliases, groups, or tags and push upgrades remotely.

Administrative mode: AnyDesk uses manual elevation on demand, TeamViewer leverages Windows Authentication with admin credentials, and ISL Online requires those credentials plus a two‑minute confirmation timeout.

AnyDesk uses manual Windows User Account Control (UAC) elevation, TeamViewer leverages Windows Authentication with admin credentials, and ISL Online requires those credentials plus a two-minute UAC confirmation timeout.

AnyDesk‘s approach to administrative privileges varies depending on whether you’re using the installed or portable version.

• Installed Version: runs as a service, allowing seamless control over applications that require admin rights.
• Portable Version: cannot control admin-restricted software or interact with UAC prompts by default. Access is blocked when a UAC prompt appears until the remote user manually approves it.

To overcome these limitations, AnyDesk offers three ways to gain administrative privileges. You can:

• request elevated rights via the action menu (where you can receive authentication data from the connecting user),
• accept the session with pre-approved elevated rights (using the larger “Accept” button with a UAC icon) or
• create a custom AnyDesk client through my.AnyDesk.com that automatically requests administrative rights at launch.

Unlike AnyDesk, TeamViewer handles administrative privileges through user authentication rather than service installation.

In QuickSupport mode, TeamViewer does not automatically grant you administrator rights. Instead, it only requires user confirmation for elevated actions. However, TeamViewer differs significantly from AnyDesk in its ability to bypass UAC prompts through Windows Authentication.

Windows Authentication allows you to log in directly as an administrator instead of relying on a remote user to approve each UAC prompt (as with AnyDesk’s portable version). However, the process requires a local Windows account or integration with Microsoft Entra ID on the remote device.

ISL Online‘s administrative mode is purpose-built to grant elevated privileges for seamless interaction with Windows UAC.

Like AnyDesk’s installed version, ISL Online’s unattended access tool (ISL AlwaysOn) enables administrative mode by default, while the standard ISL Light client does not require admin permissions to run. The system includes a critical safety feature—a two-minute timeout for UAC confirmation dialogs—that prevents accidental or malicious privilege escalation. 

It’s a thoughtful implementation that allows seamless interaction with Windows UAC popup windows without the “frozen” or “blank screen” issues that many competitors experience.

Unlike AnyDesk and TeamViewer, ISL Online’s administrative mode is more structured. It centralizes administrative functions under the Tools menu with a specific Administrative Mode option. 

And, like TeamViewer’s Windows Authentication, you can enter admin credentials if the remote user lacks admin rights. However, ISL Online also allows the remote user to input their credentials, making it a more robust hybrid approach.

Feature Restriction: AnyDesk uses access control lists, TeamViewer relies on blocklists/allowlists, and ISL Online offers user-mapping with time restrictions.

AnyDesk’s permission management system lets you customize remote access based on use cases.

You can adjust permissions before or during sessions and define permissions for custom clients. Standard permissions include controlling the keyboard and mouse, accessing the clipboard for text and file transfer, locking local input devices, restarting the computer, using the file manager, printing remotely, requesting remote system information, drawing on screen via Whiteboard, creating TCP tunnels, enabling privacy mode, and showing a colored mouse pointer when control is restricted.

For administrative applications requiring elevated rights, AnyDesk handles UAC restrictions by offering multiple elevation options:

• Requesting elevation during a session (requiring remote user approval)
• Sending admin credentials securely through AnyDesk
• Using a pre-configured Custom Client to request elevation automatically

You can further control AnyDesk’s unattended access through its Access Control List (ACL), which functions as a whitelist, allowing only specific AnyDesk IDs or aliases to initiate connections. It also supports wildcard entries to restrict connections to particular company domains.

Notably, AnyDesk’s security settings, including permission restrictions, require administrator access to modify and must be unlocked before you can make changes.

Like AnyDesk, TeamViewer restricts features through permission settings, but it offers a more structured approach to access control. It requires sharing a TeamViewer ID and password or manual confirmation to establish a connection.

TeamViewer offers four predefined access levels:

• Full Access – Unrestricted remote control
• Confirm All – Requires local user approval for any action
• Viewing Access – Screen viewing only
• Deny Remote Control – Blocks control but may allow interactions

While AnyDesk has its ACL system, TeamViewer’s blocklists and allowlists enable more refined control over who can connect. It also has network-based restrictions, such as LAN-only mode, to prevent external access. And when access rules conflict, it prioritizes the highest permission level.

For enterprise users, TeamViewer offers centralized control via the management console, feature-based control over specific functions, expiration dates for access permissions, and configuration at account, group, or device levels.

ISL Online‘s feature restriction capabilities incorporate elements from AnyDesk and TeamViewer.

Like AnyDesk, it offers granular permission controls but adds administrative user management features that are more robust than the other tools. For example, it allows:

• User-to-computer access mapping – restricts computers per user
• Session limits – caps active sessions per user
• Time-based restrictions – limits access to specific hours, session duration, and auto-termination

Like AnyDesk, ISL Online lets you disable viewing or controlling remote desktops, screen sharing, clipboard access, and session recording. It also has file transfer restrictions similar to AnyDesk’s file management permissions.

However, ISL Online has some unique features. 

It allows you to actively manage permissions by creating, editing, and deleting users. It also offers license usage limitations globally and per user, RDP/SSH tunnel and network restrictions, and a plugin control system that lets you disable desktop, file transfer, video, audio, printing, and recording plugins. You can implement granular controls to set up scheduled access times with UTC time standard support, maximum session durations, plugin-level controls, and even client-side tunnel creation permissions.

These settings can be applied at both the domain and user levels, giving you exceptional flexibility if you have complex security and compliance requirements. It allows you to create precisely tailored access policies while maintaining a clean, intuitive interface for administrators and end-users.

Restart System: AnyDesk has basic auto-reconnection, TeamViewer expands with public IP Wake-on-LAN access, and ISL Online offers extra control with activation and forced restart.

AnyDesk lets you initiate a restart either through standard operating system methods (via the Windows Start Menu) or through its dedicated Remote Restart button.

After initiating a remote restart, AnyDesk automatically reconnects to the remote device once it returns online. However, this only works if AnyDesk is fully installed on the remote device, not just as a portable application.

For advanced troubleshooting, AnyDesk supports restarting the remote device into Safe Mode with Networking. However, some wireless network adapters may not work in this mode, so you may need an Ethernet connection.

AnyDesk also has Wake-on-LAN (WoL), which allows you to remotely power on sleeping or off devices if you have one online AnyDesk device in the same network as the sleeping one. This feature works on Windows, macOS (with Intel chips), and Linux.

TeamViewer‘s remote restart capabilities are comparable to AnyDesk’s but offer additional flexibility.

Like AnyDesk, TeamViewer lets you initiate a remote reboot during an active session. It also ensures session continuity by providing configuration options to start automatically with Windows, ensuring the software runs after a reboot to maintain unattended access.

However, TeamViewer has a more robust Wake-on-LAN implementation. While AnyDesk requires an intermediary device on the same network, TeamViewer offers two WoL methods:

• via another device on the same network (like AnyDesk) and
• via a public address method, which uses the device’s public IP or dynamic DNS address and requires router configuration for port forwarding.

TeamViewer’s WoL support varies across operating systems. You can wake Windows and Linux devices from shutdown, sleep, or hibernation and macOS devices from sleep mode only.

TeamViewer also complements its restart capabilities with allowlists to restrict access to designated accounts post-reboot.

Once enabled, ISL Online’s remote restart offers more restart options than both AnyDesk and TeamViewer. It provides:

• Reboot into Safe Mode: like AnyDesk’s safe mode restart but with automatic reconnection
• Force Reboot: bypasses active programs that might block shutdown, with a short 5-second delay before restart
• Force Reboot into Safe Mode: combines forced restart with safe mode boot

ISL Online’s implementation is also different. In Windows, you need to enable restart and resume from the tools menu, and this requires confirmation on the remote computer.

However, Wake on LAN works like AnyDesk and TeamViewer: you need at least one machine on the subnet to be online. You can use it on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

AnyDesk vs TeamViewer vs ISL Online: Pros & Cons

AnyDesk Pros	AnyDesk Cons
✅ Offers simple, single app experience across all platforms (Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Chrome OS)	❌ Cumbersome ID-based connection process that’s difficult for non-technical users
✅ Provides free plan with basic remote access capabilities including file transfer and mobile support	❌ Session recordings stored in proprietary .ANYDESK format requiring AnyDesk client to play
✅ Features cross-regional keyboard switching for international support	❌ Limited device caps (Solo: 100 devices, Advanced: 1,000 devices) with upsells for more
✅ Includes clear, tiered pricing structure with gradual feature unlocks	❌ Support limited to 9 hours Monday-Friday (8:00-17:00 CET) with technical support only for paid users
✅ Supports on-premises deployment for full data control with offline networks	❌ Less transparent when connection is active on client side, creating potential security concerns
✅ Offers custom client generator for automatic admin rights and branding

TeamViewer Pros	TeamViewer Cons
✅ Provides flexible connection options via ID/Alias, session links, and browser-based web client	❌ No support access during trial period with support exclusive to paying users
✅ Offers robust annotation toolset with customizable colors, sizes and shapes for visual assistance	❌ Pricing structure with numerous add-ons that increase both cost and complexity
✅ Saves session recordings in standard MP4 format viewable in any media player	❌ Entry-level Remote Access plan limited to one user and only three unattended devices
✅ Includes augmented reality support for guided remote troubleshooting	❌ Multiple specialized applications (QuickSupport, Host, Full Client, Meeting) can overwhelm users
	❌ Feature-dense interface with steeper learning curve than competitors

ISL Online Pros	ISL Online Cons
✅ All-inclusive licensing with unlimited users and devices across all tiers	❌ No permanent free plan (only offers 15-day trial with full features)
✅ Provides human-only live chat support within minutes for all users, including trial users	❌ Annotation tools less intuitive than TeamViewer’s and less extensive than competitors
✅ Includes RDP tunneling without VPN requirements for secure connections in restricted networks	❌ Multiple specialized applications instead of a single all-in-one interface
✅ Features time-based access restrictions with settings for specific hours and auto-termination	❌ No augmented reality support for remote troubleshooting
✅ Provides an advanced file manager with detailed audit logs
✅ Offers the most lightweight app (600 kb)
✅ Most intuitive multi monitor control

Final Verdict: AnyDesk vs TeamViewer vs ISL Online

AnyDesk	TeamViewer	ISL Online
Best for: Individuals and growing teams who need a straightforward, single-app experience with predictable feature upgrades and value clear, tiered pricing that scales with their needs.	Best for: Enterprise environments requiring specialized applications for different support scenarios, advanced annotation with AR capabilities, and account-based management with integration options for complex IT ecosystems.	Best for: Businesses of all sizes seeking the lightest client application, unlimited users and devices without escalating costs, and human-centered support with direct access to developers when technical challenges arise.

If you’re an individual or growing business looking for a simple, lightweight remote access solution, AnyDesk offers an excellent starting point with its clear pricing tiers, custom client generator, and single-app approach. Once your needs expand to specialized enterprise features and advanced collaboration tools, TeamViewer provides purpose-built applications with robust annotation capabilities and integration options for complex IT environments.

Both tools serve specific segments of the remote access market effectively, but they share common limitations as you scale: restrictive device caps, pricing structures with add-ons, and support limitations.

That’s where ISL Online comes in.

It eliminates AnyDesk and TeamViewer’s device and user restrictions, offering unlimited scalability with an all-inclusive licensing model based solely on concurrent connections. With the industry’s lightest client (600kb), direct access to core developers for support issues, RDP tunneling without VPN requirements, most intuitive multi monitor control, and security-focused features like ECDSA P-256 encryption, ISL Online offers enterprise capabilities without enterprise complexity.

Use AnyDesk if:

• You want a straightforward single-app experience with predictable feature upgrades
• You need cross-regional keyboard switching for international support
• You prefer clear, tiered pricing that scales with your team’s growth

Use TeamViewer if:

• You need flexible connection methods including browser-based access
• You require specialized applications with advanced annotation and AR capabilities
• You’re an enterprise needing centralized management and integration options for complex IT ecosystems

Use ISL Online if:

• You want unlimited users and devices without hidden costs or escalating fees
• You need the lightest client application with direct access to developers for support
• You frequently work with multi monitor devices
• You require advanced security with RDP tunneling, direct connections, and comprehensive compliance features

Click here to get started with ISL Online!