The latest articles on DEV Community by Natalie Paraskeva (@paraskevans). https://dev.to/paraskevans https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F1221029%2Fce77c6db-6166-4c5f-8783-42bbcd13a291.png https://dev.to/paraskevans en Natalie Paraskeva Mon, 19 Oct 2026 07:35:12 +0000 https://dev.to/paraskevans/helpwire-vs-hoptodesk-which-remote-support-tool-fits-a-small-team-589n https://dev.to/paraskevans/helpwire-vs-hoptodesk-which-remote-support-tool-fits-a-small-team-589n <p>If you support small businesses, you know how much time disappears before troubleshooting even begins: getting connected, handling permissions, remembering what happened last time.</p> <p><a href="https://www.helpwire.app/" rel="noopener noreferrer">HelpWire</a> and <a href="https://www.hoptodesk.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">HopToDesk</a> are two relatively new remote support tools that look alike at first glance. Both offer encrypted peer-to-peer connections, Windows, macOS and Linux support, unattended access, and a free tier with paid plans from $10 to $15 a month. So I wanted to see where they actually differ.</p> <p><strong>The short answer:</strong> for on-demand support by a small team, I'd recommend HelpWire. Clients connect through a link with no ID or password, and client notes and chat history stay available after the session. HopToDesk costs less for teams and adds Android support, self-hosting and built-in ticketing, which makes it the better pick for some setups.</p> <blockquote> <p><strong>Note:</strong> I compared the two the way small-business support actually goes: a client contacts, something's broken, and the first few minutes go to getting connected. Most of that work is on Windows 10 and 11, with the occasional Mac and a couple of Linux boxes.</p> <p>For each part of the job, I looked at how both tools handle it, going by how they work and what their own documentation says. The short scenarios below are illustrative examples, not test records, so you won't find timing numbers here.</p> </blockquote> <h2> HelpWire vs HopToDesk: quick comparison </h2> <div class="table-wrapper-paragraph"><table> <thead> <tr> <th>Feature</th> <th>HelpWire</th> <th>HopToDesk</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>Default session start</td> <td>Link; client needs no account, ID or password</td> <td>Device ID and password; Quick Support mode for one-time help</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Client records</td> <td>Profiles, notes, groups and session timeline, in every plan</td> <td>Address book with tags; contact management and help desk in the Dashboard</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Chat history</td> <td>Kept in a timestamped timeline after the session</td> <td>Available for the duration of the session</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Keeping a machine awake</td> <td>Sleep-prevention options in the client app</td> <td>Set in the OS power settings</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Unattended access</td> <td>Windows, macOS, Linux</td> <td>Windows, macOS, Linux</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Free use</td> <td>Free plan: 1 operator, 5 unattended devices, 1 session at a time; commercial use allowed</td> <td>Client and network free for personal and business use; Dashboard Free: 2 users, 3 devices</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Paid plans</td> <td>Per operator, from $10/month</td> <td>Per device, from $15/month (Pro: up to 120 devices, unlimited team members)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Mobile</td> <td>No</td> <td>Android (full control with the website .apk); iOS screen sharing is view-only</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Self-hosting</td> <td>No, cloud only</td> <td>Signal server and relays; Dashboard is hosted</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Built-in ticketing</td> <td>No</td> <td>Yes, through the Dashboard</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Encryption</td> <td>TLS/SSL and AES-256</td> <td>End-to-end between peers</td> </tr> </tbody> </table></div> <h2> On-demand support: getting the client connected </h2> <p>Getting connected is usually the first thing a client has to do themselves on a support call, and it's where calls can lose time.</p> <p>With HelpWire, you send the client a link. They open it, run the small client app and approve the session. There's no account to create, no device ID and no password to read out. A regular client can reuse the same link on another workstation, and each one still needs their approval.</p> <p>HopToDesk starts from the classic flow: the client opens the app, which shows a device ID and a temporary password, and reads both out to you. For a confident user that's quick. Over a bad phone line, one misheard digit means starting again. HopToDesk's Quick Support mode trims the client's window down to the ID, the password and the incoming-connection settings, and the Dashboard adds per-device invites on Pro and time-limited guest access links on Business, but by default the credentials still have to reach you somehow.</p> <p>That extra setup can be a sticking point for less technical users. One person on the <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/HopToDesk/comments/1vsu40j/why_so_difficult_to_setup_and_understand_plus_no/" rel="noopener noreferrer">HopToDesk subreddit</a> described finding the setup and interface difficult to understand. It's an individual complaint rather than a universal experience, but it highlights why I prefer HelpWire's simpler link-based flow for customer support.</p> <p>Here's how that plays out. An office administrator contacts because her invoicing app won't open, and she has never used remote support software. With HelpWire, you email her a link and walk her through launching the client and clicking approve. With HopToDesk, you first ask her to find two values on the screen and read them back. As for me, the link version just has fewer places to go wrong.</p> <p>On the technician's side, HelpWire's Quick Connect lets someone start an on-demand session without a HelpWire account, which suits a colleague who only helps out now and then.</p> <h2> Client history that outlasts the session </h2> <p>Small support teams don't need an asset management system, but they do need to remember who is who.</p> <p>HelpWire keeps this in the web account that comes with every plan, including the free one. Each client gets a profile with notes: past issues, hardware details, the fact that the accountant only picks up after 10 a.m. You can group clients by company or by technician and search by name or connection link. Chat messages and key session events land in a timestamped timeline that stays after the session ends. It isn't a log of every change on the machine, but the conversation and its context are there next time.</p> <p>HopToDesk organizes around devices. The client has an address book with tags, which syncs across devices once you link it to the Dashboard, and the Dashboard adds contact management and a help desk, even on its free tier. Session chat, according to HopToDesk's documentation, is available for the duration of the session.</p> <p>That difference shows up on callbacks. Say a client contacts about a printer problem fixed two weeks ago, and the colleague who fixed it is off. In HelpWire, whoever picks up opens the client's profile, reads the notes and the earlier chat, and starts from what's changed. Without that, the first ten minutes go to the client explaining it all again. HopToDesk's help desk can hold that history too if every call gets logged as a ticket; in HelpWire it's attached to the client and the session by default.</p> <p>If you support more than one business, a HelpWire operator can work across several organizations, each with its own clients and settings, and ownership of an organization can be handed over when someone leaves.</p> <h2> Several clients at once </h2> <p>On paid plans, a HelpWire operator can keep several remote sessions open and switch between clients without disconnecting. While an update runs on one machine, you pick up the next call instead of watching a progress bar.</p> <p>That's separate from team size. Each operator seat is one technician working independently, so on the Team plan four people can work at the same time, each with their own open sessions.</p> <h2> Windows admin tasks </h2> <p>Both tools handle admin work on Windows. HelpWire can run apps with elevated privileges during a session, and HopToDesk has Request Elevation in its session toolbar, which also lets you enter admin credentials remotely. Either way, what you can do depends on the permissions and credentials available on the client's machine. I'd call this one even.</p> <h2> Consent, unattended access and keeping machines awake </h2> <p>In HelpWire, an on-demand session starts only after the client approves it, and unattended access works only after the client has explicitly granted permission. For a small IT shop that's useful beyond security: the business owner knows exactly which machines you can reach on your own.</p> <p>HelpWire supports unattended access on Windows, macOS and Linux, and its changelog still labels the feature as beta. On Linux it works with both X11 and Wayland sessions, with one limit: on Wayland, the login screen isn't reachable because of OS security restrictions, so a machine that reboots to the login prompt needs someone on site or auto-login.</p> <p>An unattended machine is only useful if it's awake. HelpWire's client app has sleep-prevention options on Windows and macOS, such as keeping the computer awake while unattended access is granted. HopToDesk's documentation points you to the operating system's power settings instead, which means changing them on each machine.</p> <p>HopToDesk turns on unattended access with a toggle that sets a permanent password. On Windows, you need the installed version rather than the portable one to connect before login and across reboots. On Wayland, it can reach the login and lock screens once Unattended Wayland Access is enabled.</p> <blockquote> <p><strong>Note:</strong> Some users have also reported performance issues with HopToDesk. In one <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/HopToDesk/comments/1wz862b/possible_fix_for_hoptodesk_becoming_very_slow_or/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reddit discussion</a>, a Windows user said newer versions became extremely slow or unresponsive. Renaming the app's configuration folder fixed the issue. While this appears to be an isolated report, it's worth checking performance after updates.</p> </blockquote> <h2> HelpWire vs HopToDesk pricing </h2> <p>The two tools charge for different things: HopToDesk charges for management features, HelpWire charges per operator.</p> <h3> HopToDesk: free client, paid Dashboard </h3> <ul> <li> <strong>Free for everyone:</strong> the client and the network, for personal and business use, with no seat or session limits.</li> <li> <strong>What's paid:</strong> the Dashboard, which adds device and team management, synced address books, support tickets and similar features.</li> <li> <strong>How it's priced:</strong> per device, not per technician.</li> </ul> <div class="table-wrapper-paragraph"><table> <thead> <tr> <th>Plan</th> <th>Price</th> <th>Includes</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>Dashboard Free</td> <td>$0</td> <td>2 team members, 3 devices</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Pro</td> <td>$15/month (discounted from $29) or $159/year</td> <td>Up to 120 devices, unlimited team members</td> </tr> </tbody> </table></div> <h3> HelpWire: free plan for commercial use, paid plans per operator </h3> <ul> <li> <strong>Free plan:</strong> 1 operator, 5 unattended devices, 1 remote session at a time. No nag screens or session cutoffs, and commercial use is allowed.</li> <li> <strong>How it's priced:</strong> per operator. Annual billing takes two months off.</li> <li> <strong>What doesn't count against your limit:</strong> on-demand sessions don't use up the device allowance.</li> <li> <strong>No feature tiers:</strong> client profiles, notes and the session timeline come with every plan, including Free.</li> </ul> <div class="table-wrapper-paragraph"><table> <thead> <tr> <th>Plan</th> <th>Price</th> <th>Operators</th> <th>Unattended devices</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>Free</td> <td>$0</td> <td>1</td> <td>5</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Solo</td> <td>$10/month</td> <td>1</td> <td>50</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Team</td> <td>$30/month</td> <td>4</td> <td>250</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Business</td> <td>$70/month</td> <td>10</td> <td>800</td> </tr> </tbody> </table></div> <h2> HelpWire or HopToDesk: which should you choose? </h2> <p>For a small team whose day is mostly clients asking for help, I'd choose HelpWire. The link-based start gives the client fewer things to get wrong, client notes and chat history stay available after the session ends, and sleep settings are built into the client app. Client management comes with every plan, including the free one.</p> <p>Choose HopToDesk if you need Android support, self-hosting or built-in tickets.</p> <p>If your work is mostly clients asking for help, try <a href="https://www.helpwire.app/pricing/" rel="noopener noreferrer">HelpWire's free plan</a> on your next real ticket and see how long it takes the client to get you on their screen.</p> <h2> Frequently asked questions </h2> <h3> Is HelpWire better than HopToDesk for remote support? </h3> <p>For on-demand support by a small team, HelpWire is a strong fit: clients connect through a link without an account or credentials, and client profiles and session history are kept between sessions. HopToDesk fits better when price is the priority, or when you need Android support, self-hosting or built-in ticketing.</p> <h3> Is HopToDesk free for business use? </h3> <p>Yes. The HopToDesk client and network are free for personal and business use. Team, device management and ticketing features are part of its Dashboard, which has a free tier and paid plans.</p> <h3> Can HelpWire be used for free in a business? </h3> <p>Yes. HelpWire's free plan allows commercial use and includes one operator, five unattended devices and one remote session at a time, without nag screens or session cutoffs.</p> remotesupport itsupport tools productivity Natalie Paraskeva Sun, 03 Dec 2023 21:52:47 +0000 https://dev.to/paraskevans/top-5-remote-support-software-solutions-free-paid-455f https://dev.to/paraskevans/top-5-remote-support-software-solutions-free-paid-455f <p>Navigating the complexities of providing IT support, especially with the prevalence of remote workers and a globally dispersed customer base, can be challenging for small and midsize businesses. The cost of extensive on-site support is often prohibitive. Remote support software offers a practical solution by enabling IT teams to manage technical issues efficiently without physical presence, significantly easing the burden on small IT departments.</p> <h2> Selection of Top Remote Support Software </h2> <p>Our editorial team has rigorously evaluated and selected the top remote support software solutions, presenting an insightful review to guide you in choosing the right one for your business needs. The list includes:</p> <p>HelpWire<br> TeamViewer<br> ConnectWise Control<br> Zoho Assist<br> Splashtop Remote Support</p> <h2> HelpWire </h2> <p><strong>Best for Small to Medium-Sized Businesses</strong>: <a href="//helpwire.app">HelpWire</a> is a free tool providing secure and fast connections for Windows and macOS.</p> <p><strong>Pros</strong>: User-friendly, simultaneous access to multiple client workstations, free.<br> <strong>Cons</strong>: No mobile device support, lacks session recording.</p> <p><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/practicaldev/image/fetch/s--zTtIuBz0--/c_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto%2Cw_800/https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/d5rnon8ur3tyb71ok2pj.png" class="article-body-image-wrapper"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/practicaldev/image/fetch/s--zTtIuBz0--/c_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto%2Cw_800/https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/d5rnon8ur3tyb71ok2pj.png" alt="Image description" width="800" height="474"></a></p> <h2> TeamViewer </h2> <p><strong>Best for Personal Use</strong>: Known for its cross-platform connectivity, it offers a free version for personal use, with the paid version providing advanced features.</p> <p><strong>Pros</strong>: Intuitive interface, fast operation, integration with third-party apps.<br> <strong>Cons</strong>: Limited to one remote system view at a time, not ideal for large files, version compatibility issues.</p> <h2> ConnectWise Control </h2> <p><strong>Best for IT Support</strong>: Tailored for tech support teams, it offers comprehensive session logging and proactive problem identification.</p> <p><strong>Pros</strong>: Versatile features, automated alerts, reliable logging.<br> <strong>Cons</strong>: Confusing webpage, slow UI response.</p> <h2> Zoho Assist </h2> <p><strong>Best for Small Business</strong>: A cloud-based app enabling on-demand customer support sessions.</p> <p><strong>Pros</strong>: Easy to use, security breach notifications, free cloud storage.<br> <strong>Cons</strong>: Costly licensing, limited Chromebook screen sharing, Windows-only remote printing.</p> <h2> Splashtop Remote Support </h2> <p><strong>Best for Mac</strong>: Offers advanced endpoint management features and robust security.</p> <p><strong>Pros</strong>: Unlimited concurrent sessions, non-intrusive upgrades, maintains system responsiveness.<br> <strong>Cons</strong>: Expensive, audio lag issues, minimum one-year subscription.</p> <h2> Understanding Remote Support Software </h2> <p>Remote support software is crucial for IT teams to remotely access and control devices for troubleshooting and maintenance. It saves time and money, eliminating the need for physical access to devices. The software is diverse, catering to various business needs, from small-scale operations to large enterprises, offering both attended and unattended support functionalities.</p> <h2> Benefits and Challenges </h2> <p><strong>Benefits</strong>: Remote support software provides time and cost savings, increased efficiency, and the ability to manage IT infrastructures flexibly.</p> <p><strong>Challenges</strong>: Potential issues include connectivity problems, privacy concerns, and limitations in addressing hardware issues.</p> <h2> Choosing the Right Software </h2> <p>When selecting remote support software, consider your business size, budget, and specific needs. Enterprise buyers should focus on feature-rich tools with integration capabilities. Small businesses need to weigh cost against functionality. Best-of-breed buyers might prioritize specific features like remote access for online meetings.</p> <h2> Conclusion </h2> <p>Remote support software is an invaluable tool for modern businesses, offering a range of solutions to meet diverse needs and challenges. Careful consideration of your specific requirements will help you choose the most suitable software, enhancing your IT support efficiency and effectiveness.</p> remote it software