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AnyDesk Security Breach 2024: What Actually Happened
AnyDesk security breach: source code stolen, certificate compromised, 18,317 credentials on dark web. What IT teams need to know. (CrowdStrike, 2024)
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Best TeamViewer Alternative in 2026: Buyer's Guide by Use Case
"Best" doesn't mean the same thing to a solo IT technician, an MSP managing 300 clients, or a CIO consolidating tools. This guide doesn't give one answer — it gives the right answer for your situation.
Quick picks: after perpetual license termination (v11/v12, December 31, 2025) and the APT29 breach in June 2024, 2026 is the year IT teams are actively finding their best TeamViewer alternative. Here's the verdict by use case:
| Use Case | Best Alternative | Starting Price | |----------|-----------------|----------------| | Direct replacement, lower price | Splashtop | $6/mo | | MSP, concurrent sessions | ConnectWise ScreenConnect | ~$30/concurrent tech | | Open source, self-hosted | RustDesk | Free | | Small team, tight budget | Zoho Assist | $0 (free tier) | | IT team managing a fleet | Sobrii Remote | €12/device/year | | Enterprise, compliance | TeamViewer Tensor / ConnectWise | Custom quote |
We also have a full comparison of the 7 best TeamViewer alternatives in 2026 if you want a tool-by-tool deep dive.
Why Leave TeamViewer in 2026? 3 Concrete Reasons
1. Perpetual License Termination — A Major Turning Point
On December 31, 2025, TeamViewer cut internet connectivity for versions 11 and 12. Thousands of small businesses and IT professionals who had purchased "lifetime" licenses found their software deactivated. The compensation offered — discounts on subscriptions — was widely dismissed as inadequate.
This isn't a price increase. It's a unilateral contract breach. And it triggered a wave of migrations that few would have predicted two years ago.
"TeamViewer doesn't want individual customers anymore. They only want enterprise." — r/sysadmin thread, January 2026
2. Pricing That Climbs Every Year
TeamViewer applies 5–15% annual price increases. The median TeamViewer contract costs $10,424/year (Vendr, 25 verified purchases). The Corporate plan hits $229.90/month before add-ons — additional concurrent connections, mobile device support, and managed endpoints are billed separately.
On r/sysadmin, Tensor renewal quotes are described as "3x more expensive than the competition — just insulting." Multiple alternatives offer functional parity at 50% of the cost.
3. The APT29 Breach in June 2024
On June 26, 2024, the APT29 group (Russian state-sponsored hackers) compromised TeamViewer's internal corporate IT network via a stolen employee credential. TeamViewer confirms that production systems and customer data were not affected — the breach was contained to the internal IT environment.
Important nuance: the AnyDesk breach (January 2024) was more severe — it hit production systems, with source code and signing certificates stolen. Unlike what some articles suggest, TeamViewer did not lose customer data.
That said, H-ISAC issued a warning about "active cyberthreats exploiting TeamViewer" — which was enough to trigger contract re-evaluations in regulated industries like healthcare and finance.
Which Is the Best TeamViewer Alternative for Your Use Case?
Best Overall / Best Value: Splashtop
Splashtop is the dominant recommendation on r/sysadmin and r/msp for replacing TeamViewer. The reason is straightforward: functional parity, 50% lower price, transparent billing (Splashtop.com, verified comparison, 2026).
Splashtop by the numbers: G2 rating of 4.8/5 across 1,800+ reviews — higher than TeamViewer on the same platform. Entry price: $6/month, up to 75% cheaper than TeamViewer Remote Access ($24.90/month). Splashtop.com, April 2026.
2026 pricing (billed annually):
| Plan | Price | Use case | |------|-------|---------| | Solo | $6/mo | 1 user, 2 computers | | Business Access Pro | $8.25/user/mo | Multi-monitor, chat, Wake-on-LAN | | Access Performance | $13/user/mo | USB redirection, HD audio | | Enterprise | Custom | SSO, full audit logs |
Strengths: 4K streaming at 60fps, file transfer, remote print, session recording, Windows/macOS/Linux/Android/iOS. G2 rating: 4.8/5.
Limitations: no remote control of mobile devices as targets (desktops/VMs only). Annual prepayment required — no monthly billing. Enterprise pricing is not transparent.
Best for: IT technicians and MSPs looking for a direct TeamViewer replacement at a lower price point.
Splashtop actively maintains a "TeamViewer → Splashtop" migration page with onboarding guides — a signal that they're serious about this transition.
Best for MSPs: ConnectWise ScreenConnect
For MSPs, ConnectWise ScreenConnect's concurrent session licensing model is native to the business. You pay per active technician simultaneously, not per managed device.
2026 pricing:
- ~$30/mo: 1 tech, 1 concurrent session, 10 unattended agents
- ~$45/mo per concurrent tech (Standard)
- ~$55/mo per concurrent tech (Premium)
Strengths: customizable client portals with MSP branding, native RMM integrations (ConnectWise Automate, Manage), 7.75% market share in remote support (6sense, 2026).
Security note: CVE-2024-1709 (CVSS 10.0) — a critical authentication bypass discovered in February 2024. Patch released February 19, 2024. ConnectWise contacted CISA the same day; cloud instances were auto-remediated. On-premise deployments require manual patching discipline. The issue is considered resolved, but it's a reminder that on-prem tools must be kept current.
Best for: MSPs managing multiple clients with concurrent session needs and client isolation requirements.
Best Free / Open Source: RustDesk
RustDesk is the unanimous recommendation on r/sysadmin and r/selfhosted for anyone wanting self-hosted, privacy-first remote access with no ongoing costs. 110,000+ GitHub stars in 2025 (AGPL-3.0, GitHub).
RustDesk community traction: "Forget TeamViewer, RustDesk is the open-source alternative you've been looking for" — BetaNews, 2025. With 110,000+ GitHub stars, it's the most-starred open-source remote desktop project on the platform.
Pricing:
| Plan | Price | Includes | |------|-------|---------| | OSS self-hosted | Free | Unlimited clients, your infrastructure | | Pro (1 user) | $9.90/mo | Web console, SSO/OIDC, audit logs | | Pro (10 users) | $19.90/mo | LDAP, centralized management |
Important distinction: RustDesk is not "completely free." The client is open source. But RustDesk Server Pro — required for the web console, LDAP authentication, and audit logs — is proprietary and starts at $9.90/month.
AGPL-3.0 and commercial use: for internal IT use (company deploying for its own employees), AGPL does not require releasing source code. For MSPs offering remote access as a service to clients, AGPL copyleft obligations may apply — get legal review, or use the Pro tier which carries a commercial license.
Best for: technical teams with DevOps skills who want full data sovereignty and can maintain a self-hosted infrastructure.
Best for Small Teams: Zoho Assist
For 1–5 technicians on a tight budget, Zoho Assist combines a functional free tier with flexible billing that doesn't require annual commitment.
2026 pricing (per technician/month, billed annually):
| Plan | Price | Concurrent sessions | |------|-------|-------------------| | Free | $0 | 1 basic session | | Standard | $10/tech/mo | 2 | | Professional | $15/tech/mo | 4 + session recording | | Enterprise | $24/tech/mo | 6 + audit logs, custom domain |
Strengths: permanent free tier, pay-as-you-go option available (no annual lock-in required), native integration with Zoho Desk, Zoho CRM, Zendesk. No major security incidents on record.
Limitations: the interface is less polished than Splashtop or AnyDesk. The split between "Remote Support" and "Unattended Access" product lines can confuse new users. Session recording only available from the Professional tier.
Best for: small IT teams already in the Zoho ecosystem, or teams wanting a free entry point with a path to paid features.
Best for IT Teams Managing a Fleet: Sobrii Remote
Sobrii Remote is not another remote desktop tool. It's the remote control module built into the Sobrii platform — alongside 12 other modules: asset inventory, battery health, DEX scoring, compliance, Green IT, financial management, shadow IT detection.
The core argument: stop paying for TeamViewer separately when your IT fleet platform already includes remote control.
For an IT team managing 200 to 5,000 devices, the calculation is different from a tool-by-tool comparison:
- TeamViewer Business at $50.90/month = $610.80/year for 1 user, no fleet analytics
- Sobrii at €18/device/year for 500 devices = €9,000/year, with remote + full fleet intelligence
What Sobrii Remote delivers:
- Connection in 3 seconds, 12ms latency, AV1 codec
- Zero install on the end-user side
- 4 privacy levels configurable per session or policy
- Ultra-lightweight Rust agent (< 1% CPU) — one agent for 13 modules
- Multi-tenant architecture: MSPs manage multiple client fleets
- Integrations: Intune, SCCM, GLPI, ServiceNow, NinjaOne, ManageEngine
2026 pricing:
| Plan | Scope | Price | |------|-------|-------| | Starter | 50–200 devices | €20/device/year (min. €2,400/yr) | | Essential | 200–500 devices | €18/device/year (min. €5,400/yr) | | Business | 500–2,000 devices | €15/device/year (min. €9,000/yr) | | Enterprise | 2,000–5,000 devices | €12/device/year (min. €24,000/yr) |
All tiers include all 13 platform modules. No feature gating, no per-technician licensing.
Best for: IT teams and MSPs managing 50 to 5,000 devices who want to consolidate tools rather than add another one.
Explore Sobrii RemoteBest for Enterprise: TeamViewer Tensor or ConnectWise
For large organizations already invested in the TeamViewer ecosystem, TeamViewer Tensor remains the enterprise default: conditional access policies, SSO/SAML, dedicated account management, unlimited concurrent sessions, MDM/UEM integration. Pricing: $10,000–$50,000+/year on custom quote.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect is the enterprise challenger, especially for organizations already on the ConnectWise platform (Automate, Manage).
Post-APT29 note: enterprises in regulated sectors re-evaluating TeamViewer may also consider NinjaOne or Datto RMM as full-suite alternatives.
How Do You Choose the Right TeamViewer Replacement?
Managing an IT fleet (50+ devices) and want to consolidate tools? → Sobrii Remote — remote included in the platform, no extra tool to manage.
MSP with concurrent session requirements? → ConnectWise ScreenConnect — MSP-native licensing, client isolation, branding.
Need open source and have DevOps skills? → RustDesk — self-hosted, AGPL, 110K GitHub stars. Consider the Pro tier if you need audit logs.
Budget is zero or starting with 1–2 technicians? → Zoho Assist — permanent free tier, no lock-in.
Just want to replace TeamViewer at lower cost, without complexity? → Splashtop — dominant r/sysadmin recommendation, $6/month, guided migration.
Is AnyDesk a Good TeamViewer Alternative in 2026?
Not for security-conscious environments in 2026 — here's why. AnyDesk was the go-to alternative before 2024. Two events changed the calculation.
January 2024 breach (more severe than TeamViewer's): attackers accessed AnyDesk's production systems — source code and private code signing certificates stolen. 18,317 customer credentials listed for sale on the dark web (Trend Micro, February 2024). This is structurally more serious than the TeamViewer breach, which was limited to the internal corporate IT network.
October 2025 price hike: AnyDesk raised prices 26–40% across all tiers and switched from user-based to connection-based licensing. The former Performance plan at $19.90/month was replaced by a Standard plan at $49.90/month — a 150% increase. For MSPs running concurrent sessions, total cost under the new model can now exceed Splashtop.
AnyDesk retains advantages (DeskRT codec for unstable networks, < 4 MB client, on-premises option). But for security-conscious environments in 2026, it's not our first-choice recommendation.
FAQ — Best TeamViewer Alternative: Common Questions Answered
What is the best TeamViewer alternative in 2026? It depends on your use case. For a direct cheaper replacement: Splashtop ($6/mo, G2 4.8/5, 50% cheaper per Splashtop.com). For MSPs: ConnectWise ScreenConnect. For open source: RustDesk. For IT fleet teams: Sobrii Remote.
Is Splashtop better than TeamViewer? For most professional use cases, yes — at half the price. Splashtop delivers functional parity (4K streaming, session recording, file transfer, multi-monitor) with transparent billing and no hidden add-ons. The one notable gap: Splashtop cannot remotely control a mobile device (Android/iOS) as the target.
What is the best free TeamViewer alternative? RustDesk (self-hosted, AGPL, unlimited devices) for technical teams. Zoho Assist Free for teams without DevOps skills. Chrome Remote Desktop for personal use only — it lacks audit logs, session recording, and multi-client management for professional IT workflows.
Should I leave TeamViewer because of the APT29 breach? The June 2024 breach hit TeamViewer's internal corporate IT (employee data), not production systems or customer data. If your decision is security-driven, add context: the AnyDesk breach (January 2024) was more severe — source code and signing certificates stolen. The strongest argument for migrating remains pricing and the perpetual license termination.
Does TeamViewer have a free enterprise-grade alternative? No. Enterprise alternatives (ConnectWise, NinjaOne, Sobrii) are paid platforms. RustDesk Pro is the only option with a free self-hosted tier plus advanced features via subscription, but it requires technical expertise to manage the infrastructure.
Does Sobrii Remote work without software installed on the remote device? Yes. The Sobrii agent is already deployed on managed endpoints as part of the fleet management platform. For attended sessions with unmanaged users, Sobrii Remote requires no pre-installation on the user's side.
Conclusion
2026 marks a turning point for TeamViewer. The perpetual license termination on December 31, 2025 forced thousands of IT teams to make a decision they had been deferring for years. The APT29 breach accelerated re-evaluations in regulated sectors.
The best TeamViewer alternative is not the same for everyone:
- Splashtop if you want a direct, simple, cheaper replacement
- ConnectWise ScreenConnect if you're an MSP with concurrent session needs
- RustDesk if you have the skills to self-host and want full data sovereignty
- Zoho Assist if you're starting with a limited budget
- Sobrii Remote if you manage an IT fleet and want to stop paying for separate tools that overlap
For a deeper dive, read our full TeamViewer alternatives comparison with tool-by-tool analysis.
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