Chrome Remote Desktop vs. Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan)

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Chrome Remote Desktop
Score 8.4 out of 10
N/A
Chrome Remote Desktop from Google is a cross-platform remote administration and remote desktop tool that requires the Chrome browser and an extension. It is free to use.N/A
RDCMan
Score 7.7 out of 10
N/A
RDCMan, or Remote Desktop Connection Manager from Microsoft, is a utility for managing multiple remote desktop connections. Once shut down due to a vulnerability in version 2.7, RDCMan is now updated and part of the Sysinternals family of tools. The 2.8 release fixes CVE-2020-0765, the XML parsing vulnerability. As of May, 2025, RDCMan is in version 3.1.N/A
Pricing
Chrome Remote DesktopMicrosoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan)
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Chrome Remote DesktopRDCMan
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
YesYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Chrome Remote DesktopMicrosoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan)
Features
Chrome Remote DesktopMicrosoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan)
Remote Administration
Comparison of Remote Administration features of Product A and Product B
Chrome Remote Desktop
8.4
Ratings
3% above category average
Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan)
8.1
Ratings
0% below category average
Screen sharing6.00 Ratings6.70 Ratings
File transfer8.00 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Instant message8.00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication9.00 Ratings5.00 Ratings
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers7.00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Over-the-Internet remote session10.00 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Initiate remote control from mobile8.00 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Remote management of servers & workstations9.00 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Remote Active Directory® management9.00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Centralized management dashboard9.00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Session record9.00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Annotations9.00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Monitoring and Alerts9.00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Multi-platform remote control7.00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Chrome Remote DesktopMicrosoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan)
Small Businesses
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Medium-sized Companies
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Score 9.0 out of 10
Remote Desktop Manager
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Score 9.0 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
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User Ratings
Chrome Remote DesktopMicrosoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan)
Likelihood to Recommend
9.0
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
7.0
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
9.0
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
3.8
(0 ratings)
8.3
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
10.0
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Chrome Remote DesktopMicrosoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan)
Likelihood to Recommend
Chrome Remote Desktop is great for accessing machines remotely which cannot be accessed via Microsoft's Remote Desktop. It's especially nice for accessing machines of varying operating systems from a machine of a single operating system. For example, if I'm on my Windows laptop, I can always use Microsoft Remote Desktop to connect to local machines (or machines via a VPN), but I can't do the same with Macs. I can do both from Chrome Remote Desktop though, and this program is very lightweight, which is nice.
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It is a useful tool and definitely beats other alternatives and options. There is always room for improvement however which is why I gave a rating of 8. From a core function perspective Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager is definitely what you want but down the line I think certainly some bells and whistles would be nice.
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Pros
  • It's very easy to connect to your computers. All you have to do is make sure you are logged in with your Google account on all of your devices.
  • It has good remote control options like print screen or power-off remotely.
  • I haven't faced any lag while remotely connecting to devices at work.
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  • One thing it does well is being able to deploy it quickly and easily. It takes very little space to install the actual program and also installs quickly. Once installed, it is relatively to start creating groups and adding servers/machines, without users needing to be trained in how to do this, or consulting the documentation.
  • Another thing it does well is having an easy to use layout within the Microsoft Remote Connection Manager (RDCMan) window. There is a tree directory structure, showing groups, and corresponding servers/machines. There are also thumbnails of servers/machines that are displayed. This helps IT, Administrators, to see what is connected and what is not, along with understanding what is on the actual screen of the live server/machine in realtime.
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Cons
  • More fluid video rendering. Does a good job, but could use a more consistent framerate at times.
  • A way to easier switch between multiple monitors.
  • Adding an ability to zoom for multi-monitor display. Sometimes on a single screen it can get difficult to read if trying to view them all.
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  • You can't drag and drop files between local and remote sessions—something many modern RDP tools allow, and it saves a ton of clicks.
  • You can export settings, but not as CSV or something readable/editable outside RDCMan. Makes documentation or sharing config info harder.
  • Hovering over minimized or background sessions shows nothing—no live thumbnail or last screen capture like some tools do.
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Likelihood to Renew
A very easy lightweight tool that is completely scalable and deployed via google admin platform. The tool is free to use and works extremely well with the chrome devices we currently have deployed. Any organization using chrome or google suites should look into this tool as it's much easier to use then other remote software in the market
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No answers on this topic
Usability
Just a great product that has saved countless hours of commute to work and given the flexibility to be able to work from anywhere, whether at home or when away on holiday overseas. I love that it is a free product and is just as great as its competitors' products. It has also allowed me to prepare for work for the following day.
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As alluded to in previous responses it is a very functional tool. It allows me to do my job quickly and efficiently every single day. There are little to no issues using the connection on a day to day basis. It handles everything you need from a remote connection perspective.
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Support Rating
The only support I ever accessed were help files and web tutorials. I never tried to access personal support, mostly because I don't believe much of it is available. As a free service, my expectations for support are pretty low; that said, Chrome Remote Desktop is easy enough to configure and troubleshoot even with limited technical knowledge.
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Plenty of information and support online, and with many things it's pretty straight forward for the average tech to navigate and work with. But with most things online you're not the only person that's had the issue before, and using a search engine you should be able to figure it out.
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Implementation Rating
None, its quick and easy
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No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
Most of the other software solutions come at a cost for the licensing, and it is usually not cheap, given that you need to have commercial licensing for a business/organization. Also, with the other remote desktop solutions, there is more of a learning curve in order to use, them. With Chrome Remote Desktop that is not the case. Lastly, some of the problems that were seen in some of the paid commercial solutions, have not been seen with Chrome Remote Desktop.
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The Avanti Software needed alot of attention if you are new to such tools. So for that reason we chose Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager because of the more user friendly use of it. Also because it integrades great with windows and the remote servers we have. Thats also why we dont use TeamViewer either.
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Return on Investment
  • Saved many hours of unnecessary community to my business - 60 to 120 hours a year.
  • Given a lot of flexibility to remote access work computers from home or when away on holiday.
  • Saved time at work the next day by preparing work the previous night by using this product to access work computers.
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  • I can troubleshoot application errors faster for clients.
  • While troubleshooting, I spend less time fumbling to find credentials and other machine-specific settings.
  • Being able to connect to the same machines from multiple devices helps me when I'm not in the office.
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ScreenShots

Chrome Remote Desktop Screenshots

Screenshot of the option to share a screen or access another computer in Chrome Remote Desktop.Screenshot of the screen to setup a remote connection.

RDCMan Screenshots

Screenshot of a view of RDCMan 2.22Screenshot of a view of RDCMan 2.22Screenshot of a view of RDCMan 2.81