Remote Desktop vs Parallels Client
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Remote Desktop
Access your Windows PC from your iPhone or iPad. View files, run programs, and use resources remotely. Supports various Windows versions and includes features like printing and barcode scanning.
- Connect to Windows PCs
- View files and programs
- Supports Windows XP/7/8/10
- Printing support
- Barcode scanner
- Wake on LAN (WOL)
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Using your iPhone or iPad, you can connect to your Windows Workstation Computer and see the files, programs, and resources exactly as you would if you were sitting at your desk, just on a smaller screen. Mocha Remote Desktop (RDP) provides access to a PC running Windows XP Professional or Windows 7/8/10. HOME edition or Windows 200x Servers cannot be supported. LITE VERSION Has a 5 minutes session limitation. FEATURES - Standard RDP protocol. - 8/16 bit color mode for faster screen updates. - Zoom and scroll as the Safari Browser. - WOL (Wake on LAN). - Printing. - Barcode scanner. - Support for Swiftpoint GT hardware mouse. - Support for a Bluetooth mouse, when using an iPad. - Support for Mouse Easy. Use an iPhone as a bluetooth trackpad. - Stylus pen. - NETBIOS name support for easy configuration. - Landscape mode. - Have patent license for the RDP protocol from Microsoft. LIMITATIONS - Windows HOME edition cannot be used, as it does not include the RDP protocol. - We cannot offer Windows 200x Server access, as it will require another patent license from Microsoft.
Parallels Client
Access business applications, virtual desktops, and data securely from your device. This tool offers intuitive, fast, and reliable virtualized application and desktop experiences, enabling work from anywhere. It supports seamless integration with corporate Windows applications and Azure Virtual Desktop environments.
- Secure access to business apps and data
- Work from any device, anywhere
- Access corporate Windows applications
- Optimize published applications
- Seamless Windows app access
- Connect to Azure Virtual Desktop
- Universal Printing
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Parallels Client, when connected to Parallels RAS (Remote Application Server), provides secure access to business applications, virtual desktops, and data from your device. Using virtualized applications and desktops in Parallels Client is intuitive, fast, and reliable. Parallels Remote Application Server and Parallels Client allow you to: • Work on any device from anywhere • Access any corporate Windows applications • Resize and optimize published applications for a native look and feel FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS • Seamless access to Windows applications on your device • Higher level of security when connecting over SSL • Access to Azure Virtual Desktop environments • Ability to work with virtual desktops, terminal servers/RD Session Hosts, and Windows PC hosts • Universal Printing allows you to print from your device to any printer • Graphic acceleration using RemoteFX • Remote applications and desktops extended to multiple monitors • Remote sound, local drive, and two-way clipboard redirection for a truly intergrated experience If you have questions about Parallels Client, please visit our support page. For more information about Parallels RAS, visit www.parallels.com/products/RAS/. Parallels Remote Application Server is an industry-leading solution for virtual applications and desktop delivery.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Remote Desktop at 2.9 against Parallels Client's 2.5. Remote Desktop also leads on review sentiment (52% vs 21%) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Remote Desktop holds the better App Store score, 2.9 against 2.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 151 and 58 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of Remote Desktop's written reviews are positive against 21% of Parallels Client's.
Remote Desktop ships an update every 4 months, Parallels Client every 3 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.
| Parameter | Remote Desktop | Parallels Client |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.9 (151 ratings) — better | 2.5 (58 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 52.0% of reviews — better | 21.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 151 — better | 58 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 43 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | MochaSoft | Parallels International GmbH |
Customer experience
Remote Desktop
Parallels Client
User reviews
Remote Desktop
From 151 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 👍 Easy to set up and use
- 🔒 Secure remote access
- 🤖 Works great with Windows XP and Server 2003
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes on some devices
- 🔒 Security concerns raised by some users
- 🔌 Drains device battery quickly
- 🚫 Does not support Windows Home editions or Vista
Parallels Client
From 58 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Works well for RDP connection
- 👍 Modern and improved interface
- 👍 Great RDP product
- 👍 Amazing after recent updates
- 👍 Does the job
Room to improve
- 🐛 Connection problems
- 🐛 Slow and frustrating
- 🐛 Impossible to use on iPhone
- 🐛 Auto-logouts too quickly
- 🐛 Cannot connect to virtual devices
Bugs and requests
Remote Desktop
Reported bugs
3 issues- Keyboard issues, unable to type full usernames
- Corrupts desktop settings on remote machine
- Compatibility problems with certain network configurations
Requested features
4 requests- Add support for Windows 7, 8, 10 and Server 2008/2012
- Implement right-click and scroll functionality
- Allow custom screen resolutions and full-screen mode
- Integrate VPN capabilities
Parallels Client
Reported bugs
40 issues- Cannot get past login screen
- Impossible to use on iPhone
- Auto-logout too soon
- Cannot connect directly to host only
- Too slow and many times doesn't work
Show 35 moreShow fewer
- Keyboard shortcuts hijacked by iOS
- Mouse double click has weird ripple effect
- Single key shortcuts don't work
- Alphabetical letters and numbers don't work in RDP session
- Cannot navigate screen on iPad, doesn't respond to touch
- Start, end, page up and down keys don't work
- External mouse double click issue
- Direct crash on iOS 17
- App crashes when hitting enter on magic keyboard
- Won't connect
- Graphics don't extend to full screen on iPhone 13 Pro Max
- Display becomes rough after update
- Letters are a bit blurry after last update
- New version is terrible and useless
- Keyboard will no longer pop up
- On-screen keyboard not popping up
- Charts are gone on Samsung phone
- PDA locked, screen goes black on iPhone
- Stylus triggers right mouse button
- Cannot open anything with double click
- Extremely laggy
- Mouse cursor not visible
- Cannot input Japanese
- Connection drops after running in background with screen closed
- Scroll wheel and right-click not working
- On-screen keyboard takes up half the screen
- Click and drag does not work in pointer mode
- App crashed on importing legacy settings
- Special keyboard keys do not work
- Two-factor authentication is broken
- Cannot copy files from iPhone
- Question mark key on iPhone keyboard is backslash
- Click and drag does not work in pointer mode
- Imported servers have no server name
- Keyboard issues with Shift/CapsLock
Requested features
31 requests- Allow installation on virtual devices
- Customizable auto-logout duration
- Support for physical keyboard shortcuts
- Improve mouse double-click visual effect
- Fix keyboard shortcuts hijacked by iOS
Show 26 moreShow fewer
- Fix non-working physical keys (start, end, page up/down)
- Update for iPhone 13 Pro Max screen
- Restore previous version of TC2000
- Fix keyboard not popping up on iPad
- Fix charts disappearing on Samsung phone
- Provide in-person expert support
- Fix right mouse button trigger with stylus
- Fix laggy performance
- Fix mouse cursor not visible
- Fix Japanese input issues
- Fix connection drops in background
- Fix mouse wheel scroll and right-click
- Support for Apple keyboard on iPad
- Always-on keyboard option
- Hide on-screen keyboard with Bluetooth keyboard
- Support for custom gestures from legacy version
- Add folders to Connections screen
- Fix import of legacy servers
- Fix special keyboard keys
- Fix two-factor authentication
- Allow file copying from iPhone
- Fix missing question mark key on iPhone keyboard
- Fix click and drag in pointer mode
- Improve troubleshooting support
- Fix on-screen keyboard blocking half the screen
- Improve selection tab for RDP pictures
In-app purchases
Remote Desktop
No in-app purchases
Parallels Client
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Remote Desktop free?
Is Parallels Client free?
Which has better reviews, Remote Desktop or Parallels Client?
Do Remote Desktop or Parallels Client have ads?
Which is updated more often, Remote Desktop or Parallels Client?
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