Comparison

RealVNC Viewer vs NimbleDesk

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

RealVNC Viewer

Access and control your Mac, Windows, or Linux computers remotely from any device. View your desktop, use your keyboard and mouse, and manage files securely with end-to-end encryption. Sync connections across all your devices for seamless access.

Highlights
  • Instant remote access to computers
  • Control mouse and keyboard remotely
  • End-to-end session encryption
  • Cloud service for easy connection
  • Backup and sync connections
  • Virtual keyboard with advanced keys
  • Bluetooth keyboard support
Features
Read full description

RealVNC® Viewer from RealVNC® gives you instant remote access to your Mac, Windows and Linux computers from anywhere in the world. You can view your computer's desktop, and control its mouse and keyboard as though you were sitting down in front of it. Download RealVNC Connect to each computer you want to control. Then sign in to RealVNC Viewer on your device using your RealVNC account credentials. You'll see your computers automatically appear; simply tap to connect. RealVNC Connect password-protects each computer out-of-the-box. You may need to enter the same user name and password you use to log in to your computer. All sessions are then encrypted end-to-end. During a session, your device's touch screen serves as a trackpad to give you precise control. Drag your finger to move the remote mouse cursor and tap anywhere to left-click (other gestures such as right-click and scroll are explained in-app). As the original inventors of VNC remote access technology, we're confident you'll love what RealVNC Viewer has to offer. If you're still not convinced, check out our reviews! ===Key features=== - Connect with ease via our cloud service to computers running RealVNC Connect. - Backup and sync your connections between all your devices by signing in to RealVNC Viewer on each one. - A scrolling bar above the virtual keyboard includes advanced keys such as Command/Windows. - Support for Bluetooth keyboards. ===Contact=== We’d love to hear from you: iphone-support@realvnc.com twitter.com/RealVNC facebook.com/realvnc Better still, leave us a review!   ===Terms of Use=== https://static.realvnc.com/media/documents/RealVNCServicesTCs.pdf ===Trademarks=== RealVNC and VNC are trademarks of RealVNC Limited and are protected by trademark registrations and/or pending trademark applications in the European Union, United States of America and other jurisdictions. Protected by UK patents 2481870, 2479756; US patent 8760366; EU patent 2652951.

About

NimbleDesk

Access your Windows PC from your iPhone or iPad with fast, responsive streaming. Control your desktop with real mice, keyboards, or custom touch controls. Use your iPad as an extra monitor or collaborate with others by sharing your desktop.

Highlights
  • Fast, responsive remote desktop streaming
  • Support for real mice, keyboards, and controllers
  • Customizable on-screen touch controls
  • Use iPad as an extra wireless monitor
  • Securely share and access desktops with others
  • High-quality video and audio streaming
Features
Read full description

NimbleDesk gives you fast, responsive access to your Windows PC from your iPhone or iPad, wherever you are. Built around ultra-low-latency peer-to-peer WebRTC streaming and hardware-accelerated video, NimbleDesk is designed to make remote desktop control feel as immediate as possible. Whether you're working remotely, playing games, checking something on your PC, or using your iPad as an extra display, NimbleDesk keeps your desktop close at hand. FAST, HIGH-QUALITY REMOTE ACCESS Stream your Windows desktop with both video and audio at up to 4K and 60 FPS. Choose between quality modes that prioritize responsiveness or smoother playback depending on what you're doing. Whenever possible, NimbleDesk connects directly to your computer using a peer-to-peer connection. When a direct connection isn't available, encrypted relay servers can keep you connected across more restrictive networks. USE REAL MICE, KEYBOARDS, AND CONTROLLERS Connect compatible Bluetooth mice, keyboards, and game controllers to your iPhone or iPad and use them to control your remote PC. NimbleDesk is built for more than basic desktop navigation, making it suitable for gaming, productivity, and applications that benefit from precise input. CREATE CUSTOM TOUCH CONTROLS Layouts let you build your own on-screen controls for the things you use most. Add push buttons, toggle buttons, joysticks, and button pads, then configure them to send: - Keyboard input and shortcuts - Mouse input - Controller input - Common macros and input combinations Create layouts for games, creative applications, productivity workflows, or anything else that benefits from quick touch access. TURN YOUR IPAD INTO AN EXTRA MONITOR View any monitor connected to your Windows PC, or create a virtual display and use your iPad as an additional wireless monitor alongside your desktop or laptop. Move your work to another screen, keep reference material nearby, or extend your desktop without adding another physical monitor. CONNECT TO DESKTOPS SHARED WITH YOU Add friends and coworkers as connections, and they can invite you to access their Windows desktop. When someone shares a desktop with you, NimbleDesk lets you securely view and control it from your iPhone or iPad, according to the permissions set by the host. Jump into a game together, collaborate on a project, or simply check out what someone's working on. FREE TO GET STARTED The free tier includes: - Remote streaming up to 720p at 30 FPS - Up to 5 GB of encrypted relay usage - Direct peer-to-peer connections when available - An automatic 30-day trial of Premium features Premium unlocks higher streaming quality and additional capabilities for users who want the best NimbleDesk experience. AVAILABLE FOR WINDOWS PCS NimbleDesk currently connects to Windows computers running the NimbleDesk desktop app. Support for additional desktop platforms is planned for the future. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Terms of Service: https://www.nimble-desk.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.nimble-desk.com/privacy

Screenshots

RealVNC Viewer4 screens
NimbleDesk3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: RealVNC Viewer at none against NimbleDesk's 2. RealVNC Viewer also leads on ratings volume (15K vs 1). NimbleDesk's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. NimbleDesk sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. RealVNC Viewer asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

NimbleDesk holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RealVNC Viewer has 15K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

RealVNC Viewer ships an update every 2 months, NimbleDesk every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
RealVNC Viewer versus NimbleDesk: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRealVNC ViewerNimbleDesk
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (15K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews72.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings15K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRealVNCGudka Ventures LLC

Customer experience

RealVNC Viewer

All ratings15,340 ratings
Positive94.8%
Neutral2.0%
Negative3.1%
Written reviews1,525 reviews
Positive72.3%
Neutral7.1%
Negative20.7%

NimbleDesk

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

RealVNC Viewer

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Cursor and screen synchronization issues
  • Incompatibility with certain macOS and iOS versions
  • Frequent disconnections and login problems
  • Keyboard input not working as expected

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for audio streaming
  • Improve clipboard and file transfer functionality
  • Provide better multi-monitor support
  • Allow customization of keyboard and mouse controls
  • Implement a true touch-based interface

NimbleDesk

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

RealVNC Viewer

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

NimbleDesk

Subscriptions2
  • NimbleDesk Premium Monthly$8.991 Month
  • NimbleDesk Premium Yearly$89.991 Year

Questions

Is RealVNC Viewer free?
RealVNC Viewer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is NimbleDesk free?
NimbleDesk is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, RealVNC Viewer or NimbleDesk?
NimbleDesk is rated higher. RealVNC Viewer averages 4.8 out of 5 from 15K ratings, while NimbleDesk averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do RealVNC Viewer or NimbleDesk have ads?
Neither RealVNC Viewer nor NimbleDesk shows ads.
Which is updated more often, RealVNC Viewer or NimbleDesk?
RealVNC Viewer ships an update every 2 months, and NimbleDesk every 2 weeks. Most recently, RealVNC Viewer was updated on November 3, 2026 and NimbleDesk on October 31, 2026.

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