Chrome Remote Desktop is free, backed by Google, and dead simple to set up. But "free" comes with trade-offs — your Google account, your data, and browser-level performance. Here's the honest comparison.
Chrome RD covers the basics. Here's where the two solutions diverge — and why it matters.
| Feature | Remio | Chrome Remote Desktop |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy & Access | ||
| Account required? | ✓ No — just a PIN code | ✗ Google account mandatory |
| Data collection | Zero — we don't collect any data | Google analytics, usage telemetry, account data |
| End-to-end encryption | ✓ Always on | Encrypted in transit (Google can see metadata) |
| Performance | ||
| App type | 100% native (Swift/Kotlin/Go) | Browser-based (Chrome tab) |
| Streaming latency | Sub-20ms with hardware encoding | 50-150ms typical (WebRTC in browser) |
| Video codecs | H.265, VP9, AV1 | VP8/VP9 via WebRTC |
| Gaming capable? | ✓ Designed for it — low latency, gamepad support | ✗ Not designed for gaming at all |
| Features | ||
| Multi-monitor | ✓ Free for everyone | Basic — switch between displays |
| Mobile input optimization | Native gestures, smart touch zones | Basic touch-to-click mapping |
| File transfer | Coming soon | ✓ Basic file upload/download |
| AI-powered features | ✓ Smart bandwidth, resolution adaptation | ✗ No AI features |
| Business | ||
| Who controls it? | Independent indie developer | Google (Alphabet Inc.) |
| Long-term reliability | Core product — it's all we do | Side project — Google kills products regularly |
Beyond the checklist — here's what actually matters when choosing.
Both are free at the core. But "free" means different things.
Honest recommendations based on your actual use case.
If you just need to grab a file or check an email on your home computer once a month, Chrome Remote Desktop's simplicity is hard to beat. It's adequate for simple, infrequent tasks.
Chrome RD wasn't designed for anything latency-sensitive. Remio's native engine, hardware encoding, and gamepad support make it the only viable choice for gaming, video editing, or any real-time work.
If you don't want Google knowing when, where, and how often you access your computer remotely — Remio is the clear choice. No account, no telemetry, end-to-end encrypted.
Chrome Remote Desktop does one thing well — it gives you basic remote access with minimal setup. If you're already in Google's ecosystem and just need to check something on your home computer, it works. We won't pretend otherwise.
But "free" has a cost. You're tied to a Google account. Your connection metadata flows through Google's servers. The browser-based approach adds latency that makes anything beyond basic tasks frustrating. And Google has a track record of killing products without warning — remember Google Hangouts, Google+, or Stadia?
Remio gives you native performance, real privacy, and an app that's designed to be fast enough for gaming — not just email. It's free too, but if you do choose to pay, the deal is straightforward: money for features, not your data for advertising.
See how Remio compares to other remote desktop solutions.