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MeshCentral vs Apple Remote Desktop: catalog facts
MeshCentral	Apple Remote Desktop
Free Free and open source under Apache 2.0, with no per-seat or per-device cost.	Paid Sold as a paid Mac app by Apple.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Self-hosted, Web	macOS
Full web-based remote desktop, terminal and file management with no client to install Self-hosted with no per-seat or per-device licensing	Controls and observes many Macs from one console Copies files and runs tasks across groups of computers
You are running a server that is exposed to the internet; securing it is your job Installation and TLS configuration are real work	Mac only Paid app aimed at administrators rather than casual screen sharing
Self-hosted	Downloadable app
Open source	Closed source
License: Apache-2.0	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 21, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.