Remolo or TeamViewer
TeamViewer is free for personal use only. If it suspects commercial use — frequent sessions, several computers, a corporate network or even checking work email from home — free sessions time out until you ask for a review. Remolo is a Mac remote on your iPhone: trackpad, keyboard, clicker and your own buttons for free, and with Pro, control from any network for a flat subscription, with no accounts.
Updated
| Remolo | TeamViewer | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | free; Pro $2.99/mo or $14.99/yr | free for personal use only; paid plans for work |
| iPhone app to control a Mac | yes, for iPhone and iPad | yes, TeamViewer Remote Control |
| From any network, no router setup | yes, built-in relay with end-to-end encryption (Pro) | yes |
| Account needed | no | for unattended access |
| Touch control | trackpad with gestures; 3–4 fingers in Pro | mouse or touch mode |
| The Mac’s screen on the phone | yes, to watch, with a magnifier; you steer with the trackpad (Pro) | full remote desktop |
| Files between iPhone and Mac | one file at a time, both ways (Pro) | yes, both ways |
| Slides, timer, notes | Keynote, PowerPoint, Google Slides, PDF; timer; notes (Pro) | not stated |
| Custom buttons and scripts | buttons; chains, AppleScript and Shell (Pro) | in-session scripts from the Business plan |
| Temporary access for someone else | one-time link for 1 hour, 1 day or 7 days (Pro) | session code, accepted on the other side |
| Wake a sleeping Mac | no; it keeps the Mac awake instead (“Mac always ready”) | on paid plans, with a second device on the same network |
| Apple Watch | yes (Pro) | not listed in the App Store |
| Windows PCs | no, Mac only | yes |
Data from the official pages as of 6 October 2026; “not stated” means the official pages don’t mention it. All the alternatives side by side are on the Compare page.
When TeamViewer is the better pick
- You support many computers, Windows included, and need file transfer and chat in a session.
- You need to wake office computers remotely: TeamViewer’s paid plans can, with a second device on the same network.
When Remolo is the better pick
- No “personal vs commercial” split and no checks that cut sessions off.
- No account: the phone and the Mac pair with a six-digit code or a QR code.
- A trackpad with macOS gestures, a slide clicker with a timer, a media remote, buttons and chains.
- A temporary link for someone else for an hour, a day or a week — with only what you allow (Pro).
Questions
Why does TeamViewer say it suspects commercial use?
According to TeamViewer’s own help, repeated sessions, connections to several computers or access from corporate networks can trigger the flag. Free sessions then time out; you can ask to lift it through the teamviewer.com/reset form.
Can I use Remolo for work?
Yes. The free features aren’t split into personal and work use, and Pro is a regular App Store subscription.
Does Remolo control a Windows PC?
No, only Macs on macOS 15 or later. For Windows, TeamViewer or another remote desktop fits.
Sources
- https://www.teamviewer.com/en-us/solutions/roles/personal-use/
- https://www.teamviewer.com/en/global/support/knowledge-base/teamviewer-classic/licensing/personal-use/commercial-use-suspected/
- https://www.teamviewer.com/en/global/support/knowledge-base/teamviewer-remote/remote-control/wake-up-a-device-remotely/
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id692035811
Other comparisons
A month of Pro for those who wait
The iPhone and iPad app is coming soon to the App Store, and Remolo Helper for Mac is already available.