Parsec vs Pulsar

Parsec is a remote access app for connecting to computers from another device for work, games, or time with friends. It supports Windows, macOS, Ubuntu Linux, Android, and a Chromium web client; listed system requirements include Windows 10+, macOS 10.15+, and Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Desktop. Its gaming design targets 60FPS UHD play with low latency, with keyboard mapping, gamepad support, and advanced settings. Users can share a link so another person can observe or control a computer. Native-app peer-to-peer traffic is encrypted end-to-end with a shared 128-bit AES key; web-client sessions use DTLS. Accounts support multi-factor authentication, and Teams can enforce SAML 2.0 single sign-on. Personal Use and Individuals are licensed for personal, non-commercial use; commercial use requires Teams or Enterprise. Individuals (Warp) costs $8.33 per user per month, billed annually; Teams costs $30 per user per month, billed annually; Enterprise costs $45 per user per month, billed annually only. A free plan and 14-day trial are listed.

Pulsar combines remote desktop control and low-latency game streaming in one free, open-source app. It is aimed at gamers and IT or support teams connecting to servers, client machines, or personal computers. Remote desktop tools include ID and one-time-password access, unattended access, file transfer, clipboard sync, session chat, multi-monitor support, and remote restart. Connections try peer-to-peer first and automatically use a relay if needed. For games, Pulsar supports hardware H.265 or AV1 encoding at up to 120 fps, HDR, ultrawide displays, multichannel audio, adaptive bitrate, and Xbox and PlayStation controller mapping. It is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android; the iOS App Store release is in development. The maker says no account is required and there are no ads or telemetry. Encryption keys are generated on user devices, and users can self-host a relay and device identity server with a Docker command. The plan is free, free forever.