Chrome Remote Desktop alternative: Auffi compared head-to-head
Auffi is a free, open-source (AGPL-3.0) and
GDPR-compliant alternative to Chrome Remote Desktop for
ad-hoc screen sharing and remote support. The person helping just opens
auffi.app in a browser and types in a 9-digit code —
no Google account, no installation. The servers are in
Germany, and every stream is end-to-end encrypted with DTLS-SRTP.
Chrome Remote Desktop is genuinely free and reliable, but requires a
Google account on both sides and runs over Google's US cloud.
Comparison table
| Feature | Auffi | Chrome Remote Desktop |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (private & commercial) | Free |
| Account required | No (ad-hoc code) | Google account on both sides |
| License / open source | AGPL-3.0, open source | Proprietary (Google) |
| Self-hostable | Yes (Docker) | No |
| Installation (person helping) | None — browser only | Browser, but Google account required |
| Server location | Germany (Frankfurt) | US (Google Cloud) |
| Encryption | End-to-end, DTLS-SRTP (WebRTC) | Encrypted (WebRTC/DTLS) |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux (macOS coming) | Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS |
As of June 2026
When Auffi is the better choice
- You want to help someone who has no Google account — or doesn't want to create one.
- You care about EU/German hosting and data privacy — no US cloud provider in the data path.
- You want to self-host the solution and control it completely (AGPL-3.0).
- You want every session explicitly confirmed — no automatic acceptance.
- You use remote support commercially and don't want to be tied to Google's ecosystem.
When Chrome Remote Desktop is the better choice
- Everyone involved already has a Google account and wants the simplest persistent self-access to their own machine.
- You need ChromeOS support or want to stay seamlessly within the Google ecosystem.
Chrome Remote Desktop alternative without forced accounts
With Chrome Remote Desktop the account requirement is not a detail at the edge but the architecture: device-to-person mapping runs through the Google account. That is why the person being helped needs one too — and anyone without an account, or without the password any more, never even reaches the connection step.
For ad-hoc help that is the wrong order. A connection code valid for ten minutes and then gone does the same job without a permanent identity: for the length of the session it establishes that both sides mean the same machine. One-off help needs nothing more.
The second point is where the servers are. Chrome Remote Desktop runs on Google infrastructure; in a professional context that has to be documented and justified. Auffi's servers are in Germany, and if that still is not enough, the AGPL lets you run the service yourself.
To be fair: if everyone involved already has a Google account and works inside the Chrome ecosystem, Chrome Remote Desktop is quick to set up and costs nothing. The alternative earns its place wherever one of those two assumptions does not hold.
Switching in three steps
- Install the sharer on the machine to be shared — no account, no browser extension.
- Generate a code and pass it on; it is valid for ten minutes.
- Confirm the request and pick a monitor.
The Chrome extension does not have to go. Keeping both routes open means using the Google service for your own machines and the code-based route for everyone who has no account, or does not want one.
Frequently asked questions
Is remote support possible without a Google account?
Yes. Chrome Remote Desktop requires a Google account on both sides. Auffi does not: the helper just opens auffi.app and types a 9-digit code, with no account at all.
Where does Chrome Remote Desktop process the data?
Chrome Remote Desktop runs over Google's infrastructure in the US. Auffi only brokers the connection setup via servers in Germany (Frankfurt); screen, mouse and files flow end-to-end directly between the devices.
Is Auffi as easy as Chrome Remote Desktop?
For the helper, yes — open the browser, enter the code, connect. Only the person sharing their screen runs the small Auffi sharer once; with Chrome Remote Desktop the shared side also installs a host component.
Can I self-host Auffi but not Chrome Remote Desktop?
Correct. Auffi is open source (AGPL-3.0) and fully self-hostable. Chrome Remote Desktop is a closed Google service and cannot be self-hosted.
Is Auffi free for commercial use too?
Yes, with no license fee and no private-vs-commercial distinction. Chrome Remote Desktop is also free, but ties you to a Google account and Google's US cloud.
Try it now
Share your screen — enter a code & connect · Download the sharer · Remote support software compared