The best RDP client for Mac in 2026

Five RDP clients compared on macOS: Active Directory, NLA, certificate checks, and which one fits a day that also needs SSH and SFTP.

By Lucas Russo, developer of SSHive · Updated September 27, 2026

Apple does not ship an RDP client, but Microsoft's own, Windows App (formerly Microsoft Remote Desktop), is free on the Mac App Store, and several third-party apps cover multi-protocol and team needs. This guide ranks five RDP clients that run on a current Apple Silicon Mac.

The order follows what each one covers for everyday Windows administration: which servers and gateways it reaches, which other protocols it brings along, how it is sold, and whether SSH and SFTP on the same machines mean opening another app. For Linux desktops and other Macs, see the VNC viewers we compared.

#1 Our pick: SSHive

Disclosure: SSHive is made by NetMeSafe, which also publishes this site, so this ranking is not independent. What we say about the other apps comes from their publishers' own pages, and each one's row says what it does best.

SSHive puts an RDP client in the same window as your SSH terminal and SFTP file manager. NLA and Active Directory work, with a Domain field of its own; Ctrl+Alt+Del has a toolbar button; text copied on one side pastes on the other; resolution and image quality are set per profile. When a Windows server behind a bastion needs checking at 2 a.m., you open an SSH tunnel to the bastion, fix a config file over SFTP, then connect over RDP through the tunnel, all in one window. RDP is part of Pro from the first session: $12.99 once on the App Store.

Download SSHive Free See features

The other RDP clients we compared

The other RDP clients we compared
#	App	Best for	Pricing
2	Windows Appformerly Microsoft Remote Desktop	Microsoft's own client: remote PCs and Windows Server, through an RD Gateway if needed, several monitors, folder and device redirection, and Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365 and Dev Box with a work or school account. No SSH or SFTP.	Free, Mac App Store
3	Royal TSXSSHive vs Royal TSX	Teams that share connection documents across many protocols: RDP with gateway support, VNC and Apple Remote Desktop, SSH, Telnet and file transfer, with personal credentials kept in a private document. The free Lite edition allows 10 connections.	€49 excl. VAT
4	Jump Desktop	RDP, VNC and its own Fluid protocol in one app, with Mac keyboard shortcuts carried over to Windows and several people able to work on the same desktop at once. Also on Windows, iOS, Android and Linux.	Paid, bought per platform; Jump Desktop for Teams per user
5	Parallels Client	Organizations that publish their Windows apps and desktops through Parallels RAS: the client is free and made for that server.	Free client for a Parallels RAS server

Competitor prices checked on September 22, 2026. Descriptions and pricing models checked against each publisher's own pages on September 24, 2026.

Why we picked SSHive for RDP on the Mac

Active Directory the way Windows does it

A Domain field of its own, separate from the user name, and NLA. When Windows refuses the sign-in, SSHive says why in plain words: password expired, account locked or disabled, a sign-in outside allowed hours or from a forbidden workstation, or no right to use Remote Desktop.

RDP next to SSH and SFTP

You rarely open RDP without needing SSH or SFTP nearby: a tunnel to the bastion, a config file to check. SSHive keeps all three as tabs of one window, so switching is a click rather than a trip between three apps.

Certificates checked, not waved through

SSHive remembers the certificate each server presents. If it changes, the connection stops before any password is sent, and SSHive shows the old and new fingerprints so you can tell a routine renewal by Windows from a different machine. A server that speaks neither NLA nor TLS only gets a connection after an explicit warning.

RDP comes with Pro

RDP is one of the things the one-time Pro purchase unlocks, along with VNC, remote tunnels, jump hosts and unlimited sessions, plus broadcast, SOCKS5 and the MCP server on the Mac. The free tier, SSH and file transfer, never expires. $12.99 once, no subscription, one purchase for Mac, iPhone and iPad.

Also on iPhone and iPad

The iPhone and iPad app includes RDP too, with NLA and Active Directory, and NLA can be switched off per profile for an old server. A key bar above the session keeps Esc, Tab, arrows, function keys and Ctrl+Alt+Del within reach without opening the keyboard.

Frequently asked questions

Which Windows machines can SSHive connect to?+

Any PC or server with Remote Desktop turned on: in practice the Pro and Enterprise editions of Windows and Windows Server, the same list Microsoft gives for its own client. SSHive connects with NLA or TLS; a very old server that accepts neither gets a connection only after a warning.

Can I connect to an old server without NLA?+

Yes. On the Mac, when a server accepts neither NLA nor TLS, SSHive stops and explains the risk: that old security layer presents no certificate, so the server's identity cannot be checked. You can connect anyway; the choice is remembered for that server and can be revoked in the profile's advanced options. On iPhone and iPad, NLA can be switched off per profile.

How do I send Ctrl+Alt+Del?+

On the Mac, with the Ctrl+Alt+Del button in the RDP toolbar. On iPhone and iPad, it is one tap on the key bar above the session.

Can I use RDP through an SSH jump host?+

Yes. On the bastion's SSH profile, add a local tunnel from a free port on your Mac to port 3389 of the Windows host, connect, then point an RDP profile at 127.0.0.1 and that port.

Does the clipboard work between the Mac and Windows?+

Yes, for text: copy on the Mac and paste in the Windows session, or the other way round.

Try SSHive Free for macOS

Get the all-in-one SSH, SFTP, RDP and VNC client for Mac. Free download, no signup required.

Download SSHive Free