ThinLinc

ThinLinc solves the same problem as NoMachine's Terminal Server editions do elsewhere in this list — publishing a full Linux desktop or application to many users at once from shared infrastructure — but it comes from a different company and, unlike almost everything else here, offers a genuinely free tier rather than a time-boxed trial.

Cendio AB has built it from Linköping, Sweden, since the early 2000s, and describes itself explicitly as Linux specialists rather than a general-purpose remote-access vendor that happens to support Linux.

The free tier covers up to 10 concurrent users with no time limit, which is enough for a small lab or department to run indefinitely without a purchase. Paid tiers scale by user count and support level: Standard runs $49 to $122 per user per year depending on volume and commitment length, Premium $68 to $168 with faster support response, and non-profits get a further 20% off either tier.

Next to NoMachine, the honest comparison is protocol maturity versus company focus: NoMachine's NX protocol is the more widely deployed option, while ThinLinc is the narrower, Sweden-built alternative for teams that specifically want a Linux desktop server company rather than a general remote-access vendor that also does this.

What ThinLinc does well

• Free for up to 10 concurrent users, no time limit
• Publishes full Linux desktops and apps to many users at once
• Runs entirely on infrastructure you control
• Discount for non-profit organisations
• Swedish company specialising in Linux since the early 2000s

Where ThinLinc falls short

• Linux-only — no Windows desktop publishing
• Smaller deployment base than NoMachine
• Paid pricing requires reading a volume/term matrix
• Not aimed at ad-hoc remote support at all

Standout feature. A genuinely free tier for ten users, from a Swedish company that only does Linux desktops.