Kitsmith / Compare / Windows App vs Jump Desktop (RDP, VNC, Fluid)
MacWindows App vs Jump Desktop (RDP, VNC, Fluid)
Windows App vs Jump Desktop (RDP, VNC, Fluid): verdict, pricing, and specs compared, so you can pick the right one for your Mac.
At a glance
Windows App
Free (Mac App Store)Microsoft’s own client for Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, and remote PCs — free on the Mac App Store, formerly called Microsoft Remote Desktop.
Jump Desktop (RDP, VNC, Fluid)
$34.99 one-time (Mac App Store); 14-day free trial via direct download; Jump Desktop for Teams is a separate per-user subscriptionAn RDP/VNC client built around a proprietary "Fluid" protocol, with SSO, MDM, and 2FA for teams — $34.99 one-time via the Mac App Store.
Spec comparison
Windows App
- Price
- Free (Mac App Store)
- Pricing model
- Free
- License
- Proprietary
- Placement
- Screen
- Channels
- Mac App Store
- Category
- Utilities
Jump Desktop (RDP, VNC, Fluid)
- Price
- $34.99 one-time (Mac App Store); 14-day free trial via direct download; Jump Desktop for Teams is a separate per-user subscription
- Pricing model
- Paid
- License
- Proprietary
- Placement
- Screen
- Channels
- Mac App Store · Direct
- Category
- Utilities
The verdict
These solve overlapping but distinct problems. Windows App is Microsoft’s own free client (renamed from “Microsoft Remote Desktop”), purpose-built for Windows 365 Cloud PCs, Azure Virtual Desktop, and Microsoft Dev Box, and it also works over standard RDP connections alongside those integrations, per Microsoft’s own feature description. Jump Desktop is a $34.99 one-time third-party client built around that same standard RDP, plus VNC and its own faster Fluid protocol — a broader toolkit if what you connect to isn’t always a Microsoft product. Pick Windows App if Microsoft’s own cloud products are all you ever connect to, since it costs nothing; pick Jump Desktop if you want one paid client that also handles VNC and non-Microsoft machines.
Which one should you pick?
Pick Windows App if…
- Pick Windows App if you’re only connecting to Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, or Microsoft Dev Box, and want Microsoft’s own free, purpose-built client
- Pick Windows App if you’d rather not pay anything for the client itself — what you connect to is billed separately by Microsoft
- Pick Windows App if you’re searching under its old name — the App Store subtitle still reads “Previously Remote Desktop”
Pick Jump Desktop (RDP, VNC, Fluid) if…
- Pick Jump Desktop if you connect to a mix of things — standard RDP machines and VNC machines — and want one app instead of switching clients
- Pick Jump Desktop if you want its own Fluid 2.0 protocol’s speed and color fidelity for machines that support it
- Pick Jump Desktop if you’re fine paying $34.99 once, or trying it 14 days free via direct download, for a more full-featured client
- Pick Jump Desktop if you’ll want a Teams plan later — MDM, SSO, and 2FA for managing access across an organization
Windows App vs Jump Desktop (RDP, VNC, Fluid) — questions people ask
Is Windows App free?
Yes — the app itself is free on the Mac App Store. What you connect to, such as a Windows 365 Cloud PC or an Azure Virtual Desktop session, is billed separately by Microsoft, not through the app.
Do I need Jump Desktop if I already have Windows App?
Not necessarily. If you’re only ever connecting to Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, or Microsoft Dev Box, Windows App is free and purpose-built for exactly that. Jump Desktop is worth its $34.99 one-time cost if you also want VNC connections, its own Fluid protocol, or a single client that isn’t limited to Microsoft’s own products.
Is Windows App the same as Microsoft Remote Desktop?
Yes — it’s the renamed successor. The App Store listing subtitle still reads “Previously Remote Desktop” so people searching the old name can still find it.