Scry vs Jump Desktop — honest comparison

Looking for a Jump Desktop alternative? Here's an honest Scry vs Jump Desktop comparison. Scry moves files mid-session: drop a file in and it shows up on the Mac, Windows PC or Linux machine you control, while Jump Desktop's Fluid sessions have no file transfer. Scry's Linux and Android apps are stable releases; Jump's Linux host is an alpha and its new Android app a beta. If you want Fluid's high frame rates and free Windows and browser apps, Jump Desktop is the pick.

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Free for 24 hours: every feature, no card.

Scry vs Jump Desktop at a glance

At a glance	Scry	Jump Desktop
Entry price	$0 for 7 days, then $9.99/mo	Free Individuals plan: the browser, the Windows app and the Android beta
Next plan up	$0 for 7 days, then $95.99/yr	Mac $34.99 one-time (Mac App Store), iOS $14.99 — priced per platform, one-time
Lifetime license	$399 once	One-time per platform (no recurring fee); Jump Desktop for Teams is a separate subscription
Platforms	Mac (host + client), Windows (host + client), Linux (host + client), iOS (client), Android (client), Web (client)	Mac (host + client), Windows (host + client), Linux (host, alpha), iPhone & iPad (client), Android (client, beta), Web (client)

Where Scry and Jump Desktop each win

Pick Scry if

Send files mid-session. Drop or paste a file into Scry and it shows up on the Mac, Windows PC or Linux machine you control, where you click Save, even from inside the session. Jump Desktop's Fluid sessions have no file transfer; its folder sharing works only over RDP to Windows.
Stable apps on Linux and Android. Scry for Linux (x64, as a .deb or an AppImage) lets you reach that machine and connect from it, with sound, plus the lock screen and display switching on X11 desktops, and Scry for Android runs on Android 8.0 or later. Jump's Linux host is an alpha in Jump Desktop 10, its new Android app is a beta, and on Linux it connects only in the browser.
One plan for every device, plus 8 more apps. Scry Pro covers Scry on Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android and the web, and the annual ($95.99) and lifetime ($399) plans also unlock all 8 other Bravely apps.

Pick Jump Desktop if

Lower cost. The Individuals plan is free in the browser and on Windows, the new Android app is a free beta, and the Mac and iPhone/iPad apps are one-time purchases ($34.99 and $14.99). There are no recurring fees, and the free plan allows business use.
Reach a computer before anyone signs in. Jump's Connect goes online at startup, so you get the Windows sign-in screen or the Mac login window. Scry reaches a Mac or Windows PC while someone is signed in (a locked screen is fine).
Fluid performance and displays. Fluid streams at up to 480 fps (120 fps on ProMotion iPhones and iPads), with 4:4:4 color, virtual displays, and every host display at once or each in its own window. Scry streams one display at a time, at 30 fps by default or up to 60 fps on the Experimental setting in the Mac and Windows apps.
RDP, VNC, View Only and privacy mode. Jump's Mac and iPhone/iPad apps also connect to RDP and VNC servers, remote support lets the other person choose View Only, and privacy mode blanks the host's screen. Scry connects only to computers running Scry and has neither mode.

Scry vs Jump Desktop, feature by feature

Verified 2026-09-26. Source linked at the bottom.

Feature	Scry	Jump Desktop
Free path	24 hours with no card, or 7 days on a plan (card required); no free tier	Free Individuals plan: browser, Windows app, Android beta
One-time price	$399 once, every platform (plus all 8 other Bravely apps)	Per platform: Mac $34.99, iOS $14.99; Windows, Android and the browser free
Subscription option	Yes ($9.99/mo, $95.99/yr)	Teams plans only (from $7.99 per user a month)
File transfer	Yes — one way, from any device to the computer you control (click Save there)	None in Fluid sessions; folder sharing over RDP to Windows
Runs on	Reach: macOS 14 or later, Windows 10 or 11 (x64), 64-bit Linux. Connect from: those, plus iOS 17 or later, Android 8.0 or later and the web (tested in Chrome)	Reach: Windows 10 or later (64-bit), macOS 10.15 or later, Linux (alpha). Connect from: Windows 10 or later (64-bit), macOS 11 or later, iOS and iPadOS 16 or later, Android 10 or later (beta), or a browser
Account needed	Yes: a Bravely account (Apple, Google or email) on each device	Yes: a Jump Desktop account, to connect and to set up Connect
Linux host	Yes, stable (x64 .deb or AppImage)	Alpha (Jump Desktop 10)
Connect from Linux	Native app	Browser only
Android app	Yes, stable (Android 8.0 or later)	Beta, free (Android 10 or later)
iPhone and iPad	Yes (iOS 17 or later)	Yes ($14.99; up to 120 fps on ProMotion)
Unattended access	Yes, while someone is signed in on the computer (a locked screen is fine; on Linux that takes an X11 desktop)	Yes: Jump Desktop Connect, free, on as many Windows, Mac or Linux (alpha) computers as you like
Wake-on-LAN	No; the computer has to be awake	Yes, for automatic connections; from another network, a computer on the same network must be on and running Connect
Reach it before anyone signs in	No — someone must be signed in on a Mac or Windows PC (a locked screen is fine)	Yes: the Windows sign-in screen or the Mac login window
Frame rate	30 fps by default; up to 60 fps on Experimental (Mac and Windows apps)	Up to 480 fps (Fluid)
Multi-monitor	One display at a time; switch mid-session	Switch, show all at once, or each in its own window
Sound from the other computer	Yes — from Mac, Windows and Linux hosts, on by default, with a mute button	Yes (2-channel on the free plan)
Clipboard	Text, both ways	Text, including formatted text, both ways
RDP and VNC servers	No	Yes (Mac and iOS apps)
Privacy mode	No	Yes
Encryption	End-to-end (DTLS-SRTP over WebRTC)	End-to-end (Fluid)

Scry vs Jump Desktop FAQs

Is Jump Desktop free?

Yes, for individuals: Jump Desktop is free in the browser and on Windows. The Mac app is $34.99 and the iPhone and iPad app $14.99, each a one-time purchase, and Jump Desktop for Teams starts at $7.99 a user a month, billed yearly (checked 2026-09-25). Scry: set it up free and watch it connect, then 24 hours with no card or 7 days on a plan with a card.

Can Jump Desktop transfer files?

Not in Fluid sessions. The clipboard carries text only, and folder sharing works only over RDP, from Mac or iOS to Windows. Scry sends files mid-session, one way, up to 5 at a time; you click Save on the host.

Does Jump Desktop work on Linux and Android?

Linux hosts are an alpha (Jump Desktop 10, x86-64 and ARM64); connecting from Linux works in the browser only; Android is a free beta (Android 10 or later). Scry is stable on Linux, as host and client (x64; the lock screen and display switching need X11), and on Android 8.0 or later.

Do I need to set up RDP or VNC with Scry?

No. Install Scry on each computer you want to reach and sign in; there's no RDP or VNC server to configure.

How is Jump Desktop encrypted, and how is Scry?

Jump Desktop says its Fluid connections are always end-to-end encrypted, and the encryption can't be turned off. In Scry, your screen and sound travel over WebRTC encrypted end to end with DTLS-SRTP, your keystrokes, files and clipboard text with DTLS, and the keys never leave your two devices. When a network blocks a direct path, the session detours through a relay that only forwards encrypted packets, so our servers never see your screen.

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Pricing verified 2026-09-26. Jump Desktop pricing source. Subject to change.