The Best Tools to Create a Secure Workplace for Remote Work

Secure workplace tools for remote and hybrid environments solve multiple problems for IT teams and workers alike. Often falling within the realm of virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), these tools put remote software security, remote application access, and identity and access management together in one package in a way that helps businesses save money versus having a larger tech stack of third-party tools. 

Here is a list of the best all-in-one tools designed to create secure remote workspaces:

1. Parallels RAS and Secure Workspace EDITOR’S CHOICE The only option on our list with a 30-day free trial, Parallels focuses on its Remote Access Server (RAS) and its Secure Workspace,  which provide extensive flexibility for device types and working arrangements Start a 30-day free trial.
2. Cubeless Designed as a browser-like experience with access to IT-administered apps, Cubeless has a large number of unique features, including a blocker for copying and pasting outside of the Cubeless environment. While no free trial is available, Cubeless invites IT administrators to join its free beta test.
3. Venn A service that bills itself as a “VDI alternative,” Venn creates a secure perimeter for remote workers by isolating company data on personal devices, ensuring security without invading employee privacy. Watch Venn’s 2-minute demo.
4. ThinScale Leaning more directly into the VDI category, ThinScale’s unique selling point is its distinct software that covers either BYOD, company-owned endpoints, or both. 
5. LiveXchange Providing a service targeted toward companies with large distributed teams and freelance workers, LiveXchange provides secure, encrypted communication and file sharing with built-in identity and access management for hybrid and remote teams.

Whether you call them VDI, RAS, or “VDI alternatives,” these tools are designed to reduce the bloat within endpoint security and remote access tech stacks by putting multiple remote and hybrid work needs into a single package. 

The Best Tools to Create a Secure Workplace for Remote Work

The selection process was based on several criteria that are essential for separating out these niche services from other broad endpoint security solutions ore more traditional remote desktop protocols (RDPs) and tools. The selection was based on several criteria that are crucial for evaluating the usefulness and effectiveness of these tools in creating cost-effective synergy between remote workers and IT teams. 

1. Parallels (FREE 30-day Trial)

Parallels is a software company that offers multiple cross-platform solutions. It’s also among the most experienced services on our list. Formerly known as Alludo, Parallels has been providing cloud-based services for 30 years. Both its Remote Access Server and its Secure Desktop have the same end goal: giving remote device users access to company infrastructure. However, they go about it in slightly different ways.

For Parallels RAS, the tool is primarily designed for efficiently delivering applications and desktops to remote users across a large number fo devices. It requires companies to have their own servers where they deploy applications and desktops, typically through Microsoft Azure or AWS. Parallels supports almost any device for this purpose, including Mac, Windows, and mobile device operation systems (iOS and Android). It’s only at $120 per concurrent user.

Key Features:

• Centralized Management
• Universal Printing
• Load Balancing
• Multi-tenant deployment
• Application publishing

With Parallels Secure Workspace, the company emphasizes security and compliance by providing a secure workplace for remote work and hybrid work arrangements. It allows remote access to applications, desktops, and files without the server requirements found with RAS. It’s offered at as low as $90 per named user. 

Key Features:

• Built-in MFA
• Zero-trust security
• Utilizes HTML5
• Integrates with external IAM, including Okta and AzureAD
• Integrates with SIEM tools, including Splunk and Elastic

Why Do We Recommend It?

We recommend Parallels (both RAS and Secure Workspace) for its extreme flexibility in deployment and its distinct emphasis on customization and security. Additionally, Parallels is one of the very few tools we’ve found in this space that has not only very clear pricing available on its website but also has free trial offers for both its remote access services. 

Who Is It Recommended For?

We recommend Parallels for organizations of all sizes, from small to large enterprise businesses, and particularly those who have large or increasing numbers of remote and hybrid workers. It’s exceptionally scalable and the security measures make it suitable for multiple industries that rely on that kind of security, such as government, healthcare, finance, and education. However, whether you go with its RAS or Secure Workspace will depend on your existing server infrastructure and your overall goals with remote work. 

Pros:

• Free trial offers for both RAS and Secure Workspaces
• Easy deployment
• User privacy through secure access
• Strong identity and access management with MFA and RBAC for enhanced security

Cons:

• May require significant training and implementation assistance from Parallels
• Potentially high costs with scaling up licenses

2. Cubeless (FREE BETA ACCESS)

IT administrators who are looking for something a bit more modern and perhaps even a bit “edgier” may want to look into Cubeless. This relatively new contender in the VDI space provides a secure remote application server that facilitates easy access to your company’s applications and data. Cubeless leans hard toward simplicity as it calls itself a “plug-and-play” solution. That’s despite the fact that its product offering covers a very robust number of needs for companies that want or need to create a secure workplace for remote workers. 

Key Features:

• Built-in VPN and a self-updating antivirus engine
• An active keylogger blocker that works in the background
• A copy-paste blocker that prevents end users from doing the ‘ol copy/pasta anywhere outside of the Cubeless environment for both text and screenshots
• Secure file storage for downloads made within the Cubeless environment, including a text editor for docs
• Multifactor authentication (MFA) with a single OTP interface
• Compliant with standard regulations, including GDPR, SOC 2 and CCPA
• Supports organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises, with the ability to scale up user access and applications as needed.
• Scalable for businesses of any size

Why do we recommend it?

It’s clear that Cubeless is going for the easiest setup, maintenance, and use possible, even among these niche secure workplace tools that are all, functionally speaking, designed to do the same thing. Cubeless appears to be taking that to another level. For IT administrators who have had to deal with HR tools, here’s a good correlation: Cubeless is to remote workspaces as Rippling is to workforce management. They take a very similar approach, with the exception that Cubeless is the newest option on the block for VDI, having launched in 2024.  

Who is it recommended for?

Although Cubeless can technically support larger organizations, it’s best fit for small or medium-sized companies who are focused specifically on a BYOD model within their remote or hybrid work environments, although it’s still a good option for companies with company-managed hardware. The primary reason we are leaving out large organizations with this one is practicality. 

Cubeless is incredibly green in the market, and expansive deployment for a large enterprise organization will come at a huge risk for a comparatively untested product. That doesn’t mean it’s not a good option, and the “free trial” available through the beta test may help prove the concept. Still, IT leaders at enterprise-level businesses are likely to struggle to get budget approval for it, versus smaller teams with fewer budgetary hoops to jump through for approval. 

Pros:

• Comprehensive security features, including built-in VPN and antivirus protection, enhance data security.
• Client-based environment creates a clear separation between work and personal for BYOD policies
• Quick and easy setup with no technical expertise required, allowing organizations to get started immediately
• Excellent UI with simple customization for IT administrators to add and remove almost any app the company uses for workplace productivity
• Compliant with major regulations, ensuring that organizations can meet their legal obligations

Cons:

• The company is so new that there’s very little feedback from past or current users to leverage for insights on how good or bad its service is
• The company is essentially using you as a guinea pig with its free trial option, a clear sign that it’s extremely untested and a risk to companies that need an immediate, low-risk solution

3. Venn

Venn takes a unique approach to creating a secure workplace for remote work environments. In fact, it uses a proprietary and patented technology that it calls “Blue Border.” Venn describes it as a “company controlled secure enclave.” Within this “enclave,” which the company controls, workers have access to any apps the company makes available and unsecured data can neither move into nor out of the environment. It essentially creates a sandbox environment on each worker’s device. Venn’s perspective on this means it refuses to call itself a VDI. Instead, it considers its product a superior VDI alternative.

There is some growing interest in Venn because of its different take on remote workspaces. On the popular subreddit, /r/sysadmin, one user who claims to have worked for Venn describes how this works in more detail:

“I worked for Venn for a year, on their Kesaya RMM and was completely engaged in the Venn data exfiltration prevention system. Yes, Venn works as described and is installed as a package that encapsulates your session with 2FA and VPN connections to your home server. The system is very good at preventing data from escaping the protected zone while giving full access to company systems over the Net.”

Key Features:

• Uses a proprietary sandboxing technology that prevents data exfiltration on personal devices where it’s installed
• Allows end users to utilize any app they’ve installed locally
• Data security method removes speed and performs issues commonly associated with remote desktops and virtual desktop infrastructure
• Does not require physical installation from IT teams, as end users can install the software as a package independently to gain access
• Fully compliant with major industry standards, including PCI, SOC, HIPAA, SEC, FINRA, CMMC, NAIC
• Provides significant cost reduction over other VDI options
• Works on any Mac or Windows computer with internet access

Why do we recommend it?

Venn’s approach to remote workspaces is considerably different than its peers. Because its focus is on creating sandboxes around individual apps within its “Blue Border” environment, it provides significant freedom and cost savings to companies that need rapid deployment at a low cost through BYOD or BYO-PC. That its service is also fully compliant with a multitude of regulatory frameworks is both important, and a boon for IT teams who need to deploy compliant remote solutions expediently. 

Who is it recommended for?

While we’re sure Venn would love for us to recommend its service to everyone, that’s likely not going to be the case. Venn is best suited for companies that are primarily focused on BYOD or BYO-PC, that have limited IT team capacity, and that have smaller IT budgets. The ease of deployment and management is going to be a boon for overstretched IT teams, but it may lead to some frustration for end users because due to the way the system secures individual apps identified as “work apps” which may have uses outside of just work. 

Pros:

• Unique and functional approach to remote workspaces
• Easy to deploy without excessive burden on IT teams
• Comparatively lower cost option due to minimal technical requirements
• Meets a large number of regulatory compliance frameworks
• UI is fully customizable to each user as works on their own machine and setup

Cons:

• Limited features compared to other remote workspace solutions
• Places a significant usage and deployment burden on end users, which may cause extra headaches for IT administrators
• Limited functionality with mobile devices

4. ThinScale

Unlike many of the other options on this list, ThinScale acknowledges its existence within the virtual desktop infrastructure space. However, its key differentiator is its focus on its approach to securing connections to the secure workplace with rules-based process security. In a nutshell, this approach allows IT teams to navigate the more complex departmental or even user-level differences in application usage and access. Most of the options on our list don’t give you this level of granular control that balances organizational security needs with the unique needs of individual users. 

Key Features:

• Granular device management with rules-based process security
• Completely separates personal and corporate data for a secure BYOD policy
• Allows blacklisting or whitelisting or URLs, apps, and processes
• All created data is saved to a secure and hidden BitLocker file
• Fast end-user implementation with a single-click installer

Why do we recommend it?

ThinScale’s Secure Remote Worker service takes an interesting remote workspace strategy with its rules-based process security. It maintains a focus on broad compliance needs while still giving IT teams and end users each a bit of what they’re looking for when they connect remotely on personal devices. At a high level, ThinScale is a great option for many organizations of almost any size that are exploring either the expansion of or greater flexibility within their remote work strategy.

Who is it recommended for?

ThinScale is the perfect remote workplace solution for companies whose existing remote workers have been grumbling about the limited access to apps or tools they need while connected to a remote environment. Or, it’s a great option for companies who are rolling our or expanding remote work and who know that they’re going to get those kinds of complaints. Not all VDI experiences should be alike, and ThinScale is designed with that in mind — but only if your end users have Windows PCs. Although it’s built for BYOD, ThinScale only has an application for Windows devices. 

Pros:

• Fast deployment with a single-click installer
• Rules-based security approach for granular access management
• Clear separation between personal and corporate data
• Strong malware protection
• Expansive built-in Data Loss Protection (DLP)
• Can work alongside other VDI, including Parallels

Cons:

• Only works on Windows devices
• Unclear pricing
• No free trial offer

5. LiveXchange

LiveXchange provides a secure workspace, but the company itself is a bit different compared to others on this list. While the others focus purely on remote work tools, LiveXchange has three solutions: its remote workspace, a payment and invoicing system, and a talent marketplace. As such, LiveXchange is attempting to cover the bases for companies that need to hire, work with, and pay remote employees, freelancers, or other types of gig workers. That may be an appealing draw, especially for companies that are scaling quickly.

Key Features:

• A secure, zero-trust remote environment
• Strong BYOD support as it works with any hardware
• Secured through a zero-trust environment
• Connect workers to a private VPN that also checks for compliance and blocks locally-stored files and applications from accessing the remote workspace

Why do we recommend it?

While LiveXchange does not necessarily offer a unique selling proposition for its VDI, its entire suite of solutions may be distinctly attractive to many companies. That you can find workers, bring them into your ecosystem through the remote workspace, and pay them through the service will likely be compelling for many companies that have all of those needs.

Who is it recommended for?

As a virtual desktop infrastructure solution, LiveXchange does not have anything unique to offer potential IT administrators. However, as an entire package (Secure Workspace, GigCX Marketplace, and PayShark) it starts becoming a far more interesting service to companies that need to solve all of these issues together — which is increasingly many companies. Specifically, though, this package of solutions is best suited for highly distributed companies and teams that rely heavily on gig and freelance workers but who also have rather significant data access and compliance needs. 

Pros:

• Provides a unique multi-solution option
• Works with any device for an expansive BYOD structure
• Secure VPN connection that blocks unapproved apps
• Allows IT administrative oversight of endpoints accessing the VDI

Cons:

• The VDI itself does not have anything unique to offer
• The company is cagey about the cost
• Product preview completely locked behind a demo

One Last Thing on Shopping for Secure Remote Workspace Solutions

While the COVID-19 pandemic that wreaked havoc across the globe ended years ago, many businesses worldwide are still feeling the impact. The U.S. workforce, in particular, has seen that shift. In 2019, just 8% of U.S. workers were fully remote, and 32% working in hybrid arrangements. As of Q2 2024, those numbers have jumped to 27% fully remote and 53% hybrid. This is welcome news to workers, who by and large prefer working from home, but it can become a security nightmare for TechOps teams. 

Consequently, IT leaders, including system admins and CIOs, have opted to create secure workplaces for remote work environments. That often results in complex tech stacks that include virtual private networks (VPNs), endpoint security software, identity and access management software (IAM), collaboration and communication tools, cloud storage, and file-sharing services (among many others). Taken together, this hodgepodge of services that sometimes play well together are quite often more expensive when pieced together and less secure.

Dedicated virtual desktop software (or whatever each wants to call itself) is one of the best solutions to combine all of these needs together for remote workers. That said, there are multiple factors involved in choosing the right virtual remote desktop infrastructure. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Total cost of ownership (typically on a per-user basis)
• Scalability (which rolls into the cost aspect)
• Security features
• Device usage policies
• Integration with existing systems
• Compliance with regulations
• Technical support and customer service
• Performance and reliability
• Customizability
• User training requirements
• Backup and recovery options
• Ratings on popular services (such as G2 or Capterra)

In most cases, you won’t find all of this information available on a company’s website. You’ll have to book a demo and ask these questions yourself. Once you’re at that stage, we recommend using our VDI Rating Tool, which is a built-for-you spreadsheet preloaded with all of these categories and a 0-10 rating scale. Simply download it, and when you go to demo each tool, give your personal score for each criterion to measure your top choices against each other.