Hopp

Overview

Hopp is an open-source screen-sharing and remote pair-programming app for developers. It is best suited to engineering teams that need to work together on a colleague’s computer rather than merely watch a presentation. Its shared keyboard-and-mouse control is the draw; teams must choose between running it themselves and paying per user for cloud access.

Browse pair programming software for more options.

Key features

Participants can control a teammate’s computer with their own keyboard and mouse, with latency stated as under 100 ms. That makes Hopp relevant to debugging, code reviews, mob programming, and onboarding, where collaborators may need to act on the same desktop. Rooms support up to 10 people: enough for a small working session, but not a large audience.

Screen sharing defaults to 4K and supports sharing and controlling any application on screen. Shared cursors, drawing, and annotations give participants ways to point to interface details; active noise-cancelling audio supports the conversation around them. A Slack integration can speed up call starts.

Hopp can run on a team’s own infrastructure, and its repository includes a self-hosting guide and Docker Compose setup. That avoids a per-user cloud fee, but puts the team on the self-managed path. For managed hosting, Hopp Cloud includes unlimited calls. Private Cloud is a dedicated single-tenant deployment with setup, upgrades, backups, monitoring, and direct support managed by Hopp.

Pricing

Self-hosted Hopp costs nothing and is billed 100% free to run yourself. It is the fit for teams willing to host the software on their own infrastructure; the free price does not make it a managed cloud plan.

Hopp Cloud costs $15 a month, billed at $15 per user each month, with unlimited calls. Per-user billing makes the managed option straightforward to budget by team size, but costs rise with each additional user. A support guarantee of less than one day is listed for the pricing section.

Hopp Private Cloud has custom pricing. Hopp manages a dedicated single-tenant deployment, including setup, upgrades, backups, monitoring, and direct support. It suits teams that want Hopp to operate a dedicated environment rather than self-host or use the standard cloud plan.

The pricing note also advertises a 14-day trial. The privacy policy says the company uses commercially acceptable safeguards but cannot guarantee absolute security, a consideration for teams evaluating sensitive work.

Platforms

Hopp is available on macOS, Windows, and the web, with a self-hosted option. The range covers desktop and browser access as well as teams that prefer to run the service themselves.

Who it's for

Hopp is aimed at engineering teams and developers who need collaborative control during code reviews, debugging, mob programming, or onboarding. A 10-person room cap makes it a better match for focused team sessions than larger group events. Teams that want a managed service can pay per user; teams with the infrastructure and willingness to run it themselves can use the free self-hosted plan.

Pros and cons

• Shared control, not just viewing: participants can use keyboard and mouse input, which fits active debugging and pairing.
• Free self-hosting: teams can run Hopp on their own infrastructure without a plan charge, though they take the self-hosted route.
• Small-room ceiling: the 10-person maximum limits its fit for larger sessions.
• Cloud cost scales by user: Hopp Cloud is $15 per user each month, so larger teams pay more than smaller ones.
• Security caveat: Hopp does not guarantee absolute security, which matters when deciding whether to use it for sensitive collaboration.

Alternatives

Drovio is worth considering if a free plan with unlimited screen sharing and calls matters more than group size: its Basic plan limits remote control to 30 minutes per day and sessions to two participants.

Pop is an option for teams seeking unlimited meetings and no time limit on a free plan while it is in beta.

Zed is a free code editor option for teams looking for editor-focused collaboration rather than Hopp’s shared desktop control.

Saros is a fully open-source, free alternative with no paid plans.

CodeInterview may fit interview workflows better, with two interviews per month on its free plan.

Coterm is a free GPL-3.0-or-later macOS app with an optional self-hosted collaboration backend.

Duckly has a free plan for occasional sessions, with no video calls and two simultaneous participants.

Remote Collab is another free option for real-time collaboration in SublimeText projects.

Verdict

Choose Hopp if your engineering team needs to control a shared desktop together and values the choice of free self-hosting or managed cloud access. Its focused collaboration tools and unlimited-call cloud plan are compelling for small engineering sessions; look elsewhere if you need rooms larger than 10, want cloud use without per-user pricing, or require an absolute security guarantee.