Drovio

Drovio lets distributed teams collaborate by sharing an IDE, app, or screen, with each participant able to interact using their own cursor. It is best suited to teams that need shared control across their existing tools rather than a single editor. Its broad app support and browser joining are compelling, but Basic’s two-person cap and 30-minute daily remote-control limit make paid plans the practical choice for regular team use.

Overview

Drovio is built for pair programming, code reviews, coding interviews, and other remote collaboration, including design work, brainstorming, and education. Because it works with any IDE or app, teams can collaborate in their usual tools instead of moving work into a particular editor. Voice chat with echo cancellation, webcam sharing, and integrated chat round out sessions.

Guests can join from a browser without installing the app, which is useful for interviews and occasional collaborators. Drovio says its screen sharing is optimized for low latency, including on low-bandwidth connections and at high resolutions. It describes sessions as peer-to-peer and end-to-end encrypted, and says communications and data at rest use strong encryption.

Key features

• Shared control across apps: Each participant gets a separate cursor and can interact with the shared app. That suits collaborative work in an existing IDE or design tool, while Basic's daily remote-control cap limits extended use.
• Group sessions: Paid plans accommodate up to 10 participants, compared with two on Basic. That makes paid service a better fit for interviews, reviews, or sessions involving a broader team.
• Audio, video, and chat: Voice chat includes echo cancellation, and sessions support webcam sharing and integrated chat. These tools keep collaboration together, though Basic's participant limit still applies.
• Browser access and Slack: Participants can join through a browser without installing Drovio. Slack integration also lets users start a session in Slack, with participants joining through the app or browser.
• Accounts and security controls: The cloud edition supports local accounts and sign-in with Slack, GitHub, or Google. Business adds SAML single sign-on. Stripe handles payments, and Drovio says it does not store card data.
• Self-hosted deployment: Enterprise can run on a customer's own servers in a private network without an internet connection, making it the option for organizations that need that deployment model.

Pricing

Drovio is freemium, with a free Basic plan and a 15-day Standard trial that does not require a credit card. Unless payment details and billing contact information are registered, trial accounts move to Basic afterward.

Basic works for occasional screen-sharing calls between two people, but its remote-control allowance is a significant constraint for regular pairing. Standard removes that cap and raises session capacity to 10, while adding recording and presentation tools; it is the clearest fit for teams that need those collaboration features without Business's added SSO and dedicated support. Business suits organizations that require centralized SAML sign-on and dedicated support. Enterprise is for those that need on-premises use, not simply a larger cloud plan.

Drovio says teams are billed for active members and receive account credit for prepaid time when a member stops using the app. That policy can reduce waste when membership changes. The yearly billing option saves two months, while the trial's automatic move to Basic is worth noting for teams evaluating Standard.

Platforms

Drovio supports Linux, macOS, Windows, and web, with a self-hosted option. Browser joining is particularly useful when a guest should not have to install an app; the on-premises Enterprise deployment serves a different need, keeping sessions within a private network without internet access.

Who it's for

Drovio is a strong fit for distributed teams that need to work together inside varied IDEs and apps, especially for pairing, code reviews, and interviews. Browser joining, voice, and webcam support also help when sessions include guests. Teams that collaborate frequently or need more than two participants will likely need Standard or Business. Those seeking an editor rather than shared-app collaboration, or only occasional two-person calls, may prefer a more focused or free alternative.

Pros and cons

• Pro — Works across IDEs and apps: Separate participant cursors and shared interaction avoid tying collaboration to one editor.
• Pro — Guests can join in a browser: No app installation is needed for participants joining that way.
• Pro — Flexible deployment: Enterprise can run on customer servers in an isolated private network.
• Con — Basic restricts active collaboration: Remote control is capped at 30 minutes per day and sessions at two people.
• Con — Larger groups require payment: The 10-person limit applies to paid plans, so Basic cannot support a larger review or class.
• Con — Business costs more than Standard: Its stated additions are SAML single sign-on and dedicated support, which matter most to organizations needing those controls.

Alternatives

For more options, browse Pair Programming Software.

• Pop is worth considering if a free meeting-focused tool is enough: its Pro plan is free while in beta and offers unlimited meetings with no time limit.
• Zed may suit developers looking for a free code editor rather than Drovio's shared control across any app; its Personal plan is free forever and includes 2,000 accepted edit predictions.
• Saros is a free, open-source option for teams prioritizing open-source software over Drovio's paid plans and broader stated collaboration features.
• Visual Studio is an alternative for Windows users seeking a fully featured IDE, with a free Community plan for students, open-source work, and individual developers.
• Duckly is a lower-priced option for occasional sessions: its free plan has no video calls and supports two simultaneous participants, while its Hacker plan is $6 a month.
• CodeTogether may suit teams comparing developer collaboration plans; its Starter Plan is $10 a month per developer and supports up to 25 developers.
• Gobby is another free option for teams evaluating collaborative software.
• HackerRank is an alternative for interview workflows; its Starter plan is $165 a month, billed $1,990 billed annually, for one user and includes Screen + Interview, 2000+ questions, and 120 attempts per year.

Verdict

Choose Drovio if your team needs participants to collaborate inside the apps it already uses, with shared control, browser joining, and options for both cloud and private-network deployment. The main reason to look elsewhere is Basic's tight limits: regular remote control, sessions larger than two, and several useful team features require a paid plan.