# Alternatives to RustDesk

Open source TeamViewer with self-hosted relay.

RustDesk ranks #5 of 9 in Remote desktop tools, with an Alt Score of 78. It is licensed under AGPL-3.0, open source with paid hosting from $11.88/month and available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and Web. 8 of 10 checklist rows are verified against a public source.

Source: https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/rustdesk/
Category: Remote desktop tools

## Where RustDesk stands out

- **Self-hostable server** — 3 of 8 apps with a verified answer have this

## Overview

- **Who it's for**: IT admins, MSPs, and privacy-conscious individuals who need to remotely access or support computers without relying on a third-party cloud service — a self-hostable alternative to TeamViewer or AnyDesk.
- **What you get**: A free, open-source remote desktop client and server, written in Rust, that works cross-platform on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. Connections are end-to-end encrypted and route peer-to-peer when possible, falling back to a relay server otherwise. You can use RustDesk's public relay/rendezvous servers or self-host your own for full control over your data and infrastructure.
- **How it works**: Install the RustDesk client on both the controlling and target machines; the target machine displays a unique ID and one-time password. Enter that ID (and password or key) on the controlling machine to establish a connection, which is negotiated via a rendezvous server and then made peer-to-peer or relayed as needed.

## Profile

- **License**: AGPL-3.0 (verified 2026-07-11)
- **Pricing model**: OSS + paid hosting (verified 2026-07-11)
- **Starts at**: $11.88/month (verified 2026-07-11)
- **Platforms**: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web
- **Status**: active (verified 2026-07-11)

## Ranked alternatives

| # | App | Alt Score | Licence | Platforms |
|---|-----|-----------|---------|-----------|
| 1 | [AnyDesk](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/anydesk.md) | 91 | ? | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 2 | [NoMachine](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/nomachine.md) | 91 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 3 | [Splashtop](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/splashtop.md) | 86 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 4 | [TeamViewer](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/teamviewer.md) | 82 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 5 | [Parsec](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/parsec.md) | 68 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android |
| 6 | [RealVNC](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/realvnc.md) | 46 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 7 | [Chrome Remote Desktop](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/chrome-remote-desktop.md) | 42 | ? | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 8 | [Remmina](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/remmina.md) | 32 | GPL-2.0-or-later | Linux |

Alt Score = Verified coverage (90%) + Visibility (10%). See https://altcatalog.com/how-alt-score-works/

## Feature comparison

Legend: Yes / No / Partial / ? (not verified).

| Remote desktop tools checklist | RustDesk | AnyDesk | NoMachine | Splashtop | TeamViewer | Parsec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | OSS + paid hosting | Freemium | Freemium | Subscription | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starts at | $11.88/month | ? | USD 44.50/year (Enterprise Desktop Subscription, per computer) | $6/month (Business Access Solo, billed annually) | ? | $9.99/month |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | ? | Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Web |
| Cross-platform | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Unattended access | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| File transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable server | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | No |
| E2E encryption | Yes | Partial | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes |
| Free for personal use | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes |
| Wake-on-LAN | Partial | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes | No |
| Multi-monitor | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Low-latency mode (gaming) | ? | Partial | Partial | Yes | ? | Yes |
| Mobile clients | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial |

## Sources

Sources for RustDesk. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.

- **Starts at**: $11.88/month — <https://rustdesk.com/pricing/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Pro plans starting at $11.88/month with advanced features for enterprise use.”
- **License**: AGPL-3.0 — <https://github.com/rustdesk/rustdesk/blob/master/LICENCE> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “GNU AFFERO GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE”
- **Pricing model**: OSS + paid hosting — <https://rustdesk.com/pricing/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Free open-source plan available. Pro plans starting at $11.88/month with advanced features for enterprise use.”
- **Platforms**: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web — <https://rustdesk.com/docs/en/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Works on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web.”
- **Status**: active — <https://github.com/rustdesk/rustdesk/releases> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “1.4.9”
- **Cross-platform**: Yes — <https://rustdesk.com/docs/en/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Works on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web.”
- **Unattended access**: Yes — <https://rustdesk.com/docs/en/self-host/client-configuration/advanced-settings/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “When enabled, permanent password is also allowed when the current session is in a logon or lock-screen state.”
- **File transfer**: Yes — <https://rustdesk.com/docs/en/self-host/client-configuration/advanced-settings/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Enable file copy and paste or file transfer (session) for incoming connections.”
- **Self-hostable server**: Yes — <https://github.com/rustdesk/rustdesk-server> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Self-host your own RustDesk server, it is free and open source.”
- **E2E encryption**: Yes — <https://rustdesk.com/docs/en/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “P2P connection with end-to-end encryption based on NaCl.”
- **Free for personal use**: Yes — <https://rustdesk.com/pricing/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Free open-source plan available. Pro plans starting at $11.88/month with advanced features for enterprise use.”
- **Wake-on-LAN**: Partial — <https://rustdesk.com/docs/en/self-host/client-configuration/advanced-settings/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “After LAN discovery, WOL can work if supported locally.”
- **Mobile clients**: Yes — <https://rustdesk.com/docs/en/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Works on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web.”

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Ranked by verified data, never by who paid. https://altcatalog.com/trust/