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.
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.
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.
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.
Where RustDesk stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave RustDesk
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
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Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the Remote desktop tools checklist (14 rows). Human-verified cells only. ? means the value has not been verified.
| Remote desktop tools checklist | RustDesk | AnyDesk | NoMachine | Splashtop | TeamViewer | Parsec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Cross-platform | ||||||
| Unattended access | ||||||
| File transfer | ||||||
| Self-hostable server | ||||||
| E2E encryption | ||||||
| Free for personal use | ||||||
| Wake-on-LAN | ||||||
| Multi-monitor | ||||||
| Low-latency mode (gaming) | ||||||
| Mobile clients |
Every fact and feature listed for RustDesk is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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Starts at $11.88/month verified 2026-07-11
Pro plans starting at $11.88/month with advanced features for enterprise use.
https://rustdesk.com/pricing/ -
License AGPL-3.0 verified 2026-07-11
GNU AFFERO GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
https://github.com/rustdesk/rustdesk/blob/master/LICENCE -
Pricing model OSS + paid hosting verified 2026-07-11
Free open-source plan available. Pro plans starting at $11.88/month with advanced features for enterprise use.
https://rustdesk.com/pricing/ -
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web verified 2026-07-11
Works on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web.
https://rustdesk.com/docs/en/ -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
1.4.9
https://github.com/rustdesk/rustdesk/releases -
Cross-platform Yes verified 2026-07-11
Works on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web.
https://rustdesk.com/docs/en/ -
Unattended access Yes verified 2026-07-11
When enabled, permanent password is also allowed when the current session is in a logon or lock-screen state.
https://rustdesk.com/docs/en/self-host/client-configuration/advanced-settings/ -
File transfer Yes verified 2026-07-11
Enable file copy and paste or file transfer (session) for incoming connections.
https://rustdesk.com/docs/en/self-host/client-configuration/advanced-settings/ -
Self-hostable server Yes verified 2026-07-11
Self-host your own RustDesk server, it is free and open source.
https://github.com/rustdesk/rustdesk-server -
E2E encryption Yes verified 2026-07-11
P2P connection with end-to-end encryption based on NaCl.
https://rustdesk.com/docs/en/ -
Free for personal use Yes verified 2026-07-11
Free open-source plan available. Pro plans starting at $11.88/month with advanced features for enterprise use.
https://rustdesk.com/pricing/ -
Wake-on-LAN Partial verified 2026-07-11
After LAN discovery, WOL can work if supported locally.
https://rustdesk.com/docs/en/self-host/client-configuration/advanced-settings/ -
Mobile clients Yes verified 2026-07-11
Works on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web.
https://rustdesk.com/docs/en/
FAQ
Yes. AnyDesk, NoMachine and TeamViewer have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Remmina — every license claim links its source.