Alternatives · Remote Desktop
Remmina alternatives
As of Nov 13, 2026, the best Remmina alternative for most people is RustDesk (3.0 GPA), third in our ranking of remote desktop apps. It's also the best free one.
Remmina compared with 9 alternatives: mRemoteNG, Royal TS, RustDesk, NoMachine, Apache Guacamole and 4 more.
Remmina is free to use. 8 of the 9 alternatives are free or have a free plan. One more offers a free trial.
Listings checked up to Nov 12, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| RemminaThis tool | Free | Free | Linux |
| mRemoteNG | Free | Free | Windows |
| Royal TS | Free plan · from €49 one-time | Yes | macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| RustDesk | Free plan · from $11.88/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| NoMachine | Free trial · from $24.50/yr | Trial only | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Apache Guacamole | Free | Free | Web |
| MeshCentral | Free | Free | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux |
| TightVNC | Free plan · from $12/yr | Yes | Windows |
| UltraVNC | Free | Free | Windows |
| Windows App | Free | Free | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
Price against what you get
Remmina has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 8 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.
RustDesk, NoMachine, MeshCentral and Windows App score higher without starting lower.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Remmina
mRemoteNG
Free tabbed connection manager for RDP, VNC and SSH on Windows
- mRemoteNG is free.
- mRemoteNG also lists a Windows app.
- mRemoteNG lists no Linux app, which Remmina has.
Suits: Administrators who manage many servers over RDP, SSH and VNC
Royal TS
Connection manager for RDP, SSH, VNC and web sessions
- Royal TS starts at €49 one-time per user for Windows or macOS.
- Royal TS also lists Windows, macOS, iOS and Android apps.
- Royal TS lists no Linux app, which Remmina has.
- Royal TS also covers workflow automation.
Suits: IT staff managing many servers over RDP, SSH and VNC
RustDesk
Open-source remote desktop you can run on your own server
- RustDesk starts at $11.88 per month, billed annually (Individual Server Pro, self-hosted).
- RustDesk also lists a web app and Windows, macOS, Android and iOS apps.
- RustDesk is self-hostable, according to its own site.
Suits: People who want a free remote desktop app for their own computers
NoMachine
Self-hosted remote desktop sold as yearly server subscriptions
- NoMachine starts at $24.50 per year (Personal Edition, one computer).
- NoMachine has no free plan, only a free trial, unlike Remmina.
- NoMachine also lists a web app and Windows, macOS, iOS and Android apps.
- NoMachine is self-hostable, according to its own site.
Suits: Reaching your own home or office computer over your own network
Apache Guacamole
Open-source clientless remote desktop gateway
- Apache Guacamole is free.
- Apache Guacamole also lists a web app.
- Apache Guacamole lists no Linux app, which Remmina has.
- Apache Guacamole is self-hostable, according to its own site.
Suits: IT teams that want browser-only access to internal machines
MeshCentral
Self-hosted open-source remote device management site
- MeshCentral is free.
- MeshCentral also lists a web app and Windows and macOS apps.
- MeshCentral is self-hostable, according to its own site.
Suits: IT admins who want to host their own device management
TightVNC
Free VNC remote desktop for Windows, with paid Pro encryption
- TightVNC starts at $12 per year per user license (Pro); $1 / month, billed once a year.
- TightVNC also lists a Windows app.
- TightVNC lists no Linux app, which Remmina has.
Suits: Windows users who want a free VNC server and viewer
UltraVNC
Free open-source VNC remote control for Windows computers
- UltraVNC is free.
- UltraVNC also lists a Windows app.
- UltraVNC lists no Linux app, which Remmina has.
- UltraVNC is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- UltraVNC also covers file sharing.
Suits: Windows administrators who want a free VNC server and viewer
Windows App
Microsoft's free client for remote Windows PCs and cloud desktops
- Windows App is free.
- Windows App also lists a web app and Windows, macOS, iOS and Android apps.
- Windows App lists no Linux app, which Remmina has.
- Windows App also covers file sharing.
Suits: Employees who connect to Azure Virtual Desktop or Windows 365 Cloud PCs
Limits worth knowing in Remmina
- The install guide covers Linux distributions only; no Windows or macOS build is offered.
- It is a client: the machine you connect to needs its own RDP, VNC or SSH server.
- Support comes from the community channels (IRC, Matrix, forums), not a paid vendor.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Remmina?
The alternatives to Remmina in this directory are mRemoteNG, Royal TS, RustDesk, NoMachine, Apache Guacamole, MeshCentral, TightVNC, UltraVNC and Windows App. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Remmina.
Is there a free alternative to Remmina?
Yes. mRemoteNG, Apache Guacamole, MeshCentral, UltraVNC and Windows App are free to use. Royal TS, RustDesk and TightVNC have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which Remmina alternatives work on Windows?
The Remmina listing does not include a Windows app. mRemoteNG, Royal TS, RustDesk, NoMachine, MeshCentral, TightVNC, UltraVNC and Windows App list one.
Which Remmina alternatives work on macOS?
The Remmina listing does not include a macOS app. Royal TS, RustDesk, NoMachine, MeshCentral and Windows App list one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 18, 2026 to Nov 12, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.