Apache Guacamole vs MeshCentral (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, MeshCentral grades higher than Apache Guacamole: 2.2 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
MeshCentral grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick Apache Guacamole if
- Fits if you run a server and want staff to reach machines from a browser
- Works for teams that already have RDP, VNC or SSH set up everywhere
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't want to host and update software yourself
- Not for you if you want a vendor to call: the project site lists community mailing lists only
- Too light on its own, as it's a gateway to machines that already run VNC, RDP or SSH
- Watch out: commercial support comes only from third-party companies
Pick MeshCentral if
- Fits if you manage a fleet of machines and are happy running your own server
- Works for home labs and small shops that want remote access they control
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't want to host and secure a server yourself
- Not for you if you need a company behind it, as it's a community project
- Too light on phone use, since no mobile apps are listed
- Watch out: an agent has to be installed on every managed device
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAApache GuacamoleFair | 2.2GPAMeshCentralFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CFree under Apache 2.0 only if you host it yourself, so the real cost is a server. The project site offers no hosted service. | CFree through NPM only if you run the server on your own hardware or hosting, so the real cost is on you. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe whole project is free, with no paid tier. The server you run it on is yours to pay for. | BThe whole project is free, with no paid tier. The server you run it on is yours to pay for. |
| Features | CClientless access, the standard protocols, cloud-hosted desktops and documented APIs. It reaches machines that already run VNC, RDP or SSH and doesn't replace them. | CA web management site, a multi-platform server and agent, light installation and LAN mode by default. The listing gives little detail of what the agent does beyond that. |
| Ease of use | DNo rating on record. You install, host and update it yourself. | DNo rating on record. You host, secure and update the server yourself, and read PDF documentation. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only through a browser, with documented APIs but no phone or desktop apps listed. | BWeb, with servers and agents for Windows, Linux and Mac, plus Docker, Cloudflare, JumpCloud and FIDO links. No phone apps are listed. |
| Best for | reaching remote machines through a browser, hosted by you | managing your own devices from a web site you host |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Apache Guacamole and MeshCentral. How we grade
Price against what you get
Apache Guacamole has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. MeshCentral has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
MeshCentral scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other remote desktop apps on the chart, none scores higher than Apache Guacamole for less, and none scores higher than MeshCentral for less.
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
Where they differ
At a glance
| Apache Guacamole | MeshCentral | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | The Apache Software Foundation | MeshCentral |
| Price read from | guacamole.apache.org | meshcentral.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Apache Guacamole
- You install, host and update it yourself; the project site offers no hosted service.
- Support is community mailing lists, with commercial support only from third-party companies.
- It is a gateway to machines that already run VNC, RDP or SSH.
MeshCentral
- You host, secure and update the server yourself; the download page describes self-installation only.
- Agents must be installed on each managed device.
- Documentation for management and security features is published as PDF files.
Key features
Apache Guacamole
- Clientless access
- Once Guacamole is installed on a server, a web browser is all a user needs to reach a desktop; no plugins or client software are required.
- Standard protocols
- The gateway supports VNC, RDP and SSH, so existing machines can be reached without installing a special agent on them.
- Cloud-hosted desktops
- The project notes the desktops need not be physical, so a desktop OS running in the cloud can be reached through a cloud-hosted Guacamole.
- Documented APIs
- Guacamole is built on its own documented core APIs, which let it be integrated into other open source or proprietary applications.
MeshCentral
- Web-based management site
- Devices are managed from a web site served by your own MeshCentral server, with a separate management agent installed on each device.
- Multi-platform server and agent
- The site says both the server and the agent run on Windows, Linux, macOS and FreeBSD.
- Light installation
- Setup is an npm install plus one command, with a built-in NeDB database and MongoDB recommended for larger setups. A small server can handle a few hundred devices.
- LAN mode by default
- A fresh install starts in LAN mode, where agents find the server by multicast; a DNS name is set in config.json for access from outside.
Plans
Apache Guacamole
Open source$0
Free under the Apache License 2.0; you host the gateway yourself.
MeshCentral
Open source$0
Free through NPM; you run the server on your own hardware or hosting.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Apache Guacamole or MeshCentral?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Apache Guacamole and MeshCentral are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Apache Guacamole or MeshCentral?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Apache Guacamole and MeshCentral have a free plan.
Which platforms do Apache Guacamole and MeshCentral run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only MeshCentral lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.