Apache Guacamole vs mRemoteNG (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, mRemoteNG grades higher than Apache Guacamole: 2.6 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Apache Guacamole grades higher on platforms. mRemoteNG grades higher on value for money, the free plan and ease of use. They get the same grade on features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
mRemoteNG
Free tabbed connection manager for RDP, VNC and SSH on Windows
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 mRemoteNG if
- Fits if you juggle many RDP and SSH sessions on one Windows PC
- Works for admins who want a free manager with portable installs
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac, Linux or a phone, as it's Windows only
- Not for you if you want a vendor to call, as support is community and GitHub
- Watch out: the Stable release is dated April 12, 2019, and the newer builds are Preview and Nightly
- Too light on its own: the computers you reach need their own RDP, VNC or SSH servers
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAApache GuacamoleFair | 2.6GPAmRemoteNGGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | AFree under GPL v2 with no paid plans, against a $2.50 cheaper-quarter start for remote access tools. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe whole project is free, with no paid tier. The server you run it on is yours to pay for. | AThe whole program is free, as an MSI installer or a portable ZIP. |
| 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. | CTabbed connections, many protocols, plugin projects and PuTTYNG for SSH and Telnet. It's a connection manager, so the machines you reach still need their own servers. |
| Ease of use | DNo rating on record. You install, host and update it yourself. | CNo rating on record. You install it and add each connection by hand. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only through a browser, with documented APIs but no phone or desktop apps listed. | DWindows only: the site lists no macOS, Linux or mobile versions. |
| Best for | reaching remote machines through a browser, hosted by you | a tabbed manager for many remote connections on Windows |
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 mRemoteNG. 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. mRemoteNG has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
On this chart the two sit in the same place: the same score 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 mRemoteNG 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
- Apache Guacamole is self-hostable, according to its own site.
At a glance
| Apache Guacamole | mRemoteNG | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | None | Free and open source under the GNU GPL v2, with no paid plans. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | The Apache Software Foundation | mRemoteNG project |
| Price read from | guacamole.apache.org | mremoteng.org |
| 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.
mRemoteNG
- It is a Windows application; the site lists no macOS, Linux or mobile versions.
- It is a connection manager, so the computers you reach still need their own RDP, VNC, SSH or other servers running.
- The Stable release on the downloads page is dated April 12, 2019, while a Nightly build is dated September 15, 2026.
- It is maintained by volunteers, with support through the community and GitHub rather than a paid plan.
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.
mRemoteNG
- Tabbed connections
- View all of your remote connections in one window, each in its own tab.
- Many protocols
- The project's GitHub page lists RDP, VNC, SSH, Telnet, HTTP/HTTPS, rlogin, raw socket connections, PowerShell remoting and AnyDesk.
- Release channels
- The downloads page offers Stable, Preview and Nightly builds, with installer and portable packages.
- PuTTYNG for SSH and Telnet
- SSH and Telnet connections use a PuTTY build adapted and signed for mRemoteNG, which is released separately.
- Plugin projects
- The repository includes plugin contract and plugin projects, such as AWS and SSH transfer.
- Open source
- Source code is on GitHub under GPL-2.0 and the project accepts contributions.
Plans
Apache Guacamole
Open source$0
Free under the Apache License 2.0; you host the gateway yourself.
mRemoteNG
mRemoteNG$0
Free open-source download as an MSI installer or portable ZIP. No paid plans.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Apache Guacamole or mRemoteNG?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Apache Guacamole and mRemoteNG are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Apache Guacamole or mRemoteNG?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Apache Guacamole and mRemoteNG have a free plan.
Which platforms do Apache Guacamole and mRemoteNG run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Apache Guacamole lists a web app and only mRemoteNG lists a Windows 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.