Apache Guacamole vs Remmina (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Remmina 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. Remmina 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.
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 Remmina if
- Fits if you use Linux and connect to Windows or Linux machines through RDP or SSH
- Works for people who want kiosk mode and several monitors
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or a Mac, as there's no build for either
- Not for you if you want a vendor to call, as support is IRC, Matrix and forums
- Too light on its own, since the machine you connect to needs its own server
- Watch out: no mobile app is listed
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAApache GuacamoleFair | 2.6GPARemminaGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 and open source with optional donations, 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, with nothing held back. |
| 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. | CProtocol plugins, RDP options, SSH tunnels, kiosk mode and multi-monitor. It's a client only, so the other end needs its own RDP, VNC or SSH server. |
| Ease of use | DNo rating on record. You install, host and update it yourself. | CNo rating on record. You install it from your distribution and add each connection profile yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only through a browser, with documented APIs but no phone or desktop apps listed. | DLinux only: the install guide covers Linux distributions and offers no Windows or macOS build. |
| Best for | reaching remote machines through a browser, hosted by you | a free remote desktop client for Linux |
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 Remmina. 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. Remmina 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 Remmina 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 | Remmina | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | The Apache Software Foundation | Remmina |
| Price read from | guacamole.apache.org | remmina.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.
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.
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.
Remmina
- Protocol plugins
- The home page lists RDP, SSH, SPICE, VNC, X2Go and HTTP/HTTPS plugins, and the features page also covers SFTP, NX and XDMCP.
- RDP options
- The RDP plugin settings include Remote Desktop Gateway servers, folder, printer and smartcard sharing, microphone redirection and color depth.
- SSH tunnels and sessions
- Connections can use an SSH tunnel, and the SSH plugin offers key-based authentication, proxy commands and optional session logging.
- Kiosk mode and multi-monitor
- The site mentions kiosk mode and multi-monitor support, plus tabbed connections, a toolbar and view-only mode in the settings.
- Wide distribution support
- The site says Remmina is available in 67 languages and 50+ distributions, with guides for Flatpak, Snap, Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora and others.
Plans
Apache Guacamole
Open source$0
Free under the Apache License 2.0; you host the gateway yourself.
Remmina
Free$0
Free and open-source under a copyleft license; the project accepts donations.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Apache Guacamole or Remmina?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Apache Guacamole and Remmina are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Apache Guacamole or Remmina?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Apache Guacamole and Remmina have a free plan.
Which platforms do Apache Guacamole and Remmina run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Apache Guacamole lists a web app and only Remmina lists a Linux 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.