Apache Guacamole vs Royal TS (2026): which should you pick?

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 Royal TS if

• Fits if you juggle dozens of servers and want connections and logins in one place
• Works for IT teams that want shared connection documents

Look elsewhere if

• Tight if you stay on Lite: 10 connections, 10 credentials and 1 document
• Pricey if you need both systems: Windows and Mac are separate licences, €79 for the pair
• Watch out: prices are in euros without VAT, and each licence includes only 1 year of maintenance
• Too light on its own for gateway tasks, as Royal Server is licensed separately

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.

Royal TS

• Prices are shown in euros, excluding VAT; the page says other currencies may vary with conversion rates.
• Each license includes 1 year of software maintenance, except Extended Global, which includes 3 years.
• Windows and macOS are separate products with separate licenses; the bundle covers both.
• Royal Server, the gateway for remote management tasks, is licensed separately and does not come with Royal TS.

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.

Royal TS

Many connection types

The Windows edition lists remote desktop (RDP), SSH and Telnet terminals, VNC, web pages, and file transfer over FTP, SFTP and SCP.

Credential management

Credentials are stored as separate objects that connections and folders inherit or link to, and sensitive document data is encrypted and can be password protected.

Shareable documents

A document of connections can be shared with a team while credentials are assigned by name, so personal passwords stay out of the shared file.

Command and key sequence tasks

Tasks run commands such as ping or traceroute, or replay keyboard input, against one or more connections to cut repetitive steps.

Secure gateway tunneling

SSH-based tunneling through a secure gateway is built in, and dynamic folders can import connection lists from external sources.

Apache Guacamole

• Open source$0

  Free under the Apache License 2.0; you host the gateway yourself.

Royal TS

• Lite€0

  Up to 10 connections, up to 10 credentials and 1 document, for a single user.

• Individual User License€49

  one-time, per user, for Windows or macOS

  Single user on multiple devices; includes 1 year of maintenance. The Windows plus macOS bundle is €79.

• Site License€849

  one-time, unlimited users on a single site

  Windows or macOS edition, 1 year of maintenance included. The Windows plus macOS bundle is €1349.

• Global License€1699

  one-time, unlimited users on multiple sites

  Windows or macOS edition, 1 year of maintenance included. The Extended Global license adds 3 years for €3199.

• Enterprise LicenseCustom

  Unlimited users in all subsidiaries; quoted through the vendor's contact form.