MeshCentral vs Remmina (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Remmina grades higher than MeshCentral: 2.6 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
MeshCentral 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 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
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
| 2.2GPAMeshCentralFair | 2.6GPARemminaGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CFree through NPM only if you run the server on your own hardware or hosting, so the real cost is on you. | 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 | 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. | 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 host, secure and update the server yourself, and read PDF documentation. | CNo rating on record. You install it from your distribution and add each connection profile yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, with servers and agents for Windows, Linux and Mac, plus Docker, Cloudflare, JumpCloud and FIDO links. No phone apps are listed. | DLinux only: the install guide covers Linux distributions and offers no Windows or macOS build. |
| Best for | managing your own devices from a web site you host | 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: MeshCentral and Remmina. How we grade
Price against what you get
MeshCentral has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Remmina has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
MeshCentral scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other remote desktop apps on the chart, none scores higher than MeshCentral 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
- MeshCentral is self-hostable, according to its own site.
At a glance
| MeshCentral | Remmina | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | MeshCentral | Remmina |
| Price read from | meshcentral.com | remmina.org |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
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
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.
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
MeshCentral
Open source$0
Free through NPM; you run the server on your own hardware or hosting.
Remmina
Free$0
Free and open-source under a copyleft license; the project accepts donations.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, MeshCentral or Remmina?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both MeshCentral and Remmina are free to use.
Which has a free plan, MeshCentral or Remmina?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both MeshCentral and Remmina have a free plan.
Which platforms do MeshCentral and Remmina run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only MeshCentral lists a web app and macOS and Windows apps. Both list 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.