NoMachine vs Remmina (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Remmina grades higher than NoMachine: 2.6 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
NoMachine grades higher on platforms. Remmina grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
NoMachine
Self-hosted remote desktop sold as yearly server subscriptions
Which one is for you
Pick NoMachine if
- Fits if you run Linux or a Raspberry Pi and want to connect straight to it
- Works for businesses hosting several virtual Linux desktops on one server
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you have lots of computers, as each needs its own $24.50 yearly license
- Skip it if you want something free, since only the Player is, and it needs a paid server to connect to
- Tight if two people need the same desktop at once, as Personal Edition allows one connection
- Watch out: reaching a machine behind a firewall by ID needs Network Personal at $84.50 a year on top
- Too light for browser access, VPN or single sign-on unless you pay for Enterprise at $44.50 a computer
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
| 2.2GPANoMachineFair | 2.6GPARemminaGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CPersonal Edition is $24.50 a year per computer, so two computers come to $49, and getting past a firewall by Machine Id adds Network Personal at $84.50, or $133.50 a year in all. RustDesk, Parsec and Jump Desktop reach your own computers for nothing, so for the same job it's on the dear side. | AFree and open source with optional donations, against a $2.50 cheaper-quarter start for remote access tools. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan: only the Player is free, and it needs a paid server edition to connect to. Each server edition has a free trial, and NoMachine Network has a 7-day one; the listing doesn't mention a card. | AThe whole program is free, with nothing held back. |
| Features | CThe NX protocol with hardware H.264, multi-monitor, terminal sessions, file, disk, printer and USB sharing, Wake-on-LAN and recording. The gaps it lists itself: Personal Edition allows one desktop connection at a time, and browser access, VPN and single sign-on are Enterprise only. | 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 | CNo App Store rating on record. You connect by IP address on your own network, and reaching a machine behind a firewall by ID needs a separate Network subscription. That's a learning curve. | CNo rating on record. You install it from your distribution and add each connection profile yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac, Linux and Raspberry Pi, with a free Player for iPhone and Android and browser access on Enterprise. Sign-in works with Okta, Entra ID and Active Directory, but there's no API on record. | DLinux only: the install guide covers Linux distributions and offers no Windows or macOS build. |
| Best for | remote desktops for Linux and your own network | 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: NoMachine and Remmina. How we grade
Price against what you get
NoMachine starts at $2.04 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Remmina has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
NoMachine scores higher, and starts $2.04 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other remote desktop apps on the chart, 5 score higher than NoMachine 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
- NoMachine is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Remmina is open source, according to its own site.
At a glance
| NoMachine | Remmina | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free |
| Starts at | $24.50 per year (Personal Edition, one computer) | Free |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | Free trial of each server edition; NoMachine Network has a 7-day trial | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | NoMachine S.Ã r.l. | Remmina |
| Price read from | nomachine.com | remmina.org |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
NoMachine
- Personal Edition is now an annual subscription; only the Player client is free, and it needs a NoMachine server edition to connect to.
- Reaching a computer behind a firewall by Machine Id needs a separate NoMachine Network subscription on top of the server edition.
- Personal Edition allows one desktop connection at a time; browser access, VPN and single sign-on are Enterprise only.
- Terminal Server and Workstation editions host virtual desktops on Linux only.
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
NoMachine
- NX protocol
- Hardware-accelerated H.264 encoding and decoding, audio and video streaming, and multi-monitor support, for work, media and games.
- Free Player on every platform
- NoMachine Player is free for commercial and non-commercial use on Windows, Mac, Linux, ARM, Raspberry Pi, iOS and Android, with no limit on machines.
- Terminal access
- Open remote command-line sessions to Windows, macOS or Linux NoMachine systems without a full desktop and without SSH on the server.
- Devices and files
- File transfer with drag and drop, disk and printer sharing in both directions, USB device forwarding, port forwarding and Wake-on-LAN.
- Recording and guest sharing
- Record your session on the fly, and let guests join your desktop to collaborate or help troubleshoot.
- Enterprise sign-in and browser access
- Enterprise editions add access from any browser, a built-in VPN, and sign-in with Okta, Entra ID, Google Cloud Identity, Keycloak, LDAP or Active Directory.
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
NoMachine
Personal Edition$24.50
per year per computer
For individuals and businesses: 1 desktop connection and up to 4 terminal connections from the same client. Also sold in packs of 5 to 100.
Enterprise Desktop$44.50
per year per computer
Unlimited connections, access from any browser, a built-in VPN and single sign-on. Also sold in packs of 10 to 100; the support table lists a pack at $244.50.
Network Personal$84.50
per year ($8.50 billed monthly)
Optional: 1 connection at a time over NoMachine Network by Machine Id, for computers behind a firewall. Plans for 4 to 32 connections cost more.
Workstation$124.50
per year per server
Runs up to 4 virtual Linux desktops and apps on one server, with unlimited connections and browser access.
Small Business Terminal Server$744.50
per year per server
Runs up to 10 virtual Linux desktops and apps on one server, for departments and small businesses.
Remmina
Free$0
Free and open-source under a copyleft license; the project accepts donations.
Ways to pay less
NoMachine
- Annual discount
Network subscriptions cheaper paid yearly
Network Personal is $84.50 a year against $8.50 a month, which is $102 over twelve months: about 17% less.
Remmina
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, NoMachine or Remmina?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Remmina is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $2.04 a month when paid by the year for NoMachine. NoMachine starts at $24.50 per year (Personal Edition, one computer), and Remmina is free.
Which has a free plan, NoMachine or Remmina?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Remmina has a free plan. NoMachine does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do NoMachine and Remmina run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only NoMachine lists a web app and macOS, Windows, iOS and Android 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.