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Remmina vs TigerVNC (2026): which should you pick?

As of Nov 13, 2026, Remmina and TigerVNC share a 2.6 GPA, both are free, so the choice depends on whether you care more about ease of use, where Remmina grades higher, or platforms, where TigerVNC does.

Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA

They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and features.

Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.

Remmina

Free Linux remote desktop client for RDP, VNC and SSH

Free
Full detailsremmina.org

TigerVNC

Free open-source VNC client and server for Linux, Windows and macOS

Free
Full detailstigervnc.org

Which one is for you

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

Pick TigerVNC if

  • Fits if you run Linux and want a free VNC server and viewer
  • Works for admins whose distribution already packages it

Look elsewhere if

  • Skip it if you want paid support, as only mailing lists and a wiki are offered
  • Not for you if you want phone apps, as none are listed
  • Watch out: the man pages cover the Unix programs and are only mostly relevant to Windows
  • Too light for one-click remote help, as setup is manual

How we grade them

2.6GPARemminaGood2.6GPATigerVNCGood
Value for money
AFree and open source with optional donations, against a $2.50 cheaper-quarter start for remote access tools.
AFree and open source with no paid plans, well under 60% of the cheaper quarter.
Free plan and trial
AThe whole program is free, with nothing held back.
AFree outright, with no plan, no cap and no account to open.
Features
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.
CIt does VNC viewing and serving fully, which is a smaller job than a full remote-access suite. No relay or phone apps.
Ease of use
CNo rating on record. You install it from your distribution and add each connection profile yourself.
DSetting up servers and authentication takes command-line work. No store rating on record.
Platforms and integrations
DLinux only: the install guide covers Linux distributions and offers no Windows or macOS build.
CLinux, Windows and macOS programs for computers, with no phone apps.
Best fora free remote desktop client for Linuxa free VNC viewer and server on 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: Remmina and TigerVNC. How we grade

Price against what you get

Remmina has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. TigerVNC 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 Remmina for less, and none scores higher than TigerVNC for less.

Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged

D1.0C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$0.5$1$2$5$10$20$50$100$200$500More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessRemminaTigerVNC

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
The full chart of remote desktop apps, and the best at every price

Where they differ

    In commonFree planLinuxOpen sourceRemote desktop

    At a glance

    RemminaTigerVNC
    PricingFreeFree
    Starts atFreeFree
    Free planNoneNone
    Free trialNone listedNone listed
    macOS
    Windows
    Linux
    Made byRemminaThe TigerVNC project
    Price read fromremmina.orgtigervnc.org
    CheckedNov 12, 2026Nov 13, 2026

    Worth knowing

    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.

    TigerVNC

    • Support is through mailing lists and a wiki; no paid support is offered on the site.
    • No iOS or Android apps are listed on the project's pages.
    • The man pages describe the Unix programs, and the site says they are only mostly relevant to the Windows ones.

    Key features

    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.

    TigerVNC

    VNC viewer and servers
    Documented programs include vncviewer, Xvnc, x0vncserver and the newer w0vncserver, plus vncconfig, vncpasswd and vncsession.
    Performance for graphics
    The project says it targets the performance needed to run 3D and video applications remotely.
    Authentication and TLS
    Extensions for advanced authentication methods and TLS encryption are provided.
    Shared look across platforms
    Common code and a similar look and feel are kept across the platforms it supports.
    Distribution packages
    Binaries come from GitHub releases, and the software ships in distributions such as Fedora, openSUSE, FreeBSD, Arch Linux and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

    Plans

    Remmina

    • Free$0

      Free and open-source under a copyleft license; the project accepts donations.

    TigerVNC

    • TigerVNC$0

      Free, open-source software; releases are published on GitHub.

    Common questions

    Which is cheaper, Remmina or TigerVNC?

    As of Nov 13, 2026, both Remmina and TigerVNC are free to use.

    Which has a free plan, Remmina or TigerVNC?

    As of Nov 13, 2026, both Remmina and TigerVNC have a free plan.

    Which platforms do Remmina and TigerVNC run on?

    As of Nov 13, 2026, only TigerVNC lists 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.
    How we review and grade