RustDesk
Open-source remote desktop you can run on your own server
Our verdict
Third of our top three remote desktop apps
For: People who want open source or their own server
RustDesk is an open-source remote desktop app for Windows, Mac, Linux and Android, with a web client and an iPhone app. It connects with no setup through RustDesk's public relay servers, or you can run the free open-source server yourself so connection data stays on your own machines. Server Pro, also self-hosted, adds a web console, audit log and two-factor sign-in for 1 user and 20 devices at $11.88 a month, billed annually. It is third because anything beyond the free client means running a server with Docker, the free version has community support only, and an iPhone or iPad cannot be controlled or share its screen.
See all three and how we rankRustDesk report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Oct 18, 2026
Best for free, open-source remote desktop
RustDesk is the free, open-source answer to TeamViewer: install it, connect through RustDesk's own servers and pay nothing. The paid side is for running your own server, which suits IT teams who must keep data in-house and is a chore for everyone else. An iPhone can control other devices but can't be reached itself.
Who RustDesk is for
- Great if you want a free TeamViewer-style app you can use for work too
- Handy when company rules say remote access data must stay on your own servers
- A treat if you like open-source code you can read for yourself
Who RustDesk is not for
- Skip it if you need to support people on iPhones or iPads, which can't be controlled
- Not for you if you want a hosted service with accounts and a console, as paid plans mean running your own server
- Tight if you need help fast, since the free version has community support only
Why RustDesk gets a 3.0
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for money$0: the client is free and works through RustDesk's public relay servers, so one technician can support people with nothing to host. Paid Server Pro starts at $11.88 a month billed annually, for a server you run yourself. TeamViewer and AnyDesk, doing the same job, are free for personal use only.
- AFree plan and trialFree outright: the client and the open-source server cost nothing, and the listing shows no cap on devices or sessions. Help is community support only, and the web console and user accounts need Server Pro.
- CFeaturesIt connects with no setup, self-hosts in a few Docker commands, and Server Pro adds a web console, audit log, single sign-on, LDAP and a branded client. The gaps it lists itself: an iPhone or iPad can't be controlled or share its screen, and the web client needs a large plan.
- CEase of useNo App Store rating on record. The free client is install and connect, but everything you'd pay for runs on a server you host yourself with Docker, which is a job for someone happy on a command line.
- BPlatforms and integrationsWindows, Mac, Linux, Android, a web client and an iPhone app that can only control other devices. There's no integration list or API on record, so it stops at B.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from RustDesk's own pages on 18 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/rustdesk#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/rustdesk.svg" alt="RustDesk: 3.0 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where RustDesk stands among remote desktop apps
RustDesk's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 12 of the 15 other remote desktop apps we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 14 of 15) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $11.88 a month, against a middle price of $10 for the category: 6 of the 10 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 6 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 16 remote desktop apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. RustDesk’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 13 of 15, level with 2
- AFree plan and trialAbove 14 of 15, level with 1
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 15, level with 11
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 15, level with 4
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 15, level with 12
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 12 remote desktop apps. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep RustDesk, or make your own?
Keep it
To replace RustDesk you would be making a fast, secure link to another computer through any network. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 12 of the 15 other remote desktop apps we grade. It costs $142.56 a year. RustDesk is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could not
- A fast, secure link to another computer through any network.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: single sign-on, audit logs and roles and permissions.
What this rests on. RustDesk’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is RustDesk?
RustDesk is an open-source remote desktop app for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android, with a control-only iOS app and a web client. It works out of the box through RustDesk's own relay servers, or you can run the free open-source server yourself; the paid Server Pro adds a web console, user accounts and single sign-on. It is used both for IT support of other people's computers and for reaching your own.
RustDesk has a free plan. Paid plans start at $11.88 per month, billed annually (Individual Server Pro, self-hosted). See every plan
Good for
- People who want a free remote desktop app for their own computers
- IT teams that must keep remote access data on their own servers
- Organizations replacing TeamViewer or AnyDesk with a self-hosted setup
- Developers and admins who want open-source code they can inspect
Worth knowing
- Paid plans are licences for a server you run yourself, not a hosted service, and are sold only with annual payment; they do not auto-renew.
- The iOS app can only control other devices; an iPhone or iPad cannot be controlled or share its screen.
- The web client in Server Pro needs a plan where users x 10 plus devices is at least 400.
- There is no nonprofit or education discount, and trial licences are by request to RustDesk.
Key features
- Works without setup
- Install the client and connect through RustDesk's public rendezvous and relay servers, with no configuration needed.
- Self-hosted server
- Run the open-source server or Server Pro on your own machine with Docker in a few commands, so connection data stays on your infrastructure.
- Web console and access control
- Server Pro adds an admin website for users, devices, address books, permissions, centralized settings and an audit log, plus distributed relay servers.
- Custom branded client
- From the Basic plan, generate a client with your own name, icon and logo, preset with your server and more than 90 configurable options.
- Single sign-on and LDAP
- Basic and above sign users in through OIDC single sign-on or LDAP, with two-factor authentication on every Pro plan.
- Web client
- Start remote sessions from a browser tab; on Server Pro you host the web client on your own domain, on plans large enough to include it.
RustDesk pricing
- Starts at
- $11.88 per month, billed annually (Individual Server Pro, self-hosted)
- Free plan
- The client and the open-source server are free: use RustDesk's public relay servers or host your own server, with online status and community support.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Open-source client and server that you host yourself, or use with RustDesk's public relay servers. Community support only. |
| Individual | $11.88per month, billed annually | Server Pro you host yourself: 1 login user, 20 managed devices, unlimited concurrent connections, web console, 2FA, address book and audit log. |
| Basic | $23.88per month, billed annually | 10 login users and 100 managed devices, plus OIDC single sign-on, LDAP, cross-group access and the custom client generator. |
| Customized | $23.88per month, billed annually, plus $1.20 per extra user | Basic with more users and devices: each extra user adds $1.20 a month and each extra managed device $0.12. |
| Customized V2 | $23.88per month, billed annually, plus $24 per extra connection | Like Customized, but priced by concurrent connections: $24 a month for each extra one, with devices over the limit kept working. |
Read from rustdesk.com on Oct 18, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with RustDesk before you buy.
RustDesk alternatives
- RustDesk vs AnyDesk
Free plan
- RustDesk vs TeamViewer
Free plan · from $619.99/yr
- RustDesk vs NoMachine
Free trial · from $24.50/yr
- RustDesk vs ScreenConnect
Free trial · from $30/mo
Common questions
Is RustDesk free?
RustDesk has a free plan. The client and the open-source server are free: use RustDesk's public relay servers or host your own server, with online status and community support. Paid plans start at $11.88 per month, billed annually (Individual Server Pro, self-hosted).
How much does RustDesk cost?
RustDesk lists 5 plans. Free: $0. Individual: $11.88 per month, billed annually. Basic: $23.88 per month, billed annually. Customized: $23.88 per month, billed annually, plus $1.20 per extra user. Customized V2: $23.88 per month, billed annually, plus $24 per extra connection. Prices were read from rustdesk.com on Oct 18, 2026.
What platforms does RustDesk work on?
RustDesk is available on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.
Is RustDesk open source?
Yes. RustDesk is open source, according to its own site. It can also be run on a server of your own.
Who makes RustDesk?
RustDesk is made by Purslane Tech Pte. Ltd.
What are the alternatives to RustDesk?
The closest alternatives to RustDesk in our directory are AnyDesk, TeamViewer, NoMachine, Chrome Remote Desktop and ScreenConnect. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with RustDesk.
How does RustDesk compare with other remote desktop apps?
RustDesk's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 12 of the 15 other remote desktop apps we grade, and level with 1. It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 14 of 15) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Is RustDesk good value for money?
ToolGPA grades RustDesk A for value for money. Its paid plans start at $11.88 a month, against a middle price of $10 for the category: 6 of the 10 others that charge start lower. On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 6 tools score higher and cost less.
Could I make my own version of RustDesk?
To replace RustDesk you would be making a fast, secure link to another computer through any network. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 12 of the 15 other remote desktop apps we grade. It costs $142.56 a year. RustDesk is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself. What you could not make: A fast, secure link to another computer through any network. Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other. What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: single sign-on, audit logs and roles and permissions. This is a judgement from its listing. We have not built one.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 18, 2026.