The RustDesk Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about RustDesk in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
RustDesk
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source remote desktop you can run on your own server
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among remote desktop apps, read from RustDesk’s own pages.
Made by Purslane Tech Pte. Ltd. · checked Oct 18, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from RustDesk’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on RustDesk’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 18, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 12 of the 15 other remote desktop apps we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about RustDesk, taken from its own pages and our grades.
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.
- 1
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.
- 2
Paid plans start at $11.88 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $11.88 per month, billed annually (Individual Server Pro, self-hosted).
- 3
There is 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.
- 4
It runs on 6 platforms
Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.
- 5
Works without setup
Install the client and connect through RustDesk's public rendezvous and relay servers, with no configuration needed.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
A 3.0 GPA, above 12 of 15
That is against the other remote desktop apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
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.
RustDesk at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $11.88 per month, billed annually (Individual Server Pro, self-hosted)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Purslane Tech Pte. Ltd.
- Category
- Remote Desktop
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
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.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | $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. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free 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. |
| Features | C | It 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. |
| Ease of use | C | No 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. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Windows, 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. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
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 it 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
Good to know
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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$11.88
A month to start. There is a free plan too
RustDesk has a free plan. Paid plans start at $11.88 per month, billed annually (Individual Server Pro, self-hosted).
TeamViewer and AnyDesk, doing the same job, are free for personal use only.
Free
$0
Open-source client and server that you host yourself, or use with RustDesk's public relay servers. Community support only.
Individual
$11.88
per 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
$23.88
per 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
$23.88
per 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
$23.88
per 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.
The 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.
Read from rustdesk.com on Oct 18, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
6
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android
Open-source remote desktop you can run on your own server. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, remote desktop.
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.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
RustDesk is made by Purslane Tech Pte. Ltd.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
12/15
Other remote desktop apps it is graded above
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
- AFree plan and trialAbove 14 of 15
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 15
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 15
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 15
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 12 remote desktop apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. RustDesk is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
AnyDesk, TeamViewer, NoMachine, Chrome Remote Desktop and ScreenConnect
The 5 tools RustDesk is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
AnyDesk
Free plan
Remote desktop app, free for personal use, licensed for business.
- Only RustDesk lists a web app.
- RustDesk is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
TeamViewer
Free plan · from $619.99/yr
Remote access and IT support, free for personal use only.
- RustDesk is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- TeamViewer is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 2.2GPA
NoMachine
Free trial · from $24.50/yr
Self-hosted remote desktop sold as yearly server subscriptions.
- RustDesk has a free plan. NoMachine does not, though it has a free trial.
- RustDesk is open source, according to its own site.
- 3.2GPA
Chrome Remote Desktop
Free
Google's free remote access to your own computers from a browser.
- Only Chrome Remote Desktop lists a browser extension.
- RustDesk is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.2GPA
ScreenConnect
Free trial · from $30/mo
Remote support for IT teams and MSPs, priced per concurrent technician.
- RustDesk has a free plan. ScreenConnect does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only RustDesk lists a web app.
- RustDesk is open source, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
9
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
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.
How much does RustDesk cost?
RustDesk lists 5 plans. Free: $0.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from RustDesk’s own pages on Oct 18, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 18, 2026. 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.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Purslane Tech Pte. Ltd. Prices change, so check rustdesk.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
2,281
Tools graded, in 73 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
2,281
tools graded
73
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- RustDesk, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/rustdesk
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "RustDesk: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 18, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/rustdesk
Know someone choosing between remote desktop apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/rustdesk/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded remote desktop apps after RustDesk, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Remote Desktop Insider's GuideEvery one of the 16 remote desktop apps we grade, compared
- Chrome Remote Desktop Insider's GuideGoogle's free remote access to your own computers from a browser3.2 GPA
- Jump Desktop Insider's GuideRemote desktop with one-time app licences and a per-user team plan3.2 GPA
- Zoho Assist Insider's GuideRemote support and unattended access for help desks and IT teams3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what RustDesk’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. RustDesk is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Purslane Tech Pte. Ltd. Prices and plans change: check rustdesk.com before you buy.