About RustDesk
RustDesk is a remote desktop application that lets you view and control another computer over the network. It is written in Rust with a Flutter interface, released under AGPL-3.0, and designed for self-hosting, making it an open-source alternative to TeamViewer. The project says no setup is needed to get started.
You decide where connection brokering happens: use the project's rendezvous and relay servers, run your own, or write a custom one. Clients exist for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, with Wayland support on Linux, and the codebase includes peer-to-peer connection support. Because you can host the servers yourself, you keep control of your data.
Desktop builds use Flutter for the interface, while the older Sciter interface is deprecated. The README includes a misuse disclaimer stating that the developers do not support unauthorized access or privacy invasion. It suits IT teams, support staff and individuals who want remote access without relying entirely on a third-party service.
Key features
- Remote desktop viewing and control
- Self-hostable rendezvous and relay servers
- Clients for desktop and mobile platforms
- Peer-to-peer connection mode
- Flutter-based cross-platform interface
- Usable immediately with no setup
Good fit for
- →Remote IT support for staff and clients
- →Accessing your own computers from anywhere
- →Teams needing a self-hosted TeamViewer replacement
- Tags
- remote-desktop
- remote-control
- self-hosted
- teamviewer-alternative
- rust
- flutter
- p2p
- anydesk
RustDesk: questions and answers
- What is RustDesk used for?
- RustDesk is an open-source remote desktop application written in Rust, designed for self-hosting and positioned as an alternative to TeamViewer. It is a good fit for remote IT support for staff and clients, accessing your own computers from anywhere, and teams needing a self-hosted TeamViewer replacement.
- Is RustDesk open source?
- Yes. RustDesk is open source under the AGPL-3.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at rustdesk/rustdesk and is written mainly in Rust.
- Is RustDesk free?
- Yes. RustDesk is open source, so the software itself is free to use. A managed cloud version is also available, with paid plans from $11.88 per month.
- Can I self-host RustDesk?
- Yes. RustDesk can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.
- What is RustDesk an alternative to?
- RustDesk is an open-source alternative to TeamViewer, AnyDesk, Remote and Splashtop. Other open-source alternatives to TeamViewer include Apache Guacamole, MeshCentral and KasmVNC.
- Is RustDesk actively maintained?
- Yes. The most recent commit to RustDesk was on 2 October 2026, and the latest release is 1.5.0, published on 30 September 2026. The project has 125k stars on GitHub.
Open-source alternatives to RustDesk
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Apache Guacamole
Networking & VPN
The Apache Guacamole proxy daemon (guacd), C API (libguac), and protocol support.
Apache-2.0vs TeamViewer★ 4k
MeshCentral
Networking & VPN
A complete web-based remote monitoring and management web site. Once setup you can install
Apache-2.0vs TeamViewer★ 7.3k
KasmVNC
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Modern VNC Server and client, web based and secure
GPL-2.0vs TeamViewer★ 5.3k
TigerVNC
Networking & VPN
High performance, multi-platform VNC client and server
GPL-2.0vs TeamViewer★ 7.5k
Remmina
Networking & VPN
Mirror of https://gitlab.com/Remmina/Remmina The GTK+ Remmina Remote Desktop Client
GPL-2.0vs TeamViewer★ 2.6k
FreeRDP
Networking & VPN
FreeRDP is a free remote desktop protocol library and clients
Apache-2.0vs TeamViewer★ 14k
SaaS alternatives to RustDesk
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TeamViewer
Networking & VPN
Remote access and support software for desktops, servers and mobile devices
SaaS
AnyDesk
Networking & VPN
Remote desktop software for support, administration and file transfer
SaaS
Remote
HR & Recruiting
Employer-of-record, payroll and HR for distributed teams
SaaS
Splashtop
Networking & VPN
Remote access and remote support software for desktops and IT teams
SaaS
Chrome Remote Desktop
Networking & VPN
Free remote desktop access tool from Google that works through Chrome
SaaS
Parsec
Networking & VPN
Low-latency remote desktop and game streaming app
SaaS

