RustDesk vs Remmina
Both are free remote desktop tools. Here is how they actually differ.
RustDesk and Remmina at a glance
| Feature | RustDesk | Remmina |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | RustDesk | Remmina project |
| Licence | Open Source | Open Source |
| Cost | Free | Free |
| Windows | Yes | No |
| macOS | Yes | No |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile | Yes | No |
| Source code | Public | Public |
RustDesk: what it's good at
RustDesk is an open-source alternative to TeamViewer and AnyDesk that works out of the box but can also be pointed at your own relay server, keeping remote sessions entirely within infrastructure you control.
- Fully open source
- Self-hostable relay server
- No account required to start
- Cross-platform
Remmina: what it's good at
Remmina connects to remote machines over RDP, VNC, SSH and SPICE from a single application, with saved connection profiles. It is the default remote desktop client on most Linux distributions.
- RDP, VNC, SSH and SPICE in one client
- Saved connection profiles
- Tabbed multi-session interface
- Free and open source
Which should you choose?
Both are free, so the honest answer is that you can install either and decide for yourself — that is the advantage of free software over a paid trial.
Both run on Linux. Only RustDesk supports Windows, macOS, Android, iOS. Both are open source, so neither locks you in.
We deliberately do not publish a star rating for either. We have no way to verify a rating that would be honest at scale, and an invented one would be worse than none — so we give you the facts and let you decide.
Frequently asked questions
Is RustDesk better than Remmina?
Neither is universally better. RustDesk open-source remote desktop you can fully self-host, while Remmina the standard multi-protocol remote desktop client for Linux. The right pick depends on your platform and workflow.
Are both really free?
RustDesk is open source and Remmina is open source. Both can be downloaded without paying.
Can I install both?
Yes. Since neither costs anything, installing both and comparing them on your own files is usually the fastest way to decide.