RustDesk is the open-source remote desktop app that lets you ditch third-party servers and host your own. With support for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS, it’s a powerful alternative to commercial tools like TeamViewer and AnyDesk – but without the restrictions. Learn more about RustDesk features and use cases.
If you have tried TeamViewer and used the free plan, you have certainly experienced disconnections or sessions time outs and probably missed some useful features such as file transfer or other that are only part of the paid plan, you might be interested in this Open-Source cross-platform alternative from RustDesk. One particular option that stands-up is the possibility for you to self-host where you are in control of the entire data flow. You can set-up your own server so you don’t even need to use RustDesk servers.
If you’re managing a fleet of computers with heterogenous Operating systems (Oss) such as Windows, Linux or MacOS, then you would like to run the same software for the remote support, right? The solution is RustDesk. There are native apps on Windows, Ubuntu, Mac, Android, iOS, that you can download and install.
I was previously using AnyDesk software, which was created by folks that previously worked at TeamViewer. They felt their ideas weren’t being heard by TeamViewer’s management, so they left and started developing their own software in 2012, eventually launching AnyDesk two years later. AnyDesk works great, has small footprint, has also a free version. But the company has 91 active competitors (including TeamViewer, Splashtop or LogMeIn) and growing so by looking around there might be a better option than what you are currently using, right?
RustDesk as a multi-platform alternative
Whether you’re managing a remote team or accessing your personal devices from remote location, RustDesk’s commitment to platform flexibility makes it a powerful open-source alternative to proprietary remote desktop software.
The solution can run as is without deploying your own server (you relying on RustDesk servers as other similar solutions). But if you take your time, and deploy the server which can be the open source one, you are completely autonomous.
For basic usage, the easiest is, of course, just install the clients and have the system make its connections themselves.
After the download and installation, RustDesk will connect to the public servers. You’ll see a message “Ready, For faster connection, please set up your own server”. This is the default behavior telling you that the client is ready and that you can connect to this machine remotely from your end.
RustDesk Features
Here are, in short, the principal features of RustDesk. Note that there is a Pro Version which has more, but we’ll show you that later.
- Works on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web.
- Supports VP8 / VP9 / AV1 software codecs, and H264 / H265 hardware codecs.
- Own your data, easily set up self-hosting solution on your infrastructure. (Check Step-by-Step Guide: Self-Host RustDesk Server Pro on Cloud via Docker for Secure Remote Access).
- P2P connection with end-to-end encryption based on NaCl.
- No administrative privileges or installation needed for Windows, elevate privilege locally or from remote on demand.
- The community releases are free of charge if you wish to self-host, no license is required. you can host your own RustDesk server, check this guide here – https://rustdesk.com/docs/en/self-host/. There are also docker images available.
- Multi-Monitor Support – RustDesk allows users to manage multiple screens simultaneously, which is useful for advanced setups.
- Session Recording – Remote sessions can be recorded for training or documentation purposes.
- Advanced Network Configurations – RustDesk supports proxy and NAT traversal, ensuring stable connections even in complex network environments.
The UI and look and feel of RustDesk
If you’re familiar with remote desktop software, you’ll find your way pretty easy within RustDesk. The UI is pretty intuitive.
Many screen options allowing you to setup the viewing experience, such as scale original or scale adaptive. You can record the session, have a chat window open or even voice call.
I quickly tested the light-weight client on a few Windows VMs. The client is deployed traditional way, as EXE or MSI package, and you have an option to install RustDesk printer at the same time.
As you can see, you can enable (disable) file copy and paste, disable clipboard, lock session after end of your connection, mute, show quality monitor.
RustDesk Server Pro
This is a commercial version with more features in it. This version is an advanced version of RustDesk’s self-hosted remote desktop solution, offering additional features tailored for businesses and professional users.
What are those extra features, you might ask? Well, I can quickly show some of them:
- Web Console & API – Manage devices, connections, and settings through a web-based dashboard.
- Security Enhancements – Supports OIDC, LDAP, 2FA, and access control for enterprise-level security.
- Device & Log Management – Keep track of connection history, file transfers, alarms, and more. Useful when you need to find who did what and when.
- Multiple Relay Servers – Automatically selects the closest relay for optimized performance.
- Custom Client Generator – Businesses can create custom-branded clients for their teams. This is particularly useful when you want to make sure that you deploy only those branded ones to your end clients.
The Pro version is available starting 9.90/month for individual users and 19.90$ for businesses. RustDesk is available in many languages such as German, Spanish, French, Italian, Portugese, Chinese
Wrap Up
RustDesk is a solid remote access software that has its place within the IT ecosystem. The fact that there is an open-source alternative plays well within today’s society. We need more robust open-source solutions backed by paid versions with more value-added features that make you buy the Pro version if your organization allows you to do so.
RustDesk is nice open-source alternative in the remote desktop space, providing IT administrators with a secure, self-hosted, and cost-effective solution. By having a possibility and build self-based host (for the server part) you can avoid relying on third-party servers. RustDesk supports password protection, whitelisting, and custom security settings to prevent unauthorized connections. There is end-to-end encryption and cross-platform compatibility which I like a lot.
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