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Remote desktop software · head to head

RustDesk vs AnyDesk

Connor Blake Written by Connor Blake · Edited by Sebastiaan Smits · Fact-checked by Mateus Rocha · Published September 30, 2026 · Updated September 30, 2026

RustDesk is open source and self-hosted: you run the relay and ID server and own the patching. AnyDesk is a commercial product run from the vendor's cloud, with on-premises hosting in its quoted Ultimate plan and a codec built for poor connections. Technical teams wanting control and low cost pick RustDesk; teams wanting a finished client pick AnyDesk.

Side by side

RustDeskAnyDesk
What it isOpen-source remote desktop with a self-hosted serverLightweight remote desktop with cloud or on-premises options
Best forTechnical teams wanting full controlTeams wanting speed on weak links
HeadquartersSingaporeGermany
Pricing modelOpen source + paid tiersPer license / year
PricingFree open-source client and server; paid Server Pro licenses priced by users and devices, published.Published per-license annual plans by number of users and devices; on-premises hosting and SSO come only with the quoted Ultimate plan; free for personal use.
Free optionOpen sourceFree trial
List price
as listed on September 30, 2026		$11.88 per month, billed annually (Individual self-hosting Pro plan, 1 login user); self-hosting plan free€29.90 per month, billed annually, excluding VAT (Solo, 1 user)
Place in our remote desktop software ranking#6 of 17#5 of 17
Websiterustdesk.comanydesk.com

Both are reviewed in full in Best Remote Desktop Software in 2026. Position in that ranking can be paid for; the wording of a review or of this comparison cannot. Placement disclosure.

Which one to choose

Choose RustDesk if

someone on your team is comfortable running a Linux server, you want session traffic to stay off third-party clouds, and low license cost matters more than vendor support.

RustDesk, #6 in the ranking · Visit RustDesk →

Choose AnyDesk if

you would sooner buy a license than operate a server, your connections to remote sites are poor, and your security team accepts AnyDesk after its 2024 breach.

AnyDesk, #5 in the ranking · Visit AnyDesk →

Where they differ

Who runs the server

RustDesk's two server programs, an ID server and a relay, run on a machine you control through Docker, an install script or a package, so sessions never pass through a third-party cloud, and patching is your job. AnyDesk relays through its own network unless you take on-premises hosting. Control favors RustDesk, convenience favors AnyDesk, and the deciding factor is whether you have the staff.

Edge: even

License cost

RustDesk's self-hosting plan is free, and its Pro plans are listed at $11.88 a month for one user and 20 managed devices or $23.88 for 10 users and 100 devices, billed annually. AnyDesk lists Solo at 29.90 and Standard at 49.90 euros a month, billed annually before VAT, and on-premises hosting only in the quoted Ultimate plan. For self-hosting, RustDesk has the published price.

Edge: RustDesk

Performance on poor connections

AnyDesk says its own DeskRT codec keeps work smooth on bandwidth as low as 100 kilobits per second, and the client is an 8 MB download, which is why it is popular for remote sites and older hardware. RustDesk's documentation says it tries a direct peer-to-peer connection first and falls back to your relay. AnyDesk makes the stronger documented claim for weak links.

Edge: AnyDesk

Single sign-on and team controls

RustDesk puts OIDC single sign-on, LDAP integration and the custom client generator in its Basic Pro plan, and two-factor authentication, the web console, audit log and access control in the Individual plan below it. AnyDesk's comparison table reserves single sign-on for Ultimate, with MSI mass deployment and Windows Group Policy arriving at Advanced. RustDesk gives a small team identity controls at a lower tier.

Edge: RustDesk

Reputation with security teams

Neither arrives clean. AnyDesk's production systems were compromised in 2024 and scammers use it heavily, so some security teams block it by default. RustDesk's public relay servers are also abused by scammers, and some security tools flag its client. A self-hosted RustDesk server with custom clients avoids the public relays, but not necessarily the flagging.

Edge: even

Tally: RustDesk 2, AnyDesk 1, even 2.

When neither fits

A team with no Linux skills that also needs detailed audit reporting and a vendor to call fits neither. Splashtop offers detailed logs with a clean security record, and Zoho Assist is the easiest start for a small team, with a web console and a free plan.

See Splashtop and Zoho Assist among the 17 products in Best Remote Desktop Software in 2026.

Questions and answers

Is RustDesk a free alternative to AnyDesk?

The RustDesk client and server are free and open source, and you can self-host them. The web console, address book, access control and audit log come with the paid Pro plans, and OIDC login from Basic upward. AnyDesk is free for personal use only and detects commercial use.

Can both RustDesk and AnyDesk be self-hosted?

Yes, by different routes. RustDesk is built around a self-hosted relay and ID server, included in the free edition. AnyDesk offers hosting on your own servers as part of its Ultimate plan, which is priced by quote. With RustDesk, patching the server is your responsibility.

Which has better management features, RustDesk or AnyDesk?

It depends on the tier. RustDesk Pro adds a web console, audit log and centralized settings, but has no deep service desk or RMM integrations. AnyDesk Standard has user management and six address books, Advanced adds roles and mass deployment, and CRM and ITSM integrations come with Ultimate.

What do RustDesk and AnyDesk cost?

RustDesk lists a free self-hosting plan, then $11.88 a month for one user or $23.88 for ten users, billed annually. AnyDesk lists Solo at 29.90 euros and Standard at 49.90 euros a month, billed annually and excluding VAT, with a first-year discount shown when we checked. Ultimate is quote only.

Sources

Prices, plan limits and product facts on this page were checked against the vendors' own pages on September 30, 2026. Vendors change both without notice, so treat the figures as of that date.