RustDesk
Open-source remote desktop you can host entirely on your own infrastructure.
What it is
RustDesk is an open-source alternative to TeamViewer and AnyDesk with full self-hosting. Its relay and rendezvous servers can run inside your own network, so remote-control traffic never has to leave infrastructure you control. It covers remote desktop, file transfer and end-to-end encryption across every desktop and mobile platform.
Problems it solves
- You need remote control without sending session traffic through a third-party vendor cloud.
- Per-seat licensing on commercial remote tools has grown expensive for a small admin team.
- Compliance rules require that remote-support data stays on-premises.
How administrators use it
- Stand up the relay (hbbr) and rendezvous (hbbs) server on a Linux host and point every client at it with a baked-in config.
- Pre-configure a permanent password on servers for unattended access to data-centre machines.
- Hand a one-time code to a user for a quick attended support session, then revoke access by rotating the key.
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
- Fully self-hostable — no mandatory vendor cloud.
- Free and open source under AGPL-3.0.
- Cross-platform clients, including a browser client.
Trade-offs
- You run and secure the relay server yourself.
- Fewer enterprise management features than paid incumbents.
- Mobile and NAT-heavy setups need some tuning.
Questions
Is RustDesk really free for business use?
The clients and the self-hosted server are open source and free. There is an optional paid Pro server with extra management features, but core remote control works at no cost.
Does RustDesk send my sessions to a public server?
By default it uses public rendezvous servers, but you can run your own relay so that all session traffic stays inside your network.
Guides
Keep remote-control traffic inside your network by hosting the RustDesk rendezvous and relay servers yourself.
Set up unattended access to a server with RustDeskConfigure a permanent password so you can reach an always-on machine without someone accepting the prompt.
Head to head
Pick RustDesk when you want to self-host and avoid per-seat cost; pick TeamViewer when you need a managed service with mature roles and auditing out of the box.
RustDesk vs AnyDeskRustDesk wins on self-hosting and open source; AnyDesk wins on a polished, low-latency client and a custom branded build.
Alternatives
Established remote access, control and support delivered as a managed cloud service.
Low-latency remote desktop built around the DeskRT codec.
Free, tabbed connection manager for RDP, VNC, SSH and more on Windows.