🩺 Vitals
- 📦 Version: 1.4.4 (Released 2025-11-19)
- 🚀 Velocity: Active (Last commit 2025-12-11)
- 🌟 Community: 104.1k Stars · 15.3k Forks
- 🐞 Backlog: 95 Open Issues
🏗️ Profile
- Official: rustdesk.com
- Source: github.com/rustdesk/rustdesk
- License: AGPL 3.0
- Deployment: Docker / Binary / Mobile App
- Data Model: Local / Self-Hosted Relay Server
- Complexity: Medium (3)
- Maintenance: Low (2)
- Enterprise Ready: High (5)
1. The Executive Summary
What is it? RustDesk is a remote desktop software suite built with Rust (for the core) and Flutter (for the UI). It is designed as a drop-in replacement for TeamViewer or AnyDesk, allowing IT teams to provide remote support or access workstations securely. Its primary differentiator is the ability to self-host the "Rendezvous/Relay" server, ensuring that connection metadata and session traffic never pass through a third-party provider.
The Strategic Verdict:
- 🔴 For SaaS-Only Shops: Caution. While a public server exists, the real value is in self-hosting. If you don't want to manage a relay server, the UX is slightly less "magic" than TeamViewer.
- 🟢 For Security-Critical Orgs: Strong Buy. The ability to completely air-gap the connection infrastructure (hosting the relay server internally) makes it compliant with strict data sovereignty requirements (GDPR, HIPAA) where commercial SaaS tools might fail.
2. The "Hidden" Costs (TCO Analysis)
| Cost Component | Proprietary (TeamViewer / AnyDesk) | RustDesk (Open Source) |
|---|---|---|
| License Cost | High recurring per-technician fees | Free (AGPL-3.0) |
| Server Cost | Included in SaaS fee | Low (VPS/VM for Relay Server) |
| Data Privacy | Trust in Vendor | Zero-Trust (Self-Hosted) |
3. The "Day 2" Reality Check
🚀 Deployment & Operations
- Installation: Clients are available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. No installation is required (portable binaries).
- Scalability: The self-hosted server (ID/Relay) is lightweight and can handle thousands of concurrent connections on modest hardware.
🛡️ Security & Governance
- Access Control: Supports unconditional access (password) or user-confirmation access. The Pro version (paid add-on to the open core) adds OIDC/SSO integration and centralized address book management.
- Data Handling: End-to-end encryption (NaCl). When self-hosted, no data leaves your controlled infrastructure.
4. Alternatives & Ecosystem
- Alternative: TeamViewer (The market leader, expensive, proprietary).
- Alternative: AnyDesk (Proprietary, known for speed).
- Alternative: Apache Guacamole (Clientless remote desktop gateway, web-based).