AnyDesk Alternatives 2026: 5 Free Options
AnyDesk alternatives: RustDesk, Remmina, MeshCentral, TigerVNC and 1 more. Prices and licenses checked October 25, 2026.
•3 min read•Remote Access & File Transfer
Verdict:AnyDesk is a remote desktop tool for connecting to a screen with an ID and a password, mostly for support and admin work. People leave it over licensing rules, the desire to self-host or because a free tool covers the job. For casual support, RustDesk is the nearest like-for-like: it is open source, has a free tier, and you can run your own relay so connections route through your server. Remmina is a Linux client that connects out over RDP, VNC and SSH, so it helps you reach machines but does not let others connect to you. MeshCentral is the choice when you want to manage your own fleet; it is free and self-hosted, though it needs a server and more set-up than a one-click install. TigerVNC shares a screen across a private network with no cloud relay and no ID, a plain option for fixed machines. Apache Guacamole gives browser access to remote desktops through a gateway you host, trading AnyDesk's direct connection for central access control. Pick by who connects to whom: support sessions point to RustDesk, fleets to MeshCentral.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Price | Platforms | Best for | Tested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RustDesk | Free (open source and free; web console, 2FA and LDAP are in paid plans); paid from $11.88 per month, billed annually (Individual) | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted server | Free remote support you control | Docs only |
| Remmina | Free | Linux | Connecting from Linux | Docs only |
| MeshCentral | Free | Windows, Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, Self-hosted server | Managing your own devices | Docs only |
| TigerVNC | Free | Windows (viewer, unmaintained server), Linux, macOS (viewer) | Plain VNC on a private network | Docs only |
| Apache Guacamole | Free | Self-hosted, Web browser client | Browser access from anywhere | Docs only |
| TeamViewer | See pricing page | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Remote access and support | Docs only |
| Splashtop | Paid from $6 per month, billed annually (Solo, $72/year) | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | Remote access and support | Docs only |
Independent comparison. Paid placements are labelled separately; editorial links earn no affiliate commissions. Learn more.
Good fit if
- You do free remote support for friends or family (RustDesk is the pick)
- You manage a fleet of your own machines (MeshCentral is the pick)
- You connect to Linux from a laptop (Remmina is the pick)
- You want browser access on a private network (Apache Guacamole is the pick)
Not ideal if
- You rely on AnyDesk features or integrations that these tools do not replicate
AnyDesk today: Free (Free for personal use only, with limited features and support; professional use needs a paid licence); paid from $28.9 per month, billed yearly (Solo, 1 concurrent connection) (AnyDesk pricing, checked 2026-10-25).
Why people look for AnyDesk alternatives
AnyDesk's pricing page says it is free for personal use only; professional use needs a paid licence. Plans bill yearly: Solo is $28.90 a month for one concurrent connection and one licensed user, and Standard is $49.90 with one connection and up to 20 users. Extra connections are $44.90 a month add-ons, and the 20% discount applies to the first year only. A small team that needs two people connected at once pays for add-ons quickly.
RustDesk
Compared with AnyDesk: Open-source remote desktop with a free tier and a self-hostable relay, so you control where connections pass. It lacks AnyDesk's polished licensing and fleet features, but covers the everyday remote-support job for free.
Price: Free (open source and free; web console, 2FA and LDAP are in paid plans); paid from $11.88 per month, billed annually (Individual) (RustDesk pricing, checked 2026-10-22).
Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted server. AGPL-3.0 (open source).
Project activity: 127.3k GitHub stars · latest release 1.5.0 (Sep 30, 2026) · last commit Oct 27, 2026
Best for: Free remote support you control.
Worth knowing: Free plan has no numeric caps listed.
Remmina
Compared with AnyDesk: Open-source remote desktop client for Linux that speaks RDP, VNC and SSH. It is a client, not a host you install on many machines, so it suits connecting out rather than supporting others.
Price: Free (Remmina pricing, checked 2026-10-22).
Platforms and license: Linux. GPL-2.0-or-later (open source).
Project activity: 2.6k GitHub stars · latest release v1.2.30 (May 20, 2018) · last commit Feb 8, 2026
Best for: Connecting from Linux.
Worth knowing: A client for RDP, VNC and SSH, not a hosted relay service.
MeshCentral
Compared with AnyDesk: Open-source, self-hosted remote management server for devices, free to run. It gives you admin control of your own fleet, but it needs a server and more setup than AnyDesk's one-click install.
Price: Free (MeshCentral pricing, checked 2026-10-22).
Platforms and license: Windows, Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, Self-hosted server. Apache-2.0 (open source).
Project activity: 7.5k GitHub stars · latest release 1.3.1 (Oct 23, 2026) · last commit Oct 24, 2026
Best for: Managing your own devices.
Worth knowing: You run the server; agents install on managed machines. Supports Intel AMT.
TigerVNC
Compared with AnyDesk: Open-source VNC server and viewer with no fee. It shares a screen over the network with no ID or cloud relay, which suits fixed machines on a private network and not casual support.
Price: Free (TigerVNC pricing, checked 2026-10-22).
Platforms and license: Windows (viewer, unmaintained server), Linux, macOS (viewer). GPL-2.0 (open source).
Project activity: 7.7k GitHub stars · latest release v1.16.2 (Mar 26, 2026) · last commit Oct 23, 2026
Best for: Plain VNC on a private network.
Worth knowing: Server components are Unix/Linux; the Windows server is unmaintained per the README.
Apache Guacamole
Compared with AnyDesk: Open-source clientless gateway that serves remote desktops through a browser over VNC, RDP and SSH. It is self-hosted and free, so you give up AnyDesk's direct peer-to-peer connection in exchange for central access.
Price: Free (Apache Guacamole pricing, checked 2026-10-22).
Platforms and license: Self-hosted, Web browser client. Apache-2.0 (open source).
Project activity: 1.7k GitHub stars · last commit Oct 14, 2026
Best for: Browser access from anywhere.
Worth knowing: Clientless gateway to VNC, RDP and SSH; needs those services already running on the target.
Other popular options (paid)
TeamViewer
Compared with AnyDesk: The rival most roundups name first. Subscriptions are annual only, the overview page shows no per-plan prices and larger plans are quoted, so you must ask for a price before comparing with AnyDesk's listed $28.90 Solo.
Price: See pricing page (TeamViewer pricing, checked 2026-10-22).
Splashtop
Compared with AnyDesk: Solo is $6 a month billed annually ($72 a year), far below AnyDesk Solo at $28.90 a month. Only free trials are listed for remote access plans, so there is no permanent free tier.
Price: Paid from $6 per month, billed annually (Solo, $72/year) (Splashtop pricing, checked 2026-10-22).
Which one to pick
- You do free remote support for friends or family: RustDesk
- You manage a fleet of your own machines: MeshCentral
- You connect to Linux from a laptop: Remmina
- You want browser access on a private network: Apache Guacamole
Limits of this review
Docs-only for RustDesk, Remmina, MeshCentral, TigerVNC, Apache Guacamole: we did not install or run them, so feature claims come from vendor pages and we did not test import from AnyDesk. Vendor prices and free limits change; confirm on the linked pricing page before you buy or migrate.
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Sources
Kevin Fan
Kevin Fan is a SaaS founder. He runs Free Instead Of, which tracks free and open-source alternatives to paid software and checks each price and free-plan limit against the vendor's own pages.
Methodology
Based on official pricing and product pages checked between 2026-10-22 and 2026-10-25: AnyDesk, RustDesk, Remmina, MeshCentral, TigerVNC, Apache Guacamole, TeamViewer, Splashtop. Prices, free limits and licenses are the figures shown on those pages on those dates. No tool on this page was installed or run. No accounts were created.