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Most buyers should pick RustDesk.
Choose RustDesk if self-hosting, data control, and customization matter: its free plan supports self-hosting, and paid annual plans start at $11.88/month equivalent for one login user and 20 managed devices. Choose AnyDesk for cloud or on-prem deployment and, on Advanced, live phone support; its listed paid entry is €19.92/month equivalent, billed annually. Compare currencies and plan caps before treating either as cheaper.
01Side by side
| RustDesk | AnyDesk | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $11.88/month equivalent, billed annually | €19.92/month equivalent, billed annually |
| Free plan | Free self-hosting, online status, community support | Free plan listed; included features not specified |
| Best for | Teams wanting self-hosted remote access and control | Teams wanting cloud or on-prem remote access |
| Core strength | Self-hosting, data control, and client customization | Remote access, support, and session collaboration |
| Learning curve | Self-hosting and 90+ options require configuration | Cloud deployment avoids self-hosting setup |
| Integrations & data | Self-hosted data; custom client and web client | Cloud or on-prem; SSO, 2FA, and permissions |
| Team / seat costs | $23.88/month: 10 users, 100 devices; extras cost more | €33.52/month: up to 20 users, 500 devices |
| Support | Community support listed for the free plan | Live phone support on Advanced |
RustDesk Choose RustDesk if
- Choose RustDesk if self-hosting and data control are priorities.
- Choose RustDesk if you want a customizable client and web client.
- Choose RustDesk if your setup fits its user and device caps.
AnyDesk Choose AnyDesk if
- Choose AnyDesk if you need cloud or on-prem deployment options.
- Choose AnyDesk if you want live phone support on Advanced.
- Choose AnyDesk if its user, device, and connection limits fit.
02Pricing compared
RustDesk has a free self-hosting option; its paid plans are billed annually, with licenses that do not auto-renew. The Individual plan is listed at $11.88 per month equivalent for one login user and 20 managed devices. Basic costs $23.88 per month equivalent for 10 users and 100 devices, with OIDC and LDAP. Extra users and devices on the Customized plans cost $1.20 and $0.12 each, respectively; Customized V2 connections cost $24 each.
AnyDesk’s listed Solo plan starts at €19.92 per month equivalent, billed annually, for one user, three registered devices and 100 managed devices. Standard is €33.52 per month for one connection; Advanced is €71.12 for two connections. AnyDesk says those monthly equivalents include a 20% discount for the first subscription year only. These are different currencies and plan caps, so the entry figures are not a direct price comparison.
03Features and depth
RustDesk’s main distinction is control over deployment. Its free plan is for self-hosting, and the product also offers paid self-hosting plans. You can customize the client with your name, icon and logo, host the web client on your own server and domain, and configure more than 90 options. The listed platforms are Windows, macOS, Linux and Android. Paid plans add managed-device and user limits, with OIDC and LDAP on Basic and above.
AnyDesk offers cloud or on-premises deployment, plus remote access and support features such as session chat, screen highlighting and recording. Its listed access controls include permissions, SSO and 2FA. Plan capacity matters: Solo is limited to one connection, while Standard starts at one and can scale to 20; Advanced starts at two and can scale to 50. Advanced includes live phone support. The choice is less about a raw feature count than whether you want to run the infrastructure yourself or buy into AnyDesk’s packaged connection and device tiers.
04Ease of use and learning curve
AnyDesk is the more straightforward fit if you want a cloud-hosted option: its pricing page lists cloud deployment, so you do not have to choose self-hosting to use the product. Its plans still require attention to connection, user and device caps, and extra connections on Standard and Advanced cost €37.90 each per month, billed annually.
RustDesk’s self-hosting is a benefit only if your team is prepared to manage its own infrastructure. Its review notes that it is not the choice for a hands-off remote-support setup, and rates ease of use 5/10 versus 6/10 for AnyDesk. RustDesk also offers more than 90 configuration options, which gives admins flexibility but can add decisions. If server ownership and configuration are not priorities, AnyDesk is likely the simpler starting point; neither source establishes that setup is effortless.
Questions people ask
Is RustDesk the same as AnyDesk?
No. Both provide remote access and support, but RustDesk emphasizes open-source software and self-hosted servers. AnyDesk offers cloud and on-premises deployment, with paid plans organized around users, connections and managed-device limits.
Is RustDesk better than AnyDesk?
It depends on what you need. RustDesk is the stronger fit if you want self-hosting, data control and client customization. AnyDesk fits teams seeking cloud deployment, packaged access controls or live phone support on Advanced. Compare plan limits and currencies before choosing.
Which is better for professional use?
For a team that wants self-hosting and can manage its own infrastructure, RustDesk offers that control, with paid plans adding user and device caps. AnyDesk may suit support teams that want cloud or on-premises deployment and defined connection tiers; Advanced includes live phone support.
Does RustDesk support self-hosting, and can AnyDesk do it too?
Yes. RustDesk’s free plan is for self-hosting users, and paid plans also cover self-hosting setups. AnyDesk lists both cloud and on-premises hosting, with on-premises availability included in its Ultimate plan, which is custom-quoted.