SHSelfHostIndex

Algo VPN vs Xpra

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted remote access & vpn options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
AL Algo VPN Set up a personal IPsec and WireGuard VPN in minutes VS XP Xpra Screen for X, persistent remote applications
FeatureAlgo VPNXpra
CategoryRemote Access & VPNRemote Access & VPN
LicenseAGPL-3.0GPL-2.0
LanguagePythonPython
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM256 MB256 MB
Deploymentbare-metal, sourcebare-metal, binary
GitHub stars★ 30,350★ 2,923
First released20162009
ReplacesNordVPNNX, Citrix

Why pick each one

Choose Algo VPN if…

  • Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
  • Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
  • Mature project with 30.4k GitHub stars
  • Written in Python
Algo VPN details

Choose Xpra if…

  • Released under the GPL-2.0 license
  • Active community (2.9k GitHub stars)
  • Written in Python
  • Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Xpra details

Frequently asked questions

Is Algo VPN or Xpra better?

Algo VPN is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Xpra if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are Algo VPN and Xpra free and open-source?

Yes. Algo VPN is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Xpra under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Algo VPN and Xpra with Docker?

Algo VPN: check the project docs for container support. Xpra: check the project docs for container support.

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