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Apache Guacamole Lite vs RustDesk Server

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?
AP Apache Guacamole Lite Clientless remote desktop gateway library VS RU RustDesk Server Self-hosted relay and ID server for RustDesk
FeatureApache Guacamole LiteRustDesk Server
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupUnder-an-hour setup
Health score47 · Fair91 · Excellent
CategoryRemote Access & VPNRemote Access & VPN
LicenseMITAGPL-3.0
LanguageJavaScriptRust
Setup difficultyMediumEasy
Min. RAM256 MB128 MB
Deploymentdocker, sourcedocker, binary
GitHub stars★ 333★ 10,449
First released20162021
ReplacesTeamViewer, CitrixTeamViewer

What are Apache Guacamole Lite and RustDesk Server?

Apache Guacamole Lite

guacamole-lite is a lightweight Node.js implementation of the Guacamole protocol server, enabling clientless RDP, VNC, and SSH access through the browser. Developers embed it to build custom remote-access portals.

  • Clientless RDP and VNC
  • Browser-based access
  • Embeddable library
  • WebSocket transport

RustDesk Server

RustDesk Server provides the rendezvous and relay components needed to run RustDesk remote desktop fully on your own infrastructure. It keeps all connections under your control.

  • Rendezvous and relay servers
  • Single binary or Docker
  • Full data ownership
  • Pairs with RustDesk clients

Apache Guacamole Lite vs RustDesk Server: key differences

Apache Guacamole Lite is written in JavaScript, while RustDesk Server is built with Rust. Licensing differs — MIT for Apache Guacamole Lite versus AGPL-3.0 for RustDesk Server. RustDesk Server is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Apache Guacamole Lite. Apache Guacamole Lite is the more established project (first released 2016), while RustDesk Server arrived in 2021. RustDesk Server has the considerably larger community, at 10,449 GitHub stars versus 333.

Why pick each one

Choose Apache Guacamole Lite if…

  • Lightweight alternative
  • Easy to integrate

Watch out for

  • Not a full product
  • Requires custom UI
Apache Guacamole Lite details

Choose RustDesk Server if…

  • Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
  • Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Mature project with 10.4k GitHub stars
RustDesk Server details

Frequently asked questions

Is Apache Guacamole Lite or RustDesk Server better?

RustDesk Server is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Apache Guacamole Lite if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are Apache Guacamole Lite and RustDesk Server free and open-source?

Yes. Apache Guacamole Lite is licensed under MIT and RustDesk Server under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Apache Guacamole Lite and RustDesk Server with Docker?

Apache Guacamole Lite: yes. RustDesk Server: yes.

Which is lighter on resources, Apache Guacamole Lite or RustDesk Server?

RustDesk Server has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Apache Guacamole Lite. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.

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