Apache Guacamole vs Apache Guacamole Lite
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?
Apache Guacamole
Clientless remote desktop gateway in your browser
VS
Apache Guacamole Lite
Clientless remote desktop gateway library
| Feature | Apache Guacamole | Apache Guacamole Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | C | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,942 | ★ 331 |
| First released | 2016 | 2016 |
| Replaces | TeamViewer, Citrix | TeamViewer, Citrix |
Why pick each one
Choose Apache Guacamole if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3.9k GitHub stars)
- Written in C
Choose Apache Guacamole Lite if…
- Lightweight alternative
- Easy to integrate
Frequently asked questions
Is Apache Guacamole or Apache Guacamole Lite better?
Neither is universally better. Apache Guacamole has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Apache Guacamole and Apache Guacamole Lite free and open-source?
Yes. Apache Guacamole is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Apache Guacamole Lite under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Apache Guacamole and Apache Guacamole Lite with Docker?
Apache Guacamole: yes. Apache Guacamole Lite: yes.