Apache Guacamole vs RPort
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted remote access & vpn options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Apache Guacamole
Clientless remote desktop gateway in your browser
VS
RPort
Remote management of computers behind firewalls
| Feature | Apache Guacamole | RPort |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 86 · Excellent | 0 · At risk |
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,991 | ★ 21 |
| First released | 2016 | 2020 |
| Replaces | TeamViewer, Citrix | TeamViewer, ngrok |
What are Apache Guacamole and RPort?
Apache Guacamole
Apache Guacamole is a clientless remote desktop gateway that supports RDP, VNC, and SSH entirely through a web browser. No plugins or client software are required.
- Browser-based remote desktop
- RDP, VNC, and SSH support
- No client software
- Session recording
RPort
RPort is an open-source remote management solution that lets you access and control servers and desktops behind firewalls. It provides tunnels, scripting, and a web UI.
- Remote access behind firewalls
- On-demand tunnels
- Script execution at scale
- Web management UI
Apache Guacamole vs RPort: key differences
Apache Guacamole is written in C, while RPort is built with Go. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Apache Guacamole versus GPL-3.0 for RPort. RPort is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Apache Guacamole. Apache Guacamole is the more established project (first released 2016), while RPort arrived in 2020. Apache Guacamole has the considerably larger community, at 3,991 GitHub stars versus 21.
Why pick each one
Choose Apache Guacamole if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4k GitHub stars)
- Written in C
Choose RPort if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Go
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Apache Guacamole or RPort 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 RPort free and open-source?
Yes. Apache Guacamole is licensed under Apache-2.0 and RPort under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Apache Guacamole and RPort with Docker?
Apache Guacamole: yes. RPort: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Apache Guacamole or RPort?
RPort has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Apache Guacamole. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.