Next Terminal vs RustDesk
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?
Next Terminal
Self-hosted SSH bastion with web terminal and audit
VS
RustDesk
Open-source remote desktop alternative to TeamViewer
| Feature | Next Terminal | RustDesk |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,604 | ★ 119,867 |
| First released | 2020 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Apache Guacamole, Teleport | TeamViewer, AnyDesk |
Why pick each one
Choose Next Terminal if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 5.6k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Next Terminal or RustDesk better?
RustDesk is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Next Terminal if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Next Terminal and RustDesk free and open-source?
Yes. Next Terminal is licensed under Apache-2.0 and RustDesk under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Next Terminal and RustDesk with Docker?
Next Terminal: yes. RustDesk: yes.