websockify 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?
websockify
WebSocket-to-TCP bridge for browser remote access
VS
RustDesk
Open-source remote desktop alternative to TeamViewer
| Feature | websockify | RustDesk |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | LGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source, binary | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,427 | ★ 119,867 |
| First released | 2010 | 2021 |
| Replaces | proprietary remote gateways | TeamViewer, AnyDesk |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is websockify or RustDesk better?
Neither is universally better. RustDesk has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are websockify and RustDesk free and open-source?
Yes. websockify is licensed under LGPL-3.0 and RustDesk under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run websockify and RustDesk with Docker?
websockify: check the project docs for container support. RustDesk: yes.