RustDesk vs Outline 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?
RustDesk
Open-source remote desktop alternative to TeamViewer
VS
Outline Server
Self-hosted Shadowsocks-based access server
| Feature | RustDesk | Outline Server |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Rust | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 119,867 | ★ 6,243 |
| First released | 2021 | 2018 |
| Replaces | TeamViewer, AnyDesk | NordVPN |
Why pick each one
Choose Outline Server if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 6.2k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is RustDesk or Outline Server 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 RustDesk and Outline Server free and open-source?
Yes. RustDesk is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Outline Server under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run RustDesk and Outline Server with Docker?
RustDesk: yes. Outline Server: yes.