RustDesk vs Xpra
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
Xpra
Screen for X, persistent remote applications
| Feature | RustDesk | Xpra |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Rust | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 119,867 | ★ 2,923 |
| First released | 2021 | 2009 |
| Replaces | TeamViewer, AnyDesk | NX, Citrix |
Why pick each one
Choose Xpra if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Active community (2.9k GitHub stars)
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is RustDesk or Xpra better?
RustDesk is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Xpra if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are RustDesk and Xpra free and open-source?
Yes. RustDesk is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Xpra under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run RustDesk and Xpra with Docker?
RustDesk: yes. Xpra: check the project docs for container support.