RustDesk vs ztncui
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
ztncui
Web UI for self-hosted ZeroTier network controllers
| Feature | RustDesk | ztncui |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Rust | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 119,867 | ★ 1,843 |
| First released | 2021 | 2017 |
| Replaces | TeamViewer, AnyDesk | ZeroTier Central |
Why pick each one
Choose ztncui if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.8k GitHub stars)
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is RustDesk or ztncui better?
RustDesk is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider ztncui if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are RustDesk and ztncui free and open-source?
Yes. RustDesk is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and ztncui under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run RustDesk and ztncui with Docker?
RustDesk: yes. ztncui: yes.