X2Go 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?
X2Go
Remote desktop access over SSH with NX technology
VS
Xpra
Screen for X, persistent remote applications
| Feature | X2Go | Xpra |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | C | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 200 | ★ 2,923 |
| First released | 2007 | 2009 |
| Replaces | Citrix, VNC | 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 X2Go or Xpra better?
Neither is universally better. Xpra has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are X2Go and Xpra free and open-source?
Yes. X2Go is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Xpra under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run X2Go and Xpra with Docker?
X2Go: check the project docs for container support. Xpra: check the project docs for container support.