Tool profile
RustDesk: cost, fit and limits
RustDesk is an open source remote desktop application made by Purslane Tech Pte. Ltd. of Singapore that lets people control computers through client apps and a relay server, which a customer can host on its own infrastructure, with paid Pro plans for management features.
What to know first
RustDesk's pricing page says its plans are for self-hosting and are not a SaaS subscription. The free open source plan costs nothing and includes community support. Pro plans are billed annually in USD, from $11.88 a month for 1 login user and 20 managed devices to $23.88 a month for 10 users and 100 devices. The pages read name no AI feature or certification.
RustDesk at a glance
| Maker | Purslane Tech Pte. Ltd., Singapore |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | $ 0 /month USD (Free self-hosting plan) |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Remote Desktop Software in 2026, rank 5 of 12 |
| Website | rustdesk.com |
Who RustDesk is best for
Teams that must keep relay traffic on their own servers
The self-hosting plans run on infrastructure the customer controls, so session routing does not depend on a vendor cloud, which suits organizations with strict network rules.
Individuals and tinkerers who want a free tool
The free open source plan costs $0 and includes online status and community support, enough for someone who is comfortable installing a server and reading documentation.
Small IT groups that need single sign-on
Basic Pro adds OIDC (SSO), LDAP integration, cross group access and a custom client generator for up to 10 login users and 100 managed devices.
RustDesk plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free self-hosting | $0 per month | Open source and free of charge, with community support and online status, for people who host the server components on their own machines. |
| Individual self-hosting Pro | $11.88 per month, billed annually | 1 login user, 20 managed devices, unlimited concurrent connections, 2FA, web console, address book, audit log, change ID, access control and distributed relay servers. |
| Basic self-hosting Pro | $23.88 per month, billed annually | Everything in Individual plus 10 login users, 100 managed devices, OIDC (SSO), LDAP integration, cross group access and a custom client generator. |
| Customized Pro | $23.88 per month plus $1.20 per extra user and $0.12 per extra device | Everything in Basic, with the number of login users and managed devices chosen on the pricing page. |
Checked November 2026.
What RustDesk does
- Self-hosted relay and rendezvous
- The paid and free plans are built around running the server components yourself, which keeps connection routing on infrastructure that your own team operates and patches.
- Web console and address book
- Pro plans add a web console and an address book, so an admin can see managed devices and share saved connections with colleagues instead of passing IDs by message.
- Audit log and access control
- Individual and Basic Pro list an audit log, access control and centralized settings, which give an admin a record and a way to limit who may connect to what.
- OIDC and LDAP sign-in
- Basic Pro adds OIDC (SSO) and LDAP integration, so staff can log in with existing company identities rather than separate RustDesk accounts, which simplifies onboarding and offboarding.
- Custom client generator
- Basic Pro includes a custom client generator, which lets an organization build client apps with its own settings preloaded for the machines it manages, so users install and connect without configuration.
How RustDesk handles your data
RustDesk's privacy policy says data is kept as long as needed for its purpose and then deleted, while license and invoice records are kept for the period Singapore accounting law requires. The company is established in Singapore and says service providers process personal data in the United States and other countries. Self-hosted servers run on the customer's own infrastructure, so session routing data stays where the customer places it. The pages read state no certification and no policy on model training.
Where RustDesk falls short in practice
- You run the server. Pricing is for self-hosting and is not a SaaS subscription, so patching, backups, uptime and firewall rules for the relay server fall to your own team.
- Small device counts on lower tiers. Individual Pro covers 1 login user and 20 managed devices, and Basic Pro 10 users and 100 devices, so larger fleets move to the Customized plan with per-user and per-device charges.
- No certification stated. The pages read name no security certification and no AI feature, so organizations with audit requirements must ask for evidence or accept the open source model.
Works with
Alternatives to RustDesk
RustDesk: common questions
Is RustDesk really free?
Yes for the self-hosting plan: the pricing page lists a free self-hosting plan at $0 per month, described as open source with community support and online status. The Pro plans add management features and cost from $11.88 per month billed annually. You still carry the cost of running the server yourself.
How much does RustDesk Pro cost?
As of November 2026, Individual self-hosting Pro is $11.88 per month, Basic self-hosting Pro is $23.88 per month, and the Customized plan is $23.88 plus $1.20 per extra user and $0.12 per extra device, all billed annually in USD. Individual covers 20 managed devices, Basic covers 100.
Does RustDesk offer single sign-on?
Basic self-hosting Pro lists OIDC (SSO) and LDAP integration, along with 10 login users, 100 managed devices and cross group access. The Individual plan lists 2FA but not single sign-on. Check which identity provider you use before buying, because only OIDC and LDAP were named on the pages read.
Where is RustDesk based and where is data processed?
The privacy policy says RustDesk is established in Singapore and that service providers process personal data in the United States and other countries. Self-hosted relay servers run on whatever infrastructure the customer chooses. The pages read do not state hosting regions for any vendor-run service.
Does RustDesk use AI?
No AI feature was named on the vendor pages read in November 2026. The product is described through remote access, device management, audit logging and sign-in features. A team that wants session summaries or a troubleshooting assistant would need to look at TeamViewer, which describes those on its own pages.