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xrdp alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave xrdp: desktop and sound setup can be fiddly, and no relay for access across the internet. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces xrdp, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. X2Go currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1X2Go logoX2GoOpen sourceYesLinux, Windows, macOS +13 of 366.5
2TigerVNC logoTigerVNCOpen sourceYesLinux, Windows, macOS3 of 362.6
3RustDesk logoRustDeskOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux +34 of 457.2
4Apache Guacamole logoApache GuacamoleOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted3 of 355.3
  1. X2Go logo

    1. X2GoTop pick

    Best for: Linux admins and teams who need responsive remote desktops on servers over slow connections

    Open sourceSelf-hostableLinux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from xrdp

    Better over slow connections and resumes sessions, using SSH.

    Pros

    • Efficient over low-bandwidth links
    • Sessions survive disconnects and can be resumed elsewhere
    • Uses SSH, so no extra port to expose

    Cons

    • Server is Linux only
    • Some modern desktop environments work poorly
    • Development pace is slow
    Visit X2Go Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is X2Go a good xrdp alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Display technology
    NoMachine NX3
    Checked Oct 25, 2026wiki.x2go.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Session resume
    Yes, even from another client
    Checked Oct 25, 2026wiki.x2go.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Windows client
    Windows 7 and later
    Checked Oct 25, 2026wiki.x2go.org(opens source in a new tab)
  2. TigerVNC logo

    2. TigerVNC

    Best for: Linux admins who need a dependable, standards-based VNC server and viewer

    Open sourceLinux, Windows, macOS

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from xrdp

    Standard VNC server if your clients already speak VNC.

    Pros

    • Free, actively maintained and open-source
    • Packaged by major Linux distributions
    • Viewer available for Linux, Windows and Mac

    Cons

    • No relay service, so remote access needs a VPN or tunnel
    • Configuration is command-line heavy
    • No mobile apps
    Visit TigerVNC Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is TigerVNC a good xrdp alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    License
    GPL-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Builds
    Linux binaries, Windows installers, universal Mac binary
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tigervnc.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Distro packages
    Shipped by Fedora and other distributions
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tigervnc.org(opens source in a new tab)
  3. RustDesk logo

    3. RustDesk

    Best for: Admins and privacy-minded users who want TeamViewer-style access on their own server

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from xrdp

    Reaches Linux desktops across the internet without opening RDP ports.

    Pros

    • Free, open-source client and server
    • Traffic can stay entirely on your own relay
    • Familiar ID-and-password workflow
    • Affordable Pro server for teams

    Cons

    • Self-hosting the server takes some setup and upkeep
    • Admin console and user management need the paid Pro server
    • No vendor-hosted SaaS option
    Visit RustDesk Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is RustDesk a good xrdp alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free self-hosting
    $0/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rustdesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Individual Pro server
    $11.88/month, billed annually
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rustdesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Hosted service
    No, self-hosted only
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rustdesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Apache Guacamole logo

    4. Apache Guacamole

    Best for: Admins who want browser-based access to internal RDP, VNC and SSH hosts through one gateway

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from xrdp

    Puts xrdp or other RDP servers behind a browser-based gateway.

    Pros

    • Nothing to install for end users beyond a browser
    • One gateway for RDP, VNC and SSH
    • Free under the Apache licence
    • Supports MFA, LDAP and session recording

    Cons

    • You must run and secure the server yourself
    • Targets still need RDP, VNC or SSH enabled
    • Setup and configuration are fiddly for beginners
    Visit Apache Guacamole Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Apache Guacamole a good xrdp alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Protocols
    VNC, RDP, SSH
    Checked Oct 25, 2026guacamole.apache.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Client install
    None, browser only
    Checked Oct 25, 2026guacamole.apache.org(opens source in a new tab)

The best xrdp alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

X2Go logo

Best xrdp alternative for most people

X2Go

Better over slow connections and resumes sessions, using SSH.

TigerVNC logo

Best xrdp alternative for a free option

TigerVNC

Standard VNC server if your clients already speak VNC.

RustDesk logo

Best xrdp alternative for open source

RustDesk

Reaches Linux desktops across the internet without opening RDP ports.

Apache Guacamole logo

Best xrdp alternative for self-hosting

Apache Guacamole

Puts xrdp or other RDP servers behind a browser-based gateway.

NoMachine logo

Best xrdp alternative for Mac

NoMachine

Faster commercial option with internet connectivity built in.

X2Go logo

Best xrdp alternative for Windows

X2Go

Better over slow connections and resumes sessions, using SSH.

X2Go logo

Best xrdp alternative for Linux

X2Go

Better over slow connections and resumes sessions, using SSH.

NoMachine logo

Best xrdp alternative for iPhone and Android

NoMachine

Faster commercial option with internet connectivity built in.

Apache Guacamole logo

Best xrdp alternative for working in the browser

Apache Guacamole

Puts xrdp or other RDP servers behind a browser-based gateway.

xrdp alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to xrdp?

X2Go ranks first right now. Better over slow connections and resumes sessions, using SSH. TigerVNC and NoMachine follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to xrdp?

Yes. X2Go (open source), TigerVNC (open source), RustDesk (open source) and Apache Guacamole (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to xrdp?

Yes: X2Go, TigerVNC, RustDesk and Apache Guacamole. X2Go, RustDesk and Apache Guacamole can also be self-hosted.

Which xrdp alternatives work on Linux?

X2Go, TigerVNC, NoMachine and RustDesk run on Linux.

Why do people switch from xrdp?

The complaints we hear most: desktop and sound setup can be fiddly; no relay for access across the internet; linux and Unix only.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces xrdp, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.