# ZeroTier One vs RustDesk Remote Desktop

The clearest difference is rating: RustDesk Remote Desktop at 4.1 against ZeroTier One's 3.9. On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

RustDesk Remote Desktop holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 189 and 73 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 58% and 59% positive.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and August 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ZeroTier One | RustDesk Remote Desktop |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (189 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zerotier-one/id1084101492/reviews) | **[4.1 (73 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rustdesk-remote-desktop/id1581225015/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **189** | 73 |
| Positive reviews | 58.0% of reviews | **58.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 10 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ZeroTier, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1084101491) | [Purslane Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/666983468) |

## What reviewers say

### ZeroTier One

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zerotier-one/id1084101492)

Create secure, peer-to-peer virtual Ethernet networks on your iOS device. Connect to hybrid clouds, remote teams, and IoT devices without hardware. Easily join existing networks via a simple interface.

**Highlights:** Join ZeroTier virtual networks, Secure peer-to-peer connections, Connect hybrid clouds, Connect remote teams, Connect IoT devices, No hardware required, iOS VPN control panel integration

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works great
- 🔒 Reliable and secure
- 👍 Easy to set up and use
- 🌐 Allows remote access to devices
- 💡 Useful for gaming and collaboration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🔋 Battery drain
- 🤔 Confusing UI
- 🚫 Doesn't work on certain devices/OS versions

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to add networks on iOS devices
- Frequent disconnections and reconnection issues
- Managed IP field always empty

**Requested features**

- Add support for custom planet and moon servers
- Implement on-demand VPN functionality
- Provide better network visibility and management
- Improve compatibility with newer iOS versions


### RustDesk Remote Desktop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rustdesk-remote-desktop/id1581225015)

This open-source application provides remote desktop access and control capabilities. It allows users to remotely manage their computers. Please note it only supports controlling other devices, not being controlled or screen sharing.

**Highlights:** Open-source remote desktop, Remote access and control, TeamViewer alternative, Control other devices

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast connection and performance
- 🌟 Open source and free
- 💡 Self-hosting capability
- 👍 Easy to set up and use
- ⚡️ Low input lag

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔋 Phone heats up
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance on iOS/iPadOS
- 🚫 Lacks mouse acceleration
- 📱 Poor compatibility with older iOS versions
- ⚠️ Some users report data collection (location, identifiers)

**Reported bugs**

- Recent update broke iPad mouse alignment
- No image displayed from PC (black screen)
- Remember Password function doesn't work
- Black screen when remoting into Raspberry Pi Linux server (Wayland)
- Keyboard issues when remoting from iPhone to PC

**Requested features**

- Add option to view and modify USB drives in file transfer mode
- Improve mouse and keyboard control configurability
- Allow Apple Pencil to function as a mouse
- Support iPhone remote control of each other
- Add option to automatically switch display/monitor to follow remote window focus


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ZeroTier One free?

ZeroTier One is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is RustDesk Remote Desktop free?

RustDesk Remote Desktop is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ZeroTier One or RustDesk Remote Desktop?

RustDesk Remote Desktop is rated higher. ZeroTier One averages 3.9 out of 5 from 189 ratings, while RustDesk Remote Desktop averages 4.1 from 73 ratings.

### Do ZeroTier One or RustDesk Remote Desktop have ads?

Neither ZeroTier One nor RustDesk Remote Desktop shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ZeroTier One or RustDesk Remote Desktop?

ZeroTier One ships an update every 2 months, and RustDesk Remote Desktop every 2 months. Most recently, ZeroTier One was updated on September 19, 2026 and RustDesk Remote Desktop on August 22, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*