AnyDesk Remote Desktop vs RustDesk Remote Desktop
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
AnyDesk Remote Desktop
Access and control your computers remotely from any location. This secure and reliable software offers high performance and low latency, suitable for IT professionals and personal users alike. It's designed for seamless connections, whether for work, study, or support.
- Remote access from anywhere
- Secure and reliable connections
- High performance and low latency
- Ad-free for personal use
- Banking-standard encryption
- On-Premises or Cloud deployment
Read full descriptionHide full description
Powerful Remote Assistance Software. Whether you're in the office next door or on the other side of the world, remote access via AnyDesk makes the connection possible. Secure and reliable, for IT professionals as well as private users. AnyDesk is ad-free and free for personal use. Whether you're in IT support, working from home, or a student studying remotely, AnyDesk's remote desktop software has a solution for you, allowing you to connect to remote devices securely and seamlessly. Quick Start Guide 1. Install and launch AnyDesk on both devices. 2. Enter the AnyDesk-ID that is displayed on the remote device. 3. Confirm the access request on the remote device. 4. Done. You can now control the remote device remotely. Why AnyDesk? - Outstanding performance - Banking-standard encryption - High frame rates, low latency - In the Cloud or On-Premises
RustDesk Remote Desktop
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.
- Open-source remote desktop
- Remote access and control
- TeamViewer alternative
- Control other devices
Read full descriptionHide full description
An open-source remote desktop application. The open source TeamViewer alternative. Source code: https://github.com/rustdesk/rustdesk Doc: https://rustdesk.com/docs Please be reminded that this app only has the ability to control, and it does not have the functionality of being controlled or screen sharing. WARNING: YOU MAY BE BEING SCAMMED! If you are on the phone with someone you DON'T know AND TRUST who has asked you to install RustDesk, do not install and hang up immediately. They are likely a scammer trying to steal your money or other private information.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: RustDesk Remote Desktop at free against AnyDesk Remote Desktop's freemium. RustDesk Remote Desktop also leads on review sentiment (59% vs 43%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). AnyDesk Remote Desktop's advantage is ratings volume (28K vs 78) and rating (4.5 vs 4.2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
AnyDesk Remote Desktop holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AnyDesk Remote Desktop has 28K ratings behind it against 78, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 43% of AnyDesk Remote Desktop's written reviews are positive against 59% of RustDesk Remote Desktop's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
AnyDesk Remote Desktop ships an update every 3 months, RustDesk Remote Desktop every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | AnyDesk Remote Desktop | RustDesk Remote Desktop |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (28K ratings) — better | 4.2 (78 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews | 59.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 28K — better | 78 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 48 MB | 69 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | AnyDesk Software GmbH | Purslane Limited |
Customer experience
AnyDesk Remote Desktop
RustDesk Remote Desktop
User reviews
AnyDesk Remote Desktop
From 28K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Powerful remote control
- 💡 Versatile for personal and business use
- 👍 Well-designed app
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 👍 Reliable remote desktop experience
Room to improve
- 🐛 Disconnects frequently
- 🔒 Concerns about scammers using the app
- 👎 Difficult to use, especially on mobile
- 🐛 Buggy keyboard functionality
- 🔒 Potential security risks if misused
RustDesk Remote Desktop
From 78 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Fast connection and performance
- 🌟 Open source and free
- 💡 Self-hosting capability
- 👍 Easy to set up and use
- ⚡️ Low input lag
Room to improve
- 🔋 Phone heats up
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance on iOS/iPadOS
- 🚫 Lacks mouse acceleration
- 📱 Poor compatibility with older iOS versions
- ⚠️ Some users report data collection (location, identifiers)
Bugs and requests
AnyDesk Remote Desktop
Reported bugs
3 issues- Cursor control issues
- Inconsistent performance
- Unexpected disconnections
Requested features
3 requests- Improved support for external monitors on iPad
- More user-friendly interface, especially on mobile
- Stronger security measures to prevent misuse
RustDesk Remote Desktop
Reported bugs
38 issues- 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
Show 33 moreShow fewer
- Cannot control Mac
- iPad app fails to connect or shows key mismatch error
- App crashes or becomes unresponsive
- Connection issues over mobile data network
- Session closes after a short period
- Key presses duplicated or not registered with external keyboard
- Settings/Preferences not preserved
- iOS language icon covers toolbar collapse icon
- Previous direct IP sessions not saved
- Enter key does not work in address bar
- Copy/Paste broken
- Latest update deleted saved connections
- App not responding after update
- Connection Error, Operation not permitted (error 1) on iOS
- Mouse overflows monitor content, preventing clicks on edges
- Double-clicking behavior in touch mouse/pad options
- App launches but window vanishes on old iPads
- Crash on app startup (v1.2.7, iOS 12.2)
- Cannot paste remote ID by holding text input
- iOS client attempting to control Android results in frozen interface
- Cannot control Windows PC typing from iPhone
- Version 1.2.7 has issues on iPad (cannot launch)
- Address book empty on Pro version
- Arrow keys do not function like a desktop keyboard
- Phone heats up during use
- Mouse pointer on desktop and iPad not lined up
- Flakey behavior with keyboard and trackpad on iPad
- Scaling displays issues on iPad
- Key mismatch error with iPad app
- Virtual machine control issues (keyboard repeats or fails to register)
- Mobile network connection issues
- Cannot connect over mobile data network
- UI icon not centered
Requested features
13 requests- 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
Show 8 moreShow fewer
- Sync remote ID list by iCloud
- Improve Wayland support
- Add option to change two-finger gesture behavior (scroll vs. move canvas)
- Center remote screen when zooming
- Remap controls for mouse actions
- Integrate arrow keys with device keyboard
- Support iPhone to Android control
- Support Windows remote typing from iPhone
In-app purchases
AnyDesk Remote Desktop
No in-app purchases
RustDesk Remote Desktop
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is AnyDesk Remote Desktop free?
Is RustDesk Remote Desktop free?
Which has better reviews, AnyDesk Remote Desktop or RustDesk Remote Desktop?
Do AnyDesk Remote Desktop or RustDesk Remote Desktop have ads?
Which is updated more often, AnyDesk Remote Desktop or RustDesk Remote Desktop?
Other comparisons
