glinet vs RustDesk Remote Desktop
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
glinet
Manage your GL.iNet router remotely, from basic setup and password changes to configuring mesh networks and VPN connections. Monitor real-time traffic, block unwanted users, and check device performance. Easily update firmware, control LED lights, and pause WiFi.
- Basic router setup and password management
- Mesh network configuration
- OpenVPN and WireGuard VPN setup
- Real-time traffic monitoring
- Block unwanted WiFi users
- Live router status and performance checklist
- Firmware updates and LED light control
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Setup GL.iNet routers with version 3.201 and above. The GL.iNet Mobile app gives you convenient access to your router’s features anywhere and anytime: Basic Setup: Setup and change the password of your devices. Discover the real-time traffic in both mesh & guest network. Block unwanted users that share your WiFi network. Mesh Network: Build up your home mesh network. Step-by-step guidelines for setting up sub-nodes within your house. VPN Setup: Easily configure selected OpenVPN and WireGuard VPN for your private home network. Live Router Status: Real-time performance checklist of your devices, including memory storage and CPU load data. Easily pause WiFi, update firmware, turn off LED lights on the router, and more! Compatible GL.iNet Devices (Model No.): GL-B2200 / Velica GL-AR750S / Slate GL-MT1300 / Beryl GL-MT300N-V2 / Mango GL-AR150 / White GL-AR300M / Shadow GL-AR750 / Creta GL-E750 / Mudi GL-MiFi GL-USB150 / Microuter GL-X300B / Collie GL-X750 / Spitz GL-XE300 / Puli GL-MV1000W / Brume-W microuter-N300 GL-AX1800/Flint GL-SF1200 GL-SFT1200/Opal GL-AXT1800/Slate AX GL-A1300/Slate Plus GL-MT3000/Beryl AX GL-MT2500/Brume 2 GL-X3000/Spitz AX GL-XE3000/Puli AX GL-MT6000/Flint 2 GL-B3000/Marble GL-BE3600/Slate 7 GL-BE9300/Flint 3 GL-BE6500/Flint 3e GL-MT3600BE/Beryl 7 GL-MT5000/Brume 3 GL-E5800/Mudi 7 GL-BE10000/Slate 7 Pro GL-BE14000/Flint 4 GL-MG1300/Mango 2
RustDesk Remote Desktop
This open-source application provides remote desktop access and control. It functions as an alternative to commercial remote access software, allowing users to manage their computers from a distance. Note that it only supports controlling other devices, not screen sharing or being controlled itself.
- Open-source remote desktop
- Remote access and control
- TeamViewer alternative
- Self-hosting capability
- Cross-platform support
- Low input lag
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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 rating: RustDesk Remote Desktop at 3.9 against glinet's 3.5. RustDesk Remote Desktop also leads on review sentiment (59% vs 38%) and ratings volume (102 vs 23). 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.
RustDesk Remote Desktop holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 23 and 102 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of glinet's written reviews are positive against 59% of RustDesk Remote Desktop's.
glinet ships an update every 5 weeks, RustDesk Remote Desktop every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.
| Parameter | glinet | RustDesk Remote Desktop |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.5 (23 ratings) | 3.9 (102 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 37.6% of reviews | 58.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 23 | 102 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks — better | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 118 MB | 69 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | GL Technologies (HK) Limited | Purslane Limited |
Customer experience
glinet
RustDesk Remote Desktop
User reviews
glinet
From 23 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Remote router management
- 👍 Dark mode available
- 👍 Controls multiple routers
- 👍 Works well for basic setup
- 👍 Easy initial setup
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent 429 errors
- 🐛 Buggy GUI
- 🐛 Confusing settings
- 🐛 Cannot sign back in
- 🐛 App behaves like first-time setup after sign-out
RustDesk Remote Desktop
From 102 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
glinet
Reported bugs
52 issues- 429 errors during VPN setup
- GUI is buggy
- Cannot sign back in after sign out
- App behaves as if setting up for the first time after sign out
- No instructions provided
Show 47 moreShow fewer
- App won't find router
- Router dropping WiFi connection
- App thinks initial config is still needed after web UI setup
- Difficult to find DHCP settings
- App never worked
- VPN menu does not appear when app is set to Chinese
- App collects user data and reports to China
- Poor error codes, doesn't indicate why it fails
- App says not connected to network while connected
- Router keeps disconnecting from home network
- No way to reset router and reach admin page
- Cannot see router
- App eventually stopped working
- White screen when opening app
- Limited administrative access, no main dashboard
- Couldn't set up router
- App won't go past 'Power up the router' page in Sub Router Mode
- App doesn't ask for manual IP or allow entry
- Cannot figure out how to access 'network storage'
- App is very limited
- No option to go back to main dashboard
- Couldn't set up AXT 1800 router
- App missing important travel feature (captive portals)
- App is missing most of the Admin console features
- Cellular settings show a white screen on Mudi devices
- Last update made app useless for iOS
- Cannot log in with PIA VPN
- Connection error when logging in with PIA VPN
- HTTPS error when trying to surfshark
- Unknown error during firmware upgrade
- 44 key error when uploading Wireguard configuration
- Cannot sign into North VPN due to character limit
- Settings link in AdGuard plug-ins doesn't work on iPhone
- Toggle switches don't obey 'On/Off Labels' preference
- Old app allowed local device management, new one doesn't
- New app useless for traveling router
- App can never connect to or find devices
- App doesn't show tethering activity
- App demands location access
- Cannot add preconfigured router, must blank it
- Forced upgrade bricks router
- Router refuses encrypted connections after forced upgrade
- App has trust issues with password syncing
- Not designed for iPad, no landscape orientation
- App doesn't find router within seconds, needs manual IP option
- App doesn't list VPN servers
- App doesn't work with older firmware
Requested features
14 requests- Add USB print server function
- More versatile functionalities (repeater, astrowarp)
- Automate captive portal workflow for travel
- Import MAC address for captive portals
- Include all web admin console features in the app
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- Make network storage feature more obvious
- iPad app support
- Manual IP definition for connection
- Widget for home screen showing network/VPN status
- Red dot indicator for firmware updates
- Web link to LuCI interface
- More screenshots in App Store
- Support for landscape orientation on iPad
- Option to store manually defined IPs
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
glinet
No in-app purchases
RustDesk Remote Desktop
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is glinet free?
Is RustDesk Remote Desktop free?
Which has better reviews, glinet or RustDesk Remote Desktop?
Do glinet or RustDesk Remote Desktop have ads?
Which is updated more often, glinet or RustDesk Remote Desktop?
Other comparisons
