# RustDesk Remote Desktop vs NetBird P2P VPN

RustDesk Remote Desktop and NetBird P2P VPN both sit at 3.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 59% of RustDesk Remote Desktop's written reviews are positive against 46% of NetBird P2P VPN's. NetBird P2P VPN's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 weeks). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.9 for RustDesk Remote Desktop against 3.9 for NetBird P2P VPN. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 99 and 56 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 59% of RustDesk Remote Desktop's written reviews are positive against 46% of NetBird P2P VPN's.

RustDesk Remote Desktop ships an update every 6 weeks, NetBird P2P VPN every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | RustDesk Remote Desktop | NetBird P2P VPN |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (99 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rustdesk-remote-desktop/id1581225015/reviews) | **[3.9 (56 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netbird-p2p-vpn/id6469329339/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **99** | 56 |
| Positive reviews | **58.8% of reviews** | 46.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 69 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Purslane Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/666983468) | [NetBird GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1711399378) |

## What reviewers say

### RustDesk Remote Desktop

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

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.

**Highlights:** Open-source remote desktop, Remote access and control, TeamViewer alternative, Self-hosting capability, Cross-platform support, Low input lag

**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


### NetBird P2P VPN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netbird-p2p-vpn/id6469329339)

This app establishes a secure, point-to-point network for your devices and teams, eliminating the need for traditional VPN servers. It enables seamless and automatic connections across various environments, including cloud and on-premises infrastructure, for easy access to internal resources.

**Highlights:** Point-to-point networking, WireGuard-based, Automatic connections, Cross-cloud and on-premises support, Secure access to internal resources

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works as intended
- 👍 Good app
- 👍 Excellent VPN and Mesh
- 👍 It works :)
- 👍 Promising

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Didn’t work
- 🐛 Was working great but doesn’t work at all now
- 🔋 Battery issues
- 🐛 Unreliable
- 🤢 Glass look

**Reported bugs**

- Lost connection after opening other applications
- Connects briefly then immediately disconnects
- App says disconnected even when connected (version 0.0.15)
- Disconnects in the background, crashes, hangs
- Disconnects after phone is off for more than 15 minutes

**Requested features**

- VPN on demand
- Allow turning on and off entire Networks
- Define trusted Wi-Fi for automatic connect/disconnect
- Configuration for connection medium
- iPad app development


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RustDesk Remote Desktop free?

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

### Is NetBird P2P VPN free?

NetBird P2P VPN is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, RustDesk Remote Desktop or NetBird P2P VPN?

NetBird P2P VPN is rated higher. RustDesk Remote Desktop averages 3.9 out of 5 from 99 ratings, while NetBird P2P VPN averages 3.9 from 56 ratings.

### Do RustDesk Remote Desktop or NetBird P2P VPN have ads?

Neither RustDesk Remote Desktop nor NetBird P2P VPN shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RustDesk Remote Desktop or NetBird P2P VPN?

RustDesk Remote Desktop ships an update every 6 weeks, and NetBird P2P VPN every 3 weeks. Most recently, RustDesk Remote Desktop was updated on November 3, 2026 and NetBird P2P VPN on November 3, 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.*