RustDesk Remote Desktop vs Plonk
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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
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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.
Plonk
Visualize TV sizes and screen dimensions in your space using augmented reality. This app helps you determine the perfect screen size and viewing distance for your room before making a purchase, offering custom presets and real-time measurements.
- AR TV size visualizer
- Adjustable screen dimensions (20"-120")
- Live width and height readouts
- AR wall placement at true scale
- Viewing distance calculator
- Multiple aspect ratios
- Photo capture for comparison
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Stop guessing. Plonk shows you exactly which TV size fits your room — at scale, on your wall, before you spend a dollar. Start from a common preset or adjust the diagonal from 20" to 120" and watch a clean TV outline scale to fill the screen, with width and height labeled in inches or centimeters. Aim your camera at a real wall and place a life-size AR outline to see how a 65" or 75" actually looks above the couch. Tell Plonk how far you sit and it tells you the recommended size range — relaxed for living-room viewing or cinematic for an immersive feel. Built for the moment before you buy. No accounts, no ads, no tracking — everything runs on your device. What you get - TV size visualizer with quick presets at 43, 50, 55, 65, 75 and 85 inches, plus +/- adjustment from 20 to 120 inches - Live width and height readouts in inches or centimeters - AR wall placement at true scale using your camera - Drag to reposition along the wall, or use two fingers to pull the TV forward onto a stand - Photo capture so you can compare placements - Viewing distance calculator: enter your seating distance, get the recommended size range, or flip it and check the right distance for a size you already have - Relaxed and cinematic viewing styles, with notes on whether 1080p, 4K or 8K matters at that distance - Multiple aspect ratios: 16:9 plus 21:9, 16:10, 4:3 and 32:9 ultrawide - Universal app for iPhone and iPad Privacy Plonk is fully on-device. There is no account, no analytics SDK, and nothing is uploaded. Camera access is used only for AR placement. Made in London. Use of this app is subject to Apple's Standard Licensed Application End User License Agreement (EULA), available in the App Store under "License Agreement" and at https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: RustDesk Remote Desktop at 4.2 against Plonk's 1.0. RustDesk Remote Desktop also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (77 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model 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. Plonk sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. RustDesk Remote Desktop asks for nothing beyond the download.
RustDesk Remote Desktop holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RustDesk Remote Desktop has 77 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
RustDesk Remote Desktop ships an update every 2 months, Plonk every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | RustDesk Remote Desktop | Plonk |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (77 ratings) — better | 1.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 59.4% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 77 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 5 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 69 MB | 15 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Purslane Limited | Zippy IT Solutions Ltd. |
Customer experience
RustDesk Remote Desktop
Plonk
Bugs and requests
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
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- 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
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- 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
Plonk
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
RustDesk Remote Desktop
No in-app purchases
Plonk
- Plonk Pro$1.99
- Plonk Pro$2.99
Questions
Is RustDesk Remote Desktop free?
Is Plonk free?
Which has better reviews, RustDesk Remote Desktop or Plonk?
Do RustDesk Remote Desktop or Plonk have ads?
Which is updated more often, RustDesk Remote Desktop or Plonk?
Other comparisons
