RustDesk is the better fit when you want an open client and control of the server infrastructure. Its free, open-source Server OSS requires you to run and maintain the ID/rendezvous service (hbbs) and relay service (hbbr); Server Pro adds centralized administration. AnyDesk is a commercial managed service with documented encryption, access controls, logging, two-factor authentication, and an on-premises deployment option.
Linux support may decide the choice. AnyDesk documents specific distributions and requires an Xorg graphical session for incoming connections. Wayland can start outgoing sessions, but it cannot accept incoming ones. RustDesk lists Linux among its supported platforms, although the documentation reviewed here does not provide a complete distribution-by-distribution or display-session compatibility matrix.
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At a glance: which remote-desktop model fits?
| Decision point | AnyDesk | RustDesk |
|---|---|---|
| Default hosting model | Vendor-managed service, with an official on-premises option | Customer-operated Server OSS or centrally managed Server Pro |
| Open-source server | Not established in the supplied product documentation | Server OSS is described as free and open source |
| Security mechanisms documented by the vendor | TLS 1.3, AES-256 transport encryption, RSA-2048 key exchange, ACLs, permissions, session logs and two-factor authentication | P2P connections with end-to-end encryption based on NaCl |
| Linux distributions listed | Ubuntu 18.04+, Debian 9+, RHEL 8, openSUSE 42/15 and Linux Mint 20+ | Linux is listed as supported; a complete distro/session matrix is not provided in the documentation reviewed |
| Linux incoming sessions | Requires a graphical Xorg session; Wayland cannot accept incoming sessions | Check the target distribution and desktop session experimentally or against the current release documentation |
| Who operates the control plane? | AnyDesk by default; your organization for an on-premises deployment | Your organization for Server OSS or Server Pro |
Neither vendor’s mechanism list is an independent security audit. The right choice depends on whether your priority is infrastructure control, managed administration, Linux session compatibility, or minimizing operational work.
What you are actually comparing
AnyDesk: managed service with a private-deployment path
AnyDesk is generally used as a commercial, vendor-managed remote-access service. Its security documentation also says organizations can host AnyDesk on a local server for greater control over security measures and data-handling policies. That means it is inaccurate to describe AnyDesk as cloud-only.
#1 Best Overall
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- Includes 128GB Micro SD Card pre-loaded with 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS, USB MicroSD Card Reader
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The documentation supplied for this comparison does not establish which commercial tier includes the on-premises option, how many endpoints it supports, or the current price. Confirm those terms with AnyDesk before treating private deployment as an available feature for your account.
RustDesk: Server OSS or Server Pro
RustDesk separates the client from the backend. Server OSS is described as a free, open-source server that individuals and teams can deploy and configure themselves. Server Pro is intended for organizations that need centralized administration rather than manual configuration of every device.
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Security: mechanisms, controls and what the evidence does not prove
Encryption claims
RustDesk documents peer-to-peer connections with end-to-end encryption based on NaCl. In its architecture, endpoints first contact the ID server to find one another. If direct hole punching succeeds, the session can use a direct path; if it fails, traffic can traverse the relay.
AnyDesk states that it uses TLS 1.3, 256-bit AES transport encryption and RSA-2048 for asymmetric key exchange. These are vendor-described mechanisms. They indicate how the product says it protects communications in transit, but they do not by themselves establish identical endpoint authentication, key-management practices, metadata exposure, or resistance to every threat.
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Identity and access controls
AnyDesk’s security material lists access-control lists, granular permission settings, session logs and two-factor authentication. These controls can help an administrator limit who may connect, what a connected user may do, and how activity is reviewed.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsRustDesk Server Pro documents OIDC, LDAP, two-factor authentication, device management and access control. With Server OSS, the organization must perform more of the identity and policy work itself because the backend is manually deployed and configured.
Deployment changes the threat model
A self-hosted system can keep rendezvous and relay services on infrastructure your organization controls, which may help satisfy network-segmentation or data-location requirements. It also makes your team responsible for patching, hardening, certificates, firewall rules, monitoring, backups and incident response.
A managed service shifts much of that infrastructure work to the provider, but you still own endpoint security, account lifecycle, permissions, authentication policy and administrator review. An AnyDesk on-premises deployment moves more control back to your organization and therefore brings back more operational responsibility.
What cannot be concluded from these statements
The available product pages are vendor statements, not a third-party comparative audit. They do not establish that AnyDesk or RustDesk is universally more secure, that one has a superior implementation, or that either product is appropriate for a particular compliance framework. Define a threat model first: protect against unauthorized operators, compromised endpoints, malicious insiders, exposed relay servers, credential theft, or a provider compromise. Then verify the controls and evidence relevant to that model.
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How RustDesk self-hosting works
The two server roles
RustDesk documents two core backend services:
hbbs: the ID and rendezvous service. Clients contact it to register and locate one another, and it assists with signaling and connection setup.hbbr: the relay service. It carries session traffic when a direct peer-to-peer path cannot be established.
The client first attempts direct hole punching between endpoints. A relay is used when that attempt fails, which commonly occurs because of restrictive NAT or firewall policies. A self-hosted deployment therefore needs both service roles available if you want reliable fallback connectivity.
Network ports documented by RustDesk
| Port guidance | Documented use | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| TCP 21114–21119 | Listed in the core-port section | Use when designing firewall rules for the documented deployment |
| UDP 21116 | Listed in the core-port section | Allows the documented UDP function where permitted by your network |
| TCP 21115–21117 | Identified as the minimum ports for operation | Minimum does not mean sufficient for every topology or feature |
These are deployment guidelines, not a guarantee that the same rules fit every reverse proxy, container, firewall, or enterprise network. Validate the required paths from each client segment to hbbs and hbbr, and document any additional ports introduced by your chosen packaging or access design.
A practical self-hosting procedure
- Choose the operating host. Select a supported Linux machine, virtual machine or appliance under your control. A small ARM Linux device such as a Raspberry Pi can be used as an optional host where the required RustDesk build and your expected workload are appropriate; no performance result for a particular Pi configuration is established here.
- Plan names and reachability. Assign stable DNS names or addresses for the ID and relay services, decide whether they are internet-facing or reachable through a VPN, and map the required firewall paths before installing clients.
- Deploy both roles. Install and configure
hbbsandhbbrusing the current RustDesk Server documentation. Keep the ID/rendezvous function and relay function separately identifiable even if they run on one host. - Open only the required network paths. Start with the documented minimum TCP ports and add the other documented core ports and UDP 21116 when your topology requires them. Restrict administration interfaces to trusted networks.
- Distribute the server settings to clients. Configure each RustDesk client to use your ID and relay infrastructure rather than an unmanaged default. Verify that the client can register, discover another endpoint and establish a direct session.
- Test relay fallback. Place two test endpoints behind restrictive networks or temporarily block direct connectivity. Confirm that the session can use
hbbrand that relay traffic is visible in your monitoring. - Protect the deployment. Apply operating-system updates, restrict service privileges, monitor logs, back up configuration and keys, and document who can change the server settings.
- Review capacity and availability. A single host is a single point of failure. For business use, plan maintenance windows, restore procedures and, where justified, multiple relays or redundant hosts.
What your team must operate
- Operating-system and RustDesk server patching.
- DNS, certificates and firewall configuration.
- Availability monitoring for
hbbsandhbbr. - Backups of configuration and recovery material, with restore tests.
- Log retention, alerting and investigation procedures.
- Endpoint enrollment, offboarding and access reviews.
- Capacity planning for relay bandwidth and concurrent sessions.
Server OSS has a low software licensing barrier, but it is not a zero-cost service. Compute, storage, bandwidth, administrator time and incident-response capability are operating costs.
AnyDesk on-premises: what is known and what to verify
AnyDesk states that organizations can host the product on a local server to align data protection with internal security policies. This can be attractive when a company needs a vendor-supported product but cannot place all control-plane traffic in a public cloud.
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Before choosing this path, obtain current commercial and technical terms for your account. Verify:
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- Which AnyDesk edition or tier includes on-premises deployment.
- Whether the deployment includes the same identity, logging, policy and update features as the managed service.
- Server operating-system requirements, sizing and high-availability options.
- How updates, support, backups and disaster recovery are divided between your team and AnyDesk.
- How clients discover the private instance and how remote users authenticate.
Do not assume that an on-premises option has the same operational model as RustDesk Server OSS. AnyDesk remains a commercial product with vendor-defined deployment terms; RustDesk OSS is software your organization assembles and operates directly.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Linux support: distribution, display server and connection direction
AnyDesk’s documented Linux matrix
AnyDesk’s Linux support article, updated March 20, 2026, lists these environments:
| Distribution | Minimum or listed release | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu | 18.04 or newer | Only unmodified listed distributions are supported |
| Debian | 9 or newer | Only unmodified listed distributions are supported |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux | 8 | Only the listed distribution condition is covered |
| openSUSE | 42 or 15 | Only unmodified listed distributions are supported |
| Linux Mint | 20 or newer | Only unmodified listed distributions are supported |
“Supported” is narrower than “the package may install.” A derivative distribution, heavily modified desktop, or unsupported release can work in practice while remaining outside the vendor’s support statement.
Xorg versus Wayland
For incoming AnyDesk sessions, the target Linux desktop must be running a graphical Xorg session. Wayland can be used to initiate an outgoing connection, but the support article does not permit it to accept incoming sessions. If a Linux workstation appears online but cannot be controlled, check the active display session before changing firewall rules or reinstalling the client.
- At the Linux login screen, choose an Xorg session when the desktop offers both Xorg and Wayland options.
- Sign in locally and verify that the graphical desktop is active before testing remote access.
- Use the AnyDesk client to start an outgoing test session; this can work under Wayland according to the documented limitation.
- For unattended or incoming access, repeat the test while the machine is logged into Xorg.
- If the organization standardizes on Wayland, treat incoming AnyDesk control as a compatibility blocker unless the vendor’s current documentation explicitly changes.
RustDesk on Linux
RustDesk’s platform documentation lists Linux alongside Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Web. The material reviewed here does not provide a complete table of Linux distributions, desktop environments or Xorg/Wayland behavior. Do not turn the general Linux listing into a promise of universal compatibility.
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- Display Cable - 6 foot (Supports up to 4K 60p)
For a RustDesk rollout, test the exact distribution, release, desktop session and display-manager configuration used by your users. Record whether the device must accept incoming connections, initiate outgoing sessions, or support unattended access; those are different acceptance criteria.
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Administration at individual, team and enterprise scale
| Administrative need | RustDesk Server OSS | RustDesk Server Pro | AnyDesk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic server deployment | Manual deployment and configuration | Managed through additional business features | Managed service or separately licensed on-premises deployment |
| Web console | Not established for OSS in the supplied documentation | Documented | Verify the requirements for the selected AnyDesk plan |
| API | Not established | Documented | Verify current plan capabilities |
| OIDC or LDAP | Not established | Documented | Verify current plan capabilities |
| Two-factor authentication | Not established as a packaged OSS administration feature | Documented | Documented by AnyDesk |
| Device and access management | More manual administration | Documented device management and access control | Documented ACLs and permission settings; confirm tier prerequisites |
| Multiple relays | Operate and configure them yourself | Documented support for multiple relays | Verify architecture and licensing for an on-premises deployment |
The table separates “not established” from “not available.” A feature not described in the supplied documentation should be confirmed in current product documentation before it becomes a procurement requirement.
Which one should you choose?
Choose RustDesk Server OSS when infrastructure control comes first
- You need the server software to be free and open source.
- Your organization can operate Linux services, firewalls, DNS, monitoring and backups.
- You want rendezvous and relay traffic on infrastructure you manage.
- You can accept manual configuration and a smaller built-in administration layer.
This path is strongest for technically capable teams that value deployment control more than turnkey administration.
Choose RustDesk Server Pro when you need centralized governance
- You need a web console, API, OIDC or LDAP integration.
- Administrators must manage devices, access policies and multiple relays centrally.
- You want the RustDesk deployment model but have outgrown hand-configured Server OSS.
Pro does not eliminate infrastructure ownership. It adds management capabilities to the self-hosted model.
Choose AnyDesk’s managed service when operational simplicity matters
- You prefer a commercial service with documented encryption and built-in access controls.
- Your team wants vendor-managed infrastructure rather than operating rendezvous and relay servers.
- Your Linux endpoints fit the documented distribution list and can use Xorg for incoming sessions.
Consider AnyDesk on-premises when policy requires local hosting
An on-premises AnyDesk deployment may bridge managed-product expectations and local data-control requirements. Confirm licensing, supported architecture, update responsibilities and feature parity before committing.
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A RustDesk client cannot find another endpoint
- Confirm the client points to the intended
hbbsservice. - Check DNS resolution and firewall access to the documented ID-server ports.
- Verify that
hbbsis running and that its logs show the client registration. - Test from a second network to separate server reachability from local NAT problems.
A RustDesk session connects only intermittently
- Check whether direct hole punching fails consistently between the affected networks.
- Verify that
hbbris reachable on the relay path. - Monitor relay bandwidth and host resource usage.
- Review firewall changes after network maintenance; a direct path may fail while relay traffic remains blocked.
An AnyDesk Linux computer is visible but cannot accept control
- Check the distribution and release against the documented list.
- Confirm that the graphical session is Xorg, not Wayland.
- Ensure the machine is actually logged into a graphical desktop rather than waiting at a non-graphical or locked display manager state.
- Test an outgoing session separately; outgoing Wayland support does not imply incoming support.
Security teams need stronger assurance than vendor claims
- Request current architecture and security documentation from the vendor or project.
- Define the threat model and required controls before comparing feature checklists.
- Review authentication, endpoint hardening, logging, patch cadence, incident response and data-retention requirements.
- Run a controlled pilot with representative Linux sessions and network boundaries.
Bottom line
RustDesk is the clearer choice for organizations that want an open client and the ability to operate their own ID and relay infrastructure. Server OSS minimizes licensing cost but shifts deployment and maintenance to you; Server Pro adds centralized business administration. AnyDesk is the more managed-oriented option and also documents an on-premises path, with a published set of encryption and access-control mechanisms. For Linux, verify the display session first: AnyDesk incoming control requires Xorg, while Wayland is limited to outgoing use in the documented support model.
Quick Recap
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