My mom and dad love using their computer, but sometimes, their computer doesn’t love it when they use it. That’s when I’ll typically get a text or a call, asking me to jump onto their screen and help them figure out what they need to do next. For years, I’ve been using Splashtop Streamer, and it’s never let me down. But, as I’m on a quest to save as much money as possible and replace as many applications as I can with freemium or open-source alternatives, it was time for me to say goodbye to Splashtop.
For my use case, RustDesk has been able to fit into the very big shoes left behind by Splashtop. I’m able to connect, help, and do everything I need with ease. Plus, it’s free, so I can’t raise much of a stink there, now, can I?
RustDesk is great for personal and professional use
All I need to do is access my folks’ computer, and it does it well
It seems like almost nightly, I’m getting a call or a text to jump onto my parents’ computer to help them figure out something with their email, with Facebook, or just trying to help them find something to order on Amazon. Splashtop was my go-to choice for the ease of use that it brought to the table, but seeing as I’m hoping to save even a little bit each month by getting rid of subscriptions, it made sense to try something new.
RustDesk does have a little bit of a learning curve, especially compared to using something like Splashtop. It’s strongly recommended that users self-host their own instance of RustDesk for faster connections, and the Reddit thread above has an incredibly easy set of instructions to follow. I’ve never self-hosted anything before, and this made it incredibly simple to figure out and get running on a secondary PC. Even if you’re not planning to self-host, a free account can still connect to different PCs, and since I’m only going to be helping my mom and dad out, this is an easy way to make that happen.
RustDesk works just as well as paid offerings
I was shocked to see that it works just as well as Splashtop
RustDesk is very comparable to programs like TeamViewer in the way that it functions. The host will need an ID and a password to connect to a secondary device, and once connected, the host will have the ability to access everything they need. In my case, I’m able to access my parents’ computer, help them with their files, Facebook, or Amazon, or do some general troubleshooting to ensure that they are able to access what they want with as few issues as possible.
Much like TeamViewer or Splashtop, RustDesk also offers mobile applications. For folks on Android, you can have someone jump onto your device and walk you through all the necessary steps needed for your troubleshooting woes. Those on iOS, however, will need to be in direct control of their device. Much like TeamViewer or Splashtop, the host cannot directly access your device and control it for you. While I was familiar with TeamViewer on mobile devices, I didn’t expect this open-source alternative to have just as many feature-rich applications for other operating systems.
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RustDesk is very secure, especially when self-hosted
Take total control of what you’re doing by hosting this one yourself
While I’m nowhere near as technically savvy as many others who write for MUO when it comes to networking and self-hosting, I’ve slowly been introducing and challenging myself to create things like private servers for games like Palworld or RUST. Using a secondary Mini-PC that I’ve repurposed with the sole intention of being a networking device, I’m slowly putting together a self-hosted server for myself to use with RustDesk and other programs. There are a ton of programs you can self-host, and it’s a fantastic solution for those who want to do it. Even if you don’t self-host, you can still connect to other devices, similar to how you would with TeamViewer.
RustDesk features end-to-end encryption to ensure that users are safe while using the program. With self-hosting, users can ensure that their data is totally under their control, and paid versions also include additional security settings for users who want to spend the money per year to get these extra bells and whistles.
Some options are locked behind payments
Want a web client to see your info? You’ll need to upgrade
Are you looking to use RustDesk for your basic, everyday tasks? You can utilize everything that it has to offer for no additional cost. But if you’re hoping to use it for your business or to access a number of different desktops, you may need to upgrade to a paid plan. This is par for the course — I was paying for SplashTop Streamer every year to access my parents’ computer, and that’s why I started to look for something different. Those who are hoping to use an open-source client compared to the more commercialized alternatives may be happier to support a smaller group than a corporation.
- OS
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Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
- Developer
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Purslane Limited
- Price model
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Free with Paid Tiers
- Services
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Remote Desktop Access
RustDesk is a great remote access program
TeamViewer, SplashTop, and other programs are now officially gone on my PC
At this point, I’m content with getting rid of my Splashtop plan to stick with RustDesk. Open-source programs are dedicated labors of love, and more often than not, outpace their competition in ways that matter the most. There are plenty of fantastic open-source alternatives to standard applications, and RustDesk is one of the best I’ve come across so far.
While it can be a bit of a bear to get up and running via self-hosting, don’t let that intimidate you. You can still use the program if you’re not planning on setting up your own server and spending hours to make it happen. But if you’re looking to be in complete control of your data, there is no better way to do it than RustDesk, and self-hosting can be made much simpler with the right equipment.
