Scry vs RustDesk — honest comparison

Looking for a RustDesk alternative? Here's an honest Scry vs RustDesk comparison — what each one does well, and where the other one wins. Scry is a managed service with nothing to host: install it on your computers, sign in, and connect, for $95.99 a year or $399 once. RustDesk says it "is designed to be self-hosted" and calls its free public server "for demonstration and testing only". If you want to run your own server and read the source code, RustDesk is the better fit.

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Free for 24 hours: every feature, no card.

Verified 2026-09-26
RustDesk pricing
Where RustDesk wins

Scry vs RustDesk at a glance

At a glance	Scry	RustDesk
Entry price	$0 for 7 days, then $9.99/mo	Free (open-source client and self-hosted server); Server Pro from $11.88/mo, billed annually
Next plan up	$0 for 7 days, then $95.99/yr	Server Pro Basic $23.88/mo, billed annually (self-hosted, 10 users, 100 devices)
Lifetime license	$399 once	None (Server Pro is billed yearly)
Platforms	Mac (host + client), Windows (host + client), Linux (host + client), iOS (client), Android (client), Web (client)	Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web

Where Scry and RustDesk each win

Pick Scry if

Nothing to host: Scry's servers come with every plan, so you install the apps, sign in and connect. RustDesk's own wiki calls its free public server "for demonstration and testing only" and asks you not to use it for production or sensitive work.
One price includes the servers: $95.99 a year or $399 once, and the annual and lifetime plans include all 8 other Bravely apps. RustDesk's paid Server Pro is software you host yourself, billed yearly from $11.88 a month.
Your computers in one list: sign in on each one and it appears on all your devices with a live online dot. No device IDs to copy.
A browser client on every plan: sign in at scry.bravely.dev and connect from a current desktop browser (tested in Chrome). RustDesk's web client is labeled a preview, and hosting it on your own server needs a Server Pro plan where (users × 10) + devices is at least 400.

Pick RustDesk if

Open source: RustDesk's client and server are licensed AGPL-3.0, so you can read and audit every line. Scry's apps are closed-source.
Free if you host it: the open-source server has no license fee, and RustDesk's docs say the minimum configuration of a basic cloud server is enough to run it. Scry has no free tier.
Your own infrastructure: run the ID and relay servers on your own hardware or cloud account and keep your data under your own control. Scry's servers are managed, with no self-host option.
Android phones it can reach: RustDesk's Android app can share the phone's screen and files. Scry's phone apps connect to your computers but can't be reached themselves.
A large open-source community, with more than 120,000 stars on GitHub, and custom-branded clients from the Basic Server Pro plan.

Scry vs RustDesk, feature by feature

Verified 2026-09-26. Source linked at the bottom.

Feature	Scry	RustDesk
Price, managed service	$0 for 7 days (card required), then $9.99/mo	No managed service; self-hosted Server Pro from $11.88/mo, billed annually
Servers you run	None: they come with every plan	Your own; its public server is for demonstration and testing only
Self-host option	No, managed service only	Yes: free open-source server
Lifetime license	$399 once	None (Server Pro is billed yearly)
Source code	Closed-source apps	Open source (AGPL-3.0)
Free trial	24 hours free with no card, or 7 days free on a plan with a card; no free tier	Free to use; Server Pro trial on request
Runs on	Reach: macOS 14 or later, Windows 10 or 11 (x64), 64-bit Linux. Connect from: those, plus iOS 17 or later, Android 8.0 or later and the web (tested in Chrome)	Reach: Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.14 or later, Linux, Android 7.0 or later. Connect from: those, iOS 13 or later, or a web client (in preview)
Account needed	Yes: a Bravely account (Apple, Google or email) on each device	On its public server, yes for the person connecting (a free sign-in with Google, GitHub and others)
Platforms (host)	Mac, Windows, Linux	Mac, Windows, Linux, Android
Platforms (client)	Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Web	Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Web
Browser client (no install)	Yes, on every plan (tested in Chrome)	Public web client in preview; hosting it yourself needs a larger Server Pro plan
Open standard transport	Yes (WebRTC)	Its own protocol (open source)
End-to-end encrypted transport	Yes (DTLS-SRTP)	Yes (NaCl)
Multi-monitor	Switchable, one display at a time	Yes
Audio in session	Yes: sound from Mac, Windows and Linux hosts, on by default, with a mute button	Yes
File transfer	Yes, one way: from any device to the computer you control (click Save there)	Yes, both ways
Clipboard sync	Yes (text only)	Yes, including copying files
Mobile apps	Yes: iOS and Android (they connect; they can't be reached)	Yes: iOS and Android; Android can share its screen
Unattended access	Yes, while someone is signed in on the computer (a locked screen is fine; on Linux that takes an X11 desktop)	Yes, free: a permanent password and RustDesk installed as a service, which reaches the Windows login screen and reconnects after a reboot
Wake-on-LAN	No; the computer has to be awake	Yes, on the same local network only, for devices it has discovered there
Code-signed installers (Mac + Win)	Yes (Apple Developer ID + a signed Windows installer)	Yes (Mac notarized; Windows EV-signed)
Pricing model	Monthly ($9.99), yearly ($95.99) or once ($399)	Free; Server Pro billed yearly, no auto-renew

Scry vs RustDesk FAQs

Is RustDesk really free?

Yes, if you host it yourself. The open-source client and server are free; RustDesk's paid Server Pro, also self-hosted, starts at $11.88 a month billed annually, and its free public server is for demonstration and testing only. Scry: set it up free and watch it connect, then 24 hours with no card or 7 days on a plan.

Why pay for Scry when RustDesk is open source?

To skip running a server. Scry's plans include the servers that connect your devices, so you install the apps, sign in and connect, and the annual ($95.99) and lifetime ($399 once) plans also include all 8 other Bravely apps.

How does Scry's encryption compare with RustDesk's?

Both are end-to-end encrypted. Scry uses WebRTC with DTLS-SRTP, an open standard; RustDesk uses its own protocol built on NaCl, and its source code is public.

Does Scry have a Linux host?

Yes. Scry for Linux is both a host and a client, as a .deb or an AppImage for 64-bit (x64) Linux.

Can I use RustDesk without running my own server?

Yes, on RustDesk's public server, which RustDesk provides for demonstration and testing only; the person connecting now has to sign in there with Google or GitHub. Otherwise you run the server yourself. Scry's servers come with every plan.

Does RustDesk have a hosted (SaaS) plan?

No. Its pricing page says the plans are for self-hosting and "NOT a SaaS subscription", billed yearly, with no monthly option. Scry is the managed option: $9.99 a month, $95.99 a year or $399 once.

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Pricing verified 2026-09-26. RustDesk pricing source. Subject to change.