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. RustDesk is open-source and free if you self-host the relay server. Scry is a managed product with a polished onboarding and a one-time lifetime price — you don't run any servers, you don't read any docs, you sign in and connect.
| At a glance | Scry | RustDesk |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $9.99 / mo | Free (open-source clients + self-hosted relay) |
| Most popular plan | $95.99 / yr | $9.90 / mo (Server Pro, Individual — 20 devices, billed annually) |
| Lifetime license | $399 one-time | None on hosted; self-host has no recurring fee but you run the server |
| Platforms | Mac (host + client) · Windows (host + client) · Linux (host + client) · iOS (client) · Android (client) · Web (client) | Windows · macOS · Linux · iOS · Android · Web |
Pick RustDesk if
- ·Full source transparency. The clients are open-source (AGPL-3.0) and you can audit the wire format and crypto end-to-end. Scry's apps are closed-source.
- ·Genuinely free if you self-host. Run your own relay on a $5/mo VPS and the entire stack costs you the VPS bill — no per-device fees, no subscription, no usage caps. Scry's relay is managed and it's a paid app ($9.99/mo or $399 once, no free tier).
- ·More mature client coverage on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and the web. Scry now ships on all of those too (Mac/Windows/Linux as host + client; iOS/Android/web as viewers), but RustDesk's clients have more years of polish.
- ·Custom relay you can run anywhere — your own VPS, your own datacenter, your own laptop. Total network control. Scry's relay is on managed cloud infrastructure with no self-host option.
- ·A long-lived community-driven project with active forks, plugins, and integrations. Scry is one person.
Pick Scry if
- +Zero DevOps. Scry is a managed service: install the host, sign in, connect. RustDesk's free path requires you to provision a VPS, install the relay, configure firewall rules, and keep it patched.
- +One-time $399 lifetime price for the managed service. RustDesk's hosted Server Pro has no lifetime option — every paid tier is a recurring subscription, and the cheapest individual plan is $9.90/mo billed annually.
- +Polished onboarding. Pairing-code device discovery, proper macOS permission handling (Screen Recording, Accessibility, Input Monitoring), code-signed installers, automatic in-app updates. RustDesk's onboarding is more technical and assumes familiarity with self-hosting.
- +Browser-based client at scry.bravely.dev. Sign in and connect to your own machines from any modern browser, no install. RustDesk's web client exists but typically requires the self-hosted server to enable.
- +Direct support from the founder. Bug reports go to a real person who can fix them in the next build.
Full feature comparison
Verified 2026-05-08. Source linked at the bottom.
| Feature | Scry | RustDesk |
|---|---|---|
| Price (entry, managed) | $9.99/mo | $9.90/mo (Server Pro Individual, 20 devices) |
| Self-host option | No — managed service only | Yes — open-source relay, free if you run it yourself |
| Lifetime license | $399 | None on hosted tier |
| Source transparency | Closed-source apps | Open-source clients (AGPL-3.0) |
| Free path | 7-day trial (card required), then paid — no free tier | Yes — clients always free; free relay if self-hosted |
| Platforms (host) | Mac, Windows, Linux | Mac, Windows, Linux |
| Platforms (client) | Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Web | Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Web |
| Browser client (no install) | Yes — managed | Yes — typically requires self-hosted server |
| Managed onboarding (no DevOps) | Yes | No — self-host requires Linux + firewall config |
| Open standard transport | Yes (WebRTC) | Custom protocol (Rust-based, open-source) |
| End-to-end encrypted transport | Yes (DTLS-SRTP) | Yes (NaCl box) |
| Multi-monitor | Switchable — one display at a time | Yes |
| Audio in session | Mac (mic) / Windows (system audio); none on Linux/mobile/web | Yes |
| File transfer | No | Yes |
| Clipboard text sync | Yes (text only) | Yes |
| Mobile clients | Yes — iOS + Android (viewer only) | Yes (iOS, Android) |
| Code-signed installers (Mac + Win) | Yes (Apple Developer ID + Azure Trusted Signing) | Mac + Win signed; Linux + mobile vary |
Bottom line
RustDesk is the right call if you want full source transparency, want to run your own relay, and don't mind doing DevOps. The clients are open-source, the protocol is auditable, and a $5/mo VPS plus the open-source server gets you a complete stack with no per-device fees. Scry is the opposite — a managed service with a polished onboarding and a $399 lifetime option for people who don't want to provision a VPS or read setup docs. If you have the skills and want the control, self-host RustDesk. If you want to install the app and sign in, Scry is the better fit.
FAQ
Is RustDesk really free?+
The clients are always free and open-source. The relay is free if you self-host it on your own VPS — you'll need basic Linux skills and a server you maintain. RustDesk's hosted Server Pro plan is paid and starts at $9.90/mo billed annually for 20 devices. Scry has no self-host path; it's a managed service with a $399 lifetime option.
Why pay for Scry when RustDesk is open-source?+
Three reasons: (1) you don't want to run a relay server, (2) you want a polished onboarding with proper macOS permission handling and code-signed installers, (3) you want a one-time $399 lifetime license instead of a recurring subscription on the hosted tier. Scry is a paid app with no free tier (7-day trial, then paid). If none of those matter and you're comfortable with Linux, self-host RustDesk.
Can I self-host Scry?+
Not today. Scry's signaling and TURN relay run on managed cloud infrastructure. We don't ship a self-host path. If self-hosting the server is a hard requirement, RustDesk is the better fit.
Is Scry open-source?+
No. Scry's clients are closed-source. RustDesk wins on full source transparency.
Does Scry have a Linux host?+
Yes — Scry ships a Linux host and client (Avalonia GUI, x64 AppImage). It's newer than RustDesk's, which has more years of polish and broader architecture coverage.
How does Scry's transport compare to RustDesk's?+
Scry uses WebRTC with DTLS-SRTP encryption — an open standard with documented wire format. RustDesk uses a custom Rust-based protocol with NaCl box encryption — also documented and auditable since the source is public. Both are reasonable choices; the difference is open standard vs custom open-source.
More Scry comparisons
Pricing verified 2026-05-08. RustDesk pricing source. Subject to change.