head to head · open source
RustDesk vs Browser Use
RustDesk has 123,854 GitHub stars, 19,128 forks, 147 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Browser Use has 114,959 stars, 12,651 forks, 421 open issues and last shipped 3 days ago. RustDesk leads on adoption by 8% (123,854 vs 114,959 stars). RustDesk is written in Rust under AGPL-3.0; Browser Use is written in Python under MIT. RustDesk has attracted 15% as many forks as stars, Browser Use 11%. RustDesk was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| RustDesk | Browser Use | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 124K | ★ 115K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Written in | Rust | Python |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-15 |
| Forks | ⑂ 19K | ⑂ 13K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick RustDesk if
- You weight community size — 124K stars and counting
- You want the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Rust
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Browser Use if
- You want the Browser Use feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You evaluated both and Browser Use fits your workflow better
About RustDesk
RustDesk is an open source remote desktop application written in Rust, designed for self hosting as a privacy focused alternative to proprietary solutions like TeamViewer. It enables remote control of machines across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS platforms using a peer to peer (P2P) architecture by default, with optional relay and rendezvous servers for NAT traversal. The project lives in the remote access and productivity ecosystem, targeting users who require full control over their infrastructure and data.
read the full RustDesk overview →
About Browser Use
Browser Use is an open source Python library and hosted platform that enables AI agents to control web browsers programmatically. It lives in the AI agent and browser automation ecosystem, built on Playwright and designed to let LLMs interact with websites as a human would—clicking, filling forms, solving CAPTCHAs, and navigating dynamic interfaces. The project provides three deployment paths: a fully hosted cloud service, a command line interface for existing agents, and a local Python library for custom integrations.
read the full Browser Use overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is RustDesk or Browser Use more popular?
RustDesk has 123,854 GitHub stars and Browser Use has 114,959. RustDesk has the larger community by that measure.
Are RustDesk and Browser Use free?
Both are open source. RustDesk is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Browser Use under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between RustDesk and Browser Use?
RustDesk is written in Rust and Browser Use in Python. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, RustDesk or Browser Use?
Choose RustDesk if you want the larger community (123,854 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Browser Use if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.