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Petal vs RustDesk

Side-by-side comparison for macOS

Petal

7.0
Communication

Multi-window screen sharing where each shared window becomes a native window

RustDesk

8.0
Communication

Open source virtual/remote desktop application

Metric Petal RustDesk
Category Communication Communication
AI Score 7.0 8.0
30-day Installs 6 3.7K
90-day Installs 6 9.1K
365-day Installs 6 30.5K
Version 0.9.32 1.5.0
Auto-updates Yes No
Deprecated No No
GitHub Stars 325 109.0K
GitHub Forks 12 16.2K
Open Issues 17 99
License Apache-2.0 AGPL-3.0
Language Rust Rust
Last GitHub Commit 2d ago 7mo ago
First Seen Oct 16, 2026 May 28, 2022

Reviews

Petal

Petal is a multi-window screen-sharing tool that transforms shared windows into native desktop windows, ideal for remote collaboration and teamwork.

Enables multi-window screen sharing where each shared window becomes a native window on participants' desktops.

Pros

  • + Open-source and built with Rust for performance and safety.
  • + Active development with a responsive community.
  • + Ideal for remote collaboration and teamwork.

Cons

  • - Low installation count suggests limited testing and adoption.
  • - Past issues with stability and compatibility.

RustDesk

RustDesk is an open-source remote desktop application designed as a self-hosted alternative to TeamViewer. It offers secure, cross-platform remote access and control, making it ideal for users seeking privacy and flexibility.

Enables remote access and control of other computers, providing a secure and efficient alternative to proprietary solutions.

Pros

  • + Open-source and self-hostable, ensuring privacy and control
  • + Written in Rust, offering performance and security advantages
  • + Active and large community with high GitHub engagement
  • + Regular updates and strong development activity

Cons

  • - No auto-update feature
  • - Potential privacy concerns with Chinese root certificates