Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Microsoft Remote Desktop

Sunshine is a self-hosted game streaming host that lets you stream games and your desktop to Moonlight clients over the network. It focuses on low-latency streaming and supports hardware encoding on AMD, Intel, and NVIDIA GPUs, with software encoding available as a fallback.

Key Features

• Compatible with Moonlight clients across many devices and platforms
• Low-latency streaming designed for responsive gameplay
• Hardware-accelerated encoding support (AMD, Intel Quick Sync, NVIDIA NVENC) plus software encoding
• Web UI for configuration and client pairing
• Virtual gamepad/controller emulation (platform support varies)
• Runs on multiple operating systems including Linux, Windows, macOS, and FreeBSD

Use Cases

• Stream PC games from a powerful host to low-power devices (TV box, handheld, laptop)
• Remote play from another room or across a fast network with a Moonlight client
• Use a browser-based interface to manage streaming settings and pair devices

Limitations and Considerations

• Feature support differs by OS (for example, gamepad emulation is not supported on macOS)
• Some capture/encoding backends have partial or platform-specific support depending on GPU and display server

Sunshine is a practical alternative for running your own GameStream-style host while keeping control of the hardware and configuration. If you already use Moonlight, it provides a flexible server with broad GPU encoding support and convenient web-based management.

XPipe is a desktop connection hub and remote file manager that centralizes access to SSH hosts, containers, virtual machines and Kubernetes clusters from a single local application. It integrates with your existing command-line tools and editors, provides a terminal launcher and a file browser, and can synchronize connection data across systems via a git repository.

Key Features

• Centralized connection hub for SSH, container runtimes (Docker/Podman/LXD/incus), VMs (Proxmox, KVM, Hyper-V, VMware) and Kubernetes resources
• Remote file browser with tabbed multitasking, on-demand sudo elevation, and ability to open remote files in local editors
• Terminal launcher that boots directly into preferred terminal emulators and shells, with automated prompt/password handling and multiplexer support
• Versatile scripting and shell-environment system for reusable init scripts, templates and remote actions
• Secure local vault for storing connection data and secrets with optional additional passphrase protection and git-backed synchronization
• Integrations for RDP/VNC remote desktops and tools such as Tailscale/Netbird/Teleport for network access
• HTTP API (local-only server) and an official Python client for automation and bulk imports
• Cross-platform packaging and installers, plus a containerized "Webtop" image to run a browser-accessible desktop environment with XPipe

Use Cases

• Centralize administration of large fleets: quickly locate and open shells or file browsers across many servers and clusters
• Developer workflows: open remote directories in local editors, run scripts or start shells in configured environments with one click
• Team synchronization: share and sync connection definitions and identities across multiple machines via a private git repository

Limitations and Considerations

• The project follows an open-core model; some advanced features and certain extensions are closed-source and available only in paid plans
• There is no native multi-tenant web UI shipped; browser access is provided via a containerized Webtop environment rather than a hosted SaaS interface
• The HTTP API listens on localhost only (no built-in HTTPS) and some automation scenarios require additional configuration for remote access
• XPipe relies on locally installed CLI tools (ssh, docker, kubectl, etc.); behavior and supported features depend on those tools and platform-specific integrations

XPipe is intended for users who want a single, extensible desktop hub for connecting to and managing diverse remote systems while keeping all sensitive data under local control. It focuses on integrating existing tools and workflows rather than replacing them.

Termix is a self-hosted, web-based server management platform for accessing and operating remote machines over SSH from a single interface. It combines a feature-rich terminal, SSH tunnel management, remote file operations, and basic container controls for day-to-day administration.

Key Features

• Web SSH terminal with tabbed sessions and split panels (up to 4)
• SSH tunnel management with health monitoring and automatic reconnection
• Remote file manager with upload/download, rename/move/delete, and built-in viewing/editing for common file types
• Docker container management (start/stop/pause/remove), container stats, and docker exec access
• Host and credential organization with tags/folders and reusable connection details, including SSH key deployment workflows
• Server stats for CPU, memory, disk, network, uptime, and system information
• Role-based access control (RBAC) for sharing hosts and permissions across users/roles
• Authentication features including OIDC support, TOTP-based 2FA, and session management
• Encrypted local storage using SQLite database files, plus import/export for hosts and related data

Use Cases

• Centralized SSH access for homelabs and small infrastructure teams
• Securely exposing internal services through managed SSH tunnels
• Lightweight remote operations: file edits, quick diagnostics, and basic Docker container administration

Termix fits teams and individuals who want an all-in-one SSH-centric management UI with built-in access controls and operational tooling. It is especially useful when you want a single place to manage connections, tunnels, files, and server health checks across multiple servers.

LinuxServer.io Webtop provides container images that run a full Linux desktop environment and expose it through a browser-based remote desktop interface. It is designed to make a disposable or persistent GUI workspace easy to run with Docker across multiple base distributions.

Key Features

• Multiple supported base distributions via tags (Alpine, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, and Enterprise Linux variants)
• Multiple desktop environment flavors (XFCE, KDE, MATE, and i3 depending on image tag)
• Browser access over HTTPS with websocket support for interactive desktop streaming
• Optional HTTP Basic Auth via environment variables for simple access control on trusted networks
• Built on LinuxServer.io Selkies base image, with options for Wayland mode and GPU/VAAPI acceleration (where supported)
• Multi-architecture images (commonly amd64 and arm64)

Use Cases

• Running a browser-accessible Linux desktop for homelabs, kiosks, or thin clients
• Providing an isolated GUI environment for tools that are easier to use with a desktop UI
• Temporary desktops for testing packages, configurations, or workflows inside containers

Limitations and Considerations

• By default there is no authentication; securing access typically requires a reverse proxy with strong authentication
• The container can effectively grant powerful access inside the environment (including terminal and sudo), so exposure must be carefully controlled
• Some modern GUI apps may require relaxed container sandboxing (for example, unconfined seccomp) on certain hosts, which reduces security

Webtop is best suited when you want the convenience of a full desktop delivered via the browser while keeping deployment simple through standard container workflows. It is most effective when combined with proper network segmentation and an authentication layer in front of the service.

Apache Guacamole is a clientless remote desktop gateway that lets you access remote desktops from a browser using VNC, RDP, and SSH. It requires no client installation on the target machines; connectivity is mediated by a server component called guacd, and the web UI runs in a Java servlet container.

Key Features

• Clientless HTML5 web application; no plugins or client software required
• Supports VNC, RDP, and SSH through the guacd proxy
• Web UI (Java) with a pluggable API and guacd as the translation proxy
• Extensible APIs for adding protocol support and authentication extensions
• Open source under the Apache License 2.0 with active community support
• Deployable behind firewalls; desktops can be accessed securely via the gateway

Use Cases

• Remote administration: access on-premises desktops/servers from any device with a browser
• Cloud or VM access: connect to cloud-hosted desktops without exposing target machines
• Integrations: embed Guacamole in custom portals or secure access workflows via its core APIs

Conclusion

Apache Guacamole provides browser-based remote desktop access without client software, backed by a modular, open-source stack. It is designed for flexible deployments across on-premises and cloud environments, with extensible APIs and active community support.

Steam Headless is a containerized, headless Steam client environment designed to run on a Linux host and stream games remotely. It provides a full desktop session and multiple streaming options, enabling you to play your Steam library from other devices without a dedicated physical display.

Key Features

• Steam client preconfigured for Linux gaming with Proton
• Browser-accessible desktop via noVNC, including audio support
• Compatibility with Steam Link and Steam Remote Play
• Moonlight-compatible streaming server support (commonly used with Sunshine)
• GPU acceleration support for NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel
• Controller support for streamed gameplay
• Optional installation of additional launchers and tools (for example via Flatpak/AppImage)
• Startup scripting via user-provided init scripts for customization

Use Cases

• Turn a home server into a remote Steam gaming host for laptops, TVs, and handhelds
• Provide a disposable, reproducible Steam environment for homelabs and shared machines
• Run a browser-accessible Linux desktop with Steam for remote game management and launching

Limitations and Considerations

• Persistent data must be stored in the home directory or mounted volumes; other paths may be lost on updates
• For optimal Steam Remote Play behavior on local networks, network configuration may require a dedicated container IP

Steam Headless is best suited for users who want a flexible, container-based Steam host with remote desktop access and GPU acceleration. It combines a ready-to-run Steam setup with practical streaming options for playing from multiple clients and devices.

Wolf is a streaming server for Moonlight that enables multiple remote clients to share a single host by streaming virtual desktops and games via Docker. It is Linux-first, container-based, and designed to support on-demand per-user sessions and GPU sharing to maximize hardware utilization. (github.com)

Key Features

• Multi-user streaming on a single host with on-demand virtual desktops per user
• Shared GPU usage across jobs, enabling scenarios like iGPU encoding and GPU gaming simultaneously
• Low latency video and audio streaming with gamepad support
• Linux-first, Docker-based architecture with simple configuration for hackable, containerized sessions
• Moonshine-based streaming and a documented developer experience to extend and integrate with other tools
• REST API for programmatic control via a UNIX socket, with guidance on secure exposure if TCP is needed (github.com)

Use Cases

• Home labs and family setups: run a single game/desktop server and stream to multiple devices simultaneously
• Demos and QA: provide remote desktops or game streaming environments for testing or demonstrations without multiple physical machines
• Education and clubs: create shared, compute-enabled workspaces for groups to access resources on demand
• Remote-access workflows: leverage Wolf to offer on-demand remote desktops and applications to diverse clients (All use cases rely on Wolf’s ability to host and manage per-user streaming sessions and hardware sharing) (github.com)

Limitations and Considerations

• The project is explicitly Linux- and Docker-centric; primary goals assume a Linux host with containerized sessions and GPU support
• Exposing the Wolf API via TCP is considered dangerous and requires proper hardening and authentication if used outside a UNIX socket
• Setting up and tuning Wolf may require familiarity with GPUs, Docker networking, and host USB/PCI device access; it’s not a plug-and-play consumer app These considerations are highlighted in the project documentation and guides (github.com)

Wolf is a mature, community-driven streaming solution that integrates tightly with Moonlight and Docker to enable flexible, multi-user game streaming on a single host. It provides developer-oriented APIs, extensive documentation, and a roadmap focused on extensibility and robust per-user sessions. (github.com)

Kasm Workspaces is a platform for delivering full Linux desktops and individual applications as isolated, on-demand sessions that run in containers and stream to users through a web browser. It is commonly used to provide secure remote access, ephemeral “disposable” environments, and controlled browsing or application access without installing software on endpoints.

Key Features

• Browser-based streaming of containerized Linux desktops and single-app sessions
• Workspace images catalog (desktops and apps) with session isolation and lifecycle controls
• “Disposable” sessions with optional persistence profiles (depending on configuration/images)
• Admin console for users, groups, permissions (RBAC) and workspace entitlements
• Multiple deployment modes, commonly Docker Compose and Kubernetes-based scaling
• Security controls aimed at reducing endpoint risk (session isolation, ephemeral instances)
• Support for integrating remote protocols/targets through delivered apps (e.g., browsers, tools)

Use Cases

• Secure web browsing / research environments for users or SOC teams
• Remote access to standardized Linux desktops and internal tools via a browser
• Temporary training, lab, and demo environments without installing local software

Limitations and Considerations

• Best experience depends on network latency/bandwidth due to browser streaming
• Feature set and persistence capabilities can vary by workspace image and configuration

Kasm Workspaces fits organizations that want centrally managed, browser-delivered work environments built on container isolation. It is especially useful when you need disposable sessions, controlled access to apps/desktops, and scalable multi-user delivery.