NebulaSSH vs Apache Guacamole
Apache Guacamole is the closest thing to NebulaSSH in spirit: remote access with nothing installed on the client, delivered through a browser. The difference is not the idea — it is who runs the infrastructure and how the gateway reaches your machines.
Guacamole is free, open-source software you deploy yourself. A working installation means running the guacd proxy daemon, the web application in a servlet container, and a database for users and connections, then keeping TLS, upgrades and backups healthy. That is a genuine piece of infrastructure, and for teams who want everything inside their own network it is exactly the right trade.
NebulaSSH is delivered as a service, so the first session is minutes away rather than a deployment project. Sessions, users and saved connections are already there, and upgrades are not your problem.
The second real difference is direction of travel. A Guacamole gateway must be able to reach each target host, which means the gateway sits inside the network, or you open routes to it. A NebulaSSH connector agent runs on the target machine and dials outward, so a host behind NAT, on a residential connection, or inside a network you do not control becomes reachable without opening anything inbound.
Protocol coverage differs and it matters. Guacamole speaks RDP as well as SSH and VNC, so if Windows desktops are central to your work it covers a case NebulaSSH does not.
Side by side
| Capability | NebulaSSH | Apache Guacamole |
|---|---|---|
| Runs in the browser | Yes | Yes |
| Who operates it | Hosted for you | You deploy and maintain guacd, the web app and a database |
| Time to first session | Minutes | A deployment project |
| Protocols | SSH, SFTP and VNC | SSH, VNC, RDP, telnet and more |
| RDP to Windows desktops | Not supported | Supported |
| Machines behind NAT | Agent dials out from the target machine | The gateway must be able to reach each host |
| Data stays in your network | Hosted service | Entirely yours |
| Licence | Commercial, with a free tier | Apache 2.0 open source |
When Apache Guacamole is the better choice
No tool wins everywhere. Stay with Apache Guacamole if any of these describe you:
- You need RDP to Windows desktops — Guacamole does it and NebulaSSH does not.
- Everything must stay inside your own network, with no third-party service in the path.
- You want Apache-licensed open source you can audit, fork and run forever.
- You already operate Tomcat and a database, so the deployment cost is close to zero for you.
Common questions
Is NebulaSSH open source like Guacamole?
No. Guacamole is Apache-licensed software you host yourself; NebulaSSH is a commercial service with a free tier. If running your own stack is a requirement, Guacamole is the better fit.
Can NebulaSSH reach hosts a Guacamole gateway cannot?
Yes, in one common case. A gateway has to route to the target, so machines behind NAT need the gateway inside that network. The NebulaSSH agent dials outward from the machine itself, so no inbound route is needed.
Does NebulaSSH do RDP?
No. NebulaSSH covers SSH, SFTP and VNC. For Windows RDP sessions, Guacamole is the right tool.
What is the real cost difference?
Guacamole's software is free; the cost is the server it runs on and the time you spend deploying, securing and upgrading it. NebulaSSH charges a subscription and absorbs that operational work.
Try it on a machine you are sitting at
Open a browser, sign in, add a server. Nothing to install — and nothing left behind if the machine is not yours.