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Alternatives / ZeroTier

Open-source alternatives to ZeroTier

7 genuinely open-source alternatives. The projects are compared by license, workflow, self-hosting, and pricing.

Maxime DERAME's profile

Written by Maxime DERAME

Last updated:

Why look for a ZeroTier alternative?

ZeroTier connects devices, servers, clouds, and remote networks through encrypted virtual networks. People look for alternatives when they want open-source software, a self-hosted control plane, WireGuard-based networking, identity-driven access controls, or infrastructure they can operate entirely themselves.

#1

Tailscale

Easy WireGuard-based mesh networking with peer-to-peer connectivity.

Tailscale is a WireGuard mesh networking platform with automatic NAT traversal, MagicDNS, exit nodes, subnet routing, ACLs, SSH, and broad platform support. Core clients and DERP relay code are open source while the official control plane is proprietary.

BSD-3-Clause core clients / proprietary control plane

Pricing: Free and paid hosted plans; complete official coordination stack is not self-hostable.

  • Very easy setup
  • WireGuard encryption and NAT traversal
  • MagicDNS, ACLs, SSH, and mature ecosystem
  • Official control plane is proprietary
  • Hosted-service dependency by default
  • Some GUI components are closed source
View on GitHub
#2

NetBird

Self-hosted WireGuard mesh VPN with Zero Trust controls.

NetBird is a self-hostable WireGuard overlay network with peer-to-peer tunnels, NAT traversal, identity integration, network policies, posture checks, DNS, exit nodes, and a web management interface.

BSD-3-Clause + AGPL-3.0 componentsSelf-hosted

Pricing: Open source and self-hostable; hosted plans and support may be paid.

  • Fully self-hostable
  • WireGuard and peer-to-peer tunnels
  • SSO, MFA, policies, posture checks, and DNS
  • More components to operate
  • Advanced deployments require infrastructure management
  • More complex than a basic VPN
View on GitHub
#3

Headscale

Self-hosted open-source coordination server for Tailscale clients.

Headscale is an independent self-hosted implementation of the Tailscale control protocol, useful when you want Tailscale-compatible clients without relying on Tailscale's hosted coordination service.

BSD-3-ClauseSelf-hosted

Pricing: Free and open source under BSD-3-Clause; you operate the control server and infrastructure.

  • Self-hosted coordination
  • Works with the Tailscale client ecosystem
  • Good fit for homelabs and private networks
  • Not a complete standalone client ecosystem
  • You operate the control plane
  • Some hosted Tailscale features are unavailable
View on GitHub
#4

Pangolin

Self-hosted Zero Trust access for internal applications.

Pangolin is dual-licensed AGPL-3.0 and commercially for identity-aware application access, secure tunnels, policy management, SSO, MFA, audit logs, and connectivity behind NAT and firewalls.

AGPL-3.0 + commercial licenseSelf-hosted

Pricing: AGPL-3.0 option available; commercial licensing and hosted services may be offered separately.

  • Identity-aware application access
  • Self-hosted tunnels and policies
  • SSO, MFA, and audit logs
  • More ZTNA-focused than mesh-LAN networking
  • Different model from ZeroTier
  • Commercial licensing also exists
View on GitHub
#5

Firezone

WireGuard-based Zero Trust remote access platform.

Firezone is a WireGuard-based remote access platform with identity policies, lightweight gateways, SSO, resource-level access, NAT traversal, and self-hostable infrastructure. Licensing is mixed across components.

Apache-2.0 + Elastic License 2.0 componentsSelf-hosted

Pricing: Open-source and mixed-license components are available; hosted and enterprise services may be paid.

  • WireGuard-based
  • Identity and resource-level policies
  • SSO, gateways, and self-hosting
  • Mixed licensing
  • More remote-access oriented than LAN emulation
  • Deployment differs significantly from ZeroTier
View on GitHub
#6

Defguard

Self-hosted WireGuard VPN with identity, MFA, and access control.

Defguard is an AGPL-core WireGuard access platform combining identity management, OpenID Connect, MFA, device management, access policies, and security auditing. Enterprise functionality uses a separate license.

AGPL core + Enterprise licenseSelf-hosted

Pricing: AGPL core is self-hostable; Enterprise functionality and support may be paid.

  • WireGuard and self-hosting
  • Built-in MFA and OpenID Connect
  • Identity, devices, policies, and audits
  • Open core
  • More identity-oriented than ZeroTier
  • More infrastructure to operate
View on GitHub
#7

WireGuard

Minimal high-performance open-source VPN protocol and implementation.

WireGuard is a GPL-2.0 encrypted networking protocol and implementation. It provides the secure data plane but leaves discovery, coordination, identity, DNS, routing, and policy management to other tools or manual configuration.

GPL-2.0 for Linux kernel implementationSelf-hosted

Pricing: Free and open source; coordination, routing, and infrastructure are your responsibility.

  • Small auditable codebase
  • High performance and modern cryptography
  • No mandatory central service
  • No built-in control plane or discovery
  • No SSO, dashboard, or centralized ACLs
  • Manual configuration becomes difficult at scale
View on GitHub

Compare ZeroTier alternatives

ToolStarsLicenseSelf-hostedPricing
Tailscale—BSD-3-Clause core clients / proprietary control planeNoFree and paid hosted plans; complete official coordination stack is not self-hostable.
NetBird—BSD-3-Clause + AGPL-3.0 componentsYesOpen source and self-hostable; hosted plans and support may be paid.
Headscale—BSD-3-ClauseYesFree and open source under BSD-3-Clause; you operate the control server and infrastructure.
Pangolin—AGPL-3.0 + commercial licenseYesAGPL-3.0 option available; commercial licensing and hosted services may be offered separately.
Firezone—Apache-2.0 + Elastic License 2.0 componentsYesOpen-source and mixed-license components are available; hosted and enterprise services may be paid.
Defguard—AGPL core + Enterprise licenseYesAGPL core is self-hostable; Enterprise functionality and support may be paid.
WireGuard—GPL-2.0 for Linux kernel implementationYesFree and open source; coordination, routing, and infrastructure are your responsibility.

Which one should you choose?

Want the easiest ZeroTier-style mesh VPN

Tailscale provides simple onboarding, automatic NAT traversal, peer-to-peer WireGuard connections, MagicDNS, exit nodes, subnet routing, ACLs, and SSH.

Tailscale

Want a fully self-hosted mesh VPN

NetBird combines WireGuard, peer-to-peer tunnels, NAT traversal, management, SSO, MFA, policies, posture checks, DNS, and self-hosting.

NetBird

Want Tailscale clients with a self-hosted control plane

Headscale independently implements the Tailscale coordination protocol for homelabs and private networks.

Headscale

Want Zero Trust access to internal applications

Pangolin focuses on identity-aware application publishing, secure tunnels, policy management, and access behind NAT and firewalls.

Pangolin

Want WireGuard with identity and MFA

Defguard combines WireGuard with identity management, OpenID Connect, MFA, device management, and access policies.

Defguard

Want the smallest possible VPN stack

WireGuard provides a minimal, high-performance encrypted networking layer without a mandatory coordination service.

WireGuard
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