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VPN & Secure Access Tools

Best Self-Hosted Zerotier Alternatives in 2026

ZeroTier is a software-defined networking platform that creates encrypted virtual networks connecting devices anywhere.

3 Self-Hosted Alternatives to Zerotier

Headscale

37K

An open source, self-hosted implementation of the Tailscale control server.

networking BSD-3-Clause

Firezone

8.5K

Released under Apache-2.0, Firezone provides replace your VPN on self-hosted infrastructure.

security Apache-2.0

Defguard

2.7K

For authentication & SSO, Defguard is a self-hosted solution that provides enterprise-grade VPN solution combining WireGuard.

security

Why Look for Zerotier Alternatives?

ZeroTier is a software-defined networking platform that creates encrypted virtual networks connecting devices anywhere.

Self-hosted alternatives give you full data ownership, predictable costs, and zero vendor lock-in. You run the software on your own infrastructure and control everything.

3 Best Open-Source Alternatives to Zerotier

Firezone

Enterprise-ready zero-trust access platform using WireGuard®. — 8,519 GitHub stars. Licensed under Apache-2.0.

Read full Firezone review

Defguard

Enterprise, fast, secure VPN & SSO platform with support for hardware keys and 2FA/MFA — 2,644 GitHub stars. Licensed under Custom.

Read full Defguard review

Headscale

Open-source, self-hosted Tailscale control server. — 36,478 GitHub stars. Licensed under BSD-3-Clause.

Read full Headscale review

Why Self-Host Instead of Zerotier?

  • Data ownership. Your data stays on your server, not on Zerotier’s infrastructure.
  • Predictable costs. Pay a fixed VPS cost instead of growing per-user or per-usage fees.
  • No vendor lock-in. Export and migrate your data anytime. You control the database.
  • GDPR and compliance. Hosting your own tools simplifies data residency and compliance requirements.

Why teams switch from Zerotier

  • → Data ownership. Your data stays on your server -- not on Zerotier's infrastructure.
  • → Predictable costs. Pay a fixed VPS cost instead of growing per-user or per-usage fees.
  • → No vendor lock-in. Export and migrate your data anytime. You control the database.
  • → GDPR and compliance. Hosting your own tools simplifies data residency and compliance requirements.

Head-to-Head Comparisons

Headscale vs Netbird

Both Headscale and Netbird are strong open-source options in the networking space. Headscale has 36k GitHub stars and Netbird has 24k. Compare their features, deployment, and community to choose the right fit for your needs.

Browse more Security & Authentication tools

Explore 159 open-source security & authentication tools you can self-host.

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Read Full Reviews

Headscale Review → Firezone Review → Defguard Review →