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ZeroTier

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)

Open Source
Commercial Vendor
Free Tier
Paid Plans
Paid Plans
Paid Plans
Self-hosted
OpenMSP Score
74
84
Reddit Impact Score
Github Score
219M
16KStars
1KForks
6KCommits
OtherLicense
Mar 19, 2026Last commit

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Todyl
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Cisco Duo Beyond
ZeroTier is a smart programmable Ethernet switch for planet Earth. It allows all networked devices, VMs, containers, and applications to communicate as if they all reside in the same physical data center or cloud region. This is accomplished by combining a cryptographically addressed and secure peer-to-peer network with an Ethernet emulation layer. ZeroTier includes advanced enterprise SDN features like fine-grained access control rules for network micro-segmentation and security monitoring. All traffic is encrypted end-to-end using secret keys that only you control, with most traffic flowing peer-to-peer for optimal performance.
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Key Features

Software-Defined Networking

Create global private networks with secure network overlay. Connect devices as if they are on the same LAN regardless of physical location.

Peer-to-Peer Architecture

Direct encrypted connections between devices for optimal performance. Most traffic flows P2P without routing through central servers.

Zero Trust Security

256-bit end-to-end encryption with cryptographic addressing. Fine-grained access control rules for network micro-segmentation.

Cross-Platform Support

Works on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, iOS, Android, and more. Available for routers and embedded devices.

Easy Deployment

Deploy in minutes with no expensive hardware, manual setup, or complex configurations. Simple web-based management interface.

Multi-Use Cases

Perfect for IoT connectivity, SD-WAN deployments, VPN replacement, remote access, cloud backplane, and edge computing.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Easy Setup

Simple installation and network configuration. Works out of the box in minutes without complex VPN configuration.

Open Source Core

Transparent codebase (BSL 1.1 license) with active community support. Over 15,900 GitHub stars.

Excellent Performance

Low latency peer-to-peer connections provide optimal performance compared to traditional VPNs.

Flexible Pricing

Free tier for personal use, usage-based pricing for businesses. Only pay for devices you use.

Platform Agnostic

Works across virtually all platforms and devices. Available for routers, embedded systems, mobile devices.

Cons

Learning Curve for Advanced Features

While basic setup is easy, advanced networking concepts and custom rules may be complex for non-technical users.

Free Tier Limitations

Basic free tier limited to 10 devices and 3 networks, which may not be sufficient for larger home labs or testing.

NAT Traversal Challenges

Some firewall and symmetric NAT configurations may prevent direct P2P connections, falling back to slower relay servers.

Cloud Management Dependency

Default configuration requires cloud-based management at my.zerotier.com. Self-hosting requires additional setup.

Limited Enterprise Features

Some enterprise-level features like advanced monitoring and integration options may require custom development.

Feature Comparison

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