What is ZeroTier used for?

ZeroTier is a peer-to-peer virtual network that lets devices, VMs and containers communicate as if they were on the same local network. It is a good fit for connecting remote machines as one virtual LAN and segmenting networks with access rules.

Is ZeroTier open source?

Yes. ZeroTier is open source under a custom licence. Its source code is on GitHub at zerotier/ZeroTierOne and is written mainly in C++.

Yes. ZeroTier is open source, so the software itself is free to use under the terms of its own licence. A managed cloud version is also available, with paid plans from $18 per month.

Can I self-host ZeroTier?

Yes. ZeroTier can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.

What is ZeroTier an alternative to?

ZeroTier is an open-source alternative to Tailscale, Twingate and NordLayer. Other open-source alternatives to Tailscale include NetBird, OpenVPN and Netmaker.

Is ZeroTier actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to ZeroTier was on 3 September 2026, and the latest release is 1.16.2, published on 28 May 2026. The project has 17k stars on GitHub.

ZeroTier: open-source alternative to Tailscale, Twingate

About ZeroTier

ZeroTier describes itself as a programmable Ethernet switch for the planet. It lets networked devices, virtual machines, containers and applications communicate as if they were located in the same data center or cloud region, no matter where they actually are. The client is written in C++.

It combines an encrypted peer-to-peer network layer, called VL1, with an Ethernet emulation layer, called VL2, that works somewhat like VXLAN. The virtualization layer includes enterprise SDN features such as fine-grained access control rules for micro-segmentation and security monitoring. Traffic is encrypted end to end with keys the user controls, and most of it flows directly between peers, with free but slow relaying for cases where a direct connection cannot be made.

Android and iOS apps are available free of charge from the app stores. Most of the code sits under a Mozilla Public License file, while parts of the repository are marked as non-free, source-available code, which is why the repository lists the license as 'Other'. The vendor also offers a network controller, a service API and commercial support.

Key features

Peer-to-peer virtual Ethernet networking
End-to-end encrypted traffic
Access control rules for micro-segmentation
Relay fallback when direct links fail
Apps for Android and iOS
Network controller and service API

Good fit for

→Connecting remote machines as one virtual LAN
→Segmenting networks with access rules

Built with: C++
Tags: vpn; sd-wan; networking; peer-to-peer; virtual-network; sdn; encryption; decentralization

ZeroTier: questions and answers

What is ZeroTier used for?: ZeroTier is a peer-to-peer virtual network that lets devices, VMs and containers communicate as if they were on the same local network. It is a good fit for connecting remote machines as one virtual LAN and segmenting networks with access rules.
Is ZeroTier open source?: Yes. ZeroTier is open source under a custom licence. Its source code is on GitHub at zerotier/ZeroTierOne and is written mainly in C++.
Is ZeroTier free?: Yes. ZeroTier is open source, so the software itself is free to use under the terms of its own licence. A managed cloud version is also available, with paid plans from $18 per month.
Can I self-host ZeroTier?: Yes. ZeroTier can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.
What is ZeroTier an alternative to?: ZeroTier is an open-source alternative to Tailscale, Twingate and NordLayer. Other open-source alternatives to Tailscale include NetBird, OpenVPN and Netmaker.
Is ZeroTier actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to ZeroTier was on 3 September 2026, and the latest release is 1.16.2, published on 28 May 2026. The project has 17k stars on GitHub.