TL;DR

Looking for free alternatives to ZeroTier? Here are the best open source and free options for Mac.

PublishedJanuary 1, 2026•UpdatedAugust 10, 2026

What is the best free alternative to ZeroTier?

The best free alternative to ZeroTier ($18/month) is Tailscale. Install Tailscale with Homebrew: brew install --cask tailscale-app.

Free Alternative to ZeroTier

Save $18/month with these 1 free alternatives that work great on macOS.

ZeroTier ($18/month)

FREE alternatives below

Our Top Pick

Tailscale

FREE

Mesh VPN based on WireGuard

brew install --cask tailscale-app

View Details Official Website

Why we recommend it:

Completely free to use
Easy one-command installation

Quick Comparison

Comparison of ZeroTier and free alternatives
App	Price	Open Source	Category
ZeroTier	$18/month	No	—
Tailscale	Free	No	Security & Privacy

Best Free Alternatives to ZeroTier for Mac

ZeroTier still makes mesh networking feel simple, but the pricing that arrived in late 2024 has held into August 2026. Free Personal is 10 devices on one network. Essential is $18 per month for 10 devices and $2 for each extra device. Scale is $179 per month for 100 devices and $1.80 for each extra, all listed on zerotier.com/pricing.

Tailscale is the usual free swap for most Mac users. Its Personal plan is free and includes unlimited devices for your user, up to six users, and around 50 tagged resources to start. It is built on WireGuard and ships a polished macOS app you install with `brew install --cask tailscale-app`, version 1.102.x in this check. If you want no vendor control plane at all, `wireguard-tools` from Homebrew gives you the WireGuard protocol directly. You get speed and a small codebase, but you handle NAT traversal and key distribution yourself.

The difference matters. ZeroTier emulates an L2 Ethernet segment and has specific stories for IoT and air gapped networks that do not map one to one to Tailscale's WireGuard model. If you already run ZeroTier Central for hundreds of devices or you rely on those topology tricks, moving has a cost. For a homelab or a small team of up to six people, Tailscale usually removes that $18 Essential bill.

Detailed Alternative Reviews

Tailscale

WireGuard-based mesh VPN with generous free tier

brew install --cask tailscale-app

Tailscale is the usual free replacement for ZeroTier on Mac in August 2026. Personal gives you unlimited devices for your user, up to six users, about 50 tagged resources, MagicDNS, exit nodes and SSO with Google, GitHub or Microsoft. Install the native client with `brew install --cask tailscale-app`, checked here as 1.102.2. Traffic runs peer to peer over WireGuard and the coordination plane handles keys and discovery. Paid Standard starts around $8 per user per month when you need more than six users. Compared with ZeroTier the trust model is different, identity provider instead of ZeroTier crypto IDs, and a self hosted control plane on the free path means running Headscale yourself, which is extra work to operate.

Key Features:

Free Personal plan with unlimited devices for your user and up to six users
Built on WireGuard for good performance and a small audited codebase
MagicDNS gives short hostnames to every device on the tailnet
Exit nodes let you route traffic through any device as a gateway
Built in SSH replaces port forwarding for remote access
Native Apple Silicon app that runs well on M series Macs
NAT traversal without manual firewall rules for most networks
SSO through Google, Microsoft, GitHub, Okta and others

Limitations:

• Free plan stops at six users, larger teams need a paid plan
• No self hosted control plane included in the free plan
• Coordination relies on Tailscale servers, even though traffic stays peer to peer
• MagicDNS means trusting Tailscale DNS for name resolution

Best for: People who want a free mesh VPN for personal use, homelabs, remote access to a home server and small teams of up to six that need multi device connectivity without a monthly fee

WireGuard

Bare-metal VPN protocol without a mesh SaaS bill

brew install --cask wireguard-tools

WireGuard is the protocol under Tailscale and a free direct option when you do not want any mesh vendor in the middle. Install the user space tools with `brew install wireguard-tools`, current as of this 2026 check. You define peers, keys and endpoints yourself or run your own broker. Performance and auditability are strong. What you give up is the automation that ZeroTier and Tailscale add, such as automatic NAT traversal, MagicDNS and hosted SSO. For a two node tunnel between a Mac and a VPS it is ideal. For a 30 device roaming mesh it is operational work.

Key Features:

Small audited codebase that is easy to review
High throughput on Apple Silicon with low CPU use
No per device SaaS fee to pay
Available as the Homebrew formula wireguard-tools
Works with macOS Network Extension clients
Connects to peers on any platform that speaks WireGuard
Simple modern cryptography
Configuration you can script and version control

Limitations:

• No automatic mesh discovery as with ZeroTier or Tailscale
• You handle keys, IPs and NAT traversal yourself
• No hosted MagicDNS or ACL console

Best for: Admins who want a free point to point or small static VPN and want to avoid ZeroTier Essential pricing

Which Alternative is Right for You?

Personal Homelab with Multiple Devices

Tailscale fits homelabs well. Personal is free for up to six users and does not cap your user devices, while ZeroTier free stops at 10 devices and one network. You can put your Mac, NAS, Raspberry Pi and a couple of VPS hosts on one tailnet without paying.

Remote Access to Home Network While Traveling

Both can do remote access, but Tailscale includes an exit node feature. You flag one device at home as an exit node and route all traffic from a laptop on hotel WiFi through it. With ZeroTier you configure that forwarding yourself. On the free tier Tailscale already includes this.

Small Team of Developers (7+ people)

Once you pass six users, both need a paid plan. Tailscale Standard is around $8 per user per month. ZeroTier Essential is $18 per month for 10 devices plus $2 per extra device. Work out whether your cost is driven by users or by device count and pick the cheaper model for your shape.

Gaming Network for Friends

For a small gaming group, Tailscale Personal covers up to six users without a fee. WireGuard underneath tends to give lower latency and quicker reconnection after sleep than ZeroTier's protocol, so games and voice chat feel snappier. No port forwarding for most titles.

IoT Device Deployment (50+ devices)

If you need 50 plus devices, Tailscale Personal does not charge per device. ZeroTier Essential would bill $18 plus $2 for each device beyond 10, so 50 devices would be well over $100 per month. For device heavy IoT that difference is about $2,500 per year at current pricing.

Enterprise with Strict Compliance Requirements

At enterprise scale compare paid tiers directly. Tailscale offers device posture checks, audit logging and SAML SSO. ZeroTier Enterprise keeps more network control on your side. Both are custom priced at that level, so run a short pilot of each with your compliance checklist.

Migration Tips

Exporting ZeroTier Network Configuration

Before you move anything, record your ZeroTier network settings. Open ZeroTier Central and export the member list with assigned IPs. If you have flow rules, take screenshots or copy the rule text. You will use that list to recreate the IP scheme or the ACL policy on the other side.

Setting Up Tailscale Exit Nodes

If you use ZeroTier to send traffic through a specific host, do the same with a Tailscale exit node. On the host you want as a gateway run tailscale up --advertise-exit-node. On the clients run tailscale up --exit-node=<hostname> to send traffic through it. This replaces the default gateway setting in ZeroTier.

Migrating DNS Dependencies

ZeroTier leans on IPs such as 192.168.192.x. Tailscale MagicDNS replaces that with stable hostnames like macbook.tail1234.ts.net that survive IP changes. Update any scripts, bookmarks or config files that hard code ZeroTier IPs to use those hostnames instead.

Handling ACL Policy Migration

ZeroTier flow rules do not paste directly into Tailscale ACLs. Tailscale uses a JSON policy file written in HuJSON, which allows comments. Start with a permit all policy and tighten it step by step, using the ACL test tool in the admin console to check each change. Keep comments that explain intent.

Device-by-Device Cutover Strategy

Move one device at a time. Tailscale and ZeroTier use different virtual interfaces, Tailscale on utun and ZeroTier on zt, so both can run together without conflict. Install Tailscale next to ZeroTier, confirm you can reach the services you need, then disable ZeroTier on that device before moving to the next.

Quick comparison

Feature	ZeroTier	Tailscale	WireGuard DIY
Free devices	10 (Personal)	Unlimited user devices	Unlimited (self-managed)
Free users/networks	1 network	Up to 6 users	N/A
Paid entry	$18/mo Essential (+$2/device)	~$8/user/mo Standard	$0
Protocol	ZeroTier VL2	WireGuard	WireGuard
NAT traversal	Built-in	Built-in	Manual/UPnP/own broker
Mac install	`brew cask zerotier-one 1.16.2`	`brew cask tailscale-app 1.102.x`	`brew wireguard-tools`
SSO	OIDC on paid/higher tiers	Yes on Personal providers	DIY
Best for	Existing ZT topologies / L2 needs	Homelab & small teams free	Simple static tunnels

The verdict

Top pick

Tailscale

It gives you unlimited devices for your user and up to six users free, with MagicDNS, exit nodes and WireGuard performance. For personal use and small teams that is enough to avoid ZeroTier Essential at $18 per month and still get built in SSH and NAT traversal.

Full review

Runner-up

WireGuard

Pick raw WireGuard when you only need a few fixed peers and you do not want any coordination service. For a mesh with many roaming devices Tailscale saves a lot of manual work.

Bottom line

ZeroTier free is 10 devices on one network, Essential is $18 per month. Tailscale Personal is free for up to six users with no device cap. Raw WireGuard is free and hands on. Pay for ZeroTier only when you need its specific L2 topology or you already run it at scale.

Frequently Asked Questions

is tailscale completely free for personal use

Yes. Tailscale Personal is free and does not expire. You get up to six users and unlimited devices for each user, plus MagicDNS, exit nodes and built in SSH. You miss some enterprise controls such as SAML SSO and device posture, which sit on paid plans. For a single person or a small household the free tier is generous and avoids the $18 per month that ZeroTier charges for its Essential tier.

can i use tailscale to replace zerotier for my homelab

Yes, and for most homelabs it is an improvement. Personal has no device cap, unlike ZeroTier at 10 devices, so you can add Macs, a NAS, Raspberry Pis and cloud VMs without counting. WireGuard gives good throughput for Plex, file shares or game servers. Subnet routing lets one tailnet node advertise a whole local range, so printers or cameras that cannot run Tailscale are still reachable. MagicDNS removes the need to track IPs by hand.

why did zerotier change their pricing in 2025

ZeroTier moved to usage based pricing in late 2024 and early 2025 and cut the free tier. Before that, free covered up to 10 devices in a more generous way. Current free is 10 devices on one network, and serious use pushes you to Essential at $18 per month. The company said the change was needed to sustain the service. Holders kept old entitlements for a while, but new users felt the lower limits right away.

is wireguard better than zerotier's protocol

WireGuard has clear technical advantages for most people. The codebase is about 4,000 lines, it has been audited and verified, and it is in the Linux kernel. That small surface is easier to review than ZeroTier's larger stack. Benchmarks usually show WireGuard with lower latency and higher throughput. ZeroTier still handles certain multi network overlays differently, so if you rely on those L2 behaviors you should test before you switch.

can i run tailscale and zerotier at the same time

Yes. They use different virtual interfaces, Tailscale on utun and ZeroTier on zt, so there is no conflict. Many people run both during a move. Keep ZeroTier up, add Tailscale, check that the routes and DNS you need work, then remove ZeroTier device by device. A few users keep both long term to bridge different segments, but that adds complexity you can usually avoid.

does tailscale have a device limit like zerotier

No on Personal. Tailscale does not cap devices for your user. ZeroTier charges $2 for each device beyond the 10 included in Essential. With Tailscale you can connect 10 devices or 100 without a fee. The cap that does exist is users, six on the free plan. For homelabs with many VMs, containers and boards that model is much cheaper.

is tailscale secure for sensitive data

Tailscale is built around WireGuard's ChaCha20 Poly1305 encryption and end to end keys that never leave your devices. Coordination servers handle auth and key exchange, they do not see traffic or private keys. The code is open and has been audited. On paid plans you can add device posture checks, require 2FA through your SSO provider and enforce ACLs. Several security sensitive teams use it in production.

what happens if tailscale's servers go down

Servers handle coordination, not the data plane. Once tunnels are up, traffic flows peer to peer between your devices, so an outage does not drop existing connections. You cannot add new devices or change policy until the service returns, but what is already connected stays up. For infrastructure that cannot accept that dependency, Tailscale offers a self hosted alternative on the enterprise plan, and the community project Headscale provides a self hosted control server for advanced operators.

can i self host tailscale like i can with zerotier

There is a community project called Headscale that hosts the Tailscale control plane, but it is not an official Tailscale product and it needs operational care. ZeroTier's core is open source in a more straightforward way. Unless you are comfortable running that control plane yourself, most people are better off using Tailscale's hosted service, which cannot decrypt traffic by design.

will i notice performance differences between tailscale and zerotier

Most people do. WireGuard's ChaCha20 is fast on mobile CPUs without AES acceleration, so battery life on laptops and phones is often better. Throughput tests usually show WireGuard saturating a gigabit link with lower CPU than ZeroTier's protocol. Connection after wake from sleep is also quicker. Tailscale tends to reconnect almost instantly, while ZeroTier can take a few seconds to find a new path. For games or remote desktop that difference is noticeable.

Related Technologies & Concepts

ZeroTierTailscaleWireGuardMesh VPNRemote AccessHomelabNAT TraversalMagicDNSExit Node

Sources & References

1
zerotier.comZeroTier pricing
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
Source excerpt
Free 10 devices; Essential $18/mo; Scale $179/mo
2
zerotier.crisp.helpZeroTier pricing KB
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
Source excerpt
Free tier for personal/testing; paid for business scale
3
tailscale.comTailscale pricing
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
Source excerpt
Personal: free, unlimited user devices, up to 6 users
4
tailscale.comTailscale pricing update
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
Source excerpt
Personal plan expanded; Personal Plus retired
5
formulae.brew.shHomebrew Tailscale
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
Source excerpt
tailscale-app cask
6
formulae.brew.shHomebrew ZeroTier
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
Source excerpt
zerotier-one 1.16.2
7
wireguard.comWireGuard
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
Source excerpt
Open VPN protocol
8
formulae.brew.shHomebrew wireguard-tools
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
Source excerpt
wireguard-tools formula

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About the Author

Sam Patel

Security & Privacy Researcher

Security SoftwarePrivacy ToolsNetwork Security

Sam Patel is a cybersecurity professional specializing in application security, privacy tools, and secure software practices. With over 9 years in information security—including roles at security firms and as an independent consultant—Sam evaluates applications for security vulnerabilities, data handling practices, and privacy implications.

9+ years in cybersecurity · CISSP certified