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Networking · head to head

HiveMQ vs ZeroTier

HiveMQ logo

HiveMQ

Networking

Enterprise MQTT broker for industrial IoT with a published self-managed price list

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ZeroTier logo

ZeroTier

Networking

Software-defined mesh networking, free up to 10 devices and one network, then billed per device

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: HiveMQ the Community Edition lacks clustering, persistence extensions, the control centre and all enterprise bridges, so a prototype built on it does not become production by buying support.; ZeroTier the free tier caps at 10 devices and 1 network, which a small business will outgrow quickly and then face both a base plan fee and per-device overage charges
  • They diverge on capability: HiveMQ covers MQTT 5 and 3.1.1, ZeroTier covers Peer-to-peer mesh networking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HiveMQ and ZeroTier actually diverge.

Attributes where HiveMQ and ZeroTier differ
AttributeHiveMQZeroTier
Pricing modelPer month by connections and throughputFree up to 10 devices and 1 network, then per additional device per month
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, WebWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Networking).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in HiveMQ

  • MQTT 5 and 3.1.1
  • Native clustering
  • Data Hub
  • Extension framework
  • Enterprise bridges
  • Control centre

Only in ZeroTier

  • Peer-to-peer mesh networking
  • Free personal tier
  • Per-device overage pricing
  • Multiple networks
  • Cross-platform clients

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

HiveMQ

  • A connected vehicle fleet where devices drop off the network for hours and sessions must survivenot ZeroTier
  • An industrial plant bridging MQTT telemetry into Kafka without writing and operating the bridgenot ZeroTier
  • A utility that needs message-level schema validation so one faulty firmware release cannot corrupt the data lakenot ZeroTier
  • An IoT project that needs a self-managed broker price for a budget submission without entering a sales processnot ZeroTier

ZeroTier

  • A hobbyist or small home lab wanting free virtual LAN connectivity across devices without a business tiernot HiveMQ
  • A small business connecting a handful of remote offices or remote workers into one virtual network on the Essential plannot HiveMQ
  • A growing company scaling past the free device limit that needs multiple networks and predictable per-device overage pricingnot HiveMQ
  • A service provider or large IoT deployer needing custom Enterprise or Quantum packaging for very large device countsnot HiveMQ

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

HiveMQ

  • The Community Edition lacks clustering, persistence extensions, the control centre and all enterprise bridges, so a prototype built on it does not become production by buying support.
  • The entry commercial tiers cap at ten thousand connections, and device fleets grow, so the step to Enterprise capacity pricing arrives sooner than most projects plan for.
  • It is a JVM application, so memory tuning and garbage collection behaviour become the operator’s problem at high connection counts, unlike the C-based brokers in this space.
  • Extensions are written in Java against HiveMQ’s SPI, which means custom authentication logic is locked to the platform and cannot move to another broker.
  • For simple use cases it is substantially heavier and more expensive than Mosquitto or EMQX, and small deployments frequently pay enterprise prices for clustering they never use.

ZeroTier

  • The free tier caps at 10 devices and 1 network, which a small business will outgrow quickly and then face both a base plan fee and per-device overage charges
  • Per-additional-device pricing on Essential ($2.00 each) is proportionally expensive for a team that grows just past the included count, since the jump from free to paid is immediate once the 11th device joins
  • Relay fallback, when a direct peer-to-peer path cannot be established (common behind certain NAT or firewall configurations), routes traffic through ZeroTier's infrastructure, adding latency and a dependency the buyer does not fully control
  • Enterprise and Quantum tiers are entirely custom-quoted, so very large deployments cannot be budgeted from the public pricing page
  • Network administration for larger deployments (Scale and above) still requires understanding ZeroTier's access control and network rule model, which has a real learning curve beyond simple device joining
  • As with any software-defined mesh network, security depends on correctly configured network authorization; a misconfigured network can expose devices more broadly than intended

Pricing, plan by plan

HiveMQ

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Apache 2.0 licence
    • MQTT 3.1.1 and 5 support
    • Single broker, no clustering
  • Launch$299/month
    • Ten thousand connections
    • Five hundred messages per second
    • Single broker deployment
  • Run$499/month
    • Ten thousand connections
    • One thousand messages per second
    • Single broker deployment
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Priced by connections and throughput
    • Multi-broker and multi-site deployments
    • Distributed data intelligence

ZeroTier

Free
  • PersonalFree
    • 10 devices included
    • 1 network
  • Essential$18/month
    • 10 devices included
    • 10 networks
    • $2.00 per additional device/month
  • Scale$179/month
    • 100 devices included
    • Unlimited networks
    • $1.80 per additional device/month

Which should you pick?

Choose HiveMQ if

  • You need mqtt 5 and 3.1.1.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Web.
  • You also want native clustering.
HiveMQ review

Choose ZeroTier if

  • You need peer-to-peer mesh networking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
  • You also want free personal tier.
ZeroTier review

Questions people ask

Is HiveMQ or ZeroTier better?
Neither clearly leads. HiveMQ starts at Free and ZeroTier at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HiveMQ or ZeroTier?
HiveMQ starts at Free and ZeroTier at Free.
Does HiveMQ or ZeroTier run on more platforms?
HiveMQ runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Web. ZeroTier runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
Can I use HiveMQ for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is HiveMQ best used for?
HiveMQ is most often used for a connected vehicle fleet where devices drop off the network for hours and sessions must survive, an industrial plant bridging mqtt telemetry into kafka without writing and operating the bridge, a utility that needs message-level schema validation so one faulty firmware release cannot corrupt the data lake, an iot project that needs a self-managed broker price for a budget submission without entering a sales process. Of those, a connected vehicle fleet where devices drop off the network for hours and sessions must survive and an industrial plant bridging mqtt telemetry into kafka without writing and operating the bridge are not what ZeroTier is typically brought in for.
What can HiveMQ do that ZeroTier cannot?
HiveMQ covers MQTT 5 and 3.1.1, Native clustering, Data Hub, Extension framework. ZeroTier covers Peer-to-peer mesh networking, Free personal tier, Per-device overage pricing, Multiple networks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HiveMQ: Is HiveMQ free?

The Community Edition is Apache 2.0 and free, but it has no clustering and none of the enterprise extensions.

ZeroTier: Is ZeroTier free for personal use?

Yes, the Personal plan is free for up to 10 devices and 1 network.

HiveMQ: What does the commercial version cost?

Self-managed Launch is 299 US dollars a month for ten thousand connections; Run is 499 with higher throughput.

ZeroTier: How does overage pricing work?

Beyond a plan's included device count, additional devices are billed individually per month, at $2.00 each on Essential and $1.80 each on Scale.

HiveMQ: Does it support MQTT 5?

Yes, both MQTT 5 and 3.1.1, including shared subscriptions and session expiry intervals.

ZeroTier: Is there a nonprofit or education discount?

Yes, registered charities and educational organisations receive up to 50% off.

HiveMQ: Can it bridge into Kafka?

Yes, via a commercial enterprise extension, not in the Community Edition.

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