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Networking · head to head

Nebula vs ZeroTier

Nebula logo

Nebula

Networking

Certificate based overlay network from Slack, with identity and firewall rules carried in the certificate

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: Nebula the open source project has no user interface, no enrolment workflow and no revocation service, so certificate issuing, distribution and expiry become scripts you write and then have to keep working.; 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: Nebula covers Certificate carried identity, 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 Nebula and ZeroTier actually diverge.

Attributes where Nebula and ZeroTier differ
AttributeNebulaZeroTier
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeFree up to 10 devices and 1 network, then per additional device per month
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, FreeBSDWindows, 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 Nebula

  • Certificate carried identity
  • Group based host firewall
  • Lighthouse discovery
  • Noise protocol encryption
  • Unsafe routes
  • Managed option

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.

Nebula

  • Flattening a network across several clouds and datacentres without VPC peering or route tablesnot ZeroTier
  • Very large fleets where a central policy service on the connection path is unacceptablenot ZeroTier
  • Environments that already run an internal certificate authority and want the network to use itnot ZeroTier
  • Replacing per host iptables rules with policy written against roles that follow the hostnot ZeroTier

ZeroTier

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

Where each one falls short

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

Nebula

  • The open source project has no user interface, no enrolment workflow and no revocation service, so certificate issuing, distribution and expiry become scripts you write and then have to keep working.
  • Revoking a compromised host means distributing a blocklist entry to every other host and reloading them, which is a fleet wide operation rather than a click, and easy to get wrong under pressure.
  • Changing a host group membership means reissuing and redeploying its certificate, so policy changes are a deployment rather than a configuration edit.
  • There is no identity provider integration or single sign on in the open source version, so it maps well to servers and badly to a fleet of user laptops.
  • NAT traversal is best effort and hosts behind symmetric NAT need a relay configured deliberately, so connectivity failures show up as intermittent rather than immediate and are awkward to diagnose.

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

Nebula

Free
  • NebulaFree
    • Full functionality under the MIT licence
    • No host limit
    • You operate the certificate authority and lighthouses
  • Defined Networking$undefined/month
    • Hosted control plane and enrolment
    • Managed certificate lifecycle and revocation
    • Policy and DNS interface

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 Nebula if

  • You need certificate carried identity.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, FreeBSD.
  • You also want group based host firewall.
Nebula 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 Nebula or ZeroTier better?
Neither clearly leads. Nebula 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, Nebula or ZeroTier?
Nebula starts at Free and ZeroTier at Free.
Does Nebula or ZeroTier run on more platforms?
Nebula runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, FreeBSD. ZeroTier runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
Can I use Nebula for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Nebula best used for?
Nebula is most often used for flattening a network across several clouds and datacentres without vpc peering or route tables, very large fleets where a central policy service on the connection path is unacceptable, environments that already run an internal certificate authority and want the network to use it, replacing per host iptables rules with policy written against roles that follow the host. Of those, flattening a network across several clouds and datacentres without vpc peering or route tables and very large fleets where a central policy service on the connection path is unacceptable are not what ZeroTier is typically brought in for.
What can Nebula do that ZeroTier cannot?
Nebula covers Certificate carried identity, Group based host firewall, Lighthouse discovery, Noise protocol encryption. ZeroTier covers Peer-to-peer mesh networking, Free personal tier, Per-device overage pricing, Multiple networks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Nebula: Does it use WireGuard?

No. Nebula predates the common WireGuard mesh tools and uses the Noise protocol framework with its own certificate format.

ZeroTier: Is ZeroTier free for personal use?

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

Nebula: Can I run it without Defined Networking?

Yes, entirely. Defined Networking sells the control plane conveniences, not the network itself.

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.

Nebula: How do I revoke a host?

Add its certificate fingerprint to the blocklist in the configuration of the other hosts and reload them. There is no online revocation check.

ZeroTier: Is there a nonprofit or education discount?

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

Nebula: Is it a good fit for laptops?

Less so than the identity provider based tools. There is no single sign on, so every laptop needs a certificate issued and renewed by whatever process you build.

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