Bastillion vs Warpgate
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted remote access & vpn options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Warpgate
Smart SSH, HTTPS and MySQL bastion host
| Feature | Bastillion | Warpgate |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 92 · Excellent |
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Java | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,551 | ★ 7,960 |
| First released | 2013 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Teleport, Termius | Teleport |
What are Bastillion and Warpgate?
Bastillion
Bastillion is an open-source, web-based SSH console that centrally manages access to systems and distributes SSH keys. It is self-hosted to provide audited, browser-based administrative access to servers.
- Web SSH console
- SSH key distribution
- Session auditing
- Multi-user access control
Warpgate
Warpgate is a smart, open-source bastion host for SSH, HTTPS, and MySQL that requires no client-side software. It records sessions and enforces multi-factor authentication.
- SSH, HTTPS, and MySQL bastion
- Session recording
- MFA support
- No client software needed
Bastillion vs Warpgate: key differences
Bastillion is written in Java, while Warpgate is built with Rust. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Bastillion versus Apache-2.0 for Warpgate. Warpgate is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Bastillion. Bastillion is the more established project (first released 2013), while Warpgate arrived in 2021. Warpgate has the considerably larger community, at 7,960 GitHub stars versus 3,551.
Why pick each one
Choose Bastillion if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3.6k GitHub stars)
- Written in Java
Choose Warpgate if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 8k GitHub stars
- Written in Rust
Frequently asked questions
Is Bastillion or Warpgate better?
Neither is universally better. Warpgate has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Bastillion and Warpgate free and open-source?
Yes. Bastillion is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Warpgate under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bastillion and Warpgate with Docker?
Bastillion: yes. Warpgate: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Bastillion or Warpgate?
Warpgate has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Bastillion. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.