Boundary vs JumpServer
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Boundary
Identity-based secure access to systems and services
VS
JumpServer
Open-source bastion host and PAM platform
| Feature | Boundary | JumpServer |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Identity & SSO | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | BUSL-1.1 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 4,096 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, kubernetes |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,055 | ★ 31,230 |
| First released | 2020 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Teleport, StrongDM | CyberArk, Teleport |
Why pick each one
Choose Boundary if…
- Released under the BUSL-1.1 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.1k GitHub stars)
- Written in Go
Choose JumpServer if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 31.2k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Boundary or JumpServer better?
Neither is universally better. JumpServer has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Boundary and JumpServer free and open-source?
Yes. Boundary is licensed under BUSL-1.1 and JumpServer under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Boundary and JumpServer with Docker?
Boundary: yes. JumpServer: yes.