EasyTier vs Firezone
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted remote access & vpn options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | EasyTier | Firezone |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 93 · Excellent | 92 · Excellent |
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Rust | Elixir |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | binary, docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 13,772 | ★ 9,104 |
| First released | 2024 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Tailscale, ZeroTier | Cisco AnyConnect, Tailscale |
What are EasyTier and Firezone?
EasyTier
EasyTier is an open-source, decentralized mesh VPN that connects devices across NATs without a central server. It supports multiple protocols and is fully self-hosted for private networking.
- Decentralized mesh
- NAT traversal
- Multi-protocol transport
- No central server
Firezone
Firezone is a self-hosted secure remote access platform built on WireGuard, offering zero-trust network access with policy-based controls. It replaces traditional corporate VPNs.
- Zero-trust access policies
- WireGuard under the hood
- SSO integration
- Web admin portal
EasyTier vs Firezone: key differences
EasyTier is written in Rust, while Firezone is built with Elixir. EasyTier is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Firezone. Firezone is the more established project (first released 2021), while EasyTier arrived in 2024.
Why pick each one
Choose EasyTier if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 13.8k GitHub stars
- Written in Rust
Choose Firezone if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 9.1k GitHub stars
- Written in Elixir
Frequently asked questions
Is EasyTier or Firezone better?
Neither is universally better. EasyTier has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are EasyTier and Firezone free and open-source?
Yes. EasyTier is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Firezone under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run EasyTier and Firezone with Docker?
EasyTier: yes. Firezone: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, EasyTier or Firezone?
EasyTier has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Firezone. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.