EasyTier vs n2n
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 | n2n |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 93 · Excellent | 71 · Good |
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Rust | C |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | binary, docker | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 13,772 | ★ 7,017 |
| First released | 2024 | 2008 |
| Replaces | Tailscale, ZeroTier | ZeroTier, Hamachi |
What are EasyTier and n2n?
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
n2n
n2n is an open-source layer-two peer-to-peer VPN that lets users build private encrypted networks across the internet. It uses a self-hosted supernode for peer discovery and NAT traversal.
- Layer-two VPN
- Peer-to-peer encryption
- Self-hosted supernode
- Cross-platform edges
EasyTier vs n2n: key differences
EasyTier is written in Rust, while n2n is built with C. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for EasyTier versus GPL-3.0 for n2n. N2n is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for EasyTier. N2n is the more established project (first released 2008), while EasyTier arrived in 2024. EasyTier lists first-class Docker deployment; n2n does not.
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 n2n if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Mature project with 7k GitHub stars
- Written in C
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is EasyTier or n2n 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 n2n free and open-source?
Yes. EasyTier is licensed under Apache-2.0 and n2n under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run EasyTier and n2n with Docker?
EasyTier: yes. n2n: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, EasyTier or n2n?
n2n has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for EasyTier. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.