EasyTier vs Netmaker
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 | Netmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 93 · Excellent | 93 · Excellent |
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Rust | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, docker | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 13,789 | ★ 11,800 |
| First released | 2024 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Tailscale, ZeroTier | Tailscale, ZeroTier |
What are EasyTier and Netmaker?
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
Netmaker
Netmaker is an open-source platform for building and managing fast WireGuard-based virtual networks. It provides a self-hosted server and dashboard for connecting devices across locations.
- WireGuard mesh networks
- Self-hosted control server
- Web dashboard
- Site-to-site VPN
EasyTier vs Netmaker: key differences
EasyTier is written in Rust, while Netmaker is built with Go. EasyTier is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Netmaker. Netmaker 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 Netmaker if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 11.8k GitHub stars
- Written in Go
Frequently asked questions
Is EasyTier or Netmaker 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 Netmaker free and open-source?
Yes. EasyTier is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Netmaker under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run EasyTier and Netmaker with Docker?
EasyTier: yes. Netmaker: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, EasyTier or Netmaker?
EasyTier has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Netmaker. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.