Headplane vs JumpServer
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted remote access & vpn options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Headplane
Advanced web UI and control panel for Headscale
VS
JumpServer
Open-source bastion host and PAM platform
| Feature | Headplane | JumpServer |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | MPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 4,096 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, kubernetes |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,831 | ★ 31,230 |
| First released | 2024 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Tailscale Admin Console | CyberArk, Teleport |
Why pick each one
Choose Headplane if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2.8k GitHub stars)
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 Headplane or JumpServer better?
Neither is universally better. JumpServer has the larger community, while Headplane is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Headplane and JumpServer free and open-source?
Yes. Headplane is licensed under MPL-2.0 and JumpServer under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Headplane and JumpServer with Docker?
Headplane: yes. JumpServer: yes.