JumpServer vs Outline Server
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?
JumpServer
Open-source bastion host and PAM platform
VS
Outline Server
Self-hosted Shadowsocks-based access server
| Feature | JumpServer | Outline Server |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Python | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 31,230 | ★ 6,243 |
| First released | 2014 | 2018 |
| Replaces | CyberArk, Teleport | NordVPN |
Why pick each one
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
Choose Outline Server if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 6.2k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is JumpServer or Outline Server better?
Neither is universally better. JumpServer has the larger community, while Outline Server is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are JumpServer and Outline Server free and open-source?
Yes. JumpServer is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Outline Server under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run JumpServer and Outline Server with Docker?
JumpServer: yes. Outline Server: yes.