JumpServer vs Warpgate
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted remote access & vpn options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
JumpServer
Open-source bastion host and PAM platform
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Warpgate
Smart SSH, HTTPS and MySQL bastion host
| Feature | JumpServer | Warpgate |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 98 · Excellent | 92 · Excellent |
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 31,596 | ★ 7,960 |
| First released | 2014 | 2021 |
| Replaces | CyberArk, Teleport | Teleport |
What are JumpServer and Warpgate?
JumpServer
JumpServer is an open-source privileged access management bastion host that audits and controls access to servers, databases, and cloud resources. It supports SSH, RDP, VNC, and more.
- Privileged access management
- Session auditing and recording
- Multi-protocol support
- Web-based access
Warpgate
Warpgate is a smart, open-source bastion host for SSH, HTTPS, and MySQL that requires no client-side software. It records sessions and enforces multi-factor authentication.
- SSH, HTTPS, and MySQL bastion
- Session recording
- MFA support
- No client software needed
JumpServer vs Warpgate: key differences
JumpServer is written in Python, while Warpgate is built with Rust. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for JumpServer versus Apache-2.0 for Warpgate. Warpgate is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 4,096 MB for JumpServer. JumpServer is the more established project (first released 2014), while Warpgate arrived in 2021. JumpServer has the considerably larger community, at 31,596 GitHub stars versus 7,960.
Why pick each one
Choose JumpServer if…
- Broad protocol support
- Full session auditing
- LDAP and SSO ready
Watch out for
- Heavy multi-component stack
- Docs partly in Chinese
Choose Warpgate if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 8k GitHub stars
- Written in Rust
Frequently asked questions
Is JumpServer or Warpgate better?
Neither is universally better. JumpServer has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are JumpServer and Warpgate free and open-source?
Yes. JumpServer is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Warpgate under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run JumpServer and Warpgate with Docker?
JumpServer: yes. Warpgate: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, JumpServer or Warpgate?
Warpgate has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 4,096 MB for JumpServer. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.