Nebula vs ZeroTier
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted remote access & vpn options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
ZeroTier
Global virtual network for connecting devices anywhere
| Feature | Nebula | ZeroTier |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 95 · Excellent | 94 · Excellent |
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | MIT | BSL-1.1 |
| Language | Go | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal | binary, docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 18,381 | ★ 17,125 |
| First released | 2019 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Tailscale | Tailscale |
What are Nebula and ZeroTier?
Nebula
Nebula is an open-source overlay networking tool built for scalability and security, originally created at Slack. It uses a certificate-based model to connect hosts across the internet.
- Certificate-based identity
- Scales to large fleets
- Built-in firewall rules
- Cross-platform binaries
ZeroTier
ZeroTier creates secure virtual Ethernet networks that connect devices as if they were on the same LAN. The controller can be self-hosted for full control over your networks.
- Layer 2 virtual networks
- Self-hostable controller
- Cross-platform clients
- Peer-to-peer connectivity
Nebula vs ZeroTier: key differences
Nebula is written in Go, while ZeroTier is built with C++. Licensing differs — MIT for Nebula versus BSL-1.1 for ZeroTier. ZeroTier is the more established project (first released 2014), while Nebula arrived in 2019. ZeroTier lists first-class Docker deployment; Nebula does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Nebula if…
- Proven at Slack scale
- Lightweight and fast
- Fine-grained host firewalling
Watch out for
- Manual certificate management
- No management GUI
Choose ZeroTier if…
- Easy flat virtual networks
- Clients for every platform
- Self-hostable controller
Watch out for
- BSL license restrictions
- Controller setup involved
Frequently asked questions
Is Nebula or ZeroTier better?
Neither is universally better. Nebula has the larger community, while ZeroTier is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Nebula and ZeroTier free and open-source?
Yes. Nebula is licensed under MIT and ZeroTier under BSL-1.1. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Nebula and ZeroTier with Docker?
Nebula: check the project docs for container support. ZeroTier: yes.