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Should I use ZeroTier?

Simple SD-WAN and Zero Trust Access - zerotier.com

Depends. Buy if you're a self-hoster, MSP, or IoT team connecting devices you control — setup is easy and the free tier works. Trial Tailscale or NetBird first if you need price stability, SSO without a Business plan, or enterprise support.

Confidence

Medium. Based on ~14 public sources; most review snippets were truncated in capture.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityNo support evidence in sources.
  • Security posture

Pricing

Free

Basic

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
Business$49/month (user-reported)

Best for

  • Self-hosters accessing homelabs remotely
  • IoT and smart-building fleets
  • MSPs managing client networks
  • Small distributed teams linking devices

Not for

  • Non-technical teams wanting zero-config access (Guess: Tailscale is simpler)
  • Enterprises needing SLAs and compliance certifications (Guess)
  • Anyone counting on the free tier staying generous
  • Buyers who hate pricing surprises

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Multiple 2021 vulnerabilities reportedly exposed private networks; keep clients updated.

medium

2024 pricing change shrank the free tier; HN commenters pushed back hard.

medium

SSO requires Business plan; one user reported paying $49/month.

medium

Series A startup; expect product and pricing direction to keep shifting.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Easy installation, praised in G2 and Capterra reviews
  • Free Basic plan covers personal remote access
  • Peer-to-peer connections; no port forwarding needed
  • Apps for iOS, Android, desktop; router support
  • Named Cyber Security Solution of the Year 2026

Cons

  • 2021 disclosure: multiple vulnerabilities led to private network access
  • 2024 pricing change tightened free tier limits
  • SSO locked behind paid Business plan
  • Users report slow transfer speeds on some remote setups
  • Pricing and revenue-model churn erodes early-user trust

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/25/2026 - 10 sources - Strong encryption claims and a 2026 security award, but multiple vulnerabilities were publicly disclosed in 2021.

official x1review x5security x2news x2
  • Multiple vulnerabilities (2021), Hacker News thread reports multiple vulnerabilities leading to private network access.
  • Abuse as covert channel, Researchers describe detecting attackers using ZeroTier as a backdoor-style access channel; abuse risk, not a product flaw.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 2/5

    Rating

  • Free

    Starting price

  • 10

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 2/5. Free tier shrank; users angered by pricing changes.
  • Ease of use: 4/5. Reviewers praise easy installation.
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Full SD-WAN, zero-trust, peer-to-peer mesh features.
  • Support quality. No support evidence in sources.
  • Security posture: 3/5. Strong encryption claims; 2021 vulnerability disclosures.
  • $13.5M Funding Series A, July 2024
  • Yes Free tier Basic plan, limited
  • $49/month Paid plan user-reported on Reddit
  • iOS, Android, desktop Platforms plus routers and NAS

Pricing

Basic

Free

  • Managed networks via ZeroTier Central
  • Enough for personal/homelab use

Business

$49/month (user-reported)

  • SSO included
  • More networks and members

Security

Strong encryption claims and a 2026 security award, but multiple vulnerabilities were publicly disclosed in 2021.

  • Multiple vulnerabilities (2021)Hacker News thread reports multiple vulnerabilities leading to private network access.²
  • Abuse as covert channelResearchers describe detecting attackers using ZeroTier as a backdoor-style access channel; abuse risk, not a product flaw.

What users say

Users praise easy setup and free peer-to-peer access but are vocal about 2024 pricing changes and paywalled SSO.

“I've been paying $49/mon...”
Reddit, r/zerotier
“ZeroTier is an easier al...”
Reddit, r/selfhosted
“Users commend the easy i...”
G2 reviews

Companies that use it

  • Metropolis
  • Forest Rock
  • Active Silicon
Full analysis

Based on ~14 public sources; most review snippets were truncated in capture.

Solid free mesh VPN for homelabs and IoT; 2024 pricing changes push growing teams toward Tailscale.

Methodology

Based on ~14 public sources; most review snippets were truncated in capture.

Sources

  1. ZeroTier raises $13.5Mtechcrunch.com
    news
  2. Zerotier – multiple vulnerabilities lead to private network accessnews.ycombinator.com
    security
  3. ZeroTier Security docsdocs.zerotier.com
    security
  4. ZeroTier and pricing changesreddit.com
    review
  5. ZeroTier One Reviewsg2.com
    review
  6. ZeroTier Pricing Planszerotier.com
    official
  7. Trustpilot reviews of zerotier.comtrustpilot.com
    review
  8. Has anyone been contacted by a sales repreddit.com
    review
  9. Awfully slow transfer speeds over ZeroTierforum.netgate.com
    review
  10. ZeroTier Named Cyber Security Solution of the Year 2026businesswire.com
    news

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