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NetBird

NetBird

Open-source zero trust mesh VPN built on WireGuard

softwareNetwork & Adminmesh vpnzero trustwireguard
Our Verdict

Best for

Teams wanting a WireGuard-based zero trust mesh VPN with SSO and device posture checks, self-hosted or cloud.

Skip if

You just need a dead-simple point-to-point VPN without zero trust policy management.

What is NetBird?

NetBird is an open-source zero trust networking platform that replaces traditional VPN gateways with a WireGuard-based peer-to-peer mesh network, letting devices connect directly to each other instead of routing through a central bottleneck. It enforces least-privilege network segmentation with granular policies and integrates with identity providers like Okta, Google, and Microsoft for SSO and MFA. It checks device security posture such as firewall status, antivirus, geolocation, and MDM/EDR before granting access, logs all configuration changes and connection events with real-time SIEM streaming, and can be deployed as a free managed cloud service or fully self-hosted under its BSD-3 open-source license.

SpecificationsAI-estimated

deploymentCloud/SaaS
open source✅ Yes
api available✅ Yes
support optionsDocumentation, community channels, enterprise support
key integrationsOkta, Google, Microsoft SSO, Terraform, SIEM streaming

Key Features of NetBird

Builds a WireGuard-based peer-to-peer mesh network so devices connect directly instead of routing through a central VPN gateway.
Enforces zero trust access with least-privilege network segmentation and granular per-resource policies.
Integrates with identity providers like Okta, Google, and Microsoft for SSO and MFA-based authentication.
Checks device security posture, including firewall status, antivirus, geolocation, and MDM/EDR, before granting access.
Offers a centralized dashboard for organizing networks, resources, DNS, and API-driven automation.
Logs all configuration changes and connection events, with real-time streaming into SIEM tools.
Can be deployed as a free managed cloud service or fully self-hosted under its BSD-3 open-source license.
Requires no firewall reconfiguration for zero-config deployment across laptops, servers, and routers.

Use Cases for NetBird

1

Connecting remote employees without a VPN gateway

Give remote workers direct, encrypted access to internal resources without routing through a central VPN server.

2

Segmenting access to hybrid-cloud infrastructure

Apply least-privilege policies so users and services only reach the specific resources they need.

3

Self-hosting for full data sovereignty

Run the entire NetBird stack on your own infrastructure to keep control plane data in-house or in a specific region.

4

Automating network access via API/Terraform

Provision and manage network access programmatically as part of infrastructure-as-code workflows.

Pros & Cons of NetBird

Pros

  • Open source under BSD-3 with both free cloud and self-hosted deployment options
  • WireGuard-based peer-to-peer connections keep latency low versus hub-and-spoke VPNs
  • Strong zero trust feature set: SSO, MFA, device posture checks, granular policies
  • Compliance-ready with GDPR, ISO 27001, and DORA support for business use

Cons

  • Full zero trust feature set has more setup complexity than a simple point-to-point VPN
  • Self-hosting the management, signal, and relay stack requires ongoing maintenance
  • Advanced enterprise features like SIEM streaming and custom SSO may need a paid or enterprise plan

Frequently Asked Questions

Is NetBird free?

Yes, NetBird Cloud has a free tier with full feature access, and self-hosting is also free and open source.

Can I self-host NetBird?

Yes, it is open source under BSD-3 and can be fully self-hosted.

What VPN protocol does NetBird use?

It is built on WireGuard for encrypted, direct peer-to-peer connections.

Does NetBird support single sign-on?

Yes, it integrates with Okta, Google, Microsoft, and other identity providers.

Pricing Overview

View full pricing →
Paid (Subscription)

Free

0

Team

6

Business

12

Enterprise

Custom

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About the Product

Unclaimed Listing
Target AudienceIT and engineering teams needing zero trust remote access to hybrid-cloud infrastructure without a t

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Tags

mesh vpnzero trustwireguardnetwork securityself hosted

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