Netmaker review
A flexible VPN platform with self-hosting, mesh networking, and usage-based paid plans.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Netmaker is an open-source virtual networking platform built on WireGuard for organizations connecting users, devices, servers, containers, cloud resources, and on-premises infrastructure. It supports encrypted overlay networks, mesh and peer-to-peer connectivity, remote access gateways, full-tunnel internet gateways, site-to-site routing, private DNS, and egress routing. Teams can deploy it in the cloud or self-host it, with web, desktop, mobile, API, and broad operating-system support. It is a strong fit for budget-conscious teams that want control over their networking model, while organizations seeking only a basic client VPN may find its wider networking scope unnecessary.
Pricing is structured around active connections rather than users or seats. The Community plan is free at $0 per month and includes open-source, self-hosted deployment, unlimited networks and devices, basic access controls, and private DNS. The Team plan costs $2 per active connection per month and adds cloud or self-hosted deployment, advanced user and access management, SSO login, metrics export, and desktop and mobile apps. Business costs $4 per active connection per month and adds audit logging, HA traffic routing, posture checks, device approvals, MDM and EDR integration, and priority support. Enterprise adds SCIM provisioning, traffic logs, just-in-time access, SIEM integration, data-residency choice, and dedicated support.
Netmaker’s standout strength is breadth: it combines WireGuard encryption with mesh networking, gateways, routing, policies, private DNS, relay and NAT traversal, and administrative controls. Its ecosystem includes Google, Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, Prometheus, and Grafana integrations, while supported environments include Linux, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Docker, Kubernetes, and WireGuard-compatible devices. The tradeoff is operational and pricing complexity: self-hosting places responsibility for the hosting environment on the organization, and usage-based billing varies with active connections. Choose Netmaker for flexible, policy-driven private networking; choose a narrower VPN product if basic remote access is the only requirement.
Netmaker pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free open-source Community plan with unlimited networks and devices
- Mesh, site-to-site, gateway, routing, and private DNS capabilities
- SSO, SCIM, posture checks, audit logs, and enterprise controls
- Where it doesn't
- Paid Team and Business tiers bill per active connection
- Advanced governance features are reserved for higher tiers
- Self-hosted deployment requires managing the hosting environment
Netmaker fact sheet, pricing and score →
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