MeshCentral vs ZeroTier (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, ZeroTier grades higher than MeshCentral: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
ZeroTier grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
ZeroTier
Peer-to-peer virtual networks for devices, servers and sites
Which one is for you
Pick MeshCentral if
- Fits if you manage a fleet of machines and are happy running your own server
- Works for home labs and small shops that want remote access they control
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't want to host and secure a server yourself
- Not for you if you need a company behind it, as it's a community project
- Too light on phone use, since no mobile apps are listed
- Watch out: an agent has to be installed on every managed device
Pick ZeroTier if
- Fits if you have up to 10 devices at home and want them on one virtual network
- Works for developers who want an API and CLI to manage the network
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to see and control a remote screen, since it only connects devices
- Tight if you have more than 10 devices on the free plan, or want it for work, which needs a paid plan
- Pricey if you want a support ticket, as that starts at Scale, $179 a month, and Essential has community support only
- Watch out: devices past the included count cost $2.00 each on Essential and $1.80 on Scale every month
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAMeshCentralFair | 2.4GPAZeroTierFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CFree through NPM only if you run the server on your own hardware or hosting, so the real cost is on you. | CEssential is $18 a month for 10 devices, then $2.00 a device, which is in the upper half of what remote access tools charge ($4.17 to $28). Scale is $179 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe whole project is free, with no paid tier. The server you run it on is yours to pay for. | BPersonal is free for non-commercial use with 10 devices, one network and one admin. One person could live on it, until the device count or work use gets in the way. |
| Features | CA web management site, a multi-platform server and agent, light installation and LAN mode by default. The listing gives little detail of what the agent does beyond that. | CVirtual networks, peer-to-peer links, access control, UI, CLI and API. The listing says it does not share a remote screen, so desktop access needs another tool on top. |
| Ease of use | DNo rating on record. You host, secure and update the server yourself, and read PDF documentation. | CNo store rating on record. You create a network, join each device and manage rules, which takes some setting up. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, with servers and agents for Windows, Linux and Mac, plus Docker, Cloudflare, JumpCloud and FIDO links. No phone apps are listed. | BWindows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android, with an API on Essential and above. No web client is listed. |
| Best for | managing your own devices from a web site you host | peer-to-peer virtual networks for devices |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: MeshCentral and ZeroTier. How we grade
Price against what you get
MeshCentral has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. ZeroTier starts at $18 a month and scores 2.3.
ZeroTier scores higher, and starts $18 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other remote desktop apps on the chart, none scores higher than MeshCentral for less, and 10 score higher than ZeroTier for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- MeshCentral is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- ZeroTier is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- MeshCentral also covers remote desktop.
- ZeroTier also covers vPN.
At a glance
| MeshCentral | ZeroTier | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $18 per month for 10 devices |
| Free plan | None | Personal plan: free for non-commercial use, with 10 devices, one network and one network admin. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | MeshCentral | ZeroTier, Inc. |
| Price read from | meshcentral.com | zerotier.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
MeshCentral
- You host, secure and update the server yourself; the download page describes self-installation only.
- Agents must be installed on each managed device.
- Documentation for management and security features is published as PDF files.
ZeroTier
- ZeroTier connects devices into a network; it does not share a remote screen, so desktop access needs a separate remote desktop or VNC tool on top.
- The Personal plan is limited to 10 devices, one network and non-commercial use.
- Essential includes community support only; ticketed support with an SLA starts at Scale, $179 per month.
- Devices beyond the included count are billed monthly, $2.00 each on Essential and $1.80 each on Scale.
Key features
MeshCentral
- Web-based management site
- Devices are managed from a web site served by your own MeshCentral server, with a separate management agent installed on each device.
- Multi-platform server and agent
- The site says both the server and the agent run on Windows, Linux, macOS and FreeBSD.
- Light installation
- Setup is an npm install plus one command, with a built-in NeDB database and MongoDB recommended for larger setups. A small server can handle a few hundred devices.
- LAN mode by default
- A fresh install starts in LAN mode, where agents find the server by multicast; a DNS name is set in config.json for access from outside.
ZeroTier
- Virtual networks across sites and clouds
- Private networks that span public clouds, data centers, on-premises machines and remote devices, without proprietary hardware.
- Peer-to-peer connections
- Devices connect directly to each other whenever possible, with traffic encrypted end to end and policy enforced at every endpoint.
- Identity-based access control
- Network behavior is set by policy tied to each node's cryptographic identity, with custom flow rules on the Scale plan.
- Management through UI, CLI and API
- Personal includes a CLI, a UI and webhooks. API access and OIDC single sign-on start on Essential.
- Broad client coverage
- The download page lists Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Docker, FreeBSD and NAS packages.
- Post-quantum option
- ZeroTier Quantum is a separate platform for regulated and air-gapped environments, scoped per deployment through sales.
Plans
MeshCentral
Open source$0
Free through NPM; you run the server on your own hardware or hosting.
ZeroTier
Personal$0
Non-commercial use only. 10 devices, one network, one network admin, CLI, UI and webhooks, community support.
Essential$18
per month for 10 included devices, then $2.00 per extra device
Commercial license, 10 networks, five admins, API access, OIDC single sign-on and 30-day audit logs. Community support only.
Scale$179
per month for 100 included devices, then $1.80 per extra device
Everything in Essential plus unlimited networks, 10 network admins, custom flow rules and ticketed support with an SLA.
EnterpriseCustom
Sized for 500 or more devices, with self-hosted and air-gapped options, 90-day audit logs and priority support. Sold through sales.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, MeshCentral or ZeroTier?
As of Nov 12, 2026, MeshCentral is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $18 a month for ZeroTier. MeshCentral is free, and ZeroTier starts at $18 per month for 10 devices.
Which has a free plan, MeshCentral or ZeroTier?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both MeshCentral and ZeroTier have a free plan.
Which platforms do MeshCentral and ZeroTier run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only MeshCentral lists a web app and only ZeroTier lists iOS and Android apps. Both list macOS, Windows and Linux apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.