The NetBird Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about NetBird in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
NetBird
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source zero trust networking built on WireGuard
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among remote desktop apps, read from NetBird’s own pages.
Made by NetBird · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from NetBird’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on NetBird’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 49 of the 85 other remote desktop apps we grade
NetBird is an open-source secure access platform that links remote users, servers, clouds and sites into one private network using WireGuard-based peer-to-peer connections. Access is set by groups and policies tied to a company identity provider. It runs as a cloud service or on your own infrastructure.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about NetBird, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You install clients, connect a sign-in provider and write access policies.
- 1
Best for a private network built on WireGuard
NetBird builds a private network between your machines using WireGuard, and its cloud plan is free for up to 5 users and 100 machines.
- 2
Paid plans start at about $6.70 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: €6 per user / month (cloud, billing period not shown).
- 3
There is a free plan
Cloud Free plan: up to 5 users and 100 machines, with SSO, MFA, access controls and private DNS.
- 4
It runs on 5 platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
- 5
Peer-to-peer WireGuard network
Devices connect directly over a WireGuard-based network, with no open ports or firewall changes needed, per the vendor.
- 6
Identity-based access policies
Resources are grouped and access is limited by policy; users and groups can be provisioned from an identity provider.
- 7
SSO and MFA
Sign-in works with Okta, Microsoft, Google and others, and the identity provider's MFA settings apply.
- 8
A 2.6 GPA, above 49 of 85
That is against the other remote desktop apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace NetBird you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
NetBird at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from €6 per user / month (cloud, billing period not shown)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Made by
- NetBird
- Category
- Remote Desktop
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for a private network built on WireGuard
NetBird builds a private network between your machines using WireGuard, and its cloud plan is free for up to 5 users and 100 machines. Prices are in euros with no billing period stated, and extra machines cost €0.50 each on paid plans.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Team is €6 per user a month and Business €12, in the middle of the category's range. The page doesn't say whether that is monthly or yearly billing. |
| Free plan and trial | B | The cloud Free plan covers up to 5 users and 100 machines with SSO, MFA, access controls and private DNS. |
| Features | B | A peer-to-peer WireGuard network, identity-based policies, SSO, MFA, posture checks, activity logs and a choice of cloud or self-hosting. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. You install clients, connect a sign-in provider and write access policies. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone and Android, with Okta, Entra ID, Google and Synology. No web client is listed. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who NetBird is for
- Fits if you want a private network for a team of up to 5 for free
- Works for people who want the option of hosting it themselves
Who it is not for
- Tight if you pass 5 users, as the free plan stops there
- Watch out: extra machines beyond the included amount cost €0.50 each a month on Team and Business
- Watch out: prices are in euros and the page doesn't say whether they assume monthly or yearly billing
- Watch out: the self-hosted pricing couldn't be read from the page text
Good to know
Good for
- Teams replacing a VPN with identity-based access
- Engineers who want an open-source option they can self-host
- Small teams: the cloud plan is free for 5 users
Worth knowing
- Prices are in euros, and the page does not say whether they assume monthly or yearly billing.
- Machines beyond the included amount cost €0.50 each per month on Team and Business.
- Billing counts only users and machines that connected at least once in the period.
- The pricing for the Self-Hosted tab could not be read from the page text.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
~$6.70
A month to start, for each person. There is a free plan too
NetBird has a free plan. Paid plans start at €6 per user / month (cloud, billing period not shown).
The page doesn't say whether that is monthly or yearly billing.
Free
€0
per user / month, up to 5 users
100 machines, peer-to-peer connections, social SSO and MFA, access controls, private DNS and community support.
Team
€6
per user / month (billing period not shown)
Unlimited users, 100 machines plus 10 per user, enterprise IdP SSO, SCIM provisioning and audit logs.
Business
€12
per user / month (billing period not shown)
Adds device approvals, MDM and EDR controls, posture checks and traffic event logging and streaming.
Enterprise
Custom
Unlimited machines, custom invoicing, priority support, solutions engineer help and custom MSAs and SLAs.
The free plan
Cloud Free plan: up to 5 users and 100 machines, with SSO, MFA, access controls and private DNS.
Read from netbird.io on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android
Open-source zero trust networking built on WireGuard. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, vPN.
A peer-to-peer WireGuard network, identity-based policies, SSO, MFA, posture checks, activity logs and a choice of cloud or self-hosting.
- Peer-to-peer WireGuard network
- Devices connect directly over a WireGuard-based network, with no open ports or firewall changes needed, per the vendor.
- Identity-based access policies
- Resources are grouped and access is limited by policy; users and groups can be provisioned from an identity provider.
- SSO and MFA
- Sign-in works with Okta, Microsoft, Google and others, and the identity provider's MFA settings apply.
- Posture checks
- Business plan policies can require a firewall or antivirus, check geo and network location, and use MDM and EDR data.
- Activity logging
- Network configuration changes are logged, and the Business plan adds connection traffic events streamed to SIEM tools.
- Cloud or self-hosted
- The pricing page has Cloud and Self-Hosted tabs, and the homepage offers to run NetBird open source.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Okta
- Microsoft Entra ID
- Synology
NetBird is made by NetBird.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
49/85
Other remote desktop apps it is graded above
NetBird's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 49 of the 85 other remote desktop apps we grade, and level with 19.
It stands best on features (B, above 55 of 85) and worst on value for money (C, above 7).
Its paid plans start at about $6.70 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8.33 for the category: 17 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 2 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 86 remote desktop apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. NetBird’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 7 of 85
- BFree plan and trialAbove 48 of 85
- BFeaturesAbove 55 of 85
- CEase of useAbove 10 of 85
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 28 of 85
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 59 remote desktop apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. NetBird is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace NetBird you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $80.44 a year. NetBird is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could not
- Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- It plugs into other products, Okta, Microsoft Entra ID and Google among them, and has an API.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: single sign-on.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. NetBird’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Tailscale, ZeroTier, Twingate, Pritunl and Teleport
The 5 tools NetBird is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Tailscale
Free plan · from $8/mo
Private network that links your devices, servers and teams.
- NetBird is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Tailscale is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 2.4GPA
ZeroTier
Free plan · from $18/mo
Peer-to-peer virtual networks for devices, servers and sites.
- NetBird is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- ZeroTier is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
Twingate
Free plan · from $5/mo
Zero trust network access to replace a company VPN.
- Only Twingate lists a browser extension.
- NetBird is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.0GPA
Pritunl
Free plan · from $10/mo
Self-hosted open-source VPN server for OpenVPN and WireGuard.
- Only NetBird lists iOS and Android apps.
- 2.2GPA
Teleport
Free plan
Identity-based access to servers, databases and Kubernetes.
- Only NetBird lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Teleport lists a web app.
- NetBird also covers vPN.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is NetBird free?
NetBird has a free plan. Cloud Free plan: up to 5 users and 100 machines, with SSO, MFA, access controls and private DNS.
How much does NetBird cost?
NetBird lists 4 plans. Free: €0 per user / month, up to 5 users.
What platforms does NetBird work on?
NetBird is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
Is NetBird open source?
Yes. NetBird is open source, according to its own site.
Does NetBird have an API?
Yes. NetBird offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does NetBird integrate with?
NetBird's listing names Okta, Microsoft Entra ID, Google and Synology.
Who makes NetBird?
NetBird is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to NetBird?
The closest alternatives to NetBird in our directory are Tailscale, ZeroTier, Twingate, Pritunl and Teleport.
How does NetBird compare with other remote desktop apps?
NetBird's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 49 of the 85 other remote desktop apps we grade, and level with 19.
Is NetBird good value for money?
ToolGPA grades NetBird C for value for money. Its paid plans start at about $6.70 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8.33 for the category: 17 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of NetBird?
To replace NetBird you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from NetBird’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from NetBird's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by NetBird. Prices change, so check netbird.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- NetBird, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/netbird
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "NetBird: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/netbird
Know someone choosing between remote desktop apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/netbird/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded remote desktop apps after NetBird, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Remote Desktop Insider's GuideEvery one of the 86 remote desktop apps we grade, compared
- Chrome Remote Desktop Insider's GuideGoogle's free remote access to your own computers from a browser3.2 GPA
- DWService Insider's GuideFree browser-based remote access to computers via an agent3.2 GPA
- HopToDesk Insider's GuideFree open-source remote desktop with a paid device dashboard3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what NetBird’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. NetBird is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by NetBird. Prices and plans change: check netbird.io before you buy.