The Twingate Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Twingate 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.
Twingate
The Insider’s Guide
Zero trust network access to replace a company VPN
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among remote desktop apps, read from Twingate’s own pages.
Made by Twingate · 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 Twingate’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Twingate’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
Twingate is a zero trust network access service that lets staff reach private apps, servers and cloud networks without a traditional VPN. Admins define resources and who may reach them, and client apps connect users directly to those resources. It ships apps for desktop, mobile and Chrome.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Twingate, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You deploy connectors, connect an identity provider and write access rules first.
- 1
Best for replacing a company VPN with access rules
Twingate is a zero trust access service meant to replace a company VPN, free for up to 5 users and 50 resources.
- 2
Paid plans start at $5 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $5 per user / month (page's yearly view; monthly not shown).
- 3
There is a free plan
Starter plan: free for up to 5 users and 50 resources, with conditional access controls and split tunneling.
- 4
It runs on 5 platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, with a browser extension too.
- 5
VPN replacement
Staff reach office networks, cloud VPCs and other private resources through Twingate clients instead of a VPN gateway.
- 6
Least-privilege access rules
Access is granted per resource and per user or group, and the Teams plan adds automated least-privilege policies.
- 7
Device and identity checks
Conditional access is on every plan, with native device posture checks and endpoint integrations on higher plans.
- 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 Twingate 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.
Twingate at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $5 per user / month (page's yearly view; monthly not shown)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 14-day trial on Home, Teams and Business
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
- Made by
- Twingate, since 2019
- Category
- Remote Desktop
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for replacing a company VPN with access rules
Twingate is a zero trust access service meant to replace a company VPN, free for up to 5 users and 50 resources. Past that it caps at 100 users on Teams and 500 on Business, and only one set of prices is shown.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Teams is $5 per user a month on the page's yearly view and Business is $10, inside the category's $2.78 to $18 range. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Starter is free for 5 users and 50 resources, with conditional access and split tunneling. A tiny team can stay on it. |
| Features | B | VPN replacement, least-privilege rules, device and identity checks and privileged access to infrastructure cover the core of the job. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. You deploy connectors, connect an identity provider and write access rules first. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone, Android and a browser extension, with Okta, Entra ID, Google Workspace, Kubernetes and SSH. No full web console 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 Twingate is for
- Fits if you are a small team that wants to retire a company VPN
- Works for homelabs, where the Home plan costs $15 a month for up to 7 users
Who it is not for
- Tight if you grow past 5 users, as the free Starter plan stops there
- Watch out: Teams is capped at 100 users and Business at 500, then it's Enterprise through sales
- Watch out: the Home plan is limited to non-commercial use
- Watch out: only one set of prices is shown, and the monthly-billing prices aren't displayed
Good to know
Good for
- Teams retiring a legacy VPN for access to private resources
- Small startups and homelabs: the free plan covers 5 users
- Companies that sign in through Okta, Entra ID or Google Workspace
Worth knowing
- The free Starter plan stops at 5 users and 50 resources.
- Teams is capped at 100 users and Business at 500; larger accounts need Enterprise through sales.
- The Home plan is limited to non-commercial use.
- Only one set of prices is shown; the monthly-billing prices behind the yearly view are not displayed.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$5
A month to start, for each person. There is a free plan too
Twingate has a free plan. Paid plans start at $5 per user / month (page's yearly view; monthly not shown).
Starter
$0
Up to 5 users and 50 resources, with peer-to-peer connections, split tunneling and conditional access.
Home
$15
per month for up to 7 users
For homelabs, adds service accounts, exit networks and device posture checks. Non-commercial use only.
Teams
$5
per user / month (page's yearly view; monthly not shown)
Up to 100 users, SSO via Google Workspace, SaaS app gating and automated least-privilege policies.
Business
$10
per user / month (page's yearly view; monthly not shown)
Up to 500 users, IdP provisioning, SSO via Okta or Entra ID, endpoint integrations and just-in-time access.
Enterprise
Custom
Custom account sizes, custom MSA and SLAs, invoice payment, geoblocking and static IPs. Sold through sales.
The free plan
Starter plan: free for up to 5 users and 50 resources, with conditional access controls and split tunneling.
Trying it first
14-day trial on Home, Teams and Business
Read from twingate.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
15% off with yearly billing
The pricing page labels yearly billing on Teams and Business as 15% off.
Stated on twingate.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
6
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android and Browser extension
Zero trust network access to replace a company VPN. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, vPN.
VPN replacement, least-privilege rules, device and identity checks and privileged access to infrastructure cover the core of the job.
- VPN replacement
- Staff reach office networks, cloud VPCs and other private resources through Twingate clients instead of a VPN gateway.
- Least-privilege access rules
- Access is granted per resource and per user or group, and the Teams plan adds automated least-privilege policies.
- Device and identity checks
- Conditional access is on every plan, with native device posture checks and endpoint integrations on higher plans.
- Identity provider sign-in
- Teams supports SSO through Google Workspace; Business adds Okta, Entra ID and automatic user provisioning from the IdP.
- Privileged access to infrastructure
- The Business plan lists privileged access for Kubernetes, SSH, databases and web apps, marked with an asterisk on the pricing page.
- Apps for most platforms
- The download page lists Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and a Chrome client.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
- Browser extension
What it works with
- Okta
- Microsoft Entra ID
- Google Workspace
- Kubernetes
- SSH
Twingate is made by Twingate, and has been around since 2019.
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
Twingate'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 $5 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8.33 for the category: 16 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. Twingate’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. Twingate 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 Twingate 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 $60 a year.
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 Workspace 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. Twingate’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, NetBird, ZeroTier, Zscaler Private Access and Teleport
The 5 tools Twingate 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.
- Only Twingate lists a browser extension.
- Tailscale is open source and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
NetBird
Free plan · from €6/mo
Open-source zero trust networking built on WireGuard.
- Only Twingate lists a browser extension.
- NetBird is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.4GPA
ZeroTier
Free plan · from $18/mo
Peer-to-peer virtual networks for devices, servers and sites.
- Only Twingate lists a browser extension.
- ZeroTier is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 1.8GPA
Zscaler Private Access
Paid
Zero trust access to private apps without a VPN.
- Twingate has a free plan. Zscaler Private Access does not.
- Only Twingate lists Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Only Twingate lists a browser extension.
- 2.2GPA
Teleport
Free plan
Identity-based access to servers, databases and Kubernetes.
- Only Twingate lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Twingate lists a browser extension.
- Only Teleport lists a web app.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
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 Twingate free?
Twingate has a free plan. Starter plan: free for up to 5 users and 50 resources, with conditional access controls and split tunneling.
How much does Twingate cost?
Twingate lists 5 plans. Starter: $0.
What platforms does Twingate work on?
Twingate is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. It also has a browser extension.
Does Twingate offer any discounts?
Twingate publicly lists the following: 15% off with yearly billing.
Is Twingate open source?
Twingate is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does Twingate have an API?
Yes. Twingate offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Twingate integrate with?
Twingate's listing names Okta, Microsoft Entra ID, Google Workspace, Kubernetes and SSH.
Does Twingate have a free trial?
Yes. 14-day trial on Home, Teams and Business.
Who makes Twingate?
Twingate is made by a company of the same name. It dates from 2019.
What are the alternatives to Twingate?
The closest alternatives to Twingate in our directory are Tailscale, NetBird, ZeroTier, Zscaler Private Access and Teleport.
How does Twingate compare with other remote desktop apps?
Twingate's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 49 of the 85 other remote desktop apps we grade, and level with 19.
Is Twingate good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Twingate C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $5 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8.33 for the category: 16 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Twingate?
To replace Twingate 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 Twingate’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 Twingate'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 Twingate. Prices change, so check twingate.com 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
- Twingate, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/twingate
- 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, "Twingate: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/twingate
Know someone choosing between remote desktop apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/twingate/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded remote desktop apps after Twingate, 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 Twingate’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. Twingate is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Twingate. Prices and plans change: check twingate.com before you buy.