NetBird review
NetBird is a strong fit for developers and small teams that want managed access to their machines with the option to host the control server themselves. Watch the audit evidence: gated reports and unnamed auditors limit what you can independently assess.
How we make money: links may become affiliate links, but our scoring code never sees commissions, and most providers listed pay us nothing.
Score breakdown
One formula for every mesh & self-hosted, explained on how we score VPNs.
Plans and the true 3-year price
| Plan | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 1 month | €0 per user / month |
| Team | 1 month | €6 per user / month |
| Business | 1 month | €12 per user / month |
| Enterprise | 1 month | See site |
You can also host it yourself on your own server: see our VPS hosting reviews.
Providers change prices often, and we regularly verify prices against their own pricing pages, though small differences from current prices are possible. Prices checked 11 Oct 2026.
Who it's for
Pick it if
- You want a mesh with a self-hostable, open-source control server.
- Your team needs SSO and access rules for its own machines.
- You need NAT traversal and relay support.
- You want exit nodes that fit into your own network.
Skip it if
- You want a privacy VPN with a bundled browsing service.
- You require public audit reports you can inspect before choosing.
- You want to self-host without taking responsibility for server maintenance.
Ownership
How it works
- Open-source control serverYes
- Client licenceBSD-3-Clause (client and everything outside the management/, signal/, relay/ and combined/ directories, which are AGPL-3.0)
- Self-hostableYes
- SSOYes
- Access rules (ACLs)Yes
- NAT traversalYes
- Relay networkYes
- Exit nodesYes
- Platformslinux, windows, macos, ios, android, docker, routers
Security audits
| Date | Auditor | Type | Scope | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undated | Not named | Other | Annual third-party penetration test; the trust center lists a 'Penetration Test Report 2025' | Gated or summary only |
| Undated | Not named | Infrastructure | ISO 27001 certification with audit report | Gated or summary only |
Our take
NetBird's strongest privacy argument is the control it lets you take over your network. Its control server is open source and self-hostable, while access rules let you define which connections are allowed. Those properties make the system inspectable and configurable; they do not establish a logging policy. The trust center lists a penetration test report and an information security certification audit report. The auditors are not named, and access is gated or limited to summaries. That supports a narrower judgement about security assurance than a publicly inspectable assessment of logging practices would.
NetBird GmbH owns the project, and we found no parent group. Independence makes the ownership picture easier to follow, but it does not settle how the service handles your data. The more useful distinction is whether you use its hosted control service or operate that component yourself. The client and code outside the designated server directories use a permissive licence, while the management, signal, relay and combined directories use a copyleft licence. That split matters if you plan to modify or redistribute the software; open source does not mean identical obligations across the repository.
The cheapest paid seat is €6 per user a month. Team and Business have matching opening and renewal rates, so the listed pricing does not depend on an introductory discount. Your longer-term bill still grows with paid seats, and support can affect the plan you need: Free uses community support, Team adds ticketing, Business has standard support and Enterprise has priority support. Self-hosting shifts part of the budget toward infrastructure and administration. Include updates, backups and recovery work alongside the server bill; our VPS hosts reviews can help with that infrastructure choice.
Against Tailscale, NetBird makes its case through the combination of a self-hostable control server, SSO and access rules. If operating your own infrastructure is the main attraction, compare it with Headscale and Self-hosted WireGuard, then decide how much network administration you want the tool to handle. Keep ZeroTier on the shortlist and compare how you would express your actual access rules. NetBird is most compelling when you need coordinated access across your own machines. Exit nodes broaden that role, but we found no privacy-VPN add-on, so assess your browsing requirements separately.
FAQ
Is NetBird a privacy VPN?
NetBird is primarily a mesh tool for connecting your own machines and controlling access between them. It supports exit nodes, but we found no privacy-VPN add-on, so choosing where your internet traffic exits remains part of your network setup.
Can I self-host NetBird?
Yes, its control server is open source and self-hostable. You take responsibility for maintaining that deployment, including updates, backups and recovery.
Is NetBird free for a small team?
The hosted allowance is Free cloud plan: up to 5 users and 100 machines. Free includes community support, so consider both the allowance and your need for help before relying on it for team access.
Has NetBird been independently audited?
Its trust center lists a third-party penetration test report and an information security certification audit report. The auditors are not named, and the reports are gated or available only as summaries, which limits independent scrutiny of the scope and findings.
Should I choose NetBird or Tailscale?
Choose NetBird if a self-hostable, open-source control server is central to your requirements and you also need SSO and access rules. Compare the setup and ongoing administration of each option against the access your team actually needs.
Can NetBird connect machines behind NAT?
Yes, NetBird supports NAT traversal and has a relay network for connections that need it. Those capabilities make it a relevant option when your machines sit on separate networks.