Netrinos vs ZeroTier
Netrinos and ZeroTier both connect your devices into a private network over the internet. Netrinos uses WireGuard. ZeroTier uses its own protocol, which adds Layer 2 (Ethernet) networking.
Which mesh VPN is right for you?
ZeroTier virtualizes an Ethernet network. Devices on a ZeroTier network behave as if they share a switch, so Layer 2 protocols and LAN broadcast work across the internet. ZeroTier implements its own protocol and encryption to do this.
Netrinos is built on WireGuard, the protocol used by Cloudflare, Mullvad, and NordVPN and included in the Linux kernel. Netrinos works at Layer 3 (IP), which covers remote access and device-to-device connections for most homes and small businesses.
Quick Comparison
| Netrinos | ZeroTier | |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol | WireGuard | ZeroTier's own protocol |
| Encryption | ChaCha20-Poly1305, Curve25519 | ZeroTier's own design |
| Free tier | 3 users, 100 devices | 1 network, 10 devices |
| Paid (e.g. 10 users, 25 devices) | $10/month ($1/user) | $48/month |
| Performance | Higher throughput (WireGuard) | Lower throughput (userspace) |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Access control | Per device, in the dashboard | Flow rules, with a templated editor on paid plans |
| Layer 2 support | No (Layer 3 only) | Yes |
| Setup | Few settings | More network concepts |
Pricing Comparison
Netrinos
| Plan | Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | Free | 3 users, 100 devices, non-commercial |
| Pro | $1/user/month, 10-user minimum | Commercial use, 100 devices included, 10 more per user |
| Edge | Custom | Multi-customer, remote device management, central monitoring |
ZeroTier
| Plan | Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | Free | 1 network, 10 devices, 1 admin |
| Essential | $18/month | 10 networks, 5 admins, 10 devices + $2/device |
| Scale | $179/month | Unlimited networks, 10 admins, 100 devices + $1.80/device |
| Enterprise | Custom | 500+ devices, self-hosted and air-gapped options |
Cost Examples
| Scenario | Netrinos | ZeroTier |
|---|---|---|
| 10 devices, personal | Free | Free |
| 25 devices, personal | Free | $18 + 15 × $2 = $48 |
| 25 devices, commercial | $10 (10-user minimum) | $18 + 15 × $2 = $48 |
| 50 devices, commercial | $10 (10-user minimum) | $18 + 40 × $2 = $98 |
| 100 devices, commercial | $10 (10-user minimum) | $179 (Scale) |
Netrinos Pro covers 10 users and 100 devices for $10 per month. ZeroTier charges a base fee plus a per-device fee, so its cost grows with device count. That difference matters most for homelab and IoT networks. Comparison taken 2026-09-28 from the vendor pricing page.
Who Should Choose Netrinos?
| WireGuard | WireGuard has a small, widely reviewed codebase and is part of the Linux kernel. |
| Performance | Netrinos uses kernel WireGuard on Linux and Windows. It typically delivers higher throughput than ZeroTier's userspace protocol on the same hardware. |
| Many devices | Personal includes 100 devices at no cost, and Pro includes 100 for $10 per month. ZeroTier Essential charges $2 per device beyond the first 10. |
| Setup | Install the app and sign in. There are no network IDs to join and no flow rules to write. |
| Good fit for | Home networks with a NAS or Raspberry Pi, small businesses, and IoT or homelab deployments. |
Who Should Choose ZeroTier?
| Layer 2 networking | ZeroTier can bridge Ethernet segments. That helps with LAN games, legacy protocols that depend on broadcast, and some enterprise designs. |
| Traffic rules | ZeroTier's rules engine filters traffic at the packet level. Paid plans add a templated rules editor. |
| Self-hosting | ZeroTier Enterprise offers self-hosted and air-gapped deployments. |
| Existing deployment | If ZeroTier already works for you, the cost of migrating may outweigh the savings. |
| Good fit for | LAN gaming groups, applications that need Layer 2, and networks that need packet-level rules. |
The Protocol Difference
WireGuard (Netrinos)
WireGuard is about 4,000 lines of code, small enough to audit in full, and has been part of the Linux kernel since version 5.6. It uses ChaCha20, Poly1305, Curve25519, and BLAKE2s. Cloudflare, Mullvad, and NordVPN run it in production.
ZeroTier Protocol
ZeroTier designed its own protocol to provide Layer 2 virtualization. Its codebase is larger than WireGuard's because it also handles Ethernet emulation and its own peer discovery. Its encryption is ZeroTier's own design.
If you need Layer 2 bridging, ZeroTier provides it. For IP connectivity between devices, WireGuard is the more widely reviewed option.
Performance
Netrinos uses the kernel WireGuard driver on Linux and Windows, which runs close to line speed on modern hardware. ZeroTier runs in userspace, which limits its throughput on the same hardware.
Platform Support
Both run on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Raspberry Pi, and cloud VMs.
The Bottom Line
| Choose Netrinos | You want WireGuard, per-device access control, and a price that does not grow with device count. |
| Choose ZeroTier | You need Layer 2 bridging or packet-level traffic rules. |
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