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StrongDM alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rankAll identity security (PAM and IGA)

Top picks

  • Teleport logo

    Best overall

    Teleport

    Free plan + paid

  • Tailscale logo

    Best free option

    Tailscale

    Starting price: $8 per user/month (Standard)

  • Teleport logo

    Best open source

    Teleport

    Free plan + paid

Common reasons people leave StrongDM: no public pricing; you must go through sales, and closed source and not self-hostable. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces StrongDM, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Teleport currently ranks first.

StrongDM has been acquired. Now part of Delinea, according to the StrongDM website.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingVerified priceOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Teleport logoTeleportFree plan + paid—YesWeb, macOS, Windows +24 of 468.8
2Tailscale logoTailscaleFree plan + paid$8 per user/month (Standard)YesWindows, macOS, Linux +27 of 766.2
3Delinea logoDelineaPaid—NoWeb, Self-hosted4 of 464.8
4CyberArk (Idira) logoCyberArk (Idira)Paid—NoWeb, Self-hosted4 of 461.8
5Twingate logoTwingateFree plan + paid$5 per user/month (Teams)NoWindows, macOS, Linux +26 of 650.0
  1. Teleport logo

    1. TeleportTop pick

    Best for: Platform teams replacing SSH keys, bastion hosts and VPNs with audited, short-lived access

    Free plan + paidOpen sourceSelf-hostableWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, Self-hosted

    68.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from StrongDM

    Open-source alternative using short-lived certificates, which you can self-host or buy as a cloud service.

    Pros

    • Short-lived certificates replace static SSH keys and database passwords
    • Covers SSH, Kubernetes, databases, RDP and web apps in one tool
    • Session recording and access requests built in
    • Open-source code with a self-hostable Community Edition

    Cons

    • Enterprise pricing is only available by contacting sales
    • Self-hosting a cluster takes real setup and upkeep
    • Community Edition lacks many enterprise governance features
    Visit Teleport Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Teleport a good StrongDM alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Nov 4, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days (Enterprise)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026goteleport.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes (Community Edition)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026goteleport.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Desktop app
    Teleport Connect for macOS, Windows, Linux
    Checked Nov 8, 2026goteleport.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Tailscale logo

    2. Tailscale

    Best for: Developers, home-labbers and teams who want private access between their own devices

    Free plan + paidOpen sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    66.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from StrongDM

    Lightweight mesh VPN with SSH and ACLs for teams that mainly need network-level access.

    Pros

    • Works through NAT and firewalls with almost no setup
    • Generous free plan for personal use
    • Fine-grained access controls and built-in SSH

    Cons

    • Coordination server is hosted unless you run Headscale
    • Not a location-changing VPN by default
    • Team pricing adds up per user
    Visit Tailscale Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.341
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Tailscale a good StrongDM alternative?

    Verified facts

    7 of 7 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, up to 6 users (Personal)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026tailscale.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan users
    Up to 6 users
    Checked Nov 8, 2026tailscale.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Client licence
    BSD-3-Clause
    Checked Nov 8, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    macOS, iOS, Windows, Linux, Android
    Checked Nov 8, 2026tailscale.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $8 per user/month (Standard)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026tailscale.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Premium plan
    $18 per user/month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026tailscale.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days (Enterprise trial)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026tailscale.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Delinea logo

    3. Delinea

    Best for: Mid-size and large companies wanting enterprise PAM with a faster rollout than heavier suites

    PaidSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    64.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from StrongDM

    StrongDM's new owner; its platform adds credential vaulting and server privilege controls.

    Pros

    • Secret Server vault with discovery, rotation and session monitoring
    • Generally quicker to deploy than larger PAM suites
    • Fastpath adds segregation-of-duties checks for business apps
    • Free trial available

    Cons

    • No public pricing; you must contact sales
    • Product line from two merged companies can feel fragmented
    • Governance features are narrower than dedicated IGA platforms
    Visit Delinea Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Delinea a good StrongDM alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Customers
    9,000+
    Checked Nov 8, 2026delinea.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026delinea.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pricing
    Contact sales
    Checked Nov 8, 2026delinea.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Session monitoring
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026delinea.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. CyberArk (Idira) logo

    4. CyberArk (Idira)Acquired

    Best for: Large enterprises and regulated firms that need deep privileged access controls and audit trails

    PaidSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    61.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from StrongDM

    Large enterprise PAM suite with vaulting, session isolation and identity governance.

    Pros

    • Very deep PAM: vaulting, rotation, session isolation and recording
    • Just-in-time access to major clouds and Kubernetes
    • Covers machine identities, secrets and AI agents too
    • Available as SaaS or self-hosted

    Cons

    • No public pricing; sales-led enterprise contracts
    • Rollouts are complex and often need professional services
    • Brand and roadmap are shifting after the Palo Alto Networks acquisition
    Visit CyberArk (Idira) Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is CyberArk (Idira) a good StrongDM alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Owner
    Palo Alto Networks
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cyberark.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Session recording
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cyberark.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Cloud access
    AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Kubernetes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cyberark.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Deployment
    Self-hosted or SaaS
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cyberark.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Twingate logo

    5. Twingate

    Best for: IT teams replacing a corporate VPN with per-resource, identity-based access

    Free plan + paidWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    50.0

    score / 100

    Why switch from StrongDM

    Zero-trust network access with per-resource rules and a simpler, self-serve setup.

    Pros

    • No inbound firewall ports needed
    • Access granted per resource rather than whole network
    • Free plan for small teams

    Cons

    • Closed source and hosted only
    • Not a mesh between user devices
    • Advanced controls require paid tiers
    Visit Twingate Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.338
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Twingate a good StrongDM alternative?

    Verified facts

    6 of 6 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, up to 5 users (Starter)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026twingate.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Home plan
    $15 a month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026twingate.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
    Checked Nov 8, 2026twingate.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $5 per user/month (Teams)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026twingate.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Business plan
    $10 per user/month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026twingate.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days
    Checked Nov 8, 2026twingate.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best StrongDM alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Teleport logo

Best StrongDM alternative for most people

Teleport

Open-source alternative using short-lived certificates, which you can self-host or buy as a cloud service.

Tailscale logo

Best StrongDM alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Tailscale

Lightweight mesh VPN with SSH and ACLs for teams that mainly need network-level access.

Teleport logo

Best StrongDM alternative for open source

Teleport

Open-source alternative using short-lived certificates, which you can self-host or buy as a cloud service.

Delinea logo

Best StrongDM alternative for self-hosting

Delinea

StrongDM's new owner; its platform adds credential vaulting and server privilege controls.

Twingate logo

Best StrongDM alternative for Mac

Twingate

Zero-trust network access with per-resource rules and a simpler, self-serve setup.

Teleport logo

Best StrongDM alternative for Windows

Teleport

Open-source alternative using short-lived certificates, which you can self-host or buy as a cloud service.

Teleport logo

Best StrongDM alternative for Linux

Teleport

Open-source alternative using short-lived certificates, which you can self-host or buy as a cloud service.

Tailscale logo

Best StrongDM alternative for iPhone and Android

Tailscale

Lightweight mesh VPN with SSH and ACLs for teams that mainly need network-level access.

CyberArk (Idira) logo

Best StrongDM alternative for working in the browser

CyberArk (Idira)

Large enterprise PAM suite with vaulting, session isolation and identity governance.

StrongDM alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to StrongDM?

Teleport ranks first right now. Open-source alternative using short-lived certificates, which you can self-host or buy as a cloud service. Tailscale and Delinea follow it in our ranking.

StrongDM vs Teleport: what's the difference?

StrongDM is a paid product; Teleport is free with paid plans. Teleport is open source and StrongDM is not. Only Teleport runs on Web.

Is StrongDM free?

StrongDM is a paid product.

How much do StrongDM alternatives cost?

Verified prices for the top-ranked StrongDM alternatives: Tailscale, $8 per user/month (Standard); Twingate, $5 per user/month (Teams). Each price was checked on the app's own site; see each card below for the date and source.

Is there a free alternative to StrongDM?

Yes. Teleport (free plan + paid), Tailscale (free plan + paid) and Twingate (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to StrongDM?

Yes: Teleport and Tailscale. Teleport can also be self-hosted.

Which StrongDM alternatives work on Linux?

Teleport, Tailscale and Twingate run on Linux.

Why do people switch from StrongDM?

The complaints we hear most: no public pricing; you must go through sales; closed source and not self-hostable; product direction now depends on Delinea's roadmap.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces StrongDM, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.