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Zscaler alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 1, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Zscaler: no public pricing or self-serve plan, and rollout and policy design usually need a dedicated project. We ranked 4 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Zscaler, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Firezone currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Firezone logoFirezoneFree plan + paidYesWindows, macOS, Linux +24 of 468.8
2Twingate logoTwingateFree plan + paidNoWindows, macOS, Linux +23 of 364.8
3NordLayer logoNordLayerPaidNoWindows, macOS, Linux +34 of 461.8
4Tailscale logoTailscaleFree plan + paidYesWindows, macOS, Linux +27 of 759.4
  1. Firezone logo

    1. FirezoneTop pick

    Best for: Technical teams that want open-source zero-trust access instead of a VPN gateway

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

    68.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Zscaler

    Open-source WireGuard-based zero-trust access with per-resource policies and SSO.

    Pros

    • Open-source, Apache-licensed code
    • Fast WireGuard data plane written in Rust
    • Free for small teams

    Cons

    • Control plane is hosted rather than self-hosted
    • Younger product with a smaller ecosystem
    • Advanced features need paid seats
    Visit Firezone 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 Firezone a good Zscaler alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Up to 6 users
    Checked Oct 29, 2026firezone.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Team price
    $50 per seat/year
    Checked Oct 29, 2026firezone.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Licence
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Data plane
    Rust, built on WireGuard
    Checked Oct 29, 2026firezone.dev(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Twingate logo

    2. Twingate

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

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

    64.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Zscaler

    Zero-trust remote access that's far quicker to deploy, with self-serve plans for smaller companies.

    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 ×0.387
    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 Twingate a good Zscaler alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Free plan
    Starter, up to 5 users
    Checked Oct 29, 2026twingate.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Home plan
    $15/month
    Checked Oct 29, 2026twingate.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
    Checked Oct 29, 2026twingate.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. NordLayer logo

    3. NordLayer

    Best for: Small and mid-sized businesses that need dedicated IPs and easy remote access

    PaidWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension

    61.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Zscaler

    Business VPN and zero-trust access with simple per-user pricing for SMBs.

    Pros

    • Dedicated IPs and gateways for allow-listing
    • Familiar VPN experience for staff
    • Site-to-site connectors included on higher tiers

    Cons

    • Five-user minimum
    • Dedicated servers cost extra
    • Less granular than dedicated zero-trust tools
    Visit NordLayer 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 NordLayer a good Zscaler alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Starting price
    $8 per user/month (Lite)
    Checked Oct 29, 2026nordlayer.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Minimum users
    5
    Checked Oct 29, 2026nordlayer.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Money-back guarantee
    14 days
    Checked Oct 29, 2026nordlayer.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Dedicated server
    +$40/month
    Checked Oct 29, 2026nordlayer.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Tailscale logo

    4. Tailscale

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

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

    59.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from Zscaler

    WireGuard mesh with identity-based access rules and a free tier, set up in minutes.

    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 ×0.369
    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 Tailscale a good Zscaler alternative?

    Verified facts

    7 of 7 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, up to 6 users (Personal)
    Checked Nov 1, 2026tailscale.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan users
    Up to 6 users
    Checked Oct 29, 2026tailscale.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Client licence
    BSD-3-Clause
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    macOS, iOS, Windows, Linux, Android
    Checked Oct 29, 2026tailscale.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $8 per user/month (Standard)
    Checked Nov 1, 2026tailscale.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Premium plan
    $18 per user/month
    Checked Nov 1, 2026tailscale.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days (Enterprise trial)
    Checked Nov 1, 2026tailscale.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Zscaler alternative for…

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

Firezone logo

Best Zscaler alternative for most people

Firezone

Open-source WireGuard-based zero-trust access with per-resource policies and SSO.

Twingate logo

Best Zscaler alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Twingate

Zero-trust remote access that's far quicker to deploy, with self-serve plans for smaller companies.

Tailscale logo

Best Zscaler alternative for open source

Tailscale

WireGuard mesh with identity-based access rules and a free tier, set up in minutes.

NordLayer logo

Best Zscaler alternative for Mac

NordLayer

Business VPN and zero-trust access with simple per-user pricing for SMBs.

Firezone logo

Best Zscaler alternative for Windows

Firezone

Open-source WireGuard-based zero-trust access with per-resource policies and SSO.

Firezone logo

Best Zscaler alternative for Linux

Firezone

Open-source WireGuard-based zero-trust access with per-resource policies and SSO.

Firezone logo

Best Zscaler alternative for iPhone and Android

Firezone

Open-source WireGuard-based zero-trust access with per-resource policies and SSO.

Zscaler alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Zscaler?

Firezone ranks first right now. Open-source WireGuard-based zero-trust access with per-resource policies and SSO. Twingate and NordLayer follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Zscaler?

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

Is there an open-source alternative to Zscaler?

Yes: Firezone and Tailscale.

Which Zscaler alternatives work on Linux?

Firezone, Twingate, NordLayer and Tailscale run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Zscaler?

The complaints we hear most: no public pricing or self-serve plan; rollout and policy design usually need a dedicated project; too heavy for small teams that just need remote access.

How is this list ranked?

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