ForestVPN vs ZeroTier: checked, Oct 2026
ForestVPN and ZeroTier on the same rows: what each connects, encryption, sign-in, price, and where ZeroTier is the better fit. Only sourced facts.
Last updated October 8, 2026
How we compared. We measured nothing about ZeroTier, so this page has no performance claim about it. Everything about ZeroTier is quoted from its own pages, with the date we read them. Where those pages do not say, the cell says "Not stated on the pages we read" and we do not fill the gap from memory.
Comparison matrix
| Feature | ForestVPN | ZeroTier | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A VPN service that also joins your own devices into one private network | A networking platform that connects your devices [2] | 2026-10-08 [2] |
| Encryption | The WireGuard handshake, unmodified | End-to-end encryption [3] | 2026-10-08 [3] |
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Android, Android TV, Windows, Linux, and a router container | Not stated on the pages we read | 2026-10-08 [3] |
| Exits and default routes | Use one of your own devices as an exit; see devices | Not stated on the pages we read | 2026-10-08 [1] |
| Sign-in | An account number; no email and no password | Not stated on the pages we read | 2026-10-08 [2] |
| Free plan | Free, no card and no expiry (pricing) | Personal: 10 devices, one network and one network admin [1] | 2026-10-08 [1] |
| Paid plans | Premium from $7.99 a month | Essential $18 a month, Scale $179 a month, Enterprise and Quantum on request [1] | 2026-10-08 [1] |
| What is kept | An itemised list on the security page | Not stated on the pages we read | 2026-10-08 |
Architecture and performance
Not compared: we have not measured ZeroTier and the pages we read make no performance statement we could cite.
Encryption and security
ZeroTier says its networks use end-to-end encryption and that each device has a unique cryptographic ID [3]. ForestVPN keeps the WireGuard handshake as it is. Neither page set gives us more to compare on a like-for-like basis.
Sign-in and accounts
ForestVPN's account is a number with no email or password. The ZeroTier pages we read do not describe sign-in, so there is no comparison to make here.
Setup and platforms
ForestVPN: install the app, connect, and optionally link your other devices. ZeroTier describes a lightweight agent [3]; its platform list is on a documentation page we did not read.
Cost
ZeroTier's free Personal plan allows 10 devices on one network; paid plans start at $18 a month [1]. ForestVPN is priced per account, not per network: Free, and Premium on the pricing page.
Where ZeroTier is better
- It is a general network platform with business tiers, from Essential to Enterprise [1]; ForestVPN has no team or business plan.
- A published device allowance on its free plan [1].
The bottom line
ZeroTier suits someone building a network of machines and wanting to administer it as a network. ForestVPN suits someone who wants a VPN first and their own devices reachable as a side effect, with nothing to administer.
Sources
- ZeroTier pricing, read 2026-10-08.
- ZeroTier documentation home, read 2026-10-08.
- What is ZeroTier, read 2026-10-08.
Corrections
None so far. If something on this page about ZeroTier is wrong, write to support@fvpn.net with the source and we will check it within three working days and fix it or reply with ours.