NordLayer Alternatives (2026)
- Starting price
- $8/user/mo
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Best for
- SMBs wanting an easy business VPN evolving toward zero-trust network access
Our verdict
The top alternatives to NordLayer are Twingate, Tailscale, GoodAccess. Twingate is the closest like-for-like option (4.7/5 (~69 G2 reviews), from $5/user/mo). People typically switch from NordLayer over pricing model, complexity, or a missing capability — the table compares each alternative on exactly those axes.
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Best for Teams retiring legacy VPN that want fast, connector-based ZTNA with a free tier.
- Connector-based ZTNA (resource masking)
- Free tier up to 5 users
- Split tunneling + least-privilege access
Free trial Free version -
Best for Developer-led teams wanting a zero-config WireGuard mesh with no connector infrastructure.
- WireGuard-based mesh VPN
- Zero-config peer-to-peer connectivity
- No connector infrastructure
Free trial Free version -
Best for Small businesses wanting an affordable dedicated cloud VPN with a path to full zero trust.
- Dedicated cloud VPN + static IP
- Zero-trust access (SSE/SDP)
- Split tunneling + DNS filtering
Free trial Free version - 4
Zscaler Private Access
Best for Enterprises replacing legacy VPN with cloud-delivered, scalable zero-trust access at the largest scale.
- Cloud-delivered ZTNA
- App segmentation (apps invisible to internet)
- No inbound connections / dark cloud
Free trial Free version -
Best for Site-heavy organizations wanting converged SASE (SD-WAN + security + ZTNA) on one platform.
- Converged SASE (SD-WAN + SSE)
- Single management console
- Native ZTNA + CASB + DLP
Free trial Free version - 6
Check Point Harmony SASE (Perimeter 81)
Best for SMB/mid-market teams wanting fast, console-managed SASE without dedicated network engineers.
- Cloud-managed SASE + ZTNA
- Per-user network segmentation
- Dedicated gateways + static IP
Free trial Free version -
Best for Teams wanting accessible, edge-delivered ZTNA with a genuinely free tier for up to 50 users.
- Edge-delivered ZTNA on 330+ cities
- Free tier up to 50 users
- Identity-aware app access
Free trial Free version
More alternatives detail
Teams usually move off NordLayer for one of three reasons: pricing model, complexity, or a missing capability. The closest like-for-like options on the data we track are Twingate, Tailscale, GoodAccess.
- Twingate — Teams retiring legacy VPN that want fast, connector-based ZTNA with a free tier; from $5/user/mo (4.7/5 (~69 G2 reviews)). Compare directly: NordLayer vs Twingate.
- Tailscale — Developer-led teams wanting a zero-config WireGuard mesh with no connector infrastructure; from $8/user/mo (4.7/5 (~19 G2 reviews)). Compare directly: NordLayer vs Tailscale.
- GoodAccess — Small businesses wanting an affordable dedicated cloud VPN with a path to full zero trust; from $7/user/mo (4.7/5 (~150 G2 reviews)). Compare directly: NordLayer vs GoodAccess.
- Zscaler Private Access — Enterprises replacing legacy VPN with cloud-delivered, scalable zero-trust access at the largest scale; from Custom quote (4.5/5 (~65 G2 reviews)). Compare directly: NordLayer vs Zscaler Private Access.
- Cato Networks — Site-heavy organizations wanting converged SASE (SD-WAN + security + ZTNA) on one platform; from Custom quote (4.4/5 (G2)). Compare directly: NordLayer vs Cato Networks.
- Check Point Harmony SASE (Perimeter 81) — SMB/mid-market teams wanting fast, console-managed SASE without dedicated network engineers; from Custom quote (4.6/5 (~117 G2 reviews)). Compare directly: NordLayer vs Check Point Harmony SASE (Perimeter 81).
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best alternative to NordLayer?
- Twingate is the top-rated alternative in our data-weighted ranking (from $5/user/mo).
- Why do people switch from NordLayer?
- Usually pricing model, complexity, or a missing capability. The table compares each alternative on exactly those axes.