can i fork it?
πŸ” security

Teleport costs $6/mo.
These cost $0.

3 free alternatives to Teleport, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.

⚑ Quick Verdict · 2027 Guide

The top-rated free, open-source replacement for Teleport is JumpServer (Open Source Open Source). Across this category, 3 self-hostable tools are available (including JumpServer and OpenVPN). Switching a 5-person team saves up to $360/year compared to Teleport's $6/mo subscription.

The catch: Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Teleport.

Teleport vs Free Alternatives

Quick side-by-side comparison Β· $0/mo vs $6/mo

AlternativeTypeLicenseWhere It RunsStarsHead-to-Head
JumpServeropen sourceOpen SourceSelf-hostβ˜… 31.9kTeleport vs JumpServer β†’
OpenVPNopen sourceOpen SourceSelf-hostβ˜… 14.8kTeleport vs OpenVPN β†’
FireZoneopen sourceOpen SourceSelf-hostβ˜… 9.2kTeleport vs FireZone β†’

The picks

3 open source Β· ranked by fit

  1. 01

    JumpServer

    open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host
    31.9knov 2026

    Open-source privileged access management solution offering secure, browser-based access to SSH, RDP, Kubernetes, databases and remote applications.

    The catch vs Teleport

    Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Teleport.

    Install, platforms & data +
    platforms
    webself-hosteddocker to self-host
    install
    Clone https://github.com/jumpserver/jumpserver or deploy with Docker Compose
    setup
    Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
    your data
    All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
    checked
    2026-11-07
  2. 02

    OpenVPN

    open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host
    14.8knov 2026

    Secure remote access VPN solutions with zero trust network access. Self-hosted and cloud-managed options for businesses of all sizes. Trusted by 20,000+ organizations.

    The catch vs Teleport

    Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Teleport.

    Install, platforms & data +
    platforms
    webself-hosteddocker to self-host
    install
    Clone https://github.com/openvpn/openvpn or deploy with Docker Compose
    setup
    Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
    your data
    All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
    checked
    2026-11-07
  3. 03

    FireZone

    open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host
    9.2knov 2026

    Replace your VPN with zero-trust access built on WireGuard. Fast, scalable network security with simple policies and identity provider integration.

    The catch vs Teleport

    Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Teleport.

    Install, platforms & data +
    platforms
    webself-hosteddocker to self-host
    install
    Clone https://github.com/firezone/firezone or deploy with Docker Compose
    setup
    Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
    your data
    All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
    checked
    2026-11-07

Teleport Head-to-Head Comparisons (2027)

Side-by-side trade-off breakdowns Β· 3 free alternatives

Frequently Asked Questions

Direct answers Β· Teleport open-source replacements

What is the best free alternative to Teleport?+

The top free alternative to Teleport is JumpServer (open source, Open Source). Open-source privileged access management solution offering secure, browser-based access to SSH, RDP, Kubernetes, databases and remote applications. Other popular Teleport replacements include OpenVPN, FireZone.

Can I self-host a free replacement for Teleport?+

Yes. Of the 3 free alternatives to Teleport, 3 can be self-hosted on your own server or local machine: JumpServer (Open Source), OpenVPN (Open Source), FireZone (Open Source).

How much does switching from Teleport to a free alternative save?+

Teleport starts at $6/month per seat ($72/year). Switching a 5-person team to a free alternative like JumpServer saves $360 per year in software subscription fees.

Should I vibe-code or build my own Teleport clone from scratch?+

Our build verdict for Teleport is NO (use a free alternative, save the tokens). Instead of paying recurring SaaS fees for Teleport or rebuilding it from scratch, deploy one of the 3 battle-tested open-source alternatives like JumpServer.

What is the catch when switching from Teleport to JumpServer?+

Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Teleport.