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FreeIPA vs Zentyal: catalog facts
FreeIPA	Zentyal
Free Free and open source.	Paid Yearly or lifetime licences covering unlimited users, with a free 15-day trial.
Linux, Web, Self-hosted, Command line	Linux, Self-hosted
Integrates LDAP, Kerberos, DNS and certificates in one system Trusts with Microsoft Active Directory	Active Directory compatible domain controller for Windows clients Mail, groupware and network services in one interface
Linux-centric; built around Fedora and related distributions Many integrated components make it heavy to deploy and operate	Paid licence after the trial Aimed at small and mid-sized office servers rather than home use
Self-hosted	Self-hosted, Operating system
Open source	Closed source
License not stated	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 24, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.