Pick Zentyal if
- You have your own admin who wants an all-in-one server with a web console
- You want mail hosted on your own server
- You would rather pay a per-server license than a monthly operator
Zentyal alternative: have the network built instead of licensing a server
Zentyal and NetYard both skip Windows Server CALs. The difference is who runs it. Zentyal sells a server license you install and administer. NetYard writes the plan for free, and First Deploy AI can build and look after the network for you.
What Zentyal publishes (checked October 19, 2026)
- Zentyal Server is a Linux server for Windows networks, with Active Directory compatibility, mail, and network services. Its home page lists the current release as Zentyal 8.1 on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.
- Its pricing page says one license per server and no client access licenses.
- Annual subscription per server: Micro $230 (up to 25 users, 1 support ticket), Small $600 (up to 75 users), Medium $1,200 (up to 300 users), Enterprise $3,600.
- Lifetime licenses are also listed: $460, $1,200, $2,400, and $7,200 for the same four tiers.
- Its pricing FAQ says that if a subscription is not renewed, the server stops working and you lose updates, upgrades, and the support portal. You can switch to a lifetime license before it expires.
What NetYard does instead
NetYard writes the plan for free: addressing, a Samba Active Directory on Debian that Windows PCs join, shared drives by team, guest Wi-Fi on its own network, a WireGuard VPN stub, a shopping list, install scripts, a user CSV, and a runbook. If you would rather not run it yourself, First Deploy AI builds it from that same written plan for $1,750 setup ($875 to start), then $250/mo. Hardware is bought separately.
Email stays in Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. NetYard does not plan an on-site mail server.
Side by side
| Zentyal Server | NetYard | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | A server license and the software | A written plan, scripts, and an optional build |
| Windows Server CALs | None, per Zentyal's pricing page | None. Samba and Debian carry no CAL |
| Who installs and runs it | You or your admin | You from the free plan, or First Deploy AI |
| Mail services included | Stays in Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 | |
| Price | From $230 per server per year (Micro) | Plan free. Build $1,750 setup ($875 to start), then $250/mo |
Zentyal figures from zentyal.com home and pricing pages, checked October 19, 2026. Hardware is extra on both sides.
Pick NetYard if
- Nobody in the shop wants to be the server admin
- You want a written plan before anyone buys hardware
- Your email already lives in Google Workspace or Microsoft 365
Questions
Does Zentyal need Windows Server CALs?
Zentyal's pricing page says one license per server and no client access licenses. Checked October 19, 2026.
What does NetYard cost compared with a Zentyal license?
The NetYard plan, shopping list, and scripts are free. A done-for-you build is $1,750 setup ($875 to start), then $250/mo, with hardware separate. Zentyal lists annual licenses from $230 per server (Micro, up to 25 users) and lifetime licenses from $460, checked October 19, 2026. Those are different things: a license you run versus a build someone runs for you.
Can I talk it through before deciding?
Yes. Book the free 30-minute call or ring +1 320-335-6186. We look at your shop and your plan before you pay anything.
Sources
Plain-text sources, no outbound links. Each was read on the date shown. Prices change, so check before you buy.
- Zentyal: zentyal.com home page (product description, current release) and zentyal.com/pricing (per-server licensing, annual and lifetime prices, renewal FAQ), checked October 19, 2026.
- NetYard: this site's home page, pricing card, and FAQ ($1,750 setup ($875 to start), then $250/mo; the plan, shopping list, and scripts are free with no account), checked October 19, 2026.