Nostr VPN
How it works
Your keys. Your network.
Nostr VPN is an open-source private mesh VPN. Device keys identify peers, administrators approve membership, and FIPS carries encrypted traffic between devices.
Three parts with different jobs
Device identity and membership
A local Nostr key identifies each device. Administrators approve signed join requests and sign the network’s membership list. Relaying traffic does not by itself make a device a member of your private network.
Discovery
Nostr relays carry signed discovery events that help devices find peers. They do not carry the private IP packets inside your mesh. Discovery can reveal public keys and connection metadata; account-free does not mean anonymous.
Encrypted connections
FIPS carries private-mesh traffic. Peers connect directly when possible and can route through FIPS neighbors when needed. Received IP traffic is checked against authenticated identity and network membership or an authorized paid session.
WireGuard is an option for an internet connection upstream of the mesh or directly on a device. Nostr VPN’s private mesh uses FIPS, not WireGuard. Here, FIPS is the networking project’s name, not a claim of FIPS 140 certification.
Read the protocol specification and inspect the FIPS implementation.
Who you trust
- Your devices and administrators: protect private keys, keep devices updated, and approve only intended members. A compromised endpoint can expose data on that endpoint.
- Discovery and transit infrastructure: operators can observe the connection metadata needed to provide their service. Availability still depends on reachable paths and configured infrastructure.
- An internet exit: traffic is encrypted to the exit, then forwarded to its destination. The operator can see destination IPs, timing and volume, sometimes website names, and unencrypted application traffic. Use HTTPS.
- Your DNS resolver: encrypted DNS protects queries in transit to the resolver; the resolver can read them. The exit’s visibility depends on your selected DNS mode.
The app has no advertising or third-party analytics SDKs. See the privacy policy for local storage, metadata, DNS options, and independently operated services.
Optional marketplace, additional trust
The paid-exit marketplace is experimental. Independent providers advertise prices and accept Cashu payments for metered bandwidth. Providers are not operated by Nostr VPN.
A Cashu mint holds the Bitcoin backing your tokens; you depend on it for redemption. Payment channels can reserve funds until settlement or expiry, and recovery can require the mint to be available. Keep wallet data until settlement completes.
Private networking requires no wallet. The iOS edition includes neither paid exits nor the Cashu wallet. See paid-access setup and limitations.
Evaluate the implementation
Open source lets you inspect the implementation; it does not by itself establish security. This page describes the design and is not an independent security audit or a certification.
Check the protocol, platform differences, release history, and test methodology against your requirements. These architecture notes refer to Nostr VPN v4.1.17.