Comparison
PacketMole vs KeepYourHomeIP
Both products solve the same problem: keep your home IP address when you travel. They do it with very different hardware generations, very different pricing models, and very different assumptions about who owns the tunnel.
The short version
- Total 3-year cost:PacketMole is $349 one-time. KeepYourHomeIP's top-tier “Business” tier is roughly $498 + $112/year subscription = roughly $834 over 3 years. You save ~$485.
- Hardware generation:PacketMole ships GL.iNet's current generation — Brume 2 (home gateway) + Beryl AX (Wi-Fi 6, 2023). KeepYourHomeIP's Business tier ships GL.iNet's previous generation — the Slate Plus, rebranded as the “Maui MA-B256” (Wi-Fi 5, 2022). Same vendor, one product generation behind. Their cheaper Economy Light tier ships hardware that's 5+ years older still.
- CGNAT support:Both vendors use VPN tunneling, but PacketMole is built on Tailscale, which can use DERP relays when CGNAT prevents a direct connection. KeepYourHomeIP uses WireGuard; direct-inbound WireGuard may require port forwarding or a relay on connections such as T-Mobile Home Internet, Starlink, cellular hotspots, and many apartment networks.
- Account requirement:KeepYourHomeIP requires creating an account with them — their setup process literally starts with “log into your Keep Your Home IP account page” and scans QR codes that bind each router to their cloud. PacketMole requires zero account with us. You sign into your own Tailscale account (currently free for personal use), the tunnel runs through your own infrastructure, and we never see your traffic.
- What happens if the vendor disappears:KeepYourHomeIP's auto-configuration phones home to their servers; the routers are QR-bound to their account system. If they shut down, the cloud dependency becomes a problem. PacketMole uses standard GL.iNet hardware with a PacketMole software overlay and no PacketMole account lock-in. The routers remain reusable, although PacketMole operation still depends on compatible third-party software and services.
Detailed comparison
| Feature | PacketMole | KYH Economy Light | KYH Business (Maui) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware (one-time) | $349 | ~$347 | ~$498 |
| Monthly subscription | $0/mo | ~$9/mo or ~$112/yr | ~$9/mo or ~$112/yr |
| Account required with vendor | No | Yes | Yes |
| 3-year total cost | $349 | ~$682 | ~$834 |
| Hardware: home unit | GL.iNet Brume 2 (GL-MT2500A) | Capri CP-EL128 | Maui MA-B256 (GL-A1300 rebrand) |
| Hardware: travel unit | GL.iNet Beryl AX (GL-MT3000) | Capri CP-EL128 (same model both ends) | Maui MA-B256 (same model both ends) |
| WiFi standard | WiFi 6 (802.11ax, AX3000) | 2.4 GHz only (802.11n) | WiFi 5 (802.11ac, AC1300) |
| Hardware generation | GL.iNet 2023 | ~2018-vintage chipset | GL.iNet 2022 |
| Ethernet | 2.5 Gigabit | 10/100 Mbps | Gigabit |
| VPN protocol | Tailscale (WireGuard + DERP) | WireGuard | WireGuard |
| CGNAT approach | Tailscale can use DERP relays | Direct WireGuard may require port forwarding | Direct WireGuard may require port forwarding |
| Captive-portal handling | Manual; venue support or hotspot may be needed | Manual | Manual |
| Hardware ownership / reusability | Standard GL.iNet hardware with PacketMole overlay | Custom firmware, QR-bound | Custom firmware, QR-bound |
| Service dependencies | Tailscale plus both internet connections | KYH cloud auto-config plus both internet connections | KYH cloud auto-config plus both internet connections |
| Shipping | Free US (Florida) | From Netherlands | From Netherlands |
| Vendor legal entity | Slick Engineering (USA) | IPlumVPN B.V. (Netherlands) | IPlumVPN B.V. (Netherlands) |
| Returns | 30 days, $50 restocking fee | Per their policy | Per their policy |
| Customer support | Email hello@packetmole.com | support@keepyourhomeip.com | support@keepyourhomeip.com |
About the hardware: same vendor, different generation
Worth being precise about this. KeepYourHomeIP's top-tier “Business” tier ships a router they call the “Maui MA-B256.” That's their private-label name. The actual hardware, confirmed via the FCC filing 2BCSZ-MA-B256 which transfers from GL.iNet's 2AFIW-A1300, is a rebranded GL.iNet Slate Plus (GL-A1300) — a pocket-sized Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) travel router GL.iNet launched in 2022.
PacketMole's travel device is the GL.iNet Beryl AX (GL-MT3000)— the Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) follow-on GL.iNet launched in 2023. Same vendor, one product generation newer. Same kind of pocket-sized travel-router form factor, but with the spec bumps you'd expect from a year of progress: Wi-Fi 6 instead of Wi-Fi 5, AX3000 vs AC1300, and 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet instead of plain Gigabit.
And for the home side, PacketMole ships the GL.iNet Brume 2 (GL-MT2500A), a purpose-built fanless Ethernet-only gateway designed exactly for the “stays at home, advertises an exit node” role. KeepYourHomeIP just ships two of the same Wi-Fi travel router and uses one of them as a home gateway. Both designs work; ours is a closer match to what each device is actually doing.
When KeepYourHomeIP might be the better choice
We'll be honest about it. KeepYourHomeIP makes more sense if:
- You're based in the EU— they ship from the Netherlands and PacketMole only ships within the US right now.
- You want a managed service relationship.Their roughly $9/month subscription buys you their support staff actively monitoring and auto-configuring your tunnel. PacketMole is the “set it and forget it” model — you own everything and email us if something breaks.
- You want the same single router model at both ends.Some customers prefer the simplicity of one SKU. PacketMole pairs two different routers — one purpose-built as a home gateway, one purpose-built as a travel router.
When PacketMole is the better choice
- You're in the USand care about getting it fast (free US shipping from Florida vs international shipping from the Netherlands).
- Your home internet is T-Mobile Home, Starlink, cellular, or an apartment LAN— i.e. anything behind CGNAT. PacketMole's Tailscale-based approach can use DERP relays without port forwarding when a direct path is unavailable. Actual connectivity still depends on both networks allowing Tailscale traffic.
- You want one-time pricingwith no ongoing billing relationship. Lower total 3-year cost (~$485 less than the Business tier), with no recurring PacketMole charge.
- You don't want a vendor account at all.KeepYourHomeIP's setup begins with “log into your Keep Your Home IP account.” PacketMole's tunnel terminates on your own home router under your own Tailscale account. We don't need credentials from you, we don't host your config, and we can't see your traffic.
- You want current-generation hardware— Wi-Fi 6 + 2.5G Ethernet at the $349 price point vs Wi-Fi 5 + Gigabit at KYH's ~$498-plus-subscription Business tier.
- You want hardware that survives the vendor.PacketMole uses standard GL.iNet routers with a PacketMole software overlay. If we ever go out of business, the hardware remains reusable, including by reflashing it. KeepYourHomeIP's hardware is QR-bound to their cloud and runs their custom firmware.
Ready to bring home with you?
$349 one-time. Free US shipping. Ships within 2 weeks. 30-day returns.
Secure checkout · Powered by Stripe
Note on accuracy: KeepYourHomeIP pricing and product lineup reflect their public pricing page on August 30, 2026. All customer-facing dollar equivalents use the European Central Bank's August 28, 2026 reference rate of $1.1643 per euro. The source prices were €298 or €428 for hardware plus €96/year. Hardware identification (Maui MA-B256 = GL.iNet Slate Plus / GL-A1300) is confirmed via FCC filing 2BCSZ-MA-B256. Subscriptions and pricing change; we'll update this page as we notice.
Have a correction or want to flag something we got wrong? Email hello@packetmole.com.