Alternatives to Tailscale

Builds a private network between your own devices using WireGuard, without opening ports or running a server. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as Tailscale.

  • headscale

    A self-hosted, open-source implementation of the Tailscale control server, so your mesh VPN does not depend on a company.

    FreeOpen sourcemacOSLinuxSelf-hosted

    Headscale replaces only Tailscale's hosted coordination server with one you run yourself, keeps the standard Tailscale clients, but targets a single tailnet without a graphical admin interface.

  • ZeroTier One

    Puts machines anywhere in the world on the same virtual Ethernet network, as if they were plugged into one switch.

    FreemiumOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidiOS

    ZeroTier One builds a flat virtual Ethernet network instead of a WireGuard mesh, so broadcast and discovery work across sites, and its controller can be self-run.

  • NetBird

    A WireGuard-based mesh network with single sign-on, multi-factor authentication and access policies, self-hostable or managed.

    FreemiumOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxSelf-hosted

    NetBird is a WireGuard mesh with SSO, MFA and group access policies that can be fully self-hosted under the AGPL or used as a managed service.

  • Netmaker

    Self-hosted platform for building and managing WireGuard mesh networks.

    FreemiumOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxSelf-hostedWeb

    Netmaker is a self-hosted platform for WireGuard mesh networks with an admin interface and private DNS, though some management features sit in commercially licensed paid tiers.

  • nebula

    Connect devices through an encrypted overlay network.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroid

    Nebula is a free MIT-licensed encrypted overlay network with no hosted service, but requires you to manage certificates and network configuration yourself.

  • Firezone

    WireGuard-based zero trust access with self-hosted gateways.

    FreemiumOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidiOS

    Firezone focuses on identity-driven per-resource access with self-hosted gateways, but its control plane is vendor-hosted and full self-hosting is not supported.

  • innernet

    Private network manager built on WireGuard with peer invitations.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxCommand line

    Innernet is an MIT-licensed WireGuard network manager with invitation-based enrolment and a coordination server you run yourself, but it is focused on Linux.

  • EasyTier

    A decentralized mesh VPN written in Rust that links devices into one private network, with WireGuard support.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidCommand line

    EasyTier forms a decentralized mesh with WireGuard support and no central server, but needs more setup and much documentation is in Chinese.

Also worth comparing

These listings name Tailscale as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.

  • Husarnet

    A peer-to-peer VPN that connects laptops, servers and microcontrollers directly, with built-in support for ROS.

    FreemiumProprietaryLinuxSelf-hosted

    Tailscale builds a WireGuard mesh through NAT across desktop and mobile with a free Personal plan, but its coordination server is hosted and it has no ROS-specific tooling.

  • LogMeIn Hamachi

    A hosted VPN service that creates LAN-like virtual networks between remote computers.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindowsmacOSLinuxWeb

    Tailscale builds a WireGuard private network with open source clients and mobile apps, and a free Personal plan for up to 6 users, but requires signing in through an identity provider.

  • n2n

    A lightweight peer-to-peer layer-2 VPN for linking machines into a virtual network.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxCommand line

    Tailscale replaces manual setup and the supernode with a hosted WireGuard coordination service and apps for all major platforms, but requires an identity provider account.

  • Netclient

    Connect a machine to a Netmaker-managed network.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxCommand line

    Tailscale connects machines to a WireGuard private network through its own hosted coordination service instead of a Netmaker deployment, with clients for mobile as well as desktop.

  • OpenZiti

    An open-source zero trust networking platform that connects services by identity instead of IP address.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxSelf-hostedCommand line

    Tailscale offers WireGuard networking with central access rules and clients for all major platforms, but relies on a hosted coordination server and network-level access.

  • Radmin VPN

    A free Windows program that joins remote computers into one virtual local network.

    FreeProprietaryWindows

    Tailscale builds a WireGuard private network across desktop and mobile platforms with open-source clients, but sign-in through an identity provider is required.

  • tinc

    A VPN daemon that builds an encrypted mesh network between hosts over the internet.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxCommand line

    Tailscale replaces hand-written config files with centrally managed WireGuard access rules, but requires an account and a hosted coordination server.

  • Twingate

    An identity-based network access service meant to replace a traditional VPN for teams.

    FreemiumProprietaryWeb

    Tailscale builds a WireGuard mesh between devices with centrally configured access rules and a free plan for up to 6 users, with open-source clients.

  • Yggdrasil

    An experimental, end-to-end encrypted IPv6 mesh network run as a lightweight userspace software router.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidiOSCommand line

    Tailscale is a WireGuard mesh with central access rules and MagicDNS, but it needs an identity provider sign-in and a hosted coordination server instead of being fully decentralised.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.