NoMachine vs Tailscale (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Tailscale grades higher than NoMachine: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Tailscale grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
NoMachine
Self-hosted remote desktop sold as yearly server subscriptions
Tailscale
Private network that links your devices, servers and teams
Which one is for you
Pick NoMachine if
- Fits if you run Linux or a Raspberry Pi and want to connect straight to it
- Works for businesses hosting several virtual Linux desktops on one server
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you have lots of computers, as each needs its own $24.50 yearly license
- Skip it if you want something free, since only the Player is, and it needs a paid server to connect to
- Tight if two people need the same desktop at once, as Personal Edition allows one connection
- Watch out: reaching a machine behind a firewall by ID needs Network Personal at $84.50 a year on top
- Too light for browser access, VPN or single sign-on unless you pay for Enterprise at $44.50 a computer
Pick Tailscale if
- Fits if you want to reach a home computer, NAS or server from outside without opening ports
- Works for a small team that needs a private link between laptops and servers
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to see and control a remote screen, because it only connects devices and needs a separate remote desktop tool
- Not for you if the network is for work and you want it free, as Personal is non-commercial only
- Tight if you need more than 3 ACL groups on the free plan, since Standard at $8 a user raises that to 10
- Pricey if you need just-in-time access or flow logs, which start on Premium at $18 per user a month
- Watch out: the coordination server is closed source, per Tailscale's own open source page
How we grade them
| 2.2GPANoMachineFair | 2.4GPATailscaleFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CPersonal Edition is $24.50 a year per computer, so two computers come to $49, and getting past a firewall by Machine Id adds Network Personal at $84.50, or $133.50 a year in all. RustDesk, Parsec and Jump Desktop reach your own computers for nothing, so for the same job it's on the dear side. | CBusiness plans are $8 and $18 per user a month, which sits in the middle of what remote access tools charge ($4.17 to $28). The free Personal plan is judged under free. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan: only the Player is free, and it needs a paid server edition to connect to. Each server edition has a free trial, and NoMachine Network has a 7-day one; the listing doesn't mention a card. | BPersonal is free for non-commercial use with unlimited devices, 6 users and 3 ACL groups. One person could live on it, but it stops being available once the network is for work. |
| Features | CThe NX protocol with hardware H.264, multi-monitor, terminal sessions, file, disk, printer and USB sharing, Wake-on-LAN and recording. The gaps it lists itself: Personal Edition allows one desktop connection at a time, and browser access, VPN and single sign-on are Enterprise only. | CIt builds the network, subnet routing, exit nodes, SSH and access rules. The listing says it shows no remote screen, so desktop access still needs a VNC or remote desktop program on top. |
| Ease of use | CNo App Store rating on record. You connect by IP address on your own network, and reaching a machine behind a firewall by ID needs a separate Network subscription. That's a learning curve. | CNo store rating on record. You sign in on each device and write access rules, so there is some setting up before it works. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac, Linux and Raspberry Pi, with a free Player for iPhone and Android and browser access on Enterprise. Sign-in works with Okta, Entra ID and Active Directory, but there's no API on record. | BMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, plus Terraform, Kubernetes and Synology. No web client is listed. |
| Best for | remote desktops for Linux and your own network | reaching your own devices without opening ports |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: NoMachine and Tailscale. How we grade
Price against what you get
NoMachine starts at $2.04 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Tailscale starts at $8 a month for each person and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and NoMachine starts $5.96 a month lower. Of the other remote desktop apps on the chart, 5 score higher than NoMachine for less, and 6 score higher than Tailscale for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- NoMachine is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Tailscale is open source and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- NoMachine also covers remote desktop.
- Tailscale also covers vPN.
At a glance
| NoMachine | Tailscale | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $24.50 per year (Personal Edition, one computer) | $8 per user / month |
| Free plan | None | Personal plan: free for non-commercial use, with unlimited user devices, up to 6 users and up to 3 ACL groups. |
| Free trial | Free trial of each server edition; NoMachine Network has a 7-day trial | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | NoMachine S.Ã r.l. | Tailscale Inc. |
| Price read from | nomachine.com | tailscale.com |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
NoMachine
- Personal Edition is now an annual subscription; only the Player client is free, and it needs a NoMachine server edition to connect to.
- Reaching a computer behind a firewall by Machine Id needs a separate NoMachine Network subscription on top of the server edition.
- Personal Edition allows one desktop connection at a time; browser access, VPN and single sign-on are Enterprise only.
- Terminal Server and Workstation editions host virtual desktops on Linux only.
Tailscale
- Tailscale connects devices into a network; it does not show a remote screen by itself, so desktop access still needs a remote desktop or VNC program running over it.
- The Personal plan is for non-commercial use only, and a tailnet on a company domain is treated as business use.
- Just-in-time access, network flow logs and log streaming need Premium at $18 per user / month.
- Tailscale's open source page says the clients and relay servers are open source but the coordination server is closed source; Headscale is a separate community-built alternative.
Key features
NoMachine
- NX protocol
- Hardware-accelerated H.264 encoding and decoding, audio and video streaming, and multi-monitor support, for work, media and games.
- Free Player on every platform
- NoMachine Player is free for commercial and non-commercial use on Windows, Mac, Linux, ARM, Raspberry Pi, iOS and Android, with no limit on machines.
- Terminal access
- Open remote command-line sessions to Windows, macOS or Linux NoMachine systems without a full desktop and without SSH on the server.
- Devices and files
- File transfer with drag and drop, disk and printer sharing in both directions, USB device forwarding, port forwarding and Wake-on-LAN.
- Recording and guest sharing
- Record your session on the fly, and let guests join your desktop to collaborate or help troubleshoot.
- Enterprise sign-in and browser access
- Enterprise editions add access from any browser, a built-in VPN, and sign-in with Okta, Entra ID, Google Cloud Identity, Keycloak, LDAP or Active Directory.
Tailscale
- Private network between devices
- Each signed-in device joins a tailnet and can connect to the others directly, so a personal computer or a server can be reached from outside without public-facing ports.
- Subnet routers and exit nodes
- A subnet router lets devices that cannot run Tailscale be reached through one that can, and an exit node sends internet traffic out through a chosen device.
- Tailscale SSH
- SSH access to servers is authorized by the same identity and access rules as the rest of the tailnet. Advanced SSH features are on Premium.
- Access control with ACL groups
- Rules decide which users and tagged resources can reach each other. The number of ACL groups rises from 3 on Personal to 10 on Standard and 300 on Premium.
- Admin and identity controls
- Paid plans add SCIM user provisioning, MDM configuration and device posture checks; Premium adds just-in-time access, flow logs and log streaming.
- Free tier for home use
- The Personal plan covers unlimited devices for up to 6 users at no charge, for non-commercial use such as a homelab or a home network.
Plans
NoMachine
Personal Edition$24.50
per year per computer
For individuals and businesses: 1 desktop connection and up to 4 terminal connections from the same client. Also sold in packs of 5 to 100.
Enterprise Desktop$44.50
per year per computer
Unlimited connections, access from any browser, a built-in VPN and single sign-on. Also sold in packs of 10 to 100; the support table lists a pack at $244.50.
Network Personal$84.50
per year ($8.50 billed monthly)
Optional: 1 connection at a time over NoMachine Network by Machine Id, for computers behind a firewall. Plans for 4 to 32 connections cost more.
Workstation$124.50
per year per server
Runs up to 4 virtual Linux desktops and apps on one server, with unlimited connections and browser access.
Small Business Terminal Server$744.50
per year per server
Runs up to 10 virtual Linux desktops and apps on one server, for departments and small businesses.
Tailscale
Personal$0
Non-commercial use only. Unlimited user devices, up to 6 users, up to 3 ACL groups, up to 50 tagged resources and 1,000 minutes a month for ephemeral resources.
Standard$8
per user / month
Unlimited users, SCIM, up to 10 ACL groups, MDM configuration, device posture integrations and advanced user roles.
Premium$18
per user / month
Up to 300 ACL groups, 10,000 ephemeral minutes a month, just-in-time access, advanced Tailscale SSH, network flow logs and log streaming.
EnterpriseCustom
Custom device limits, a custom MSA, custom tailnet subdomains, solutions engineer help and invoice payment. Sold through sales.
Ways to pay less
NoMachine
- Annual discount
Network subscriptions cheaper paid yearly
Network Personal is $84.50 a year against $8.50 a month, which is $102 over twelve months: about 17% less.
Tailscale
- Other savings
Free for open-source projects
Tailscale's about page says the service is free for open-source projects.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, NoMachine or Tailscale?
As of Nov 12, 2026, NoMachine starts at $24.50 per year (Personal Edition, one computer), and Tailscale starts at $8 per user / month. One is priced for each person and the other is not, so which costs less depends on how many of you use it.
Which has a free plan, NoMachine or Tailscale?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Tailscale has a free plan. NoMachine does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do NoMachine and Tailscale run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only NoMachine lists a web app. Both list macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.