Pritunl vs Tailscale (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Tailscale grades higher than Pritunl: 2.4 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Tailscale grades higher on ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Pritunl
Self-hosted open-source VPN server for OpenVPN and WireGuard
Tailscale
Private network that links your devices, servers and teams
Which one is for you
Pick Pritunl if
- Fits if you can run a Linux server and want your own VPN with no per-user fee
- Works for teams that sign in through Okta, Google Workspace or Duo
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't want to run a server, as the install page lists Linux distributions only
- Pricey if you need SSO, failover or site-to-site links, which need Enterprise at $70 per host a month
- Watch out: servers coordinate through MongoDB, which you also have to run
- Too light for phones without extra work, as the Pritunl Client covers macOS, Windows and Linux only
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
| 2.0GPAPritunlFair | 2.4GPATailscaleFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CFree only if you host it yourself, which needs a server, so it sits at C. Premium is $10 per host a month and Enterprise $70. | 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 | BThe Community edition is free for one host with unlimited servers, users and devices, and needs no registration or 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 | COpenVPN and WireGuard clients, a REST API and plugins are listed, but single sign-on, failover and site-to-site links 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 | DNo store rating on record. You install the server on Linux and run MongoDB, which is a command-line job. | 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 | CClient apps for Windows, macOS and Linux, with SSO through Okta, Google Workspace and others. Other devices use OpenVPN profiles. | BMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, plus Terraform, Kubernetes and Synology. No web client is listed. |
| Best for | a self-run VPN server for companies | 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: Pritunl and Tailscale. How we grade
Price against what you get
Pritunl starts at $10 a month for each person and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Tailscale starts at $8 a month for each person and scores 2.3.
Tailscale scores higher and starts $2 a month lower. Of the other remote desktop apps on the chart, 33 score higher than Pritunl for less, and 14 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
- Pritunl is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Tailscale is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
At a glance
| Pritunl | Tailscale | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $10 per host / month | $8 per user / month |
| Free plan | Community edition: free for a single host, with unlimited servers, users and devices. | Personal plan: free for non-commercial use, with unlimited user devices, up to 6 users and up to 3 ACL groups. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Pritunl, Inc. | Tailscale Inc. |
| Price read from | pritunl.com | tailscale.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Pritunl
- You install and run the server yourself; the install page lists Linux distributions only.
- Single sign-on, failover and site-to-site links need Enterprise at $70 per host per month.
- Servers coordinate through MongoDB, which you also need to run.
- The Pritunl Client is available for macOS, Windows and Linux only; other devices use OpenVPN profiles.
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
Pritunl
- OpenVPN and WireGuard clients
- The server accepts any OpenVPN client, and the Pritunl Client for macOS, Windows and Linux handles both OpenVPN and WireGuard.
- Site-to-site links
- Pritunl Link joins networks over WireGuard or IPsec, with AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, Oracle Cloud and Hetzner named on the homepage.
- Single sign-on
- Enterprise supports SAML, Google, Duo Security and RADIUS; the SSO page also lists Okta and OneLogin.
- Failover and replication
- Servers share state through MongoDB and run as equal peers, so clients move to another node if one fails.
- Device authentication
- TPM and Apple Secure Enclave device authentication is offered, along with TOTP and push two-step sign-in.
- REST API and plugins
- A REST API automates user and server management, and a Python plugin system supports custom authentication.
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
Pritunl
Community$0
Free for a single host with unlimited VPN servers, users and devices. You host it yourself.
Premium$10
per host / month
Single host. Adds port forwarding, gateway links, Chromebook support, configuration sync and email user keys.
Enterprise$70
per host / month
Everything in Premium plus single sign-on, automatic failover, replicated servers and site-to-site links.
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
Pritunl
No public discounts listed.
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, Pritunl or Tailscale?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Tailscale is cheaper to start with: $8 a month for each person, against $10 a month for each person for Pritunl. Pritunl starts at $10 per host / month, and Tailscale starts at $8 per user / month.
Which has a free plan, Pritunl or Tailscale?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Pritunl and Tailscale have a free plan.
Which platforms do Pritunl and Tailscale run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Tailscale lists iOS and Android apps. Both list macOS, Windows and Linux 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.