The Tailscale Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Tailscale in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Tailscale
The Insider’s Guide
Private network that links your devices, servers and teams
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among remote desktop apps, read from Tailscale’s own pages.
Made by Tailscale Inc. · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Tailscale’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Tailscale’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 11 of the 35 other remote desktop apps we grade
Tailscale is a managed, identity-based private network built on WireGuard. Devices that sign in join a private network called a tailnet and can reach each other directly, which makes it a way to get at a home computer, a server or an office resource from anywhere without opening ports. It is sold both to individuals for personal use and to companies as a business VPN, with SSH, subnet routing and exit nodes among the features.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Tailscale, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You sign in on each device and write access rules, so there is some setting up before it works.
- 1
Best for reaching your own devices without opening ports
Tailscale links your devices into one private network, so a home computer or a server can be reached from outside without opening ports.
- 2
Paid plans start at $8 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $8 per user / month.
- 3
There is a free plan
Personal plan: free for non-commercial use, with unlimited user devices, up to 6 users and up to 3 ACL groups.
- 4
It runs on 5 platforms
macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 11 of 35
That is against the other remote desktop apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Tailscale you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Tailscale at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $8 per user / month
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Tailscale Inc.
- Category
- Remote Desktop
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for reaching your own devices without opening ports
Tailscale links your devices into one private network, so a home computer or a server can be reached from outside without opening ports. It does not show you a remote screen by itself, the free plan is for non-commercial use only, and a tailnet on a company domain counts as business, which starts at $8 a user a month.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Business 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 | B | Personal 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 | C | It 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 | C | No 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 | B | Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, plus Terraform, Kubernetes and Synology. No web client is listed. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Tailscale is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Reaching a home computer, NAS or server from outside without opening ports
- Small teams that want a private network between servers and laptops
- Companies replacing a legacy VPN with identity-based access rules
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$8
A month to start, for each person. There is a free plan too
Tailscale has a free plan. Paid plans start at $8 per user / month.
The free Personal plan is judged under free.
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.
Enterprise
Custom
Custom device limits, a custom MSA, custom tailnet subdomains, solutions engineer help and invoice payment. Sold through sales.
The free plan
Personal plan: free for non-commercial use, with unlimited user devices, up to 6 users and up to 3 ACL groups.
Read from tailscale.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Other savings
Free for open-source projects
Tailscale's about page says the service is free for open-source projects.
Stated on tailscale.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android
Private network that links your devices, servers and teams. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, end-to-end encrypted, vPN.
It builds the network, subnet routing, exit nodes, SSH and access rules.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Terraform
- Kubernetes
- Synology
Tailscale is made by Tailscale Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
11/35
Other remote desktop apps it is graded above
Tailscale's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 11 of the 35 other remote desktop apps we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 19 of 35) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $8 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8.33 for the category: 7 of the 20 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 6 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 36 remote desktop apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Tailscale’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 4 of 35
- BFree plan and trialAbove 19 of 35
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 35
- CEase of useAbove 2 of 35
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 8 of 35
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 29 remote desktop apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Tailscale is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Tailscale you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 16 of the 35 other remote desktop apps grade higher. It costs $96 a year. Tailscale is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could not
- Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- End-to-end encryption done properly.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: SCIM.
What this rests on. Tailscale’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
ZeroTier, NoMachine, RustDesk, MeshCentral and TeamViewer
The 5 tools Tailscale is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
ZeroTier
Free plan · from $18/mo
Peer-to-peer virtual networks for devices, servers and sites.
- Tailscale is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.2GPA
NoMachine
Free trial · from $24.50/yr
Self-hosted remote desktop sold as yearly server subscriptions.
- Tailscale has a free plan. NoMachine does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only NoMachine lists a web app.
- Tailscale is open source and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 3.0GPA
RustDesk
Free plan · from $11.88/mo
Open-source remote desktop you can run on your own server.
- Only RustDesk lists a web app.
- Tailscale is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- RustDesk is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.2GPA
MeshCentral
Free
Self-hosted open-source remote device management site.
- Only Tailscale lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only MeshCentral lists a web app.
- Tailscale is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
TeamViewer
Free plan · from $619.99/yr
Remote access and IT support, free for personal use only.
- Only TeamViewer lists a web app.
- Tailscale is open source, according to its own site.
- Tailscale also covers vPN.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Tailscale free?
Tailscale has a free plan. Personal plan: free for non-commercial use, with unlimited user devices, up to 6 users and up to 3 ACL groups.
How much does Tailscale cost?
Tailscale lists 4 plans. Personal: $0.
What platforms does Tailscale work on?
Tailscale is available on macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.
Does Tailscale offer any discounts?
Tailscale publicly lists the following: Free for open-source projects.
Is Tailscale open source?
Yes. Tailscale is open source, according to its own site.
Is Tailscale end-to-end encrypted?
Tailscale describes itself as end-to-end encrypted on its own site. Nobody here has audited that.
What does Tailscale integrate with?
Tailscale's listing names Terraform, Kubernetes and Synology. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Tailscale?
Tailscale is made by Tailscale Inc.
What are the alternatives to Tailscale?
The closest alternatives to Tailscale in our directory are ZeroTier, NoMachine, RustDesk, MeshCentral and TeamViewer.
How does Tailscale compare with other remote desktop apps?
Tailscale's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 11 of the 35 other remote desktop apps we grade, and level with 8.
Is Tailscale good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Tailscale C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $8 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8.33 for the category: 7 of the 20 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Tailscale?
To replace Tailscale you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Tailscale’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Tailscale's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Tailscale Inc. Prices change, so check tailscale.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Tailscale, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/tailscale
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Tailscale: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/tailscale
Know someone choosing between remote desktop apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/tailscale/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded remote desktop apps after Tailscale, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Remote Desktop Insider's GuideEvery one of the 36 remote desktop apps we grade, compared
- Chrome Remote Desktop Insider's GuideGoogle's free remote access to your own computers from a browser3.2 GPA
- Jump Desktop Insider's GuideRemote desktop with one-time app licences and a per-user team plan3.2 GPA
- Moonlight Insider's GuideOpen-source client for streaming PC games to other devices3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Tailscale’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Tailscale is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Tailscale Inc. Prices and plans change: check tailscale.com before you buy.