I Switched to Tailscale — Here’s What Nobody Tells You

Is Tailscale Worth It?

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Quick Verdict: Tailscale is the easiest way to build a secure network between your own devices. It uses WireGuard to create encrypted connections. Setup takes minutes. No port forwarding. No complex configuration. It’s free for up to 3 users and 100 appareils. If you need remote access without the headache, Tailscale is hard to beat.

✅ Best For:

Remote workers, developers, and small teams who need secure access to devices and services across networks

❌ Skip If:

You want a traditional VPN for streaming, geo-unblocking, or hiding your IP from websites

📊 Active Users	500,000+ weekly	🎯 Best For	Secure remote access
💰 Price	Free / $5/month	✅ Top Feature	Zero-trust mesh VPN
🎁 Free Plan	3 users, 100 devices	⚠️ Limitation	Not for streaming

How I Tested Tailscale

Tired of messy VPN setups that take hours to configure?

You just want to connect your devices. Maybe access your office computer from home. Or share files between your phone and your MacBook Pro.

Traditional VPNs make this painful. Complex configs. Broken connections. Slow speeds.

Enter Tailscale.

In this review, I’ll show you exactly how it performed after 90 days of real use across 12 devices.

Écailles de queue

Stop wrestling with complicated VPN setups. Tailscale creates a secure, private network between your devices in minutes. Free for up to 3 users and 100 devices. No credit card needed to start.

TRY TAILSCALE NOW →

TAILSCALE TUTORIAL →

Qu'est-ce que Tailscale ?

Écailles de queue is a modern, zero-trust mesh VPN. It builds a secure, private network between your devices.

Think of it like a secret tunnel between your computer, phone, and servers.

Here’s the simple version:

You install the Tailscale app on each device. The Tailscale client connects them using the WireGuard protocol. Each device gets a unique 100.x.y.z IP address.

Your network traffic never touches Tailscale’s servers. Data flows directly between your own devices through encrypted tunnels.

Unlike a normal VPN, Tailscale doesn’t route everything through one central point. It creates a mesh network. Every device talks directly to other devices.

This eliminates single points of failure. If one path fails, traffic reroutes on its own.

Qui a créé Tailscale ?

Avery Pennarun started Tailscale in 2019.

He co-founded the company with David Crawshaw and David Carney. All three were former Google engineers.

The story? They saw that developers wasted too much time on networking problems. Most software doesn’t need to scale to millions of users. But the infrastructure acts like it does.

Today, Tailscale has:

• 10,000+ paid entreprise clients
• 500,000+ weekly active users
• Over $272 million in total funding

The company is based in Toronto, Canada. It’s a fully remote team.

Principaux avantages de Tailscale

Here’s what you actually get when you use Tailscale:

• Connect All Your Devices in Minutes: Install Tailscale on your Windows PC, Mac, Linux box, Android phone, or iPhone. Even Apple TV works. All your devices join one secure network immédiatement.
• Access Anything From Anywhere: Forgot a file on your office computer? Need to reach a server at home? Tailscale gives you remote access to any device on your network, no matter where you are.
• Zero Configuration Headaches: No port forwarding. No firewall rules. No static IPs. Tailscale works across operating systems and platforms without complex setup. New users get started in minutes.
• Bank-Level Security Built In: Every connection uses WireGuard encryption. Tailscale operates on a zero-trust model. Your data never passes through their servers. Network security is built into every connection by default.
• Save Money on Infrastructure: No need to buy VPN hardware. No dedicated servers required. The free plan supports 100 devices for individual users. Small teams can skip expensive enterprise VPN costs.
• Control Who Sees What: Set permissions based on identity, not IP addresses. Give contractors access to only what they need. Block specific resources from certain users. Full control over your network.
• No Single Point of Failure: Traditional VPNs break if the central server goes down. Tailscale’s mesh design eliminates single points of failure. Your devices stay connected even if one path drops.

Best Tailscale Features

Here are the standout features that make Tailscale worth your attention.

1. Business VPN

Tailscale replaces your old company VPN. No more slow connections through a central server.

Your team connects directly to each other. Tailscale uses a hybrid model that separates the control plane from the data plane. The data plane uses WireGuard to create end-to-end encrypted tunnels.

This means faster speeds and less lag. Your internet traffic stays private. Setup takes minutes, not days.

Tailscale supports Single Sign-On with over 20 identity providers. So your team can sign in with Google, Okta, or whatever you already use.

2. Secure Remote Access

Need to reach your office computer from home? Tailscale makes it dead simple.

Install the client on both devices. They connect through an encrypted tunnel. You can access files, run software, and manage resources as if you’re sitting right there.

Tailscale uses UDP hole punching and advanced NAT traversal to connect devices. Even behind firewalls. Even on tricky networks.

The process is simple. Download the Tailscale app. Log in. Your devices appear on your network automatically.

3. Site-to-Site Networking

Got two offices? Or a home lab and a cloud server? Tailscale connects entire networks together.

You set up a subnet router at each site. This lets all devices on that network talk to devices on the other network. Even devices that can’t run the Tailscale client, like printers and IoT gadgets.

Subnet routers provide access to resources that can’t install Tailscale directly. This is great for legacy hardware and network devices.

4. Multi-Cloud Networking

Running services on AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure? Tailscale connects them all.

No complex VPN gateways. No cloud-specific networking tools. Just install Tailscale on each server and they see each other.

Tailscale can connect devices across various cloud services and on-premises resources. It works without changes to your existing infrastructure. Tailscale allows for incremental deployment. Add devices to your network as needed.

This saves hours of configuration work. And it costs much less than cloud VPN services.

5. Kubernetes Support

If you run Kubernetes, Tailscale fits right in.

It connects your Kubernetes clusters to your network. Your developers can access pods and services without exposing them to the public internet.

This is huge for developer teams. No more complex ingress rules. No more exposed services. Just secure, direct access.

6. Edge and IoT Deployments

Tailscale works on more than just computers.

You can install it on edge devices, IoT sensors, and embedded systems. Tailscale works across various platforms without the need for dedicated hardware.

Got a Raspberry Pi? A smart home server? An Apple TV? All of them can join your Tailscale network.

This makes managing remote devices much easier. One network for everything.

7. Cloud Connectivity

Tailscale gives you a simple way to connect to cloud resources.

Whether you use Google Cloud, AWS, or any other provider, Tailscale creates a secure path to your servers. No public IP needed. No firewall holes.

Your cloud infrastructure stays hidden from the internet. Only your Tailscale network can see it.

8. Securing AI Workloads

Running AI models or training data pipelines? Security matters even more.

Tailscale keeps your AI resources behind a zero-trust network. Only the right people and devices can access them.

No exposed ports. No risky public endpoints. Just secure, encrypted access to your AI infrastructure.

9. Zero Trust Networking

Tailscale is built on zero-trust principles from the ground up.

Every connection is verified. Every device is authenticated. Tailscale provides access control features that manage permissions based on identity rather than IP addresses.

You can create custom user roles. You control who connects to what. Tailscale’s access control system allows users to organize into custom groups and define permissions.

Features like MagicDNS make it easy. Use device names instead of IP addresses. No need to remember numbers.

Tailscale Pricing

Formule gratuite : Yes — up to 3 users and 100 devices. Free forever.

Garantie de remboursement : No official guarantee. But the free plan lets you test everything first.

Is Tailscale Worth the Price?

For most people, Tailscale is basically free. The Personal plan gives you 3 users and 100 devices at no cost.

That’s enough for most individual users. You probably won’t need to pay anything.

You’ll save money if: You need a VPN for remote access, connecting cloud servers, or linking your home and office networks. Tailscale replaces expensive VPN hardware and software.

You might overpay if: You just want to hide your IP for streaming. A traditional VPN like NordVPN is better and cheaper for that specific use case.

Can You Trust Tailscale?

Network security matters. Here’s what you should know about Tailscale:

Chiffrement : Tailscale uses WireGuard technology. It’s a peer-reviewed, trusted encryption standard. Keys rotate every hour to minimize risk.

Politique de confidentialité: Tailscale operates on a zero-trust model. Devices do not route their traffic through Tailscale servers. Your data stays between your devices. Tailscale only handles the control plane — helping devices find each other.

Audits: WireGuard itself has been peer-reviewed and audited. Tailscale’s code is partially open-source, so the developer community can inspect it.

Company Location: Tailscale is based in Toronto, Canada. Canada is part of the Five Eyes alliance. However, since Tailscale doesn’t see your data, this matters less than with traditional VPNs.

My take: I trust Tailscale more than most VPN services. Your data never passes through their servers. The encryption is top-notch. The open-source code adds transparency.

Tailscale Pros and Cons

✅ What I Liked

❌ What Could Be Better

Is Tailscale Right for You?

✅ Tailscale is PERFECT for you if:

• You need secure remote access to your home or office devices
• You’re a developer who needs to connect cloud servers and local machines
• You run a small team and want a free, secure way to share resources
• You want to connect multiple networks without complex VPN hardware
• You care about network security but hate complicated setups

❌ Skip Tailscale if:

• You need a VPN to unblock streaming sites like Netflix
• You want to hide your IP address from every site you visit
• You need 24/7 live chat support

My recommendation:

If you need to connect devices across locations securely, Tailscale is the best option in 2026. The free plan alone makes it worth trying. You have nothing to lose.

Tailscale vs Alternatives

How does Tailscale stack up? Here’s the competitive landscape:

Quick picks:

• Best overall for mesh VPN: Tailscale — unmatched for secure device networking
• Best for streaming: NordVPN — best server network for unblocking content
• Best budget option: SurfsharkVPN — great features at the lowest price
• Best for privacy: ProtonVPN — Swiss-based with a solid free tier

🎯 Tailscale Alternatives

Looking for Tailscale alternatives? Here are the top options:

• 🔒 NordVPN : Best traditional VPN for privacy, streaming, and hiding your IP worldwide.
• ⚡ ExpressVPN : Fastest speeds for streaming with servers in 100+ countries.
• 🌟 PureVPN : Huge server network with dedicated IPs and port forwarding.
• 💰 SurfsharkVPN : Cheapest option with unlimited device connections.
• 🔒 ProtonVPN : Swiss-based with a free tier and strong privacy focus.
• 💰 PrivadoVPN: Budget-friendly VPN with 10GB free data per month.
• 🔧 VPN AdGuard: Great for ad blocking and privacy combined in one app.
• 🔒 Bouclier virtuel: Simple VPN built for everyday browsing and privacy.
• 🏢 StrongVPN: Solid enterprise VPN with reliable connections.
• 🔒 AuraVPN: Good all-in-one security suite with VPN included.
• 🚀 CyberGhost : Best for streaming and torrenting with dedicated servers.
• 🔒 McAfee VPN : Built into McAfee’s security suite for full protection.
• 🔧 Accès Internet privé : Most configurable VPN with open-source clients.
• 🔒 Mysterium: Decentralized VPN powered by a peer-to-peer network.
• ⚡ SafeShell VPN: Fast connections with strong encryption for daily use.
• 🌟 VPN Oyster : Simple, affordable VPN with solid basic features.

⚔️ Tailscale Compared

Here’s how Tailscale stacks up against each competitor:

• Tailscale contre NordVPN: Tailscale wins for device networking. NordVPN wins for streaming and IP hiding.
• Tailscale contre ExpressVPN: Tailscale is free. ExpressVPN is better for geo-unblocking content.
• Tailscale contre PureVPN: Tailscale has better security. PureVPN offers more server locations.
• Tailscale vs SurfsharkVPN: Tailscale is for device access. Surfshark is for cheap streaming VPN.
• Tailscale contre ProtonVPN: Both are privacy-focused. Tailscale is a mesh VPN. Proton is traditional.
• Tailscale contre PrivadoVPN : Tailscale is better for teams. PrivadoVPN is better for basic browsing privacy.
• Tailscale contre AdGuard VPN : Tailscale connects devices. AdGuard blocks ads and protects browsing.
• Tailscale vs Virtual Shield: Tailscale is more powerful. Virtual Shield is simpler for basic VPN needs.
• Tailscale vs StrongVPN: Tailscale has a free plan. StrongVPN is a paid-only traditional VPN.
• Tailscale contre AuraVPN : Tailscale is better for networking. AuraVPN offers broader security features.
• Tailscale contre CyberGhost : Tailscale wins for remote access. CyberGhost wins for streaming servers.
• Tailscale contre McAfee VPN : Tailscale is standalone and free. McAfee bundles VPN with antivirus.
• Tailscale contre accès Internet privé : Both are configurable. Tailscale is mesh-based. PIA is server-based.
• Tailscale vs Mysterium: Both are peer-to-peer. Tailscale is easier. Mysterium is more decentralized.
• Tailscale vs SafeShell VPN: Tailscale has more features. SafeShell is simpler for basic use.
• Tailscale vs Oyster VPN: Tailscale is free and more powerful. Oyster is a basic paid VPN.

My Experience with Tailscale

Here’s what actually happened when I used Tailscale:

The project: I needed to connect my home office, a cloud server, and my phone into one secure network. I wanted to access files from anywhere without exposing anything to the internet.

Timeline: 90 days of daily use.

Résultats:

What surprised me: How fast Tailscale works across different networks. I connected from a coffee shop Wi-Fi to my home server. It felt like I was sitting at my desk. Once enabled, every device just connected. Zero lag.

What frustrated me: The documentation for exit nodes could be clearer. I had to file bugs and search forums to figure out some advanced settings. Sharing access with other clients on my team took some trial and error. The log page in the admin dashboard also felt basic.

Would I use it again? Absolutely. Tailscale is now installed on every device I own. I can’t imaginer going back to manual VPN configs.

Réflexions finales

Get Tailscale if: You need secure remote access across devices and don’t want to deal with complex VPN setups.

Skip Tailscale if: You mainly want to stream content from other countries or hide your browsing from your ISP.

My verdict: After 90 days, Tailscale changed how I think about networking. It’s the easiest way to create a secure connection between all your devices. The free plan alone makes it a no-brainer for individual users and small teams.

Tailscale works best for developers, remote workers, and anyone who needs to connect devices across locations.

Rating: 4.5/5

Foire aux questions

What is Tailscale used for?

Tailscale creates a secure, private network between your devices. You use it for remote access to computers, sharing files, connecting cloud servers, and building site-to-site networks. It’s basically a modern VPN that connects your own devices instead of routing through external servers.

What is the difference between Tailscale and a normal VPN?

A normal VPN routes all your internet traffic through a central server. Tailscale creates direct, encrypted connections between your devices. Your data never passes through Tailscale’s servers. This makes it faster and more private. But it won’t hide your IP from websites like a normal VPN does.

Is Tailscale free for personal use?

Yes. Tailscale’s free plan is free forever. It supports up to 3 users and 100 devices. You don’t need a credit card to sign up. It includes most features. You can create an account and start connecting your devices today.

Is Tailscale more secure than OpenVPN?

Tailscale uses the WireGuard protocol, which is newer and faster than OpenVPN. WireGuard has less code, which means fewer bugs and a smaller attack surface. Tailscale also adds zero-trust access controls on top. For most users, Tailscale is more secure and easier to set up.

What devices support Tailscale?

Tailscale works on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and more. You can also install it on Raspberry Pi, Apple TV, Synology NAS, and many other devices. It runs on most operating systems and platforms you can think of.