NetBird vs Tailscale: Self-Hosted Mesh VPN
Quick Verdict
Tailscale for ease of use. NetBird for fully self-hosted infrastructure. Tailscale is simpler, faster to set up, and has better documentation. NetBird’s advantage is that you can self-host every component — management server, signal server, relay, and TURN — without relying on any third-party infrastructure. If full sovereignty over your VPN infrastructure matters, NetBird is the stronger choice.
Overview
Tailscale is a mesh VPN built on WireGuard. Clients connect to Tailscale’s coordination server for key exchange and peer discovery, then establish direct WireGuard tunnels. The coordination server is proprietary (self-hostable via Headscale).
NetBird is a mesh VPN built on WireGuard that was designed from the ground up for self-hosting. All components — management, signal, relay, dashboard, and TURN server — are open source and can be deployed via Docker Compose. NetBird uses WireGuard kernel mode on Linux for maximum performance.
Both create peer-to-peer WireGuard tunnels between devices. The difference is primarily in the control plane and the self-hosting story.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | NetBird | Tailscale |
|---|---|---|
| VPN protocol | WireGuard (kernel on Linux) | WireGuard (userspace by default) |
| Mesh topology | Full mesh (P2P) | Full mesh (P2P) |
| NAT traversal | STUN/TURN (Coturn) + relay | STUN/DERP relays |
| DNS | NetBird DNS (configurable domain) | MagicDNS |
| ACLs / policies | Network policies + posture checks | HuJSON ACLs |
| SSO / OIDC | Any OIDC provider (Keycloak, Zitadel, Authentik, Auth0, Google, etc.) | Google, Microsoft, GitHub, Apple, Okta |
| Self-hosted management | Yes (fully self-hostable) | Via Headscale (community project) |
| Web dashboard | Yes (official) | Yes (Tailscale console) |
| Routes / subnet routing | Yes | Yes |
| Exit nodes | Yes | Yes |
| DNS management | Yes (split DNS) | Yes (MagicDNS + custom DNS) |
| Peer groups | Yes | Yes (via ACLs) |
| Network posture checks | Yes (OS, version, location) | Limited |
| Activity logging | Yes | Yes (paid plans) |
| Free tier | Open source (self-hosted, unlimited) | 100 devices, 3 users |
| Managed service | Yes (free for up to 5 users) | Yes (free for 3 users) |
| Client platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Setup complexity (self-hosted) | High (5 services + OIDC provider) | Moderate (Headscale = 1 service) |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | BSD-3 (client), proprietary (server) |
Installation Complexity
Tailscale (hosted): Install client, log in, done. Two minutes per device.
Tailscale (self-hosted via Headscale): Deploy Headscale container, configure SSL, point clients at your server. About 30-60 minutes total.
NetBird (hosted): Create account at app.netbird.io, install client, done. Similar to Tailscale.
NetBird (self-hosted): This is where it gets complex. You need:
- A domain name with DNS pointing to your server
- An OIDC identity provider (Zitadel, Keycloak, or Authentik — self-hosted, or Auth0/Google/Okta — managed)
- The NetBird Docker Compose stack: Dashboard, Management, Signal, Relay, and Coturn (5 services)
- Let’s Encrypt certificates or a reverse proxy
- Configuring the OIDC integration (varies by provider)
Total self-hosted setup: 2-4 hours including the identity provider. The configure.sh script generates configs, but understanding and debugging the OIDC integration takes time.
Winner: Tailscale for ease of setup. NetBird’s self-hosted setup is significantly more complex due to the mandatory OIDC requirement.
Performance and Resource Usage
| Metric | NetBird | Tailscale |
|---|---|---|
| WireGuard mode (Linux) | Kernel module | Userspace (default) |
| Throughput (Linux) | Higher (kernel WireGuard) | Lower (userspace overhead) |
| Throughput (other OS) | Comparable | Comparable |
| Client RAM | ~40-60 MB | ~30-50 MB |
| Server RAM (self-hosted) | ~500 MB - 1 GB (all services) | ~50-100 MB (Headscale) |
| Server CPU | Low-moderate | Minimal |
NetBird has a potential performance advantage on Linux because it uses the WireGuard kernel module by default, while Tailscale uses a userspace implementation. In practice, the difference is only noticeable at very high throughput.
Community and Support
| Metric | NetBird | Tailscale |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | 12,000+ | N/A (clients open source) |
| License | BSD-3-Clause (all components) | BSD-3 (client), proprietary (server) |
| Company | NetBird GmbH | Tailscale Inc. |
| Documentation | Good (improving) | Excellent |
| Community | Growing (Slack, GitHub) | Large (forums, community) |
| Commercial support | Yes (managed service) | Yes (paid plans) |
Use Cases
Choose NetBird If…
- You want to self-host every component of your VPN infrastructure
- You need zero dependency on any third-party service
- You already run an OIDC provider (Keycloak, Zitadel, Authentik)
- Network posture checks matter (device OS, version, compliance)
- You want WireGuard kernel mode on Linux for maximum throughput
- You want a fully open-source stack (BSD-3 across all components)
Choose Tailscale If…
- You want the easiest setup with the best documentation
- You don’t want to manage an OIDC provider
- MagicDNS and SSO convenience are priorities
- The free tier (100 devices, 3 users) covers your needs
- You want a large community and extensive tutorials
- You prefer Headscale for a simpler self-hosted coordination server
Final Verdict
Tailscale is the better choice for most self-hosters. It’s dramatically easier to set up, better documented, and the free tier is generous. Headscale provides a reasonable self-hosted coordination server if you need it.
NetBird is the better choice if full infrastructure sovereignty is non-negotiable. Every component is open source and self-hostable. The trade-off is significant setup complexity — especially the mandatory OIDC provider. If you already run Keycloak or Authentik for other services, NetBird integrates naturally into that stack.
FAQ
Does NetBird use WireGuard?
Yes. NetBird uses WireGuard for all data plane encryption. On Linux, it uses the kernel module for maximum performance.
Can I use NetBird’s managed service instead of self-hosting?
Yes. NetBird offers a managed service at app.netbird.io that’s free for up to 5 users. Setup is similar to Tailscale.
Do I really need an OIDC provider for self-hosted NetBird?
Yes. NetBird requires an OIDC identity provider for authentication. There’s no built-in username/password login. You can use a managed provider (Google, Auth0) or self-host one (Keycloak, Zitadel, Authentik).
Is Headscale or self-hosted NetBird easier?
Headscale is significantly easier. It’s a single binary/container with minimal configuration. Self-hosted NetBird requires 5 services plus an OIDC provider.
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