Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Windscribe VS TailScale

Compare Windscribe VS TailScale and see what are their differences

Windscribe logo Windscribe

Windscribe is a desktop application and browser extension that work together to block ads and trackers, restore access to blocked content and help you safeguard your privacy online.

TailScale logo TailScale

Private networks made easy Connect all your devices using WireGuard, without the hassle. Tailscale makes it as easy as installing an app and signing in.
  • Windscribe Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-05
  • TailScale Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-17

TailScale

$ Details
Release Date
2019 January
Startup details
Country
Canada
State
Ontario
City
Toronto
Founder(s)
Avery Pennarun
Employees
10 - 19

Windscribe features and specs

  • Generous Free Plan
    Windscribe offers a free plan with up to 10GB of data per month, with additional bandwidth available through various promotions.
  • Strong Security and Privacy
    The service provides strong encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and various secure protocols (OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard).
  • Wide Range of Features
    Includes features such as R.O.B.E.R.T. (ad and malware blocker), multiple hop connections, and a secure hotspot.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Windscribe has applications for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera.
  • Unlimited Devices
    Allows usage on an unlimited number of devices with a single account.

Possible disadvantages of Windscribe

  • Limited Server Network
    Compared to some competitors, Windscribe has a smaller network with servers in fewer countries.
  • Medium Speed Performance
    While generally reliable, Windscribe's speed may not be as fast as some top-tier VPN providers, especially on long-distance connections.
  • Free Plan Limitations
    The free plan has limitations on server locations and features, pushing users towards upgrading to a paid plan.
  • Inconsistent Customer Support
    Customer support is primarily via email and ticket system, with no live chat available, which may lead to slower response times.
  • Geoblocking Issues
    Some users report difficulty accessing certain geo-restricted content, such as streaming services from specific countries.

TailScale features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    TailScale is easy to set up and configure. It provides a user-friendly interface and automates many complex networking tasks, making it accessible even for those with limited networking knowledge.
  • Security
    TailScale uses WireGuard for its underlying encryption, providing strong security for data transmitted across the network. End-to-end encryption ensures that your data remains safe from interception.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    TailScale supports a wide range of operating systems including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, allowing for seamless integration across various devices and platforms.
  • Scalability
    TailScale can easily scale from small to large networks, making it suitable for both individual use and enterprise-level deployments.
  • NAT Traversal
    TailScale provides automatic NAT traversal, which simplifies the process of connecting devices behind different routers and firewalls without requiring complex port forwarding rules.

Possible disadvantages of TailScale

  • Dependency on TailScale's Infrastructure
    Using TailScale requires reliance on their central coordination servers for initial connection setup and identity management. This could be a concern if the service experiences downtime or other issues.
  • Privacy Concerns
    Since TailScale routes initial connection metadata through their servers, some users may have privacy concerns, especially in highly sensitive environments.
  • Cost
    While TailScale offers a free tier, advanced features and larger-scale deployment options can be costly, potentially making it less suitable for budget-conscious users.
  • Limited Advanced Configuration
    TailScale's simplicity can be a downside for advanced users who require granular control and configuration options that go beyond what TailScale's interface offers.
  • Proprietary Software
    TailScale is a commercial product with proprietary elements, which might not appeal to open-source enthusiasts or organizations that prefer fully open-source solutions.

Windscribe videos

100% HONEST Windscribe Review 2020 ?

More videos:

  • Review - WindScribe Review - HONEST VPN REVIEW 2019!
  • Review - Windscribe VPN | A Full Comprehensive Review

TailScale videos

The Byte - Tailscale Private networks made easy

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Windscribe and TailScale)
VPN
50 50%
50% 50
Cloud VPN
67 67%
33% 33
Security & Privacy
52 52%
48% 48
Security
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Windscribe and TailScale. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Windscribe and TailScale

Windscribe Reviews

Best Top 20 OpenVPN Alternatives (Pros and Cons)
Windscribe is a Canadian-based VPN alternative that comes with a paid version and a free tier with 10GB bandwidth per month. This software cannot assure the fast performance of NordVPN and others,but has many advantages too.
Best Ad Blockers in 2023: Adblock Plus vs AdGuard vs uBlock Origin and More
R.O.B.E.R.T. comes with all Windscribe plans, although the free plan will only allow you to add three custom online ads rules. It will, however, help with blocking overlay ads and avoid spyware-infected ads as well. If you’re already using Windscribe, R.O.B.E.R.T. is a worthy addition, though we aren’t sure we would go out of our way to get it as a stand-alone product.
10 Best Free Online Proxy Server List of 2022 [VERIFIED]
Windscribe offers the solution of VPN and Ad Block. It offers the solution as a desktop application and as a browser extension. It will let you browse privately and unblock the geo-restricted content. Your activities will be encrypted with Windscribe. The pricing plan starts at $4.08 per month.
Best NordVPN Alternatives
Windscribe, like ProtonVPN, offers a high-quality free VPN app alongside its paid version. However, unlike the competition, it has a monthly bandwidth limit of 10 GB. Despite all that, Windscribe remains a public favorite. This is mainly because the VPN works wonders circumventing geo-blocks and content filters, even in China. Furthermore, it offers torrenting on every...
Source: vpnwired.com
10 Best NordVPN Alternatives – Safe & Fast VPNs in 2022
This one is pretty much similar to the TunnelBear VPN listed above. Like TunnelBear, Windscribe also offers 500MB of free data every month. It has over 2000 servers spread across 36 countries. It also has a strict no-log policy, IP Stamps, etc.
Source: techviral.net

TailScale Reviews

  1. Raoul Steadman

    They make the already great wireguard even better! Installation and configuration is a breeze, can easily connect to machines behind firewall(s) without altering anything.

    Definitely made life easier.


7 Ngrok Alternatives & Competitors for App Tunneling, Free & Paid
Tailscale allows you to create a secure virtual private network between your servers, computers, and cloud instances using the WireGuard protocol from a binary executable.
Source: onboardbase.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, TailScale should be more popular than Windscribe. It has been mentiond 518 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Windscribe mentions (140)

  • How to Make an Argentina Steam Account in 2023 – Tried and Tested
    Windscribe (offers a free plan, with the option to purchase Argentina servers). Source: over 1 year ago
  • So Windscribe's Android app is being recommended as a secure client against the TunnelCrack exploit.
    "In case you use OpenVPN servers and profiles, then you can use the open-source Windscribe client and load your OpenVPN profile in Windscribe. You will then be able to use Windscribe with your own server. At the time of disclosure, the Windscribe client was secure against all attacks on all the platforms that we tested (Windows, Android, macOS, Linux, iOS). In contrast, during the disclosure we were not aware of... Source: over 1 year ago
  • Windscribe Voucher 2023 - Free 1GB of VPN Data - Use this link https://windscribe.com/yo/inae8osm - New Customers Only
    And here’s a non-referral link too: https://windscribe.com/. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Blocked IP
    If "Sorry, you have been blocked. You are unable to access windscribe.com" ? Source: almost 2 years ago
  • The ongoing protest should include ad-blocking and anti-tracking
    To block ads entirely: AdGuard or Windscribe VPN. Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

TailScale mentions (518)

  • Optimizing My Dev Workflow in 2025
    I had 2 old laptops sitting around, both 10 years old. I turned both into a home server. Installed Ubuntu Server, set up Docker, and now I run all my containers remotely. With Tailscale, I can securely connect to it like it's on the same network. This way, my MacBook doesn't have to run MongoDB, Redis, or RabbitMQ anymore. That alone freed up a lot of memory. I can even run other services like HomeAssistant,... - Source: dev.to / 13 days ago
  • Again self-hosting! on k3s
    Then I wanted to add Tailscle which besides being a "best in class VPN" for the homelabbers, allows you to add k8s services directly into your tailnet. What does it mean? The Tailscale operator allows you to access your k8s applications only when you are logged into your private Network (tailnet), with the usage of your domain for ended with ts.net. You can configure it in two ways on the resource side, with... - Source: dev.to / 15 days ago
  • Ask HN: What is the most secure way of baby monitoring?
    I dunno if the CIA would trust them but I like Amcrest cameras https://amcrest.com/ because they have a wide range of different price points and capabilities. Use these with software like https://zoneminder.com/ which you could run on a cheap Linux box. For secure access use https://tailscale.com/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • 3 Best Ngrok Alternatives
    Tailscale is a tunneling platform built on open-source code. DevZero and other companies leverage a handful of Tailscale’s source components in their own development environments. Why? Because being open-source means that Tailscale’s software/code is much easier to understand and manipulate, more cost-efficient, and more transparent. Tailscale takes pride in this. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • How I Use Home Assistant in 2025
    Just put tailscale [1] on all of your devices and forget about the problem. It may be technically a vpn but it's much easier to use. [1] https://tailscale.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Windscribe and TailScale, you can also consider the following products

ProtonVPN - ProtonVPN is a security focused FREE VPN service, developed by CERN and MIT scientists. Use the web anonymously, unblock websites & encrypt your connection.

ZeroTier - Extremely simple P2P Encrypted VPN

OpenVPN - OpenVPN - The Open Source VPN

Psiphon - Psiphon is circumvention software for Windows and Mobile platforms that provides uncensored access to Internet content. Read more about Psiphon.

WireGuard - Fast, Modern, Secure VPN Tunnel

NordVPN - NordVPN offers VPN technology that encrypts data twice.