VPNSmith
Free tool - mesh VPN pricing

Tailscale pricing calculator

Tailscale, Twingate, NetBird and ZeroTier all have a free plan, and each one stops at a different line: 6 users, 5 users, 10 devices, or "non-commercial use only". Enter your numbers and see which free plan still fits, what the paid plans cost over 1 to 3 years, and when running your own control plane on a small VPS becomes cheaper.

Self-host Headscale or NetBird for the price of one VPS: see the Contabo offer

Runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere.

Tailscale, Twingate and NetBird bill per user. 1 to 500.

ZeroTier bills per device; NetBird includes 100 machines plus 10 per user.

Use
Period
Can you run a small Linux server?

Self-hosting means a Headscale or NetBird control plane on a VPS that you update yourself.

Result

Self-hosting is the cheapest option: €132.00 for the whole period, €934.38 less than Twingate Teams, the cheapest hosted plan that fits.

Self-hosting is priced at the VPS only. Your time to install, update and back it up is not counted, and a domain name for the TLS certificate is recommended.

Run the control plane on a VPS

Headscale or NetBird self-hosted runs comfortably on a small VPS with a public IPv4. The price stays the same for 7 users or 70.

Contabo Cloud VPS 4 shown from EUR 5.50 per month on contabo.com (checked 18 Oct 2026). Affiliate link: we earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

See the Contabo VPS
ServiceCheapest plan that fitsList pricePer month (EUR)Total for the period
Self-hosted (Headscale or NetBird)Headscale / NetBirdVPS EUR 5.50€5.50€132.00
TwingateTeams$5 x 10 / month€44.43€1,066.38
ZeroTierEssential$18 + $2 x 20 / month€51.54€1,237.00
NetBird CloudTeamEUR 6 x 10 / month€60.00€1,440.00
TailscaleStandard$8 x 10 / month€71.09€1,706.21

Prices from the official pricing pages, read on 2026-10-18. USD converted at the ECB rate, 1 EUR = 1.1253 USD. Twingate Teams and Business: yearly-billing price. Self-hosted: €5.50 per month for the VPS. Taxes not included.

Where each free plan stops

The limits below come from each vendor's pricing page, read on 18 October 2026. The first paid plan applies as soon as you cross one of them.

ServiceFree planLimitNext plan
TailscalePersonal6 users, unlimited user devices, non-commercial use onlyStandard, $8 per user per month
TwingateStarter5 usersHome $15 per month (7 users, non-commercial) or Teams $5 per user per month
NetBird CloudFree5 users, 100 machinesTeam, EUR 6 per user per month
ZeroTierPersonal10 devices, one network, non-commercial use onlyEssential, $18 per month with 10 devices, then $2 per device
Headscale or NetBird self-hostedFree softwareNo user limit; you run the serverThe VPS, from EUR 5.50 per month at Contabo
What is Tailscale and how does it work? →Headscale: run your own Tailscale control plane →NetBird self-hosted: install guide →

Frequently asked questions

How much does Tailscale cost?
The Personal plan is free for up to 6 users with unlimited user devices, but only for non-commercial use. A business tailnet moves to Standard at $8 per user per month or Premium at $18 per user per month, billed per seat. Devices are not billed; tagged resources such as servers and exit nodes are included up to 50, then $1 per month each. Figures from tailscale.com/pricing, read on 18 October 2026.
Is Twingate cheaper than Tailscale?
For a team, yes on list price: Twingate Teams is $5 per user per month (yearly billing) against $8 for Tailscale Standard. For personal use the order flips: Tailscale Personal is free for 6 users, while Twingate is free for 5 users and then costs $15 per month on the Home plan for up to 7. The calculator above does the comparison for your exact numbers.
Can I use Tailscale for free in a business?
Not on the Personal plan, which Tailscale reserves for non-commercial use. A tailnet created with a company domain starts a trial and then needs a paid plan. The free alternatives that allow business use are Twingate Starter (5 users) and NetBird Free (5 users, 100 machines), or a self-hosted Headscale server, which uses the official Tailscale clients.
When is self-hosting Headscale or NetBird cheaper?
As soon as no free plan fits. A self-hosted control plane costs the server and nothing per user: about EUR 66 a year on a EUR 5.50 VPS, whether you have 7 users or 70. At 10 business users the cheapest hosted plan costs over EUR 500 a year. The real price of self-hosting is your time: updates, backups and the TLS certificate are yours to manage.
Does the VPS need to be powerful?
No. The control plane only coordinates keys and routes; the traffic itself goes directly between your devices whenever a direct connection is possible. A small VPS is enough for a home or a small team. Pick more bandwidth only if you also use the server as an exit node or relay for everyone.