Headscale
Open-source · self-hostable · replaces 1 SaaS tool on os-alt
juanfont/headscale · alive · ★ 38.3k · last commit today · 117 open issues
License: BSD-3-Clause
Good fit for Teams that already love Tailscale UX but don't want a SaaS dependency.
Weak at No web admin UI in core — third-party UIs (headplane, headscale-ui) fill the gap.
In a terminal? npx -y github:SolvoHQ/os-alt-cli tailscale prints
the Tailscale comparison table including Headscale.
how the CLI works →
Replaces these SaaS
- Tailscale · Mesh VPN / zero-config networking
Stand up Headscale at a public hostname. On each Tailscale client: `tailscale up --login-server=https://your-headscale.example`. The clients stay the same; only the control server changes. ACL/SSO replacements need to be set up (Headscale supports OIDC).
README badges for the SaaS this replaces
Maintainers and forks: drop a badge in your README to link readers from the SaaS-comparison page back to your repo.
FAQ
Is Headscale actively maintained?
Yes — last commit today. The repository is alive (commit activity within the past 90 days).
What does Headscale cost to self-host?
Headscale is free and open source under BSD-3-Clause. Typical self-host VPS cost: $5 VPS — coordination only, traffic is peer-to-peer.
Which SaaS does Headscale replace?
Headscale is listed as an open-source self-host alternative to: Tailscale.