Tag
Wireguard tools
4 reviewed tools: 3 free or open source, 1 hosted with a real free tier.
Order: free and open source first, then hosted products with a real free tier, then paid-led; catalog order inside each group, with quiet or archived repos last. Not a score, and no tool pays for its place.
4 tools
- HeadscaleBSD-3 self-hosted Tailscale control server
Free / OSS · BSD-3-Clause · 44.8k GitHub stars
VerdictBSD-3 Tailscale-compatible control plane. Self-host; clients stay Tailscale.
CatchControl server only — not a userspace WireGuard client replacement. Not associated with Tailscale Inc as a product. You operate DERP/coordination yourself; MagicDNS/feature parity lags Tailscale SaaS at the edges.
- TailcatBSD-3 WireGuard+DERP netcat without Tailscale control plane
Free / OSS · BSD-3-Clause · 8.4k GitHub stars
VerdictBSD-3 WireGuard netcat without Tailscale Inc coordination. Bring your own DERP.
CatchCLI/API unstable — no stability promises. Public Tailscale DERP may be rate-limited or revoked; run your own derper for real bandwidth. Not Headscale control plane or full Tailscale VPN. Distinct from Headscale/Netbird.
- TailscaleBSD-3-Clause WireGuard mesh VPN client
Free / OSS · BSD-3-Clause · 37.8k GitHub stars
VerdictThe easiest way to put your machines on one private network — self-host the control side with headscale if that matters.
CatchBy default every node connects to Tailscale’s hosted coordination server, a proprietary service with its own plans and limits. To run everything yourself you pair the client with headscale, the open-source coordination server, and lose some hosted features.
- NetBirdWireGuard mesh ZTNA; Cloud free 5 users/100 machines, self-host AGPL plane
Free tier · Freemium · 30.1k GitHub stars
VerdictWireGuard ZTNA. Cloud free 5/100; self-host AGPL core; HA extras paid.
CatchVs Headscale/Tailscale: own clients+plane. Cloud Team from about 6 EUR/user; self-host HA/SCIM/device-approval need Commercial Starter or Enterprise. Dual license on control plane.
FAQ
- What is the top free pick among Wireguard tools?
- Headscale leads the Stack Gems list for Wireguard tools. Verdict: BSD-3 Tailscale-compatible control plane. Self-host; clients stay Tailscale.
- How many Wireguard tools does Stack Gems review?
- 4: 3 free or open source, 1 hosted with a real free tier. Each review has a verdict and an honest Catch; no tool pays for its spot.
- Which Wireguard tools can I self-host for free?
- Headscale, Tailcat and Tailscale.
- Which Wireguard tools have the most GitHub stars?
- Headscale (44.8k), Tailscale (37.8k), NetBird (30.1k), per GitHub on 2026-10-21. Stars measure attention, not fit; read the Catch.
- What is the catch with Headscale?
- Control server only — not a userspace WireGuard client replacement.