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On the recordRead 11 Oct 202620 facts
Headscale
Plans and prices
Headscale
Free
Open-source self-hosted control server · single tailnet
Read 11 Oct 2026 · headscale.net
On the record
- Access controls
- The features page lists access control lists, API-based ACL management, some autogroups, auto approvers, and Tailscale SSH.headscale.net · read 11 Oct 2026
- Access model
- vpnheadscale.net · read 22 Sep 2026
- Admin control level
- standardheadscale.net · read 22 Sep 2026
- API
- Headscale provides HTTP REST and gRPC interfaces for web interfaces, remote control, and custom integrations, and both require an API key.headscale.net · read 11 Oct 2026
- Client platforms
- The documentation lists Linux, OpenBSD, FreeBSD, Windows, Android, macOS, and iOS as supported client operating systems.headscale.net · read 11 Oct 2026
- Database
- The project recommends SQLite and says PostgreSQL is supported but in maintenance mode.headscale.net · read 11 Oct 2026
- Deployment support
- The project says it officially supports binaries and DEB packages, while Docker deployments are not officially supported.headscale.net · read 11 Oct 2026
- Device posture
- Noheadscale.net · read 22 Sep 2026
- Identity integration
- Node registration supports OpenID Connect, but OIDC groups cannot be used in ACLs.headscale.net · read 11 Oct 2026
- Installation
- Official releases are provided as binaries for various platforms and DEB packages for Debian and Ubuntu; supported DEB distributions are Ubuntu 22.04 or newer and Debian 12 or newer.headscale.net · read 11 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The project targets self-hosters and hobbyists, with a single tailnet intended for personal use or a small open-source organisation.headscale.net · read 11 Oct 2026
- Networking features
- Listed features include node registration, MagicDNS, split DNS, Taildrop, tags, subnet routers, exit nodes, IPv4 and IPv6, and embedded DERP.headscale.net · read 11 Oct 2026
- Project maintainers
- The documentation names Kristoffer Dalby and Juan Font as maintainers.headscale.net · read 11 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Headscale is an open-source, self-hosted implementation of the Tailscale control server.headscale.net · read 11 Oct 2026
- Scaling limitation
- The FAQ says Headscale is not enterprise software and performance is not a development focus; many nodes with frequent network changes can keep resource usage high and cause it to fall behind.headscale.net · read 11 Oct 2026
- Site-to-site networking
- Yesheadscale.net · read 22 Sep 2026
- SSO / SCIM
- Yesheadscale.net · read 22 Sep 2026
- Support
- The project points users to its Discord server for community support.headscale.net · read 11 Oct 2026
