Algo VPN vs Tailscale

Algo VPN is a set of Ansible scripts for creating a personal WireGuard and IPsec VPN. It can be deployed to listed cloud providers, including DigitalOcean, Amazon Lightsail and EC2, Microsoft Azure, Google Compute Engine, and others, or to an Ubuntu server managed by an advanced user. The listed server platform is Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. Algo supports IKEv2 and WireGuard, and generates WireGuard configuration files and QR codes for iOS, macOS, Android, and Windows clients, plus Apple profiles for IPsec. Helper scripts let administrators add or remove users after deployment. Optional features include ad blocking through a local DNS resolver and limited SSH users for tunneling. The project says it minimizes logging by default and automatically rotates and deletes logs after seven days. However, cloud providers may see network traffic metadata, and an ISP can see a connection to the VPN server. Algo does not claim to provide anonymity or censorship avoidance. It is free and distributed under the AGPLv3, but cloud infrastructure costs are separate. Its local installation guide warns that it overwrites firewall rules and has no uninstall option, so deployment is intended for a dedicated VPN server.

Tailscale is a zero-config VPN for connecting users and devices across a network. It uses WireGuard to form low-latency peer-to-peer connections, which Tailscale says are end-to-end encrypted so it cannot read users’ traffic. Administrators can use access control lists to specify which users may connect to which devices. Supported identity providers handle authentication, and SCIM supports user and group provisioning. Monitoring features include configuration audit logs, network flow logs, webhooks, and log streaming to SIEM partners. Device posture information can be used in connectivity rules. Taildrop transfers files between devices, while node sharing lets users share a node without exposing it to the public internet. The service runs on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows. Personal is free forever for non-commercial use and supports up to six users; Standard costs $8 per user per month. Premium costs $18 per user per month and includes priority support.