Amnezia VPN vs Tailscale

Amnezia VPN is an open-source client for using a VPN service or setting up a VPN server on a server you control. Its self-hosted setup connects to a VPS over SSH, installs Docker, and runs separate containers for protocol connections. The app supports OpenVPN, OpenVPN over Cloak, WireGuard, AmneziaWG, IKEV2, XRay Reality, and ShadowSocks. AmneziaWG adds protection against detection and blocking. Split tunneling varies by platform: Android supports IP and app controls, Windows supports IP and limited app controls, and iOS, macOS, and Linux support IP-only controls. Amnezia Free provides access to Instagram, Facebook, X, and other blocked resources, but not YouTube; speeds are limited to 8 Mbps and location selection is unavailable. Premium offers 20 connection locations, streaming support, P2P on its Switzerland location, and up to seven simultaneous devices. Premium says it does not store visited sites, IP addresses, or session data, and uses RAM-only servers. The client and server are open source. Amnezia says its products passed independent security audits in 2022, 2024, and 2025.

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.