Headscale vs OpenVPN
Comparing two open source alternatives to ExpressVPN and NordVPN . Use the comparison below to decide which one fits your needs.
Headscale
BSD-3-Clause licenseHeadscale is an open-source, self-hosted implementation of the Tailscale control server. Build your own private WireGuard mesh VPN without a vendor lock-in.
Side-by-side comparison
| Headscale |  OpenVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| License | BSD-3-Clause license | GPL-2.0 |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
| GitHub Stars | 42,684 | 14,366 |
| Forks | 2,495 | 3,377 |
| Open Issues | 138 | 220 |
| Last Commit | Jul 30, 2026 | Aug 10, 2026 |
| First Released | Jun 21, 2020 | Apr 26, 2012 |
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