# bitcoind vs Tailscale

> Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | bitcoind | Tailscale |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 87/100 ✓ | 84/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 9 in Fintech | #1 of 56 in VPN |
| GitHub stars | 90 532 ✓ | 38 280 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +289 | +1 438 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 9 | 14 ✓ |
| Latest release | v29.5 · 26 Oct 2026 | v1.104.4 · 27 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | No |
| License | MIT | BSD-3-Clause |
| Main language | C++ | Go |

## Which one should you pick?

bitcoind scores 87/100 against 84/100 for Tailscale, so it is the safer default.

Tailscale ships more often: 14 stable releases in the past year, against 9 for bitcoind.

If you want the quickest setup, Tailscale is easier to run; bitcoind needs more configuration.

Tailscale is growing faster right now (+1 438 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [bitcoind](https://selfhost.directory/project/bitcoind) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/bitcoind.md)
- [Tailscale](https://selfhost.directory/project/tailscale) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/tailscale.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/bitcoind-vs-tailscale