headscalevsPlik
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| headscale | Plik | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 82/100 | 63/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 31 in Networking | #6 of 27 in File Sharing & Collaboration |
| GitHub stars | 45 154 | 1 829 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +1 047 | +9 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 7 | 4 |
| Latest release | v0.29.6 · 24 Oct 2026 | 1.4.3 · 21 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | Other |
| Main language | Go | Go |
Which one should you pick?
headscale scores 82/100 against 63/100 for Plik, so it is the safer default.
headscale ships more often: 7 stable releases in the past year, against 4 for Plik.
If you want the quickest setup, Plik is easier to run; headscale needs more configuration.
headscale is growing faster right now (+1 047 stars in 30 days).
headscale details →Plik details →