# NetworkOptimizer vs Tailscale

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

| | NetworkOptimizer | Tailscale |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 56/100 | 84/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #17 of 48 in Network Monitoring | #1 of 56 in VPN |
| GitHub stars | 1 210 | 38 241 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | — | +1 436 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 22 ✓ | 14 |
| Latest release | v2.10.2 · 26 Oct 2026 | v1.104.4 · 27 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Moderate | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes ✓ | No |
| License | Other | BSD-3-Clause |
| Main language | C# | Go |

## Which one should you pick?

Tailscale scores 84/100 against 56/100 for NetworkOptimizer, so it is the safer default.

NetworkOptimizer ships more often: 22 stable releases in the past year, against 14 for Tailscale.

Tailscale is growing faster right now (+1 436 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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