# openpencil vs Tailscale

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

| | openpencil | Tailscale |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 73/100 | 84/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #2 of 7 in Design | #1 of 56 in VPN |
| GitHub stars | 9 424 | 38 286 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +823 | +1 444 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 14 | 14 |
| Latest release | v0.16.0 · 14 Oct 2026 | v1.104.4 · 27 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | No | No |
| License | MIT | BSD-3-Clause |
| Main language | Typescript | Go |

## Which one should you pick?

Tailscale scores 84/100 against 73/100 for openpencil, so it is the safer default.

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

## Details

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

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