What is the main difference between Pangolin and Tailscale?

Pangolin and Tailscale are both vpn & secure access tools but differ in their approach, features, and target audience. Compare their GitHub stats, technology stack, and community adoption to make the best choice.

Which is better: Pangolin or Tailscale?

The choice between Pangolin and Tailscale depends on your specific needs, technical requirements, and team preferences. Both are quality open source solutions with active communities.

Can I migrate from Pangolin to Tailscale?

Migration between Pangolin and Tailscale is possible but requires careful planning. Consider data export/import capabilities, feature parity, and potential workflow changes.

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Pangolin vs Tailscale

Learn how Pangolin and Tailscale differ in their key features, development activity, technology stack and community adoption, so you can decide which of these vpn & secure access tools is best for you.

Pangolin

Deploy zero trust access to infrastructure, self-hosted apps, and SaaS tools in days. Identity-aware security with seamless user experience.

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22,676stars+533(+2.4%)

Last 30 days

Last commit
17 hours ago
Repository age
2 years
Version
1.22.2
License
AGPL-3.0
Self-hosted
Yes
Repository
fosrl/pangolin

Tailscale

Deploy a modern WireGuard-based VPN with zero configuration. Connect devices securely across clouds, VPCs, and on-premises networks without firewall rules.

Visit Tailscale Read more

36,257stars+1,273(+3.6%)

Last 30 days

Last commit
11 hours ago
Repository age
7 years
Version
v1.102.3
License
BSD-3-Clause
Repository
tailscale/tailscale

Detailed Comparison

Tailscale appears to have several advantages over Pangolin, particularly in popularity, growth, maturity and licensing. Consider your specific needs regarding popularity, growth, activity, technology, maturity, licensing and features when making your decision.

Tailscale wins

Community & Popularity

Tailscale leads in popularity with 36,257 stars vs 22,676 stars for Pangolin. The 60% higher star count indicates stronger community adoption. In terms of developer contributions, Tailscale has 3,183 forks, indicating strong developer engagement.

Tailscale wins

Growth Momentum

Tailscale is growing faster, adding 1,273 stars in the last 30 days (+3.6%) against adding 533 stars for Pangolin (+2.4%). Tailscale is both larger and pulling further ahead.

Comparable

Development Activity

Both projects show recent activity, with Pangolin last updated 17 hours ago and Tailscale 11 hours ago.

Comparable

Technology Stack

Both tools share common technology foundations, being built with JavaScript, CSS, Bash, Typescript, JSX, Golang. However, they differ in their additional technology choices: Pangolin uses Python, Next.js while Tailscale leverages C, Objective-C, Swift, Lua.

Tailscale wins

Project Maturity

Tailscale has been in development longer, starting 7 years ago, compared to Pangolin which began 2 years ago. This 4.7-year head start suggests Tailscale may have more mature features and established processes.

Tailscale wins

Licensing

Tailscale uses the BSD-3-Clause license, which is more permissive than Pangolin's AGPL-3.0 license, potentially offering greater flexibility for commercial use and integration.

Comparable

Use Cases & Features

Both tools serve similar use cases in VPN & Secure Access, VPN & Secure Tunnels.

Pangolin wins

Hosting & Deployment

Pangolin provides self-hosting options for complete data control and customization, while Tailscale may be primarily cloud-based or require different deployment approaches.

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