Summary
Tailscale’s Free Plan Made My Paid VPN Unnecessary
For years, securely accessing my home network from the public internet meant choosing between two options: paying for a VPN or spending hours configuring my router while dealing with port forwarding, dynamic DNS, and potential security risks.
I chose the paid VPN route because I had no interest in managing network configurations myself. The subscription was worthwhile since it allowed me to access my NAS and home server from anywhere.
However, Tailscale’s free Personal plan has improved so much this year that keeping my paid VPN no longer made sense. The free tier was already impressive, but after reviewing its expanded features and comparing them to what I actually use, canceling my VPN subscription and moving to Tailscale became an easy decision.
Six Free Users Provide Plenty of Flexibility
More Than Enough for My Entire Setup
Earlier this year, Tailscale updated its pricing, increasing the free Personal plan’s user limit from three to six while continuing to offer unlimited devices across every subscription tier.
My tailnet currently includes my desktop, laptop, smartphone, my partner’s phone, a NAS, and several cloud-based virtual machines—and I still have room to add more devices because there’s no device limit.
The six-user allowance is equally generous. Everyone in my household, along with a few friends who access my Jellyfin server, can connect to my tailnet without costing anyone a cent.
The Free Features Go Much Further Than Expected
One of the biggest surprises is how many advanced networking features Tailscale includes in its free plan.
MagicDNS allows me to connect to devices using simple hostnames instead of memorizing IP addresses. For example, I can SSH directly into “nas”, making remote administration much more convenient.
Subnet Routers expose my entire local network, allowing me to access devices that don’t support the Tailscale client, including my printer.
Meanwhile, Exit Nodes let me route my laptop’s internet traffic through my home connection whenever I’m using public Wi-Fi or need websites—such as online banking services—to recognize my home IP address.
Although these capabilities sound complex, the setup process is remarkably straightforward.
Setup Is Much Simpler Than Traditional Networking
Compared to manually configuring NAT rules, firewall settings, port forwarding, and dynamic DNS, setting up Tailscale is refreshingly easy.
After installing the client and signing in, every device automatically discovers the others on the network. There’s no complicated networking configuration to worry about.
Originally, the biggest reason I switched to Tailscale was that it was free. What ultimately convinced me to abandon my paid VPN was how much easier it was to configure and maintain. My previous VPN required significantly more manual setup and ongoing management.
Why I Paid for a VPN in the First Place
Tailscale Solves the Same Core Problem
The VPN subscription I eventually canceled was designed to solve essentially the same problem as Tailscale.
It allowed me to securely reach my home network without opening ports or maintaining a dynamic DNS service. Like other WireGuard-based solutions, Tailscale establishes encrypted peer-to-peer connections through NAT without exposing services directly to the public internet.
The difference is how much easier Tailscale makes the entire experience.
My previous VPN limited the number of simultaneously connected devices, and its client required me to manually open the application, establish a connection, and disconnect when I finished using it.
With Tailscale, once a device joins my tailnet, it’s always available whenever I need it. There’s no need to reconnect every time I want remote access.
When a Paid VPN Still Makes Sense
Tailscale Isn’t Built for Streaming or Privacy Masking
There is still one major reason many people continue paying for VPN services: bypassing geographical restrictions on streaming platforms.
Services such as Netflix determine available content based on the country associated with your internet connection. Tailscale’s free plan isn’t designed for that purpose.
Although it supports Exit Nodes, those simply route traffic through your own home internet connection rather than servers located in other countries.
If your goal is accessing region-locked streaming libraries or masking your public IP address, you’ll still need a traditional VPN provider.
Tailscale was never intended to compete with privacy-focused or streaming VPN services. Instead, it’s designed specifically for secure remote access to your own local network—and it performs that role exceptionally well.
The Best Upgrade Didn’t Cost Me Anything
It’s rare to find a genuinely useful free service that doesn’t come with significant compromises.
After using Tailscale for several months, I still haven’t encountered the catch I expected to find.
If you’re currently paying for a VPN solely to access your own computers, NAS, or home network remotely, it’s worth comparing your current service with Tailscale’s free Personal plan. You may discover that it offers everything you actually need—without requiring a monthly subscription.