Feature

Raw WireGuard

Tailscale

Network Type

A manually configured client-server (hub-and-spoke) VPN, or a peer-to-peer mesh that requires manual setup for every node.

An automatic peer-to-peer mesh network where every device can connect directly to every other authorized device.

Setup and Keys

Requires manually generating and distributing cryptographic keys and editing configuration files on each device.

Automates key generation and management. Users simply install the app and log in with their existing single sign-on (SSO) provider.

NAT Traversal

Often requires manual port forwarding on routers to allow devices behind firewalls to connect.

Automatically handles network address translation (NAT) traversal, allowing devices to connect even when both are behind different firewalls, without needing port forwarding.

Authentication

Relies solely on exchanging and distributing cryptographic keys for authentication.

Adds a layer of identity-based authentication by integrating with SSO services like Google, Microsoft, and GitHub.

Management

Managing a network with many devices and users involves manually editing configuration files on every node.

Provides a centralized web-based admin console to manage devices and set fine-grained access controls.