Tailscale vs NordVPN Meshnet: privacy compared
Tailscale and NordVPN Meshnet are both rated in mesh VPNs and private networks against the same 7 public criteria. Tailscale is based in Canada (Five Eyes); NordVPN Meshnet is based in Panama.
| Criterion | Tailscale Our pick | NordVPN Meshnet |
|---|---|---|
| Grade | Grade D D (50/100) | Grade F F (29/100) |
| Jurisdiction | Canada Five Eyes | Panama Outside Eyes |
| Open source Is all the source code needed to run the product public? | Partial source | Partial source |
| No trackers or telemetry Are the website and apps free of third-party trackers, with any analytics anonymous and any telemetry off by default? | No source | No source |
| No ads or data sales Is the product funded without advertising, ad targeting or selling user data? | Partial source | Yes source |
| Independent audit Has an independent security or privacy audit been published within the last three years? | Partial source | Unknown |
| Keys stay on devices Is traffic encrypted between devices with private keys created on each device, so the coordination server and relays cannot read it? | Yes source | Partial source |
| Self-hosted coordination server Can the coordination or control server be self-hosted with open-source software? | Partial source | No |
| No connection logs by default Are connection logs and client diagnostic logs kept off the vendor's servers unless a user or admin turns them on? | Partial source | Unknown |
Which is more private, Tailscale or NordVPN Meshnet?
Tailscale scores higher on the public criteria: 50 out of 100, against 29 for NordVPN Meshnet. Tailscale does better on keys stay on devices and self-hosted coordination server. NordVPN Meshnet does better on no ads or data sales. How scoring works
Summaries
Tailscale. Tailscale scores 50 out of 100 (grade D) on the mesh VPNs and private networks criteria. It meets 1 of 7 criteria: keys stay on devices. It partly meets open source, no ads or data sales, independent audit, self-hosted coordination server and no connection logs by default. It does not meet no trackers or telemetry. It is based in Canada: Five Eyes member.
NordVPN Meshnet. NordVPN Meshnet scores 29 out of 100 (grade F) on the mesh VPNs and private networks criteria. It meets 1 of 7 criteria: no ads or data sales. It partly meets open source and keys stay on devices. It does not meet no trackers or telemetry and self-hosted coordination server. Still needing evidence: independent audit and no connection logs by default. It is based in Panama: Not in the Five, Nine or Fourteen Eyes.
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