# tinc privacy rating

Long-running open-source VPN daemon that builds an encrypted mesh between nodes, sending traffic directly to its destination where possible, with no central server.

## Summary

tinc scores 88 out of 100 (grade B) on the mesh VPNs and private networks criteria. It meets 6 of 7 criteria: open source, no trackers or telemetry, no ads or data sales, keys stay on devices, self-hosted coordination server and no connection logs by default. It does not meet independent audit.

- Website: https://www.tinc-vpn.org
- Source code: https://github.com/gsliepen/tinc
- Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
- Home page trackers: none found
- Category: [Mesh VPNs and private networks](https://privacyratings.com/mesh-vpns/)
- Grade: B (88/100)

## Criteria

| Criterion | Answer | Note | Evidence |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Open source | Yes | GPL-2.0 or later. | https://github.com/gsliepen/tinc/blob/1.1/COPYING |
| No trackers or telemetry | Yes | The website loads no trackers, and there is no hosted service. | https://www.tinc-vpn.org/ |
| No ads or data sales | Yes | Free volunteer project with no ads or data sales. | https://www.tinc-vpn.org/ |
| Independent audit | No | No independent audit is published. |  |
| Keys stay on devices | Yes | Each node creates its own key pair. Nodes exchange public keys directly, with no coordination server. | https://www.tinc-vpn.org/documentation/Generating-keypairs.html |
| Self-hosted coordination server | Yes | There is no central server. Every node is configured and run by its owner. | https://www.tinc-vpn.org/ |
| No connection logs by default | Yes | There is no vendor service. Logs stay on each node. | https://www.tinc-vpn.org/ |

Source: https://privacyratings.com/mesh-vpns/tinc/
Edit: https://github.com/privacyratings/privacyratings.com/edit/main/ratings/mesh-vpns/tinc.md