Headscale is a self-hosted, open-source implementation of the Tailscale control server. With complete control over your VPN network, Headscale provides a secure alternative for organizations of any size.
Leading companies worldwide trust WZ-IT
The following are trademarks of their respective owners: Headscale (the Headscale project (Juan Font Alonso)), Tailscale (Tailscale Inc.). WZ-IT is an independent service provider and has no business, partnership, or contractual relationship with these companies. We offer independent migration, installation, hosting, and operations services.
Headscale is a self-hosted, open-source implementation of the Tailscale control server. With complete control over your VPN network, Headscale provides a secure alternative for organizations of any size.
As a self-hosted solution, Headscale implements the same features as Tailscale but without external dependencies. The solution supports modern VPN technologies, Access Control Lists (ACLs), and Single Sign-On (SSO) integration.
We install, host and operate Headscale for your company - either on our secure, GDPR-compliant infrastructure in Germany or other locations, as well as on-premise in your own environment.
With 24/7 monitoring, enterprise support, backups and professional maintenance, we ensure maximum availability and reliable operation of your Headscale instance.
Run your own Tailscale control server with complete control over your network infrastructure.
Granular network access controls with tag-based authorization and group management.
OIDC integration with Keycloak, Active Directory, Google, Azure AD, and other identity providers.
Route all internet traffic through designated exit nodes for secure external connections.
Automatic DNS resolution for VPN hosts and custom DNS records for internal services.
Complete REST API for node management, ACL administration, and network configuration.
See how simple and efficient Headscale works in practice. From installation to productive use.
Professional installation on your infrastructure - on-premise, cloud or hybrid
In your data center
AWS, Azure, Hetzner & more
High-availability setup with comprehensive security and compliance features
Secure access and access control for your installation
WireGuard, NetBird or Tailscale
Keycloak, Authentik, Azure AD
TOTP, WebAuthn, YubiKey
Fail2Ban, Rate Limiting, IP Whitelisting
We set up secure VPN access to your installation - ideal for remote work and external employees.
Full-service installation with no hidden costs
Headscale is the open-source implementation of the Tailscale control server (BSD-3-Clause, around 41,000 GitHub stars). The official Tailscale clients connect to your server via "tailscale up --login-server"; the project aims to support the last 10 client releases. What you can expect from it - and what not:
For an honest assessment: the project's README describes its own scope as deliberately narrow - a single Tailscale network (tailnet), suitable for personal use or a small organisation. You should know these limits before planning Headscale company-wide.
Open source enterprise-ready for productive workloads - we run your applications with highest security standards and enterprise support
Open Source Software für geschäftskritische Prozesse erfordert professionelle Wartung, kontinuierliche Updates und enterprise-grade Support. Wir übernehmen Hosting und Betrieb von Headscale auf unserer DSGVO-konformen Infrastruktur in Deutschland (oder optional in Ihrer Cloud) - inklusive Backups, SLAs, Telefon-Support und persönlichem Ansprechpartner. Damit Sie sich auf Ihr Kerngeschäft konzentrieren können.
Wir bieten auch maßgeschneiderte Hosting- und Entwicklungs-Lösungen für Ihre speziellen Anforderungen rund um Headscale. Kontaktieren Sie uns für ein individuelles Angebot.
A trust fact on the side: Headscale is "not associated with Tailscale Inc.", but Tailscale employs the head maintainer (without directing the project) and actively helps maintain compatibility of the official clients. Headscale fits when:
NetBird is a standalone product with its own dashboard, user and group management and access policies - designed from the start as a fully-fledged self-hosted platform. If your setup grows beyond a single tailnet or you need a central management interface, NetBird is usually the better fit. We will advise you honestly on which approach suits your environment.
View NetBirdNo. Headscale is an independent open-source project and, per its own README, "not associated with Tailscale Inc.". Worth knowing for context: Tailscale employs the project's head maintainer (without directing or steering the project) and helps maintain compatibility of the official clients - an unusually cooperative relationship.
Yes. The official Tailscale clients for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android connect to your own Headscale server via "tailscale up --login-server <URL>". The project aims to support the last 10 Tailscale client releases.
Not or only partially supported are Funnel (publicly exposing services), Serve and network flow logs; additionally, OIDC groups cannot be used in ACLs. Headscale also manages exactly one tailnet - multi-tenant setups are not supported. Supported, on the other hand, are MagicDNS, split DNS, Taildrop, tags, subnet routers, exit nodes, ACLs, auto approvers, Tailscale SSH and OIDC registration.
The project deliberately positions itself with a narrow scope in its README: a single tailnet, suitable for personal use or a small organisation. In practice this means: for smaller teams with a clear setup, Headscale is an excellent choice. If you need a larger self-hosted setup with its own dashboard and policy management, take a look at NetBird.
Headscale is released under the BSD-3-Clause licence - fully open source with no enterprise restrictions. With around 41,000 GitHub stars and an active release cadence (currently v0.29.x), it is one of the most popular self-hosting projects in the VPN space.
Yes. We install and operate Headscale on your infrastructure or on European servers - including OIDC integration, ACL design, monitoring, updates and backup. Control and coordination data remain fully under your sovereignty.
Good choice - we'll help you get started or with operations.
As a Managed Service customer at WZ-IT, you have access to our exclusive portal: Monitor your infrastructure in real-time, schedule maintenance, request quotes, and get direct support - all in one central location.
In-depth knowledge from our remote access knowledge base.
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These solutions are often used together with Headscale
These solutions offer similar functionalities and can be evaluated together
These solutions are direct alternatives with similar use cases
No risk: worst case, you leave with a clearer understanding of your project than before.
“WZ-IT's advice on our Azure migration was technically sound and completely non-binding right from the intro call - we took away a great deal.”
“I got to know Timo and Robin as dedicated and professional partners who make a lot of things possible for their clients that initially seem impossible. I felt very well advised. The services offered have thoroughly convinced me. (translated)”
Andrea Pawlowski
Communications Manager, Golem.de
Golem.de - leading German IT news outlet.
“With Timo and Robin, you're not only on the safe side technically - you also get the best human support! Whether it's quick help in everyday life or complex IT solutions: the guys from WZ-IT think along with you, act quickly and speak a language you understand. The collaboration is uncomplicated, reliable and always on an equal footing. That makes IT fun - and above all: it works! Big thank you to the team! (translated)”
Sonja Aßer
Data Manager, ARGE
ARGE Neue Medien - master data & digital standards for plumbing and building technology.
“I recently worked with Timo and the WZ-IT team, and honestly, it turned out to be one of the best tech decisions I have made for my business. Right from the start, Timo took the time to walk me through every step in a simple and calm way. No matter how many questions I had, he never rushed me. The results speak for themselves. With WZ-IT, we reduced our monthly expenses from $1,300 down to $250. This was a huge win for us.”
Aleksandr Shuliko
CTO, EVA Real Estate, UAE
EVA Real Estate - leading real-estate agency in Dubai.
“WZ-IT manages our Proxmox cluster reliably and professionally. The team handles continuous monitoring and regular updates for us and responds very quickly to any issues or inquiries. They also configure new nodes, systems, and applications that we need to add to our cluster. With WZ-IT's proactive support, our cluster and the business-critical applications running on it remain stable, and high availability is consistently ensured. We value the professional collaboration and the noticeable relief it brings to our daily operations.”
Pascal Hakkers
Managing Director, Aphy B.V., Netherlands
Aphy - AI platform for hotel back-office.
“WZ-IT provided very competent support in implementing our server and virtualization infrastructure. As part of the project, a Proxmox-based virtualization environment was set up along with a virtual machine for our application systems. Additionally, a structured backup concept was implemented. A particular focus was on security: the setup of a VPN tunnel and the clean implementation of encryption and access concepts were professionally executed. The structured consulting as well as the reliable and swift implementation deserve special mention. We are very satisfied with the services provided and are happy to recommend WZ-IT.”
John Hellmerichs
Managing Director, AInergy GmbH
AInergy - consultancy for energy and facility management.
“We have had very good experiences with Mr. Wevelsiep and WZ-IT. The consultation was professional, clearly understandable, and at fair prices. The team not only implemented our requirements but also thought along and proactively. Instead of just processing individual tasks, they provided us with well-founded explanations that strengthened our own understanding. WZ-IT took a lot of pressure off us with their structured approach - that was exactly what we needed and is the reason why we keep coming back. (translated)”
Matthias Zimmermann
Managing Director, Annota GmbH
Annota - healthtech startup with an AI documentation assistant.
“Timo and Robin from WZ-IT set up a RocketChat server for us - and I couldn't be more satisfied! From the initial consultation to the final implementation, everything was absolutely professional, efficient, and to my complete satisfaction. I particularly appreciate the clear communication, transparent pricing, and the comprehensive expertise that both bring to the table. Even after the setup, they take care of the maintenance, which frees up my time enormously and allows me to focus on other important areas of my business - with the good feeling that our IT is in the best hands. I can recommend WZ-IT without reservation and look forward to continuing our collaboration! (translated)”
Sebastian Maier
Managing Director, Yonju GmbH
Yonju - business coaching and AI products.
“Counting on WZ-IT team was crucial, their expertise and solutions gave us the pace to deploy in production our services, even suggesting and performing improvements over our configuration and setup. We expect to keep counting on them for continuous maintenance of our services and implementation of new solutions.”
Gabriel Sanz Señor
Managing Director, Odiseo Solutions
Odiseo Solutions - software engineering for the space industry.
“I got to know Timo and Robin as dedicated and professional partners who make a lot of things possible for their clients that initially seem impossible. I felt very well advised. The services offered have thoroughly convinced me. (translated)”
Andrea Pawlowski
Communications Manager, Golem.de
Golem.de - leading German IT news outlet.
“With Timo and Robin, you're not only on the safe side technically - you also get the best human support! Whether it's quick help in everyday life or complex IT solutions: the guys from WZ-IT think along with you, act quickly and speak a language you understand. The collaboration is uncomplicated, reliable and always on an equal footing. That makes IT fun - and above all: it works! Big thank you to the team! (translated)”
Sonja Aßer
Data Manager, ARGE
ARGE Neue Medien - master data & digital standards for plumbing and building technology.
“I recently worked with Timo and the WZ-IT team, and honestly, it turned out to be one of the best tech decisions I have made for my business. Right from the start, Timo took the time to walk me through every step in a simple and calm way. No matter how many questions I had, he never rushed me. The results speak for themselves. With WZ-IT, we reduced our monthly expenses from $1,300 down to $250. This was a huge win for us.”
Aleksandr Shuliko
CTO, EVA Real Estate, UAE
EVA Real Estate - leading real-estate agency in Dubai.
“WZ-IT manages our Proxmox cluster reliably and professionally. The team handles continuous monitoring and regular updates for us and responds very quickly to any issues or inquiries. They also configure new nodes, systems, and applications that we need to add to our cluster. With WZ-IT's proactive support, our cluster and the business-critical applications running on it remain stable, and high availability is consistently ensured. We value the professional collaboration and the noticeable relief it brings to our daily operations.”
Pascal Hakkers
Managing Director, Aphy B.V., Netherlands
Aphy - AI platform for hotel back-office.
“WZ-IT provided very competent support in implementing our server and virtualization infrastructure. As part of the project, a Proxmox-based virtualization environment was set up along with a virtual machine for our application systems. Additionally, a structured backup concept was implemented. A particular focus was on security: the setup of a VPN tunnel and the clean implementation of encryption and access concepts were professionally executed. The structured consulting as well as the reliable and swift implementation deserve special mention. We are very satisfied with the services provided and are happy to recommend WZ-IT.”
John Hellmerichs
Managing Director, AInergy GmbH
AInergy - consultancy for energy and facility management.
“We have had very good experiences with Mr. Wevelsiep and WZ-IT. The consultation was professional, clearly understandable, and at fair prices. The team not only implemented our requirements but also thought along and proactively. Instead of just processing individual tasks, they provided us with well-founded explanations that strengthened our own understanding. WZ-IT took a lot of pressure off us with their structured approach - that was exactly what we needed and is the reason why we keep coming back. (translated)”
Matthias Zimmermann
Managing Director, Annota GmbH
Annota - healthtech startup with an AI documentation assistant.
“Timo and Robin from WZ-IT set up a RocketChat server for us - and I couldn't be more satisfied! From the initial consultation to the final implementation, everything was absolutely professional, efficient, and to my complete satisfaction. I particularly appreciate the clear communication, transparent pricing, and the comprehensive expertise that both bring to the table. Even after the setup, they take care of the maintenance, which frees up my time enormously and allows me to focus on other important areas of my business - with the good feeling that our IT is in the best hands. I can recommend WZ-IT without reservation and look forward to continuing our collaboration! (translated)”
Sebastian Maier
Managing Director, Yonju GmbH
Yonju - business coaching and AI products.
“Counting on WZ-IT team was crucial, their expertise and solutions gave us the pace to deploy in production our services, even suggesting and performing improvements over our configuration and setup. We expect to keep counting on them for continuous maintenance of our services and implementation of new solutions.”
Gabriel Sanz Señor
Managing Director, Odiseo Solutions
Odiseo Solutions - software engineering for the space industry.
“I got to know Timo and Robin as dedicated and professional partners who make a lot of things possible for their clients that initially seem impossible. I felt very well advised. The services offered have thoroughly convinced me. (translated)”
Andrea Pawlowski
Communications Manager, Golem.de
Golem.de - leading German IT news outlet.
“With Timo and Robin, you're not only on the safe side technically - you also get the best human support! Whether it's quick help in everyday life or complex IT solutions: the guys from WZ-IT think along with you, act quickly and speak a language you understand. The collaboration is uncomplicated, reliable and always on an equal footing. That makes IT fun - and above all: it works! Big thank you to the team! (translated)”
Sonja Aßer
Data Manager, ARGE
ARGE Neue Medien - master data & digital standards for plumbing and building technology.
“I recently worked with Timo and the WZ-IT team, and honestly, it turned out to be one of the best tech decisions I have made for my business. Right from the start, Timo took the time to walk me through every step in a simple and calm way. No matter how many questions I had, he never rushed me. The results speak for themselves. With WZ-IT, we reduced our monthly expenses from $1,300 down to $250. This was a huge win for us.”
Aleksandr Shuliko
CTO, EVA Real Estate, UAE
EVA Real Estate - leading real-estate agency in Dubai.
“WZ-IT manages our Proxmox cluster reliably and professionally. The team handles continuous monitoring and regular updates for us and responds very quickly to any issues or inquiries. They also configure new nodes, systems, and applications that we need to add to our cluster. With WZ-IT's proactive support, our cluster and the business-critical applications running on it remain stable, and high availability is consistently ensured. We value the professional collaboration and the noticeable relief it brings to our daily operations.”
Pascal Hakkers
Managing Director, Aphy B.V., Netherlands
Aphy - AI platform for hotel back-office.
“WZ-IT provided very competent support in implementing our server and virtualization infrastructure. As part of the project, a Proxmox-based virtualization environment was set up along with a virtual machine for our application systems. Additionally, a structured backup concept was implemented. A particular focus was on security: the setup of a VPN tunnel and the clean implementation of encryption and access concepts were professionally executed. The structured consulting as well as the reliable and swift implementation deserve special mention. We are very satisfied with the services provided and are happy to recommend WZ-IT.”
John Hellmerichs
Managing Director, AInergy GmbH
AInergy - consultancy for energy and facility management.
“We have had very good experiences with Mr. Wevelsiep and WZ-IT. The consultation was professional, clearly understandable, and at fair prices. The team not only implemented our requirements but also thought along and proactively. Instead of just processing individual tasks, they provided us with well-founded explanations that strengthened our own understanding. WZ-IT took a lot of pressure off us with their structured approach - that was exactly what we needed and is the reason why we keep coming back. (translated)”
Matthias Zimmermann
Managing Director, Annota GmbH
Annota - healthtech startup with an AI documentation assistant.
“Timo and Robin from WZ-IT set up a RocketChat server for us - and I couldn't be more satisfied! From the initial consultation to the final implementation, everything was absolutely professional, efficient, and to my complete satisfaction. I particularly appreciate the clear communication, transparent pricing, and the comprehensive expertise that both bring to the table. Even after the setup, they take care of the maintenance, which frees up my time enormously and allows me to focus on other important areas of my business - with the good feeling that our IT is in the best hands. I can recommend WZ-IT without reservation and look forward to continuing our collaboration! (translated)”
Sebastian Maier
Managing Director, Yonju GmbH
Yonju - business coaching and AI products.
“Counting on WZ-IT team was crucial, their expertise and solutions gave us the pace to deploy in production our services, even suggesting and performing improvements over our configuration and setup. We expect to keep counting on them for continuous maintenance of our services and implementation of new solutions.”
Gabriel Sanz Señor
Managing Director, Odiseo Solutions
Odiseo Solutions - software engineering for the space industry.
Whether a specific IT challenge or just an idea - we look forward to the exchange. In a brief conversation, we'll evaluate together if and how your project fits with WZ-IT.
Leading companies trust WZ-IT
Timo Wevelsiep & Robin Zins
Managing Directors of WZ-IT
