NetBird gives you a free tier; Tailscale does not. That single structural difference changes the entry point for any team evaluating zero-trust networking, but the sticker shock really hits when you compare the paid rungs: Tailscale’s Standard plan costs $8/month per user, while NetBird’s Team plan is EUR 6/month per user. The currencies differ, but the gap is the real story—especially for organizations already budgeting in euros.
The currency split and what it buys
The pricing pages for both vendors are region-specific, so the numbers below are quoted exactly as they appear on each site. Tailscale lists its plans in USD, while NetBird’s page currently serves prices in EUR. This makes direct dollar-for-dollar comparison impossible without conversion, which we are not doing. Instead, look at the architecture of the cost. Tailscale charges from the first seat onward, with Standard at $8/month per user and Premium at $18/month per user. There are also optional add-ons: the [Mullvad](/entry/proton-vpn-vs-mullvad-vs-ivpn-the-privacy-vpn-pricing-question-2026) integration costs $5/month, and extending tagged resources beyond the free 50 costs $1/month. NetBird, by contrast, starts at EUR 0/month for up to 5 users and 100 machines. Once you exceed that, the Team plan kicks in at EUR 6/month per user, offering unlimited users and 100 machines plus 10 per user. The Business tier is EUR 12/month per user, which includes everything in Team plus additional enterprise capabilities.
| Vendor | Plan | Price | Key Inclusions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tailscale | Standard | $8/month per user | Secure connectivity solution for teams |
| Tailscale | Premium | $18/month per user | Enterprise-grade features |
| Tailscale | Mullvad | $5/month | Private browsing with Tailscale and Mullvad |
| Tailscale | Tag Extension | $1/month | Scale beyond 50 free tagged resources |
| NetBird | Free | EUR 0/month | Up to 5 users, 100 machines, P2P connections & encryption |
| NetBird | Team | EUR 6/month per user | Unlimited users, 100 machines + 10 per user, all Free features |
| NetBird | Business | EUR 12/month per user | Unlimited users, 100 machines + 10 per user, all Team features |
The practical implication is that NetBird has a clear on-ramp for small teams that can operate within the 5-user limit without spending a cent. Tailscale requires a paid commitment from day one. For larger teams, the per-user costs are comparable in magnitude, but the currency mismatch means you must evaluate based on your own accounting currency. If your finance team works in dollars, Tailscale’s pricing is straightforward. If you work in euros, NetBird’s EUR 6/month per user and EUR 12/month per user tiers avoid the friction of currency conversion on the invoice itself. Tailscale’s Premium tier at $18/month per user is the most expensive option in this comparison, aimed at organizations needing the highest tier of features. NetBird’s Business tier at EUR 12/month per user offers a similar ceiling but in a different currency. The Mullvad add-on at $5/month is a niche feature for those wanting integrated VPN browsing, which NetBird does not explicitly list in the same way.
If you are a small team with fewer than five users and zero budget for networking tools, NetBird is the only option that costs nothing. If you are a larger organization operating in euros and want to avoid currency conversion on recurring invoices, NetBird’s Team and Business tiers are the more direct fit. For teams already entrenched in the US dollar ecosystem and requiring the specific enterprise features of Tailscale’s Premium tier, the $18/month per user cost is the price of that alignment.
Pricing verified on 2026-09-12.