Perimeter 81
Perimeter 81 is a cloud-native network security platform that provides secure remote access and network management through a unified Zero Trust architecture to protect your distributed workforce and data.
Tailscale
Tailscale is a zero-config VPN software that creates secure mesh networks between your devices and cloud resources using the WireGuard protocol to simplify remote access and internal connectivity.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Perimeter 81 | Tailscale |
|---|---|---|
| Website | perimeter81.com | tailscale.com |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Freemium |
| Starting Price | $8/month | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✓ 0 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2018 | 2019 |
| Headquarters | Tel Aviv, Israel | Toronto, Canada |
Overview
Perimeter 81
Perimeter 81 simplifies how you secure your modern, distributed workforce by replacing traditional hardware-based VPNs with a cloud-native Zero Trust solution. You can build a secure corporate network in minutes, connecting your remote employees to on-premises resources and cloud environments like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud without the need for complex manual configuration.
The platform gives you a single dashboard to manage global gateways, enforce multi-factor authentication, and monitor network activity in real-time. By segmenting your network and applying least-privilege access policies, you reduce your attack surface and ensure that your team stays productive and secure regardless of their physical location or the device they use.
Tailscale
Tailscale makes creating a secure network between your computers, servers, and cloud instances as easy as installing an app. It builds a private mesh network—called a tailnet—that connects your devices directly to each other using the WireGuard protocol. This means you can access your home office computer from a coffee shop or connect to a private database in the cloud without managing complex firewall rules or centralized VPN gateways.
You can manage identity and access through your existing providers like Google, Microsoft 365, or GitHub, ensuring that only authorized users can reach your sensitive resources. It handles the difficult parts of networking, like NAT traversal and key rotation, automatically in the background. Whether you are a developer connecting to a local test environment or an enterprise securing thousands of endpoints, it provides a stable, encrypted connection that works across any provider or location.
Overview
Perimeter 81 Features
- Zero Trust Access Verify every user and device before granting access to specific applications to prevent unauthorized lateral movement.
- Cloud Management Deploy and manage your entire global network infrastructure through a single, intuitive web-based dashboard.
- Private Gateways Create dedicated gateways with static IP addresses to secure your cloud environments and office resources.
- Device Posture Check Ensure your team's devices meet security requirements like active antivirus or disk encryption before they connect.
- Web Content Filtering Protect your employees from malicious websites and control access to specific web categories across your organization.
- Network Segmentation Divide your network into isolated segments so you can grant users access only to the specific tools they need.
- Always-on VPN Keep your remote employees protected automatically by ensuring their connection is encrypted whenever they go online.
- Monitoring and Logging Track all network activity and generate detailed audit logs to maintain compliance and identify potential threats.
Tailscale Features
- Zero-Config Mesh VPN. Connect your devices directly to one another without manual port forwarding or complex firewall rules.
- Single Sign-On Integration. Use your existing identity providers like Google, Microsoft 365, or Okta to authenticate users and devices.
- MagicDNS. Access your devices using short, easy-to-remember names instead of tracking changing IP addresses across your network.
- Tailscale SSH. Manage SSH access to your servers using your tailnet identity instead of distributing and rotating static SSH keys.
- Split DNS. Configure specific DNS servers for different domains so your internal queries stay private while public traffic flows normally.
- Exit Nodes. Route all your internet traffic through a specific trusted device on your network to stay secure on public Wi-Fi.
- Subnet Routers. Expose entire existing networks to your tailnet so you can access legacy devices that cannot run the software.
- Access Control Lists. Define granular security policies in code to restrict which users can access specific devices or ports.
Pricing Comparison
Perimeter 81 Pricing
- Minimum 10 users
- Software-defined perimeter
- Two-factor authentication
- Single Sign-On (SSO) integration
- Unlimited data bandwidth
- Standard support
- Everything in Essentials, plus:
- Up to 10 regions
- 10 firewall policies
- Device posture check
- Always-on VPN
- Priority support
Tailscale Pricing
- Up to 3 users
- Up to 100 devices
- MagicDNS
- Tailscale SSH
- Community support
- Admin console access
- Everything in Personal, plus:
- Up to 10 users included
- User & group management
- Basic access control lists
- Email support
- 1 identity provider
Pros & Cons
Perimeter 81
Pros
- Extremely fast setup compared to traditional hardware
- Clean and modern user interface for admins
- Reliable connection speeds for remote employees
- Excellent integration with major cloud providers
- Responsive customer support for technical issues
Cons
- Minimum user requirements may limit small teams
- Dedicated gateways require an additional monthly fee
- Occasional client software updates require manual intervention
Tailscale
Pros
- Extremely simple setup process for all devices
- Reliable connectivity even behind strict firewalls
- Generous free tier for personal projects
- Minimal impact on system performance and battery
- Seamless integration with existing identity providers
Cons
- Requires a third-party identity provider login
- Limited advanced routing features for complex setups
- Mobile app can occasionally drain battery
- Admin console lacks some deep auditing logs