# RYSE vs Tailscale

The clearest difference is rating: Tailscale at 4.4 against RYSE's 3.0. Tailscale also leads on review sentiment (61% vs 24%) and ratings volume (747 vs 33). RYSE's advantage is monetization model (free vs freemium). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Tailscale holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tailscale has 747 ratings behind it against 33, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 24% of RYSE's written reviews are positive against 61% of Tailscale's.

RYSE ships an update monthly, Tailscale fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RYSE | Tailscale |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ryse/id1216335329/reviews) | **[4.4 (747 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tailscale/id1470499037/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 33 | **747** |
| Positive reviews | 24.3% of reviews | **61.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | — | **#67** |
| Size | 127 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.1 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RYSE INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1216335328) | [Tailscale Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1470499035) |

## What reviewers say

### RYSE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ryse/id1216335329)

Control your window shades remotely using your iPhone. Create custom groups and automated routines for enhanced convenience and energy savings. Works with RYSE SmartShade, SmartBridge, and AXIS Gear.

**Highlights:** Remote shade control via iPhone, Create shade groups, Automated routines, Works with RYSE SmartShade, Works with RYSE SmartBridge, Backwards compatible with AXIS Gear

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy installation and setup process
- 🎨 Sleek and modern hardware design
- ⚙️ Works well with HomeKit integration
- 🔧 Responsive customer support (when available)
- 💡 Innovative concept for retrofitting existing blinds

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 📡 Unreliable Bluetooth connectivity issues
- ⚠️ Requires separate Smart Bridge for full functionality
- 🔄 Constant need to recalibrate devices
- ❌ Missing native Alexa/Google Home compatibility

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch and during pairing
- Bluetooth fails to connect on first attempt
- Devices disconnect and require constant reconnection
- Firmware update failures stuck at 0%
- App freezes during setup and configuration

**Requested features**

- Native Alexa and Google Home voice control without Smart Bridge
- Built-in scheduling without requiring additional hardware
- Instant routine testing and triggering
- Sunrise/sunset-based automation options
- Fine-grained manual shade position control


### Tailscale

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tailscale/id1470499037)

**Currently charting:** #67 Top Free · Utilities (US App Store)

Securely connect devices, users, and workloads with a mesh VPN built on WireGuard. It brings identity to network access, enabling Zero Trust principles across diverse environments. Modernize your network for homelabs, businesses, and cloud infrastructure.

**Highlights:** Secure mesh networking, Identity-based access control, Zero Trust security, WireGuard-based VPN, Homelab and business VPN, Cloud and workload connectivity, Hardware-agnostic overlay network

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to set up and use
- 🔒 Secure remote access
- 👍 Convenient for accessing home network
- 👍 Seamless connectivity between devices
- 🚀 Powerful networking features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔋 Significant battery drain
- 🐛 Connectivity issues and bugs
- 🐛 Unreliable performance
- 🐛 Broken functionality after updates

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to connect or authenticate
- Exit node feature not working as expected
- Inconsistent behavior when switching networks
- App getting stuck in a loading state

**Requested features**

- On-demand VPN connection
- Ability to switch between multiple accounts
- More granular control over exit nodes
- Integration with other networking tools
- Dark mode option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RYSE free?

RYSE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Tailscale free?

Tailscale is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, RYSE or Tailscale?

Tailscale is rated higher. RYSE averages 3.0 out of 5 from 33 ratings, while Tailscale averages 4.4 from 747 ratings.

### Do RYSE or Tailscale have ads?

Neither RYSE nor Tailscale shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RYSE or Tailscale?

RYSE ships an update monthly, and Tailscale fortnightly. Most recently, RYSE was updated on October 7, 2026 and Tailscale on October 14, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*