{"slug":"aperture-by-tailscale","title":"Aperture by Tailscale","tags":["tailscale"],"agent_summary":"Last validated: Apr 9, 2026","trigger_phrases":[],"runnable":false,"markdown":"\r\n# Aperture by Tailscale\r\n\r\nLast validated: Apr 9, 2026\r\n\r\nAperture by Tailscaleis currently [in alpha](https://tailscale.com/docs/reference/tailscale-release-stages#alpha).\r\n\r\nDuring the alpha testing period, Aperture by Tailscale is available at no additional cost with any Tailscale account, including free accounts created during Aperture signup. Request access at [`aperture.tailscale.com`](https://aperture.tailscale.com/).\r\n\r\nAperture by Tailscale comes with six free users. Contact Tailscale for pricing if you need more than six users.\r\n\r\nAperture by Tailscale is a centralized AI gateway that secures, monitors, and routes LLM requests across your organization. Aperture uses [Tailscale's identity layer](https://tailscale.com/docs/concepts/tailscale-identity) to automatically authenticate users, eliminating the need to distribute API keys. It routes requests to upstream LLM providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google without requiring changes to existing tools or workflows.\r\n\r\n## [Understand Aperture](https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture\\#understand-aperture)\r\n\r\nExplore the following topics to understand what Aperture does, how it authenticates users, routes requests, and captures telemetry.\r\n\r\n[**What is Aperture?** \\\\\r\n\\\\\r\nAperture by Tailscale is an AI gateway that secures, monitors, and routes LLM requests across your organization.](https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/what-is-aperture) [**How Aperture works** \\\\\r\n\\\\\r\nUnderstand how Aperture uses Tailscale identity, model-based routing, and telemetry to secure and monitor LLM requests.](https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/how-aperture-works)\r\n\r\n## [Set up Aperture](https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture\\#set-up-aperture)\r\n\r\nSign up, configure your LLM providers, and connect your first tools.\r\n\r\n[**Get started with Aperture** \\\\\r\n\\\\\r\nSign up for Aperture by Tailscale, configure providers and models, grant user access, and connect your first LLM client.](https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/get-started) [**Set up LLM providers** \\\\\r\n\\\\\r\nConfigure upstream LLM providers so Aperture can route requests and inject authentication on behalf of your users.](https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/set-up-providers) [**Set up LLM clients** \\\\\r\n\\\\\r\nConfigure LLM clients to route requests through Aperture.](https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/use-your-tools)\r\n\r\n## [Manage access and spending](https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture\\#manage-access-and-spending)\r\n\r\nControl which users and models are available, set spending limits, and configure Aperture's behavior.\r\n\r\n[**Aperture by Tailscale configuration** \\\\\r\n\\\\\r\nConfigure Aperture by Tailscale as an AI gateway for LLMs.](https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/configuration) [**Control AI access** \\\\\r\n\\\\\r\nManage who can access Aperture and which models they can use.](https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/control-access) [**Manage AI spending** \\\\\r\n\\\\\r\nSet budgets, control per-user spending limits, and monitor quota balances in Aperture.](https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/manage-spending)\r\n\r\n## [Observe and integrate](https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture\\#observe-and-integrate)\r\n\r\nMonitor LLM usage across your organization and connect Aperture with external services.\r\n\r\n[**Observe and export AI usage** \\\\\r\n\\\\\r\nAccess dashboards, review session logs, and export usage data from Aperture.](https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/observe-and-export) [**Integrate with external tools** \\\\\r\n\\\\\r\nConnect Aperture with authorization engines, log aggregators, and external services.](https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/integrate)\r\n\r\n## [Reference and troubleshooting](https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture\\#reference-and-troubleshooting)\r\n\r\nConfiguration reference, CLI documentation, and solutions to common issues.\r\n\r\n[**Aperture reference** \\\\\r\n\\\\\r\nConfiguration, provider compatibility, and CLI reference documentation for Aperture.](https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/reference) [**Aperture how-to guides** \\\\\r\n\\\\\r\nStep-by-step guides for configuring Aperture providers, access controls, spending limits, observability, and integrations.](https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/how-to) [**Troubleshooting Aperture by Tailscale** \\\\\r\n\\\\\r\nDiagnose and resolve common issues with Aperture by Tailscale.](https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/troubleshooting)\r\n\r\n![Project Logo](https://cdn.brandfetch.io/tailscale.com/fallback/lettermark/theme/dark/h/256/w/256/icon?c=1bfwsmEH20zzEfSNTed)\r\n\r\nAsk AI\r\n\r\nreCAPTCHA\r\n","html":"<h1>Aperture by Tailscale</h1>\n<p>Last validated: Apr 9, 2026</p>\n<p>Aperture by Tailscaleis currently <a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/reference/tailscale-release-stages#alpha\">in alpha</a>.</p>\n<p>During the alpha testing period, Aperture by Tailscale is available at no additional cost with any Tailscale account, including free accounts created during Aperture signup. Request access at <a href=\"https://aperture.tailscale.com/\"><code>aperture.tailscale.com</code></a>.</p>\n<p>Aperture by Tailscale comes with six free users. Contact Tailscale for pricing if you need more than six users.</p>\n<p>Aperture by Tailscale is a centralized AI gateway that secures, monitors, and routes LLM requests across your organization. Aperture uses <a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/concepts/tailscale-identity\">Tailscale's identity layer</a> to automatically authenticate users, eliminating the need to distribute API keys. It routes requests to upstream LLM providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google without requiring changes to existing tools or workflows.</p>\n<h2><a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture#understand-aperture\">Understand Aperture</a></h2>\n<p>Explore the following topics to understand what Aperture does, how it authenticates users, routes requests, and captures telemetry.</p>\n<p><a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/what-is-aperture\"><strong>What is Aperture?</strong> \\\r\n\\\r\nAperture by Tailscale is an AI gateway that secures, monitors, and routes LLM requests across your organization.</a> <a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/how-aperture-works\"><strong>How Aperture works</strong> \\\r\n\\\r\nUnderstand how Aperture uses Tailscale identity, model-based routing, and telemetry to secure and monitor LLM requests.</a></p>\n<h2><a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture#set-up-aperture\">Set up Aperture</a></h2>\n<p>Sign up, configure your LLM providers, and connect your first tools.</p>\n<p><a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/get-started\"><strong>Get started with Aperture</strong> \\\r\n\\\r\nSign up for Aperture by Tailscale, configure providers and models, grant user access, and connect your first LLM client.</a> <a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/set-up-providers\"><strong>Set up LLM providers</strong> \\\r\n\\\r\nConfigure upstream LLM providers so Aperture can route requests and inject authentication on behalf of your users.</a> <a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/use-your-tools\"><strong>Set up LLM clients</strong> \\\r\n\\\r\nConfigure LLM clients to route requests through Aperture.</a></p>\n<h2><a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture#manage-access-and-spending\">Manage access and spending</a></h2>\n<p>Control which users and models are available, set spending limits, and configure Aperture's behavior.</p>\n<p><a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/configuration\"><strong>Aperture by Tailscale configuration</strong> \\\r\n\\\r\nConfigure Aperture by Tailscale as an AI gateway for LLMs.</a> <a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/control-access\"><strong>Control AI access</strong> \\\r\n\\\r\nManage who can access Aperture and which models they can use.</a> <a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/manage-spending\"><strong>Manage AI spending</strong> \\\r\n\\\r\nSet budgets, control per-user spending limits, and monitor quota balances in Aperture.</a></p>\n<h2><a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture#observe-and-integrate\">Observe and integrate</a></h2>\n<p>Monitor LLM usage across your organization and connect Aperture with external services.</p>\n<p><a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/observe-and-export\"><strong>Observe and export AI usage</strong> \\\r\n\\\r\nAccess dashboards, review session logs, and export usage data from Aperture.</a> <a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/integrate\"><strong>Integrate with external tools</strong> \\\r\n\\\r\nConnect Aperture with authorization engines, log aggregators, and external services.</a></p>\n<h2><a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture#reference-and-troubleshooting\">Reference and troubleshooting</a></h2>\n<p>Configuration reference, CLI documentation, and solutions to common issues.</p>\n<p><a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/reference\"><strong>Aperture reference</strong> \\\r\n\\\r\nConfiguration, provider compatibility, and CLI reference documentation for Aperture.</a> <a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/how-to\"><strong>Aperture how-to guides</strong> \\\r\n\\\r\nStep-by-step guides for configuring Aperture providers, access controls, spending limits, observability, and integrations.</a> <a href=\"https://tailscale.com/docs/aperture/troubleshooting\"><strong>Troubleshooting Aperture by Tailscale</strong> \\\r\n\\\r\nDiagnose and resolve common issues with Aperture by Tailscale.</a></p>\n<p><img src=\"https://cdn.brandfetch.io/tailscale.com/fallback/lettermark/theme/dark/h/256/w/256/icon?c=1bfwsmEH20zzEfSNTed\" alt=\"Project Logo\"></p>\n<p>Ask AI</p>\n<p>reCAPTCHA</p>\n"}