TAKGRID — Comparison

OpenTAKServer or the Official TAK Server: What You Take On

OpenTAKServer and the official TAK Server are two different programs that both let ATAK, WinTAK and iTAK connect to a server of your own. OpenTAKServer is a free, open-source community project, designed to run on servers and on small computers such as a Raspberry Pi. The official TAK Server comes from the TAK Product Center. Both are free to download, and both are yours to run, secure and update. If you would rather not, TAKGRID runs the official server for you from $4 a day.

Weighing more than these two? See all free TAK server options.

At a Glance

The two side by side

Who makes it

OpenTAKServer

An open-source community project. Its documentation names Brian Wallen as the author.

Official TAK Server

The TAK Product Center. Its source is public on GitHub.

Built with

OpenTAKServer

Python 3.10 or newer, with RabbitMQ, OpenSSL and nginx.

Official TAK Server

Java 17 and PostgreSQL with PostGIS.

How you install it

OpenTAKServer

Installer scripts for Ubuntu and Raspberry Pi, and Windows through WSL. Its docs say an official Docker image is in the works.

Official TAK Server

From the source on GitHub, which describes Gradle builds and RPM packaging.

Who looks after updates and uptime

OpenTAKServer

You.

Official TAK Server

You, unless someone hosts it for you.

Does TAKGRID run it

OpenTAKServer

No.

Official TAK Server

Yes. This is the server TAKGRID hosts.

Either One

What you take on with either one

The software is the free part. Whichever you pick, running it yourself comes with the same four jobs.

01

A machine that stays on

A server or a small computer that is always running, with a public address (a domain name) that phones on mobile data can reach.

02

Certificates

Each device needs its own certificate to connect. Certificates expire, and someone has to renew them.

03

Updates

A TAK server faces the internet. One that is not kept updated is a security risk.

04

Being on call

When it breaks on the day of the exercise, you are the person who fixes it.

Run It Yourself

When running it yourself is the right call

  • You are learning TAK and the server is the point.
  • You have someone who likes Linux and will still be around in six months.
  • A hobby team, a Raspberry Pi in a go-bag, or a test.

If that is you, either program is a fair choice.

Have It Run for You

When someone else running it is easier

  • The people arrive on a date and need to be connected that day.
  • The phones are on mobile data in different places.
  • Nobody wants to chase a certificate error on the day.

Scout, by the Day

The official server, run for you

TAKGRID runs the official TAK Server, not OpenTAKServer. Scout is $20 a month or $4 a day, up to 25 devices, in a private, isolated TAK environment. Deployment: instant.

Three days is $12, $8 less than a month. Rented by the day, Scout stays cheaper than a month for up to 4 days; after that, take the month.

More devices? Ranger covers up to 60 devices, at $45 a month or $8 a day.

Scout, per day

$4/day

Or $20/mo. Up to 25 devices.

  • GOTS TAK Server
  • CloudTAK browser client
  • LDAP users and group management
  • XMPP messaging server
  • 1 live video stream
  • Certificate enrollment
  • Managed upgrades
  • Daily encrypted off-site backups
Deploy Scout

or see all plans

Questions

Common Questions

Is OpenTAKServer the same as the official TAK Server?

No. It is a separate open-source program. It works with ATAK, WinTAK and iTAK, but it does not come from the TAK Product Center.

Is OpenTAKServer free?

Yes. The software is open source under the GPL-3.0-or-later licence. The machine it runs on, the domain and your time are not free.

Can I run OpenTAKServer on a Raspberry Pi?

Its documentation says it is designed to run on servers and on single-board computers such as the Raspberry Pi, and it has installer scripts for Ubuntu and Raspberry Pi.

Does OpenTAKServer run on Windows?

Through WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux), using the Ubuntu installer, according to its project page.

Is FreeTAKServer the same as OpenTAKServer?

No. They are two different open-source projects. Our free TAK server options page covers FreeTAKServer.

Which one does TAKGRID run?

The official TAK Server. TAKGRID does not run OpenTAKServer.

What does hosting cost?

Scout is $20 a month or $4 a day, up to 25 devices.

Looking for FreeTAKServer or a public server? Free TAK server options compared.

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