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Pritunl alternatives: 7 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Pritunl: needs MongoDB and some Linux admin skills, and SSO and some features need a paid plan. We ranked 7 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Pritunl, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. OpenVPN currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1OpenVPN logoOpenVPNFree plan + paidYesWindows, macOS, Linux +34 of 466.5
2wg-easy logowg-easyOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted, Web3 of 362.6
3NetBird logoNetBirdOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux +34 of 459.6
4Firezone logoFirezoneFree plan + paidYesWindows, macOS, Linux +24 of 457.2
5Tailscale logoTailscaleFree plan + paidYesWindows, macOS, Linux +24 of 455.3
6Headscale logoHeadscaleOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted, Linux3 of 353.6
7Twingate logoTwingateFree plan + paidNoWindows, macOS, Linux +23 of 352.3
  1. OpenVPN logo

    1. OpenVPNTop pick

    Best for: Businesses wanting a self-hosted VPN server and users of existing OpenVPN profiles

    Free plan + paidOpen sourceSelf-hostableWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Pritunl

    Access Server is the commercial OpenVPN equivalent, free for two connections.

    Pros

    • Supported by almost every router and provider
    • Access Server is free for two connections
    • Runs over TCP or UDP on any port

    Cons

    • Slower and more complex than WireGuard
    • Access Server pricing climbs with connections
    • Admin console feels dated
    Visit OpenVPN Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is OpenVPN a good Pritunl alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free tier
    Access Server, up to 2 connections
    Checked Oct 25, 2026openvpn.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes, Access Server
    Checked Oct 25, 2026openvpn.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Connect platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, ChromeOS
    Checked Oct 25, 2026openvpn.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Open source
    Yes, OpenVPN daemon
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. wg-easy logo

    2. wg-easy

    Best for: Home-lab users who want a personal WireGuard server without hand-editing configs

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Web

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Pritunl

    Far simpler WireGuard-only server for small groups.

    Pros

    • Runs as one Docker container
    • Web UI with QR codes for phones
    • Uses the standard WireGuard apps

    Cons

    • Hub-and-spoke only, not a mesh
    • Basic user management
    • You handle server security and updates
    Visit wg-easy Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is wg-easy a good Pritunl alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Licence
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    What it is
    WireGuard plus a web admin UI
    Checked Oct 25, 2026wg-easy.github.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Deployment
    Docker, Podman or without Docker
    Checked Oct 25, 2026wg-easy.github.io(opens source in a new tab)
  3. NetBird logo

    3. NetBird

    Best for: Teams that want a self-hostable, open-source alternative to Tailscale

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Pritunl

    Self-hostable mesh with SSO, avoiding a central VPN gateway.

    Pros

    • Entire stack open source and self-hostable
    • SSO and MFA integration built in
    • Free cloud tier for small teams

    Cons

    • Self-hosting means running several components
    • Smaller ecosystem than Tailscale
    • Cloud pricing is per user
    Visit NetBird Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is NetBird a good Pritunl alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    €0, up to 5 users and 100 machines
    Checked Oct 25, 2026netbird.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Team price
    €6 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026netbird.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026netbird.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Protocol
    Peer-to-peer WireGuard
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Firezone logo

    4. Firezone

    Best for: Technical teams that want open-source zero-trust access instead of a VPN gateway

    Free plan + paidOpen sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Pritunl

    WireGuard-based zero-trust access with a free starter tier.

    Pros

    • Open-source, Apache-licensed code
    • Fast WireGuard data plane written in Rust
    • Free for small teams

    Cons

    • Control plane is hosted rather than self-hosted
    • Younger product with a smaller ecosystem
    • Advanced features need paid seats
    Visit Firezone Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Firezone a good Pritunl alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Up to 6 users
    Checked Oct 25, 2026firezone.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Team price
    $50 per seat/year
    Checked Oct 25, 2026firezone.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Licence
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Data plane
    Rust, built on WireGuard
    Checked Oct 25, 2026firezone.dev(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Tailscale logo

    5. Tailscale

    Best for: Developers, home-labbers and teams who want private access between their own devices

    Free plan + paidOpen sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Pritunl

    Hosted WireGuard mesh with SSO login and ACLs, removing the need to run and patch your own Pritunl server and MongoDB.

    Pros

    • Works through NAT and firewalls with almost no setup
    • Generous free plan for personal use
    • Fine-grained access controls and built-in SSH

    Cons

    • Coordination server is hosted unless you run Headscale
    • Not a location-changing VPN by default
    • Team pricing adds up per user
    Visit Tailscale Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Tailscale a good Pritunl alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, Personal plan
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tailscale.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan users
    Up to 6 users
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tailscale.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Client licence
    BSD-3-Clause
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    macOS, iOS, Windows, Linux, Android
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tailscale.com(opens source in a new tab)
  6. Headscale logo

    6. Headscale

    Best for: Self-hosters who want Tailscale's clients without a hosted control server

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Linux

    53.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Pritunl

    Self-hosted, open-source Tailscale control server for teams that want to keep running their own VPN infrastructure.

    Pros

    • Works with the official Tailscale clients
    • No third party sees your device list
    • Free and open source

    Cons

    • No official web interface
    • Lags behind some newer Tailscale features
    • You maintain and secure the server yourself
    Visit Headscale Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.357
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Headscale a good Pritunl alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Licence
    BSD-3-Clause
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    What it is
    Self-hosted Tailscale control server
    Checked Oct 25, 2026headscale.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Design goal
    Self-hosted, open-source alternative to Tailscale's server
    Checked Oct 25, 2026headscale.net(opens source in a new tab)
  7. Twingate logo

    7. Twingate

    Best for: IT teams replacing a corporate VPN with per-resource, identity-based access

    Free plan + paidWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    52.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Pritunl

    Zero-trust access to private resources per app instead of a full network tunnel, managed from a cloud console.

    Pros

    • No inbound firewall ports needed
    • Access granted per resource rather than whole network
    • Free plan for small teams

    Cons

    • Closed source and hosted only
    • Not a mesh between user devices
    • Advanced controls require paid tiers
    Visit Twingate Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.353
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Twingate a good Pritunl alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Free plan
    Starter, up to 5 users
    Checked Oct 25, 2026twingate.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Home plan
    $15/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026twingate.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
    Checked Oct 25, 2026twingate.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Pritunl alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

OpenVPN logo

Best Pritunl alternative for most people

OpenVPN

Access Server is the commercial OpenVPN equivalent, free for two connections.

wg-easy logo

Best Pritunl alternative for a free option

wg-easy

Far simpler WireGuard-only server for small groups.

Firezone logo

Best Pritunl alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Firezone

WireGuard-based zero-trust access with a free starter tier.

NetBird logo

Best Pritunl alternative for open source

NetBird

Self-hostable mesh with SSO, avoiding a central VPN gateway.

Headscale logo

Best Pritunl alternative for self-hosting

Headscale

Self-hosted, open-source Tailscale control server for teams that want to keep running their own VPN infrastructure.

Tailscale logo

Best Pritunl alternative for Mac

Tailscale

Hosted WireGuard mesh with SSO login and ACLs, removing the need to run and patch your own Pritunl server and MongoDB.

Twingate logo

Best Pritunl alternative for Windows

Twingate

Zero-trust access to private resources per app instead of a full network tunnel, managed from a cloud console.

OpenVPN logo

Best Pritunl alternative for Linux

OpenVPN

Access Server is the commercial OpenVPN equivalent, free for two connections.

OpenVPN logo

Best Pritunl alternative for iPhone and Android

OpenVPN

Access Server is the commercial OpenVPN equivalent, free for two connections.

wg-easy logo

Best Pritunl alternative for working in the browser

wg-easy

Far simpler WireGuard-only server for small groups.

Pritunl alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Pritunl?

OpenVPN ranks first right now. Access Server is the commercial OpenVPN equivalent, free for two connections. wg-easy and NetBird follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Pritunl?

Yes. OpenVPN (free plan + paid), wg-easy (open source), NetBird (open source) and Firezone (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Pritunl?

Yes: OpenVPN, wg-easy, NetBird and Firezone, plus 2 more in the list above. OpenVPN, wg-easy and NetBird can also be self-hosted.

Which Pritunl alternatives work on Linux?

OpenVPN, NetBird, Firezone, Tailscale and Headscale run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Pritunl?

The complaints we hear most: needs MongoDB and some Linux admin skills; SSO and some features need a paid plan; interface is functional but dated.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Pritunl, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.