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Viscosity alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 1, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Viscosity: only supports OpenVPN, not WireGuard or IPsec, and no Linux or mobile apps. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Viscosity, 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 +37 of 768.8
2WireGuard logoWireGuardOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux +34 of 464.8
3Tailscale logoTailscaleFree plan + paidYesWindows, macOS, Linux +27 of 759.4
4Firezone logoFirezoneFree plan + paidYesWindows, macOS, Linux +24 of 457.5
  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

    68.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Viscosity

    OpenVPN's own Connect client is free and works with the same server profiles.

    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 ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

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

    Is OpenVPN a good Viscosity alternative?

    Verified facts

    7 of 7 verified
    Free tier
    Access Server, up to 2 connections
    Checked Oct 29, 2026openvpn.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes, Access Server
    Checked Oct 29, 2026openvpn.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Connect platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, ChromeOS
    Checked Oct 29, 2026openvpn.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Open source
    Yes, OpenVPN daemon
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $7 per connection/month, billed yearly (Access Server)
    Checked Nov 1, 2026openvpn.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    Yes, up to 2 connections
    Checked Nov 1, 2026openvpn.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days
    Checked Nov 1, 2026openvpn.net(opens source in a new tab)
  2. WireGuard logo

    2. WireGuard

    Best for: Technical users building their own fast VPN tunnels between machines

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

    64.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Viscosity

    Moving the server to WireGuard gives free official clients on every platform, mobile included.

    Pros

    • Very fast with a small, auditable codebase
    • Built into the Linux kernel
    • Official apps on every major platform

    Cons

    • No user management or web UI on its own
    • Manual key and config handling
    • Static configuration needs extra tools for larger setups
    Visit WireGuard Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

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

    Is WireGuard a good Viscosity alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Licence
    GPLv2 (kernel components)
    Checked Oct 29, 2026wireguard.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, iOS, Android
    Checked Oct 29, 2026wireguard.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Codebase size
    Very few lines of code
    Checked Oct 29, 2026wireguard.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Windows support
    Windows 10, 11 and Server
    Checked Oct 29, 2026wireguard.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Tailscale logo

    3. Tailscale

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

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

    59.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from Viscosity

    Replaces hand-managed VPN profiles with a WireGuard mesh and single sign-on.

    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 ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

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

    Is Tailscale a good Viscosity alternative?

    Verified facts

    7 of 7 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, up to 6 users (Personal)
    Checked Nov 1, 2026tailscale.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan users
    Up to 6 users
    Checked Oct 29, 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 29, 2026tailscale.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $8 per user/month (Standard)
    Checked Nov 1, 2026tailscale.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Premium plan
    $18 per user/month
    Checked Nov 1, 2026tailscale.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days (Enterprise trial)
    Checked Nov 1, 2026tailscale.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

    57.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Viscosity

    Open-source WireGuard-based remote access with free clients and central policy control.

    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 ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

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

    Is Firezone a good Viscosity alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Up to 6 users
    Checked Oct 29, 2026firezone.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Team price
    $50 per seat/year
    Checked Oct 29, 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 29, 2026firezone.dev(opens source in a new tab)

The best Viscosity alternative for…

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

OpenVPN logo

Best Viscosity alternative for most people

OpenVPN

OpenVPN's own Connect client is free and works with the same server profiles.

WireGuard logo

Best Viscosity alternative for a free option

WireGuard

Moving the server to WireGuard gives free official clients on every platform, mobile included.

Tailscale logo

Best Viscosity alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Tailscale

Replaces hand-managed VPN profiles with a WireGuard mesh and single sign-on.

Pritunl logo

Best Viscosity alternative for open source

Pritunl

Open-source OpenVPN and WireGuard server with its own free desktop client.

OpenVPN logo

Best Viscosity alternative for self-hosting

OpenVPN

OpenVPN's own Connect client is free and works with the same server profiles.

Firezone logo

Best Viscosity alternative for Mac

Firezone

Open-source WireGuard-based remote access with free clients and central policy control.

OpenVPN logo

Best Viscosity alternative for Windows

OpenVPN

OpenVPN's own Connect client is free and works with the same server profiles.

OpenVPN logo

Best Viscosity alternative for Linux

OpenVPN

OpenVPN's own Connect client is free and works with the same server profiles.

OpenVPN logo

Best Viscosity alternative for iPhone and Android

OpenVPN

OpenVPN's own Connect client is free and works with the same server profiles.

Viscosity alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Viscosity?

OpenVPN ranks first right now. OpenVPN's own Connect client is free and works with the same server profiles. WireGuard and Pritunl follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Viscosity?

Yes. OpenVPN (free plan + paid), WireGuard (open source), Pritunl (open source) and Tailscale (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Viscosity?

Yes: OpenVPN, WireGuard, Pritunl and Tailscale, plus 1 more in the list above. OpenVPN, WireGuard and Pritunl can also be self-hosted.

Which Viscosity alternatives work on Linux?

OpenVPN, WireGuard, Pritunl, Tailscale and Firezone run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Viscosity?

The complaints we hear most: only supports OpenVPN, not WireGuard or IPsec; no Linux or mobile apps; paid, while official and open-source OpenVPN clients are free.

How is this list ranked?

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