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OpenVPN

The classic open-source VPN protocol, plus a self-hosted Access Server and Connect client.

Free plan + paidOpen sourceSelf-hostableVPN services
Visit OpenVPNSee 5 alternatives
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About OpenVPN

OpenVPN is both one of the most widely used open-source VPN protocols and the company that sells products built on it. The community project provides the OpenVPN daemon that many providers and routers still support. OpenVPN Inc. offers Access Server, a self-hosted VPN server with a web admin console that you run on your own hardware or cloud, free for two connections and paid by connection beyond that, and CloudConnexa, a hosted service for teams. The OpenVPN Connect client works with both and with standard .ovpn profiles from other providers. Compared with WireGuard, OpenVPN is older, more configurable and slower, but it runs over TCP or UDP on any port and is supported almost everywhere. Connect runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and ChromeOS. It suits businesses that want a self-hosted remote access VPN, and anyone who needs a client for existing OpenVPN profiles.

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

Pros and cons

What works

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

Why people leave

  • Slower and more complex than WireGuard
  • Access Server pricing climbs with connections
  • Admin console feels dated

Top OpenVPN alternatives

See all 5
  1. 1WireGuard logo
    WireGuard

    Faster, simpler modern protocol built into Linux and most platforms.

    66.5
  2. 2Pritunl logo
    Pritunl

    Open-source server with a friendlier web UI that supports OpenVPN and WireGuard.

    62.6
  3. 3wg-easy logo
    wg-easy

    Run a WireGuard server with a web UI in one Docker container.

    59.6
  4. 4Twingate logo
    Twingate

    Hosted zero-trust access with no inbound ports to open.

    57.2
  5. 5Tailscale logo
    Tailscale

    Mesh networking that avoids running a central VPN server at all.

    55.3

Why people left OpenVPN

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

No switching stories yet. If you moved away from OpenVPN, review the app you switched to and tell us why.

Reviews

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OpenVPN: common questions

Is OpenVPN free?

OpenVPN has a free plan and paid plans. Free tier: Access Server, up to 2 connections (checked on OpenVPN's own site).

Is OpenVPN open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at OpenVPN/openvpn. You can also run it on your own server.

What platforms does OpenVPN run on?

OpenVPN is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and Self-hosted.

What are the best alternatives to OpenVPN?

The highest-ranked OpenVPN alternatives right now are WireGuard, Pritunl and wg-easy. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 5 OpenVPN alternatives