Ivanti Connect Secure vs OpenVPN Access Server comparison

Ivanti and OpenVPN are both solutions in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category. Ivanti is ranked #14 with an average rating of 6.7, while OpenVPN is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.7. Ivanti holds a 6.5% mindshare in EIV, compared to OpenVPN’s 12.7% mindshare. Additionally, 78% of Ivanti users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 98% of OpenVPN users who would recommend it.

Ivanti Connect Secure

Read 28 Ivanti Connect Secure reviews

3,921 Views
3,254 Comparison Views

78% willing to recommend

OpenVPN Access Server

Read 48 OpenVPN Access Server reviews

7,569 Views
7,115 Comparison Views

98% willing to recommend

Ivanti Connect Secure

OpenVPN Access Server

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 6, 2024

Ivanti Connect Secure and OpenVPN Access Server compete in the VPN market. Ivanti Connect Secure seems to have the upper hand in ease of use and deployment, while OpenVPN Access Server excels in security and customization.

Features: Ivanti Connect Secure offers seamless integration, high reliability, and strong performance stability. OpenVPN Access Server provides extensive customization options, advanced security functionalities, and a comprehensive feature set.

Room for Improvement: Ivanti Connect Secure could improve its reporting tools, address occasional connectivity issues, and enhance analytics. OpenVPN Access Server needs a more intuitive management process, expanded documentation, and better onboarding resources.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Ivanti Connect Secure is praised for rapid deployment and responsive customer support. OpenVPN Access Server has a steeper learning curve and longer deployment times but offers comprehensive support once configured.

Pricing and ROI: Ivanti Connect Secure has a competitive setup cost and solid ROI due to its user-friendly nature and reliability. OpenVPN Access Server's higher initial cost is offset by its comprehensive features and customization ability, delivering strong ROI for users needing advanced security.

To learn more, read our detailed Ivanti Connect Secure vs. OpenVPN Access Server Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Ivanti Connect Secure vs. OpenVPN Access Server

June 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Ivanti Connect Secure

Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

14th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

SSL VPN (4th)

OpenVPN Access Server

Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

2nd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category, the mindshare of Ivanti Connect Secure is 6.5%, up from 4.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of OpenVPN Access Server is 12.7%, down from 15.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

Featured Reviews

Johan Derycke

Network Security Engineer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Reliable remote access and tunneling enhance work efficiency, but upgrade processes need improvement

Ivanti needs improvement in its seamless upgrade and migration procedures, particularly with the browser components, which are fragile and sometimes cause issues depending on the Windows version, the browser version, and the different modules being used. On the client side, browser-initiated sessions are complex and require a more robust approach for non-admin users.

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Bertrand Moutault

Owner at La Poste

An easy-to-use tool with which its users can access networks from home or external locations

Sometimes OpenVPN Access Server is difficult to connect to, and in our company, we don't know why it is difficult. The product may not connect if we lose connection at times. There are certain shortcomings in the product's stability that need improvement. In general, I want to improve the connect connectivity of the solution since I sometimes face stability issues.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The product is easy to use."

"The most valuable features of the solution are reliability and uptime."

"It's a very convenient and user-friendly application."

"The initial setup is straightforward."

"This is a very secure and stable tool."

"VPN tunneling is a very valuable feature of Pulse Connect Secure. I also like that it is straightforward to use, and you can see traffic logs on it."

"The most valuable feature is being able to securely connect and use virtual desktops."

"What I like the most about Pulse Connect Secure is that it's user-friendly. It's easy to use. You just need to connect, and that's it."

More Ivanti Connect Secure pros

"A valuable feature for us is its ability to see the new Citrix server as a local server within the company. And it allows us to test abroad."

"The most valuable feature is that I can access my local network remotely and avoid doing all the port forwarding and redirections, and so on."

"Highly configurable. You can create your own custom client installer and can rebrand the server-side program."

"The product has strong encryption and scalability features. It provides security for private network connections."

"The setup is easy."

"The most valuable feature of OpenVPN is that it is open source. I can do anything with the solution, such as change, build, and collect. Additionally, it is safe to use the solution and there are frequent updates."

"Provided the easiest UX for our end-users and had the greatest interoperability with all the operating systems we used, including but not limited to: iOS, Android, OS X, Windows, and Linux."

"Its most valuable feature is that it is open source."

More OpenVPN Access Server pros

Cons

"I would like the solution to be more secure and compatible. It also needs to improve integration with other systems."

"The user experience has room for improvement."

"Ivanti Connect Secure needs to have faster connections. It also needs to improve the stability."

"Ivanti needs improvement in its seamless upgrade and migration procedures, particularly with the browser components, which are fragile and sometimes cause issues depending on the Windows version, the browser version, and the different modules being used."

"Connection-wise, Pulse Connect Secure could be faster, and this is its area for improvement."

"At the moment, Pulse Connect Secure is a pretty good solution, and I don't see any issues with it. Currently, I'm not aware of a new or additional feature that's needed in Pulse Connect Secure, but it would be good if the team could look at how the speed of connection could be increased. Though it's quite seamless and I didn't face any problem with the speed, it would be better to improve the speed and keep going forward, especially as the industry's changing and people would love connections to be a lot faster."

"An area for improvement in Pulse Connect Secure is the concurrent connections, particularly needing a license if you want to use Pulse Connect Secure with your Microsoft or Windows machine."

"User experience and after-sales support could be better. For example, over the last couple of years, when this COVID scenario was going on, there were multiple attacks on these types of solutions. SQL has been attacked numerous times, and there were a lot of vulnerabilities, and our customers had to update and upgrade the devices every two weeks or every month. This was a headache. It could also be more scalable."

More Ivanti Connect Secure cons

"The interface could be a little bit better in future iterations."

"I would like to see a simpler interface, so that we can make the connection between the local network using the LAN IP."

"There is always room for more security features."

"The solution can be more compatible with different operating systems."

"It would be nice with all these features, if they could send some examples of each one; just small sample scripts to look at and say, "Oh okay, I could expand on this." That would help us a lot."

"If there was a Graphical User Interface to help streamline the configuration, I believe OpenVPN would probably venture more into the non-geek realm as it were."

"It could include a configuration wizard so that users who do not follow instructions well can configure a connection."

"They should make the solution more secure by adding some firewall functionalities."

More OpenVPN Access Server cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"A license is required for you to use Pulse Connect Secure, but I'm not aware of how much it costs."

"I rate the product price a six to seven on a scale of one to ten, where one is a low price, and ten is a high price."

"The cost of the product is high, but worth it because of the utility and great product support."

"The pricing for Pulse Connect Secure is not low and not high, so it's good. It's a six out of ten for me, price-wise."

"The pricing is quite nominal. We pay on a yearly basis."

"Pulse Connect Secure is relatively cost-effective."

"The price of Pulse Connect Secure is expensive."

"The solution was free of charge."

"Begin with the community version and upgrade to paid one if the need arises."

"OpenVPN Access Server was free for students. I don't know if you have to pay for an advanced version."

"I would say the product's pricing is a good value. I would recommend to other companies to implement it. I've seen other software, in tandem with the service, to be very expensive."

"The product's pricing is good value, definitely. It is one of the best features, I would say. Evaluate the product before seeing which type of licensing is good for you. I think there is a good evaluation method available for OpenVPN, so you can just evaluate if it meets your needs. Then go forward with the right licensing policy."

"I don't need to pay for its license since it is an open-source tool."

"The price point is fantastic since it is free."

"The product offers yearly as well as monthly subscription plans. It has moderate pricing."

More OpenVPN Access Server pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Computer Software Company

18%

Comms Service Provider

Educational Organization

University

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Pulse Connect Secure?

From an end-user perspective, the setup phase is easy.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Pulse Connect Secure?

Ivanti has always been known to be pricey, making it a rather high-cost solution.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Pulse Connect Secure?

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How does Fortinet FortiClient compare with Open VPN Access Server?

Fortinet FortiClient is a feature-rich solution that is easy to use and deploy without sacrificing safety and security. It has a very fast connection rate and has a built-in VPN. With this solution...

See all answers

What do you like most about OpenVPN Access Server?

OpenVPN Access Server is a simple and easy-to-use solution that I can use myself without anybody's help.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for OpenVPN Access Server?

My experience with pricing is excellent as the pricing is free.

See all answers

Comparisons

Fortinet FortiClient vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 19% of the time

Ivanti Secure Access vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 18% of the time

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 10% of the time

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 7% of the time

Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 6% of the time

More Ivanti Connect Secure Competitors

Fortinet FortiClient vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 33% of the time

Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 11% of the time

SonicWall Netextender vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 8% of the time

Check Point Remote Access VPN vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 7% of the time

NordLayer vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 3% of the time

More OpenVPN Access Server Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Ivanti Connect Secure

July 2025

Download Ivanti Connect Secure product report

Buyer's Guide

OpenVPN Access Server

June 2025

Download OpenVPN Access Server product report

Also Known As

Pulse Connect Secure

OpenVPN

Overview

Ivanti Connect Secure provides a seamless, cost-effective SSL VPN solution for remote and mobile users from any web-enabled device to corporate resources— anytime, anywhere.

Ivanti

OpenVPN Access Server is a comprehensive VPN solution that enables secure remote access and site-to-site connectivity. It uses the open-source OpenVPN protocol with added encryption and authentication for robust security. The web-based admin interface simplifies setup and centralized management of users, devices, and access controls.

OpenVPN Access Server's ease of setup, comprehensive security features, and professional support make it a viable option for businesses looking to facilitate secure remote access and inter-office connectivity. However, potential users should be mindful of the technical requirements for setup and the possibility of network performance issues in specific scenarios.

Based on over 30 independent peer reviews, OpenVPN garners consistently positive feedback for its stability, security, and free open-source licensing. The most common complaints relate to initial setup complexity and occasional connection drops. Despite these drawbacks, most reviewers highly recommend OpenVPN Access Server due to its robust encryption standards, flexible access options, and scalability across organization sizes.

Versatile Installation and Client Support:

OpenVPN Access Server can be installed on various Linux OS platforms, offering flexibility to adapt to different network environments. This includes popular distributions like Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
OpenVPN Access Server supports a comprehensive range of VPN clients, ensuring broad compatibility and user accessibility. This includes clients for Microsoft Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux, enabling users to connect securely from various devices.

User Authentication and Security:

OpenVPN Access Server incorporates a built-in user authentication system, which can be managed via a web-based interface. This allows administrators to manage user accounts, passwords, and access permissions easily.
For enhanced security, OpenVPN Access Server supports integration with external authentication systems like PAM, LDAP, RADIUS, and SAML. This allows you to leverage your existing authentication infrastructure for VPN access.
The solution provides the flexibility to implement custom Python programming for advanced authentication methods, catering to specific security requirements.
OpenVPN Access Server utilizes the OpenVPN protocol, renowned for its robust encryption and security. VPN tunnels are secured with TLS authentication, credentials, certificates, and optional MAC address lock, ensuring a high level of protection for data transmission.

Flexible Access Control and Tunneling Options:

OpenVPN Access Server provides comprehensive access control rules, allowing administrators to specify user or group access to IP addresses and subnets. This enables granular control over network access and resource utilization.
OpenVPN Access Server supports both full-tunnel and split-tunnel redirection. Full-tunnel mode routes all VPN client internet traffic through the VPN tunnel, while split-tunnel mode allows selective routing of specific traffic.

OpenVPN offers professional support for Access Server, with a global team of experts available through an online ticket system. This ensures that users have timely access to assistance when needed.

OpenVPN

Sample Customers

Axcient, Baloise Group, Cygate, Catholic University of America, Datec Inc, Revlon, Santa Monica Networks, 7-Eleven

Verizon, Amazon, Disney, HP, Microsoft, IBM, Samsung

Buyer's Guide

Ivanti Connect Secure vs. OpenVPN Access Server

June 2025

Free Report: Ivanti Connect Secure vs. OpenVPN Access Server

Find out what your peers are saying about Ivanti Connect Secure vs. OpenVPN Access Server and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.

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