This is an enterprise infrastructure VPN solution.
Enterprise Solutions Consultant at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
Easy to set up and deploy with good compatibility
Pros and Cons
- "It is very easy to look at the quality of the connection and the bandwidth and do an investigation if there are problems on the network."
- "There sometimes is an incompatibility between some VPNs."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
It is very stable and reliable. It's a useful device.
It is very easy to look at the quality of the connection and the bandwidth and do an investigation if there are problems on the network.
It is simple to set up and deploy.
It's compatible with WatchGuard.
What needs improvement?
There sometimes is an incompatibility between some VPNs.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for two or three years. It hasn't been a long time.
Buyer's Guide
OpenVPN Access Server
March 2025

Learn what your peers think about OpenVPN Access Server. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
844,944 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have found the stability to be good. It is reliable. here are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I'm not sure of the scalability. I've never tried to scale the product.
We have three customers on the solution right now.
How are customer service and support?
We are able to manage the support of the solution and troubleshoot for clients. However, I have never dealt with the solution's technical support services in the past.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
As solutions providers, we deal with a lot of VPN technology. For example, I have worked with FortiClient.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is pretty straightforward. For example, I find it easier to implement than FortiClient.
The deployment is fast. It takes five to ten minutes. After that, you can put in the customer's configurations.
If the customer gives you the HTTP link for the certificate and the configuration, you enter everything on that site, and automatically, you are good to go.
We handle the maintenance for our clients.
What about the implementation team?
We've been able to implement the solution for clients for a while now.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I don't have details related to licensing. The customer typically deals with that directly.
What other advice do I have?
We sell software solutions.
I'd recommend the product to other users.
I would rate the solution nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner

General Manager at Ekinoks Software
Easy to deploy, simple to use, and offers good performance
Pros and Cons
- "It can scale well."
- "The interface could be a little bit better in future iterations."
What is our primary use case?
In our country, there is a problem with accessing some sites. Therefore, we need to use OpenVPN. We also use it to access our server.
What is most valuable?
The solution is very easy to use. It's very direct. It always just works when we need it to. The performance is good.
The solution is stable.
It can scale well.
The initial setup is fast and easy.
What needs improvement?
The interface could be a little bit better in future iterations.
For how long have I used the solution?
I can't remember how long I've used the solution. It's likely been around six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution offers good performance. It is stable and reliable. There are no bugs or glitches. It makes access simple.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product can scale well.
We have 40 or 50 people using the product at this time.
As remote work increases, we likely will expand usage.
How are customer service and support?
We haven't needed any additional support so far.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not previously use any other services similar to this product.
How was the initial setup?
It is easy to set up. It just works right away.
It takes a very short amount of time to deploy it. I found the process to be quite fast. We deployed in minutes, as I recall.
A company would only need one person to handle the deployment process.
What about the implementation team?
We did not need any outside assistance or support for the implementation process.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I'm unsure of the exact licensing costs.
What other advice do I have?
I'm not sure which version of the solution I'm using.
I'd recommend this product to other users and companies.
I would rate the solution eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Buyer's Guide
OpenVPN Access Server
March 2025

Learn what your peers think about OpenVPN Access Server. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
844,944 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Software Engineer II at a tech vendor with 201-500 employees
Compatible with almost any Linux system, and easy to write scripts and generate keys
Pros and Cons
- "The compatibility with almost any Linux operating system, and how easy it is to write scripts and generate keys for people to use and log in. I found it easy to deploy quickly."
- "If someone's key is not working, or if we had to remove someone's permission from it, or maybe an employee left the company and we had to take their key out, that seemed a little bit more complicated than it had to be."
- "I think right now the GUI part of it is locked out behind the pay wall. It could use something that gives it a very basic, minimal, graphic interface for logging in, for the community version. That would probably be a good step forward."
- "If we had to create something for someone who was not necessarily tech savvy, I had to set that up on their computer, I had to write "read me's" and other things so that they could install their client and then connect to the VPN by themselves. So it was hard to set up for people who are not tech savvy."
What is our primary use case?
Interoffice connections. We had offices in India and the US. To connect both of them to the same environment, we were using OpenVPN for that. It was so we could maintain a file store, exchange files and documents securely through our own proprietary mechanism, instead of having to rely on Dropbox and the like.
How has it helped my organization?
Interoperability between different offices. We didn't have to keep exchanging documents via email and other tech. We were able to maintain a common file store because of the complete VPN setup we had using OpenVPN.
What is most valuable?
The compatibility with almost any Linux operating system, and how easy it is to write scripts and generate keys for people to use and log in. I found it easy to deploy quickly.
What needs improvement?
Some of the issues we faced were things like, if someone's key is not working, or if we had to remove someone's permission from it, or maybe an employee left the company and we had to take their key out. That seemed a little bit more complicated than it had to be.
Also, I think right now the GUI part of it is locked out behind the pay wall. It could use something that gives it a very basic, minimal, graphic interface for logging in, for the community version. That would probably be a good step forward.
For how long have I used the solution?
Three to five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We did not encounter any stability issues in our scope.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Our use case was less complex than most. We did not come across any issues with scalability.
How are customer service and technical support?
I usually found support online, so I didn't have to use tech support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We started off with OpenVPN when we were evaluating what we could use for our needs and we ended up with OpenVPN. I have used other VPN solutions at other offices, but in the cases that I've dealt with, OpenVPN was the choice.
How was the initial setup?
If we had to create something for someone who was not necessarily tech savvy, I had to set that up on their computer, I had to write "read me's" and other things so that they could install their client and then connect to the VPN by themselves. So it was hard to set up for people who are not tech savvy. I had to actively provide assistance and walk them through the whole process.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
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.
What other advice do I have?
OpenVPN is a good option for kick-starting any kind of interoperability between offices. It doesn't have a huge setup time, so it's a quick way to start experimenting with how the organization would work with its VPN requirements. Even if your requirements are very small, it's a very convenient to start off with this solution.
I rate it at eight out of 10 because it gives value for what it provides. You need technical know-how to get started on it, but it is also very swift. It has all the right features but it's technically challenging if you're not tech savvy. Providing clients with keys is not that straightforward.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Senior Linux System Administrator at a media company with 51-200 employees
Two-factor authentication allows us to not force frequent password changes
Pros and Cons
- "It allows us to give access to our office network in a safe and secure way to users, no matter which computing platform they use. "
- "Two-factor authentication allows us to not force frequent password changes."
- "There was one annoying feature where we had to disable and enable the user. I cannot remember what it was exactly, but I think it was for a password lockout. It would be nice if there was a checkbox, or something, in the web interface to allow you to unlock a user whose password was locked."
How has it helped my organization?
It allows us to give access to our office network in a safe and secure way to users, no matter which computing platform they use.
What is most valuable?
- Easy to set up.
- Clients for multiple platforms
- It runs on Linux.
- It allows for two-factor authentication.
This makes it very easy to administer if it is running on a Linux server where you can do everything over CLI or a web-based interface. Some software only has clients for MAC and Windows, which is annoying. Two-factor authentication allows us to not force frequent password changes.
What needs improvement?
There was one annoying feature where we had to disable and enable the user. I cannot remember what it was exactly, but I think it was for a password lockout. It would be nice if there was a checkbox, or something, in the web interface to allow you to unlock a user whose password was locked.
For how long have I used the solution?
One to three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
No issues. It is solid as a rock.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Never.
How are customer service and technical support?
I do not think we ever had to use technical support. I mainly found answers on the web forums.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
No.
How was the initial setup?
It was already set up when I got there.
However, I have set up OpenVPN elsewhere. The initial setup is very straightforward as long as you understand something about the way the OS works, and how the networking and certificates work.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Not applicable.
What other advice do I have?
It is good stuff.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Senior Information Security Consultant at a tech vendor with 11-50 employees
Reliable, easy to use, and open source
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is reliable, easy to use, and open source. It's free at no cost."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution to access FTP pages and file sharing.
What is most valuable?
The solution is reliable, easy to use, and open source. It's free at no cost.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using OpenVPN Access Server as a user.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is stable. There are no interruptions, and it works smoothly.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution’s scalability is fine. It encompasses security advances and investments in the industry.
What was our ROI?
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is free. It is worth the money.
What other advice do I have?
The tool works fine and doesn't bother me all day.
I recommend the solution.
Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Cofounder/CTO and Principal Devops at a tech vendor
Provides privacy and cryptography for my network communication
Pros and Cons
- "Provides privacy and cryptography for my network communication."
- "I would like to see a GUI or Web UI to manage users. Today these features are in the Pro Edition or are done by scripts."
How has it helped my organization?
My entire engineering team can access our infrastructure from anywhere in the world, securely.
What is most valuable?
Privacy and cryptography for my network communication.
What needs improvement?
Maybe provide a GUI or Web UI to manage users. Today these features are in the Pro Edition or are done by scripts.
For how long have I used the solution?
More than five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
No issues with scalability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
No issues with scalability.
How are customer service and technical support?
The community is great. We are able to find a lot of documentation on the Web.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Cisco VPN, L2TP/IPsec. OpenVPN is easier to maintain and use, save us time.
How was the initial setup?
Straightforward, a server is installed in a few minutes.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The Pro Edition has a reasonable price per user.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Cisco VPN.
What other advice do I have?
I use it as server and client in AWS. The first reason is to provide a kind of crypted VLAN.
No real advice to give, except to be careful with the traffic in/out on extensive usage.
I rate it 10 out of 10. Simple to install and maintain, easy to find documentation or help in Google.
Try it. It's really fast to PoC and validate this solution.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
ICT and Cyber Security Adviser at a educational organization with 201-500 employees
Open-source, easy to set up, and simple to expand
Pros and Cons
- "It is open-source and free to use."
- "When there are too many concurrent users trying to connect at the same time, there may be a bit of a bottleneck."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for a secure VPN connection.
What is most valuable?
Overall, it's okay and performance-wise it's fine.
It is easy to set up.
The solution is stable.
It can scale well.
It is open-source and free to use.
What needs improvement?
The performance could be a bit better. The stability could always be enhanced.
When there are too many concurrent users trying to connect at the same time, there may be a bit of a bottleneck. When all people would like to reconnect to the VPN at the same time, the performance and availability of the solution could be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for almost a year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is quite stable and has okay performance. However, it could be better. We'd like the performance to be more robust.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's a scalable product. If a company needs to expand it, it can do so.
We have around 2,000 users on the solution right now.
We're always open to increasing usage.
How are customer service and support?
I haven't dealt with technical support just yet. I can't speak to how helpful they would be.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not previously use a different solution.
How was the initial setup?
With OpenVPN, the amount of people you need to deploy and maintain it depends on how many nodes you would need and the number of users as well as whether you are operating 24/7 or operating only during work hours. Likely, you would need between three and six people.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
This is an open-source solution. We can use it for free.
What other advice do I have?
I'd recommend the solution to other users and organizations.
I would rate the product eight out of ten as I have been mostly pleased with its capabilities.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Infrastructure Administrator at a financial services firm with 51-200 employees
Has the easiest UX for end-users and greatest interoperability with all operating systems we used
Pros and Cons
- "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."
- "The upgrade path from older versions was more difficult than we wanted to tackle, so we ran an older version of the software for longer than I wanted. Patching, updating, and migrating to newer versions was a problem for us. That said, we were on a rather old version that I inherited yet it worked rock solid."
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case was to give mobile knowledge workers a secure connection across the Internet to our LAN, whether by laptop, mobile tablet or smart phone.
How has it helped my organization?
It allowed people to remotely access files from their mobile devices. It was so easy for end-users to use that they were able to work more efficiently no matter where they were, whether at a client’s campus, home, traveling – wherever they had a device and internet access.
What is most valuable?
This open-source solution 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.
What needs improvement?
The upgrade path from older versions was more difficult than we wanted to tackle, so we ran an older version of the software for longer than I wanted. Patching, updating, and migrating to newer versions was a problem for us. That said, we were on a rather old version that I inherited yet it worked rock solid.
For how long have I used the solution?
Three to five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
No issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We more than doubled our staff at my previous company and our OpenVPN appliance handled it well.
How are customer service and technical support?
Tech support wasn’t needed during my 5 years administrating OpenVPN.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
OpenVPN was already implemented when I took over the IT department. I do know that there was also a Cisco VPN product in place, but it was finicky and many of our end-users had issues with the Cisco VPN. At the time, it also didn’t work on mobile devices and the required ports were blocked by certain ISPs (like some hotel internet connections, cellular providers, etc.)
What about the implementation team?
In-house expertise.
What was our ROI?
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
At one point I had to purchase addition connection licenses. I was very pleased with the pricing and licensing; so much easier than navigating the confusing jungle of Microsoft and Cisco licensing and pricing. That alone made the product a delight to manage.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I didn’t purchase OpenVPN, but I have evaluated other products for other departments I managed at other companies. Cisco and Fortinet are the two I remember off hand.
What other advice do I have?
We did not use this product on AWS. We hosted the server on our network.
My advice would be, if OpenVPN fits your environment and needs, it’s a great solution. Do it.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

Buyer's Guide
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Updated: March 2025
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