Alternatives · VPNs
OpenVPN alternatives
As of Nov 13, 2026, the highest-graded OpenVPN alternative is SoftEther VPN (2.8 GPA). It's also the best free one.
OpenVPN compared with 7 alternatives: WireGuard, SoftEther VPN, Firezone, NordLayer, Outline VPN and 2 more.
OpenVPN has a free plan. Paid plans start at $7 per connection or seat / month, billed annually. 5 of the 7 alternatives are free or have a free plan. One more offers a free trial.
Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from
Black Friday: is there a OpenVPN sale?
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenVPNThis tool | Free plan · from $7/mo | Yes | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| WireGuard | Free | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| SoftEther VPN | Free | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Firezone | Free plan · from $50/yr | Yes | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| NordLayer | From $8/mo | No | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
| Outline VPN | Free | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Tunnelblick | Free | Free | macOS |
| Viscosity | Free trial · from $16 one-time | Trial only | macOS, Windows |
Price against what you get
OpenVPN starts at $7 a month for each person and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 6 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.
WireGuard, SoftEther VPN, Firezone, Outline VPN and Tunnelblick start lower without scoring higher.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from OpenVPN
WireGuard
Free, open-source VPN protocol and tunnel software
- WireGuard is free.
Suits: Administrators who want to run their own VPN between machines
SoftEther VPN
Free multi-protocol VPN server and client from a Japanese university
- SoftEther VPN is free.
Suits: Administrators who want one self-hosted server to accept many VPN protocols
Firezone
WireGuard-based zero-trust remote access for teams
- Firezone starts at $50 per seat / year ($5 per seat / month billed monthly).
Suits: Small teams and homelabs on the free plan for up to 6 users
NordLayer
Business VPN and network access control from Nord Security
- NordLayer starts at $8 per user / month, billed yearly ($10 billed monthly).
- NordLayer has no free plan, unlike OpenVPN.
- NordLayer also lists a browser extension.
- NordLayer also covers malware protection.
Suits: Teams of five or more that need one admin panel for VPN access
Outline VPN
Open-source software for running your own VPN server
- Outline VPN is free.
Suits: People who want to run their own VPN instead of trusting a provider
Tunnelblick
Free open-source OpenVPN client for macOS
- Tunnelblick is free.
- Tunnelblick lists no Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps, which OpenVPN has.
- Tunnelblick also covers menu bar app.
Suits: Mac users whose employer or VPN provider supplies OpenVPN files
Viscosity
OpenVPN client for Mac and Windows, bought once
- Viscosity starts at $16 one-time, per license.
- Viscosity has no free plan, only a free trial, unlike OpenVPN.
- Viscosity lists no Linux, iOS and Android apps, which OpenVPN has.
- Viscosity can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Viscosity also covers menu bar app.
Suits: Mac and Windows users who connect to OpenVPN servers
Limits worth knowing in OpenVPN
- The pages read show the yearly-billed price only; a monthly price for Access Server was not displayed, and CloudConnexa advertises up to 20% off for annual billing.
- Access Server Free stops at 2 simultaneous connections, and Growth at 2,000; larger deployments are Enterprise with custom pricing.
- CloudConnexa's SCIM, longer log retention and 99.9% uptime SLA are on Premium or Enterprise only.
- Refunds on Access Server subscriptions go through sales; unused funds are credited to the account when you cancel.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to OpenVPN?
The alternatives to OpenVPN in this directory are WireGuard, SoftEther VPN, Firezone, NordLayer, Outline VPN, Tunnelblick and Viscosity. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with OpenVPN.
Is there a free alternative to OpenVPN?
Yes. WireGuard, SoftEther VPN, Outline VPN and Tunnelblick are free to use. Firezone has a free plan alongside paid ones.
When were these prices checked?
Every listing on this page was checked on Nov 13, 2026, against the pages it cites. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.