The Pritunl Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Pritunl in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Pritunl
The Insider’s Guide
Self-hosted open-source VPN server for OpenVPN and WireGuard
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among remote desktop apps, read from Pritunl’s own pages.
Made by Pritunl, Inc. · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Pritunl’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Pritunl’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 13 of the 85 other remote desktop apps we grade
Pritunl is an open-source VPN server that you run on your own hosts. It manages users, servers and organizations from a web interface, accepts OpenVPN and WireGuard clients, and can link sites with IPsec or WireGuard. Pricing is per server host, with no charge per user.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Pritunl, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You install the server on Linux and run MongoDB, which is a command-line job.
- 1
Best for a self-run VPN server for companies
Pritunl is a VPN server you install and run yourself, with a free Community edition for a single host.
- 2
Paid plans start at $10 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $10 per host / month.
- 3
There is a free plan
Community edition: free for a single host, with unlimited servers, users and devices.
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Windows, macOS and Linux.
- 5
OpenVPN and WireGuard clients
The server accepts any OpenVPN client, and the Pritunl Client for macOS, Windows and Linux handles both OpenVPN and WireGuard.
- 6
Site-to-site links
Pritunl Link joins networks over WireGuard or IPsec, with AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, Oracle Cloud and Hetzner named on the homepage.
- 7
Single sign-on
Enterprise supports SAML, Google, Duo Security and RADIUS; the SSO page also lists Okta and OneLogin.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 13 of 85
That is against the other remote desktop apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Pritunl you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Pritunl at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $10 per host / month
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Pritunl, Inc.
- Category
- Remote Desktop
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for a self-run VPN server for companies
Pritunl is a VPN server you install and run yourself, with a free Community edition for a single host. Single sign-on, failover and site-to-site links need Enterprise at $70 per host per month, and it needs MongoDB and a Linux server.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Free only if you host it yourself, which needs a server, so it sits at C. Premium is $10 per host a month and Enterprise $70. |
| Free plan and trial | B | The Community edition is free for one host with unlimited servers, users and devices, and needs no registration or card. |
| Features | C | OpenVPN and WireGuard clients, a REST API and plugins are listed, but single sign-on, failover and site-to-site links are Enterprise only. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record. You install the server on Linux and run MongoDB, which is a command-line job. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Client apps for Windows, macOS and Linux, with SSO through Okta, Google Workspace and others. Other devices use OpenVPN profiles. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Pritunl is for
- Fits if you can run a Linux server and want your own VPN with no per-user fee
- Works for teams that sign in through Okta, Google Workspace or Duo
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you don't want to run a server, as the install page lists Linux distributions only
- Pricey if you need SSO, failover or site-to-site links, which need Enterprise at $70 per host a month
- Watch out: servers coordinate through MongoDB, which you also have to run
- Too light for phones without extra work, as the Pritunl Client covers macOS, Windows and Linux only
Good to know
Good for
- Teams that want to run their own VPN server without per-user fees
- Linking cloud networks and data centers with WireGuard or IPsec
- Organizations that need OpenVPN client compatibility
Worth knowing
- You install and run the server yourself; the install page lists Linux distributions only.
- Single sign-on, failover and site-to-site links need Enterprise at $70 per host per month.
- Servers coordinate through MongoDB, which you also need to run.
- The Pritunl Client is available for macOS, Windows and Linux only; other devices use OpenVPN profiles.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$10
A month to start, for each person. There is a free plan too
Pritunl has a free plan. Paid plans start at $10 per host / month.
Free only if you host it yourself, which needs a server, so it sits at C.
Community
$0
Free for a single host with unlimited VPN servers, users and devices. You host it yourself.
Premium
$10
per host / month
Single host. Adds port forwarding, gateway links, Chromebook support, configuration sync and email user keys.
Enterprise
$70
per host / month
Everything in Premium plus single sign-on, automatic failover, replicated servers and site-to-site links.
The free plan
Community edition: free for a single host, with unlimited servers, users and devices.
Read from pritunl.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and Linux
Self-hosted open-source VPN server for OpenVPN and WireGuard. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, vPN.
OpenVPN and WireGuard clients, a REST API and plugins are listed, but single sign-on, failover and site-to-site links are Enterprise only.
- OpenVPN and WireGuard clients
- The server accepts any OpenVPN client, and the Pritunl Client for macOS, Windows and Linux handles both OpenVPN and WireGuard.
- Site-to-site links
- Pritunl Link joins networks over WireGuard or IPsec, with AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, Oracle Cloud and Hetzner named on the homepage.
- Single sign-on
- Enterprise supports SAML, Google, Duo Security and RADIUS; the SSO page also lists Okta and OneLogin.
- Failover and replication
- Servers share state through MongoDB and run as equal peers, so clients move to another node if one fails.
- Device authentication
- TPM and Apple Secure Enclave device authentication is offered, along with TOTP and push two-step sign-in.
- REST API and plugins
- A REST API automates user and server management, and a Python plugin system supports custom authentication.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- Google Workspace
- Okta
- OneLogin
- Duo Security
- JumpCloud
- AWS
- Microsoft Azure
Pritunl is made by Pritunl, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
13/85
Other remote desktop apps it is graded above
Pritunl's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 13 of the 85 other remote desktop apps we grade, and level with 7.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 48 of 85) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $10 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8.33 for the category: 27 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. 33 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 86 remote desktop apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Pritunl’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 7 of 85
- BFree plan and trialAbove 48 of 85
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 85
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 85
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 12 of 85
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 59 remote desktop apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Pritunl is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Pritunl you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 65 of the 85 other remote desktop apps grade higher. It costs $120 a year. Pritunl is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could not
- Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- It plugs into other products, Google Workspace, Okta and OneLogin among them, and has an API.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: single sign-on.
What this rests on. Pritunl’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
NetBird, Tailscale, ZeroTier, Ivanti Connect Secure and Twingate
The 5 tools Pritunl is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
NetBird
Free plan · from €6/mo
Open-source zero trust networking built on WireGuard.
- Only NetBird lists iOS and Android apps.
- 2.4GPA
Tailscale
Free plan · from $8/mo
Private network that links your devices, servers and teams.
- Only Tailscale lists iOS and Android apps.
- Pritunl is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Tailscale is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 2.4GPA
ZeroTier
Free plan · from $18/mo
Peer-to-peer virtual networks for devices, servers and sites.
- Only ZeroTier lists iOS and Android apps.
- Pritunl is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- ZeroTier is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 1.8GPA
Ivanti Connect Secure
Paid
Enterprise SSL VPN gateway for secure remote access.
- Pritunl has a free plan. Ivanti Connect Secure does not.
- Only Ivanti Connect Secure lists a web app.
- Only Ivanti Connect Secure lists iOS and Android apps.
- 2.6GPA
Twingate
Free plan · from $5/mo
Zero trust network access to replace a company VPN.
- Only Twingate lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Twingate lists a browser extension.
- Pritunl is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Pritunl free?
Pritunl has a free plan. Community edition: free for a single host, with unlimited servers, users and devices.
How much does Pritunl cost?
Pritunl lists 3 plans. Community: $0.
What platforms does Pritunl work on?
Pritunl is available on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Pritunl have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Pritunl is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Pritunl have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Pritunl is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is Pritunl open source?
Yes. Pritunl is open source, according to its own site.
Does Pritunl have an API?
Yes. Pritunl offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Pritunl integrate with?
Pritunl's listing names Google Workspace, Okta, OneLogin, Duo Security, JumpCloud, AWS and Microsoft Azure.
Who makes Pritunl?
Pritunl is made by Pritunl, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Pritunl?
The closest alternatives to Pritunl in our directory are NetBird, Tailscale, ZeroTier, Ivanti Connect Secure and Twingate.
How does Pritunl compare with other remote desktop apps?
Pritunl's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 13 of the 85 other remote desktop apps we grade, and level with 7.
Is Pritunl good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Pritunl C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $10 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8.33 for the category: 27 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Pritunl?
To replace Pritunl you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Pritunl’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Pritunl's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Pritunl, Inc. Prices change, so check pritunl.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Pritunl, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/pritunl
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Pritunl: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/pritunl
Know someone choosing between remote desktop apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/pritunl/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded remote desktop apps after Pritunl, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Remote Desktop Insider's GuideEvery one of the 86 remote desktop apps we grade, compared
- Chrome Remote Desktop Insider's GuideGoogle's free remote access to your own computers from a browser3.2 GPA
- DWService Insider's GuideFree browser-based remote access to computers via an agent3.2 GPA
- HopToDesk Insider's GuideFree open-source remote desktop with a paid device dashboard3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Pritunl’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Pritunl is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Pritunl, Inc. Prices and plans change: check pritunl.com before you buy.