Tunnelblick review (2026): is it any good?
Free open-source OpenVPN client for macOS
Tunnelblick report card
Fair · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for an OpenVPN client for the Mac at no cost
Tunnelblick is a free, open-source Mac app for connecting to OpenVPN servers, with no ads or tracking. It is only a client, so you must bring your own server or provider's config files, and it speaks OpenVPN on macOS and nothing else.
Who Tunnelblick is for
- Fits if you run a Mac and already have an OpenVPN server or provider
- Works for people who want free, open-source software with no ads
Who Tunnelblick is not for
- Not for you if you want a VPN service, as it includes no servers
- Not for you if you use Windows, Linux or a phone, as it is Mac only
- Skip it if config files put you off, as you set up each connection yourself
- Watch out: it speaks OpenVPN only, and builds need macOS 13 or later
Why Tunnelblick gets a 2.2
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree open-source software, against a category where paid plans start near $4 a month, though you still pay for a VPN service to connect to.
- AFree plan and trialFree outright under the GNU GPL, with no ads and no cap.
- DFeaturesIt does one narrow job, an OpenVPN client, and needs a VPN service or your own server to be of any use.
- DEase of useYou add OpenVPN configuration files yourself, so it is a command-line-adjacent job for most people.
- DPlatforms and integrationsmacOS only, and the current builds need macOS 13 or later.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from The Tunnelblick Project's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/tunnelblick#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/tunnelblick.svg" alt="Tunnelblick: 2.2 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Tunnelblick stands among VPNs
Tunnelblick's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 15 of the 50 other VPNs we grade, and level with 6.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 43 of 50) and worst on features (D, above 0).
Tunnelblick has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 51 VPNs we grade, cut by the letter each got. Tunnelblick’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 43 of 50, level with 7
- AFree plan and trialAbove 43 of 50, level with 7
- DFeaturesAbove 0 of 50, level with 1
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 50, level with 5
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 50
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 46 VPNs. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep Tunnelblick, or make your own?
Keep it
Tunnelblick is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 29 of the 50 other VPNs grade higher.
What you could not
- Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
- A native app living in the menu bar.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. Tunnelblick’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.
What is Tunnelblick?
Tunnelblick is a free, open-source macOS application for connecting to OpenVPN servers. It does not sell VPN service of its own: you add the configuration files from your own server or from a VPN provider. The app bundles OpenVPN and the drivers it needs.
Worth knowing
- It is only a client: it does not include servers, so you need a VPN service or your own server.
- Supports OpenVPN only, and runs on macOS only; the current builds need macOS 13 or later.
- The project does not accept donations of money and is maintained by volunteers.
Key features
- OpenVPN client
- Controls OpenVPN connections on macOS and ships with OpenVPN, easy-rsa and the tun/tap drivers, so nothing else needs installing.
- Works with your own configurations
- You add OpenVPN configuration and encryption files from a VPN provider or from a server you run yourself.
- Free software
- Licensed under the GNU GPL version 2. The site states there are no ads, no affiliate marketers and no tracking.
- No logs of IP addresses
- The project says it does not keep logs of your IP address or other usage information, and collects no usage statistics.
- Stable and beta releases
- The downloads page lists a stable and a beta build, both universal for Intel and Apple Silicon Macs on macOS 13 or later.
Tunnelblick pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, Tunnelblick is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- None
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Free software under the GNU GPL version 2, with no ads or tracking. You supply the VPN server or service. |
Read from tunnelblick.net on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Tunnelblick before you buy.
Works with
- OpenVPN
Tunnelblick alternatives
- Tunnelblick vs OpenVPN
Free plan · from $7/mo
- Tunnelblick vs Viscosity
Free trial · from $16 one-time
Common questions
Does Tunnelblick have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Tunnelblick is listed for macOS.
Does Tunnelblick have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Tunnelblick is listed for macOS.
Is Tunnelblick open source?
Yes. Tunnelblick is open source, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.