OpenVPN Access Server vs. Windows Server Comparison


OpenVPN Access Server OpenVPN	Windows Server Microsoft	+	+
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		Related Products Cloudbrink If you’ve ever dealt with slow VPNs, or clunky ZTNA agents that degrade app performance, you’re not alone. Many IT teams are stuck balancing security with usability—and often end up sacrificing both. Here is a different approach. The high-performance ZTNA service that is part of a personal SASE solution from Cloudbrink can upgrade or replace traditional VPNs while fixing the performance and complexity that come from other vendors in the ZTNA and SASE space. Built as a software-only service, Cloudbrink delivers sub-20ms latency and 1Gbps+ speeds per user using dynamically deployed FAST edges and a proprietary protocol that recovers packet loss before it impacts the app. Security isn’t bolted on—it’s built in. With mutual TLS 1.3, short-lived certs, and no exposed IPs, Cloudbrink provides real zero trust without making users suffer through poor connections or overloaded POPs. If you’ve been burned by “next-gen” solutions that still feel like 2008, it might be time for something new. 28 Ratings Visit Website Proton VPN Protect your business against damaging data breaches and easily comply with security frameworks like ISO 27001, GDPR, and HIPAA. Our software-only virtual private network easily integrates with your existing infrastructure to provide a flexible and scalable way to protect your organization. With our VPN Professional plan, you can securely access your LAN and SaaS resources by assigning and segmenting permissions to private dedicated VPN servers, allowing employees to access only what they need. With all plans, your network traffic is secured using strong AES-256 or ChaCha20 encryption. You can further strengthen your organization's security with enforced 2FA and seamless login through single sign-on (SSO) with SCIM support for automated user provisioning. Proton VPN's high-speed server network is one of the largest in the world and is part of a suite of open source end-to-end encrypted products from the makers of Proton Mail that are designed to keep your business secure. 41,009 Ratings Visit Website Private Internet Access (PIA) Browse anonymously with a private IP, and enable strong encryption to protect yourself from your ISP and public Wi-Fi networks. Enjoy unrestricted access to our anonymous VPN network. Unlock any geographic restrictions and protocol filters. Whether you're browsing or streaming, Private Internet Access will deliver. Private Internet Access has the largest network capacity across the globe to provide the highest speeds and most encryption. Private Internet Access is the only proven no-log VPN service in the world. 151 Ratings Visit Website NordVPN We help companies keep their networks and Internet connections secure. Our VPN service adds an extra layer of protection to secure your communications. We do this by applying strong encryption to all incoming and outgoing traffic so that no third parties can access your confidential information. Protect your organization against security breaches. Secure remote team access. Simplify business network security. Access region-specific online content from anywhere in the world 1,609 Ratings Visit Website IPVanish IPVanish VPN protects your personal data in the heat of privacy threats with one touch. Keep your connection safe over hotspots and unsecured networks today. Whether you need a Wi-Fi hotspot shield, or safe file access, we have a solution for you. IPVanish VPN and storage tools simplify online security for the whole home with setups for desktop, mobile, consoles, and routers. Shield your internet activity with VPN privacy, or pair VPN + storage for complete online protection. It takes more than a private internet browser to go incognito. Keep your internet activity private with our anonymous IP addresses, and we’ll help keep network hackers, ISPs, and advertisers out of your connection. Secure your Wi-Fi connection and armor your location data with VPN. The best data defense pairs security with convenience. Safeguard access to your most important files with encrypted backup, automated syncing, and remote wiping controls. 223 Ratings Visit Website Control D Control D is a customizable DNS filtering and traffic redirection platform that leverages Secure DNS protocols like DNS-over-HTTPS, DNS-over-TLS and DNS-over-QUIC, with support for Legacy DNS. - Block malicious threats - Block unwanted types of content network wide (ads & trackers, IoT telemetry, adult content, socials, and more) - Deploy in minutes on fleets of devices using RMM - Manage clients using sub-organizations - Gain visibility on network events and usage patterns, with client level granularity - Re-route traffic via proxies (through DNS) for improved privacy and security - Enjoy superior UX and simplicity Think of it as your personal Authoritative DNS resolver for the entire Internet that gives you granular control over what domains get resolved, redirected or blocked. 183 Ratings Visit Website Zoho Assist Zoho Assist, your all-in-one remote access solution, helps you to access and manage remote devices. Through a web-based on-demand remote support session, you can directly analyze and establish control over your overseas assets in just a few seconds. Zoho Assist is entirely cloud-based, so you can set up unattended remote access and keep tabs on your remote PCs, laptops, mobile phones, and servers effortlessly. Zoho Assist is compatible with all major firewalls and traverses smoothly through proxies. Start your technical support today with industry-standard, best-in-class SSL with 256-bit AES data security to protect your data from phishing and other malicious activities. 2,277 Ratings Visit Website Cloudflare Cloudflare is the foundation for your infrastructure, applications, and teams. Cloudflare secures and ensures the reliability of your external-facing resources such as websites, APIs, and applications. It protects your internal resources such as behind-the-firewall applications, teams, and devices. And it is your platform for developing globally scalable applications. Your website, APIs, and applications are your key channels for doing business with your customers and suppliers. As more and more shift online, ensuring these resources are secure, performant and reliable is a business imperative. Cloudflare for Infrastructure is a complete solution to enable this for anything connected to the Internet. Behind-the-firewall applications and devices are foundational to the work of your internal teams. The recent surge in remote work is testing the limits of many organizations’ VPN and other hardware solutions. 2,048 Ratings Visit Website Admin By Request Endpoint Privilege Management Admin By Request EPM gives organizations control over who and what can elevate on their endpoints, without standing up servers, databases, or a dedicated admin team to run it. The model is least privilege: a user or an application receives the specific access its task requires and nothing more. This closes off a common attack route, since permanent local admin rights are what an attacker inherits when malware executes or a credential is stolen. Removing admin rights does not push users back into support queues. When someone needs a longer stretch of elevated work, they run an Admin Session that expires on its own. When they need only one program elevated, Run As Admin handles that alone and leaves the rest of the system unprivileged. Requests can be approved through the portal, the mobile app, or the API. Files receive an OPSWAT MetaDefender reputation check before elevation, and software that has already been vetted can clear automatically through pre-approval or the AI and Machine Learning approval engine. A single agent supports Windows, macOS, and Linux and behaves the same whether the endpoint is online or offline. Auditing and inventory are included as standard. 105 Ratings Visit Website Keeper Security Keeper Security is transforming the way people and organizations around the world secure their passwords and passkeys, secrets and confidential information. Keeper’s easy-to-use cybersecurity platform is built on a foundation of zero-trust and zero-knowledge security to protect every user on every device. Keeper’s solution deploys in minutes and seamlessly integrates with any tech stack to prevent breaches, reduce help desk costs and ensure compliance. Trusted by millions of individuals and thousands of organizations globally, Keeper is the leader for best-in-class password and passkey management, secrets management, privileged access, secure remote access and encrypted messaging. Protect what matters at KeeperSecurity.com. 1,812 Ratings Visit Website
About OpenVPN Access Server is a self-hosted Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) and business VPN solution that gives organizations full control over their own secure network. It's software organizations deploy directly into their own environment — on-premises hardware or their own cloud account on AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, or others — with tunnel traffic flowing directly between users and the server. With Access Server Link, teams can go from zero to a fully configured deployment in minutes: point-and-click setup across AWS, Azure, and GCP, automatic SSL certificate provisioning and renewal, and a web-based admin portal for managing users, certificates, and access — no SSH or manual DNS work required. Access is granted per application and per identity using domain names rather than broad network-level access, so users only reach what they're explicitly permitted to, and lateral movement is structurally blocked.	About Windows Server 2022 introduces advanced multi-layer security, hybrid capabilities with Azure, and a flexible application platform. Elevate the security posture of your organization starting with the operating system. Extend your data center to Azure for greater IT efficiency. Empower developers and IT pros with an application platform to build and deploy diverse applications. See how your cost savings will add up on Azure with offers such as Azure hybrid benefit and extended security updates. Modernize your workloads on Azure, the trusted cloud for Windows Server. Connect on-premises Windows Servers to Azure with Azure Arc. Update to the latest operating system for enhanced security, performance and value. Now you can leverage all of the benefits of the cloud with Azure. It’s free to start, so manage your servers, clusters, hyper-converged infrastructure, and Windows 10 PCs with Windows Server.
Platforms Supported Windows Supported Mac Supported Linux Supported Cloud Supported On-Premises Supported iPhone Supported iPad Supported Android Supported Chromebook Not Supported	Platforms Supported Windows Supported Mac Not Supported Linux Not Supported Cloud Not Supported On-Premises Supported iPhone Not Supported iPad Not Supported Android Not Supported Chromebook Not Supported
Audience SMBs and Enterprises looking for a Zero Trust VPN as a foundation of their network security	Audience Organizations looking for a platform to elevate the security posture of their infrastructure
Support Phone Support Not Supported 24/7 Live Support Not Supported Online Supported	Support Phone Support Supported 24/7 Live Support Not Supported Online Supported
API Offers API Not Supported	API Offers API Not Supported
Screenshots and Videos View more images or videos	Screenshots and Videos View more images or videos
Pricing Free Up to 2 connections Dependent on the number of connections and monthly or annually. If annual, under 100 connections, $7 per connection per month. If monthly, under 100 connections, $9 per connection per month. Over 100 connections will get lower pricing. Free Version Supported Free Trial Supported	Pricing $501 one-time payment Free Version Not Supported Free Trial Supported
Reviews/Ratings Overall 5.0 / 5 ease 4.5 / 5 features 5.0 / 5 design 5.0 / 5 support 5.0 / 5 Read all reviews	Reviews/Ratings Overall 4.0 / 5 ease 5.0 / 5 features 4.0 / 5 design 4.0 / 5 support 2.0 / 5 Read all reviews
Pros & Cons from Real Users Pros Open Source. lots of customization options. Create your own VPN profile using free networks available on sites such as vpnbook. Also available as a service - pay as you go model. Cross Platform. The software made the process of setting up a Virtual Private Network so much easier. It has a lot of configuration options available including the use of DNS servers, user permissions and more. OpenVPN has support that will help with any issues needed. Cons Initial setup is difficult - creating profiles, installing certificate (at least on windows). It still requires a fair bit of work to actually set up the Virtual Private Network.	Pros & Cons from Real Users Pros Windows server has an intuitive interface, ensuring easy learning and comprehension. Its user-friendly design simplifies operations, making it easy to navigate even for beginners. Packed with a comprehensive array of features, it covers a wide spectrum of functionalities, catering to diverse needs. Effortlessly managing all server-related tasks, it streamlines the complexities of server management. The fusion of its robust functionality and efficient management empowers users to efficiently oversee their server operations. Notably, the creation of server logs is meticulously executed, providing a well-organized record of activities. In essence, this system embodies simplicity, functionality, and adept management, culminating in a seamless and effective server management experience. Cons It has performance issues like lagging and slowness. Windows server updates are time-consuming, and installations occasionally encounter difficulties. Complex installation without proper guidance complicates the process.
Training Documentation Supported Webinars Supported Live Online Supported In Person Not Supported	Training Documentation Supported Webinars Supported Live Online Supported In Person Supported
Company Information OpenVPN Founded: 2001 United States openvpn.net	Company Information Microsoft Founded: 1975 United States www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server
Alternatives Cloudbrink	Alternatives Ubuntu
Private Internet Access (PIA) Private Internet Access	Unihost
NordVPN Nord Security	Proxmox VE Proxmox Server Solutions
UTunnel VPN and ZTNA Secubytes LLC	Windows Admin Center Microsoft
Check Point SASE Check Point Software View All	Azure Hybrid Benefit Microsoft View All
Categories IT Management Supported IT Security Supported IT admins & managers love Access Server - OpenVPN can help make network security and secure remote access easier — whether you have years of experience as an IT Admin or are just beginning your career. If you’re a Linux person, Access Server is for you. Access Server is an easy to deploy, cost-effective way to bolster your network security in a self-hosted environment. Network Security Supported OpenVPN’s scalable, easy-to-deploy solutions are built on our time-tested, industry standard open source protocol. With the ability to split traffic and only tunnel sensitive data, you won’t sacrifice internet performance or speed for security. With OpenVPN, you can say goodbye to your legacy VPN and traditional hardware and architecture that made it difficult to scale and grow. You’ll be able to harness next-gen VPN technology that grows with you and protects your business no matter where your team is working, whether from a tablet at their kitchen table, a laptop in a coffee shop, or a mobile phone at their desk. Proxy Servers Supported OpenVPN supports connections through an HTTP proxy, with the following authentication modes: no proxy authentication, basic proxy authentication, and NTLM proxy authentication. Secure Remote Access Supported With OpenVPN’s multi-layered solution, you can ensure that your mobile workforce is logging into corporate networks and third-party cloud services safely and securely. Minimize your attack surface & increase internet security levels - only authenticated users and compliant devices get access to authorized applications. VPN Supported OpenVPN business solutions provide secure, scalable, and flexible virtual private networking for organizations of all sizes. Built on the trusted OpenVPN protocol, they enable encrypted remote access, site-to-site connectivity, and seamless cloud integration. With centralized management, granular access controls, and support for modern authentication, businesses can protect sensitive data while ensuring employees and partners connect safely from anywhere. OpenVPN Access Server scales from small teams to enterprise deployments, offering reliability, strong encryption, and easy deployment across on-premises, cloud, or hybrid environments. Trusted worldwide, OpenVPN combines open-source transparency with enterprise-grade features. Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) Supported We make ZTNA a reality for your business. Access Server and CloudConnexa® can be used to implement a zero trust network access solution that secures your network resources while limiting access to only what is necessary. Zero Trust Security Supported Transition to a Zero Trust framework with OpenVPN Access Server. Our self-hosted solution gives businesses of all sizes the ability to enforce zero trust essentials. Transition beyond protecting only what is inside of your corporate perimeter, and reduce your attack surface. With Access Server, you can protect workers using home and public WiFi networks, and SaaS applications, outside your network perimeter. We also provide all the tools and capabilities necessary for building a strong zero trust network to block or significantly mitigate attacks.	Categories Network Attached Storage (NAS) Supported Operating Systems Supported
Show More Features IT Management Features Capacity Monitoring Not Supported Compliance Management Not Supported Event Logs Not Supported Hardware Inventory Not Supported IT Budgeting Not Supported License Management Not Supported Patch Management Not Supported Remote Access Supported Scheduling Not Supported Software Inventory Not Supported User Activity Monitoring Not Supported Network Security Features Access Control Supported Analytics / Reporting Supported Compliance Reporting Not Supported Firewalls Not Supported Internet Usage Monitoring Not Supported Intrusion Detection System Not Supported Threat Response Not Supported VPN Supported Vulnerability Scanning Not Supported VPN Features Anonymous Browsing Not Supported DNS Leak Protection Not Supported For Digital Security Supported For Financial Security Supported For Gaming Supported For Streaming Supported Kill Switch Not Supported Multi-Language Not Supported Multi-Protocol Not Supported Peer-to-Peer Not Supported Policy Management Supported Remote Access Supported Web Inspection Not Supported White Label Not Supported
Integrations AWS Marketplace Supported Azure Marketplace Supported ColonelServer Supported Xitoring Supported 1NCE Supported AWS Application Migration Service Not Supported AWS VPN Supported Aircraft Maintenance & Inventory (AMI) Not Supported AuthControl Sentry Supported Censornet MFA Supported EZ VPN Supported Kamatera Supported Microsoft Azure Not Supported Okta Supported ReadyWorks Not Supported Skycloak Supported TextPad Not Supported TunnelFleet Supported V-Key Smart Authenticator Supported VoxiHost Not Supported Show More Integrations View All 59 Integrations	Integrations AWS Marketplace Supported Azure Marketplace Supported ColonelServer Supported Xitoring Supported 1NCE Not Supported AWS Application Migration Service Supported AWS VPN Not Supported Aircraft Maintenance & Inventory (AMI) Supported AuthControl Sentry Not Supported Censornet MFA Not Supported EZ VPN Not Supported Kamatera Not Supported Microsoft Azure Supported Okta Not Supported ReadyWorks Supported Skycloak Not Supported TextPad Supported TunnelFleet Not Supported V-Key Smart Authenticator Not Supported VoxiHost Supported Show More Integrations View All 64 Integrations
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