OpenVPN Access Server

Overview

OpenVPN Access Server is business VPN software that organizations run in their own environment to connect users and networks to private resources. It suits teams that need centralized access controls and can operate a Linux server, virtual appliance, container, or cloud deployment. Its administrative depth is a strength for managed environments, but customer-hosted operation makes it less suited to buyers seeking a provider-managed service.

Key features

Site-to-site networking sits alongside controls that use identity, device, and location context to manage application access and limit lateral movement. That combination is useful for organizations securing both user access and connections between networks, rather than people seeking only a personal VPN.

Authentication options include PAM, RADIUS, LDAP, SAML, local, and custom methods. Administrators can assign role-based controls at user and group level and restrict protocols and ports. Management is available through a Web UI, self-service client UI, CLI, REST API, and automation templates. The range supports established identity and administration workflows, though it also signals a product built for organizational IT rather than casual setup.

OpenVPN DCO uses kernel-powered encryption and decryption for near-wire-speed performance. The product lists SOC 2 Type 2, ISO/IEC 27001:2022, HIPAA, and GDPR compliance. These capabilities make it a substantial security toolkit, but they do not remove the customer's responsibility to host and operate the server.

Pricing

Free costs free and is free forever, includes all features, and requires no credit card. The limit is two simultaneous connections, making it a practical fit for a small deployment or evaluation, not a growing team that needs more concurrent access. A 14-day trial with access to features and no blocked functionality is available for setups with five or more connections.

Growth costs $7 a month, billed monthly at $7 per connection per month, and supports up to 2,000 simultaneous connections. An example total is $70 per month billed yearly. Because the price scales by connection, costs rise with concurrency; this tier is more appropriate for organizations that can forecast connection needs than those seeking a fixed team-wide fee.

Enterprise & IoT has custom pricing, with volume discounts based on business requirements and unlimited connections. It fits deployments beyond Growth's 2,000-connection ceiling or organizations whose requirements call for a negotiated volume arrangement.

Subscriptions can be canceled anytime; unused funds are credited for future usage, with refunds handled by sales. The listed prices make Growth's per-connection basis the key budgeting consideration, while the free plan's low cap is its central trade-off.

Platforms

Access Server can run on Linux, virtual appliances, containers, and public clouds. Deployment options include Docker, VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, Kubernetes Helm, CloudFormation, and Terraform, as well as AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, IBM Cloud, DigitalOcean, Oracle Cloud, and Vultr. OpenVPN Connect clients support Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and ChromeOS. This range gives infrastructure teams several deployment routes and covers common desktop and mobile clients, but the server remains customer-hosted.

Who it's for

Access Server is best suited to organizations that want enterprise-level administration, SSO and SCIM, audit logs, device posture controls, and the ability to run VPN infrastructure in their own environment. Its authentication choices, role-based permissions, and automation interfaces are especially relevant where access policies must align with existing identity and operations practices. The free tier can serve up to two simultaneous connections; teams that need a managed service or do not want to run infrastructure should look elsewhere.

Pros and cons

• Pros: The free plan includes all features indefinitely and needs no card, so small deployments can use the full feature set without a trial deadline.
• Pros: Multiple authentication methods, role-based controls, protocol and port restrictions, and several admin interfaces support detailed organizational administration.
• Pros: Linux, virtual appliance, container, and public-cloud deployment options give infrastructure teams flexibility in where they operate the server.
• Cons: The free plan stops at two simultaneous connections, so it is not a lasting option for teams with greater concurrency.
• Cons: Growth charges $7 per connection per month, making connection growth a direct cost driver.
• Cons: Customer-hosted deployment requires the organization to take responsibility for running the server.

Alternatives

Business VPN Software is the category list for comparing this product with other business VPN options.

Consider NetBird if a freemium option with Linux, macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android support is a better fit; its free plan covers up to five users and 100 machines.

GoodAccess is another freemium alternative with a free Starter plan and support for web clients alongside desktop and mobile platforms.

Choose Cloudflare Access if its free plan for under 50 users fits your scale; it also offers web and API platform support.

Tailscale may suit a small group seeking a personal free plan, which supports up to six users and unlimited user devices.

OpenVPN CloudConnexa offers a five-seat Starter plan without a credit-card requirement and is worth considering if that seat-based entry point better fits the team.

F5 BIG-IP APM is a paid alternative with a perpetual license option; consider it if that licensing model is preferable.

Twingate offers a free Starter tier for up to five users and 50 resources, making it an option for smaller teams within those limits.

ZeroTier is another freemium alternative to compare.

Verdict

OpenVPN Access Server is a strong choice for organizations that want customer-hosted VPN infrastructure with detailed identity, role, and network controls. Its feature-complete free tier is compelling for deployments capped at two simultaneous connections, and Growth offers a clear path up to 2,000. Look elsewhere if operating the server is undesirable or per-connection pricing does not suit the way your team scales.