OpenVPN Access Server vs Tailscale

OAOpenVPN Access Server7.2Visit Tailscale7.1Visit

Higher score OA OpenVPN Access Server #5 in Connectivity Solutions 7.2/10 Free plan · paid from $7/mo · 14-day trial Free plan✓ 1 of 4 features Visit OpenVPN

vs

Tailscale #6 in Connectivity Solutions 7.1/10 Free plan · paid from $8/user/mo · 14-day trial Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Tailscale

• OpenVPN Access Server fits best

  Self-hosted VPN with enterprise authentication

• Tailscale fits best

  Teams connecting devices and private cloud networks

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Side by side

Feature	OAOpenVPN Access Server 7.2/10 Visit ↗	Tailscale 7.1/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	7.2	7.1
Ranking	#5 in Connectivity Solutions	#6 in Connectivity Solutions
Best for	Self-hosted VPN with enterprise authentication	Teams connecting devices and private cloud networks
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Not published	$8/user/mo
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Free trial length	14 days · no card needed	14 days
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Linux, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Support	Tickets, Community, Docs · 24/7	Tickets, Community, Docs
Compliance	SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA	SOC 2
Integrations	17 integrations	16 integrations
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features OpenVPN Access Server 1/4 · Tailscale 0/4
SSO support	Not published	Not published
Private app access	Not published	Not published
Split tunneling	Not published	Not published
Audit logs	✓ (best)	Not published
Specs
Connectivity model	Not published	Not published
Device limit	Not published	Not published
Gateway regions	Not published	Not published
Our review
Pros	Supports remote-access and site-to-site VPN connections. Offers SAML, LDAP, RADIUS, MFA, and granular access controls. Includes a free tier with all features and up to 2 simultaneous connections.	Connects users, devices, clouds, and Kubernetes with encrypted overlay networking Subnet routers, MagicDNS, ACLs, and exit nodes cover varied network needs Integrates with identity providers and Terraform and Pulumi
Cons	The free plan is limited to 2 simultaneous connections. Growth pricing is per simultaneous connection, not per user. Enterprise & IoT pricing is custom, with volume discounts.	Personal is limited to 6 users and 3 ACL groups Standard costs $8 per user monthly; Premium costs $18 per user monthly Network flow logs and log streaming are logging features, not live monitoring
Our verdict	OpenVPN Access Server is a self-hosted business VPN for organizations that need remote access to private networks or site-to-site connectivity. It can run on Linux servers, virtual machines, containers, on-premises infrastructure, or… Read the review →	Tailscale creates encrypted peer-to-peer overlay networks linking users, devices, servers, cloud environments, Kubernetes clusters, and workloads. It is aimed at individuals and organizations that need VPN-style connectivity without… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• OpenVPN Access Server — where it wins

  • Supports remote-access and site-to-site VPN connections.
  • Offers SAML, LDAP, RADIUS, MFA, and granular access controls.
  • Includes a free tier with all features and up to 2 simultaneous connections.

  Where it doesn't

  • The free plan is limited to 2 simultaneous connections.
  • Growth pricing is per simultaneous connection, not per user.
  • Enterprise & IoT pricing is custom, with volume discounts.

• Tailscale — where it wins

  • Connects users, devices, clouds, and Kubernetes with encrypted overlay networking
  • Subnet routers, MagicDNS, ACLs, and exit nodes cover varied network needs
  • Integrates with identity providers and Terraform and Pulumi

  Where it doesn't

  • Personal is limited to 6 users and 3 ACL groups
  • Standard costs $8 per user monthly; Premium costs $18 per user monthly
  • Network flow logs and log streaming are logging features, not live monitoring

• OAOpenVPN Access Server7.2/10 · Free plan · paid from $7/mo · 14-day trial

  A self-hosted VPN with broad authentication options and connection-based pricing.

  Visit OpenVPNFull verdict →
• Tailscale7.1/10 · Free plan · paid from $8/user/mo · 14-day trial

  Encrypted overlay networking with a free personal tier and paid team controls.

  Visit TailscaleFull verdict →