Proton VPN vs OpenVPN Access Server

Proton VPN9.3Visit OAOpenVPN Access Server8.4Visit

Higher score Proton VPN #1 in Virtual Private Network Software 9.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Visit Proton VPN

vs

OA OpenVPN Access Server #8 in Virtual Private Network Software 8.4/10 Free plan · paid from $7/mo · 14-day trial Free plan✓ 1 of 3 features Visit OpenVPN

• Proton VPN fits best

  People seeking a free VPN with broad privacy features

• OpenVPN Access Server fits best

  Organizations self-hosting managed remote-access VPN

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Side by side

Feature	Proton VPN 9.3/10 Visit ↗	OAOpenVPN Access Server 8.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.3	8.4
Ranking	#1 in Virtual Private Network Software	#8 in Virtual Private Network Software
Best for	People seeking a free VPN with broad privacy features	Organizations self-hosting managed remote-access VPN
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Not published	Not published
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile, Browser extension	Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome extension	Linux, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Support	Email, Live chat, Docs	Tickets, Community, Docs · 24/7
Compliance	2FA	SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Proton VPN 0/3 · OpenVPN Access Server 1/3
Remote access VPN	Not published	Not published
Site-to-site VPN	Not published	✓ (best)
SSO support	Not published	Not published
Specs
Supported VPN protocols	Not published	Not published
Client platforms	Not published	Not published
Concurrent sessions	Not published	Not published
Deployment model	Not published	Not published
Our review
Pros	Free plan has no data limits and includes a kill switch. Paid VPN Plus adds streaming, P2P, and NetShield blocking. Open-source apps, Secure Core, and WireGuard support broaden protection options.	Supports remote-access and site-to-site VPN networking Offers varied authentication methods and granular access controls Includes PKI, connection logs, clustering, and REST API automation
Cons	Free plan limits use to one device at a time. Free servers are in 10 randomly selected countries. Streaming and P2P support require a paid plan.	Self-hosted administration adds operational work Free plan allows only 2 simultaneous connections Growth pricing scales with simultaneous connections
Our verdict	Proton VPN is a virtual private network service from Proton AG, a Swiss company, for people who want encrypted connections and a privacy-focused feature set across desktop, mobile, and browser platforms. Its free plan is unusually capable… Read the review →	OpenVPN Access Server provides remote access to private networks and resources, along with site-to-site VPN networking. It is aimed at organizations that want administrators to manage VPN settings, users, authentication, certificates, and… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Proton VPN — where it wins

  • Free plan has no data limits and includes a kill switch.
  • Paid VPN Plus adds streaming, P2P, and NetShield blocking.
  • Open-source apps, Secure Core, and WireGuard support broaden protection options.

  Where it doesn't

  • Free plan limits use to one device at a time.
  • Free servers are in 10 randomly selected countries.
  • Streaming and P2P support require a paid plan.

• OpenVPN Access Server — where it wins

  • Supports remote-access and site-to-site VPN networking
  • Offers varied authentication methods and granular access controls
  • Includes PKI, connection logs, clustering, and REST API automation

  Where it doesn't

  • Self-hosted administration adds operational work
  • Free plan allows only 2 simultaneous connections
  • Growth pricing scales with simultaneous connections

• Proton VPN9.3/10 · Free plan

  A feature-rich free VPN, with streaming and P2P support reserved for paid plans.

  Visit Proton VPNFull verdict →
• OAOpenVPN Access Server8.4/10 · Free plan · paid from $7/mo · 14-day trial

  A configurable business VPN for organizations that can manage self-hosted infrastructure.

  Visit OpenVPNFull verdict →