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Ivanti Connect Secure vs OpenVPN Access Server comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 15, 2026

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
6.1
Ivanti Connect Secure delivers 300% ROI, reduces costs 25-30%, saves time, enhances service, with under six months payback.
Sentiment score
4.3
OpenVPN Access Server enhances security, connectivity, and reduces costs, improving efficiency through integrations like SAML and Active Directory.
Now, with the SAML and Active Directory integration, the process is down to under two minutes, which frees up our senior staff to focus on critical infrastructure tasks instead of managing access tickets.
Network operation center engineer at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees
The platform automatically reads the user role and maps them to the correct network subnets instantly, saving us countless hours of administration overhead every month.
Manager at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
The relevant metrics show that it saves time in terms of implementation and adoption.
Manager, Ibms Projects Operations & Corporate Information Technology at Yotta Infrastructure Solutions LLP
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
5.8
Users find Ivanti Connect Secure support mostly responsive, though some report patching inefficiencies and varying satisfaction with knowledge transfer.
Sentiment score
5.3
OpenVPN Access Server offers reliable support with responsive email service, extensive resources, and an effective ticketing system.
Their response time could be improved.
Senior IT Infrastructure Specialist at contemi
Previously, customer service was very good, but there have been issues with the transfer and retention of knowledge through various company transitions.
Network Security Engineer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Technical support for Ivanti Connect Secure is satisfactory, and I would rate it seven out of ten.
Manager - IT Infrastructure and Network at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
I would definitely rate customer support 10 out of 10.
Network operation center engineer at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees
The ticketing system is responsive, and the technical team knows the product inside and out.
Associate Manager, Technology Services Information Technology Operations at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
My advice is to map out your user access groups and routing subnets before configuring the server; this makes it easier to enforce least privilege.
Manager at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
6.8
Ivanti Connect Secure offers scalability and clustering, supporting thousands but faces challenges with on-prem setups needing careful planning.
Sentiment score
5.9
OpenVPN Access Server scales well but faces challenges with certain operating systems, regions, and licensing costs.
Ivanti's shift to virtual appliances and the lack of multi-node setup support, we are limited to two appliances, indicating a need for improvement.
Network Security Engineer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
When we deploy and install OpenVPN Access Server, the principle is to install and forget.
System Network Administrator at a consultancy with 201-500 employees
You can easily upgrade the underlying hardware resources or spin up additional nodes in a cluster configuration if you need to handle a massive surge in concurrent users.
Network operation center engineer at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees
It's not very easy to expand, and it would be beneficial if the process were simpler.
Chief Cloud Architect at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.5
Ivanti Connect Secure is rated highly for stability, but users cite security vulnerabilities and updates as potential issues.
Sentiment score
7.8
OpenVPN Access Server is stable and reliable, but minor improvements during updates are suggested by some users.
The central infrastructure is very stable, and I would rate it an eight or nine.
Network Security Engineer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
OpenVPN Access Server is 100% stable in my experience.
Network operation center engineer at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees
Regarding stability, I have not had any crashes, performance issues, or stability issues with OpenVPN Access Server.
DevSecOps Engineer at a tech company with 51-200 employees
OpenVPN Access Server is very stable, and we have a hassle-free work experience using it.
Manager at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
 

Room For Improvement

Ivanti Connect Secure needs faster updates, improved security, user interface enhancements, better management, and resolves compliance and connection issues.
OpenVPN Access Server needs improvements in authentication, integration, user-friendliness, stability, security, management, scalability, UI, and pricing flexibility.
Ivanti needs improvement in its seamless upgrade and migration procedures, particularly with the browser components, which are fragile and sometimes cause issues depending on the Windows version, the browser version, and the different modules being used.
Network Security Engineer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
The reporting capabilities of Ivanti Connect Secure are not strong; the format is simple, and obtaining a detailed report is difficult and requires manual work.
Manager - IT Infrastructure and Network at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Lastly, it would be awesome to see native support for newer, lighter protocols through WireGuard built straight into the platform alongside standard OpenVPN for better performance efficiency.
Network operation center engineer at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees
Additionally, native support for newer, lighter protocols like WireGuard built straight into the platform alongside standard OpenVPN for better performance efficiency would be beneficial.
Manager at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
With WireGuard, which is locked down over UDP, it is harder for attackers to probe ports.
代表社員 at サザビー
 

Setup Cost

Ivanti Connect Secure is costly, with license pricing varying widely, but some find its utility and support worthwhile.
OpenVPN Access Server is cost-effective with flexible pricing, suitable for businesses, offering both free and reasonably priced paid versions.
Ivanti has always been known to be pricey, making it a rather high-cost solution.
Network Security Engineer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
The sticker price may look clear, but the real cost includes the time spent untangling subscription limitations, account conflicts, sales handoffs, and unclear guidance.
Webmaster & Software Engineer at a university with 501-1,000 employees
My experience with pricing is excellent as the pricing is free.
Service Delivery Manager at CasCom
The experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for OpenVPN Access Server is really good, not that expensive.
Devops Engineer at Emergent
 

Valuable Features

Ivanti Connect Secure provides secure remote access, user-friendly management, and robust integration with features like VPN tunneling and multi-factor authentication.
OpenVPN Access Server provides secure, scalable connectivity with multifactor authentication, easy deployment, and integration for seamless, cross-platform access.
The most robust and reliable feature of Ivanti Connect Secure is the VPN tunneling, using both the Pulse and the Ivanti client.
Network Security Engineer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Firewall versions and OS versions can be defined, and only devices meeting these criteria can connect to the VPN.
Manager - IT Infrastructure and Network at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Ivanti Connect Secure provides the feature to check and ensure that employee devices are compliant before allowing them to access the VPN.
Senior IT Infrastructure Specialist at contemi
The most valuable features of OpenVPN are its ease of use, client familiarity, end-user familiarity, operating system integration, and price points.
Service Delivery Manager at CasCom
The main benefits I have seen from using OpenVPN Access Server include secure access to private resources over the public internet.
DevSecOps Engineer at a tech company with 51-200 employees
OpenVPN Access Server has positively impacted my organization by allowing access to our private services, enhancing security, and enabling remote work from anywhere.
DevOps and Site Reliability Engineer at Honey Insurance
 

Categories and Ranking

Ivanti Connect Secure
Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
10th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
30
Ranking in other categories
SSL VPN (2nd)
OpenVPN Access Server
Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
1st
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
68
Ranking in other categories
ZTNA (9th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category, the mindshare of Ivanti Connect Secure is 4.2%, down from 6.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of OpenVPN Access Server is 11.7%, down from 13.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
OpenVPN Access Server11.7%
Ivanti Connect Secure4.2%
Other84.1%
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
 

Featured Reviews

Kaushlendra Singh - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager - IT Infrastructure and Network at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Provides secure and simple remote access but needs improved reporting capabilities
Ivanti Connect Secure is simple and secure, making it valuable for our organization. Ivanti Connect Secure's access control feature provides global protect, which allows country-wise blocking. There are many access controls available, and policies can be created on a host basis and on the MAC address of assets that will connect. Firewall versions and OS versions can be defined, and only devices meeting these criteria can connect to the VPN. These features are effective, along with MFA. Ivanti Connect Secure is a client-based, agent-based solution, so if the agent is installed, users are able to connect to the network. Ivanti Connect Secure utilizes identity-based LDAP authentication. Ivanti Connect Secure is very effective for remote access for remote workers.
AS
Network operation center engineer at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees
Secure remote access has protected critical data and now simplifies role-based user management
An area for improvement is the pricing model. The concurrent user licenses get expensive pretty quickly as your organization grows, so more flexible pricing options would be a huge plus. Another area is configurational disconnect. While the admin web UI handles about 90% of what you need, the moment you have to do deep, advanced routing customization, you still have to drop back to the command line interface to make those changes. It would be great to see those deeper configurations completely integrated into the web portal. Lastly, it would be awesome to see native support for newer, lighter protocols through WireGuard built straight into the platform alongside standard OpenVPN for better performance efficiency.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
9%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Computer Software Company
13%
Comms Service Provider
12%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Construction Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business7
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise20
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business43
Midsize Enterprise13
Large Enterprise24
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Pulse Connect Secure?
Ivanti has always been known to be pricey, making it a rather high-cost solution.
What needs improvement with Pulse Connect Secure?
The biggest friction point I have encountered with Ivanti Connect Secure is related to compliance. When the host checker is configured too strictly, it can conflict with ensuring 100% security. If ...
What is your primary use case for Pulse Connect Secure?
My main use case for Ivanti Connect Secure is zero trust connectivity. The main feature I have been using is geolocation and source IP restrictions, ensuring security, advanced proxy support, and e...
How does Fortinet FortiClient compare with Open VPN Access Server?
Fortinet FortiClient is a feature-rich solution that is easy to use and deploy without sacrificing safety and security. It has a very fast connection rate and has a built-in VPN. With this solution...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for OpenVPN Access Server?
I use it for a client, so I do not have much information regarding the pricing, setup cost, and licensing. But from what I have gathered, the pricing and setup costs are a little more expensive com...
What needs improvement with OpenVPN Access Server?
An area for improvement is the pricing model. The concurrent user licenses get expensive pretty quickly as your organization grows, so more flexible pricing options would be a huge plus. Another ar...
 

Also Known As

Pulse Connect Secure
OpenVPN
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Axcient, Baloise Group, Cygate, Catholic University of America, Datec Inc, Revlon, Santa Monica Networks, 7-Eleven
Verizon, Amazon, Disney, HP, Microsoft, IBM, Samsung
Find out what your peers are saying about Ivanti Connect Secure vs. OpenVPN Access Server and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
908,834 professionals have used our research since 2012.