Ivanti Connect Secure vs OpenVPN Access Server comparison

Ivanti and OpenVPN are both solutions in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category. Ivanti is ranked #8 with an average rating of 6.8, while OpenVPN is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.9. Ivanti holds a 5.4% mindshare in EIV, compared to OpenVPN’s 13.4% mindshare. Additionally, 79% of Ivanti users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 98% of OpenVPN users who would recommend it.

Ivanti Connect Secure

Read 29 Ivanti Connect Secure reviews

3,875 Views
3,216 Comparison Views

79% willing to recommend

OpenVPN Access Server

Read 52 OpenVPN Access Server reviews

7,213 Views
6,924 Comparison Views

98% willing to recommend

Ivanti Connect Secure

OpenVPN Access Server

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 14, 2025

Ivanti Connect Secure and OpenVPN Access Server compete in the VPN space. OpenVPN Access Server appears to have an advantage due to its broader features that justify its cost.

Features: Ivanti Connect Secure has integrated SSL VPN capabilities, focusing on network access controls and secure connectivity. It is known for multi-factor authentication and straightforward client infrastructure. OpenVPN Access Server offers extensive customization, integration options, and multi-layer security with user-friendly configuration interfaces. Its flexibility and open-source model are distinct advantages.

Room for Improvement: Ivanti Connect Secure could improve by reducing its complexity in initial setup and enhancing integration with diverse apps. Its pricing may not be suited for smaller enterprises. OpenVPN Access Server could refine its user documentation for beginners and improve compatibility with niche platforms. It may also benefit from support enhancements for complex network environments.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Ivanti Connect Secure offers a comprehensive deployment model with detailed documentation and support services easing setup. OpenVPN Access Server, while requiring more manual configuration, provides simple customer interfaces and effective troubleshooting support, aiding businesses needing swift resolutions.

Pricing and ROI: Ivanti Connect Secure comes with higher setup costs but offers potentially high ROI for firms needing sophisticated security integrations. OpenVPN Access Server offers a cost-effective pricing model appealing for small to medium enterprises, delivering value with low initial investment and scalable solutions.

To learn more, read our detailed Ivanti Connect Secure vs. OpenVPN Access Server Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Ivanti Connect Secure vs. OpenVPN Access Server

December 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

Ivanti Connect Secure

Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

8th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

SSL VPN (1st)

OpenVPN Access Server

Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

2nd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category, the mindshare of Ivanti Connect Secure is 5.4%, down from 6.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of OpenVPN Access Server is 13.4%, down from 14.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Enterprise Infrastructure VPN Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
OpenVPN Access Server	13.4%
Ivanti Connect Secure	5.4%
Other	81.2%

Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

Featured Reviews

Kaushlendra Singh

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.

Read full review

Girraj Godia

Devops Engineer at Emergent

Has improved internal app access by allowing secure user onboarding and simplified network whitelisting

The plan for OpenVPN Access Server could be improved. When adding new people, better plans for startups would be beneficial. I'm working in a startup and sometimes people think we should take the enterprise plan or not. If there was a dedicated plan for startups, it would be really helpful. For instance, providing store credit for OpenVPN Access Server through a startup program, similar to YC's program which gives credit to new startups. UI-wise, OpenVPN Access Server is easy to manage, but the overall overview dashboard in the admin portal could be improved. Currently, you have to go through dropdowns to find where to add users or whitelist IPs. Creating an onboarding dashboard where an admin person can find these things easily would be beneficial.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"This is a very secure and stable tool."

"The stability of the product is its most valuable feature."

"It is customer-friendly. It is quite easy for our users to connect. There is also the flexibility of the features."

"From an end-user perspective, the setup phase is easy."

"The most valuable feature of Pulse Connect Secure is its ease of use."

"Ivanti Connect Secure provides the feature to check and ensure that employee devices are compliant before allowing them to access the VPN."

"This solution enables secure connections for our engineers to work from home or other locations."

"I like the host checker, which thoroughly checks the security posture of the machine before allowing access. I also like application-based access and its seamless operations."

More Ivanti Connect Secure pros

"The solution is user-friendly and easy to implement."

"The features I have found to be most valuable are the levels of encryption I can enact and the compression I can apply to improve throughput."

"The most valuable thing about OpenVPN Access Server is its ease of use."

"I would recommend this solution to other people."

"There is support for multi-factor authentication."

"The best features OpenVPN Access Server offers is whitelisting members in my company who have joined recently; it is really easy to use, and it is really easy to set up OpenVPN Access Server as an internal app."

"Two-factor authentication allows us to not force frequent password changes."

"The product’s adaptability is valuable."

More OpenVPN Access Server pros

Cons

"The stability could be better. There are sometimes bugs in the system."

"This solution normally works but at times, we have had trouble with connectivity."

"At the moment, Pulse Connect Secure is a pretty good solution, and I don't see any issues with it. Currently, I'm not aware of a new or additional feature that's needed in Pulse Connect Secure, but it would be good if the team could look at how the speed of connection could be increased. Though it's quite seamless and I didn't face any problem with the speed, it would be better to improve the speed and keep going forward, especially as the industry's changing and people would love connections to be a lot faster."

"We need to know how many live active users there are and we can't. We even updated the server, however, we still can't see the proper level of live connections. Right now, it's showing as 300 users and my customer does not have that many users in his organization."

"Pulse Connect Secure could improve the reporting, it is lacking in detail and should take the report automatically."

"Pulse Connect Secure could improve by having better integration with NAC solutions, such as Cisco ClearPass integration with Pulse Connect Secure. Additionally, they need better integration with Microsoft Azure AD and Azure Authenticator."

"I would like the solution to be more secure and compatible. It also needs to improve integration with other systems."

"Connection-wise, Pulse Connect Secure could be faster, and this is its area for improvement."

More Ivanti Connect Secure cons

"It should automate our processes."

"OpenVPN could improve in centralized management and enhance the GUI configuration steps."

"The stability of the solution could improve."

"If we had to create something for someone who was not necessarily tech savvy, I had to set that up on their computer, I had to write "read me's" and other things so that they could install their client and then connect to the VPN by themselves. So it was hard to set up for people who are not tech savvy."

"The stability had room for improvement."

"It is not scalable."

"If there was a Graphical User Interface to help streamline the configuration, I believe OpenVPN would probably venture more into the non-geek realm as it were."

"I want the tool to be faster. We have experienced connectivity issues while using OpenVPN and FortiClient."

More OpenVPN Access Server cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I rate the product price a six to seven on a scale of one to ten, where one is a low price, and ten is a high price."

"A license is required for you to use Pulse Connect Secure, but I'm not aware of how much it costs."

"The pricing is quite nominal. We pay on a yearly basis."

"Pulse Connect Secure is relatively cost-effective."

"The cost of the product is high, but worth it because of the utility and great product support."

"The pricing for Pulse Connect Secure is not low and not high, so it's good. It's a six out of ten for me, price-wise."

"The price of Pulse Connect Secure is expensive."

"OpenVPN Access Server is free and open source."

"Open VPN Access Server is open-source and free of charge."

"One of the valuable features of OpenVPN is that it is free for a single user."

"Begin with the community version and upgrade to paid one if the need arises."

"OpenVPN is a free and open-source solution."

"OpenVPN is an open-source solution. If the solution is used for personal use it is free. For non-personal use, the solution can be expensive."

"OpenVPN Access Server is a cheap corporate solution."

"The solution is free of cost."

More OpenVPN Access Server pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

14%

Comms Service Provider

12%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	19

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	31
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	14

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Pulse Connect Secure?

From an end-user perspective, the setup phase is easy.

See all answers

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.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Pulse Connect Secure?

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. Regarding points for improvement, th...

See all answers

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...

See all answers

What do you like most about OpenVPN Access Server?

OpenVPN Access Server is a simple and easy-to-use solution that I can use myself without anybody's help.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for OpenVPN Access Server?

The experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for OpenVPN Access Server is really good, not that expensive. I am easily able to add new users from the OpenVPN Access Server official websit...

See all answers

Comparisons

Fortinet FortiClient vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 10% of the time

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 8% of the time

Ivanti Secure Access vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 8% of the time

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 6% of the time

Citrix Gateway vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 5% of the time

More Ivanti Connect Secure Competitors

Fortinet FortiClient vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 17% of the time

Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 6% of the time

Check Point Remote Access VPN vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 6% of the time

SonicWall Netextender vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 6% of the time

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 5% of the time

More OpenVPN Access Server Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Ivanti Connect Secure

January 2026

Download Ivanti Connect Secure product report

Buyer's Guide

OpenVPN Access Server

January 2026

Download OpenVPN Access Server product report

Also Known As

Pulse Connect Secure

OpenVPN

Overview

Ivanti Connect Secure provides a seamless, cost-effective SSL VPN solution for remote and mobile users from any web-enabled device to corporate resources— anytime, anywhere.

Ivanti

OpenVPN Access Server Enterprise provides secure, scalable remote access with strong encryption and cross-platform compatibility, leveraging open-source flexibility for cost-effectiveness. It's ideal for connecting remote workers, maintaining privacy, and securing network communications.

OpenVPN Access Server Enterprise is renowned for its ease of setup and adaptability, supporting Linux and different operating systems, which ensures robust security and seamless integration across network scenarios. With features like two-factor authentication and customizable installers, it emphasizes privacy and remote connectivity. While it offers robust documentation and community support, there are challenges with user management due to the lack of a simple GUI. Users note stability issues under heavy traffic, and improvements in security features and configuration automation are desired. Despite these areas for enhancement, it remains a reliable choice for secure remote access.

What are the key features?

Easy Setup: Hassle-free installation process facilitates quick deployment
Cross-Platform Compatibility: Supports Linux and different operating systems for widespread utility
Strong Encryption: Secures data with advanced encryption technologies
Two-Factor Authentication: Enhances security through additional authentication layer
Customizable Installers: Allows personalized installation process to suit organizational preferences

What benefits and ROI should users seek?

Cost-Effectiveness: Open-source nature reduces licensing costs
User-Friendliness: Comprehensive documentation and community support ease the implementation
Scalability: Adapts to growing connectivity and bandwidth needs
Enhanced Security: Provides secure access to network resources and data

In industries such as finance and healthcare, OpenVPN Access Server Enterprise secures sensitive data while enabling remote access across LANs and VPCs. It's utilized for encrypted traffic protection, facilitating site-to-site VPNs, and connecting mobile workers securely, thus maintaining data integrity in interoffice communications and IoT platforms.

OpenVPN

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

Buyer's Guide

Ivanti Connect Secure vs. OpenVPN Access Server

December 2025

Free Report: Ivanti Connect Secure vs. OpenVPN Access Server

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