OpenVPN Access Server vs SonicWall SMA comparison

OpenVPN and SonicWall are both solutions in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category. OpenVPN is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.9, while SonicWall is ranked #15 with an average rating of 9.5. OpenVPN holds a 13.9% mindshare in EIV, compared to SonicWall’s 2.0% mindshare. Additionally, 98% of OpenVPN users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 91% of SonicWall users who would recommend it.

OpenVPN Access Server

Read 52 OpenVPN Access Server reviews

6,981 Views
6,702 Comparison Views

98% willing to recommend

SonicWall SMA

Read 15 SonicWall SMA reviews

1,196 Views
981 Comparison Views

91% willing to recommend

OpenVPN Access Server

SonicWall SMA

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 14, 2025

SonicWall SMA and OpenVPN Access Server are competing products in the secure remote access market. OpenVPN Access Server often stands out due to its cost-effectiveness and robust feature set, making it a more attractive solution.

Features: SonicWall SMA is known for advanced endpoint control, granular access policies, and comprehensive security. OpenVPN Access Server provides a wide array of configurations, flexibility in virtualized environments, and high adaptability across various platforms.

Room for Improvement: SonicWall SMA could improve on deployment complexity, offering more seamless integration options, and introducing a more intuitive user interface. OpenVPN Access Server could enhance support for larger enterprise environments, streamline configuration processes for novice users, and expand advanced support options outside community resources.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: OpenVPN Access Server offers straightforward deployment with extensive documentation and community resources, facilitating ease for smaller IT teams. SonicWall SMA delivers excellent customer service but may involve a more complex initial setup process.

Pricing and ROI: SonicWall SMA typically involves higher upfront setup costs, leading to longer ROI timelines that are justified by its comprehensive security features. OpenVPN Access Server offers competitive pricing with scalable options, favoring quicker ROI for cost-conscious organizations.

To learn more, read our detailed OpenVPN Access Server vs. SonicWall SMA Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

OpenVPN Access Server vs. SonicWall SMA

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

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

SonicWall SMA

Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

15th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

5.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Universal Access Gateways (2nd), SSL VPN (6th)

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category, the mindshare of OpenVPN Access Server is 13.9%, down from 14.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SonicWall SMA is 2.0%, up from 1.0% 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	13.9%
SonicWall SMA	2.0%
Other	84.1%

Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

Featured Reviews

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.

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Barry Arendt

Owner at ThinkEzIT

Security enhances through autonomous protection and strong support while multi-factor authentication secures access

I haven't utilized the high availability and scalability features of SonicWall SMA yet because I've never had a need to. I don't know where they can focus their energy on continuous improvements, as I haven't been looking at what they're releasing. We're a small shop, so we drop stuff in and manage it and do what we need to do to maintain it. If we run into an issue, we contact support. There's a learning curve, but it comes down to getting support to train you on the product, and then once you have the training you need, you're able to make the changes and updates that you need to.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It was very easy to set up users."

"I have found the stability to be good."

"The compatibility with almost any Linux operating system, and how easy it is to write scripts and generate keys for people to use and log in. I found it easy to deploy quickly."

"Its most valuable feature is that it is open source."

"It is easy to use."

"A valuable feature for us is its ability to see the new Citrix server as a local server within the company. And it allows us to test abroad."

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

"I would recommend this solution to other people."

More OpenVPN Access Server pros

"SonicWall SMA allows us to provide CML-based access to any user."

"What I like best about SonicWall SMA is the relationship between its features and its price, because the solution is both affordable and functional."

"The solution is reliable and has good overall performance."

"It is faster than other security options when using remote connections."

"I am very satisfied with the technical support."

"The management and the dashboard are the solution's most valuable features."

"The performance is good."

"I think they ask for a fair price."

More SonicWall SMA pros

Cons

"Working on a faster connection might be a good idea for the product's next release."

"There was one annoying feature where we had to disable and enable the user. I cannot remember what it was exactly, but I think it was for a password lockout. It would be nice if there was a checkbox, or something, in the web interface to allow you to unlock a user whose password was locked."

"When there are too many concurrent users trying to connect at the same time, there may be a bit of a bottleneck."

"The solution should provide a faster connection, and its security could be improved."

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

"The stability of the solution could improve."

"It is not scalable."

"The solution can be more compatible with different operating systems."

More OpenVPN Access Server cons

"The product itself is very good, but Dell needs to work on product visibility in their advertising."

"I'd like to see the product maybe polish keyboards in Bookmark."

"Enhancing live tracking capabilities could improve the product, particularly in monitoring user activity and request statuses in real-time on the web interface."

"This is an expensive solution and I think that the price could be improved."

"The solution has 2FA, it will generate a token and send it to an email, but multifactor authentication is not available. I would suggest that there should be MFA integration and provided with the appliance."

"SonicWall SMA is difficult to use and it does not provide easy access to different parts of the network."

"The only thing that they could try to improve is the support for enterprise customers. Normally enterprises and SMBs can create a ticket, but for enterprises, SonicWall SMA needs to provide a global view, and this is what's currently missing. It's not even a question of timing. It's a question of the global vision because currently, it's lacking. They concentrate on the topic, but not on the means and not on the global picture. In most cases, there's something wrong with the integration of SonicWall SMA with other products, so that could also be improved."

"The product's technical support services could be improved."

More SonicWall SMA cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"At one point I had to purchase addition connection licenses. I was very pleased with the pricing and licensing; so much easier than navigating the confusing jungle of Microsoft and Cisco licensing and pricing. That alone made the product a delight to manage."

"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."

"It is free, you buy support."

"The solution is free of cost."

"The solution was free of charge."

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

"OpenVPN Access Server is free and open source."

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

More OpenVPN Access Server pricing and cost advice

"Our licenses are stackable and can be anywhere from five users to a million users."

"All the costs are included in a bundled license."

"The platform has medium pricing."

"I don't know about the pricing of the SSL-VPN box. I know the SSL-VPN software is free. Global VPN client, by comparison, is licensed for around $150 or something like that. But the SSL-VPN software is free. It is already built-in with the box."

"The cost of the licensing is based on the maximum number of concurrent users, and it costs a lot to add them."

"This solution is priced well and we currently have the maximum number of licenses allowed."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Comms Service Provider

12%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

12%

Computer Software Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

Retailer

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	11
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	2

Questions from the Community

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.

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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

What do you like most about SonicWall SMA?

Blocklisting and allowlisting are the most beneficial features for network security.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SonicWall SMA?

The pricing for the solution could be a lot less.

See all answers

What needs improvement with SonicWall SMA?

See all answers

Comparisons

Fortinet FortiClient vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 18% of the time

Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 7% of the time

Check Point Remote Access VPN vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 6% of the time

Ivanti Connect Secure vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 6% of the time

SonicWall Netextender vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 6% of the time

More OpenVPN Access Server Competitors

Citrix Gateway vs SonicWall SMA

Compared 12% of the time

SonicWall Netextender vs SonicWall SMA

Compared 11% of the time

Ivanti Connect Secure vs SonicWall SMA

Compared 11% of the time

Sangfor SSL VPN vs SonicWall SMA

Compared 10% of the time

Check Point Remote Access VPN vs SonicWall SMA

Compared 6% of the time

More SonicWall SMA Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

OpenVPN Access Server

January 2026

Download OpenVPN Access Server product report

Buyer's Guide

SonicWall SMA

January 2026

Download SonicWall SMA product report

Also Known As

OpenVPN

SonicWall Aventail, SonicWall SMA SSL-VPN, SonicWall Secure Mobile Access

Overview

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

SonicWall SMA is a unified secure access gateway that enables organizations to provide anytime, anywhere and any device access to mission critical corporate resources. SMA's granular access control policy engine, context aware device authorization, application level VPN and advanced authentication with single sign-on empowers organizations to embrace BYOD and mobility in a hybrid IT environment.

SonicWall

Sample Customers

Verizon, Amazon, Disney, HP, Microsoft, IBM, Samsung

UnitedStack, Newport City Homes, Faith Lutheran College Redlands, PRIME aerostructures GmbH, Celtic Manor Resort

Buyer's Guide

OpenVPN Access Server vs. SonicWall SMA

December 2025

Free Report: OpenVPN Access Server vs. SonicWall SMA

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