Algo VPN vs strongSwan
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted remote access & vpn options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Algo VPN
Set up a personal IPsec and WireGuard VPN in minutes
VS
strongSwan
Modern IPsec-based VPN implementation
| Feature | Algo VPN | strongSwan |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Python | C |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 30,350 | ★ 2,934 |
| First released | 2016 | 2005 |
| Replaces | NordVPN | Cisco AnyConnect |
Why pick each one
Choose Algo VPN if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 30.4k GitHub stars
- Written in Python
Choose strongSwan if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Active community (2.9k GitHub stars)
- Written in C
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Algo VPN or strongSwan better?
Algo VPN is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider strongSwan if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Algo VPN and strongSwan free and open-source?
Yes. Algo VPN is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and strongSwan under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Algo VPN and strongSwan with Docker?
Algo VPN: check the project docs for container support. strongSwan: check the project docs for container support.