JumpServer vs OpenVPN
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?
JumpServer
Open-source bastion host and PAM platform
VS
OpenVPN
Robust and flexible open-source VPN solution
| Feature | JumpServer | OpenVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Python | C |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes | bare-metal, docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 31,230 | ★ 14,345 |
| First released | 2014 | 2001 |
| Replaces | CyberArk, Teleport | Cisco AnyConnect |
Why pick each one
Choose JumpServer if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 31.2k GitHub stars
Choose OpenVPN if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 14.3k GitHub stars
- Written in C
Frequently asked questions
Is JumpServer or OpenVPN better?
JumpServer is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider OpenVPN if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are JumpServer and OpenVPN free and open-source?
Yes. JumpServer is licensed under GPL-3.0 and OpenVPN under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run JumpServer and OpenVPN with Docker?
JumpServer: yes. OpenVPN: yes.