OpenConnect Server 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.
OpenVPN
Robust and flexible open-source VPN solution
| Feature | OpenConnect Server | OpenVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | C | C |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, docker | bare-metal, docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 600 | ★ 14,600 |
| First released | 2013 | 2001 |
| Replaces | Cisco AnyConnect | Cisco AnyConnect |
What are OpenConnect Server and OpenVPN?
OpenConnect Server
ocserv is an open-source SSL VPN server that implements the OpenConnect protocol and is compatible with Cisco AnyConnect clients. It supports multiple authentication backends.
- AnyConnect-compatible
- Multiple auth backends
- Low resource use
- Per-user configuration
OpenVPN
OpenVPN is a mature, widely deployed VPN protocol and software supporting site-to-site and remote access connections. It uses SSL/TLS for key exchange and is highly configurable.
- Mature and battle-tested
- Site-to-site and remote access
- Highly configurable
- Strong TLS security
OpenConnect Server vs OpenVPN: key differences
Both projects are written in C. OpenVPN is the more established project (first released 2001), while OpenConnect Server arrived in 2013. OpenVPN has the considerably larger community, at 14,600 GitHub stars versus 600.
Why pick each one
Choose OpenConnect Server if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in C
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Choose OpenVPN if…
- Battle-tested maturity
- Highly configurable
- Works through strict firewalls
Watch out for
- Complex configuration
- Slower than WireGuard
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenConnect Server or OpenVPN better?
Neither is universally better. OpenVPN has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are OpenConnect Server and OpenVPN free and open-source?
Yes. OpenConnect Server is licensed under GPL-2.0 and OpenVPN under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OpenConnect Server and OpenVPN with Docker?
OpenConnect Server: yes. OpenVPN: yes.