OpenVPN vs WG-Easy
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?
OpenVPN
Robust and flexible open-source VPN solution
VS
WG-Easy
The easiest way to run WireGuard VPN with a web UI
| Feature | OpenVPN | WG-Easy |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | GPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | C | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, docker, binary | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 14,345 | ★ 26,595 |
| First released | 2001 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Cisco AnyConnect | OpenVPN Access Server |
Why pick each one
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 OpenVPN or WG-Easy better?
WG-Easy is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider OpenVPN if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are OpenVPN and WG-Easy free and open-source?
Yes. OpenVPN is licensed under GPL-2.0 and WG-Easy under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OpenVPN and WG-Easy with Docker?
OpenVPN: yes. WG-Easy: yes.