Company Overview
OpenVPN was created by James Yonan in 2001 and released under the GPLv2 open-source license, becoming the de facto standard open-source VPN protocol. OpenVPN Inc. was formally founded in 2012, headquartered in Pleasanton, California, USA.
The OpenVPN protocol is based on SSL/TLS encryption, supports both TCP and UDP transport, and is one of the most widely deployed VPN solutions globally due to its security, flexibility, and cross-platform compatibility. It is embedded in numerous routers and network devices.
Related provider: OpenVPN Services
Product Portfolio
🆓 Open-Source Community Edition
| Product | Description |
|---|---|
| OpenVPN Community Edition | Free open-source version (GPLv2) with core server and client functionality |
| OpenVPN Protocol | SSL/TLS encrypted VPN protocol supporting TCP/UDP transport |
🏢 Enterprise Solutions
| Product | Description |
|---|---|
| OpenVPN Access Server | Enterprise VPN server with web management UI, user management, and multi-factor authentication |
| OpenVPN Connect | Cross-platform VPN client app for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android |
☁️ Cloud VPN
| Product | Description |
|---|---|
| OpenVPN Cloud | SaaS cloud VPN management platform, ready to use without self-hosted infrastructure |
| OpenVPN for Azure | Managed VPN solution available in Microsoft Azure Marketplace |
| OpenVPN for AWS | Managed VPN solution available in Amazon AWS Marketplace |
Core Strengths
Open-Source Standard: The de facto standard open-source VPN protocol with the largest community and ecosystem
Security & Reliability: Built on SSL/TLS encryption, supporting AES, ChaCha20, and other modern encryption algorithms
Cross-Platform Compatibility: OpenVPN is supported on virtually all major operating systems and hardware platforms
Flexible Deployment: From self-hosted Community Edition to enterprise Access Server to SaaS cloud VPN, meeting needs of all scales
Widely Embedded: Natively supported by numerous router firmwares (DD-WRT, OpenWrt), firewalls, and network appliances
Key Competitors
| Protocol/Product | Type | Key Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| WireGuard | Open-source VPN protocol | More modern, higher performance, simpler configuration, rapidly growing |
| IPsec/IKEv2 | Standard VPN protocol | Built into most operating systems, enterprise VPN standard |
| L2TP/IPsec | Standard VPN protocol | System-level support, but slower and less secure than OpenVPN |
| Tailscale | Commercial VPN solution | WireGuard-based zero-trust networking platform |
| Zerotier | Commercial VPN solution | Software-defined networking (SD-WAN) solution |
| Pritunl | Commercial VPN solution | Enterprise OpenVPN management platform |
| SoftEther | Open-source VPN solution | Hybrid solution supporting multiple VPN protocols |
Key Milestones
- 2001：James Yonan creates OpenVPN, released as open-source project (GPLv2)
- 2012：OpenVPN Inc. founded to provide commercial support and enterprise products
- 2026：Continues as the most widely deployed open-source VPN protocol, expanding cloud VPN and enterprise security solutions