Best VPN Tools Tools

“Business VPN with a privacy-first architecture from the organization behind ProtonMail. SMB and mid-market teams with data jurisdiction requirements — or those that distrust VPN providers with opaque logging practices — often evaluate it as the principled alternative alongside more established business VPN offerings.”

“Zero-config mesh VPN built on WireGuard that creates private networks using existing identity providers for authentication. Most teams are operational in under an hour without network configuration expertise — a genuinely different setup experience from traditional VPN that engineering teams reach for when OpenVPN or Cisco alternatives create unnecessary friction.”

“Business VPN and Zero Trust network access from Nord Security, targeting SMB and mid-market teams that need secure remote access without dedicated network infrastructure. Per-user pricing and short time to first deployment make it a practical choice for organizations replacing basic consumer VPN setups with something supportable at scale.”

“Cloud-managed networking with hardware-tied licensing, giving network administrators centralized visibility and policy control without on-prem management infrastructure. The trade-off is cost: Meraki hardware and subscription bundling creates higher TCO than comparable functionality assembled from separately licensed vendor components.”

“SD-WAN capabilities embedded in FortiGate next-gen firewalls, allowing organizations already running Fortinet security infrastructure to add WAN optimization without a separate appliance. Teams evaluating it as a standalone SD-WAN platform should include the full FortiGate licensing model in the total cost analysis from the start.”

“Self-hosted VPN server deployed on teams' own infrastructure — cloud or on-prem — with per-user commercial licensing above the free 2-user tier. The self-hosted model gives organizations complete control over VPN endpoint data while using the OpenVPN protocol that most client devices support natively without additional software.”

“Zero Trust network access platform delivered from Zscaler's global cloud infrastructure, replacing traditional VPN with identity and context-based access to specific applications rather than full network segments. Enterprise organizations replacing legacy remote access infrastructure typically evaluate it alongside Cloudflare One and Palo Alto Prisma Access.”

“ZTNA and business VPN with automatic Wi-Fi security and split tunneling, designed to replace hardware VPN appliances with a cloud-delivered alternative. Teams moving away from traditional perimeter security toward Zero Trust often evaluate it as a stepping stone before adopting a full SASE platform.”

“Managed VPN endpoint natively integrated with AWS VPC, IAM, and CloudWatch — the path of least resistance for organizations with AWS-centric infrastructure that need secure remote access without managing gateway hardware. Cost is usage-based on connection-hours and data, which suits variable or unpredictable access patterns.”

“SASE platform built on Cloudflare's global edge network, combining Zero Trust access, CASB, DLP, and gateway functions. The breadth of capability at accessible price points makes it competitive across SMB and enterprise; the free tier is functional enough that many teams start there and expand as requirements become clearer.”

“Enterprise SD-WAN with integrated security from Palo Alto's SASE portfolio, designed for large organizations consolidating WAN and security infrastructure simultaneously. Procurement is vendor-led at enterprise scale — teams evaluating it are typically replacing MPLS and multiple security appliances rather than adding a single capability.”

“Open source VPN protocol and implementation known for a minimal codebase, high performance, and simpler configuration than IPsec or OpenVPN. It is a protocol more than a product — most teams access it through a managed service like Tailscale or a VPN appliance that uses WireGuard as transport rather than running it directly.”

“Cloud-delivered VPN service from the OpenVPN organization, aimed at teams that want the OpenVPN protocol's broad client compatibility without managing server infrastructure. SMB and mid-market organizations replacing aging hardware VPN appliances often evaluate it alongside NordLayer and Proton Business VPN.”

“Converged SASE platform combining SD-WAN, firewall, CASB, and ZTNA in a single cloud-delivered architecture. Teams evaluating it are typically replacing separate MPLS, firewall, and VPN infrastructure simultaneously — not adding a single tool — which is why the commercial conversation works best when network and security budgets are reviewed together.”

“VPN client deeply embedded in enterprise network stacks, particularly in organizations already running Cisco firewalls and ASA appliances. It typically comes with the network infrastructure rather than being selected independently — buyers evaluating standalone remote access today generally find more cost-effective paths through cloud-delivered alternatives.”