Fortinet FortiClient vs OpenVPN Access Server comparison

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 10, 2023

We performed a comparison between OpenVPN Access Server and Fortinet FortiClient based on our users’ reviews in four categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.

Ease of Deployment: Setting up OpenVPN Access Server requires proper preparation, installation, key creation, and external testing. Fortinet FortiClient’s setup is quick, but automation could help. The Windows 10 deployment is fine, but the remote deployment can be difficult.

Features: OpenVPN offers a stable and secure open-source solution for remote access. It is easy to set up and deploy and has good performance and scalability. It provides reliable access for remote colleagues and offers good connectivity. Fortinet FortiClient is easy-to-use and deploy. It as well has telemetry for endpoint visibility.

Pricing: OpenVPN’s pricing is based on the support required, but the solution itself is free. Fortinet FortiClient’s licensing is handled by the management team and only includes the VPN license without any additional licenses required.

Service and Support: OpenVPN Access Server’s technical support is available for an additional cost, but users can find helpful information on the network and the internet. Fortinet FortiClient offers responsive technical support rated four out of five, but the process of reaching them can be tedious.

Comparison Results: Based on the parameters we compared, OpenVPN Access Server comes out ahead of Fortinet FortiClient. While both solutions have their strengths, Fortinet FortiClient's initial setup takes longer and lacks automation, additionally, the remote deployment process can be challenging.

To learn more, read our detailed Fortinet FortiClient vs. OpenVPN Access Server Report (Updated: May 2024).

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiClient vs. OpenVPN Access Server

May 2024

Download the complete report

Helped 787,779 peers since 2012

Categories and Ranking

Netgate TNSR

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2024, in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category, the mindshare of Netgate TNSR is 0.1%, up from 0.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiClient is 16.5%, up from 13.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of OpenVPN Access Server is 17.2%, down from 17.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

Unique Categories:

Routers

2.4%

Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)

2.3%

Endpoint Compliance

34.0%

No other categories found

Q&A Highlights

Netanya Carmi

Content Manager at PeerSpot (formerly IT Central Station)

Oct 31, 2021

How does Fortinet FortiClient compare with Open VPN Access Server?

Fortinet FortiClient is a feature-rich solution that is easy to use and deploy without sacrificing safety and security. It has a very fast connection rate and has a built-in VPN. With this solution, you can assign a different VPN or network for each user, once they are authenticated. Fortinet FortiClient is very scalable and easy to use. This is an all-in-one solution with very high throughput. We did find, though, that it was lagging in some authentication tools, especially with the newer versions. Installation can take a very long time. Deployment with Mac devices and even some WIndows based-devices can be problematic. The stability could be improved too - it can be very buggy at times, especially with the EMS. Support could be better too. Open VPN Access Server is easy to set up and use. It is a stable solution that offers multi-authentication and the support is quite good. It is an open-source solution so it is very affordable. While it scales vertically with some difficulty and downtime, it does not scale horizontally. Some of our clients indicated that this solution did not meet all of their security protocols. They could do with better intrusion protection and detection. Conclusion We have a very large, diverse client base and need a solution that provides for excellent scalability and can completely satisfy the numerous different security protocols they all require. Fortinet FortiClient was the best fit for our organization and our clients are very satisfied.

See all answers

Featured Reviews

Harish (Kumar)

Cyber Security and IT Head at a outsourcing company with 51-200 employees

Apr 3, 2023

Good gateway with helpful traffic shaping and load balancing

There must be a wizard section as per the use case. For example, if we need a simple firewall there must be an auto-install of most required packages. In the same way, if we need a more strict firewall, then different configuration settings. There must be a more easy-to-use GUI. More documentation should be available within the package manager. A visible ON/OFF button must be there and can be easily configured as required. An additional non-us electrical plug must be inside the box. There should be an option to upgrade RAM (i.e. 8GB to 16GB). It can enhance the capacity of the proxy server.

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reviewer2144703

Principal Software Engineer at Infopulse

Mar 29, 2023

Unstable, with lots of false positives and poor filtering

The solution is easy to configure and manage. It is designed to bring additional safety to the machine (it is hard to uninstall by an ordinal user, and it has an in-built web filter). However, implementation is far behind industry standards. For instance, the Web filter is a component that provides protection against web-based threats by blocking access to malicious or inappropriate websites. It might bring additional safety. However, in the real world, it constantly produces: * False Positives, which can result in legitimate websites being blocked. This can be frustrating for end-users and potentially impact their productivity. * FortiClient's Web filter may also over-block certain websites, even if they are not malicious or inappropriate. This could result in users being unable to access legitimate websites that are important for their work, causing delays or disruptions.

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reviewer2093079

Enterprise Solutions Consultant at a computer software company with 201-500 employees

Feb 20, 2023

Easy to set up and deploy with good compatibility

This is an enterprise infrastructure VPN solution. It is very stable and reliable. It's a useful device. It is very easy to look at the quality of the connection and the bandwidth and do an investigation if there are problems on the network. It is simple to set up and deploy. It's compatible…

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"It's an ideal gateway solution for small and medium businesses, i.e., around 300 devices can be easily handled."

"The solution has good performance."

"It’s really easy to use."

"This is a solid and stable solution."

"The solution's TNA feature blocks devices from entering the network that do not meet compliance protocols."

"The stability is pretty good."

"The configuration is the most valuable feature."

"It is very easy and useful. A normal user with basic information can easily connect to any environment."

"Fortinet FortiClient can be used with FortiManager to observe all actions that are happening."

"The most valuable features of Fortinet FortiClient are ease of use and simple configuration."

More Fortinet FortiClient pros

"I would recommend this solution to other people."

"I like that it's easy to use, easy to download, and not hard to manage."

"The initial setup was easy."

"The most valuable feature is that I can access my local network remotely and avoid doing all the port forwarding and redirections, and so on."

"Highly configurable. You can create your own custom client installer and can rebrand the server-side program."

"The product’s adaptability is valuable."

"It allows our employees to work remotely across Mac, Windows, and Linux platforms."

"It was very easy to set up users."

More OpenVPN Access Server pros

Cons

"There must be a more easy-to-use GUI."

"Sometimes there are issues when we are trying to connect."

"The solution requires skillful users."

"The solution could add data to the endpoint."

"I heard that Fortinet is going to enhance the firmware to have mobile versions. One is like Linux long-term support SCS and one with new features, but there is no support here. We spoke with the vendor multiple times, and they said that they will release these features soon."

"The reports could be easier to set up."

"FortiClient is not communicating with the new version of the firewall."

"With the lower-end licenses, it tends to kick you out after eight hours. There is a function where it automatically kicks you out after eight hours. They could improve that and not kick you out after eight hours. Other than that, it is already pretty good."

"Technical support is awful. Their online response time is not prompt. They should not respond after four or five days. Their support guys are not competent enough. Small issues are taking time."

More Fortinet FortiClient cons

"The stability of the OpenVPN Access Server has room for improvement."

"The upgrade path from older versions was more difficult than we wanted to tackle, so we ran an older version of the software for longer than I wanted. Patching, updating, and migrating to newer versions was a problem for us. That said, we were on a rather old version that I inherited yet it worked rock solid."

"I would like to see a simpler interface, so that we can make the connection between the local network using the LAN IP."

"They may have this already, but it would be nice to be able to get more notifications if a site drops unexpectedly."

"OpenVPN does not have the ability to selectively terminate connections."

"If there was a Graphical User Interface to help streamline the configuration, I believe OpenVPN would probably venture more into the non-geek realm as it were."

"There was one annoying feature where we had to disable and enable the user. I cannot remember what it was exactly, but I think it was for a password lockout. It would be nice if there was a checkbox, or something, in the web interface to allow you to unlock a user whose password was locked."

"When there are too many concurrent users trying to connect at the same time, there may be a bit of a bottleneck."

More OpenVPN Access Server cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There is not a license required for this solution but the price should be less expensive."

"The solution is not expensive. We need more discounted rates in Pakistan. The price of the solution could be reduced to be more affordable for the solution."

"Fortinet FortiClient comes free with the purchase of the FortiGate solution. There is a license required for this solution. You later can upgrade from the free version which will allow more endpoints. The cost of the license subscription is based on how many endpoints you require."

"I rate the product's pricing a seven out of ten."

"Fortinet requires you to buy a lot of product in order for you to have proper protection."

"The product's licensing is yearly and expensive."

"An annual license costs about 1.5 to 3,000 US dollars. There are no additional costs."

"The price is okay and competitive."

"The price is reasonable compared to competitors, it is very good."

More Fortinet FortiClient pricing and cost advice

"The product's pricing is good value, definitely. It is one of the best features, I would say. Evaluate the product before seeing which type of licensing is good for you. I think there is a good evaluation method available for OpenVPN, so you can just evaluate if it meets your needs. Then go forward with the right licensing policy."

"I would say the product's pricing is a good value. I would recommend to other companies to implement it. I've seen other software, in tandem with the service, to be very expensive."

"I don't need to pay for its license since it is an open-source tool."

"OpenVPN Access Server is free and open source."

"The product offers yearly as well as monthly subscription plans. It has moderate pricing."

"It is an open-source solution, so we don't pay for anything."

"OpenVPN Access Server was free for students. I don't know if you have to pay for an advanced version."

"OpenVPN is an open-source solution. If the solution is used for personal use it is free. For non-personal use, the solution can be expensive."

More OpenVPN Access Server pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Government

Educational Organization

36%

Computer Software Company

11%

Government

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

17%

Comms Service Provider

Educational Organization

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Netgate TNSR?

It's an ideal gateway solution for small and medium businesses, i.e., around 300 devices can be easily handled.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Netgate TNSR?

The product is very cost-effective and has no requirement for additional licenses. The setup is not easy. Users need ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Netgate TNSR?

THe solution is used as a primary gateway with two lease lines of 450 Mbps total. Around 200 users are under it. Ther...

See all answers

How does Fortinet FortiClient compare with Open VPN Access Server?

Fortinet FortiClient is a feature-rich solution that is easy to use and deploy without sacrificing safety and securit...

See all answers

What's the difference between Fortinet's FortiEDR and FortiClient?

I suggest Fortinet’s FortiEDR over FortiClient for several reasons. For starters, FortiEDR guarantees solid protectio...

See all answers

What do you like most about Fortinet FortiClient?

The product is user-friendly.

See all answers

What do you like most about OpenVPN Access Server?

OpenVPN Access Server is a simple and easy-to-use solution that I can use myself without anybody's help.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for OpenVPN Access Server?

The solution is free. It is worth the money.

See all answers

What needs improvement with OpenVPN Access Server?

The solution should provide a faster connection, and its security could be improved. The solution’s stability could b...

See all answers

Comparisons

MikroTik Cloud Router Switch vs Netgate TNSR

Compared 39% of the time

Cisco Enterprise Routers vs Netgate TNSR

Compared 32% of the time

MikroTik Routers and Switches vs Netgate TNSR

Compared 16% of the time

Juniper MX Series Routers vs Netgate TNSR

Compared 14% of the time

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Fortinet FortiEDR vs Fortinet FortiClient

Compared 12% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Fortinet FortiClient

Compared 6% of the time

Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business vs Fortinet FortiClient

Compared 5% of the time

Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway vs Fortinet FortiClient

Compared 5% of the time

Ivanti Connect Secure vs Fortinet FortiClient

Compared 4% of the time

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Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 14% of the time

Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 10% of the time

Check Point Remote Access VPN vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 8% of the time

SonicWall Netextender vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 5% of the time

Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange vs OpenVPN Access Server

Compared 4% of the time

More OpenVPN Access Server Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

June 2024

Download Netgate TNSR product report

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiClient

June 2024

Download Fortinet FortiClient product report

Buyer's Guide

OpenVPN Access Server

June 2024

Download OpenVPN Access Server product report

Also Known As

TNSR

FortiClient

OpenVPN

Learn More

Netgate

Fortinet

OpenVPN

Overview

TNSR is an advanced open source-based secure networking software platform with highly-scalable packet processing, manageability, and service expansion capabilities. This video provides a high-level introduction. that address a number of commonly asked new product questions - in just a couple of minutes.

FortiClient is a fabric agent that delivers endpoint protection, endpoint compliance, and secure access in a single, lightweight, lightweight client, providing visibility, information, and control to your endpoints. In addition, it enables secure, remote connectivity to the security fabric. It also integrates network and endpoint with segmentation and automation. FortiClient enables unified endpoint awareness by sharing endpoint telemetry with the security fabric. It is compatible with third-party EDR (endpoint detection and response and anti-malware solutions.

The FortiClient fabric agent can:

• Report on the status of a device, including firmware version and applications running.
• Send all suspicious files to a fabric sandbox.
• Enforce USB control, application control, URL filtering, and firmware upgrade policies.
• Provide application firewall service and malware protection.
• Enable devices to connect securely to the security fabric over either ZTNA tunnels or VPN (IPsec or SSL), both encrypted. The connection to the security fabric can be either a SASE service or a FortiGate next-generation firewall.

You can purchase FortiClient with one of three levels of capability:

Zero Trust security - The ZTNA edition enables both VPN and ZTNA encrypted tunnels, as well as USB device control and URL filtering.
Endpoint security - The EPP/APT edition adds AI-based NGAV (next-generation antivirus), application firewall, endpoint quarantine, and support for cloud sandbox.
Cloud-based endpoint security

Benefits and Features

• Fabric agent leverages integrations and provides telemetry information to the rest of the Fortinet security fabric.
• SAAS control and web/content filtering
• Dynamic access control helps with automation and simplifies compliance.
• Software inventory management enables visibility as well as management of licenses.
• Automated response detects and isolates any endpoints that may be compromised.
• ZTNA delivers better remote access and consistent application access policies
• Managed endpoint security services remotely assist with setup, configuration, deployment, vulnerability monitoring, and overall monitoring of endpoint security.

Reviews from Real Users:

PeerSpot users like that FortiClient is easy to use and integrates well with other solutions. They also appreciate the richness of its features and find it to be inexpensive in comparison to other products that require separate purchases for separate features.

OpenVPN Access Server is a comprehensive VPN solution that enables secure remote access and site-to-site connectivity. It uses the open-source OpenVPN protocol with added encryption and authentication for robust security. The web-based admin interface simplifies setup and centralized management of users, devices, and access controls.

OpenVPN Access Server's ease of setup, comprehensive security features, and professional support make it a viable option for businesses looking to facilitate secure remote access and inter-office connectivity. However, potential users should be mindful of the technical requirements for setup and the possibility of network performance issues in specific scenarios.

Based on over 30 independent peer reviews, OpenVPN garners consistently positive feedback for its stability, security, and free open-source licensing. The most common complaints relate to initial setup complexity and occasional connection drops. Despite these drawbacks, most reviewers highly recommend OpenVPN Access Server due to its robust encryption standards, flexible access options, and scalability across organization sizes.

Versatile Installation and Client Support:

OpenVPN Access Server can be installed on various Linux OS platforms, offering flexibility to adapt to different network environments. This includes popular distributions like Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
OpenVPN Access Server supports a comprehensive range of VPN clients, ensuring broad compatibility and user accessibility. This includes clients for Microsoft Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux, enabling users to connect securely from various devices.

User Authentication and Security:

OpenVPN Access Server incorporates a built-in user authentication system, which can be managed via a web-based interface. This allows administrators to manage user accounts, passwords, and access permissions easily.
For enhanced security, OpenVPN Access Server supports integration with external authentication systems like PAM, LDAP, RADIUS, and SAML. This allows you to leverage your existing authentication infrastructure for VPN access.
The solution provides the flexibility to implement custom Python programming for advanced authentication methods, catering to specific security requirements.
OpenVPN Access Server utilizes the OpenVPN protocol, renowned for its robust encryption and security. VPN tunnels are secured with TLS authentication, credentials, certificates, and optional MAC address lock, ensuring a high level of protection for data transmission.

Flexible Access Control and Tunneling Options:

OpenVPN Access Server provides comprehensive access control rules, allowing administrators to specify user or group access to IP addresses and subnets. This enables granular control over network access and resource utilization.
OpenVPN Access Server supports both full-tunnel and split-tunnel redirection. Full-tunnel mode routes all VPN client internet traffic through the VPN tunnel, while split-tunnel mode allows selective routing of specific traffic.

OpenVPN offers professional support for Access Server, with a global team of experts available through an online ticket system. This ensures that users have timely access to assistance when needed.

Sample Customers

UCLA, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, shopify

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data

Verizon, Amazon, Disney, HP, Microsoft, IBM, Samsung

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiClient vs. OpenVPN Access Server

May 2024

Free Report: Fortinet FortiClient vs. OpenVPN Access Server

Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiClient vs. OpenVPN Access Server and other solutions. Updated: May 2024.

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See our Fortinet FortiClient vs. OpenVPN Access Server report.

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We monitor all Enterprise Infrastructure VPN reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.