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Cisco Meraki vMX vs OpenVPN Access Server comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 31, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Meraki vMX
Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
23rd
Average Rating
9.6
Reviews Sentiment
5.2
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions (15th)
OpenVPN Access Server
Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.1
Number of Reviews
52
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Featured Reviews

Mansukh Bhesania - PeerSpot reviewer
Have worked confidently across large deployments and ensured long-term reliability for critical sectors
I have used Cisco Meraki vMX dashboard's orchestration feature with this product. The Meraki dashboard helps manage our network effectively because it is quite easy; we manage ourselves very well. Performance-wise, there is no problem with Cisco Meraki vMX's integrated analytics for network performance, as my 70 to 80 customers use Cisco only. We do business with semi-enterprise customers, and there is no competition against Cisco except for the wireless solutions from Aruba. We find it easy to promote Cisco Meraki vMX because the centralized dashboard is there for management, and the customers accept it without any problem. From a sales point of view, it is easy to integrate, and nowadays, the 93 is also part of the Meraki desktop.
Bertrand Moutault - PeerSpot reviewer
An easy-to-use tool with which its users can access networks from home or external locations
Sometimes OpenVPN Access Server is difficult to connect to, and in our company, we don't know why it is difficult. The product may not connect if we lose connection at times. There are certain shortcomings in the product's stability that need improvement. In general, I want to improve the connect connectivity of the solution since I sometimes face stability issues.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The Meraki dashboard helps manage our network effectively because it is quite easy; we manage ourselves very well."
"The most valuable feature of OpenVPN is that it is open source. I can do anything with the solution, such as change, build, and collect. Additionally, it is safe to use the solution and there are frequent updates."
"​It allows us to give access to our office network in a safe and secure way to users, no matter which computing platform they use. ​"
"The setup is easy."
"The most valuable feature is stability."
"The features I have found to be most valuable are the levels of encryption I can enact and the compression I can apply to improve throughput."
"The stability is very reliable in my experience."
"It is open-source and free to use."
"What I appreciate the most about OpenVPN Access Server is that it's very easy to set up."
 

Cons

"It is not the strongest security solution, so if you want to have next-generation firewall features, you always need an additional component."
"In comparison with Aruba, I find Aruba to be far better in terms of deployment, ClearPass, and everything, which is all very easy."
"The interface could be a little bit better in future iterations."
"The logs should be made easier to read."
"The high availability deployment is not very straightforward. They can make it simpler. OpenVPN does not support some of the additional protocols that Pulse Secure and Cisco AnyConnect support. They can include support for these additional protocols."
"There are tasks that require logging onto the server to run commands, which is not intuitive through the UI."
"The solution should provide a faster connection, and its security could be improved."
"It could include a configuration wizard so that users who do not follow instructions well can configure a connection."
"The product’s connectivity is very slow. It could be faster."
"There could be an easier way to set up the solution. However, if you use the provided information that comes with the solution there should not be a problem."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"Open VPN Access Server is open-source and free of charge."
"OpenVPN Access Server is a cheap corporate solution."
"The solution is free of cost."
"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."
"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 don't need to pay for its license since it is an open-source tool."
"One of the valuable features of OpenVPN is that it is free for a single user."
"OpenVPN Access Server was free for students. I don't know if you have to pay for an advanced version."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
No data available
Computer Software Company
17%
Comms Service Provider
11%
University
7%
Manufacturing Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business31
Midsize Enterprise7
Large Enterprise14
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Cisco Meraki vMX?
It is not the strongest security solution, so if you want to have next-generation firewall features, you always need an additional component.
What is your primary use case for Cisco Meraki vMX?
We are training companies and recommend Cisco Meraki vMX for every company doing cloud solutions and using Meraki in their infrastructure. In the past, it was mainly for smaller companies, but now ...
What advice do you have for others considering Cisco Meraki vMX?
The solution can be implemented successfully. We are using this product ourselves and would recommend it to others. The interface is excellent, with no other competitor doing it better. The pricing...
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...
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.
 

Also Known As

No data available
OpenVPN
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Verizon, Amazon, Disney, HP, Microsoft, IBM, Samsung
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet, OpenVPN, Cisco and others in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN. Updated: October 2025.
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