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Citrix Gateway vs OpenVPN Access Server comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 6, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
7.3
Citrix Gateway enhances security, preventing breaches and ransomware, leading to savings and ROI depending on business models.
Sentiment score
3.8
OpenVPN Access Server enhances remote work with essential VPN connectivity, reducing errors despite challenges in quantifying financial benefits.
Citrix Gateway secures our environment from potential threats, which can save substantial financial resources, especially in preventing data breaches or ransomware attacks.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.0
Citrix Gateway support is generally satisfactory, though users suggest improvements in engineer expertise, training, and proactive communication.
Sentiment score
7.5
OpenVPN Access Server's support is praised for high responsiveness, effectiveness, and comprehensive documentation, with strong community resources.
It was very good, and I would rate it an eight.
I have not dealt with support or customer service, however, the documentation is good, and I would rate it a seven out of ten.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.5
Citrix Gateway is scalable for various enterprises, praised for flexibility but faces challenges due to updates and competition.
Sentiment score
7.0
OpenVPN Access Server is scalable but experiences vary with environment and configuration, involving challenges in horizontal and vertical scaling.
I believe that the scalability of Citrix Gateway depends on the project's requirements, as it can vary from simple load balancing to extensive Web Application Firewall implementations.
It's not very easy to expand, and it would be beneficial if the process were simpler.
I would give OpenVPN a six out of ten for scalability, as it's usually a single user or single device.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.0
Citrix Gateway is highly rated for stability and reliability, with minor connection issues, offering a smooth, secure virtualization experience.
Sentiment score
8.6
OpenVPN Access Server is stable, reliable, with high ratings, though some note minor performance and update handling issues.
 

Room For Improvement

Citrix Gateway needs UI, cloud, integration, VPN speed, security improvements, cost reductions, and enhanced support and performance.
OpenVPN Access Server needs UI improvements, simpler user management, enhanced security, better upgrades, scalability, and configuration processes.
At this time it costs 35% more than other solutions.
It doesn't matter if it's Windows, Apple, Mac, or Linux - they're all very easy.
OpenVPN could improve in centralized management.
 

Setup Cost

Citrix Gateway is seen as pricey, with flexible licensing, straightforward setup, and competitive features aligning with high-end solutions.
OpenVPN Access Server offers flexible licensing with competitive pricing, combining a free community version with affordable paid options.
I consider Citrix Gateway to be an expensive solution, generally ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 yearly, depending on the model.
My experience with pricing is excellent as the pricing is free.
 

Valuable Features

Citrix Gateway provides seamless and secure connectivity with features like VPN, web app support, load balancing, and threat protection.
OpenVPN Access Server is open-source, secure, and user-friendly, offering cross-platform support, strong encryption, and seamless remote access.
The product effectively helps me protect the organization's network from potential threats, thereby securing our environment from hackers and ransomware attacks.
It's easy to scale and easy to implement.
The most valuable features of OpenVPN are its ease of use, client familiarity, end-user familiarity, operating system integration, and price points.
What I appreciate the most about OpenVPN Access Server is that it's very easy to set up.
 

Categories and Ranking

Citrix Gateway
Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
10th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
37
Ranking in other categories
Universal Access Gateways (1st), SSL VPN (2nd)
OpenVPN Access Server
Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
48
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category, the mindshare of Citrix Gateway is 3.1%, up from 2.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of OpenVPN Access Server is 13.3%, down from 15.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
 

Featured Reviews

VivekKumar10 - PeerSpot reviewer
Enables secure remote access and load balancing with enhanced protection features
I find Citrix Gateway valuable for its capabilities as a reverse proxy, providing security to applications exposed to the Internet. Key features include load balancing, dual-factor authentication, clientless VPN, and Web Application Firewall (WAF). The product effectively helps me protect the organization's network from potential threats, thereby securing our environment from hackers and ransomware attacks.
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.
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Enterprise Infrastructure VPN solutions are best for your needs.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
46%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
6%
Healthcare Company
4%
Computer Software Company
18%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Educational Organization
8%
University
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Citrix Gateway?
We can maintain our systems using the solution.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Citrix Gateway?
I consider Citrix Gateway to be an expensive solution, generally ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 yearly, depending on the model. It is seen as a premium product compared to competitors like F5, and ...
What needs improvement with Citrix Gateway?
Currently, Citrix is improving its solutions, and focusing more on AI features could further enhance its performance.
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.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for OpenVPN Access Server?
My experience with pricing is excellent as the pricing is free.
 

Also Known As

Citrix NetScaler Unified Gateway
OpenVPN
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Aeronamic, Avianca, Bechtel Corporation, Betfair UK, Catholic University Leuven (K.U. Leuven), Centene Corporation, Cerner, Charityshare, City of High Point, Clark Builders
Verizon, Amazon, Disney, HP, Microsoft, IBM, Samsung
Find out what your peers are saying about Citrix Gateway vs. OpenVPN Access Server and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.