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Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy vs OpenVPN Access Server comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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
6.7
Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy enhances collaboration and security for Google apps, with ROI varying based on utilization strategies.
Sentiment score
4.4
OpenVPN Access Server boosts security, reduces costs, and enhances efficiency with SAML integration and faster key generation.
Now, with the SAML and Active Directory integration, the process is down to under two minutes, which frees up our senior staff to focus on critical infrastructure tasks instead of managing access tickets.
Network operation center engineer at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees
The platform automatically reads the user role and maps them to the correct network subnets instantly, saving us countless hours of administration overhead every month.
Manager at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
Financially, we observe that while costs were initially high, optimizing user connections has rendered better financial management in the long run, improving user access without extensive management needs.
Manager, Ott Platform at Synamedia
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.5
Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy support varies; some find it excellent while others face inefficiencies, affecting direct Google interaction.
Sentiment score
5.4
OpenVPN Access Server support is highly rated for quick, effective assistance, with users often relying on guides and forums.
I would definitely rate customer support 10 out of 10.
Network operation center engineer at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees
The ticketing system is responsive, and the technical team knows the product inside and out.
Associate Manager, Technology Services Information Technology Operations at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
My advice is to map out your user access groups and routing subnets before configuring the server; this makes it easier to enforce least privilege.
Manager at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy is praised for effective scalability and ease of management despite potential cost concerns.
Sentiment score
6.0
OpenVPN Access Server is scalable with financial constraints, effective user handling, but poses challenges in multi-OS environments.
When we deploy and install OpenVPN Access Server, the principle is to install and forget.
System Network Administrator at a consultancy with 201-500 employees
You can easily upgrade the underlying hardware resources or spin up additional nodes in a cluster configuration if you need to handle a massive surge in concurrent users.
Network operation center engineer at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees
It's not very easy to expand, and it would be beneficial if the process were simpler.
Chief Cloud Architect at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.1
Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy is praised for its reliability and stability, with minor issues mainly in virtual machines.
Sentiment score
7.8
OpenVPN Access Server is stable and reliable, with most issues being user or hardware-related rather than inherent flaws.
OpenVPN Access Server is 100% stable in my experience.
Network operation center engineer at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees
Regarding stability, I have not had any crashes, performance issues, or stability issues with OpenVPN Access Server.
DevSecOps Engineer at a tech company with 51-200 employees
OpenVPN Access Server is very stable, and we have a hassle-free work experience using it.
Manager at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
 

Room For Improvement

Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy needs better user-friendliness, integration, security, support, and cost-effectiveness for enhanced performance and usability.
OpenVPN Access Server needs enhanced usability, security, platform compatibility, and advanced features like AI, WireGuard, and identity integration.
Lastly, it would be awesome to see native support for newer, lighter protocols through WireGuard built straight into the platform alongside standard OpenVPN for better performance efficiency.
Network operation center engineer at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees
Additionally, native support for newer, lighter protocols like WireGuard built straight into the platform alongside standard OpenVPN for better performance efficiency would be beneficial.
Manager at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
With WireGuard, which is locked down over UDP, it is harder for attackers to probe ports.
代表社員 at サザビー
 

Setup Cost

Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy offers competitive pricing, with mixed reviews on cost-effectiveness compared to AWS and Oracle alternatives.
OpenVPN Access Server provides flexible pricing with a free tier for individuals and affordable enterprise options with minimal setup costs.
The sticker price may look clear, but the real cost includes the time spent untangling subscription limitations, account conflicts, sales handoffs, and unclear guidance.
Webmaster & Software Engineer at a university with 501-1,000 employees
My experience with pricing is excellent as the pricing is free.
Service Delivery Manager at CasCom
The experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for OpenVPN Access Server is really good, not that expensive.
Devops Engineer at Emergent
 

Valuable Features

Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy provides scalable security, user-friendly access management, real-time collaboration, and seamless integration with minimal expertise needed.
OpenVPN Access Server offers secure connectivity, multi-factor authentication, and efficient deployment, enhancing security and remote productivity across platforms.
The most valuable features of OpenVPN are its ease of use, client familiarity, end-user familiarity, operating system integration, and price points.
Service Delivery Manager at CasCom
The main benefits I have seen from using OpenVPN Access Server include secure access to private resources over the public internet.
DevSecOps Engineer at a tech company with 51-200 employees
OpenVPN Access Server has positively impacted my organization by allowing access to our private services, enhancing security, and enabling remote work from anywhere.
DevOps and Site Reliability Engineer at Honey Insurance
 

Categories and Ranking

Google Cloud Identity-Aware...
Ranking in ZTNA
14th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
45
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
OpenVPN Access Server
Ranking in ZTNA
9th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
71
Ranking in other categories
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the ZTNA category, the mindshare of Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy is 1.8%, down from 2.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of OpenVPN Access Server is 3.5%, down from 4.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
ZTNA Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
OpenVPN Access Server3.5%
Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy1.8%
Other94.7%
ZTNA
 

Featured Reviews

UchechiSylvanus - PeerSpot reviewer
Team Lead, Process Improvement & RPA at Fidelity Bank Plc
A scalable product that offers an easy-to-use interface
Some of the product users feel that the solution's storage part should be increased, especially when compared to products like Yahoo, which is an old tool in the market that offers unlimited storage to users. Other platforms offer more storage sizes than Google. The storage part of the solution, especially the storage capability offered by Google Drive, needs to be increased. There are certain shortcomings with the product's stability where improvements are required.
AS
Network operation center engineer at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees
Secure remote access has protected critical data and now simplifies role-based user management
An area for improvement is the pricing model. The concurrent user licenses get expensive pretty quickly as your organization grows, so more flexible pricing options would be a huge plus. Another area is configurational disconnect. While the admin web UI handles about 90% of what you need, the moment you have to do deep, advanced routing customization, you still have to drop back to the command line interface to make those changes. It would be great to see those deeper configurations completely integrated into the web portal. Lastly, it would be awesome to see native support for newer, lighter protocols through WireGuard built straight into the platform alongside standard OpenVPN for better performance efficiency.
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909,725 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Construction Company
13%
Comms Service Provider
12%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Outsourcing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
12%
Financial Services Firm
8%
University
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business17
Midsize Enterprise12
Large Enterprise20
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business44
Midsize Enterprise14
Large Enterprise25
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy?
There are different pricing plans depending on data volumes and services, but it's comparable to other providers. The value and benefits depend on what we're developing and the specific use case.
What needs improvement with Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy?
Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy should improve stability.
What is your primary use case for Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy?
We use the solution for data engineering, data preparation, and AI.
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 is your experience regarding pricing and costs for OpenVPN Access Server?
In terms of specific outcomes or metrics with OpenVPN Access Server, we have saved time because otherwise, we need to purchase other software and their software takes a great deal of time in terms ...
What needs improvement with OpenVPN Access Server?
OpenVPN Access Server can be improved by addressing the issue we faced with a single VPN server since it does not allow the creation of replicas without a load balancer, which we found to be an ava...
 

Also Known As

GCP Cloud IAP, Google Cloud Platform Cloud IAP, Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy, Google Identity-Aware Proxy, Google Identity Aware Proxy, Google Cloud Identity Aware Proxy
OpenVPN
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Verizon, Amazon, Disney, HP, Microsoft, IBM, Samsung
Find out what your peers are saying about Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy vs. OpenVPN Access Server and other solutions. Updated: July 2026.
909,725 professionals have used our research since 2012.