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OpenVPN Access Server vs SonicWall SMA comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 15, 2026

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

OpenVPN Access Server
Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
1st
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
56
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
SonicWall SMA
Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
16th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
5.6
Number of Reviews
15
Ranking in other categories
Universal Access Gateways (2nd), SSL VPN (6th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category, the mindshare of OpenVPN Access Server is 13.3%, down from 14.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SonicWall SMA is 2.6%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
OpenVPN Access Server13.3%
SonicWall SMA2.6%
Other84.1%
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
 

Featured Reviews

Emmanuel Chebukati - PeerSpot reviewer
DevSecOps Engineer at a tech company with 51-200 employees
Secure remote access has protected diverse users while access controls provide precise permissions
The user interface of OpenVPN Access Server is good but can be improved. I would prefer to see it become more intuitive. I use Twingate as an alternative, and in Twingate, you see resources, while in OpenVPN Access Server, those would be IP addresses. You get to see dashboards and access views of who can access a particular resource or subnet. You can see who can access what resources from the user view, but you can also see the reverse, which is which resource can be accessed by what users. That reverse view would be a nice addition to have in a dashboard. Additionally, access logs associated with that resource would be helpful, so it would be beneficial to have different views for the same content. Beyond the positive aspects, I would like to see improvements in OpenVPN Access Server. Twingate offers a different approach to the same problem by moving more towards resource-specific resources and fine-grained zero-trust access, as opposed to entire subnets and entire networks. I would prefer to see views on resources. In the same way that we can define subnets, perhaps we could have views that describe what this particular subnet does and what this particular resource does. Then we can assign those resources and subnets to individual users and groups. It is more about granularizing the resources that can be accessed rather than simply bundling them under subnets or a list of subnets, which is the current approach. Apart from that, I would like to see UI enhancements in OpenVPN Access Server in the future. Making it more modern would be beneficial.
BA
Owner at ThinkEzIT
Security enhances through autonomous protection and strong support while multi-factor authentication secures access
I haven't utilized the high availability and scalability features of SonicWall SMA yet because I've never had a need to. I don't know where they can focus their energy on continuous improvements, as I haven't been looking at what they're releasing. We're a small shop, so we drop stuff in and manage it and do what we need to do to maintain it. If we run into an issue, we contact support. There's a learning curve, but it comes down to getting support to train you on the product, and then once you have the training you need, you're able to make the changes and updates that you need to.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable features of the OpenVPN Access Server are the ease of use and integration with different platforms, such as Android and Windows. I can use the solution on my desktop and mobile devices. Additionally, the solution is secure."
"The initial setup was easy."
"OpenVPN Access Server is a simple and easy-to-use solution that I can use myself without anybody's help."
"The initial setup phase of OpenVPN Access Server was fine, and it was easy."
"The product has strong encryption and scalability features. It provides security for private network connections."
"It is easy to use."
"It allows our employees to work remotely across Mac, Windows, and Linux platforms."
"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."
"SonicWall SMA has the most valuable feature of proprietary security technologies like Capture ATP."
"The advanced threat protection and the endpoint control features of SonicWall SMA have helped improve security measures tremendously."
"Blocklisting and allowlisting are the most beneficial features for network security."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is they have IT consultants that know SonicWall."
"It is faster than other security options when using remote connections."
"The management and the dashboard are the solution's most valuable features."
"I am very satisfied with the technical support."
"I like the load balancing capability."
 

Cons

"I would like to see a GUI or Web UI to manage users. Today these features are in the Pro Edition or are done by scripts."
"It is not scalable."
"You do need expertise in implementation if you do the initial setup yourself."
"The interface could be a little bit better in future iterations."
"I'd like the solution to have more access points and more speed."
"It requires some experience of Linux server configuration to set it up."
"Open VPN Access Server could be more user-friendly."
"Needs a better GUI."
"I'd like to see the product maybe polish keyboards in Bookmark."
"The solution could integrate better with other platforms."
"The timed synchronization between the network appliance needs improvement."
"User interface could be improved."
"The product itself is very good, but Dell needs to work on product visibility in their advertising."
"The overall menu is not very user-friendly and it could be easier."
"This is an expensive solution and I think that the price could be improved."
"SonicWall SMA is difficult to use and it does not provide easy access to different parts of the network."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."
"OpenVPN Access Server is a cheap corporate solution."
"At one point I had to purchase addition connection licenses. I was very pleased with the pricing and licensing; so much easier than navigating the confusing jungle of Microsoft and Cisco licensing and pricing. That alone made the product a delight to manage."
"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."
"Begin with the community version and upgrade to paid one if the need arises."
"The product offers yearly as well as monthly subscription plans. It has moderate pricing."
"The cost of the licensing is based on the maximum number of concurrent users, and it costs a lot to add them."
"All the costs are included in a bundled license."
"Our licenses are stackable and can be anywhere from five users to a million users."
"I don't know about the pricing of the SSL-VPN box. I know the SSL-VPN software is free. Global VPN client, by comparison, is licensed for around $150 or something like that. But the SSL-VPN software is free. It is already built-in with the box."
"This solution is priced well and we currently have the maximum number of licenses allowed."
"The platform has medium pricing."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Comms Service Provider
12%
University
7%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Computer Software Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Real Estate/Law Firm
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business35
Midsize Enterprise8
Large Enterprise15
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business11
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise2
 

Questions from the Community

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?
I find it not cost-effective. It is not worth the money from a pricing perspective. However, it is a good investment for security and company information security. It is a good investment overall.
What do you like most about SonicWall SMA?
Blocklisting and allowlisting are the most beneficial features for network security.
What needs improvement with SonicWall SMA?
I haven't utilized the high availability and scalability features of SonicWall SMA yet because I've never had a need to. I don't know where they can focus their energy on continuous improvements, a...
 

Also Known As

OpenVPN
SonicWall Aventail, SonicWall SMA SSL-VPN, SonicWall Secure Mobile Access
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Verizon, Amazon, Disney, HP, Microsoft, IBM, Samsung
UnitedStack, Newport City Homes, Faith Lutheran College Redlands, PRIME aerostructures GmbH, Celtic Manor Resort
Find out what your peers are saying about OpenVPN Access Server vs. SonicWall SMA and other solutions. Updated: March 2026.
884,933 professionals have used our research since 2012.