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OpenVPN Access Server vs Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform 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
3.8
OpenVPN Access Server enhances remote work with essential VPN connectivity, reducing errors despite challenges in quantifying financial benefits.
Sentiment score
7.6
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange enhances user satisfaction with reduced noise, improved visibility, and potential for further service integration.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.5
OpenVPN Access Server's support is praised for high responsiveness, effectiveness, and comprehensive documentation, with strong community resources.
Sentiment score
6.7
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange's customer service is praised for responsiveness, but suffers from delayed responses and knowledge gaps affecting satisfaction.
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.
Sometimes, support takes time since the solution has some bugs that need fixing.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.0
OpenVPN Access Server is scalable but experiences vary with environment and configuration, involving challenges in horizontal and vertical scaling.
Sentiment score
7.9
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform is highly scalable and adaptable, praised for performance and suitability in varied organizational needs.
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
8.6
OpenVPN Access Server is stable, reliable, with high ratings, though some note minor performance and update handling issues.
Sentiment score
7.9
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange is stable and reliable with minor latency issues, resolved initial concerns, and strong threat monitoring.
 

Room For Improvement

OpenVPN Access Server needs UI improvements, simpler user management, enhanced security, better upgrades, scalability, and configuration processes.
Users report performance, configuration, support, and integration issues with Zscaler, highlighting speed, cost, and interface improvements.
It doesn't matter if it's Windows, Apple, Mac, or Linux - they're all very easy.
OpenVPN could improve in centralized management.
They might be able to identify if something is missing with Zscaler.
 

Setup Cost

OpenVPN Access Server offers flexible licensing with competitive pricing, combining a free community version with affordable paid options.
Zscaler offers flexible pricing with discounts for larger enterprises, though additional licenses and gateway fees can increase costs.
My experience with pricing is excellent as the pricing is free.
 

Valuable Features

OpenVPN Access Server is open-source, secure, and user-friendly, offering cross-platform support, strong encryption, and seamless remote access.
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange excels in security, scalability, and usability, offering seamless integration and advanced cloud capabilities for organizations.
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.
The solution is cloud-based with the latest inspection engines, which I find to be amazing.
 

Categories and Ranking

OpenVPN Access Server
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
48
Ranking in other categories
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN (2nd)
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange...
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
63
Ranking in other categories
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) (2nd), Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) (5th), Application Control (3rd), ZTNA as a Service (1st), Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) (1st), Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) (12th), Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) (10th), Remote Browser Isolation (RBI) (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Network Security Systems solutions, they serve different purposes. OpenVPN Access Server is designed for Enterprise Infrastructure VPN and holds a mindshare of 13.3%, down 15.5% compared to last year.
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform, on the other hand, focuses on ZTNA as a Service, holds 17.1% mindshare, down 23.1% since last year.
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
ZTNA as a Service
 

Featured Reviews

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.
Sumit Bhanwala - PeerSpot reviewer
Cloud-based platform simplifies device and data center management
I find it to be good. The solution is cloud-based with the latest inspection engines, which I find to be amazing. We are less dependent on data centers and device management, which reduces our efforts significantly. It improves our device management, data center management, and updating devices. We need fewer engineers for this management, and it reduces time and efforts for data center management, device upgrades, and IT support.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
18%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Educational Organization
8%
University
7%
Computer Software Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Insurance Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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?
My experience with pricing is excellent as the pricing is free.
What is the better solution - Prisma Access or Zscaler Private Access?
We looked into Prisma Access before choosing Zscaler Private Access (ZPA). Palo Alto’s Prisma Access is a secure access service edge (SASE) designed to deliver network security in a cloud-deliver...
What do you like most about Zscaler SASE?
The most valuable features of Zscaler Private Access are reliability, scalability, and availability.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Zscaler SASE?
Zscaler SASE is quite expensive compared to other solutions. The price is not fixed and it does not include all of the features, so my advice for organizations would be to evaluate their specific n...
 

Also Known As

OpenVPN
Zscaler SASE, Zscaler DLP, Zscaler CASB, Zscaler CSPM, Zscaler Browser Isolation, Zscaler Posture Control
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Verizon, Amazon, Disney, HP, Microsoft, IBM, Samsung
Siemens, AutoNation, GE, NOV
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet, OpenVPN, Cisco and others in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN. Updated: May 2025.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.