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Most buyers should pick Tailscale.
Choose Tailscale if you want managed, identity-based connectivity across users, devices, cloud and on-prem infrastructure, and can budget per user: Standard starts at $8/user/month. Choose OpenVPN Access Server if self-hosting and control over deployment matter more; its free tier covers two connections, while Growth is listed at $70/month billed yearly and monthly billing is unpublished. The plans price different units, so compare your expected users or connections before switching.
01Side by side
| Tailscale | OpenVPN Access Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Paid starting price | Standard: $8/user/month | Growth: $70/month billed yearly |
| Free plan | Free forever; up to 6 users | Free forever; up to 2 connections |
| Best for | Teams needing identity-based access across infrastructure | Businesses wanting a self-hosted VPN server |
| Core strength | Identity-based mesh access across cloud and on-prem | Self-hosted deployment and customizable access policies |
| Learning curve | Review ease-of-use score: 8/10 | Review ease-of-use score: 6.5/10 |
| Deployment & integrations | Cloud/on-prem mesh; SCIM and MDM configuration | IaaS, Docker, Linux, Hyper-V, VMware ESXi |
| Team/seat costs | $8 per user/month on Standard | $7 per connection/month; Growth billing details vary |
| Support | SLA support add-ons separately scoped | Growth lists 24/7 support and priority support |
Tailscale Choose Tailscale if
- Choose Tailscale if you want identity-based access across cloud and on-prem infrastructure.
- Choose Tailscale if per-user pricing fits your team.
- Choose Tailscale if you need SCIM and MDM configuration.
OpenVPN Access Server Choose OpenVPN Access Server if
- Choose OpenVPN Access Server if you need a self-hosted VPN.
- Choose OpenVPN Access Server if you want to select your deployment platform.
- Choose OpenVPN Access Server if 24/7 Growth support matters.
02Pricing compared
Tailscale’s Personal plan is free for up to 6 users, with unlimited user devices. Standard starts at $8 per user per month and includes unlimited users; Premium is $18 per user per month. Annual rates are not published. Enterprise pricing is custom.
OpenVPN Access Server’s free tier covers up to 2 connections. Growth is listed at $70 per month billed yearly, with plan details also stating $7 per connection per month; the monthly-billing total is not published. Growth supports up to 2,000 connections, and custom packages are available from 2,000 or more. Enterprise & IoT pricing is custom.
These plans price different units: users for Tailscale and connections for OpenVPN. Model your expected usage before comparing totals. Both products list a 14-day free trial.
03Features and depth
Tailscale is built around managed, identity-based connectivity. Its listed capabilities include least-privilege access, connections to cloud and on-prem environments, and access to infrastructure such as Kubernetes clusters without bastions. It also offers private app access without public exposure and connectivity for CI/CD pipelines and runners. Standard includes SCIM and MDM configuration; higher-tier features include just-in-time resource access, advanced SSH, and network flow logs.
OpenVPN Access Server is a self-hosted business VPN server. The product says it can run on IaaS providers, Docker, Linux, Hyper-V, and VMware ESXi. Its listed controls include identity- and device-based verification, customizable access policies, private tunnels, and routing internet traffic through the server.
The difference is operational as much as functional: Tailscale emphasizes identity-based connectivity across users, devices, and infrastructure, while OpenVPN gives teams deployment control over a VPN server. OpenVPN lists broad hosting options; Tailscale lists managed connectivity features.
04Ease of use and learning curve
Tailscale is the more managed option in this comparison: its product details focus on connecting users, devices, apps, and infrastructure, rather than operating a VPN server yourself. Standard includes SCIM and MDM configuration, while Enterprise offers implementation assistance. That can reduce server-management work, but the pricing is per user and comes with vendor reliance.
OpenVPN Access Server requires a self-hosted deployment, with supported environments including Linux, Docker, IaaS, Hyper-V, and VMware ESXi. That gives teams more control over where the server runs, but means choosing and managing a deployment. Its free tier is limited to 2 connections, so larger teams need to assess Growth or custom pricing. The published product details do not quantify setup time or administration effort for either product.
Questions people ask
Is Tailscale a VPN?
Tailscale describes itself as an identity-based connectivity platform and a way to replace legacy VPNs; the review also calls it a managed VPN alternative. Its listed model emphasizes connecting users, devices, apps, and infrastructure with identity-based access, rather than describing a self-hosted VPN server.
Is WireGuard better than OpenVPN?
The published product information does not specify Tailscale’s underlying protocol or provide a WireGuard-versus-OpenVPN benchmark, so we can’t call one better based on these sources. Compare the deployment model, access controls, and pricing instead: Tailscale is managed and per user; Access Server is self-hosted and priced by connection.
What is an OpenVPN Access Server?
OpenVPN Access Server is a self-hosted business VPN server for secure remote access and customizable access control. OpenVPN says it can run on IaaS providers, Docker, Linux, Hyper-V, and VMware ESXi, with policies based on identity, device, and IP.
How do you access a server via Tailscale?
Tailscale lists infrastructure access, including Kubernetes, and says it can connect to infrastructure without bastions. The published details do not provide setup steps for accessing a particular server or explain a specific Access Server integration, so check the product documentation for configuration instructions.