VPN Tools 2026
VPN tools establish encrypted tunnels between users, sites, or devices and the networks they need to reach, so traffic stays private over untrusted links. The category covers two distinct jobs that share a name: enterprise remote access, connecting a workforce or branch sites to internal systems via IPsec, OpenVPN, or WireGuard, and privacy-grade tunneling that masks traffic and origin from intermediaries. Network teams turn here to secure remote work, link sites, and protect data in transit, though many are actively re-evaluating flat network-layer access against identity-based ZTNA alternatives that grant per-application access instead of dropping users onto the LAN.
We cover 76 VPN tools, 8 free and 68 commercial.
Accuracy and depth improve over time. Last reviewed Sep 2026. Is something off? Reach out.
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USE CASES
New to this category? What is Virtual Private Network (VPN)?
SD networking platform creating encrypted P2P virtual overlays across distributed infra.
Mobile VPN app that encrypts traffic and blocks malicious/phishing sites on Android
Always-on encrypted remote access solution for classified and sensitive government data
Ruggedized classified-data workstation with VPN, encryption & multilevel separation.
Enterprise secure access platform offering VPN, NAC, and zero trust solutions.
Remote access VPN client with IPsec, seamless roaming, NAC, and FIPS 140-2 crypto.
Enterprise VPN solution with centralized client, gateway & mgmt components.
IPsec VPN client suite for Windows & macOS with integrated firewall.
Portfolio of secure remote working solutions compliant with German VS-NfD standard.
VPN software client for Windows with smartcard auth, approved for VS-NfD.
Enterprise VPN software client for secure remote access on Windows devices.
How to choose VPN tools
- Pin down the use case first. Remote workforce access, site-to-site connectivity, and privacy tunneling carry different threat models, and almost no tool does all three well.
- Check the protocol under the hood. WireGuard is lean and fast, IPsec interoperates broadly with existing gear, OpenVPN is flexible and battle-tested. The choice shapes performance and compatibility.
- Decide self-hosted versus managed honestly, based on whether you have the engineering capacity to own key rotation, high availability, and monitoring.
- For enterprise access, look at identity integration, device posture checks, and granular access policy, not just whether the tunnel encrypts. A flat tunnel invites lateral movement.
- Demand audit logging and session visibility. You need to know who connected, from where, and to what, for both incident response and compliance.
- For privacy-focused VPNs, scrutinize jurisdiction, the logging policy, and whether an independent third party has actually audited the no-logs claim.
VPN Tools FAQ
Common questions about VPN tools, selection guides, pricing, and comparisons.
A VPN, or virtual private network, creates an encrypted tunnel between a device and a network so traffic cannot be read or tampered with over untrusted links. In enterprise use it grants remote workers and branch sites access to internal resources. Privacy VPNs serve a different goal: routing traffic through provider infrastructure to hide origin and contents from intermediaries.
Separate the use case first: remote workforce access, site-to-site links, or privacy tunneling. For enterprise access, weigh the protocol (WireGuard, IPsec, OpenVPN), how it handles identity and device posture, audit logging, and scale. Match the tool to your topology and your appetite for self-hosting versus managed. Privacy VPNs hinge on jurisdiction, logging policy, and independent audits.
No. A traditional VPN grants network-layer access: once connected, a user often sees a broad slice of the internal network. ZTNA, or zero trust network access, grants per-application access based on verified identity and device posture, with no implicit network trust. Many teams are migrating remote access from VPN to ZTNA to shrink lateral-movement risk, though VPN still fits site-to-site and legacy scenarios.
Self-hosting options like WireGuard or IPsec gives full control, no per-seat cost, and no third party in your traffic path, but you own key rotation, scaling, high availability, and monitoring. Commercial and managed VPNs add identity integration, device posture, centralized policy, and support. Smaller teams with engineering capacity often self-host; organizations needing audit trails and SSO usually buy.
