Top 20 Best Free Open Source VPN (Software / Servers)

Best Top 20 Free Open Source VPN (Benefits). VPN is about having more security on your laptop or mobile when using public Wi-Fi. If you want to  keep your personal data private and protect your computer or mobile phone from the prying eyes of hackers then this review is great for you.

What is VPN

A virtual private network, (VPN) gives you online privacy and anonymity. It creates a private network from a public internet connection. VPN then masks your internet protocol (IP) address so your online actions are not traceable.  VPN establishes secure and encrypted connection for greater privacy, even better than a secured Wi-Fi hotspot.

Best Top 20 Free Open Source VPN

Best Top 20 Free Open Source VPN

1. OpenVPN

OpenVPN is one of the leading open source VPNs that are popular among a global user base. It is a solution that caters to both individual and enterprise users.

OpenVPN features

It works in any configuration including remote access, site to site VPNs, Wi-Fi security and enterprise scale access solutions. It has features like load balancing, failover and access controls. It can tunnel IP sub-networks or virtual Ethernet adapters. Open VPN benefits are: Supports perfect forward secrecy, has firewall compatibility and Better Security (256-bit encryption keys ).

OpenVPN is free to use as long as software license agreements are met.

Download: OpenVPN

2. Libreswan VPN

Libreswan VPN is also one of the best open source VPN tools on the market. It supports common VPN protocols, IPsec, IKEv1 and IKEv2.

This tool is a VPN for Linux distributions since it uses a built in “XFRM” IPsec stack and DDNS crypto library.

It comes as a ready to use package on Red Hat Linux distributions and is compatible with FreeBSD OS and iOS, and Linux 2.4 – 4.x.

Download: Libreswan VPN

3. SoftEther VPN

SoftEther VPN offers protocols such as SSL VPN, L2TP/IPsec, OpenVPN and Microsoft Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol.

SofEther features

  • Virtual Firewall (prevent things like malware and spyware and unauthorized connections).
  • Dynamic Server is flexibility to set up or have it in a cloud (virtualization).
  • Private Connection Network.
  • BYOD (bring your own device) where this VPN’s security and firewall systems makes it perfectly safe to work remotely, or bring your own devices into work with you.
  • SoftEther supports NAT traversal, meaning it helps to run VPN servers on computers that are behind personal gateways, corporate routers, and firewalls. 
  • this VPN uses HTTPS to camouflage connections making firewalls unable to perform deep packet inspections to detect packets that are passing through the VPN’s tunnel.
  • It also offers remote access and control lists

If you like SoftEther VPN as it gives excellent security and privacy, but also a lot more convenience work your business activities, consider this option.

Download: SoftEther VPN

4. Openswan VPN

Openswan VPN is an open source VPN. It is an IPsec integration for Linux and supports most of the extensions (RFC + IETF drafts) related to IPsec – including IKEv2, X.509 Digital Certificates, and NAT Traversal.

Openswan features

  • IPsec
  • IKEv2
  • X.509 Digital Certificates
  • NAT Traversal

Openswan is VPN for Linux and is included in several distributions like Fedora, Red Hat, Ubuntu, Debian (Wheezy) and Gentoo. A detailed wiki and a large community can help with the correct installation, configuration and support of this VPN.

Download: Openswan VPN

5. Freelan VPN

Freelan VPN uses standard, well established cryptographic algorithms to ensure all communications are hidden from prying eyes.

Freelan features

  • creation of local networks
  • multi platform
  • port forwarding,
  • supports back end DNS,
  • IPv6 support,
  • high security with opportunity to choose 128- or 256-bit encryption keys.

This VPN runs as a service in the background and allows users to create private networks to allow for secure connections to enterprise or personal networks. It can be implemented in software and used as a “tunnel” for secure communications.

Freelan is available for most major operating systems like Windows, Linux (and most of its flavors), and runs on Mac OSX (starting with OSX Lion).

Download: Freelan VPN

6. strongSwan

strongSwan is an open source IPsec based VPN solution and runs on Linux (2.6, 3.x, and 4.x kernels), Android, FreeBSD, OS X, iOS, and Windows. It implements both the IKEv1 and IKEv2 (RFC 7296) key exchange protocols.

StrongSwan features

  •  support of IPv6 IPsec tunnel and transport connections.
  • It also offers plugins that further enhance its functionality.
  • Users can choose among three crypto libraries.
  • Split-tunneling.
  • Uses IPsec for data traffic.
  • supports  EAP authentication
  • It offers automatic insertion and deletion of IPsec-policy-based firewall rules.

Download: strongSwan

7. Tinc VPN

Tinc VPN is a free VPN daemon that uses tunneling and encryption to create secure private networks between hosts on the Internet.

Tinc features

  • automatic full mesh routing – where traffic is always (if possible) sent directly to the destination, without going through intermediate hops.
  • It easily extends resident VPNs with the simple addition of a configuration file and nothing more.
  • Encryption and authentication.
  • NAT traversal.
  • Can bridge ethernet segments.

Download: Tinc VPN

8. OpenConnect

OpenConnect is not officially supported by, or associated in any way with, Cisco Systems, Juniper Networks, Pulse Secure, Palo Alto Networks, F5, or Fortinet, or any of the companies whose protocols it supports – but, it does integrate and operate well with their equipment.

OpenConnect features

  • cross platform
  • multi protocol SSL VPN client supports their protocols including Cisco AnyConnect, Array Networks AG SSL VPN, Juniper SSL VPN, Pulse Connect Secure, Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect SSL VPN, F5 Big-IP SSL VPN, and Fortinet Fortigate SSL VPN.

Download: OpenConnect

9. Shrew Soft VPN

Shrew Soft’s VPN Client is a free IPSEC client for Windows and Linux machines. The software offers Virtual Private Network access to organizations to protect their data, applications, and entire network from external threats.

Shrew Soft features

  • easy to install and configure
  • supports a wide variety of vendors.
  • a versatile tool connects to many existing VPN servers like those from the big giants such as Cisco or Juniper.
  • IPsec remote access VPN
  • Open source gateways

Download: Shrew Soft VPN

10. Tcpcrypt

Tcpcrypt is a protocol that attempts to encrypt network traffic right out of the box. It requires no configuration or changes to applications for it to perform its job.

Tcpcrypt features

  • The browsing is much safer.
    Tcpcrypt does work on open source SSL VPN client.
  • compatibility with NATs and also with DSL router.

Tcpcrypt abstracts away authentication, allowing any mechanism to be used. It can be deployed in stages and has a mechanism for probing support and, failing which, falling back to standard, clear-text TCP.

Download: Tcpcrypt

11. VPN Gate

VPN Gate Academic Experiment Project is an online service provided as an academic research at the Graduate School of the University of Tsukuba, Japan. The purpose of the research is to expand the knowledge of “Global Distributed Public VPN Relay Servers.”

VPN Gate features

  • This VPN consists of numerous VPN servers that are provided by volunteers from across the globe and allow anonymous connections.
  • It supports SSL-VPN (SoftEther VPN) protocol,
  • L2TP/IPsec protocol,
  • OpenVPN protocol
  • Microsoft SSTP protocol.

Download: VPN Gate

12. Pritunl

Pritunl VPN features

Pritunl is an Enterprise Distributed OpenVPN, IPsec, and WireGuard Server which virtualizes private networks across data centers and provides simple remote access.

  • It can be used to create cloud VPNs with complex site-to-site links,
  • make gateway links
  • make local network access available to remote users.
  • also helps protect network traffic and remote users connecting over public connections using secure encryption.

Download: Pritunl

13. Tunnelblick

Although not a VPN, per se, Tunnelblick is a free, open source graphic user interface for OpenVPN on OS X and macOS. It provides easy control of OpenVPN client and/or server connections for the operating systems.

Tunnelblick features

Tunnelblick comes as a ready-to-use application with all necessary binaries and drivers (including OpenVPN, easy-rsa, and tun/tap drivers). No additional installation is necessary – except for adding OpenVPN configuration and encryption information. A kill switch feature ensures real IP addresses are not exposed in case the VPN fails.

Download: Tunnelblick

14. Orbot VPN

Next on the list of Best Top 20 Free Open Source VPN (Benefits) is Orbot. It can exclusively be used for Android devices it can also be run on Windows 10 PCs using emulators.

Orbot features

  • TOR to encrypt all of the user’s traffic by bouncing it through computers across the globe.
  • Defends you against network surveillance.
  • Orbot also has a built in VPN feature which helps you bypass firewalls.

 

Orbot brings Tor functionality to Android devices. It lets users connect to the Internet in a secure, private manner using the best features of both proxy servers and VPNs. It encrypts data for total anonymity and keeps mobile communication private while online.

Download: Orbot VPN

15. ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN open source vpn

ProtonVPN sends traffic through an encrypted VPN tunnel, so passwords and confidential data remain safe, even over public or untrusted Internet connections.

It keeps browsing data private as it doesn’t log user activity or share data with third parties. Its VPN Accelerator is a set of technologies that are unique to the product and that can increase VPN speeds by over 400 percent – over hundreds of secure servers across the globe.

Download: ProtonVPN

16. WireGuard

WireGuard is a simple, yet extremely fast, VPN solution that leverages advanced cryptography technologies like the Noise protocol framework, Curve25519, ChaCha20, Poly1305, BLAKE2, SipHash24, HKDF, and secure trusted constructions.

Although this easy-to-deploy and configure VPN was initially released for the Linux kernel, it is now deployable on other platforms like Windows and macOS.

Download: WireGuard

17. Hamachi

Another choice on the list for Best Top 20 Free Open Source VPN (Benefits) is Hamachi . It is a hosted VPN service that secures extended LAN-like networks to distributed teams and remote or mobile workers. It can be run in the background on networked computers to allow round the clock access – even when they are unattended.

It provides remote users with secure access to connect to private networks or LANs from a centralized LogMeIn Hamachi gateway, without the need for configuring firewalls or routers.

Download: Hamachi

18. Algo VPN

Algo VPN is a set of Ansible scripts that simplify the setup of personal IPSEC and WireGuard VPNs. It uses the most secure defaults available, works with common cloud providers, and does not require client software on most devices.

Algo eatures

  • a collection of scripts that lets users quickly deploy personal VPNs without any technical know how required.
  • users can deploy WireGuard or IKEv2/IPSEC-based private networks on their rented VPS at no extra cost.
  • can also set up a limited number of SSH users if tunneling traffic is required,
  • the VPN also blocks ads using local DNS resolvers.
  • KEv2 VPN tunneling and an IPsec-based VPN solution
  • it supports AES-GCM, SHA2 HMAC, and P-256
  • HTTP Proxy and local DNS resolver to effectively block ads

Download: Algo VPN

19. iPIG VPN

Another of Best Top 20 Free Open Source VPN (Benefits) is iPIG VPN. It can be installed in under a minute. It secures all users’ data and personal information. It is free for Windows – with it being compatible with Windows 2000, XP, 2003, and open source SSL VPN client – and secures both in- and outbound connections.

iPIG VPN features

  • uses AES 256-bit encryption to create an obstructive “tunnel” that filters all email, browser, VOIP, and FTP traffic passing through any connection.

Download: iPIG VPN

20. Psiphon

Psiphon is a free open source software solution. It allows users to send and receive data through a secure network while also disguising the type of traffic being transmitted and even where it is coming from.

The numerous secure protocols used by the VPN all appear different to censors, making it difficult to differentiate between Psiphon traffic and other types of Internet use. But, even if one traffic type is filtered on a network, this tool can connect through alternate protocols.

Download: Psiphon

The best top 20 free open source VPN

Well, there you have it. We have listed the best top 20 free open source VPNs that you can use on your device and network. We hope the list is helpful and advise you to always seek the advice of professionals before setting up any security features.

Avatar for Liku Zelleke
Liku Zelleke

Liku Zelleke is a technology blogger who has over two decades experience in the IT industry. He hasn’t looked back since the day, years ago, when he discovered he could combine that experience with his other passion: writing. Today, he writes on topics related to network configuration, optimization, and security for Cloud Infrastructure Services.

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