What is the main difference between OpenVPN and WireGuard?

OpenVPN and WireGuard are both vpn & secure access tools but differ in their approach, features, and target audience. Compare their GitHub stats, technology stack, and community adoption to make the best choice.

Which is better: OpenVPN or WireGuard?

The choice between OpenVPN and WireGuard depends on your specific needs, technical requirements, and team preferences. Both are quality open source solutions with active communities.

Can I migrate from OpenVPN to WireGuard?

Migration between OpenVPN and WireGuard is possible but requires careful planning. Consider data export/import capabilities, feature parity, and potential workflow changes.

Openlane – Open-source, developer-first platform for automated compliance, risk management, and built-in Trust Center.

Learn more

OpenVPN vs WireGuard

Learn how OpenVPN and WireGuard differ in their key features, development activity, technology stack and community adoption, so you can decide which of these vpn & secure access tools is best for you.

OpenVPN

Secure remote access VPN solutions with zero trust network access. Self-hosted and cloud-managed options for businesses of all sizes. Trusted by 20,000+ organizations.

Visit OpenVPN Read more

14,822stars+131(+0.9%)

Last 30 days

Last commit
5 hours ago
Repository age
15 years
Version
v2.7.9
Self-hosted
Yes
Repository
openvpn/openvpn

WireGuard

VPN protocol that runs inside the Linux kernel, using public-key cryptography to create encrypted tunnels across UDP with minimal configuration.

Visit WireGuard Read more

744stars+16(+2.2%)

Last 30 days

Last commit
5 days ago
Repository age
7 years
License
GPL-2.0
Repository
wireguard-tools

Detailed Comparison

Both OpenVPN and WireGuard have their unique strengths and serve similar purposes effectively. Consider your specific needs regarding popularity, growth, activity, technology, maturity, licensing and features when making your decision.

OpenVPN wins

Community & Popularity

OpenVPN significantly outpaces WireGuard in community adoption with 14,822 stars compared to 744 stars on GitHub. This 19.9x difference suggests OpenVPN has a much larger and more active community. In terms of developer contributions, OpenVPN has 3,436 forks, indicating strong developer engagement.

WireGuard wins

Growth Momentum

WireGuard is growing faster, adding 16 stars in the last 30 days (+2.2%) against adding 131 stars for OpenVPN (+0.9%). WireGuard is the smaller project of the two, so it is closing the gap rather than extending a lead.

Comparable

Development Activity

Both projects show recent activity, with OpenVPN last updated 5 hours ago and WireGuard 5 days ago.

Comparable

Technology Stack

Both tools share common technology foundations, being built with Bash, Python, C, Objective-C. However, they differ in their additional technology choices: OpenVPN uses Perl while WireGuard leverages JavaScript, Golang, Rust, C++, Haskell.

OpenVPN wins

Project Maturity

OpenVPN has been in development longer, starting 15 years ago, compared to WireGuard which began 7 years ago. This 7.8-year head start suggests OpenVPN may have more mature features and established processes.

WireGuard wins

Licensing

WireGuard is licensed under GPL-2.0, while OpenVPN's license terms are not publicly specified.

Comparable

Use Cases & Features

Both tools serve similar use cases in VPN & Secure Access.

OpenVPN wins

Hosting & Deployment

OpenVPN provides self-hosting options for complete data control and customization, while WireGuard may be primarily cloud-based or require different deployment approaches.

Other tool comparisons to consider