Open Source VPN & Secure Access Software
VPN & Secure Access software creates encrypted tunnels to protect network traffic and manage remote connections to private servers. These tools establish secure paths for data to travel between devices, bypassing public internet exposure and restrictive firewall rules. This type of software serves network administrators and privacy-conscious users who need to manage their own access logs and encryption keys. Self-hosting these apps ensures that connection metadata and identity-based access rules remain on private hardware rather than on external corporate servers.
This page lists 17 open source tools in the VPN & Secure Access category. The most popular are Clash Verge, Tailscale and Netbird. Most use the Apache-2.0 or GPL-3.0 license, and 11 offer an official Docker image.
Clash Verge
A cross platform GUI client for managing rule based network tunnels and proxy configurations via Tauri.
Tailscale
Creates private WireGuard networks to connect devices across clouds, VPCs, and on-premises networks without modifying firewall rules.
Netbird
Creates a WireGuard based overlay network with centralized access control for secure peer to peer connectivity.
Clash Party
A graphical user interface for the Mihomo core to manage network proxies and subscription configurations.
Pangolin
Provides identity-based remote access to private networks and web applications using WireGuard and reverse proxy tunnels.
OpenVPN
Creates secure point to point or site to site connections using a tunneling daemon for encrypted network traffic.
Clash Nyanpasu
A desktop graphical user interface for managing rule based network tunnels and proxy configurations.
Outline
Create and manage a private VPN server to provide secure internet access across multiple desktop platforms.
FireZone
Manage remote access with zero trust policies and peer to peer connections built on the WireGuard protocol.
Warpgate
A transparent bastion host for managing secure access to SSH, HTTPS, Kubernetes, MySQL, PostgreSQL, RDP and VNC.
Mullvad VPN
A privacy preserving VPN client for desktop and mobile that secures internet traffic using WireGuard.
Outline Server
A proxy server running a Shadowsocks instance with a REST API for managing access keys.
Cosmos Server
Manage and secure home servers with a built-in reverse proxy, authentication server, and container management system.
Tinyproxy
A light-weight HTTP and SSL proxy daemon designed for small network settings and POSIX operating systems.
Pomerium
An identity and context-aware reverse proxy for secure, clientless connections to internal web applications and services.
OpenZiti
A zero-trust networking platform that makes network services invisible to unauthorized users through cryptographic identity.
Defguard
A self-hosted remote access platform combining WireGuard VPN with identity management and multi-factor authentication.
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