⚡ Quick Verdict:
- Pricing: OpenVPN has a Free plan, then Growth at $7/month. AVG VPN bundles start at $4.99/month.
- Best for: OpenVPN suits tech teams and self-hosters. AVG VPN suits beginners who want one-click privacy.
- Key difference: OpenVPN is a protocol plus business software. AVG VPN is a finished consumer app with its own servers.
- Our pick: OpenVPN. Open code and full control over logs beat AVG’s two-year connection records.
OpenVPN and AVG VPN both show up when you search for a safe VPN.
But they aren’t the same kind of product.
Both create virtual private networks, just in very different ways.
OpenVPN is an open source VPN protocol with business software built around it.
AVG VPN is a ready-made app from the antivirus brand AVG.
One hands you full control.
The other hands you a single ON button.
Overview
This OpenVPN vs AVG VPN comparison covers security, privacy, speed, streaming, pricing, and ease of use.
We reviewed documentation, pricing pages, and independent reviews for both tools.
Our writers also spent hands-on time with each one.
Those notes appear in the “What Our Team Noticed” sections below.
What is OpenVPN?
OpenVPN is an open source VPN protocol first released in 2001.
It builds a secure tunnel between a VPN client and a VPN server.
It uses Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS) to set up that tunnel.
Your data traffic gets wrapped in extra layers that add routing info and encryption.
The OpenVPN company, once called OpenVPN Technologies, sells business products built on it.
Its lineup includes OpenVPN Access Server and the free OpenVPN Community Edition.
Most VPN providers also build OpenVPN into their own apps.
Here’s a quick video look at how OpenVPN works.
🏆 Winner: OpenVPN
Run your own private VPN on servers you control. The code is public, and the Community Edition costs nothing.
OpenVPN Pricing
Here’s what OpenVPN costs in 2026.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Testing and small personal setups |
| Growth | $7/month | Small teams that need remote access |
| Enterprise | Custom | Large companies with many sites |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: None needed. The Free plan costs $0, and the Community Edition is free open-source software.
Money-back guarantee: Refund terms depend on the plan. Check OpenVPN’s billing terms before you upgrade.
📌 Note: The Community Edition is self-hosted. You supply the server, the setup time, and the upkeep.
⚠️ Warning: Free doesn’t mean effortless. Manual configuration can eat hours if you’re new to networking.
Key Benefits of OpenVPN
Here’s what makes OpenVPN worth a look:
- Open Code: Anyone can inspect the source for flaws. A global developer community reviews it and ships fixes fast.
- Two Transport Modes: Pick OpenVPN UDP for speed. Pick OpenVPN TCP when you need every packet delivered in order.
- Cipher Choice: It taps the OpenSSL library for AES, Blowfish, and other encryption algorithms. You set the key lengths.
- Perfect Forward Secrecy: Fresh encryption keys limit the damage from any single leak. One breach won’t expose all your data.
- Firewall-Friendly: It passes through firewalls and NAT gateways well. That helps on locked-down office or hotel networks.
- Wide Platform Support: It runs on major operating systems, plus niche ones like Tomato and Solaris. IPv4 and IPv6 both work.
What Our Team Noticed
Our writer spent hands-on time installing and using OpenVPN. Here’s what stood out:
OpenVPN Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Free Community Edition with no time limit
- Open-source code anyone can inspect
- Choice of TCP for reliability or UDP for speed
- Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS
- Scales from one user to site-to-site networks
❌ Cons
- Manual configuration takes technical skill
- Slower than newer protocols like WireGuard
- Less smooth on mobile devices than on desktop
What is AVG VPN?
AVG VPN, also sold as AVG Secure VPN, is a consumer VPN service.
It comes from AVG, the antivirus brand owned by Avast.
It hides your IP address and encrypts your online activity.
That keeps sensitive data like banking logins, emails, and browsing history safe on public Wi-Fi.
Your traffic passes your internet service provider inside an encrypted tunnel.
The main screen has one big ON button, so beginners connect fast.
AVG apps run on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Android TV.
This short AVG VPN review video shows the app in action.
AVG VPN
Tap ON and your traffic is encrypted. One subscription covers 10 devices, with a 60-day free trial.
AVG VPN Pricing
AVG sells its VPN inside security bundles. Here’s the current lineup.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| AVG Antivirus Free | Free | Basic virus protection |
| AVG Internet Security | $4.99/month | Extra PC and web security |
| AVG Ultimate | $4.99/month | Antivirus plus Secure VPN in one |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: AVG Secure VPN offers a 60-day free trial for new users. You must create an account and add a payment option first.
Money-back guarantee: Paid subscriptions come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
📌 Note: AVG Ultimate is the bundle that lists Secure VPN. Check that your plan includes the VPN before you pay.
⚠️ Price check: Some review sites list AVG Secure VPN alone at about $54 per year. They also say it has no monthly VPN plan. Confirm the exact price at checkout.
Key Benefits of AVG VPN
Here’s what makes AVG VPN worth a look:
- One-Click Setup: Launch the app and tap ON. There’s nothing to configure.
- 10 Devices: One subscription covers up to 10 devices at once. That’s generous next to many rivals.
- Kill Switch by Default: Internet access stops if the VPN drops. Your real IP stays hidden.
- AES-256 Encryption: Data leaving your device gets scrambled. Snoops on public Wi-Fi see only noise.
- Streaming Servers: Dedicated servers target Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. They also handle torrenting.
- Shared IPs: Many users share one server IP. That makes any single person harder to trace.
- Many Languages: The app comes in multiple languages. Non-English speakers can use it easily.
What Our Team Noticed
Our writer spent hands-on time with AVG VPN on everyday browsing. Here’s what stood out:
AVG VPN Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- 60-day free trial for new users
- Covers up to 10 devices at once
- One-click connect suits beginners
- Kill switch is on by default
❌ Cons
- Keeps connection event logs for two years
- No independent privacy audit
- No monthly VPN subscription option
- Basic settings and few protocol options
Feature Comparison
Now let’s put OpenVPN vs AVG VPN side by side. We’ll cover nine key areas, then pricing.
| Feature | OpenVPN | AVG VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Paid Price | $7/month | $4.99/month |
| Free Option | ✅ Free plan | ❌ 60-day trial only |
| Ready-Made Server Network | ❌ Bring your own | ✅ 50+ locations |
| One-Click App | ❌ | ✅ |
| Open-Source Code | ✅ | ❌ |
| TCP & UDP Choice | ✅ | ❌ |
| Kill Switch | ⚠️ Client setting | ✅ On by default |
| Site-to-Site Networking | ✅ | ❌ |
| Bundled Antivirus | ❌ | ✅ |
| Best For | Tech teams, self-hosters | Beginners, families |
1. What You’re Really Buying
OpenVPN: OpenVPN is a tunneling protocol plus the OpenVPN software to run it. You install OpenVPN on a server you control. Then you connect with an OpenVPN client like OpenVPN Connect. There’s no built-in list of countries to pick from.
AVG VPN: AVG VPN is a finished VPN service. AVG runs the VPN servers, and you just pick a location. It works like most VPN services on the market.
⚠️ Warning: Many VPN providers run the OpenVPN protocol inside their own apps. Any OpenVPN compatible service also hands out config files for OpenVPN Connect. So you’re choosing a product here, not just a protocol.
2. Encryption & Protocols
OpenVPN: OpenVPN supports several encryption ciphers, including AES and Blowfish. It runs over UDP (User Datagram Protocol) for speed. It also runs over TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) for reliability. TCP delivers every packet in order, while UDP drops that check to go faster.
Security guides place it on lists of the safest VPN protocols. It offers better security than most VPN protocols, including older PPTP.
Security goes deeper than ciphers. With certificate-based authentication OpenVPN verifies both the client and server. Those certificates come from a public key infrastructure. The TLS auth option adds a hash message authentication code (HMAC) to each packet. This HMAC firewall drops unsigned traffic before it reaches the server.
AVG VPN: AVG uses AES 256-bit encryption on every connection. AVG Secure VPN’s default protocol is Mimic. It’s a custom security protocol built to slip past VPN blockers. It’s fast, but AVG shares few details on how Mimic protects data.
⚠️ Warning: AVG lacks advanced features and has a basic settings menu. If you want to tune encryption protocols yourself, it won’t let you.
3. Privacy & Logging
OpenVPN: Self-hosted OpenVPN servers log only what you tell them to. You own the server, so you own the logs. The open source OpenVPN protocol means anyone can check for hidden tracking. That transparency is what keeps OpenVPN safe.
Business plans also add DNS security and content filtering. That blocks risky domains before a page even loads.
AVG VPN: AVG doesn’t log your originating IP, DNS queries, visited websites, or emails. But it keeps connection timestamps and data usage totals to plan server capacity. Connection event logs stay for two years.
⚠️ Warning: AVG is based in the Czech Republic, which follows EU data retention laws. Its transparency reports show it has shared user data with authorities. No independent audit backs its privacy claims.
4. Servers & Connection Speed
OpenVPN: OpenVPN has no public server network of its own. Your speed depends on your server hardware, location, and mode. Compared to other VPN protocols like WireGuard, it’s slower, especially in TCP mode. The UDP protocol mode is the faster pick among its tunneling protocols.
AVG VPN: AVG’s feature list promises 50+ server locations, and one source counts 700+ servers. Published country counts range from 36 to 66. Coverage leans on Europe and North America, including the UK, France, Canada, and Australia.
Speed is AVG’s weak spot. One independent test found it kept 31% of base download speed and 19% of upload. Connection speed like that is fine for browsing but can lag on big downloads.
5. Streaming & Geo-Unblocking
OpenVPN: OpenVPN can’t unblock Netflix by itself. Streaming sites see your server’s IP, which is often a home or cloud address. Results depend on where you host your OpenVPN servers.
AVG VPN: AVG has dedicated servers for streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. One independent ranking placed it #29 of 61 VPNs for streaming. It unblocked US Netflix and BBC iPlayer, but other servers may get blocked.
💡 Pro Tip: Connecting takes a few seconds. If a stream fails, clear cookies and switch to a streaming server. That usually lets the site properly load again. If the app won’t respond, check your internet and restart it.
6. Devices & Ease of Use
OpenVPN: OpenVPN runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. With manual configuration, there’s no hard device cap beyond what your server handles. The mobile apps feel less polished than desktop. The OpenVPN GUI on Windows also takes some getting used to.
OpenVPN Connect is free client software. Many third-party VPN clients also read the same .ovpn config files.
It also protects smart devices. Sensors, cameras, and other IoT gear can talk over encrypted OpenVPN connections.
AVG VPN: AVG covers up to 10 devices on one subscription. You can protect a laptop, phone, and tablet together. Unlike a browser extension, it covers every app on the device. One independent ranking placed it #36 of 61 for user experience, praising simplicity over depth.
7. Remote Access for Teams
OpenVPN: This is where OpenVPN shines. Companies use OpenVPN Access Server to give staff remote access to private networks. Secure connections scale from one remote worker to large organizations.
It also links whole offices. Site-to-site networking connects branches by creating VPN tunnels between their routers.
Zero trust rules take it further. Each person reaches only the apps they need, and nothing else.
AVG VPN: AVG VPN lacks these capabilities. It protects one person’s devices, not a company network. There’s no admin console for managing staff access.
8. Cloud & Identity Protection
OpenVPN: OpenVPN’s business plans lock down SaaS apps. Only traffic from your VPN can reach tools like your CRM or HR system.
Admins also see which cloud apps staff use. Anything unapproved can be blocked.
AVG VPN: AVG leans toward personal identity instead. AVG Secure Identity helps guard passwords and personal details. It fits home users more than IT teams.
9. Extra Security Tools
OpenVPN: OpenVPN is VPN-only. It doesn’t scan for malware or clean your computer. You’ll need separate antivirus software.
AVG VPN: AVG’s paid bundles pair the VPN with antivirus tools. You get virus scanning and malware protection from one vendor. For families who want one bill, that’s handy.
The bundle’s scan and cleaner tools also clear junk that slows older laptops.
10. Pricing & Cost
Here are both price lists side by side.
| Tier | OpenVPN | AVG VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free: $0 | AVG Antivirus Free: Free |
| Paid | Growth: $7/month | AVG Internet Security: $4.99/month |
| Top | Enterprise: Custom | AVG Ultimate: $4.99/month |
OpenVPN: The Free plan and Community Edition cost nothing, but you pay in setup time. Growth suits small teams, while Enterprise pricing is quoted per company. Value is high if you have the skills.
AVG VPN: The paid bundles are cheaper to start than OpenVPN Growth. AVG Ultimate adds the VPN on top of antivirus. The 60-day trial gives you plenty of time to decide.
Different Scenarios
| If You Need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Zero-cost VPN you control | OpenVPN | Free Community Edition |
| No tech skills | AVG VPN | One-click ON button |
| Netflix or Hulu | AVG VPN | Dedicated streaming servers |
| Company remote access | OpenVPN | Access Server and site-to-site |
| Control over logs | OpenVPN | You own the server |
| Antivirus plus VPN | AVG VPN | Bundled security tools |
💰 Your Budget
OpenVPN is free if you can host it yourself. AVG costs money but saves you setup time.
🔌 Your Tech Stack
OpenVPN plugs into routers, firewalls, and cloud servers. AVG only lives on personal devices like phones and laptops.
🎯 Your Main Goal
Pick OpenVPN to secure business data or reach a home network. Pick AVG to stream, browse, and stay private on public Wi-Fi.
🎓 Your Experience Level
New VPN users will find AVG far easier. OpenVPN rewards people who know networking basics.
🆓 Free Trials and Demos
AVG gives you 60 days to try the full app. OpenVPN’s Free plan lets you test with no deadline.
🛟 Support Options
AVG users get help through AVG’s support center. Free OpenVPN users rely mostly on community forums and docs.
Switching Guide
Already using one of these tools? Here’s what to expect if you switch.
🔄 Switching from OpenVPN to AVG VPN?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Ready-made servers in 50+ locations
- Streaming servers for Netflix and Hulu
- Antivirus in the same bundle
❌ What you’ll lose:
- Open-source code you can audit
- Full control over logs and ciphers
- Site-to-site and team remote access
📋 How to switch:
- Note which devices and networks use your OpenVPN profiles
- Start AVG’s 60-day free trial and install the app
- Tap ON, then remove old .ovpn profiles you no longer need
🔄 Switching from AVG VPN to OpenVPN?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Your own server with no third-party logs
- Choice of TCP or UDP and your own ciphers
- Private network access for teams
❌ What you’ll lose:
- One-click setup on every device
- Streaming-focused servers
- Bundled antivirus and identity tools
📋 How to switch:
- Cancel AVG within 30 days if you want a refund
- Set up OpenVPN Access Server or a Community Edition server
- Install OpenVPN Connect and import your .ovpn config file
What Our Review Didn’t Cover
This comparison focused on home users and small teams. We didn’t benchmark self-hosted OpenVPN speeds across different server hardware. We also didn’t evaluate OpenVPN Enterprise quotes or AVG pricing in every region. Details reflect the September 2026 versions of both tools.
Final Verdict
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| 💰 Pricing | OpenVPN |
| 🔒 Security & Privacy | OpenVPN |
| 👶 Ease of Use | AVG VPN |
| 📺 Streaming | AVG VPN |
| 🏢 Remote Access | OpenVPN |
| 🛡️ Extra Security Tools | AVG VPN |
| ⚙️ Flexibility | OpenVPN |
| 🏆 Overall Winner | OpenVPN |
🏆 WINNER: OPENVPN
OpenVPN wins 4 out of 7 categories.
Best for: Self-hosted VPNs, team remote access, privacy-first users
OpenVPN and AVG VPN solve different problems. OpenVPN gives you the engine and lets you build the car. AVG hands you the keys to a finished one.
AVG VPN fits beginners who want streaming and antivirus in one bundle. Its two-year connection logs and missing audit are the trade-offs.
If you care about transparency and control, OpenVPN is the better choice. Just budget time for the setup.
More of OpenVPN Compared
Here’s how OpenVPN stacks up against other VPN providers:
OpenVPN wins on: free self-hosted edition, public code you can audit, and site-to-site links between offices
NordVPN wins on: a large ready-made server network, one-click apps, and its fast WireGuard-based NordLynx protocol
OpenVPN wins on: no subscription needed, full control over ciphers, and private network access for staff
ExpressVPN wins on: OpenVPN comes pre-configured in its apps, speeds are high, and its Lightway protocol is built for quick connects
OpenVPN wins on: self-hosting, zero trust access rules, and secure IoT communication
ProtonVPN wins on: a free consumer plan with no data cap, Swiss privacy laws, and Secure Core multi-hop servers
More of AVG VPN Compared
Here’s how AVG VPN stacks up against other VPN services:
AVG VPN vs Private Internet Access
AVG VPN wins on: a longer free trial, antivirus from the same brand, and a simpler main screen
Private Internet Access wins on: it lets you pick your OpenVPN encryption level, allows unlimited devices, and offers open-source apps
AVG VPN vs Surfshark
AVG VPN wins on: a 60-day trial, bundled antivirus, and dead-simple controls
Surfshark wins on: OpenVPN and WireGuard as protocol options, unlimited simultaneous devices, and split tunneling
AVG VPN wins on: a kill switch on by default, a trial with no upfront charge, and one bill for antivirus
CyberGhost wins on: an easy toggle to switch to OpenVPN, servers labeled for each streaming platform, and a longer money-back window on long plans
Frequently Asked Questions
Is OpenVPN free?
Yes. The OpenVPN Community Edition is free open-source software, and the OpenVPN Connect client costs nothing. Business plans start with Growth at $7/month.
Is it safe to use OpenVPN?
Yes. It uses SSL/TLS, strong ciphers, and Perfect Forward Secrecy. Safety depends on setup, so keep the server up to date and use strong keys.
What is the difference between VPN and OpenVPN?
A VPN is the service that hides your traffic. OpenVPN is one protocol that builds the encrypted tunnel. Many VPN services run it inside their apps.
Is AVG VPN any good?
It’s good for beginners who want one-click privacy and streaming servers. Privacy-focused users may skip it because of two-year connection logs and no independent audit.
Is AVG Secure VPN safe to use?
Yes, for everyday browsing. It uses AES-256 encryption and a default kill switch. It does keep connection timestamps and data usage, so it isn’t fully anonymous.
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