What Is OpenVPN?
OpenVPN is an open-source VPN protocol that has been the industry standard since its release in 2001. It uses the OpenSSL library for encryption and supports both UDP and TCP transport modes. OpenVPN can be configured with various cipher suites, with AES-256-GCM being the most commonly recommended today.
The protocol operates in userspace rather than the kernel, which provides portability but results in lower performance compared to kernel-level protocols like WireGuard. OpenVPN's codebase exceeds 600,000 lines of code, making comprehensive security audits challenging.
OpenVPN vs WireGuard
While OpenVPN remains widely supported and battle-tested, WireGuard has surpassed it in virtually every measurable metric. WireGuard offers 2-4x faster throughput, millisecond-level connection establishment versus seconds for OpenVPN, and a codebase that is 150x smaller.
When OpenVPN Is Still Useful
OpenVPN can run over TCP port 443, making it look like regular HTTPS traffic. However, modern DPI systems can fingerprint OpenVPN's TLS handshake even on port 443. For true censorship bypass, obfuscated WireGuard (as used by VPNWG with Amnezia) is more effective.
Why VPNWG Chose WireGuard Over OpenVPN
VPNWG exclusively uses WireGuard because it provides superior performance, stronger security, and better mobile experience. Read our detailed comparison.