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Networking · head to head

Cisco Meraki vs OpenVPN

Cisco Meraki logo

Cisco Meraki

Networking

Cloud-managed networking hardware where the licence is mandatory and the hardware stops passing traffic if it lapses

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenVPN logo

OpenVPN

Networking

Open source VPN protocol with a commercial Access Server product priced per simultaneous connection

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenVPN has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cisco Meraki the licence is mandatory and recurring for the life of the hardware; after a 30-day grace period past expiry, devices stop forwarding traffic entirely, which is an operational outage risk unlike almost any other hardware purchase; OpenVPN open source OpenVPN, while free, requires real technical skill to configure, secure and maintain without the Access Server admin layer
  • They diverge on capability: Cisco Meraki covers Cloud dashboard management, OpenVPN covers Open source core.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cisco Meraki and OpenVPN actually diverge.

Attributes where Cisco Meraki and OpenVPN differ
AttributeCisco MerakiOpenVPN
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquote, hardware plus mandatory recurring licenceOpen source core is free; Access Server billed per simultaneous connection
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidLinux, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Networking).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Cisco Meraki

  • Cloud dashboard management
  • Zero-touch provisioning
  • Co-termination licensing
  • Unified hardware line
  • API and integrations

Only in OpenVPN

  • Open source core
  • Access Server admin UI
  • Per-connection licensing
  • Free tier
  • Cross-platform clients

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cisco Meraki

  • A multi-site retail or education organisation that wants one dashboard to manage networking hardware across many locations without local IT staff at each sitenot OpenVPN
  • An IT team that values zero-touch provisioning for rapid rollout of new sites over local configuration controlnot OpenVPN
  • An organisation that has already standardised on Cisco and wants Meraki's simplified cloud management alongside existing Cisco infrastructurenot OpenVPN
  • A managed service provider running Meraki across client sites who bills the licence cost through to clients as part of a managed contractnot OpenVPN

OpenVPN

  • A technical team wanting a fully free, self-configured VPN server using the open source protocol without any vendor relationshipnot Cisco Meraki
  • A small business wanting a supported, easier-to-administer VPN server, willing to pay per concurrent connection rather than per employeenot Cisco Meraki
  • An organisation with more staff than typical concurrent VPN usage, since Access Server bills only active simultaneous connections, not total accountsnot Cisco Meraki
  • An IoT or large-scale deployment needing custom Enterprise pricing above 2,000 connectionsnot Cisco Meraki

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cisco Meraki

  • The licence is mandatory and recurring for the life of the hardware; after a 30-day grace period past expiry, devices stop forwarding traffic entirely, which is an operational outage risk unlike almost any other hardware purchase
  • There is no perpetual or offline fallback mode, so fully depreciated hardware still requires an active subscription to function, meaning the true cost of ownership never drops to zero the way owned hardware normally would
  • Co-termination licensing ties all devices on an organisation to a single renewal date, so adding a device mid-cycle requires paying a prorated amount to align to that date rather than a clean incremental cost
  • Configuration and monitoring depend entirely on Cisco's cloud dashboard being reachable; a local network outage that also cuts cloud connectivity limits visibility into what is happening on-site
  • Pricing is quote-only and bundled with hardware, so a buyer cannot compare a straightforward per-device licence cost against competitors without going through a sales process
  • Switching away from Meraki after adoption means replacing hardware, not just software, since the devices are functionally useless without a Meraki licence and cannot be repurposed to run other firmware

OpenVPN

  • Open source OpenVPN, while free, requires real technical skill to configure, secure and maintain without the Access Server admin layer
  • Per-connection billing on Access Server means usage spikes, such as an all-hands remote day, can push simultaneous connections over a licensed limit and block new connections until usage drops or the plan is upgraded
  • OpenVPN's traditional hub-and-spoke architecture routes traffic through a central server, unlike mesh VPN tools like Tailscale or NetBird that establish direct peer-to-peer connections where possible, which can add latency
  • Client configuration and certificate management for the open source version is more manual and error-prone than newer VPN tools with zero-config onboarding
  • Access Server pricing above the Growth tier reverts to custom Enterprise quoting, so very large deployments lose the pricing transparency of the lower tiers
  • The protocol's throughput is generally lower than newer kernel-integrated protocols like WireGuard under equivalent conditions, which matters for high-bandwidth use cases

Pricing, plan by plan

Cisco Meraki

On request
  • Meraki hardware plus licence$undefined/year
    • Device hardware purchase
    • Co-termed licence required for the device to function
    • Licence renewal required indefinitely for continued operation

OpenVPN

Free
  • Access Server FreeFree
    • Up to 2 simultaneous connections
    • All features included
  • Access Server Growth$7/month
    • Per simultaneous connection beyond the free tier
    • Annual billing
  • Access Server Enterprise/IoT$undefined/month
    • Custom pricing for 2,000+ connections

Which should you pick?

Choose Cisco Meraki if

  • You need cloud dashboard management.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want zero-touch provisioning.
Cisco Meraki review

Choose OpenVPN if

  • You need open source core.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
  • You also want access server admin ui.
OpenVPN review

Questions people ask

Is Cisco Meraki or OpenVPN better?
Neither clearly leads. Cisco Meraki starts at On request and OpenVPN at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cisco Meraki or OpenVPN?
OpenVPN has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cisco Meraki and Free for OpenVPN.
Does Cisco Meraki or OpenVPN run on more platforms?
Cisco Meraki runs on Web, iOS, Android. OpenVPN runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
Can I use OpenVPN for free?
Yes. OpenVPN has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cisco Meraki starts at On request.
What is Cisco Meraki best used for?
Cisco Meraki is most often used for a multi-site retail or education organisation that wants one dashboard to manage networking hardware across many locations without local it staff at each site, an it team that values zero-touch provisioning for rapid rollout of new sites over local configuration control, an organisation that has already standardised on cisco and wants meraki's simplified cloud management alongside existing cisco infrastructure, a managed service provider running meraki across client sites who bills the licence cost through to clients as part of a managed contract. Of those, a multi-site retail or education organisation that wants one dashboard to manage networking hardware across many locations without local it staff at each site and an it team that values zero-touch provisioning for rapid rollout of new sites over local configuration control are not what OpenVPN is typically brought in for.
What can Cisco Meraki do that OpenVPN cannot?
Cisco Meraki covers Cloud dashboard management, Zero-touch provisioning, Co-termination licensing, Unified hardware line. OpenVPN covers Open source core, Access Server admin UI, Per-connection licensing, Free tier.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cisco Meraki: What happens if we stop paying for the licence?

After the licence reaches its co-termination date there is a 30-day grace period, after which the organisation is marked out of compliance, devices become unmanageable, and hardware stops passing traffic.

OpenVPN: Is OpenVPN free?

The open source protocol and software are free under the GPL; Access Server, the commercial packaged product, charges per simultaneous connection beyond a free 2-connection tier.

Cisco Meraki: Can Meraki hardware run without the cloud dashboard?

No, Meraki devices require ongoing cloud connectivity and a valid licence to operate; there is no supported offline or perpetual mode.

OpenVPN: What counts as a connection for billing purposes?

A simultaneously active connected device, not a registered user account or total device count; unlimited accounts and devices can be created but only the licensed number can be connected at once.

Cisco Meraki: Is pricing published?

No, Meraki hardware and licensing are quoted per deal rather than listed at fixed public prices.

OpenVPN: How does OpenVPN compare with WireGuard-based tools like Tailscale?

OpenVPN uses a traditional hub-and-spoke VPN architecture rather than the mesh, peer-to-peer approach used by newer tools like Tailscale or NetBird.

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