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Networking · head to head

OpenVPN vs QuestDB

OpenVPN logo

OpenVPN

Networking

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
QuestDB logo

QuestDB

Databases

Fast open source time-series database for high throughput ingestion

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: OpenVPN open source OpenVPN, while free, requires real technical skill to configure, secure and maintain without the Access Server admin layer; QuestDB open-source edition lacks high-availability, distributed architecture, and enterprise security features
  • They diverge on capability: OpenVPN covers Open source core, QuestDB covers High Throughput Ingestion.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenVPN and QuestDB actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenVPN and QuestDB differ
AttributeOpenVPNQuestDB
Pricing modelOpen source core is free; Access Server billed per simultaneous connectionopen-source
PlatformsLinux, Windows, macOS, iOS, AndroidDocker, Kubernetes, Cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP)
CategoryNetworkingDatabases
FoundedUnknown2014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 OpenVPN

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

Only in QuestDB

  • High Throughput Ingestion
  • SQL Support
  • Time-series Optimization
  • SIMD Vectorization
  • Column-oriented Storage
  • Built-in Web Console
  • InfluxDB Line Protocol
  • PostgreSQL

What people use each for

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

OpenVPN

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

QuestDB

  • Time-series analytics ingesting up to 20M rows/second from IoT sensors or financial data feedsnot OpenVPN
  • Real-time dashboarding with 32ms time-to-first-row latency for minute-level analyticsnot OpenVPN
  • Applications requiring multi-tier storage (hot ingest, real-time SQL, cold Parquet archive)not OpenVPN

Where each one falls short

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

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

QuestDB

  • Open-source edition lacks high-availability, distributed architecture, and enterprise security features
  • Enterprise edition pricing not published; requires contacting sales for custom quote
  • Ingestion limit of 20M rows/sec platform-dependent; may not scale to extreme throughput requirements

Pricing, plan by plan

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

QuestDB

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the QuestDB review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose QuestDB if

  • You need high throughput ingestion.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP).
  • You also want sql support.
QuestDB review

Questions people ask

Is OpenVPN or QuestDB better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenVPN starts at Free and QuestDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenVPN or QuestDB?
OpenVPN starts at Free and QuestDB at Free.
Does OpenVPN or QuestDB run on more platforms?
OpenVPN runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. QuestDB runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP).
Can I use OpenVPN for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is OpenVPN best used for?
OpenVPN is most often used for a technical team wanting a fully free, self-configured vpn server using the open source protocol without any vendor relationship, a small business wanting a supported, easier-to-administer vpn server, willing to pay per concurrent connection rather than per employee, an organisation with more staff than typical concurrent vpn usage, since access server bills only active simultaneous connections, not total accounts, an iot or large-scale deployment needing custom enterprise pricing above 2,000 connections. Of those, a technical team wanting a fully free, self-configured vpn server using the open source protocol without any vendor relationship and a small business wanting a supported, easier-to-administer vpn server, willing to pay per concurrent connection rather than per employee are not what QuestDB is typically brought in for.
What can OpenVPN do that QuestDB cannot?
OpenVPN covers Open source core, Access Server admin UI, Per-connection licensing, Free tier. QuestDB covers High Throughput Ingestion, SQL Support, Time-series Optimization, SIMD Vectorization.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

QuestDB: How much does QuestDB Enterprise cost?

QuestDB does not publish specific pricing for the Enterprise tier. Customers must contact QuestDB via their enterprise contact form to receive a custom quote.

Source
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.

QuestDB: Does QuestDB offer a free version?

Yes, QuestDB Open Source is completely free and recommended for evaluation, prototyping, and pilot projects. Enterprise features, high availability, security, and dedicated support require the paid Enterprise tier.

Source
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.

QuestDB: What deployment options does QuestDB offer?

QuestDB offers open source deployment, Enterprise deployment, and Bring Your Own Cloud (BYOC) deployment. Pricing details for BYOC and Enterprise tiers are not published and require direct contact with sales.

Source
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