head to head · open source
algo vs amnezia-client
algo has 30,388 GitHub stars, 2,366 forks, 77 open issues and last shipped 11 days ago. amnezia-client has 15,071 stars, 1,154 forks, 1,126 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. algo leads on adoption by 102% (30,388 vs 15,071 stars). algo is written in Python under AGPL-3.0; amnezia-client is written in C++ under GPL-3.0. algo has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, amnezia-client 8%. amnezia-client was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 5 topic tags (ikev2, vpn, vpn-client, vpn-server), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| algo | amnezia-client | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 30K | ★ 15K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Python | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-09-09 | 2026-09-18 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.4K | ⑂ 1.2K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick algo if
- You weight community size — 30K stars and counting
- You want the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick amnezia-client if
- You want the amnezia-client feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and amnezia-client fits your workflow better
About algo
Algo VPN is a set of Ansible scripts from Trail of Bits, written in Python and released under AGPL 3.0, that turns a fresh cloud virtual machine into a personal WireGuard and IPsec VPN server, and it is aimed at individuals and small teams who want to run their own VPN instead of trusting a hosted provider.
About amnezia-client
Amnezia VPN Client is an open source, GPL 3.0 licensed VPN client for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS that connects to a VPN and also deploys a self hosted VPN server onto hardware the user already controls.
read the full amnezia-client overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is algo or amnezia-client more popular?
algo has 30,388 GitHub stars and amnezia-client has 15,071. algo has the larger community by that measure.
Are algo and amnezia-client free?
Both are open source. algo is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and amnezia-client under GPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between algo and amnezia-client?
algo is written in Python and amnezia-client in C++. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, algo or amnezia-client?
Choose algo if you want the larger community (30,388 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose amnezia-client if its feature set, stack or GPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.