head to head · open source
algo vs OpenVPN
algo has 30,388 GitHub stars, 2,366 forks, 77 open issues and last shipped 11 days ago. OpenVPN has 14,580 stars, 3,403 forks, 226 open issues and last shipped yesterday. algo leads on adoption by 108% (30,388 vs 14,580 stars). algo is written in Python under AGPL-3.0; OpenVPN is written in C under a custom or non-standard licence. algo has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, OpenVPN 23%. OpenVPN was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (security, vpn), 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 | OpenVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 30K | ★ 15K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Custom / other |
| Written in | Python | C |
| Last push | 2026-09-09 | 2026-09-19 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.4K | ⑂ 3.4K |
| 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 OpenVPN if
- You want the OpenVPN feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches C
- You evaluated both and OpenVPN 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 OpenVPN
OpenVPN is open source VPN daemon. It provides secure tunneling for network connections. Project lives in Infrastructure & Operations / Networking & Connectivity ecosystem. Tagline says Zero Trust VPN solutions for secure business networking. GitHub description says OpenVPN is an open source VPN daemon. Repository language is C. GitHub license field says NOASSERTION, while README states GNU General Public License version 2. README states copyright 2002 2026 OpenVPN Inc.
read the full OpenVPN overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is algo or OpenVPN more popular?
algo has 30,388 GitHub stars and OpenVPN has 14,580. algo has the larger community by that measure.
Are algo and OpenVPN free?
Both are open source. algo is licensed under AGPL-3.0, and OpenVPN has no licence declared in this registry. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between algo and OpenVPN?
algo is written in Python and OpenVPN 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 OpenVPN?
Choose algo if you want the larger community (30,388 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose OpenVPN if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.