Alternatives to WireGuard

A small, fast VPN protocol and set of official clients that connect two machines by exchanging public keys. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as WireGuard.

  • OpenVPN Community

    The VPN protocol and client that has been the default for two decades, and still runs on everything.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidiOSCommand line

    OpenVPN Community is slower and far more complex to configure, but runs over TCP or UDP on any port and is supported by essentially every router and provider.

  • Algo VPN

    Ansible scripts that stand up a personal WireGuard and IPsec VPN.

    FreeOpen sourcemacOSLinuxCommand line

    Algo VPN uses Ansible scripts to deploy a personal WireGuard and IPsec server with preset crypto and generated client configs, on a cloud server you pay for.

  • AmneziaVPN

    Sets up your own VPN server on a machine you rent, then connects to it, with obfuscated protocols for networks that block ordinary VPNs.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroid

    AmneziaVPN installs a VPN on your rented server from its client and adds obfuscated protocols such as AmneziaWG and Cloak for networks that block ordinary VPNs.

  • Outline VPN

    Self-run VPN server built on Shadowsocks, made for censored networks.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidiOS

    Outline VPN runs a self-hosted Shadowsocks server with a manager app for key sharing, which resists blocking that stops plain WireGuard traffic.

  • nebula

    Connect devices through an encrypted overlay network.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroid

    Nebula builds an encrypted overlay network between many devices using certificates rather than exchanged keys, and has no iOS client listed.

  • innernet

    Private network manager built on WireGuard with peer invitations.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxCommand line

    Innernet builds on WireGuard with invitation-based enrolment and central access rules, removing manual key exchange, but is Linux focused and needs a coordination server.

  • strongSwan

    An open-source IPsec VPN implementation using the IKEv2 and IKEv1 key exchange protocols.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidSelf-hostedCommand line

    strongSwan uses standards-based IPsec with IKEv2 and flexible virtual IP pools, but configuration requires solid IPsec knowledge and is mainly done through files and the command line.

  • WireGuard Easy

    A Docker image that runs a WireGuard VPN server with a web interface for managing clients.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxWebSelf-hosted

    WireGuard Easy packages a WireGuard server with a web admin interface in one Docker container, so clients are managed in a browser, but it requires a Linux host with Docker.

Also worth comparing

These listings name WireGuard as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.

  • Libreswan

    A free IPsec and IKE VPN implementation for Linux, FreeBSD and macOS.

    FreeOpen sourcemacOSLinuxCommand line

    WireGuard replaces IPsec and IKE with a small key-exchange-based protocol that is easier to audit, but each peer's tunnel address is set by hand.

  • Passepartout

    An open-source OpenVPN and WireGuard client for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV.

    FreemiumOpen sourcemacOSiOS

    WireGuard's official clients connect to WireGuard servers on iOS, macOS and other platforms, but do not handle OpenVPN profiles.

  • SoftEther VPN

    An open-source multi-protocol VPN server and client for remote access and site-to-site networking.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxSelf-hosted

    WireGuard replaces the multi-protocol server with a small, auditable protocol using public-key exchange, but peers need tunnel addresses configured by hand or another tool.

  • WireSock Secure Connect

    A WireGuard VPN client for Windows with per-app split tunnelling and DPI evasion options.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindowsCommand line

    WireGuard's official client is free and MIT licensed on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, but lacks per-app split tunnelling and DPI evasion.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.