OpenVPN Connect – OpenVPN App Reviews

by Cpdb

Sonic tech support tells me the #1 way to protect myself from malicious coworker hackers is to use their VPN. But OpenVPNConnect regularly disconnects and it doesn’t indicate that it has disconnect. What’s worst then not knowing if you are protected or not is that it doesn’t even retry to reconnect. You have to be monitoring it and manually reconnect yourself. This often takes 30seconds to 2 minutes of just waiting.

Also, the importing of user profile is so confusing, because there is no where to see what your profile is on other devices or which devices are using the same profile. Am I creating new profiles that look the same but are redundant? There is no way to see this either in OpenVPNConnect or the website.

The most frustrating thing for me is that there should one button and one switch right on top.
Connect and automatically connect.
And if I’m already connected, that button should say, disconnect. The switch should say manually connect.

I don’t understand why network companies have such bad User experiences. Hire some UX designers and let them do some studies and then listen to them. OpenVPNConnect feels like it was designed by know it all engineers who don’t know it all.

by Mikedams

I updated OpenVPNConnect from 1.2.4 to 1.2.5 a while ago and I started having connection dropping issue. It will still shows the vpn icon, and even after checking the event log I do not see any disconnect event.
Sometimes, it will tell me authentication failed, but when I hit connect again it gets connected without any issue. I updated to the recent version 1.2.6, hoping all issues will be sorted out, but still having same issues.
When I was on 1.2.4 I had no issues at all except the seamless connection. Example: I am on wifi at someplace, then I leave it, get it in my car, drive, vpn re-established connection while on cellular, I arrive home, my phone gets on home wifi automatically, the vpn then re-establishe connection again. Anyone, would assume that vpn connection now is over wifi...but this is wrong, it re-established the connection to my cellular provider. I found about this accidentally. I have a shared family data plan. One month my data usage was 16gb, my average is like 1-2 gb. I had to check my data usage before and after work until I spotted the issue.

by R4ND0MN!CKN4M3

OpenVPNConnect was reliable. No more. Since the new graphical interface came, it acts so poorly. I often encounter issues when OpenVPNConnect can’t connect to the VPN server at all. Mostly happens when I’ve turned off cellular data and using wifi, when I activate cellular again I’m unable to connect to the VPN server through cellular. Recently it also happens when I turn off airplane mode in the morning when I wake up, again can’t connect. I need to reboot my iPhone, sometimes even twice. When I check the logs it just freezes at some point after sending the tunnel encryption algorithms to be used. I check the same server on my laptop and it connects without issues. It doesn’t even matter if it’s on TCP 443 or UDP 1194.
The previous version used to work great for so many years, then suddenly this update came out, looks like just a change for the sake of changing.
The tunnel is disconnected few seconds after the phone screen is off. It’s annoying.
And with this new graphical interface the amount of info given on the screen has been reduced. We no longer see the amount of data sent or received live.
I use OpenVPNConnect every single day for most of the time I am using the internet. It’s very, very disappointing.

by Bitfiddler

The 1.2.5 is badly broken, do not use or update to this version! Developer is aware and while indicating they are working on a fix are not willing to support their user community by removing the bad update and going back to the last known working one in the interim, leaving anyone who had updated with no usable solution. Other app developers who have messed up don’t seem to be as hampered as this team is in responding to a mistake and getting their users something useful to use again, instead this developer claims its Apple’s fault for making it hard to get a working version back online and available to users and they would rather let us wait until they’re ready to release something new. Excuses instead of action.

by Josh Lawless Himself

The OpenVPN solution used to be the only way I could establish a secure connection to my home server from my work’s network restrictions, as it was the only VPN I could run over the un-regulated port 443. Once I got my home server settings correctly configured, connections with OpenVPNConnect were rock-solid and leak-proof.

Recent versions have unfortunately not worked as well, with most connections lasting only two or three minutes before disconnecting (using Tunnelblick from my Macbook has no such trouble, so I’m confident it’s not server-side settings).

I appreciate that OpenVPNConnect is free, and that I’m in no position to complain about getting my money’s worth, but I really do wish I hadn’t turned on auto-updating, because trying to get the new versions working is frustrating in the extreme.

by Transender

I was reading an interview that was done with the creator of this tool and then his interview he said that it was free to use. He didn’t bother to say that that was only for seven days. I don’t mind paying good money for a good tool but I do mind when somebody tells me it’s free to use but they neglect to tell me that there’s a time limit on that. And then he goes on to talk about these hacking tools that he’s created but in their terms of use it says that if you violate the water use it in a bad way they’ll turn you in. I doubt that he could pass the mustard if somebody was to follow him around 24 hours a day seven days a week like he’s able to do once he installs his crap on your computer.

by Foucault

This is the 2nd time I've written this review. Last one disappeared.

If you are a journalist, dissident or some other person in a sensitive position, I urge caution.

!! OpenVPNConnect frequently and silently fails (in "Waiting on server" state) when transitioning from wireless to wifi. It will still show the VPN icon as if the VPN is still up, and it is in fact not. If you manually disconnect and reconnect you may leak network requests, whereas if OpenVPN eventually times out and fails you definitely will leak network requests. Either way, OpenVPN will not correctly notify you the VPN is failing nor will it gracefully recover and reconnect as it should.

Advice: Use the VPN exclusively on wifi or wireless and do not trust that it will do the right thing when switching between them. Go into airplane mode or ideally power down if you need to change location.

iOS does not provide a kill switch mechanism for VPNs and wonder if it ever will. That is not OpenVPN Connect's fault. However silent failures ARE fixable and OpenVPNConnect will get max two stars until that is fixed.

by Nate

It works -- that’s obviously the most important thing. This is a poorly designed app. The biggest problem is the terrible logging function that, as far as I can tell, maintains an un-erasable all-time history of your connections -- a potentially serious privacy issue. On top of that is the usual open-source ugly and un-intuitive UI. Weird issues include: renaming a profile, in addition to a strange UI, restores the previous history of any similarly named profile. (Even deleting your profile doesn’t delete its log!) Deleting a profile takes multiple steps: tap delete, then tap the delete symbol, the tap a different delete button. There is no way to view your configuration. And so on.

by Chaunold

I have 2 OpenVPN servers I frequently connect to which use AES-256GCM/SHA512. Using Viscosity on Mac, I can get speeds on a 75/15 mbps LAN connection of around 45/17 mbps over VPN. On your iOS client, I can only get around 15/8 mbps. Sometimes a little bit more, but rare. The servers are definitely optimized and there are no bottlenecks on the server side. It seems OpenVPNConnect could be better optimized for newer iPhones and I’m currently running iOS 13 GM. Would love to see performance near Viscosity on Mac. Tried with multiple OpenVPN servers I have access too. Hopefully some updates will be rolling out before Viscosity ports their Mac app to iOS.

by Mick Gator Fan

UPDATE (3 stars):
When I wrote the original review of a prior version, I used OpenVPN to access ProtonVPN. ProtonVPN now has their own app, so I deleted OpenVPN before their 3.1.1 update was available. I gave this version 3 stars because their past updates have corrected problems and I assume that this update is also successful, but I cannot test it myself.

ORIGINAL REVIEW (1 star):
OpenVPNConnect won't connect quickly when going from cellular to wifi, if it connects at all, since I updated iPhone 6 to iOS 12.3. Therefore there is zero protection while using unsecured wifi for at least a minute or two while I manually force OpenVPN to work the way it should.
Ongoing long term issues:
-Drains battery more than any other app with similar use time.
-OpenVPN turns off when the iPhone or iPad sleep in locked mode, and sometimes it can’t restart successfully unless I first disconnect the VPN and then start it again.
-OpenVPN needs to have an easier way to report bugs. It is not user-friendly to make users open an account with OpenVPN to report a bug. I have two accounts now with OpenVPN and I should not need any.

by Denschless

I've had OpenVPNConnect for a few years now. I use it to be able to protect my privacy and also to view American programs abroad. It is a good value for the service you get. I have had few troubles with any updates. When I did have a problem however, customer service was very responsive and fixed my problem quickly. I continue to enjoy and use OpenVPNConnect regularly. I recommend it to other people when they're looking for a VPN.

by Tylerherbst

You can only import config files by opening up an attachment in the Apple Mail app or using iTunes Sync. I don’t use Apple’s Mail app and who uses iTunes Sync in 2020? Please add support for importing FILES from the FILES app.

Edit: OpenVPN has pointed out that you can copy config files from the Files app using the share button, but the Import Profile section of OpenVPNConnect doesn’t mention this as an option. It would be great if it did, but even better would be an option to import from Files in the OpenVPN app itself. Also, I get an error when trying to import config files with separate key files which unfortunately prevents me from connecting to some of my clients’ offices. Still, happy to see I don’t need to use Apple Mail or iTunes Sync to import standalone config files.

by Shufei

When OpenVPN upgraded to version 3.0.0, it simply did not work on either iOS 11.4.1 nor 12. I tested several strategies for attempting to load profiles, including several clean installs. Version 3.0.2 now works cleanly with iOS 12.1. However, given the apparently rash rollout of 3, users should be cautious about future updates. Without the ability to roll back a version, apple leaves one exposed.

That said, the new version is now working with much needed changes to the UI and ways to load a profile. There is a simple graph for data rates, helping to confirm the handy IP address indicators. All in all, looking good, and so far holding a stable connection.

This user thanks the devs of OpenVPN for this global service. But likewise hopes that update rollouts to mobile devices will be more circumspect in the future.

by Ma}{RaJa

3.0.2
Good work 👍🏼

1.2.6
When going to sleep and coming back it will connect but no flow from the internet
The problem when the Seamless tunnel (iOS8+) is ON
Please fix this
—————————————
After updating to the latest version 1.2.5
it so buggy, cant edit names , disconnects from wifi to cellular always , if adding new scripts it will not work!
😳 It will block FaceTime from calling or receiving a call audio or video 😳
Please fix this
It drains the battery like a hell , 24% ,first in the list in 24 hour

NEEDS AN UPDATE...
Needs an iPhone X screen size support.

---

Finally an update after 2 years, with an optimization for iPhone 6 or 6 plus screen size


Pause Solution 👇🏼
-To Solve the pause issue in iOS8 when switching between WiFi and Cellular :
You have to choose both option
Seamless tunnel (iOS8+)
And
Layer 2 Reachability

And it will work fine

by JaredJP2876

I am still having the issue where the vpn works great while I use my devices. As soon as they lock and the vpn disconnects and will not reconnect after unlock. Only when I go into OpenVPNConnect and manually disconnect the vpn and reconnect do I get internet again.

Overall a great app just hope to see a resolution to this soon.

Update: I did update to iOS 14.1 in hopes that this was resolved. However this did not 100% solve my problems. Only when I went into my iPhone’s setting and reset my network settings did OpenVPNConnect start working perfectly again.

by The Maximus Fun

I think some of you might be confused! I believe we were asked to rate OpenVPNConnect and not the service. If you're having connect, and disconnect issues, that would most likely be your Internet Host or VPN Service and not the the OpenVPN Connect app itself. I have used the OpenVPN Connect app with a variety of VPN hosts for three to four years now, and I can assure you it has worked superbly. I currently use TorGuard with OpenVPN Connect and it seems to be a match made in heaven!!! so basically from my own experience, I have found OpenVPN Connect not only to be Rock Solid, and Secure, but Extremely Reliable!!! I mean what more could one ask for!!! Great product!!!

by Wornoutcamel

Edit: v3.0.2 is reconnecting without issues and overall seems to be light years ahead of 3.0.1. Im please to give OpenVPNConnect a better rating again.

Edit: v3.0.1 has a few bugs, but is worlds better than the versions reviewed below. I’ve increased my rating for OpenVPNConnect accordingly and look forward to rewarding the developers with more starts as they squish more bugs.

Edit: v1.2.8 fails to reconnect upon wake up. Similar issue to that experienced in v1.2.5. Taking away 2 stars cause it’s no longer reliable.

Edit: v1.2.7 is moderately stable. The connection times out more frequently than it did in v1.1.1 (possibly to be more battery conscious—I wish this was user selectable) I am giving back a few stars and hope to give full 5 stars with future updates.

v1.2.5 is not stable. Disconnects and does not reconnect automatically. Disconnects when in background, disconnects when device goes to sleep. Version 1.1.1 did not have any of these issues. v1.1.1 was my most valuable app on my device and a solid 4 stars! Fix v1.2.5 and I’ll give you back the starts.

by Therkilt

I have been using OpenVPNConnect to VPN into my ASUS router for about 8 months with no issues until today’s update of OpenVPNConnect and the new profile changes. I could no longer connect using the profile I had been using and had to re-import the .ovpn file to overwrite the profile on my phone before I could connect again, a few of the options like save password no longer seem to be available on the profile page.

Update: Thanks to the developer for answering, the arrow to the right of the profile before you connect does allow you to save the password if you want

It would be great if they added optional Touch ID/Face ID authentication for getting into OpenVPNConnect .

by Jamielt

OpenVPNConnect really works! I use it on my iPhone 5s running iOS 8 for VPN connection. I have used a handful of Von apps but this is the only one that connects and remains connected while surfing online. Good for when on Facebook and Twitter. Also works great with Safari web browser.

OpenVPN is an easy to use and quite stable free app. Almost always connects on first attempt. This is app is worth downloading. You will find yourself using it on a regular basis.

by Spotlightsrule

This VPN client is very good and I like it a lot. Ever since I set up an OpenVPN host on my home server, I've been able to successfully connect to my home network from my phone in any location for free! However, some places like my current school use advanced filtering to detect and block the connection. This is a real issue for me because i rely on connecting to my network for work. An implementation of obfsproxy or stunnel for obfuscation of the vpn tunnel would be very good for both me and some of us that are in a country with restrictive internet. Please consider adding those protocols. It would make an already great app even better!