openvpn vs sstp vpn

OpenVPN vs SSTP VPN: Which Protocol is Best for Your Use?

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PUREVPNPrivacy & SecurityOpenVPN vs SSTP VPN: Which Protocol is Best for Your Use?

When comparing OpenVPN vs SSTP VPN, we can see that both are good security protocols. But in our opinion, OpenVPN is much better in terms of the security and anonymity that it offers.

But if you’re a Windows user, than you would probably prefer using SSTP VPN because of the incredible stability that it offers. SSTP VPN is also much easier to setup compared to OpenVPN. A drawback is that it doesn’t work on mobile devices.

Both of these are amazing VPN protocols. But which protocol is better for your everyday use? To enjoy the best online security that fits according to your needs, you need to connect to the right VPN protocols.

If you’re asking yourself, what is a VPN protocol? Then you can get the answer to this question below.

What is a VPN Protocol?

In simpler terms, a protocol is actually a language that allows different computers or systems to communicate.

VPN tunnels are protocols that help in transferring data between systems. These protocols are involved in transferring your online communications from one system to another. While transferring your data, they can also encrypt your data to secure it from external threats. Different VPN protocols have different ways to transfer your data between systems.

The protocol technology has advanced a lot in the past few years. Right now, there exist many different protocols available for you to choose from. Each has its unique pros and cons. You can easily choose between them depending on how you wish to browse on the web. The most prominent protocols are these:

OpenVPN vs SSTP VPN Protocol Comparison

As you can see above, you have the option to select any VPN protocol while browsing on the web. Of all the protocols mentioned above, the most popular ones are SSTP protocol and OpenVPN protocol. Both are considered great for online security. But which one is better? Let’s compare OpenVPN vs SSTP VPN!

OpenVPN Protocol

OpenVPN is newer than most other protocols. It is also the most recommended and relied upon VPN protocol by cybersecurity experts. It is flexible and more secure compared to other security protocols.

Open VPN uses technologies such as SSL V3/TLS V1 protocols and OpenSSL encryption library. Unlike SSTP, OpenVPN is not owned by any particular brand. Instead, it is open sourced, and its technology is regularly inspected, maintained, and updated by its community of supporters.

OpenVPN’s traffic is similar to that of an HTTPS and SSL connection. This is why it works as a camouflage that can hide even when it is in plain sight. It is less vulnerable to hacking activities and is very difficult to block.

OpenVPN protocol offers the gold standard of online encryption that is AES encryption. It is highly secure, with a 128-bit block size perfect for security. It also can handle large files without experiencing and reductions in performance.

The protocol is highly stable and also offers decent internet speeds on top of a very secure atmosphere. The following are some important Pros and Cons of OpenVPN:

Pros

  • Can be customized to your liking
  • It can bypass most firewalls
  • Offers a very high level of security
  • Third-parties vet it
  • Works with multiple methods of encryption
  • It can support a variety of cryptic algorithms

Cons

  • The setup process is a bit technical
  • Good for desktop support but mobile support is lacking
  • Relies heavily on third-party software to operate

SSTP Protocol

SSTP protocol is not much different than OpenVPN except in a few cases. Like OpenVPN, SSTP is an excellent security protocol. Unlike Open VPN, which was built by independent groups, SSTP was built and launched by Microsoft. Which is why it’s the most stable protocol to use if you are a Windows user.

Despite being built by Microsoft, SSTP also offers support for other systems such as Linux, SEIL, and Router OS. However, its adoption isn’t very widespread. Moreover, SSTP doesn’t offer support to non-desktop users. This means that if you’re a mobile user, then you won’t be able to use SSTP on your device.

SSTP is configured with AES encryption. This makes it more secure than most other protocols. It also uses SSL v3 technology, which makes it similar to OpenVPN. It prevents NAT firewall problems and makes you less susceptible to blocking.

A big problem with the SSTP protocol is that it is complete owned and maintained by Microsoft. So far, no independent audits have been done on this protocol, which is why we’re not sure whether it has any backdoors installed on it or not. Microsoft has been known to be close to NSA and other organizations, which is why it can’t be trusted.

The following are the major pros and cons of using SSTP protocol.

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Can bypass most firewalls
  • Has a high level of security
  • Easily integrated into Windows with Microsoft support
  • Can support a wide range of cryptic algorithms

Cons

  • Works well on Windows platforms but not elsewhere
  • Entirely owned and maintained by Microsoft
  • Hasn’t been audited by independent third-parties

Which Protocol is best for your use?

Choosing the right protocol depends on what you need it for and on what device you’re using it. When comparing OpenVPN with SSTP, it is easy to judge that OpenVPN is a better protocol than SSTP. It is more secure and is highly reliable when compared to the SSTP protocol.

But if you’re using Microsoft platform and online privacy is not a major concern, then you can go for SSTP for its high level of stability and good support. Also, SSTP is much easier to setup than OpenVPN, so you’ll get good convenience as well.

author

PureVPN

date

January 1, 2024

time

3 months ago

PureVPN is a leading VPN service provider that excels in providing easy solutions for online privacy and security. With 6000+ servers in 65+ countries, It helps consumers and businesses in keeping their online identity secured.

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