Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Tunnelblick VS WireGuard

Compare Tunnelblick VS WireGuard and see what are their differences

Tunnelblick logo Tunnelblick

free software for OpenVPN on OS X and macOS

WireGuard logo WireGuard

Fast, Modern, Secure VPN Tunnel
  • Tunnelblick Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-29
  • WireGuard Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-10-24

Tunnelblick features and specs

  • Open Source
    Tunnelblick is open-source software, meaning that its source code is publicly accessible for review and modification, which enhances transparency and security as it allows the user community to identify and address vulnerabilities.
  • Free of Charge
    Tunnelblick is available for free, making it an attractive option for users who need a cost-effective solution for VPN management on macOS systems.
  • Easy Installation and Use
    Tunnelblick provides a straightforward installation process and a user-friendly interface, enabling both novices and advanced users to set up and manage their VPN connections easily.
  • macOS Specific
    Designed specifically for macOS, Tunnelblick integrates well with Apple's operating system, providing native look-and-feel and performance optimizations.
  • Supports Multiple Configurations
    Tunnelblick allows for the management of multiple VPN configurations, which is useful for users who need to switch between different VPN services or servers.

Possible disadvantages of Tunnelblick

  • macOS Only
    Tunnelblick is only available for macOS, which limits its use to users who have Apple computers and excludes users of other operating systems like Windows or Linux.
  • Advanced Configuration
    While Tunnelblick is user-friendly for basic use, more complex configurations may require advanced technical knowledge which can be challenging for some users.
  • Requires Separate OpenVPN Setup
    Tunnelblick serves as a GUI client for OpenVPN, which means users must already have OpenVPN configurations or subscriptions set up separately, possibly complicating initial setup for some users.
  • No Built-in VPN Service
    Unlike some other VPN clients, Tunnelblick does not provide its own VPN servers; users must connect to third-party OpenVPN servers, which may require additional subscriptions or fees.
  • Limited Features Compared to Paid Solutions
    Tunnelblick lacks some of the advanced features offered by commercial VPN clients, such as automatic server switching, customer support, and bundled additional security features.

WireGuard features and specs

  • Simplicity
    WireGuard is noted for its simplicity in terms of codebase and configuration, making it easier to understand, audit, and maintain.
  • Performance
    WireGuard offers high performance, low latency, and minimal overhead, which results in faster connections compared to other VPN protocols.
  • Security
    WireGuard uses state-of-the-art cryptographic protocols and algorithms, providing a high level of security.
  • Cross-Platform
    WireGuard is compatible with many operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.
  • Modern Design
    Designed with modern networking use-cases in mind, WireGuard supports advanced features like roaming and easier NAT traversal.
  • Efficient Codebase
    With approximately 4,000 lines of code, WireGuard's minimalism reduces the attack surface and potential for vulnerabilities.

Possible disadvantages of WireGuard

  • Limited Features
    WireGuard primarily focuses on being a secure VPN protocol and lacks some advanced features found in other protocols.
  • Still Evolving
    As a relatively new technology, WireGuard may still undergo significant changes and improvements, which could impact stability and support.
  • Static IP Assignment
    WireGuard assigns static IP addresses to each peer, which can be less flexible compared to dynamic IP allocation in other VPN solutions.
  • Server Compatibility
    Some legacy infrastructures and older systems may not support WireGuard natively, creating challenges for widespread deployment.
  • No Built-in Authentication
    WireGuard itself does not include built-in authentication mechanisms, relying solely on public key cryptography for peer identification.
  • No Built-in Traffic Obfuscation
    WireGuard lacks built-in mechanisms for traffic obfuscation, making it easier for restrictive networks to detect and block WireGuard traffic.

Tunnelblick videos

Tunnelblick 2.0 Review -Boostertest mit Kollegen

More videos:

  • Review - TUNNELBLICK-Review (German)
  • Review - Tunnelblick Review & Gewinnspiel - Pump, Fokus, Energie, Geschmack & Preis

WireGuard videos

WireGuard Overview

More videos:

  • Review - What is WireGuard? Should You Use it? Best VPN for WireGuard?
  • Review - OpenVPN vs WireGuard vs IKEv2 vs PPTP - Which is the Best VPN Protocol to use in 2020?

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Tunnelblick and WireGuard)
VPN
19 19%
81% 81
Cloud VPN
20 20%
80% 80
Security & Privacy
18 18%
82% 82
Security
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Tunnelblick and WireGuard

Tunnelblick Reviews

We have no reviews of Tunnelblick yet.
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WireGuard Reviews

Best Top 20 OpenVPN Alternatives (Pros and Cons)
Wireguard is a VPN alternative that is under development. Yet it is faster and carefully designed when compared to other similar products.
6 Types of VPN Protocols, Compared: Which is the Best to Use?
In essence, every VPN has to strengthen WireGuard’s wobbly privacy to benefit from its speed and security. That’s why we recommend using WireGuard-based protocols only if they come from reputable VPN providers. NordVPN, for example, fixes WireGuard’s privacy issues with the so-called “double NAT system” (network address translation). This allows them to establish secure...
Source: vpnoverview.com
OpenVPN vs WireGuard: Which protocol is best?
WireGuard was not designed to obfuscate user traffic to this degree, and only supports UDP. This means that a simple, standalone WireGuard connection is easy to detect. However, as WireGuard is so extensible, most VPN providers have added their own obfuscation methods on top. The efficacy of these varies, but we’ve seen services with WireGuard support that even work in...
The 10 Best Open Source VPN Apps
In addition to using the latest encryption techniques, Mullvad is based on some of the VPN protocols in WireGuard and OpenVPN. So, users will be able to decide for themselves which VPN client to opt for. Also, you can find Mullvad on Windows, macOS, and Linux-based systems, as well as Android and iOS. There is no paid version of Mullvad, either, so you need not worry about...
WireGuard vs OpenVPN
WireGuard was designed for speed and security. It was not specifically designed for people like us, who look to their VPN service for both security and privacy. However, in order to give users the benefits of WireGuard, VPN services have come up with WireGuard solutions that add strong privacy protections without sacrificing what makes WireGuard special. Here’s the problem:

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, WireGuard should be more popular than Tunnelblick. It has been mentiond 9 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Tunnelblick mentions (4)

  • New to OpenVPN, had few questions…
    Https://tunnelblick.net/ and https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.blinkt.openvpn. Source: about 2 years ago
  • MacOS clients can't resolve DNS over VPN
    You need to install TunnelBlick. Then install your VPN config in there, and it will work. https://tunnelblick.net/. Source: over 2 years ago
  • What’s a good Free VPN for Mac?
    For home access, site to site. Use https://tunnelblick.net. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Asking about VPN management on mac. L2TP. I have to login to so many clients, is there an easier way to keep track of all of your VPN connections list? Or a way to sync VPN connections list between 2 macs? iCloud backup of them?
    Have you looked at https://tunnelblick.net ? Source: about 4 years ago

WireGuard mentions (9)

  • Remote access from work/corporate network
    Wireguard. Wireguard uses UDP only and runs TCP sockets over UDP. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Central reverse-proxy ssh access?
    Look at Wireguard. I know you don't want Yet Another VPN running alongside your IPSec, but it's less VPN and more encrypted point-to-point UDP. You can set it up on any port you wish, including common ports that might be open on an outbound smart firewall not doing deep packet inspection. That way, it can stay out of the way of your existing IPSec deployment. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Official /r/rust "Who's Hiring" thread for job-seekers and job-offerers [Rust 1.69]
    We use Elixir/Erlang for our control plane, and Rust for our data plane, built on the excellent WireGuard® tunneling protocol. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Globally distributed Elixir over Tailscale
    Both products are based off Wireguard which is available for all new linux distributions. https://wireguard.com . I'm not saying OP's solution is wrong, just curious what the advantages are. Other than potentially simpler client setup, what are the advantages of paying for tailscale. With the opensource tailscale, I'm not sure if you get access to an api you can use to look up the hosts. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Whisper: wraps any Go io.ReadWriter in a secure tunnel using Ed25519/X25519
    Noise Protocol Framework (used by Wireguard). Source: over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Tunnelblick and WireGuard, you can also consider the following products

OpenVPN - OpenVPN - The Open Source VPN

Viscosity - Viscosity is a VPN client for Mac OS X and Windows.

ZeroTier - Extremely simple P2P Encrypted VPN

OpenConnect - VPN client compatible with Cisco AnyConnect SSL VPN

ProtonVPN - ProtonVPN is a security focused FREE VPN service, developed by CERN and MIT scientists. Use the web anonymously, unblock websites & encrypt your connection.

Cisco Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client - Get much more than industry-leading VPN client connectivity. Cisco AnyConnect protects your enterprise resources through a single agent. See how.