Remote teams need secure access, but traditional VPNs grant too much network access. Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) flips the model: verify every request, grant app-level access only. We compare the top solutions — from Twingate to WireGuard — so you can pick the right fit for your team's size, tech level, and security needs.
The way we work changed. The way we secure remote access needs to change too.
For years, the VPN was the go-to: one tunnel into the corporate network, and you're in. But that model assumes everything inside the network is trustworthy — and that's a dangerous assumption in 2025.
Enter Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA). Instead of granting access to the whole network, ZTNA only lets users connect to specific applications — and it verifies every single request. As Fortinet notes, "ZTNA will replace VPNs for application access, which is 90% of what organizations need for remote access."2
But that doesn't mean the VPN is dead. For the remaining 10% — full network-level access — traditional VPNs still have a place.2
Here's what you need to know to pick the right solution for your remote team.
The old model was perimeter security: get past the firewall, and you're trusted. The new model is identity security: trust is never assumed, always verified.
"ZTNA flips the script on traditional network access by following the 'never trust, always verify' model. Instead of granting access to the entire network, ZTNA only allows users to connect to specific applications."1
For remote teams, this means:
We've broken these down by approach — from full ZTNA replacements to traditional VPNs and identity layers — so you can mix and match based on your team's actual needs.
Twingate is the modern replacement for the traditional VPN. It's built on Zero Trust principles: users connect to specific applications, not the whole network. Access is granted based on identity, device posture, and context — not just a shared secret.
Why it wins for remote teams: Twingate is dead simple to deploy. No exposed ports, no complex firewall rules. Users get fast, direct connections to only the apps they need. For teams that are 90% app-access (and most are), this is the play.
ZeroTier creates a software-defined overlay network that works across any infrastructure — cloud, on-prem, or hybrid. Think of it as a secure virtual LAN that connects all your team's devices, wherever they are.
Why it's useful: If your team needs devices to talk to each other directly (developers, IoT, lab environments), ZeroTier gives you a flat, encrypted network without the complexity of traditional VPNs. It's not ZTNA per se, but it's a powerful alternative for network-level access.
OpenVPN is the industry standard for traditional VPNs. Open-source, battle-tested, and supported everywhere. It gives you full network-level access — the whole tunnel, the whole network.
When to use it: When your team genuinely needs network-level access — connecting to legacy on-prem systems, accessing network shares, or troubleshooting infrastructure. It's the tool for that remaining 10% of use cases that ZTNA doesn't cover.2
WireGuard is a modern VPN protocol that's faster, leaner, and more auditable than OpenVPN. It's built into the Linux kernel and has clients for every major platform.
Why it matters: If you're running a VPN and want the best performance, WireGuard is the protocol to use. It's simpler (under 4,000 lines of code vs. OpenVPN's 100,000+), faster (better throughput, lower latency), and cryptographically modern. Many commercial VPNs now use WireGuard under the hood.
Okta isn't a VPN — it's the identity layer that makes ZTNA work. It provides single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and lifecycle management for all your apps.
Why it's essential: Zero Trust starts with identity. Before you grant access to any application, you need to know who's asking and verify they are who they say they are. Okta integrates with every major ZTNA solution and provides the identity backbone that secure remote access depends on.
| Dimension | ZTNA (Twingate, etc.) | Traditional VPN (OpenVPN, etc.) |
|---|---|---|
| Access model | Application-level only | Full network tunnel |
| Verification | Continuous, per-request | One-time login |
| Attack surface | Minimal — no exposed ports | Large — full network exposure |
| User experience | Seamless, app-specific | Routes all traffic, often slow |
| Best for | 90% of remote access needs | Network-level access needs |
Ask yourself three questions:
The shift from VPN to ZTNA isn't about replacing one tool with another — it's about adopting an "assume breach" mindset. Assume a device is compromised. Assume a user's credentials could be stolen. Then design access so that even if those things happen, the blast radius is contained to a single application.
For most remote teams, the winning stack is: Twingate for application access + Okta for identity + WireGuard or OpenVPN for the rare cases you need network-level access.
That's the modern remote access strategy. It's not about the tool — it's about the mindset.
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