WireGuard vs OpenVPN vs IKEv2: which protocol should you use?
Three proven protocols, three different strengths. A plain-English comparison so you can pick the right one for each network.
A VPN protocol decides how your device and the VPN server agree on keys and encrypt traffic. All three protocols in SecureBreez are secure when configured properly — they differ in speed, compatibility and how they handle changing networks.
WireGuard — the default
WireGuard is small (a few thousand lines of code), fast and battery-friendly. It uses modern primitives such as ChaCha20-Poly1305 and Curve25519. For most people, most of the time, it's the best choice.
OpenVPN — the all-rounder
OpenVPN has been audited and deployed for two decades. In TCP mode on port 443 it can look like regular HTTPS traffic, which helps on restrictive networks.
IKEv2/IPSec — the mobile specialist
IKEv2 re-establishes the tunnel almost instantly when you move between Wi-Fi and mobile data, making it great for phones on the go.
What about L2TP, SSTP and PPTP?
These older protocols exist for compatibility with legacy devices. PPTP in particular is considered insecure and we don't recommend it.