# openpencil vs setup-ipsec-vpn

> Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | openpencil | setup-ipsec-vpn |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 73/100 | 78/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #2 of 7 in Design | #3 of 56 in VPN |
| GitHub stars | 9 430 | 28 888 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +829 ✓ | +322 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 14 ✓ | 0 |
| Latest release | v0.16.0 · 14 Oct 2026 | — |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Easy |
| Official Docker image | No | No |
| License | MIT | Other |
| Main language | Typescript | Shell |

## Which one should you pick?

setup-ipsec-vpn scores 78/100 against 73/100 for openpencil, so it is the safer default.

openpencil ships more often: 14 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for setup-ipsec-vpn.

openpencil is growing faster right now (+829 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [openpencil](https://selfhost.directory/project/openpencil) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/openpencil.md)
- [setup-ipsec-vpn](https://selfhost.directory/project/setup-ipsec-vpn) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/setup-ipsec-vpn.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/openpencil-vs-setup-ipsec-vpn