Top 10 Best Remote Network Access Software of 2026

Entra Private Access is built around identity-driven access to private resources, with policies that map authenticated users to allowed destinations and actions. Connectivity is delivered through Entra-managed brokers and tunnels, which reduces the need to expose internal services directly to the internet. Governance ties into Entra administration patterns such as group-based access and audit log visibility for who accessed which resource.

A key tradeoff is that the connectivity model is centered on client-based access, so browser-only or agentless connectivity is not the primary path. It fits environments where private line-of-business apps run behind non-internet-facing network segments and require identity-aware access without building and maintaining a traditional perimeter VPN.

StrongDM focuses on governing privileged remote access with identity-first RBAC, session-level controls, and audit logs for administrative activity. It supports SSH and RDP routing through StrongDM-managed connections, plus controlled access to internal services through its application and host catalog approach. Automation is exposed through an API surface that lets admins provision users, groups, and access policies and keep those aligned with directory changes.

A tradeoff appears when teams need agentless, browser-only access to every target since StrongDM centers on a managed connection model. It fits best when operations and security teams must reduce standing access and enforce repeatable authorization for admins across many servers.

FortiClient acts as the agent-side control point for remote users, where user and device identity travel with the VPN session to the FortiGate policy engine. It supports common remote access patterns through the Fortinet ecosystem, including encrypted tunnels and client-managed connection profiles that can be pushed from central management. The host component also enables endpoint posture checks that influence whether the session is allowed or restricted.

A key tradeoff is that FortiClient’s governance depth is most compelling when Fortinet devices handle policy and authentication, which can increase dependence on that vendor stack. FortiClient fits best for enterprises that need consistent endpoint posture enforcement and centralized access policies for remote workers and contractors.

Zscaler Private Access delivers client-based secure access to internal apps and networks through Zscaler’s cloud-delivered policy enforcement. It supports per-user and per-device access decisions that combine identity, network context, and endpoint posture so sessions only start when rules match.

Connector-based routing sends traffic from the private access client to internal services without exposing inbound ports from the internet. Admin controls focus on policy configuration, session controls, and audit trails tied to access events.

Prisma Access provides a client-based remote access gateway that enforces security policy while users connect to private resources. It uses a cloud-delivered policy engine with identity-driven access controls, granular traffic inspection, and centralized logging for session auditing.

The deployment model supports both user access and network connectivity use cases through software-defined service edges rather than on-prem appliances. Integration depth comes from policy, identity, and networking controls that work together for consistent access behavior across sites and devices.

OpenVPN Access Server is a remote network access gateway focused on client-based SSL VPN connectivity with certificate-based authentication and per-user configuration. It provides centralized administration for VPN policies, user accounts, and device profiles, with a built-in control plane for managing remote clients.

Access Server also includes client tooling for Linux, Windows, macOS, and mobile platforms, plus an API surface for automation around provisioning and configuration. For teams that need operational control over tunnels and credentials without building a custom gateway stack, it serves as an integrated management layer.

Twingate is a client-based remote network access gateway that maps internal resources to identities instead of exposing a network perimeter. Access is granted through authenticated sessions that can be constrained by user and group, along with device and network context controls.

Integration depth is driven by identity-provider connections and automated provisioning hooks used to keep access lists current. Governance focuses on auditable access events and admin configuration that supports repeatable policy rollout across teams.

NetBird is a client-based remote network access solution that creates a virtual private network using a peer-to-peer mesh with a coordination backend. Network access is managed as an overlay network where devices join the same secure network and reach allowed peers over the underlying transport.

NetBird supports policy-based access control for who can reach which peers, plus device identity tied to the client join process. Admin workflows focus on onboarding, group membership, and visibility into connected clients and access paths.

NordLayer runs a managed remote access network that assigns teams to virtual networks and tunnels traffic to private resources. Client-based access supports identity-linked device onboarding, so policies can key off the authenticated user and connected endpoint.

Administrators configure per-user access rules and routing through NordLayer’s network gateway, rather than managing per-host VPN configurations. The product focuses on controlled connectivity for small-to-mid environments that need frequent onboarding and repeatable access policies.

Teleport is a remote access solution that ties SSH and Kubernetes access to identity, policy, and audited sessions. It routes users through a centralized access plane that brokers short-lived credentials to remote targets and cluster resources.

Teleport supports role-based access controls, multi-factor authentication, and session recording hooks for privileged workflows. It also includes administration features for managing clusters, users, and access policies across multiple environments.