VPN Up vs. GlobalProtect-openconnect
VPN Up vs. GlobalProtect-openconnect
GlobalProtect-openconnect is a popular, well-packaged GlobalProtect VPN client for Linux, written in Rust and built on OpenConnect, with both a CLI and a system-tray GUI. VPN Up overlaps with it on GlobalProtect from the command line, so this page lays out the real differences. (Both are good tools built on the same OpenConnect foundation; this aims to be fair, not a pitch.)
Side by side
| GlobalProtect-openconnect | VPN Up | |
|---|---|---|
| Protocols | GlobalProtect only | anyconnect, gp, pulse, nc |
| Platforms | Linux only (broad distro packaging) | macOS + Linux |
| Language / runtime | Rust + Tauri + webkit2gtk |
Bash (+ openconnect, xmlstarlet) |
| Interface | CLI and GUI + system tray | CLI only (terminal-first by design) |
| License / cost | CLI free (GPL-3.0); GUI proprietary, paid (7-day trial) | Fully free, MIT — no paid tier |
| Browser SSO / SAML | Yes (default or specified browser) | Yes (--external-browser, needs OpenConnect ≥ 9) |
| FIDO2 / YubiKey | Yes (browser SSO) | Yes — via browser SSO (passkeys / WebAuthn); YubiKey PIV as a client certificate |
| Client-certificate auth | Yes | Yes — file or PKCS#11 / YubiKey PIV (first-class) |
| Duo push / phone / sms / passcode | Not the focus | First-class |
| TOTP authenticator codes | — (uses FIDO2 / SSO instead) | Yes — seed in keychain, code on stdin; works non-interactively |
| Named profiles + keyring secrets | Portal/gateway config + keyring | Yes (Keychain, Secret Service, or encrypted vault) |
Profile-aware status / stop / logs |
Tray-driven | Yes, scriptable |
| Auto-connect / reconnect | Auto-connect on startup (tray) | Login service (launchd / systemd) with auto-reconnect |
Hooks / notifications / completion / doctor |
Partial (tray) | Yes |
| Dependencies | webkit2gtk, libsecret, appindicator, pkexec, keyring | openconnect, xmlstarlet, secret backend (+ oathtool for TOTP) |
| Maintenance | Active (broad packaging) | Active (CI, docs, regular releases) |
The real differences
Scope. GlobalProtect-openconnect is a GlobalProtect specialist — deep on one protocol, with a native desktop app, a system tray, and packages for nearly every Linux distribution. VPN Up is a multi-protocol generalist — the same workflow whether the gateway speaks Cisco AnyConnect, GlobalProtect, Pulse Secure, or Juniper Network Connect.
Platform. This is the decisive one for many people: GlobalProtect-openconnect is Linux-only — there is no macOS build. If you’re on a Mac, VPN Up (or openconnect-sso for AnyConnect) is the option. If you live on Linux and only use GlobalProtect, GlobalProtect-openconnect is purpose-built for you.
Free vs. paid, and the trust model. GlobalProtect-openconnect’s CLI is GPL-3.0 and free, but its GUI is proprietary and requires payment after a 7-day trial. VPN Up is entirely MIT and auditable Bash — nothing closed, nothing to pay for, and the whole codebase is small enough to read end to end.
Authentication. The two now overlap more than they used to. Both do browser
SSO, and both get FIDO2 / passkeys / YubiKey-WebAuthn for free because the SSO
login happens in a browser. VPN Up also has first-class Duo, TOTP, and
client-certificate auth — a cert/key file or a PKCS#11 / YubiKey PIV token
(the client-certificate guide).
Its real differentiator is non-interactive auth that runs as a login service:
TOTP (code generated from a keychain seed) and a PKCS#11 cert (PIN fed via a
transient pin-source file) let a headless box or laptop auto-reconnect without a
human approving each prompt — at the trade-off that the seed/PIN lives in the
keychain (“1.5-factor”), which a hardware-only token avoids.
When to choose which
Choose GlobalProtect-openconnect if you’re on Linux, use GlobalProtect, and want a GUI / system-tray experience with broad distro packaging — and you’re fine paying for the GUI (or staying on its free CLI).
Choose VPN Up if you need macOS support, connect to more than just GlobalProtect, want a fully-free, auditable, scriptable tool, rely on Duo, TOTP, or a client certificate (file or PKCS#11 / YubiKey PIV), or want auto-reconnect at login on a server or laptop without a GUI. See installation, GlobalProtect from the CLI, and client-certificate auth.
Comparing other clients? See VPN Up vs. openconnect-sso (Cisco AnyConnect SSO), VPN Up vs. raw OpenConnect, and VPN Up vs. NetworkManager-openconnect.