Why VPN services should not force users into proprietary apps

Most VPN services try to own the entire user experience.

They provide the server, the account, the routing layer, and then force the user into a proprietary app.

That approach can be convenient, but it also creates a form of vendor lock-in.

For many users, especially technical users, the VPN client itself is not the problem. They already trust standard clients such as OpenVPN or operating-system-level VPN setup flows.

The harder question is:

Why should the VPN service also force the client?

Standard clients still matter

Standard VPN clients have several advantages:

• Users can understand what they are importing.
• Configuration files are portable.
• Setup is not tied to one vendor app.
• Technical users can inspect and manage their own connection flow.
• The VPN provider does not need to own every part of the user experience.

OpenVPN .ovpn files are a good example of this model.

The provider can generate the connection material, but the user can still import it into a standard OpenVPN-compatible client.

The service layer is still important

Avoiding a proprietary app does not mean removing the service layer.

A VPN service can still provide:

• profile creation
• routing options
• credentials
• OpenVPN configuration downloads
• compatible L2TP/IPsec setup values
• active session visibility
• connection history
• quota and plan visibility

The difference is that these features live in the dashboard and service layer, not inside a mandatory vendor-specific client.

The real distinction

The goal is not to replace OpenVPN or native VPN clients.

The goal is to reduce vendor lock-in around the VPN service layer.

A user should be able to use a standard client they already trust, while still getting a managed profile and dashboard experience.

When a proprietary app still makes sense

There are cases where a custom app is useful:

• non-technical users
• automatic server selection
• mobile onboarding
• advanced diagnostics
• kill-switch-style client behavior
• push-based account state updates

But it should not always be the only option.

Forcing every user into a proprietary app removes choice from users who already understand standard VPN clients.

What I’m building

I’m building Lisar Connect around this idea.

Lisar Connect helps users create VPN connection profiles for standard clients such as OpenVPN and compatible L2TP/IPsec setup.

The product focuses on profile creation, routing options, active sessions, connection history, and setup visibility — without forcing a proprietary VPN app.

Website:
https://lisar.io

Public setup docs:
https://github.com/lisarconnect/lisar-connect-docs

Feedback is welcome, especially from people who already use OpenVPN or manage VPN setups.