Pangolin

Pangolin is a hybrid security and networking platform for teams that need to control access to specific resources, connect sites, or govern AI-model API use. Its mix of self-hosted and Cloud options and a free entry point make it flexible; the right fit depends on whether its per-user caps and edition-specific integrations match your needs.

Overview

Pangolin combines a WireGuard-based VPN, reverse proxy, privileged access management, and an identity-aware AI Gateway. Administrators grant users access to selected apps, hosts, and network ranges through identity and resource-level policies, rather than exposing an entire network. WireGuard tunnels and NAT traversal let sites keep inbound firewall ports closed, making the access model relevant to organizations connecting branches or managing distributed infrastructure.

This breadth is useful when network access and AI governance belong in the same environment, but it is more than a basic VPN requires. Pangolin is open source and hybrid: both its Community and Enterprise editions can be self-hosted, while Cloud is another option.

Key features

Scoped network access

Resource-level policies let administrators decide what each user can reach. That is a stronger fit for teams with different access needs than a general-purpose VPN that grants broad network reach. NAT traversal also avoids opening inbound firewall ports at connected sites.

AI Gateway

The gateway routes provider-native API requests to cloud and self-hosted models, with identity controls, budgets, session history, and usage analytics. Supported providers and endpoints include OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, Amazon Bedrock, Vertex AI, Microsoft Foundry, OpenRouter, Vercel AI Gateway, Ollama, and vLLM. Teams already using several model endpoints can use the gateway to govern access and track usage; teams without that need may find it adds complexity without much benefit.

Identity and security

Pangolin supports OAuth2/OIDC providers such as Authentik and Keycloak. Google and Microsoft Entra ID integrations are available on Cloud and Enterprise Edition, so organizations relying on those integrations should choose an edition that includes them. Pangolin says it maintains ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II certifications.

Pricing

The free Basic plan allows up to 5 users, 5 sites, 5 domains, 15 public resources, 15 private resources, and 5 machine clients. Those caps make it a practical starting point for personal use or a small deployment, but a growing team may quickly need a paid tier.

Community Edition is also free and self-hosted, with sites, resources, and users included, community support, and AGPLv3 licensing. It suits organizations willing to run the software themselves and rely on community help; Enterprise Edition uses a different license.

Team costs $4 a month, billed $4/user/mo. Its limits rise to 50 users, 50 sites, 50 domains, 150 public resources, 150 private resources, and 25 machine clients. It is the entry paid choice for teams that outgrow Basic, though its quotas still set a firm ceiling.

Business costs $9 a month, billed $9/user/mo, and permits up to 250 users, 250 sites, 100 domains, 750 public resources, 750 private resources, and 100 machine clients. It is aimed at larger deployments that need materially more capacity than Team, at a higher per-user cost.

Enterprise has custom pricing and custom limits, with log streaming for SIEM, premium relay nodes, priority support, and an SLA. It makes sense for organizations that need those capabilities or support terms rather than a fixed published quota. Self-hosted Enterprise Edition is free for personal non-commercial use and for small-scale commercial use when annual gross revenue is under $100,000 USD. A 10-day trial is offered. Community users can ask for help in Slack or Discord; paid Cloud and Enterprise plans include vendor support, while Enterprise adds priority support and an SLA.

Platforms

Pangolin lists clients for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android, with minimum versions of macOS Sonoma 14.0+, Windows 10+, iOS 17.0+, and Android 7.0+. The product also lists API, web, and self-hosted availability, making it relevant to teams managing access across endpoints and hosted infrastructure.

Who it's for

Pangolin is a good fit for teams that want resource-level access controls across sites, especially if they also need an AI Gateway to manage model API use. Its free options suit small deployments and self-hosters; Team and Business provide explicit capacity steps as usage grows. It is less compelling for people seeking only a straightforward VPN, or for organizations whose required identity integration or support terms are not covered by their chosen edition.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Resource-level policies and WireGuard/NAT traversal offer controlled site access without opening inbound firewall ports.
• Pros: The AI Gateway combines identity controls, budgets, session history, and usage analytics across supported cloud and self-hosted model endpoints.
• Pros: Free Basic and Community Edition options provide distinct ways to start, while Team and Business publish clear capacity limits.
• Cons: Basic, Team, and Business have fixed user, site, domain, resource, and machine-client caps that may constrain expanding deployments.
• Cons: Google and Microsoft Entra ID integrations are limited to Cloud and Enterprise Edition, so they are not available across every option.
• Cons: Enterprise pricing is custom, and its SIEM log streaming, premium relay nodes, and SLA are reserved for that tier.

Alternatives

Compare secure access service edge software if you want to survey the broader category. Cloudflare One is another freemium option with a 50-user free plan and up to 24 hours of standard log retention; consider it if those terms better suit your scale. Arista NG Firewall offers a free tier with basic security and connectivity features, a simpler alternative if those capabilities are the priority. Fortinet Unified SASE has paid plans with up to three devices per user, Fortinet cloud locations, and 24x7 premium support; choose it if those terms align better with your deployment. Sangfor EasyConnect is a paid alternative with clients across web and major desktop and mobile platforms. Broadcom Symantec SASE offers a paid, annual per-user SSE plan with advanced security options and integrations. Cato SASE Platform uses pricing by request and invites a tailored discussion. Skyhigh Private Access is another paid alternative. COSGrid Z3 SASE is a paid option with self-hosted support and Linux, macOS, web, and Windows platforms.

Verdict

Choose Pangolin if you need tightly scoped network access and want the option to govern cloud or self-hosted AI-model API traffic in the same platform. Its free entry points and per-user tiers offer a clear route from small deployments to higher capacity, but check the caps and edition-specific identity integrations first. Look elsewhere if you only need a basic VPN or require integrations and support terms outside your chosen edition.