Pangolin

Pangolin is an open-source security and networking platform combining a WireGuard-based VPN, reverse proxy, privileged access management, and an identity-aware AI Gateway. Administrators use identity and resource-level policies to grant users access only to selected apps, hosts, and network ranges. WireGuard tunnels and NAT traversal let sites keep inbound firewall ports closed. The AI Gateway routes provider-native API requests to cloud and self-hosted models, with identity controls, budgets, session history, and usage analytics. Listed providers and endpoints include OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, Amazon Bedrock, Vertex AI, Microsoft Foundry, OpenRouter, Vercel AI Gateway, Ollama, and vLLM. Pangolin offers Cloud and self-hosted options, with clients for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android. Basic is free and supports up to 5 users, 5 sites, 5 domains, 15 public resources, 15 private resources, and 5 machine clients. Team costs $4/user/mo and Business costs $9/user/mo. The maker says it maintains ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II certifications. Community Edition is self-hosted under AGPLv3; Enterprise uses the Fossorial Commercial License.

Pangolin combines network access controls with an AI Gateway and supports both Cloud and self-hosted use. The free Basic plan has stated user and resource limits, while Team and Business have per-user monthly prices.

Pangolin suits teams that need policy-based access to apps, hosts, or network ranges, including teams connecting cloud and self-hosted AI models. It offers both Cloud and self-hosted deployment options.

Pangolin is a hybrid security and networking platform for controlling access to private resources and governing AI-model API traffic. It suits teams that need scoped access across sites or want identity-based controls around AI use, rather than just a basic VPN.

Overview

Pangolin combines a WireGuard-based VPN, reverse proxy, privileged access management, and an identity-aware AI Gateway. Administrators grant access to selected apps, hosts, and network ranges through identity and resource-level policies, so users need not receive broad network access. WireGuard tunnels and NAT traversal let sites keep inbound firewall ports closed, a practical advantage for distributed networks that need controlled connectivity.

The breadth is useful when one platform needs to handle both private access and AI traffic, but it may be more than teams seeking only a straightforward VPN require. Pangolin is open source and supports both cloud and self-hosted use, giving organizations a choice in deployment.

Key features

Resource-level access and connectivity

Administrators control which resources each user can reach, rather than opening an entire network by default. That model favors organizations with different access needs across users and sites. Pangolin’s NAT traversal and WireGuard tunnels avoid requiring inbound firewall ports at connected sites, although the published plans cap the number of sites, domains, resources, users, and machine clients.

AI Gateway

The gateway routes provider-native API requests to cloud and self-hosted models, with identity controls, budgets, session history, and usage analytics. Its integrations include OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, Amazon Bedrock, Vertex AI, Microsoft Foundry, OpenRouter, Vercel AI Gateway, Ollama, and vLLM. This makes Pangolin relevant to teams that want access policy and usage oversight around multiple model providers; it is less compelling if AI traffic is not part of the problem they need to solve.

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. The maker says it maintains ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II certifications, which may matter to organizations evaluating security credentials. Community users can seek help through Slack or Discord; paid Cloud and Enterprise plans include vendor support, and Enterprise adds priority support and an SLA.

Pricing

Pangolin has a free tier, paid plans from $4/user/mo, and a 10-day trial. The Basic plan costs nothing and supports up to 5 users, 5 sites, 5 domains, 15 public resources, 15 private resources, and 5 machine clients. It is a useful starting point for a small deployment, but the caps can constrain a growing team or a network with many resources.

Community Edition costs nothing and provides the self-hosted core, sites, resources, users, community support, and AGPLv3 licensing. It suits users who want to self-host without a subscription, but community support is the included support level.

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. That makes it the lower-cost paid fit for teams that have outgrown Basic, though the per-user charge and caps remain relevant as usage expands.

Business costs $9 a month, billed $9/user/mo, and allows up to 250 users, 250 sites, 100 domains, 750 public resources, 750 private resources, and 100 machine clients. The higher ceilings suit larger deployments that need more room than Team provides, at a higher per-user rate. Enterprise has custom pricing and custom limits, plus log streaming (SIEM), premium relay nodes, priority support, and an SLA; it is aimed at organizations needing those capabilities and support terms rather than a fixed-cap plan.

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. Community Edition uses AGPLv3, while Enterprise Edition uses the Fossorial Commercial License; both are self-hostable.

Platforms

Pangolin lists clients for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android. The stated minimums are macOS Sonoma 14.0+, Windows 10+, iOS 17.0+, and Android 7.0+. The platform listing also includes web, API, and self-hosted access. This range covers common desktop and mobile endpoints, while the minimum OS versions may rule out older devices.

Who it's for

Pangolin is a strong fit for teams that want identity- and resource-level access across sites, need to keep inbound firewall ports closed, or want to govern requests to cloud and self-hosted AI models. Its free options suit personal users and small deployments, while Team and Business provide higher stated caps for growing organizations. It is less suitable for buyers who need only basic VPN access, or whose required scale exceeds the published limits and who do not want custom-priced Enterprise.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Granular access policies limit users to approved apps, hosts, and network ranges.
• WireGuard tunnels and NAT traversal let sites keep inbound firewall ports closed.
• The AI Gateway combines provider support with identity controls, budgets, session history, and usage analytics.
• Free Basic and Community Edition options support evaluation and self-hosting without a subscription.
• Desktop and mobile clients span macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android.

Cons

• Basic, Team, and Business impose explicit caps across users, sites, domains, resources, and machine clients.
• Google and Microsoft Entra ID integrations are limited to Cloud and Enterprise Edition.
• Enterprise pricing is custom, so its cost is not fixed alongside the stated per-user tiers.
• Community Edition includes community support rather than vendor support.

Alternatives

Consider Secure Access Service Edge Software to compare the broader category. Cloudflare One is another freemium option, with a free plan capped at 50 users and up to 24 hours of standard log retention; choose it if those stated terms better fit your needs.

Samsung Cloud Platform Container Registry uses usage-based billing for registry storage and image scanning, so it is an alternative to consider when registry services are the priority. Sangfor EasyConnect is a paid option with pricing available by contacting Sangfor.

Skyhigh Private Access, Broadcom Symantec SASE, Cato SASE Platform, and Zscaler Private Access are other paid alternatives with prices not stated.

Verdict

Choose Pangolin if you want policy-controlled private access with the option to manage AI-model API traffic in the same platform. Its free entry points, self-hosting, and clearly tiered per-user plans make it approachable, but firm plan caps and custom Enterprise pricing are reasons to look elsewhere when you need uncapped scale, different support terms, or only a basic VPN.