Border0: The World's First Application-Aware VPN
Privileged access management (PAM) software
Zero trust networking software
Identity management software
Zero trust architecture software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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$15 per user per month
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What is Border0: The World's First Application-Aware VPN
Border0 is a zero trust networking product that provides application-aware access to private infrastructure such as SSH, RDP, databases, and internal web apps without relying on a traditional network-level VPN. It is typically used by IT, security, and DevOps teams to broker access to cloud and on-prem resources using identity-based policies and short-lived connectivity. The product emphasizes per-application access controls, auditing, and integration with identity providers rather than broad subnet access. It is positioned for organizations that need controlled third-party or employee access to internal services with reduced network exposure.
Application-scoped access controls
Border0 focuses on granting access to specific applications and services (for example, SSH, RDP, or databases) rather than providing full network reachability. This model can reduce lateral movement opportunities compared with subnet-based VPN access. It also aligns access decisions with the resource being accessed, which can simplify policy design for common admin workflows.
Identity provider integration
The product is designed to use identity as the primary control plane, typically integrating with SSO and directory services for authentication and group-based authorization. This supports centralized user lifecycle management and reduces reliance on shared credentials. It also enables consistent access enforcement across different environments (cloud and on-prem) when the same IdP is used.
Session visibility and auditing
Border0 emphasizes logging and audit trails around access to protected resources, which is important for administrative access and compliance workflows. Centralized records can help security teams investigate who accessed what and when across multiple systems. This is particularly relevant in environments where privileged access is distributed across many endpoints and services.
Not a full PAM suite
While it supports controlled access to administrative protocols, it may not cover the full breadth of privileged access management capabilities such as enterprise password vaulting, privileged credential rotation, and broad privileged workflow automation. Organizations with mature PAM requirements may need additional tooling for credential governance. Fit depends on whether the primary need is access brokering versus end-to-end privileged credential management.
Connector and network dependencies
Zero trust access products typically require deploying connectors, gateways, or agents to reach private resources, which adds operational overhead. Availability and performance can depend on correct connector placement, routing, and egress policies in each environment. This can be more complex in segmented networks or highly regulated environments with strict outbound connectivity rules.
Policy and rollout complexity
Moving from network-based VPN patterns to application-aware access often requires redesigning access policies, onboarding resources, and updating user workflows. Teams may need to map services, define least-privilege roles, and validate that legacy tools work through the brokered access path. Adoption can be slower where many bespoke admin paths or non-standard protocols are in use.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Community Edition | $0 | Up to 5 users; Up to 10 servers (sockets); Secure access via client + browser; SSO with Google & GitHub; Community support. |
| VPN Edition | $15 per user / month | Modern VPN with identity-aware access; Up to 25 servers; Split tunnels & exit node; Audit & session logs; User & group policies; Email support included. |
| PAM Edition | $30 per user / month | Full PAM solution with application-aware policies; Covers up to 100 servers; Just-in-Time (JIT) on-demand access; Slack bot; AI-powered session analysis; Priority support. |
| Enterprise | Custom (contact sales) | 100+ users; Unlimited servers; Advanced integrations (SSO, SCIM); Compliance & audit support (SOC 2); Custom SLAs; Dedicated success manager. |
