NordLayer
OnePAM vs NordLayer
Compare OnePAM with NordLayer's VPN-first approach.
Feature Comparison
See how we compare across key capabilities
| Capability | OnePAM | NordLayer |
|---|---|---|
| Access model |
Session-level Zero Trust
|
VPN-first with ZTNA add-on
|
| Session recording |
Full visual recording
|
No session recording
|
| Database proxy |
Native SQL proxy with identity
|
Not included
|
| Client required |
No — browser-based
|
Yes — NordLayer client
|
| Web app SSO |
Built-in authenticated proxy
|
Not included
|
| Protocol awareness |
SSH, RDP, VNC, K8s, gRPC, Telnet, DB, Web native
|
Network-level tunnels
|
| Audit depth |
Session + query level
|
Connection level only
|
| Pricing |
From $5/user/mo
|
From $8/user/mo
|
Why Choose OnePAM
Key advantages for secure infrastructure access
Beyond VPN tunnels
- Session-level access with visual recording
- Protocol-aware access for SSH, RDP, VNC, K8s, gRPC, Telnet, and databases
- Identity-verified audit trails per session
- NordLayer provides tunnels without session visibility
OnePAM shows you what happened in every session — NordLayer just opens tunnels.
No client needed
- 100% browser-based access
- No NordLayer client to deploy
- Works from any device
- BYOD-friendly
Access everything from your browser — no VPN client to install.
Our Focus
We specialize in secure infrastructure access with full session visibility. We don't try to do everything — we focus on what security and operations teams need most.
- Consumer-grade VPN for internet privacy
- Full network-level routing for all corporate traffic
- Dedicated IP addresses for outbound traffic
Works with your existing tools: OnePAM integrates with your identity providers, alerting tools, and SIEM platforms.
Common Questions
What customers often ask when comparing
NordLayer is simpler to set up
OnePAM deploys in minutes too — and gives you session recording, database proxy, and web app SSO that NordLayer doesn't offer.
We need a VPN for general network access
OnePAM includes WireGuard VPN when VPN-style connectivity is the right fit, alongside browser-based, session-recorded access for most workloads. VPN stays secondary to per-resource access with full recording and audit.
NordLayer has a recognizable brand
NordLayer is known for consumer VPN. OnePAM is built specifically for enterprise infrastructure access with compliance-grade session recording and audit trails.
Is OnePAM Right for You?
OnePAM works best for teams that need secure access with full audit trails
OnePAM is ideal for
- Organizations needing session recording for compliance
- Teams wanting browser-based access without VPN clients
- Companies needing database access auditing
- Organizations moving beyond basic VPN access
OnePAM gives you Zero Trust access with session recording and database proxy — NordLayer gives you VPN tunnels.
Ready to See the Difference?
Start your free trial and secure access to your infrastructure in minutes.