Let me tell you about my experience with GoodAccess. It’s this VPN service I tried recently because I needed a secure way to connect to my work stuff from home. You know, with all the news about online safety, I thought it was important to find something reliable.
So, I gave GoodAccess a go. I wanted something simple to use, yet strong enough to keep my online activities safe. And guess what? It seemed to tick all the boxes. It was super easy to set up, and I felt like my internet connection was in a secure bubble.
In this review, I’ll dive into what makes GoodAccess stand out and why it could be a great choice if you’re looking for a trustworthy VPN. Stay tuned!
🚀 Bottom Line Upfront:
GoodAccess is a cloud-based virtual private network (VPN) developed specifically for small and medium-sized companies.
It is an excellent starting point for small businesses considering investing in a VPN service for their employees.
GoodAccess Review 2024
GoodAccess is quite a new name in the game. Launched in 2020, the service quickly became popular between small and midsize businesses.
The company claims that its SaaS is now used by 1000+ customers worldwide. Besides traditional cloud VPN, the tool delivers additional zero-trust networking and security features which makes it far more valuable.
But let’s start from the ground. GoodAccess is a cloud-based virtual private network (VPN) developed specifically for small and medium-sized companies.
Apart from a dedicated VPN gateway for protecting remote access, it also includes zero-trust security measures such as zero-trust access management, two-factor authentication/multi-factor authentication, and domain filtering.
📋Key features of GoodAccess:
1. Secure Web Gateway:
GoodAccess employs a secure web gateway to thwart online security threats like phishing and malware before they can compromise your network. This is part of its threat-blocking mechanism.
2. Remote Access VPN:
The platform enables remote users to access your private network securely from any location. This modern remote access VPN can be set up quickly, even by those without extensive networking expertise.
3. VPN Gateway:
At the core of GoodAccess is the VPN gateway, which forms secure connections between users, online applications, networks, and systems over the internet.
It creates an encrypted tunnel for data transfer, allowing secure communication over public networks. This gateway is usually a cloud-based virtual device.
4. Authentication and Access Control:
GoodAccess incorporates a two-step process involving authentication (to verify user credentials) and authorization (to assign user privileges).
The platform supports various access control models such as role-based and attribute-based control. This ensures that users have access only to the systems they need, enhancing overall security.
5. Remote Access VPN Functionality:
The remote access VPN feature creates an encrypted tunnel between the client and a VPN gateway, using protocols like OpenVPN and IPsec. This setup is essential for securing data transmission, especially for remote workers who often connect through unsecured networks.
6. Deployment and User Experience:
Deploying GoodAccess is streamlined and user-friendly. Users can sign up, download the app, and connect easily. The platform supports Windows, iOS, Mac, Android, and ChromeOS devices, with a web interface that simplifies network and user management.
7. Benefits for SMEs:
GoodAccess is particularly beneficial for small and medium enterprises due to its ease of deployment and management, scalability, cost-effectiveness, and flexibility.
It provides a simple yet effective way for these businesses to secure remote access to local and SaaS resources.
🤷♀️What Can You Do With GoodAccess:
1. See Access Logs:
You have complete control over each system’s access point when you use access logs. You can see who and when accessed which system. This provides piece of mind and aids in the detection of any odd activity on your network. This is a critical component for GDPR compliance, SOC2 compliance, and HIPPA compliance.
2. Manage Access:
Create Access Cards that give various members access to particular systems. For example, developers have exclusive access to the SSH server, while marketing has exclusive access to the online shop management.
3. Secure Systems:
Add your systems to the app so they can be accessed with a single click, or even set access rules in the following step. Do you need assistance? Request an online consultation with your dedicated GoodAccess Guru.
4. Add Team Members:
Invite team members simply through email or add loT devices, servers, and virtual machines manually. Utilize search tags to facilitate member screening.
5. Manage gateway:
Instantly install a private gateway for your team with a dedicated static IP address. Choose from more than 33 places. Utilize several gateways located in various areas of the globe for better connection speeds (or as a backup).
6. Dashboard Overview:
Easily manage your whole team’s network from an one location. The simple GoodAccess dashboard offers a snapshot of your team’s remote access and gives you complete control.
💰Pricing Plans of GoodAccess:
1. Starter Plan:
This is a free plan designed for up to 100 users.
It includes basic features like web-based management, mobile and desktop client apps, global public infrastructure in over 35 locations, basic threat blocker for security, and encrypted internet access. It’s suitable for businesses needing secure internet access and online threat protection.
2. Essential Plan:
Priced at $9 per user/month (with a minimum of 5 users and an additional $39/month per dedicated gateway), this plan includes everything in the Starter plan plus dedicated gateway with static IP, unlimited data usage, premium threat blocker, two-factor authentication, and more.
3. Premium Plan:
For $14 per user/month (minimum 5 users and an additional $39/month per dedicated gateway), this plan offers zero-trust network access for multi-site and cloud businesses.
It includes all features of the Essential plan plus clouds & branch connectors, custom domain names, site-to-site connectivity, zero trust access control, single sign-on (SSO), and priority support.
4. Enterprise Plan:
This is a customized plan for large organizations and includes all features in the Premium plan, with additions like 10 Gbps connection per gateway, unlimited gateways, unlimited cloud & branch connectors, and 24/7 phone support.
Pricing is available on request and is suitable for a minimum of 50 users.
All plans offer a 14-day free trial, and annual billing options are available with a 20% saving. Add-ons like additional gateways and cloud & branch connectors are available at extra cost.
✨Pros and Cons of GoodAccess:
GoodAccess Pros:
- It’s ability to handle high bandwidth demands, crucial for activities like streaming and video conferencing.
- The platform is commended for its responsive and effective customer support.
- It is noted for its flexibility, particularly in connecting various equipment and providing site-to-site access.
- The service is easy to deploy and use.
- Corporate users value the ability to configure connection parameters themselves through OpenVPN technology.
GoodAccess Cons:
- Some users have noted a rise in pricing, although it is still considered competitive in the market.
- Early versions were lean on features like port-forwarding, but this has improved over time with new additions.
👨🏼🔧Customer Support of GoodAccess:
The Contact section of GoodAccess’s website includes the company’s address. Alternatively, you can send a note to the staff by completing a brief form located under the address.
A more in-depth method of receiving advice is to schedule a free online session with GoodAccess Guru through the website. It’s particularly beneficial for resolving any initial setup difficulties, such as whitelisting or system integration plugin issues.
Additionally, there is online assistance available. Clients of GoodAccess (but especially Enterprise customers) have 24/7 access to assistance through Samohyb’s live chat or IT ticketing system. On their website, under References, it includes some client comments.
Overall, GoodAccess’s user-friendly control panel, low latency (ability to process large amounts of data rapidly), robust encryption, and simple-to-use access control settings have garnered acclaim.
We obtained two customer evaluations from Capterra, and both expressed favorable sentiments regarding GoodAccess’s general use, price, and dependability.
Although there was an initial whitelisting issue, it was soon addressed with the assistance of GoodAccess Guru. Customers like the company’s overall supportiveness on both G2 and Capterra review systems.
Quick links:
❓FAQs About GoodAccess:
👉Is GoodAccess easy to set up and use?
Users find its setup straightforward and its management user-friendly.
👀Are there different pricing plans available?
Yes, GoodAccess offers various plans, including a free starter plan and premium options for larger businesses.
👍Can GoodAccess handle high bandwidth demands?
Yes, it's designed to efficiently handle high bandwidth activities like streaming and video conferencing.
🤷♂️Is GoodAccess safe?
GoodAccess offers a range of security features that makes it safe for businesses.
💁♀️Does GoodAccess keep logs?
It doesn’t log anything you do while using the VPN. However, it does ask for a little more information than your typical VPN.
Conclusion: GoodAccess Review 2024
GoodAccess is an excellent starting point for small businesses considering investing in a VPN service for their employees.
The fact that Samohyb charges a flat monthly rate for multiple users is certainly a plus and will end up costing your organization much less than paying per user.
However, competing business VPN solutions with more features such as NordVPN Teams may be a better fit for larger outfits.
Still, though, GoodAccess offers a free trial which means your organization can test it out to see if it’s a good fit for your business before committing to a monthly or even annual plan.
