---
title: "Best VPN for MSPs: Client Access and Audit Reports"
description: "What government agencies tell MSPs and clients about remote access, how SOC 2 and ISO 27001 differ, and which VPN tools say they can run many client networks from one console."
url: "https://www.vpn.com/vpn/best-vpn-for-msps/"
lang: "en"
updated: 2026-11-03
---

> **Bottom Line:** An MSP does not need one VPN. It needs a way to keep many clients apart and to show each client how it connects. Government cyber agencies tell MSPs to use multi-factor sign-in on every account that reaches customers and not to reuse admin credentials across customers. A VPN alone does not give an MSP a SOC 2 report or ISO 27001 certificate. Of the tools we read, NordLayer and Twingate say they have a partner console for many clients.

## What this page is for

This page is for the owner or lead technician at a small managed service provider choosing remote-access tools. It sits under our [best VPN for business](https://www.vpn.com/vpn/best-vpn-for-business/) guide, which explains how a business VPN differs from a personal one. For larger organisations see the [enterprise VPN guide](https://www.vpn.com/vpn/best-vpn-for-business/enterprise/). Your clients may face their own rules; see [best VPN for financial services](https://www.vpn.com/vpn/best-vpn-for-financial-services/) and [best VPN for law firms](https://www.vpn.com/vpn/best-vpn-for-law-firms/).

We do not run our own security tests. Every vendor-specific line below is what the vendor says on its own pages, with the date we read it. The advisory and standards are linked under Resources. This is general information, not legal advice.

## What do government agencies tell MSPs about remote access?

Advisory AA22-131A, issued jointly by US and allied cyber agencies in May 2022, gives MSPs and their customers a short list. A VPN touches some of it.

| Advisory item | What it says | Does a VPN help? |
|---|---|---|
| MFA | Implement MFA on all accounts with access to customer environments | Only if the tool enforces MFA or connects to your SSO |
| Separate credentials | Do not reuse admin credentials across multiple customers | Partly: a tool with one tenant per client keeps credentials apart |
| Segregation | Segregate customer data sets from each other and from internal networks | Partly: per-client networks or policies |
| Secure access path | Customers should use a dedicated VPN or alternative secure access method to connect to the MSP | Yes, this is the VPN item |
| Logging | Log the delivery infrastructure used to serve customers | Partly: connection logs can feed it |
| Contracts | Customers should require these measures in the contract | No. This is paperwork |

A VPN alone does not make an MSP secure or compliant.

## One shared plan or one tenant per client?

A fair question for a small MSP of three to ten people: would a multi-device consumer plan do? For your own office access, perhaps. For client work it points the wrong way. The advisory says not to reuse admin credentials across customers and to keep customer data apart, and one shared plan across clients does the opposite. That is our reading of the advisory, not a rule. A tool with a tenant or network per client is the better fit.

## Which tools say they run many clients?

Each vendor below says what it offers, read on 2 November 2026.

| Tool | Many-client console | Price shown per user per month |
|---|---|---|
| [NordLayer](https://www.vpn.com/out?partner=nordlayer&placement=use-case-body) | Service Management Portal for partners | $11 (Core), yearly billing, direct-customer list price |
| Twingate | MSP Portal with Customer Networks | $5 (Teams), $10 (Business) |
| Tailscale | Multiple tailnets (alpha); no MSP console | $8 (Standard), $18 (Premium) |

Twingate and Tailscale have no review page on VPN.com, so they are not linked internally. NordLayer has no review page either, so [NordLayer](https://www.vpn.com/out?partner=nordlayer&placement=use-case-body) links to its own site through our partner link. We earn a commission if you buy NordLayer through it; that does not change what its pages say. Partner pricing is set by each vendor’s partner team, and we did not read any.

## What do SOC 2 and ISO 27001 mean for an MSP?

We found no regulation that requires an MSP to hold either. A client or insurer may ask. A SOC 2 report is written by a CPA firm about a service organisation’s controls; ask which type and which period it covers. An ISO 27001 certificate comes from a certification body, not from ISO; check the issuer, scope and edition. Both describe the MSP as a whole. Using a tool whose vendor holds a report does not make the MSP’s own work covered by it.

## What to ask a VPN company before client access goes through it

1. **Can I give each client its own network or tenant, and who can see across them?** Ask how admins are assigned per client.
2. **Which controls come with my plan?** MFA enforcement, SSO and dedicated IP are gated by plan at the vendors above.
3. **Which security reports do you hold, and can I see them?** Ask for the report, not the badge, and read its scope.
4. **What does the vendor log, and who can see it?** Your clients may ask you the same question.

## Final Verdict

| If this is your situation | Start with |
|---|---|
| You manage many small clients and want one console | Twingate or NordLayer, as each vendor says. Compare partner terms with their partner teams |
| Your team connects to clients through a fixed address | A plan with a dedicated IP or allow-listing, such as NordLayer Core and above, as the vendor says |
| A client asks for a SOC 2 report from you | That is a report about your firm, not a feature of any VPN. Ask the CPA firm that audits you |
| You only need to secure your own team’s access | A business plan with SSO and MFA; the many-client console is the extra |

The VPN is one control. Your credential hygiene, contracts and monitoring decide the rest.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Does an MSP need SOC 2 or ISO 27001?
We found no regulation that requires either. They are reports and certificates a client or insurer may ask for. A VPN alone does not give an MSP either one; both cover the whole organisation and are issued by independent auditors.

### What do cyber agencies tell MSPs about client access?
Advisory AA22-131A says MSPs should use MFA on all accounts with access to customer environments, apply least privilege, segregate customer data sets and not reuse admin credentials across customers. It tells customers to use a dedicated VPN or alternative secure access method to reach the MSP.

### Should an MSP use one VPN for all clients?
The advisory says to keep customers apart and not to share admin credentials across them. One shared plan across clients does the opposite. A tool with a tenant or network per client fits better. That is our reading, so confirm with your own security lead.

### Which VPN or access tools say they support MSPs?
NordLayer says partners manage client organisations in a Service Management Portal. Twingate says its MSP Portal manages Customer Networks and billing. Tailscale says multiple tailnets are in alpha and does not mention MSPs. Check each vendor’s partner terms.

### Do MSP technicians need multi-factor sign-in?
Advisory AA22-131A says to implement MFA on all accounts that have access to customer environments. NordLayer lists MFA, Proton says it enforces 2FA on its Essentials plan, and Twingate lists sign-in through Google, Okta and Entra ID.

### What is the difference between SOC 2 Type 1 and Type 2?
Ask the vendor which type its report is and which period it covers. AICPA describes SOC reports as examinations by CPAs of a service organisation’s controls, and a Type 2 report also covers whether the controls operated. A VPN alone does not give an MSP either report.

### What does a VPN or access tool cost an MSP per user?
At the vendors we read on 8 October 2026, list prices ran from $5 to $18 per user per month. NordLayer lists Core at $11 on yearly billing and Twingate lists Teams at $5. Partner pricing is set by each vendor’s partner team, so ask them.

### Does a VPN make an MSP compliant for its clients?
No. A VPN alone does not make an MSP or its clients compliant. Your clients’ rules, such as the Safeguards Rule for financial firms, ask for a written programme, and the MSP’s part is spelled out in the contract.

### Can a small MSP use a consumer VPN?
For its own office access, perhaps. A consumer VPN is sold per person with no console to keep clients apart or to remove a technician who leaves. The advisory asks MSPs to segregate customers and avoid shared admin credentials, which consumer plans are not built for.

### What should an MSP ask a VPN company before client traffic goes through it?
Ask whether each client can have its own network or tenant, which controls come with your plan, which security reports the vendor holds and whether you can see them, and what it logs. Your clients may put the same questions to you.

## Resources

- [CISA: Protecting Against Cyber Threats to Managed Service Providers and their Customers (AA22-131A)](https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa22-131a)
- [AICPA: System and Organization Controls, SOC suite of services](https://www.aicpa-cima.com/resources/landing/system-and-organization-controls-soc-suite-of-services)
- [NordLayer help: Service Management Portal](https://help.nordlayer.com/docs/how-to-use-the-smp-service-management-portal)
- [Twingate docs: Managed Service Providers](https://www.twingate.com/docs/msp)
- [Tailscale: Manage multiple tailnets](https://tailscale.com/kb/1509/multiple-tailnets)
- [NordLayer pricing](https://nordlayer.com/pricing/)