Remote Access for Small Teams: VPN vs Zero Trust
Remote and hybrid work made secure remote access a permanent requirement for most small businesses, not a temporary accommodation. The default answer has long been VPN, but Zero Trust network access has become a real alternative worth understanding before choosing.
A traditional VPN gives a remote device broad access to the office network once connected, relying on the firewall to restrict what it can reach from there. Zero Trust network access grants access to specific applications individually, checking identity and device status continuously rather than trusting the connection once established. Zero Trust generally offers stronger security for small teams, but VPN remains simpler to set up and is often adequate for straightforward needs.
How VPN works
A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between a remote device and the office network, making the remote device behave as if it were physically on-site. Once connected, the device typically has broad access to whatever the firewall rules allow for that network segment.
VPN capability is commonly built directly into a business firewall, which is one of the functions covered in our guide to what a business firewall actually does.
How Zero Trust network access works
Zero Trust network access takes a different approach: rather than granting broad access to a network once connected, it grants access to specific applications or resources individually, and continuously verifies the user's identity and the device's security posture before and during each session. No connection is trusted by default, even from inside what would traditionally be the office network.
Comparing the two
| Factor | Traditional VPN | Zero Trust network access |
|---|---|---|
| Access model | Broad access to network once connected | Access granted per application |
| Security posture checking | Typically only at connection time | Continuous, throughout the session |
| Setup complexity | Simpler for small environments | More involved initial setup |
| Blast radius if compromised | Larger, device can reach broad network | Smaller, limited to specific granted resources |
| Best fit | Simple remote access needs, smaller budgets | Businesses with sensitive data or many remote or contractor users |
Not sure which remote access model fits your team?
We can review how your staff currently connect remotely and recommend an approach that matches your risk and budget.
Request a Remote Access ReviewSecurity trade-offs to weigh
The core trade-off is that VPN is simpler and cheaper to deploy but grants a wider scope of access than most users actually need. If a remote device is compromised while connected through VPN, the potential reach into the network is larger. Zero Trust reduces that exposure by design but requires more setup and ongoing management to configure access per application correctly.
How this fits with network segmentation
Neither approach replaces good network segmentation internally. Even with Zero Trust access controlling what a remote user reaches, internal systems should still be separated as described in our article on network segmentation for small businesses so that risk is contained on multiple levels, not just at the remote access layer.
What to consider before choosing
- How many staff need remote access, and how often.
- Whether contractors or third parties need limited, temporary access.
- How sensitive the data is that remote users would be able to reach.
- Whether the business has the internal capacity, or a managed IT provider, to manage the more granular Zero Trust configuration.
- Budget: Zero Trust platforms typically carry a per-user licensing cost beyond what a firewall's built-in VPN already includes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Zero Trust always more secure than VPN?
Zero Trust generally reduces the scope of access a compromised account or device could reach, which is a meaningful security improvement, but a well-configured VPN combined with good internal network segmentation can still be an appropriate choice for smaller, simpler environments.
Can a small business use both VPN and Zero Trust?
Yes. Some businesses keep VPN for specific legacy needs while moving general application access to a Zero Trust model over time.
Does Zero Trust network access require replacing the firewall?
Not necessarily. Zero Trust access is often layered on top of the existing network rather than replacing the firewall, which still handles broader network-level security.
Joshua Arimoro
Joshua Arimoro is the Principal Consultant at Nickel City Tech Solutions, a managed IT and cybersecurity provider based in Lively, Ontario, serving businesses across Greater Sudbury and Northern Ontario. He works hands-on with Microsoft 365, server and network infrastructure, endpoint management, and backup and recovery for small and mid-sized organisations.
More about our teamSet up remote access that matches your risk level
Our team configures and manages VPN and Zero Trust access for small businesses across the region.
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