Do users still prefer standard VPN clients over proprietary VPN apps?

I’m trying to better understand how people think about VPN setup flows.

A lot of VPN services push users into proprietary apps, while some technical users still prefer standard clients like OpenVPN or native L2TP/IPsec setup.

For people who have used VPN tools before:

- Do you prefer importing a standard .ovpn file, or using a provider-specific app?

- What makes a VPN setup feel trustworthy before you connect?

- Is connection history or active session visibility useful outside the VPN client itself?

- Does avoiding a mandatory app matter to you, or is convenience more important?

My current view is that standard clients can make setup more portable and transparent, but the onboarding has to be very clear to avoid confusion.

Curious how others think about this.