Best VPN Reddit
If you’re looking for the best VPN according to Reddit, we’ve got you covered! Our OCD-level research found the best and worst VPNs based on the collective knowledge & wisdom of Reddit.
- Most Upvoted Overall VPN across Reddit in 2021
- Most Mentioned VPN across Reddit in 2021
- Best VPNs according to different Subreddits
Best VPN Reddit TL;DR
- Most Recommended VPN on Reddit (by a lot)
- Fast and Anonymous Torrenting Servers
- Most Popular VPN for Streaming
- No Logging | Based in Panama
- Try It Risk-Free for 30Ddays
- Unbeatable pricing on long-term plan
- Works with all major streaming platforms
- Unlimited Simultaneous Connections
- No Logging | Based in British Virgin Islands
- Try SurfShark for 30-days Risk-Free
- 3rd Most Upvoted VPN on Reddit
- Popular on Reddit for Torrenting & Low Ping
- Low-Latency, No Buffering Streaming
- No Logging | Based in Romania
- Try it Risk-Free for 45-Days
- #1 for Fastest VPN on Reddit
- #1 for Bypassing Internet Censorship (incl. China)
- #3 for Fast, Secure Torrenting
- No Logging | Based in British Virgin Islands
- Try it Risk-Free for 30-Days
- Best VPN on Reddit for Privacy & Anonymity
- Most Popular Non-Shilling VPN on Reddit
- Excellent for Torrenting
- No Logging & Accepts CryptoCurrency
- 30-day Money-back Guarantee
Why Reddit?
Google’ best VPN’, and you’ll be spoiled for choice. Dozens of VPN reviews littered the search results, and each VPN provider claimed that they’re the best in town.
So, which is the best VPN? This question has led many would-be subscribers to Reddit for answers. After all, it’s the largest forum on earth that discusses anything under the sun, including VPN.
And if you are a frequent visitor to Reddit, you’ll know that most subreddits are heavily moderated, and nothing less than honest opinions will suffice.
Reddit has no room for self-promotions, fake reviews, or cheap publicity. Such posts, VPN or not, tend to get downvoted quickly by fellow Redditors.
Whether you’re getting a VPN for privacy, streaming Netflix, or accessing your Gmail in China, Reddit holds the answer to choosing the right one.
But here’s the thing.
Reddit has tens of thousands of VPN-related threads, and Redditors often hold different opinions on what works best for them.
It takes too much time and effort for most people to make a sound decision from the seemingly endless verdicts about VPN services on Reddit. But that doesn’t stop us from digging deeper.
We scoured 24,000+ posts & comments about VPN on Reddit.
It’s a painstaking process that takes days — interjected by caffeine-laden beverages and Nintendo Switch gaming breaks.
We’re digressing, but that’s the extent we’ll go to find out which VPNs have the most upvotes (or downvotes). Not only that, but we picked out what Redditors love and hate most about each of the VPNs.
Admittedly, the result is surprising, and it slightly deviates from what experts presumed to be the best VPNs of today.
Here’s what we’ve unearthed:
Top 5 VPNs according to Reddit
Now, if you want to get the low down of each VPN service mentioned above, you’ll want to read on. This is the part where we share the unbiased opinion of fellow Redditors.
You’ll find out why Reddit users are raving about these VPNs and what they are best for.
NordVPN — Redditor's Best VPN Choice By Far
- Official Name: NordVPN
- Price: $3.67/mo (View Pricing)
- Speed: Very Fast. Up to 1gb/s.
- Streaming: Yes, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, HBOMax, Spotify, Amazon Prime & others
- Torrents: Yes, fully supported on all servers.
- Privacy: Strict No-Logging Policy + Privacy-friendly jurisdiction.
- Refunds: 30-day money-back guarantee
- Network: 5,500 servers in 60 countries
- Simultaneous Devices: 6 Devices Max. per Account
- Kill Switch: Yes
NordVPN is the best overall VPN, according to Reddit, and it garners the most upvotes compared to other VPNs. This VPN is based in Panama and has a strict no logs policy. NordVPN operates with more than 5,224 servers spanning across 60 countries.
This top Reddit favorite uses military-grade AES-256 encryption and protocols like NordLynx, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. It is user-friendly and an excellent VPN for beginners. You’ll find that NordVPN is well-suited for streaming, torrenting, and keeping you safe on the internet.
NordVPN’s subscription starts from $3.67/ month, and it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Why Redditor’s Love NordVPN
NordVPN has built a loyal following on Reddit, and here are the reasons.
Great Streaming Quality & Compatibility
NordVPN is one of the best VPN services for streaming, and many Redditors share the same sentiment. This VPN offers top-tier streaming speed and can unblock many streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime.
Reddit user, u/Globalcitizen12, has been streaming Netflix with NordVPN for weeks and found it worth every dollar spent. Fellow Redditor, u/Psychological_Slice8 experiences zero-buffering when using NordVPN for streaming.
Thanks to its proprietary NordLynx protocol, streaming on NordVPN is better than ever. Like these Reddit users, you can expect low-latency HD streaming when connected to its servers.
Fast and Anonymous Torrenting Servers
NordVPN is voted as the best VPN for torrenting on Reddit. It has a solid reputation for privacy protection. Also, being headquartered in Panama frees it from data retention obligations. NordVPN also features dedicated torrenting servers that are optimized for speed and security.
Redditor u/AMellowMarshmallow recommends NordVPN for torrenting as he/she has been using it for months without problems. Meanwhile, u/Christifel was impressed with NordVPN’s torrenting speed despite not supporting port forwarding.
One of the easiest VPNs to Use
NordVPN shares a cohesive theme across its apps on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. It is one of the most intuitive VPNs around. Connecting to a VPN server on NordVPN is just a button away for users, and customer support is within reach with a 24/7 live chat.
Reddit users u/So_damn_low chose NordVPN as it serves various purposes and is easy to use. Besides that, NordVPN often offers cheap subscriptions for long-term plans with a 30-days trial period. This makes NordVPN an ideal multipurpose VPN for beginners.
SurfShark — 2nd Best & Cheapest according to Reddit
- Official Name: SurfShark VPN
- Price: $2.49/mo (see all plans)
- Streaming: Yes, works with Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, Kodi, Spotify, Vudu, Crunchyroll, and others
- Torrents: Yes, fully supported on all servers.
- Privacy: No-Logging + Privacy-friendly jurisdiction
- Refunds: 30-day money-back guarantee
- Network: 3,200 servers in 65 countries
- Simultaneous Devices: Unlimited
- Kill Switch: Yes
SurfShark is the cheapest VPN, based on Reddit feedback, but that doesn’t mean it is any lesser than its pricier competitors. SurfShark is based in the British Virgin Islands, which is a safe haven for data privacy. It also has a strict no logs policy, robust protocol, and military-grade encryption.
Surfshark’s regional network is strengthened by its fleet of 3,200+ servers in 65 countries. With decent server speed, it’s no wonder that SurfShark is voted the 2nd best Streaming VPN by Redditors (10.83%).
Subscribing to SurfShark costs as low as $2.49 / month, and plans are backed by a 30-day trial period.
Why Redditor’s Love SurfShark
Here are the reasons why SurfShark enjoys much love from Redditors.
It’s Super Cheap (Plus Unlimited Devices)
SurfShark is one of the cheapest VPNs that offer tremendous value. It boasts advanced VPN features such as Multihop, Whitelister, and Kill switch, which may not be available on more expensive providers.
If that’s not enough, you’ll get unlimited device connections with a single SurfShark subscription. This makes Surfshark a great VPN to share with your family or if you have more than a handful of devices.
Redditors are impressed with SurfShark’s pricing strategy. User u/Ammi_rowls_ stated that SurfShark is a clear winner in the pricing and features department while u/Bob-box enjoys the unlimited devices offered.
Fast Torrenting Speed With Protection
SurfShark ensures that P2P users are protected at all times while allowing torrent downloads at an impressive speed. Besides being based in a non-intelligence sharing country, SurfShark has a clearly-worded no logs policy that it strictly adheres to. It has conducted 3rd party audits on its privacy practices to put its users’ minds at ease.
SurfShark’s torrenting-friendly approach has impressed many Redditors. User u/PeterJOFAY, who is cautious when torrenting, trusts SurfShark to prevent potential legal troubles. Meanwhile, u/Curabindertt enjoys torrenting with SurfShark, thanks to negligible speed loss and P2P support in all servers.
Unblocks Most Streaming Sites (Netflix, BBC, Disney+)
SurfShark packs a serious punch when it comes to streaming capability. It is fast and unblocks various in-demand streaming services. It is one of the few VPNs that unblock Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and a slew of other providers. This makes SurfShark an ideal VPN for streaming on the go.
Reddit users are having a great time streaming with SurfShark. User u/Own-Director enjoys unlimited entertainment with SurfShark and is impressed by its good speed and affordability. Likewise, Redditor u/Mohjarr, finds that Surfhark’s streaming capability is well worth the money spent.
CyberGhost — Top Hassle-Free VPN on Reddit
www.cyberghost.com
- Official Name: CyberGhost VPN
- Price: $1.99/mo (View Pricing)
- Speed: Above Average
- Streaming: Yes, works with Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, YouTube & Crunchyroll
- Torrents: Yes + Specialized servers
- Privacy: Strict No-Logging Policy
- Refunds: 45-day money-back guarantee
- Network: 7,100 servers in 91 countries
- Simultaneous Devices: 10
- Kill Switch: Yes
CyberGhost is a Romanian-based VPN service that supports a broad range of platforms, including desktop, mobile, smart TVs, routers, and gaming consoles. It was recommended by 21.31% of Redditors for its speed, stability, and user-friendliness.
CyberGhost has all the necessary features of a good VPN, such as strong protocols, impenetrable encryption, and a strict no logs policy. It has an impressive number of servers totaling more than 7,100 servers in 91 countries.
It costs as low as $1.99 / month for a CyberGhost subscription. You’ll be entitled to a 45-days money-back guarantee and a generous 7 devices per account.
Why Redditor’s Love CyberGhost
With 15 years of experience in safeguarding users’ privacy, Redditors are singing praises of CyberGhost.
One Of The Most User-Friendly VPNs (And Highly Reliable)
CyberGhost has proved that its 15 years of industry experience doesn’t go to waste, whether it’s subscribing, installing, or establishing a secure connection. It offers a suite of intuitively-designed VPN apps that work seamlessly on their respective platforms. This means that you can easily connect to a CyberGhost server without assistance.
Fellow Redditor, u/Edenkins is using CyberGhost on 5 different devices and never encountered any issues. CyberGhost’s reputation for reliability was echoed by u/Kevin69138, another loyal user of the decade-old VPN.
CyberGhost Is Speed + Stability Impersonified
CyberGhost offers cyber protection without sacrificing speed and stability. It’s possible to stream high-resolution video or play online games without latency on CyberGhost. At the same time, CyberGhost’s superiority in speed is balanced by stable connections, ensuring a pleasant VPN experience for many Redditors.
A user that goes by u/Zebbodee has been using CyberGhost for 3-4 years and is highly satisfied with its speed on different platforms. Another Redditor, u/ProteinSpikeVariant, never suffered a dropped connection with CyberGhost. This speaks highly of CyberGhost’s capability, particularly how you can depend on it for online anonymity.
A Gateway To Low-Latency, No Buffering Streaming
Cyberghost may not be the fastest VPN in the industry, but it’s good enough to enable low latency streaming. The VPN features streaming-dedicated servers and Wireguard protocol, which provide a boost to the streaming speed. It also allows access to many streaming providers, including Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime.
Redditors who have tried CyberGhost for streaming are giving positive recommendations. For u/Loomiscroix, buffering is a non-existent issue with CyberGhost, while u/Welanman uses CyberGhost for reliable Netflix access.
ExpressVPN — Redditors’ Favorite Ultra-Fast VPN
- Official Name: ExpressVPN
- Price: $6.67/mo (See All Plans)
- Speed: Super fast. Over 1 GB/s
- Streaming: Yes, works great with Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ and HBOMax.
- Torrents: Yes, fully supported on all servers.
- Privacy: Strict No-Logging + Non-14-Eyes
- Refunds: 30-day money-back guarantee
- Network: 3,000+ servers in 94 countries
- Simultaneous Devices: 5 Active Devices at once
- Kill Switch: Yes
ExpressVPN takes the 4th spot in Reddit’s list of preferred VPN. While Express VPN is considerably expensive, Redditors are signing up for its blazing-fast connections. It’s a VPN that works on basically anything; streaming, torrenting, bypassing internet censorship, and online privacy.
ExpressVPN operates from the British Virgin Islands with 3,000+ highly-secure servers in 94 countries. It does not keep logs, and it uses RAM-based servers to wipe off data upon reset. You can download ExpressVPN for mobile, desktop, and routers.
Premium subscription on ExpressVPN starts from $6.67 per month, with 5 devices per account.
Why Redditor’s Love ExpressVPN
Redditors are willing to splurge on this rather pricey VPN, and here are the reasons.
Unrivaled Blazing Fast Connection
ExpressVPN is super fast and offers consistent speed across its servers. This means you’ll experience little to no difference in speed regardless of which server you’re connected to. ExpressVPN’s peerless connection speed makes it a perfect VPN for streaming, gaming, and torrenting.
A user that goes by u/Dalerafferty claimed that Express VPN is 20% faster than NordVPN. This is very remarkable as NordVPN charted remarkable speed of its own. ExpressVPN’s ultra-fast connection is partly due to its proprietary protocol Lightway, which according to u/Cygnus-arm, works on anything.
Offers Secure And Fast Torrenting
ExpressVPN is ranked in the top 3 of Reddit’s favorite VPN for torrenting, and the reasons are quite obvious. Speed is crucial for P2P downloads, and ExpressVPN is way ahead of other competitors. Besides that, ExpressVPN operates from the British Virgin Islands, which is out of the 5-Eyes alliance. It doesn’t store logs, nor does it give anything away to authorities.
Redditors have nothing but positive comments about ExpressVPN’s torrenting capability. As pointed out by u/Wizard10000, ExpressVPN is solid, fast, and worth subscribing to. Meanwhile, u/Madly_listener was impressed by the negligible latency when torrenting with ExpressVPN.
Bypass Strict Internet Censorship (Including China)
China is notorious for its internet censorship, and few VPNs can claim an upper hand against the communist nation. ExpressVPN, being on a league of its own, is built with obfuscation technologies to help you bypass the Great Firewall of China. You’ll want to have ExpressVPN installed if you plan to visit China or other countries with oppressive internet censorship.
A Redditor that goes by u/Starfox_2020, depends on ExpressVPN to visit censored websites and apps in China. So far, ExpressVPN has performed amicably and remains the top choice of the Redditor.
ExpressVPN offers a risk-free 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee.
Mullvad VPN — Reddit Favorite for Torrenting & Privacy
- Official Name: Mullvad VPN
- Price: $5.50/mo (View Pricing)
- Speed: Above Average
- Streaming: Limited. Works with US Netflix.
- Torrents: Yes, fully supported on all servers.
- Privacy: Strict No-Logging + Non-14-Eyes
- Refunds: 30-day money-back guarantee
- Network: 750+ servers in 34 countries
- Simultaneous Devices: 5 Active Devices at once
- Kill Switch: Yes
Mullvad, a Swedish-based VPN, takes the honored 5th spot on this list of Reddit’s top VPNs. Mullvad operates with 750 VPN servers in 36 countries. While Mullvad’s network of servers is comparatively small, it makes up with decent connection speed.
Mullvad may not boast advanced features as other premium VPNs, but it has a strong reputation amongst Redditors for privacy protection. It does not store logs and allows users to create anonymous accounts. Mullvad also accepts cash payments on top of other popular payment methods.
Subscribing to Mullvad will cost you a flat €5 per month (approx. $5.50 USD) regardless of the tenure.
Why Redditor’s Love Mullvad
Mullvad is the crowd favorite at the moment on Reddit for these reasons.
Mullvad Is Obsessed About Privacy
Mullvad is a much-trusted VPN despite being based in Sweden, a country in the 14-Eye alliance. Mullvad explains in simple terms that it doesn’t store logs and publishes detailed privacy best practices. Its policy of accepting cash is almost unheard of in the industry.
Privacy-conscious Redditors are naturally fans of Mullvad. For u/Used-Professional-92, Mullvad’s open-source client, independent audit, and cash payment distinguished it from the likes of ExpressVPN and NordVPN.
Consistent and Decent Speed
Despite its rather-small network of servers, Mullvad held its own in terms of connection speed. Mullvad is fast and consistent across local and long-distance servers. Some of its servers run super fast at 10 Gbps. This makes Mullvad a great VPN if you have heavy downloading to do.
Various Redditors found Mullvad’s speed to be impressive and definitely worth the flat €5 monthly fee. According to u/Nullcoalesce, Mullvad is nice and has excellent speed. The same goes for u/vBDKv, who chose Mullvad for speed and privacy.
A Perfect Torrenting VPN
Redditors mostly recommend Mullvad for torrenting as it ticks all the right checkboxes. Mullvad’s privacy protection is second to none, and it’s very transparent in who they are and what they do. For u/Ruslantrad, honesty is the decisive factor in choosing Mullvad.
Mullvad’s servers are optimized for torrenting. Based on u/MarkusSugarhill’s experience, Mullvad works flawlessly for torrenting with its server hopping and port forwarding features. Redditors who have tried out Mullvad for torrenting vouched that it’s absolutely safe to do so.
Mullvad offers a risk-free 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee.
Best Reddit VPN - The Runnerups (#6-10)
The top 5 VPNs above aren’t the only VPNs Reddit loves. Here are the top runner-ups, from 6th to 10th.
6. Private Internet Access — 6% of upvotes overall & 3% for Torrenting
7. Windscribe — 5% of upvotes overall & 3% for Torrenting
8. ProtonVPN — 3% of upvotes overall
9. TunnelBear — 2% of upvotes overall
10. VeePN — 1% of upvotes overall
The WORST VPNs to Avoid according to Reddit
Redditors have made their voice heard on which VPNs they’re likely to subscribe to. And they’re equally vocal on VPNs that aren’t up to standards. Some VPNs have managed to earn the ire of Reddit users, and you may want to avoid them.
Here’s the Reddit VPN Hall of Shame:
- HideMyAss (HMA) — #1 Most Hated VPN by Reddit (19% Share of Reddit Hate)
- This VPN committed the cardinal sin of handing over user logs to the authority. According to u/TheVoidborn, user logs were anonymized and turned over to the FBI in 2011. Since then, HMA’s reputation has never really recovered amongst Redditors.
- EasyVPN – Top Malware Infected VPN
- EasyVPN has earned the unenviable moniker of the #2 Most Malware Infected Android VPN app. As u/vpngeek puts it, you’ll want to avoid EasyVPN unless you want tons of malware creeping into your device.
- Hola VPN – Say Goodbye To Privacy
- Using Hola can land you on the wrong side of the law even if you’re downright innocent. It turns your device into an exit node, which means other Hola users can browse the internet (and break laws) through your connection. u/Secprentice was adamant that you avoid Hola at all costs.
- Opera – Not Really A VPN (And Probably Not Secure)
- Technically, Opera isn’t a VPN but a web proxy. This means that it could protect information sent from the browser but not on apps. The fact that Opera misrepresented its proxy service as a VPN puts its credibility into question. u/GammaDoomO, who went through Opera’s privacy policy in detail, found that it does keep logs. And there goes whatever credibility is left of Opera.
- TorGuard – Has Its Fair Share Of Detractors
- You’ll either love or hate TorGuard. Some Redditors are not impressed with the speed and customer support that TorGuard offers. u/mvilain94303 is concerned that TorGuard is within the authority of the US Justice Department.
How We Rank Reddit’s Best VPNs
Truth be told, it was never an easy process. VPN has been heavily discussed on Reddit since the technology emerged. There are numerous topics, comments, and threads that span years into the past.
However, we consolidated tons of Redditors’ feedback through patience and a systematic procedure to provide a highly accurate ranking of the best VPNs.
Here’s how our Best VPN by Reddit list is created.
- We identify all the ‘Best VPN’ Reddit posts from all different VPN subreddits.
- Then, we analyze each of the comments to determine which VPNs are recommended and which are not.
- The next step involved tallying up the upvotes for each of the recommended VPN.
- We then calculate the percentage of upvotes for each VPN.
- Finally, we sort the VPNs according to their upvotes percentage.
Redditor’s Top Priorities For Choosing A VPN
Redditors wouldn’t hesitate to profess their love (or hate) for VPNs in the market. Depending on who you ask, you may get differing opinions on what makes the ideal VPN service. This isn’t surprising as people use VPN for different purposes.
Still, when we dived deeper into what matters for Redditors when choosing a VPN, we found overlapping motivations amongst the comments.
In our research, we also came across an ongoing survey by u/SuddenHana to determine what Redditors prioritize when choosing a VPN.
There’s an overwhelming response that gears toward security and anonymity (43.47%). Many also based their decisions on price when choosing a VPN. The respondents also cited speed, server locations, and protocols as vital criteria.
Privacy
A VPN should first and foremost ensure your privacy is well-protected. Privacy is determined by a few factors; the privacy policy, encryption, and the VPN company’s jurisdiction. For Redditors like u/Lemmiwinks123, VPN mustn’t store logs, whether it’s IP address, session history, or other identifiable information.
Some VPN companies are based in countries where the court can subpoena them. However, if the VPN does not store logs, it couldn’t hand in any to the authority. This impresses users like u/Kvahsir, particularly if the VPN provider has been hauled to court and remains steadfast in protecting the privacy of its users.
The slightest sign that a VPN company may sell users’ data to 3rd parties, easily comply with authorities, or a chequered past will stop Redditors in their tracks. This is the reason why HideMyAss and Opera are getting such a bad rep on Reddit.
If you’re looking for a VPN service for privacy, you’ll want to check out Redditor’s favorites: NordVPN, SurfShark & Mullvad
Price
Great VPN doesn’t come free, but neither should it be exorbitantly expensive. Redditors are a thrifty lot, and they are always searching for cheap and good VPNs. Affordability is what drives u/Tplgigo into using Mullvad, which only costs €5 per month. It is less than half of what is offered by other VPNs.
If you’re looking for lower pricing spread over the long term, SurfShark is a great option, with a 2-year plan that costs $2.21 per month and unlimited simultaneous connections.
Speed
The last thing you want is a VPN that bogs down internet connection speed. A VPN does a lot of things to transfer information between devices and the internet. All the encryption, data packet management, and decryption may introduce substantial latency to your internet speed.
It’s hard to imagine that Redditors are willing to settle for ridiculously slow VPNs. u/Ashaps2001, for one, is looking for a VPN with unlimited usage and, preferably, no speed limits. If you’re willing to pay the price for ultra-fast servers, ExpressVPN is the fastest one available. Its Lightway protocol kept it way ahead of other competitors
Streaming & Torrenting
You may have noticed that some subreddits are very specific about VPN and how it works for streaming and torrenting. r/VPNtorrents and r/NetflixViaVPN/ have 57.7k and 63k members, respectively. This implies a large number of users are interested in streaming and torrenting with a VPN.
Many discussions about VPN on Reddit also revolve around the topics. For example, u/OsmiumViking lives in the UK and is searching for a VPN that unblocks Netflix US. Meanwhile, u/Adamblastia recommended Mullvad for torrenting and NordVPN for streaming and gaming.
Obfuscated Servers
Some Redditors need a VPN that bypass internet censorship in oppressive countries. u/NewKIDJL09 is on the lookout for a VPN that works in China. u/SuddenHana, built a VPN to protect the freedom of those in a strictly-censored environment.
Check out ExpressVPN if you need to go stealthy when you’re in China.
Server Locations
The above survey also indicates that server locations are a determining factor for Redditors when choosing a VPN. If a VPN has a large fleet of servers spread across different countries, it benefits users in terms of speed and regional access.
Theoretically, you’ll get the fastest speed when connecting to a server closest to your physical location. However, some of them may be congested during peak hours, and it helps if the VPN has enough servers to spread out the traffic.
Meanwhile, the availability of VPN servers in different countries allows you to replace your IP address with one of the connected servers. It helps in accessing geo-restricted content limited to users within the country.
CyberGhost, with 7,100 servers in 91 countries, is an ideal candidate that fulfills this criterion.
FAQs About The Best VPN According To Reddit
A VPN is a remote computer that goes between your device and the web server you want to access. It creates an encrypted tunnel where all your data passes through. This way, the VPN secures your data, making it unreadable to anyone, including your ISP.
Another feature of a VPN is that it allows you to change your virtual location when you change the server you connect to. Because of this, you can bypass geographical restrictions set by the government and media companies. For example, if you are from Brazil and you want to watch movies that are available only in the US, you can connect to a VPN server located in the US so that you will have a US IP address.
The short answer is no.
Most Redditors would advise you against signing up for a free VPN. You ought to be skeptical when you come across a free VPN, as it takes substantial costs to sustain the underlying infrastructure.
So, if a VPN is offered for free, you need to question how the provider is filling up its coffer if it’s not billing the users.
As u/Jpie726 puts it, “If the product is free, you are the product”. u/Theoriginalcalbha warns that a free VPN may sell your information to cover its expenses. This defeats the purpose of getting a VPN, which is supposed to protect your privacy.
Check out these strong opinions by fellow Redditors about using a free VPN:
- “Don’t use a free one or once-off purchase.” – u/ChellyTheKid
- “Don’t choose a free one, of course, but also don’t choose one that’s only a couple bucks a month.” – u/Ictu0
- “Free VPNs are very risky. Try using good VPNs” – u/Dennoni
It’s rare to stumble on a free and good VPN. Often, the rule of thumb is to avoid free VPNs. Here are the common reasons why free VPNs are strongly discouraged.
1. Your Information Could Be Traded/Shared
Somehow, free VPN providers need to keep their lights on, and they may resort to underhanded tactics such as selling your information to advertisers.
For example, Hola — the most hated VPN on Reddit, clearly stated that it might share your email address with its marketing partners. Not the type of discretion you’ll expect from a VPN provider, free or otherwise.
2. It May Not Be Secure
VPN relies on continuous development to upgrade its security features against modern threats. Some VPNs are stuck with obsolete protocols and encryption, which the latest hacking techniques can penetrate. It’s not worthwhile to risk your safety on the internet just to save a few dollars a month.
3. They May Contain Malware
Some free VPNs are developed with malicious intentions. They may be a host to malware, which will infect your device upon installation. Instead of rendering protection, these VPNs wreak havoc by undermining the security of your device. EasyVPN, which is notorious for its malware-infected app, is the reason why you wouldn’t want to trust free VPNs.
Technically, VPN is a network service that encrypts your data and changes your IP address to a shared, anonymous one. There are different ways where a VPN can prove to be helpful. As far as Redditors are concerned, a VPN is mainly used for the following reasons:
1. Avoiding Sniffing On Public Network
While public WiFi offers the convenience of staying connected, there’s a dark side of it that could haunt users. Public WiFi is usually not encrypted, and one that anyone could connect without a password is an invitation for cyber-disasters.
Hackers, corporate spies, and enforcement agencies could eavesdrop on the unprotected network. You’ll never know if or when you’ll be a target of these entities. A VPN encrypts all communication from your device and changes your IP address. This makes you untraceable and protected on the public network.
2. Stream Geo-Restricted Content
Streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer allow access to their content from certain countries. If you’re in the UK, you can access the iPlayer but blocked from Netflix US. These providers use IP tracking and deep packet monitoring to block access from foreign countries.
A streaming-optimized VPN like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or CyberGhost unblocks these streaming providers with ease. The VPN leverages geo-restriction bypassing technologies to grant you access to the content, even when you’re not geographically permitted to do so.
3. Torrenting
Torrenting is a risky affair when it’s done over an unprotected connection. In 2019, P2P users in Canada were served with lawsuits from TV and film producers for copyright infringement. With your IP address exposed and visible on the P2P software, it isn’t hard for enforcement agencies to track you down.
This is where a VPN like Mullvad, NordVPN, or ExpressVPN comes in to keep you safe. Using torrent-friendly VPN not only protects you from potential lawsuits but also hackers preying on P2P users.
4. Bypass Internet Censorship In China
Be prepared for the internet culture shock when you travel to China. Once you’re in the country, you’ll be denied access to common apps and websites like Gmail, Facebook, Walls Street Journal, and dozens of other familiar names. In short, it’ll be a pain living in China if you don’t have a VPN installed.
A VPN allows you to bypass the internet censorship enforced by the government. VPN uses obfuscation technologies to escape the watchful eyes of the censorship watchdog. It allows you access to censored apps when you connect to a VPN server in a more liberal country.
With that said, not all VPNs can outsmart the great firewall of China. ExpressVPN is your best bet for protecting your internet freedom in China.
As every VPN claims superiority to woo new subscribers, you need an independent, unbiased opinion. What’s better than seeking out or browsing through feedback by Redditors who are actual users of the VPN?
These are popular Subreddits with ongoing discussions on VPN.
Some subreddits are dedicated to a particular VPN:
You may also find helpful insights about VPN on these related Subreddits.
Definitely, yes. A VPN hides your IP address and encrypts your data, thereby making you virtually unknown to everyone on the Internet. Even though some prying eyes can see IP addresses, they can only see the IP of the VPN and can’t trace it back to you. This is assuming that you’re not using your real name as your Reddit username, of course!