Betternet is a VPN app with an ad-supported free tier and a paid Premium tier, and you can start the free version without an account or email. The trouble starts after you connect: the free tier shows ads, the desktop data allowance runs out fast, and streaming services stayed blocked on the servers we tried.
NordVPN is our top overall pick if you want a straight upgrade. If you want to keep paying nothing, Proton VPN is the best free alternative, with no data cap and no ads. The other seven alternatives cover budget plans, privacy, beginners and Linux users, and the table below puts them side by side.
Betternet Alternatives Compared at a Glance
Prices are introductory rates on the longest plan unless noted, and most renew higher.
| VPN | Best for | Free plan / data cap | Starting price | Servers / countries | Simultaneous devices | Audited no-logs | Streaming | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Overall | None | About $3.49/mo | 9,000+ / 118-167 | 10 | Deloitte | Reliable | Check price → |
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Free | Unlimited, 1 device | About $2.99/mo | 20,000+ / 140+ | 10 | Securitum | Paid only | Check price |
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Streaming, restrictive countries | None | About $2.79/mo | 105-113 countries | 10 | KPMG | Reliable | Check price |
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Budget | None | $2.49/mo | 4,500+ / 100 | Unlimited | Deloitte | Reliable | Check price |
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Free locations | 10GB/mo | $69/yr | 69 countries | Unlimited | Court-tested | Inconsistent | Check price |
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Privacy | None | €5/mo | 566 / 50 | 5 | Cure53, Assured AB | Hit or miss | Check price |
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Beginners | None | About $2.19/mo | 9,900+ / 100 | 7 | Deloitte | Strong | Check price |
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Linux | None | About $2.03/mo | 91 countries | Unlimited | Deloitte | Weak | Check price |
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Simple free use | 2GB/mo | $3.33/mo | 47-48 countries | Unlimited | Cure53 security audits | Hit or miss | Check price |
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Baseline | Ads; 500MB/day desktop | About $12.99 monthly | 1,000+ / 115+ virtual | 10 (Premium) | No (Aon policy review) | Mostly blocked |
1. NordVPN - Best Betternet Alternative Overall
NordVPN fixes the two things that frustrated us most about Betternet, speed and streaming. On nearby servers we lost only single-digit percentages of speed, and 4K streams played without buffering. Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and HBO Max unblocked reliably, and when the tunnel failed, the kill switch cut traffic. Our NordVPN review scores it 9.0/10.
Key features
- 9,000+ servers; 118 to 167 countries, depending on how virtual locations are counted
- 10 simultaneous devices
- About $3.49/month on two years (a promo rate that renews higher), or $14.99 monthly
- 30-day money-back guarantee; apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and Fire TV
How it compares to Betternet
Betternet relies on one privacy-policy review. NordVPN has passed six Deloitte no-logs assurance engagements, runs RAM-only servers from Panama, and hides VPN traffic on restrictive networks with NordWhisper.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Meshnet and dedicated P2P servers
- Threat Protection Pro blocks ads and trackers
- Post-quantum encryption
Cons
- No free plan
- Renewal charges land about two weeks early
- Double VPN cuts speed by around 80 percent
2. Proton VPN - Best Free Betternet Alternative
Proton VPN took about two minutes to install, and its apps explain each setting in plain language. On the free tier we saw no throttling. The one catch is that the free app picks your server location for you, so you cannot aim for a specific country. We found no DNS, IPv6 or WebRTC leaks across dozens of countries, and our Proton VPN review scores it 9.0/10.
Key features
- Free: unlimited data, no ads, no credit card, 1 device, servers in about 10 countries (a list Proton keeps expanding)
- VPN Plus: $9.99 monthly or about $2.99/month on two years (promo, renews higher)
- Plus covers 10 devices on 20,000+ servers in 140+ countries
- 30-day money-back guarantee, prorated
How it compares to Betternet
Securitum's 2025 no-logs audit report found Proton fully complies with its no-logs policy after an on-site visit in Zurich. Proton is based in Switzerland, and its apps are open source.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Stealth protocol for restrictive networks
- Audited no-logs policy
- Paid plans unblock Netflix without server hopping
Cons
- Free plan: one device, no country choice
- No streaming or P2P on the free plan
- Email support can take about two days
3. ExpressVPN - Best for Streaming and Restrictive Countries
Stability is where ExpressVPN earns its 8.8/10 in our ExpressVPN review. Connections stayed rock solid through long daily use, and Network Lock, its kill switch, rarely tripped. Download speed dropped by roughly 37 to 39 percent, more than with NordVPN, but ping rose only 5 to 6 ms, and Netflix, Hulu and ESPN+ loaded without issues.
Key features
- Servers in 105 to 113 countries (ExpressVPN keeps adding locations)
- 10 devices on Basic, up to 14 on Pro
- $12.99 monthly or about $2.79/month on two years, renewing at about $99.95/year
- 30-day money-back guarantee; apps for routers, Apple TV and consoles
How it compares to Betternet
ExpressVPN applies obfuscation on every server automatically, and a KPMG assurance in 2025 backed its privacy policy. It is based in the British Virgin Islands and owned by Kape Technologies.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Automatic obfuscation everywhere
- Lightway protocol on RAM-only servers
- Router apps
Cons
- Pricey monthly plan
- Larger speed loss than NordVPN
- No free plan
4. Surfshark - Best Budget Alternative (Unlimited Devices)
Where Betternet Premium stops at 10 connections, Surfshark sets no limit. Download speed dropped about 17 percent on Windows and 31 percent on macOS with steady latency, and Netflix worked across regions without detection. Native apps made setup on Android TV and Fire TV painless. Our Surfshark review rates it 8.6/10.
Key features
- 4,500+ servers in 100 countries
- Unlimited simultaneous devices
- $2.49/month on the two-year plan (27 months including 3 bonus months, $67.23 upfront), renewing at $79/year
- 30-day money-back guarantee, plus a 7-day trial through mobile app stores
How it compares to Betternet
Deloitte verified Surfshark's no-logs policy in 2023 and 2025, and the company is based in the Netherlands. It also ships Linux, Apple TV and Fire TV apps, all missing from Betternet's platform list.
Pros and cons
Pros
- RAM-only servers
- CleanWeb ad and tracker blocker
- Instant kill switch
Cons
- Monthly billing runs about $15 to $16.45 by region
- Slower on macOS
- No free plan
5. Windscribe - Best Free Plan with More Locations
Windscribe suits Betternet free users who want to choose where they connect. Its free servers ran at roughly the same speed as Pro in our testing, though congestion caused sudden drops of up to 90 percent. The free plan keeps R.O.B.E.R.T. blocking and the firewall. See our Windscribe review for its 8.5/10 breakdown.
Key features
- Free: 2GB/month, or 10GB/month after confirming an email
- About 10 free countries chosen manually (Windscribe rotates them)
- Unlimited devices, even on the free plan
- Pro: $9/month or $69/year for 69 countries, or Build-a-Plan from $3
How it compares to Betternet
Betternet's 500MB daily desktop allowance adds up to more data on paper. Windscribe wins on control and trust: a Greek court dismissed charges against its CEO on April 11, 2025, after accepting that it held no user logs.
Pros and cons
Pros
- No ads on the free plan
- Manual free locations
- Pay per location with Build-a-Plan
Cons
- Congestion slowdowns
- Inconsistent Netflix access
- No formal no-logs audit
6. Mullvad VPN - Best for Privacy Purists
Mullvad asks for less personal data than any other pick. Sign-up took seconds, since the only login is a random 16-digit account number. Local speed loss was only around 6 percent, but streaming was hit or miss, with Netflix detecting some servers. Our Mullvad VPN review scores it 8.5/10.
Key features
- Flat €5/month on any term, unchanged since 2009
- Up to 5 devices
- About 50 countries (566 servers on a live list that changes)
- 14-day refund; WireGuard only, with multihop and obfuscation
How it compares to Betternet
Mullvad has passed more than ten independent audits, and a 2023 police raid in Sweden found no user data to seize. Betternet, by contrast, collects device identifiers and advertising IDs.
Pros and cons
Pros
- No email needed
- Same price on every term
- Cash and crypto payments
Cons
- Only 5 devices
- No free plan or trial
- Email-only support
7. CyberGhost - Easiest Alternative for Beginners
CyberGhost is the user-friendly choice for people who liked Betternet's simplicity but want streaming that works. Setup was quick, and its dedicated streaming servers unblocked Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and Prime Video on the first try. Nearby servers lost roughly 5 to 19 percent of speed, but distant ones dropped 44 to 59 percent. Our CyberGhost review rates it 8.4/10.
Key features
- 9,900+ servers in 100 countries
- 7 simultaneous devices
- About $2.19/month on 26 months (promos vary), or $12.99 monthly
- 45-day money-back guarantee on longer plans, 14 days on monthly
How it compares to Betternet
CyberGhost passed its third Deloitte no-logs assurance in Q4 2025. It is based in Romania, and unlike Betternet it offers 24/7 live chat. It does not work in China.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Streaming servers labelled by service
- Long refund window
- Quick protocol switching
Cons
- 7-device limit
- Dated Windows app
- Big slowdowns on distant servers
8. Private Internet Access - Best for Power Users and Linux
Private Internet Access fills Betternet's biggest platform gap with a native Linux app. Speed loss was small in our testing, about 4 percent locally and 18 percent internationally. Its long settings list can overwhelm at first but becomes easy once tuned. Streaming was weak, though, and US and UK Netflix no longer unblocked. Our Private Internet Access review scores it 8.4/10.
Key features
- Servers in 91 countries plus all 50 US states
- Unlimited connections
- $11.95 monthly or about $2.03/month on a 3-year-plus-3-month term (PIA rotates deal lengths)
- 30-day money-back guarantee; port forwarding and split tunneling by app or IP
How it compares to Betternet
PIA completed its third Deloitte no-logs assurance on December 19, 2025. It is US-based and owned by Kape, and its apps are open source.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Native Linux GUI app
- Choice of AES-128 or AES-256
- RAM-only servers
Cons
- Weak for streaming
- Forwarded port changes on reconnect
- Dense settings
9. TunnelBear - Simplest Free Option
TunnelBear's map-based, one-click interface is the closest match to Betternet's single-tap start. Speed is the trade-off: downloads dropped about 45 percent on Mac and 53 percent on Windows. The free 2GB a month ran out in roughly 20 minutes of HD video, so it suits light browsing only. Our TunnelBear review rates it 7.5/10.
Key features
- Free: 2GB per month, with no manual country choice since early 2026
- Unlimited devices
- From $3.33/month on three years, or $9.99 monthly
- Servers in 47 to 48 countries; refunds are not advertised on the pricing page
How it compares to Betternet
TunnelBear has published eight annual Cure53 security audits, and McAfee has owned it since 2018. Linux works only through manual setup.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Simplest interface we tested
- No ads on the free plan
- GhostBear obfuscation
Cons
- Big Windows upload slowdowns
- Hit-and-miss Netflix
- Ticket support only
What About Hotspot Shield, Psiphon, and Tor?
Hotspot Shield is not a real alternative to Betternet. Both belong to Point Wild, formed when Pango Group merged with Total Security in December 2024, and both run the Catapult Hydra protocol. Its free Basic tier covers one device, and its servers ran at least twice as slow, with buffering during streaming. Our Hotspot Shield review scores it 6.5/10.
Psiphon is a free, open-source circumvention tool that began at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab in 2006. Its FAQ says it is not built for anti-surveillance and points people who need anonymity to Tor. The Tor Project's Android VPN beta, announced in 2025, is not production-ready for high-risk use, so treat both as specialist tools.
Why Look for a Betternet Alternative?
Betternet scores 4.2/10 in our Betternet VPN review. The free desktop app shows video ads, and the mobile app trades one video ad for each 15 minutes of use. Betternet's features page promises unlimited free data, but the apps enforce a daily allowance on desktop and trade ads for time on mobile. The 500MB daily allowance covered email and light browsing, then ran out fast with video.
Speed was worse, especially on long-distance connections. From a 70 Mbps baseline, downloads collapsed to around 4 Mbps on distant servers, a loss of roughly 95 percent. The connection also dropped more than once per session, and sometimes only restarting the app brought it back.
A 2016 academic study of Android VPN apps analysed 283 apps and found Betternet embedded 14 tracking libraries, the most in the study, while 13 antivirus engines flagged its app. Recent testing of the current app finds excessive permissions but no malware. Betternet's owner commissioned Aon to review the service against its privacy policy in 2023, and Aon found no sign that browsing activity could be tied to a user. That was a one-off review, though, not a recurring no-logs audit.
How We Picked These Betternet Alternatives
Every pick has a full HTS review, and the ranking follows those scores. We weighed each VPN on:
- No-logs audits or real-world proof, such as a court case
- Server network and simultaneous connections
- Free-plan limits, including data caps, ads and location choice
- Speed loss against an unprotected baseline connection
- Streaming access and price, including renewals and refunds
Free vs Paid: Which Betternet Alternative Should You Choose?
A free plan is enough for public Wi-Fi, email and light browsing. Proton VPN leads here with no data cap, Windscribe adds location choice, and TunnelBear keeps things simple.
Pay if you stream, torrent, need to secure multiple devices or travel to countries that block VPNs. Most paid options here come with a refund window (TunnelBear does not advertise one), so you can try one for a few weeks with little risk.
Start with Proton VPN's free plan. If you need more devices or Netflix, upgrade to Proton VPN Plus or switch to NordVPN.
Betternet Alternatives FAQ
Is Betternet safe to use?
Does Betternet work in China?
What encryption does Betternet use?
Is Hotspot Shield the same company as Betternet?
Does Betternet work with Netflix?
Final Verdict
Betternet's one-tap setup is easy to like, but ads, a daily data limit and patchy streaming hold it back.
