The best iTop VPN alternatives are Proton VPN, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, Mullvad VPN, Windscribe and Hotspot Shield, and our top pick is Proton VPN for its audited no-logs policy and usable free plan. Most people start looking because iTop VPN is based in Hong Kong and its no-logs claim has never been independently audited. The table below lines up each alternative on price, free-plan limits, devices and platforms.
Every pick runs on Windows, macOS, Android and iPhone, and three offer a free tier. We explain our test method just below the table.
iTop VPN alternatives at a glance
Proton VPN and NordVPN share our top score, but Proton leads because it also has a free plan. Prices are introductory rates on the longest plan, and most renew higher.
| Alternative | Best for | Starting price | Free plan | Simultaneous devices | Platforms | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Best overall | $2.99/mo (2-year Plus) | Yes: unlimited data, 10 countries | 10 (1 on free) | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, TV | Check price → |
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Speed and security extras | About $3.49/mo (2-year Basic) | No | 10 | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, TV | Check price |
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Streaming and travel | From about $3/mo (2-year Basic) | No (7-day mobile trial) | 10 (Basic) | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, TV, routers | Check price |
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Unlimited devices | $2.49/mo (2-year Starter) | No | Unlimited | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, TV | Check price |
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Privacy and anonymity | EUR 5/mo flat | No | 5 | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Check price |
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Best free | Free; Pro $69/yr | Yes: 10GB/month, about 10 countries | Unlimited | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, TV, routers | Check price |
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Fast free tier | $7.99/mo (annual Premium) | Yes: 1 device, 1 US location, 2 Mbps | 10 (Premium) | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, TV, routers | Check price |
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Comparison only | $1.66/mo (36-month plan) | Yes: 300 to 700 MB/day, varies over time | 5 to 8, by plan version | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
How we tested iTop VPN alternatives
We scored every service with the same checks we use in our full VPN reviews, and the ratings here come from those reviews. We measured download and upload speed on nearby and long-distance servers against an unprotected baseline on the same line. For leaks, we ran DNS, WebRTC and IPv6 tests and checked each kill switch by switching servers and dropping the network. For streaming, we tried Netflix, BBC iPlayer and Disney+ on regular servers. Then we read each privacy policy, looked for a named auditor, and compared promotional prices with renewal prices and refund terms.
Hotspot Shield is the one exception to score order. It rates below PIA and CyberGhost, but it keeps a ranked slot because many iTop users weigh it as a free-tier option, and we spell out its limits plainly.
1. Proton VPN - best overall iTop VPN alternative
Proton VPN fixes the two things that push most people away from iTop: an unaudited no-logs claim and a stingy free tier. It scores 9.0/10 in our Proton VPN review.
The free plan provides unlimited data with no ads, a built-in kill switch and the Stealth protocol, on servers in 10 countries for 1 device. When we connected on the free tier, the app chose the server for us, with no way to pick a country, and streaming and torrenting stayed locked.
Paying opens 20,000+ servers in 140+ countries. On paid servers our download speed dropped by no more than about 8 percent, and Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and HBO Max unblocked consistently. Secure Core, Proton's multi-hop mode, ran about 35 percent slower than a standard connection.
Logging policy: Proton has passed a Securitum no-logs audit every year from 2022 to 2026 and publishes each report. Proton AG is based in Switzerland, and its open-source apps cover Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV and Apple TV. VPN Plus costs $9.99 per month or $2.99/month on the 2-year plan, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Best for: a free VPN today with a clean upgrade path later.
Pros
- VPN Accelerator helps hold speed on distant servers
- Installs in under two minutes and explains each setting in plain language
- NetShield ad blocking and port forwarding on paid plans
Cons
- Free plan covers 1 device and picks your server
- Live chat is not 24/7 and not open to free users
- Secure Core costs noticeable speed
2. NordVPN - best for speed and security extras
Where Proton wins on its free plan, NordVPN wins on raw throughput. On nearby US servers we kept 95 percent or more of a gigabit line, roughly 825 to 903 Mbps, while iTop's premium servers never passed 100 Mbps in our runs. NordVPN shares the top 9.0/10 in our NordVPN review.
Regular servers opened Netflix, Max, Disney+ and BBC iPlayer without special streaming servers. NordLynx, its WireGuard-based protocol, is post-quantum on every app. Double VPN is the exception to the speed story: when we switched it on, throughput fell to around half on a fast line.
Logging policy: NordVPN's no-logs policy has been verified six times, by PwC in 2018 and 2020 and by Deloitte from 2022 through February 2026. It operates from Panama and covers 10 devices across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV and Apple TV.
There is no free plan. Basic costs about $3.49/month on a 2-year term, though promotions and regional pricing move that between roughly $3 and $3.50. It is $5.49/month on the 1-year plan or $14.99 month to month, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Best for: fast connections with the extras iTop sells as add-ons.
Pros
- Threat Protection Pro blocks ads, trackers and malware
- Double VPN, Onion Over VPN and obfuscated servers
- Meshnet and split tunneling built in
Cons
- The map-based interface feels clunky on smaller screens
- Auto-renewal jumps well above the promotional rate
- No free plan
3. ExpressVPN - best for streaming and travel
If NordVPN is the speed pick, ExpressVPN is the one we would hand to a traveler who wants things to just work. Its Lightway protocol held roughly 450 to 720 Mbps on US and UK servers from our gigabit line. It scores 8.8/10 in our ExpressVPN review.
Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, Prime Video and Hulu unblocked across many regions, though access shifted from week to week and we hit the odd proxy error. When we forced a server timeout and then changed networks mid-session, Network Lock, ExpressVPN's kill switch, cut traffic correctly both times. The app is one large connect button with a recommended Smart Location.
Logging policy: KPMG assessed ExpressVPN's RAM-only TrustedServer setup and privacy-policy claims as of February 28, 2025. The company is based in the British Virgin Islands and owned by Kape Technologies. It has servers in 113 countries and apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Fire TV, Apple TV and routers, with 10 devices on Basic.
Basic starts from about $3 a month on a 2-year plan, a promotional rate that moves with running deals, then renews at $99.95 per year after the first 28 months. There is no free plan, only a 7-day trial on iOS and Android, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Best for: streaming abroad with the simplest app here.
Pros
- Open-source Lightway protocol, post-quantum by default
- MediaStreamer Smart DNS for devices without VPN apps
- 24/7 live chat
Cons
- Renewal at $99.95 a year is steep
- Streaming access can change from week to week
- No free plan
4. Surfshark - best value for unlimited devices
Surfshark trades some of ExpressVPN's polish for a much bigger device allowance. Every plan covers unlimited simultaneous connections, where iTop stops at 5 to 8 devices. It earns 8.6/10 in our Surfshark review.
Speed held up on long routes: even on a transatlantic server, Surfshark slowed our downloads by only about 10 percent. Netflix worked reliably across several regions, and the native Android TV, Apple TV and Fire TV apps made TV setup quick. The macOS app ran better than the Windows app, where ping spiked on some servers.
Logging policy: Deloitte verified Surfshark's no-logs policy under ISAE 3000 in 2023 and again in 2025. Surfshark B.V. is based in the Netherlands and runs 4,500+ servers in 100 countries, with apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and TV platforms.
Starter costs $2.49/month on the 2-year plan, billed $67.23 for 27 months, then renews at $79 per year. Month-to-month runs roughly $15 to $16 depending on region and tax, among the priciest in the category. There is no free plan; a 30-day money-back guarantee applies.
Best for: families with multiple devices on one bill.
Pros
- MultiHop and Nexus IP rotation for extra privacy
- CleanWeb blocks ads and trackers
- Camouflage mode and NoBorders for restrictive networks
Cons
- Month-to-month pricing is expensive
- Windows app pings higher than the macOS app on some servers
- No free plan
5. Mullvad VPN - best for privacy and anonymity
Mullvad strips away almost everything Surfshark adds, and that is the point. Sign-up took seconds: Mullvad issued a random 16-digit account number and asked for no email or name, and you can pay in cash. It scores 8.5/10 in our Mullvad VPN review.
No VPN makes you fully anonymous, and Mullvad's privacy focus has costs. Netflix US and BBC iPlayer blocked its servers with proxy errors, and a library that opened in one session failed minutes later. Websites threw CAPTCHA challenges at us often while connected, and support is email-only.
Logging policy: Mullvad's servers passed their fourth Cure53 infrastructure audit in June 2024. These audits check infrastructure rather than issue a formal no-logs opinion, so whether Mullvad counts as "audited no-logs" depends on your definition. A 2023 Swedish police visit found no customer data to seize.
Mullvad is based in Sweden and runs 566 servers across 50 countries, WireGuard only. Apps cover Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, with 5 devices per account. The price is a flat EUR 5 per month with a 14-day money-back guarantee (except cash payments), and there is no free tier.
Best for: privacy-first users who put anonymity ahead of streaming.
Pros
- DAITA defense against traffic analysis
- Open-source apps with quantum-resistant WireGuard tunnels
- Lockdown-mode kill switch blocks traffic outside the VPN
Cons
- Poor for Netflix and BBC iPlayer
- Frequent CAPTCHAs while connected
- No port forwarding
6. Windscribe - best free iTop VPN alternative
Windscribe goes the opposite way from Mullvad: it gives you a free plan with streaming. On its free servers we opened Netflix libraries in the US, UK, Canada, France and Germany, though some shows took a while to reach 1080p. It scores 8.5/10 in our Windscribe review.
The free plan gives you 10GB of bandwidth per month with a confirmed email, or 2GB without, across about 10 countries and unlimited connections. That beats iTop's daily allowance but covers only a few hours of HD video a month, and free servers saw speed drops of up to 90 percent at busy times. It keeps AES-256 encryption, the standard vendors market as military-grade, plus R.O.B.E.R.T., Windscribe's DNS-level ad and malware blocker.
On Pro, speeds held near our baseline on nearby servers, about 92 of 95 Mbps, but fell off on long routes such as Singapore.
Logging policy: there is no dedicated no-logs audit, but Packetlabs audited Windscribe's RAM-only servers in June 2024, and a server Dutch authorities seized in February 2026 held no logs. Windscribe is based in Canada, a Five Eyes country, with apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, TV and routers. Pro costs $69 per year or $9.00 month to month, and refunds apply only within 7 days and under 10GB used.
Best for: free users who want streaming and more data than iTop gives.
Pros
- Port forwarding and static IPs on Pro
- Unlimited connections on free and Pro
- Build-A-Plan from $1 per location per month
Cons
- Free data runs out fast if you stream
- Busy free servers can slow sharply
- Refund window is short and data-limited
7. Hotspot Shield - best for fast connections on a free tier
Where Windscribe's free tier is about data and streaming, Hotspot Shield's pitch is nearby speed. On US servers close to us it barely dented our download speed, around 3 percent, with best runs of roughly 150 to 270 Mbps. Its 6.5/10 in our Hotspot Shield review matches iTop's, so treat it as an option with clear caveats.
Uploads were the weak spot: a transfer that took 10 minutes unprotected took about 35 minutes through the VPN. On the plus side, leak tests across 60 server locations on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS showed no IPv6, DNS or WebRTC leaks.
The free Basic plan caps speed at 2 Mbps on 1 device and 1 US location, and the mobile app played video ads when we connected and disconnected. Free streaming buffered constantly, while Premium opened Netflix, Max, Prime Video and BBC iPlayer.
Logging policy: Hotspot Shield does not log browsing traffic, but it records session duration, device hashes and data usage, and its free apps share anonymized data with advertisers. Its audit page names no auditor or scope. The free app was also the subject of a 2017 FTC complaint from CDT alleging ad injection, which AnchorFree called unfounded. The US-based service is now owned by Point Wild.
Premium costs $7.99/month on the annual plan, billed $95.88, or $12.99 month to month, for 10 devices. It includes a 7-day free trial and a 45-day money-back guarantee, with apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, TV and routers.
Best for: short sessions on nearby US servers where speed matters most.
Pros
- Torrenting allowed on every server
- Clean leak results on all four major platforms
- Premium live chat connects in under a minute
Cons
- Free plan capped at 2 Mbps with video ads
- Slow uploads and weak distant servers
- Logs session metadata
Other iTop VPN alternatives we considered
These services nearly made the ranked list or come up often in iTop comparisons. Security-suite VPNs are weaker swaps: Avast SecureLine renews at $99.99 per year with no published audit and scores 6.5/10 in our Avast SecureLine review, and Bitdefender scores 7.2/10 in our Bitdefender VPN review.
Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access scores 8.4/10 in our PIA review. Deloitte audited its no-logs policy in 2022 and 2024, it allows unlimited devices and it costs $2.03/month on the 3-year + 3-month plan. It missed the ranked list on speed consistency: some servers lost around three quarters of our gigabit line, while others lost closer to 12 percent. Its many settings also suit tinkerers more than people used to iTop's one-click app.
CyberGhost
CyberGhost also scores 8.4/10 in our CyberGhost review. Its streaming servers for Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and Prime Video loaded on the first try, and Deloitte last audited its no-logs policy in February 2026. It costs $2.19/month on the 26-month plan for 7 devices. It stayed off the list because long-distance connections lost more than 55 percent of our download speed, and ExpressVPN covers streaming with better speed.
Planet VPN and VPN Proxy Master: free apps to approach with caution
Both apps appear in free-VPN searches next to iTop. Planet VPN operates from Bucharest, Romania, and is widely linked to the older RUSVPN brand, though no filing settles whether it is a rename or a successor. Its free plan needs no account and has no data cap, but it offers 6 servers in 5 countries, shows ads and has no kill switch.
Its privacy policy lists device, location, ISP and diagnostic data among what it collects, and it names 6 advertising partners, including AdMob, Meta and Unity Ads. The vendor names no auditor and publishes no audit report. We cover the details in is Planet VPN safe, and our Planet VPN review scores it 6.5/10.
VPN Proxy Master scores 4.4/10 in our VPN Proxy Master review, and who its corporate parent is remains unsettled. In packet captures its free version failed to encrypt HTTP requests, and its kill switch sometimes cut internet access even when toggled off. It costs $12.99 per month, and its Trustpilot rating sits at 1.4 out of 5.
Free VPN apps pay their bills somehow, often through ads and data sharing. A 2016 CSIRO-led study of 283 Android VPN apps found that 38% contained some malware and 75% used third-party tracking libraries. Read the privacy policy before you install any free VPN.
Why switch from iTop VPN?
iTop VPN is not malware, and its apps switch locations in one click. The reasons to leave are trust, performance and value, which we cover in full in our iTop VPN review.
The first is jurisdiction. iTop is headquartered in Hong Kong, and its privacy policy names the operator as iTop Inc. with no physical address. As a Hong Kong company it would fall under Hong Kong's Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486), which includes exemptions for crime prevention and detection. Since June 30, 2020, Hong Kong's national security law has also applied, and its Article 43 rules let a magistrate's warrant compel a service provider to hand over identification records or decryption help.
The second is the privacy policy. It says iTop does not log your browsing activity, but it collects your email, phone number and Google Analytics and Firebase data, discloses data under valid subpoenas or warrants, and states no retention period. It was last updated June 14, 2022, and the no-logs claim has never been independently audited.
The third is performance and value. On a 500 Mbps line, iTop's free tier cut our download speed by roughly 80 percent, and its kill switch let our real IP leak once while switching servers. There is no WireGuard, support is email-only, and iTop has been bundled into IObit installers without a clear opt-in. Its 24-month and 36-month plans even cost the same $59.99 total.
How to choose an iTop VPN alternative
Start with what iTop lacks, then match the rest to how you use the internet. EFF's guide to choosing a VPN is a good neutral starting point.
- An audited no-logs policy. A no-logs policy promises the provider keeps no record of your online activity. Look for a named auditor and a published report.
- Jurisdiction. The country a VPN is based in decides which laws can compel it to share data.
- A kill switch that works. A kill switch blocks traffic if the VPN drops, so your real IP never leaks. Test it by switching servers.
- Leak protection. Check for DNS, WebRTC and IPv6 leaks on your own devices, especially on public Wi-Fi.
- Modern protocols. WireGuard, or a protocol built on it, is faster than older options.
- Device limit. Count the phones, laptops and TVs you want covered.
- Free-plan limits. Compare data caps, server choice and ads.
- Renewal price. Promotional rates often jump, so check the second-year price.
How to switch from iTop VPN
You can move to a new VPN in a few minutes per device.
- Stop auto-renewal. iTop renews automatically after a 7-day advance notice. Sign in to your iTop account and turn renewal off. If you paid through a phone store, open Settings, tap your name and select Subscriptions on iPhone, or open the Play Store, tap your profile icon and select Payments & subscriptions on Android.
- Ask for a refund if you qualify. iTop offers a 30-day money-back guarantee through email support, and replies can take a day or two.
- Uninstall iTop VPN on Windows. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find iTop VPN, then select Uninstall.
- Uninstall on Mac and phones. Drag iTop VPN from Applications to the Trash, then open System Settings > VPN and remove any leftover profile. On a phone, press and hold the app icon, then tap Remove App or Uninstall.
- Block reinstalls. If iTop arrived with an IObit product, untick bundled offers during its next update.
- Install your new VPN and check for leaks. Connect to a nearby server, then run a DNS and WebRTC leak test to confirm only the VPN's IP address shows.
Do not run iTop and your new VPN at the same time. Two VPN clients compete for the same network adapter, which can drop your connection.
iTop VPN alternatives FAQ
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Final verdict
Proton VPN is the best iTop VPN alternative for most people. It answers iTop's biggest weakness with yearly Securitum no-logs audits, and its free plan drops the daily data cap without adding ads.
If you only want a free VPN and plan to stream, Windscribe is the better free pick, with 10GB a month and working Netflix libraries on free servers. Watch the data meter, because HD video uses it quickly.
For raw speed, NordVPN kept more of our gigabit line than any other service here and matches iTop's bundled extras with verified privacy behind them. Mullvad VPN remains the choice when anonymity outranks streaming. Whichever you pick, cancel iTop's auto-renewal first and run a leak test once the new app connects.
