X-VPN gives away a free VPN app that needs no account. By X-VPN's own count, its paid plan has thousands of servers in 80+ countries. It also runs its own closed-source Everest protocol alongside WireGuard and OpenVPN. That is a generous starting point, but the weak spots add up once you look closer.
The free mobile apps are ad-supported. The cheap first-year price renews at an unpublished "then-current" rate. X-VPN's no-logs attestation names no auditor, and the report sits behind a login. Ownership has moved from Hong Kong to Singapore with no public record of how the entities connect.
We compared 9 X-VPN alternatives on audit transparency, free-tier limits, speed, price and platforms. NordVPN came out on top.
X-VPN Alternatives Compared at a Glance
Every pick below scored higher than X-VPN's 6.4/10 in our reviews. The table starts with X-VPN as the baseline, then lists the 9 alternatives in ranking order.
| VPN | Buy | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Independent no-logs audit | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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No-signup free use | Yes, ad-supported; desktop limits vary | $2.99/mo (24-mo); $11.99 monthly | ISAE 3000 attestation, auditor unnamed, report login-gated | No-signup free app | |
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Check price → | All-round use | None | About $3.09-$3.49/mo (2-yr promo) | Deloitte (2025) | Threat Protection Pro, Meshnet |
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Check price | Free plan | Unlimited data, 1 device, 10 countries | $3.49/mo (2-yr promo) | Securitum (2025) | Unlimited free data, Secure Core |
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Check price | Streaming, restrictive countries | None | $4.99/mo (12 + 3 mo promo) | KPMG (2025) | Lightway, polished apps |
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Check price | Unlimited devices on a budget | None | $2.49/mo (2-yr) | Deloitte (2025) | CleanWeb, unlimited devices |
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Check price | Anonymous flat-rate privacy | None | EUR 5/mo flat | Cure53, Assured AB | 16-digit account number |
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Check price | Configurable free tier | 10GB/month with email (2GB without) | $5.75/mo ($69/yr) | None; no-logs upheld in court (2025) | Build-a-Plan |
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Check price | Custom settings | None | $1.89/mo (3-yr promo) | Deloitte (2025) | Port forwarding |
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Check price | Lean free tier | Unlimited data, 8 locations, 1 device | $2.69/mo (26-mo) | Securitum (2024) | Price-lock renewals |
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Check price | Beginners | 2GB/month, auto location | From $3.33/mo (3-yr) | Cure53 security audit (2024) | Simple apps |
Why Look for an X-VPN Alternative?
X-VPN is fast to start. In our testing, you download the app, tap connect, and the free tier runs with no account at all. The problems show up in daily use. We cover them in depth in our X-VPN review, where it scored 6.4/10.
The free tier has hard edges. The free desktop app picks the server for you, and manual location choice exists only on iOS and Android. On Windows and Mac, free use can stop after a one-time 500MB premium-data allowance runs out, while the mobile free servers keep working. The free tier also unblocks none of the major streaming services.
Ads are part of the deal. X-VPN's privacy policy lists AdMob, InMobi, Chartboost and Liftoff as ad SDKs in the free version. In our testing, the free mobile apps showed ad screens when we connected, disconnected, switched regions and launched the app.
The same policy says X-VPN does not log traffic, IP addresses, DNS queries or connection timestamps. It keeps aggregated diagnostics such as device model and bandwidth statistics, and it says it deletes this data within 48 hours. X-VPN also reports an ISAE 3000 no-logs assurance engagement by an unnamed "Big Four" firm, but the report is shared only with verified users.
Paid performance is the other sticking point. Our speed checks found about 35 percent loss on local servers and about 68 percent on international ones, which puts X-VPN among the slowest of the big names. X-VPN's current pricing shows $11.99 on monthly billing and $47.99 for the first year of the 12-month plan. Long plans then renew at "the then-current renewal price," with no figure published.
1. NordVPN - Best X-VPN Alternative Overall
NordVPN suits anyone who wants one paid VPN that handles speed, streaming and privacy without trade-offs. It earned 9.0/10 in our NordVPN review.
Key features
NordVPN runs NordLynx, its WireGuard-based protocol, plus OpenVPN and NordWhisper for networks that block VPN traffic. Threat Protection Pro blocks ads, trackers and malware sites, and you also get Double VPN, Meshnet, RAM-only servers and post-quantum encryption.
On a nearby server, NordVPN lost only single-digit percentages of download and upload speed in our testing. We then played a 4K stream, and it ran without buffering. Connections held without unexpected drops, and when the tunnel did fail, the kill switch cut traffic straight away.
How it compares to X-VPN
NordVPN costs about $3.09 to $3.49 a month on the two-year plan, a promotional rate that moves and renews higher. That sits close to X-VPN's $2.99 two-year rate, but you get 10 devices instead of 5. Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Prime Video, Disney+ and HBO Max all unblocked reliably for us. NordVPN is based in Panama.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Named auditor with repeated no-logs checks
- Reliable streaming across major services
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- No free plan
- Renewal charges land about two weeks before the term ends
Bottom line: NordVPN fixes almost every X-VPN weak spot for roughly the same two-year price.
2. Proton VPN - Best Free X-VPN Alternative
Where NordVPN has no free plan, Proton VPN suits anyone who wants to keep paying nothing and still drop the ads. It also scored 9.0/10 in our Proton VPN review.
Key features
Proton Free has no data limits and no ads, covers 1 device and connects to servers in 10 countries. Paid VPN Plus adds 20,000+ servers in 140+ countries, Secure Core multi-hop routing, NetShield blocking and P2P support. Every plan gets the Stealth protocol, a kill switch and open-source apps.
Installation took us about two minutes, and the apps explain each setting in plain language. On the free tier we saw no throttling and hit no data cap, though the app picked the location for us. Our leak checks across dozens of server countries turned up no DNS, IPv6 or WebRTC leaks.
How it compares to X-VPN
Both services have a free tier, but Proton's has no ads and no desktop allowance to run out. Paid VPN Plus costs $9.99 on monthly billing against X-VPN's $11.99. The two-year plan is $3.49 a month, though Proton's rate moves with its seasonal sales and renews at a different price. Proton is based in Switzerland. Unlike X-VPN's login-gated report, Proton VPN's independent no-logs audit by Securitum is public.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Paid plans cut download speed by under 10 percent on nearby servers
- Major streaming services work on paid plans without server hopping
- 10 devices on VPN Plus
Cons
- Free plan allows no streaming or P2P
- Live chat is not 24/7, and email replies can take about two days
Bottom line: Pick Proton VPN if you want a free plan with no data cap and no ad screens.
3. ExpressVPN - Best for Streaming and Restrictive Countries
ExpressVPN suits viewers who care more about streaming and polish than the lowest price. It scored 8.8/10 in our ExpressVPN review.
Key features
ExpressVPN runs its Lightway protocol with post-quantum encryption, RAM-only TrustedServer hardware and the Network Lock kill switch. MediaStreamer smart DNS covers devices that cannot run a VPN app, and servers sit in 113 countries.
ExpressVPN had the most polished apps of this group in our testing. Netflix libraries in several countries, ESPN+ and Hulu all streamed without issues. The trade-off came in our speed checks. Downloads fell by roughly 37 to 39 percent on nearby servers, more than NordVPN or Proton VPN lost.
How it compares to X-VPN
X-VPN unblocks US Netflix mainly through one dedicated server, while ExpressVPN worked across several Netflix regions for us. Basic costs $4.99 a month on the 12-month plan with 3 months free, but ExpressVPN changes its featured term and intro price often. Basic then renews at $99.95 a year. Device limits range from 10 on Basic to 14 on Pro. ExpressVPN's 2025 KPMG audit announcement covers its no-logs check. It is based in the British Virgin Islands and owned by Kape Technologies.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Network Lock fired when a server timed out or the network changed
- Router apps and MediaStreamer for TVs
- 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans
Cons
- Costs more than NordVPN and Surfshark on comparable terms
- Email support can take close to two days
Bottom line: ExpressVPN is worth the higher price if streaming reliability matters most to you.
4. Surfshark - Best Budget Alternative (Unlimited Devices)
Surfshark suits households with a pile of devices and a tighter budget than ExpressVPN demands. It scored 8.6/10 in our Surfshark review.
Key features
Surfshark has 4,500+ servers in 100 countries and no limit on simultaneous devices. CleanWeb blocks ads and trackers, Camouflage mode hides VPN use, and Bypasser handles split tunneling.
Native apps made setup on Android TV, Apple TV and Fire TV painless for us. Netflix worked across regions without VPN detection. When the VPN connection dropped, the kill switch cut internet access instantly.
How it compares to X-VPN
Surfshark's Starter plan costs $2.49 a month on the two-year plan, billed $67.23 for the first 27 months. That undercuts X-VPN's $2.99 rate, and Surfshark publishes its renewal price of $79 a year. X-VPN caps you at 5 devices, while Surfshark has no cap. Surfshark is based in the Netherlands. Surfshark's 2025 Deloitte no-logs verification was its second.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Published renewal price
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- RAM-only servers
Cons
- No free plan
- Download speed dropped about 17 percent on Windows and about 31 percent on macOS
Bottom line: Surfshark is the best value here if you need to cover every device in the house.
5. Mullvad VPN - Best for Anonymous Flat-Rate Privacy
Unlike the bigger brands above, Mullvad VPN suits privacy-first users who would rather not hand over an email address at all. It scored 8.5/10 in our Mullvad VPN review.
Key features
Mullvad signs you up with a random 16-digit account number, with no email, username or password. It runs WireGuard only and adds DAITA traffic-analysis protection, multihop and open-source apps. Mullvad is based in Sweden and has passed more than ten independent audits. A Swedish police raid in 2023 found no user data to seize.
Sign-up took us seconds, because the account number is the only login. Local speed loss was only around 6 percent in our testing, though distant servers slowed downloads noticeably. Streaming was hit or miss: some servers got Netflix, and others were detected.
How it compares to X-VPN
Mullvad charges a flat EUR 5 a month whatever the term, so there is no intro price and no renewal jump. X-VPN's long plans start lower but renew at an unpublished rate. Both cover 5 devices. Mullvad has no free plan or trial. Its refund window is 14 days, against X-VPN's 30. It covers about 50 countries, though the live list changes as Mullvad adds and retires servers.
Pros and cons
Pros
- No personal details needed to sign up
- Pay by cash, crypto, card, PayPal or bank transfer
- Long public audit record
Cons
- Support is email-only, with replies in hours rather than minutes
- 14-day refund window
Bottom line: Mullvad is the cleanest swap if anonymity matters more to you than streaming.
6. Windscribe - Best Configurable Free Plan
Windscribe suits free users who want to choose their own server, which neither Proton Free nor X-VPN's desktop app allows. It scored 8.5/10 in our Windscribe review.
Key features
The free plan gives you 2GB a month without an email, or 10GB once you confirm one. Free servers sit in about 10 countries, though Windscribe rotates which locations are free. Pro covers 69+ countries and 112 cities.
In our testing, the free plan kept the full feature set, including R.O.B.E.R.T. ad blocking and the firewall. It also let us pick the free location ourselves. Free servers delivered roughly the same speeds as Pro. Congestion was the catch, with sudden speed drops of up to 90 percent at busy moments.
How it compares to X-VPN
Windscribe caps free data at 10GB, while X-VPN's mobile free tier has no cap. In exchange, Windscribe gives desktop users a location choice that X-VPN reserves for mobile. Pro costs $9 a month or $69 a year, and Build-a-Plan charges $1 per location per month, with a $3 minimum. Windscribe has no formal audit, but on April 11, 2025, a Greek court dismissed charges against its CEO after accepting that the company held no user logs. It is based in Canada, a Five Eyes country.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Build-a-Plan pricing for one or two locations
- Unlimited devices on Pro
- Open-source apps
Cons
- Netflix access is inconsistent and limited mainly to US and UK libraries
- Refunds only within 7 days and under 10GB of use
Bottom line: Windscribe is the free pick for people who want control over where they connect.
7. Private Internet Access - Best for Custom Settings
Private Internet Access suits tinkerers who want to adjust encryption, ports and protocols rather than accept the defaults. It scored 8.4/10 in our Private Internet Access review.
Key features
PIA has open-source apps, a native Linux app and port forwarding on all but its US servers. You can choose AES-128 or AES-256 encryption, switch between WireGuard and OpenVPN, and connect unlimited devices.
Speed loss was small in our testing: about 4 percent on local servers and 18 percent internationally. The desktop app's long settings list felt like a lot at first, but it became easy to use once we had everything tuned. Streaming was the weak point, because US and UK Netflix no longer unblocked and Disney+ and Hulu detected the VPN.
How it compares to X-VPN
X-VPN labels its protocols with letters, which made choosing one guesswork for us. PIA names every option and lets you change it. The three-year plan costs $1.89 a month and renews at $73.71 every three years. PIA does rotate its long-term deal price often. PIA completed its third Deloitte no-logs assurance in December 2025, following PIA's earlier Deloitte privacy audit. It is based in the United States and owned by Kape Technologies.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Port forwarding and adjustable encryption
- Unlimited devices
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Weak streaming support
- US jurisdiction
Bottom line: Choose PIA if you want to tune every setting X-VPN hides behind letter codes.
8. hide.me - Best Lean Free Tier
hide.me suits light free users who want unlimited data without ads, and paying users who dislike renewal hikes. It scored 8.2/10 in our hide.me review.
Key features
The free plan has unlimited data, no ads and no sign-up, with 8 server locations on 1 connection. Free speeds are restricted, and streaming support is Premium only. Premium covers 2,600 servers across 92 locations and allows 10 simultaneous connections.
On WireGuard, paid servers kept about 95 percent of our baseline download speed and about 88 percent of upload. The free plan was fine for browsing and email in our testing but too slow for streaming or large downloads. One flaw stood out: when we switched servers, our real IP address could flash briefly even with the kill switch on.
How it compares to X-VPN
hide.me costs $11.99 on monthly billing, the same as X-VPN. The two-year deal is $2.69 a month, billed $69.99 every 26 months. Unlike X-VPN, hide.me renews every plan at the same price and duration under its Pricing Guarantee. It is incorporated in Malaysia, and Securitum re-audited its no-logs policy in 2024.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Renewals stay at the price you signed up for
- Dynamic port forwarding on Premium
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Free speeds are restricted
- Windows app is cluttered, though highly customizable
Bottom line: hide.me is the pick if renewal price shocks pushed you away from X-VPN.
9. TunnelBear - Simplest Option for Beginners
TunnelBear suits first-time VPN users who want far fewer settings than PIA offers. It scored 7.5/10 in our TunnelBear review.
Key features
TunnelBear's free plan gives 2GB of data a month with no credit card. Since a January 26, 2026 update, free accounts no longer get manual country selection or split tunneling. Paid plans unlock about 46 countries and unlimited devices, and every account gets GhostBear obfuscation and two-factor authentication.
Setup is about as simple as VPNs get: we installed the app, picked a location on the map and connected. Nearby servers kept speeds close to our unprotected line, at around 4 percent loss. We did have to switch the VigilantBear kill switch on in settings, because it ships turned off.
How it compares to X-VPN
For us, TunnelBear's 2GB free allowance was gone after roughly an evening or two of video. That makes it a trial rather than a replacement for X-VPN's free mobile tier. The paid Unlimited plan costs $9.99 monthly or $3.33 a month on the three-year plan, billed $120. McAfee has owned TunnelBear since 2018, and Cure53 ran its latest yearly security audit.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Simplest setup in this list
- Yearly independent security audits
- 30-day refund on annual plans bought directly
Cons
- Streaming is hit and miss
- Support runs through tickets only, with replies taking up to 48 hours
Bottom line: TunnelBear is the gentlest step up from X-VPN, as long as you plan to pay.
What About Hotspot Shield, Psiphon, and Cloudflare WARP?
These three come up often as X-VPN substitutes, but none made our list.
Hotspot Shield has a free Basic plan whose allowance varies by platform. Much like X-VPN, its Android app is ad-supported. It scored 6.5/10 in our review, barely above X-VPN.
Psiphon is a free, open-source censorship-circumvention app for Android, Windows, iOS and Apple-silicon Macs. It is built to get you online on blocked networks rather than to protect privacy, and free use is ad-supported.
Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 with WARP is a free app that encrypts traffic leaving your device, with no account needed. It runs over Cloudflare's cloud network but is not built to change your apparent country, so it cannot replace a VPN for streaming.
How We Picked These X-VPN Alternatives
We started from X-VPN's own weak spots and looked for services that fix them. For each VPN, we checked whether a named firm had audited the no-logs policy and whether the report is public. We compared free-tier limits, including data caps, location choice and ads.
We also measured speed loss on nearby and distant servers, tried the major streaming services, and checked kill switch behavior and DNS leaks. On pricing, we compared intro rates against published renewal prices and refund terms. Finally, we looked at which platforms each provider's software supports and who owns each service.
Every pick had to beat X-VPN's 6.4/10 in our own reviews, and the ranking follows those review scores.
How to Choose the Right X-VPN Alternative
Start with the reason you are leaving. If free-plan ads and desktop limits bother you, look at Proton VPN, Windscribe or hide.me first. If the hidden audit report is the problem, choose a provider whose auditor is named and whose report you can read, such as Proton VPN or Surfshark.
Next, count your devices. X-VPN allows 5. Surfshark, PIA, TunnelBear and Windscribe Pro remove the limit, while NordVPN and Proton VPN Plus cover 10.
Then think about how you will use it. For streaming, NordVPN, Proton VPN and ExpressVPN were the most reliable in our testing. For anonymity, Mullvad needs no personal details. For tuning, PIA gives you the most settings.
Before you cancel X-VPN, sign up for the new service and run it for a few days inside its refund window. Most of our picks offer 30 days, but Mullvad allows 14 and Windscribe only 7.
Finally, read the renewal price on the provider's website, not just the intro price. Surfshark and hide.me publish theirs, and Mullvad charges the same every month.
Free vs Paid: Which X-VPN Alternative Should You Choose?
A free VPN provides enough protection for light, occasional use. Proton Free gives you unlimited data with no ads but picks the server for you. Windscribe lets you choose the location but caps data at 10GB a month. hide.me offers unlimited data and 8 locations at restricted speeds, and TunnelBear's 2GB works only as a trial.
Free plans protect your connection, but none of them reliably unblocks streaming, so a paid plan is the honest answer for video.
Pay if you stream, torrent, use many devices or need full speed. A paid plan from NordVPN or Surfshark costs about the same per month as X-VPN's two-year deal and adds named audits and better performance. For more no-cost options beyond this list, see our guide to free VPN alternatives.
X-VPN Alternatives FAQ
Is X-VPN safe to use?
Can X-VPN unblock Netflix?
Why is X-VPN so cheap in the first year?
Is there a free alternative to X-VPN on Android?
Which X-VPN alternative works on restrictive Wi-Fi or in China?
Is X-VPN's no-logs policy audited?
Final Verdict
If you mainly used X-VPN's free mobile app, Proton VPN is the direct replacement, with no ads and no data cap. If you want to pay as little as possible for many devices, Surfshark is the better deal. For full anonymity, Mullvad stands alone.
