If the 10 GB monthly cap on ZoogVPN's free plan keeps running out before the month does, or its 7-day refund window feels too short to judge a VPN properly, a switch is worth considering. ZoogVPN is a freemium VPN run from Greece by Zoog Services IKE, which started in 2013 with a Smart DNS unblocking product called ZoogTV.
Our top pick is Proton VPN, the best free ZoogVPN alternative for most people. The six paid alternatives below are ranked by our review scores, and every one of them outscores ZoogVPN's 6.5/10.
ZoogVPN Alternatives at a Glance
The table puts ZoogVPN in the bottom row as the baseline, so you can see at a glance what each alternative offers on price, refunds, devices, servers and free access. Prices are the starting rates we found on each provider's pricing page, and several of them move with seasonal promotions.
| Product | Buy | Starting price | Money-back | Devices | Server countries | Free plan | Obfuscation | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Check price → | About $3.49/mo (2-yr) | 30-day | 10 (1 on Free) | 140+ | Unlimited data, 1 device | Stealth (also on Free) | Free use and privacy |
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Check price | About $3.09-$3.49/mo (2-yr) | 30-day | 10 | Roughly 118-167 | None | Obfuscated servers, NordWhisper | Speed and streaming |
 |
Check price | About $4.99/mo (12+3 mo) | 30-day | 10 / 12 / 14 by tier | 113 | None | Automatic (Lightway) | Polished apps, restrictive networks |
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Check price | $2.49/mo (2-yr) | 30-day | Unlimited | 100 | None | Camouflage, NoBorders | Unlimited devices on a budget |
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Check price | EUR 5/mo flat | 14-day | 5 | About 50 | None | LWO, QUIC, Shadowsocks | Anonymous privacy |
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Check price | About $1.89/mo (3-yr) | 30-day | Unlimited | About 104 | None | Shadowsocks proxy | Custom settings |
 |
Check price | $12.50/mo (2-yr) | None (7-day trial) | 5 | 50+ | None | StealthVPN | China and censored networks |
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$2.49/mo (2-yr) | 7-day, first payment only | Up to 10 | 100+ locations, a few dozen countries | 10 GB/mo, 1 device, 5 locations | ZoogShadowing | Cheap UK streaming |
Two figures in that ZoogVPN row deserve a footnote. ZoogVPN's own pricing page says "up to 10 devices" in one section and "unlimited devices" in another. The company also publishes several server and country totals that disagree, so treat both figures as approximate.
How We Picked These ZoogVPN Alternatives
Before you read the individual reviews, it helps to know what the scores in that table measure. We ranked these alternatives by our review scores, which match the verdict boxes on each provider's full review. ZoogVPN's 6.5/10 is the baseline, and every pick had to beat it. Proton VPN and NordVPN tie at 9.0/10, and Proton takes first place because a real free plan matters most to people leaving a freemium VPN.
Each score weighs the things that separate a good VPN from a frustrating one. We measured how much download speed each service lost on nearby and distant servers, ran IP, DNS and WebRTC leak checks, and watched whether the kill switch held during server switches and dropped connections. We also tried the major streaming services, checked obfuscation and behavior on censored networks, and compared refund windows, device limits, server networks and published audits.
Scores and prices on this page come from our individual reviews and each provider's pricing page. Promotional prices change often, so check the current rate before you buy.
1. Proton VPN
Proton VPN is the best free ZoogVPN alternative, and the paid VPN Plus plan is one of the strongest privacy services we review. It scores 9.0/10 in our Proton VPN review. VPN Plus costs $9.99 on monthly billing or about $3.49/month on the two-year plan. That two-year rate moves with Proton's seasonal sales and renews at a different price. It covers 10 devices, runs 20,000+ servers in 140+ countries, and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
The free tier is where Proton pulls clearly ahead of ZoogVPN. Proton Free has no data or time limits and no ads, and it includes the kill switch and the Stealth protocol. P2P, Secure Core, streaming and NetShield stay on paid plans. The trade-off is one device and servers in 10 countries that Proton chooses for you automatically.
Installation took about two minutes when we set Proton up, and the apps explain each setting in plain language. On the free tier we saw no throttling, although the app picked the server location for us every time. After we upgraded, nearby servers cut our download speed by under 10 percent, and Netflix, Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, HBO Max and Hulu all unblocked without any server hopping.
Proton is based in Switzerland, and it backs its no-logs policy with Securitum's 2025 on-site no-logs audit, carried out in Zurich in August 2025.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free plan with no data cap, no ads and the Stealth protocol
- Under 10 percent speed loss on nearby servers
- Unblocked every major streaming service we tried on paid plans
- Open-source apps and a Swiss base
Cons
- Free plan picks your server and allows only 1 device
- Live chat is not 24/7, and email replies can take about two days
Who it suits
Proton VPN suits ZoogVPN free users who want to stay on a free plan without watching a meter, and paying users who want one service that covers both privacy and streaming. Skip it if round-the-clock live support matters to you.
2. NordVPN
If speed and streaming are why you are leaving ZoogVPN, NordVPN is the paid alternative to beat, and it ties Proton at 9.0/10 in our NordVPN review. It has no free plan. The Basic plan runs $12.99 to $14.99 on monthly billing depending on the listing, or about $3.09 to $3.49/month on a two-year term. That two-year price is an introductory rate that moves with promotions and renews higher. Every plan covers 10 devices and carries a 30-day money-back guarantee.
On nearby servers we lost only single-digit percentages of download and upload speed, and 4K streams played without buffering. Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Prime Video, Disney+ and HBO Max unblocked reliably, often on the first server we picked. Connections held without unexpected drops, and when we forced the tunnel to fail, the kill switch cut traffic straight away.
NordVPN runs 9,000+ servers, and its quoted country count ranges from roughly 118 to 167 depending on whether virtual locations are included. For restrictive networks it adds obfuscated servers and the NordWhisper protocol. Its sixth no-logs assurance engagement with Deloitte wrapped up in December 2025. The company is based in Panama.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Single-digit speed loss on nearby servers
- Streaming services unblock on the first server most of the time
- Six Deloitte no-logs assurance engagements
- NordWhisper and obfuscated servers for restrictive networks
Cons
- No free plan
- The desktop map needs zooming to reach city servers, so the list view is quicker
- Renewal charges land about two weeks before the term ends
Who it suits
NordVPN suits ZoogVPN subscribers who mainly want faster connections and Netflix that works, since ZoogVPN's Netflix results were the weakest part of its record. It is a weaker fit for China. NordVPN's own support pages say its apps are blocked there, so any use from China is intermittent at best.
3. ExpressVPN
Obfuscation switched on by itself in our ExpressVPN testing, so connecting from a restrictive network needed no settings changes at all. That hands-off behavior makes it the ZoogVPN alternative with the most polished apps. It scores 8.8/10 in our ExpressVPN review.
Network Lock fired correctly when a server timed out and again when we changed networks. The cost is speed: downloads fell by roughly 37 to 39 percent on nearby servers, more than NordVPN or Proton VPN gave up. Netflix libraries in several countries, ESPN+ and Hulu still streamed without issues.
There is no free plan. The starting rate depends on the current promotion, and at our last check Basic cost about $4.99/month on a 12-month plan with 3 extra months. Annual renewal runs $99.95 for Basic, so budget for that jump. Devices scale by tier, with 10 on Basic, 12 on Advanced and 14 on Pro, and every plan has a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users.
The network spans 113 countries on RAM-only TrustedServer hardware. KPMG assessed TrustedServer and the privacy policy, and ExpressVPN's announcement of the 2025 KPMG assessment was published in June 2025. ExpressVPN is registered in the British Virgin Islands and has been owned by Kape Technologies since 2021.
Pros and cons
Pros
- The most polished apps of the group
- Obfuscation runs automatically on every server
- Network Lock held during timeouts and network changes
- Up to 14 devices on the Pro tier
Cons
- Roughly 37 to 39 percent download loss on nearby servers
- Renews at $99.95 a year on Basic
- Email support can take close to two days, so live chat is the faster route
Who it suits
ExpressVPN suits travellers and remote workers who move between hotel, office and campus networks. Its China status page gives protocol guidance, although reliability in China still swings with Great Firewall crackdowns and differs by city and ISP.
4. Surfshark
At $2.49/month on the two-year plan, Surfshark matches ZoogVPN's headline price and becomes the cheapest ZoogVPN alternative with unlimited devices. It scores 8.6/10 in our Surfshark review. The Starter plan bills $67.23 for the first 27 months, then renews at $79/year. You get unlimited simultaneous devices, 4,500+ servers in 100 countries and a 30-day money-back guarantee, compared with ZoogVPN's 7-day window that covers only the first payment.
Setting Surfshark up on Android TV, Apple TV and Fire TV was painless because each platform has a native app. That matters if you came from ZoogVPN, whose Fire TV app would not get past geo-blocks. Download speed dropped about 17 percent on Windows and about 31 percent on macOS, with steady latency on both. Netflix worked across regions without VPN detection, and when we pulled the VPN connection, the kill switch cut internet access instantly.
Surfshark is based in the Netherlands and has passed a Deloitte no-logs assurance twice, with Surfshark's report on its second Deloitte no-logs assurance published in June 2025. For censored networks it offers Camouflage mode and NoBorders mode, alongside the CleanWeb ad and tracker blocker and RAM-only servers.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Unlimited devices from $2.49/month
- Native apps for Android TV, Apple TV and Fire TV
- Netflix worked across regions without detection
- Camouflage and NoBorders for restrictive networks
Cons
- No free plan
- About 31 percent speed loss on macOS
- China performance is inconsistent
Who it suits
Surfshark suits households that came to ZoogVPN for the price. It is the closest like-for-like swap, and its refund window is more than four times longer.
5. Mullvad VPN
Sign-up took seconds when we tried Mullvad VPN. It generated a random 16-digit account number and asked for nothing else to log in, with no email, username or password. That is why Mullvad is the ZoogVPN alternative for anonymous, no-account privacy, and it scores 8.5/10 in our Mullvad VPN review.
On local servers we lost only around 6 percent of our speed, although distant servers slowed downloads noticeably. Streaming was hit or miss: some servers got Netflix and others were detected.
Mullvad charges a flat EUR 5/month (about $5.63) including VAT on every term, with no sales and a 10% discount for crypto. There is no free plan or trial. Each account covers up to 5 devices, and a 14-day money-back guarantee applies to every payment method except cash.
Mullvad is based in Sweden and has completed more than ten independent audits, including work by Cure53 and Assured AB. A 2023 Swedish police raid found no user data to seize. The server list covers about 50 countries and changes as Mullvad adds and retires servers. It now runs WireGuard only, with LWO, QUIC, Shadowsocks and UDP-over-TCP obfuscation, and its automatic mode tries LWO after a failed connection attempt.
Pros and cons
Pros
- No email or personal details needed to sign up
- Flat EUR 5/month with no renewal jump
- More than ten independent audits
- About 6 percent speed loss on local servers
Cons
- Streaming is hit or miss by server
- Email-only support, with replies in hours rather than minutes
- Only partly usable in China, where its Asian servers are blocked
Who it suits
Mullvad suits people who care more about online privacy than streaming and would rather a VPN provider never knew who they are.
6. Private Internet Access
The desktop app's long settings list felt overwhelming the first time we opened Private Internet Access (PIA), but it became easy once we had it set up. That depth is exactly why PIA is the ZoogVPN alternative for people who like to tune every setting. It scores 8.4/10 in our PIA review.
Speed loss was small, about 4 percent on local servers and 18 percent internationally. Streaming was the weak spot: US and UK Netflix did not unblock, and Disney+ and Hulu detected the VPN.
PIA rotates its long-term deal often. At our last check, the three-year plan plus 3 bonus months worked out to about $1.89/month and renewed at $73.71 every three years. Monthly billing was $11.95. You get unlimited simultaneous devices and a 30-day money-back guarantee for new subscribers.
PIA advertises servers in 104 countries, including all 50 US states, although that total changed within weeks, so the count is in flux. Deloitte completed its third ISAE 3000 no-logs assurance of PIA in December 2025, and the service runs RAM-only servers. PIA is based in the United States and has been owned by Kape since 2019.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Unlimited devices
- Small speed loss locally and abroad
- Port forwarding, split tunneling and a native Linux app
- Open-source apps and RAM-only servers
Cons
- US and UK Netflix do not unblock
- The settings list can overwhelm beginners at first
- Inconsistent at connecting from China
Who it suits
PIA suits Linux users, torrenters who need port forwarding, and anyone who wants granular control over encryption and protocols. It is the wrong choice if streaming was your main reason for using ZoogVPN.
7. Astrill VPN
Astrill VPN asks you to accept a hard trade-off. There is no money-back guarantee and its refund policy says all sales are final, but in return you get the ZoogVPN alternative built for China and other censored networks. It scores 7.5/10 in our Astrill VPN review. Instead of a refund window it offers a 7-day free trial, which needs a phone number and email and excludes users in China. It is also the most expensive pick on this list. Plans cost $30 for one month, $180 a year ($15/month) or $300 every two years ($12.50/month), and the VIP add-on for multi-hop and prioritized routing starts at $10/month.
Astrill has served customers since 2009 and covers 50+ countries. Its proprietary StealthVPN protocol is designed for restrictive networks and sits alongside OpenWeb (the default), WireGuard and OpenVPN. There is no independent no-logs audit, the OpenWeb protocol is closed-source, and the privacy policy keeps your last 20 connection records.
Download speed stayed close to baseline across six countries, with about 6 percent average loss. Upload dropped about 40 percent, though, and latency climbed into the hundreds of milliseconds, which is too high for competitive gaming. WireGuard was fastest on nearby servers, while StealthVPN gave up speed for its disguise. Switching servers forced a disconnect on most protocols except OpenWeb, and connections got less stable at peak hours. Netflix US, Prime Video, HBO Max, Disney+, BBC iPlayer and Peacock unblocked, while Hulu loaded slowly and sometimes needed a page refresh to log in.
Pros and cons
Pros
- StealthVPN built for restrictive networks
- Long track record with expats in China
- Download speed close to baseline
- 24/7 live chat that usually answers within about 10 minutes
Cons
- No refunds once you pay
- High prices and an add-on for multi-hop
- Kill switch and site-based split tunneling are desktop-only
- Dated apps, and the mobile server list has no search bar
Who it suits
Astrill suits people who live in or travel to China and need a VPN that connects through nearby servers when the Great Firewall tightens. Use the free trial before you leave.
Best ZoogVPN Alternative by Use Case
Each pick above has a strength, but the right switch depends on why ZoogVPN stopped working for you. These four cases cover the most common reasons.
Best free ZoogVPN alternative
Proton VPN is the clear winner here. ZoogVPN's free plan stops at 10 GB a month and Proton's does not stop at all. The catch is that Proton chooses your server, so you cannot pick a specific country to get around geo-restrictions. For more options, see the truly free VPNs we tested.
Best ZoogVPN alternative for China and censored networks
Astrill VPN is our pick for China, with ExpressVPN as the easier second choice. ZoogVPN's own ZoogShadowing mode is built for this job, but paid connections from China were inconsistent and took five minutes or more. The free plan would not connect at all. Our guide to VPNs that still work in China tracks which services are getting through the Great Firewall right now.
Best ZoogVPN alternative for streaming
NordVPN is the streaming pick if reliability matters most, because it needed the least server hopping of any service we tested. Surfshark is the budget choice, and the better one if most of your streaming happens on a TV.
Best ZoogVPN alternative for privacy
Mullvad VPN wins on privacy, and its audit record is the sharpest contrast with ZoogVPN, which has published none. Proton VPN is the runner-up if you also want a free tier. Our guide to the best VPNs for privacy covers the wider field.
Why Look for a ZoogVPN Alternative?
Every pick above fixes something ZoogVPN gets wrong, and the free plan is usually the first limit people hit. The data cap is only part of it. ZoogVPN's free tier runs on "basic 128-bit encryption" rather than the AES-256 used on paid plans, offers 5 locations with limited IP addresses, and warns that streaming may be interrupted or blocked. When we installed the free Windows and Android apps, we found a bundled Traffmonetizer SDK that routes third-party traffic through your IP address. The Android build also carried ad-targeting code. You can read the full breakdown in our ZoogVPN review.
Paid plans start at $2.49/month on the two-year plan, billed $59.99 for 27 months, with $39.99 for a year or $9.99 month to month. ZoogVPN does not publish its renewal terms on the pricing page, so there is no official figure for the post-intro rate. The refund terms are tighter than every alternative above except Astrill. ZoogVPN's own site states that only initial payments are covered by its 7-day guarantee, and refund requests after an auto-renewal can be refused for that reason. Subscriptions also auto-renew by default with little warning, and the cancel option is hard to find.
Reliability is the other reason to look around. The macOS kill switch leaked our real IP address during server switches, although the Windows kill switch held. Some rounds of testing went worse: the apps repeatedly stopped connecting to any server from two different locations, so no speed or streaming results could be recorded. ZoogVPN has also not published an independent no-logs or security audit, while every one of our top six alternatives has.
Is ZoogVPN Still Worth Using?
Those problems do not make ZoogVPN useless, and it still suits a narrow group: budget users on Windows who mostly stream UK services. Nearby servers lost only about 4 percent of our baseline speed, with mid-range hops around 18 percent and the farthest servers up to 43 percent. BBC iPlayer, ITVX, UK Disney+, US HBO Max and US Prime Video all unblocked, and standard connections passed our IP and DNS leak tests. Live chat gave quick, helpful answers when we tried it, and the apps are simple, with a large connect button and toggles for the kill switch, protocol and ZoogShadowing.
The weaker spots are hard to ignore. Netflix stayed blocked across every library we tried, along with Hulu and Sky Go. There is no Apple TV app, Linux needs manual setup, and support went quiet when a technical problem was not fixed quickly. Trustpilot's 190 reviews average 4.2/5, praising the low prices and China access, while the complaints center on refunds, auto-renewal and cancellation. If you need Netflix, use a Mac, or want an audited provider, one of the seven alternatives above is the better buy.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Final Verdict
Proton VPN is the ZoogVPN alternative we would install first. If you never planned to use a free tier, NordVPN is the faster streaming choice at the same 9.0/10. Budget households should look at Surfshark's unlimited devices, and anyone heading to China should trial Astrill before paying.
