Betternet review

Supported Devices

You can use Betternet on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. If you’re using a computer that does not allow for downloads you can use their browser extension for Firefox or Chrome. There is, unfortunately, no support for other networked devices like routers, Smart TVs, or game consoles.

Ease of Use

If you opt for the free version, there’s little to do when it comes to the interface -- just press the connect button.

The premium option is just as minimalist -- adding location selection to the list of choices. You can’t even choose the actual server. The interface also provides no additional information, such as ping times or how many people are on a specific server.

It’s simple and intuitive, sure, but for the high month-to-month price, the lack of customizability is might be a problem if you want more from your VPN.

Simultaneous Connections.

Both the free and premium plans allow you to connect up to five different devices at the same time.

Included Features

Even with the premium version, reviewers agree you’re not getting much for the money.

You essentially get military-grade encryption with OpenVPN.

If you want things like adware or malware filters, a killswitch, or in-depth access to server lists and app settings, you’ll want to look elsewhere.

Privacy and Logging

For free users, there’s a lot to be desired in the privacy front.

The VPN serves up ads to its free users. This means advertisers might have access to your data and activities. A VPN report found that the free Betternet Android app had the most embedded tracking libraries than any other free VPN they tested. The even noted the service has used malware in their app.

It gets even worse, the free version also had IP and DNS leaks.

If you want privacy, then you must pay for the premium version, though it’s still not as secure as most experts want. As mentioned above, there’s no kill switch, meaning a dropped connection could reveal your identity and activity.

And while the company states it has a no logging policy, Technadu investigated the service and found, “... They give up data to third-parties and do in fact log some data such as access times.”

If there’s one bit of good news to be found, the premium version passed DNS and IP leak tests.

Performance

As you might expect, the free version doesn’t offer the best performance as you’re limited to a handful of servers in the United States.

Unfortunately, the premium version didn’t fare much better in reviews. Many reviewers could not connect to servers. Instead, they received DNS errors whenever they attempted to access a site. This occurred even in locations that are typically more stable such as the US and UK.

When they connected, speeds across the board were inconsistent. Download speeds in one review fluctuated between 30-60 Mbps on one server.

Support

If you run into any issues, the FAQ and user forum are your first line of defense. However, if you need more in-depth help, email support is only other option as Betternet does not offer phone or chat support.

Summary

Reviews indicate there are dozens of better VPNs available that are cheaper and do more to protect you.

If you want a free VPN, look at TunnelBear. While not unlimited, it offers much better features.

In the paid service tiers, ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access offer more features at around the same yearly cost.

TechRadar does not recommend the service, stating, “Betternet is a poor VPN with unreliable servers, feeble support, virtually no features and multiple privacy concerns…”

VPN Ranks adds, “... Lack of reliability, loopholes in the privacy policy and fewer servers are the cons of the provider.”