Betternet is a popular app with over 38 million users worldwide. Its popularity stems from its unlimited free plan, though of course, the plan itself has some restrictions. Still, is it worth your time to try out this no-cost VPN? Let’s find out!
Betternet offers a free unlimited bandwidth plan. However, that’s all that is unlimited. You’re restricted to only US servers, there’s little support if you run into issues, and you’re served with ads when you browse the web.
If you want more flexibility, there’s the premium plan. While it costs more if you pay month-to-month, the price drops significantly when you sign up for the yearly subscription. If you want to try the premium features before you buy, there’s a 7-day free trial. Just be aware it will auto-subscribe you if you forget to cancel.
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.
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.
Both the free and premium plans allow you to connect up to five different devices at the same time.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
- Stuart Andrews, Tech.CoBetterNet isn’t a great free VPN. Even though the paid-for version is good value (for an annual license) it’s a little too basic – not to mention risky – to recommend paying for.
- Ghulman, VPN RanksI have concluded that the service has its share of problems but it does have some merits. The service quality is decent and is preferred for subscribers who only want to access geo-restricted sites. Lack of reliability, loopholes in the privacy policy and fewer servers are the cons of provider. Howe...
- Sven Taylor, Restore PrivacyI uncovered the following issues with Betternet VPN: embedded malware, tracking libraries, IP address leaks, DNS leaks, poor speeds, and poor reliability. Perhaps most concerning is the fact that Betternet has been caught embedding malware and tracking libraries into their VPN apps, while promising...
- Kees Friesland, TechNaduThose looking out for a free to use VPN might find Betternet worth a try. Paid users can find this expensive and unreliable, though.
- Alex (Shurf) Frenkel, vpnMentorWhen you look at the price, you can see that there’s nothing to lose. It might be the perfect service for your needs. It can get you around censorship, increase your privacy, and let you enjoy the web without worry.
Overview | |
---|---|
Headquarters | Canada |
Pricing/Sign Up | |
Starting Price (per Month) | $2.99 |
Plans and Pricing | Visit Site |
Free Trial | No |
Money Back Guarantee | 30 Days |
Payment Options | Credit Cards |
ID Required | Valid email address |
Features | |
Server Locations (# of Countries) | 10 |
Number of Servers | 50 + |
Devices Per License | 5 |
Simultaneous Connections | 5 |
Unlimited Bandwidth | Yes |
Double-Hop / Double VPN | No |
Accesses Netflix | No |
P2P / Torrenting Allowed | Yes |
Accepts Bitcoin | No |
Non-US Company | Yes |
Protected | |
Protocols | IPSec, OpenVPN |
Encryption | AES-256 |
No Logs / No Tracking | No |
Dedicated IP Available | No |
VPN Over Tor | No |
Wi-Fi Leak Protection | No |
Private DNS Server | No |
DNS Leak Protection | No |
IP Leak Protection | No |
WebRTC Leak Protection | No |
IPv6 Leak Protection | No |
Kill Switch | No |
Supported Platforms | |
Operating Systems | Windows, Mac OSX, iOS, Android |
Mobile App | Yes |
Router | No |
Browser Extension | Yes |
Customer Support | |
24/7 Support | No |
Live Chat Support | No |
Telephone Support | No |
Email Support | No |
More | |
Additional comments | |
Terms & Conditions | Official Terms & Conditions |
Suggest a correction |
Help inform others by sharing your experience with Betternet
BetterNet isn’t a great free VPN. Even though the paid-for version is good value (for an annual license) it’s a little too basic – not to mention risky – to recommend paying for.
BetterNet isn’t a great free VPN. Even though the paid-for version is good value (for an annual license) it’s a little too basic – not to mention risky – to recommend paying for.
I have concluded that the service has its share of problems but it does have some merits. The service quality is decent and is preferred for subscribers who only want to access geo-restricted sites. Lack of reliability, loopholes in the privacy policy and fewer servers are the cons of provider. H...More
I have concluded that the service has its share of problems but it does have some merits. The service quality is decent and is preferred for subscribers who only want to access geo-restricted sites. Lack of reliability, loopholes in the privacy policy and fewer servers are the cons of provider. However, free of cost service, fast connectivity and ease of access are the benefits that make this service.
Read full reviewI uncovered the following issues with Betternet VPN: embedded malware, tracking libraries, IP address leaks, DNS leaks, poor speeds, and poor reliability. Perhaps most concerning is the fact that Betternet has been caught embedding malware and tracking libraries into their VPN apps, while promisi...More
I uncovered the following issues with Betternet VPN: embedded malware, tracking libraries, IP address leaks, DNS leaks, poor speeds, and poor reliability. Perhaps most concerning is the fact that Betternet has been caught embedding malware and tracking libraries into their VPN apps, while promising to protect the privacy and security of its users.
Those looking out for a free to use VPN might find Betternet worth a try. Paid users can find this expensive and unreliable, though.
Those looking out for a free to use VPN might find Betternet worth a try. Paid users can find this expensive and unreliable, though.
When you look at the price, you can see that there’s nothing to lose. It might be the perfect service for your needs. It can get you around censorship, increase your privacy, and let you enjoy the web without worry.
When you look at the price, you can see that there’s nothing to lose. It might be the perfect service for your needs. It can get you around censorship, increase your privacy, and let you enjoy the web without worry.
I found the free version to be quite useful despite serving adverts. The paid service, on the other hand, doesn’t have all the necessary features to truly be considered “Premium” and is a little bit slow.
I found the free version to be quite useful despite serving adverts. The paid service, on the other hand, doesn’t have all the necessary features to truly be considered “Premium” and is a little bit slow.
Betternet is more of a proxy than VPN service. Although their virtual private network is secured through OpenVPN VPN protocol and 256-bit AES encryption, their software not the best option for security and privacy as we’ve found several DNS and WebRTC leaks. You can use their free app to hide your IP, but not much more.
Betternet is more of a proxy than VPN service. Although their virtual private network is secured through OpenVPN VPN protocol and 256-bit AES encryption, their software not the best option for security and privacy as we’ve found several DNS and WebRTC leaks. You can use their free app to hide your IP, but not much more.
We don’t know any other way to say this but Betternet is infested with a ton of malware. Its VPN service will infect your device with nasty malware. And hence you should avoid using Betternet at all times.
Read full reviewWe don’t know any other way to say this but Betternet is infested with a ton of malware. Its VPN service will infect your device with nasty malware. And hence you should avoid using Betternet at all times.
Read full reviewIt connected relatively fast and did not leak my real IP, DNS, or WebRTC. It has no kill switch, so I could’ve been exposed without knowing it. The speeds were slow, but I was able to access Netflix. At the same time, the sluggish speeds don’t help much if you’re into P2P file-sharing. More
It connected relatively fast and did not leak my real IP, DNS, or WebRTC. It has no kill switch, so I could’ve been exposed without knowing it. The speeds were slow, but I was able to access Netflix. At the same time, the sluggish speeds don’t help much if you’re into P2P file-sharing.
The list of premium features is insufficient to lure me into subscribing, and the total lack of transparency regarding their technology doesn’t instill trust.
Read full reviewBetternet is a poor VPN with unreliable servers, feeble support, virtually no features and multiple privacy concerns. It might just about be acceptable for unblocking streaming sites, but if you need to protect anything of the slightest importance then we'd look elsewhere.
Betternet is a poor VPN with unreliable servers, feeble support, virtually no features and multiple privacy concerns. It might just about be acceptable for unblocking streaming sites, but if you need to protect anything of the slightest importance then we'd look elsewhere.