Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Reddit is an online discussion forum where users discuss their opinions and experiences on various issues. Therefore, for most uses, Reddit is a one-stop forum for some knowledge that isn't available on the traditional internet.

And as VPN usage is gaining traction among internet users, we thought we could compile a list of the best VPN according to Reddit. Unlike other forums paid to conduct VPN "user reviews subjectively," Reddit allows you to hear real experiences from actual VPN users.

We also recommend you to read:

What is VPN?

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is an online service that accords your privacy and anonymity when browsing the internet. Such services operate by masking your actual IP address so that your online activities cannot be monitored or tracked back to you. VPNs have gained much traction with the emergence of streaming services.

Netflix, Amazon Prime, Channel 4, and other paid streaming services deploy a technology known as geo-blocking. What this technology does is that it restricts some digital content to a specific geographical location, and anyone trying to access the content from an unspecified region will be blocked. For example, “Deliver Us from Eva” is an American romantic comedy that is exclusive to the US Netflix audience; anyone trying to access the show from the outside the US will get the following error message:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

But with a VPN service, these geo-restrictions cannot work, and you will be able to access any digital content from anywhere. A VPN masks your IP address, duping the geo-blocking technology into thinking that you are located in a permitted region. For example, if you want to catch the “Deliver Us from Eva” show, you fire up your favorite VPN service and connect to a US server.

Therefore, as a user, if you are searching for best vpn reddit or best free vpn reddit, then this article summarises the latest Reddit VPN reviews. Stick with us and learn more.

But what does a favorite VPN service entail?

Best features for a VPN, according to Redditors

The features that Reddit users desire in a VPN are easy to tally when the said features are mentioned several times in subreddits throughout the year. Barely a week passes without a user seeking opinion regarding which is the best VPN or which is the best VPN for streaming Netflix or which is the most secure VPN.

A few weeks ago, user carson52345 requested for details regarding ‘best VPN Reddit’. His post received 73 comments and was voted 93 times.

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Here are the top features mentioned throughout this year:

Streaming Dependability

Many users need a VPN to watch geo-restricted content worldwide, so a VPN's ability to mask online location and get around geo-blocking technology is crucial. The speed at which this unblocked digital content stream matters too – a dependable VPN service allows constant HD streaming without lags.

Laws concerning the use of this software vary from country to country. We do not encourage or condone the use of this program if it is in violation of these laws. The regulation about the use of VPN services varies per country; If the Law of your country forbids or limits its usage, don’t download. Any unlawful behaviour of this software is not permitted. You are solely responsible for any use of the service.

Connection speeds and location spoofing are dependent on the number of VPN servers, and their location – availability of multiple servers in a particular region means less congestion. Various locations mean the availability of more streaming digital content around the world.

Questions about VPNs with reliable speeds are very common on Reddit.

For example, user TwitchXoyote requested a recommendation for a good VPN with reliable speed and received 28 responses.

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Split Tunneling

Reddit users also rate VPN split tunneling highly. This feature allows users to route some of their traffic through an encrypted VPN tunnel while channeling other traffic over the internet. Split tunneling offers the benefit of routing traffic over a VPN in parallel with a regular internet connection.

Split tunneling is particularly beneficial to VPN users who might want to use VPN on specific apps and tasks – such as streaming, but not for others. Advantages of split tunneling include decreased traffic in corporate networks, reduced latency, and better speeds for the tasks chosen to be transported via a VPN tunnel.

No DNS Leaking

DNS can be termed as an internet phonebook that converts hostnames into IP addresses and vice versa. A DNS leak would involve these records getting disclosed to unauthorized parties. The purpose of a VPN service is to keep internet traffic private, and a DNS leak would defeat this purpose.

A Kill Switch

A kill switch is a VPN feature that is also among the best VPN Reddit, and highly rated by Reddit users. A kill switch cuts off your VPN connection to the internet if it detects a problem with the connection. While large VPN providers have advanced features that ensure their VPN connections are always up and stable, the occurrence of these problems is still far from impossible.

In this post, u/FuckRSM recommends to users to enable their killer switch.

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Jurisdiction

Another factor that defines the dependability of a VPN is the jurisdiction or region in which the service is based. Different jurisdictions have different laws regarding privacy, laws that these VPNs must follow. The Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and Fourteen Eyes are guaranteed to appear in any subreddits talking about privacy policies pertaining to the use of VPNs. Countries within the above jurisdictions have agreements related to the collection and sharing of information.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN

This is arguably the best VPN Reddit in the market. It is excellent for a user looking for speed, security, streaming, and torrenting. With over 3,000 servers in more than 94 countries, there are plenty to choose from. In addition, ExpressVPN has a built-in speed test that enables users to test available servers and connect to the fastest.

In terms of security, ExpressVPN employs the industry’s high-grade AES-256 encryption to protect your online activities. The service also has a zero log policy, meaning they do not capture, log or store your internet activities.

For streamers, ExpressVPN unblocks virtually every geo-restricted digital content around the globe. It consistently unblocks websites and streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and BBC iPlayer. Together with fast speeds, this feature accords ExpressVPN streamers the best streaming experience. And in case of technical issues, ExpressVPN has 24/7 technical support ready to provide assistance.

At its cheapest, ExpressVPN is available for at least $6.67 per month on a 15-month plan. While this makes it more expensive than other leading VPNs, it is worth it in terms of the quality you get. ExpressVPN provides user-friendly applications for Windows, Android, macOS, and other leading platforms. ExpressVPN offers 7- and 30-day free trials for those who want to try it out.

ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs on Reddit. The service has the biggest number of positive reviews. ExpressVPN shows up in all positive posts and comments on any subreddits or reviews. The service is particularly recommended by Reddit users due to its fast speeds and strong security features.

Traditionally, best VPN Reddit users spend most of their time discussing online streaming sites. In a post where one user asked whether it is worth purchasing a year of ExpressVPN, one user had this to say:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Another user enquired which VPN was best for torrenting; one user had this to say:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

China is notorious for censorship and Geo restrictions. If you are a frequent traveller in China for business, then you might miss your favorite show or be unable to access your social media platforms. According to this Reddit user, ExpressVPN also works well in China.

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

NordVPN

NordVPN

NordVPN is one of the most notable best Reddit VPN services around the world and also among the highly rated on reddit . It is cheaper than ExpressVPN, but it is equally very good. The service is characterized by high speeds, strong security, user-friendliness, and great customer support. Very few VPN services can match the offerings provided by NordVPN.

With over 5,500 servers in more than 60 locations around the world, NordVPN has one of the widest coverage. This provides multiple options for users wishing to connect to a server in a particular location. Availability of multiple servers also guarantees reduced congestion. All these factors amount to consistently fast speeds.

Another feature that sets NordVPN apart from other leading VPN services is its wide range of strong security mechanisms. NordVPN uses high-end encryption protocols such as AES-256, OpenVPN, and NordLynx to secure your online activities. NordVPN also uses DoubleVPN, an extra security feature, to route internet traffic through an extra VPN server for increased anonymity. Furthermore, NordVPN also has a zero log policy.

NordVPN has a user-friendly application available for all leading devices and operating systems, including Windows, Android, and macOS. Furthermore, you also get 24/7 live chat support with a NordVPN subscription. At $3.30 per month on a two-year plan, NordVPN is among the most affordable VPN services.

NordVPN is another paid VPN service that is commonly talked of by Reddit users. You can hardly find a subreddit or comment talking of VPN without mentioning NordVPN. According to Reddit users, NordVPN is good for everything.

One Reddit user asked how well NordVPN works with Netflix; they got the following response:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

In a question on which VPN to choose to replace Private Internet Access for Netflix, one Reddit user received the following responses:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Another Reddit user was concerned his NordVPN was having speed issues. A fellow user advised the user to change their server:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Another Reddit user was looking for a VPN to use for crypto activities. NordVPN was recommended to the user.

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

IP-Vanish

IP Vanish

Despite a somewhat shaky past, IP Vanish has rejuvenated to be among the best VPN services in 2021. It is a highly secured, fast, and effective VPN service well-suited to Firestick and Kodi users. As the name suggests, IP Vanish puts security first. The service employs military-grade encryption protocols such as OpenVPN and IKEv2. It also uses AES 256-bit encryption to secure online activities. IP Vanish also has a zero-log policy, which means it does not monitor, capture, or store your online traffic.

With more than 1,400 VPN servers in more than 57 countries and with access to over 40,000 IP addresses, IP Vanish has wide coverage. The coverage and quality of its servers are some of the reasons behind the service’s high speeds. These speeds are particularly impressive in nearby servers.

IP Vanish has a platform that is very user-friendly. The service is available as a Firestick app and is among the fastest and most secure, ideal for anonymous Kodi streaming. IP Vanish is also available as a native app for most common devices and operating system platforms, including Android, Windows, and Mac devices. Despite its fast speeds, IP Vanish is not recommended for streaming since it does not work with most streaming services.

Surfshark

Surfshark

Even at a lower price and with no compromise on quality, Surfshark competes with the very best reddit VPNs in the market. Unlike other leading VPN services such as ExpressVPN, Surfshark provides unlimited device connections. The service’s speeds are quite fast. It also employs the best security features.

Surfshark has a global network of more than 3,200 VPN servers in 65 countries. This wide coverage allows users to select the best server that fits their needs. This also ensures Surfshark has reduced congestion in its network. Basically, the availability of multiple servers in each location ensures fast speeds.

As for its security, Surfshark uses military-grade encryption protocol IKEv2/IPsec as a default protocol on all of its apps. Users can also choose to use OpenVPN, Shadowsocks, and WireGuard to secure their data. In addition to the security protocols, Surfshark also has a zero-log policy. Hence they don’t monitor, track, or store your online traffic. The service uses AES-256-GCM for data encryption.

Surfshark is a user-friendly platform available for, among others, windows, macOS, and Android devices. The most obvious benefit of Surfshark is its inexpensiveness. At $2.49 per month on a two-year subscription plan, Surfshark is extremely cheap as compared to other leading VPN services. Even with these low costs, it is one of the best VPN in the market.

Surfshark is a common paid VPN service that is regularly discussed as among the best free VPN Reddit by VPN enthusiasts. Redditors praise Surfshark for its stability and fast speeds.

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Redditors also praise Surfshark for its ability to unblock geo-restricted digital content of major streaming services. Here is a user admitting to Surfshark working well with Disney+:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Others recommend Surfshark as a VPN that can bypass the Great Firewall of China.

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Private-Internet-Access-PIA

Private Internet Access (PIA)

The name speaks a lot. Privacy is the primary reason users choose to use a VPN. And as the name suggests, privacy is the primary factor behind PIA. The service is suitable for streaming geo-restricted digital content, as well as torrenting. Among the notable features of PIA are: fast speeds, strong security, and compatibility.

With more than 3,000 next-gen servers in 78 countries, PIA has one of the widest networks in the world. With numerous server locations, PIA gives you more choices to spoof your online location and a good chance of attaining faster connection speeds from anywhere in the world. In addition, PIA offers unlimited bandwidth, meaning you can send them as much data as you want.

When it comes to security, PIA deploys AES encryption, which is the most secure encryption protocol. The service also uses open-source VPN protocols like OpenVPN and WireGuard to encrypt internet traffic. To prevent data leaks in case of a VPN connection drop, PIA uses a kill switch to block internet access.

And unlike other notable VPN services, PIA offers a dedicated IP address designed to give you all security and privacy freedom. PIA offers dedicated apps for all your devices and platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Android.

PIA is highly rated by Reddit users for its high speed and strong security standards. It is an excellent pick for hiding IP addresses and torrenting. One Reddit user, while discussing VPN speed, had this to say:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Private Internet Access’ zero-log policy also regularly comes up as the best free VPN Reddit.

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

NB: Even though PIA is good for torrenting, remember torrenting is illegal. Watch out you might get suspended or hit with a DMCA violation for pirating content like Akuma_No_Shisho

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

MullVad

MullVad

What sets apart MullVad from the rest of its competitors is its pricing plans. The service offers a single price as compared to pricing tiers offered by other leading VPN services. Therefore, if you are looking for an affordable VPN service, offers a decent amount of features, and is also pretty secure, then MullVad is a suitable choice.

MullVad is a Swedish company, and although the country is part of the 14 eyes, MullVad does not keep logs of user internet activities, nor does it require personal information during the subscription. From a security standpoint, MullVad deploys a pack of strong VPN protocols that comes with military-grade encryption. Aside from the strong encryption protocols, MullVad has a built-in kill switch to ensure maximum security and privacy.

As far as speeds are concerned, MullVad has over 750 servers in more than 35 countries. This gives users enough choices to choose the best server that is suitable to their needs. In terms of compatibility, MullVad is available for all the major operating systems like Windows, Android, and macOS. For users who want to try out the service, MullVad has a 30-day refund policy.

MullVad is among the best VPN services that many Redditors use to preserve their anonymity and for torrenting. Among the most celebrated features of MullVad is the WireGuard protocol. This protocol allows reaching maximum speed while utilizing the CPU load—subreddits and comments regarding MullVad center on its privacy, high speed, and the WireGuard protocol.

Privacy:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Speed:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

WireGuard Protocol:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Proton-VPN

Proton VPN

From the makers of Proton Mail comes Proton VPN. Headquartered in Switzerland and equipped with multiple servers scattered around the world, Proton VPN seems to have all the necessary features to make it a suitable Free VPN Reddit service in 2021.

Well, considering that Proton VPN provides military-grade encryption along with RSA key exchange, the service is actually safe. In terms of VPN protocols, Proton VPN uses OpenVPN along with IKEv2/IPSec protocols. The service also has a built-in kill switch to block the internet connection in case of a VPN connection drop. This combination of strong security features is enough to ensure your utmost security and privacy.

Proton VPN offers 1200+ servers in 55 countries, making it among the services with the widest coverage in the world. For optimum performance, Proton VPN only uses high-speed servers with an optimum bandwidth of 1 Gbps. These high-speed servers ensure users have excellent streaming and browsing experience.

Security is one of the core priorities of Proton VPN. The service uses IKEv2/IPSec and OpenVPN protocols to protect VPN connections. Additionally, Proton VPN uses AES-256 to encrypt internet traffic, RSA for key exchange, and HMAC with SHA384 for message authentication. This combination of military-grade encryption algorithms ensures users are accorded utmost privacy.

Many users praise it as the best Reddit free VPN service available. In general, Proton VPN is the best free vpn reddit service, as admitted by one Reddit user:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

There are also subreddits and comments on ProtonVPN’s good speeds:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Windscribe

Windscribe

Windscribe is a popular reddit best free vpn in the reddit community. The service offers both paid and free plans to users around the world. Even though Winscribe is available as a free version, it uses the same encryption protocols used by other premium VPN services.

The service uses AES-256 cipher with SHA512 authentication and a 4096-bit RSA key to encrypt your data and VPN connection, giving you strong protection against unauthorized access. Furthermore, Winscribe does not store connection logs, IP timestamps, session logs, or monitor your online activities. Winscribe also uses split-tunneling to allow users to choose which apps or tasks go over the VPN and which don't.

With servers in over 63 countries and 110 cities, Winscribe has a large network that can accommodate as many users as possible without affecting its performance. The servers used by Winscribe are high-speed with a capacity of more than 1 Gbps. All these ensure that users can experience fast browsing and streaming.

One of the biggest strengths of Winscribe is its multi-platform compatibility. The service is compatible with all leading operating systems and devices, including Windows, Android, macOS, mobile, and desktops. In addition, Winscribe offers exclusive extensions to web browsers like Chrome and Firefox.

Windscribe also appears in subreddits and comments as among the best Reddit free VPNs in the market. Looking for the best free VPN service, one Reddit user got the following responses:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Windscribe was also recommended for Firestick:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

TunnelBear

TunnelBear

As a Reddit free VPN service, TunnelBear is not highly rated as ProtonVPN and Windscribe because of its 500 Mb per month traffic limit. However, most Redditors admit that the service offers a great selection of countries and exclusive apps for all major platforms, making it a good alternative.

TunnelBear's popularity has risen for the last few years. Here are some subreddits and comments talking about the VPN service:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Opera-VPN

Opera VPN

Redditors use Opera VPN to unblock and anonymously access websites using the Opera browser. One Redditor had this to say:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN

Based on our test results, as well as Redditors' reviews, ExpressVPN is a hands-down winner when it comes to supporting streaming services. For example, ExpressVPN can unblock all Netflix libraries and regions. The service is also recommended for other leading streaming services such as Disney+, Hulu, and Amazon Prime.

In one of the subreddit, some user was asking for a good VPN for German digital content. Another user had this to say:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

NordVPN

NordVPN

NordVPN is another VPN service that is highly rated by Redditors for unblocking the majority of the leading streaming services. NordVPN servers located in the US, Canada, and the UK are particularly praised for their good streaming experience.

For example, one of the Australian Redditor was impressed with how NordVPN was a good VPN service for streaming American digital content:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Surfshark

Surfshark

While Surfshark is a new VPN service in many reviews appearing in Reddit, the majority of users, nevertheless, are satisfied with its performance.

One Reddit user enquired whether they could switch to Surfshark from NordVPN, the user got the following response:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Another user is a big fan of Surfshark:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Why is there an Opposition Against Reddit free VPNs?

According to Redditors, the majority of the so-called free VPNs are actually paid services with limited free plans. Those limits usually affect streaming and browsing speeds, amount of traffic, as well as a choice of server locations. There are no total free VPNs that can be said to be very effective. Some Redditors had this to say of free VPNs:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

That is why it is difficult to choose a free VPN over a paid service based on subreddits and comments. Some Reddit users praise free VPNs, but a majority criticize them. Based on Reddit comments and posts, free VPNs have limited application areas; for example, they work poorly with most streaming services such as Netflix. Answering a Redditor asking whether a free VPN works well with Netflix, one user advised against:

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Having examined dozens of subreddits and comments criticizing the use of free VPNs, we have come up with a list of reasons for disapproving free VPNs:

  • Low speeds – Due to their limited server capacity, free VPNs usually experience congestion in their network, thereby affecting their speeds.
  • Instability – Some free VPNs work fine at the beginning but lose the connection after a few minutes or hours.
  • Limited applications – For example, the majority of free VPNs cannot work with major streaming services such as Netflix.
  • Log keeping – Unlike paid services which have zero-log policies, the majority of free VPNs monitor, capture, and store user activities.
  • Too many ads – Free VPNs are notorious for integrating too many advertisements in their applications.
    We must note that not all free VPNs have all these drawbacks. However, all the VPNs have at least one of the above drawbacks.

After all, Is It Safe to Use A VPN?

The use of technology is rapidly gaining traction around the world. One might wonder, is it legal? And is it safe?

In regard to legality, yes, the use of VPN service is very much legal in virtually all jurisdictions. Technically, VPN is just another protocol within the TCP/IP stack, and as such, anyone connected to the internet is free to use it. Many organizations and institutions cannot fully operate without a VPN.

Is it safe to use a VPN? Perhaps not. Different VPN services have different security features. Leading services such as ExpressVPN and NordVPN employ the best security techniques to protect their users' activities; for example, they use strong protocols such as OpenVPN to secure VPN connections and military-grade encryption protocols like AES to encrypt data sent over VPN tunnels. Other VPNs, especially those that are free, use weak security protocols, hence cannot guarantee privacy.

So, which is the most popular VPN on Reddit?

VPN

Engagement past 7 days

Screenshot

ExpressVPN

This VPN received the highest number of engagements for the past 7 days. One post received 93 upvotes while the second one received 47 upvotes. among these posts, each received above 20 comments each. Main topics ranged from security on iOS devices, speed and power consumption. Highest engagement means that many people are either using or testing the VPN.

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

NordVPN

Even though most of the posts did not get a high number of upvotes, the high number of comments on each post signify the popularity of NordVPN. On average, each post gained above 10 comments. Main topics included torrenting and streaming.

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

MullVad VPN

Had a fairly number of mentions with good engagements and mentions. Highest upvote achieved was 12 and 13 comments. Topics varied from configurations, security, and speed.

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Surshark VPN

Had a few posts with the highest upvote being 18 and 6 comments. General topics focused on pricing and streaming platforms

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

Private Internet Access (PIA)

Had several posts and the highest upvote was one with zero comments on each post.

Best VPN According to Reddit (Free & Paid)

In summary, here are the best VPNs according to reddit on 2021

1. ExpressVPN

  1. 30-day money back guarantee
  2. Blazing fast speeds
  3. Unblocks Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Video, HBO Go among others
  4. Military grade encryption
  5. Stream your shows on 5 simultaneous devices

2. NordVPN

  1. 30-day money back guarantee
  2. Incredible server speeds with no lags
  3. 24/7 customer service
  4. Stream your show on 5 simultaneous devices
  5. Over 5000 servers in 60 locations

3. Mullvad

  1. Fair pricing
  2. Strictly no logging policy
  3. Military grade policy to enhance security
  4. 30-day money back guarantee
  5. Over 700 servers in 35 locations
  6. Compatible with: Windows, macOS, Fedora, and Debian

4. IPVanish

  1. Flexible pricing for all budgets
  2. Military grade encryption
  3. Over 1400 servers in 57 countries
  4. Available in Android, Windows, and Mac
  5. DNS leak protection

5. Private Internet Access (PIA)

  1. 24/7 customer support
  2. Supports 10 simultaneous devices
  3. Split tunneling
  4. Over 3000 servers in 87 countries
  5. Compatible in Windows, macOS, and Android

6. Surfshark

  1. Strong encryption policy
  2. 24/7 customer support
  3. 30-day money back guarantee
  4. Secure torrenting services
  5. Unlimited device connections