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Is Opera VPN Safe?
Callum Tennent
Callum Tennent oversees how we test and review VPN services. He's a member of the IAPP, and his VPN advice has featured in Forbes and the Internet Society. Read full bio
The built-in VPN in the Opera web browser is neither safe nor secure. It’s not a true VPN, as it doesn’t establish an encrypted tunnel and lacks many essential features expected from a VPN service. Additionally, Opera VPN’s privacy policy and jurisdiction pose significant privacy risks. We strongly advise against using Opera VPN for any purpose.
Opera, the sixth most popular web browser, is developed by a Norwegian company owned by Chinese firm Kunlun Tech. It offers a free browser-based virtual private network (VPN), which claims to offer “enhanced privacy”.
A reliable VPN is essential for safe and secure browsing, but an unsafe VPN can be riskier than no VPN at all.
Our tests reveal that Opera’s free built-in VPN is less secure and effective than many reviews suggest.
EXPERT ADVICE: Unlike Opera VPN, ExpressVPN doesn’t log identifiable information, uses a secure VPN protocol, and bypasses geo-blocks in 106 countries. Use ExpressVPN risk-free for 30 days.
What Is Opera VPN?
Opera VPN comes built-in with the Opera and Opera GX browsers. It’s intended to protect your privacy and security and spoof your location as you use the internet.
To enable this feature, navigate to Menu > Settings > Advanced > Privacy & Security > VPN. Once activated, an icon in the address bar displays your VPN status.
Opera VPN offers three broad server locations: Europe, the Americas, and Asia. However, specific server details and network size remain undisclosed.
Our tests revealed that Opera VPN’s servers were in at least six locations: Argentina, Germany, Singapore, Sweden, the US, and Vietnam.
However, there were inconsistencies between selected and assigned locations. For example, selecting ‘Americas’ sometimes resulted in being connected to a Vietnamese IP address.
Unlike regular VPN services, Opera VPN doesn’t allow you to connect to specific countries.
Why Opera VPN Isn’t a True VPN
It’s crucial to understand that Opera VPN only routes traffic from the Opera browser through its VPN servers.
Activities outside the browser, such as torrenting or streaming apps, remain unprotected, making it more of a secure proxy than a full VPN.
If you’re not sure what the difference is, watch this short video that tells you all you need to know.
Watch our site editor Callum Tennent explain the difference between VPN and proxies in this short video.
While Opera “VPN” encrypts data and masks your IP address, it doesn’t provide the comprehensive protection of a true VPN that secures all internet activity.
Despite these limitations, Opera VPN offers better security than most proxies due to its encryption. However, users seeking complete privacy and protection should consider a full-fledged VPN service.
Bearing in mind that Opera VPN isn’t actually a VPN, let’s take a look at whether it is still safe to use.
Is Opera VPN Safe to Use?
Opera VPN is not a safe choice. It misleadingly advertises itself as a “no-log VPN”, which gives users a false sense of security. In reality, we’ve found that it has an invasive privacy policy and lacks security features like a tunneling protocol.
Opera VPN contains very few security settings.
Expand the sections below for a more detailed look at the safety of using Opera VPN.
Weak History of Safeguarding User Privacy
Opera has a poor history of privacy issues. In 2016, its synchronization service was hacked. More than 1.7 million users had sensitive information, such as passwords and login details, exposed during the incident.
More recently, a number of users have complained their real IP addresses are being leaked while using Opera VPN. Although we didn’t encounter this issue during our tests, it remains a serious concern.
For a safer alternative that still doesn’t cost anything but reliably hides your IP address and protects your online privacy, read our best free VPN recommendations.
Strong AES-256 Encryption but No VPN Protocol
Opera VPN uses the ultra-secure AES-256 encryption cipher to protect all of the data sent through the browser. This is the same encryption standard used by the US government, and is generally considered to be unbreakable.
Unfortunately, Opera VPN doesn’t pair this with a VPN tunneling protocol, such as OpenVPN or WireGuard, which you would expect from a regular VPN service.
Instead, Opera just uses the standard TLS encryption protocol that is used on all HTTPS websites. This means that, even though it encrypts your data securely, Opera VPN provides no additional security over a free plugin like HTTPS Everywhere.
Also, because it is a browser-based service, it does not encrypt any traffic from outside the Opera browser, such as a separate email application or torrenting client.
To learn more about VPN encryption, read our beginner’s guide to how VPNs work.
DNS Leaks and Limited Security Features
Opera offers very little information about its security features, likely because they are almost nonexistent.
Not only does Opera VPN lack VPN protocols, it also lacks important security features such as Perfect Forward Secrecy and a VPN kill switch, which is designed to safeguard your privacy when the VPN connection drops. Opera VPN also appears to provide little-to-no protection against IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks.
While our latest testing showed no IP or WebRTC leaks, it did reveal that Opera VPN does not handle your DNS requests itself.
Screenshot of failed DNS leak test for Opera VPN.
This kind of DNS leak is a privacy risk as it means an unknown third-party has a log of all your DNS requests, which can be highly revealing of your internet activity.
Untrustworthy Logging Policy & Privacy Concerns in the Android App
Since our last review, Opera VPN has updated its privacy policy, reducing reliance on third-party data processors.
However, it still lacks a comprehensive privacy policy for its free VPN, dedicating only a brief paragraph within its general policy.
Opera no longer admits to selling user data to third parties, instead stating:
We monetize our products in various ways, mostly by selling advertising within the Applications themselves.
While common for free online services, VPN users may be concerned that Opera openly acknowledges profiling based on browsing activity, location, and personal data for targeted advertising.
Opera privacy policy screenshot showing monetization practices.
Opera claims not to log detailed browsing history, only recording general behavior patterns. However, this approach is still not as private as we’d like.
Android users should note that Opera Mini includes the Pangle SDK, an advertising library from TikTok developer Bytedance. This SDK typically collects personally identifiable information, and Bytedance has a history of privacy controversies.
Regarding the VPN service, Opera’s privacy policy is notably brief, stating only:
“We do not log any personal data or other information related to your browsing activity or originating network address” when you use Opera VPN.
The full extent of the VPN-specific part of the Opera privacy policy.
While this claim is promising, an independent audit would bolster trust in the service. Many other VPN providers have undergone such audits, establishing credibility within the VPN community.
Based In a Privacy-Hostile Jurisdiction
A VPN’s jurisdiction can impact privacy and safety due to surveillance and data retention laws.
EXPERT ADVICE: Using Opera VPN is legal in most countries, but illegal activities remain illegal even when using a VPN.
Should You Use Opera VPN?
Pros
Cons
Completely free with no payment required
Weak logging policy
Anonymous sign-up process
Doesn’t allow you to choose a country
AES-256 encryption
Only secures Opera browser traffic
Unblocks Netflix US
No VPN protocol or kill switch
Very easy to use
DNS leaks
Unlimited bandwidth
Dangerous jurisdiction (Nine Eyes)
While Opera VPN offers a few advantages, such as being completely free and capable of unblocking American Netflix, we strongly recommend you avoid it if privacy and security are your primary concerns.
Opera VPN’s drawbacks, such as the lack of a secure VPN tunneling protocol, absence of a kill switch, and limited protection of traffic only within the Opera browser, make it a poor choice for anyone serious about online safety.
Additionally, the risk of DNS leaks and the fact that Opera VPN operates in a Nine Eyes jurisdiction further reduce its trustworthiness.
A far better option is to use a privacy-focused browser, like Mozilla Firefox, alongside a trusted and fully-featured VPN, like ExpressVPN or Proton VPN Free.