Simon Migliano is a recognized world expert in VPNs. He's tested hundreds of VPN services and his research has featured on the BBC, The New York Times and more.
VPNBook is one of the worst free VPNs we’ve reviewed, rated just 1.6 according to our testing methodology. It logs your real IP address and leaks DNS requests, which means all of your web activity is visible, and the VPN essentially offers no protection at all. It’s extremely slow and barely works with any streaming sites. Furthermore, it also only has servers in five different countries.
Ranked #54 out of 55 VPNs
VPNBook Category Ratings
0.80.8/10
1.11.1/10
0.10.1/10
0.80.8/10
3.53.5/10
2.52.5/10
3.53.5/10
33.0/10
2.52.5/10
VPNBook Pros & Cons
Uses OpenVPN & AES-256 encryption
Compatible with most platforms & devices
Free
Logs IP addresses & connection timestamps
Requires manual configuration
Very slow speeds
DNS leaks & no kill switch
Doesn’t unblock streaming platforms
Only five server locations
Why Trust Our Review?
We’ve spent thousands of hours testing and reviewing 55 VPN services using our impartial review process to recommend you the best VPN software.
Here are some of our key VPN testing statistics:
Total Hours of Testing
30,000+
Weekly Speed Tests
3,000+
VPN Services Reviewed
55
Streaming Platforms Tested Daily
12
IP & DNS Leak Tests Performed
9,500+
How Much We've Spent On Testing
$25,000+
VPNBook is one of the worst VPNs we’ve ever tested, and has shown no signs of improvement. It’s not secure and cannot guarantee your anonymity or privacy online – in our security testing we found that it leaks DNS requests and there’s no kill switch.
Even if anonymity isn’t your main concern, it can’t do anything else well, either. It’s one of the slowest VPNs we’ve tested, with local download speeds struggling to reach even 13Mbps
That would mean that streaming sites would be unable to play Full HD content without buffering – but VPNBook can only unblock one of the 12 services we test anyway.
It’s awkward to set up, lagging far behind modern VPNs for usability. There’s not enough servers and no extra features.
Keep reading to view our full test results, or view the VPN service’s key specifications in the table below. You can also compare VPNBook with other popular VPNs later in this review.
Avoid VPNBook if:
You value your privacy and anonymity. VPNBook is not guaranteed to protect either of these, as it leaks personal data and logs your IP address.
You value your time. VPNBook takes way too long to set up compared to better VPNs, and is generally ugly and unintuitive to use.
You want a fast internet connection. VPNBook is unbearably slow – our 100Mbps connection became almost unusable while connected.
We analyze and dissect the VPN service’s logging and privacy policy. A VPN should never log and store:
Your real IP address
Connection timestamps
DNS requests
Headquarters outside of 14 Eyes or EU jurisdictions are also preferable.
VPNBook logs your IP address - the worst kind of data a VPN can log because it immediately reveals who you are. VPNBook’s Swiss jurisdiction would normally be good, but we have no idea how VPNBook saves and keeps user data private. We recommend staying away from VPNBook as there are much safer and more secure free VPNs available like Proton VPN Free and PrivadoVPN Free.
Ranked #45 out of 55 VPNs for Privacy & Logging Policy
Here’s everything that VPNBook logs, as far as we could tell from the information available:
You should not trust VPNBook to keep your IP address and browsing history private. We strongly believe that a VPN retaining your true IP address is unacceptable. It’s even worse if the VPN isn’t clear on how long this data is stored for and how it is secured on servers.
VPNBook’s Privacy Policy is extremely short and vague.
This VPN service logs your IP address and are claimed to be deleted after one week. There is no available information about how VPNBook’s servers are protected, or whether they’re leased from a third party.
Unclear Ownership & Lacking Company Transparency
There is no information online relating to VPNBook. It does not disclose who owns the company, the behind it, or how it’s run.
VPNBook does disclose that it is based in Switzerland: ordinarily we’d praise that as an excellent jurisdiction with robust privacy laws, but those laws can only go so far in protecting users when such incredibly revealing personal data is logged by a VPN.
To reiterate: if you concerned about your online privacy and anonymity, then you should not use VPNBook.
EXPERT ADVICE: Using a free VPN does not have to mean surrendering your privacy. Take ProtonVPN Free, for example – it doesn’t log any personally identifiable data and is 100% free to use.
Speed
Painfully Slow Speeds
0.80.8/10
How is this calculated?
We calculate the VPN’s speed rating using our download speeds, upload speeds, and ping (latency) measurements.
We regularly test the VPN’s local and international speeds using a dedicated 100Mbps internet connection in New York, USA.
VPNBook is one of the slowest VPNs on the market. On our 100Mbps average internet connection, our download speeds dropped dramatically to just 13Mbps. It's too slow for streaming and online gaming is certainly out of the question.
Ranked #49 out of 55 VPNs for Speed
Here’s a table showing Free VPN by VPNBook’s speed test results:
As the data above shows, VPNBook slowed our download speeds by 87% on a local connection in the US.
This makes VPNBook one of the slowest free VPNs we’ve ever tested and no way near as good as Windscribe Free and Proton VPN Free.
High Latency
In our recent 2023 speed tests, we recorded ping times of 29ms connected to a local US server. In contrast, Windscribe Free only has ping times around 5ms.
Streaming
VPN Is Almost Useless for Streaming
0.80.8/10
How is this calculated?
This rating is calculated by how many different streaming services and regional content libraries the VPN can unblock, and how consistently it can access them.
We test access to Netflix, Disney+, Max, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and many more platforms on a weekly basis.
VPNBook can only access one streaming site we test for – HBO Max, and even that was a huge surprise. It cannot unblock a single other geo-restricted streaming service and, in the case of some Netflix regions, it can’t even load the website.
Ranked #46 out of 55 VPNs for Streaming
Streaming Platform
Works with VPNBook
Channel 4
No
Amazon Prime Video
No
BBC iPlayer
No
Disney+
No
HBO Max
Yes
Hotstar India
No
Hulu
No
ITVX
No
Netflix US
No
YouTube
No
The last time we tested VPNBook with streaming services it didn’t work with a single one. It has since improved to unblock HBO Max, which honestly surprised us. There are plenty of great VPNs that can’t manage that.
VPNBook did unblock HBOMax in our testing, but you shouldn’t rely on it to do so.
However, we still don’t recommend using it to stream HBO Max. In fact connection speeds were so slow on its US UDP server that videos only played in blurry low-resolution.
We couldn’t log into Netflix while connected to that same US server, and every other server location wouldn’t even allow us to load the Netflix website. The lack of a UK VPNBook server also means that we can’t test it for UK-exclusive streaming sites like BBC iPlayer.
EXPERT ADVICE:NordVPN is a very good streaming VPN, unblocking Netflix USA, HBO Max, Disney+, and more. Try NordVPN risk-free for 30 days.
Torrenting
VPNBook Is a Bad Choice for Torrenting
1.11.1/10
How is this calculated?
This rating is determined by the VPN’s torrenting speeds, the percentage of servers that allow P2P file sharing, the service’s privacy and trustworthiness, and useful settings like port forwarding.
For speed specifically, we calculate the VPN’s average download bitrate using our bespoke torrenting setup.
VPNBook is unsafe for torrenting and it’s far too slow for P2P activity. Our download bitrate when connected to the VPNBook Germany UDP server plummeted from 10.0MiB/s to just 0.8MiB/s – a 1GB file took nearly 20 minutes to download. You can only torrent on two of its five server locations.
Ranked #46 out of 55 VPNs for Torrenting
Here’s a quick summary of showing how VPNBook performed in our torrenting tests:
Torrenting Attribute
Result
Average Download Bitrate
0.8MiB/s
No. of P2P Servers
Not Disclosed
Logging Policy
Intrusive Logging
Kill Switch
No
Port Forwarding
No
VPNBook allows P2P traffic on two servers: Germany and Poland. If you’re using the VPNBook Android application, rather than the OpenVPN app, then you can only torrent on the Germany server.
We tried torrenting on the other servers to see what would happen, but VPNBook simply blocked our download.
Downloading via VPNBook’s Germany server was painfully slow. In fact, VPNBook is the second-slowest torrenting VPN we’ve ever tested.
Any files large enough to require torrenting to download will take hours to complete if you use VPNBook.
Speeds aside, we advise you don’t use VPNBook for torrenting because VPNBook logs your IP address, which could reveal your file-sharing activities.
There’s also no VPN kill switch, which heightens the risk of your IP address being exposed and ruining your anonymity. If VPNBook fails (which it may well do) your real IP address would be exposed to every other torrenter downloading the same file as you, as well as your ISP.
Security & Technical Features
DNS Leaks & Subpar Security
3.53.5/10
How is this calculated?
A secure VPN must offer OpenVPN or WireGuard protocols, AES-256 encryption, and a working kill switch.
To calculate this rating, we also factor in additional security settings and features.
VPNBook doesn’t come with any security extras, but at the very least it does provide VPN connections through OpenVPN with strong AES encryption. However we experienced DNS leaks in our testing, leaving the sites you visit exposed.
Ranked #44 out of 55 VPNs for Security & Technical Features
Here’s a table showing the encryption ciphers, connection protocols, and security features available with VPNBook:
Protocols
Available in VPNBook
IKEv2/IPSec
No
OpenVPN (TCP/UDP)
Yes
PPTP
Yes
WireGuard
No
Encryption
Available in VPNBook
AES-128
No
AES-192
No
AES-256
Yes
Blowfish
No
ChaCha20
No
Security
Available in VPNBook
DNS Leak Blocking
No
First-party DNS
No
IPv6 Leak Blocking
No
Supports TCP Port 443
Yes
VPN Kill Switch
No
WebRTC Leak Blocking
No
Advanced Features
Available in VPNBook
Ad Blocker
No
Dedicated IP
No
Double VPN
No
Smart DNS
No
Static IP
No
SOCKS
Yes
Split Tunneling
No
Tor over VPN Server
No
Tracker Blocker
No
VPNBook supports OpenVPN. It’s our preferred VPN protocol – it’s open-source, secure, and pretty fast, too. Coupled with AES-128 or AES-256 ciphers, it’s really safe.
But that’s where the positives end for VPNBook.
Alongside OpenVPN, VPNBook provides PPTP configuration files. While PPTP is easier to install on popular devices, it’s not safe to use.
Even if you stick with OpenVPN, VPNBook doesn’t come with a VPN kill switch, which may put your personal details at risk.
Should the VPN disconnect suddenly, your IP address would be exposed to your ISP and any other snooping third parties.
Even when the VPN was properly connected, we experienced DNS leaks during our testing:
DNS leaks mean that all your browser requests are visible to your ISP.
This means that our ISP can still see all of the websites we visited while using the VPN.
VPNBook isn’t a very safe VPN to use. Unlike other VPNs that lack security extras, VPNBook doesn’t have the advantage of being super easy to use and beginner-friendly to make up for it either.
Bypassing Web Censorship
Doesn’t Work in China
2.52.5/10
How is this calculated?
We routinely test if the VPN can bypass strict internet restrictions in China using our remote-access server in Shanghai.
Other important factors we consider include obfuscation technologies and the availability of servers in neighboring countries (for faster connections).
VPNBook will not work in China. It uses the OpenVPN protocol, which has been blocked by the Great Firewall of China, and has no obfuscation options to help it. There is a slim chance of connecting to the internet using its PPTP protocol setup, but that's far less secure. Do not rely on VPNBook in censored countries.
Ranked #42 out of 55 VPNs for Bypassing Web Censorship
Don’t attempt to use VPNBook to access blocked websites in China, Russia, Iran, the UAE, or anywhere else.
Most importantly, VPNBook doesn’t come with any obfuscation tools to bypass the Great Firewall. OpenVPN is its only secure protocol, and it’s easily identified by national censorship apparatuses like the Great Firewall of China.
Unsurprisingly, we couldn’t unblock any website while using VPNBook on our test server located in Shanghai.
Server Locations
Free servers in only five countries
3.53.5/10
How is this calculated?
The key factor for calculating this rating is the global spread and coverage of the VPN’s server network.
We also consider the total number of servers, the number of city-level servers, and the number of IP addresses available.
VPNBook’s server network of five countries is small, even by free VPN standards. All five are in Europe or North America. It’s not disclosed whether or not the servers are owned by VPNBook, or if they are virtual or physical.
VPNBook’s five free server locations to choose from are:
Canada
France
Germany
Poland
US
There are no server locations in Africa, Asia-Pacific, or South America. There’s not even a server in the UK, which is uncommon.
There are only eight servers available in total with eight different IP addresses. This results in congestion at peak times, which helps explain why VPNBook’s speeds are so poor.
There is no information available on whether these servers are owned or rented by VPNBook, or if they are physical or virtual servers.
A high-quality VPN should maintain functional, fully-featured applications and browser extensions for as many platforms and devices as possible.
Our ‘Device & OS Compatibility’ assessment contributes to the Ease of Use rating.
VPNBook doesn’t have any native applications. Instead, you have to install the OpenVPN Connect app. You then download and add individual VPNBook configuration files to it. This means it is also configurable at router-level.
To use VPNBook on any device you need to first download and install OpenVPN Connect – the official app of the OpenVPN Protocol. Don’t worry, it’s perfectly safe and legitimate.
You then add VPNBook configuration files one by one, each one granting you access to a specific VPN location and protocol.
As there are no individual accounts, you can use VPNBook on as many devices as you want.
Apps
Windows
Mac
iOS
Android
Linux
Router
If you do decide to use VPNBook, here are some more detailed instructions explaining how to install it on different devices.
How to Set Up VPNBook on Windows & macOS
VPNBook’s setup instructions are for an older version of OpenVPN Connect, so are now useless.
Running VPNBook via the OpenVPN Connect app on Windows.
Follow these instructions to set up VPNBook on Windows and macOS:
Download the latest version of OpenVPN Connect. Run the installer.
Browse to the VPNBook homepage. Midway down the page, click the tab labeled OpenVPN. This will show you all the different servers you can connect to. Each one comes as a ‘certificate bundle’, including options for both a TCP and UDP protocol connection.
Click on the connection you wish to use to begin its download – this won’t take long at all.
Run OpenVPN Connect.
Click the big + icon in the bottom right-hand corner, then click the File tab. Click Browse and then select the OpenVPN configuration file you wish to add.
On the next screen, fill in the username, then click the checkbox next to Save password and enter the password. You can find these login details on the VPNBook homepage.
Click Connect.
Repeat these steps as many times as needed to add all the servers and protocols you want.
How to Set Up VPNBook on Android
The OpenVPN Connect app for Android using VPNBook config files.
Setting up VPNBook on Android is almost identical to setting it up on desktop.
Follow these instructions to set up VPNBook on your Android smartphone or tablet:
Download the OpenVPN Connect app from the Google Play Store.
Browse to the VPNBook homepage. Midway down the page, click the tab labeled OpenVPN. This will show you all the different servers you can connect to. Each one comes as a ‘certificate bundle’, including options for both a TCP and UDP protocol connection.
Click on the connection you wish to use to begin its download – this won’t take long at all.
Navigate to the location where you chose to download these files on your Android device. They will come bundled in a .zip file – extract it (it doesn’t matter where to, as long as you remember the location).
Open OpenVPN Connect.
Click the big + icon in the bottom right-hand corner, then click the File tab. Click Browse and then select the OpenVPN configuration file you wish to add.
On the next screen, fill in the username, then click the checkbox next to Save password and enter the password. You can find these login details on the VPNBook homepage.
Click Connect.
How to Set Up VPNBook on iPhone & iPad
VPNBook for iPhone via the OpenVPN Connect app.
Setting up VPNBook on Apple mobile devices works a little differently to the rest, but still doesn’t take long.
Follow these instructions to set up VPNBook on your iPhone or iPad:
Browse to the VPNBook homepage. Midway down the page, click the tab labeled OpenVPN. This will show you all the different servers you can connect to. Each one comes as a ‘certificate bundle’, including options for both a TCP and UDP protocol connection.
Click on the connection you wish to use to begin its download – this won’t take long at all.
By default the files should have downloaded to your Downloads folder within the Files app. They will come bundled in a .zip file – extract it.
Go into the folder that was just extracted and tap on a profile. Then tap the Share icon (in the bottom-left corner on iPhone or at the top of the screen on iPad). Now tap the OpenVPN icon.
The configuration file will now be opened within the OpenVPN Connect app. Tap Add.
On the next screen, fill in the username, then click the checkbox next to Save password and enter the password. You can find these login details on the VPNBook homepage.
Click Connect.
EXPERT ADVICE: Do not use the PPTP configuration files VPNBook offers. PPTP is an outdated and unsafe protocol, and you should never use it when superior options like OpenVPN are available.
Ease of Use
Manual and Tricky Setup
33.0/10
How is this calculated?
This rating mainly consists of the user-friendliness and intuitiveness of setting up and regularly using the VPN.
We also factor in customization settings, as well as device and OS compatibility (see section above).
Once it’s all set up VPNBook is actually quite easy to use – primarily because of its complete lack of features. You toggle your connection to your server of choice on and off, and that’s it. There’s nothing else to experiment with.
Ranked #52 out of 55 VPNs for Ease of Use
This setup process, while flexible, is time-consuming and inconvenient. While not hugely complicated, it’s intimidating for beginners, and VPNBook’s own instructions are outdated and no longer applicable. Put simply, it’s a much worse experience than installing a standard VPN app.
You can choose between PPTP or OpenVPN as your protocol, with each requiring separate setup.
Customer Support
Very Basic Online Resources, No Reply to Emails
2.52.5/10
How is this calculated?
This rating is based on our assessment of the VPN’s:
Live chat support
Email support
Online resources
Not every VPN offers all these support options, and they often vary in quality and response times.
VPNBook doesn’t offer live chat support, and the online resources are limited to setup guides for major platforms – some of which are now out of date. There is a support email address for specific queries, but we didn't receive a response when we contacted it.
Ranked #45 out of 55 VPNs for Customer Support
Here are the customer support features that VPNBook offers:
Customer Support
Available in VPNBook
24/7 Live Chat Support
No
24/7 Email Support
No
Chatbot
No
Live Chat Support
No
Email
Yes
Email Support via Online Form
No
Tutorial Videos
No
Online Resources
No
VPNBook’s customer service is awful.
There are a few simple setup guides for popular platforms, but some of them are outdated, leaving you to work out how to set up VPNBook on your own. We always expect a much deeper level of support, but with an unconventional VPN like VPNBook it’s more necessary than ever – IVPN, for example, has dozens of guides to help users.
The website looks dated and is filled with incorrect information about the available servers and streaming compatibility.
The support email inbox sends out automated responses saying “due to the large number of emails we receive every day, we are unable to respond to every email individually.” We’ve never received a response to our inquiries.
The Bottom Line
Is VPNBook Worth It?
We strongly advise you not to use VPNBook. It is slow, insecure, and not user-friendly at all.Its intrusive logging policy is a major concern, as well as the lack of key security features.
The VPN is useless for most purposes including fast and private web browsing, unblocking websites, and anonymous file-sharing.
There is no reason to use VPNBook no matter who you are, especially as there are much better free VPNs available, such as the two we recommend below.
Alternatives to VPNBook
Windscribe is a secure, fast, and user-friendly free VPN. It comes with simple custom VPN apps for a range of popular devices, including Amazon Fire TV.
Proton VPN Free comes with unlimited free data and is one of the most privacy-friendly free VPNs on the market. It also comes with a VPN kill switch and other security extras.
Here’s how VPNBook compares to other free and paid VPNs:
FAQ
Is VPNBook Safe to Use?
VPNBook is not safe to use. Our testing found that it logs your IP address and leaks DNS information, meaning that your browsing and torrenting activities could be visible to anyone, including hackers and your ISP.
Is VPNBook Banned in India?
No. VPNBook uses the OpenVPN Connect app, which is freely available for download in India. You then download VPNBook configuration files to use with it, which are also accessible and legal in India.
History of Major Updates to VPN Book
28 November 2022: New speed test and streaming test results published.
10 November 2021: VPNBook removes its paid subscription tier.
26 June 2020: OpenVPN Connect changes interface, affecting the setup process for VPNBook.
