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. 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. It also only has servers in five different countries.
Ranked #49 out of 56 VPNs
VPNBook Category Ratings
0.80.8/10
00.0/10
3.53.5/10
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 56 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
56
Streaming Platforms Tested Daily
12
IP & DNS Leak Tests Performed
9,500+
How Much We've Spent On Testing
$25,000+
We don’t recommend VPNBook for anyone, no matter how desperate you may be.
It is one of the worst VPNs we’ve ever tested, and has shown no signs of improvement over the last four years.
VPNBook is insecure 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 entirely too slow, with peak download speeds struggling to reach even 15Mbps. That’s less than one 10th of the speed of a competent VPN.
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.
We could keep going on, but all you need to know is that VPNBook is an insecure, slow and privacy-unfriendly free VPN. Stay away from it, and use a highly-rated free VPN instead.
You Should Not Use 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 dissect the logging and privacy policies of every VPN. A VPN should never log:
Your real IP address
Connection timestamps
DNS requests
A base of operations outside of 14-Eyes or EU jurisdiction is preferable.
VPNBook logs your IP address. This is the single worst bit of information any VPN could log, as it immediately reveals exactly who you are to anyone who knows it. VPNBook’s Swiss jurisdiction would normally be impressive, but we have no idea how it secures user data or logs. Avoid VPNBook for this one simple reason.
Ranked #43 out of 56 VPNs for Privacy & Logging Policy
Here’s everything that VPNBook logs, as far as we could tell from the information available:
Data Type
Logged by VPNBook
Browsing Activity
No
Device Information
No
DNS Queries
No
Individual Bandwidth Usage
No
Individual Connection Timestamps
Yes
ISP
No
Number of Simultaneous Connections
No
Originating IP Address
Yes
Account Information
No
VPN Server IP
No
VPN Server Location
No
Date of Last Connection
No
VPNBook cannot and should not be trusted. We strongly believe that a VPN retaining your true IP address is unacceptable – even if it were done by a large, reputable company with an impressive track record.
This is all VPNBook offers by way of a privacy policy – we expect something much more in-depth.
VPNBook is none of those things, but logs your IP address anyway. Logs are deleted after one week. There is no available information about how VPNBook’s servers are protected or whether they’re even owned by the company itself.
There is also no information online relating to VPNBook. It does not disclose who owns the company 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 are at all 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?
Speed ratings are calculated using upload speeds, download speeds, and ping (latency).
We test average speeds regularly using a dedicated 100Mbps connection in London, UK. Local download speed is considered the most important factor.
VPNBook is a devastatingly slow VPN, even if you are lucky enough to be located close to one of its five server locations. With such slow download speeds it’s hard to use VPNBook for anything at all – streaming and gaming are certainly out of the question.
Ranked #55 out of 56 VPNs for Speed
The fastest speeds we experienced during our testing were 13Mbps download and a pathetic 1Mbps upload while connected to VPNBook’s Germany server, with a ping time of 29ms. While its France server is technically closer to our testing location, those speeds were even slower.
Local Speed Test results before using VPNBook:
Download Speed: 100Mbps
Upload Speed: 100Mbps
Ping: 7ms
Local Speed Test results with VPNBook:
Download Speed: 13Mbps
Upload Speed: 1Mbps
Ping: 29ms
Download speed loss when VPNBook is running: 87%
Ordinarily here we’d show you the speeds when connected to a local server in the UK. However VPNBook doesn’t have a UK OpenVPN server, so we’ve instead decided to show the fastest speeds we recorded.
As VPNBook only has servers in five countries in total, here are the results from our testing when connected to each of them:
Country
Download Speed
Upload Speed
Ping
France
4Mbps
0.25Mbps
101ms
Germany
13Mbps
1Mbps
35ms
Poland
2Mbps
0.5Mbps
238ms
US
1Mbps
4.1Mbps
107ms
Canada*
N/A
N/A
N/A
*We were unable to record speeds on VPNBook’s Canada servers as they were not functioning at the time of testing.
It’s important to note that these speeds were recorded while connected to the OpenVPN UDP server in each location. Each one also has a corresponding VPNBook OpenVPN TCP server, but we found them to be even slower.
While we did our best to capture realistic average speeds for each location, some servers simply produced hugely different speeds each time we tested. France, for example, often produced download speeds as low as 1.5Mbps.
EXPERT TIP: You should never have to settle for such slow speeds, not even with a free VPN. PrivadoVPN’s free app has servers in nine countries and has download speeds up to six times as fast as VPNBook. See our full PrivadoVPN Free review here.
Streaming
VPNBook is almost useless for streaming
0.80.8/10
How is this calculated?
Streaming is rated by the number of different services unlocked, how many regional libraries are viewable, and how consistently the VPN can access them.
Netflix, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video and more are all tested 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 #47 out of 56 VPNs for Streaming
Streaming Platform
Works with VPNBook
All 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
00.0/10
How is this calculated?
We calculate the average download bitrate of every VPN using a bespoke torrenting setup.
Testing also factors in the percentage of servers which permit P2P, plus useful features like port forwarding.
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 #48 out of 56 VPNs for Torrenting
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 & sub-par security
3.53.5/10
How is this calculated?
Top-rated VPNs offer OpenVPN or WireGuard protocols, AES-256 encryption, and a functional kill switch. We also consider additional security features and the global spread of VPN servers.
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 56 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?
Our remote-access server in Shanghai, China routinely tests if a VPN can beat restrictions and access a free, open internet. Obfuscation technologies and nearby servers are also a contributing factor.
This rating does not directly contribute to the Overall Rating, but instead makes up a portion of the Security & Features rating.
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 #45 out of 56 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 global spread and coverage of the VPN server network is the most important factor here.
We also consider the number of city-level servers, plus how many IP addresses are maintained.
This rating does not directly contribute to the Overall Rating, but instead makes up a portion of the Security & Features rating.
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 quality VPN should maintain functional, fully-featured applications and extensions for as many platforms and devices as possible.
This does not directly contribute to the Overall Rating, but instead makes up a portion of 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 intuitiveness of setup and everyday use.
Device or platform compatibility and customization options are also a factor.
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 #53 out of 56 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 each VPN’s:
Email support
Live chat support
Online resources
Not every VPN offers all of these, and they often vary in quality and response time.
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 #46 out of 56 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
VPNBook is bad in almost every way
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
8.68.6/10
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. Read Windscribe review
Proton VPN Free
7.47.4/10
Proton VPN 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. Read Proton VPN Free review
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.
