A SOCKS5 proxy is an alternative technology to a VPN that allows you to spoof your location online. It is useful for occasions when you want to conceal your actual IP address from the websites you visit, and want to get an IP address in a different country to access locally censored content or services that impose geo-restrictions. In this guide, we have recommended the best SOCKS5 VPNs.
The important thing to remember is that a SOCKS5 proxy does not provide any encryption for your internet traffic or prevent your ISP from monitoring your DNS requests. As a result, a SOCKS5 proxy does not provide the additional privacy benefits you get with a full VPN tunnel. A SOCKS5 proxy hosted by a trustworthy VPN provider removes the risks.
We will cover each VPN in more detail, but if you’re in a rush, here is a quick summary of the best SOCKS5 VPNs:
- NordVPN: Our top choice SOCKS5 VPN. Great speeds. Many advanced features, including a SOCKS5 proxy. No logs policy. Super-fast servers in 59 countries. Works to access Netflix and Hulu. Allows torrenting. Has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly. - IPVanish: Fast and reliable. US-based provider with apps for all platforms. Kill-switch, obfuscation, DNS leak protection, and AES encryption WireGuard protocol for faster speeds. SOCKS5 proxy with setup instructions on its website. Works with Netflix US.
- PrivateVPN: The SOCKS5 proxy and port forwarding features make it great for torrenting. Unlimited bandwidth. Servers in 63+ countries. Watertight no-logs policy. Up to 10 simultaneous connections. Works with 20+ Netflix regions.
- Private Internet Access: A secure VPN with a lot of customization options. Provides a SOCKS5 proxy, split tunneling, and port forwarding. Fast WireGuard protocol for streaming and torrenting. Works with Netflix US. Allows 10 connections per account.
- Hide.me: A super-secure and advanced VPN based in Malaysia. Apps for all platforms. SOCKS5 proxy with setup instructions. No-logs policy. Servers in 75+ locations. Allows 10 connections. Works with Netflix and other platforms.
Many VPNs claim to protect your privacy and offer a fast, reliable connection but most (especially free VPNs) limit your connection speed or leak information.
We regularly test the top 70 VPNs for security and speed and this list only includes VPNs which are fast, reliable and are highly rated for privacy and security. Plus we only recommend VPNs which offer a full-money back guarantee allowing you to try them risk free.
WANT TO TRY THE TOP SOCKS5 VPN RISK FREE?
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There are no hidden terms—just contact support within 30 days if you decide NordVPN isn't right for you and you'll get a full refund. Start your NordVPN trial here.
How to get a SOCKS5 VPN
The important thing is to pick a VPN provider that has a SOCKS5 proxy and a solid no-logging policy. You also want the VPN to be highly secure and versatile. This ensures you will get watertight online privacy and security.
Here’s how to get a reliable VPN for SOCKS5:
- Pick a recommended SOCKS5 VPN. We suggest NordVPN because it offers outstanding value for money and is super-advanced.
- Head over to the VPN’s website and take out a subscription. You can get the VPN cheapest by using our link to activate your automatic coupon code.
- Download the VPN app, install it onto your computer or mobile device, and log in using your credentials from signing up.
- Navigate to the VPN’s website, log in, and follow the provider’s instructions to set up the SOCKS5 proxy. It will provide all the information you need to connect using a torrent client, manually within Windows or macOS, or via some other means such as FoxyProxy.
- If you need to gain privacy and security for your internet traffic, connect to the VPN server using the full VPN client. Remember that a VPN is faster and more secure than the SOCKS5 proxy.
Using the SOCKS5 proxy provided by your VPN will spoof your location, allowing you to bypass local restrictions and website blocks, and giving you a new IP address. Just remember that a SOCKS5 proxy does not provide you with privacy against ISP and government snooping.
The Best SOCKS5 VPNs
Searching the web for a secure and reliable VPN is tough at the best of times. Finding a reliable service that also has a SOCKS5 proxy is even trickier. Below you can see some of the criteria we used to pick SOCKS5 VPNs:
- Provides a SOCKS5 proxy
- Fast servers suitable for streaming, torrenting and gaming
- Apps for all platforms
- Advanced security features, including AES encryption
- A zero-logs policy that promises watertight privacy at all times
- 24/7 live chat
Later in this article, we will provide further details about how we test and recommend VPNs with a SOCKS5 proxy. For now, you can use the summaries below to pick between the top SOCKS5 VPNs.
Here’s a list of the best SOCKS5 VPNs:
1. NordVPN
Apps Available:
- PC
- Mac
- IOS
- Android
- Linux
- FireTV
Website: www.NordVPN.com
Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS
NordVPN is widely considered the best VPN service on the market. It has everything you need to set up its self-hosted SOCKS5 proxy in macOS, Windows, or via a BitTorrent client like qBittorrent, Vuze, or Deluge. NordVPN has 5,000+ servers in 60 countries. Those servers provide access to popular international services like Netflix, and BBC iPlayer. Nord is also extremely fast thanks to its NordLynx protocol.
The VPN apps come with a wide selection of advanced privacy and security features. This includes AES encryption, DNS leak protection, a kill switch, and even Double VPN servers. This makes it an extremely robust privacy service no matter your specific needs. You can use NordVPN to secure up to six devices at the same time. A subscription also comes with 24-hour access to live chat and email support.
NordVPN apps can be downloaded for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, and Amazon Fire TV. It also has browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. To use NordVPN with a compatible router, you’ll need to manually set up the connection.
Pros:
- Risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee
- 5000+ super-fast servers in 60 countries
- Military grade encryption and a no-logs policy
- SOCKS5 proxy, malware protection, and Smart DNS
- NordLynx protocol is fast for gaming and streaming
- 24/7 live chat support
Cons:
- Some servers take a while to connect compared to others
Our score:
BEST VPN FOR SOCKS5:Our top pick VPN with a SOCKS5 proxy. Lightning-fast NordLynx protocol is perfect for video conferencing, playing games, and streaming in HD. Servers optimized for torrenting. Works with Netflix, HBO Max, and many more. Zero-logs policy. Many advanced features. Thanks to NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee, you can try it out risk-free.
Read our full NordVPN review.
2. IPVanish
Apps Available:
- PC
- Mac
- IOS
- Android
- Linux
Website: www.IPVanish.com
Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS
IPVanish has over 2,000 servers in 50+ countries, which prevents server congestion. It owns the vast majority of its network, which helps to improve the integrity of its servers and makes the VPN really fast. Add to this its WireGuard implementation and you have a VPN suitable for streaming (IPVanish works well with Netflix US), torrenting, gaming, and doing anything else you can think of with added privacy.
You can install IPVanish on an unlimited number of devices, which means you can share your account with friends and family. Apps come with plenty of features including 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection, a kill switch, split tunneling, and a SOCKS5 proxy. IPVanish has a solid no-logs policy. This means it has no records of what its users do while connected (whether you use the full VPN or the SOCKS5 proxy).
IPVanish has apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Amazon Fire TV. However, manual configuration is required to use IPVanish with Linux and select compatible wifi routers.
Pros:
- 2,000+ servers in dozens of countries
- Plenty of advanced features, including obfuscation and SOCKS5
- Reliable apps for all platforms, with a kill switch and leak protection
- Allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons:
- Works with fewer streaming services than competitors
Our score:
STRONG PRIVACY FEATURES:IPVanish is fast and secure. Works with Netflix US. Lets you connect an unlimited number of devices. Apps for all platforms. WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols. XOR obfuscation and a kill switch, split tunneling, and a SOCKS5 proxy. Has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full IPVanish review
3. PrivateVPN
Apps Available:
- PC
- Mac
- IOS
- Android
- Linux
Website: www.PrivateVPN.com
Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS
PrivateVPN only has around 200+ servers in total, albeit in 60 countries. However, in our tests the VPN was very quick despite this, and it performed without problems when streaming in HD, gaming, and torrenting. Indeed, it offers a SOCKS5 proxy and a port forwarding feature you can use in your torrent client. This is also one of the few SOCKS5 VPNs that can provide access to over 20 Netflix regions.
The main VPN apps come with all of the security features you need to browse, stream, and torrent safely. This includes military-grade AES encryption, a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and obfuscation. It also has a no-logs policy, which means everything you do online will always be private. PrivateVPN lets you secure up to 10 devices at the same time and provides free remote help and installation.
Connect to PrivateVPN servers via the apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Amazon Fire TV. Alternatively, you can manually set up a connection with Linux as well as select routers.
Pros:
- Fast for playing games, torrenting, and streaming
- Kill-switch, AES encryption, no-logs policy, and a SOCKS5 proxy
- 200+ servers in 60+ countries
- Works to stream around 20 Netflix regions
- Apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android
Cons:
- Fewer servers in each country than our other recommendations
- Live chat isn’t 24/7
Our score:
SECURE SOCKS5 VPN:PrivateVPN is quick to do data-intensive tasks like gaming or torrenting. Port forwarding and a SOCKS5 proxy make it ideal for torrenting. Incredible value for money when you commit for a longer period. Watertight no-logs policy. Servers in 63+ countries. Allows torrenting throughout its network. Has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full PrivateVPN review.
4. Private Internet Access
Apps Available:
- PC
- Mac
- IOS
- Android
- Linux
- FireTV
Website: www.PrivateInternetAccess.com
Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS
Private Internet Access has thousands of servers in more than 80 countries. This makes it ideal for HD streaming, gaming, and torrenting. WireGuard connections allow you to get fast speeds throughout its network. Unlike many VPNs, it worked well with Netflix US and BBC iPlayer in testing. PIA also allows you to secure an unlimited number of devices simultaneously.
It’s worth knowing that PIA has a no-logs policy it has proven in court. This means that the VPN will have nothing invasive to hand to the authorities, even if the authorities approach it with a warrant. The best thing about PIA however is that it pays a lot of attention to providing customization and advanced privacy and security features. Security includes high-end encryption, a kill switch, DNS leak protection, port forwarding, and SOCKS5 proxy.
Private Internet Access provides apps for the following: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, and Amazon Fire TV. Browser extensions are offered for Chrome and Firefox. Any connection with a router has to be configured manually however.
Pros:
- Fast WireGuard protocol and a SOCKS5 proxy
- Unlimited simultaneous connections per account
- 5,000+ servers in 80+ countries
- Customizable security options
- Apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android
Cons:
- Fewer servers in each country than our other recommendations
- Live chat isn’t 24/7
Our score:
STRONG ON PRIVACY:PIA is highly customizable and has strong security features. Port forwarding and SOCKS5 proxy. Kill switch and DNS leak protection. AES-256 encryption (OpenVPN protocol). Works with six Netflix regions. Has a 30-day money-back guarantee
Read our full Private Internet Access review.
5 Hide.me
Apps Available:
- PC
- Mac
- IOS
- Android
- Linux
Website: www.hide.me
Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS
Hide.me is a highly secure VPN provider based in Malaysia. The service distinguishes itself from 90 percent of competing services by providing a wide array of advanced VPN privacy and online security features. This includes a SOCKS5 proxy that users get access to for no extra cost with every subscription. Hide.me also has port forwarding and split tunneling, which makes it a good option if you want to torrent.
Servers are available in dozens of countries, and those servers provide decent speeds for HD streaming. What’s more this VPN works to watch Netflix US, iPlayer, Hulu, and many other services. Hide.me apps include DNS and WebRTC leak protection, a kill switch, AES-256 encryption, and a feature that blocks apps on your device from working unless the VPN is connected (stealth guard).
You’ll find Hide.me apps are offered for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Fire TV. It also has Chrome, Firefox, and Edge browser extensions. Manual setup is needed in order to use Hide.me with Linux or a wireless router.
Pros:
- Fast WireGuard connections for streaming and gaming
- Port forwarding, split tunneling and SOCKS5 proxy
- Solid AES 256 encryption and a kill switch
- No-logs policy
Cons:
- Servers in 40 countries
- Slower than our other recommendations
Our score:
LOTS OF ADVANCED FEATURES:Hide.me is based in Malaysia. Apps for all platforms that have more advanced features than most of our other recommendations. Particularly good for torrenting. Quite techy, so not the best if you aren’t an experienced VPN user. Has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full Hide.me review.
SOCKS5 VPN testing methodology
At Comparitech, we understand how confusing the VPN market can be. This is why we use a scientific VPN testing methodology to test, review, and compare the world’s leading VPN brands.
For added transparency, we have included a list of features we looked for when recommending VPNs with a SOCKS5 proxy below.
- Apps for Android, Mac, and Windows that are secure and have plenty of useful features.
- A no-logs policy so that the VPN never monitors what you do online and never retains records that could uncover what ‌you did while connected at a later date.
- Servers worldwide to give you the best possible internet speed when using the VPN.
- Outstanding accessibility, including the ability to access restricted torrent sites and streaming services from around the globe.
- Servers that work with popular services like Netflix, Hulu, iPlayer, internet banking, etc.
- Servers optimized for torrenting.
- Outstanding customer service to help you with using your VPN 24/7.
- Plenty of useful privacy features, including obfuscation, split tunneling, DNS leak protection, malware filtering, ad blocking, and more.
SOCKS5 VPN FAQs
Can I use a free VPN for SOCKS5?
The simple answer to this question is no because we have yet to pinpoint a free VPN that lets you use its SOCKS5 proxy. Thus, you will need to subscribe to a premium VPN if you want to ‌ use a secure SOCKS5 proxy that is hosted on servers maintained by a reputable VPN with trustworthy privacy policies.
It is also worth remembering that free VPNs are a bad idea in general. Studies have revealed that free VPNs often harvest user data, profile users, and sell their data to third parties, such as marketing companies and data brokers. This makes free VPNs the equivalent of an umbrella that is full of holes.
As if that was not enough, studies have discovered free VPNs lying about the level of encryption they provide, suffering from data leaks and severe app vulnerabilities, and even concealing spyware in their apps. This makes free VPNs extremely risky and is why we always recommend that consumers stick to reputable VPNs that charge a fair price for a decent service.
How to set up a SOCKS5 proxy
The first thing you must do is pick a VPN that has a SOCKS5 proxy and subscribe. Following that, you will be able to log in to the VPN provider’s website to make a note of its SOCKS5 proxy details. If you can’t find these on your provider’s website, contact the live chat support because they will be able to direct you to the VPN’s SOCKS5 setup article.
To help you out, we have provided the basic setup instructions for Windows and Mac below. We have also explained how to connect in your browser using FoxyProxy.
Set up SOCKS5 manually on Windows
- Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy
- Toggle the On button under Manual proxy setup
- Fill in the proxy details in the forms provided (Address and Port)
- Click Save
Set up SOCKS5 manually on macOS
- Navigate to System Preferences > Network > Advanced > Proxies.
- Select SOCKS proxy from the menu.
- Input the proxy server address and port number provided by your VPN provider.
- Click OK to save the settings
How to connect to a SOCKS5 proxy in your browser
Most people set up a SOCKS5 proxy on a case-by-case basis within the application they want to use it for. For the vast majority of people, this happens within their BitTorrent client. However, some people do opt to use a SOCKS5 proxy in their browser.
The easiest way to connect to a proxy in a browser is to use the Firefox browser alongside the FoxyProxy extension. Below, we have included setup instructions:
- Download and install FoxyProxy from the Firefox Add-ons page.
- Click the FoxyProxy icon that appears on your browser’s toolbar.
- Select Options from the drop-down menu. It will redirect you to a website.
- In the drop down menu in the middle of the page, select Use proxy Default for all URLs.
- Now, click the Add button in the top left.
- Next, click Edit and add the details for your VPN’s SOCKS5 proxy. To do this, you will need to get the server address, port number, username, and password from your VPN provider.
- Lastly, toggle on the slider next to Send DNS through SOCKS5 proxy and hit Save to confirm.
- You can now check that everything has worked correctly, by clicking What’s My IP in the left-hand menu. Your IP address should be detected as the location of the proxy server.
What is the difference between a VPN and a SOCKS5 proxy?
Both a VPN and a SOCKS5 proxy are online services that can help you to conceal your IP address from the websites and online services you visit and use. This allows you to spoof your location, which is useful if you want to access geo-restricted content, or want to access a service without them tracking your real IP address.
The big difference between a VPN and a SOCKS5 proxy, however, is that a VPN also provides an encrypted tunnel for your data. The VPN also proxies your DNS requests, which means that your ISP is no longer able to detect which websites you are choosing to visit. The encrypted tunnel provided by a VPN gives you high levels of online privacy in addition to location spoofing services. This makes a VPN much safer than a SOCKS5 proxy.
A VPN is also much faster than a SOCKS5 proxy. This makes a VPN protocol like WireGuard, which was specifically designed to give you the best speeds possible, a much better option than a SOCKS5 proxy for anybody who wants to do data-intensive tasks like streaming in HD, torrenting, and gaming.
Why is a SOCKS5 proxy better than a SOCKS4 proxy?
SOCKS5 and SOCKS4 are both different iterations of a SOCKet Secure (SOCKS) proxy. SOCKS5 improves on its predecessor by providing compatibility with the UDP protocol as well as TCP. This improves speeds and stability for the proxy.
In addition, SOCKS5 does not rewrite data packet headers, which results in fewer errors caused by the mislabeling or misrouting of data. Furthermore, SOCKS5 uses smaller data packets, which also helps to increase speeds compared to other proxies (including its predecessor SOCKS4).
Finally, SOCKS5 supports authentication mechanisms that were not available in SOCKS4:
- Username/password authentication—you need to provide login details to connect to the proxy. This is what most VPNs use to make things easy and secure.
- GSS-API authentication—both the user and the proxy server leverage authentication at the operating system level to verify the user’s identity.
Should I use a SOCKS5 proxy to torrent?
Because of the better speeds provided by a SOCKS5 proxy (when compared to other proxies such as a HTTP proxy), many people are interested in having a SOCKS5 proxy for torrenting.
One of the biggest advantages of SOCKS5 proxy is that most BitTorrent clients make it easy to connect to the proxy from within the client itself. This creates peace of mind for the user, because it means that the torrent client always uses the proxy IP when torrenting. As a result, the user gains improved security because they always conceal their actual IP address from other users in the swarm.
The important thing to remember is that while a SOCKS5 proxy can easily be set up on a torrent client, and is faster than many other proxies, it is nowhere near as fast or secure as a full VPN tunnel. This means that 99 percent of people who torrent would always be better off connecting to a VPN rather than a SOCKS5 proxy.
A VPN not only conceals your IP address from the swarm, but it also conceals your downloads from local network admins, ISPs, and potentially government snoops. This is because the VPN encrypts your data, and handles your DNS requests privately, keeping it secure against eavesdroppers.
Finally, anybody considering the use of a SOCKS5 proxy over a VPN is reminded that it can be highly risky to use random SOCKS5 proxies provided by unknown sources. Using an unverified SOCKS5 proxy found online could result in your data being intercepted and stolen as it passes through the proxy. This is why it is essential to stick to a SOCKS5 proxy provided by a trustworthy VPN that has watertight privacy policies in place.
What is the main benefit of a SOCKS5 proxy?
In addition to providing better speeds and authentication (as mentioned in the FAQ above), a SOCKS5 proxy can also process a huge number of different request types. This means that the SOCKS5 proxy can be used for VoIP, HTTP, HTTPS, POP3, SMTP, and FTP, for example.
This gives SOCKS5 a distinct advantage over other types of proxies. However, it is worth noting that a VPN can also handle ‌these requests; in a much more secure and private manner. Thus, a VPN is ultimately the best option when compared to all other proxies, including SOCKS5.
What is the main disadvantage of a SOCKS 5 proxy?
In addition to providing no encryption for your data, a SOCKS5 proxy contains metadata in the header that can be used to identify you. This means that although the SOCKS5 proxy can provide location spoofing services, it fails to provide any of the privacy benefits you get with a VPN.
