Many people who make use of the Betternet VPN service start with its free tier. However, free VPNs can pose some risks to your data, which means you might consider an upgrade to Betternet’s paid tier.
Before you make that move, however, you may want to consider some of the best Betternet alternatives for VPN services. Our Betternet review shows that this VPN doesn’t offer many desirable features and has spotty security results. Betternet doesn’t even work with Netflix.
We compiled a list of several other VPNs that almost certainly will fit your needs better than Betternet’s free tier or paid tier. For starters, these VPNs offer far more features. Even better, most of our Betternet VPN alternatives are cheaper than Betternet’s paid tier, giving you far better value.
Check out our top picks for the best Betternet alternatives:
- NordVPN: Our selection as the best Betternet alternative. With its large collection of servers, excellent speeds, and strong streaming performance, we believe NordVPN is the best service for most users.
- Surfshark: When you need to save money with a really strong service, Surfshark is our favorite budget-priced choice. It has excellent security, easily outperforming Betternet.
- ExpressVPN: If you need to unlock content while in China, Betternet can’t do it. Instead, try ExpressVPN, which works in China, unlocks content in most regions, and offers excellent security.
- CyberGhost: Those new to VPNs will appreciate CyberGhost, because it’s easy to use. It doesn’t sacrifice security or speed to maintain an easy-to-use interface, either.
- IPVanish: Where Betternet’s security features are shaky, IPVanish is one of the most secure VPNs on the market. It does a great job of maintaining your privacy as well.
- PrivateVPN: We like PrivateVPN as one of the best Betternet alternatives when you are seeking to stream content. It also outperforms Betternet in terms of privacy and security.
TRY THE TOP VPN RISK-FREE FOR 30 DAYS
Best Betternet Alternatives
When looking for the best Betternet alternatives, we chose to focus on several different factors. Our criteria include the following:
- Policy of not maintaining user logs
- Servers in numerous countries
- Total number of servers available
- Number of simultaneous connections allowed
- No limit on bandwidth
- Data transmission speeds
- Ability to work with streaming services
- Customer support response time
To help you understand exactly how we rate different VPN services, read our article that explains our complete methodology for testing VPNs.
Read the following mini-reviews of each of the services on our list to help you decide which of the best Betternet VPN alternatives would most closely meet your needs.
1. NordVPN
Apps Available:
- PC
- Mac
- IOS
- Android
- Linux
- FireTV
Website: www.NordVPN.com
Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS
NordVPN is the best Betternet alternative. It simply is a VPN service that we highly trust to guard the security and privacy of users, easily winning the NordVPN vs. Betternet comparison.
As an additional privacy measure, NordVPN never keeps logs of its users. It is incorporated in Panama, outside the locations affected by the Five, Nine, and 14 Eyes Alliances, which means governments are not able to force NordVPN to begin logging your usage.
With servers in several dozen countries, NordVPN is able to serve your needs in the majority of locations around the world. It offers outstanding speeds which is ideal for streaming high quality video.
We do not like Betternet’s customer service results or the explanations of its features on its website. Conversely, NordVPN clearly spells out everything you need to know about its service, and its customer service team is highly responsive.
Pros:
- Several thousand servers available in 60+ countries
- Security features are extremely trustworthy
- Allows you to pay anonymously
- 24/7 live customer service chat
Cons:
- Occasional slow performance with some servers
Our score:
BEST BETTERNET ALTERNATIVE:NordVPN sits atop our list of the best Betternet alternatives. It outperforms Betternet in every category, and it has a dominant advantage in the most important areas, like security and working with streaming services like Netflix. Try NordVPN without any financial risk, as it carries a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our hands-on NordVPN review.
2. Surfshark
Apps Available:
- PC
- Mac
- IOS
- Android
- Linux
Website: www.Surfshark.com
Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS
Surfshark is one of our favorite alternatives to Betternet. Surfshark has a far lower price point than Betternet. In fact, Surfshark is one of the best bargains among VPN services.
It delivers strong performance with streaming services, including working seamlessly with Netflix. You don’t have to worry about losing performance when you go with a low-priced choice like Surfshark. It still has far better performance speeds than Betternet and allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices.
Surfshark’s privacy advantages are significant, too. Surfshark has a zero-logs policy, and it closely guards your private information. Incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, Surfshark falls outside the reach of governmental alliances that can force VPNs to monitor your personal activity.
Our Surfshark vs. Betternet comparison highlights these advantages and more.
Pros:
- Low pricing options
- Connect an unlimited number of devices
- Works well with streaming services
- Strongly maintains your privacy
Cons:
- Some servers have performance lags
Our score:
BARGAIN-PRICED VPN:Surfshark carries a low price, yet it doesn’t sacrifice your privacy or its performance levels. It’s easily one of the best Betternet alternatives. With its 30-day money-back guarantee, you can use Surfshark without risk.
Read our full Surfshark review.
3. ExpressVPN
Apps Available:
- PC
- Mac
- IOS
- Android
- Linux
Website: www.ExpressVPN.com
Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS
ExpressVPN dominates the ExpressVPN vs. Betternet comparison in terms of speed. To be fair, ExpressVPN is one of the speediest VPNs that we tested, so there aren’t many VPNs that can outperform it.
When you need maximum performance for using streaming services, ExpressVPN is going to deliver the results you want to see.
With a presence in almost 100 countries, it’s easy to find a local server that you can use while you are traveling. ExpressVPN even works inside China, which is a problem for quite a few VPNs.
Even while delivering great speeds, ExpressVPN doesn’t sacrifice security or guarding your privacy. ExpressVPN is incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, leaving it outside the reach of governments that belong to security alliances. Those governments can’t force ExpressVPN to track your usage for any reason. It also has a strict no-logs policy, which we appreciate.
Pros:
- Outstanding performance speeds
- Gives you access from China
- Does not keep logs of your activity
- Has servers in almost 100 countries
Cons:
- A bit pricier than some others on our list
Our score:
VPN WITH THE SPEED YOU NEED:ExpressVPN has outstanding speed. Using streaming services is easy with ExpressVPN, too. Do not worry about risking your money when you sign up as a new ExpressVPN user, because it carries a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our hands-on review of ExpressVPN.
4. CyberGhost
Apps Available:
- PC
- Mac
- IOS
- Android
- Linux
Website: www.Cyberghost.com
Money-back guarantee: 45 DAYS
CyberGhost makes our list of the best Betternet alternatives because it easily outperforms Betternet. There is no area where Betternet wins the Betternet vs. CyberGhost comparison.
CyberGhost’s advantage starts with offering a network of several thousand servers across more than 90 countries. Betternet does not tell subscribers how many servers it operates.
Our speed tests showed that CyberGhost operates with a far higher speed than Betternet. Consequently, it works better with streaming services than Betternet does. It has a better record of unblocking content than Betternet, too.
We prefer CyberGhost’s pricing plan and its far longer money-back guarantee period versus what Betternet offers.
CyberGhost is not subject to government security alliances, as it has its base of operations in Romania. It clearly spells out its privacy policy, giving you confidence that it will tightly guard your information.
Pros:
- Great performance speeds
- Has an easy-to-understand privacy policy
- Delivers 24/7 live chat support
- Highly competitive pricing
Cons:
- Customization features aren’t readily available
Our score:
GREAT ALL-AROUND BETTERNET ALTERNATIVE:CyberGhost has a lot of great features, and it outperforms Betternet in every category. With its longer-than-average 45-day money-back guarantee, you can run CyberGhost through its paces without financial risk.
Read our hands-on CyberGhost review.
5. IPVanish
Apps Available:
- PC
- Mac
- IOS
- Android
- Linux
Website: www.IPVanish.com
Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS
IPVanish has a network specifically designed for torrenting and makes our list of the best VPNs for torrenting.
That’s not all, though. IPVanish has strong features in many areas, giving it a far higher level of versatility than Betternet. For starters, IPVanish’s privacy and security features are outstanding. It proved its no-logs policy by authorizing – and passing – an independent audit of its policy.
One area of privacy that is a bit of a concern with IPVanish is incorporated in the United States, which leaves it with some potential surveillance concerns for end users.
For those who make use of Kodi, the free home theater software used for video streaming, IPVanish is one of the best options among all VPNs. You can make use of IPVanish from inside more than 75 countries.
Pros:
- Works seamlessly with Kodi
- Does not maintain logs of your activity
- Network built for torrenting
- Operates in several dozen countries
Cons:
- Potentially subject to security laws in the U.S.
Our score:
STRONG TORRENTING VPN:IPVanish is a strong all-around VPN, giving you a mixture of privacy protection, speed, and performance when video streaming. Try IPVanish without risking any money, thanks to Its 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our detailed IPVanish review.
6. PrivateVPN
Apps Available:
- PC
- Mac
- IOS
- Android
- Linux
Website: www.PrivateVPN.com
Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS
PrivateVPN is a good choice for several reasons, including the ability to pay for the service anonymously using Bitcoin. It offers a no-logs policy, so it promises to protect information about your usage patterns.
We also like the customer service responsiveness and options that PrivateVPN provides. You can use live chat or email support with PrivateVPN. Should you have problems with setup, PrivateVPN can help you get started with remote control support.
Compared to Betternet, which struggles to work with streaming services, PrivateVPN is the far better choice for streamers. It unlocks almost any streaming service that you may want to use, making this process seamless. It ranks especially high as one of the best VPNs for using Netflix.
If you have concerns about security alliances forcing your VPN to track your activity, PrivateVPN is incorporated in Sweden, which is part of the 14 Eyes Alliance.
Pros:
- Works especially well with Netflix
- Multiple options for using customer service
- Does not keep logs of your usage
- You can use Bitcoin to pay
Cons:
- Only has about 200 servers worldwide
Our score:
RESPONSIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE:If you want responsive support from your VPN, PrivateVPN’s customer service options place it on our shortlist. It gives you multiple options for connecting with customer support, which is not available with all VPNs. Make use of the 30-day money-back guarantee that PrivateVPN offers to try this service without risk.
Read our detailed PrivateVPN review.
Betternet VPN FAQs
Does Betternet claim to work in China?
Its marketing team does claim customers can use it seamlessly from inside China. However, our tests showed that Betternet does not work in China. Testing the performance of VPNs from China is a challenging process, but Betternet’s claim about its ability to work easily from inside China probably is an exaggeration.
Can I use Betternet for free?
Betternet does offer a free version, but we don’t recommend using free VPNs because of privacy concerns and poor speeds.
What kind of encryption does Betternet use?
Betternet actually makes use of OpenVPN. However, the service tweaked OpenVPN in an effort to gain better performance speeds. Our tests show that such tweaks to encryption protocols rarely provide enough benefits for subscribers to justify the changes. In fact, the changes often make end users’ information less secure.