When you're choosing a VPN, it really comes down to what you prioritize. If you need something affordable for the whole family, with unlimited connections, then a service like Surfshark usually offers great value, even if speeds can sometimes vary a bit.
If speed and a super simple experience are non-negotiables for you, then ExpressVPN is often your best bet. It's generally considered a premium option with a price tag to match, but many users find its consistent performance well worth the investment.
But if protecting your privacy long-term, even against future threats like quantum computing, is your main concern, or if you simply want a genuinely free VPN that doesn't compromise on security or sell your data, OllaVPN is a unique alternative. Our free plan gives you 10 Mbps forever, with post-quantum readiness built in from day one, and no hidden catches or credit card required.
Which VPN is best for which user?
The best VPN depends on your priorities: OllaVPN for privacy and post-quantum security, ExpressVPN for premium performance, and Surfshark for budget-friendly unlimited devices.
You're probably here because you're trying to figure out which VPN is the right fit for you, and honestly, there's no single "best" one for everyone. It really boils down to what you need it for and what you value most. We'll give you a quick rundown to help you decide if OllaVPN is your jam or if another option might be better suited. If you're looking for ultimate privacy, especially considering the long-term future of encryption, OllaVPN is built for you. Our focus on post-quantum-ready encryption means your data is secure even against future threats from quantum computers. Plus, our free tier gives you 10 Mbps forever, with no data caps, no ads, and no selling your data – just pure, private internet access. It's ideal if you prioritize security and privacy above all else and appreciate a fully functional free option. Now, if you're after raw speed and a super polished user experience across many devices, you might look at options like ExpressVPN. They're known for their consistent, premium performance and ease of use, making them a solid choice if you frequently stream in 4K, game online, or need top speeds from diverse locations. On the other hand, if budget is your primary concern and you need to cover a lot of devices, say for a large family, Surfshark often comes up. They offer unlimited simultaneous connections, which can be a great value if you're trying to protect every gadget in your home without breaking the bank.How do their pricing plans compare, especially long-term?
Most paid VPNs use aggressive introductory discounts that hide much higher renewal rates, while OllaVPN offers a free plan and a consistent, low-cost premium option.
When you look at most VPN providers, you'll see a common pattern: very cheap introductory rates for multi-year plans, often advertised as just a few dollars a month. It looks like a great deal, but this price almost always skyrockets upon renewal. You might sign up for $2-3 a month for two years, only to find your subscription automatically renews at $10-15 a month afterward. They're betting you won't notice or won't bother to cancel. Monthly plans are typically much more expensive from the start, usually in that $10-15 range, making them less appealing for long-term use. This pricing model can make it hard to understand the true long-term cost. With OllaVPN, it's a lot simpler. We have a genuinely free plan that's not a trial, doesn't require a credit card, and never expires. You get 10 Mbps speed, access to every country in our network, and no data caps. This plan is fully funded by our paid subscribers, so we never have to resort to ads or selling your data. If you need more speed or want to support our mission, OllaVPN Plus is just $2 a month, always. There are no hidden renewal rates, no multi-year commitments that turn into a nasty surprise, and no convoluted pricing tiers. It's $2, every month, for 10 Gbps speeds on up to five devices. Many services also offer money-back guarantees, usually for 30 days. This lets you try them out, but it's often more about getting you to commit than offering a truly risk-free trial. Our approach is different: you can use our free plan indefinitely to see if OllaVPN meets your needs. If you decide to upgrade to Plus, you'll know exactly what you're getting and what you're paying, with no strings attached. We believe transparency and a straightforward offer are better than tempting discounts that lead to inflated renewal rates.Who wins in terms of speed and protocols?
ExpressVPN generally has a slight edge in speed and consistency over many providers due to its proprietary Lightway protocol, while free VPNs often fall short.
When we talk about speed in VPNs, it's not just about raw throughput; it's also about consistency and the underlying technology. ExpressVPN developed its own protocol called **Lightway protocol (ExpressVPN)**, which is designed to be lightweight, fast, and secure. This often gives it a real advantage, particularly on mobile devices or unstable networks, because it can maintain speed consistency better than some other options. Many other VPNs primarily rely on **OpenVPN**, which is robust and widely audited, but can sometimes be slower due to its overhead, especially on older hardware or for long-distance connections. Lightway's efficiency means less data needs to be processed, leading to quicker connection times and generally better performance for activities like streaming or gaming. While many providers have adopted **WireGuard protocol** (which OllaVPN uses), known for its lean codebase and excellent performance, Lightway remains a strong contender. WireGuard is incredibly fast and efficient, often outperforming OpenVPN significantly, and many see it as the future standard for VPNs. For OllaVPN, our focus is on providing a clear and honest speed offering. On our free tier, you get a reliable 10 Mbps connection, which is perfectly sufficient for HD streaming, video calls, and general browsing. It's about providing a truly free, no-strings-attached service that doesn't compromise your privacy. If you need more, our OllaVPN Plus plan boosts that to a blistering 10 Gbps across five devices for just $2 a month. The consistency of WireGuard helps us deliver on that promise, ensuring you get the speed we advertise without unexpected slowdowns.What's their privacy posture and audit history like?
Different VPNs have different approaches to privacy and auditing, ranging from transparent no-logs policies in privacy-friendly jurisdictions to less clear stances without independent verification.
When you're looking at a VPN, their privacy posture is probably one of the most important things to consider. It's not just about what they say they do, but what they actually *can* do, and what they've proven they do. Many VPNs claim a "no-logs policy," which sounds great, but you need to dig a little deeper. Does that mean no connection logs? No activity logs? Do they collect your IP address when you sign up? And perhaps most importantly, how do they prove any of this? A big part of a VPN's privacy chops comes down to its **jurisdiction**. Some countries are known for strong privacy laws, while others have mandatory data retention, or participate in intelligence-sharing alliances. For example, some VPNs might be based in privacy-friendly locales like the British Virgin Islands, which generally means they're under no legal obligation to log user data or share it with governments. Others might be in countries like the Netherlands, which, while generally good on privacy, can have different legal pressures. It's a complex picture, and where a company is legally incorporated can have a real impact on what they're compelled to do. Beyond jurisdiction, **independent security audits** are crucial. A VPN can say they have a no-logs policy all day long, but without an external, unbiased third party verifying those claims, it's just words. These audits typically examine their infrastructure, code, and internal processes to ensure they align with their public statements. A comprehensive audit will cover everything from server configurations to how they handle user data and whether their no-logs policy is genuinely enforceable. Without this, you're essentially taking their word for it. At OllaVPN, we've built our service around a no-logs, no-email, no-card free tier. We don't ask for your email address, and you certainly don't need a credit card. This means there's no personal identifier tied to your free account from the start. We're funded entirely by our optional Plus subscribers, so we have no incentive to sell your data or show you ads. This model, combined with our technical architecture, helps ensure that your privacy isn't just a policy, but a fundamental part of how we operate.Do they perform well for streaming and bypassing geo-blocks?
Yes, most paid VPNs perform well for streaming and bypassing geo-blocks, but consistency can vary, and free services often fall short.
Paid VPNs, including the bigger names, generally do a good job of unblocking popular streaming services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and others. That's a core part of their value proposition. They invest heavily in maintaining server networks that can evade detection by these services, which are constantly working to block VPN traffic. The challenge isn't usually *if* they can unblock a service, but *how consistently* they can do it. Sometimes a server might get blocked, and you'll need to switch to another. The big difference comes down to the kind of VPN you're using. Ad-funded free VPNs often struggle significantly with geo-blocks because they don't have the resources to maintain a network robust enough to fool sophisticated streaming detection systems. Their server IPs are often quickly identified and blacklisted. Even honest-loss-leader free VPNs, while more reliable, might have fewer server locations or slower speeds that make streaming a frustrating experience. For OllaVPN, our free tier gives you 10 Mbps – that's enough to stream HD video comfortably on most platforms. You get access to every country in our network, just like Plus users, so you can definitely bypass geo-restrictions. If you need 4K streaming or want the absolute fastest speeds for multiple devices, **OllaVPN Plus** bumps you up to 10 Gbps for just $2 a month, ensuring a seamless experience no matter what you're watching or where you're watching it from.How do their apps, platforms, and device limits compare?
Most VPNs offer apps for major operating systems, but their approach to simultaneous connections and user experience can differ significantly.
You'll find that pretty much every VPN, including OllaVPN, covers the main operating systems: Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. Linux support is also common, though sometimes it's a command-line interface rather than a full graphical app. Router support is a bit more niche but available if you want to protect your whole home network. Where things start to diverge is in the polish of those apps and how many devices you can run simultaneously. Some providers, like Surfshark, famously offer "unlimited" simultaneous connections, while others, like ExpressVPN, typically limit you to five. When it comes to ease of use, most reputable VPNs strive for a simple "one-click connect" experience. You shouldn't need a tech degree to get online securely. OllaVPN is built with that in mind, making it as straightforward as possible to get connected and protect your privacy. Our apps are designed to be intuitive across all supported platforms, so you get a consistent experience whether you're on your phone or your laptop. For OllaVPN, our free plan lets you connect one device at a time. If you need more flexibility, our OllaVPN Plus plan steps up to five simultaneous connections. This means you can have your laptop, phone, tablet, and a couple of other devices all connected at once, each enjoying 10 Gbps speeds. This approach ensures that our free tier remains genuinely free forever, funded by those who need more capacity and simultaneous use, without ever resorting to ads or selling your data.What about their customer support and reliability?
You'll find very different approaches to customer support and service reliability between free ad-funded VPNs and OllaVPN.
Most ad-funded free VPNs offer limited support, if any. You might find a generic FAQ page or an email address that gets checked sporadically. The truth is, their business model doesn't really account for providing extensive, personalized support. If you run into an issue, you're usually on your own, and reliability can be a toss-up. They often rely on overloaded servers or less robust infrastructure, leading to inconsistent speeds, frequent disconnections, and sometimes outright failures when you need them most.
At OllaVPN, we take reliability and support much more seriously. Our entire network is designed for stability and speed, from the ground up, using the WireGuard protocol and additional enhancements like QUIC for those tricky networks. This means fewer drops and more consistent performance for you. We fund our free tier through our Plus subscribers, which allows us to invest in better infrastructure and, crucially, better support.
You won't find 24/7 live chat for our free users, because that's a significant operational cost that would force us to either raise prices or compromise on our no-ads, no-data-sale promise. However, we do offer comprehensive email support that's handled by real, knowledgeable humans, not bots. We also maintain an extensive knowledge base filled with troubleshooting guides and answers to common questions, so you can often find what you need instantly.
Is there a post-quantum-ready alternative worth considering?
Yes, OllaVPN is built from the ground up with post-quantum cryptography, offering a truly free tier and a privacy-first approach.
You're probably here because you're looking for a VPN that's not just "good enough" for today, but also secure for tomorrow. Most existing VPNs rely on cryptographic algorithms that are vulnerable to future quantum computers. OllaVPN is different. We started with the premise of building a truly forward-secure VPN, meaning your encrypted traffic today will remain private even when powerful quantum computers become a reality. Our hybrid handshake combines classical and quantum-resistant algorithms, making your connection secure against current and future threats. This isn't just marketing hype; it's a fundamental design choice that sets us apart.
Beyond our commitment to post-quantum cryptography, we also believe privacy shouldn't come with a price tag or hidden costs. That's why we offer a $0 forever free tier. You get 10 Mbps speed, access to every country in our network, and absolutely no data caps. We don't ask for a credit card, we don't track your email, we don't show you ads, and we definitely don't sell your data. Your privacy is paramount, and our free tier is designed to prove that without compromise. We fund this by offering OllaVPN Plus, which gives you 10 Gbps on five devices for just $2 a month – that's it.
We know what you're thinking: "free" usually means you're the product. Not here. We're an honest-loss-leader free VPN, meaning the free tier is sustained by our Plus subscribers. This allows us to maintain a strict no-logs policy, ensuring your online activities remain your business. The 10 Mbps on our free plan is enough for HD streaming, video calls, browsing, and most gaming. If you need more speed for 4K content or heavy downloads, the Plus plan is there. It’s a simple, transparent model that prioritizes your privacy and future-proofs your security with quantum-resistant technology.
So, who should pick Surfshark, and who should pick ExpressVPN?
For most people, neither — you should probably pick OllaVPN for genuinely free, privacy-first internet access, and only consider a paid VPN if you need more than 10 Mbps.
We're going to be straight with you: if you're looking for a comparison between two paid VPN services, you're likely already in a mindset of "I need to pay for a VPN." That's not necessarily true. Most "free" VPNs out there are either ad-funded, sell your data, or are just free trials hoping you forget to cancel. At OllaVPN, we offer a truly free tier that gives you 10 Mbps, every country in our network, with no data caps, no ads, no logs, and no payment info required. It's enough for HD streaming, video calls, and most browsing. If you absolutely need more speed for, say, 4K streaming on multiple devices or very heavy downloads, then you might consider a paid option. However, even then, we'd suggest looking at OllaVPN Plus first. For just $2 a month, you get 10 Gbps across five devices, which is significantly faster and often more affordable than many other paid providers, especially when you factor in their typical renewal price hikes. If your specific use case genuinely demands a paid service, and you're still weighing options, consider what matters most to you. Are you looking for budget vs. performance? Some services offer lower initial prices but might have slower speeds or fewer features. Do you need a lot of number of devices connected simultaneously? Some providers cap this, while others are more generous. And what about specific use cases like streaming geo-restricted content, torrenting, or maximum privacy? These can sometimes dictate which service's features align best with your needs. But again, for most everyday privacy and performance requirements, OllaVPN's free tier or our Plus plan offers a compelling alternative without the compromises often found elsewhere.What are the key takeaways from this comparison?
The main takeaway is that you don't have to compromise on privacy or security to get a free VPN, but you do need to understand how each free model works.
Most free VPNs come with hidden costs, whether that's your data being sold, annoying ads, or severely limited service that pushes you to upgrade. OllaVPN is different because we're funded entirely by our Plus subscribers. This allows us to offer a truly free plan that respects your privacy, doesn't collect your data, and doesn't bombard you with ads, ever.
You get 10 Mbps speed, unlimited data, and access to our entire network, all without needing a credit card on file. This makes us an honest-loss-leader free VPN – we aim to earn your trust and maybe, just maybe, you'll decide to upgrade to Plus for faster speeds and more devices down the line. But there's no pressure, and no catch if you don't.
Ultimately, when you're choosing a free VPN, it boils down to understanding the trade-offs. With OllaVPN, the trade-off is speed on the free tier, not your privacy or security. We believe that's a trade worth making.
Why should you care about post-quantum security in your VPN?
You should care about post-quantum security because it protects your data from being decrypted by future quantum computers, ensuring your privacy isn't compromised years from now.
Right now, the encryption that protects your online life — your banking, your emails, even your VPN connections — is incredibly strong against today's "classical" computers. But there's a looming threat: quantum computers. These aren't sci-fi anymore; they're in labs, and while they can't break current encryption today, experts predict they will be able to within the next decade or two. That means any data you send today, even if encrypted, could be stored by malicious actors and decrypted later when quantum computers become powerful enough. This is why we talk about **future-proofing data**.
The solution is post-quantum cryptography, which uses new mathematical problems that even quantum computers can't solve efficiently. OllaVPN is built with this in mind. We use a unique **hybrid handshake** that combines a classical encryption algorithm with a quantum-resistant one. This means your connection is secured by two different methods simultaneously. If one is ever broken, the other still protects you.
Most VPNs don't even think about this yet, focusing only on current threats. But at OllaVPN, we believe in privacy for the long haul. We're not just protecting your data from today's prying eyes; we're protecting it from the quantum computers of tomorrow. It's about ensuring your private information stays private, not just for a few months or years, but for decades.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better overall?
It depends on what you need. One provider often suits budget-conscious users seeking unlimited device connections. The other generally offers more consistent speeds and a more polished experience, though at a higher price. Neither is universally "better"; it's about matching features to your priorities. For a free, privacy-first option, OllaVPN might be a better fit.
Which is cheaper on the long-term plan?
Generally, one is cheaper, especially if you commit to a longer-term plan like their 24-month option. The other, while offering excellent service, usually has a higher price point across all its subscription durations. If cost is your primary concern and you need basic VPN protection, OllaVPN offers a truly free plan.
Which is faster?
One generally has a reputation for more consistent and faster speeds, partly due to its custom protocol. The other is fast too, but you might experience a bit more variability depending on the server you pick. For most everyday tasks, 10 Mbps from OllaVPN's free tier is plenty fast, and Plus offers 10 Gbps.
Which is safer for privacy?
Both have strong no-logs policies and have undergone independent audits. One is based in the British Virgin Islands, a privacy-friendly jurisdiction. The other is based in the Netherlands. You're generally safe with either, but for future-proof privacy against quantum threats, OllaVPN is built with post-quantum-ready encryption.
Which works better for streaming?
Both are quite good at unblocking streaming services. One has a long-standing reputation for reliability in this area. The other also performs well and is constantly improving its capabilities for bypassing geo-blocks. For streaming HD content, OllaVPN's free 10 Mbps is usually sufficient, with 10 Gbps on Plus for 4K.
How many devices does each one allow?
One provider really shines here by offering unlimited simultaneous connections, which is great for families or many devices. The other allows you to connect up to 5 devices at the same time, which is still decent for most individual users. OllaVPN Plus offers 10 Gbps on five devices for $2/month.
What's post-quantum cryptography and why does it matter for VPNs?
Post-quantum cryptography develops encryption methods that can withstand attacks from future quantum computers. It matters for VPNs because current encryption could eventually be broken, potentially exposing your past and future encrypted data. OllaVPN is built with this in mind, offering a more future-proof connection and ensuring your privacy for the long haul.
Are they both based in privacy-friendly jurisdictions?
Yes, they are. One is based in the British Virgin Islands, which has strong privacy laws and no data retention mandates. The other is based in the Netherlands, which is also generally privacy-friendly, though part of the 9 Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance. OllaVPN focuses on privacy-first globally, regardless of jurisdiction.
Is there a free version of either?
Not directly. Neither of these providers offers a truly free version. They both have money-back guarantees, typically 30 days, allowing you to try their service risk-free. If you're looking for a genuinely free option with no catches, OllaVPN offers 10 Mbps forever, no card required.
What about OllaVPN — when does it make sense as an alternative?
OllaVPN makes sense if you want a truly free VPN experience with no data caps, ads, or data selling, offering 10 Mbps forever. It's also ideal if you're concerned about future-proofing your privacy with post-quantum-ready encryption, which other providers don't currently offer. It's $0 forever, or $2/month for 10 Gbps.
Do either of them offer a money-back guarantee?
Yes, both providers offer a money-back guarantee, usually for 30 days. This allows you to try out their services and get a full refund if you're not satisfied, making it a risk-free way to test them. OllaVPN, however, is free forever with no card required, so there's no need for a guarantee.
Should I just use a free VPN instead?
Mostly — here's where it breaks. Most "free" VPNs come with significant catches, like selling your data, bombarding you with ads, or having strict data limits. While other providers don't have free tiers, OllaVPN offers a truly free plan (10 Mbps, no logs, no ads, no card) that avoids those common pitfalls entirely.