Betternet Review
Betternet is a free ad-supported VPN from the AnchorFree family, with a documented history of tracking behavior. Proton VPN's free tier is better in every way that matters.
Review last updated 2026-08-20 · How we rate providers
Scorecard
Pros
- Free with no account or signup required
- One-tap simplicity for casual use
- Backed by a large company rather than an anonymous operator
Cons
- Ad supported, and academic research has repeatedly flagged the app for tracking behavior
- Shares the AnchorFree lineage behind the 2017 Hotspot Shield FTC complaint
- No kill switch, no country choice on free, no streaming or torrenting
- Premium is expensive for what it offers
Privacy, jurisdiction & audits
Who the company answers to legally, what it keeps, and whether anyone independent has checked.
| Legal jurisdiction | United States in the 5 Eyes |
|---|---|
| Logging policy | Collects user data |
| Independent audits | None published |
| Owned by | Aura (formerly Pango / AnchorFree) |
| RAM-only servers | - |
| Warrant canary | - |
| Anonymous payment | Card / PayPal only |
Betternet plans & pricing
Advertised rates as of August 20, 2026. VPN promo rates normally require the prepaid term shown and renew at the higher rate; proxy pricing falls with volume. Confirm on Betternet's own site before buying.
| Plan | Price | Renews at | Devices | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FreeFree VPN | Free | Free | 1 | Ad supported, single location, no account |
| Premium (annual)Consumer VPN | $7.99/mo12 mo prepay | $11.99/mo | 5 |
Features
Our Betternet review
Betternet is the archetype of the free VPN business model: no signup, one button, advertising in the app, and a privacy policy that permits more data collection than any paying customer would accept.
It comes from AnchorFree, the same lineage as Hotspot Shield, which was the subject of a 2017 FTC complaint alleging traffic interception and data sharing with advertisers on its free tier. Independent academic analyses of Android VPN apps have separately flagged Betternet for embedded tracking libraries.
The product is minimal: no kill switch, no location choice on the free tier, a proprietary closed protocol, no torrenting, no streaming. Premium removes ads and adds locations at a price above better competitors.
US jurisdiction and no audit complete the picture. There is nothing here that argues for choosing it over the free tiers from Proton VPN, hide.me, Windscribe or TunnelBear, all of which are funded transparently.
Listed because it is widely downloaded. Not recommended.
Notable facts
- Part of the AnchorFree / Pango lineage, now owned by Aura
- Free tier is advertising supported
- Repeatedly flagged in academic studies of Android VPN privacy
At a glance
| Founded | 2014 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Redwood City, California, US |
| Service types | Free VPN, Consumer VPN |
| Servers | 1K |
| Country coverage | 35 |
| Protocols | Hydra (proprietary), IKEv2 |
| Apps | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| Starting price | $7.99/mo |
| Money-back guarantee | 45 days |
| Free tier | Yes |
| Support |
Frequently asked questions
Is Betternet safe?
The tunnel is encrypted, but the app is ad supported with a permissive data policy and a corporate history that includes an FTC complaint about free-tier data sharing. Better free options exist.
What should I use instead?
Proton VPN free: no data cap, no ads, no logging, published audits. hide.me and Windscribe are also good capped alternatives.
Does Betternet work with Netflix?
No, streaming platforms block it.
Bottom line
Betternet is a free ad-supported VPN from the AnchorFree family, with a documented history of tracking behavior. Proton VPN's free tier is better in every way that matters.
Check current Betternet pricing →
