No matter whether you use Linux or Windows, ISPs spy all the time. Also, it is often your Internet Service Provider who enforces annoying restrictions, and throttles speed while tracking your online activity.
I’m not sure what might be the cause of a privacy breach for you – but when it comes to utilizing a VPN to secure your network, it always helps.
You can unblock geological restrictions, prevent ISPs from logging your activity, and hide your IP address / location by using a VPN. So, in this article, we will be mentioning the best VPN services for Linux which privacy minded people might find handy.
Recommended VPN Services for Linux
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ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN will count as one of the best VPNs available out there in terms of security and privacy.
It is offered by ProtonMail, the privacy oriented service provider from Switzerland. ProtonVPN benefits from strong legal protections because they are a Switzerland-based company. A perfect combination for privacy and security.
You can start using it for free but with very limited features. If you are going with the free plan, the experience will not be the best, but that’s your ultimate decision. In case you decide to purchase a subscription, you get – P2P support, Tor integration, more server locations, high speed, and secure streaming.
You can use the command-line tool for ProtonVPN or set it up using OpenVPN. Refer to their FAQ section for more info on that.
Private Internet Access (PIA)
PIA is also an incredibly popular choice among the privacy-minded people. Along with all the basic features (like P2P support, no logging, etc) – it also lets you block ads and trackers. Fret not, you get a nice Linux app for it as well.
It is also interesting to note – unlike other VPN services, you get to utilize 10 simultaneous connections. You may find this to be a cheaper alternative when you opt for annual subscriptions.
Librem Tunnel
Purism has been introducing new services that you can trust for its privacy protection and security. And, Librem Tunnel is a part of the Librem One bundle.
If you want to utilize the VPN, you will have to pay approx $8 per month (or $71 per year). However, there’s more to it.
Along with Librem Tunnel, you also get the access to Librem Mail, Librem Social, and Librem Chat. It’s all your own secure space to get things done. If this is what you prefer, Librem Tunnel is a good option.
AirVPN
AirVPN is a great choice for privacy-minded people. It utilizes OpenVPN protocol to ensure the best security and privacy. In addition, the Eddie client (OpenVPN UI) developed by AirVPN comes in handy to easily secure your network.
In case you’re wondering, it supports port forwarding as well. You can also check their technical specifications to take a decision. This may not be the most popular service but it surely matters to a privacy buff. The best way to get a discount on its subscription is to go for the annual plans.
Best Commercial VPN Services For Linux
There are a lot of other commercial VPN service providers with Linux support. And, they all offer similar services and security. So, we thought of keeping our best recommendations separate (as you read above).
Now, let’s take a look at more alternatives to our best recommendations:
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is one of the most recommended VPNs across multiple platforms – even for Linux. Personally, I use this.
They offer a lot of server locations to choose from along with the claim of zero-logging policy. It offers strong encryption and also supports unblocking Netflix – if that’s what you are looking for. Of course, the best VPNs like these offer similar level of protection. So, it’s a matter of trust – and nitty-gritty details as to why you should consider a VPN as your choice.
I would like to point out that they have an amazing customer support – almost instant replies and detailed support via email. For Linux users, you can either download the app or use it via OpenVPN (terminal / network manager). Refer to the help page for more info on that.
NordVPN
Yet another impressive VPN service. Similar to what others offer – you get a zero logging policy and other basic security features. You also get a Linux app to easily enable the VPN.
It also supports 6 simultaneous connections. NordVPN is a super cheap solution while offering all the essentials you need in a good VPN service. Of course, you will have to opt for the 3-Year plan (with a 30-day money back guarantee) for the best discount.
Mullvad
Mullvad VPN is an interesting VPN service provider which simply generates a random account number for you to sign up. You don’t need to provide any other details (like email) to create an account.
Unlike other VPNs, you do not get pricing tiers. You simply pay 5 Euros per month for the service. You can download the .deb or .rpm file to get it installed on your Linux distro. In either case, you can configure it using OpenVPN.
Ivacy
Ivacy is an impressive VPN solution, best known for its speed (you should have negligible impact on your Internet speed with this VPN). If you are in for at least a year of subscription, you can get it for as low as 3 USD per month (and that is affordable).
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You can follow their resource page to setup PPTP connection via the terminal.
TorGuard
TorGuard is yet another secure VPN provider available for Linux. However, you should note that this VPN service is no way related to the “Tor” project.
An impressive service if you are using Torrents often. You get multiple protocols to choose from to easily unblock restrictions on your network – if any. It may not be the most cheapest VPN, but it features a lot of server locations and more types of protocols.
You can download the app for Debian Linux or choose to configure it using OpenVPN.
Deals on VPNs
You can get some of the commercial VPNs on hefty discount on our associated online shop. Some of the VPNs offer lifetime deals as well. Check them out here.
Free VPN Services for Linux
I can understand that you might not want to pay for these services for a number of reasons. Some of them maybe out of your budget or perhaps you don’t want to or cannot use your card outside your country and pay in a foreign currency.
For this reason, I have listed a few free VPN services. Unlike the premium ones listed above, these free services have limited feature.
ProtonVPN
Just like we mentioned above, you can opt in for the free plan to use ProtonVPN with limited features. Even if you don’t get all the premium features, it is still a very good VPN service for security and privacy on Linux.
Opera VPN
If you are willing to use Opera as your browser, you can utilize its free VPN service built-in to get things done.
Unfortunately, you cannot separately use it. So, you may not be able to secure your apps across the system – however – you can keep your browsing activity secure.
Wrapping Up
I would also like to mention Unlocator here. It’s a commercial product that has combination of VPN and Smart DNS. This way you can also unblock geo-restricted content. For example, if you want to access Netflix US version in the UK, the smart DNS will help you with that.
Now that you’ve known about a couple of good VPN services for Linux, which one do you think you’ll go with?
Also, there are chances we might have missed listing your favorite ones, feel free to tell about it in the comments section below.