Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Psiphon VS PrivateVPN

Compare Psiphon VS PrivateVPN and see what are their differences

Psiphon logo Psiphon

Psiphon is circumvention software for Windows and Mobile platforms that provides uncensored access to Internet content. Read more about Psiphon.

PrivateVPN logo PrivateVPN

Just like its name PrivateVPN, it is really the provider of private VPN services for both home and enterprise uses.
  • Psiphon Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-16
  • PrivateVPN Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-11

Psiphon features and specs

  • Open Source
    Psiphon is an open-source tool, allowing security experts and users to examine the code for vulnerabilities or backdoors.
  • Easy to Use
    Psiphon offers a user-friendly interface which makes it accessible for people who are not tech-savvy.
  • Multiple Platform Support
    It is available for Windows, Android, and iOS, which makes it versatile and usable across different devices.
  • Effective Censorship Circumvention
    Psiphon is effective at bypassing various forms of internet censorship, making it popular in regions with heavy internet restrictions.
  • Free Version Available
    Psiphon offers a free version with basic features, making it accessible to users without financial means.
  • Automatic Protocol Selection
    Psiphon automatically selects the best available protocol to ensure users can bypass censorship effectively.

Possible disadvantages of Psiphon

  • Speed Limitations
    The free version has limited speed, which may not be suitable for bandwidth-intensive activities like streaming or gaming.
  • Data Usage Logging
    Psiphon logs some data usage information on their servers. While not personal data, this could still be a concern for privacy-focused users.
  • Ads in Free Version
    The free version contains ads, which may interrupt the user experience or turn off potential users.
  • Not a Full VPN
    Psiphon is primarily a circumvention tool rather than a full-fledged VPN, lacking some security features found in dedicated VPN services.
  • Limited Server Locations
    Psiphon has fewer server locations compared to leading VPNs, which may affect connection speeds and access to geographically restricted content.

PrivateVPN features and specs

  • Strong Encryption
    PrivateVPN uses AES-256 encryption, which is considered highly secure and is used by government agencies and security experts around the world.
  • No-Logs Policy
    PrivateVPN has a strict no-logs policy, meaning it does not store any user activity data, enhancing user privacy.
  • Access to Geo-Restricted Content
    PrivateVPN allows users to bypass geo-restrictions, providing access to streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer from different regions.
  • Supports Multiple Platforms
    The VPN supports various platforms such as Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux, allowing users to protect their data across multiple devices.
  • Simultaneous Connections
    PrivateVPN allows for up to six simultaneous connections, enabling users to protect multiple devices with one subscription.
  • Competitive Pricing
    PrivateVPN offers competitive pricing models, especially for long-term subscriptions, providing good value for money.

Possible disadvantages of PrivateVPN

  • Limited Server Network
    PrivateVPN has a smaller server network compared to some of its competitors, which might affect connection speeds and availability in some regions.
  • No Advanced Features
    PrivateVPN lacks some advanced features offered by competitors, such as split tunneling or dedicated IP options.
  • Inconsistent Speeds
    Users have reported inconsistent speeds on some servers, which can be a concern for activities requiring high data throughput, like streaming or gaming.
  • Lacks 24/7 Customer Support
    The service does not offer 24/7 customer support, which could be inconvenient for users in need of immediate assistance outside of working hours.

Analysis of Psiphon

Overall verdict

  • Psiphon is generally considered a reliable tool for accessing blocked websites and protecting user privacy, particularly in regions with severe internet censorship. It is praised for its ease of use, cross-platform availability, and its commitment to transparency through open-source development.

Why this product is good

  • Psiphon is a widely used open-source circumvention tool designed to provide internet freedom by bypassing censorship and content filtering. It utilizes a combination of secure communication and obfuscation technologies to ensure users can access restricted content while maintaining privacy and anonymity.

Recommended for

  • Users in countries with stringent internet censorship
  • Individuals seeking to bypass website restrictions
  • People looking for a simple and effective privacy tool
  • Users who do not require high-speed performance for streaming or heavy data transfer

Psiphon videos

Psiphon 3 Review!

More videos:

  • Review - UNLIMITED INTERNET NEW SET UP PSIPHON PRO VPN WORKING TO ALL NETWORK

PrivateVPN videos

PrivateVPN Review 2021 🔥 100% BRUTALLY HONEST REVIEW!

More videos:

  • Review - PrivateVPN review 2021 | Climbed to the TOP VPN list?? 🙀 Find out!
  • Review - PrivateVPN Review 2021 - New Tier 1 VPN? OMG...

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Psiphon and PrivateVPN)
VPN
85 85%
15% 15
Cloud VPN
92 92%
8% 8
Security & Privacy
80 80%
20% 20
Security
91 91%
9% 9

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Psiphon and PrivateVPN

Psiphon Reviews

Best Top 20 OpenVPN Alternatives (Pros and Cons)
Psiphon is free and open-source software that is compatible with Windows, iOS, and Android devices.
Best 5 Psiphon Alternatives in 2023
Why, when Psiphon is already deemed as one of the best VPNs out there, would you want to look for alternatives? There could honestly be a million reasons why you might not be satisfied with a specific service but when it comes to choosing a good VPN client, it all boils down to speed, privacy, and pricing. While Psiphon is known for offering top-tier security and good...
Turbo VPN Alternatives – Best Free VPN Apps For Android in 2022
If we talk about the features, Psiphon Pro has a global network featuring thousands of servers and diverse entry points. You don’t need to register any account or link your debit card; just download the app, and you can connect for free.
Source: techviral.net
10 Best Free Android VPN Apps For Your Smartphone In 2021
Psiphon Pro is an open-source, peer-reviewed and trustworthy VPN Android app, which will open access to everything on the Internet. Unlike other VPN apps for Android, Psiphon gives users options like always-on VPN and excludes selected apps from using VPN. By using these features you can always turn-on VPN by default and omit apps like banking and other payment apps by...
Source: techlog360.com
8 Best Turbo VPN Alternatives for Android and iOS
Psiphon Pro is one of the most transparent and secure VPNs out there, hence it’s a suitable alternative to Turbo VPN. It started as a proxy system at the University of Toronto, but now has evolved into a full-fledged VPN. The best part is that it’s completely open-source and does not log any user data, unlike Turbo VPN. Psiphon Pro utilizes multiple technologies like...
Source: beebom.com

PrivateVPN Reviews

The Best Top 10 VPNs for Spotify 2025
PrivateVPN is an independent Swedish provider that’s great for streaming Spotify. With fast servers in 63+ countries, PrivateVPN provides access to a range of popular streaming platforms. Its stealth mode enables users in restrictive countries to get online.
Best NordVPN Alternatives
PrivateVPN is yet another VPN that offers a free version. Although, it is more of a trial rather than a standalone app. Having said that, it is an affordable service that offers beginner-friendly apps with some premium features. With 200 servers in 63 countries, it is, by far, the smallest VPN network on this list. But it unblocks most streaming websites and works well in...
Source: vpnwired.com
The Best VPN Services for 2019
PrivateVPN is a zero-logs Swedish provider. It features a firewall-based system Kill Switch and application-level kill switch, which is great. Full IPv4 and IPv6 DNS leak protection is also built-in to its client. We have been particularly impressed by PrivateVPN’s high level of customer service, which even features remote installation for technophobes! A cracking 6...
Source: www.bestvpn.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Psiphon should be more popular than PrivateVPN. It has been mentiond 27 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Psiphon mentions (27)

  • Fortiguard workaround?
    These should be able bypass FortiGuard. Speeds will be slow though. 1. Psiphon. 2. Your Freedom VPN. 3. Puffin Browser. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Mullvad is completely blocked in Russia
    Psiphon should work and it is free but they have limits on speed. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Youtube slow buffering in Converge
    Free: https://psiphon.ca/ Paid: Too many to list here. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • What is a cheaper/easier method for VPN Torrenting?
    I have Xfinity and I've been using this for years after I saw ppl talk about it on my site's forums. The devs are always updating it weekly. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Bypassing University Internet Restrictions for Legal Purposes (to access my homeservers/raspberry Pis/VPS)
    The only thing that has worked for me so far is Psiphon VPN (https://psiphon.ca/), which has allowed me to access the normally blocked websites. I'm not sure exactly how it works, but I'm interested in finding out if there's a way to replicate it. Thanks in advance for any answers or advice. Source: over 2 years ago
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PrivateVPN mentions (9)

  • Seem to have gotten popped by ESA for read dead 2. Damn the auto-seeding. My ISP is google the game I acquired was red dead 2 through utorrent. Has anyone else gotten this email before? and if so are they persuing legal action or am I chilling as long as I stop?
    The can cut off your internet. Seen that happen ALOT. Just use a vpn. Cheapest bang for your buck is gonna be "PrivateVPN". Like 50$ for 3 years. It also has killswitch and connection guard which ether turns off all internet connection if the vpn isn't on and connected (Kill Switch) or closes a certain program when privatevpn loses connection. (Connection guard). P2P friendly, No logs (proven) and no DNS... Source: over 2 years ago
  • Routing VLAN through VPN
    Hey Guys, So I'm planning on setting up a VLAN to have all it's traffic routed through a VPN. I have a Ubiquiti setup, and I have alredy figured out how I can set up routing rules that all traffic goes to an IP hosting my VPN Client. What I'm looking for is: What setup do you recommend for the client? Container? Raspbery pi? What software to use? My VPN provider is PrivateVPN (https://privatevpn.com/). Source: over 2 years ago
  • How to watch the Packers game this morning
    I use this: https://privatevpn.com/ . It's $6/month and you can point it to go through different countries around the world. Source: over 2 years ago
  • What do I do about pretty much all vpn locations being banned?
    I personally most servers dont detect PrivateVPN IPs its also a decent price https://privatevpn.com. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Im trying to watch youtube but the vpn caps my speed at less than 5mps. I've tried every vpn known to man on the app store and non of them seem to work
    Try Invidious. It's an open-source frontend for youtube, but it also works (sort of) as a proxy, since there are no actual requests being sent to youtube.com. There are lots of instances at https://docs.invidious.io/Invidious-Instances/, but the only one that works for me is https://yewtu.be, even though it's based in Russia. Also, one VPN that works for me that's free (though I'm not sure about the speed, or the... Source: about 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Psiphon and PrivateVPN, you can also consider the following products

ProtonVPN - ProtonVPN is a security focused FREE VPN service, developed by CERN and MIT scientists. Use the web anonymously, unblock websites & encrypt your connection.

ExpressVPN - ExpressVPN is the worlds fastest VPN service.

OpenVPN - OpenVPN - The Open Source VPN

NordVPN - NordVPN offers VPN technology that encrypts data twice.

Windscribe - Windscribe is a desktop application and browser extension that work together to block ads and trackers, restore access to blocked content and help you safeguard your privacy online.

Hotspot Shield - Hotspot Shield is a software application developed by AnchorFree, Inc.