22 votes

What are the absolute worst VPN's you should never use?

Many good VPN's and bad VPN's exist, which fall under bad VPN'S?

11 comments

  1. [2]
    Bullmaestro
    Link
    Hola VPN is the obvious one. It's effectively a proxy that has zero traffic encryption, logs heavy amounts of information on your usage and sells your internet connection to paid users of the VPN.

    Hola VPN is the obvious one. It's effectively a proxy that has zero traffic encryption, logs heavy amounts of information on your usage and sells your internet connection to paid users of the VPN.

    26 votes
    1. notopygos
      Link Parent
      I wouldn't touch any vpn service that doesn't let me use my own client.

      I wouldn't touch any vpn service that doesn't let me use my own client.

      2 votes
  2. [2]
    hamstergeddon
    Link
    I found a well-reviewed good one right off the bat and never looked back, but in general I'd say any free ones. If it's free, they're making their money somehow and it ain't from a subscription...

    I found a well-reviewed good one right off the bat and never looked back, but in general I'd say any free ones. If it's free, they're making their money somehow and it ain't from a subscription fee. Are they selling your browsing history via your DNS requests? Are they sniffing around your unencrypted traffic? Does something else super sketchy get installed with their client? You have no way of knowing (Unless you're tech-savvy enough to, in which case you should know better already) . Furthermore, if it's free, you have to wonder where they're cutting corners. It's probably in infrastructure and you'll likely get noticeably slower speeds through them. And maybe their client and connection aren't super reliable and you may end up having your actual IP address slip out while browsing, torrenting, etc.

    Good VPNs are so cheap (a couple $ /month) that there's no excuse for using a free one, shy of extreme financial distress, being too young to have a CC/paypal, etc.

    12 votes
    1. babypuncher
      Link Parent
      This is good to keep in mind for literally everything. People have gotten so used to free they aren't looking at the true cost of things like Google, Facebook, etc.

      If it's free, they're making they're money somehow

      This is good to keep in mind for literally everything. People have gotten so used to free they aren't looking at the true cost of things like Google, Facebook, etc.

      3 votes
  3. [5]
    ThisIsMyTildesLogin
    Link
    Any of the free ones on iOS and Android. Especially if they're made in China or Russia. They make their money by watching what websites you visit and selling that data on to ad companies.

    Any of the free ones on iOS and Android. Especially if they're made in China or Russia. They make their money by watching what websites you visit and selling that data on to ad companies.

    8 votes
    1. [2]
      Octofox
      Link Parent
      Pretty much all free vpns are spying on you. Running a VPN is expensive and it makes no sense to give it away for free and have no way to profit from it. Paid VPNs have no reason to spy other than...

      Pretty much all free vpns are spying on you. Running a VPN is expensive and it makes no sense to give it away for free and have no way to profit from it. Paid VPNs have no reason to spy other than being forced to by the government since any leak about their spying would permanently destroy the company.

      6 votes
      1. [2]
        Comment deleted by author
        Link Parent
        1. Octofox
          Link Parent
          Getting caught spying would be the end of the company so spying has a high risk of no money.

          Getting caught spying would be the end of the company so spying has a high risk of no money.

          2 votes
    2. [2]
      Comment deleted by author
      Link Parent
      1. Octofox
        Link Parent
        VPN companies are built on trust. Most of the big ones have been around for a long time and charge a fair price so they have no reason to risk the long earned trust for a small % extra profit.

        VPN companies are built on trust. Most of the big ones have been around for a long time and charge a fair price so they have no reason to risk the long earned trust for a small % extra profit.

        1 vote
    3. Fatherofthewestern
      Link Parent
      What I've noticed is that they always get shutdown and comeback under a new name.

      What I've noticed is that they always get shutdown and comeback under a new name.

      1 vote
  4. ubergeek
    Link
    I'd say any of them that you don't operate yourself. Or, are not ran by an organization you trust. RiseUp is hands down the most trustable of any of them, and it's free for activists. Really...

    I'd say any of them that you don't operate yourself. Or, are not ran by an organization you trust.

    RiseUp is hands down the most trustable of any of them, and it's free for activists.

    Really though, even the free ones are good for a purpose. None of them I've seen other than RiseUp are good for any semblance of privacy, though, really. You're just trading one ISP for another to spy on you.

    2 votes
  5. elcuello
    Link
    Anybody has anything to say about UnblockUs? I still have a subscription but isn't using it after I moved.

    Anybody has anything to say about UnblockUs? I still have a subscription but isn't using it after I moved.

    1 vote