Betternet Review: Price, Security, Speed and Deals

Betternet is a secure, fast, and free VPN for macOS, iOS, Windows, and Android. Betternet also offers premium services with an average cost of $10.49 per month. Betternet offers a single premium package which costs $12.99 monthly or $95.88 yearly, billed at once or $7.99 per month.

Betternet has an average download speed of 52Mbps and an average upload speed of 11Mbps. However, Betternet’s speed, or of any VPN at all, is subject to the proximity of the VPN servers—the closer the server, the faster the speed. Betternet makes use of an “Optimal location” feature to connect users to the closest server for faster performances.

Betternet is compatible with macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. This VPN also supports a Chrome extension. Betternet is based in Canada with over 38 million users worldwide. Replacing traditional VPN protocols, Betternet uses Catapult Hydra, a proprietary product owned by AnchorFree.
Betternet Review

The main purpose of Betternet is to provide users with an encrypted internet connection to surf the internet securely and privately by masking users’ real IP addresses and replacing those IP addresses with virtual ones. Betternet’s usability isn’t great as the VPN is plagued with throttled speeds and weak privacy or security. Despite this, Betternet has over 38 million users worldwide with almost 23 million users outside the United States.

What is the cost of Betternet?

Betternet has an average price of $10.49. This VPN offers a single premium package which costs $12.99 monthly or $95.88 yearly, billed at once or $7.99, monthly. Betternet is one of the few Freemium VPNs on the market, offering a completely free version and a 7-day free trial for the premium version.

How much does Betternet cost per month? The cost for a rolling monthly subscription is $12.99. This makes Betternet one of the more expensive VPN options on the market.

What are the deals of Betternet Service?

Betternet is available in two versions, a free and a premium version. The details are listed below.

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  1. Betternet Free: US only server locations, adverts, no streaming. Completely free.
  2. Betternet Premium: 80 server locations, no adverts, no streaming restrictions. $12.99 per month billed monthly or $7.99 per month billed annually ($95.88 per year).

The Betternet cost is arguably too high for the level of functionality it provides. The yearly subscription price is, however, currently offered at a 38% discount. Regardless, Betternet is not considered one of the more economical VPNs. However, there are promo codes available on some websites. The free version of Betternet is useful but is too restrictive for anything above basic use, including streaming.

What Features do Betternet Provide?

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Betternet has an average download speed of 52Mbps and an average upload speed of 11Mbps. The overall quality of security provided by Betternet could be improved however, as Betternet keeps logs of its users’ data and lacks some advanced security features, for example the Kill Switch feature.

Betternet uses standard AES-128 and AES-256 encryption and there have been no IP or DNS leaks detected with Betternet since its creation. However, Betternet doesn’t block IPv6 traffic which could expose users’ real IP addresses. Therefore, Betternet is not one of the safest VPNs available at the moment.

This is important:

Although Betternet doesn’t have a Kill Switch feature, it does provide DNS privacy by preventing DNS leaks. Betternet also supports a Chrome extension, however this extension is not particularly effective at preventing leaks.

What are the advantages of the Betternet?

 Some of the advantages of using Betternet are detailed below:

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  1. Free version: Betternet offers a completely free version with no registration required before use. Users just have to download the software and can then connect immediately.
  2. Secure connection: Betternet makes use of military-grade encryptions (AES-128 and AES-256) to ensure the internet connections of its users are secure.
  3. DNS privacy: Betternet prevents DNS leaks which could compromise user privacy by sending website addresses visited to users’ internet service providers (ISPs).
  4. Prevents IP leaks: Betternet uses the “Prevent IP leaks” feature to prevent IP leaks that could compromise users’ real IP addresses.

What are the disadvantages of the Betternet?

Some of the disadvantages of Betternet are detailed below:

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  1. Expensive: Betternet’s premium package costs $12.99/month which is expensive compared to other, arguably better, VPN providers.
  2. Not secure: Betternet keeps logs of data such as users’ real IP addresses, bandwidth per session, device OS and model. This VPN also doesn’t have advanced security features such as a Kill Switch or IPv6 traffic blocking.
  3. Limited servers for free version: Users of the free version only have access to the 22 servers in the U.S, and have to upgrade to the premium subscription to connect to servers in other countries.
  4. Slow speeds: Betternet speeds are slow and inconsistent, especially on servers outside the U.S. For instance, while connected to a server in Singapore, the download speed was 4Mbps.
  5. Not good for torrenting: Due to connection drops and Betternet’s poor and inconsistent speeds, the VPN is not suitable for torrenting. Also, since Betternet doesn’t have a Kill Switch and sometimes experiences IPv6 leaks, ISPs may be able to detect the real location of users which is not safe, particularly for torrenting.

How is the speed of Betternet?

Betternet has an average download speed of 52Mbps and an average upload speed of 11Mbps. The minimum download and upload speeds are 3.22Mbps and 3.64Mbps, respectively while the maximum download and upload speeds are 80Mbps and 40Mbps, respectively.

The proximity of the connected server to the users’ real location is an important factor that determines how fast or slow Betternet’s speed will be. ExpressVPN, Surfshark, and NordVPN are some of the top speed VPNs — with download speeds ranging from 135Mbps to 370Mbps.

What encryption technologies does Betternet use?

The encryption technologies used by Betternet are listed below:

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  1. Catapult Hydra
  2. AES-128 and AES-256 encryption

Catapult Hydra solves the problem of VPN latency by using several algorithms to create a secure VPN tunnel, carry out authentication, establish connections, and more. Catapult Hydra works on automatic configuration meaning Betternet is not compatible with tunneling or port-forwarding that uses manual settings. AES-128 and AES-256 encryption is used to encrypt all traffic between the user and the server. These technologies help Betternet to maintain VPN security and improve performance, especially for long-distance VPN connections.

What are the Privacy Policies of Betternet?

A privacy policy is a legal document that states how an organization collects, manages, or uses its customers’ data. As a VPN service provider that handles a lot of user data, having a well laid out privacy policy is important for Betternet. Betternet uses this document to convince clients that the information clients provide is used legally. The Betternet privacy policy is reasonable but Betternet have previously been accused of keeping logs and selling the data to third parties. This may be disconcerting to potential subscribers.

What operating systems are compatible with Betternet?

 The operating systems compatible with Betternet are listed below:

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  1. macOS
  2. Windows
  3. iOS
  4. Android

Most VPN clients use devices that support any of these popular operating systems or even a combination of two or three of these operating systems which makes compatibility with different operating systems very important for Betternet. Betternet doesn’t unblock most streaming services, but the VPN does unblock Kodi. Some of the best VPNs for streaming are NordVPN, CyberGhost, ExpressVPN, and Hotspot Shield.

What do Browsers have Betternet extension?

The Betternet browser extension is only supported on Google Chrome. To learn more about Chrome leading VPNs and Firefox leading VPNs, visit the Security Gladiator’s website.

How many simultaneous connections can be created with Betternet?

Users of the free version of Betternet can connect to only one device per account while subscribers to the premium plan can connect up to six devices simultaneously. Only a few VPN services support unlimited devices—most support up to five device connections—so Betternet upped that by one.

What are the Betternet Locations?

Betternet has servers in 80 countries across the world. The U.S. has the most number of servers at 22. Users of the Betternet free version will be limited by a georestriction to only U.S. servers and are automatically connected to any of the servers in the U.S. (with no option to select the preferred server). Subscribers to the premium package are automatically connected to the nearest available server, but can also select any server of their choice. However, Betternet has stated that the locations available may differ depending on the OS of the device being used.

How to download the Betternet to your computer?

The steps to follow to download Betternet on a PC are listed below:

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  1. Visit Betternet’s website
  2. Tap the menu icon at the top left corner
  3. Select “Products”
  4. Click on “Windows”
  5. On the next page, click “Download Betternet”.
  6. Once the download is complete, run and install the file.
  7. After installation is complete, the “Privacy policy” page will appear. Tap “Accept and continue”
  8. Next, click “Sign in” and enter an email address
  9. A “magic link” will be sent to that email. Click on “Link new device” to activate the user account.
  10. Connect and start using Betternet.

Two questions frequently asked are how to install Betternet on iPhone and how to install Betternet on Android. To do any of these, simply visit the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, respectively. Download the app and then sign up.

What is the Betternet Company Information?

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The term “company information” refers to details about the company, such as the company name, registered address, name of the founder, contact support, and so on. Company information is useful as it gives the general public an overview of the key information about the company.

Betternet is owned by Pango Inc., a subsidiary of Aura, founded by Hari Ravichandran. Betternet is located in Sunnyvale, California, and does not offer phone support. Clients can, however, reach out via email. To do this, click on the menu icon at the top left corner of the app, and then select “Contact Support”. Select from the list of issues provided, provide a registered email address, and hit send.

Betternet was founded in 2015 in Canada before being acquired by Pango Inc. Betternet is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, Silicon Valley. Betternet has about 10 employees. Betternet has social media accounts on Twitter and Facebook and the logo is a white shield with a smiley face in a blue, square background.

What are the alternatives of the Betternet?

Some of the alternatives to Betternet are listed below:

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  1. ProtonVPN
  2. CyberGhost [For more information, read this Betternet vs CyberGhost comparison]
  3. ExpressVPN [For more information, read this Betternet vs ExpressVPN comparison]
  4. Surfshark [For more information, read this Betternet vs Surfshark comparison]
  5. NordVPN [For more information, read this Betternet vs NordVPN comparison]

All the VPNs listed above are better value alternatives to Betternet, offering a better quality service at similar or cheaper prices.

Zohair A. Zohair is currently a content crafter at Security Gladiators and has been involved in the technology industry for more than a decade. He is an engineer by training and, naturally, likes to help people solve their tech related problems. When he is not writing, he can usually be found practicing his free-kicks in the ground beside his house.

2 thoughts on “Betternet Review: Price, Security, Speed and Deals”

  1. this is a really old review as betternet does have windows platform for premium users and it has locations outside the USA. its big problem is slow customer support. lack of faq relating to windows. one has to email them using the contact us on their app and use something else. one cannot see the fastest server for your location either so it is a bit random which server you choose unless you need a specific one. BBC iplayer does not work when using the UK server. For 3 months it is cheaper than other VPNs. None of whom really operate throughout China. Express VPN constantly failed me in rural areas of China Most vpns may be ok in ng cities and some secondary ones. but to claim they work all over is just not my experience. i have tried express, idcloasker, Nord, vyper, OpenVPN all of which were not reliable. It would seem that one needs good speed throughout the day for these to work.

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