hide.me
by hide.mehide.me may suit people looking for VPN access on desktop or mobile devices, including those who need streaming or torrent support.
Free plan Free trial Open source AndroidiPhone & iPadWebWindowsMacLinux+2
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Best Virtual Private Network Software 2026
Facts read 22 Sep 2026 – 15 Oct 2026
VPN software can provide remote-user access or connect entire networks for personal and organizational needs. This list helps you compare free plans, trials, platforms, protocols and deployment choices.
The standings: top 10
| Name | In a line | Record score | Price from | Try it free | Runs on | Facts read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 hide.me | hide.me may suit people looking for VPN access on desktop or mobile devices, including those who need streaming or torrent support. | 6.8 | Free plan | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 14 Oct 2026 |
| 02 Tailscale | Tailscale may suit individuals connecting devices for non-commercial home VPN or homelab use, as well as teams managing device access and network rules. | 6.8 | Free plan | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 14 Oct 2026 |
| 03 Windscribe | Windscribe may suit people looking for VPN access across desktop, mobile, and web platforms, including users who want streaming or torrent support. | 6.6 | $3 a month | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 14 Oct 2026 |
| 04 Amnezia VPN | Amnezia may suit people who want an open-source VPN client or to configure a VPN server on a server they control. | 6.3 | $3.30 a month | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Windows, Mac | 28 Sep 2026 |
| 05 MikroTik RouterOS | RouterOS suits network administrators who need VPN and site-to-site networking with advanced admin controls. | 6.2 | Free plan | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 15 Oct 2026 |
| 06 IPFire | IPFire is presented for individuals, businesses, and organizations managing networks from home offices to global enterprises. | 6.0 | $1,099 a year | Free plan | Web, Linux, API, Self-hosted | 15 Oct 2026 |
| 07 Netmaker | 6.0 | $2 a month | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Windows, Mac | 28 Sep 2026 | |
| 08 OpenVPN CloudConnexa | CloudConnexa may suit organizations connecting remote users, devices, or sites that need centralized access policies. | 6.0 | $7 a month, billed yearly | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 27 Sep 2026 |
| 09 OPNsense | OPNsense suits administrators seeking a self-hosted firewall and routing platform with VPN, failover, and intrusion-prevention capabilities. | 6.0 | Free plan | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, API | 15 Oct 2026 |
| 10 ZeroTier | ZeroTier suits organizations connecting devices and cloud or on-premises environments under centrally managed network policies. | 6.0 | $18 a month | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 15 Oct 2026 |
The list is ordered by newest releases first, using figures makers publish; nothing is scored. Before selecting, review supported clients, simultaneous-session limits, SSO capabilities and pricing.
02
Tailscale
Tailscale may suit individuals connecting devices for non-commercial home VPN or homelab use, as well as teams managing device access and network rules.
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+6 Record6.8 Visit
03
Windscribe
Windscribe may suit people looking for VPN access across desktop, mobile, and web platforms, including users who want streaming or torrent support.
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+4 Record6.6 Visit
04
Amnezia VPN
Amnezia may suit people who want an open-source VPN client or to configure a VPN server on a server they control.
AndroidiPhone & iPadWindows+3 Record6.3 Visit
05
MikroTik RouterOS
RouterOS suits network administrators who need VPN and site-to-site networking with advanced admin controls.
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+3 Record6.2 Visit
6
IPFire
WebLinuxAPI+1 $1,099 a year Record6.0 Visit IPFire is presented for individuals, businesses, and organizations managing networks from home offices to global enterprises.
8
OpenVPN CloudConnexa
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+3 $7 a month, billed yearly Record6.0 Visit CloudConnexa may suit organizations connecting remote users, devices, or sites that need centralized access policies.
9
OPNsense
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+2 Free plan Record6.0 Visit OPNsense suits administrators seeking a self-hosted firewall and routing platform with VPN, failover, and intrusion-prevention capabilities.
10
ZeroTier
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+5 $18 a month Record6.0 Visit ZeroTier suits organizations connecting devices and cloud or on-premises environments under centrally managed network policies.
11
NetBird
AndroidiPhone & iPadWindows+3 €6 a month Record5.8 Visit NetBird may suit teams that need encrypted connections among users and machines, with cloud or self-hosted deployment.
12
Proton VPN
AndroidiPhone & iPadWindows+2 Free plan Record5.8 Visit It suits people seeking a VPN with a no-cost option, including users who want streaming or torrent support.
13
FortiClient
AndroidiPhone & iPadWindows+2 Free plan Record5.6 Visit FortiClient may suit organizations seeking endpoint protection and secure access for users across supported desktop and mobile platforms.
14
pfSense
WebLinuxSelf-hosted Free plan Record5.6 Visit pfSense suits home and remote workers, businesses, government, education and service providers seeking firewall and routing software.
15
OpenVPN Access Server
AndroidiPhone & iPadWindows+3 $7 a month Record5.5 Visit It suits organizations that want to host VPN access in their own environment and manage access centrally.
16
Algo VPN
AndroidiPhone & iPadWindows+3 Free plan Record5.4 Visit Algo suits advanced users and administrators who want to set up a personal VPN on supported cloud infrastructure or their own Ubuntu server.
17
ExpressVPN
AndroidiPhone & iPadWindows+2 — Record5.4 Visit It suits people looking for a paid VPN across multiple device types, with streaming support and a choice of simultaneous-device limits.
23
TunnelBear
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+3 $3.33 a month Record5.2 Visit TunnelBear may suit people seeking VPN access across its listed desktop and mobile platforms, as well as businesses securing two or more users.
Before you choose
Compare free and paid access
Some entries include a no-cost plan, while others provide trial access. Paid plans may show a starting price or state that pricing is available on request.
Check the free-plan and paid-from fields against your needs before committing.
Check client platforms
Entries cover client software for Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS and Android; some also support self-hosted deployment.
Match the software's platform coverage to the devices that need VPN access.
Choose the VPN connection type
Remote-access VPN gives a user or device a connection into a network, whereas site-to-site VPN joins separate networks. Use the comparison fields to identify the connection scope you need.
Review protocols and sessions
Supported VPN protocols show how a tool can establish connections. Concurrent sessions indicates how many active connections a plan or deployment can handle.
Compare these fields with your expected connection pattern.
Check deployment and sign-in
Deployment model describes where the VPN software runs, including self-hosted options. SSO support shows whether the tool can connect to a single sign-on system.
Review both fields alongside your platform requirements.
Look for open-source code
Some entries provide source code that can be inspected or modified. If that matters, check the tool's licence and deployment requirements before choosing.
Questions
Can I find a free VPN plan here?
Yes. Several entries include a free plan, while others are paid and list their pricing details.
Which platforms are covered?
The entries span Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, Android and self-hosted deployments.
Are free trials available?
Some entries include a free trial. Check the individual listing for its trial terms.
What VPN uses are compared?
Comparison fields cover remote-user and network-to-network VPN support, plus protocols, sessions, SSO and deployment model.
Does the list include open-source software?
Yes. Some entries provide open-source code. Review licence details before using or changing code.
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