Betternet VPN Review 2022: Is It Worth A Try?

In this Betternet VPN review, we’ll cover all the aspects, such as pricing, security, speed, streaming, customer support, and more which can make your decision-making factor easier for this VPN provider.

Betternet was once a highly reputed VPN service, at least among the “free” audience.  However, recent years and several legislations have hit the service hard and left it a shadow of its former self.

Free VPN from Betternet is neither secure nor dependable. Its speeds are limited, its privacy practices are lax, and it lacks fundamental security measures.

There is no customer assistance, and the VPN does not support well-known streaming services. Betternet isn’t a secure or useful VPN overall. Thus, I don’t suggest using it.

A CSIRO study revealed the provider sells adverts to users, which permit the installation of cookies onto devices. This makes it susceptible to featuring many ads, not being fully secure, and not offering any data protection.

I would instead advise users to opt for a safe service, like ExpressVPN or NordVPN, which keeps users anonymous and safe online at extremely affordable rates and does not sell adverts to users!

Pros And Cons

Betternet VPN: Rating Parameters Explained

1. Jurisdiction: Where is Betternet from?
2. Logging Policy: Does Betternet VPN Log Information?
3. Security: Can Betternet Keep Me Safe Online?
4. Leaks: Does Betternet Leak Your IP, DNS & WebRTC?
5. Servers: How Many Servers Does Betternet Have?
6. Streaming: Can I Unblock Netflix US and Other VoDs?
7. Speed: How Fast are Betternet Servers?
8. Compatibility: Can I Use Betternet on All My Devices?
9. Pricing: How Much Does Betternet Cost Exactly?
10. Torrenting: Is Betternet a good choice for Torrenting?
11. Trustworthiness: Trustpilot Ratings, Reddit & Customer Support
12. China: Does Betternet VPN work in China?
13. User-Friendly: Does Betternet VPN offer User-Friendly Apps?

Jurisdiction: Where is Betternet from?

Betternet LLC operates out of the US. This would make Betternet an extremely unsafe option to use due to multiple reasons. The foremost reason is that the US is a founding member of the Five Eyes surveillance alliance.

This alone means that the VPN has to follow Data Retention Laws, meaning it is not a safe option. Local authorities and other 14 eyes alliance countries can gain access to user logs, diminishing any claims of digital anonymity by VPNs based out of the US.

Betternet also owns some other VPNs, including:

• VPN 360
• Hotspot Shield
• Hexatech
• VPN In Touch
• Touch VPN

Logging Policy

A solid VPN should not track you online or divulge personal information to outside parties in order to protect your privacy.

Betternet appears to hold opposing viewpoints on this. Your data is protected by the parent business of the provider, Aura, which is in charge of numerous services when you click the Privacy Policy link on the provider’s website (including Betternet VPN).

Another link to a privacy statement relevant to VPN products is located on this page. This privacy statement states that Betternet does not log any user information.

Security: Can Betternet Keep Me Safe Online?

No, Betternet is far from being anywhere near a safe VPN option. It leaves users’ IP and DNS addresses exposed in addition to its lethargic logs policy.

The partnerships Betternet has made for its FREE service give advertisers the ability to place cookies in your browser, which again allows unknown people to collect information about the websites you visit, the ads you click on, and access to your browser history!

Encryption

Betternet’s apps employ industry-standard AES-256 encryption, but they are missing crucial security features like a kill switch. They occasionally leak DNS data as well.

Although Betternet encrypts traffic using industry-standard AES-128 and AES-256 cyphers, that is where the advantages of the service end.

There are no further security features, not even a kill switch to protect your identity in the event of a sudden connection breakdown, and its privacy policy is dubious. Simply put, Betternet is not a reliable or secure VPN.

VPN Protocols

Betternet uses the Catapult Hydra protocol. The VPN asserts that it picked this protocol because it reduces latency-related problems.

Although it’s odd to see a VPN use Catapult Hydra, it’s becoming more and more common because it has no noticeable effect on overall speeds.

Kill Switch

The lack of a kill switch on BetternetVPN is another worrying feature. In the case that the VPN’s connection is lost, a kill switch turns off your internet access automatically.

This is a crucial feature because if BetternetVPN disconnects while you’re using a public WiFi network, your personal information will be accessible to knowledgeable hackers.

I’m not really thrilled with BetternetVPN’s security features overall, and I believe they might be much better. I advise you to look into these VPNs with robust security measures to keep your data secure.

Leaks: Does Betternet Leak Your IP, DNS & WebRTC?

I put Betternet through the standard leak tests using ipleak.net. Check to find out whether my IP, DNS, and WebRTC were left exposed or not.

As users can see, my IP and DNS were both leaking and the service was unable to properly shield my IP address and location.

Servers: How Many Servers Does Betternet Have?

Surprisingly, Betternet is extremely vague about its servers. Unlike some other competitors, Betternet does not specify how many servers it offers.

To change Virtual Locations, you need to have an active Premium account and be logged in. The Virtual Location can be used by Free users by default and is set to the United States.

Here is a list of the United States virtual servers on the support page of Betternet.

Other than that, you can use servers from countries like Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, Italy, and more with the paid plan.

Here is the list of countries provided by Betternet on its support page.

Streaming: Can I Unblock Netflix US and Other VoDs?

In a major disappointment, Betternet fails miserably when it comes to unblocking Netflix. Users will be greeted with the following screen if they try to unblock Netflix via Betternet VPN. It can only stream a limited amount of content on YouTube and Vimeo video.

Additionally, the service does not fare any better when unblocking some of the other popular streaming sites like Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, BBC iPlayer or Hotstar as well.

Speed: How Fast are Betternet Servers?

While Betternet does not offer users an extreme wealth of options in terms of servers, I did not want to appear biased against it. To judge whether these servers can provide optimum speeds to make up for the lapse in numbers, I put them through a standard speed test.

Test 1: US

Test 2: UK

Test 3: Australia

Test 4: Germany

Test 5: France

Test 6: Canada

Compatibility: Can I Use Betternet on All My Devices?

This is one category where Betternet seems more than up to the mark. It offers complete support for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS while also being compatible for Chrome. The dedicated apps make it easier for users to continue using the apps on different platforms.

The user-friendly GUI allows users to instantly connect and secure themselves without much hassle making up for an incredibly smooth user experience.

Betternet for Windows

The Betternet app for Windows is quite intuitive and user-friendly. It boasts quite a simplistic design and appearance with a rectangle shape app, similar to how most browser extensions look.

Nevertheless, users have quick access to servers available for connectivity. To get started with using the VPN, simply hit the connect button, and enjoy unblocking your favorite websites. You can download the app from here.

Betternet for Mac

Previously, Betternet did not offer a native app for Mac devices and required users to configure the VPN manually on the OS. However, a few years down the road, and the provider now even provides a Mac application.

Now, the app is completely similar to its Windows counterpart in terms of design and appearance, but sadly it does not offer many incentives for unblocking or leveraging privacy!

Betternet for Android

If you want to use Betternet VPN on Android devices, you will need to get their Android app from the Google Play store. The app offers two different versions, the free and the premium service.

Betternet VPN’s free version on Android doesn’t offer all features or servers, while the premium service subscription unblocks all features by the provider.

Betternet for iOS

The Betternet app for iPhone and iPad devices offers a simple way to go anonymous online. However, just like the Android counterpart, there are two versions of the Betternet app available on the iTunes store.

Regardless, both are entirely capable of unblocking websites or shifting servers to gain access to restricted content. So it is not really an issue, especially if you want to go for the FREE plan.

Betternet for Chrome

The Chrome Extension from Betternet is quite remarkable and way better than the Firefox version. Though there are a few bugs that hinder the overall performance of the VPN extension, it is still quite reliable to use.

Also, the Chrome app is quite recent, boasting the same interface as the desktop versions of the app. The Firefox one is probably still in the upgrading phase.

Pricing: How Much Does Betternet Cost Exactly?

When most people consider signing up with Betternet, they usually fall for the “Free” offering from the provider. However, there is also a paid version with more premium features offered by Betternet and mostly, its affordably priced.

Pricing

• Monthy ($12.60 per month)
• Yearly ($7.75 per month) – $93.04 per year

Users have the option to use a free version for up to 7 days before subscribing to any of these plans in order to continue using the service. The free version comes with a list of limitations such as:

• Lack of email support
• US servers only
• 500MB daily data limit
• Use on 1 device only
• Frequent advertisements

Payment & Refund Methods

Betternet has a 45-day money-back guarantee in place for premium users. However, the refund procedure is far from simplistic, as users have to buy the service via the Apple and Android stores rather than from the provider itself.

Astonishingly, there is a bizarre caveat that if users have used more than 50 MB than the refund policy cannot be used at all. This precondition is not only foolish, it does not reflect well on Betternet’s claims about being an assuring VPN service.

Rather surprisingly, Betternet only accepts payments in the form of Visa/Mastercard credit cards, iTunes, and Play Store. Unlike most other VPN services, Betternet does not offer payments through PayPal.

Additionally, it does not support Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Users may feel uneasy in making payments as the service has made it clear that it keeps a detailed log of these payment details.

Betternet VPN VPN Cancel Subscription

If you’ve purchased a Betternet subscription via your credit card, then you have to contact the support team. Here’s how to do it:

Good For Torrenting?

Even though Betternet says it permits torrenting, throughout my tests, I discovered that P2P torrenting is blocked. The service also lacks the kill switch and logging policies necessary for torrenting.

According to the Betternet FAQs, torrenting is supported on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices. But P2P traffic has always been blocked in my test.

Simply told, Betternet is a poor choice for a free VPN for anonymous torrenting. Even if P2P traffic was permitted, Betternet is not the best VPN for P2P users.

Trustworthiness: Trustpilot Ratings, Reddit, Quora & Customer Support

In order to gauge the overall trustworthiness of Betternet, I analyze the service across different ratings and review platforms to see how trustworthy the service is.

Betternet Trustpilot Rating

Betternet has 39 reviews on Trustpilot, making an average rating of 2.4. This gives off the impression that the service fails at delivering consistent services. Additionally, the reviews don’t seem to be overtly positive either.

Although the VPN has 46% 5-star ratings and 13% 4-star ratings, 41% of review rating fall in the 3, 2, and 1-star ratings.

The profile has also not been claimed by the VPN provider.

Betternet Reddit Review

Users on Reddit were much more descriptive regarding their reservations about Betternet. The fact that Betternet offers a “free” version of the software does not sit well with users. Some labeled it a honeypot for its curious similarity to another VPN that turned out to be a honeypot.

Others were less enthusiastic about the free service when there are more well-reputed VPN providers available at just $3 per month. Finally, these reservations were not completely unfounded as a notable study has also backed up claims that Betternet may not be the most secure service on the VPN market.

Betternet Quora Review

With no difference in reviews, users on Quora also addressed the issues they’ve been facing with Betternet.

One of the users described how he started getting popup ads on his web browser and social media after using Betternet VPN. Here is a screenshot:

Another user stated how a free VPN makes you the product by logging your personal information and sell it to companies that can target you with ads.

Customer support

Betternet has flawed customer support. Except for the Help Center, which has some basic FAQs and troubleshooting advice, Betternet doesn’t offer any customer assistance for free users.

The FAQs are divided into categories for each supported device and are generally well organized, but some of them contain outdated and inaccurate information.

Without a paid subscription, if you attempt to email customer service, you will only get a short response that reads, “Sorry, but we can’t respond personally.”

So you’re very much on your own if you run into an issue.

China

Betternet cannot circumvent China’s censorship because it is blocked there. However, it might function in other areas under censorship.

Betternet should not be your first pick if you require a VPN to get around Chinese censorship. You can only connect to VPN servers in the US as a free user, which will completely stifle your speeds.

You probably won’t even be able to connect because Betternet doesn’t provide any extra tools to get over the aggressive Chinese Firewall bans. We discovered that we couldn’t bypass China’s censorship using Betternet when we attempted to connect from our Shanghai server.

The majority of free VPNs are ineffective in China and other places with strict censorship, such Iran and the United Arab Emirates.

User-Friendly

The apps from Betternet are simple to use and set up on all platforms, but they are featureless, non-customizable, and lack value.

The desktop and mobile custom VPN apps from Betternet are incredibly simple to set up and use.

It only takes a few clicks to connect after downloading the necessary file from the website and completing a few installation steps.

Really, there aren’t many settings to experiment with.

The list of virtual locations is a little deceptive because no one can utilize any of them for free. The app will prompt you to upgrade to the paid plan if you click on one.

You can select “reconnect automatically” or “unsafe WiFi hotspots” from the settings menu.

There is also a setting called “Prevent IP leak” that, for obvious reasons, we advise leaving on.

Tor Browser

The Tor Browser is a web browser that uses the Tor network to anonymize your web traffic, making it simple to safeguard your identity online.

However, it is better to use a VPN with a Tor browser rather than using a Tor browser alone.

Here is a Reddit thread that explains this point further:

However, I would not recommend Betternet use a Tor browser. Instead, use one of the best VPNs for Tor or Dark Web that will offer you guaranteed safety.

Final Verdict

Finishing this Betternet VPN review, after testing all the factors, I would not recommend Betternet VPN.

Betternet has massive flaws; the free version shows unnecessary ads, it cannot unblock Netflix, speeds are pathetically low, its Android app was found to be intrusive, the server count is way too less, and there is a lack of information on security policies.

Not to mention, its headquarters is in the US, meaning that users can never be fully at peace about their digital activity being safe from prying eyes. There is no logical reason why any users should be opting for this service instead of reliable alternatives, such as ExpressVPN and Surfshark.

FAQs: Betternet VPN Review

Does Betternet hide your location?

Yes. Betternet turns your location off on your smartphones or tablets to keep your online identity anonymous. However, the VPN has been known to log personal information and leak data.

Does Betternet sell your data?

Free VPNs like Betternet sell your data to earn their commission. Setting up an infrastructure to run a VPN company requires funds, and how would a provider keep its business running if it’s not charging its clients? Simple, by selling their personal information to advertisers and marketing agencies.

How do I remove Betternet from my iPhone?

1. Touch and hold the Betternet icon on your iPhone menu screen.
2. Tap on the delete option to uninstall Betternet VPN.

Why Betternet VPN not working?

If your Betternet VPN is not working, then it’s possible that the IP address assigned to you has been identified and blocked. Try changing your IP by connecting to a different server; that should solve the problem.

How do I restart Betternet?

1. Go to “Settings” on your smartphone.
2. Navigate to “Apps” or “Application Manager.”
3. Find Betternet VPN and tap on it.
4. Tap on “Clear data.”
5. Restart your device.