Our independent reviews and recommendations are funded in part by affiliate commissions, at no extra cost to our readers. Click to Learn More
With Opera Free VPN, you can enjoy online privacy without spending a dime. It’s not the most sophisticated VPN service we’ve tested, but as a free taster, Opera VPN is a good start. It may even persuade you to consider paying for a full VPN service.
Opera vpn free download - NordVPN, Opera, Cisco VPN Client, and many more programs. Browse safely and securely with Express VPN for Mac. Paid User rating. Publisher: ExpressVPN Downloads: 22,309. The only problem is, VPN services cost money if you need unlimited data. Its new VPN service for iPhone and iPad — which comes just two weeks after Opera added free VPN to its. Opera GX is a special version of the Opera browser which, on top of Opera’s great features for privacy, security and efficiency, includes special features designed to complement gaming. Opera GX is available in early access for Windows and Mac. Linux development is in progress.
BEST ON TESTWhy Use Opera Free VPN?
There are two good reasons. Firstly, it’s built into the Opera browser, so you only need to download and install the browser, then enable the VPN to switch on the service. That's it!
Secondly, it’s free to use and offers unlimited bandwidth. That's pretty rare for any free VPN – most free services will cut your bandwidth down to a couple of gigabytes, making them less useful for streaming video or heavy downloading.
So, using Opera’s VPN won’t cost you a single cent. Beyond that, it’s very easy to use – and Opera is a great browser with some brilliant features in its own right. The browser keeps evolving, too – the latest version of Opera has a crypto-wallet, dark mode and web 3.0 support.
We've rated Opera Free VPN a 3.0. See how it compares to our top ten rated VPNs:
Test Score Our scoring is based on independent tests and assessments of features, privacy settings, ease of use and value. | No. of Devices | Zero Data Logging | Email Support | Ease of Use | Privacy | Help & Support | Free Trial | Try Click to find the latest offers, deals and discounts from the VPN provider |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4.1/5 | 3.9/5 | 3.7/5 | 3.7/5 | 3.5/5 | ||||
Fast, effective, low-cost and simple – the best VPN we've tested | Powerful features and security, but a bit technical. Some massive savings currently available. |
Opera Browser VPN: The Good
Free VPNs are often rather limited, and the cons can run further than the pros. But, Opera VPN is pretty respectable for a free service.
Effortlessly Simple
It’s very easy to use the Opera VPN service – mainly because it gives you so few settings to dabble with. You can also see at a glance whether the VPN is active just by looking at the icon in the address bar.
Strong Encryption
Provided you’re using the Opera browser, a more secure connection is only ever one click away. Opera uses 256-bit AES encryption – translation? That's good. In fact, this level of encryption is every bit as good as the big commercial VPNs.
Surprisingly Good Speeds
It’s also speedy. Speed tests we ran over the Optimal location weren’t significantly slower than speed tests ran without a VPN.
BEST ON TESTOpera VPN: The Not-So-Good
Now, onto those limitations we mentioned before.
No App Versions
Opera has reduced its level of support for the VPN and has also halted work on its free mobile VPN apps, which are no longer available to download. That means Opera VPN is only usable on a laptop or desktop, not a smartphone or tablet.
Few Server Choices
The list of locations is tiny, with just Optimal (chosen for you), Europe, Americas and Asia, and when you pick Americas as your location you just get a VPN link to a server within Europe, making the Opera VPN useless if you want to undo region locks on US video streaming services, or unlock, say, the BBC iPlayer from outside the UK.
Privacy Leaks
Opera For Mac Vpn Software
And while Opera gives you the improved security of an encrypted VPN connection, your privacy doesn’t seem to be so well protected. Leak tests threw up warnings about potential DNS leaks – a serious red flag for a VPN. While these won’t pinpoint your identity or location, they do indicate that you’re connecting through a VPN.
Browser Only
One other thing to make clear: the Opera VPN only works for what you do inside the browser – it doesn’t help at all with any apps that run outside it.
Infogram
Free Vpn For Mac Download
Opera Free vs Paid VPN Prices
Opera is free and there’s no paid-for, upgraded VPN service. on the plus side, this means no nagging messages or even adverts. If you like the Opera browser already, then the VPN is a fantastic option to try out, but we wouldn't recommend it for anyone who's serious about using a VPN with all the trimmings.
If you're serious about your online privacy, and want the flexibility of a VPN that will work with any of your apps, or on your phone or tablet, then it's worth spending some money to upgrade to a paid-for service. This can be as little as a couple of dollars per month. Our top-choice VPN for 2020 is NordVPN – read our full NordVPN review to find out why we rate it so highly.
Getting Started With Opera VPN
As we said, there’s no need to sign-up for anything; you simply visit the Opera website, download the latest version and install it.
There are versions of Opera for Windows, MacOS and Linux.
Once the browser is installed, it's time to turn on the VPN service. To do this, go to Settings (or Preferences on the Mac version), select Privacyand Security, then turn the Free VPN option on.
From here on in, a small VPN icon appears in the address bar, and you can click on this to turn the VPN off and on. The control panel is deliberately simple, with just a switch to enable the VPN and a drop-down menu with a handful of locations, plus a bandwidth meter to tell you how much data has run through the VPN recently.
The Verdict
Opera’s built-in VPN doesn’t offer the best protection for your privacy or anonymity, and also doesn’t do anything for you outside the Opera browser. It’s good, though, as a quick, easy option when you connect through a public WiFi network, but it won’t keep you or your activities as safe or private as a proper, paid-for VPN.
Tech.co is reader-supported. If you make a purchase through the links on our site, we may earn a commission from the retailers of the products we have reviewed. This helps Tech.co to provide free advice and reviews for our readers. It has no additional cost to you, and never affects the editorial independence of our reviews. Click to return to top of page
Best VPN for iPhone 2020
It's important to be security-conscious when you’re on the move. We pick out the best iPhone VPNs for you
Best Cheap VPN 2020
You don't need to spend much to keep your data secure and your internet use private. We find the best value VPNs for you
Are VPNs Legal? Your Rights to Using VPNs Explained
Are VPNs legal in your country, and what are your rights when using them? We explain all.