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Indie alternatives to NordVPN

3 products made by independent developers and small teams that do what NordVPN does, 2 of them with a free plan. Free and open-source options come first.

At a glance

Product	Price	Open source	Self-host	Platforms
Proton VPN	Free plan	Yes	–	Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
Windscribe	Free plan	–	–	Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
Mullvad VPN	Paid	Yes	–	Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android

The alternatives

1. Proton VPN

Secure VPN with a free plan

A Swiss VPN service with open-source apps, a no-logs policy, Secure Core servers and a free tier.

Free plan · Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension · Website ↗

2. Windscribe

VPN and ad blocker with a free plan

A VPN with a free tier, built-in ad and tracker blocking, and apps for desktop, mobile, browsers and routers.

Free plan · Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension · Website ↗

3. Mullvad VPN

Privacy-focused VPN with anonymous accounts

A VPN service that requires no email to sign up, uses account numbers instead, and supports WireGuard on all major platforms.

Paid · Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android · Website ↗

Questions

Is there a free alternative to NordVPN?

Yes. 2 of the 3 indie alternatives listed here have a free plan or are free: Proton VPN and Windscribe.

Is there an open-source alternative to NordVPN?

Proton VPN and Mullvad VPN are open source.

What makes these alternatives to NordVPN “indie”?

They are built by independent developers or small teams rather than large companies. Each one is listed because it does the same core job as NordVPN.

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