As a Linux user, you are probably techie enough to know what a VPN is and why you need one. So, in this article, we will look at VPN issues that uniquely affect Linux users.
The best VPNs for Linux at a glance
We have summarized our 5 favorite VPNs for Linux in the list below. If you would like more information or some other alternatives, click here.
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Private Internet Access
– The best VPN for Linux. It offers dedicated clients for Ubuntu, Mint, Arch, & Debian – all of which are fully featured. -
AirVPN
– A secure VPN for Linux. It offers a Linux GUI client precompiled for a Debian, OpenSUSE, Fedora, and ArchLinux with all the features. -
Mullvad
– A good Linux VPN if you want anonymous payments. It offers a Linux GUI client that is loaded with all the bells & whistles. -
TorGuard
– A no logs VPN app for Linux. Its GUI client is a pleasure to use and comes with kill-switch functionality in case your connection fails. -
ExpressVPN
– A fast VPN for Linux. It is operated via a command line client, but users can also use a browser extension for easier use.
Try PIA our #1 VPN pick for Linux users
Of the VPN issues that affect Linux users, the biggest of these is the relative lack of support for Linux by VPN services. This has a knock-on effect on the availability of VPN features that users on other platforms typically take for granted.
In this guide we have tried to focus on the most developed Linux VPN apps available, offering key features and a full GUI where possible.
The services we recommend in this guide are highly rated because they offer:
- A Linux GUI
- Key VPN Features
- The same privacy offered on other platforms
- Good VPN speeds
For more information on the services above, scroll to the next section.
Best 8 Linux VPN clients: In-depth analysis
In the list below, we take a more in-depth look at look at why we recommend these VPNs for Linux users. Have a look through each description to see which Linux VPN will work best for your own particular needs.
Private Internet Access is the best VPN for Linux with dedicated clients for Ubuntu, Mint, Arch, & Debian. Linux users also get all the features that Windows and macOS users have access to.
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Pricing
From
$2.84 –
$10.51 -
Linux client (GUI)
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Built-in kill switch
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Server locations
- 74 countries
Private Internet Access (PIA) is a secure and reliable VPN that is ideal for Linux users. It has a full, custom 64-bit (only) client for Linux that is compatible with Ubuntu, Mint, Arch, and Debian. In addition, PIA has told us it is working on support for other distros too, so watch this space! PIA’s custom Linux client is downloaded as a .run file which you then install from the install directory using the command:
sh pia-linux-2.2.1-05193.run
Perhaps surprisingly, the Linux version does everything that PIA’s other desktop apps do, including having a kill-switch, “PIA Mace” (DNS advert and malware blocking), and fine-grained control over the OpenVPN encryption settings. This makes it by far the best GUI Linux client available on the market. And a subscription is extremely cheap, which makes this service an extremely good proposition.
What’s more, PIA is known for its strong no-logs policy, which it has proven in court on more than one occasion. Plus, this service will be compatible with your other devices (iOS, Android, macOS, etc) and it allows you to use it on up to 10 devices at once – with just a single subscription. You can test it on Linux – and any other devices you own – for 30 days, thanks to its money-back guarantee.
AirVPN is a secure VPN for Linux due to its excellent encryption. It’s a “techie focused” service with a great “Eddie” GUI client, precompiled for Debian, OpenSUSE, Fedora, and ArchLinux.
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Pricing
From
$3.23 –
$8.05 -
Linux client (GUI)
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Built-in kill switch
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Server locations
- 21 countries
AirVPN is great for Linux users thanks to its strong reputation for respecting user privacy and for implementing the technology needed to protect it. Unfortunately, this is something of a double-edged sword, as AirVPN’s techie focus can make it difficult for beginners.
We doubt this is a problem for Linux users, though, who should rejoice at the fact that AirVPN’s excellent open-source “Eddie” VPN client provides the full GUI Linux VPN client experience in Linux. This means the Linux client is fully-featured and includes a kill-switch, full IPv4 and IPv6 leak protection, and is effective at mitigating against WebRTC leaks.
Eddie allows Linux users to connect to its VPN servers via the Tor network for true anonymity, and to hide their VPN connections inside an SSH or SSL tunnel (stunnel) in order to defeat VPN censorship. Port forwarding is available via the web interface.
Eddie is available precompiled for a Debian, OpenSUSE, Fedora, and ArchLinux. A Tarball is also available for recompiling on any Linux platform. AirVPN keeps no logs at all (they are sent to a dev/null file), allows up to five simultaneous devices, offers a 1-day free trial on request, and allows torrenting on all servers.
Mullvad VPN is a great VPN for Linux if you want to pay anonymously. It has a VPN GUI for Linux users with all the features you get on Windows and Mac, including VPN through Tor.
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Pricing
From
$5.50 –
$5.60 -
Linux client (GUI)
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Built-in kill switch
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Server locations
- 36 countries
Mullvad is a no-logs VPN service based in Sweden, which, like AirVPN, has a very strong privacy and technology focus. Hell, it even accepts anonymous payment in cash sent to it by post! It also offers a full open-source GUI Linux VPN client with all the bells and whistles available to users of other platforms.
These features include full DNS protection (with proper IPv6 support, which is very rare), a kill-switch, and port forwarding. VPN through Tor is supported through manual configuration. Debian (DEB) and Fedora (RPM) install files are available from the Mullvad website, while the full code with build instructions is available from its GitHub page.
Mullvad allows up to 5 devices to connect at once and offers servers located all around the world. It is also shockingly fast, which will make engaging in data-intensive tasks a breeze.
TorGuard is a solid VPN for Linux pick if you’re a fan of torrenting. TorGuard offers a great GUI Linux app that comes loaded with a kill-switch.
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Pricing
From
$4.16 –
$9.99 -
Linux client (GUI)
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Built-in kill switch
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Server locations
- 68 countries
TorGuard is a no-logs VPN provider based in the US. It offers a global network of fast and secure bare-metal servers that are great for torrenting as well as for unblocking geo-restricted content from around the world. With its fully-featured GUI for Linux, you get great customization with the VPN. Defaulting to OpenVPN in UDP mode, you can switch to TCP mode, and even Cisco OpenConnect (/AnyConnect).
With OpenVPN, you can also choose from a selection of ports to use (for example, OpenVPN TCP port 443 for obfuscation), or you can use stunnel to hide the VPN connections inside a TLS/SSL tunnel. The GUI also has an advanced kill-switch function that lets you disconnect from the internet and even terminate specific programs if the VPN fails. Try TorGuard today with a 7-day free trial and support for Ubuntu, Debian, RedHat, Fedora, CentOS, and Arch.
ExpressVPN is a consistently fast VPN for Linux. It must be used with a command line client, but it offers great set up guides on its site, or opt for the browser extension instead.
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Pricing
From
$6.67 –
$12.95 -
Linux client (GUI)
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Built-in kill switch
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Server locations
- 94 countries
ExpressVPN is an excellent no-logs VPN service, based in the British Virgin Islands. It’s a top-shelf VPN provider that continues to set standards in the industry, and was a significant driving force behind many other VPN providers adopting a 24/7 approach to customer support. Express offers super-fast servers that operate in RAM only! On top of this, ExpressVPN also published its own proprietary VPN protocol, Lightway, that offers faster and more secure VPN encryption for its users.
Despite being a command-line-only VPN for Linux, it’s a solid VPN with great functionality. It is available for Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, Fedora, Arch, and Raspbian, although its source is not available to compile yourself. Give it a try with a 30-day money-back guarantee to fall back on.
VPNArea is an easy to use VPN for Linux with a clean and clear GUI. You get advanced features and some of the best customer care we have ever encountered.
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Pricing
From
$2.99 –
$9.90 -
Linux client (GUI)
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Built-in kill switch
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Server locations
- 70 countries
VPNArea is a provider from Bulgaria that has apps for all platforms, this includes a Linux GUI that will work on various distros. The VPN has servers in over 65 countries, and that entire Tier-1 network is more than capable of providing excellent connection speeds. With VPNArea, you can unblock many of the most sought-after streaming services from around the world like Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Prime Video, and much more. And if you have any problems, you can always contact its friendly 24/7 live chat support agents.
Where privacy is concerned, this VPN is outstanding thanks to its no-logs policy and strong OpenVPN encryption. It also has a kill-switch, DNS leak protection, and obfuscation. This makes it great for doing sensitive tasks like torrenting that require complete privacy.
We are always impressed by this VPN, and because of its relatively low cost, we consider this a superb option for anybody who needs a VPN for Linux. Well worth testing using its money-back guarantee.
The cheapest VPN for Linux on our list. Admittedly there is no GUI to speak of, but from $2.49 a month, you do get a solid CLI VPN app with strong privacy.
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Pricing
From
$2.49 –
$12.95 -
Linux client (GUI)
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Built-in kill switch
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Server locations
- 63 countries
Surfshark is a VPN that often receives high praise from consumers. It is a popular service that has apps for all popular platforms – and provides setup guides for getting the VPN working on Linux using command lines. We love this VPN because of its no-logs policy, and are always impressed that it lets its users run the VPN on an unlimited number of devices simultaneously. This means you can use it on your Linux computer, and your mobile devices, work computers, and anything else you might own.
Surfshark has servers in over 60 countries, and it permits torrenting throughout its network. It is also one of the few services that can unblock various Netflix libraries (including Netflix US), BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and other popular streaming services from around the globe. We are always impressed by the level of service you get with Surfshark’s 24/7 live chat support. There is no doubt that you’re getting incredible value for your money when you sign up with Surfshark.
Well worth comparing to our other recommendations using its 30-day money-back guarantee.
NordVPN is a well rounded Linux VPN that is controlled via a CLI. It offers excellent encryption & easy set up instructions for Linux Debian users.
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Pricing
From
$3.71 –
$11.95 -
Linux client (GUI)
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Built-in kill switch
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Server locations
- 59 countries
NordVPN is a large no-logs VPN service is based in privacy-friendly Panama. It has a strong consumer-facing focus and is known for its 24/7 live chat support, 30-day money-back guarantee, and its ability to unblock popular streaming services such as US Netflix and BBC iPlayer. A free full Smart DNS is included in the startling-low entry price.
NordVPN offers a simple command-line OpenVPN tool that comes pre-configured for NordVPN’s server locations, including NordVPN’s obfuscated XOR servers. It allows you to switch easily between UDP and TCP connections, which can be useful for evading VPN censorship measures. Its autofill feature also makes life easier.
The app is available to download as a DEB or RPM package, although the CLI setup instructions assume Debian. NordVPN allows you to connect up to six devices at once, offers 24/7 live chat support, and will refund your money up to 30-days after payment.
Why use Linux?
Many people move over to Linux because they want to make use of the added security it offers. Most viruses are targeted at mainstream Operating Systems like Windows and macOS, which means that using Linux can make you much safer. Other people want to move away from Windows and Mac because of the privacy ramifications caused by the high levels of surveillance capitalism those companies are known to engage in.
Whether you opt for Ubuntu, Fedora, Kali, Mint, OpenSUSE, etc, you will gain vastly more control over your device, and the data that it controls. This is great news for your privacy because Apple and Microsoft were both previously found to be working alongside the NSA to snoop on users.
Even years after the Snowden Revelations first surfaced, plenty of credible evidence and rumors persist over the implementation of NSA backdoors in Windows and macOS/iOS devices.
Using Linux is a concerted move in the direction of privacy. However, even Linux can only do so much when it comes to data that must ass over the internet. Thus, using a VPN to encrypt your web traffic – to prevent it from being harvested by your ISP, local network administrators, and the government – is an absolute must.
It’s not just about this serious stuff, either! A Linux VPN lets you bypass geo-restrictions to gain more privacy online. IT will let you watch more shows on US Netflix or BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world, and with the right VPN you can torrent without anybody finding out.
Why should I use a VPN for Linux?
Most Linux users already know what a VPN is, and why it is an essential online tool, and the vast majority already have a service installed on their device. For anybody who has only just made the switch, however, here is a quick guide to explain what a VPN can do:
A Virtual Private Network creates an encrypted connection between your PC and a VPN server operated by the VPN provider. Most VPN providers run VPN servers in countries all over the world. As a result:
- A VPN prevents your ISP from tracking what you do online by acting as your personal proxy. When connected to the VPN, all your ISP can see is that you have connected to the VPN’s IP address- not what you do on the internet following that.
- Your ISP also won’t be able to see the contents of your data because it is encrypted between your PC and the VPN server.
- Given that every government mass surveillance project in the world relies on ISPs logging your data to know what you get up to online, what your ISP doesn’t know, neither will your government (unless it is actively investigating you as an individual, of course).
- The proxy works both ways, so websites you visit can’t see your real IP address. They only see the IP address of the VPN server you are connecting through. Note that websites also use other sneaky ways to follow you online, so a VPN should always be supplemented with anti-tracking browser add-ons.
- Like websites, P2P torrent peers also won’t be able to see your real IP address, allowing you to torrent away with peace of mind.
- VPNs are great for defeating censorship, be it on political, “moral,” or copyright grounds. Simply connect to a VPN server located in a region that doesn’t censor the internet!
- And because VPN servers are located all over the place, they are also very useful for unblocking BBC iPlayer and US Netflix (which has a much bigger catalog than is available to paying customers elsewhere).
- Using a VPN protects against WiFi hackers and unreliable WiFi hosts when using public WiFi hotspots, since all data between your PC and the VPN server is securely encrypted.
So if you use Linux, then we think you should also use a VPN!
How to use a VPN for Linux
Getting a VPN up and running on Linux is not always be as easy as it is on Windows or Mac. This is because it is rarer for VPNs to have a full GUI Linux app. The good news is that there are a growing number of GUI apps in development for Linux, and all the providers in this guide have detailed guides for setting up the VPN manually. Thus, you will be able to get these VPNs setup one way or another. However, please remember that manual setup will cause you to miss out on certain features:
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DNS leak protection
In theory, any VPN client will route all DNS requests through the VPN tunnel to be resolved either by the VPN provider itself or be proxied by the VPN provider to a public DNS service in order to hide their originator.
But for a variety of reasons, Linux can sometimes route DNS requests directly to the OS-default DNS services (usually your ISP), thus bypassing the VPN’s DNS resolution. VPN clients with DNS leak protection guard against this by using firewall rules to ensure no connections are possible outside the VPN tunnel (IPv6 connections are usually just disabled).
Manual VPN setup in Linux, whether using NetworkManager, the CLI OpenVPN client, strongSwan, or whatever, provides no DNS leak protection. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to fix this issue, although they complicate the VPN setup process.
You can modify resolvconf to push DNS to your VPN’s DNS servers, or you can manually configure the iptables firewall to ensure all traffic (including DNS requests) cannot leave your Linux machine outside the VPN tunnel. An excellent guide to doing this is available from IVPN.
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WebRTC mitigation
Most modern browsers support WebRTC, a communication protocol that allows seamless VoIP and video chat between users inside the browser window.
A feature of WebRTC is that it allows easy communication through firewalls, but this is a problem for VPN users as it allows any website to ask for your real IP address and WebRTC STUN servers will just give it to them! Thus bypassing the VPN.
Many custom VPN clients help mitigate against WebRTC leaks by tightening up VPN settings and using firewall rules, although this is never as secure as preventing WebRTC leaks at the browser level. Fortunately for manual Linux VPN users, disabling WebRTC in the browser is easy.
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Kill-switch
A kill-switch ensures that your IP address is not exposed in the event of a VPN dropout, during network switches, and suchlike. These days, most custom VPN clients use firewall rules to ensure no connection is possible when the VPN tunnel is inactive.
You won’t get this protection with a manual VPN setup method, however. As mentioned above, configuring iptables will also work as a kill-switch.
For more information on DNS leaks, WebRTC leaks, and kill-switches, please see A Complete Guide to IP Leak Protection.
Get Linux VPN to start on boot?
We may cover this subject ourselves in the future, but, for the time being, excellent guides for doing this with OpenVPN are available on the smarthome beginner and IVPN websites.
Custom Linux CLI clients
An increasing number of VPN services now offer custom Linux command-line interface (CLI) clients. These are invariably wrappers to the open-source OpenVPN CLI client. As such, they don’t usually offer any advanced features, although ExpressVPN’s client does feature DNS leak protection.
They do, however, make life easier, as they come pre-configured to use that services’ VPN servers.
Custom Linux VPN GUI clients
To get the full functionality enjoyed by users of custom Windows and macOS clients, however, requires a full custom graphical user interface (GUI), Linux client. Only a few of which exist on the market at the time of writing this – those from Private Internet Access, AirVPN, Mullvad, and TorGuard.
The GUI VPN clients are effectively identical to their Windows and macOS counterparts and offer the same features. These include full DNS leak protection, WebRTC mitigation, kill-switches, and other bells and whistles unique to each provider.
On top of offering additional functionality, most people find that GUI clients are much easier to use thanks to the visual prompts they provide. You do, after all, need to be a seasoned Linux user to not flinch when faced with a blinking command prompt in Terminal!
Using a VPN for different Linux distros
Ubuntu is by far the most popular desktop version of Linux and is, therefore, widely regarded by both developers and as the “default” version of Linux. VPN services are no different, with most Linux VPN support out there heavily focused on Ubuntu users.
You’re no doubt used to this if you use a different version of Linux. If you’re a Debian, Mint, Kali, or any other Debian-based user, most Ubuntu guides (and DEB packages) should be useable on your distro of choice. Unfortunately, you’re often on your own if you use an entirely different version of Linux.
Custom Linux VPN clients
Linux is Linux, so any Linux VPN app can be re-compiled from its source code (usually in Tarball form) to work on any Linux platform.
Most VPN providers, however, also make their apps available as executable DEB files for Debian (Ubuntu/Mint/etc.) users and RPM files for Red Hat (Fedora, RHEL, CentOS/etc.) users. Some may even offer install packages in Snaps or Flatpack format.
However, it’s fair to say that installing and using a VPN client (whether GUI or CLI) works pretty much exactly the same as any other Linux app on your system.
Using NetworkManager as a Linux VPN GUI
Many Linux distros, including most Debian flavors, use NetworkManager as a GUI interface to manage their network connections. Even with distros that don’t (such as Raspbian), it is usually possible to manually install NetworkManager.
NetworkManager provides an easy-to-use graphical interface for managing your VPN connections. Out-of-the-box, it usually only supports the PPTP VPN protocol, but plugins are available for OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, and IKEv2 (using strongSwan). As already noted, however, it does not provide any DNS leak protection or a kill-switch.
It is worth noting that AirVPN recommends against using NetworkManager “due to multiple, critical problems.” We have not been able to ascertain what there are, though, and most VPNs are happy to provide setup guides using NetworkManager.
The command-line
With this being Linux, it’s only natural that you can set up and run a VPN from the command line! The exact commands will depend on the specific distro you’re using, but apps like OpenVPN will work well in any Linux environment.
As we have discussed, you will also need to configure iptables to enjoy a truly secure VPN experience.
How to install a VPN on Linux
We now have a dedicated guide on how to install a VPN in Linux. It focuses primarily on Debian/Ubuntu, but in the future, we hope to expand it to include other branches of Linux as well.
Can I get a free VPN for Linux?
Unfortunately, very few VPNs offer a free service compatible with Linux. The good news is that two market-leading services have a limited free plan that is available to Linux users!
Both ProtonVPN
and Windscribe
offer command-line OpenVPN Linux tools.
ProtonVPN provides guidance on installing its CLI Linux VPN tool on Ubuntu, Archlinux, Manjaro, Solus, and Fedora, while Winscribe not only supports Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and CentOS, but also different versions of its tool optimized for different versions of each distro.
For more information on free VPNs (and why you need to take care when picking one), please head over to our Free VPN guide.
Conclusion
While there are plenty of VPNs that work with Linux, not all of them offer as good a service as they do for their Windows and macOS clients. If you want to get the most out of your VPN for Linux, then getting one with a custom GUI for your distro is the best place to start. Here’s a quick reminder of our top picks for VPNs for Linux:
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Private Internet Access
– The best VPN for Linux. It offers dedicated clients for Ubuntu, Mint, Arch, & Debian – all of which are fully featured. -
AirVPN
– A secure VPN for Linux. It offers a Linux GUI client precompiled for a Debian, OpenSUSE, Fedora, and ArchLinux with all the features. -
Mullvad
– A good Linux VPN if you want anonymous payments. It offers a Linux GUI client that is loaded with all the bells & whistles. -
TorGuard
– A no logs VPN app for Linux. Its GUI client is a pleasure to use and comes with kill-switch functionality in case your connection fails. -
ExpressVPN
– A fast VPN for Linux. It is operated via a command line client, but users can also use a browser extension for easier use.
FAQs
If you still have questions – don’t worry! We’ve put together a FAQ that covers the most common questions related to Linux VPN services.