By choosing to use Ubuntu over a more traditional OS like Windows or MacOS, you have taken a major step towards improving your digital privacy. The next step is to improve your online security with a VPN for Ubuntu. In this guide, we showcase the five best VPNs for Ubuntu, all of which have compatible ubuntu clients.
What are the best VPNs for Ubuntu?
These are the top 5 VPNs for Ubuntu. If you would like to learn more about them, check out our in-depth analysis.
-
Private Internet Access
– A secure, no logs VPN service that offers a dedicated Ubuntu client and 10 simultaneous connections. -
AirVPN
– An Ubuntu VPN that is packed with high-quality privacy features. A perfect pick if you like delving into settings. -
Mullvad
– An Ubuntu-friendly VPN packed into an easy to use GUI client. It’s IPv6 compatible and offers VPN through Tor! -
TorGuard
– A full Ubuntu VPN client that runs OpenVPN as default. It’s also packed with handy features like a kill switch and “stealth” mode. -
ExpressVPN
– A CLI VPN for Ubuntu that has recently begun offering 100% RAM-only servers and lightening fast speeds.
Ubuntu and a VPN is a winning combination, however, custom Linux VPN software can be difficult to find, as most services only support Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android.
Along with Mint (which is forked from Ubuntu anyway), Ubuntu is widely regarded as the most newbie-friendly Linux distro available. It is also very popular as most Linux developers and Linux guides assume Ubuntu as the “default”, so Ubuntu users enjoy unparalleled levels of support (for the Linux world!).
A lot of VPN services offer manual setup guides for Ubuntu, but all the VPNs we recommend below offer their own custom Ubuntu software, some of which have GUI clients for Ubuntu. All of our recommendations also use OpenVPN, which is our recommended VPN protocol. We go into a lot more detail about their features in the summaries below, so without further ado, let’s take a close look at our top VPN picks for Ubuntu.
The Best VPNs for Ubuntu | In-depth analysis
Private Internet Access is the best VPN for Ubuntu. The secure, no logs VPN has a dedicated 64-bit client which is also compatible with other Linux flavours.
-
Pricing
From
$2.69 –
$9.95 -
Available on
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
This no-logs US VPN company now offers a 64-bit full GUI Ubuntu client (also compatible with Mint, Arch and Debian). Instead of a regular DEB package, the download file comes in the somewhat unusual .run format.
This can be easily installed in Ubuntu, however, imply by opening Terminal, CDing into your Download directory and entering (sudo not needed):
sh pia-linux-1.8-04193.run
As we might expect from a full GUI client, Linux users can now enjoy all the features that Windows and macOS users take for granted. This includes a kill switch, “PIA Mace” (DNS ad and malware blocking), and fine-grained control over the OpenVPN encryption settings used.
PIA is notable for being one of the only companies anywhere that has had its no logs proven in court. It also offers a generous 30-day free trial and allows up 10 devices to connect to the service at once.
AirVPN is an excellent VPN for Ubuntu users to gain a little extra privacy online. It is packed with high quality privacy features & it’s super secure, keeping no logs.
-
Pricing
From
$3.23 –
$8.05 -
Available on
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- Hulu
AirVPN is one of the best VPNs for Ubuntu users. This Italian-based service has a strong techie focus that our research shows put many users off. But hey, you’re a hardcore Ubuntu user, so this shouldn’t be a problem for you! And, indeed, it really shouldn’t. AirVPN is a very privacy-orientated provider, and its open-source “Eddie” client is the same deal in Windows, macOS, and Ubuntu.
This means that Ubuntu users can enjoy a fully-featured GUI VPN client with a kill switch and full IPv4 and IPv6 leak protection. The client is also effective at mitigating against WebRTC leaks and allows port forwarding.
You also gain full access to AirVPN’s VPN through SSH or SSL tunnel obfuscation features and the ability to use to connect to its VPN servers via the Tor network for true anonymity when using the service (assuming you also pay anonymously, of course). Port forwarding is available via the web interface.
Users can connect up to five devices at once. No logs at all are kept (they are sent to a dev/null file), and torrenting is permitted on all servers.
Mullvad is an excellent no-logs VPN for Ubuntu. This VPN offers a full-featured service, including an open-soruce GUI that works great on many Ubuntu.
-
Pricing
From
$5.50 –
$5.60 -
Available on
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
-
Unblocks
Mullvad is a no-logs Swedish VPN service that shares a great deal in common with AirVPN, including a strong focus on techy stuff and privacy. And like AirVPN, it offers Ubuntu users the same fully-featured open-source GUI client enjoyed by your Windows and Mac-owning peers.
Mullvad’s client features a kill switch, and in addition to providing full DNS leak protection and WebRTC mitigation, is one only clients for any platform to actually route IPv6 connections properly rather than simply blocking them to prevent leaks. It also features port forwarding.
VPN through Tor is supported, although this requires manual configuration. Mullvad accepts payment in cash sent by post, allows up to five simultaneous connections, has servers all over the place, and is a regular in our top five speed test winners.
TorGuard offers Ubuntu users a Full VPN GUI client with OpenVPN as default. It’s also packed with helpful features like a kill switch and VPN obfuscation.
-
Pricing
From
$4.16 –
$9.99 -
Available on
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
-
Unblocks
TorGuard is a no-logs VPN service based in the United States. It runs 3000 bare metal servers in 55 countries, provides 24/7 Live Chat support, offers a 7-day refund, and unblocks many streaming services (including US Netflix).
It also offers a full GUI Linux client. This uses OpenVPN by default, but can also connect using the Cisco OpenConnect protocol. In OpenVPN mode it supports port selection (including both UDP and TCP). It also features a kill switch and stunnel VPN obfuscation. Instead of using the kill switch you can terminate selected applications when the VPN disconnects.
The TorGuard Linux app is available for download as a DEB file for easy Ubuntu installation.
ExpressVPN is a reliable and respected VPN for all platforms, including Ubuntu. The service doesn’t offer a GUI, but if you’re ok with a CLI then it’s worth checking out.
-
Pricing
From
$6.67 –
$12.95 -
Available on
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, it is one of the most respected figures in the VPN industry. We are particularly impressed by its move to 100% RAM-only servers which ensures data cannot persist between reboots and improves security since all servers always boot from read-only disks with identical configurations.
In addition to manual Ubuntu support for various VPN protocols, ExpressVPN now offers a command-line (CLI) Ubuntu client with DNS leak protection. It offers both 32-bit and 64-bit DEB file available for Ubuntu users.
ExpressVPN users enjoy 24/7 live chat support, a 30-day no-quibble guarantee, and can now use up to five devices at once.
Why do I need a VPN for Ubuntu?
You need a VPN for Ubuntu for the same reasons you need a VPN on any computer. If you don’t know what a VPN is or how one can help you, then please check out our Beginner’s Guide to Virtual Private Networks. As a quick refresher, though:
- A VPN prevents websites you visit from seeing your real IP address, which also helps to prevent them from tracking you across the internet
- A VPN prevents your internet provider (ISP) from knowing what you do on the internet because all it knows is that you have connected to a VPN server
- A VPN also prevents your ISP from seeing your data because the data is encrypted between your Ubuntu PC and the VPN server
- And what your ISP doesn’t know, your government won’t either (unless it’s targeting you very specifically, of course)
- The encryption used to connect to a VPN server protects you when a public WiFi hotspot
- A VPN lets you watch shows on services such as BBC iPlayer and US Netflix which would normally be blocked to you
- And a VPN allows you to torrent to your heart’s content without the need to look over your shoulder
So as a privacy tool, a VPN makes a perfect companion to Ubuntu!
Using a VPN for Ubuntu
Using a VPN for Ubuntu is pretty much the same as using a VPN for any other operating system. However, there are one or two quirks you should be aware of.
Custom GUI software is very rare on the ground
VPNs with a custom GUI are hard to come by for Unbuntu. In fact, only Private Internet Access
, AirVPN
, and Mullvad
offer fully-featured custom GUI clients for Ubuntu.
Some VPN services now offer custom Command Line (CLI) clients, but other than coming pre-configured to connect to their own servers, these don’t usually offer anything over and above configuring OpenVPN manually.
Most VPN services offer Ubuntu support via manual CLI and/or Network manager setup guides. These are fine as far as they go, but…
No DNS leak protection
Basic manual VPN setup in Ubuntu and most custom CLI clients does not push DNS requests to the VPN provider’s DNS servers. DNS leaks can be resolved, however, by modifying resolvconf to push DNS to your VPN’s DNS servers.
Alternatively, you can manually configure the iptables firewall to ensure all traffic (including DNS requests) must go via the VPN server. IVPN has written a superb guide on how to do this.
No kill switch
Again, neither manual VPN setup nor any Ubuntu CLI client we know of offers a kill switch designed to prevent your IP address leaking in the event of a VPN dropout or while the VPN is reconnecting. Configuring iptables as above, however, also works as a kill switch.
It should be noted that the GUI Ubuntu clients from AirVPN and Mullvad both include full IPv4 and IPv6 DNS leak protection and kill switches. They also feature all the other bells and whistles available to their Windows and macOS customers.
Ubuntu 18.04 LTS and Ubuntu 19.04 GNOME privacy issues
With the release of Ubuntu 17.10, Canonical dropped its homegrown Unity desktop as the default shell for GNOME 3. Thankfully, privacy controversies such as sending search queries entered into unified Unity’s Dash search bar to Amazon are now but a distant memory.
The Amazon button
Some may not like, however, the fact that Ubuntu 18.04 LTS GNOME and Ubuntu 19.04 GNOME (the latest stable distros when this article was written) continue to feature a special Amazon button in the quick-launch bar. Clicking on it opens a new browser tab with a referral code which ensures that Canonical receives a small fee for each purchase you make.
You can, of course, simply opt not to click on this button if it bothers you. But if it does, then you can get rid of it. To hide it, simply:
Right-click on the icon > Remove from Favorites.
To remove it entirely from your computer, open Terminal and enter:
sudo apt purge ubuntu-web-launchers
Voila! No more Amazon button!
Error reporting
Ubuntu Unity came with some quite scary third-party privacy policies that amounted to you sharing a great deal of personal information with the likes of Facebook, the BBC, eBay, Google (via YouTube), and more.
Again, the switch to GMOME seems to address this as at heart Ubuntu GNOME is a fairly stock version of GMOME 3. Which does not share personal information with anybody. It does, however, send anonymized error reports to Canonical.
If you like, you can disable this by going to:
- Show Applications (the grid icon at the bottom left of the screen)
- Go into settings
- Click on privacy
- Find problem Reporting
- Click send error reports to Canonical
- Set to “Off”
How to set up an OpenVPN server on Linux?
Using a set of scripts known as PiVPN is by far the simplest way to set up an OpenVPN server in Ubuntu. PiVPN was designed with the Raspberry Pi in mind – as the name might suggest – but it will work well with Ubuntu and other Debian-based Linux distros. Please check out our PiVPN Review for the full low-down, complete with a detailed setup guide (it really is very easy!).
Ubuntu VPNs: Final thoughts
Ubuntu’s recent seismic shift away from the Unity desktop to GNOME has fixed most of the privacy issues that have plagued Canonicals’ popular Linux distro for years. Most VPN providers’ support remains firmly focused on Unity, however, all apps will continue to work just fine in Ubuntu GNOME. And thanks to Canonicals’ heavy skinning of the GNOME 3 interface to give it a very Unity-like feel, most VPN set up guides will still be close enough to follow.
It is also worth noting that almost any app designed for Ubuntu (including those from all providers listed in this article) will work just as well in other Debian/Ubuntu-based distros, such as Debian itself, Mint, Kali, and more. Most can be re-compiled to work in any flavor of Linux you choose!