Psiphon

Q: Is Psiphon free?

Yes. Psiphon Basic is free and ad-supported, with reduced features. Psiphon Plus starts at $2.88 a month and removes ads.

Q: Is Psiphon a VPN?

Yes, a censorship-focused one. Psiphon calls itself a censorship-resistant VPN. It routes your traffic through its own network and replaces your IP address with one from a Psiphon server.

Q: Is Psiphon safe to use?

It is open source and has been audited. Its clients and core tunnelling code are public, and independent security firms, including Cure53, have reviewed key parts. The audit reports are published on its site.

Q: Does Psiphon work on Mac?

Not officially, as far as the site shows. The official site lists apps for Android, iOS and Windows. It does not list a macOS app.

Q: Who makes Psiphon?

Psiphon Inc., a Canadian company. Psiphon began at the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto in 2006. Psiphon Inc. was set up as an independent Ontario company in 2007.

Q: What are good Psiphon alternatives?

It depends on why you need a VPN. For censorship, Psiphon is still a strong pick. For general privacy, see the tools in our VPN software category.

A free, open-source VPN built to get around internet censorship.

Free planCensorship circumventionOpen source

Visit psiphon.ca ↗Last verified: 5 Nov 2026

Fact-checked

Refael EliyahuMarketing, Startup StashEconomics-trained and numbers-first. He owns content, SEO, and distribution here, and every tools page goes through him before the Fact-checked mark goes live.

FreePsiphon Basic

From $2.88Psiphon Plus, per month

2006First release

Win, Android, iOSPlatforms

The short version

What is Psiphon?

Psiphon is a free VPN made by Psiphon Inc. in Canada. Its job is to get you onto the open internet in countries and networks that block sites, and it is still actively offered in 2026.

It started as a Citizen Lab project at the University of Toronto, released as open-source software on 1 December 2006, and Psiphon Inc. was set up as an independent company in 2007. The app tries several connection methods and picks one that works on your network. You need no account or email. The free version, Psiphon Basic, shows ads and has reduced features. Psiphon Plus removes ads and opens the full network.

Bottom line: if you need to reach blocked sites, Psiphon is one of the most established free tools for it. It is not built for streaming or business use, and the official site lists Android, iOS and Windows apps only.

What it does

Key features

Picks a route that works

The app automatically tries several connection methods and uses one that gets through on your current network.

No account needed

You can connect without signing up or giving an email address.

Encrypted traffic

Traffic is routed through Psiphon servers and encrypted, so your internet provider cannot see its contents.

Open source and audited

The clients and core tunnelling code are open source. Independent firms, including Cure53, have reviewed key parts and the reports are published.

What it costs

Psiphon pricing (2026)

Plan	Price	What you get
Psiphon Basic	Free	Ad-supported, with reduced features. No account.
Psiphon Plus	From $2.88/mo	Full network, no ads, every feature.
Conduit Access	Free	You run a Conduit station that shares spare device capacity. Android only for now.

Prices from psiphon.ca, in USD. The site gives a "from" price only, so the final cost depends on the plan length you choose.

Honest fit

Who it's for, who it isn't

Pick Psiphon if

You need to reach sites blocked in your country or on your network
You want a free option that needs no account
You value open-source code with published security audits
You use Android, iOS or Windows

Look elsewhere if

You want a VPN mainly for streaming or picking exact server cities
You need a Mac or Linux app listed on the official site
You need a business VPN with admin controls for a team
You do not want ads and will not pay for Plus

What people ask

Psiphon FAQ

Is Psiphon free?

Yes. Psiphon Basic is free and ad-supported, with reduced features. Psiphon Plus starts at $2.88 a month and removes ads.

Is Psiphon a VPN?

Yes, a censorship-focused one. Psiphon calls itself a censorship-resistant VPN. It routes your traffic through its own network and replaces your IP address with one from a Psiphon server.

Is Psiphon safe to use?

It is open source and has been audited. Its clients and core tunnelling code are public, and independent security firms, including Cure53, have reviewed key parts. The audit reports are published on its site.

Does Psiphon work on Mac?

Not officially, as far as the site shows. The official site lists apps for Android, iOS and Windows. It does not list a macOS app.

Who makes Psiphon?

Psiphon Inc., a Canadian company. Psiphon began at the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto in 2006. Psiphon Inc. was set up as an independent Ontario company in 2007.

What are good Psiphon alternatives?

It depends on why you need a VPN. For censorship, Psiphon is still a strong pick. For general privacy, see the tools in our VPN software category.

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