Best VPN for Ubuntu in 2026: Five With Full Desktop Apps

Until recently, a VPN on Ubuntu usually meant typing commands into a terminal. Some of the best-known VPNs offered Linux apps without a window to click, so many Ubuntu users settled for whatever VPN had a proper desktop app. That has changed.

Once a VPN app connects, Ubuntu sends everything through it: Firefox, Steam, a torrent client, even your apt updates. Your ISP, or the people sharing a library network with your laptop, see one encrypted stream of data headed to the VPN server, and websites see that server’s location instead of yours.

Desktop apps alone don’t settle the choice, though. Some VPNs support only the newest Ubuntu release, some leave features out of their Snap version, and one drops its kill switch in the Flatpak build. Installing the right one now takes about two minutes, and below, I list my top 5 picks.

Ubuntu VPN Apps Compared

Ubuntu support varies widely between these five, so the table covers the releases each app supports, how it installs, and what it offers on Linux.

VPN	Ubuntu releases	Install options	Linux protocols	Split tunneling on Linux	Devices
NordVPN	22.04 or newer	Install script (.deb), Snap	NordLynx, NordWhisper, OpenVPN	No	10
Proton VPN	Latest stable release	apt repository, Snap (fewer features)	WireGuard, Stealth, OpenVPN	Yes	10
ExpressVPN	24.04 or newer	Installer script	Lightway, OpenVPN	Yes	10-14
Private Internet Access	LTS releases, 20.04 or newer	.run installer (x86_64, arm64, armhf)	WireGuard, OpenVPN	Yes	Unlimited
Surfshark	20.04 or newer	.deb script, Snap, Flatpak	WireGuard, OpenVPN	Yes	Unlimited

The Best VPNs for Ubuntu in 2026

1. NordVPN: Best VPN for Ubuntu Overall

NordVPN was the fastest VPN we tested on Ubuntu 24.04, with an 8.3% average speed loss averaged over our UK, US, and Japan servers, so 4K video and large system updates feel the same with the VPN on. Its Linux desktop app arrived in 2025 and covers the server list, kill switch, and protocol settings.

You can also use the command-line tool for servers and scripts. The app keeps most of what NordVPN offers elsewhere. NordLynx connections use post-quantum encryption, NordWhisper gets you connected on Wi-Fi that blocks VPNs, and Double VPN and Onion Over VPN servers are a click away.

No service in our streaming tests blocked it, which is why it also features among the best VPNs for streaming. On Ubuntu 22.04 and newer, the installer adds NordVPN’s package repository, so updates arrive with your usual apt upgrades. Its app was the heaviest on memory in our Ubuntu tests, which shows on a laptop with little RAM.

On a machine like that, use NordVPN’s terminal client by itself. Split tunneling is missing from the Linux app, and Meshnet, which links your devices so you can browse through your home PC on a trip, works from the command line only. NordVPN’s Basic plan is close to $3.50 a month with a two-year commitment.

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2. Proton VPN: Best for Privacy on Ubuntu

On its UK and US servers, Proton VPN Plus had a 7.8% speed loss on Ubuntu, which you won’t notice in daily use. Its Japanese server was much slower, so if you connect to Asia often, NordVPN is the better fit.

The Linux app is open source and built for GNOME, and its split tunneling, which lets chosen apps skip the VPN, works on Ubuntu without extra setup. Stealth, the protocol Proton VPN uses to hide VPN traffic from network filters, is now part of the Linux app.

Secure Core puts a second Proton VPN server, in a country with strict privacy law, ahead of the one you choose; port forwarding speeds up torrent downloads, and the permanent kill switch blocks internet access whenever the VPN is off.

In our streaming tests, Proton VPN unblocked Netflix US and BBC iPlayer, so US TV channels from abroad and British shows are within reach. Install it from Proton VPN’s apt repository, since the Snap version leaves some features out, and if the tray icon doesn’t appear, enable GNOME’s AppIndicator extension.

Proton VPN supports only the latest stable Ubuntu release and not Ubuntu Server, so a headless machine requires another VPN. Two years of VPN Plus cost a little under $3 a month, and the free tier in the same Proton VPN app has fewer features.

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3. ExpressVPN: Best for Older Ubuntu Laptops

ExpressVPN’s Linux desktop app needed just 238 MB of RAM once connected, less than any other app we tested on Ubuntu, so it suits an older laptop where every bit of RAM counts. The app keeps ExpressVPN’s one-button layout, and the kill switch is enabled from the start, so traffic remains blocked if the connection drops.

Split tunneling works by app or by IP address, which lets a local printer or a home media server remain outside the VPN. Advanced Protection can filter ads, trackers, and dangerous sites, but it’s off until you enable it. The same app installs on Linux Mint, an Ubuntu-based distribution, and on Raspberry Pi OS.

So, one subscription covers a Pi at home too. Two limits come with it. ExpressVPN requires Ubuntu 24.04 or newer, so on 22.04 LTS, upgrade first or choose NordVPN or PIA. Its Linux app also skips WireGuard, offering Lightway and OpenVPN, but Lightway kept ExpressVPN among the fastest VPNs in our tests. ExpressVPN’s Basic plan comes in just under $3 a month for two years.

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4. Private Internet Access: Best for LTS Releases and ARM Boards

PIA supports more kinds of hardware than any other VPN we recommend for Ubuntu. Its Linux app comes in x86_64, arm64, and armhf builds, so it installs on a Raspberry Pi or an ARM laptop as easily as on a desktop PC.

The desktop app adds a tray icon with every setting a click away, and piactl, its command-line tool, can keep the VPN connected in the background with no window open, which suits a home server. It supports Ubuntu’s LTS releases only, so if you’re on an interim release such as 25.10, move to the next LTS or choose Surfshark.

WireGuard and OpenVPN are available, split tunneling works on Linux, and port forwarding works on servers outside the US. The app also shows ping for each location, which helps you avoid servers with high ping for gaming. US court records show PIA keeps no user logs, and its apps are open source.

Speed trailed NordVPN, Proton VPN, and ExpressVPN, with a 12.7% average speed loss in our tests; still enough for HD and 4K streaming, but it failed on Prime Video and HBO Max, so choose NordVPN for those. PIA’s longest subscription is around $2 a month and covers unlimited devices.

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5. Surfshark: Best for Streaming on Ubuntu

Surfshark gives you the most ways to install it on Ubuntu: a .deb package through its install script, a Snap, or a Flatpak from Flathub. It supports Ubuntu 20.04 and newer on GNOME, KDE, and XFCE desktops, in amd64 and arm64 builds. The Flatpak leaves out the kill switch, so install the .deb or the Snap instead.

Streaming is where Surfshark stands out. In our tests, it unblocked every streaming service except ITV straight from the desktop app, and its 9.6% average speed loss leaves room for 4K. For live US channels, compare the VPNs that work with YouTube TV.

CleanWeb filters ads, trackers, and malware, and Bypasser, its split tunneling, keeps chosen apps off the VPN, such as an online game. Connection times were sometimes slow, so wait a few seconds before you assume a server isn’t responding.

The company is based in the Netherlands, part of the 9 Eyes, but auditors have verified its no-logs policy and its servers are RAM-only. Surfshark’s Starter plan is roughly $2.50 a month over two years and covers unlimited devices.

Visit Surfshark

How to Install a VPN on Ubuntu

Desktop setup takes the same five steps with any VPN on our list:

1. Check your Ubuntu release by running lsb_release -a in the terminal, then confirm the VPN supports it. ExpressVPN requires 24.04 or newer, and PIA supports LTS releases only.
2. Download the Linux package from the VPN’s website. Choose the .deb or the VPN’s own repository over a Snap or Flatpak, since Proton VPN’s Snap and Surfshark’s Flatpak leave features out.
3. Install the package by opening the .deb in App Center or running the VPN’s install script in the terminal.
4. Sign in and enable the kill switch before your first connection, so traffic never leaves unprotected if the VPN drops.
5. Connect and check the result: visit an IP lookup site and confirm it shows the VPN server’s country.

On Ubuntu Server or any machine without a desktop, use the command-line tools: NordVPN’s and ExpressVPN’s work without the desktop app, and PIA’s piactl can keep the VPN running in the background. Proton VPN doesn’t support Ubuntu Server.

Ubuntu can also connect through its own settings. Under Settings, Network, and VPN, you can import an OpenVPN or WireGuard configuration file from your VPN’s account page.

This works without installing an app, but you lose the app’s kill switch, obfuscation, and server list, so use it only on machines where the app won’t install.

When a VPN Helps on Ubuntu

Ubuntu’s security protects the computer itself. A VPN covers what happens after your traffic leaves it:

• Public Wi-Fi: hotel and café networks are shared with strangers, so connect the VPN before you open a browser. It also changes your IP address, so sites can’t tie your visits to that network.
• The firewall’s limits: ufw, Ubuntu’s firewall, decides which connections are allowed, but it doesn’t encrypt anything or hide your browsing from your ISP.
• Blocked networks: on a campus or office network that filters sites, a VPN helps with unblocking websites, and obfuscation gets past networks that block VPNs themselves.
• School: on a university network that blocks VPN connections, the best VPNs for school disguise the connection so it looks like ordinary web traffic.
• Prices by country: airlines and booking sites sometimes quote different fares by location, so a VPN for cheaper flights lets you compare prices from another country.

Paid or Free on Ubuntu?

A free VPN works on Ubuntu if you can accept its limits. Proton VPN’s free plan uses the same Linux app with no data cap, but it chooses your server, blocks torrenting, and covers one device. Windscribe and Hide.me also offer free Linux clients, with a data allowance on Windscribe and slower speeds on Hide.me.

We tested the three side by side as free VPNs for Linux on Ubuntu. For streaming, choosing a country, or covering several devices, a paid VPN is the better choice.

NordVPN, Proton VPN, ExpressVPN, PIA, and Surfshark come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, and the best free VPNs for Windows, Mac, and phones are ranked separately.

Summary

The desktop apps now make a VPN as easy on Ubuntu as on Windows, and NordVPN makes the best use of that: it was the fastest on Ubuntu, unblocked every streaming service we tested, and adds NordWhisper for networks that block VPNs. On a headless server, skip the desktop apps and install NordVPN’s or PIA’s command-line tool instead.

Proton VPN, ExpressVPN, PIA, and Surfshark also have proper Ubuntu apps, and the comparison table shows which Ubuntu releases each one supports. For other distributions, such as Fedora or Arch, the best VPNs for Linux offer wider support.

Before a major Ubuntu upgrade, check that your VPN supports the new release, since a VPN that stops connecting after an upgrade usually just requires the latest package.

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