Maybe you tried Urban VPN because it markets itself as a “free premium VPN” (whatever that means). But if you’re here looking for the best Urban VPN alternatives, chances are it didn’t quite live up to your expectations.
The thing is, Urban VPN struggles to deliver the basics you’d want in a solid VPN — like fast speeds, consistent unblocking, and privacy you can trust. Plus, it skips over some essential security features that have become standard in higher-rated providers.
Whether you’re dealing with an issue or simply feel there’s a better option, we’ve got you covered. In this guide, we’ll break down the best alternatives and competitors to Urban VPN and highlight what to look for in a VPN that truly delivers.
Best Alternatives to Urban VPN – Our Detailed List for 2026
Urban VPN is known as a free provider, but we’re going to look at a mix of premium and free VPNs.
To put it plainly, premium VPNs offer significantly better value in every area that matters, except for pricing. That said, we’ve still included an option for free users.
Let’s dive in:
9200 servers
167 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
10 simultaneous connections
9.4 /10
3000 servers
105 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
10 simultaneous connections
9.1 /10
27000 servers
91 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
Unlimited connections
9 /10
17500 servers
127 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
10 simultaneous connections
8.8 /10
1. NordVPN
NordVPN is arguably the highest-rated VPN on the market and the best alternative to Urban VPN in 2026.
For starters, it’s loaded with top-tier features, from industry-standard to advanced. It uses bank-level AES 256-bit encryption to protect your data from prying eyes, and there’s a responsive kill switch to plug leaks when the connection drops.
You also get lots of extras, like Meshnet, a unique feature that lets you securely connect with other devices across different networks in various countries. Also, NordVPN doesn’t track or store your browsing data or identifiers. Unlike Urban VPN, there are multiple audits by independent experts to validate this claim.
The VPN has a massive network comprising over 6,600 servers across 111 countries. Combine the wealth of connection options with its powerful unblocking capabilities, and you have just the right tool for your foreign streaming needs. Switching regions on Netflix is a piece of cake.
It doesn’t hurt that its well-optimized 10 Gbps network translates to blazing-fast connection speeds. Whether you’re just browsing, using the VPN for online gaming, or streaming videos in 4K, you won’t have to put up with stuttering connections.
NordVPN is a widely compatible VPN with intuitive apps for all the most commonly used operating systems. Not only does it have native apps for desktop and mobile platforms, but it also supports streaming devices, smart TVs, gaming consoles, and more. For example, it has one of the best Apple TV VPN apps.
A responsive customer support team is available 24/7 should you need assistance with troubleshooting or inquiries. What’s more, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee attached to every plan.
2. ExpressVPN
British Virgin Islands-based ExpressVPN is another great alternative to Urban VPN. That jurisdiction suggests it takes privacy seriously, and there’s plenty of proof that it does.
In fact, no other VPN has undergone more third-party audits of its systems and no-logs policy. Rest assured, after a browsing session, you’re not leaving any digital crumbs behind that could lead right back to you.
The VPN uses military-grade encryption to shield your data from hackers and other shady online actors. It takes a simple but not threadbare approach — plenty of industry-standard and advanced tools come included, from a kill switch to perfect forward secrecy.
Test after test, ExpressVPN continues to maintain a near-perfect score when it comes to streaming. A sizeable network in 105 countries and great unlocking capabilities means you have your pick of streaming libraries wherever you are. For example, it is one of the most effective VPNs for enjoying Hulu outside the United States.
On top of that, it delivers lightning-fast speeds for all your online needs.
ExpressVPN matches NordVPN when it comes to device support. It has easy-to-use apps and manual configuration for basically any popular operating system, so some of your internet-capable gadgets aren’t left out.
Live chat is pretty fast and personable, with representatives always available to help you sort out any issues. If you have a less-than-stellar experience within 30 days of purchasing a subscription, you can request a full refund.
3. Private Internet Access
If having control over your settings is important to you, PIA and Urban VPN are two worlds apart. Unlike the latter (which doesn’t even have a proper “Settings” tab), Private Internet Access gives you a ton of control over your preferences. You can even choose the encryption level and customize how thorough you want the kill switch to be.
What else makes it one of the best alternatives to Urban VPN in 2026? PIA offers great privacy features, including a strict no-logs policy that’s been independently audited. But that’s not all—it has even had to prove in US court (twice) that no personal data stays on its servers.
Speaking of which, with a massive collection of servers in 91 countries, you’re set for fast speeds and easy access to content from around the world. Moreover, PIA doesn’t have data caps or bandwidth limits, both frustrating restrictions that can interrupt your online sessions.
Private Internet Access is the most affordable of the VPN providers we rate as the best Urban VPN alternatives. It matches them for compatibility, with native apps for many platforms.
That said, it’s not as user-friendly, mainly because of all those customization options, which beginners may find confusing.
4. Proton VPN
Attracted to Urban VPN for its “free” protection? Proton VPN offers a much stronger option that doesn’t compromise on the essentials. It’s a leading free alternative to Urban VPN, and a great premium competitor as well.
Proton VPN’s free plan sticks to the ultra-secure encryption standard present in the VPN’s Plus premium offering. You also get standard security features like a kill switch and Proton’s unique Stealth protocol, designed to bypass censorship without risking your data.
The VPN takes its no-logs policy seriously, too. Unlike Urban VPN, it won’t track your browsing or use your data for ads or marketing. Independent audits back this commitment, and since the apps are open-source, anyone can verify those claims.
While the free plan limits you to fewer server locations and isn’t as fast as the Plus option, it’s still way faster than Urban VPN. It’s also on another level in terms of accessing blocked content abroad — during our tests, it actually managed to unblock a few Netflix libraries.
Moreover, this free plan is truly unlimited, with no data or bandwidth limits to worry about. Whether you’re using it for streaming or downloads, your connection speed won’t ever be throttled.
It’s a free VPN, so there’s a catch, of course. Proton VPN’s free plan only works with one device at once, compared to the ten-device simultaneous connection limit on the Plus plan. As mentioned earlier, it’s also significantly slower, and you’ll enjoy much better unblocking with an upgrade.
What to Look for in Urban VPN Alternatives
Urban VPN is not in the absolute elite category of VPN services. Even placing it in the tier below would be doing a disservice to providers like Mullvad and Astrill.
We look at several key factors when we evaluate VPNs, and Urban VPN doesn’t impress in any of them. If we’re being brutally honest, it’s a pretty bad option, all things considered.
Here are some of the must-haves when picking a good alternative to Urban VPN:
More Features
If you know anything about VPNs, you know certain features should come standard, like a kill switch, auto-connect options, protocol choices, and DNS leak protection. Unfortunately, these are all missing here, pointing to a barebones service. As you can guess, the VPN doesn’t offer advanced or extra tools like Double VPN and split tunneling.
Your Urban VPN alternative should include these features and more. Not only do they provide a seamless VPN experience, but they help to keep your traffic and sensitive information private and secure.
Better Privacy and Logging Policy
Urban VPN claims to be a “100% anonymous VPN” that doesn’t collect logs, but don’t be fooled. Digging through its privacy policy paints a completely different story.
There, the VPN openly admits to collecting data like your IP address, online identifiers, and even your browsing data and insights. Sometimes, it’s vague on the why (“we need this information to provide the VPN services.”)
Other times, it’s more upfront, saying your data will be used to help target you with ads.
This VPN can (and will) sell your data for monetary gain — but don’t worry, “in most cases,” the data is non-identifying.
Even worse, Urban VPN has no problems with handing over personal data to government authorities, service providers, or “authorized third parties” that come calling.
Bottom line: This is not a VPN you can trust with your sensitive information. Logging that incredible amount of information defeats the whole idea of using a VPN for privacy purposes.
So, what should you look for instead? Only consider Urban VPN alternatives that don’t collect or store personally identifiable data (i.e., NordVPN or ExpressVPN).
It goes without saying that they should not be willing to sell your data for profit or share anything with authorities. Bonus points for those with third-party audits of their no-logs policies.
Faster Speeds
A VPN will usually slow down your internet speed, but the best VPNs minimize that drop in performance so it’s barely perceptible.
Unfortunately, Urban VPN isn’t in that category, and you’ll definitely experience the effects of the VPN’s processing load. During our test, even regular web pages sometimes took ages to load, talk more of streaming in high definition.
You’re better off using one of the fastest VPN services for smooth browsing experiences. The Urban VPN alternatives discussed above have optimized networks and high-speed protocols like WireGuard.
Good Unblocking Prowess
Urban VPN does a poor job of bypassing geo-restrictions. It can’t unblock foreign libraries on any popular platforms, like Netflix and Hulu. We weren’t expecting much when we tried because free VPNs typically don’t impress here, but Urban VPN does claim to “unblock any website or app.”
If you’re one of the many people who use VPNs for streaming, choose one with excellent unblocking capabilities.
Broader Compatibility
Urban VPN offers VPN apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. It also has browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. While that covers many of the more commonly used platforms, it’s pretty limited to the VPNs we discussed. There’s no Linux app, for example, and you’re out of luck if you need a VPN for your Roku or smart TV.
Better Customer Support
Urban VPN falls short even here. It only offers a simple contact form, and there is no live chat or phone support for real-time assistance. We shot them a message to gauge the response time, but there was no reply, so there’s that.
You can dig for answers yourself on the VPN’s blog and FAQs page, but we found the latter sparse and missing several questions we would have needed answers for.
Conversely, leading Urban VPN alternatives have reliable, accessible customer support, usually around the clock. That way, you can reach an agent and get help when you need it.
Should You Use a Free VPN as an Urban VPN Alternative?
Generally, we’re not huge fans of free VPNs. They fail to impress in most of the areas we covered above, so switching to one could be like asking more of the same.
That said, we listed a free VPN among our best Urban VPN alternatives.
Why?
Because it’s arguably the best option on the market for people who cannot afford a VPN subscription. You can expect a decent balance of privacy, speed, and unblocking. Just keep in mind that even this provider isn’t nearly on the same level as the best premium VPNs.
Final Thoughts
As stated in our Urban VPN review, we do not trust this provider, and neither should you, despite the allure of a free VPN service with no bandwidth limit.
As discussed, the VPN falls short in many key areas, including privacy, performance, streaming, and customer support.
So, in this article, we explored the best Urban VPN alternatives, highlighting the features that make them better options. Whatever your reasons for hopping on a VPN are, these providers have you covered. NordVPN is our favorite option because it checks all the right boxes.
You can check it out yourself risk-free, thanks to a 30-day money-back guarantee.