The 5 Best Linux VPNs With Simple Setup (2026)

Long gone are the days when Linux was considered an afterthought compared to Windows and macOS. Now, most VPN providers are taking a stab at providing VPN clients for Linux, but it’s clear that some providers are completely ahead of the game.

NordVPN stands out as our top recommendation because it offers something no other VPN provider does: support for Meshnet. It makes building your own VPN between your devices simple, so you can easily send files and share your VPN connection. In second, we have Surfshark. Unlimited device support, a great server network, high-speed connections, and IP rotation through Nexus. All around a great VPN. Then in third, we have ProtonVPN. It’s practically on par with the Windows version in terms of features. You’ll find a ton of important options on the Linux client such as port forwarding, VPN accelerator, and NAT traversal.

As for the rest of our list, we have two VPNs that perform almost exactly the same on Windows as they do on Linux: ExpressVPN and PIA. If you need usability above all else, you should check out both of these providers first. They’re not quite as impressive as our top three, but they do offer parity with Windows.

Top 5 Best VPNs for Linux Compared

1. NordVPN

NordVPN is one of the rare few providers that offers a Linux GUI client. It’s not quite as powerful as what you’d get in Windows, as there’s notably no Threat Protection Pro support. You still get access to Threat Protection, which filters out all of the ads and trackers you’d otherwise encounter while browsing, but it doesn’t work as an Anti-Virus solution. You might be worried that there’s also no Meshnet support from looking at the app, but don’t worry. You can integrate your Linux devices into your Nord Meshnet… as long as you use the CLI to set it up.

Otherwise, the NordVPN app works as you’d expect. NordVPN offers 9,000 servers across 181 locations including servers specialized for P2P, Onion over VPN servers for accessing the TOR network, and double VPN connections. All of these specialty servers are available through the Linux as well as the following VPN protocols: NordLynx, NordWhisper, and OpenVPN on TCP and UDP.

While most VPN companies treat Linux like an afterthought (unlike Android VPNs which get all the attention), NordVPN actually built a proper Linux client. Both GUI and command-line versions work reliably, and you get the full feature set including kill switch, auto-connect, and their NordLynx protocol. At all this for only $3.49/month long-term, NordVPN is our first choice if you need a value Linux VPN client. To sweeten the deal, most of NordVPN’s servers can be used as SOCKS5 proxies too.

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For more information, refer to our  full NordVPN review.

2. Surfshark

Surfshark is one of the best value choices if you’re looking for a Linux VPN. You can run as many connected instances of Surfshark as you like for only $2.49/month. Whether you’re just running Surfshark on all of your desktops, laptops, and phones, or you’re spooling up multiple VMs that all need a protected VPN connection, you pay the same price for an unlimited simultaneous connection policy.

When you’re actually running the Surfshark client, you’ll notice it has the same rough appearance as the Windows Surfshark client with a few less features. There’s no integration for Surfshark Search, Alternative ID, or Antivirus bundled in here, just the core VPN. You’ve got the choice between WireGuard and OpenVPN (TCP/UDP) for protocols, alongside Surfshark’s Static IP servers, MultiHop, Dedicated IP, and their ClearWeb solution for blocking adverts.

You’re still getting a fantastic VPN with access to over 4,500 servers alongside their Nexus network, which enabled IP rotation across every server you connect to. Great if you’re particularly worried about being tracked across the net.

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For more information, refer to our full Surfshark review.

3. Proton VPN

Proton VPN is another provider with a stellar Linux VPN app, although you’re sacrificing aesthetics a little bit in comparison to the Windows app. Although it’s less visually appealing, the Linux app offers most of the features you’d find on other platforms including a full kill switch, port forwarding, and split tunnelling. Even some of Proton VPN’s specific features are available, such as their speed-boosting VPN Accelerator. As for protocols, it’s either WireGuard or OpenVPN.

The 20,000 server network across 127 locations is one of the biggest we’ve tested, so it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll find a low-latency server near your location.

Proton VPN operates from Switzerland with a proven no-logs policy thanks to several third-party audits. One thing to note here is that Proton VPN doesn’t use RAM-only servers, instead opting for fully locked down encrypted harddrives. In practice, the outcome is the same: if their servers are raided, nobody will be able to get their hands on your data. Plus, their Linux client is completely open-source. Want to audit the code yourself? Go ahead. It integrates nicely with the broader Proton ecosystem if you’re already using ProtonMail or ProtonDrive.

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For more information, refer to our full Proton VPN review.

4. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN used to only offer a CLI for Linux, but as of their most recent app interface refresh they’ve released a Linux GUI client which works in almost the exact same way as the Windows and MacOS clients. If you need a Linux VPN that “just works”, Express VPN is perfect.  It’s simple to use, but has some serious speed under the hood thanks to Lightway, ExpressVPN’s proprietary VPN protocol. You can refer to our full review for the latest speed tests, but needless to say we’re impressed with ExpressVPN’s 1000s servers in 105 locations.

Of course, ExpressVPN also comes with a well-documented CLI in case you want to run ExpressVPN as part of your infrastructure (if you need OpenVPN or WireGuard compatibility, ExpressVPN has that too). One issue you might find with ExpressVPN is that while other VPNs block trackers by default, ExpressVPN is only capable of blocking ads and malicious sites unless you upgrade.

Best of all, ExpressVPN has come down in price. It’s now $2.49/month on a long-term plan, which gets you access to their outstanding 24/7 support staff in case you need help setting up the VPN.

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For more information, refer to our full ExpressVPN review.

5. Private Internet Access (PIA)

PIA’s Linux app is practically indistinguishable from what you’d get on Windows in both design and feature set. In addition to a fantastic GUI with plenty of options for customizing PIA, there’s also a CLI which allows you to run PIA through a headless server. At only $1.33/month for an unlimited simultaneous device subscription, PIA is an excellent VPN if you’ve got multiple Linux devices you need to cover.  The US jurisdiction isn’t ideal given how many cyber attacks per day happen there, but PIA has defended its no-logs policy in court successfully multiple times.

Visit PrivateInternetAccess.com

For more information, refer to our full Private Internet Access (PIA) review.

How We Tested and Ranked Each Linux VPN

Some VPN sites just look over the support guides for Linux VPN clients and assume that’s good enough. It’s not. You need to check if the native client actually works, so that’s what we’ve done. Each VPN we’ve recommended here has been tested on a fresh install of Linux Mint to see if it plays well with Cinnamon. Here’s what we’re looking for in each of our reviews:

• Native Linux support: Does it have a real GUI app? A command line is great if you’re a Linux expert already, but we’re looking for ease of use too.
• Protocols: We expect most providers to offer at least WireGuard vs OpenVPN. Proprietary protocols are a plus.
• Feature parity: If there’s no obvious difference between the Linux client and the Windows version, we’re confident it’s getting the attention it deserves.

Why Linux Users Still Need a VPN

Whether you’re using Linux or another OS, all of your internet traffic is by default unencrypted. Your ISP still has near perfect knowledge of each website you’re visiting. Your internet provider may log where you go online and can sell that data to advertisers in some jurisdictions. They may also hand it over to authorities. The only way to get around that ISP snooping is by encrypting your traffic at the source. By using a VPN, you create an encrypted tunnel that keeps your browsing between you and the VPN server.

The threat doesn’t just come from your ISP, either. Although it’s unlikely, public Wi-Fi hotspots you’d find in places like hotels and cafes can be security threats. These networks may be targets for packet sniffing attacks. Even if there’s a hacker sitting on your Wi-Fi network trying to view your traffic, VPN encryption shields your data.

VPNs aren’t just great for privacy, either. Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and other streaming sites all check your IP location and block you if you’re trying to access content outside your region. Connect through the right country’s server using a VPN and it’s no problem.

They’re great for torrenting, too. Not only does hiding your IP keep other peers from learning who you are while you’re torrenting Linux distros or open source software, but it could also mean a speed boost because your ISP can’t selectively slow down your torrent traffic.

The issue is that many VPN companies tend to provide less support for Linux users. You may find polished apps for Windows and Mac, while Linux options might include basic command-line tools or less stable GUI applications. That’s exactly why we’ve only recommended VPNs with real Linux support.

How to Choose the Right VPN for Linux

There’s an easy way to figure out whether your provider really supports Linux, and that’s to look at the client app. Linux is a relatively small part of the consumer VPN market, so you know if a provider’s gone out of the way to build their own Linux client then they’re well funded and want to provide a great VPN experience no matter the platform. NordVPN gets this right with solid apps for Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, and Fedora. Surfshark goes further with both GUI and command-line options that actually work. That’s not to say some of the cheaper options aren’t worth checking out, but you’ll most likely end up with just a command line to work with.

Make sure their support documentation is in order too. When you dig into it, some VPN providers claim to offer Linux support and really just offer half-baked OpenVPN config files they expect you to fumble with. ExpressVPN has 24/7 support staff available in addition to an easy-to-use Linux client, just in case you need extra help.

If privacy matters to you (and as a Linux user, it probably does), location counts. Proton VPN operates from Switzerland with generally solid privacy laws. NordVPN is based in Panama, outside the 14 Eyes surveillance alliance. Private Internet Access is US-based but claims to have proven their no-logs policy in court cases.

Free VPN Options for Linux: Are They Worth It?

Free VPNs on Linux are (mostly) terrible. You get basic OpenVPN configs if you’re lucky. No native apps. No automatic updates. Barely functioning kill switches. You get the point.

The issue is that Free VPNs still need to make money, and they usually do this by spending as little money as possible. Don’t expect any investment into a shiny Linux app on par with Windows. What you’re often getting with a free VPN is a barebones service that’s staying viable by selling your data, injecting ads, or worse. Some even rent out your bandwidth to sketchy third parties.

That said, we think that Proton VPN’s free tier is generally worth using. It works on Linux, it’s fast, it doesn’t cap your bandwidth, and they have an audited no-logs policy that we trust. The only real downside is that you’re only getting access to five locations instead of Proton VPN’s full server network. Not ideal if you’re looking for a specific region for streaming or a low-latency server for gaming, but it gets the job done if you’re trying to browse the internet privately.

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