Urban VPN homepage
Not recommended

Urban VPN Review

3.6/ 10 - our editorial score

Urban VPN is free because your device becomes part of the network. That is a serious liability, not a bargain.

Review last updated 2026-08-20 · How we rate providers

Scorecard

Speed & reliability
5.4
Privacy & trust
1.6
Features & coverage
3.0
Value for money
4.0
Ease of use
7.6

Pros

  • Completely free with unlimited data and a wide country list
  • Simple browser extension for casual region switching

Cons

  • The network is peer to peer, so other people's traffic can exit through your connection
  • Privacy policy permits collection and commercial use of usage data
  • No kill switch, no audit, no meaningful protection
  • Exactly the model that got Hola VPN into trouble

Privacy, jurisdiction & audits

Who the company answers to legally, what it keeps, and whether anyone independent has checked.

Legal jurisdictionIsrael outside 5/9/14 EyesOperates a peer-to-peer network that routes other users' traffic through participating devices.
Logging policyCollects user data
Independent auditsNone published
RAM-only servers -
Warrant canary -
Anonymous paymentCard / PayPal only

Urban VPN plans & pricing

Advertised rates as of August 20, 2026. VPN promo rates normally require the prepaid term shown and renew at the higher rate; proxy pricing falls with volume. Confirm on Urban VPN's own site before buying.

PlanPrice Devices Notes
FreeFree VPN Free Unlimited Free because participating devices carry other users' traffic

Features

Kill switch
Split tunneling
Obfuscated servers
Multi-hop
Port forwarding
Ad / tracker blocking
Dedicated IP option
Tor over VPN
P2P / torrenting allowed
RAM-only servers
Open-source apps
Pay with crypto

Our Urban VPN review

Urban VPN operates a peer-to-peer model. Instead of paying for all the bandwidth it sells, it routes traffic through the devices of people using the free app. In other words, other users' traffic can leave the internet from your home connection, under your IP address.

This is the same architecture that made Hola VPN notorious a decade ago, and the risk is identical: if someone uses the network to do something illegal and their traffic exits through your address, the trail leads to you first.

The privacy policy permits collection of usage data and its commercial use, which is the second half of the business model. There is no audit, no kill switch, and no serious feature set.

It is free, unlimited and covers many countries, which is why it has a large user base among people who want to change region for a video and think no further.

We do not recommend it under any circumstances. Proton VPN's free tier costs nothing and does not turn your connection into somebody else's exit node.

Notable facts

  • Runs a peer-to-peer network where users carry each other's traffic
  • Privacy policy permits commercial use of collected data
  • Free with unlimited data across a wide country list

At a glance

Founded2018
HeadquartersTel Aviv, Israel
Service typesFree VPN
Servers800
Country coverage80
ProtocolsOpenVPN, Proprietary peer routing
AppsWindows, macOS, iOS, Android, Browser extension
Starting priceFree
Free tierYes
Supportemail

Frequently asked questions

Why is Urban VPN free?

Because participating devices supply the bandwidth. Other people's traffic can exit through your connection, which is the real price of the service.

Is that legal risk real?

Yes. If traffic that exits your IP address is used for something unlawful, investigators start with the address, which is yours.

What should I use instead?

Proton VPN free, hide.me free, Windscribe free or TunnelBear free. All are funded by paying customers rather than by your bandwidth.

Bottom line

Urban VPN is free because your device becomes part of the network. That is a serious liability, not a bargain.

Check current Urban VPN pricing →

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