Betternet vs Hoxx VPN (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Hoxx VPN grades higher than Betternet: 3.0 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Betternet grades higher on ease of use. Hoxx VPN grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Betternet
Ad-supported free VPN with an ad-free Premium plan
Hoxx VPN
Free VPN proxy with a Premium upgrade sold inside the app
Which one is for you
Pick Betternet if
- Fits if you want a free VPN for light use and can live with ads
- Works for people who'll try Premium free for 7 days
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to pick a server country on the free version, which connects to the US only
- Tight if you hate ads: they stay on the free version, and Premium removes them
- Watch out: the trial renews into a paid plan unless you cancel at least 24 hours before it ends
- Watch out: the home page shows a $71.99 first-year promotion that ended 24 March 2026; it renews at $95.99
- Watch out: the vendor's site showed no pricing page, so prices come from the App Store
Pick Hoxx VPN if
- Fits if you want a free VPN or proxy with no data cap
- Works for browser-first use through an extension
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to compare Premium first, as only a starting price is shown
- Watch out: the pages give no renewal terms for Premium
- Watch out: Premium is bought inside the app, after download
- Watch out: support hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET
- Tight if you need Opera or ChromeOS, as those are coming soon
How we grade them
| 2.4GPABetternetFair | 3.0GPAHoxx VPNVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CPremium is $95.99 a year, about $8 a month, or $11.99 monthly, against a category middle of $5. | AFree is a real product with no bandwidth limit. Premium is shown only as from $1.99 a month, billing basis not shown. |
| Free plan and trial | CA free VPN with unlimited data and no sign-up, but with ads and, per the vendor's App Store reply, a US server only. Premium has a 7-day trial that renews unless you cancel. | AA free account with 50+ locations, no bandwidth restrictions and unlimited server switches. |
| Features | CKill switch, leak protection, anti-phishing alerts and connection modes, but the free version is limited to one location and ads. | CFree VPN or proxy, malicious-site filtering and tracking prevention. Premium's extras are listed only as stronger encryption, more locations, faster servers and multi-device. |
| Ease of use | B4.5 from 238K App Store ratings. Install it and connect, with no sign-up for the free version. | CNo store rating on record. Upgrades are bought inside the app after you download it. |
| Platforms and integrations | BiOS, Android, Windows, Mac and a browser extension. No API or integration list. | BExtension, Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android; Opera and ChromeOS are coming soon. |
| Best for | a free VPN with ads | a free VPN or proxy in the browser |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Betternet and Hoxx VPN. How we grade
Price against what you get
Betternet starts at $8 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Hoxx VPN starts at $1.99 a month and scores 2.3.
Betternet scores higher, and starts $6.01 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other VPNs on the chart, 10 score higher than Betternet for less, and 2 score higher than Hoxx VPN for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Hoxx VPN also covers ad and tracker blocking.
At a glance
| Betternet | Hoxx VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $95.99 per year, or $11.99 per month | $1.99 per month and up; billing basis not shown |
| Free plan | Free VPN with unlimited data and no registration, supported by ads. The vendor's App Store reply says the free version connects to a US server. | Free account with 50+ locations, no bandwidth restrictions and malicious-site filtering. |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial of Premium on the monthly and annual plans, per the App Store listing. | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Betternet LLC | Hoxx Inc |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | hoxx.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Betternet
- The free version shows ads and, per the vendor's App Store reply, connects to a US server only; Premium removes the ads.
- The vendor's site did not show a pricing page when read; the prices come from the App Store listing and a promotion notice on the home page.
- The home page still displays a $71.99 first-year promotion whose stated end date, March 24, 2026, has passed; it renews at $95.99 a year.
- Trials convert to paid plans unless cancelled at least 24 hours before they end.
Hoxx VPN
- Premium is shown only as a starting price; upgrades are bought inside the app after download.
- Support hours are listed as Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET on the home page.
- Opera and ChromeOS versions are marked as coming soon.
- The pages read give no renewal terms for Premium.
Key features
Betternet
- Free VPN without registration
- The free version needs no account or email and has unlimited data, in exchange for showing ads.
- Kill switch and leak protection
- The features page lists a kill switch, always-on auto-connect and IP and DNS leak protection.
- Anti-phishing alerts
- Warns you before you visit a site that may carry malware or phishing.
- Connection modes
- Lets you optimize the connection for gaming, browsing or streaming, and includes Tor over VPN.
- Server network
- The features page cites 1,000+ servers with up to 1 Gbps, while the App Store listing says 1800+ servers and 125+ virtual locations.
Hoxx VPN
- Free account
- 50+ locations and no bandwidth restrictions, with unlimited server switches and a static IP address listed.
- Malicious-site filtering
- The free plan filters malicious websites; Premium lists a more advanced version of the same filtering.
- Tracking prevention
- The vendor says it filters malicious and insecure advertising-network cookies to limit tracking.
- PAC functionality
- Premium adds PAC support to bypass certain IPs, plus country pinning and sorting in the server list.
- Wide platform list
- Downloads are listed for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux.
- 7-day money-back guarantee
- Premium purchases carry a 7-day money-back guarantee, stated on the pricing page.
Plans
Betternet
Free$0
Ad-supported VPN with unlimited data and no sign-up.
Premium, monthly$11.99
per month
Ad-free VPN on up to 10 devices at once. Price from the US App Store listing, where it is labeled Monthly VPN Subscription.
Premium, annual$95.99
per year, renewing every year
The same Premium plan billed yearly. The vendor's site gives $95.99 a year as the annual renewal price; its own annual promotion had an end date of March 24, 2026.
Hoxx VPN
Free$0
50+ locations, no bandwidth limit, encryption, unlimited server switches and family malicious-site filtering.
Premium$1.99
per month and up, billing basis not shown
Adds stronger encryption, more locations, faster servers, multi-device use and 24/7 email support.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Betternet or Hoxx VPN?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Hoxx VPN is cheaper to start with: $1.99 a month, against $8 a month when paid by the year for Betternet. Betternet starts at $95.99 per year, or $11.99 per month, and Hoxx VPN starts at $1.99 per month and up; billing basis not shown.
Which has a free plan, Betternet or Hoxx VPN?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Betternet and Hoxx VPN have a free plan.
Which platforms do Betternet and Hoxx VPN run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Hoxx VPN lists a Linux app. Both list macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps and a browser extension. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.