Lantern vs Orbot (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Orbot grades higher than Lantern: 3.0 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Lantern grades higher on platforms. Orbot grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Lantern
Nonprofit, open-source VPN built to get past censorship
Which one is for you
Pick Lantern if
- Fits if you live somewhere that blocks sites and apps and need something free to try first
- Works for people who want a VPN from a nonprofit and are fine with open-source code
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free VPN with a stated data allowance, because the daily limit isn't given
- Not for you if you want everything tunnelled out of the box, since Full Tunnel is a setting you turn on
- Tight if you're staying free: server choice, faster speeds, ad blocking and 5 devices are all Pro
- Watch out: the 2-year price doesn't say what it renews at, and the yearly total is shown as a calculated figure
Pick Orbot if
- Fits if you want chosen apps on your Android phone to go through Tor
- Works for people on restricted networks who need Tor bridges
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to pick a server in another country, as it uses the Tor network, not a server list
- Not for you if you need it on a laptop, because the pages read list no desktop app
- Watch out: choosing which apps go through Tor is described for Android only
- Watch out: traffic goes through Tor, not a commercial server network, so expect nothing like a normal VPN's speed or streaming access
How we grade them
| 2.6GPALanternGood | 3.0GPAOrbotVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B$3.63 a month on the 2-year Pro plan and $4 a month billed yearly, which is inside the cheaper quarter of VPNs ($3.99). The monthly plan is $12, and the page doesn't say whether the 2-year price renews the same. | A$0, open source, no paid plan. The site only asks for donations. A free app anyone can install is the top of this category, where the cheaper quarter starts at $3.99 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree forever with no sign-up, on all five platforms. But there's a daily data limit in most countries and the pricing page doesn't say how much, so you'll find the edge by hitting it. | AFree outright, with no plan, trial or cap to run into. |
| Features | CSmart Routing, switching between protocols when one is blocked, an optional private-server mode and ad blocking on Pro. The gap is that it only protects blocked and sensitive traffic until you turn on Full Tunnel. | CRoutes apps through Tor, with bridges for restricted networks and onion services. It is a smaller job than a VPN: the listing notes there are no country-selectable servers. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but it's an app you install and use with no account. Pick a mode and connect. | BNo rating on record, but it is an app you install and start. Nothing to set up in the listing beyond choosing which apps to send. |
| Platforms and integrations | BAndroid, iOS, Windows, Mac and Linux. Phones and computers covered, but no API or integrations are listed. | CAndroid and iPhone only. The pages read list no desktop app and point to Tor Project software for other systems. |
| Best for | a free VPN for getting past blocked sites | sending phone apps through Tor |
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: Lantern and Orbot. How we grade
Price against what you get
Lantern starts at $3.63 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Orbot has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
Lantern scores higher, and starts $3.63 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other VPNs on the chart, 2 score higher than Lantern for less, and none scores higher than Orbot 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
- Lantern is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Lantern also covers ad and tracker blocking.
At a glance
| Lantern | Orbot | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $3.63 per month on the 2-year Pro plan, billed every 2 years | Free |
| Free plan | Free forever with no sign-up. In most countries it has a daily data limit; the pricing page does not give the amount, and the vendor says the free version is not capped where paying is blocked or unsafe. | The app is free and open source; the download page asks for donations to support development. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Brave New Software Project, Inc. | Guardian Project |
| Price read from | lantern.io | orbot.app |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Lantern
- The free version has a daily data limit in most countries, and the pricing page does not state it.
- Server selection, ad blocking and use on up to 5 devices need Pro.
- By default Lantern protects only blocked and sensitive traffic; Full Tunnel has to be switched on to cover everything.
- Payment depends on where the app came from: Google Play and the App Store use in-app purchases, while desktop and direct Android downloads use cards or UnionPay through Stripe.
Orbot
- Runs on Android and iOS only; the pages read list no desktop app, and point to Tor Project software for other systems.
- Per-app choice is described for Android only.
- Traffic goes through the Tor network, not a commercial server network, so there are no country-selectable VPN servers.
- The site says the app is free and asks for donations.
Key features
Lantern
- Smart Routing
- Sends blocked and sensitive traffic through Lantern and lets everything else connect directly. A Full Tunnel mode routes all traffic.
- Censorship circumvention
- Supports several protocols and switches automatically when one is blocked, which is what the product is built for.
- Private Server mode
- Lets you run Lantern on your own hardware or cloud account, paying only your own server costs.
- Built-in ad blocking
- Pro includes blocking of ads and trackers inside the app.
- Open source
- The code is public on GitHub, and the vendor says it keeps no logs of browsing activity and has been reviewed by independent security experts.
Orbot
- Traffic through Tor
- Encrypts traffic from any app and routes it through the Tor network, which the site says leaves no central log of your traffic or IP address.
- Per-app routing on Android
- Android users can pick which apps go through Tor, so apps that object to Tor traffic can still be used normally.
- Tor bridges
- Offers a choice of Tor bridges to help stay connected on restricted networks.
- Onion services
- Lets any app connect to onion services, and lets the phone host an onion service itself.
- Several ways to install
- Available from Google Play, F-Droid, the Apple App Store, or as a direct APK download from the Guardian Project.
Plans
Lantern
Free$0
Secure VPN with a daily data allowance and the anti-censorship protocols, on all five platforms.
Pro, 1 month$12
per month
Server location choice, faster speeds and unlimited bandwidth, premium servers, up to 5 devices and built-in ad blocking.
Pro, 1 year$4
per month, billed yearly
The same Pro plan billed once a year; the page shows the yearly total as a calculated amount, not a fixed figure.
Pro, 2 years$3.63
per month, billed every 2 years
The same Pro plan billed every 2 years. The page does not say whether it renews at the same price.
Orbot
Orbot$0
A free app with no paid plans.
Ways to pay less
Lantern
- Annual discount
Longer Pro terms cost less per month
Pro is $12 a month, $4 a month billed yearly and $3.63 a month billed every 2 years.
Orbot
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Lantern or Orbot?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Orbot is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $3.63 a month for Lantern. Lantern starts at $3.63 per month on the 2-year Pro plan, billed every 2 years, and Orbot is free.
Which has a free plan, Lantern or Orbot?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Lantern and Orbot have a free plan.
Which platforms do Lantern and Orbot run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Lantern lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps. Both list iOS and Android apps. 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.