Orbot vs Psiphon (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Orbot grades higher than Psiphon: 3.0 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Orbot grades higher on value for money and the free plan. Psiphon grades higher on platforms. 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.
Psiphon
Free, open-source circumvention VPN with an ad-free paid tier
Which one is for you
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
Pick Psiphon if
- Fits if you're on a network that blocks VPNs and need a free one with no sign-up
- Works for phone users who want ads gone for a low monthly price
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you're on a Mac, as the native app is still in development
- Too light for everything-on-the-device cover on iOS, where the browser only tunnels what it loads
- Tight if you stay free, because of the ads and the reduced features
- Watch out: the Plus price has no billing term and the page doesn't list what Plus adds
- Watch out: the Windows app is labelled a legacy client with some newer features missing
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAOrbotVery good | 2.8GPAPsiphonGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | BPlus is shown as 'from $2.88 a month', which is inside the cheaper quarter ($3.99), but no billing term is given and there's no plan table. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright, with no plan, trial or cap to run into. | BPsiphon Basic is free with no account. It shows ads and has reduced features, and the vendor says it is free without limits where paying is hard. |
| Features | 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. | CIt tries several protocols on its own, has 50,000 servers in 33 countries and a Conduit sharing option. The gaps: no native Mac app, a legacy Windows client, and the iOS browser only tunnels its own traffic. |
| Ease of use | 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. | BNo store rating on record, but you install it and connect without an account or any protocol to pick. |
| Platforms and integrations | CAndroid and iPhone only. The pages read list no desktop app and point to Tor Project software for other systems. | BAndroid, iOS and Windows. Phones and a computer, but no Mac or Linux and no API. |
| Best for | sending phone apps through Tor | a free VPN that keeps working on blocked networks |
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: Orbot and Psiphon. How we grade
Price against what you get
Orbot has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Psiphon starts at $2.88 a month and scores 2.7.
Psiphon scores higher, and starts $2.88 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other VPNs on the chart, none scores higher than Orbot for less, and 1 scores higher than Psiphon 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
At a glance
| Orbot | Psiphon | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $2.88 per month and up for Psiphon Plus; the billing term is not stated |
| Free plan | The app is free and open source; the download page asks for donations to support development. | Psiphon Basic is free with no account: ad-supported, with reduced features. The vendor says it is free and without limits where payment restrictions make subscribing difficult. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Guardian Project | Psiphon Inc. |
| Price read from | orbot.app | psiphon.ca |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Psiphon
- The free version shows ads and has reduced features; the page does not list which features Plus adds.
- The Plus price is shown only as "from $2.88 USD per month", with no billing term or plan table.
- There is no native Mac app yet (listed as in development), and the Windows app is labeled a legacy client with some newer features missing.
- On iOS, Psiphon Browser tunnels only traffic loaded inside the browser, not other apps.
Key features
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.
Psiphon
- Automatic connection methods
- The app tries several protocols and obfuscation techniques in turn, with no protocol to pick, so it can keep working where VPN traffic is blocked.
- No account needed
- You install the app and connect without giving an email address.
- Large server network
- The vendor says its network spans more than 50,000 servers in 33 countries.
- Conduit
- Volunteers can share spare connection capacity from their own devices to help others connect; the vendor lists a Conduit station as an unlimited access route, on Android only for now.
- Open source and audits
- Clients and core tunnelling code are open source, and the vendor publishes independent security reviews, naming Cure53.
Plans
Orbot
Orbot$0
A free app with no paid plans.
Psiphon
Psiphon Basic$0
Free, ad-supported and with reduced features; no account needed.
Psiphon Plus$2.88
per month and up; billing term not stated on the page
The full network with no ads and every feature, no account needed. The page says only "from $2.88 USD per month".
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Orbot or Psiphon?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Orbot is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $2.88 a month for Psiphon. Orbot is free, and Psiphon starts at $2.88 per month and up for Psiphon Plus; the billing term is not stated.
Which has a free plan, Orbot or Psiphon?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Orbot and Psiphon have a free plan.
Which platforms do Orbot and Psiphon run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Psiphon lists a Windows app. 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.