Psiphon vs Ultrasurf (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Ultrasurf grades higher than Psiphon: 3.2 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
Ultrasurf grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
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
Ultrasurf
Free censorship-circumvention VPN from UltraReach
Which one is for you
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
Pick Ultrasurf if
- Fits if your network blocks much of the open internet
- Works for Windows users who want a portable program with nothing to install
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac or Linux, as the download page lists neither
- Watch out: the Android app is described as in beta testing
- Watch out: iOS subscriptions of $6.99 a month or $49.99 a year were read from the US App Store only
- Watch out: the quoted reviews on the site date from 2007 to 2022
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAPsiphonGood | 3.2GPAUltrasurfVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | AThe Windows client and Chrome extension are described as free. The iOS in-app subscription is $6.99 a month or $49.99 a year. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | AThe Windows client and extension are free with no paid tier shown, and the iOS app is free to download. |
| Features | 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. | CCircumvention through a TLS tunnel, optional safe browsing, and no location picking listed. It is a smaller job than a full VPN. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but you install it and connect without an account or any protocol to pick. | BNo store rating on record, but the Windows client is a portable program with nothing to install. |
| Platforms and integrations | BAndroid, iOS and Windows. Phones and a computer, but no Mac or Linux and no API. | BWindows, iOS, Android (beta) and a Chrome extension; no Mac or Linux app. |
| Best for | a free VPN that keeps working on blocked networks | getting past censorship with a small free tool |
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: Psiphon and Ultrasurf. How we grade
Price against what you get
Psiphon starts at $2.88 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Ultrasurf starts at $4.17 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.7.
They score the same, and Psiphon starts $1.29 a month lower. Of the other VPNs on the chart, 1 scores higher than Psiphon for less, and 3 score higher than Ultrasurf 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
- Psiphon is open source, according to its own site.
- Ultrasurf also covers malware protection.
At a glance
| Psiphon | Ultrasurf | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $2.88 per month and up for Psiphon Plus; the billing term is not stated | $6.99 per month, or $49.99 per year, as in-app purchases on iOS |
| Free plan | 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. | The Windows client and the Chrome extension are described as free, and the iOS app is free to download with in-app purchases. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Psiphon Inc. | UltraReach Internet Corp. |
| Price read from | psiphon.ca | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Ultrasurf
- The Windows client runs on Windows only; the download page lists no Mac or Linux app.
- The Android app is described on the download page as in beta testing.
- Subscription prices were read from the US App Store listing only; the Windows client and extension show no paid tier on the pages read.
- The vendor's own site publishes no pricing page, and its quoted reviews date from 2007 to 2022.
Key features
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.
Ultrasurf
- Censorship circumvention
- Built to let people reach blocked sites; the vendor says it was first designed for internet users in mainland China.
- TLS tunnel
- The iOS listing says the app uses TLS 1.3, so the traffic looks like ordinary HTTPS to a network observer.
- No-install Windows client
- The Windows version is a single executable that opens a tunnel and the default browser when double-clicked; no installation is needed.
- Mobile apps and extension
- An iOS app covering all apps on an iPhone or iPad, an Android app in beta, and a Chrome extension.
- Optional Safe Browsing
- The Chrome Web Store listing describes an optional feature in the extension that checks visited URLs and blocks sites known for phishing, malware or scams.
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".
Ultrasurf
Free$0
The Windows client, Chrome extension and the iOS app's free use. The vendor's site says Ultrasurf is free to users.
iOS Monthly Subscription$6.99
per month, as an in-app purchase in the iOS app
The App Store listing says the subscription adds optimized servers in 60 countries, faster speeds and an ad-free experience.
iOS Yearly Subscription$49.99
per year, as an in-app purchase in the iOS app
The same subscription benefits as the monthly option, billed once a year.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Psiphon or Ultrasurf?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Psiphon is cheaper to start with: $2.88 a month, against $4.17 a month when paid by the year for Ultrasurf. Psiphon starts at $2.88 per month and up for Psiphon Plus; the billing term is not stated, and Ultrasurf starts at $6.99 per month, or $49.99 per year, as in-app purchases on iOS.
Which has a free plan, Psiphon or Ultrasurf?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Psiphon and Ultrasurf have a free plan.
Which platforms do Psiphon and Ultrasurf run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Ultrasurf lists a browser extension. Both list Windows, 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.