The Lantern Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Lantern in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Lantern
The Insider’s Guide
Nonprofit, open-source VPN built to get past censorship
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among VPNs, read from Lantern’s own pages.
Made by Brave New Software Project, Inc. · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Lantern’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Lantern’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 16 of the 27 other VPNs we grade
Lantern is a VPN made by Brave New Software Project, a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit, aimed at getting around internet censorship. By default it sends only blocked or sensitive traffic through its network and lets the rest connect directly; a Full Tunnel mode protects everything. The free version works without an account and has a daily data limit in most countries, and Lantern Pro removes the limit.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Lantern, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating on record, but it's an app you install and use with no account.
- 1
Best for a free VPN for getting past blocked sites
Lantern is a nonprofit VPN built to get around censorship, with a free version that needs no sign-up.
- 2
Paid plans start at $3.63 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $3.63 per month on the 2-year Pro plan, billed every 2 years.
- 3
There is a 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.
- 4
It runs on 5 platforms
Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux.
- 5
Smart Routing
Sends blocked and sensitive traffic through Lantern and lets everything else connect directly. A Full Tunnel mode routes all traffic.
- 6
Censorship circumvention
Supports several protocols and switches automatically when one is blocked, which is what the product is built for.
- 7
Private Server mode
Lets you run Lantern on your own hardware or cloud account, paying only your own server costs.
- 8
A 2.6 GPA, above 16 of 27
That is against the other VPNs we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Lantern you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Lantern at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $3.63 per month on the 2-year Pro plan, billed every 2 years
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Brave New Software Project, Inc.
- Category
- VPNs
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
- Store rating
- 4.7 on the App Store, 309 ratings
The report card
Best for a free VPN for getting past blocked sites
Lantern is a nonprofit VPN built to get around censorship, with a free version that needs no sign-up. Free has a daily data limit in most countries that the pricing page never puts a number on, and by default it only sends blocked or sensitive traffic through, so you have to switch on Full Tunnel to cover everything.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 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. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free 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. |
| Features | C | Smart 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. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record, but it's an app you install and use with no account. Pick a mode and connect. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Android, iOS, Windows, Mac and Linux. Phones and computers covered, but no API or integrations are listed. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Lantern is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- People in countries that block sites and apps
- Anyone who wants a free VPN from a nonprofit
- Users who want to host their own server
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$3.63
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Lantern has a free plan. Paid plans start at $3.63 per month on the 2-year Pro plan, billed every 2 years.
Free forever with no sign-up, on all five platforms.
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.
The 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.
Read from lantern.io on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on lantern.io
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android
Nonprofit, open-source VPN built to get past censorship. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, vPN, ad and tracker blocking.
Smart Routing, switching between protocols when one is blocked, an optional private-server mode and ad blocking on Pro.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Lantern is made by Brave New Software Project, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
16/27
Other VPNs it is graded above
Lantern's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 16 of the 27 other VPNs we grade, and level with 3.
It stands best on value for money (B, above 17 of 27) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $3.63 a month, against a middle price of $5 for the category: 5 of the 26 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 2 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 28 VPNs we grade, cut by the letter each got. Lantern’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 17 of 27
- CFree plan and trialAbove 16 of 27
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 27
- BEase of useAbove 7 of 27
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 27
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 27 VPNs. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Lantern is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Lantern you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $43.56 a year. Lantern is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could make
- Ad and tracker blocking: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
What this rests on. Lantern’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Psiphon, Proton VPN, Windscribe, TunnelBear and Mullvad VPN
The 5 tools Lantern is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Psiphon
Free plan · from $2.88/mo
Free, open-source circumvention VPN with an ad-free paid tier.
- Only Lantern lists macOS and Linux apps.
- Lantern is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Lantern also covers ad and tracker blocking.
- 2.8GPA
Proton VPN
Free plan · from $83.88/yr
Open-source Swiss VPN with a free plan that has no data cap.
- Only Proton VPN lists a browser extension.
- Lantern is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
Windscribe
Free plan · from $3/mo
VPN with a 10GB free plan and pay-per-location pricing.
- Only Windscribe lists a browser extension.
- Lantern is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.4GPA
TunnelBear
Free plan · from $3.33/mo
McAfee-owned VPN with a 2GB free plan and pay-once multi-year plans.
- Only Lantern lists a Linux app.
- Only TunnelBear lists a browser extension.
- Lantern is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 1.8GPA
Mullvad VPN
From €5/mo
Flat-rate Swedish VPN with anonymous numbered accounts.
- Lantern has a free plan. Mullvad VPN does not.
- Lantern is self-hostable, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Lantern free?
Lantern has a free plan. Free forever with no sign-up.
How much does Lantern cost?
Lantern lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Lantern work on?
Lantern is available on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Lantern offer any discounts?
Lantern publicly lists the following: Longer Pro terms cost less per month.
How is Lantern rated?
Lantern's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 out of 5 from 309 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Is Lantern open source?
Yes. Lantern is open source, according to its own site.
Who makes Lantern?
Lantern is made by Brave New Software Project, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Lantern?
The closest alternatives to Lantern in our directory are Psiphon, Proton VPN, Windscribe, TunnelBear and Mullvad VPN.
How does Lantern compare with other VPNs?
Lantern's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 16 of the 27 other VPNs we grade, and level with 3.
Is Lantern good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Lantern B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $3.63 a month, against a middle price of $5 for the category: 5 of the 26 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Lantern?
To replace Lantern you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Lantern’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Lantern's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Brave New Software Project, Inc. Prices change, so check lantern.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Lantern, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/lantern
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Lantern: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/lantern
Know someone choosing between VPNs?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/lantern/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded VPNs after Lantern, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- VPNs Insider's GuideEvery one of the 28 VPNs we grade, compared
- Cloudflare WARP Insider's GuideFree Cloudflare app that encrypts traffic, with an optional paid tier3.2 GPA
- hide.me Insider's GuideMalaysia-based VPN with a no-signup free plan and flat renewal prices3.0 GPA
- X-VPN Insider's GuideVPN with an unlimited-data free plan and discounted first terms3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Lantern’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Lantern is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Brave New Software Project, Inc. Prices and plans change: check lantern.io before you buy.