Visit Bright VPNFree Forever Free Trial Coupons| Editor's Rating | |
|---|---|
| Overall | |
| Features | |
| Price | |
| Customer Service | |
Positives
- Completely free
- No account necessary
- Global server network
- Safe-listed by antivirus
- User-friendly
Negatives
- DNS leaks
- Public data collection
- Only supports Windows
For all the privacy enthusiasts out there working on a tight budget, Bright VPN can cater to your needs. This service by web data platform Bright Data is ideal for those who want to explore the internet safely and anonymously without paying a costly subscription.
With an astoundingly broad network located in around 40 countries, this fresh alternative to premium VPNs almost looks too good to be true. But, right off the bat, Bright VPN explains clearly how it’s able to be free. Bright Data periodically accesses users’ internet connection to collect publicly available data, which is then sold to universities, major bank institutions, social networks, and ecommerce platforms. Ultimately, this public data collection pays for the VPN.
Nonetheless, Bright VPN is committed to its top-level privacy protocols, guaranteeing that no private information is ever collected. Likewise, it offers different data control mechanisms that allow control over the timing and type of data gathered.
Features
Bright VPN is easy to use, fast to set up, and provides a clean interface. It respects the fundamental goals of a VPN – security, privacy, and freedom – to unlock restricted websites while protecting users’ online safety.
Safe-listed by leading antivirus programs, the service doesn’t require an email address for registration and the app runs as soon as it’s installed. But while the usual VPN security features are present – such as a kill switch, ad blocker, and anonymous browsing – Bright VPN is still susceptible to DNS leaks.
Bright VPN is completely free, meaning there’s no need for free trials and users can enjoy the full service without paying a dime. However, there are no paid plans that would allow users access to the VPN without the sharing of website data.
Bright VPN Interface
Bright VPN Menu
Bright VPN Settings
Data Collection
Bright Data collects the same kind of public data you would see when browsing a site without having logged in, or in ‘anonymous mode’. This may include flight prices, product ratings, or online ads, for example. It’s important to mention that Bright VPN claims that it doesn’t track nor store logs of your browsing history, traffic destination, data content, or DNS queries.
The desktop app makes it easy to customize data usage rules, where the user can select a time frame for the data collection and manage which companies are allowed to access this information. While users have to choose three out of five company types, ranging from universities to e-commerce sites, it’s not possible to change the kind of content shared with these companies.
Bright VPN assures that it never starts data collection while your computer is performing heavier tasks. As such, the internet speed should never be affected.
Bright VPN Data Collection Scheduling
Bright VPN Data Usage Rules
Bright VPN Accessed Sites
VPN Network
Bright VPN provides 48 servers in around 40 countries, which is hugely impressive given that some of the best paid-for VPN providers on the market only offer servers in around 90 countries.
This VPN grants access to localized content from every corner of the earth. If a particular country is missing, users are encouraged to contact the service to ask for it to be included. While there is a wide range of options in Europe, African countries aren’t featured, so we requested Angola and Mozambique.
Unfortunately, running speed tests from a European location was particularly difficult since most testing software failed to connect while Bright VPN was active. After several attempts, our tests showed a high increase in ping and a significant decrease in download and upload speeds when using an IP in the UK. In this aspect, Bright VPN fares worse than its competitors.
Bright VPN UK Speed Test
Bright VPN U.S. Speed Test
Bright VPN Japan Speed Test
Bright VPN Hungary Speed Test
Bright VPN Network
Bright VPN Country Request
Furthermore, we found that Bright VPN doesn’t unlock streaming services. Since most VPN users are looking to stream content from different regions, this disadvantage might end up being a deal-breaker.
Privacy Protection
Free VPNs are known for mining your personal data, which defeats the purpose of installing one in the first place. But Bright VPN proves itself to be a genuinely secure and confidential alternative. Installation doesn’t require personal information, such as names or email addresses, and no payment details are necessary since it’s free.
Bright VPN’s logging policy also aligns with its commitment to users’ privacy: it doesn’t store browsing history, traffic destination, or data content. It only briefly keeps technical data that may help with troubleshooting, such as outgoing VPN addresses. However, it will report a user’s IP address to authorities if they engage in any criminal activity.
Bright VPN was created following Bright Data suffering controversial security breaches within its older P2P-network product, Hola VPN. The newer service aims to maximize users’ security with the IKEv2 protocol.
Regarding antivirus compatibility, Bright VPN is proudly safe-listed by AVG, McAfee Microsoft Defender, and more. Its code is audited by external entities every three months to ensure it remains safe and cohesive. To test this, we ran the installation file through VirusTotal and the results were perfect.
Unfortunately, Bright VPN is still susceptible to DNS leaks, as the testing software revealed our IP address within seconds although failed to disclose our exact location. However, Bright VPN claims a DNS leak-optimized software is coming soon.
OS, Device Support
Bright VPN is only available for Windows, although it claims to be working on MacOS and mobile versions. Those who own an LG Smart TV may also enjoy unrestricted access to worldwide content by installing the dedicated app. Browser extensions for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Opera are also available as ´remote controls´ for your browser.
Customer Service
While Bright VPN excels in privacy protection, it lacks in customer support. Through the website, it implies that a team of agents is available 24/7 via WhatsApp, Skype, or email. However, the only obvious contact information for support is a list of email addresses. Without a live chat option, inquiring users must settle for email interactions that may take longer than expected. We emailed customer support and our inquiries were addressed after 8 hours.
Nonetheless, Bright VPN provides an FAQ and blog, which are thorough about its policies and provide clear and concise information on how to solve any potential problems. The company is also present on Twitter as well as YouTube, which features a few helpful video guides.
Bottom Line
In a world where the internet is often an essential part of work and life, the need for a globally accessible, free VPN that protects everyone from hackers and advertisers is monumental.
Bright VPN successfully achieves its mission of democratizing VPN services while still performing satisfactorily in unblocking restricted content and shielding users’ privacy. Despite not unlocking streaming services, this VPN successfully opens the door to geo-restricted websites that may have been hard to access previously.
Perfect for the inexperienced, everyday user that doesn’t mind sharing their public data, Bright VPN will likely grow up to be a fierce competitor on the market, especially when the macOS and mobile versions are released.
Overall, this promising young VPN delivers what it proposes and, with all that it plans to develop, is set for a bright future.
Visit Bright VPNFree ForeverBest Alternative VPN Services
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1 | Editor's Choice 2023  | ||
2 |  | ||
3 |  |