Tim Mocan
Updated on: December 24, 2023
Short on time? Here’s the best cracked VPN alternative in 2024:
- 🥇ExpressVPN. Is the best VPN on the market at the moment, as it comes with high-end security and privacy features, the fastest speeds out there, and intuitive apps for all major platforms. It also works with 100+ streaming platforms, has servers in 105 countries, allows P2P traffic on all servers, and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
I have never used a cracked VPN and don’t recommend using them. That said, I can see the appeal. Cracked VPNs promise free (or very cheap) access to premium VPN services, which sounds like a great deal to many people, especially those on a tight budget.
Still, cracked VPNs come with tons of disadvantages — they might expose your device to malware, they might compromise your privacy, they might not even work with streaming sites, and they won’t provide consistent updates.
I’ll explain more in-depth why cracked VPNs are not worth it in this article. Also, I’ll discuss other things, like how to spot a cracked VPN, if cracked VPNs work, and what are the best cracked VPN alternatives (ExpressVPN is my #1 pick).
Disclaimer: Cracked VPNs use pirated copies of top VPN products. In some countries, using pirated software is against the law. SafetyDetectives doesn’t condone the use of illegally pirated software, and I strongly recommend researching your local laws before trying to download a cracked VPN to make sure you don’t face any legal risks.
What Is a Cracked VPN?
A cracked VPN is a pirated version of a premium VPN. You usually find cracked versions of popular VPN providers, like ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access, and CyberGhost VPN. Hackers usually create cracked versions of premium VPN clients by using various methods to tamper with the VPN apps. Also, most cracked VPNs come with an activation code.
You can find cracked VPNs on many online platforms. They’re most frequently found on piracy forums (like cracked.io and nulled.to, for example). But you can also find cracked VPNs on other sites — even on social media. Hackers either offer them for free or for a small cost.
On top of pirated versions, cracked VPNs might also consist of stolen VPN credentials. Basically, cybercriminals compromise weak VPN account logins and then sell them on the dark web or on piracy forums.
Why You Should Avoid Cracked VPNs
1. Malware Infections
If you’re unlucky, you might download a cracked VPN client that’s infected with malware. This could expose your device to all sorts of malware that could compromise your device’s security and your personal data — you could be exposed to stuff like ransomware, spyware, or adware.
If you still insist on using a cracked VPN, combine it with an antivirus. This is a security program that detects malware infections and protects devices against them. If you’re not sure which antivirus to use, I personally recommend Norton 360 since it’s the best antivirus program on the market right now.
2. Privacy Concerns
Cracked VPN clients might come with privacy issues. For example, the hackers who cracked it might have configured the VPN app to route your traffic through malicious VPN servers (instead of the VPN provider’s servers) — and the hackers could configure those servers to log your data, such as your IP address and browsing traffic. They could then sell that data on the dark web.
3. No Updates
There’s no way for cracked VPN apps to receive regular updates, like premium VPN clients do. And without regular updates, the VPN app might experience bugs that make the client hard to use or cause certain features to not work anymore. A lack of updates can also lead to security issues (like traffic or IP leaks) that put your data at risk.
4. Legal Risks
In certain countries, it’s against the law to download and use cracked software. Depending on your country’s local regulations, you might face legal issues (including steep fines) if you’re caught using a cracked VPN.
5. No Customer Support
With a cracked VPN, you won’t receive any technical support — at most, you might get access to customer support that can access basic questions, but not provide technical assistance with whatever issues you’ll face by using compromised software.
6. Poor Streaming Support
Cracked VPN apps are very unlikely to support streaming on their servers. This is because they don’t get updates and their servers likely won’t refresh their IPs. Streaming sites will recognize the IP address as a VPN IP address and block you from using their services.
Quick summary of the best cracked VPN alternatives in 2024:
- 1. 🥇ExpressVPN — Best cracked VPN alternative in 2024.
- 2. 🥈Private Internet Access — Great cracked VPN alternative for P2P downloads.
- 3. 🥉CyberGhost VPN — Great cracked VPN alternative for streaming and ease of use.
- Comparison of the Best Cracked VPN Alternatives in 2024.
🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best Cracked VPN Alternative in 2024
Approved by our experts
ExpressVPN is the best alternative to cracked VPNs on the market — it provides excellent security and privacy, it comes with servers in 105 countries, it has the best streaming and P2P support out there, and it has the fastest speeds on the market.
The provider has industry-leading security and privacy features. It has a strict no-logs policy that has been independently audited and proven true in a server seizure. What’s more, it comes with advanced security features, including full leak protection, perfect forward secrecy (changes the encryption key for each VPN session), and RAM-only servers, which only save data to the RAM so every reset wipes everything.
I also really love how good this VPN is for streaming and torrenting. It works with 100+ streaming platforms, including tons of popular ones, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+. On top of that, it allows torrenting on all of its servers.
Also, this VPN performed extremely well in my speed tests. I maintained super fast speeds on both nearby and distant servers in my speed tests— all the sites I visited loaded instantly, HD and 4K videos loaded instantly (and didn’t buffer), and it only took me about 10–13 minutes on average to download different 12 GB files.
What’s more, ExpressVPN also has apps for all major platforms, including iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android TV, and Fire TV. On top of that, its apps always receive regular updates and are super intuitive. I also like how you get access to Shortcuts, which lets you create 1-click shortcuts for apps and sites that show up on your connection screen — I always use this tool to instantly launch Netflix Romania after I connect to ExpressVPN.
ExpressVPN’s plans start at $6.67 / month, which is pretty affordable. Some people say it’s pricey, but to be honest the value the provider offers makes it worth the money. Plus, it also backs all purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full ExpressVPN review
🥈2. Private Internet Access — Great Cracked VPN Alternative for Torrenting
Private Internet Access (PIA) is one of the best torrenting VPNs on the market — that’s because it allows P2P downloads on all of its servers, which are located in 91 countries. Plus, it also works with top P2P apps (like qBittorrent and uTorrent) without any issues. In addition, it provides port forwarding to let you connect to more peers for faster speeds. And it also has SOCKS5 proxy support, which changes your IP but doesn’t use encryption, so you get much faster downloads than with a VPN connection.
And on top of very good P2P support, PIA also provides excellent privacy — it comes with a strict no-logs policy that has passed an independent security audit and has also been proven true in several court documents. What’s more, all of the provider’s apps are open-source, meaning anyone can inspect the code for security issues.
PIA also has great streaming support, as it works with 30+ streaming platforms, including Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime. Still, if you’re mainly interested in streaming, ExpressVPN might be a better choice since it works with 100+ streaming sites.
The VPN is also very user-friendly, as it comes with intuitive apps for all major platforms. I also really like how PIA allows unlimited connections — most top VPNs limit you to 5–10 devices. This makes the VPN a good pick for large families and people who own tons of web-connected devices.
And PIA also provides very good speeds, although it’s not as fast as ExpressVPN. In my speed tests, all sites loaded instantly, and so did HD videos on Netflix Romania. And 4K videos took just 2 seconds to load, but they never buffered when I skipped through them. Also, I was able to play online games without experiencing any lag.
Private Internet Access is also really affordable, with prices starting as low as $2.11 / month. What’s more, it also backs all purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Private Internet Access review
🥉3. CyberGhost VPN — Very Good Cracked VPN Alternative for Streaming & Ease of Use
CyberGhost VPN is a great pick for people who are mainly interested in streaming — that’s because it has 100+ streaming servers that work with 50+ streaming platforms, including 15 Netflix libraries, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and Hulu, as confirmed by my colleague in the US. These servers are optimized to provide excellent streaming speeds.
And the provider is also good for torrenting since it supports P2P downloads on 8,900+ servers in 75+ countries. That said, it doesn’t come with any extra P2P features, such as port forwarding or SOCKS5 proxy support (like Private Internet Access does).
I also really like how beginner-friendly this VPN is — its apps receive regular updates, so you don’t need to worry about any bugs, and there are helpful explanations for all settings and features (so you never feel lost while using the provider’s apps). What’s more, you get access to Smart Rules, which lets you automate your VPN connections. For example, you can configure CyberGhost VPN to automatically connect to a specific server and open a desired app on launch.
Also, CyberGhost VPN has great speeds, though it’s still not as fast as ExpressVPN. In my speed tests, websites loaded instantly, HD videos loaded instantly and never buffered, 4K videos took around 4 seconds to load, and my connections never dropped while playing online games or making Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls.
CyberGhost VPN’s plans start at $2.03 / month, so it’s a budget-friendly provider. It backs all long-term plans with a generous 45-day money-back guarantee, and it provides a 14-day money-back guarantee for its shortest plan.
Read the full CyberGhost VPN review
Comparison of the Best Cracked VPN Alternatives in 2024
Do Cracked VPNs Work?
A cracked VPN might work, but there’s no guarantee it will work 100% of the time. You might be able to use it to surf the web, stream, and download files — but there’s no telling when an issue might occur that will prevent you from using the VPN client. Even if you don’t experience any issues, you still open yourself to tons of risks by using a cracked VPN.
That’s why it’s much better to just use a premium VPN instead — with a top VPN, you don’t have to worry about the VPN client not working anymore or your personal data being compromised.
How to Recognize & Avoid Cracked VPNs
The easiest way to spot a cracked VPN is to check the download source — if it’s unofficial, then you’re very likely dealing with a cracked VPN. You can usually find these kinds of apps on unofficial app stores, torrent sites, social media, piracy forums, and the dark web.
Also, cracked VPNs are usually offered for free. This is always a red flag if you’re about to download a cracked version of a top provider (like ExpressVPN or Private Internet Access), as they pretty much all come with paid subscription plans. And the top VPNs that do have a free plan still come with a paid version in addition to it.
Finally, cracked VPN apps might require a different setup and look outdated. For example, on Android, you might not be able to download the app from the Google Play store — instead, you’d need to download and install an .apk file from a third-party website. And most cracked VPN clients might look outdated, as they don’t receive regular updates. Alternatively, if the apps don’t look outdated, another sign of a cracked VPN is the fact that you won’t be able to update the app.
The easiest way to check if a VPN app is legit is to download it from an official source. This means you should only subscribe to top VPNs on their official websites, and only download and install their apps from their sites.
What to Do If You’ve Downloaded a Cracked VPN
- Delete or uninstall the cracked software. Whether you accidentally or intentionally downloaded and installed a cracked VPN client, the smartest move is to just uninstall it from your device. Don’t forget to also delete the installer.
- Run an antivirus scan. Some cracked VPNs can contain malware, so it’s best to use an antivirus program to run a scan after you remove the cracked software from your device. An antivirus will detect any trace of malware and remove it. If you don’t know which antivirus to use, I personally recommend Norton 360 since it’s the best one on the market right now.
- Download a legitimate VPN from an official source. Finally, make sure to get a trustworthy VPN that won’t put your device and data in danger. The best way to do that is to pick a provider from our list of the best VPNs in 2024, sign up for its plan, and download and install its apps from its official site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are cracked VPNs safe?
Usually, no — cracked VPNs come with many risks. Many of them might contain malware, which could compromise your device. Other cracked VPNs might route your traffic through servers that are operated by hackers and log your sensitive data. Also, using a cracked VPN might be against the law depending on which country you live in.
It’s honestly much safer to just use a paid premium VPN. My top pick is ExpressVPN since it has industry-leading security and privacy features, super fast speeds, excellent streaming and P2P support, and very intuitive apps for all major platforms.
Are free VPNs better than cracked VPNs?
They’re safer, but not exactly the superior choice. While most free VPNs might not expose you to malware like cracked VPNs, they still come with annoying limitations — for example, they might limit how much data you can use each day or month, they might lack streaming support, or they might have slow speeds or buggy apps.
The best option is to just get a paid top VPN. My personal recommendation is ExpressVPN, as it’s ultra-secure, provides the fastest connection speeds on the market, works with 100+ streaming services, and has beginner-friendly apps.
Is it legal to use a cracked VPN?
I can’t offer a definite answer here, as this depends on the laws of your country. In some regions, it’s actually against the law to use cracked software (and this obviously includes cracked VPNs) — if you’re caught doing that, you might face legal repercussions, like huge fines.
It’s honestly better to just avoid cracked VPNs, and stick to paid premium VPNs instead. Top VPNs provide access to 100% legal software that’s safe to use. In addition, they also come with strong security features, fast speeds, and good streaming and P2P support.
What’s the best cracked VPN alternative?
The best VPN to use instead of a cracked VPN is ExpressVPN — it’s the best VPN on the market since it has super fast speeds, it works with 100+ streaming platforms, it comes with high-end security and privacy features, and it has very intuitive apps for all major platforms. Plus, it’s affordable and it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
If you insist on using a free alternative, stick to Proton VPN’s free plan — it’s one of the only free VPN plans that provides unlimited data, and it also comes with fast speeds, strong security and privacy features, and easy-to-use apps for all major platforms.
