DuckDuckGo VPN evaluation: Robust privateness, however lacking key options

Value When Reviewed

$9.99

Finest Costs At present: DuckDuckGo PrivacyPro

Privateness is DuckDuckGo’s forte, and whereas the highly effective browser that dodges trackers and digital snooping has turn out to be a go-to for a lot of, you is probably not conscious of its VPN service.

That’s partially as a result of, regardless of DuckDuckGo providing a free browser different to Safari and Chrome, its VPN is a paid addition, and partially as a result of its very existence is tied to the aforementioned browser – a minimum of for now.

If you happen to’re already utilizing the DuckDuckGo browser, the VPN may simply be the best one to advocate for you, although it’s lacking some options of its rivals. Alternatively, as a standalone product, it’s rather less straightforward to advocate due to these lacking options.

Strong speeds and dependable geo-unblocking are one factor, however an absence of options like a kill change is more likely to be robust to swallow for knowledgeable VPN customers searching for alternate options.

Do you have to use DuckDuckGo VPN?

• Who it’s greatest for: Privateness-focused customers already utilizing DuckDuckGo’s browser and individuals who desire a easy, low-effort VPN.
• Who ought to keep away from it: Energy customers who need full management, a big server community, and a number of system protection
• Key trade-offs and limitations: In comparison with different VPNs DuckDuckGO VPN lacks key instruments like a kill change, protocol selection, and deeper controls. It additionally lacks the massive server community others provide.

See our spherical up of the greatest VPNs for Mac and the greatest VPNs for iPhone and iPad.

How you can get DuckDuckGo VPN

The DuckDuckGo VPN is out there as a part of a subscription to the DuckDuckGo Privateness Professional service that prices $9.99 a month/$99.99 a 12 months and likewise consists of private info elimination, and id theft restoration.

1. Obtain DuckDuckGo browser (Mac, iOS or different model). You possibly can obtain it from the Mac App Retailer.
2. Subscribe to DuckDuckGo Privateness Professional.
3. Go to Settings > VPN within the DuckDuckGo browser.

Options & Apps – What options does DuckDuckGo VPN really provide?

Proper off the bat, DuckDuckGo VPN does issues a bit of in another way. The corporate’s wonderful browser does an awesome job of blocking trackers, and it’s all the time been enjoyable to test the ‘Protections Report’ about what number of it’s stopped from pinching your knowledge.

It’s additionally now packing optionally available AI options, letting you have interaction with a chatbot with a bit of extra privateness than a browser-based ChatGPT or Claude window.

Foundry

It’s into this ecosystem that the VPN service arrives, and also you’ll want to make use of the browser to put in it at first.

As soon as that’s achieved, you may entry it from the menu bar as you’ll many rivals, however there’s no standalone interface, so that you’ll must depend on the browser or the menu bar – no large ‘button’ to click on right here.

There are, as you may anticipate, variations for platforms like Mac, Home windows, iOS, and Android, however keep in mind there’s a comparatively restrictive five-device restrict. Whereas some VPNs are providing limitless connections, at this worth, we’d have preferred a number of extra from DuckDuckGo. Nonetheless, in the event you’re a solo person with a handful of gadgets, you’ll doubtless get by simply tremendous.

Foundry

Maybe the most important draw back proper now’s an absence of energy options. A Kill Change, which stops site visitors when a VPN goes down, isn’t in impact, for instance. You’ll get a notification, however there’s no choice to routinely disconnect.

Cut up Tunnelling is out there, although, letting you route site visitors from particular apps and websites by means of the VPN or exterior of it, and you may set the VPN to attach routinely whenever you log in, however that’s about it for options.

Don’t anticipate a lot else, although. There are not any pace testing choices, no different VPN protocols (it’s WireGuard or nothing), and no devoted password supervisor or different accoutrements.

Nonetheless, as a result of DuckDuckGo VPN is a part of the broader subscription service, you additionally get these AI fashions I discussed earlier, common knowledge sweeps on your private knowledge, and even id restoration in the event you’ve suffered by the hands of a nasty actor. It’s the form of service you hope you by no means want, nevertheless it’s there in the event you do.

Efficiency: How briskly is DuckDuckGo VPN in actual use?

DuckDuckGo’s server rely is comparatively low, with below 50 international locations included. Some, just like the UK, solely have one location the place rivals would have a number of to select from, making this a markedly smaller pool of servers to select from in comparison with choices like ExpressVPN or NordVPN.

On the optimistic facet, although, its speeds are fairly nice. Whereas there’s no built-in pace check, we discovered obtain speeds dropped by simply 12% or so basically utilization when utilizing WireGuard. There’s no different protocol to check, sadly, however add speeds do take extra of successful at round a 70% pace loss.

For looking, that’s doable, however you could battle with video calls or gaming whereas utilizing the VPN.

Whereas DuckDuckGo presents an awesome privacy-first VPN, it’s additionally a dab hand at geo-unblocking, small server checklist however. I used to be capable of simply achieve entry to different variations of Netflix, for instance, with no actual downsides to efficiency.

Privateness & Safety: Is DuckDuckGo VPN really non-public and safe?

As you may anticipate from DuckDuckGo, an organization based on the ideas of privateness on the web, there’s quite a bit to love about its method to a VPN.

For one, it retains its VPN servers separate from its browser and AI servers, whereas utilizing Smarter Encryption to maintain knowledge encrypted whereas in use.

Whereas the corporate is headquartered in the USA, it maintains a no-logs coverage. Nonetheless, the US being a part of the 5 Eyes surveillance group is one thing to contemplate in the event you’re searching for extra privateness, whereas the final audit was accomplished in late 2024.

Pricing and plans: Is DuckDuckGo VPN well worth the worth?

At $9.99 per thirty days or $99.99 per 12 months, DuckDuckGo’s VPN isn’t one of many least expensive round, however that doesn’t fairly inform the entire story.

Its non-public browser is free, and also you’re not simply paying for the VPN by itself – you’re additionally having access to AI fashions, knowledge elimination instruments, and id restoration.

Do you have to use DuckDuckGo VPN?

Already locked in to DuckDuckGo’s wonderful browser? The VPN may simply be a no brainer, providing an awesome expertise that’s straightforward to make use of, at the price of extra granularity.

Nonetheless, at this worth, there are different choices with extra servers and options.