4 Best VPNs with SOCKS5 in 2023️
Internet protocols (IPs) are rules which guide the transmission of data packets from a client to the chosen destination. One such protocol is the SOCKS5 proxy (short for Socket Secure), the fifth and latest version of the SOCKS Internet protocol.
By running the Internet traffic through a proxy server, SOCKS5 assigns a device a new IP address. This way, it hides its real IP address and allows it to access content that might be otherwise blocked.
While other proxies also exist, SOCKS5 proxies can provide better speeds, which is why they are more suitable for downloading, uploading, and transferring data.
A SOCKS5 proxy is an additional feature offered by some virtual private network providers (VPNs). Keep reading to learn more about the SOCKS5 proxy and which VPN providers offer this service.
In case you don't want to read the entire article, here’s a quick summary of the best VPN services according to our independent tests and research:
- ProtonVPN (Free Version) Proton is often referred to as the single most trustworthy company in the VPN business. They focus on security over anything else and offer the best free VPN available. This is the company behind ProtonMail.
- NordVPN Best VPN for general work and entertainment purposes. I found it to be reliable, high-speed, and easy to set up, and it's one that I use daily for work.
- CyberGhost VPN was voted as the best gaming VPN for 2023 and is one of the cheapest VPN services among the whole top 10.
Best SOCK5 VPN 2023
RANK
BRAND
DEVICES
STATS
DOWNLOAD
1
6
6 simultaneous devices.
- ● Fastest VPN 2023
- ● Servers: 5300+
- ● Countries: 60+
WHY I LIKE NORDVPN NordVPN has long been regarded as one of the strongest brands in cybersecurity. With one of the largest server offerings on my list and support for most, if not all operating systems, making NordVPN an obvious choice for many. They have 24/7 customer support if you need help getting started. Their app is one of the most well-designed apps I have ever used. NordVPN even accepts cryptocurrencies as payment for extra anonymity.
2
10
10 simultaneous devices.
- ● Best Free VPN 2023
- ● Servers: 1713+
- ● Countries: 63+
WHY I LIKE PROTONVPN: ProtonVPN is based in Switzerland and is most known for their e-mail service ProtonMail. They currently offer the safest free VPN services on the market. There is also support for TOR usage and P2P file sharing. I highly recommend ProtonVPN if you are intending to do some extensive online sharing. It goes without saying that Proton does not collect logs of any kind and is completely safe to use.
3
7
7 simultaneous devices.
- ● Best Torrent VPN
- ● Servers: 7400+
- ● Countries: 91+
WHY I LIKE CYBERGHOST CyberGhost VPN is the first choice of many other cybersecurity experts, and the reason is clear; they have the most complete VPN service. An incredible number of extra features that are best suited for the more advanced users but also work flawlessly for every-day purposes like P2P-filesharing. Cyberghost VPN also has the longest stretching money-back guarantee at a full 45 days.
4
∞
Unlimited simultaneous devices.
- ● Best Cheap VPN 2023
- ● Servers: 3200+
- ● Countries: 65+
WHY I LIKE SURFSHARK: Surfshark VPN is perfect for those who want a cheap and reliable VPN that also has many extra features. "Camouflage Mode" hides your usage from your ISP, "Kill Switch" suspends your connection and protects your information if you temporarily lose Internet access, "MultiHop" to connect from multiple countries at the same time just to name a few. My favorite feature of Surfshark is "Whitelists" which allow the user to exclude specific apps and programs from the VPN connection.
5
∞
Unlimited simultaneous devices.
- ● Robust/Security focused
- ● Servers: 750+
- ● Countries: 43+
WHY I LIKE ATLAS VPN: Atlas VPN is one of the best new free VPN services. With the free version, you get unlimited data, no ads and zero logging. During my speed tests, Atlas VPN performed very well and could compete with mainstream services. Kill Switch, Ad-blocker, and P2P support all included with a regular subscription, which is incredibly cheap for such a robust service.
6
10
10 simultaneous devices.
- ● Best Netflix/Streaming VPN
- ● Servers: 35500+
- ● Countries: 84+
WHY I LIKE PIA VPN: PrivateInternetAccess is at the top of my streaming tests, which is a great combination with their easy-to-use UI, Open-Source software and built in adblocker. PIA is also perfect for those who want to be able to pay with PayPal which for some reason, many other VPN services do not support. 30-day money-back guarantee, multiple Netflix libraries, and extremely affordable are the three main selling points for this VPN service.
7
10
10 simultaneous devices.
- ● Best VPN for Gaming and Streaming
- ● Servers: 200+
- ● Countries: 63+
WHY I LIKE PRIVATEVPN: PrivateVPN is the strong underdog in the world of VPNs. With a shy number of servers, it is evident that they are focusing on quality over quantity. Overall, PrivateVPN is a very decent choice of VPN, especially if you had enough of the excessive advertising by some of the other more known brands in this list. Setting up the VPN requires extremely little intervention, and you can even pay with Bitcoin.
8
49%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ● Best Mobile VPN app
- ● Servers: 3000+
- ● Countries: 94+
10
77%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
45 day money-back guarantee.
- ● Fastest free VPN
- ● Servers: 3200+
- ● Countries: 80+
11
85%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
7 day money-back guarantee.
- ● Great free VPN
- ● Servers: 1000+
- ● Countries: 26+
12
68%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
10 day money-back guarantee.
- ● Best reputation
- ● Servers: 91+
- ● Countries: 17+
14
79%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
15 day money-back guarantee.
- ★ Great adblocker included
- ★ Servers: 1800+
- ★ Countries: 20+
15
66%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ● 5 devices simultaneously
- ● Unlimited usage
- ● 50+ locations
16
70%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ● Unlimited traffic
- ● Up to 1 Gbps
- ● Free trial
17
85%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ● 10 devices
- ● Unlimited bandwidth
- ● Countries: 60+
19
$5.00 /user
14 day free trial/money-back guarantee.
- ● Simple Cloud VPN Setup
- ● Site-to-site VPN Tunneling
- ● Easy Server & User Management
21
67%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
7 day money-back guarantee.
- ● 5 devices
- ● Locations: 65+
- ● 24/7 live support
22
80%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ● 10 devices
- ● Countries: 20+
- ● P2P Optimization
23
66%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
Basic, advanced, and pro plans.
- ● Countries: 22+
- ● Locations: 36+
- ● 24/7 live support
24
79%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ● Best multi-device VPN
- ● Servers: 1000+
- ● Countries: 200+
About SOCKS5 Proxy Internet Protocol
As the most recent and advanced version of the SOCKS proxy, SOCKS5 is more reliable and easier to use than its previous versions.
SOCKS5 uses User Datagram Protocol (UDP) and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). While the former is faster, the latter is more reliable.
Only authorized users are allowed to access SOCKS5 proxy servers, which is why they are less crowded and more efficient. SOCKS5 employs three types of authentication:
- No authentication (null authentication),
- User name and password authentication, and
- GSS-API authentication (the user and server both need to provide proof of identity)
What Is the Difference Between a VPN and a SOCKS5 Proxy?
Many people think that a VPN and a SOCKS5 proxy are the same, but this is not so.
A VPN has a twofold function. First, it encrypts (codes) your traffic, making it unreadable to others. Then it sends your traffic through a VPN server, assigning your device a new IP address, effectively hiding your actual location. In this way, a VPN provides online security and privacy and allows you to access websites that might be unavailable to you due to your geographical location or a ban (e.g., in schools, workplaces, hospitals, etc.)
A SOCKS5 proxy sends your Internet traffic through a proxy server, which also assigns you a new address. This way, you can bypass different website restrictions by making the system believe that you are actually located elsewhere. Unlike a VPN, however, a SOCKS5 proxy does not provide encryption, so your Internet traffic is exposed to danger.
Should I Use a VPN or a SOCKS5 Proxy?
VPN service primarily provides online safety and prioritizes data safety and secure online communication. If this is what you need, choose a VPN.
On the other hand, encrypting traffic is a time-consuming process. This is why a VPN can slow down your speed. Since SOCKS5 does not have encryption, using it will achieve better speeds than a VPN.
If speed is what you require, choose a SOCKS5 proxy.
4 Best VPNs with SOCKS5
Here are 4 of the best VPN providers which offer their subscribers the use of a SOCKS5 proxy.
NordVPN
NordVPN’s server network of 5,600+ servers in 59 locations is one of the significant advantages of this popular provider. In addition to its advanced encryption (AES-256) and a kill switch, NordVPN has a strict no-logging policy and many additional safety features, which include:
- Double VPN
- DNS leak protection
- Onion over VPN
- SmartPlay
- Dedicated IP
- Threat protection
The use of a SOCKS5 proxy is included in the subscription, as are special P2P servers, which yield better downloading speeds.
NordVPN can be used on all platforms and devices on up to 6 simultaneous connections. However, by installing NordVPN on the router, you can protect every device in your household.
NordVPN offers nine paid plans and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Surfshark VPN
This provider has 3,200+ servers in 100 locations and allows torrenting on all of its servers. One significant advantage of Surfshark is that it allows users an unlimited number of simultaneous connections.
Surfshark uses AES-256 encryption and has a kill switch. Subscribers are allowed the use a SOCKS5 proxy. Still, their privacy and safety are also protected through other useful features:
- CleanWeb
- Bypasser
- MultiHop (double VPN)
- DNS leak protection
- Camouflage Mode
- NoBorders
Surfshark offers three paid plans and various payment methods (credit card, PayPal, Sofort, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, crypto) and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Private Internet Access VPN (PIA VPN)
PIA VPN’s default encryption is AES-128, which provides better speeds. Still, users can choose AES-256 encryption when they need stronger protection. OpenVPN, a kill swith and WireGuard protocols are available as well as the PIA MACE, a feature that blocks ads and malware.
Considering the company headquarters are in Denver, USA, torrenters are advised to torrent on servers outside of the US (despite the provider’s no-logs policy).
PIA has thousands of servers spread in 84 countries worldwide and allows simultaneous connections on up to ten devices. All PIA VPN subscribers can also use a SOCKS5 proxy.
PIA VPN is user-friendly and 100% open-source, which makes it transparent and secure. Its features include:
- Kill Switch
- Advanced split tunneling
- Ad and malware blocking
- Dedicated IP
The provider has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
PrivateVPN
PrivateVPN uses different encryption (AES-128, AES-256, 2048-bit encryption) and works with several protocols: OpenVPN, UDP, TCP, L2TP, IPSec, and PPTP. PrivateVPN’s Stealth VPN is a system that hides your traffic from your ISP and other third parties.
With about 200 servers in 63 countries, PrivateVPN manages to provide a reliable service at a reasonable price ($2.00/month on a 36-months plan). In addition, it is supported on all OS platforms and allows up to ten simultaneous connections.
PrivateVPN also supports torrenting, for which users are advised to connect to the provider’s Swedish servers. Port forwarding and the use of a SOCKS5 proxy are also supported.
Although PrivateVPN does not have additional safety features, it has a zero-logging policy and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
In conclusion
A VPN and a SOCKS5 proxy are seemingly the same, but their scope only partly overlaps.
While both change your IP address and allow you access to different restricted websites, SOCKS5 does not encrypt Internet traffic, which makes it less secure than a VPN. If absolute online safety and privacy are your priority, choose a VPN. If you are willing to sacrifice safety to get more speed, choose a SOCKS5 proxy.
FAQ
Why should I use a SOCKS5 proxy?
SOCKS5 proxy hides your IP address and provides faster speeds. It is suitable for torrenting and using different streaming platforms.
Can I use a VPN together with a SOCKS5 proxy?
Yes, you can use the two together, but doing so will probably affect your connection speed.
What is easier to use: a SOCKS5 proxy or a VPN?
All you need to do to use a VPN is download and open its app. However, a SOCKS5 proxy needs to be configured manually, which may be a problem for some.
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