Psiphon is an open-source program that makes evading internet censorship easy and runs as client software so authorities won’t find evidence that it has been utilized.
Connects to servers around the globe. Can also tunnel traffic through a proxy. Available for Windows, iOS and Android.
Features
Psiphon network stands out among other circumvention systems by giving users a variety of ways to access the internet. Unlike its rivals, however, Psiphon does not depend on any one software or platform and can be used across Windows, iOS and Android devices simultaneously to connect to one server. This makes Psiphon particularly helpful for people with multiple devices who can all connect simultaneously to the same server.
The company claims to provide numerous security measures designed to protect users’ privacy. For instance, their app supports Private Use RFC IPs which don’t reveal anything about user locations or identities. Moreover, tunnel DNS requests help prevent leakage of sensitive information such as web browsing histories and other forms of user data.
Psiphon uses encryption as another layer of protection, using SSH and IPsec to encrypt packets between its client on user devices and its servers. Unfortunately, no information about what ciphers or key lengths it utilizes has been disclosed by Psiphon, making it hard to evaluate how secure its encryption truly is.
Psiphon app launches a browser application when connecting to a server, which enables you to browse the web. Which browser launches depends on which option was selected in the app – tunneling all traffic will open a default browser while Split Tunneling only proxy international traffic through proxy servers instead.
Once a browser is launched, users can select from a list of 20 countries available in each app to proxy websites from. These countries include UK, US and Switzerland among many others. Furthermore, the browser displays a status message to indicate whether or not its connection was successful.
Psiphon offers an intuitive user experience and attractive apps, and its performance should meet most people’s needs, although its performance will depend on your internet speed and server location. Psiphon makes an ideal way to circumvent internet censorship or restrictions in countries with strict internet regulations, with prices that make this an affordable solution for most.
Servers
Psiphon server networks span all corners of the globe and are always expanding, making the app available on all major platforms and free to use. They provide money back guarantees as well as 24/7 live chat support – yet their lack of privacy features prevent them from being an outstanding one – thus any information sent over tunnel could potentially be read by someone attempting to identify users.
Psiphon claims not to log user information, yet has a policy in place to share aggregated data with commercial partners. This may include timestamps and information on how much data was consumed during a session. Furthermore, they use an analytics service on their website in order to collect usage data from its users without the need for creating accounts or login credentials; furthermore their privacy policy states there is no anonymity available when accessing their servers.
Though Psiphon does encrypt tunnel traffic, it doesn’t safeguard users against outside analysis of traffic flows. Servers used are regularly swapped out so it is easy to identify which connections go through its network. Furthermore, it doesn’t offer protection from man-in-the-middle attacks that allow someone to intercept encrypted information and gain access to unencrypted data.
Psiphon will automatically connect to a fast server near your location when launched, however you can manually select another server through its settings menu. Furthermore, applications and connection alerts can also be configured using Psiphon as an intermediary proxy server.
Under the Settings, you can also enable Split Tunneling. This feature enables all websites from your home country to pass through Psiphon while sites destined for the outside world bypass it – an effective way of circumventing regional blockades but at the cost of slowing down your connection speed.
The Windows app also allows you to configure which port Psiphon will use, whether to use upstream or downstream proxies and whether to enable or disable local proxy ports and traffic alerts.
Apps
Psiphon offers apps for Android, iOS and Windows; its iOS app works on iPads, iPod Touches and iPhones – and Macs equipped with Apple silicon that contains an M1 chip – but its free version lacks functionality – users are limited in selecting servers or speed limits and access to more servers compared with its paid versions; PsiCash purchases may increase speed limits or enable more server options. Psiphon also offers browser apps which automatically tunnel information accessed through browsing session along with HTTPS Everywhere browser add-on to provide additional protection over public WiFi connections.
Android and Windows versions of Psiphon offer many customizable features to allow for personalization, including selecting their server region of preference and activating split tunneling, which routes specific apps through a VPN tunnel. Furthermore, users have the option of configuring Psiphon to minimize to the system tray or not as well as enable or disable automatic updates as well as selecting which network ports should be utilized by this software.
Psiphon uses SSH protocol for communication with its servers, offering strong encryption. Unfortunately, however, Psiphon does not disclose details regarding ciphers or key lengths used – an area of improvement given how most other VPN providers publish this data in order to demonstrate their strength as security features.
Psiphon for Windows allows users to use “Psiphon whole device” mode, which will proxy all of the device and utilize obfuscation technologies to hide its usage from governments and censoring entities attempting to detect circumvention methods like proxies and VPNs. This feature serves as an effective defense against them detecting these types of methods of circumvention such as proxy servers and VPNs being utilized.
If the Google Play store is blocked in a country, Psiphon can still be installed through side loading from its website. However, this requires installing apps from sources other than the Play store – creating potential security risks. Furthermore, there are links and QR codes on the Psiphon website which allow for direct download on Android devices.
Pricing
Psiphon VPN service pricing isn’t particularly affordable compared to other VPN providers; both subscription-based and time-bound plans are offered, yet neither one offers value for money. You can pay with credit/debit card, PayPal, cryptocurrency (Coinbase), or your free seven-day trial period.
Psiphon is a circumvention tool that employs VPN, SSH, and HTTP proxy technologies to overcome censorship and access blocked content. The program automatically discovers new access points to maximize chances of bypassing censorship – ultimately giving internet users free and open access to online content.
Psiphon does not claim to protect your privacy; however, it logs session data. Furthermore, Psiphon collects information regarding which servers users connect to and what devices they’re using – however this data is collected aggregately without personally identifiable details being included – this allows Psiphon to improve service and enhance customer support.
Psiphon has long been used to access blocked websites in countries like China, Iran and Syria; however, it does not make for an ideal Netflix VPN due to slow speeds and weak encryption; indeed its official website states it cannot be used for streaming but only circumventing censorship.
Psiphon offers various versions of its software for Android and iOS mobile devices, as well as mobile applications for these platforms. While these apps are free, they contain speed caps and session logging features; Psiphon’s website also mentions its intention to monetize them through advertisements.
The company recently unveiled an updated version of their flagship desktop software that offers enhanced security and performance, supporting both Windows and macOS systems and featuring “Security Mode,” which lets you select which devices will receive encryption protection.
Psiphon offers an in-depth FAQ section that answers frequent inquiries about its service. In addition, this site details how to sideload Psiphon apps onto mobile devices and provides instructions for reaching support if issues arise. Despite some drawbacks, Psiphon remains a useful solution for bypassing censorship in regions where other VPN services may not exist.
