Which VPNs offer SOCKS5?

All of the VPNs on my list offer SOCKS5 proxy support, including Private Internet Access, NordVPN, PrivateVPN, IPVanish, and hide.me.

What’s the difference between SOCKS5 and a VPN?

A VPN encrypts all of your internet traffic and routes it through a secure server, which makes your data unreadable to others and hides your IP address. SOCKS5 also routes your internet traffic through a remote server and hides your IP address, but it doesn’t encrypt your data. That said, the lack of encryption makes SOCKS5 faster than VPNs. VPNs with SOCKS5 proxy support give you the flexibility to choose between the two depending on your needs.

Can I get SOCKS5 for free?

Yes, you can find free SOCKS5 proxies online, but they come with many risks and limitations. Free proxies often lack the speeds, stability, and security you get with a paid service. Hosts of free SOCKS5 proxies may even harvest your data to make a profit. For enhanced privacy while torrenting or during other online activities, I highly recommend getting an affordable, paid SOCKS5 VPN instead.

Can I use SOCKS5 and a VPN together?

Yes, some VPNs, like Private Internet Access , support using SOCKS5 and a VPN together. This combination makes it much harder for anyone to trace your online activities back to you because your traffic is routed through 2 different servers. Keep in mind, though, that using both will slow your internet speeds more than a regular VPN connection due to the double routing process.

Articles by Raven Wu

Raven Wu

Raven Wu is a freelance writer, editor, and translator. He is a strong advocate of internet freedom and is very passionate about technology, and he’s honed his craft by researching and writing about a variety of other topics including education, literature, health, pop culture, and games. Outside of work, he's an amateur novelist and history enthusiast who enjoys hard games, spicy food, and thinking way too hard about everything.