Shadowsocks AlternativesVPN Services and other similar apps like Shadowsocks

Shadowsocks is described as 'A fast tunnel proxy that helps you bypass firewalls' and is a very popular VPN service in the security & privacy category. There are more than 100 alternatives to Shadowsocks for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac, Android, Linux and iPhone apps. The best Shadowsocks alternative is Tor, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Shadowsocks are Proton VPN, Mullvad, OpenVPN Connect and WireGuard.

filter to find the best alternatives

Shadowsocks alternatives are mainly VPN Services but may also be VPN Clients or Anonymizing Networks.  Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Shadowsocks.
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A fast tunnel proxy that helps you bypass firewalls.

More about Shadowsocks
Shadowsocks alternatives page was last updated Aug 12, 2024
  1. Tor icon
     1753 likes

    Tor is free software and an open network that helps you defend against traffic analysis, a form of network surveillance that threatens personal freedom and privacy, confidential business activities and relationships, and state security.

    64 Tor alternatives
    Tor screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD

    Properties

    1.  Security-focused
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Online Anonymity
    2.  Bypass Censorship
    3.  No Tracking
    4.  Debian package compatible
    5.  No Logs
    6.  Portable
    7.  Ad-free
    8.  Torrenting
    9.  Graphical User Interface
    10.  Support for FTP
    11.  Decentralized
    12.  Anonymous Proxy
    Tor iconShadowsocks Icon

    Tor VS Shadowsocks

    Is Tor a good alternative to Shadowsocks?
     
    • Almost everyone thinks Tor is a great Shadowsocks alternative.

    • Tor is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Shadowsocks.

    • Tor is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Shadowsocks.

    • Tor is Free and Open SourceShadowsocks is also Free and Open Source
    • Tor is Security-focused, Privacy focused and DecentralizedShadowsocks is not according to our users
  2. Proton VPN icon
     392 likes

    Proton VPN provides Swiss-based online security with a high-speed network, free version, and advanced features like VPN Accelerator, AES-256 encryption, a no-logs policy, and support for platforms including PCs and smartphones, enabling content access globally.

    232 Proton VPN alternatives
    Proton VPN screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreemiumOpen Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Google Chrome
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Android TV
    • Flatpak
    • Fire TV
    • Mozilla Firefox

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Security-focused

    Features

    1.  Encrypted VPN
    2.  No Logs
    3.  WireGuard
    4. Tor icon  Support for TOR
    5.  VPN Kill Switch
    6.  End-to-End Encryption
    7.  Unblock netflix
    8.  No Tracking
    9.  Dark Mode
    10.  Block Trackers
    11.  Dns leak blockage
    12.  Ad-free
    Proton VPN iconShadowsocks Icon

    Proton VPN VS Shadowsocks

    Is Proton VPN a good alternative to Shadowsocks?
     
    • Proton VPN is the most popular Android, iPhone, iPad & Android Tablet alternative to Shadowsocks.

    • Proton VPN is Freemium and Open SourceShadowsocks is Free and Open Source
    • Proton VPN is Privacy focused and Security-focusedShadowsocks is not according to our users
  3. Mullvad icon
     180 likes

    Mullvad is a VPN service that helps keep your online activity, identity, and location private.

    223 Mullvad alternatives
    Mullvad screenshot 1

    License model

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • F-Droid
    • WireGuard
    • Qubes OS
    • Tor
    • OpenWrt
    • Tomato
    • IPFire
    • pfSense
    • OpenVPN
    • DD-WRT

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  No Logs
    2.  WireGuard
    3.  Cryptocurrency payment
    4.  No Tracking
    5.  Encrypted VPN
    6.  VPN Kill Switch
    7.  Ad-free
    8.  SOCKS proxy client and server
    9.  No registration required
    10.  Split Tunneling
    11.  Custom DNS
    12.  AES-256 Encryption
    Mullvad iconShadowsocks Icon

    Mullvad VS Shadowsocks

    Is Mullvad a good alternative to Shadowsocks?
     
    • Mullvad is the most popular Web-based alternative to Shadowsocks.

    • Mullvad is the most popular commercial alternative to Shadowsocks.

    • Mullvad is Paid and Open SourceShadowsocks is Free and Open Source
    • Mullvad is Privacy focusedShadowsocks is not according to our users
  4. OpenVPN Connect icon
     741 likes

    OpenVPN Connect provides flexible VPN solutions to secure your data communications, whether it's for Internet privacy, remote access for employees, securing IoT, or for networking Cloud data centers.

    53 OpenVPN Connect alternatives
    OpenVPN Connect screenshot 1
    OpenVPN Connect screenshot 2
    +1
    OpenVPN Connect screenshot 3

    License model

    • FreemiumOpen Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Cloudron

    Properties

    1.  Security-focused
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Online Anonymity
    2.  Cisco AnyConnect
    3.  OpenVPN
    4.  Voice Chat
    5.  No registration required
    6.  No Tracking
    7.  No Logs
    8.  Ad-free
    9.  Encrypted VPN
    10.  Private repositories
    11.  OS deployment
    12. KeePass icon  Keepass integration
    OpenVPN Connect iconShadowsocks Icon

    OpenVPN Connect VS Shadowsocks

    Is OpenVPN Connect a good alternative to Shadowsocks?
     
    • Most users think OpenVPN Connect is a great Shadowsocks alternative.

    • OpenVPN Connect is the most popular Self-Hosted alternative to Shadowsocks.

    • OpenVPN Connect is Freemium and Open SourceShadowsocks is Free and Open Source
    • OpenVPN Connect is Security-focused and Privacy focusedShadowsocks is not according to our users
  5. WireGuard icon
     217 likes

    WireGuard is an extremely simple yet fast and modern VPN that utilizes state-of-the-art cryptography. It aims to be faster, simpler, leaner, and more useful than IPSec, while avoiding the massive headache. It intends to be considerably more performant than OpenVPN.

    53 WireGuard alternatives
    WireGuard screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • BSD
    • iPad
    • F-Droid
    • OpenWrt

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Encrypted VPN
    2.  Fast speed
    3.  No Logs
    4.  Dark Mode
    5.  End-to-End Encryption
    6.  Ad-free
    7.  WireGuard
    8.  AES-256 Encryption
    9.  No Tracking
    10.  Built-in VPN
    11.  No registration required
    WireGuard iconShadowsocks Icon

    WireGuard VS Shadowsocks

    Is WireGuard a good alternative to Shadowsocks?
     
  6. Windscribe icon
     151 likes

    Windscribe is a desktop application and browser extension that work together to block ads and trackers, restore access to blocked content and help you safeguard your privacy online.

    214 Windscribe alternatives
    Windscribe screenshot 1
    Windscribe screenshot 2
    +2
    Windscribe screenshot 3

    License model

    • FreemiumOpen Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Google Chrome
    • F-Droid
    • Opera
    • Mozilla Firefox
    • Microsoft Edge

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Distraction-free

    Features

    1.  Hide your IP
    2.  Block Trackers
    3.  Hide my location
    4.  No Logs
    5.  WireGuard
    6.  VPN Kill Switch
    7.  OpenVPN
    8.  Split Tunneling
    9.  Anti Porn
    10.  Bypass Censorship
    11.  No Tracking
    12.  Dark Mode
    Windscribe iconShadowsocks Icon

    Windscribe VS Shadowsocks

    Is Windscribe a good alternative to Shadowsocks?
     
  7. I2P icon
     214 likes

    The I2P network provides strong privacy protections for communication over the Internet. Many activities that would risk your privacy on the public Internet can be conducted anonymously inside I2P.

    50 I2P alternatives
    I2P screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • BSD

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Decentralized
    2.  Anonymous Email
    3.  Online Anonymity
    4.  Built-In Proxy
    5.  No Logs
    6.  End-to-End Encryption
    7.  Ad-free
    8.  Anonymous Proxy
    9.  No Tracking
    10.  Dark Mode
    11.  No registration required
    12.  P2P Network
    I2P iconShadowsocks Icon

    I2P VS Shadowsocks

    Is I2P a good alternative to Shadowsocks?
     
  8. Psiphon icon
     246 likes

    Enjoy unfiltered Internet access globally using Psiphon's open-source VPN. It offers AES-256 encryption, split tunneling, WireGuard support, and more, all without requiring user registration. Perfect for communities in censored regions and those seeking privacy-focused alternatives.

    191 Psiphon alternatives
    Psiphon screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreemiumOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Hide your IP
    2.  Anticensorship
    3.  Bypass Censorship
    4.  Split Tunneling
    5.  Encrypted VPN
    6.  AES-256 Encryption
    7.  No registration required
    8.  WireGuard
    9. Google Drive icon  Google Drive integration
    10.  Pdf unlock
    Psiphon iconShadowsocks Icon

    Psiphon VS Shadowsocks

    Is Psiphon a good alternative to Shadowsocks?
     
  9. Hyphanet icon
     168 likes

    Hyphanet (former Freenet) is free software which lets you anonymously share files, browse and publish "freesites".

    53 Hyphanet alternatives
    Hyphanet screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD

    Hyphanet Features

    1.  Decentralized
    2.  No Tracking
    3.  Ad-free
    4.  Fully anonymous
    5.  Java based
    6.  Anonymous Secure Filesharing
    7.  Peer-To-Peer
    8.  Virtual filesystem
    Hyphanet iconShadowsocks Icon

    Hyphanet VS Shadowsocks

    Is Hyphanet a good alternative to Shadowsocks?
     
  10. Snowflake Tor icon
     50 likes

    Snowflake is a system to defeat internet censorship. People who are censored can use Snowflake to access the internet. Their connection goes through Snowflake proxies, which are run by volunteers.

    219 Snowflake Tor alternatives
    Snowflake Tor screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Google Chrome
    • Firefox

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Bypass Censorship
    2.  Tor
    3.  No Censorship
    4.  Decentralized
    5.  No Tracking
    6.  No Logs
    Snowflake Tor iconShadowsocks Icon

    Snowflake Tor VS Shadowsocks

    Is Snowflake Tor a good alternative to Shadowsocks?
     
  11. RiseupVPN icon
     32 likes

    RiseupVPN service for censorship circumvention, location anonymization and traffic encryption. To make this possible, it sends all your internet traffic through an encrypted connection to riseup.net, where it then goes out onto the public internet.

    101 RiseupVPN alternatives
    RiseupVPN screenshot 1
    RiseupVPN screenshot 2
    +5
    RiseupVPN screenshot 3

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • F-Droid

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  No Logs
    2.  No registration required
    3.  End-to-End Encryption
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  VPN Kill Switch
    6.  No Tracking
    7.  Anonymous Proxy
    8.  OpenVPN
    9.  Encrypted VPN
    RiseupVPN iconShadowsocks Icon

    RiseupVPN VS Shadowsocks

    Is RiseupVPN a good alternative to Shadowsocks?
     
  12. WG Tunnel icon
     8 likes

    This is an alternative Android Application for WireGuard and Amnezia VPN added features. Built using the wireguard-android library and Jetpack Compose, this application was inspired by the...

    51 WG Tunnel alternatives
    Home
    Adding a VPN
    +1
    Editing a VPN

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • F-Droid

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  WireGuard
    2.  Player vs Player
    3.  Ad-free
    4.  Split Tunneling
    WG Tunnel iconShadowsocks Icon

    WG Tunnel VS Shadowsocks

    Is WG Tunnel a good alternative to Shadowsocks?
     
12 of 183 Shadowsocks alternatives