Ping VPN is the kind of app you install when you want a tunnel that just works. There are no ads, no in-app purchases, no signup, and the smart-mode toggle lets you pick which apps go through the VPN. The 4.7 rating reflects that simplicity. The catch is what is missing: there is no public audit, the server locations are described in general terms only, and the parent company keeps a low profile online.
For light use that is fine. If the VPN protects something that actually matters, the seven Ping VPN alternatives below trade a bit of one-tap simplicity for clearer policies, larger server pools, and apps with published audits.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Audited | Open source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proton VPN | Audited free with no data cap | Unlimited, 5 countries | Yes | Yes (apps) |
| Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 + WARP | Fastest free option | Unlimited, no account | Partial | Yes (clients) |
| Windscribe | Flexible free with split tunnelling | 10 GB/month | Yes | Yes (apps) |
| Mullvad VPN | Anonymous flat-rate paid | None | Yes | Yes |
| TunnelBear | Casual public Wi-Fi use | 2 GB/month | Yes | No |
| Psiphon Pro | Aggressive blocking | Unlimited (ad-supported) | No | Yes |
| hide.me (HMA) Pro | Commercial paid with broad server pool | Trial only | Yes | No |
Why people switch from Ping VPN
The pattern from store reviews and threads:
- No third-party audit. Ping VPN's privacy promise is text on a page. Proton, Windscribe, Mullvad and TunnelBear all back their no-log claims with annual public audits.
- Server pool is fuzzy. The listing talks about a tunnel with extra encryption, but country selection and node count are not clearly disclosed. That makes streaming workarounds and route tuning a guessing game.
- Stability dips at peak times. A free, no-ad service ends up funding capacity from somewhere else. Reviewers report timeouts during evenings, which is the same shape as other free VPNs that share a small node pool.
- Limited company visibility. The website (ping-vpn.vercel.app) is a Vercel-hosted landing page. There is no team, jurisdiction or warrant canary. For routine browsing that is fine. For sensitive traffic it is not.
Which Ping VPN alternative should you pick?
- Proton VPN for an unlimited free tier that is actually audited.
- Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 + WARP for raw speed with no account.
- Windscribe if you want split tunnelling and per-network rules on the free plan.
- Mullvad VPN if you can pay €5/month for the most anonymous setup available.
- TunnelBear if you just want a VPN on public Wi-Fi a few times a month.
- Psiphon Pro if you live somewhere that actively blocks ordinary VPNs.
- hide.me / HMA Pro if you need a large commercial server pool for streaming.
1. Proton VPN, best audited free tier
Proton VPN's free tier is unlimited data, no ads, and the only major one of those that comes with a public Cure53-style audit each year. Free users get five countries, WireGuard, and the same no-log policy as paid users. The apps are open source on GitHub.
Compared with Ping VPN, you trade the per-app split-mode for kill switch, always-on, and a Plus tier that opens 100+ countries and streaming-grade servers.
Where it falls short: the free tier does not unblock most streaming services. You cannot pick a specific city.
Pricing: free unlimited (5 countries, 1 device); Plus from around €4/month on the longer commit.
Switching from Ping VPN: nothing to migrate. Install, sign up, connect.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: the default swap if your motivation for using Ping VPN was the no-cost, no-ads experience.
2. Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 + WARP, fastest free tunnel
WARP is a proxy-style VPN on top of Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 resolver. Free, unlimited, no account. Traffic routes through Cloudflare's global edge, so latency is usually lower than any consumer VPN. WARP+ adds Argo-routed paths for a small monthly fee.
WARP encrypts traffic between you and Cloudflare. Cloudflare can still see DNS queries unless you enable 1.1.1.1 for Families. There is no country picker.
Where it falls short: no country selection. Cloudflare retains some metadata even with no browsing logs.
Pricing: free unlimited; WARP+ a few dollars a month.
Switching from Ping VPN: install, tap connect, done.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: the right pick for speed-first usage where geo-switching does not matter.
3. Windscribe, most configurable free plan
Windscribe gives free users 10 GB per month and access to 11 country servers. Confirming an email lifts that cap to 15 GB. The Android app exposes split tunnelling, a firewall and per-Wi-Fi rules on the free plan, which Ping VPN does not.
The audit is public and the apps are open source on GitHub. The Build A Plan option lets you pay only for the locations you need from $1 each.
Where it falls short: Android has fewer protocol toggles than the desktop client. Free speeds vary more than Proton or Cloudflare.
Pricing: free 10 GB/month (15 GB with email); paid from a few dollars a month for unlimited.
Switching from Ping VPN: install, sign up, log in. Set always-on and the apps you want excluded from the tunnel.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: the closest free match to Ping VPN's split-mode philosophy, with more headroom.
4. Mullvad VPN, most anonymous paid pick
Mullvad costs a flat €5 per month, with no annual discount and no tiers. Signup is a randomly generated account number, no email required. You can pay with cash by mail if you want zero paper trail. The Swedish provider publishes regular audits, runs WireGuard and OpenVPN, and supports DAITA against traffic analysis.
Unlike Ping VPN, there is no free plan. The price is the price.
Where it falls short: no free tier, no streaming-optimised servers, simple feature set.
Pricing: €5/month flat, every plan identical.
Switching from Ping VPN: install, generate an account number, add credit, connect.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: pick this when anonymity is the actual goal.
5. TunnelBear, friendliest light-use free
TunnelBear caps free use at 2 GB per month, which sounds small but covers browsing, messaging and a couple of calls. The Canadian provider publishes annual audits by Cure53 and the app is the most beginner-friendly on this list.
For everyday use, the Unlimited plan is comparable in price to other consumer VPN tiers.
Where it falls short: the 2 GB cap is the cap. Smaller server network than Windscribe or Proton.
Pricing: free 2 GB/month; Unlimited from a few dollars a month on a longer commit.
Switching from Ping VPN: install, sign up, connect.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: the easy choice when the VPN is only on for a few minutes at a time.
6. Psiphon Pro, best for blocked networks
Psiphon was built for countries that block ordinary VPNs. The free tier is ad-supported and unlimited, and the app falls back through SSH, HTTPS and obfuscated protocols until something gets through. The client source is public and the project has a long track record.
Psiphon's strength is reachability, not privacy.
Where it falls short: ads on the free plan. Weaker privacy policy than Proton or Mullvad.
Pricing: free unlimited (ads); Pro subscription removes ads and adds speed boost.
Switching from Ping VPN: install, connect. No account needed.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: the right tool when your network actively blocks regular VPNs.
7. hide.me / HMA Pro VPN, broad commercial server pool
HMA Pro VPN runs one of the largest commercial server networks, with coverage in roughly 190 countries. The Czech-based provider has been audited and runs OpenVPN and WireGuard. The Android app is straightforward, with kill switch, split tunnelling and per-app routing on the paid plan.
This is the right answer when location-switching for streaming is the actual job and Ping VPN's small pool was the blocker.
Where it falls short: paid only on Android (free trial available). Connection speeds vary by region.
Pricing: trial available; subscriptions vary by commit length.
Switching from Ping VPN: install, sign up, log in. The country picker is the main daily interaction.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: for streaming and region-switching, the country pool is what you are buying.
How to choose
If Ping VPN's appeal was simply that it is free and not full of ads, Proton VPN is the straight upgrade. If you cared more about speed than country switching, Cloudflare WARP wins on raw latency. Windscribe sits between the two, with a generous free quota and real controls.
For paid options, Mullvad's €5 flat fee is hard to beat on price plus anonymity. HMA fits when streaming workarounds are the actual goal and you need the server count.
Stay on Ping VPN if your usage is light and casual, and the lack of ads is the single feature you value. The moment the VPN starts protecting work email, banking or anything else that matters, an audited provider becomes worth the extra step.
FAQ
Is Ping VPN safe? The app encrypts traffic and avoids ads, which is good. The missing public audit is the weakness compared with Proton, Windscribe, Mullvad and TunnelBear.
What is the cheapest Ping VPN alternative? Free options are Proton VPN, Cloudflare WARP, Windscribe and TunnelBear (capped). For paid, Mullvad's flat €5/month is the cheapest committed price.
Is there an audited free version of Ping VPN? No. If you need a free, audited VPN on Android, Proton VPN is the closest match.
What do people use instead of Ping VPN? Proton VPN for free, Mullvad for paid privacy, and Cloudflare WARP for the lowest-latency free tunnel are the three most-recommended swaps.
