#1
Brave Firewall + VPN
Guardian-powered Brave-branded VPN; honest flat pricing but it's a wrapper, not Brave infrastructure.
intro $9.66 /month renews $9.99
Browser relays
Built-in browser relays - transport encryption, not anonymity. Honestly scoped.
Short answer: Brave Firewall + VPN is our top pick as of 2026-09-27 (5.6/10) - read why, and who we ranked below it and why.
#2
Opera VPN (browser)
Not a VPN - a browser-scoped proxy owned since 2016 by a consortium incl. Chinese investors (Kunlun/Qihoo 360 heritage). Fine for geo-messing, not privacy.
free (browser proxy)
// FAQ
How do you rank browser relays?
On documented facts and weighted scores. Privacy evidence and ownership weigh heaviest; free apps are judged harder on trust than paid services because the incentive to abuse users is bigger.
What should I check before paying?
The renewal price (not the teaser), the logging evidence class, the jurisdiction, and who owns the brand. Then check whether you need the paid service at all - see the alternatives in every review.