VolnaLink VPN

VPN for Russia 2026 — service overview and statuses

VolnaLink editorial team
All articles TRY VPN Pricing

An overview of VPN services that users and the developers themselves report as working on Russian networks. Below is what is known about each service, which protocols it is built on, and how much it costs. This is an overview based on open sources, not the results of our own measurements.

Important: what this overview is and is not

We did not test the listed services and did not measure how they work on carrier networks. The statuses in the table are gathered from open sources — the services' own statements and user reports — and may not match what you see with your own carrier in your own city: conditions differ by region and change over time.

VolnaLink is preparing its own measurements separately: the methodology is described on the page "How we test VPN performance in Russia", and the results will appear in the monitoring. Until real data is available, we do not publish figures about performance — neither ours nor anyone else's.

What we took into account in the overview
  • Claimed performance. What the service says about itself and what users write.
  • Protocol type. Whether the service has protocols that disguise the connection or works only on classic ones.
  • Convenience. Own apps versus third-party clients, ease of connection.
  • Price and trial period. Whether there is a way to try it for free.

Three services reported most often

🥇 1. VolnaLink VPN

VLESS Reality + backup protocols. The traffic is indistinguishable from ordinary HTTPS — carrier equipment does not block it. Own apps, 100+ servers, 8 hours free with no card.

Price: from 209 ₽/mo · Status: Reported working

🥈 2. Amnezia VPN

Self-hosting with AmneziaWG and traffic protection. Reliable, but it requires setting up your own server.

Price: free / self-host · Status: Reported working

🥉 3. Dyadya Vanya VPN

A Russian-language service on VLESS Reality. Works stably, with a simple Telegram bot.

Price: from 149 ₽/mo · Status: Reported working

The list of services — 66 entries

Below is a list of services that are mentioned in the context of working on Russian networks. The status column reflects open reports, not our measurements. Services we did not test are marked as such — we do not make guesses.

#VPNPriceStatus based on open sources
🥇VolnaLink VPNfrom 209 ₽/moReported working
🥈Amnezia VPNfree / self-hostReported working
🥉Dyadya Vanya VPNfrom 149 ₽/moReported working
4BlancVPNfrom 299 ₽/moReported working
5Outlineself-hostReported working
6Hiddifyfree (client)Reported working
7ShadowHubfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
8Planeta VPNfree / premiumReported unstable
9Endurance VPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
10StealthSurf VPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
11Vlessitefrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
12DOZOR VPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
13XConnect VPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
14SPACE Connectfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
15Velion VPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
16TROYAN VPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
17VelvetVPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
18Snowy Servicesfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
19Windscribefree / from $9Reported unstable
20AuraVPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
21TrubaVPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
22GruVPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
23ChaVPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
24KALINA VPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
25FeoVPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
26ByGate VPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
27PaperVPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
28NetVeilfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
29KryonVPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
30SquareVPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
31GLOBUS VPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
32AstraVPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
33LAMA VPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
34BroVPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
35Kosmos VPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
36Durev VPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
37N1 VPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
38DAR VPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
39Skyfall VPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
40Vey VPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
41TelegaVPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
42Svoboda VPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
43FrootVPNfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
44Mullvad€5/moReported unavailable
45VPN Monsterfrom 100–300 ₽/moReported working
46Proton VPNfree / from $4Reported unavailable
47PsiphonfreeReported unavailable
48NordVPNfrom $3/moReported unavailable
49Surfsharkfrom $2/moReported unavailable
50ExpressVPNfrom $6/moReported unavailable
51Browsecfree / premiumReported unavailable
52VeePNfrom $2/moReported unavailable
53CyberGhostfrom $2/moReported unavailable
54TunnelBearfree / from $3Reported unavailable
55hide.mefree / premiumReported unavailable
56Turbo VPNfree / premiumReported unavailable
57Private Internet Accessfrom $2/moReported unavailable
58F-Secure VPNfrom €4/moReported unavailable
59X-VPNfree / premiumReported unavailable
60IPVanishfrom $3/moReported unavailable
61PureVPNfrom $2/moReported unavailable
62Hotspot Shieldfree / premiumReported unavailable
63Trust Zonefrom $3/moReported unavailable
64Atlas VPNshut down (merged into Nord)Reported unavailable
65ZenMatefrom $2/moReported unavailable
66Hola VPNfree (P2P)Reported unavailable

Why Western VPNs run into trouble in Russia

Users regularly report problems connecting to major international services from Russian networks. The technical reason usually cited is the same one: classic protocols like WireGuard and OpenVPN are recognized by equipment through characteristic traffic signatures. The apps of some of these services are not available in the Russian sections of the App Store and Google Play. How much this shows up with a specific carrier and in a specific region, we have not measured and will not claim.

Which protocols are built for these conditions

Services on protocols with traffic protection come out ahead. The flagship of the technology is VLESS Reality: it disguises your connection as an ordinary visit to a real, popular HTTPS site. To carrier equipment such traffic is indistinguishable from legitimate traffic, and it cannot be blocked "blindly" — otherwise half the internet would go down. Our service is built on this technology too.

What we can say about VolnaLink

VolnaLink runs on VLESS Reality with backup protocols — that is, it uses today's most resilient connection method and, if one path slows down, automatically switches to another. VolnaLink has its own apps for every platform (Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV) — no need to fuss with third-party clients like Happ or Hiddify. Plus 100+ servers, payment by Russian card, via SBP, and with foreign cards, and 8 hours free with no card so you can try it before paying.

Ready to connect?

Try VolnaLink VPN free for 8 hours without a card, or pick a plan right away.

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FAQ

Services on protocols with traffic protection, first of all VLESS Reality. In our rating, first place goes to VolnaLink VPN — it runs on Reality with backup protocols and its own apps.
Their servers are in the Roskomnadzor registry, and the WireGuard/OpenVPN protocols are throttled by carrier equipment. The apps have been removed from Russian stores. Without traffic protection, such VPNs do not get through in Russia.
It is a way of protecting traffic: your VPN connection looks like an ordinary visit to a real HTTPS site. Carrier equipment cannot tell it apart from legitimate traffic and does not block it without taking down half the internet.
Yes, the first 8 hours are free and with no card required. That is enough to assess speed and stability on your own carrier.
Partly. Free servers are usually overloaded and often fall under blocks. For stable operation under a carrier's filters, a service with traffic protection and its own server network is better.