There are many reasons you might want to use a VPN, but the main ones usually revolve around security and privacy.

However, the problem lies in the fact that you need to pay for a VPN (Virtual Private Network), and paying for it is hardly anonymous, with banks and credit card companies recording every transaction with all the details firmly established in their records… not so great for your privacy.

It’s the same for other payment systems like Paypal.

With all that information being stored, I’m sure, like me it makes you concerned over your privacy, right?

So what happens if you’ve got a stash of Bitcoin, Ripple, Ether or one of the many other currencies known as ‘Crypto‘?

Users will be happy to know this is where (semi)anonymous payments come into play, and the easiest way to pay as anonymously as possible is, of course, with cryptocurrency.

It’s worth remembering that most cryptocurrencies are not 100% anonymous, but I’ll cover more on that later.

Although such crypto payments have become more widely accepted, many VPN providers still do not accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

However, most of the best ones do, and below you’ll discover seven of the most popular VPN services you can pay for with that virtual currency you’ve got hanging around in your virtual pocket.

Top 7 Crypto accepting VPN Services

1. VPN.ac

In the first spot, we have VPN.ac – a smaller service than others on this list, but still a highly-capable service and the best VPN that accepts Bitcoin payments and other Crypto.

It features VPN servers in over 20 countries, most of which are in Europe and America, but also in Asia and Australia.

As for payments, there are numerous ways to pay, including cryptocurrency. VPN.ac accepts a vast number of them, including Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, Dash, Dogecoin, Monero, Ripple, and more.

The service also offers secure 256-bit encryption and utilises a 4096-bit RSA key for handshaking, which is at the industry’s upper end. We really like the fact they support Wireguard too.

It certainly seems to be the most open to crypto payments, which is why we ranked them especially highly.

The only downside is that they only offer a 7-day money-back guarantee, although it’s unlikely you’ll need it as in our testing we found them to be outstanding.

VPN.ac are one of the best VPNs if you want to buy a VPN with Bitcoin. Plus, they are my personal favourite when it comes to VPNs that accepts Bitcoin.

#1 Recommended Choice

7-day money back guarantee

2. VPNCity

Second, we have VPNCity, which is an outstanding service that doesn’t keep logs of your activities that you may not have previously heard of.

This industry newcomer supports numerous devices and systems, and it has prices that are below the industry’s average. There’s a wealth of crypto payment options handled via Coingate, including Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin, and of course, Bitcoin payments.

However, its best feature is the fact that it allows you to use it on 12 different devices simultaneously on their longer (& cheapest) subscription package.

They have some great privacy features such as a dedicated IP address, no-log policy and strong encryption.

The service works with tons of streaming services and has additional security features such as a warrant canary which is a sweet bonus. It also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

VPNCity is one of the best VPNs that accept Bitcoin payments.

• See More: Check out our review of the VPNCity service.

3. Surfshark

Next on our list for VPNs that allow you to pay with Bitcoin is Surfshark VPN – a VPN that is quite new but has become increasingly popular due to its advanced security features and reliable service.

Usually, recommending new VPNs doesn’t happen very often, but this is a provider that has proven itself to offer nearly as many features as more established VPN services.

Their VPN has got a great interface that many users find easy to use. Plus, their website is easy to navigate and the set up is as easy as inputting your email address, paying, and getting the app.

You have the choice of paying via CoinGate or CoinPayments, which includes payment options such as Bitcoin, Ripple and Ethereum.

It is also great for bypassing censorship and geo-restrictions, and it can help you be partly anonymous. With it, you can access 1,040 VPN servers in over 60 countries while using a variety of devices and systems.

A great feature is Surfshark’s “Surfshark Alert”, which alerts you of any breaches to your email address provider, protecting your inbox from potential threats.

Surfshark can unblock 15 Netflix regions, supercharging your Netflix account. You’ll love it.

Oh, and there’s the standard 30-day money-back guarantee available here too. Surfshark is a great VPN if you want to buy a VPN with Bitcoin payments.

4. NordVPN

In fourth place, we have NordVPN – a top-rated and capable service. In terms of crypto payments (e.g. Bitcoin), it offers that bit more choice than some of the other providers.

NordVPN has a significantly bigger VPN server network than most other providers, even though its VPN servers are available in fewer countries than some (around 60). Still, the service offers robust security features; it has a 30-day money-back guarantee and a good number of dedicated apps for most users gadgets.

Nord works with streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and other popular platforms.

Furthermore, it also accepts several cryptocurrencies, which is another thing that makes it stand out.

You can pay for NordVPN with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or XRP, so there’s plenty of choices when it comes to paying.

Nord does have some great privacy features such as built-in kill switches (to help with leak protection), 256-bit encryption, double IP address changes, dedicated IP addresses, and of course, a no-logs policy which is always the most important privacy feature.

They are one of the best VPNs that accepts Bitcoin.

However, NordVPN did suffer a security incident a few years back, which you may want to consider. If that’s a deal-breaker, then check the alternative options above or below.

5. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is one of the best, if not THE best VPN that you can get at the moment, and it’s not just us who say that, as you’ll discover soon.

It is known as one of the most trustworthy and the most capable VPN providers out there – no reports of any breaches or incidents that would make you distrust them. They’ve got a strict no-logs policy, excellent security (256-bit AES encryption), and a built-in kill switch for leak protection.

Your privacy is paramount.

But down to the nitty-gritty, you can pay for this VPN with Bitcoin. Although it’s disappointing not to see more crypto options, they do support the most popular.

If you’ve got a few Bitcoin hanging around, then you’ll be able to pay for their service with it.

Apart from this, Express is known for its massive server network that spans 94 countries, and it has dedicated apps for most tablets, phones, desktops, and laptops.

Express work great with streaming websites such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Android TV, and many other popular websites and apps. They are the VPN I use with my Netflix account, and I love it.

They also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied with its service as long as you request your payment back within 30 days from the moment of payment. Express also has excellent customer support.

All of the above is why Express is a great option for you if you want to pay for your VPN with Bitcoin.

6. CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost VPN is our sixth pick for a variety of reasons. In terms of Cryptocurrency payments, they’re limited to Bitcoin via BitPay.

Its server network offers almost the same number of VPN servers as NordVPN, while server locations include practically the same amount of countries as ExpressVPN.

You might say that CyberGhost VPN took the best from both of the previous entries. Such as a dedicated IP address, built-in kill switch, and other privacy features.

On top of that, you can use it on all the most popular systems and devices. One stand out feature is they offer specific connection points for unblocking streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime. If you’re a big binge-watcher, then this will come in useful.

As far as VPNs go, CyberGhost VPN is one of the best VPNs around if you want to pay with Bitcoin.

It also has the longest-lasting money-back guarantee in the industry – a 45-day long guarantee. They also have live chat support, which is the cornerstone of their excellent customer service, something all good VPN software will have.

7. ProtonVPN

Finally, the last on our list is ProtonVPN. This Swiss-based VPN service is one of the best for anonymity features and respect for user privacy, which is required by Swiss laws.

ProtonVPN is a high-speed VPN that offers protection for numerous systems and devices. While it does offer a (limited) free version, the paid subscriptions are a little on the high side.

Payment is possible via several methods. In the crypto sense, you’re able to pay using Bitcoin only.

The VPN provider claims to keep no logs of your activity, it supports torrenting, and it allows you to protect up to five devices at once. It even has a decent VPN server network, with 1,200+ VPN servers in 55 different countries.

They work very well with Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ apps no matter where you are globally, not all VPNs do.

If you don’t like it, you can use their 30-day money-back guarantee to get a refund. Not many users do this as their VPN is great.

How can cryptocurrency protect my payment?

You might be wondering how and why cryptocurrency payments are better than credit or debit card payments or even PayPal transactions.

The fact is that all of these services care very deeply about who you are and what you do with your money.

They are all interconnected, and they share real-world details about you, making it easy for them to build a profile of your spending patterns, but not only that…

… who you are.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency do things differently.

It is not 100% anonymous since it does have a public ledger, so don’t let anyone tell you it is.

However, it can be more anonymous than traditional payment methods as long as you do not connect your Bitcoin wallet to any account where you were forced to verify your identity and use your email address.

Your cryptocurrency payment could be tracked, but as long as no one knows who you are, you’re halfway there to anonymity.

I would go as far as to say that 100% anonymity is not possible, at least not for regular users like ourselves. However, by paying for your VPN with crypto, you add an extra layer of protection not available with traditional payment methods.

Using a VPN that accepts Bitcoin and other Cryptocurrency is a smart move.

Benefits of paying with Crypto

1. Bitcoin is pseudonymous, meaning that your user identity is not instantly known to everyone unless you are individually tracked, unlike credit cards and gift cards that leave a paper trail.

2. Faster transactions; crypto transactions can vary in speed, but they can be near-instant, while international transactions through banks can take several (work) days to be processed.

3. Cryptos are available at any time; with cryptocurrencies, there is no such thing as borders, and it doesn’t matter what time of day it might be.

All transactions are swift and processed around the clock. Usually avoiding transaction fees. As Bitcoin grows as a currency, more and more transactions will occur using Bitcoin and other types of crypto.

4. Greater security; Cryptocurrencies use blockchain technology, which acts as a decentralised ledger. As such, it is also immutable, meaning that no transaction that is recorded can ever be manipulated, deleted, or changed in any way.

5. Value; Cryptocurrencies are becoming increasingly valuable as their adoption advances. Their prices go up and down, but overall, it is estimated that they will be much more valuable as time goes on.

You only need to see the heights that Bitcoin has reached in recent times to see this is true.

Negatives of paying with crypto

If you pay with Bitcoin or another type of crypto, you might find these problems:

1. They are not entirely anonymous; As much as people might try to deny it, the fact is that crypto is only pseudonymous, and total anonymity is a myth. While crypto will help with your privacy, you’ll need to take additional steps.

2. Volatility; As mentioned before, crypto prices are far from stable. While this might be a good thing for professional traders, it is not so suitable for users who wish to use it for payments, as you can never tell how the price might behave and the value of your crypto might increase or drop.

3. Lack of regulation; Depending on where you live in the world, cryptocurrencies might see more or fewer rules. However, they are not 100% regulated anywhere, meaning that there is always room for changes, some of which might be negative.

4. Lack of adoption; Cryptocurrencies are practical and more advanced than traditional money. However, there are still only a handful of places where you can use them, and only the most popular ones, at that, for example Bitcoin.

5. They are complicated; Since cryptos are a completely new payment method, it is hardly surprising that they bring all kinds of innovative technologies, techniques, concepts, and more. However, this can be difficult to grasp, and it requires time and a very steep learning curve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I anonymous when paying with Crypto-currency?

No, many factors lead towards anonymity and some would say that total anonymity is impossible.

It’s worth remembering that even when paying with crypto-currency, your IP address is sent to the Bitcoin VPN provider each time you connect.

As mentioned above, using crypto will help with privacy, but it doesn’t make you anonymous.

Is using Crypto-currency illegal?

No, in most countries, cryptocurrency is not illegal and paying for services such as VPNs is a common usage.

Should I pay for a VPN with crypto?

This is entirely a decision for you to make.

Above, we’ve listed seven VPN services that accept various forms of cryptocurrency. If you should pay using it over a more traditional method is up to you to decide.

Summary

Virtual Private Networks are one of the best technologies for achieving part-anonymity, securing your online activity, privacy, and security on the internet.

However, paying for them is far from being anonymous. All types of traditional payment methods are highly linked to your identity (such as your bank accounts and even email address), putting your privacy at risk.

You may, therefore, consider paying with cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin.

VPN.ac is the standout Bitcoin VPN service for crypto payments because they offer more options than most. They do however, have fewer locations than other services, so it pays to check that they’re suitable for your needs, you can do so on the website.

It’s also worth noting they don’t offer a 30-day money-back guarantee as many other Bitcoin VPN providers do. Instead providing a shorter 7-day one.

If you need more locations, then NordVPN makes a good alternative, but you’ll be limited to fewer crypto choices.

What’s your favourite Crypto for making payments? I would love to hear your thoughts, so drop a comment in our comments section below.

Sources

1. Trustpilot | ExpressVPN.com
2. The Guardian | Everything you wanted to know about bitcoin but were afraid to ask

Illustations © Volha Sharhayeva & Sentavio | Dreamstime.com