# Oriole vs Free VPN

The clearest difference is monetization model: Free VPN at free with in-app purchases against Oriole's subscription. Free VPN also leads on ratings volume (50K vs 221) and review sentiment (60% vs 43%). Oriole's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Oriole sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Free VPN sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Oriole against 4.7 for Free VPN. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Free VPN has 50K ratings behind it against 221, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 43% of Oriole's written reviews are positive against 60% of Free VPN's.

Oriole ships an update weekly, Free VPN every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Oriole | Free VPN |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (221 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/oriole-network-proxy/id1245170216/reviews) | **[4.7 (50K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/free-vpn-fast-and-secure-proxy/id1575330471/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 221 | **50K** |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews | **59.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#149** |
| Size | 33 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [磊 郭](https://appshunter.io/developer/1201234070) | [Free VPN LTD (Apps)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1575330473) |

## What reviewers say

### Oriole

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/oriole-network-proxy/id1245170216)

This utility app provides secure network proxying using Shadowsocks, HTTP(S), and Socks5 protocols. It helps protect user data by routing traffic through a trusted server. Offers monthly and yearly premium subscriptions for enhanced features.

**Highlights:** Shadowsocks proxy, HTTP(S) proxy, Socks5 proxy, Secure data protection, Trusted server routing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium a month | $1.99 | per month |
| Three day free trial | $1.99 | per month |
| Season with three day trial | $4.49 | per 3 months |
| Premium a year | $13.99 | per year |
| Oriole Pro | $1.99 | one-time |


### Free VPN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/free-vpn-fast-and-secure-proxy/id1575330471)

**Currently charting:** #149 Top Free · Utilities (US App Store)

Connect to free VPN servers worldwide for a fast, secure, and anonymous internet experience. Protect your data with encryption and enjoy unlimited locations. Watch ads for full access or go ad-free with a premium subscription.

**Highlights:** Global VPN server access, Fast and secure connection, Private and encrypted data, Unlimited location options, Ad-free premium option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Boosted & Ad Free VPN | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Boosted & Ad Free VPN | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Boosted & Ad-Free | $12.99 | per month |
| Boosted & Ad-Free | $12.99 | per month |
| 2 Month - Ad Free Premium | $17.99 | per 2 months |
| Boosted & Ad Free VPN | $89.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and stable connection
- 👍 Genuinely free VPN with ads option
- 🔒 Keeps location anonymous
- 🎥 Allows access to region-locked content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional disconnections and connection issues
- 🔍 Limited server locations
- ⚠️ Potential privacy/security concerns
- 🕰️ Ads required to access VPN

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to connect to certain servers
- Asks for authentication credentials unexpectedly
- Interferes with other apps/services
- Inconsistent performance across devices

**Requested features**

- More server location options
- Ability to add more time before expiration
- Improved stability and reliability
- Clearer communication on privacy/security


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Oriole free?

Oriole is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Free VPN free?

Free VPN is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Oriole or Free VPN?

Free VPN is rated higher. Oriole averages 4.6 out of 5 from 221 ratings, while Free VPN averages 4.7 from 50K ratings.

### Do Oriole or Free VPN have ads?

Free VPN shows ads; Oriole does not.

### Which is updated more often, Oriole or Free VPN?

Oriole ships an update weekly, and Free VPN every 10 days. Most recently, Oriole was updated on September 24, 2026 and Free VPN on September 25, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*