Opera VPN Pro Review 2023

In 2022, the Norwegian company Opera Software finally released a real VPN, known as Opera VPN Pro — not to be confused with its earlier release, Opera VPN, which isn’t actually a VPN. It’s a proxy service with a misleading name.

Both Opera VPN (Proxy) and Opera VPN Pro require you to have Opera web browser. The proxy service is free and doesn’t require you to have an Opera account. The VPN service has more features, but it’s also a paid service that requires you to sign up first.

For this review, we look specifically at the premium Opera VPN Pro and compare it to the free service. Is paying for Opera VPN Pro worth it? Let’s find out.

Opera VPN Pro Review: A Short Review

Opera VPN Pro is a mediocre VPN. It’s not the best VPN, but there are worse VPN services. Overall, we give Opera’s VPN a score of 7 out of 10.

This simple VPN can be used on up to six devices and costs only $1.99 a month. You do have to have the Opera browser installed prior to downloading the VPN software, but Opera VPN Pro covers your entire device.

If you enjoy streaming foreign streaming services, Opera VPN is not the best choice. This is because speeds drop quickly on distant VPN servers. Want to play some online games? In that case, a local Opera server provides a decent connection.

Finally, there is room for improvement when it comes to security. Most of the safest protocols in the world are not available, there’s no kill switch to stop your VPN traffic from leaking through, and even Opera VPN Pro’s logging policy is pretty vague. The installation process is also not the most straightforward. Luckily, customer service was able to help us out — during office hours, that is.

Compared to its premium VPN service, Opera VPN (Proxy) has fewer server locations, and it doesn’t encrypt your activity. This is why we call it a proxy service instead of a real VPN. So, if what you need is a free VPN, we recommend checking out this list of free VPNs over using Opera VPN (Proxy).

Specifications Opera VPN Pro

💵 Price	From $1.99 a month
📱 Operating systems	Android, Windows
💻 Connections	6
💳 Payment methods	Credit card
🔒 Protocols	IKEv2, OpenVPN
📥 Torrent options	Torrenting allowed
📅 Money-back guarantee	Money-back-guarantee
📋 Logs
🎬 Works with

Visit Opera VPN Pro

Speed – How Fast is Opera VPN Pro?

A VPN’s speed is a very important factor. The faster your VPN, the less you’ll experience buffering delays or loading issues. If your VPN lags, browsing the web can become a frustrating experience.

We ran Opera VPN Pro through various speed tests. Overall, we give the provider a score of 7.5 out of 10, based on the following points:

• Opera VPN Pro doesn’t slow your connection down too much, as long as you connect to nearby servers.
• There was no notable speed difference in daily use. We were even able to play games.

Speed test results for Opera VPN Pro

We ran a couple of standard speed tests via speedtest.net, which we use to test all of our VPNs. Below, you can find the results. To maintain consistency, we run these tests from our office in the Netherlands.

Keep in mind that results can differ based on various factors, including location, internet provider, connection speed, and the time and date of testing. The chosen protocol may also affect your connection.

Unfortunately, Opera VPN Pro does not allow you to choose a VPN protocol: on desktop, you can only use IKEv2.

As you can see in the table, Opera VPN Pro keeps up its speed, as long as you connect to servers that are geographically nearby. It’s not the fastest VPN on the market, but the results are pretty decent.

When you connect to more distant servers — in our case, the United States or Japan — speeds need improvement. A VPN like Surfshark will maintain 65 to 95% of its original speeds. Opera VPN Pro only manages 11 to 30%.

Speed during daily use

In general, Opera VPN’s speeds during daily use are good. You can easily browse the web and watch high-resolution YouTube videos with minimal buffering time. When trying to connect to Netflix USA, buffering took a bit longer, but apart from that, we could enjoy the movie without any delays or disruptions.

Online multiplayer games were also manageable with Opera VPN Pro. We barely noticed any lagging, especially when connected to a local server.

Safety – How Secure is Opera VPN Pro?

For many people, online safety is the main reason they choose to use a virtual private network. After all, a VPN encrypts your data and allows you to become more anonymous online.

So, is Opera VPN Pro safe? Unfortunately, when it comes to security, we have to give Opera VPN Pro a score of 6 out of 10. Here are the main conclusions:

• On your smartphone, you can use OpenVPN, which is widely regarded as the safest protocol. On desktop, you can only use IKEv2.
• The free Opera browser VPN is just a proxy service.
• The logging policy is not entirely clear and mainly focuses on the Opera browser.
• Opera VPN Pro does not have a kill switch.
• While connected, the VPN doesn’t leak any data.

Protocols

Whenever we review a VPN, we take good care to assess its encryption and VPN protocols.

Opera VPN Pro has two available VPN Protocols: OpenVPN and IKEv2. On its website, we couldn’t find information on the type of encryption on these protocols, but the support team informs us that Opera uses AES-128 and AES-256.

The desktop version of Opera VPN Pro only offers IKEv2, and there’s no way to use a different protocol. IKEv2 is less safe than OpenVPN, the golden standard of VPN protocols. Fortunately, you can use OpenVPN on Android. So if you’re going to use this service, we recommend you only install Opera VPN Pro on your mobile device.

Great providers will always offer OpenVPN or, alternatively, the widely popular WireGuard. NordVPN even uses a special version of the WireGuard protocol called NordLynx, which is a very safe option.

As for Opera VPN (Proxy), you can connect to proxies that are only protected by HTTPS. HTTPS is a type of encryption that’s used for secure communication via a computer network. While it provides a baseline of security for websites, it’s easily abused by cybercriminals.

On top of that, HTTPS doesn’t provide you with the anonymity of a real VPN service. Your online activity is not masked or protected in any way. As a result, we don’t recommend Opera’s free plan.

Logging and privacy

Opera doesn’t have a separate logging policy for Opera VPN (Proxy) since this VPN service is built into the Opera web browser. Anyone who wants to know what data the company logs will have to study a privacy policy that covers both the browser and the mobile browser.

In order to use the paid VPN service, you need an Opera account. This requires submitting your name, email, and country of residence. If you choose to log in with your Google, Facebook, Twitter, or VKontakte account, you will grant Opera access to your name, profile picture and email address for these social media platforms.

On top of that, data on your VPN use, as well as on the shopping software Dify Cashback, are connected to your Opera account. What’s strange is that the privacy policy doesn’t specify logging your payment details. Most companies need to store these details for legal and accounting purposes.

Your personal account data will stay stored with Opera until seven days after deleting your account. If you don’t log into your account over a period of two years, your data will be automatically deleted.

If you give permission for personalized content, Opera will log which pages, URLs, and advertisements you click on and where you are located. This will be connected to an automatically generated ID.

This means the VPN technically doesn’t “log” anything — though if you access the web via the Opera browser, the company will still know exactly what you do.

This data is stored for three months. Opera claims it is not shared with third parties.

For the premium subscription, Opera VPN Pro works with a third-party service provider that owns the infrastructure necessary for the VPN to function. We sent out an inquiry about who owns the Opera VPN servers. A support agent informed us that all VPN Pro servers are operated by NordVPN, which is great to hear. NordVPN doesn’t log any data and uses RAM-only servers.

Connections to China

In 2016, Opera VPN was bought by an investment group led by a Chinese consortium. Considering China’s record of public surveillance, privacy concerns about Opera VPN increased. However, Opera is located in Norway and is subject to European data retention laws.

While Norway is no China, it’s still part of the 5 eyes, 9 eyes, 14 eyes alliance. This is a collective of states that exchange data amongst themselves for so-called security reasons. If you want to keep your data completely safe when you use Opera VPN, we recommend choosing a VPN like NordVPN instead.

Kill switch

Besides secure encryption and good VPN protocols, another key element of a safe VPN is a functioning kill switch. A kill switch ensures none of your private data will leak should your connection to a VPN server suddenly fail.

Opera VPN Pro does not have a kill switch. If your VPN connection drops due to Wi-Fi disruption, you’re still able to access the internet without a VPN. As such, you risk exposing personal data without your consent.

What Opera offers instead of a kill switch is a feature that will automatically start your VPN after a disruption. This might seem similar to a kill switch, but it functions differently. Once your connection has dropped, Opera VPN Pro automatically restarts. What happens to your data in the meantime is unclear.

Does Opera VPN Pro leak your data?

You mainly use a VPN to change your IP address and browse the web anonymously. Naturally, DNS leaks or WebRTC leaks are unacceptable in a VPN. The question: is Opera VPN Pro safe enough?

To test this, we executed a browser leak test while connected to VPN Pro. We then verified this via browserleaks.com, which gave the same results.

No leaks occurred while we were connected to Opera VPN Pro, meaning your location is will-hidden by this VPN service.

What information does Opera VPN Pro need?

One of the benefits of using Opera’s Free VPN (Proxy) is that you don’t need to create an account for it. You can simply install the software and use it right away. This means you won’t have to share any personal information, including an email address.

If you want the real VPN, however, you will have to create an Opera account. In order to do so, you submit your name, username, country of residence, email, and password.

You may also connect via a different social media account, such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, or VKontakte. Keep in mind that this automatically grants Opera access to any personal details on these linked accounts. We don’t recommend doing this.

Usability – How User-Friendly is Opera VPN Pro?

For this Opera VPN review, we’ve had a good look at the website, the installation process, the software, the price, and the customer service options that are at your disposal.

Overall, we give it a score of 6.5 out of 10. Here are our conclusions:

• The Opera VPN website is well-organized.
• The installation process is not very straightforward.
• Use of Opera VPN Pro and switching between servers are easy.
• For what it offers, the Pro service is relatively expensive.
• Customer service is available via live chat, but only during office hours.

Opera VPN website and installation process

When you search for “Opera VPN” on Google, the first hit takes you to the “Opera free VPN.” This is not a VPN but a proxy service. For the real VPN, you’ll have to navigate to the Opera VPN website, click the burger menu in the top corner, then go to “Products” and choose “Opera VPN Pro.”

Once you get to the Opera VPN Pro page, the layout makes it seem like there are different tabs. The “Features” tab, however, is the exact same as the homepage.

Selecting an Opera VPN Pro plan is only possible via the Opera browser. To do so, go to the Opera VPN Pro page and click “Subscribe” under your desired subscription. You’ll have to create or log in with your Opera account before you’re taken to Xsolla, which handles payments.

If you choose to pay by credit card, you’ll get an Install VPN Pro client button. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get this to work. After leaving the page, we were unable to return to it. We then reached out to customer support via “live chat,” though this chat was not actually managed in real time.

After waiting a day, we got a pop-up to install Opera Pro VPN when we opened the Opera browser.

As soon as we clicked this, the VPN appeared as a browser extension within the Opera browser. You have to select a specific connection to go online with the VPN.

While it might seem like Opera VPN Pro works exclusively in the Opera web browser, it actually covers all your internet traffic, even those outside of the Opera browser. When using Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, we were still covered by the VPN. Even if you close Opera, you remain connected.

Opera VPN’s appearance and ease-of-use

Opera VPN Pro is available on desktop (Windows 7 and up) and Android phones. It’s a browser extension, but the VPN also works outside the browser. Even if you close the Opera browser window, the VPN is still available in the background.

Neither version of this VPN is very feature-rich. On desktop, you can change your virtual location and that’s it. Mobile users can change the VPN tunneling protocol, as well as whether or not they want the VPN to auto-start.

Free Opera browser extension

The Opera built-in VPN is what we refer to in this review as Opera VPN (Proxy). It is a browser extension within the Opera browser. This is a proxy service that allows you to connect to Europe, Asia, or America.

If you use this Opera VPN extension, your web browser traffic will be rerouted via a proxy located in these regions. Instead of a VPN protocol, this traffic is encrypted with HTTPS. This is the safe version of HTTP, which is specifically designed for web pages.

Pricing and payment methods

You can use Opera VPN Pro on a maximum of six devices. Prices depend on the type of plan you choose.

There are three different options to choose from:

• $1.99 per month for a one-year plan
• $2.99 per month for a six-month plan
• $5.99 for a one-month plan

The Opera browser proxy is free.

Each plan comes with a seven-day free trial. If you cancel the VPN in time, your credit card won’t be charged, and your subscription will automatically be canceled.

There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee. Unfortunately, the only payment option that’s offered is credit card payment.

Customer service

On the Opera VPN website, you can find the Opera VPN Pro Help Center. Here, you can find general information, setup guides, information about accounts and billing, and a VPN Connectivity Troubleshooting page. Though there are many articles, they’re not very elaborate.

Luckily, there is a live chat and ticket system. Live chat employees are knowledgeable and helpful. The chat also has an automatic translation feature, which means you won’t have to communicate in English.

The downside is that live support is only available between 8 AM and 5 PM on work days. During the holidays, the live chat is offline.

Server Network – Can Opera VPN Pro Unblock the Internet?

Opera VPN Pro is a good VPN to stream series from anywhere in the world. For this reason and others discussed below, this VPN service gets a score of 8 out of 10. Here’s why:

• Compared to other VPNs, VPN Pro has servers in fewer countries.
• Opera VPN (Proxy) doesn’t allow you to choose a specific location.
• Neither version of Opera VPN offers dedicated IPs.
• The provider lets you access foreign streaming services without issue, including American Netflix.
• You can use Opera VPN Pro to download torrents.

Number of servers and locations

According to the provider itself, Opera VPN Pro has 3,000+ servers, but if you’re looking for a wide server network, we don’t recommend this VPN.

Opera VPN’s servers are only located in the following countries:

Comparatively speaking, the list of countries is limited. When looking at the top VPN services of the moment, each of these has servers in more than 60 countries.

If you use the free version, the Opera VPN extension that’s only a proxy, you can choose between Europe, America, and Asia. You’re not given a precise location. It’s also unclear how Opera VPN’s servers are distributed in these regions.

When testing the VPN, we got assigned IP addresses in Chicago, USA and Vaduz, Liechtenstein. You might get different results. Strangely enough, Vaduz was offered twice as the “optimal location” for Asia and Europe. We were unable to actually get an IP address that matched a location in Asia.

Opera VPN Pro, Netflix, and streaming

Many people use a VPN to stream movies and series that are not available in their own country. Streaming with a VPN is completely legal and very useful. Opera VPN Pro gives you access to tons of content from around the world. We’ve tested some of the most popular streaming platforms.

The results varied per streaming platform.

• Netflix: Not only were we able to access our local Netflix library, Opera VPN Pro also gave us access to the American Netflix library.
• Amazon Prime Video: Unfortunately, we were not able to get access to the British version of this streaming service. We could access the American version of Prime Video, but not our local library.
• Disney Plus: Our local library was easily accessible with Opera VPN Pro. We were also able to watch the UK version of Disney Plus, but not the American library.
• BBC iPlayer: Opera VPN Pro had no issues unblocking BBC iPlayer for us.

Opera VPN Pro and torrents

Opera VPN (Proxy) only works within the browser. This is why it’s not possible to download torrents safely. All this proxy service does is change your IP address.

With Opera VPN Pro, you can download torrents. While the process seemed promising at first, we quickly noticed that speeds were very unstable, with drops as low as 50 KB/s. There also seemed to be a 1 MB/s limit to torrenting.

If you want to download torrents safely, there are other VPN services that are great for torrenting.

Dedicated IP address

Opera doesn’t offer dedicated IP addresses. A dedicated IP replaces your originating network address with an IP address that only you can use. The advantage is that your VPN use is more difficult to detect. If you’re using your VPN to stream, a service like Netflix will be less likely to block you. The downside is that a dedicated IP address offers less security.

If you’re looking for a VPN that does offer dedicated IP addresses, check out CyberGhost.

Our Experience with Opera VPN Pro

To round off this Opera VPN review, we can conclude that Opera VPN Pro is a lot better than the free “VPN” that Opera offered for a long time, which is still available in the browser.

Still, it’s not as good as it could be, which is why we don’t recommend Opera VPN too eagerly. It’s really more of a bare-bones browser extension than a feature-rich VPN that keeps you completely protected online. The logging policy leaves too many questions unanswered. On top of that, the speeds for distant servers were disappointing.

If you want to use a VPN but not pay too much money for it, we recommend choosing a VPN like Surfshark, NordVPN, or CyberGhost. Each of these will offer you way more privacy and options for secure browsing than Opera VPN Pro.