Bunny VPN (ВПН Зайчик) is a Russian-market free VPN that connects in one tap, runs without ads, and does not require registration. The listing has around 470,000 installs and a 4.7 rating, which for a free VPN inside a heavily filtered network is respectable. Users pick it up because it works on the local network when heavier tools fail, and because the interface is stripped down to a single connect button.
The trade-off is the standard one for small free VPNs. There is no audit, no jurisdiction statement, and no transparency report on the site behind the app. For unblocking a video the risk is low. For account logins, work traffic, or anything sensitive, the seven Bunny VPN alternatives below cover the same one-tap experience with policies you can actually verify.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Works in Russia | Open source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amnezia VPN | Self-hosted circumvention | Free client + your server | Yes, by design | Yes |
| Red Shield VPN | Russian-market audited pick | Trial only | Yes | Partial |
| Proton VPN | Audited free with Stealth (paid) | Unlimited, 5 countries | Often, with Stealth | Yes |
| Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 + WARP | Fast everyday encryption | Unlimited, no account | Patchy | Partial |
| Psiphon Pro | Circumvention that adapts | Unlimited, ad-supported | Yes | Yes |
| Windscribe | Free tier with real features | 10 GB per month | Often, with Stealth | Yes (clients) |
| hide.me VPN | No-account free tier | 10 GB per month | Sometimes | Partial |
Why people switch from Bunny VPN
- Unverified privacy story. The app claims no ads and no logs, but the operator has not commissioned an audit and does not publish a jurisdiction statement or a warrant canary.
- Small server surface. The number of exits is limited and the server locations are not documented on the store page. When one is blocked, options are thin.
- No protocol obfuscation. When Russian ISPs deep-packet-inspect VPN handshakes, plain WireGuard and OpenVPN both get flagged. Bunny does not advertise an obfuscation layer.
- No support channel. There is no in-app support or public issue tracker, so when a location breaks, you wait for the next update.
Which Bunny VPN alternative should you pick?
- Amnezia VPN for self-hosted circumvention built for censored networks.
- Red Shield VPN for a Russian-market pick with a public operator.
- Proton VPN for an audited free tier and Stealth on the paid plan.
- Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 + WARP for the fastest set-and-forget everyday option.
- Psiphon Pro when the network actively fights VPN traffic.
- Windscribe for a free tier with port forwarding and DNS-level ad blocking.
- hide.me VPN for a no-email free tier.
1. Amnezia VPN, self-hosted circumvention
Amnezia is an open-source client built specifically for people on filtered networks. You install it, spin up a small server on a foreign VPS (usually $3 to $5 per month), and connect. The server piece supports several protocols including AmneziaWG, an obfuscated fork of WireGuard designed to survive deep-packet inspection. Because you run the server, there is no operator log to subpoena.
Where it falls short: setup is a step beyond one-tap. You need a VPS, an SSH key, and about ten minutes of guided configuration.
Pricing: Free client. VPS hosting is whatever you pay for the server, usually $3 to $5 per month.
Migrating from Bunny VPN: pick a VPS provider outside the country, run the Amnezia server installer, scan the connection QR from the phone client.
Download: Google Play
Bottom line: the strongest pick for anyone willing to spend ten minutes to get a VPN nobody else has keys to.
2. Red Shield VPN, Russian-market audited pick
Red Shield VPN is one of the few Russian-market VPN operators that runs a public company, publishes an office address, and offers a stable set of exit locations abroad. The client is straightforward, works on Android and desktop, and the service has stayed reachable in Russia through the recent rounds of protocol blocking.
Where it falls short: there is no permanent free tier, only a trial. The client is not fully open source, which is a downgrade compared to Amnezia.
Pricing: Trial available. Paid plans from a few hundred rubles per month depending on term.
Migrating from Bunny VPN: sign up on the site, install the client, paste the access key.
Download: Google Play
Bottom line: the friendliest paid Russian-market alternative for people who prefer a real operator to a nameless free app.
3. Proton VPN, audited free with Stealth on paid
Proton VPN's free tier is unlimited on servers in five countries, has been independently audited, and ships with an open-source Android client. The paid tier adds Stealth, a protocol that hides the WireGuard handshake inside TLS traffic and gets past protocol-level VPN blocks that break vanilla WireGuard.
Where it falls short: Stealth is paid-only. The free tier may struggle when the local ISP blocks WireGuard at the handshake.
Pricing: Free unlimited (5 countries). Paid from around €4 per month for Stealth, 100+ countries, 10 devices.
Migrating from Bunny VPN: sign up with any email, install, connect. Consider a paid plan for Stealth if the free protocols get filtered.
Download: Google Play · App Store
Bottom line: the best combination of a genuinely free tier and verifiable privacy for people outside filtered networks, and a strong paid pick inside them.
4. Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 + WARP, fast everyday encryption
WARP is a free proxy-style VPN built on top of Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 DNS. No account, no bandwidth cap, no email. It encrypts traffic between the phone and the nearest Cloudflare edge, which is usually a few milliseconds away, so the speed hit is smaller than anywhere else on this list.
Where it falls short: WARP is not built for circumvention. On Russian networks that block Cloudflare paths, it becomes unreliable. There is no exit-country picker on the free plan.
Pricing: Free unlimited. WARP+ adds Argo-routed paths for around $5 per month.
Migrating from Bunny VPN: install, tap connect. No signup.
Download: Google Play · App Store
Bottom line: the fastest free everyday option when it is reachable on the local network.
5. Psiphon Pro, circumvention that adapts
Psiphon is designed for national-scale filtering. It rotates between SSH, SSH+, HTTP proxy, and obfuscated transports automatically, so when one path gets deep-packet-inspected out of existence the app keeps trying others. The Android client is free with unlimited data, ad-supported, and open source.
Where it falls short: Psiphon's mission is circumvention, not privacy. It publishes aggregate logs and routes through volunteer capacity. Speeds vary by transport.
Pricing: Free unlimited (ad-supported). Speed Boost from around $2 per month lifts caps and removes ads.
Migrating from Bunny VPN: install, tap connect. Auto-mode picks the transport.
Download: Google Play
Bottom line: the tool to keep on the phone for the days a normal VPN cannot connect.
6. Windscribe, free tier with real features
Windscribe hands out 10 GB per month on the free tier, and unlike most free plans it includes port forwarding, split-tunneling, and R.O.B.E.R.T., an add-on that blocks ads and trackers at the DNS layer. The Canadian operator has been audited, the Android client is open source, and the account model does not force real identification.
Where it falls short: 10 GB per month is thin if you route video through the tunnel. Some free locations are congested at peak hours.
Pricing: Free 10 GB per month. Paid from $5.75 per month unlimited, or Build A Plan from $1 per location per month.
Migrating from Bunny VPN: create an account, install, connect.
Download: Google Play · App Store
Bottom line: the best free tier for people who want features paid plans usually gate.
7. hide.me VPN, no-account free tier
hide.me offers 10 GB per month on the free tier without asking for an email or account. The client is simple, the Malaysian operator has been audited, and the free tier covers eight locations. WireGuard is supported by default.
Where it falls short: 10 GB per month is enough for browsing but not for streaming. Paid tiers unlock more locations and the Stealth Guard kill switch.
Pricing: Free 10 GB per month, no account. Paid from around $3.45 per month with a long commit.
Migrating from Bunny VPN: install, connect. No signup on the free plan.
Download: Google Play
Bottom line: the friendliest onboarding for people who refuse to hand over an email for a VPN.
How to choose
- Pick Amnezia when you need a VPN nobody else operates and are willing to spend ten minutes on setup.
- Pick Red Shield VPN if you want a Russian-market operator with a public office and a real support channel.
- Pick Proton VPN for the best free-tier privacy story, or the paid plan with Stealth if local ISPs are actively filtering.
- Pick Psiphon as the fallback the moment a normal VPN stops connecting.
- Stay on Bunny VPN only for casual unblocking on days when everything else already works.
FAQ
Is Bunny VPN safe to use?
The app encrypts traffic and does not carry the red flags of a permission-hungry free VPN, but the operator has not published an audit, jurisdiction statement, or transparency report. For casual unblocking it is acceptable. For account logins or work traffic, switch to an audited alternative like Proton VPN or Amnezia.
What is the best free VPN for Russia?
For pure circumvention that adapts to blocks, Psiphon Pro is the strongest free pick. For a stable free encryption layer with an audit behind it, Proton VPN's free tier holds up outside filtered networks. For maximum control inside a filtered network, Amnezia with a small foreign VPS is the cleanest setup.
Does Bunny VPN work in Russia?
It does, on many networks, most of the time. Because the operator does not advertise an obfuscation protocol, it can drop on networks that deep-packet-inspect VPN handshakes. Keeping Psiphon or Amnezia installed as a backup is a good habit.
Do I need to register to use these alternatives?
Cloudflare WARP and hide.me require no account. Amnezia only needs a VPS you already control. Proton VPN, Red Shield, Windscribe, and Psiphon Pro all use lightweight accounts.
Which alternative is open source?
Amnezia, Proton VPN, Psiphon, and Windscribe all publish their Android client source. Cloudflare publishes parts of the WARP client. Bunny VPN is closed source.
