If you value your security online, it is likely that you have heard of VPNs, or are probably even using one at the moment to mask your online activity. Most companies offering VPN services typically charge a flat monthly fee, but they are some that offer a free tier with limits such as a maximum number of hours you can use the VPN in a day, or a limit on the location of servers that you have access to.
Opera, the internet browser, became the first major browser to include a free built-in VPN back in 2019, and the company has now announced plans to offer a Pro version of the free tier that comes bundled with the Opera browser.
In contrast to its free version which only offers protection when using the browser, the Opera Pro VPN will offer device-wide VPN coverage, which will, in turn, provide additional security and privacy protection to its users.
Drawing comparisons to standalone VPN services that always require users to install an application and register for an account, the Pro version from Opera will work perfectly fine with only the Opera browser being downloaded. For identification purposes, a user will only need their existing Opera sync accounts without having to download a separate app.
Once subscribed to, the Opera Pro VPN is not limited to a single smartphone, but can instead be used by up to six different smartphones under one subscription.
Opera claims that its encryption algorithm guarantees safety to a user’s data, regardless of which applications the user might be running on their phone.
One important thing to note is that the Opera VPN Pro is only available for Android smartphones. The company has not mentioned why this is the case, but it is an important thing to remember. This in my opinion makes it difficult to compete against other VPN providers that normally offer protection for a wide range of devices regardless of the OSes they are running from Windows PCs, iPhones, Android smartphones, etc.
In terms of pricing, Opera Pro VPN starts at $1.99(Ksh 220) a month if you choose the three-month subscription plan. Should you prefer to pay monthly, the price jumps to $2.99(Ksh 345). The jump in price is to entice you to pick the longer three-month plan. There is also a 7-day free trial period to provide you with sufficient time to try out the Pro version.
In regard to the company launching the Pro version of their free VPN, the Product Manager of Opera for Android, Stefan Stjernelund, had the following to say, “We at Opera have always been focusing on ensuring users’ privacy by constantly introducing free built-in advanced features aimed at protecting users when they are surfing the web. Recently, we were spotting the increasing interest in trusted entire-device protection based on our users’ requests. That’s why launching a trusted VPN Pro solution was a logical further step for Opera.”
Whether this is a good deal in terms of the features and protection you are getting is up to a user to consider his individual needs, and to weigh whether traditional standalone VPN providers offer better value.
