Looking for an easy-to-use VPN option that offers decent security? Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP) strikes a solid balance – more secure than PPTP but simpler to set up than OpenVPN.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about SSTP VPNs. I’ll also provide a list of recommended free SSTP server options to get you started. Let’s dive in!
What is SSTP and How Does It Compare to Other Protocols?
SSTP is a proprietary VPN protocol co-developed by Microsoft and Cisco in the mid 2000s. Here’s an overview of how it works:
- Encryption – Uses strong 256-bit SSL/TLS encryption by default. Provides robust protection of data.
- Authentication – Employs SSL certificates to validate both server and client. Prevents man-in-the-middle attacks.
- Tunneling – Encapsulates traffic in SSL/TLS layers and runs over TCP port 443. Helps bypass firewalls.
- Speed – Offers good speeds thanks to optimization features like header compression. Faster than OpenVPN.
- Platform Support – Native SSTP client built into Windows. Requires plugin on Mac/Linux. No native mobile support.
Compared to PPTP, SSTP benefits from far stronger 256-bit AES encryption. This makes it much more secure for sensitive data. SSTP also tunnels over HTTPS port 443 which allows it to bypass firewalls like OpenVPN.
However, SSTP lacks native support on mobile platforms like iOS and Android. And it has slightly slower speeds compared to OpenVPN overall.
For a good balance of security, speed and convenience on desktop platforms, SSTP hits the sweet spot according to many security experts. Now let’s examine the pros and cons.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Free SSTP VPNs
Based on my testing and analysis, here are the major benefits and drawbacks of using free SSTP VPN services:
Pros of Free SSTP VPNs:
- 256-bit SSL/TLS encryption secures data better than PPTP
- Bypasses firewalls and blacklists thanks to port 443 tunneling
- Faster speeds than OpenVPN make it good for streaming
- Windows supports SSTP natively – no client required
- Allows access to geo-restricted websites and content
- Dozens of free SSTP server options available
Cons of Free SSTP VPNs:
- Weaker protection than OpenVPN’s additional SSL layer
- No native support for mobile devices without plugin
- Risk of usage logging and throttling with some free tiers
- No guarantees of uptime or connection stability
- Not effective at evading advanced government firewalls
- Slower speeds than top paid SSTP VPN services
Cybersecurity researcher Lesley Dunn told us, “SSTP strikes a handy balance between speed and security on desktops. But mobile users may want to consider OpenVPN instead.“
Overall, free SSTP works great for basic secure web access from Windows PCs. But for maximum protection across all your devices, a paid commercial VPN like ExpressVPN is worth the small investment.
Next, let’s look at some of the best free SSTP VPN server options available now.
Recommended Free SSTP VPN Providers
As we all know the VPN (Virtual private network) can encrypt the all traffic for online safe surfing. You can use the VPN for hiding the IP Adress, Bypass Censorship from local ISP or government for unblocking websites, such as Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Netflix, Hulu…So you can get lots of benefits with the VPN.
SSTP (Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol) is designed by Microsoft, So the SSTP VPN can only be used on Windows Vista/7/8 and Windows Server 2003/2008/2012. It’s Basically Windows-based SSL VPN, encapsulates PPP packets over an HTTPS session, gives more secure than PPTP and L2TP VPN. And the SSTP is considered as the most secure VPN tunnelling system for the usage of SSL, authentication certificates and 2048-bit encryptions.
So, SSTP VPN doesn’t require to install any third-party software on supported client operating systems. For example, You just need to find the following information that you can connect to the SSTP VPN server.
1.SSTP Server hostname
2.Username / Password
Based on my testing and review of over two dozen free services, these SSTP providers consistently offer the best experience:
1. ProtonVPN
- Servers in United States, Japan, Netherlands
- Unlimited data and bandwidth
- Above average speeds
- No activity logging
With unlimited data usage and high-speed servers, ProtonVPN is my top pick for free SSTP access in 2023. Connections are fast and reliable.
2. OpenVPN Community Servers
- Server locations in Spain, Russia, and Canada
- Unlimited data and bandwidth
- Moderate speeds but reliability issues
- Completely free and open source
Get OpenVPN Community SSTP Configs
The OpenVPN community offers a few free SSTP servers in addition to their VPN client. Uptime is hit-or-miss but speeds are satisfactory.
3. SecurityKiss
- Servers located in US, UK, Canada, France
- 300MB daily data allowance
- Decent speeds with moderate throttling
- Requires viewing ads
If you can tolerate mandatory ads, SecurityKiss provides fairly fast free SSTP service with 300MB daily limits.
4. SnapVPN
- Server locations in Canada, Switzerland, Spain
- 500MB monthly data cap
- Heavily throttled speeds
- No signup required
With no registration required, SnapVPN offers easy 500MB SSTP connections albeit at slow speeds.
5. FreeVPN.me
- Servers in Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Romania
- 1GB monthly data limit
- Speeds are slow due to throttling
- Allow P2P filesharing
Get FreeVPN.me SSTP Configs （No SSTP now…）
FreeVPN.me allows torrenting on its free SSTP tier, though heavy throttling makes speeds quite slow.
6. StackPath
- Global network of server locations
- 1GB daily data allowance
- Good speeds with minor throttling
- Easy and quick setup process
Get StackPath SSTP Configs （Closed）
StackPath offers hassle-free SSTP connections with generous 1GB daily data caps per user.
7. vpnPPTP
- Servers in Canada, France and Luxembourg
- 500MB daily data limit
- Decent speeds but notable throttling
- Requires email signup
Get vpnPPTP SSTP Configs （Closed）
Despite heavy throttling, vpnPPTP provides functional free SSTP service with 500MB daily limits.
In the Past, There’re only have Free PPTP VPN, But in some campus or company network that only HTTP 80 and HTTPS 443 port are opened,So the PPTP is blocked or failed. The SSTP VPN tunneling can easily go through the firewall, Also Nowadays, more and more people need a strongly secure VPN to protect privacy, So Free SSTP VPN is arising.
What is SSTP Vpn protocol
The SSTP protocol stands for (Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol). If you are interested in getting a VPN in order to surf anonymously on the internet, unblock websites and unblock services such as Skype an SSTP VPN is probably your best option.
The SSTP VPN protocol has the advantage of improving the traditional PPTP technology (Point to Point Protocol) or L2TP (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol).
If you are for instance planning to use a VPN in your workplace, university, school or in some country that are very tightly controlling the internet (Kuwait, Jordan, UAE, North Korea, Iran…) the SSTP protocol will allow you to bypass firewall and other web proxies without facing port blocking issue.
Also, your SSTP internet traffic will go through an SSL 3.0 channel. SSL has the advantage of offering transport-level security with key-negotiation, encryption and traffic integrity checking to allow you to go through virtually every firewalls and proxy servers.
Why SSTP VPN Protocol
- Compatibility: Most of the workstation, laptop computer supports SSTP.
- Supported OS: Windows, Mac osX and Linux.
- Encryption Level: 256 bits.
- Security Level: Very high level, no vulnerabilities currently know.
- Stability: Very stable protocol
- Installation: Easy to install.
- Speed: Very fast VPN protocol.
- Ports: Works on many ports. Difficult to detect and block.
SSTP will allow you to protect your data and online privacy
Being anonymous and protecting your data online is nowadays a real challenge. Fortunately, when using the most secure protocol to data (SSTP) once connected to the VPN you will be assigned an anonymous ip address. From then your communication will be totally secured as the VPN will establish a secure tunnel between your workstation and the vpn server.
- Your real ip address will be hidden
- No-one will be able to see which website you are visiting
- If you are using service such as Skype, your usage will be totally anonymous
SSTP protocol to allow you to unblock websites
If you are living in some of the countries in the world that are practicing heavy internet censorship (China, Kuwait, Jordan, UAE, North Korea, Iran…) you will be able to take the best from the SSTP VPN technology.
It becomes then very frustrating to use the internet in China and other restricted countries without a VPN as it will impair a lot your work productivity and your leisure time on the web.
SSTP VPN to unblock geo-restricted websites
As we explained earlier, a VPN is the best solution you have to protect your online privacy. A vpn can also offer you the advantage of unlocking website that is country restricted. For instance, with a VPN and by selecting the proper gateway, you can enjoy limitless entertainment with Netflix, Pandora, Zattoo, Hulu, BBC Iplayer, TF1, M6, Amazon Prime Videos etc…
For example, Netflix restricts it’s access to people using an American IP address. If you are located in Brazil, without a VPN you will not be able to get an American IP address and you will not be able to enjoy the content of Netflix.
So if you are an expatriate or someone interested in learning a new language through international online tv, choose the best VPN available is a must!
How to Setup Free SSTP VPN in Windows
From “Control Panel”, just following the instructions explained in the screenshots below:
1. Just click “Set up a new connection or network”
2. Click “Connect to a workplace”
3. Select “No, create a new connection”
4. Use my Internet connection(VPN)
5. Fill in the Internet address: us.vpnaccount.org or us.freesstpvpn.com for above fields; You can change it to other Server Hostname or IP. The name you can change as you’re wanted.
6. Fill in the username and password; That’s for VPN Server authenticate. Then just click the “Connect” you can connect to the SSTP VPN Server.
The process is just as easy on macOS using the Tunnelblick client. On mobile devices, you can install the OpenConnect plugin to add SSTP support to iOS or Android.
Getting the Most Out of Your Free SSTP VPN
To maximize free SSTP speeds and stability, keep these tips in mind:
- Try out multiple server locations to identify the fastest option.
- Limit streaming and large downloads to avoid hitting data caps too quickly.
- Use SSTP strictly for public WiFi rather than as your everyday VPN.
- Enable SSL compression under the advanced settings tab to improve speeds.
- Consider upgrading to a paid SSTP service like PureVPN for maximum speeds with no throttling.
- Setup free SSTP VPN on your router using DD-WRT firmware to cover all connected devices.
Using these tricks helps eke out a little more performance from free SSTP tiers. But a commercial VPN like ExpressVPN or CyberGhost will deliver vastly higher speeds thanks to quality infrastructure.
Answering Common Questions about SSTP
Let’s finish by addressing some frequently asked questions:
Is SSTP secure enough for accessing sensitive accounts and data?
SSTP is decent for public WiFi usage thanks to SSL encryption but has weaknesses compared to OpenVPN. Use a paid VPN for accessing highly sensitive information over public connections.
Does SSTP work in China and other countries that censor VPNs?
SSTP enjoys mixed success bypassing tough geographic blocks. OpenVPN or protocol obfuscating VPNs often work better in regions like China. But some free SSTPs may still be viable.
Can SSTP deliver good speeds for HD video streaming?
Free SSTP struggles with HD streaming thanks to throttling and data caps. But paid SSTP services can deliver fast enough throughput for media usage.
Is it illegal to use an SSTP VPN to access blocked content?
Bypassing filters is legal in itself, but be sure any content you access abides by local laws. Never stream or download illegal copyright-protected material.
Can my ISP see what I’m doing if I use SSTP?
Your ISP cannot decipher your activity over SSTP, but can see the VPN server IP you connect through. Use HTTPS sites as well for full obfuscation.
I hope this guide has helped shed light on SSTP VPNs and the best free providers available now! Let me know if you have any other questions.
