| Updated: January 19, 2025
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You can build your own VPN that will keep your online activities anonymous, hide your IP address, and change your location. Here are the tools you will need.
Your homemade VPN will secure your traffic, but you won’t be able to bypass geo-restirctions and have multiple locations.
If streaming is your goal, I recommend getting a commercial and premium VPN, which is the best option.
The popularity of VPNs has seen steady growth and will keep growing due to censorship and online threats. A VPN not only hides your IP address but also encrypts your traffic and lets you access restricted content and websites.
The process consists of installing a VPN client on your device and a VPN server that receives your encrypted traffic and sends it to the Internet and back. Building your own VPN requires technical skills, and I don’t recommend it if you are not technically sound.
However, if you have the basic know-how of VPN servers and protocols, you can set up your own VPN without needing to buy one. In this blog, I have explained how you can set up your own VPN as easily as possible.
Creating a VPN involves encrypting your data and allowing it to pass through a VPN server. Basically, you have to create an encrypted tunnel between your device and the server, which further sends your traffic to the internet.
Most of us use commercial VPNs to hide our online activities, but since you are on a quest to make your own VPN, you will need a cloud-based server and an application to encrypt your traffic. This will effectively change your IP address and encrypt your data. No one can see what you are doing even if the secured tunnel is breached.
Here are the tools you will need to create your own VPN.
To set up your VPN, you’ll need a platform to host it, which is where a Virtual Private Server comes in. Selecting a cloud service provider that aligns with your budget and requirements is essential. Here are a few key factors to consider before choosing a VPS:
If you don’t want to get into details and choose a one-stop solution, then opt for a popular cloud server provider. Some of these are listed below.
I prefer DigitalOcean over others due to its user-friendliness. The starter pack is available at $5 and gives you 1TB of bandwidth, which is enough for a user. Your second best option is Amazon EC2, which gives 1-year free plan.
Both Digital Ocean and Amazon are known for their fast servers, which you will use to route your internet traffic. These VPN servers can provide security and fast speeds for streaming, gaming, browsing, and downloading.
Ansible Scripts allows you to perform complex IT tasks with a single click. You don’t need to write the code of your VPN functionality and let Ansible do it for you.
The most popular project for creating a secure tunnel is Algo VPN, which was created by the same team behind Trail of Bits. It supports the cloud services listed above and creates disposable VPNs. This script will be responsible for setting up the best VPN protocols and creating a secure tunnel to encrypt your data.
Algo VPN and DigitalOcean work together, and you don’t need to do anything manually. To configure VPN on your DigitalOcean server, you can use the API provided by Algo VPN.
The process will be smooth and automated, as both services are updated regularly. Alog’s API will establish and authenticate everything, so you won’t have to write a single line of code yourself.
Here is the official Algo GitHub repository, where you will find the necessary steps to deploy your VPN.
The steps may vary depending on your device, but Algo VPN is designed to be highly user-friendly, ensuring you can set up and start using your self-hosted VPN in no time. Furthermore, have a look at this guide by DigitalOcean on setting up a VPN.
After setting up your own VPN, you’ll be able to access restricted content and websites from anywhere. However, it’s crucial to select a host country that upholds internet freedom and supports freedom of speech. Avoid countries with strict internet regulations or where VPNs are illegal, and internet usage is heavily monitored.
Additionally, it’s important to thoroughly test your VPN once the setup process is complete. Minor glitches or configuration issues could prevent your VPN from functioning correctly, so testing ensures it operates as intended.
You will need basic technical knowledge to set up your own VPN. Otherwise, your data might be leaked to third parties, and the point of creating your own VPN will be lost.
As mentioned earlier, it is crucial to thoroughly test your VPN for potential leaks, such as mobile VPN leaks, and ensure it functions properly across different devices. This step helps identify and resolve any vulnerabilities, ensuring your VPN provides the security and privacy it’s designed for.
There are many benefits to using a VPN, be it a commercial VPN or one you created yourself. Here are some advantages of creating your own VPN instead of purchasing a commercial VPN.
You can set up a private VPN for under $5. This is comparatively cheaper than most commercial VPNs out there in the market. However you can only use a single location where your rented server is based, if you want to use multiple locations, get a commercial VPN.
The number of server locations is limited when you create your own VPN, but it offers enhanced security and ensures that your confidential information is not shared with anyone, not even a third-party VPN provider. Additionally, you can purchase a VPN anonymously if you want to maintain complete privacy and keep your online activities invisible.
DigitalOcean enables you to quickly launch a new server whenever needed. This allows you to start fresh with a new server and delete your previous data and history, adding an extra layer of anonymity to your online activities. It’s an excellent choice, particularly if you live in countries with restrictive laws against VPN usage.
Read this guide if your VPN is not working properly, after you have added a new VPN server.
At the start of this article, I recommended purchasing a commercial VPN rather than spending your precious time building your own. Commercial VPNs are ready to use and backed by customer support.
Setting up your own home VPN can certainly work, but it involves considerable effort to set up and maintain. If this option were significantly cheaper and more convenient, it would likely dominate the market, with many people opting to establish their own VPNs. However, this is not the case, highlighting the challenges and technical expertise required for such a setup.
Here are a few limitations of setting up your own VPN, along with general disadvantages associated with using a VPN, such as reduced internet speed and potential legal restrictions:
Homemade VPNs are effective for encrypting traffic, but they often fall short when it comes to bypassing advanced systems like the Great Firewall of China or Iranian surveillance networks. If you live in a country with strict censorship, it’s advisable to invest in a reliable commercial VPN to safeguard your online activities effectively.
Furthermore, you can use a dedicated IP provided by a reliable VPN like NordVPN or ExpressVPN to bypass firewalls and hide your internet activities. Additionally, you can install a VPN on your router or create a virtual router via Windows or Mac and secure all your home devices with a commercial VPN; this won’t be possible with a homemade VPN.
Your homemade VPN is good enough to encrypt your traffic and change your IP address, but it won’t be enough to bypass the modern system used by streaming platforms to identify IP addresses and will block you.
If streaming is your thing, I recommend getting a paid VPN to access Hulu or HBO Max from outside the US or change your Netflix regions from anywhere.
Another important factor to consider is the use of TV devices for streaming movies and TV shows. A commercial VPN can be configured on a Smart TV easily, compared to a homemade VPN, offering greater convenience for entertainment purposes.
Homemade VPNs are often considered more private, but they actually provide a similar level of privacy to commercial VPNs. Cloud providers, which host self-made VPNs, collect personal data during registration and use tracking technologies, just like VPN services.
They may store information like your IP address, ISP, and browsing details, which can be exploited if the provider is hacked or compelled to share data with authorities. Additionally, these providers work with advertisers who may also track users. Therefore, regarding privacy, there is no significant advantage to using a homemade VPN over a commercial one.
Yes, your homemade VPN can change your IP address and encrypt your data, but it won’t be enough to unblock OTT platforms from anywhere. For example, I tried accessing Hulu from outside the US with my homemade VPN but failed, and Hulu detected that I was using a VPN.
On the setup side, a commercial VPN is designed to be user-friendly. Anyone with zero technical skills can download a VPN and use it, whereas a homemade VPN requires some technical knowledge for setup.
Therefore, I vote for a commercial VPN, which effectively unblocks OTT platforms and websites, encrypts your internet traffic with OpenVPN or WireGuard VPN protocol, provides the best online security and privacy, and offers a one-click connection with many servers.
I have listed the best and easiest way to build your own VPN. It will encrypt your data and change your IP address to a basic level. However, your homemade VPN won’t be able to bypass sophisticated techniques implied by the government to track citizens.
Additionally, I was not able to unblock Hulu outside the US with a homemade VPN, so I had to use a commercial VPN. Therefore, I recommend subscribing to a premium VPN with a kill switch and dedicated IP address. You might be interested in reading the following articles.
Creating your own VPN is easy for those with little technical knowledge and familiarity with the functionality of a VPN. Here are the things you should have to make your own VPN in 2025:
You will need a cloud hosting service to set up your VPN server and an API to create a secure tunnel between your devices and the VPN server you created.
Here are the steps to build you own VPN:
Creating your own VPN is more cost-effective than purchasing a commercial VPN. Based on my estimates, you can set up your own VPN for under $70 or less and use it for an entire year.
In contrast, most premium VPN services cost between $100 and $170 annually—nearly double the expense. However, commercial VPNs offer a significant advantage by providing servers in multiple locations, which isn’t feasible with a self-hosted VPN.
Additionally, commercial VPNs come with advanced security features such as Multi-Hop, Split Tunneling, and Kill Switch, which enhance privacy and usability—capabilities that are typically absent in a self-created VPN setup.
In today’s commercialized world, nothing truly comes for free. While you can access free APIs to set up your own VPN, you will still need cloud storage or hosting to create a VPN server, which comes at a cost. Cloud space is essential for running your VPN, and unfortunately, it’s not free.
You can create a VPN on Windows 10 using a commercial VPN subscription. Yes, you heard that right—a commercial VPN subscription is required for this process.
Windows 10 allows you to manually configure a VPN and share it with other devices. This setup essentially creates a virtual router, enabling you to secure multiple devices with a single VPN subscription.
It’s important to note that nothing comes entirely free—Windows 10 or 11 will not provide VPN servers to route your traffic. You’ll need a commercial VPN subscription for server access and traffic routing. Here is a detailed guide on setting up a VPN on Windows 10.
You can manually configure a VPN on your Android device to secure your internet traffic. This option is particularly useful if your VPN provider doesn’t offer a dedicated Android app or if you’re using a corporate VPN.
However, it’s important to note that there is no such thing as a fully functional, free VPN readily available for Android devices. To set up your own VPN on an Android phone, you’ll need a valid VPN subscription and the necessary service credentials.
Mustafa is a cybersecurity analyst and a co-founder of VPN for What. Since 2017, Mustafa has gained international experience, working with governments, NGOs, and the private sector as a cybersecurity and VPN expert and advisor.
