What is a VPN?

The short version

Normally, everything you do online travels across the internet in the open. The Wi-Fi owner, your internet provider, and anyone snooping on the same network can see where you go and, on badly secured sites, what you send.

A VPN (virtual private network) changes that. It builds a private, encrypted tunnel between your device and a server we run. Everything travels inside that tunnel, scrambled into code nobody in between can read. Think of it as a pyramid for your data: your traffic goes in, the entrance is sealed with a stone, and what happens inside stays inside.

What changes when you switch it on

• Your browsing becomes private. The Wi-Fi owner and your internet provider see only that you're connected to a VPN - not which sites you visit or what you do there.
• Your location changes. Websites see our server's address instead of yours, so you appear to be browsing from Germany or Sweden - useful for travel, and it blocks IP-based ad tracking too.
• Public Wi-Fi becomes safe. Hackers on shared networks capture passwords and personal data with simple tools. Encryption turns everything they'd see into gibberish.

Do I actually need one?

It depends on how you use the internet. You'll get real value from a VPN if any of these sound familiar:

• You use café, airport, hotel, or other public Wi-Fi.
• You travel and want your usual sites and apps to work as if you were home.
• You're on a network (or in a country) that blocks the apps and websites you rely on.
• You'd simply rather your internet provider didn't keep a record of every site you visit.

A VPN isn't magic: it doesn't make you invincible, replace antivirus, or excuse breaking the law. It does one job very well - it keeps the connection between you and the internet private.

What makes Pyramid VPN different

Many networks and countries now detect and block ordinary VPN traffic. Pyramid VPN uses obfuscation: our tunnel is disguised to look like regular, everyday internet traffic, so it keeps working in places where well-known VPNs suddenly don't. Read more in VPN blocked? Here's why - and how to fix it.

And we keep the privacy promise simple: we don't monitor, log, or sell your browsing activity. Ever. See our privacy policy for the details.

How do I get started?

1. Subscribe - on Telegram or with email (7-day free trial, then $5/month).
2. Install the free AmneziaVPN app on your phone or computer.
3. Open the key file we send you and tap Connect.

The whole thing takes about five minutes - our setup guide walks you through every step. Already have the AmneziaVPN app? Read where to get an AmneziaVPN key.