VPN for Linux: install it on Ubuntu or Debian
Ben's VPN for Linux comes in 2 builds: a DEB file for apt and a single-file AppImage. Sign-up is not required. A guest account opens on the first launch. Connect opens the plans until you have a subscription.
Other systems: all downloads.
2 builds: a DEB file and an AppImage
Both builds contain the same app. They differ in how they install and in what they need from the system.
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DEB file
The apt command installs it together with its dependencies, NetworkManager included. The app receives its network permissions during installation. Connecting never asks for a password. Step by step: installing on Ubuntu and installing on Debian.
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AppImage
A single file that runs without installation, on a system with FUSE 2. On the first connection, the app asks to install its network adapter and requests the administrator password. The adapter installs in up to 30 seconds. The app then completes the connection automatically.
3 steps from download to the first connection
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Install the downloaded build
For the DEB file, run
sudo apt install ./Bens*.debin the folder with the file. Keep the leading./in the command. Without it, apt searches the repositories instead of using the local file. For the AppImage, runchmod +x Bens*.AppImageonce, then start the file. -
Start the app
The first launch creates a guest account for this computer. Until the main screen opens, the window shows Welcome! and Setting up the app for the first time…
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Click Connect
With no subscription on the account, you see the Buy Ben's VPN window instead. It lists the plans from our website. Select one and complete the payment. If you subscribed on another device, click Already have a subscription? → Sign in to account in that window. Sign in with your e-mail or with a one-time code from a device that is already signed in.
Listed addresses can bypass the VPN
Tunnel under the server card opens Split tunneling. In Off mode, all traffic from the computer goes through the VPN. In Manual mode, traffic to the listed addresses uses your regular connection. Each line of the list holds one IP address, CIDR subnet or domain.
On a work laptop, a typical list contains the office subnet or a server you access over SSH. A new mode applies after you reconnect.
Plans with no device limit
All countries are included in every plan. This computer and your other devices share one subscription.
Bonus months come with purchases on this site. Refunds follow our refund policy. Send the request within 14 days of payment.
5 questions about Ben's VPN on Linux
Support 24/7: the chat on this site, Telegram @bensvpn and [email protected].
What is the app built on?
Ben's VPN is based on Outline, developed by the Jigsaw team. The app has no protocol menu. It chooses the route and the protocol automatically, using VLESS + REALITY, XHTTP, Hysteria2 or Shadowsocks.
Does it run on distributions other than Ubuntu and Debian?
Not officially. The requirements are Ubuntu 22.04+, Debian 12+. The AppImage does not depend on apt. You can try it on an x86-64 system with FUSE 2. If it does not start, contact support with the name and version of your distribution.
Does the app update itself?
No. Download each new version with the buttons on this page. For the DEB file, first delete the old file from your downloads folder. The mask ./Bens*.deb must match only the new file. Then run the same apt command again to upgrade the installed app. For the AppImage, replace the old file with the new one and run chmod +x again.
How do I keep my subscription after reinstalling Linux?
Link an e-mail before you erase the disk: Account → Link e-mail. A guest account belongs to this one computer. After a clean installation, you may lose access to it. On the new system, click Connect. Then choose Already have a subscription? → Sign in to account → Sign in with Email. Enter the 6-digit code that we send to that address.
Why does the first-launch setup take so long?
Your network may be blocking our servers. In that case, Setting up the app for the first time… stays on screen longer than usual. The app then offers 2 options: find a working mirror automatically or enter one manually. Setup continues in the background. Support can give you the current mirror address.
Start for 3 days, then decide
The trial costs $0.50 and opens all 187 countries and every app. After it, the plan renews at $5 a month. You can cancel the renewal from your account at any time.
