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Looking for ZenMate alternatives? ZenMate no longer exists as a separate VPN. From 16 March 2023 its service ran through CyberGhost’s apps, and ZenMate stopped supporting its apps on 1 May 2023, its own announcement explains. Both brands belonged to Kape Technologies, which bought CyberGhost in 2017 and ZenMate in 2018. Some reviews still get the date wrong, placing the switch in 2026.
This page explains what happened to ZenMate users, and the best replacements for its free browser extension and its paid VPN.
What Happened to ZenMate
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Kape Technologies buys ZenMate | whoisyourvpn.com |
| 16 March 2023 | Service moves to CyberGhost’s apps | ZenMate |
| 1 May 2023 | ZenMate apps no longer supported | ZenMate |
| After May 2023 | ZenMate discontinued; no new sign-ups | Comparitech |
Paying users kept their accounts. They logged into CyberGhost’s apps with their ZenMate username and password, while ZenMate kept handling billing and support, its announcement says. ZenMate was best known for its free offering, which Comparitech says drew over 40 million users.
ZenMate Alternatives: The Picks
| Option | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| CyberGhost | Paid; 45-day refund on long plans | Former ZenMate subscribers |
| NordVPN | Paid | Speed and audits |
| Proton VPN free plan | Free, no data cap | Replacing ZenMate’s free tier |
| Opera’s built-in VPN | Free | Browser-only, like ZenMate’s extension |
| Edge Secure Network | Free, 5 GB a month | Browsing in Edge |
Among ZenMate alternatives, CyberGhost is the natural successor for paid users, since it inherited ZenMate’s subscribers; our CyberGhost review covers it, and our CyberGhost refund guide explains the 45-day window on long plans.
For ZenMate’s free extension users, a browser VPN such as Opera’s is the closest like-for-like, while Proton VPN’s free plan protects the whole device.
Still Have ZenMate Installed?
Remove the old ZenMate extension and apps. They no longer receive updates, and unmaintained privacy software is a risk; our Chrome extension guide shows where browser extensions live.
Pick one of the ZenMate alternatives and test it. Once a replacement is running, our VPN check guide confirms your real address is hidden. If you only need protection on public Wi-Fi, our public Wi-Fi guide explains the minimum you need.
About the Owner
Kape’s history is worth knowing. Before becoming Kape, the company was Crossrider, which Microsoft, Trend Micro and Malwarebytes linked to adware, whoisyourvpn.com notes. Kape has also owned PIA and ExpressVPN, Wikipedia notes, as our VPN ownership guide maps out.
Judge the current product, not the past. Audits and transparency reports show how a provider behaves today, as our audit tracker shows. Our VPN shutdowns guide covers other closures like ZenMate’s.
How We Research
The migration dates and account details come from ZenMate’s March 2023 announcement; ownership history from whoisyourvpn.com; the user count and closure from Comparitech; Kape’s brands from Wikipedia. ZenMate’s announcement is at zenmate.com. We read all sources on 28 September 2026. CyberGhost and NordVPN are affiliate partners. Our full approach lives on the About Us page.
ZenMate Alternatives FAQ
No. Its service moved to CyberGhost’s apps in March 2023, and ZenMate stopped supporting its apps on 1 May 2023.
Paying users logged into CyberGhost’s apps with their ZenMate credentials for the rest of their subscription.
Proton VPN’s free plan for the whole device, or a browser VPN such as Opera’s for browsing only.
Kape Technologies, which bought ZenMate in 2018 and also owns CyberGhost, PIA and ExpressVPN.
No. CyberGhost is a separate VPN from the same owner that took over ZenMate’s subscribers.
The Verdict
ZenMate alternatives start with CyberGhost, which inherited ZenMate’s users in 2023.
For free use, Proton VPN’s free plan covers the whole device; for browsing only, a browser VPN matches what ZenMate’s extension did.