UltraSurf

UltraSurf is a lightweight and simple utility, yet it has a very important capability: protecting your privacy as you use the Internet. Originally, this free tool was developed as a way to help Internet users in China bypass censorship by the local government, giving them access to websites and online services from all over the world. Since then, it has evolved into a more general privacy protection software and is now in use by millions of individuals from all over the world.

Most Windows programs in its category use a VPN, which often requires that you purchase a monthly subscription. UltraSurf is slightly different. The program uses a network of proxy servers from all over the world. Whenever you launch it, the small app will choose the server that has the best performance and route your Internet traffic through it automatically. This disguises your IP address and overcomes online censorship and surveillance.

There's no need to change your browser's proxy settings or to manually maintain a list of proxies. The program does all of that for you. As the proxy connection is automatic, you won't need to try several proxies before you find one that finally works. As an added benefit, this privacy tool will delete your browser cookies and history for you as well.

Even though it has many benefits, there are a few drawbacks to using it when you browse the web. You may have access to a big network of proxies, but you can't select a specific one to use on a regular basis. Your data transfer speed will also be affected by the performance of the proxy server. If it becomes overloaded with too many users, your download and upload speeds will go down, which is inconvenient if you're transferring large files.

But despite not being perfect, it's completely free and anonymous. There's no need to register or create an account. You don't even need to install the program on your PC. Just open its file and use it. As a portable tool, you can copy it to a USB stick or any other removable media and use it on the go.

Pros

• Changes your IP for better online privacy and anonymous browsing.
• Helpful to access sites blocked by some countries.
• No installation, registration or payment required.
• Uses a large network of proxies spread out throughout the whole world.

Cons

• Service isn't always fast or reliable due to issues with the proxy server you're connected to.