Orchid is a decentralized VPN that has been built on the Ethereum blockchain. The main goal of this provider is to improve both the privacy and anonymity of VPN users. With Orchid’s native digital token, OXT, users can follow a pay-as-you-go payment structure to purchase bandwidth. Users are then connected at random to a VPN server hosted by one of Orchid’s trusted partners. 

By operating through crypto nano payments and a peer-to-peer (P2P) structure, Orchid offers a completely different approach to VPNs. Whilst VPN providers are simply expected to not log user data, Orchid aims to take the control out of their hands altogether, so users are not required to blindly entrust any single entity. This could be a revolutionary advancement for the VPN community as it will give users much more control in addition to a higher degree of privacy.  

Could Orchid’s decentralized design be the next big step in VPN technology? Let’s dive deeper into the VPN to find out more!

“Using a distributed system allows you, as a user, to distribute trust across multiple distinct VPN providers, thereby breaking apart the flow of your information so no single entity can see the entire picture.” – Orchid

What is the purpose of Orchid VPN?

Orchid aims to bring trusted VPN providers and users together in a decentralized marketplace powered by nano payments on the Ethereum blockchain. This VPN wants users to gain more control and power when using a VPN provider without being fearful of their online activity being monitored, collected, or shared with government agencies. Orchid’s unique ecosystem also incentivizes VPN providers to offer the best connection speeds possible and discourages malicious behavior. This will make the VPN community more transparent, scalable, and secure for users and providers alike.

Try out Orchid now on your Android, macOS, or iOS device! Or, if you’re interested in standard VPNs, then discover the best VPNs for Windows, macOS, and phones!

What makes Orchid different from other VPNs?

If you’ve ever used a VPN before, then you’re probably familiar with the typical VPN structure whereby users pay a monthly fee to use a provider’s services. This centralized approach has been the standard for VPNs ever since the technology was first introduced. Although traditional VPNs have many advantages in their current state, users may still encounter risks from using centralized providers. 

For a start, when all user data is transmitted through centralized VPN servers it can also be stored by the provider. All stored data can then be compromised by hackers, sold to third parties, or even shared with government agencies. Of course, many VPNs stand by a no-logs policy, however, this requires users to blindly trust their provider without any real proof of their compliance to this policy. Decentralized VPNs, on the other hand, have the ability to distribute data across multiple servers, making it harder to track and ensuring that no single node can fully process it. 

Another disadvantage of centralized VPNs is that they have a single point of failure. If any VPN provider encounters an issue that impacts the performance of their servers, then users are forced to deal with slow connection speeds until the issue has been fixed. In contrast, with Orchid, users can simply switch to another provider if they notice a drop in performance with the server they’re connected to. 

Additionally, Orchid is open-source, which means that developers from all around the world can inspect, alter, and improve the code to ensure its resilience and security. This not only makes Orchid much more scalable and flexible than other VPNs, but it also offers a much higher degree of transparency compared to closed-source software.

Pricing 

Orchid also stands out from standard VPN providers through its no-commitment pricing method. Rather than paying for a monthly subscription fee such as NordVPN*, you instead pay for only the bandwidth that you use. 

Users can purchase Orchid’s token, OXT, on cryptocurrency exchange platforms such as Coinbase. This is then used to buy bandwidth allowance for a private and secure internet connection from a VPN provider. This pay-per-use structure is perfect for users who only intend to use a small amount of bandwidth each month.  Many casual users will also find that with Orchid, they can spend significantly less money using a VPN service as opposed to paying for a set fee each month. 

Orchid has worked to make user transactions more private through their innovative off-chain payment system known as “probabilistic nano payments.” With this system, users can exchange OXT through the provider without being required to pay high transaction fees to take up excessive space on the blockchain. It also guarantees a much higher level of anonymity, as most nano payment tickets will not be posted on-chain and therefore are significantly less traceable than standard payment systems. 

The main advantage of Orchid’s probabilistic nano payments system is that users don’t need to trust a centralized system when using a VPN. It also allows users to quickly swap between various VPN providers on a whim to seek the fastest connections, which can be considered a key advancement in VPN technology. 

How Orchid can guarantee optimal performance

Orchid’s simple yet incentivizing relationship with its VPN partners is fundamental to the service providing its users the highest possible connection quality.

These VPNs can join the Orchid marketplace by depositing OXT token stake in an Ethereum smart contract in return for data traffic from users (clients) seeking a VPN connection. The size of this stake determines the probability of the VPN provider’s services being picked at random by a client. Therefore, the higher the stake, the more potential earnings. With VPN providers encouraged to increase their stake size, they are motivated to provide exceptional performance to make their investment worthwhile.

Furthermore, when using Orchid, clients can switch between different VPNs to find the best service and connection quality. This further compels each partner to provide outstanding performance for Orchid clients. 

Other features of Orchid

Still not convinced? Here is a list of other features that Orchid VPN provide –

  • Multihop – With multihop, Orchid users can send their data through two or more servers rather than just one, encrypting it multiple times. By “hopping” between different servers, your online activity is much harder to trace, as each server will only receive the previous server’s IP address. #

Although a handful of other VPNs also offer multihop, Orchid is the only provider that ‘allows users to include external servers in their multihop circuits.’ Additionally, when other VPNs offer multihop, there is still a centralized entity that users must place their trust into, whereas with Orchid, no single provider can see the ‘full picture’. This drastically increases users’ anonymity and prevents VPNs from logging any data that can be traced back to a single user.   

  • Quick setup – Users can connect to a VPN provider through the user-friendly Orchid app with a single click, making the process incredibly easy for even less technologically advanced users. You don’t even have to select a server, as you are automatically assigned a VPN connection once you click “connect” through the Android, macOS, or iOS app. 
  • Unlimited account sharing – Orchid users can share their accounts with an unlimited number of users, so all your friends and families can enjoy the protection of VPN simultaneously. 

Orchid customer support

The official Orchid website is incredibly useful and rich with information. You can check out the FAQ section, blog, and podcast for in-depth discussion and tutorials regarding the VPN. Alternatively, you can contact the team directly through email, Discord, Reddit, or Github, and they will assist you with any queries.

Final verdict 

There’s no doubt that Orchid is completely unlike any VPN ever to brace the market. Although this VPN’s unique, crypto-powered structure can be daunting to users, rest assured that you don’t need to be a cryptocurrency expert to enjoy the privacy and performance advantages of using Orchid. 

Pros

It’s safe to conclude that Orchid has successfully harnessed the power of blockchain to give users a better, more secure VPN experience. This decentralized approach to VPNs combined with a market-based incentive structure ensures that users can protect their privacy and remain completely anonymous when using a VPN. 

Orchid’s pay-per-use pricing system can also save thousands of users money, as they won’t have to pay for any bandwidth that they don’t actually use. Additionally, the ‘stake’ relationship between Orchid and its partner VPNs ensures that users receive the best possible performance and connection speeds when connecting to one of Orchid’s randomized servers.

Cons

Orchid VPN may not be the optimal choice for users who intend to regularly participate in heavy bandwidth activities. If you intend to use your VPN for streaming geo-blocked content, for example, then the standard payment structure offered by VPNs is likely your best option. With a provider such as NordVPN, you can use unlimited bandwidth for a small monthly fee with up to 6 simultaneous device connections. This VPN also offers fast connection speeds from thousands of worldwide servers, so it may be a better solution for users wanting to unblock and stream international content