BulletVPN is closed: history, reasons and alternatives

Cover: AI-generated editorial illustration, not an event photograph or product screenshot.

BulletVPN is closed and should no longer be treated as a VPN you can subscribe to or rely on. Its official website displays an end-of-life notice. The shutdown was already being reported in July 2025; this article is an updated guide for people encountering old reviews, unused subscriptions or a BulletVPN app today. We checked the current notice on October 26, 2026.

The company gives broad commercial and technical reasons for ending the service, but does not publish a detailed financial explanation. Below, we separate that statement from the historical record, explain what happened to the Windscribe goodwill offer and suggest alternatives by the kind of commitment a reader wants to make.

Is BulletVPN still working?

The official BulletVPN website says the service has reached end of life and is no longer available. An old app, review or purchase receipt does not override that notice. If you are troubleshooting a connection today, start with the service’s closure status rather than assuming a different server or a fresh installation will restore it.

We have not tested whether every historical app build can still open, or audited the company’s former infrastructure. Opening an app and having an operating VPN service are different things. The practical conclusion supported by the notice is that BulletVPN is no longer an available service to recommend for new purchases or continuing protection.

A short history: what the records establish

BulletVPN was part of the smaller-provider consumer VPN market before its shutdown. Windscribe’s July 8, 2025 account describes it as a Tallinn, Estonia-based service that had existed since 2014. That is Windscribe’s retrospective account; we have not independently established BulletVPN’s exact incorporation or public launch date.

A TechRadar review published on December 2, 2020 provides a useful snapshot from before the closure. It discussed desktop and mobile apps, shorter and longer subscription terms, and the company’s BulletShield connection-blocking feature. Those are historical observations from that review, not a description of a service that remains available now. We have not reused its performance measurements as VPNBlade tests.

Why did BulletVPN close?

BulletVPN’s own notice points to changes in demand, changing technology requirements and the sustainability of running the service. Those are the reasons the company provides. The notice does not quantify its costs, revenue, subscriber losses or the specific technical work that would have been required to continue.

It would therefore be misleading to turn a broad statement into a detailed story about bankruptcy, a breach, a regulatory order or a particular owner’s decision. The sources reviewed here do not establish those explanations. Windscribe’s announcement gives useful contemporary context, but it is not a financial audit of BulletVPN.

Our analysis: the closure illustrates why service continuity belongs in a VPN buying decision alongside features and price. That does not mean every small provider is unsafe or every large provider is permanent. It means an attractive subscription term should be considered together with the consequences if the service changes or disappears.

What happened to the free Windscribe offer?

Windscribe announced six months of complimentary Pro access for eligible active BulletVPN subscribers, with a claim deadline of August 9, 2025. Its announcement described a voluntary assistance arrangement, explicitly separate from acquiring BulletVPN or entering a formal partnership.

That published deadline has passed. We are describing a historical offer, not advertising a redeemable coupon in 2026. We have not confirmed a replacement promotion or an extension. Do not buy a supposed BulletVPN migration code from an unrelated seller on the assumption that this old announcement guarantees access.

Windscribe also said account data had not been transferred to it and described unique vouchers supplied to BulletVPN for voluntary redemption. An old BulletVPN account should therefore not be assumed to function as a Windscribe login. The assistance arrangement did not transfer BulletVPN’s refund or financial obligations to Windscribe.

Interesting fact: “lifetime” is not a calendar date

A monthly or annual term gives you a defined period to compare with a bill. The word “lifetime” does not, by itself, tell you a fixed number of years or what happens if a provider closes. A buyer still needs the contract’s definition, exclusions and closure provisions. This is a useful question to ask before purchasing any service sold with that label.

Rather than inventing a monthly equivalent for an indefinite term, compare the actual one-time payment with an amount you are comfortable committing. Then ask how you would migrate if the product disappeared. A low calculated rate based on an assumed ten-year life is only a scenario, not a service guarantee. Our guide to monthly prices and upfront bills explains why the real payment matters.

What former BulletVPN users can do now

1. Keep the purchase record. Save the receipt, purchase date, seller and payment channel. A third-party marketplace purchase and a direct provider purchase can involve different account-management routes.
2. Review the billing entry. Check whether a recurring payment still appears in the service or payment account you actually used. Follow that account’s current support instructions; deleting an app should not be assumed to cancel a subscription.
3. Keep credentials private. Avoid sending account information to strangers offering a migration. Use official provider websites and documented support routes.
4. Choose a replacement before sensitive work. If you previously depended on a VPN for a particular network task, confirm the replacement is configured and connected before relying on it.
5. Remove obsolete settings carefully. Note any manual profiles, router configuration or blocking settings before removing the old setup. Change one component at a time so an unexpected connectivity problem is easier to diagnose.
6. Check the new arrangement. Review the replacement’s routing, supported devices, billing period and cancellation method. Do not assume it reproduces every setting of the previous service.

For practical help, start with our VPN setup guide, the troubleshooting checklist or the guide to removing an iPhone VPN. These guides explain tasks and limitations; they do not claim to recover a closed service or determine a refund entitlement.

Alternatives to BulletVPN: choose by your needs

These are options worth researching, not results from a VPNBlade speed or streaming test. Their different payment models matter more here than an invented overall score. Check the actual device requirements and features you need before deciding that any service is a replacement.

Windscribe: a current monthly subscription

Windscribe’s current official pricing page lists Pro at USD 9 per month and USD 69 per twelve months, with automatic renewal. Those are ordinary paid plans, separate from the expired BulletVPN assistance offer. A monthly term provides a smaller initial commitment than paying for a year, though it can cost more over extended use.

Visit the Windscribe store or its monthly plan record to compare recorded terms and refund limits. Confirm the current checkout before subscribing.

Mullvad: flat-rate account time

Mullvad’s pricing page advertises EUR 5 per month, including VAT, without a lower monthly rate for committing to a longer term. Its published refund conditions have exclusions, including cash payments. This is a different buying model from a heavily discounted long introductory subscription.

The Mullvad store and monthly account-time record provide a route to its documented terms. Keep EUR and USD amounts separate; this article does not perform a currency conversion.

Proton VPN: investigate a free starting point

Proton’s official Free plan page describes an ongoing free tier, which is different from a paid subscription’s refund window. Review the current server-choice and feature restrictions rather than assuming the free tier has everything included in VPN Plus. This can be a useful option to investigate before deciding whether a paid commitment is necessary.

Our free VPN guide explains the buying questions, while the Proton VPN store groups paid plan records. The widget below shows currently source-checked paid offers; it is not the historical BulletVPN promotion and it does not imply a free trial.

Before you pay for a replacement

Write down your required devices, the task you need the VPN for and the largest upfront payment you are comfortable making. Use the VPNBlade comparison tool to compare billing and refund terms, then read the provider’s current documentation. A lower equivalent monthly rate is useful only if the whole initial purchase fits your needs.

This article will be updated if a reliable source establishes a material change. For now, the practical message is clear: treat BulletVPN as a closed service, regard its 2025 migration promotion as expired, and evaluate a replacement on current evidence rather than an old review’s recommendation.