Psiphon
Psiphon Inc. is a Toronto-based private company that builds censorship-circumvention software (VPN, SSH, HTTP proxy with multi-protocol obfuscation) serving individuals, broadcasters, NGOs, and now enterprises in countries with internet filtering, including Iran, Russia, Myanmar, and China.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Psiphon does
Psiphon Inc. is a Canadian private corporation headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, founded in 2006 (with broader usage referenced from 2007) as a project at the Citizen Lab, University of Toronto, led by President Michael Hull. The company develops and operates a censorship-circumvention platform that provides uncensored internet access to users in countries with information controls, combining VPN, SSH, and HTTP proxy protocols with multi-protocol obfuscation to defeat DNS blocking, SNI filtering, IP-based blocking, and Deep Packet Inspection. Its product surface spans the consumer Psiphon App (Android, iOS, Windows, Mac), the enterprise-embeddable Psiphon Forge API supporting 12+ adaptive protocols, the PsiCash in-app token economy for Speed Boost features, the Conduit diaspora volunteer-relay network, a live Impact Dashboard, and a Facebook Messenger chatbot for support. Underlying technology includes obfuscated SSH handshakes, L2TP/IPsec VPN tunnels, AI-assisted ML evasion models analyzing over 100 million connections per day, and a distributed infrastructure footprint of more than 60,000 servers across jurisdictions.
Psiphon's documented scale is substantial: approximately 73 million daily users, 150 million+ downloads (with one source claiming 500 million+ lifetime downloads), 7.1 billion pages of curated content delivered in the trailing year, and operational reach into Iran, Russia, Myanmar, China, UAE, Brazil, Turkey, and Gambia. The company serves four primary customer segments—individual users in restricted regions, international broadcasters needing censorship-resistant content delivery, NGOs and human-rights organizations, and independent media—and is now extending into logistics, fintech, SaaS, and gaming verticals through Psiphon Forge.
The business model blends mission-driven and commercial revenue streams. Free consumer access is sustained through international grants (notably the US-based Open Technology Fund), advertising networks in select regions, and PsiCash/Psiphon Pro monetization (subscription and pay-as-you-go tiers in certain markets). Commercial and enterprise licensing for non-personal use (contact: [email protected]) and contracted distribution partnerships with international broadcasters constitute the disclosed commercial revenue lines. The company operates with a small team of 11-50 employees (~18 named team members), is privately held with no parent company, has not disclosed funding rounds or revenue figures, and distributes through Google Play, Apple App Store, direct website download, email-responder APK delivery, and open-source GitHub channels, supported by Localization Lab and Transifex for 30+ language localization.
Psiphon firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Psiphon
- Legal name
- Psiphon Inc.
- Website
- https://psiphon.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Psiphon Inc. is a Toronto-based private company that builds censorship-circumvention software (VPN, SSH, HTTP proxy with multi-protocol obfuscation) serving individuals, broadcasters, NGOs, and now enterprises in countries with internet filtering, including Iran, Russia, Myanmar, and China.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Psiphon industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Censorship Circumvention Software
- NAICS
- Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Managed MPLS VPN Services (HDAIAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Content Protection for Live Events (Geo-blocking, Concurrent Stream Controls) (MPAHAMAG)
Keywords
Where Psiphon is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Psiphon business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- International Grants: Psiphon receives funding through international grants for technology development and network maintenance from organizations such as the Open Technology Fund.
- Media Partner Distribution: Working with international broadcasters and independent media partners to distribute content using branded Psiphon clients.
- Advertising Networks: Collaborating with ad networks in certain regions to support free service delivery.
- Premium Subscriptions: Optional subscription for premium service in certain regions offering Speed Boost, ad-free experience, and enhanced performance. PsiCash tokens can also be purchased for one-time Speed Boost.
- PsiCash (In-App Currency): Psiphon's in-app credit tokens that users can earn through activities or purchase to obtain Speed Boost features.
- Commercial/Enterprise Licensing: Paid commercial service for organizations wishing to use Psiphon for purposes beyond personal use, with additional requirements. Contact: [email protected]
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free Tier - Basic Access |
| Subscription | Monthly | Psiphon Pro Subscription |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Speed Boost (PsiCash) |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Commercial/Enterprise License |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Psiphon product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Psiphon builds a cross-platform censorship circumvention platform that combines VPN, SSH, and HTTP proxy technologies with proprietary traffic obfuscation to provide users in restricted regions with uncensored internet access. Its flagship Psiphon App is offered free of charge on Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac, complemented by an optional premium subscription (Psiphon Pro), an in-app PsiCash credit system, an embeddable enterprise API (Psiphon Forge), and the Conduit diaspora relay program.
Product overview
Psiphon offers a multi-product platform centered on censorship circumvention and internet freedom. The core product is the Psiphon App (available for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac), which uses multi-protocol tunneling and obfuscation to bypass internet restrictions globally. The platform includes Psiphon Forge (an embeddable API for developers and enterprises), PsiCash (a virtual currency for Speed Boost rewards), and Conduit (a volunteer bandwidth-sharing program for diaspora support). Additional offerings include a live Impact Dashboard for network analytics and a Facebook chatbot for user support. The ecosystem serves both individual users seeking uncensored internet access and organizations requiring resilient connectivity infrastructure.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Psiphon Forge: An embeddable API providing resilient connectivity and multi-protocol tunneling for organizations operating in censored or restricted network environments.
- Conduit
- PsiCash
Products and services
- Psiphon App Free, open-source cross-platform censorship circumvention application for Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS that uses multi-protocol tunneling with obfuscation to provide individuals in restricted regions uncensored internet access, including social media, news, VOIP, and games.
- Psiphon Forge Lightweight, platform-agnostic embeddable API that provides censorship-resistant multi-protocol tunneling, encrypted tamper-proof data delivery, and seamless failover routing, enabling applications and systems to maintain connectivity in restricted-network environments for enterprise, logistics, fintech, SaaS, and gaming customers.
- Conduit Sponsored relay-sharing platform that allows diaspora volunteers to contribute their internet bandwidth as Conduit stations so that users inside censored countries such as Iran and Russia can access the open internet, extending Psiphon's anti-censorship capacity through community contributions.
- Psiphon Chat Bot Facebook Application Facebook Messenger chatbot application operated by Psiphon Inc. that responds to user questions sent to the Psiphon Facebook Page, collecting aggregate conversational data to improve Psiphon services and user support.
Quantifiable outcome
- Handled over 7.1 billion pages of curated content reaching audiences in Iran, Russia, China, and Myanmar
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Psiphon
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Psiphon technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature8 records
Psiphon partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.
- TransifexsupportingPsiphon uses the Transifex translation platform for software localization. Translations for the Psiphon application are available in 30+ languages through this partnership, enabling global accessibility.
- Localization LabsupportingLocalization Lab provides support for translating Psiphon software into multiple languages, helping reach users in their native languages across diverse regions.
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)supportingPsiCash server resources are stored in AWS, and Amazon S3 is used for storing website files and Psiphon server discovery lists. Email responder server is hosted in Amazon EC2 cloud.
- Google (Analytics, reCAPTCHA)supportingPsiphon uses Google Analytics on some websites for usage statistics. Google reCAPTCHA v3 is used on my.psi.cash website to protect against bots and spam. Google Play Services used for app distribution.
- Civil Society ResearcherssupportingPsiphon shares anonymized aggregated data with civil society researchers for studying censorship patterns, blocking trends, and internet freedom. Data helps show how well Psiphon works in regions and population determination to access open internet.
- NetBlockssupportingConnectivity monitoring organization that tracks internet shutdowns. Psiphon is referenced alongside NetBlocks reporting during events like Iran's internet blackout, with researchers confirming restrictions are government-directed.
- International Broadcasters (Partners)corePsiphon has contracts with large-scale international broadcasters to distribute content using branded Psiphon clients in restrictive information environments. Part of sustainability model for supporting free service.
- iSEC PartnerssupportingExternal security firm that conducted independent security assessment of Psiphon3 in 2014, with findings published in blog post and full report available.
- Cure53supportingExternal security firm that conducted penetration testing and security audits of Psiphon Apps & Server in 2017 and 2019, with pentest reports published publicly.
- Conduit (Related Project)coreConduit is a related Psiphon initiative that allows diaspora members to volunteer their internet connections as relays to help people inside censored countries like Iran and Russia access the open internet.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Psiphon competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Ceno Browser: Ceno Browser is a censorship-resistant mobile browser using peer-to-peer traffic distribution to circumvent national firewalls, building on the same internet-freedom ethos as Psiphon. Adjacent product surface (browser vs. VPN) but overlapping user base in Russia, Iran, and other censored regions.
- Tails OS: Tails is an amnesic, privacy-focused operating system that routes all traffic through Tor — overlapping with Psiphon's mission of providing privacy and circumvention to journalists, activists, and at-risk users, though at a different layer of the stack.
Direct peers
- Lantern: Lantern is a censorship-circumvention tool that emerged from the same internet-f freedom community (originating from BRECS alumni), offering peer-to-peer relay-based circumvention for users in Iran and China. Direct functional overlap with Psiphon in serving censored-region users.
- Mullvad VPN: Mullvad is a privacy-first, no-account VPN provider with WireGuard focus and an outspoken transparency/auditing ethos that mirrors Psiphon's open-source stance. Direct competitor in the privacy-and-anti-censorship segment, particularly for technically sophisticated users.
- Proton VPN: Proton VPN is part of Proton AG's privacy suite (ProtonMail), with a mission similar to Psiphon's — providing censorship-resistant, privacy-focused communications. Competes directly for journalists and activists in censored regions while also serving a paying mainstream user base.
- Tor Project: Tor Browser is the most prominent open-source censorship-circumvention and anonymity tool, directly competing for the same at-risk user base in Iran, Russia, and China. Both Psiphon and Tor rely on volunteer/maintained distributed infrastructure and open-source transparency, serving a near-identical mission.
- Jigsaw (Outline VPN): Outline VPN is Alphabet-owned Jigsaw's censorship-circumvention VPN tool, the closest large-organization parallel to Psiphon. Both target dissidents, journalists, and NGOs in censored regions, with self-hostable server models and similar anti-DPI/anti-blocking objectives.
Broad incumbents
- ExpressVPN: ExpressVPN (Kape Technologies) is a major global commercial VPN brand targeting privacy and geo-unblocking use cases that overlap heavily with Psiphon's consumer proposition. It serves as a broad incumbent paying alternative where censorship is not the primary motivator.
- NordVPN: NordVPN is a leading commercial consumer/enterprise VPN brand with significantly larger marketing and revenue, competing for the same paying VPN users in partially-censored and privacy-conscious markets. Not censorship-specialized, but a broad incumbent in the VPN category Psiphon occupies.
Regional players
- TunnelBear: TunnelBear is a Toronto, Canada-based consumer VPN brand (now McAfee-owned), a regional and cultural twin to Psiphon given the same Canadian origin and consumer VPN focus. Differentiates by brand/marketing rather than censorship circumvention depth.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Psiphon social profiles
Digital presencePsiphon compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Psiphon financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Psiphon leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Psiphon funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Psiphon M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Psiphon
What does Psiphon do?
Psiphon builds a cross-platform censorship circumvention platform that combines VPN, SSH, and HTTP proxy technologies with proprietary traffic obfuscation to provide users in restricted regions with uncensored internet access. Its flagship Psiphon App is offered free of charge on Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac, complemented by an optional premium subscription (Psiphon Pro), an in-app PsiCash credit system, an embeddable enterprise API (Psiphon Forge), and the Conduit diaspora relay program.
Is Psiphon a public or private company?
Psiphon is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Psiphon founded?
Psiphon was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Psiphon based?
Psiphon is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Psiphon make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. International Grants are the primary driver. The others are media Partner Distribution, advertising Networks, premium Subscriptions, psiCash (In-App Currency) and commercial/Enterprise Licensing.
Who are Psiphon's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Ceno Browser and Tails OS. Direct peers are Lantern, Mullvad VPN, Proton VPN, Tor Project and Jigsaw (Outline VPN). Broad incumbents are ExpressVPN and NordVPN. TunnelBear is listed as a regional player.
Does Psiphon have an API?
Yes. Psiphon Forge is a public API that provides embeddable, battle-tested censorship circumvention capabilities for developers and organizations. It enables applications to maintain connectivity through multi-protocol tunneling and real-time network adaptation. The API is designed to help businesses maintain critical operations in regions where connectivity is deliberately constrained. Forge is described as a lightweight, platform-agnostic API that enables any device, application, or system to tap into Psiphon's global anti-censorship network. It offers adaptive tunneling across 12+ protocols, encrypted and tamper-proof data delivery, and seamless failover routing. Developer documentation is at forge.psiphon.ca.
What industry is Psiphon in?
Psiphon's product category is Censorship Circumvention Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIAFAA, Managed MPLS VPN Services, with a secondary code of MPAHAMAG, Content Protection for Live Events (Geo-blocking, Concurrent Stream Controls). Its NAICS code is 517111.