Firefox gets a new security feature that Edge has had for years — here’s how it works, who gets access, and how it compares

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Mozilla is testing a new feature called Firefox VPN designed to protect your browsing activity. Currently in its Beta phase, it’s being rolled out to a small, randomly selected group of users for evaluation (according to TechRadar).

Firefox VPN is a free extension for the Firefox browser, and Mozilla indicates it will stay free even after the initial trial phase. Currently, there are no restrictions on how much data you can use, at least while it’s in testing.

As a tech fan, I’ve been checking out Firefox VPN, and it’s interesting how it works. Basically, it only protects your browsing *within* Firefox itself. Any website you visit while using the browser gets routed through Firefox’s secure servers. But, if you’re using a different app or browser, your connection isn’t shielded by the VPN – it only focuses on Firefox traffic.

According to Mozilla, Firefox VPN hides your actual IP address and encrypts your internet connection. It functions similarly to other VPNs, but with a smaller range of features.

Firefox is testing a new VPN, but it’s currently available only to a limited number of users. If you’re chosen to test it, you’ll see a message when you open Firefox offering you the chance to try it out.

If you don’t see the prompt, well, you’re out of luck for now.

This is Mozilla’s second VPN to enter the market

When Mozilla first released its VPN a few years ago, many Firefox users questioned why it was named “Mozilla VPN” instead of “Firefox VPN.” Now, Mozilla has explained the reasoning behind the name.

This is Mozilla’s second attempt at a VPN service. It officially launched in 2020, replacing their earlier offering, Firefox Private Network.

Mozilla VPN protects everything you do online, across all your devices – it’s not limited to just your Firefox browser. You can download a separate app for Windows 10 and 11, and it also works on many other devices.

Like most VPNs that protect all your internet activity, Mozilla VPN requires a subscription. You can pay monthly or yearly, with the best rate being around $4.99 a month if you sign up for a year.

Not bad, especially as it allows you to use up to five devices under the same account.

Firefox VPN could be a great option for users who prefer not to pay a monthly fee, and it’s expected to be available at no cost to all Firefox users when it launches.

A free VPN? I thought I was supposed to avoid those…

VPNs help protect your online privacy by preventing others from seeing your internet activity. They do this by creating a secure, encrypted connection that routes your data through servers operated by the VPN provider.

Since server administrators have access to user activity and data origins, it’s crucial to choose a reliable VPN provider.

Free VPNs often have the worst privacy practices and are most likely to sell your personal data. If a VPN doesn’t cost you anything, your information is probably being sold to someone else.

Mozilla explains that its Firefox VPN only gathers essential technical data needed to ensure the service runs well. According to Mozilla:

Your Firefox VPN activity logs are automatically erased after 3 months. We want to assure you that Firefox VPN doesn’t track the websites you browse or the content of your messages. We do keep general data about bandwidth usage to help improve the service, but this data is combined from all users and can’t be connected to your individual account.

For years, Mozilla’s Firefox browser has been well-regarded for its security and ease of use. However, user opinions shifted after an update to the browser’s data privacy policy in its Terms of Use in March 2025.

The initial terms of service raised concerns that Mozilla might use user data in a way that could harm its reputation for protecting privacy. Mozilla quickly revised the terms to make them more understandable, and Firefox Vice President Ajit Varma explained that…

Mozilla doesn’t sell your personal information like many companies do, and we also don’t purchase it. We’ve updated our wording because the legal definition of ‘selling’ data varies and can be broader than what people generally consider to be selling.

Edge has had a built-in VPN since 2023 — how does Firefox VPN compare?

Similar to the Firefox VPN, Microsoft’s Edge Secure Network is a VPN that only secures the web traffic within the Edge browser. It launched in 2022 for both Windows 11 and Windows 10 and is still available to use.

Edge Secure Network is exclusive to the Edge browser, but it’s available at no cost to anyone who logs in with a personal Microsoft account. Users now receive 5GB of data each month, an increase from the original 1GB offered when it first launched.

Edge Secure Network has smart features to help you control how much data you use. By default, it’s set to “Optimized,” which means it automatically turns on a secure connection (VPN) whenever you’re using public Wi-Fi or visiting websites that aren’t fully secure.

Edge Secure Network lets you choose whether to use a VPN on every website you visit, or only on a specific list of sites. Similar to Firefox VPN, Edge only gathers limited diagnostic information, and this data is automatically erased every 25 hours.

Edge Secure Network functions very similarly to Firefox VPN, though it has some limits on how much data you can use. It will be worth watching to see if Mozilla adds a similar data restriction to Firefox VPN when it’s widely released.

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2025-10-16 17:15