In another testament to how risky lifetime VPN subscriptions are, BulletVPN has announced that it is shutting down. The service unexpectedly ceased operations last week, canceling lifetime subscriptions for all users who had previously purchased the plans.
The service was based in Estonia and had been in operation since 2015. Up until last month, it had been offering lifetime VPN subscriptions to users for only $39. However, in a message on its homepage titled, “BulletVPN End of Life,” the company announced that the VPN service would no longer be available.
This adds to a growing number of controversies surrounding lifetime subscriptions in the ever-changing VPN market. Just in May of this year, VPNSecure suddenly cut all lifetime subscriptions after being sold to new owners.
To stand out in a crowded market, many smaller VPN providers, such as BulletVPN, offer lifetime subscriptions with cheap prices in order to attract new customers. Unfortunately, these deals can often turn sour if the VPN service goes out of business—which is often the case for smaller VPN providers in the cut-throat industry.
In a statement on its website the company wrote, “This decision was made after careful consideration of various factors, including shifts in market demand, evolving technology requirements, and sustainability of operations.”
Needless to say, affected users aren’t happy. Thankfully, rival VPN Windscribe has stepped in to help. Users who previously had lifetime subscriptions to BulletVPN, are now eligible for a complimentary 6-month subscription to Windscribe, along with a discounted long-term plan. As stated in the End of Life notice, BulletVPN users who qualify can contact support@bulletvpn.com to claim the offer.