Compare PaperSpan and Potato VPN: Which App is the Best?
A reliable read-it-later app with clean formatting and offline reading. Great for organizing articles by category, though the interface feels dated. | Potato VPN is a free VPN service with 10M+ downloads and 4.5/5 rating, offering 6 free countries and premium servers, though it has faced some connection stability issues and billing concerns. | |
| Key Features A summary of the most important features offered by each app. |
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| Our Rating Prod Apps's expert review score for each app, based on hands-on testing and research. | 7.2 Winner in this category | 6.9 |
| Total users Total active users across all major browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. | 0 | 0 |
| Total ratings Total number of user ratings received across all supported browsers. | 0 | 0 |
| Average rating Average user rating across all browsers, calculated from available store ratings. | — ⭐ | — ⭐ |
| Entry Level Price The minimum price required to start using the app. "Free" means a free tier is available. | Free | Free |
| Android User rating and stats for the app on Android browser. |  Downloads | Downloads |
| iOS User rating and stats for the app on iOS browser. |  | |
| Features Prod Apps's expert score for the 'Features' aspect of each app. | 7.3 PaperSpan is pretty good at the basic stuff. It takes messy web articles and makes them actually readable, which is honestly the main thing you want from an app like this. No ads, no random pop-ups, just clean text that's easy on the eyes.
The annoying part is that sometimes the text gets cut off halfway through an article, so you have to switch to the web view to finish reading. Also, the search could be better. It's a solid app for basic use, but if you want fancy features, you might be disappointed. We'd give it 7.3 out of 10. Winner in this category | 7.0 Potato VPN offers a solid set of features that justify its free-first positioning. The service includes free access to 6 main countries, automatic fastest server selection, and no registration required. The service also includes advanced features like premium servers and live chat support, making it more than just a basic VPN. What sets Potato VPN apart is its generous free tier and user-friendly approach. The service also includes advanced features like automatic server selection and live chat support, making it more than just a basic VPN. However, unlike Proton VPN, it lacks a kill switch and split tunneling. However, the service lacks some advanced features found in dedicated VPN providers, such as specialized servers for specific use cases and some cutting-edge privacy features. The service also doesn't offer some advanced features like obfuscated servers or specialized streaming servers that some competitors provide. Compared to other free VPNs like Proton VPN or Thunder VPN, Potato VPN offers good features, but the connection issues make it difficult to recommend over more reliable alternatives. The service provides good value for users who need free VPN features. |
| Performance Prod Apps's expert score for the 'Performance' aspect of each app. | 6.9 Performance is PaperSpan's biggest weakness. When everything works correctly, the app is fast and responsive. Article saving is quick, reading is smooth, and offline functionality is excellent. The problem is consistency—too many things go wrong too often. The most common issues we encountered include sync problems between devices, network connectivity failures during signup, and the frustrating text view cutoff that interrupts reading sessions. The discontinued Chrome extension also limits desktop integration significantly. These aren't dealbreaking problems, but they add up to an inconsistent user experience. The positive news is that recent ratings have improved significantly (4.13/5 for the last 100 reviews compared to 3.8/5 overall), indicating the developers are actively addressing these issues. Performance score: 6.9/10. Winner in this category | 6.0 Potato VPN's performance is inconsistent, with good speeds when working but frequent connection issues that significantly impact usability. The service offers decent connection speeds and automatic server selection, but the frequent disconnections and connection stability problems make it difficult to use reliably. The service works well for basic VPN protection when connected, but many users report VPN connection failures and the need to manually reconnect multiple times. The connection issues are particularly concerning given the free-first positioning. The service's performance issues are particularly concerning given the free-first positioning. Users expect reliability and performance from a free VPN service, but Potato VPN's connection problems make it difficult to recommend over more reliable alternatives that offer similar features with better performance. Compared to other free VPNs like Proton VPN or Thunder VPN, Potato VPN's performance is below average. The connection issues make it difficult to justify the free-first positioning, and users might find better value with alternatives that offer similar features with better reliability. |
| Design Prod Apps's expert score for the 'Design' aspect of each app. | 6.2 PaperSpan's design prioritizes function over form, which works well for the reading experience but falls short everywhere else. The article reader itself is excellent—clean typography, perfect spacing, and smart image handling make reading genuinely enjoyable.
The problem is everything outside the reading experience. The overall interface looks and feels outdated compared to modern apps. Multiple users mentioned this in reviews, and we completely agree—PaperSpan desperately needs a visual refresh. The functionality is solid, but the dated appearance undermines the user experience. Design score: 6.2/10. | 7.5 Potato VPN's interface strikes a good balance between functionality and user-friendliness. The main screen provides quick access to server selection, connection controls, and key settings. The interface is clean and modern, with good attention to detail and user experience. The app's design is intuitive and well-organized, with clear navigation between different features. The connection status is clearly displayed, and the settings menu is well-structured. The interface doesn't overwhelm users with complex options while still providing access to advanced features. The interface is generally user-friendly and provides good visual feedback about connection status and app performance. The design reflects the free-first positioning of the service, making it easy for users to manage their VPN connection. Compared to other free VPNs like Proton VPN or Thunder VPN, Potato VPN's design is competitive and well-polished. The interface is functional and professional, with good attention to detail and user experience. Winner in this category |
| Value for Money Prod Apps's expert score for the 'Value for Money' aspect of each app. | 8.1 This is where PaperSpan absolutely excels. The free version is genuinely useful—not a crippled demo designed to force you into paying. You get article saving, clean reading, offline access, and basic organization without any artificial restrictions. It's refreshingly honest in a world of manipulative freemium models. The premium subscription at €10.99 monthly unlocks audio playback, enhanced search, Kindle integration, and improved syncing. For heavy readers who use these features daily, it's reasonably priced. Casual users will find the free version more than sufficient for their needs. What impressed us most was user feedback describing PaperSpan as "the only read later app providing all the features for free." While not entirely accurate, it speaks to how generous the free tier feels. The pricing is fair and transparent—no hidden costs or misleading trials. Value for money score: 8.1/10. Winner in this category | 7.0 Potato VPN's value proposition is good for free users, with generous free access and user-friendly features. The service offers competitive pricing compared to other free VPNs, with the ability to get free access to 6 countries being a significant advantage. The service's pricing is competitive with other free VPNs, and the generous free access makes it particularly attractive for users who want a comprehensive free solution. The comprehensive features and privacy protection add value beyond basic VPN functionality. However, the service's value is impacted by connection stability issues and billing concerns. Many users report frequent disconnections and the need to manually reconnect multiple times. The connection issues make it difficult to recommend over more reliable alternatives. Compared to other free VPNs like Proton VPN or Thunder VPN, Potato VPN offers good features but at a similar cost. The connection issues make it difficult to recommend over free alternatives that offer similar performance with better reliability. |
| Ease of Use Prod Apps's expert score for the 'Ease of Use' aspect of each app. | 7.8 PaperSpan gets this right from the first minute. The app is genuinely intuitive—no complex setup, no overwhelming feature lists, just straightforward functionality that works exactly as you'd expect. Within minutes of downloading, you're saving and reading articles effortlessly. The basics are seamless. Save articles with one click from your browser, and the automatic categorization handles organization without any input from you. Reading controls are exactly where you'd expect them, and switching between text and web view is instant when needed. We did encounter some frustrating technical issues. Network connectivity problems during signup affect multiple users, and we experienced sync delays between devices. The text cutoff issue can be annoying mid-article. These problems don't break the app, but they create unnecessary friction in what should be a smooth experience. Ease of use score: 7.8/10. Winner in this category | 7.5 Potato VPN is generally easy to use for basic VPN functionality, with a simple interface that requires no technical knowledge. The app's design is intuitive, and most users can get started quickly without any setup or configuration. The service works well for most use cases and provides good performance when functioning properly. The service offers automatic server selection and no registration required, making it accessible to users of all technical levels. The app doesn't require complex configuration, and the VPN connection process is straightforward. The service works well for most use cases and provides good performance when functioning properly. However, the service's ease of use is compromised by frequent disconnections and connection stability issues. Many users report VPN connection failures and the need to manually reconnect multiple times. The app can be frustrating to use due to connection issues and stability problems. Compared to other free VPNs like Proton VPN or Thunder VPN, Potato VPN's ease of use is similar but not significantly better. The connection issues can be frustrating for users who expect reliability from a free VPN service. |
| Security & Privacy Prod Apps's expert score for the 'Security & Privacy' aspect of each app. | 6.8 Security and privacy aren't PaperSpan's strongest selling points, mainly because there's limited transparency about how your data is handled. The app stores your reading data on their servers for syncing across devices, which is standard practice but means your reading habits and saved articles aren't kept locally. What concerned us most was the lack of detailed privacy documentation. For an app that handles your reading preferences, article URLs, and potentially sensitive saved content, clearer communication about data protection would be reassuring. We didn't encounter obvious security problems during testing, but the transparency gap is noticeable. Most users probably won't find this problematic for everyday use, but privacy-conscious readers might want to dig deeper into the terms of service or consider alternatives with more transparent data practices. Security and privacy gets 6.8 out of 10. Winner in this category | 6.5 Potato VPN takes security and privacy seriously, with high-level encryption and privacy protection claims. The service includes automatic server selection and no registration required. The service also includes advanced features like live chat support for enhanced privacy protection. The service's privacy features are comprehensive for a free solution, with high-level encryption and privacy protection. The service also includes advanced features like automatic server selection for enhanced security and privacy protection. However, Potato VPN has faced some privacy concerns in the past, particularly around its data collection practices and connection reliability. While the company has maintained its privacy commitments, some users remain concerned about the service's data practices and connection stability. Compared to other free VPNs like Proton VPN or Thunder VPN, Potato VPN's privacy practices are solid but not exceptional. The service provides good protection for most users, but those with high privacy requirements might want to consider alternatives with more advanced privacy features. |
| Conclusion A summary of our findings and final thoughts for each app. | After using PaperSpan for a while, we'd actually recommend it to most people. Yeah, it looks a bit old and has some annoying bugs, but it does the main job really well. If you commute a lot or just want to actually read those articles you save instead of letting them pile up forever, this app helps. It's not fancy, but it works, and sometimes that's exactly what you need. | Potato VPN offers good free access and user-friendly features, but its value proposition is compromised by connection stability issues and billing concerns. The service provides generous free access to 6 countries and automatic server selection, but the frequent disconnections and billing problems make it difficult to recommend over more reliable alternatives.
For users who prioritize free access and are willing to work within the service's limitations, Potato VPN offers a solid feature set with good free access when working properly. However, those seeking specialized VPN functionality or experiencing connection issues might find better value with alternatives that offer similar features with better reliability, such as Thunder VPN for a more stable free experience.
Ultimately, Potato VPN's free-first approach and user-friendly features make it a good choice for users seeking free access, but the connection stability issues and billing concerns make it difficult to recommend over more reliable alternatives that offer similar features with better performance. For a more consistent free experience, consider Proton VPN or Windscribe VPN. |
| Our Recommendation | ||
