Setting up a VPN for the first time, from placing an order to a working connection, usually takes an afternoon: create an account, pick a plan, get the subscription link, import it into the client, verify the connection. Five steps in all. What really trips beginners up is rarely whether it works, but that one step in the middle has no benchmark — you don't know what counts as a successful import, or what counts as truly connected. Below, each step's expected result and common snags are laid out in order.
Three things to confirm before ordering
Before you actually place the order, three things are worth confirming — they decide how smoothly the next few steps go.
- Devices and platforms. VPNBF offers clients for five platforms — Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Linux — and there is no limit on simultaneous connections. Install it on all your everyday phones and computers at once; you don't buy per device.
- Payment methods. Alipay, WeChat Pay and USDT are all supported.
- Sign-up. No email address required — a username and password are enough. For beginners this is the easiest part: no inbox to set up first, and no getting stuck at a verification step because of a mistyped address.
- 100+ Countries and regions
- 230+ Available routes
- Unlimited Simultaneous devices
- 7 days Money-back guarantee
All four numbers come into play on day one: coverage decides which regions you can pick routes from, the route count decides how many fallbacks you have, the device limit decides how many machines can be online at once, and the refund window decides what a wrong guess costs you.
Ordering and getting your subscription link
Once your account is set up, go to the user panel, choose a plan and complete payment. When the payment clears, a subscription link appears in the panel — the single most important thing in this guide.
What a subscription link is
A subscription link is a URL that carries your account details. Once the client imports it, it pulls the route list automatically; when routes are added, removed or adjusted, one click on Update subscription in the client syncs everything, with no manual config edits. In other words, you only need to keep this one link safe — there is no copying node parameters one by one.
How to choose a plan
| Price | Monthly data | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| ¥9.9 / month | 60GB | Light use: web pages, documents, email |
| ¥18 / month | 250GB | Everyday use, several devices online at once |
| ¥28 / month | 500GB | Video and large file downloads |
If you only use it now and then, start with the 60GB tier. If a month runs short, you can also buy a standalone data pack: ¥158 / 300GB, ¥358 / 1000GB, ¥658 / 3000GB. Data packs never expire, so they suit topping up as needed.
The link carries account information, so don't post it in public groups or forums, and don't share screenshots of it. When you need it on a new device, copy it straight from the user panel.
Once you have the link, the recommended order is: import it on your main device and verify the connection first, and only then roll it out to your other devices. That way, if something goes wrong, you are only troubleshooting one machine.
Importing it into the client: how the platforms differ
The import step is much the same on every platform: open the client, find the Add subscription or Import from clipboard option, paste the subscription link and save, then run one manual subscription update and the route list appears. The differences come after the import — system permissions, how traffic is captured, and how apps pick up the route.
Windows and macOS
Desktop clients usually capture traffic in one of two ways: system proxy and TUN mode. System proxy only covers programs that read the system proxy settings, which browsers almost always do; TUN mode captures at the network layer and reaches further. On day one, use the client default, then adjust once the connection is confirmed.
iOS and Android
On mobile, after importing the subscription the system shows a permission prompt on the first connection: you have to allow the VPN configuration before it will connect. On Android, also watch the battery-saving policy — if the system clears the client from the background, the connection drops with it, and adding the client to the battery optimisation allowlist prevents that.
Linux
On Linux the client usually works through a local proxy port: after importing the subscription it opens an HTTP or SOCKS port on the machine, and apps or environment variables point at it. Command-line programs are pointed there with environment variables; browsers point at the same port in their proxy settings.
| Platform | How to import | First-time notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Paste the subscription link in the client | Allow network access when prompted on first run |
| macOS | Paste the subscription link in the client | The system prompts you to allow the VPN configuration |
| iOS | Paste the subscription link in the client | Allow the VPN configuration on first connect |
| Android | Paste the subscription link in the client | Keep background permission so the system doesn't clear it |
| Linux | Uses a local proxy port after the subscription is imported | Apps or environment variables must point at that port |
Connection check: exit IP, DNS and routing
The client showing Connected only means the client believes it is connected — not that your traffic is actually going through the route. Verify in three layers: exit, resolution, apps.
- ✅ Exit: once connected, open an IP lookup page and confirm the country or region shown matches the route you chose. If it doesn't, your traffic is not going through the route.
- ✅ Resolution: confirm DNS queries go through the route too. If lookups still land on your local ISP's DNS, that is a DNS leak — turn on remote DNS or encrypted DNS in the client.
- ✅ Apps: open your browser, terminal and everyday software once each and check them one by one. If only the browser is affected, the current capture mode is system proxy rather than global.
- ❌ Don't draw conclusions from the client's connection status alone — status and real traffic are two different things.
- ❌ Don't change routing rules, DNS and protocol parameters at the same time. Change one thing at a time, so you can tell which change caused a problem.
How to think about routing rules
Routing rules (also called rule-based routing) decide which traffic goes through a route and which connects directly. Sending mainland China domains and IPs direct while everything else goes through the route is the most hassle-free default for beginners. Rules are judged mainly on domain and IP ownership, and now and then a site gets classified as direct and won't open — just add that domain to the go-through-the-route rules rather than switching everything to global.
# Exit IP when connecting directly
curl https://api.ipify.org
# Exit IP when going through the local proxy port (port depends on your client settings)
curl -x socks5h://127.0.0.1:1080 https://api.ipify.orgIn the second command, the h at the end of socks5h means domain resolution is handed to the proxy as well, which also checks whether DNS is going through the route. Only when the two results differ is the route really in effect.
Once verification passes, note down two things: the exit region, and whether DNS goes through the route. Next time a site won't open, compare against the baseline first — it saves most of the troubleshooting time.
Day-one snags and how to handle them
No nodes after importing the subscription
Most likely the subscription link was copied incompletely and parameters in the middle were cut off. Go back to the user panel and copy the whole thing again, watch for stray spaces, and click Update subscription once more after importing.
Connected, but pages won't open
Check in this order: DNS, then routing, then capture mode. First confirm whether DNS is leaking, then whether the target domain has been classified as direct by the routing rules, and finally whether the capture mode covers the app you are using. Most connected-but-won't-open cases come down to the first two.
Latency numbers jumping up and down
The latency shown in the client is measured on the spot and moves with your local network. Just switch to another route in the same region and compare — there is no need to keep reinstalling the client.
Mobile disconnects after switching networks
When you move from Wi-Fi to cellular, the system rebuilds the connection — go back to the client and reconnect once. If it drops often on Android, check the battery-saving policy first.
From day two: data, devices and refunds
Once day one is done, there is little left to fiddle with:
- Devices: unlimited simultaneous connections — phone, computer and tablet can all be online at once, with no logging in and out.
- Data: monthly plans reset their data on the same day each month; if a month runs short, just buy a standalone data pack — data packs never expire.
- Refunds: 7-day money-back guarantee. If day one doesn't live up to expectations, request it within 7 days — no need to force yourself to keep using it.
- Maintenance: when routes are adjusted, one subscription update in the client syncs everything — no re-importing.