Create an Account and Sign In
Open the VPNBoat user dashboard and go to the account creation page. Follow the prompts to choose a username and password. No email address is required. Before submitting, check that your username is correct and save your login details in a trusted password manager. You’ll use the same account to view plans, get your subscription and submit support tickets, so there’s no need to create another account when switching devices.
Once you’re done, open the account overview and check that it shows the account you just created. If the dashboard asks you to sign in again, use your saved username and password. Not seeing any routes yet doesn’t mean account creation failed. Your account, plan, subscription and client are connected parts of the setup; next, check your plan status.
Already have an account? Use the Sign In link in the navigation. If you can’t sign in, check your input method and capitalization, and make sure your password manager hasn’t filled in details for a different account. If you still can’t get in, see the account information in Frequently Asked Questions. Don’t post your password or screenshots of your account pages in public forums.
Choose a Plan and Complete Your Order
After signing in, open the plans section of the dashboard. Check the billing method first, then the data allowance. Monthly plans include ¥9.9/month for 60GB, ¥18/month for 250GB, and ¥28/month for 500GB. Estimate your usage across web browsing, video streaming, downloads and other devices. Unlimited devices can be online at the same time, but data isn’t unlimited; usage across all devices counts toward your plan’s allowance.
Monthly subscription data resets each month on your activation date. If your usage varies, consider a data package instead: ¥158/300GB, ¥358/1000GB or ¥658/3000GB. Data lasts until used and never expires. Don’t choose based on price alone; first compare monthly billing with pay-as-you-use data packages. See the plans page for full pricing and billing details.
On the order confirmation page, check the plan name, price and payment method. VPNBoat accepts Alipay, WeChat Pay and USDT. Follow the instructions shown to pay, then return to the dashboard to check your order and plan status. Closing the payment page doesn’t confirm that your order went through. If the status hasn’t updated, refresh the order details and check your payment record. Don’t submit the payment again right away.
Once the plan shows as active, move on to getting your subscription. If you upgrade partway through a billing period, the price difference is converted into remaining days; follow the confirmation in the dashboard. VPNBoat offers a 7-day no-questions-asked refund. See the Terms of Service for details. If your order status looks wrong, keep the order information and contact support through a ticket after signing in.
Get Your Subscription from the Account Overview
Return to the account overview in the user dashboard. Check your plan status and remaining data, then find the subscription or client import section. The subscription link lets your client retrieve the route configuration for your account. It isn’t a website to visit in your browser or an installer. If you haven’t installed a client yet, leave the dashboard open and come back after installation.
If the dashboard offers an import option for your client, use it if possible. Your browser may ask whether to open a local app; check that it’s the right app, then continue. If your system can’t find the app, install the client before trying again. To import manually, copy the subscription link and paste it into the subscription URL field in your client.
After copying the link, don’t paste it into a search box, public document or unfamiliar conversion website. Your subscription link contains account-related access credentials, so treat it like a password. When pasting, check for extra instructions, quotation marks or line breaks. The client can retrieve the configuration only if the link is complete and in the expected format. This guide doesn’t include a real subscription link; get yours from the dashboard after signing in.
A successful import means the client displays configurations and routes you can select—not just a message saying it read the clipboard. If the list is empty, check your plan status, then try updating the subscription in the client. If the problem persists, note the error message and client name, then see Connection and Troubleshooting. Don’t share your full subscription details publicly.
Clients and Subscription Import by Platform
Sign in to the user dashboard and open the downloads section to find the VPNBoat client and setup instructions for your device. Clients for Windows, macOS, Android and Linux are available after sign-in; you’ll also need an active plan and subscription to connect. The dashboard determines availability for iOS, so follow the instructions shown there. The steps below cover common workflows; the interface may differ across platforms.
Get the client and platform instructions in the dashboard →
Windows: Add a Subscription or Configuration
Choose the Windows client in the dashboard, follow the installation instructions and open the app. Subscription clients usually manage routes under “Subscription,” “Configuration” or “Profiles.” Open the relevant section, choose the option to add from a link, paste the subscription URL copied from the account overview, save it and update. If the dashboard offers an import option for your client, you can also use it to open the app directly.
Once the route list appears, select the configuration you just imported, then choose a route on the connection page. If the client needs system proxy or network permissions, read the prompt and follow its instructions. For now, avoid running another proxy client at the same time; multiple apps may keep changing your system proxy settings. Next, verify the connection below rather than relying on the app icon to tell you whether it’s working.
macOS: Approve System Permissions, Then Select a Configuration
Get the macOS-compatible client from the dashboard and install it using the instructions provided. The first time you open it, macOS may ask you to confirm the app’s source, add a network configuration or allow a network extension. Check the app name and where you got it before granting permission. If you can’t find the approval prompt, look for it in System Settings. Don’t weaken your overall security settings just to skip a confirmation step.
Open the client’s configuration or subscription section and use the import-from-URL option to add your subscription. Update it, then select the configuration. Some clients separate importing from enabling, so after the configuration appears in the list, return to the connection page and turn it on. For step-by-step installation and permissions guidance, see the Mac Setup, Permissions and Subscription Import Guide. Then return here to verify your exit region.
Android: Approve the System Connection Prompt After Importing
In the dashboard’s downloads section, choose Android and follow the instructions for your device to install the client. Open the app and look for the subscription, configuration or add-configuration option. Choose import from link and paste your subscription URL. If the app can detect links from the clipboard, check that it found the subscription you just copied—not something else. Save and update the configuration, then confirm that the routes have loaded.
When you choose a route and connect, Android usually displays a system prompt asking you to authorize the network connection. Confirm that the request came from the client you’re using, then continue. If the connection drops when you switch apps or lock the screen, check the app’s background activity and battery settings. First confirm that it works while the app is open; then troubleshoot background behavior. Avoid changing several settings at once, so you can tell what caused the issue.
iOS: Check Dashboard Availability, Then Import Your Configuration
Start by opening the iOS download option in the user dashboard. The dashboard checks whether your plan and other requirements make the client available. If you’re eligible, follow the App Store instructions shown there. If you see a plan-related prompt, return to the dashboard and check that your plan is active. Don’t infer how to install the iOS client from instructions for another platform, or use an unknown configuration profile instead of following the dashboard.
After installation, use the dashboard’s import option for that app if available. To add the subscription manually, look in the app for subscription management, configurations or Add from URL. Enter the full link in the subscription field, not the server address field for an individual route. Update and select the configuration, then connect and allow the VPN configuration when prompted by iOS. Even after the system shows a connection indicator, check that the app you want to use actually works.
Linux users can find client instructions in the same downloads section. This guide doesn’t cover proxy setup for different desktop environments or command-line tools. For terminal, IDE plugin and API request settings, see the AI Access Guide. Don’t assume that connecting a browser means all your development tools will use the same route.
Connect to a Route and Verify It Works
Return to the client’s connection page. Confirm that you’re using the subscription you just imported and updated, choose a route in the target region, then connect. For your first setup, keep the client’s default routing rules so you can verify a basic connection first. If you need to access a service in a particular region, check that service’s regional requirements too. Your exit region is only one factor; it doesn’t grant account or content access by itself.
First, check whether the client says it’s connected. Then make sure the system proxy or VPN connection is enabled as required by the client. Reopen a browser page and use a trusted exit IP lookup to check the region. If the result hasn’t changed, first check whether the lookup request is going through the proxy rules; don’t delete your subscription right away. A connected status only confirms that the client reports a connection—it doesn’t prove every app is using that route.
After checking the exit region, go back to the app you actually want to use and test page loads, sign-in and content requests. If a page opens in your browser but a desktop app can’t connect, check the app’s proxy settings or which traffic the client routes. If only one service fails, the cause may be its regional checks, account status or access policies. First determine whether the problem affects the whole connection or just one app, then decide what to try next.
If it still doesn’t work, check these in order: whether your plan is active, the subscription is up to date, the right configuration is selected, the connection is enabled and no other network tools are running. Then try another route that meets the target region’s requirements and test again, changing one thing at a time. For detailed checks, see the Guide to Verifying Your Exit IP, DNS and App-Specific Connections. Common error messages and troubleshooting steps are collected in Frequently Asked Questions.
Once everything checks out, everyday use usually means opening the client, confirming the configuration and connecting. If you switch devices or reinstall the client, return to the dashboard for the client and subscription; don’t rely on an old screenshot of the link. For help, open a ticket in the support area after signing in. Include your device OS, client name, selected region and what went wrong. Before sharing a screenshot, hide your subscription link and account credentials to help diagnose the issue without exposing your configuration.