Compare Recall and Urban VPN Proxy: Which Extension is the Best?

With Recall, you can capture, summarize, and organize articles, PDFs, and videos with AI, spaced repetition, browser extensions, and strong privacy controls.
Urban VPN Proxy offers a free VPN service with additional integrated functions such as adblocking. There are only concerns about the comprehensive data collection.
Key Features
  • AI Summarization: Instantly summarizes articles, PDFs, YouTube videos, and more.
  • Personal Knowledge Base: Saves and organizes your summaries for easy retrieval.
  • Spaced Repetition & Active Recall: Helps you actually remember what you save, not just store it.
  • Augmented Browsing: Highlights related content as you browse, surfacing connections in your knowledge.
  • Browser Extensions: One-click saving and summarizing directly from Chrome or Firefox.
  • Editable Notebook: Add notes, highlights, and customize your saved content.
  • Tagging & Organization: Automatic and manual tagging, with support for nested tags.
  • Cross-Platform Sync: Works on desktop and mobile, keeping your knowledge base up to date.
  • IP Address Masking: Allows users to change their IP location to any of the 77 available countries.
  • Ad-Blocking: Protects against annoying ads and mining websites.
  • Encryption: Complies with the latest OpenVPN standards for secure browsing.
  • No Additional Software Required: Easy installation as a browser extension.
  • Free Service: Offers a vast network of 530+ VPN servers without a subscription fee.
Our Rating
8.9
7.4
Total users
73,229
6,463,814
Total ratings
95
56,408
Average rating
4.1 ⭐
4.4 ⭐
Entry Level PriceFreeFree
Chrome
Chrome Web Store logo
4.2
4.14
78 ratings
70.0K+Users
Chrome Web Store logo
4.7
4.63
53.0K+ ratings
5.0M+Users
Edge
-
Microsoft Edge Store logo
4.4
4.05
946 ratings
1.3M+Users
Firefox
Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store logo
3.9
3.94
17 ratings
3.2K+Users
Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store logo
4.2
3.86
2.5K+ ratings
154.7K+Users
Safari
-
-
Features
9.2

Recall's range of functions is impressive for a relatively new tool. The AI summary works on a wide range of content, from articles to YouTube videos with a running time of several hours. We particularly liked the personal knowledge base and the way Recall automatically links related content. Spaced Repetition and Active Recall are outstanding features for students. However, some features are still in beta or will be available soon. The functions in the free version are severely limited in the number of users per day, and there is an upper limit for free use.

8.0

Several features are included in the free Urban VPN Proxy. The most obvious is IP address masking, which allows VPN access to servers in over 80 countries.

vpn

An adblocking function is also integrated as an add-on, which reduces unwanted advertising while surfing and also protects against mining websites.

adblocking

However, advanced security features such as a kill switch or multi-hop connections, which are available in some premium VPNs, are missing here, probably due to the free version.

Performance
9.0

Retrieval is fast and reliable in most cases. The summary is fast, even with very extreme examples such as a 9-hour news show that we had summarized in our test. Occasionally, we encountered errors or slowdowns, especially when asking further questions about the summarized content via the wizard. The team is actively working on performance improvements and there are regular updates. Overall, the tool feels stable and is suitable for everyday use.

5.5

The performance of Urban VPN Proxy was good at the beginning of the tests, the connection speed and server availability were also okay, but could be even better in our tests. Especially at peak times, when the server load is high, you notice a sharp drop in speed.
After longer testing, the connection drops and throttled speeds became more and more frequent at peak times. The performance may still be sufficient for occasional users, but those who need a stable connection will not find what they are looking for with the free extension.

Design
9.0

The user interface has a clear and modern design. The focus is on user-friendliness. We found the browser extension intuitive and easy to navigate. The tagging and organization system can be used flexibly, and some users mentioned minor bugs in the user interface, but these were only minimally noticeable in the test.

8.0

The design of Urban VPN Proxy is clear and simple. Every user is immediately shown the basic functions and these can be switched on and off directly as required.
The design could be a little more customizable and generally look a little more modern.

Value for Money
8.1

The free tariff is suitable for infrequent users who do not need all the functions, as you will quickly reach the map limit. However, if you want to use the extension on a day-to-day basis, you cannot avoid the
extension. The paid plan is competitively priced, especially with the student discount. We appreciate that some features will remain free forever, and the team is open to feedback on pricing. Compared to alternatives, Recall offers good value for money for those who need advanced knowledge management features, but casual users may find the limitations too restrictive and stop using the extension.

8.0

Urban VPN Proxy is free and has a good price-performance ratio. With access to over 530 servers without a subscription fee, it's perfect for any basic user. You also get additional functions such as adblocking for free.

However, it should be noted and clear to everyone that you “pay” for the use by saving your tracked data through the extension.

Ease of Use
8.0

An account is required to use Recall. However, due to the integration with a Google and Apple login, this should be easy for everyone.
Saving and summarizing content is a one-click process that is well explained at the beginning. However, mastering all functions (e.g., nested tags, links, and spatial repetitions) requires some time and some searching, which can lead to many users not being able to exploit the full potential.

9.0

Urban VPN Proxy is a very easy-to-use tool overall. The installation process is quick and uncomplicated, and you can start establishing a VPN connection immediately after installation. Every user should have no problems with it, only the performance problems can cause some users to despair.

Security & Privacy
9.9

Recall is characterized by its privacy-friendly approach. User data is not used by the extension for advertising, profiling, or AI training. All content is stored securely, and users retain full control over their data. Data can be exported for inspection or deleted at any time. The data protection guidelines are transparent, and support is always available to answer questions about data protection. We were unable to identify any uncertainties during our review.

6.0

Urban VPN Proxy offers basic encryption according to OpenVPN standards. Due to the VPN function, you initially browse the websites anonymously. At the same time, however, the service collects precisely this web browsing data for itself. The data is collected in an anonymized format. The browser extension also lacks a clear no-logs policy and other advanced security functions, which also affects the rating in this category.

Conclusion

Recall impressed us with its useful intelligent use of AI and its focus on helping users in their everyday lives, especially when learning. The browser extension makes it easy to capture content, and the revision features with auto-generated questions are a real bonus for learners.

For occasional users, the free version may be enough, but if you want to use the extension, you can't avoid the paid version. The extension is not yet perfect and has small bugs, but the team reacts quickly to these and feedback, and many new functions are currently being introduced.

Overall, Recall is a good choice for anyone looking to do more than just bookmark cards and build a personal knowledge base. If you're tired of forgetting what you've read online and want to save time, it's a must!

Urban VPN Proxy is a perfect choice for those looking for a free VPN service with basic features.


It stands out for its ease of use and offers a wide range of server locations.
The only drawback is the extensive data collection. After all, this is explicitly pointed out several times before use and active consent is required.


Overall, the service offers good value for money. However, if you want to use a VPN because of the anonymity on the Internet, you will have to use a different option due to the extensive data collection.

Our Recommendation

In our comparison between Recall and Urban VPN Proxy, Recall came out on top, scoring 8.9.

Urban VPN Proxy is the most widely used, with over 6 million users and 56k+ reviews, but Recall outperformed it in our review. User reviews for Recall reflect our findings, while we rate Urban VPN Proxy lower than users do.

Notably, Urban VPN Proxy has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.44, which is even higher than our rating of 7.4.

There are some noticeable differences between these extensions, so it's worth considering your priorities and the details below.


  • Looking for the richest feature set? Recall stands out with a rating of 9.2. On the other hand, Urban VPN Proxy lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.
  • Need top performance? Recall stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, Urban VPN Proxy lags behind in this area with a rating of 5.5.
  • Design lovers, take note: Recall stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, Urban VPN Proxy lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.
  • Want to get the most for your money? Recall stands out with a rating of 8.1. On the other hand, Urban VPN Proxy lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.
  • If you hate complicated tools, Urban VPN Proxy stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, Recall lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.
  • With privacy and security becoming ever more important, Recall stands out with a rating of 9.9. On the other hand, Urban VPN Proxy lags behind in this area with a rating of 6.

If you want a quick recommendation, Recall is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you.