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StrongVPN Review

The StrongVPN application for macOS

Simon Migliano is a recognized world expert in VPNs. He's tested hundreds of VPN services and his research has featured on the BBC, The New York Times and more.

Fact-checked by JP JonesAdditional Testing by Alyx Morley

Our Verdict

8.4/10
How is this calculated?

We calculate the VPN service’s Overall Rating by combining the ratings of several testing categories. Each category is weighted as follows:

  • Privacy & Logging Policy: 20%
  • Speed: 20%
  • Security & Technical Features: 15%
  • Streaming: 15%
  • Ease of Use: 10%
  • Torrenting: 5%
  • Server Locations: 5%
  • Bypassing Web Censorship: 5%
  • Customer Support: 5%

Learn more by reading our VPN testing and review methodology.

StrongVPN is a safe VPN with fast speeds and a strict no-logs policy. It’s a good choice for P2P torrenting, unblocking US Netflix, and bypassing online censorship in China. It also has a generous limit of 12 simultaneous connections, which you can use on iOS, Android, PC, Mac and more.

Ranked #13 out of 65 VPNs

StrongVPN Category Ratings

  • 8.8/10
  • 8.3/10
  • 6.6/10
  • 9.6/10
  • 7.9/10
  • 9.0/10
  • 8.8/10
  • 8.4/10
  • 8.0/10
  • 7.5/10

StrongVPN Pros & Cons

  • Fast & reliable speeds
  • Works with Netflix & BBC iPlayer
  • Torrenting & P2P allowed on all servers
  • No-logs & no IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks
  • Apps for iOS, Android, macOS, Windows
  • Up to 12 simultaneous connections

  • Small server network
  • Based in privacy-unfriendly US
  • Renews at a much higher price after the initial year

Why Trust Us?

We’re fully independent and have been reviewing VPNs since 2016. Our ratings are based on our own testing results and are unaffected by financial incentives. Learn who we are and how we test VPNs.

StrongVPN is one of the oldest personal VPNs on the market. It started in 1995 selling dedicated servers, and in 2005 launched its first VPN service.

The VPN service has a robust no-logs policy and intuitive native apps, making it a great choice for beginners. We like that it offers a kill switch and a stealth protocol for all desktop users, Android and Amazon Fire TV. Unfortunately, port forwarding isn’t available at all and the kill switch isn’t available on mobile.

We recorded incredibly fast local and international connection speeds with StrongVPN. Though we think server coverage outside the US, Europe, and East Asia is lacking compare to other top VPNs.

The VPN is based in the US, which is a bad jurisdiction for privacy. As part of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, your VPN usage logs could be stored and made available to governments in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

However, StrongVPN’s no-logs policy should protect you from this.

Who Should Get StrongVPN?

Get StrongVPN if:

  • You want a VPN with fast speeds. StrongVPN is one of the fastest VPNs on the market and especially good on long-distance connections.
  • You want a reliable VPN for China. StrongVPN is one of the best VPNs for China, with an impressive 89% success rate in the past year in bypassing the GFW.
  • You want a VPN for your whole household. StrongVPN allows up to 12 simultaneous connections at the same time.

Avoid StrongVPN if:

  • You want a VPN with servers in over 50 countries. StrongVPN has servers in 42 servers, which is a very small server network compared to other top-tier services.
  • You want a VPN based outside the US. We’re disappointed that StrongVPN is based in the US (a Five-Eyes nation).
  • You want a VPN with an audited no-logs policy. StrongVPN’s no-logs policy hasn’t been audited by a third-party or proven in a real-world case.
  • You want a VPN with lots of advanced features. StrongVPN has all the basics covered, but it’s missing a few advanced features we’d like to see like double VPN, dedicated IPs addresses, and ad blockers.

StrongVPN Key Data

Data CapUnlimited
Download Speed95Mbps
Logging PolicyNo Logs
Data LeaksNo
JurisdictionUS (Five-Eyes Member)
Servers950
IP Addresses59,500
Countries with Servers42
US NetflixYes
TorrentingUnlimited
Simultaneous Connections12
Works In ChinaYes
Support24/7 Live Chat
Cheapest Price$3.97/mo over 12 Months
Money-Back Guarantee30-day Money-Back Guarantee
Official WebsiteStrongVPN.com

Privacy & Logging Policy

No-logs But Hasn’t Been Audited

6.6/10
How is this calculated?

We analyze and dissect the VPN service’s logging and privacy policy. A VPN should never log and store:

  • Your real IP address
  • Connection timestamps
  • DNS requests

Headquarters outside of 14 Eyes or EU jurisdictions are also preferable.

StrongVPN operates a strict no-logs policy that ensures your browsing history and IP address is hidden from your ISP. However, its logging policy hasn’t been audited or proven in a real-world case. Additionally, the VPN provider is based in the US, a Five Eyes nation. StrongVPN’s parent company, Ziff Davis, also owns IPVanish and PCMag.

Ranked #29 out of 65 VPNs for Privacy & Logging Policy

Data TypeLogged by StrongVPN
Account InformationYes
Browsing ActivityNo
Date of Last ConnectionNo
Device InformationNo
DNS QueriesNo
Individual Bandwidth UsageNo
Individual Connection TimestampsNo
ISPNo
Number of Simultaneous ConnectionsNo
Originating IP AddressNo
VPN Server IPNo
VPN Server LocationNo

You can read StrongVPN’s full privacy policy on its website.

StrongVPN was launched in 2005 by Strong Technology, LLC. It has changed hands a number of times over the years. In 2019 it was acquired by J2 Global, an American technology company.

In October 2021 J2 Global split in two as a company, becoming Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. and Ziff Davis. Its VPN properties now fall under ownership of Ziff Davis, a conglomerate digital media, affiliate marketing and technology company.

Despite this confusing latest change of ownership, we’ve seen no reason to believe that StrongVPN has changed as a service.

Based in Privacy-Unfriendly US

StrongVPN operates under US jurisdiction, which is one of the least privacy-friendly locations in the world. The US is a member of the Five Eyes international intelligence-sharing alliance. This means the government can demand surveillance data from companies and share it with an intelligence agency without your knowledge.

The VPN service states that it will comply with valid subpoena requests. But because StrongVPN doesn’t collect any customer activity logs, there’s no way of tying down any web activity to an individual user. It cannot submit information that’s already been deleted.

Logging Policy

We analyzed StrongVPN’s privacy policy in detail and found it to be zero-logs. It clearly states:

Screenshot of StrongVPN's Privacy Policy, showing that they collect an email address and payment information.

StrongVPN’s Privacy Policy confirms it does not log your web browsing activity.

To summarize, it doesn’t collect any data about its customers’ use of its VPN service. This includes even basic connection metadata such as timestamps, chosen server or bandwidth consumed.

StrongVPN Hasn’t Been Independently Audited

Our main concern about StrongVPN’s logging policy is its lack of external audit, which would verify the no-logs claim.

We would also like to see a warrant canary or official statement on the website. A warrant canary is published on a website to warn users that a company has been served a subpoena, and that the company may have to share your data.

Without this, the company might have no way of communicating to users if it has been asked to share data with the government.

Speed

Fast International Speeds & Low Latency

9.6/10
How is this calculated?

We calculate the VPN’s speed rating using our download speeds, upload speeds, and ping (latency) measurements.

We regularly test the VPN’s local and international speeds using a dedicated 100Mbps internet connection in New York, USA.

According to our 2024 speed tests, StrongVPN is the ninth-fastest VPN on our site. We recorded just 8% average speed loss on connections across five continents. Though StrongVPN’s upload speeds aren’t quite as impressive, its extremely low latency means it’s well-suited to online gaming.

Ranked #8 out of 65 VPNs for Speed

Here’s a table showing StrongVPN’s international speed test results on a 100Mbps internet connection:

As you can see, StrongVPN is extremely fast on long-distance connections. A one of the fastest VPNs we’ve tested, it maintains impressive speeds across continents to Europe and Asia.

Most notably, we recorded only 1% speed loss connecting to Canada and 4% speed loss connecting to the UK.

StrongVPN’s local connection speeds are also impressive. It manages to reach 95Mbps on a 100Mbps connection, which is more than enough for full HD streaming and uninterrupted torrenting.

Here’s a chart comparing StrongVPN’s local and international download speeds to other high-quality VPNs:

Bar chart comparing recorded local and international speeds with Hotspot shield, StrongVPN, IPVanish, and NordVPN.

These results show that StrongVPN’s download speeds almost catch up to the fastest VPN available, Hotspot Shield, and even outperforms IPVanish and NordVPN on international speed stability. Though, it doesn’t perform as well when comparing upload speeds with other top-tier VPNs.

Lowest Latency Recorded

In our 2024 speed tests, we found that StrongVPN has the lowest local ping times out of all the 65 VPNs we’ve reviewed.

At just 4ms, it beats other top-tier VPNs like NordVPN and Hide.me. Using StrongVPN, we’re able to play fast-paced online games, like CS:GO and PUBG, without lagging and connection drops.

Here’s a table comparing ping times between top VPNs:

Bar chart comparing ping times between four top VPNs: StrongVPN, IPVanish, NordVPN, and Hide.me.

Ping times refer to the time it takes for data to be transmitted from your device to a server and back again. A lower ping time (or latency) is one of the most important features to a good gaming VPN because it reduces the amount of lag you experience gaming online.

Server Locations

59 Locations Across 42 Countries

7.9/10
How is this calculated?

The key factor for calculating this rating is the global spread and coverage of the VPN’s server network.

We also consider the total number of servers, the number of city-level servers, and the number of IP addresses available.

StrongVPN operates 950 servers over 42 countries, including additional city level locations. This isn't the biggest server network we've seen, but it's made up entirely of in-house, bare metal servers.

Ranked #23 out of 65 VPNs for Server Locations

Globe with a blue flag
42 Countries
Image of a city landscape
59 Cities
Image of a pink marker
59,500 IP Addresses

Here’s a breakdown of StrongVPN’s server coverage:

Continent Number of Countries
Europe 30
Asia 23
South America 5
North America 3
Africa 2
Oceania 2

StrongVPN’s coverage is slightly on the smaller side, with around 950 servers spread across over 42 countries. We’d like to see StrongVPN serve more countries – ideally 50 or more – with better coverage of Africa and specific countries like New Zealand.

"Screenshot of a map on StrongVPN's website. Cities with a server are marked on the map.

StrongVPN has great server location coverage in the US and Europe.

First-Party Server Ownership

StrongVPN owns and operates all of its own servers, just like its ‘sister’ VPN, IPVanish.

Ownership of its “infrastructure of global servers” is one of StrongVPN’s best selling points because it eliminates the risks associated with rental servers. It guarantees there is no “third-party meddling with [its] users’ activity,” and only trusted employees have access to the physical servers.

Lots of City-Level Servers

StrongVPN offers city-specific servers in 59 cities. Of these 59, 25% are based in the US. This is usual for VPNs, which often have a concentration of servers in the US and EU.

Screenshot of StrongVPN's Windows client. It shows a list of servers available.

A list of available servers on StrongVPN.

Multi-city servers can be found in:

  • Australia (4 cities)
  • Canada (3)
  • France (3)
  • UK (6)
  • US (15)

In the last few months, StrongVPN has brought down the number of servers in Germany and Brazil. The number of servers in Australia has increased from two cities to four.

There is good server coverage in Asia with servers located in Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. South America counts servers in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia.

However, there are only two servers in Africa, both located in Johannesburg, and one in India, Mumbai. If there are only a couple servers in your continent, we recommend checking out a better alternative. In comparison, ExpressVPN has servers in four African countries (South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, and Algeria), and three in India (Mumbai and Chennai).

On the plus-side, StrongVPN does make a very high number of IP addresses available to its customers – almost 60,000 – which is great for maintaining high speeds.

Streaming

Good VPN for Streaming US Netflix

8.8/10
How is this calculated?

This rating is calculated by how many different streaming services and regional content libraries the VPN can unblock, and how consistently it can access them.

We test access to Netflix, Disney+, Max, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and many more platforms on a weekly basis.

StrongVPN is a good VPN for streaming, though it doesn’t have dedicated streaming servers. It works with US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and Disney+. In fact, it unblocked almost every streaming service we tested, albeit inconsistently.

Ranked #15 out of 65 VPNs for Streaming

Streaming PlatformWorks with StrongVPN
Amazon Prime VideoYes
BBC iPlayerYes
Channel 4Yes
Disney+Yes
Hotstar IndiaNo
HuluYes
ITVXNo
MaxYes
Netflix USYes

StrongVPN recently started working again with US Netflix on several of its US servers, after weeks of being completely blocked.

There are no dedicated streaming servers, though, which makes the task trickier. While it’s not too hard to find a working server, CyberGhost’s dedicated streaming servers deliver a far better user experience.

StrongVPN's server in Chicago unblocked US Netflix

StrongVPN’s Chicago server unblocked US Netflix.

While we could stream US Netflix content in HD quality, we couldn’t unblock any other Netflix region. We tested over 10 libraries, with no success.

In comparison, NordVPN unblocks 17 Netflix regions, including Germany and the UK.

StrongVPN’s inconsistent access to BBC iPlayer

Streaming BBC iPlayer is a different story. StrongVPN unblocks iPlayer inconsistently, working on some days but not others.

StrongVPN unblocking BBC iPlayer on its London server.

StrongVPN’s London server unblocked BBC iPlayer.

Here’s a list of StrongVPN’s UK servers, and whether they currently work with BBC iPlayer:

If you want greater reliability, there are more reliable VPNs for BBC iPlayer.

StrongVPN is one of the best VPNs for unblocking Channel 4 (All 4), either through its VPN servers or StrongDNS.

StrongVPN works with most streaming platforms

StrongVPN unblocked most other US content platforms we tested. It worked with Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video USA.

Similarly to its issues with BBC iPlayer, StrongVPN doesn’t always work with other platforms, though. If a US server stops streaming, you’ll have to try different ones until you find one that works.

Torrenting

StrongVPN Allows Torrenting on All Servers

8.3/10
How is this calculated?

This rating is determined by the VPN’s torrenting speeds, the percentage of servers that allow P2P file sharing, the service’s privacy and trustworthiness, and useful settings like port forwarding.

For speed specifically, we calculate the VPN’s average download bitrate using our bespoke torrenting setup.

StrongVPN is a safe VPN for torrenting. P2P is allowed on all servers and we've seen good speed in our P2P tests. However, it doesn’t support port forwarding.

Ranked #17 out of 65 VPNs for Torrenting

Here’s how StrongVPN performed in our torrenting tests:

Torrenting Attribute Result
Average Download Bitrate 9.7MiB/s
No. of P2P Servers 950
Logging Policy No Logs
Kill Switch Yes
Port Forwarding No

StrongVPN allows torrenting and P2P activity on all servers. This is unlike other VPNs which usually feature specialized servers just for torrenting.

Torrenting with StrongVPN connected to a UK server

Torrenting with StrongVPN, connected to a UK server.

In our latest P2P speed tests, StrongVPN registered an impressive average bitrate of 9.7MiB/s. This is just a small drop from the 10.0MiB/s without a VPN.

A strict no-logs policy means all your online activity remains private – which is great for anonymous file-sharing. This and AES-256 encryption has you covered for torrenting.

Dependable Kill Switch

Screenshot of StrongVPN's kill switch.

StrongVPN’s kill switch is easy to find in settings.

What’s more, StrongVPN also has a VPN kill switch and we didn’t detect any IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks in our latest round of testing (more on this below).

No Port Forwarding

Port forwarding speed ups file seeding, and is a feature keen torrenters often look out for in a VPN.

StrongVPN no longer sells dedicated IP addresses, which made port forwarding available. This is because all of StrongVPN’s servers now use shared IP addresses.

StrongVPN’s Kodi Add-on

StrongVPN also has a Kodi add-on that supports LibreELEC, OpenELEC, and XBMC. There’s a helpful setup guide on StrongVPN’s official website.

Bypassing Web Censorship

StrongVPN Works in Highly Censored Regions

9.0/10
How is this calculated?

We routinely test if the VPN can bypass strict internet restrictions in China using our remote-access server in Shanghai.

Other important factors we consider include obfuscation technologies and the availability of servers in neighboring countries (for faster connections).

StrongVPN is one of the best VPNs for bypassing online censorship, with a 100% success rate in the past three months. It offers an OpenVPN Scramble feature, which is able to circumvent highly-sophisticated firewalls.

Ranked #6 out of 65 VPNs for Bypassing Web Censorship

StrongVPN is an excellent option for bypassing aggressive web blocks in highly censored countries like China, Iran, Turkey and the UAE. It’s even the second best VPN for China.

In our tests, StrongVPN’s Mexico and South Korea servers are the most reliable when connecting from China. If you are able to access the website, StrongVPN gives useful advice about connecting in China:

Screenshot of advice on StrongVPN's website to use its San Francisco server to bypass China's firewall.

StrongVPN recommends using its San Francisco server to bypass China’s firewall.

EXPERT ADVICE: StrongVPN’s website is blocked in China and other high censorship countries, so we recommend you download and set up StrongVPN before you travel there.

The additional obfuscation tools you get with StrongVPN are very useful to evade online censorship.

Useful Scramble Feature

The scramble feature “disguises [your] traffic to look like regular unencrypted traffic,” making it very hard to detect.

Screenshot of StrongVPN's settings, showing their Scramble feature on OpenVPN. The screenshot is taken on macOS.

Select Scramble on the macOS client to obfuscate your traffic.

It’s available on Windows, macOS, Android, and routers running on StrongVPN auto installers (e.g. DD-WRT and Sabai routers). The feature is also only compatible with OpenVPN.

Security & Technical Features

Strong Encryption and Secure DNS Servers

8.8/10
How is this calculated?

A secure VPN must offer OpenVPN or WireGuard protocols, AES-256 encryption, and a working kill switch.

To calculate this rating, we also factor in additional security settings and features.

StrongVPN is a secure VPN that offers the trust WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols. It uses AES-256 encryption and we've never detected a DNS or IP leak on the service.

Ranked #20 out of 65 VPNs for Security & Technical Features

ProtocolsAvailable in StrongVPN
IKEv2/IPSecYes
L2TP/IPSecYes
OpenVPN (TCP/UDP)Yes
PPTPYes
SSTPYes
WireGuardYes
EncryptionAvailable in StrongVPN
AES-128No
AES-192No
AES-256Yes
BlowfishNo
ChaCha20Yes
SecurityAvailable in StrongVPN
Diskless ServersNo
DNS Leak BlockingYes
First-party DNSYes
IPv6 Leak BlockingYes
Supports TCP Port 443Yes
VPN Kill SwitchYes
WebRTC Leak BlockingNo
Advanced FeaturesAvailable in StrongVPN
Ad BlockerNo
Dedicated IPNo
Double VPNNo
SOCKSNo
Split TunnelingNo
Static IPNo
Tor over VPN ServerNo
Tracker BlockerNo

StrongVPN has a kill switch that prevents your true IP address from being exposed. It uses AES-256 encryption and it operates its own DNS servers, meaning none of your web traffic will be routed through third-party servers.

Screenshot of StrongVPN's protocols.

StrongVPN offers multiple secure protocols on desktop and mobile.

StrongVPN also supports WireGuard on all its apps – an alternative to OpenVPN which is looking more and more likely to become the fastest option.

Despite StrongVPN’s website saying that many servers are only compatible with insecure PPTP connections, this is incorrect.

We got in touch with a customer service agent to find out more. They clarified that you can choose between 6 protocols on all servers, including trusted OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols.

StrongVPN DNS and IP Leak test screenshot

StrongVPN passed our leak tests.

We were also pleased to detect no DNS or IP leaks in our latest tests.

Device & OS Compatibility

Works with All Popular Devices Plus Routers

How is this rated?

A high-quality VPN should maintain functional, fully-featured applications and browser extensions for as many platforms and devices as possible.

Our ‘Device & OS Compatibility’ assessment contributes to the Ease of Use rating.

Strong VPN has apps for iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and Fire TV, as well as router compatibility and smart DNS for consoles. You can use StrongVPN on up to 12 devices at once which is far above the industry average.

You can have up to 12 simultaneous connections with one StrongVPN subscription. It’s a very generous offer and should be more than enough for the average household. If that’s not enough for you, though, you can also install StrongVPN on your router to protect all of your devices at once.

There are key differences between StrongVPN’s apps. Here’s a table of features available on each platform:

Apps

StrongVPN can be used on the following platforms:

  1. Windows
  2. Mac
  3. iOS
  4. Android
  5. Linux
  6. Router

StrongVPN provides custom VPN apps for all popular devices.

On its website, you’ll find manual setup guides for other types of devices, platforms and software like Linux, Amazon Kindle and Kodi.

StrongVPN also provides step-by-step instructions on how to manually set up the VPN on your router to protect all internet traffic in your home.

StrongVPN’s 12 simultaneous connection limit is very generous and one of the highest we’ve seen.

Games Consoles & Streaming Devices

  1. Apple TV
  2. Amazon Fire TV
  3. Chromecast
  4. Nintendo
  5. PlayStation
  6. Roku
  7. Xbox

StrongVPN can be used with consoles and streaming devices by following the manual configuration instructions for installing StrongVPN on your home router.

There’s also a user-friendly native app for Amazon Fire TV devices, but it’s just not as good as some of the best VPNs for Fire TV Stick available.

EXPERT ADVICE: The StrongVPN app is only compatible on Amazon Fire TV devices released from 2016 onwards.

Router Compatibility

Setting up a VPN on your router saves you from having to reconnect each time on every device. It’s a great option if you don’t want to worry about being hacked through smart home devices or worry about forgetting to connect your VPN.

StrongVPN offers great options for both novice and experienced customers. There’s a full list of over 125 compatible routers on StrongVPN’s website, split into useful categories.

For beginners, here’s a list of preloaded routers available, all powered by Sabai OS:

  • VPN Accelerator
  • Linksys E2500
  • Asus RT-N12
  • Netgear Nighthawk X6 R8000

For confident users, you can set up StrongVPN manually on devices from these manufacturers:

  • Asus
  • Belkin
  • Buffallo
  • D-Link
  • GL.iNet
  • Linksys
  • Netgear
  • TP-Link

If you’re interested, check out our guide to installing a VPN on your router to protect all your devices at once.

Browser Extensions

  1. Chrome

The StrongVPN proxy failed to unblock geo-restricted streaming services like BBC iPlayer and Netflix, meaning it’s basically useless. It’s also only available to customers with a StrongVPN subscription.

Proxies aren’t the same as a VPN. They don’t encrypt your data and web activity, making it vulnerable to attack or exposure.

Screenshot of the Chrome browser. StrongVPN's proxy browser extension is enabled and connected from the UK to Atlanta, US. The browser shows "Access to netflix.com was denied."

In our tests, StrongVPN’s web proxy did not unblock US Netflix.

StrongVPN’s browser extension gives you access to 14 server locations, including New York, London, Tokyo, and Sweden, which is above average.

Ease of Use

Easy-to-use Apps on All Major Platforms

8.4/10
How is this calculated?

This rating mainly consists of the user-friendliness and intuitiveness of setting up and regularly using the VPN.

We also factor in customization settings, as well as device and OS compatibility (see section above).

StrongVPN is great for VPN-beginners. Its newly updated apps are intuitive and user-friendly. There aren’t a lot of options for customization, but it’s got all the basics covered.

Ranked #18 out of 65 VPNs for Ease of Use

On both the Windows and the macOS versions, the default server is the Best Available option, which is the server closest to your location. It’s a convenient feature if you just want to quickly connect to a nearby server.

On both desktop apps, the servers are sorted alphabetically by country and then city. There’s no further categorization by region or server specialization, since there aren’t any specialized servers.

Desktop users also have the benefit of a proxy browser extension that has 14 server locations — though it wasn’t able to access US Netflix or BBC iPlayer.

In comparison, the mobile client offers a superior experience because you can sort servers by city or country. On the plus side, you can use the search bar on both desktop and mobile clients to find a specific location.

Desktop & Laptop: Windows & Mac

StrongVPN’s main screen on dekstop is very stripped back, displaying only the important connection details: current IP address, time elapsed since connection, visible location, whether you’re connected to the VPN.

StrongVPN's apps for Windows and macOS

A range of settings can be found behind the cog icon along the top of the app. There aren’t a lot of options, but the essentials are covered, such as a functional kill switch and the option to reconnect automatically. The macOS client offers IPV6 Leak Protection, which the Windows doesn’t have.

Importantly, the kill switch is only compatible with OpenVPN or L2TP – we recommend sticking to the former to ensure your real IP address is not exposed.

In terms of design, the macOS version is much sleeker than Windows. It has a minimalist white background, instead of navy and black, and you can’t switch to navy or black. Which one you might prefer comes down to your own personal preference.

Mobile: Android & iOS

Similar to its desktop apps, StrongVPN’s mobile apps have differing color schemes and features. StrongVPN’s iOS design is consistent with the macOS client. The background color is white and gives the app a modern, minimalist look.

We’re extremely disappointed to see the VPN service does not offer a kill switch on either Android or iOS, which should be a dealbreaker for frequent mobile VPN users.

StrongVPN's apps for Android and iOS

We’re disappointed to see StrongVPN’s split tunneling feature is only available on Android. The feature is compatible with Wireguard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2, but we recommend just sticking to WireGuard or OpenVPN.

When you open the split tunneling feature, the apps are sorted alphabetically by default. They are sorted into categories such as “Recommended” and “User Apps.” You can also “Select all” and “Deselect all” in the hamburger menu.

StrongVPN has a great customer support chat feature in-app. If you’d like to talk to a real person straight away, click Chat with an agent. We were able to speak to someone in less than five minutes.

Fire TV

StrongVPN has a good Fire TV app that unblocks US Netflix and BBC iPlayer – though it sometimes struggles with the latter. In comparison, Windscribe gives you access to 32 Netflix libraries and consistently works with BBC iPlayer.

StrongVPN's app for Fire TV

On StrongVPN, you can choose between WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols. WireGuard is the default, which is great since it’s fast and secure.

Screenshot of the Split tunnel feature in StrongVPN's Fire TV app.

You can split tunnel specific apps on your Fire TV with StrongVPN.

Split tunneling is a great feature that lets you route certain apps through a VPN connection and not others. This part of the app wasn’t optimized for TV though. When scrolling through the apps, it didn’t highlight which we were hovering over on the screen.

It’s a shame the Fire TV app doesn’t have a kill switch. Without it, your IP address could be exposed if your internet were to drop.

Customer Support

Fast Response Time But Some Confusing Advice

8.0/10
How is this calculated?

This rating is based on our assessment of the VPN’s:

  • Live chat support
  • Email support
  • Online resources

Not every VPN offers all these support options, and they often vary in quality and response times.

StrongVPN offers 24/7 live chat and FAQs on its website, although we havn't always been able to use these to solve bugs or issues.

Ranked #27 out of 65 VPNs for Customer Support

Customer SupportAvailable in StrongVPN
24/7 Email SupportNo
24/7 Live Chat SupportYes
ChatbotNo
EmailNo
Email Support via Online FormNo
Online ResourcesYes
Tutorial VideosNo

Live chat is available 24/7, but most of the time we just ended up talking to a sales agent who copied and pasted answers from the FAQs section.

This was a little disappointing, but whenever they couldn’t solve our problems they did forward our details on to the tech team, who were always quick to respond.

The official StrongVPN website provides a great range of setup manuals for many different devices, including video tutorials and screenshots.

For basic instructions, the FAQ section should do the job, but for anything beyond simple help you’ll have to contact their customer support team.

Extensive & Useful Knowledge Base

The official StrongVPN website offers an extensive searchable knowledge base.

It’s full of setup guides for different devices, including video tutorials and screenshots. There’s even a couple articles written in Mandarin for Chinese users.

Screenshot of a Mandarin guide, showing you what to do if you can't login to the StrongVPN client.

An article written in Mandarin, showing you how to change your password if you can’t login.

Articles in the knowledge base are sorted into the following categories:

  • Android
  • iOS
  • macOS
  • Windows
  • Linux
  • Routers
  • Amazon devices
  • Network issues
  • China
  • Connectivity
  • App and operating system general troubleshooting
  • Legacy app troubleshooting

Overall, the resources on the official website are more than enough to help you set up any device. You have access to 24/7 live sales, billing, and technical support. But you may encounter some issues with live agents who aren’t as knowledgeable.

Price & Value

Affordable VPN on Long Term Plan

7.5/10
How is this calculated?

While we do assign a ‘Price & Value’ rating, it doesn’t contribute to the Overall Rating. We believe the reader should decide what is or isn’t a reasonable price.

A good rating isn’t just based on how cheap the VPN is, but for the overall value it offers.

StrongVPN is not the cheapest VPN, but it’s still good value for money for long-term VPN users. The best price is $3.97 per month for a yearly subscription, which is about the same as top-rated VPNs. However, the fee for an annual subscription increases significantly after the initial payment period. You also get 250GB of free online storage with any subscription.

Ranked #13 out of 65 VPNs for Price & Value

StrongVPN offers two pricing plans: a monthly plan and an annual plan. They have the exact same features, but you get a significant discount with the longer subscription.

The priciest option is the single month plan at $11.99. This is reduced to a very affordable $3.97 if you sign up to an annual plan.

However, StrongVPN’s $47.69 one-year plan renews at a much higher price of $89.99. IPVanish has a similar pricing plan and renewal price, but it’s one of the best VPNs on the market, compared to StrongVPN which ranks #13.

On the plus side, StrongVPN offers a bundle deal, with a StrongDNS service and online storage. Both subscription plans include 250GB of free cloud storage with SugarSync. If you decide to switch VPN service, you will lose this storage.

Overall, StrongVPN’s initial annual year plan is great value, but you might want to switch to a service like Surfshark after, which only increases from $47.88 to $59.76 after the initial year.

  1. Monthly

    $11.99/mo

    Billed $11.99 each month
  2. 12 Month(s)

    $3.97/mo

    Billed $47.69 the first year, $89.99 thereafter
    Save 66%

Payment & Refund Options

  1. American Express
  2. Mastercard
  3. PayPal
  4. Visa

StrongVPN accepts the majority of standard payment options including most major credit and debit cards, PayPal and Alipay.

It’s disappointing to see a lack of cryptocurrency or other anonymous payment methods, however.

The VPN service also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for annual subscriptions, in place of a true VPN free trial. It doesn’t apply to monthly subscriptions though, meaning you could lose out on the $10.99 you paid.

This is for customers who are “less than 100% satisfied with the StrongVPN service.” There are no hidden restrictions or data caps during the 30-day refund period.

The Bottom Line

Is StrongVPN Worth It?

StrongVPN is fast, unblocks many popular streaming platforms, and is great for torrenting. StrongDNS also allows you to use the VPN service with AppleTV and gaming consoles. There’s also loads of customizable options for routers. There’s a user-friendly Fire TV app.

We also like that StrongVPN operates a no-logs policy, and it allows up to 12 simultaneous connections, which is very generous. Some of its privacy features need to be improved, and the server network isn’t as extensive as it needs to be to compete with bigger VPN services.

Nevertheless, StrongVPN is still a good VPN that does the basics right, and which we recommend to novice VPN users.

Alternatives to StrongVPN

Private Internet Access has the largest server network of any VPN we’ve reviewed. It has 18,651 across 91 countries, compared to StrongVPN which only has servers in 42 countries.

Also, unlike StrongVPN, PIA’s no-logs policy has actually been proven multiple times in real-world court cases as well as independent audits. This makes PIA the better choice for privacy-conscious VPN users.

Astrill is the best alternative if you want a VPN that works consistently well in China. Since we started manually testing VPNs in 2020, Astrill has never failed to bypass the Great Firewall.

However, Astrill is much more expensive than StrongVPN, even on a longer-term plan.

Compare StrongVPN with its alternatives in more detail in the table below: