Callum Tennent oversees how we test and review VPN services. He's a member of the IAPP, and his VPN advice has featured in Forbes and the Internet Society.
McAfee Safe Connect is a US-based VPN service with Windows, iOS, and Android apps. It's a fast VPN but it suffers from weak security, an invasive logging policy and lacks customer support. It also doesn't unblock streaming services like Netflix. Bottom line, avoid using McAfee VPN.
Ranked #43 out of 56 VPNs
McAfee Safe Connect Category Ratings
0.80.8/10
00.0/10
11.0/10
8.98.9/10
7.27.2/10
2.52.5/10
3.63.6/10
7.17.1/10
44.0/10
55.0/10
McAfee Safe Connect Pros & Cons
Very fast speeds
Appealing and intuitive custom VPN apps
Can be affordably bundled with other McAfee products
One of the most intrusive logging policies
Based in the privacy-hostile US
No VPN kill switch
Doesn't work with any streaming services
Untrained and frustrating customer support
Why Trust Our Review?
We’ve spent thousands of hours testing and reviewing 56 VPN services using our impartial review process to recommend you the best VPN software.
Here are some of our key VPN testing statistics:
Total Hours of Testing
30,000+
Weekly Speed Tests
3,000+
VPN Services Reviewed
56
Streaming Platforms Tested Daily
12
IP & DNS Leak Tests Performed
9,500+
How Much We've Spent On Testing
$25,000+
McAfee has not yet been able to transfer its antivirus success to the VPN space.
In this full McAfee Safe Connect review we detail why this VPN disappointed us in many areas. We’ll answer popular queries including:
What is McAfee Safe Connect?
Is McAfee VPN any good?
How fast is McAfee Safe Connect?
Does McAfee Safe Connect unblock US Netflix?
How much does McAfee Safe Connect cost?
By the end of our McAfee VPN review, you’ll know all about Safe Connect’s privacy and security practices, as well as its streaming and torrenting capabilities.
Ultimately, you’ll learn that McAfee VPN is a poor VPN in need of a lot of work. Our advice is to use a secure top VPN service, instead.
EXPERT ADVICE: For a faster and more secure VPN experience, try Surfshark.
As we detail in our Surfshark review, the VPN is our favorite cheap VPN. It streams US Netflix, and comes with a 30-day no-questions-asked refund guarantee.
We dissect the logging and privacy policies of every VPN. A VPN should never log:
Your real IP address
Connection timestamps
DNS requests
A base of operations outside of 14-Eyes or EU jurisdiction is preferable.
McAfee’s logging policy is one of the worst we’ve ever seen. The VPN logs personally identifiable information, such as your IP address and the websites you visit. Ultimately, when you use McAfee Safe Connect, you’re not protecting your privacy — you’re handing it over to McAfee.
Ranked #53 out of 56 VPNs for Privacy & Logging Policy
McAfee collects the following information:
Your IP address
URL and domain names in your browsing history
Your purchase history, your hobbies and interests, your photographs, and your biometric data
Device information, such as the device’s battery level, location information, hardware type, and ISP
Information about other devices connected to your network
Here is the information as it appears in the McAfee privacy policy:
Excerpt from McAfee Safe Connect Privacy Policy.
McAfee retains this information indefinitely, only removing it in the event of an account deletion. Even then, the data is still kept for 30 days.
McAfee also provides this information to other companies owned by McAfee, third-party advertisers, and “service providers who perform services for us.”
Peculiarly, McAfee Safe Connect shares its privacy policy with the broader McAfee cybersecurity product and the policy does not mention the Safe Connect VPN anywhere.
After we contacted McAfee, a representative did indeed confirm that Safe Connect is governed by the same rules and standards as all other McAfee products.
McAfee claims that this information is required “to help protect” users and “to run [McAfee’s] business”.
This is simply a lie. There are an abundance of VPN services who protect their users and run their business without engaging in such intrusive data collection.
US Ownership is problematic
McAfee Safe Connect is owned by McAfee LLC, the cyber security juggernaut. McAfee LLC also owns TunnelBear VPN (see our review), which it acquired in 2018.
Like its parent company, McAfee Safe Connect is based in the US, within Silicon Valley. As such, McAfee’s jurisdiction really could not be much worse. The US is a downright awful location to base a VPN service.
The US is part of the Five-Eyes intelligence alliance, meaning it shares surveillance data with the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
On top of this, McAfee is subject to the intrusive legal policies of the US, such as the infamous PRISM surveillance program, which allows the US government to surveil online communications from US-based technology companies.
More worrying, though, is the Stored Communications Act (SCA). This law grants the US government the ability to seize a VPN user’s information if that information has been retained.
Excerpt from The Stored Communications Act 2010.
This is particularly concerning with Safe Connect, as McAfee logs almost everything.
Moreover, McAfee’s privacy policy explicitly states that it will supply information to any legal, governmental, or judicial authority if it is ever requested.
In summary, McAfee Safe Connect VPN is bad for user privacy. To see the benefits of a trusted no-logs VPN, head over to our review of Private Internet Access.
Speed
Fast speeds across the board
8.98.9/10
How is this calculated?
Speed ratings are calculated using upload speeds, download speeds, and ping (latency).
We test average speeds regularly using a dedicated 100Mbps connection in London, UK. Local download speed is considered the most important factor.
Speed is the only area where McAfee Safe Connect excels. In our tests, McAfee VPN recorded fast speeds of 88Mbps when connected to a nearby server. International performance was less impressive, but our download speed never dropped below 35Mbps.
Ranked #18 out of 56 VPNs for Speed
McAfee Safe Connect delivers fast speeds because it uses Hydra, Hotspot Shield’s proprietary protocol. We cover more about the Hydra protocol in our Hotspot Shield review.
To test McAfee VPN’s speed, we connected to a nearby VPN server from our base in London.
Here are our full local speed test results:
Local Speed Test results before using McAfee Safe Connect:
Download Speed: 99Mbps
Upload Speed: 98Mbps
Ping: 4ms
Local Speed Test results with McAfee Safe Connect:
Download Speed: 88Mbps
Upload Speed: 90Mbps
Ping: 7ms
Download speed loss when McAfee Safe Connect is running: 11%
As you can see, we saw just a 11% drop in download speed and an 8.73% drop in upload speed. This is impressive and matches the results from some top VPN services.
International speed test results
Using our 100Mbps fiber optic connection, you can view our speed test results connecting from the UK to various McAfee Safe Connect servers below:
USA:
Download: 62Mbps
Upload: 46Mbps
Germany:
Download: 84Mbps
Upload: 85Mbps
Singapore:
Download: 44Mbps
Upload: 28Mbps
Australia:
Download: 38Mbps
Upload: 30Mbps
Speeds remained impressive on international connections. We saw a download speed drop of 37% when connected to an East Coast US server and just a 13% drop when connecting to the Netherlands.
Streaming
Doesn’t work with Netflix and other streaming services
0.80.8/10
How is this calculated?
Streaming is rated by the number of different services unlocked, how many regional libraries are viewable, and how consistently the VPN can access them.
Netflix, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video and more are all tested on a weekly basis.
McAfee Safe Connect is a terrible VPN for streaming. The VPN was unable to stream any of the services we tested, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and Hulu.
Ranked #47 out of 56 VPNs for Streaming
Similarly to Private Tunnel, McAfee admits its poor streaming ability, stating “Netflix and Hulu […] might not work correctly over the secure VPN connection.”
More worryingly, however, McAfee’s customer service team were frequently surprised when we asked about Safe Connect’s streaming capabilities. They even asked why we thought using a VPN would unblock geo-restricted content.
As the company sees it, which has been reinforced in our testing, McAfee Safe Connect is simply not a VPN meant for streaming.
Price & Value for Money receives a rating, but is not factored into our Overall Rating. We believe the reader should decide what is or isn’t a reasonable price.
A good rating here isn’t just based on how cheap the VPN is, but for the value it offers overall.
Given its relative lack of quality, Safe Connect VPN is not worth your money. The McAfee Safe Connect monthly plan costs $7.99, which you can lower to $1.99 per month if you pay for a year upfront. For a similar price, there are far better alternative products available.
Ranked #35 out of 56 VPNs for Price & Value
Here are the two different subscriptions available for McAfee Safe Connect:
The Total Protection annual bundle costs $5.83 per month and includes Safe Connect VPN, McAfee antivirus, McAfee’s password manager, and McAfee’s identity protection software.
Payment and Refund Options
Here’s a full list of payment methods you can use to pay for McAfee VPN:
American Express
Mastercard
PayPal
Visa
McAfee Safe Connect Free
If you try McAfee Safe Connect VPN, you can take advantage of the free plan. You don’t have to enter any email address or submit payment details to download and use the free software.
The McAfee support pages claim that the free plan only allows a VPN connection to your nearest server, but this is not true. We were able to connect to all 23 of Safe Connect’s servers, ranging from France to Singapore.
The company also states that the support options of live chat and telephone are exclusive to paid subscribers, but we also found this to be false.
However, the free tier only allows a very restrictive 250MB of data consumption each month. In comparison, the most highly-rated free VPNs offer up to 10GB of monthly data.
McAfee VPN Free Trial and Money-back Guarantee
Both the monthly and the annual Safe Connect plans come with a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money back guarantee.
When you buy McAfee VPN, you’ll be automatically enrolled in the free trial, and you’ll be billed on the last day of the trial window. At that point, the 30-day refund guarantee comes into play.
Server Locations
Tiny server network spanning just 23 countries
7.27.2/10
How is this calculated?
The global spread and coverage of the VPN server network is the most important factor here.
We also consider the number of city-level servers, plus how many IP addresses are maintained.
This rating does not directly contribute to the Overall Rating, but instead makes up a portion of the Security & Features rating.
McAfee Safe Connect’s number of server locations is one of the most limited around, with a total of just 23 countries. This slim coverage is even more disappointing as Safe Connect doesn't let you connect to city-level servers, a feature we've come to expect from good VPN services.
Ranked #35 out of 56 VPNs for Server Locations
23 Countries
23 Cities
Undisclosed number ofIP Address
Though small in size, McAfee Safe Connect has servers in the most popular countries.
Coverage is particularly concentrated in Western Europe and North America, with the US, Canada, the UK, France, Spain, and Germany all included.
Asia and Oceania are poorly represented, with just 4 server locations between them. Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore count one server each.
If you live in any of these locations, we recommend choosing a VPN specifically for Australia or your particular country. These services will be faster, safer, and include servers near you.
Coverage is truly abysmal in other areas, with Brazil being the only South American option and no servers in Africa.
McAfee refused to inform us about how many individual VPN servers and IP addresses there are and whether these servers are physical or virtual.
We were repeatedly told that server information was “information that cannot be disclosed to customers.”
We were not given a reason to explain this, which is particularly frustrating given how common it is for VPN services to definitively state their server and IP address count.
If your home country is not covered, or if you’re a globetrotter that needs the most exhaustive server coverage, check out our HideMyAss (HMA VPN) review. HMA VPN has servers in over 190 countries.
Torrenting
Unsafe for torrenting
00.0/10
How is this calculated?
We calculate the average download bitrate of every VPN using a bespoke torrenting setup.
Testing also factors in the percentage of servers which permit P2P, plus useful features like port forwarding.
We do not recommend McAfee Safe Connect for torrenting and P2P activity. The VPN has an invasive logging policy and doesn't include a kill switch. As a result, it can't be trusted to hide your torrenting downloads from third parties.
Ranked #48 out of 56 VPNs for Torrenting
Without using a kill switch, you risk revealing your true IP address if your VPN connection drops for any reason. Alongside this, the sinister amount of information that McAfee Safe Connect logs could be effortlessly used to personally identify you.
This is a shame, as our tests showed torrenting to be allowed on all of Safe Connect’s servers and its fast upload speeds allowed for speedy P2P activity.
But torrenters should absolutely pick a no-logs VPN provider that also provides a kill switch instead.
To find out which VPN services we do recommend for P2P activity, check out our rundown of the best VPNs for torrenting.
These providers combine the most watertight privacy policies with blazing fast speeds and no torrenting restrictions.
Security & Technical Features
No kill switch and weak security features
3.63.6/10
How is this calculated?
Top-rated VPNs offer OpenVPN or WireGuard protocols, AES-256 encryption, and a functional kill switch. We also consider additional security features and the global spread of VPN servers.
McAfee Safe Connect provides only basic encryption and security. It didn't leak our IP or DNS address, and it secures traffic using AES-256. However, none of its apps include a kill switch, and it doesn't offer any advanced tools, such as split tunneling and manual port selection.
Ranked #43 out of 56 VPNs for Security & Technical Features
Protocols
Available in McAfee Safe Connect
IKEv2/IPSec
No
Hydra
Yes
OpenVPN (TCP/UDP)
No
WireGuard
No
Encryption
Available in McAfee Safe Connect
AES-128
No
AES-192
No
AES-256
Yes
Blowfish
No
ChaCha20
No
Security
Available in McAfee Safe Connect
DNS Leak Blocking
No
First-party DNS
No
IPv6 Leak Blocking
No
Supports TCP Port 443
No
VPN Kill Switch
No
WebRTC Leak Blocking
No
Advanced Features
Available in McAfee Safe Connect
Ad Blocker
No
Dedicated IP
No
Double VPN
No
Smart DNS
No
Static IP
No
SOCKS
No
Split Tunneling
No
Tor over VPN Server
No
Tracker Blocker
No
McAfee Safe Connect runs on the somewhat secretive Catapult Hydra VPN protocol, making it a bit of a gamble when it comes to your online security.
The choice of Catapult Hydra concerns us for a few reasons. Firstly, McAfee does not state this is its chosen protocol anywhere. When we asked, multiple support agents stated this was simply “information that cannot be disclosed to customers.”
Virtually all other VPN providers definitively state their chosen VPN protocol, including those who also use Catapult Hydra, such as Hotspot Shield and Kaspersky Secure Connection.
As a result, McAfee’s secrecy makes us immediately suspicious, and for good reason.
In 2018, a major security flaw in Catapult Hydra was discovered by independent security researcher, Paulos Yibelo. This flaw meant that user data, such as a user’s country and the name of their WiFi network, could be accessed by a third party.
In conjunction with other publicly available data, this information could then be used to locate and personally identify a user.
A fix for the security flaw was quickly issued, but the fact this initially slipped through the net points to the larger problem of Catapult Hydra. It’s still not transparent enough.
By contrast, our preferred VPN protocol, OpenVPN, has been around since 2001 — having much longer to prove itself and to refine its methods through its open-source community.
Our biggest concern, however, is that McAfee Safe Connect lacks a kill switch on all platforms.
A kill switch is a feature that blocks your web traffic in the case of a dropped VPN connection. This means that your IP address could be exposed if this happens when running Safe Connect, jeopardizing your online privacy.
There are no advanced security features like split tunneling or manual port selection, either.
At least, McAfee Safe Connect utilizes the AES-256 cipher. Most major VPN services favor this method of encryption, which has yet to be broken.
Safe Connect also passed our IP and DNS leak tests. This is shown in the image below, where we are connecting to an East Coast US server from our base in London.
Screenshot from Browserleaks.com showing a US IP address, with no IP or DNS leaks from our base in London, UK.
However, despite the use of AES-256 and IP and DNS leak protection being encouraging, this still falls far short of redeeming the shortcomings of Safe Connect’s encryption and security quality.
Simply, we cannot trust McAfee Safe Connect to keep your online activity anonymous and neither should you.
Device & OS Compatibility
Limited device compatibility
How is this rated?
A quality VPN should maintain functional, fully-featured applications and extensions for as many platforms and devices as possible.
This does not directly contribute to the Overall Rating, but instead makes up a portion of the Ease of Use rating.
Safe Connect VPN only supports Windows, iOS, and Android. There is no macOS app, which is very surprising, and no Fire TV nor Linux apps, either. McAfee Safe Connect supports a very limited range of platforms and devices compared to other paid VPN services.
Apps
McAfee Safe Connect has apps for the following platforms:
Windows
iOS
Android
There is no Smart DNS tool, and it’s impossible to set up Safe Connect on your home router. As a result, there are no workarounds for devices that don’t support VPN applications, like games consoles.
Frankly, though, for a paid VPN service to have such minimal platform and device support in 2023 is really poor.
McAfee Safe Connect allows up to five simultaneous connections, with the large caveat that you can only register a maximum of five devices to your account.
Most other paid VPN services let you install the VPN on an unlimited amount of devices. Instead, with McAfee VPN, you’ll have to be extremely selective when registering your devices.
Ease of Use
Simple to use but not enough configuration
7.17.1/10
How is this calculated?
This rating mainly consists of the intuitiveness of setup and everyday use.
Device or platform compatibility and customization options are also a factor.
McAfee's VPN apps are user-friendly and are accessible for beginners. However, the apps are basic without many advanced settings. That said, McAfee Safe Connect is a dependable choice if you’re looking to simply 'connect and forget.'
Ranked #35 out of 56 VPNs for Ease of Use
How to Connect to a Server with McAfee Safe Connect
Choosing a server in McAfee Safe Connect VPN for Windows
Choosing a server in McAfee Safe Connect VPN for iOS
How to Change Settings in McAfee Safe Connect
Choosing settings in McAfee Safe Connect VPN for Windows
Choosing settings in McAfee Safe Connect VPN for iOS
Downloading the McAfee Safe Connect app on mobile is simple — just search for it in your device’s app store.
For Windows, the process is a bit different. Head to the direct Windows download link and the download should start automatically.
From there, the installation process is as simple as following the on-screen steps.
Once installed, the McAfee Safe Connect app is appealing and a pleasure to use, despite its plainness.
We particularly liked the app’s tutorial screen which nicely explains and locates key features of the VPN.
The main screen is minimal, including a connect button and server list. This screen displays some useful information at a glance, such as connection time, data transfer and your WiFi/network connection.
Settings can be found on the app’s sidebar, but the options are far too limited for our liking.
You can choose your language preference and whether or not the app should run on startup, but that’s it. More experienced users will miss being able to fiddle with configurable options.
If you want a range of configurable options and advanced features, we recommend using more advanced VPNs like AirVPN (read our expert review).
Bypassing Web Censorship
Won’t work in censored regions like China
2.52.5/10
How is this calculated?
Our remote-access server in Shanghai, China routinely tests if a VPN can beat restrictions and access a free, open internet. Obfuscation technologies and nearby servers are also a contributing factor.
This rating does not directly contribute to the Overall Rating, but instead makes up a portion of the Security & Features rating.
McAfee Safe Connect cannot be used in heavily censored regions, such as China. Unlike many VPNs, it does not have any obfuscation tools or VPN protocols designed to beat censorship.
Ranked #45 out of 56 VPNs for Bypassing Web Censorship
In order to bypass the so-called Great Firewall of China, VPNs need to employ clever obfuscation tools which mask VPN data and make it appear as regular HTTPS web traffic.
Only the very best VPN providers manage to consistently circumvent state-enforced restrictions, so it’s little surprise that McAfee Safe Connect falls short here.
McAfee Safe Connect lacks any of the required obfuscation tools and will therefore fail to bypass China’s, or any other regions’, censorship laws.
Even if that weren’t the case, Safe Connect’s overly intrusive logging policy means it would be a simply terrible VPN for use in highly-censored regions.
By logging your IP address, your device’s MAC address, your GPS location, and your biometric information, McAfee makes it as simple as possible for any government to identify you.
This rating is based on our assessment of each VPN’s:
Email support
Live chat support
Online resources
Not every VPN offers all of these, and they often vary in quality and response time.
McAfee VPN's customer support is really poor. Although it's available 24/7, its support agents are not well-informed about VPN-related issues. Its knowledge base is extremely limited, too, with only a handful of articles being relevant to Safe Connect.
Ranked #44 out of 56 VPNs for Customer Support
Customer Support
Available in McAfee Safe Connect
24/7 Live Chat Support
Yes
24/7 Email Support
No
Chatbot
No
Email
Yes
Email Support via Online Form
No
Tutorial Videos
No
Online Resources
Yes
McAfee shares one knowledge base for its entire suite of products, but of 360 total articles, only eight of them mention Safe Connect.
Like with the rest of Safe Connect, it proves here again to be the neglected child of McAfee.
Safe Connect does have a phone number that you can contact, but we were told on two separate occasions that we would be called back and these calls never came.
Frustratingly, the live chat disconnects multiple times during a conversation. It will reconnect, most of the time, but we completely lost contact a few times.
McAfee Safe Connect shares a support infrastructure with the broader McAfee product line and it’s clear the agents have not been adequately trained to deal with the VPN product.
The support agents were unable to answer routine questions, like whether Safe Connect could be used to bypass geo-restricted content and how many total VPN servers there are.
On top of this, Safe Connect seems stifled by the legacy baggage of McAfee. For example, you are forced to provide your full name, email address, and phone number before initiating a live chat.
For a product that exists to protect your personal information, the requirement to provide information that can be used to personally identify you is self-defeating.
The Safe Connect support agents are also extremely heavy-handed in remotely taking control of your device. For example, we were asked to allow remote access after asking a simple question about access to US Netflix.
All of this is extremely off-putting and unnecessary. Especially for privacy-sensitive users, the thought of handing over your phone number and allowing remote access for basic issues might be a bit too much to swallow.
The Bottom Line
Avoid using McAfee VPN
We do not recommend using McAfee Safe Connect. Despite its big name and brand appeal, you should avoid using McAfee’s VPN.
McAfee Safe Connect is a speedy VPN aimed at newbies who want a hassle-free way of hiding their IP address. Sadly, though, even for VPN amateurs, Safe Connect fails to provide the bare minimum to make it a good VPN choice.
Most worrying is McAfee’s logging policy. The data McAfee retains means you could end up handing over more information than you’re protecting with Safe Connect.
The logging policy is exacerbated by McAfee’s base in the US — one of the most privacy-unfriendly jurisdictions on the planet.
So long as McAfee allows its VPN product to stagnate, you should avoid using Safe Connect.
Alternatives to McAfee Safe Connect
Surfshark
9.29.2/10
Surfshark has very easy to use and intuitive apps, meaning you can start using the VPN without hassle. Surfshark is also very affordable and it unblocks most major streaming services. Read Surfshark review
ExpressVPN
9.79.7/10
ExpressVPN is our top-rated VPN service. It's fast, secure, and private. It also unblocks a wide range of streaming platforms, and it allows P2P on all servers. Read ExpressVPN review