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.
SkyVPN is one of the worst VPNs we've tested. It should be avoided at all costs. It's an untrustworthy VPN that logs your IP address and other personally-identifiable data. It also fails to access Netflix and it's not safe for torrenting.
Ranked #55 out of 56 VPNs
SkyVPN Category Ratings
0.80.8/10
1.61.6/10
1.21.2/10
1.51.5/10
6.56.5/10
11.0/10
1.51.5/10
22.0/10
1.21.2/10
SkyVPN Pros & Cons
Many server locations on desktop
Invasive logging policy
Chinese ownership
Very slow speeds
Poor user experience
Doesn't bypass censorship
Poor 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+
Although you can subscribe to a premium version of SkyVPN, we will be reviewing the more popular free version.
SkyVPN is truly one of the slowest VPNs weâve ever tested. Itâs also no way near as secure as its competitors.
It also doesnât let you choose a VPN protocol, or even choose between protocols.
Even though it offers AES-256 encryption, it doesnât offer any advanced features, like a VPN kill switch or split tunnelling, that can protect your online privacy.
SkyVPN also has poor customer service: just email and sparse online resources.
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.
SkyVPN will not keep your internet activity private. The VPN logs personally identifiable information, like your IP address and location information. The VPN also has links to China, and the company has confirmed it will hand over user data if it's ever requested.
Ranked #52 out of 56 VPNs for Privacy & Logging Policy
SkyVPN, Inc. is based in Hong Kong with obscure, hidden links to Chinese ownership.
Our free VPN ownership research revealed that SkyVPN Inc. is owned by Tengzhan Hongkong Limited (騰ĺąéŚć¸Żćéĺ Źĺ¸), which refers to itself as SkyVPN Inc, Secure Sentry Communications, and Dingtone, depending on where you look.
Its corporate address is registered at Rm 2103 Futura Plaza 111 How Ming St, Kwun Tong, Hong Kong.
The Tengzhan Group acquired Dingtone in 2015, according to this Chinese language disclosure documentas there is no other reference in English language media.
Tengzhen Hong Kong Ltd incorporated in December of that year with You Xiumie (游ç§ĺŚš) as director and sole shareholder.
None of this is easily available to find. There is nothing on SkyVPNâs website that alludes to its ownership or corporate history anywhere.
You canât trust this VPN service. The Chinese government could potentially demand logs and information on any of its users whenever it pleased, and SkyVPN would have to cooperate.
Logging Policy
SkyVPN has a huge list of logged data.
Its privacy policy states that it keeps a lot of information.
Excerpt from SkyVPNâs Privacy Policy.
SkyVPN collects all this data:
Aggregate bandwidth usage
Temporary usage data
Real-time analysis of internet and data traffic, including originating IP and destination IP
Cookies, tracking pixels, and related technologies for targeted ads
Email address and contact details
Information on support requests
âCertain informationâ from your device
Device make and model
Mobile web browser type and version
IP address
Mac address
Operating system
Location information
Mobile Country Code information
List of applications installed on your device
âOther technical dataâ from your device
Despite all that SkyVPN claims that unlike many VPNs that track you, âSkyVPN never does like that.â [sic]
SkyVPN is also quite open about how:
âAds appearing on SkyVPN Software or any of our websites may be delivered to users by advertising partners, who may set cookies.â
We always raise an eyebrow when we read an unspecific statement like âother technical dataâ and âcertain informationâ which can include anything â a lack of specifics is never good.
One thing SkyVPN is specific about is how it will hand over your data to whichever court asks for it.
Speed
Painfully slow speeds
1.51.5/10
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.
SkyVPN is one of the slowest VPNs we've ever tested. Whether you're connecting to a nearby or international server, you can expect to see your internet speed drop by around 90%.
Ranked #53 out of 56 VPNs for Speed
Here are the results we recorded when connected to a nearby SkyVPN server:
Local Speed Test results before using SkyVPN:
Download Speed: 94Mbps
Upload Speed: 98Mbps
Ping: 3ms
Local Speed Test results with SkyVPN:
Download Speed: 9Mbps
Upload Speed: 9Mbps
Ping: 8ms
Download speed loss when SkyVPN is running: 90%
Worldwide Speed Tests
Here are the results from when connected to international SkyVPN server locations:
USA:
Download: 9Mbps
Upload: 9Mbps
Germany:
Download: 9Mbps
Upload: 9Mbps
Singapore:
Download: 8Mbps
Upload: 7Mbps
Australia:
Download: 8Mbps
Upload: 3Mbps
SkyVPN canât manage more than 10 Mbps in download speeds â itâs one of the worst sets of speeds weâve ever seen.
Server Locations
Surprisingly decent desktop server list
6.56.5/10
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.
SkyVPN's server list depends on what device you're using. On the desktop app, you can connect to 18 server locations. This is impressive for a free VPN. On the mobile app, you can only connect to a US server, which is disappointing.
Ranked #44 out of 56 VPNs for Server Locations
18 Countries
18 Cities
Not DisclosedIP Address
SkyVPN has one US server to connect to when using the âBasicâ version on Mobile, including both iOS and Android. You have to pay for more.
Its desktop app, however, is much better, with a surprisingly decent 18 servers available.
These nations include:
Australia
Brazil
Canada
France
Germany
Hong Kong
India
Israel
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Russia
Singapore
South Korea
Spain
Turkey
United Kingdom
United States
For a free VPN, this is a surprisingly diverse and encompassing server list, with representatives from South America, Asia, North America, the Middle East, and Europe.
Without city-level server choice, youâre stuck with one server to cover large land masses like Canada, Australia and the US, though, and it doesnât tell you where exactly the servers are based.
We checked and Canadaâs server is in Toronto, New Jersey represents the US, and Brisbane is Australiaâs. If youâre not near these places and want to use a SkyVPN local connection, your speeds are going to be even worse than the ones we recorded.
Streaming
Doesnât work for streaming
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.
SkyVPN doesn't unblock any streaming service. You won't be able to access Netflix, BBC iPlayer, or Amazon Prime Video using SkyVPN.
Ranked #47 out of 56 VPNs for Streaming
We tested on the single UK server for BBC iPlayer and found it doesnât unblock the streaming service.
SkyVPN also fails to unblock any of Netflixâs global libraries.
Fans of Netflix or BBC iPlayer shouldnât waste their time with SkyVPN.
Thatâs especially the case with SkyVPNâs one-server mobile app. It has no UK server and the single US one doesnât unblock Netflix.
Torrenting
Not recommended for torrenting
1.61.6/10
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.
Though SkyVPN does allow torrenting, we strongly recommend you avoid it. The VPN logs a lot of data, which makes it easy to identify you from your P2P activity. Its speeds are also very slow, so you'll have to wait a while for any files to download.
Ranked #46 out of 56 VPNs for Torrenting
SkyVPN does allow P2P file-sharing on most of it servers. However, it explicitly states in its Terms of Service that P2P activity is not permitted on some servers, including:
Canada
France
UK
US
Therefore you shouldnât attempt it as youâll be violating the Usage Policy and could be suspended from using the service.
Torrenting is yet another activity we simply canât recommend SkyVPN for.
Bypassing Web Censorship
Wonât beat censorship
11.0/10
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.
SkyVPN does not work in China or any other countries that block VPNs. Even if it did, we would still not recommend it for bypassing censorship due to its invasive logging policy.
Ranked #50 out of 56 VPNs for Bypassing Web Censorship
SkyVPN has no obfuscation features to hide the fact that youâre using a VPN, and we donât even know what security protocol it uses â because it wonât tell us.
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.
SkyVPN is unsafe and lacks transparency. The VPN does not disclose the VPN protocol it uses, so it's impossible to determine how well it's encrypting internet traffic. It also doesn't include a kill switch or any other VPN security features.
Ranked #51 out of 56 VPNs for Security & Technical Features
Protocols
Available in SkyVPN
IKEv2/IPSec
No
OpenVPN (TCP/UDP)
No
WireGuard
No
Undisclosed
Yes
Encryption
Available in SkyVPN
AES-128
No
AES-192
No
AES-256
Yes
Blowfish
No
ChaCha20
No
Security
Available in SkyVPN
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 SkyVPN
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
Similar to other low-tier free VPNs such as SuperVPN, SkyVPN reveals hardly any details about encryption or security on its website or app.
Donât make the same mistake as its millions of users â this is our biggest concern yet.
SkyVPN talks about âmilitary-gradeâ encryption and we did find mention of the claim it uses 256-bit AES encryption, which is a positive as this is strong encryption.
But thereâs no information regarding SkyVPNâs chosen VPN protocol, so we have no idea whether itâs OpenVPN, IKEv2, or possibly something far less secure, such as PPTP.
Weâve messaged SkyVPN multiple times to ask, but have received no response.
Thereâs no VPN kill switch, so if the SkyVPN connection was to drop without you noticing your true IP address would be exposed to anyone who wanted to see it.
Device & OS Compatibility
Available on popular devices
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.
SkyVPN is available on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. The desktop app is more fully featured than the mobile version, with more server locations and simultaneous connections.
Apps
Windows
Mac
iOS
Android
It was originally designed just for mobile, but was later adapted for desktop, which becomes very apparent when you compare the two versions of the app.
On the free plan itâs only possible to use the VPN on one device at a time, so if youâre looking to protect multiple devices simultaneously youâre out of luck.
Ease of Use
Simple, but cheap & sparse
22.0/10
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.
SkyVPNâs app looks like it was designed without much consideration for the user. The images and text are low-resolution, and there are a lot of adverts. In all, using SkyVPN is not an intuitive or enjoyable experience.
Ranked #55 out of 56 VPNs for Ease of Use
How to Install & Set Up SkyVPN
It's easy enough to find and download SkyVPN on the Google Play Store.
The installation process only takes a couple of minutes from start to finish.
You have to agree to SkyVPN's privacy policy before you begin using the VPN.
The app tries to push you into a Premium Trial, but simply click the link at the bottom to continue to the free VPN.
When you open up the app for the first time, you'll be presented with some useful hints and tips.
The main screen is ridiculously stripped back with no information apart from your server location.
The annoying popup ads really ruined the experience for us.
There's not really much to see on the main menu, unless you want to follow SkyVPN's social media.
SkyVPN even claims to have no pop-up ads, which is blatantly false â the free version is packed with them.
Testing our speeds, it wasnât long before we were told that our âdata has been used upâ and that we had to upgrade to VIP.
However, if you close that window you can, in fact, reconnect again and continue to use SkyVPN for free.
Itâs simple, with a standard âConnectâ button in the middle of the screen and the server list just above, but SkyVPN is so basic itâs essentially stripped of anything useful.
Customer Support
Barely any help available
1.21.2/10
How is this calculated?
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.
SkyVPN's customer support is poor. There's no option for live chat, and the guides on its website are sparse and not very useful. For most problems, you'll have to use the VPN's slow email support.
Ranked #52 out of 56 VPNs for Customer Support
Customer Support
Available in SkyVPN
24/7 Live Chat Support
No
24/7 Email Support
No
Chatbot
No
Live Chat Support
No
Email
Yes
Email Support via Online Form
No
Tutorial Videos
No
Online Resources
Yes
SkyVPN comes with an extremely limited FAQ and an email address for support.
Thatâs it.
And its answers to the questions are bad.
Excerpt of SkyVPNâs FAQ
We contacted SkyVPNâs support email address multiple times to test how quick and helpful it was, but received no response.
The Bottom Line
Avoid using SkyVPN
SkyVPN is one of the worst VPNs weâve tested. Avoid it, whatever you do.
Shady ownership, really bad speeds, awful logging policy, no streaming access â thereâs nothing it does well at all.
Consider one of our VPN recommendations below instead.
Alternatives to SkyVPN
Windscribe
8.68.6/10
Windscribe has a free version of its app that gets at least some things right. If you don't want to pay, turn your attention to this service which is our #1 free VPN recommendation. Read Windscribe review
Surfshark
9.29.2/10
Surfshark is a premium VPN, but not a pricey one. For a budget service, you get a lot of quality, including reliable access to streaming sites. Read Surfshark review