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.
VPNArea has a strong no-logs privacy policy, tools for effectively bypassing strict censorship, and good features for streaming. It unblocks US Netflix and works on Fire TV Stick. VPNArea's apps are not the easiest to use, but overall it's a very good VPN.
Ranked #12 out of 56 VPNs
VPNArea Category Ratings
7.47.4/10
8.98.9/10
9.89.8/10
8.28.2/10
8.58.5/10
9.49.4/10
9.49.4/10
6.46.4/10
9.59.5/10
7.57.5/10
VPNArea Pros & Cons
Very impressive speeds
Works with US Netflix and iPlayer
Specialized servers for torrenting
Zero-logs privacy policy
Connect securely to 55 countries
Short refund period
Unattractive and confusing apps
No independent zero-logs audit
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+
VPNArea provides extremely fast local connection speeds. It has a lot of specialized servers for streaming, torrenting, and bypassing censorship.
We believe VPNArea is a no-logs service, but it hasn’t been verified by any third-party audit.
VPNArea uses OpenVPN, IKEv2, and AES-256 encryption – a powerful combination that keeps your web browsing secure. It also offers impressive features such as double VPN, DNS leak protection, and Stunnel protocols.
You can get VPNArea for as little as $3.21 per month on a two-year subscription, with a 30-day money back guarantee. There’s also a 14-day money back guarantee with the monthly contract.
The service unblocks US Netflix, iPlayer, Amazon Prime, and Disney+. But in our testing we occasionally had trouble connecting to servers.
We also saw some bugs on VPNArea’s website and experienced some technical difficulties when logging into the VPN.
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.
You can expect very fast speeds connecting to servers in the same or nearby countries. We saw an impressive average speed loss of just 2% connecting to local VPN servers. However, its international speed performance is poor - often too slow for streaming or torrenting.
Ranked #31 out of 56 VPNs for Speed
We measured the impact of VPNArea on our internet speed by comparing download speeds before and after connecting to a nearby VPN server.
Here are the results:
Local Speed Test results before using VPNArea:
Download Speed: 97Mbps
Upload Speed: 98Mbps
Ping: 10ms
Local Speed Test results with VPNArea:
Download Speed: 95Mbps
Upload Speed: 95Mbps
Ping: 5ms
Download speed loss when VPNArea is running: 2%
A 2% speed drop is extremely impressive – even rivalling top rated VPNs like ExpressVPN.
It’s a strong choice for gamers, too, thanks to its quick same-country latency of just 5ms. It also produced very fast upload speeds, which is ideal for torrenting.
International Speed Test Results
We recorded the exact same speed loss of 2% when connected to Germany, even though we’re based in the UK. A 12% speed drop when connected to a server in Canada is also very good.
However, VPNArea performs much worse when it comes to other, more long-distance connections.
Here are our latest VPNArea international speed test results:
US:
Download: 45.23%Mbps (53% slower)
Upload: 61.94Mbps (31% slower)
Canada:
Download: 85M.85bps (12% slower)
Upload: 72.21Mbps (26% slower)
Germany:
Download: 95.04 (2% slower)Mbps
Upload: 94.91 (3% slower)Mbps
Singapore:
Download: 18.4Mbps (81% slower)
Upload: 25.09Mbps (74% slower)
Australia:
Download: 9.96Mbps (90% slower)
Upload: 5.2Mbps (95% slower)
You can expect a 90% drop in download speeds when connecting to servers on the other side of the globe.
Overall, it was quick and easy to connect to a majority of the servers. But we did experience difficulties connecting to some of the servers – for example Singapore and the United Kingdom streaming server.
For more information on exactly how we measure VPN performance, take a look at how we test VPNs.
Privacy & Logging Policy
Strong zero-logs policy but hasn't been independently audited
9.89.8/10
How is this calculated?
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.
VPNArea is a zero-logs VPN. It only records your email address, username, password, and transaction ID. But it can only be trusted to a certain extent because of a lack of independent audits. It's also based in the EU, which isn't the best jurisdiction for data privacy.
Ranked #6 out of 56 VPNs for Privacy & Logging Policy
VPNArea only collects three pieces of data:
Email address
Username and password
Transaction ID for refunds
Apart from this, VPNArea is a no-logs service:
“We do not monitor, record or store any login dates, timestamps, incoming and outgoing IP addresses, bandwidth statistics or any other identifiable data of any VPN users using our VPN servers. We do not log or track any DNS requests sent to our DNS servers.”
VPNArea Adheres to EU Data Laws
Offshore Security LTD is based in Varna, Bulgaria and is subject to EU data retention laws. This means VPNArea might have to share you collected data with law enforcement authorities.
VPNArea is registered in Bulgaria but its computer systems are based in Switzerland.
We believe Switzerland has been emphasized because it is a privacy haven. In theory, having your data processing system in this jurisdiction should provide some level of privacy.
But in reality, VPNArea’s country of incorporation is the most important when it comes to data retention and sharing laws that it must comply with.
Privacy Policy Is Not Third-Party Certified
VPNArea’s strict no-logs policy is great at first glance. It has all the elements that make up a privacy-first VPN.
VPNArea does not record:
Browsing activity
IP address
Server IP
Connection timestamps
Bandwidth usage
Server location
However, it not been independently audited or (to our knowledge) summoned by government agencies to share data.
VPNArea claims it hasn’t been asked to share customer information.
Ideally, VPNArea would invest in an audit that can certifiably prove it is a no-logs service. We would also like to see VPNArea to specify how long it stores the data it has collected.
Unclear Ownership
It’s a bit difficult to find out who owns Offshore Secure LTD.
There are two people associated with Offshore Security LTD on Linkedin. Dimitar Dobrev is listed as the Founder of VPNArea. Pastor Awitta, based in Kenya, is the Managing Director at Offshore Security LTD.
Beyond this information on LinkedIn, we were unable to find the company in the Bulgarian Unified Trade Register.
This is not necessarily a deal-breaker when it comes to a VPN. However, it’s nice to have assurances when it comes to your personal data and web activity.
Server Locations
Servers located in 55 countries
8.58.5/10
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.
VPNArea has servers in 55 countries around the world. It offers a great variety, with dedicated servers for streaming and bypassing censorship. Coverage in the US, UK, Europe, and Australia is comprehensive. Overall, VPNArea's server features are impressive.
VPNArea has good worldwide coverage, but it has reduced its number of servers from 165 to 130 in the last few months. We would also like to see an increase of servers in Africa, since there are currently only three.
Here’s a breakdown of VPNArea’s countries with servers in, by region:
Europe: 34
Asia: 11
North America: 3
Africa: 1
South America: 4
Oceania: 2
Lots of City-Level Servers
VPNArea has a truly impressive amount of city-level servers. There are city-level servers in Japan, Austria, Russia, Germany, Italy, and many more locations.
You can take advantage of this by choosing a city-level server near you for faster speeds.
EXPERT ADVICE:
On Windows you can see which VPN servers are working without having to connect to them. Just check if all three sections (load, distance, and ping) are filled in.
On Mac, it displays 0%, 0yd/km, or N/A in those sections if the server isn’t working.
Streaming
VPNArea unblocks US Netflix & BBC iPlayer
7.47.4/10
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.
VPNArea gives you access to several Netflix libraries with its dedicated servers. It also works well with Amazon Prime, HBO Max, and Disney+. Disappointingly, Hulu remains blocked and it only sometimes works with BBC iPlayer.
Ranked #19 out of 56 VPNs for Streaming
VPNArea is a solid choice for streaming on most platforms. It unblocks:
VPNArea currently has five dedicated servers for unblocking Netflix. They are labeled in the app with “NFLX.” For example, to stream US Netflix, connect to “USA-0-NFLX.” For UK Netflix and iPlayer, connect to “UnitedKingdom-0-NFLX.”
Screenshot of VPNArea unblocking US Netflix in our latest testing.
We had mixed results when streaming with VPNArea. The main issue we had was connecting to the UK streaming server.
Ideally, we would like to see more dedicated servers in different locations. This can give you access to more Netflix libraries and act as back-up servers if some are not working.
We tested VPNArea to see which servers unblocked Netflix. Here are the results:
Ideally, we would like to see more dedicated servers in different locations.
We also reached out to VPNArea’s customer support to ask which Netflix libraries are available with its servers. They confirmed it works with the Canada, Italy, the UK and the US Netflix libraries.
VPNArea’s customer support was helpful and replied quickly.
Inconsistent with Unblocking BBC iPlayer
In our latest tests, we had mixed experiences streaming BBC iPlayer with VPNArea. We easily connected to UnitedKingdom-0-NFLX, which is the only dedicated server to UK streaming, and saw no lag.
In our tests, VPNArea unblocked iPlayer but it was inconsistent.
This is not always the case though. The server seems to work some days and not others.
Torrenting
Torrenting allowed on all servers
8.98.9/10
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.
VPNArea is a good VPN for torrenting. In our tests, it managed a fast bitrate speed of 8.4MiB/s, and allowed torrenting on 130 servers. The VPN also has a private logging policy and strong AES-256 encryption. You can trust VPNArea to keep your P2P activity private.
Ranked #7 out of 56 VPNs for Torrenting
In our latest torrenting speed tests, we recorded an average bitrate of 8.4MiB/s, which is on par with FastestVPN’s test results (8.5MiB/s) and a little below Surfshark (8.7MiB/s). In comparison, the fastest speed we recorded was 10MiB/s with Astrill and Ivacy. You can see these results in full in our list of top torrenting VPNs.
We downloaded a 1GB test file very quickly with VPNArea.
VPNArea has a kill switch, torrenting-friendly zero-logs policy, and port-forwarding. The first two will help prevent your IP address from being exposed or recorded as you torrent, while the third will give you faster speeds.
All severs for torrenting are labeled with “P2P.”
Navigating the server list to find a specific P2P server is simple and straightforward. Servers for torrenting are labeled “P2P.” For example, “Canada-Toronto2-P2P” is a server for torrenting based in Toronto, Canada.
EXPERT ADVICE: Log in to VPNArea’s online dashboard, click Server Status, and track how many users are on each servers. Choose a servers with fewer users for the fastest speeds.
Bypassing Web Censorship
Good for China (desktop-only)
9.49.4/10
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.
VPNArea is an excellent choice for China. It has X-Stunnel VPN servers in many locations, which will disguise your connection as HTTPS traffic and allow you to bypass state censorship. The only downside is that this is only available on a PC. For mobile, you'll have to use another VPN.
Ranked #5 out of 56 VPNs for Bypassing Web Censorship
VPNArea is one of the best VPNs for China with a 82% uptime in the past three months.
It offers effective obfuscation: X-Stunnel servers in Canada, Japan, Singapore and more. As a result, you can connect to a nearby location for the best possible speeds.
Here’s a video from our China tests showing VPNArea’s obfuscated servers bypassing the Great Firewall:
You can also find VPNArea's X-Stunnel servers in the Special tab.
These X-Stunnel VPN servers are only available on Windows and Mac devices, though, and there are no manual workarounds for iOS or Android. Mobile users should avoid using VPNArea’s iOS and Android apps in China.
VPNArea’s obfuscated servers mean that it’s also a reliable VPN service for those in other countries with oppressive censorship regimes such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the UAE.
Security & Technical Features
Strong privacy features will protect you online
9.49.4/10
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.
VPNArea will keep you safe online. The desktop app uses OpenVPN, the most secure VPN protocol. You can also connect using double hop, which is a privacy-enhancing feature that we rarely see from a VPN of this size. VPNArea’s VPN connections are secured using AES-256 encryption.
Ranked #7 out of 56 VPNs for Security & Technical Features
Protocols
Available in VPNArea
IKEv2/IPSec
Yes
OpenVPN (TCP/UDP)
Yes
WireGuard
No
Encryption
Available in VPNArea
AES-128
No
AES-192
No
AES-256
Yes
Blowfish
No
ChaCha20
No
Security
Available in VPNArea
DNS Leak Blocking
Yes
First-party DNS
Yes
IPv6 Leak Blocking
Yes
Supports TCP Port 443
Yes
VPN Kill Switch
Yes
WebRTC Leak Blocking
Yes
Advanced Features
Available in VPNArea
Ad Blocker
Yes
Dedicated IP
Yes
Double VPN
Yes
Smart DNS
No
Static IP
No
SOCKS
No
Split Tunneling
No
Tor over VPN Server
No
Tracker Blocker
No
Dependable Kill Switch
VPNArea includes a kill switch feature, which protects you from any potential connection drops. We recommend you only use a VPN with a kill switch if you live in a region that has banned the use of VPNs.
There are two kill switch options in the Windows client settings.
On Windows, you can choose between a “Kill Switch (via Windows Firewall)” and “Kill Switch (Nuclear option).” Whereas on Mac, there is only the option to turn on the “Kill Switch (Nuclear option).” The “Nuclear option” is more secure because it completely disables your WiFi, so your IP address can’t be exposed.
IP & DNS Leak Test Results
It also prevents DNS, IPv6 and WebRTC leaks. Even better, it operates its own zero-log DNS servers to keep your personal information private.
What we saw on browserleaks.com while connected to VPNArea’s New York server
Double VPN
Additionally, VPNArea operates Double VPN servers, providing you with an extra layer of privacy when you’re connected to the VPN. There’s also a built-in ad-blocker and malware protection.
Port forwarding
Port forwarding is available on VPNArea – but you’ll need to get in touch with support to request it be enabled on your account.
Dedicated IP Addresses
You can also get a VPNArea dedicated IP for an extra annual fee. There is a limit of one IP address per account. If you would like to know the current IP addresses available and their locations, you will need to contact the VPN service’s customer support.
Device & OS Compatibility
Can be used with tons of different devices, including routers
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.
VPNArea has apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, as well as internet routers. It’s also available on TV platforms such as Fire TV and Android TV. There are no browser extensions and no Smart DNS tool, though.
Apps
Here’s the full list of platforms that VPNArea can be downloaded on:
Windows
Mac
iOS
Android
Linux
Router
There’s some big differences between the VPNArea apps. Here’s an overview:
Interestingly, automated IKEv2 is only available in the iOS app. If you want to use it on Windows, macOS, or Android, you have to manually set it up yourself. On the plus side, there are clear guides to do this in the online dashboard.
The default option for all devices is OpenVPN, our preferred protocol.
VPNArea for Desktop
VPNArea’s server list on Windows.
VPNArea’s desktop app has some excellent features but also a few annoying quirks that ruined the experience for us a little. There’s no main screen as such, so you’re just redirected to the VPN server list once you’ve logged in.
You also have to manually disconnect and connect to a different server if you want to switch locations.
It’s also one of few VPNs to offer an app that’s exactly the same on both macOS and Windows.
VPNArea for Android
VPNArea’s Android app is much better than iOS. Not only are there more servers available, including streaming and DoubleVPN, there’s more options in the settings.
VPNArea’s Android home screen is very different to the desktop version.
Don’t worry if the mobile app looks completely different to the desktop version. You have the right VPN, it’s just a new design and layout. Most of the useful features in the desktop version are in the Android app too.
Sort and filter servers based on your preferences.
Similar to the desktop app, you can choose filter servers based on functionality. For instance, “Special” shows you streaming and DoubleVPN servers. If you buy a dedicated IP address, you can use it on Android, but not on iOS.
VPNArea’s Android settings page is a bit sparse.
You can switch on the VPNArea Anti-DNS Leak System, which automatically connects you to VPNArea’s DNS servers instead of your internet service provider’s.
If you turn on Persistent VPN tunnel the VPN will automatically reconnect to the last server used if your internet connection is disrupted. Since this information wasn’t included in-app, we reached out to customer support and they replied within several hours.
Customer support explained the function through email.
The Android app does not have a kill switch, ad-blocker, or split tunneling.
A kill switch cuts off your internet connection should your VPN fail, even for a second. We highly recommend you only use VPNs with a kill switch.
VPNArea for iOS
The iOS app is a bit more simplistic than the Android app and desktop versions.
VPNArea’s iOS home screen.
VPNArea’s iOS app gives you the option to choose between IKEv2 and OpenVPN in Settings. But there is no further explanation about what the difference is.
You can port forward in VPNArea’s iOS settings page.
We recommend sticking to the default settings, OpenVPN, because it is more secure than IKEv2.
Similar to the Android app, the iOS app does not come with a kill switch, ad-blocker, or split tunneling.
Fire TV App
VPNArea’s Firestick App is disappointing. We tested it on the Amazon Fire TV Stick, second generation. It was simple to download but we had trouble logging in.
The app was almost the same as the Android version. But it was more difficult to navigate. The accent colour was hard to make out. There also wasn’t any animation or sound effect to highlight what option we were selecting.
VPNArea can be used with loads of different games consoles and streaming devices by connecting them to a router running the VPN, as this will automatically protect all of the internet-connected devices in your home.
VPNArea isn’t the best option if you’re looking for a plug-and-play solution for your games console, but it’ll do the job well enough. If you’re looking for something a little more straightforward, take a look at our ExpressVPN review – its MediaStreamer service makes life a lot easier.
If you’re going to be installing VPNArea on individual devices, you can use it on up to six of them at the same time – that’s about the average we see from most VPN services.
Ease of Use
Cluttered apps with some usability flaws
6.46.4/10
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.
VPNArea’s desktop apps are easy to install and use, but the design is outdated and the user experience is clumsy. We also had issues when trying to log in. We don’t recommend this VPN service to beginners.
Ranked #40 out of 56 VPNs for Ease of Use
How to Connect to a Server with VPNArea
Connecting to a server on VPNArea for MacOS
Connecting to a server on VPNArea for Android
How to Change Settings in VPNArea
Changing settings in VPNArea for MacOS
Changing settings in VPNArea for Android
To connect to a VPN server, click the server, then click the big blue “CONNECT” button and enter your username and password.
We recommend saving your username and password when prompted, so you don’t have to enter it each time. Disappointingly, we experienced some trouble while trying to log in.
For usability, VPNArea offers settings to:
Launch the VPN on system startup
Automatically connect to the last used VPN server
Save your username and password
You can filter servers based on their function.
The VPN server list is split up into useful tabs such as torrenting, streaming, and obfuscated – you can sort the servers by distance, speed, or percentage load too. There is a big search bar at the top of the window, which you can use to search for Netflix, Stunnel, or torrenting servers.
The VPN settings all come with simple on/off toggles but we would like the app to include more contextual information.
There’s an international-friendly function where you can switch between showing the server distance in kilometers and miles. The app is a tray when minimized, but on Windows you can change it to taskbar in Settings – though this isn’t available on Mac.
Customer Support
24/7 live chat & useful resources
9.59.5/10
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.
VPNArea has good customer support, with a wide range of options. Its customer service team is available 24/7 and mostly replies quickly to questions. Setup guides and more resources are kept behind a paywall. The website FAQ has some useful information but should include more.
Ranked #4 out of 56 VPNs for Customer Support
Customer Support
Available in VPNArea
24/7 Live Chat Support
Yes
24/7 Email Support
No
Chatbot
No
Email
No
Email Support via Online Form
No
Tutorial Videos
No
Online Resources
Yes
On the website, there are loads of in-depth FAQs covering a variety of topics from encryption to the security of different VPN protocols.
Disappointingly, some of VPNArea’s resources (such as setup guides) are limited to paying customers only.
We were pleasantly surprised that VPNArea offers a genuine 24/7 live chat feature. We always received a response within a matter of minutes. The agents were helpful, but did not hold up against scrutiny when asked more detailed questions. They did send us a follow-up email with more information, though.
Paying Customers Have Access to More Resources
Behind the paywall, resources are high quality. There are setup guides for all platforms and devices they provide a service for.
Setup guides for apps are laid out clearly in the member dashboard.
These guides are simple, concise, and include screenshots that give you a good idea of the installation process.
The Help section of the dashboard is clearly laid out with multiple options, including a PGP Public Key for privacy-conscious customers. PGP or (Pretty Good Privacy) is an encryption method for secure emails. Created in 1991, some argue it’s out of date but many are still fans of the feature. VPNArea also offers direct email addresses to the refunds and management team.
Disappointingly, the Knowledge Base is difficult to navigate and has a few bugs which could easily be fixed. We would like to see the web page updated to make the experience more enjoyable.
VPNArea’s customer support is efficient and comprehensive. It’s easy to get access to a real person through live chat and email.
Price & Value
Longest plan is good value for money
7.57.5/10
How is this calculated?
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.
VPNArea is fairly cheap in comparison to other VPNs of a similar quality. VPNArea’s monthly plan is the most expensive option at $9.90, but you can drop this right down to $3.21 on the two-year plan, saving you 67%.
VPNArea offers loads of different payment options, including all major credit and debit cards, PayPal and Bitcoin. You can also pay using a ton of international methods, such as WebMoney, Alipay and Hipercard, which is great for those living abroad.
VPNArea doesn’t provide a free trial, but instead offers a ‘no questions asked’ money-back guarantee, which is a different length depending on the plan you signed up for. The 12-month and three-year subscriptions come with a 30-day refund period, whereas the 1-month option is 14 days.
In order to apply for a refund, all you have to do is contact VPNArea via live chat or email, and your refund will be sent to you within 48 hours (VPNArea claims that 98% of users receive their refund within just 15 hours).
The Bottom Line
VPNArea is a very good VPN service
VPNArea is something of a hidden gem. It’s far from the most popular VPN on the market, but we have no hesitation in recommending VPNArea.
It’s one of the best VPNs for China, with effective obfuscation and no IP leaks. VPNArea is very fast on local connections and can handle torrenting on all servers.
It’s not perfect (the app can be frustrating at times), but VPNArea’s excellent list of features and super-secure logging policy are real highlights.
The only main concern we have is the lack of independent audit.
Alternatives to VPNArea
ExpressVPN
9.79.7/10
ExpressVPN excels in most areas, but it's an especially good choice if you don't want to have to worry about a frustrating or clunky app - ExpressVPN is as easy to use as they come. Read ExpressVPN review
CyberGhost
99.0/10
Put off by VPNArea's inconsistency with BBC iPlayer? CyberGhost is a super cost-effective way to access iPlayer, not to mention tons of other popular streaming services. Read CyberGhost review