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X-VPN Review

Two screenshots from X-VPN's desktop app side by side

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 Callum TennentAdditional Testing by Harry Ferrigno

Our Verdict

5.4/10
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.

X-VPN is a freemium VPN service with very simple apps. Its paid version has a huge server network of 8,000+ servers and can unblock US Netflix. However, X-VPN is secretive about its proprietary VPN protocols and it performed badly in our speed tests. It’s also poor for torrenters, doesn’t use its own DNS servers, and has ties to China. While it works reasonably well for streaming, we can’t recommend this VPN for internet privacy and security.

Ranked #36 out of 65 VPNs

X-VPN Category Ratings

  • 8.8/10
  • 4.2/10
  • 2.9/10
  • 3.3/10
  • 9.2/10
  • 1.0/10
  • 5.6/10
  • 8.3/10
  • 8.6/10
  • 6.0/10

X-VPN Pros & Cons

  • Works with Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and more
  • 8,000+ VPN servers in 60 countries
  • Easy to set up and use

  • Intrusive logging policy
  • Slow connection speeds
  • WebRTC leaks on Chrome extension
  • Lack of information about proprietary protocols
  • Expensive subscription
  • Slow average bitrate for torrenters

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.

X-VPN’s paid version excels at streaming and supports one of the largest server networks we’ve ever reviewed.

The service uses self-developed, close-sourced VPN protocols and AES-256 encryption. However, our tests reveal the protocols lack known security measures, such as TLS handshakes and the SSL protocol.

X-VPN isn’t a private service either. The software collects too many logs and we uncovered concerning ties to China.

We also weren’t impressed by the lackluster torrenting speeds of X-VPN’s P2P-optimized servers and its inability to bypass the Great Firewall of China.

But, the paid version of X-VPN can unblock US Netflix and BBC iPlayer, which is impressive for a mid-tier VPN service.

X-VPN Free should be avoided at all costs. You can only connect to your nearest server, you can’t access any streaming platforms, and it doesn’t work on the desktop version of X-VPN.

Access to the full service sets you back $5.99 which is too costly in X-VPN’s current state.

EXPERT ADVICE: ExpressVPN is the best VPN of 2024 and it costs less than X-VPN. Try ExpressVPN risk-free for 30 days.

X-VPN Key Data

 Paid
Free
Data CapUnlimited500MB
Download Speed64Mbps53Mbps
Logging PolicySome User LogsSome User Logs
Data LeaksNoNo
JurisdictionHong Kong (Privacy-Hostile)Hong Kong (Privacy-Hostile)
Servers8,000+1
IP Addresses8,000+1+
Countries with Servers601
US NetflixYesNo
TorrentingPermittedRestricted
Simultaneous Connections51
Works In ChinaNoNo
SupportLive ChatLive Chat
Cheapest Price$5.99/mo over 12 monthsFree
Free Trial7 Days (Payment Info Required)-
Money-Back Guarantee30-day Money-Back Guarantee-
Official WebsiteXVPN.io

Privacy & Logging Policy

X-VPN Keeps Some Logs & Has Ties to China

2.9/10
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.

Our main concern with X-VPN is its boardroom has ties to mainland China, a country extremely hostile to both VPNs and digital rights. In addition to that, X-VPN’s logging policy collects connections timestamps, which we aren’t comfortable with.

Ranked #47 out of 65 VPNs for Privacy & Logging Policy

Here’s a table showing all the information that X-VPN logs:

Data TypeLogged by X-VPN
Account InformationYes
Browsing ActivityNo
Date of Last ConnectionNo
Device InformationYes
DNS QueriesNo
Individual Bandwidth UsageYes
Individual Connection TimestampsYes
ISPNo
Number of Simultaneous ConnectionsNo
Originating IP AddressNo
VPN Server IPNo
VPN Server LocationNo

You can read X-VPN’s full privacy policy on its website.

X-VPN collects different amounts of data depending on the device in use.

X-VPN's privacy policy

X-VPN’s data collection varies by device.

Across all of its apps, X-VPN logs the following:

  • Device information
  • Data usage
  • City-level location

This information is used to help X-VPN with product development, and can be deleted upon request.

While none of the information X-VPN logs is identifiable in isolation, collecting your geo-location and connection timestamp is, in theory, enough to de-anonymize your activity.

On its mobile apps, it collects the following data:

  • VPN connection timestamp
  • Choice of VPN protocol
  • Network type

These logs used to be stored for 96 hours before being erased. Thankfully, X-VPN has since reduced this timeframe to 48 hours, decreasing the risk of your data being compromised.

However, it’s still concerning that X-VPN logs connection timestamps for two days. Better VPNs are able to optimize their service without retaining any logs.

We would feel more assured about X-VPN’s logging policy if it was verified by an independent audit or even a warrant canary.

Links to Chinese Ownership

X-VPN is owned by Free Connected Limited, which was incorporated in July 2017 and is based in Hong Kong.

From a data retention point of view, Hong Kong is a privacy-friendly VPN jurisdiction. It’s not part of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance either.

However, our free VPN ownership investigation revealed that X-VPN does have links to mainland China, which is a privacy concern.

Jin Li, the company’s director, and Chengdu Zhuozhuo Technology Co, the sole shareholder, are based in the Sichuan province of China.

Coupled with its logging practices and close-sourced protocols, we do not consider X-VPN a trustworthy service.

Speed

Slow Speeds in Almost Every Server Location

3.3/10
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.

Using Protocol M, we recorded poor connection speeds on nearly every X-VPN server we tested. Our speeds decreased by 36% on nearby servers and as sharply as 84% while connected to a South Africa server. We were unable to improve X-VPN's mediocre speeds regardless of which protocol we selected.

Ranked #53 out of 65 VPNs for Speed

Before reading the results below, be aware that X-VPN doesn’t use standard VPN protocols like OpenVPN or WireGuard, which we usually use for our tests.

X-VPN employs proprietary protocols labeled Protocol A through to Protocol I, without any accompanying description.

We asked X-VPN’s support team for the best protocol to use for speed and were advised to use Protocol M while connected to a CF-Line server. Frustratingly, this isn’t made apparent in the app nor is it clear that you can access Protocol M by first connecting to a CF-Line server.

EXPERT ADVICE: X-VPN only has CF-Line servers in the UK, US, Germany, Japan, and Singapore. If you need fast connection speeds outside of these locations then we recommend using Protocol B for its slightly more consistent long-distance speeds.

For this review, we used Protocol B to test X-VPN’s speeds as it can connect to servers in all 6 continents. We connected to each location weekly, using a 100Mbps connection, and aggregated the results into an average.

Here’s a table displaying X-VPN’s speed test results:

As the data indicates, X-VPN slowed our download speeds to 64Mbps on a local connection. This is a poor result and means X-VPN is the slowest premium VPN we’ve reviewed. There are currently 38 VPNs we review that register faster local download speeds than X-VPN.

It’s also the slowest premium VPN for international download speed, with an average across all locations of just 32Mbps. This is a poor result, particularly for a paid service.

You can expect data-intensive activities such as HD streaming, torrenting, and online video games to be especially slow while using X-VPN. We’d recommend using one of the leading VPNs for speed, instead.

You can use the chart below to see how poorly X-VPN’s speeds compare to top-shelf VPNs over short and long distances:

Comparison chart showing X-VPN's average local and international speed performance against top VPN services.

As shown above, X-VPN’s local speeds are around 33% slower than the leading VPNs on average. Over international connections, its average download speed is approximately 56Mbps slower than IPVanish.

Which X-VPN Protocol Is the Fastest?

X-VPN provides barely any contextual information about its proprietary protocols, citing ‘privacy reasons’. You can find a table on the VPN service’s website ranking seven of the 11 protocols by arbitrary categories.

We don’t trust X-VPN’s rating system. It provides no information on why Protocol H and Protocol C are rated five out of five stars for security but the rest of the protocols are capped at four.

We’re also unconvinced by the speed ratings as Protocol D performed best in our tests despite its lowly ranking.

We’ve compiled the average download and upload speeds of X-VPN’s ‘fastest’ protocols on Windows so you can compare and contrast them to Protocol B.

X-VPN Free’s Speed Test Results

We couldn’t apply our speed testing methodology to X-VPN Free as our VPN connection was periodically interrupted to encourage an upgrade to the premium version.

To make matters worse, X-VPN Free automatically picks a server location for you, and it may not be close by.

After repeated reconnections, we were eventually able to speed test X-VPN Free’s iOS app.

Below are the speed results we recorded using X-VPN’s free version:

As expected, X-VPN Free is even slower than its paid counterpart with an average download speed loss of 47%.

Although this isn’t the worst result for a free VPN, its non-existent server network and intrusive logging policy means we can’t recommend using X-VPN Free.

Server Locations

Large network of 8,000+ VPN servers in 60 countries

9.2/10
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.

X-VPN has one of the largest server networks we’ve seen. The 60 countries on its network are well spread out, and eight of them have individual city-level choice. 8,000+ virtual servers puts X-VPN right up there with the best VPNs in terms of server network size. However, X-VPN Free is limited to one server location only.

Ranked #10 out of 65 VPNs for Server Locations

Globe with a blue flag
60 Countries
Image of a city landscape
87 Cities
Image of a pink marker
8,000+ IP Addresses

Here’s a list of the number of servers X-VPN’s premium service has in each continent:

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

X-VPN’s server network is one of the largest in the market with 8,000+ individual servers.

The server network covers 60 countries, which is on par with the best VPN services.

What’s impressive is X-VPNs coverage in regions typically less served by VPN services. Its network covers popular locations like Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US. Asia is well accounted for too, with X-VPN covering 11 countries.

X-VPN's server locations on Windows.

X-VPN’s server network encompasses all six inhabited continents.

There are servers at both ends of Africa (Egypt and South Africa), and five server locations categorized as the Middle East (Bahrain, Cyprus, Israel, Turkey, UAE). There are also South American servers in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico.

There’s also a number of specialized servers for streaming and gaming, including services like Netflix and Hotstar and games like League of Legends and Roblox.

Previously X-VPN used a mixture of bare metal and virtual servers but has since changed to exclusively the latter. This is a disappointing regression from X-VPN as it means all of its servers aren’t really located in the country they say they are.

X-VPN Free’s Server Coverage

When you use X-VPN Free it automatically connects you to the nearest server location.

You aren’t given a choice in location or any prior information about the region you’re connecting to.

Connecting to a server on X-VPN Free's iOS app.

You’re only told your server location after connecting.

X-VPN also couldn’t confirm for us how many server locations are available to free users so there’s no way of knowing whether you’re near a free VPN server until you try it out for yourself.

The full list of premium server locations are included in the apps but if you click on one X-VPN will prompt you to upgrade.

Streaming

X-VPN unblocks US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and more

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.

X-VPN excels at unblocking streaming services. In our tests it consistently unblocked major streaming platforms such as US Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video. X-VPN also offers streaming servers for less popular platforms in South Korea and Italy.

Ranked #15 out of 65 VPNs for Streaming

Here’s a table showing the most popular streaming services that X-VPN’s premium and free services can access:

Streaming PlatformWorks with X-VPNWorks with X-VPN Free
Amazon Prime VideoYesNo
BBC iPlayerYesNo
Channel 4YesNo
Disney+YesNo
Hotstar IndiaYesNo
HuluYesNo
ITVXYesNo
MaxYesNo
Netflix USYesNo

X-VPN comes with servers optimized for popular streaming services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer.

Selecting Video&Game in the X-VPN app displays a list of services categorized by both region and streaming platform.

X-VPN's streaming-optimized servers on Windows.

X-VPN provides streaming optimized servers for 11 countries.

Using X-VPN’s dedicated American servers we were able to unblock US Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video.

On its British equivalent, we were able to access BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, and All 4.

Using X-VPN to unblock US Netflix.

We found Protocol D to be the best for reliably unblocking US Netflix.

X-VPN can only unblock the US and Australian Netflix libraries but since the US library is one of the most coveted, this is still a fairly strong streaming performance.

The main issue with streaming with X-VPN is its slow international speeds. While the VPN unblocks many content platforms, the streaming quality isn’t what you get with the best streaming VPNs.

We’ve tested every X-VPN server and summarized the best one for each streaming service below:

Streaming Service Best X-VPN Server
US Netflix US-Video-N
HBO Max US-Video-N-1
Disney+ US-Video-D+-1
Amazon Prime Video US US-Video-A
BBC iPlayer GB-Video-B
ITV Hub GB-Video-iV
All 4 GB-Video-iV

X-VPN Free’s Streaming Performance

X-VPN’s Free service is a bad VPN for streaming. The paid version of X-VPN has dedicated streaming servers, but they are not available for free users.

We were unable to access US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and all other streaming services in our testing. Sadly, most free VPN services don’t prioritize streaming access.

X-VPN Free automatically assigns you a server as close as possible to your real-life location which defeats the purpose of accessing geo-restricted content in different regions.

We tried using the free London server to unblock content in the UK but couldn’t access a single British streaming service.

We were never assigned a server location outside of Western Europe during any point in our testing.

If you want a free VPN for streaming then consider using Windscribe Free. It can stream 6 Netflix libraries, more than either version of X-VPN, as well as HBO Max, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video.

Torrenting

Slow P2P speeds and an untrustworthy logging policy

4.2/10
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.

X-VPN is a poor torrenting VPN for a number of reasons. The main issue is the company's mysterious ownership and its logging policy, neither of which we trust entirely. Beyond that, though, it simply doesn't download or upload fast enough.

Ranked #47 out of 65 VPNs for Torrenting

Here’s a quick summary of showing how X-VPN performed in our torrenting tests:

Torrenting Attribute
X-VPN Premium
X-VPN Free
Average Download Bitrate
4.1MiB/s
2.0MiB/s
No. of P2P Servers
8,000+
1
Logging Policy
Some User Logs
Some User Logs
Kill Switch
Yes
No
Port Forwarding
No
No

X-VPN’s stance on torrenting and P2P activity hasn’t been clear in the past so we contacted live chat support and received this response:

Contacting X-VPN's customer support about torrenting.

X-VPN makes no reference to Ultimate Line or torrenting on its website.

This is not made obvious within the VPN client or on the X-VPN website. The ‘Ultimate Line’ servers are found in the default server list without any accompanying information.

It’s also not made clear that Protocol K can only be accessed through the Ultimate Line servers. Selecting Protocol K on a standard VPN server forces the connection to switch to Protocol B with no explanation.

We carried out several torrenting tests using X-VPN’s Ultimate Line Frankfurt server and recorded a disappointing average bitrate of 4.1MiB/s.

X-VPN performs marginally better on its standard protocols and servers but it’s still not fast enough to qualify as a top torrenting VPN.

Its logging policy isn’t good enough to safeguard its customers’ privacy, either. For us, using a no-logs VPN for torrenting is critical.

Security & Technical Features

Confusing protocols and features that vary by device

5.6/10
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.

There’s too much secrecy surrounding X-VPN to label it a secure service. Its mysterious protocols are, at best, a derivation of OpenVPN TCP and it doesn’t own first-party DNS servers. We’re also unimpressed by the paywalled kill switch across all platforms, putting your personal data at risk.

Ranked #43 out of 65 VPNs for Security & Technical Features

ProtocolsAvailable in X-VPN
IKEv2/IPSecNo
OpenVPN (TCP/UDP)No
ProprietaryYes
UndisclosedYes
WireGuardNo
EncryptionAvailable in X-VPN
AES-128No
AES-192No
AES-256Yes
BlowfishNo
ChaCha20No
SecurityAvailable in X-VPN
Diskless ServersNo
DNS Leak BlockingYes
First-party DNSYes
IPv6 Leak BlockingYes
Supports TCP Port 443No
VPN Kill SwitchYes
WebRTC Leak BlockingNo
Advanced FeaturesAvailable in X-VPN
Ad BlockerNo
Dedicated IPNo
Double VPNNo
SOCKSNo
Split TunnelingYes
Static IPNo
Tor over VPN ServerNo
Tracker BlockerNo

X-VPN uses proprietary protocols rather than the standard ones – these are labeled from A to I and, according to X-VPN’s website, vary in speed and security levels.

While X-VPN claims its proprietary technology is better than the standard protocols, there’s no way to know this for sure because the company doesn’t publish any technical details about it.

We analyzed our data packets when connected to X-VPN using Wireshark and couldn’t identify a known VPN protocol. We didn’t capture any TLS handshakes and a follow-up test confirmed it didn’t use SSL either.

Our traffic was at least encrypted, only displaying incoherent symbols when inspected.

Wireshark results from X-VPN's Windows client.

X-VPN’s proprietary protocols successfully encrypted our traffic.

Based on our results we can confirm X-VPN uses a TCP-based protocol that will encrypt your traffic but we can’t evaluate its strength or reliability.

According to X-VPN’s website, the service uses AES-256 cipher to encrypt traffic at least, which is the industry-standard.

Moving forward we would like to see X-VPN make its protocol open-source so it can undergo proper scrutiny or, even better, use trusted standard protocols like OpenVPN or WireGuard.

We ran X-VPN through our leak testing tool and the results were mixed:

The results of X-VPN's leak test.

X-VPN doesn’t leak your IPv4 or IPv6 address.

X-VPN didn’t leak during our IP test, which is the most important one, but we found an issue with its DNS requests.

Our test revealed that X-VPN doesn’t support first-party DNS servers and instead runs all of its requests through Google. This isn’t a total breach of anonymity as your information requests will be one of thousands, but it still isn’t great from a VPN service.

Reliable but Paywalled Kill Switch

All of X-VPN’s apps come equipped with a VPN kill switch but you have to upgrade to premium to use it on iOS and Android.

This is bad practice and puts your personal data at risk if you unexpectedly disconnect from the internet on mobile.

We tested the VPN service using our first-of-its-kind kill switch testing tool. This checks for any IP leaks in two instances: when changing VPN servers and when the VPN disconnects unexpectedly.

The results of X-VPN's kill switch test.

X-VPN’s kill switch never leaked our real IP address.

X-VPN passed all parameters of our test multiple times confirming that its kill switch works properly.

X-VPN is Safe to Use but Not Private

We ran X-VPN’s Windows installer through VirusTotal.com and it only detected one anomalous piece of software.

An analysis of the X-VPN Windows installer.

Our tests revealed one outlier in X-VPN’s software.

The tool detected an unknown entity and displayed it as ‘Trojan Generic.’ This is the default label assigned to any software that VirusTotal doesn’t recognise.

Based on our testing, we can confirm that this software is unlikely to be malicious. There is nothing to indicate the presence of malware in any of the VPN’s apps.

X-VPN is safe to install on Windows.

We also scanned the Android app with the εxodus tool to see what trackers and permissions it implements:

A list of trackers found in X-VPN's Android app.

X-VPN uses an unnecessary amount of trackers on Android.

We’re not impressed with the amount of trackers X-VPN uses on Android. Its privacy policy does at least admit to collecting analytic data on mobile to: “help us understand users, plan product development and improve user experience.”

This is a poor excuse, other premium VPN services are able to maintain a high quality service without using any trackers.

The presence of advertisement trackers is also concerning. X-VPN’s privacy policy insists that these third-party services operate “independently” from the VPN service.

On this basis we can confirm that X-VPN is safe to use on Android, but not entirely private.

Limited Advanced Features

X-VPN’s extra features fall short of what we expect from a quality VPN service.

All X-VPN apps come equipped with a split tunneling feature called Application control, allowing you to select which applications enter the VPN tunnel, and a VPN kill switch. Although, both of these features are limited to the premium version.

The Android app exclusively has access to its own private browser. This allows you to browse the web on X-VPN’s own browser exempt from cookies and advertisement trackers. Frustratingly, this is also hidden behind a paywall.

Both mobile apps come with support for a proxy server that can be used to tether your VPN connection to a games console. This is another paid-only feature and we can’t recommend it on the basis of X-VPN’s fluctuating ping speeds and unconvincing logging policy.

Security Features We’d Like to See from X-VPN

X-VPN lacks the security features we expect from a premium VPN service. Here are some features we’d like to see X-VPN add:

  • Standard VPN protocols to improve the VPN’s security, speed performance, and overall trustworthiness.
  • First-party DNS to eliminate any DNS leaks and maintain your online anonymity.
  • Double VPN to reduce the likelihood of traffic correlation attacks.
  • Ad Blocker to ensure a smooth browsing experience free from ads.

Bypassing Web Censorship

No longer works in China

1.0/10
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).

X-VPN fails to connect to China on all of its protocols and servers. It also doesn’t support any obfuscated protocols or servers to help bypass censorship. We find it unlikely that X-VPN works in any restricted regions.

Ranked #40 out of 65 VPNs for Bypassing Web Censorship

In the past, X-VPN was one of the few VPNs that consistently bypassed the Great Firewall of China. Sadly, that’s not the case anymore.

We tested every protocol on multiple server locations nearby to China, but X-VPN failed to connect every time.

We contacted X-VPN’s support and were told: “Sorry, X-VPN does not work in China.”

Considering X-VPN’s lack of VPN obfuscation tools, we suspect it won’t work in other restricted countries such as Iran, UAE, and Russia.

Device & OS Compatibility

Simple custom VPN apps for wide range of devices

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.

X-VPN is capable of covering every device in your home. There’s a dedicated native app for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, a terminal command line for Linux, and router coverage for everything else. X-VPN also has a browser extension for Google Chrome.

Apps

You can download and install X-VPN on the following devices:

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

X-VPN has custom apps for:

  • Microsoft Windows
  • Apple macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux

X-VPN can be installed on five different devices simultaneously. Once this limit is reached you’ll be forced to change your password effectively logging you out of your other devices.

Games Consoles & Streaming Devices

X-VPN doesn’t have Smart DNS for streaming on consoles, but you can connect to a VPN hotspot on the mobile apps.

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

Alternatively, you can cover all devices in your household by installing X-VPN on your router.

This is only an option for specific types of routers, though, so be sure to check if yours is compatible before you take out a subscription.

The X-VPN website has setup guides for the following brands of router:

  • Asus
  • D-Link
  • Huawei
  • Linksys
  • TP-Link
  • Xiaomi

It also has flashed firmware for any routers that run OpenWrt, DD-Wrt, and Tomato.

You only have access to the following five VPN server locations on router:

  • US – Dallas
  • Hong Kong
  • United Kingdom
  • US – Netflix
  • New Zealand

Considering X-VPNs fluctuating connection speeds and dubious links to China we recommend using one of the best VPNs for gaming instead.

X-VPN also provides a native app for Amazon Fire TV users.

The main menu for X-VPN's Amazon Fire TV app.

X-VPN’s Amazon Fire TV App doesn’t come with any extra features.

The Fire TV app is very basic but you do have complete access to the X-VPN server network. We didn’t encounter any issues using the free or paid version of the Fire TV app but we would like to see X-VPN introduce a kill switch moving forward.

Browser Extensions

There’s an X-VPN browser extension for Google Chrome, but we don’t recommend using it.

  1. Chrome

We ran the extension through our in-depth testing process and found that although it did encrypt our traffic: our WebRTC, DNS, and geolocation were all leaked.

X-VPN's leak test results on Chrome.

X-VPN’s Chrome extension performed poorly in our tests.

WebRTC leaks are a web browser issue that exposes your true IP address. The best chrome VPN extensions block these leaks, but X-VPN’s fails to do so, putting your privacy at risk.

We also struggled to connect to some of the streaming-optimized servers. Most worryingly, we were unable to connect to a single US-Netflix server.

Ease of Use

Simple set up but lacks customization

8.3/10
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).

X-VPN is extremely easy to use, mostly because of its complete lack of extra features. The lack of information surrounding the protocols is frustrating but the apps themselves are straightforward. If you have experience with VPNs then you’ll likely find X-VPN extremely stripped-back.

Ranked #20 out of 65 VPNs for Ease of Use

X-VPN is really easy to use, at the expense of configurability.

In most cases, all you need to do is download the custom app for your device from X-VPN’s website, run through some installation prompts, select a server location, and connect.

The most complicated part of the apps are the protocol options. X-VPN doesn’t use standard VPN protocols and labels them from Protocol A to Protocol I.

You’re given no context about the protocols and it was only after contacting customer support we were informed that you need to connect to an Ultimate Line server to access Protocol K and a CF Line server to access Protocol M.

Desktop & Laptop (Windows & macOS)

X-VPN is threadbare on Windows and its ‘free’ version is confusing. You can either download a version of X-VPN directly from its website or through the Microsoft store. The former is equipped with 12 VPN protocols but its free data limit is exceeded by default (meaning you can’t use it) and the latter only has four protocols but you do have access to the 500MB data limit.

Regardless of which version you install you won’t be able to establish a VPN connection unless you upgrade to premium. Even if the free version of the app did work, a one-time data limit of 500MB isn’t enough to cover the most basic of activities.

The main menu for X-VPN's Windows client.

You must upgrade to the premium version on Windows to connect to a VPN server.

The main menu of the Windows app is identical to all other versions of X-VPN, a large connect button with the option to change VPN server and protocol below.

X-VPN’s macOS application is identical to Windows visually, however, the free version works and supports all 12 proprietary protocols.

X-VPN's apps for Windows and macOS

You’re restricted to a data limit of 500MB on X-VPN’s free macOS app which never renews once depleted. This is poor from X-VPN, most free versions of premium VPN services will renew their data allowances daily or monthly.

The paid version of X-VPN operates in the same way as the Windows app. The server network, protocols, and absence of advanced features, are all identical.

Mobile (iPhone & Android)

X-VPN’s Android app is its most developed, supporting the service’s full server network as well as several advanced features.

You can use the Android app for free, without any data limits, but you’re periodically disconnected without warning to restrict your usage. This puts your personal data at risk as the VPN kill switch is paywalled on Android, allowing your internet connection to continue unprotected.

On the paid version you have access to 13 VPN protocols, one more than Windows and macOS, as well as split tunneling.

There’s also a private browser on Android, which deletes your history, cookies, and session data every time you exit the app.

Using X-VPN's private browser feature on Android.

You can only use X-VPN’s private browser on Android.

You also have access to the VPN tethering feature on Android, allowing you to create a VPN hotspot for your games console.

X-VPN on iOS replicates the Android app in most departments, but lacks some of the more advanced features.

X-VPN's apps for Android and iOS

The iOS app is the only platform not to support split tunneling and its VPN kill switch is restricted to the premium version.

X-VPN Free's disconnection message on iOS.

There isn’t a data limit on iOS but your connection is constantly interrupted.

You can use X-VPN on iOS for free, but you’ll frequently be disconnected without warning to manage your data usage.

The server network is identical to Windows, macOS, and Android with the Boost Streaming button simply redirecting you to the streaming-optimized servers.

You can’t access the private browser feature on iOS but the paid version does support the VPN tethering feature for gamers.

Browser Extensions

On the bright side, we found that it takes no time to set up X-VPN’s browser extension for Google Chrome.

All you need to do is add it to your browser from the Chrome Web Store and log in. There aren’t any settings, so just choose a server and click the connect button.

X-VPN's browser extension for Google Chrome

We experienced WebRTC leaks while using the extension, though, so we advise against installing it.

Customer Support

Decent resources, unreliable live chat

8.6/10
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.

X-VPN live chat support is clearly not manned 24 hours-a-day, but it doesn't tell you that. Multiple times we spent hours sat waiting for a response, even when the chat window said that agents were online. The written resources are useful, with some popular topics covered, but are nowhere near as comprehensive as some rivals.

Ranked #11 out of 65 VPNs for Customer Support

Customer SupportAvailable in X-VPN
24/7 Email SupportNo
24/7 Live Chat SupportNo
ChatbotNo
EmailYes
Email Support via Online FormNo
Live Chat SupportYes
Online ResourcesNo
Tutorial VideosNo

X-VPN live chat support is not at all reliable.

We were told that live chat is available Monday to Saturday but even within those days we were left waiting hours for a response.

When an agent did eventually answer they lacked technical knowledge and asked us to send an email with our questions for the manager.

It took a couple of days for the manager to reply, and they still didn’t answer all of our questions.

X-VPN’s online resources are nothing special, either.

There are a few basic setup articles and some general FAQs, but it lacks troubleshooting and technical resources.

There seems to be quite a lot of information on the website that conflicts with what customer support told us, too. While it has clearly been updated recently (and is a big improvement on what it used to be) it still has a long way to go.

Price & Value

X-VPN is not worth the price

6.0/10
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.

X-VPN is overpriced. While it may offer some solid features and benefits, even at its cheapest monthly rate you could get almost any other VPN on the market - many of them much better than X-VPN.

Ranked #28 out of 65 VPNs for Price & Value

X-VPN is rather expensive, particularly because it doesn’t provide any long-term plans to bring the monthly price down.

There’s a one-month plan for $11.99, a six-month plan for $8.99, or a yearly plan for $5.99 a month.

In short, there are far better and cheaper VPNs available.

  1. Monthly

    $11.99/mo

    Billed $11.99 every month
  2. 6 Month(s)

    $8.99/mo

  3. 12 Month(s)

    $5.99/mo

    Billed $71.88 every 12 months
    Save 50%

Payment & Refund Options

  1. American Express
  2. Bitcoin
  3. Bitcoin Cash
  4. Mastercard
  5. Monero
  6. PayPal
  7. Visa
  8. Voucher

X-VPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you change your mind.

Just get in touch with live chat support to request a refund. The agent may ask you the reason for canceling the service but they will issue a refund, whatever the reason.

You can also try out X-VPN’s seven-day free trial but this will require your payment details to activate and will renew automatically once the trial period ends.

X-VPN accepts the standard payment methods like credit card and debit card, as well as PayPal.

You can also pay with cryptocurrencies through CoinPayments for more privacy, as well as via gift card.

The Bottom Line

X-VPN has potential, but it's not secure enough

X-VPN is not terrible, and gets some things right: it’s easy to use, it unblocks most streaming services, and has a huge server network.

However, it’s unclear what protocols the software uses to (often incorrectly) encrypt traffic, it logs too much data, and its owners have ties to China.

We’re also not impressed by X-VPN’s lack of obfuscation tools and subsequent failure to bypass the Great Firewall of China. We would also like to see an overall improvement to connection and torrenting speeds in the future.

We don’t recommend X-VPN Free at all. It doesn’t work on desktop and it’s limited to the nearest server location on mobile. The lack of a kill switch means it should be avoided at all costs.