With 25 years of software engineering and networking experience, JP oversees all technical aspects of our VPN testing process to ensure we review VPN software to the highest standard. JP developed our global, automated VPN speed testing framework and designing our advanced IP and DNS leak testing methodology. 

Callum leads the Top10VPN.com editorial team, overseeing all VPN reviews, advice and news. He’s an experienced VPN expert, technology journalist and former product testing professional at Which?. Callum is a passionate digital privacy advocate, and is a member of the IAPP and the EC Council’s Knowledge Review Committee. 

NordVPN

Private Internet Access

A premium high-performance VPN whose consistency outshines the competition.

full

ExpressVPN squre logo 2021

ExpressVPN’s helpful 24/7 live chat is the best in class. It means that if you ever have a problem, you’ll be back up and running as quickly as possible. There’s also a huge range of support guides, FAQs, video tutorials, and troubleshooting options <a href="https://www.expressvpn.com/support/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">available on the support website</a>.
ExpressVPN really is one of the most customer-focused VPN services we’ve reviewed, and the support team makes sure to keep you happy both before and after you’ve become a customer.
You can also reach out to customer support via email, with equally responsive, helpful and enthusiastic responses. The online help center is available in over 16 languages, too, which is an impressive commitment to support compared to other VPN services.
When experiencing a specific technical issue, it makes a big difference to receive a response that’s actually tailored to your message – so many VPN companies outsource their support to massive support centers packed full of agents who don’t actually know the product. That’s not the case with ExpressVPN.

As we mentioned above, ExpressVPN&#8217;s browser extensions are available for Chrome and Firefox web browsers.
They give you full protection that fully masks your web activity without you having to leave your browser window.
Installing the VPN extensions is really easy. Read our step-by-step setup guides for either <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/how-to-install-a-vpn-on-chrome/">Chrome</a> or <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/how-to-install-a-vpn-on-firefox/">Firefox</a>.
ExpressVPN has <a href="https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/expressvpn-adds-dark-mode-to-chrome-and-firefox-browser-extensions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently added dark mode</a> to its browser extensions, which is a nice plus for customization.

ExpressVPN is so easy to use that it’s hard to go wrong – not just with the main desktop client, but also with its mobile apps and browser extensions. Its VPN apps are among the best on the market – they’re easy to use, visually appealing, and they make protecting your privacy simple.
It took us less than five minutes to install the VPN application for our tests. Once you’ve chosen your subscription plan, simply create an account and enter your payment details. You’ll receive a confirmation email with a link and an activation code, which takes you straight to the installation guide for your device.
Once you’ve installed the application, the ExpressVPN home screen is simply a big on/off button and a list of VPN servers. If you want to customize your experience you can also find advanced settings behind a separate menu.
Even the advanced security options are explained in plain and easily-understood language, so you’ll never make changes without knowing exactly what you’re doing.
There are some small differences between the ExpressVPN apps on different platforms, though, so we have reviewed each one in the section below.
If you want a quick summary of the differences between ExpressVPN clients on different devices, just see the table below:
<div style="display: none;" data-table="1Oo8pai7Gj_8IEJ-kHVbLDFj_xJ7OtDeSw5lKpK7b-go|26892187"></div>
Here’s what ExpressVPN looks like on the each of the major desktop and mobile operating systems, and what the differences are between them:
<h3>Microsoft Windows</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-126901" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/05/Windows.png" alt="ExpressVPN homescreen on Windows" width="400" height="654" />
As is often the case with VPNs, the Windows app is the most complete ExpressVPN experience. It has all the tools and features an advanced VPN user could need while still being a very straightforward and easy-to-use app.
When you click on the server you currently have selected, a second window with a server list will pop up alongside it. Be sure not to miss the two tabs at the top: ‘Recommended’ is selected by default, but it doesn’t reveal the whole list to you. Be sure to click ‘All Locations’ to see the full list (or use the search bar to find a specific choice).
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-126907" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/05/Windows-2.png" alt="ExpressVPN settings screen on Windows" width="400" height="520" />
Other features not to be missed are the kill switch (look for ‘Network Lock’ under the General settings tab) and the protocol selection tab, which lets you experiment with different options – just make sure you don’t use L2TP (it even says within the app that it has weak security).
<h3>Apple MacOS</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-126898" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/05/MacOS-700x1043.png" alt="ExpressVPN homescreen on MacOS" width="400" height="596" />
If you’re a Mac user then you’re in luck – ExpressVPN’s MacOS app is practically identical to the Windows version. We’ve found that lots of VPN providers tend to put out a sub-par Mac app when compared to the flagship Windows app, but that’s not the case here.
The browser extensions (see below) work exactly as they would do if you were using the browser on Windows &#8211; the only issue for Mac users is that there’s no extension for Safari yet, which is something we want to see ExpressVPN remedy in the future.
<h3>Apple iOS</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-126892" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/05/iOS-700x1381.png" alt="ExpressVPN homescreen on iOS" width="400" height="789" />
ExpressVPN for iPhone and iPad is even more simplified than the desktop version.
It looks largely the same, however once you dive into the settings menu you’ll notice that there’s not really anything there.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-126895" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/05/iOS-2-700x1383.png" alt="ExpressVPN settings screen on iOS" width="400" height="791" />
You have the option to choose between OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols, a toggle for whether or not the VPN automatically reconnects if it loses connection, and a button to reinstall the VPN configuration if the app should stop working for any reason.
It’s obvious that ExpressVPN has decided to make its app a more streamlined and lightweight experience on mobile, but it would be nice for some of the extra features present on desktop to have made the leap across to iPhone.
The kill switch is the most notable absence of all, and it’s something we strongly believe is vital no matter what platform you’re on.
<h3>Google Android</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-126880" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/05/Android-700x1199.png" alt="ExpressVPN homescreen on Android" width="400" height="685" />
The ExpressVPN Android app has the exact same home screen as you’ll see on all its other apps, but when compared to its iOS cousin there’s a couple of differences that lie beyond it.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-126889" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/05/Android-2-700x1200.png" alt="ExpressVPN settings screen on Android" width="400" height="686" />
As we alluded to above, the main difference is the inclusion of a kill switch. With this feature enabled, you can use your smartphone safely with the confidence that your IP address will remain protected if your VPN connection drops.
You’ll find the kill switch at Settings &gt; Network Protection &gt; Block internet when unable to connect or reconnect to VPN.
The other useful feature on Android that’s missing on iOS is split-tunneling. Thanks to Android’s more customizable and open nature, you can choose which of your apps (if any) are routed outside of the VPN tunnel.
<h3>Ubuntu Linux</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-127135" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/05/Linux-Connection-700x481.png" alt="ExpressVPN running on Linux" width="700" height="481" />
Its strong performance on just about every other platform makes ExpressVPN’s Linux app especially disappointing.
In fact, ExpressVPN doesn’t even have a true app for Linux – there’s no GUI (graphical user interface) meaning that it runs straight from the console.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-127138" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/05/Linux-Server-Select-700x477.png" alt="How it looks choosing a server with ExpressVPN on Linux" width="700" height="477" />
If you’re a Linux user you’re likely used to this, and a bit more tech-savvy than most ExpressVPN users will be, but it’s still a big oversight. For the money you’re paying, you really should be receiving a fully-featured app.
Once you’ve installed ExpressVPN using standard Linux console commands, you can then choose to connect to the recommended server or see a full list of servers along with the console commands required to connect to them. You can also toggle Network Lock (the kill switch), change protocol, and instruct it to auto-connect at Linux startup.

How to Connect to a Server with ExpressVPN

How to Change Settings in ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is one of the only VPN services that still works in China, bypassing the country’s strict blocks on VPN traffic. This is thanks to the company’s investment of significant resources into outsmarting the Great Firewall of China.
Beating the Chinese web censors is incredibly difficult, and very few VPNs can do it reliably (or at all). Historically, ExpressVPN has been able to do it consistently, and that’s why it’s one of the <a href="/best-vpn/china/">highest-rated VPNs for China</a>.
We&#8217;ve found ExpressVPN is most likely to work in China when you run the newest app version, so make sure to update your app(s) before leaving for China.
The VPN service’s Hong Kong servers allow you to access Chinese TV and websites while outside of China, while servers in the rest of the world help users in China access digitally censored websites using <a href="/guides/vpn-glossary/#obfuscation">obfuscation</a>.
Obfuscation disguises your VPN traffic so that it looks like normal browsing data. This means the Great Firewall won’t identify your VPN traffic and block it, so you can browse without restrictions and unblock websites like Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Netflix, and more.
If you have protocol selection switched to Automatic, ExpressVPN’s proprietary obfuscation technology is activated by default. This means it’s able to beat aggressive state censors not just in China but also in countries like UAE, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.
<div id="attachment_126850" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-126850" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-126850" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/05/ExpressVPN-Greatfire-700x609.png" alt="A screenshot of ExpressVPN's performance in China according to Greatfire.org" width="700" height="609" />ExpressVPN performs at a level far above average when it comes to both average speeds and stability</div>
Greatfire.org’s ‘Circumvention Central’ keeps track of which online tools work in China. <a href="https://cc.greatfire.org/en/provider/ExpressVPN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">As you can see here</a>, ExpressVPN&#8217;s consistency is impressive. These numbers are based on dozens of tests a day over a number of different platforms. For this reason, we’re confident ExpressVPN will work for you in China.
However, as the main website is currently blocked by Chinese censors, you&#8217;ll need to find a working mirror site in order to sign up to the service if you’re already overseas.
If you’re already inside China and find that the company’s standard URL is blocked, ExpressVPN is one of the few services to also host its website on the Deep Web. Just <a href="https://www.torproject.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">download Tor Browser</a> and you can access ExpressVPN at http://expressobutiolem.onion/
ExpressVPN also recommends specific servers for users in China – just get in touch with <a href="/reviews/expressvpn/#review-support">customer support</a> (available 24/7) for updated information.

ExpressVPN is an extremely safe VPN service that uses the highest standard of encryption to secure your internet connections. By default, its apps use AES-256 bit encryption in combination with the OpenVPN protocol, a 4096-bit RSA key and SHA-512 HMAC authentication. This is the level of encryption that governments and banks recommend.
The VPN comes with advanced features such as a VPN kill switch, split tunneling, and TrustedServer – a proprietary technology that ensures your data is never written to the VPN server’s hard drive. During the course of our testing, we didn&#8217;t detect any data leaks.
What’s more, ExpressVPN runs its own private,zero-knowledge DNS servers. This means that your <a href="/guides/vpn-glossary/#dns-domain-name-system">DNS requests</a> (the websites you visit) are all handled and encrypted by ExpressVPN, not by your ISP or a third party. It’s an important step for a VPN provider to take, and one that only the very best services can offer.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-30305" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2018/12/ExpressVPN-advanced-settings-OPT.png" alt="" width="499" height="389" />
ExpressVPN&#8217;s very reliable VPN kill switch is called Network Lock. This feature stops your internet connection altogether in the unlikely event your VPN connection drops. In doing so, your true IP address is never exposed.
Unfortunately, Network Lock isn’t included in the iOS app, and it’s only available on Windows, MacOS, Linux, and Android (on which it’s called Network Protection). This is one area where we’d like to see ExpressVPN improve.
By default, ExpressVPN also uses Perfect Forward Secrecy, which adds another layer of protection by automatically creating a new encryption key for every session and then replacing it every 60 minutes. In very simple terms, this means that even if someone was able to intercept and decrypt your VPN connection, the most they would be able to get is 60 minutes of data.
If you want to learn more about the technical side of VPN security, you can read ExpressVPN&#8217;s <a href="https://www.expressvpn.com/what-is-vpn/vpn-encryption">useful guide to VPN encryption</a>.
ExpressVPN doesn’t have the widest selection of protocols we’ve seen. Instead, it focuses on the protocols you really need.
We’ve already mentioned how the app automatically chooses the best protocol for you, but you can choose manually between the following connection protocols, too:
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 192px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<th style="width: 25%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">Protocol</th>
<th style="width: 75%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">Description</th>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">UDP &#8211; OpenVPN</td>
<td style="width: 75%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">UDP is the fastest OpenVPN protocol. It has all of the security benefits of TCP, but is more reliable if you’re connecting to a server a long way away.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">TCP &#8211; OpenVPN</td>
<td style="width: 75%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">TCP is the other OpenVPN protocol. It prioritizes consistency over speed. It’s still fast, but it’s less likely to experience errors or lose data.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">IKEv2</td>
<td style="width: 75%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">IKEv2 is secure and sometimes faster than OpenVPN, so it&#8217;s worth trying if you&#8217;re looking for the best performance possible.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">L2TP &#8211; IPSec</td>
<td style="width: 75%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">L2TP/IPSec is an outdated and insecure protocol, and the only one ExpressVPN offers that we recommend you avoid.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Advanced Security Features</h3>
ExpressVPN doesn’t have the highest number of advanced security features on the market, but those it does have are extremely effective.
In 2020, ExpressVPN started rolling out its own proprietary protocol called Lightway. It uses the established cryptography library wolfSSL and meets the <a href="https://csrc.nist.gov/publications/detail/fips/140/2/final" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FIPS 140-2 standard requirements</a>. Lightway also uses less battery than other VPN protocols, since it is built using fewer lines of code.
Lightway performed very well in our preliminary speed and security tests, but we&#8217;re awaiting its full roll out in order to conduct further extensive tests.
Split tunneling is a powerful setting that you won’t find in many VPN services. It lets you decide which apps should use the VPN connection, and which ones shouldn&#8217;t.
While we always recommend you keep as many programs and devices as secure as possible, split tunneling can have practical uses – like with your wireless printer, for example. It can keep its connection to your network separate from the VPN, preventing connection issues.
In 2019 <a href="https://www.expressvpn.com/features/trustedserver" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ExpressVPN also launched TrustedServer</a>, a proprietary technology that removes the need for local storage such as hard disks or solid state drives. According to ExpressVPN, TrustedServer has the following security benefits:
<ul>
<li>Wipes all data with every reboot, as VPN servers run on RAM only</li>
<li>Servers never write to the hard drive, further minimizing data risk</li>
<li>The entire software stack is reinstalled on every server at startup</li>
<li>Allows ExpressVPN to know what’s running on every server, with no inconsistencies</li>
</ul>
If you’re a Tor user, ExpressVPN also supports Tor over VPN. This means you can use the VPN in combination with the Tor Network, but only your connection to the first node in the network is encrypted. If you’re interested in learning more you can find all you need to know in <a href="/guides/tor-vs-vpn/#how-to-use-tor-and-a-vpn-together" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our guide to Tor vs VPN</a>.
Finally, the fact that ExpressVPN has passed several security audits in 2018 and in 2019 is further evidence of how secure it really is. These audits are conducted by <a href="https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/pwc-audits-expressvpn-servers-to-confirm-essential-privacy-protections/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trusted third parties like PW</a>C and <a href="https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/browser-extension-audit-and-open-sourcing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cure53</a> and provide independent verification of the company’s commitment to its privacy policy.
All of ExpressVPN’s security practices are detailed publicly in its <a href="https://www.expressvpn.com/trust" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trust center</a>, and many of its applications are open-source.
Overall, ExpressVPN is one of the most technically secure personal VPN services available. It provides strong encryption and a wide suite of industry-leading features, ideal for both beginners and advanced users. If you’re looking for a VPN to hide your IP address and encrypt your data on public WiFi networks, ExpressVPN is a very good choice.
<h3>Does ExpressVPN Leak Your Data?</h3>
A leaking VPN will leave your online activity and identity visible to your ISP and other third-parties.
<div id="attachment_126829" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-126829" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-126829" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/05/Leak-Test-700x572.png" alt="A screenshot of ExpressVPN passing a leak test" width="700" height="572" />Browserleaks.com also confirmed ExpressVPN is very secure</div>
We ran ExpressVPN through IP, DNS, and WebRTC leak tests and it passed all tests with no leaks whatsoever. As you can see above, ExpressVPN concealed all of our personally-identifiable information, and our real UK IP address was hidden and replaced by a Swedish one.
<div id="attachment_126838" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-126838" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-126838" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/05/Antivirus-700x337.png" alt="A screenshot of VirusTotal.com proving that ExpressVPN.exe is not a virus" width="700" height="337" />ExpressVPN passed the scan and is not a virus &#8211; not that it was ever in doubt</div>
For this review, we also uploaded ExpressVPN.exe to <a href="https://www.virustotal.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VirusTotal.com</a>, a website designed to analyze suspicious applications for known malware. ExpressVPN’s results were totally clean, with no viruses detected.
As one final precaution, we also analyzed ExpressVPN using the <a href="https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/com.expressvpn.vpn/latest/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">εxodus tool</a>. It’s a specialist privacy auditing platform that checks for dangerous device permissions in Android apps.
We found that ExpressVPN’s trackers and permissions are all normal and above board. There is nothing intrusive or excessive in the ExpressVPN apps that you need to worry about.
The Android app has two trackers: Google CrashLytics and Google Firebase Analytics. Both of these are event-based data collection trackers, which help ExpressVPN understand how users interact with the app in order to respond to application crashes.
The following table shows all of ExpressVPN’s device permissions and what they mean:
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 192px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<th style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">Permission</th>
<th style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">Definition</th>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">Allows ExpressVPN to view your device’s network connections</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">ACCESS_WIFI_STATE</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">Allows ExpressVPN to view your device’s WiFi connections</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">FOREGROUND_SERVICE</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">Allows ExpressVPN to run as a foreground service</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">INTERNET</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">Grants ExpressVPN full network access (necessary for any VPN)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">Allows ExpressVPN to run at startup (if you decide to enable that option)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">VIBRATE</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">Allows ExpressVPN to control vibration (the app will sometimes vibrate for notifications)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">WAKE_LOCK</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">Prevents the device from sleeping</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">BILLING</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">Permits in-app purchases</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">RECEIVE</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">Allows ExpressVPN to receive messages from the Cloud</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">BIND_GET_INSTALL_REFERRER_SERVICE</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; text-align: left;">Tells ExpressVPN where and when the app was downloaded from if you discovered it via an advertising link</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

ExpressVPN is available on all major operating systems and devices including Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, Fire OS and Linux. Native firmware is also available for routers, as well as manual setup guides for Apple TV, PlayStation, Xbox and more.
On ExpressVPN’s website you will find <a href="https://www.expressvpn.com/support/vpn-setup/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">detailed setup instructions</a> for all of these platforms, as well as workarounds for devices where a custom VPN app isn’t available. The instructions are simple and clear, which means you’re unlikely to have any issues even if you’re a complete beginner.
You can use ExpressVPN on five different devices simultaneously with one subscription. It’s commonplace among VPN providers to set a limit, and five is a good number. If you need more, then you’ll need to install the VPN on your home router to enjoy unlimited connections.
ExpressVPN is compatible with <a href="https://www.expressvpn.com/vpn-software/vpn-router" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the following routers</a>:
<ul class="columns-2">
<li>Asus RT-AC56(U/R/S)</li>
<li>Asus RT-AC68U</li>
<li>Asus RT-AC87U</li>
<li>Linksys EA6200</li>
<li>Linksys WRT1200AC</li>
<li>Linksys WRT1900AC(S)</li>
<li>Linksys WRT3200ACM</li>
<li>Netgear R6300v2</li>
<li>Netgear R6700v3</li>
<li>Netgear Nighthawk R7000</li>
<li>Netgear Nighthawk R7000P</li>
</ul>
You can also manually set up the VPN on these router manufacturers:
<ul class="columns-2">
<li>Other Asus models</li>
<li>D-Link</li>
<li>DD-WRT</li>
<li>Netduma</li>
<li>Sabai</li>
<li>Tomato</li>
<li>TP-Link</li>
<li>Xiaomi</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/how-to-install-a-vpn-on-router/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read our latest VPN router setup guide</a> for easy step-by-step instructions. If you want to learn more about VPN routers in general, <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/what-is-a-vpn-router/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">head over to our VPN routers guide instead</a>.
There aren’t many VPNs out there that offer apps for so many different platforms, and to have ExpressVPN spell out its router compatibility so clearly is a really welcome help.

ExpressVPN provides full VPN browser extensions for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge. Currently, there is no browser add-on available for neither Safari nor Opera.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-30314" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2018/12/ExpressVPN-browser-extensions-OPT.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="305" />
Most of the VPN browser add-ons we review are proxies and not full VPNs, but ExpressVPN’s extensions are the real deal. It&#8217;s therefore unsurprising that <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/expressvpn-vpn-proxy-to-u/fgddmllnllkalaagkghckoinaemmogpe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">almost a million Chrome users</a> and <a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/expressvpn/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over 77,000 Firefox users</a> have installed ExpressVPN&#8217;s extensions.
The only drawback of ExpressVPN&#8217;s browser extensions is that the desktop application needs to be running at the same time. In reality, the browser add-ons act more like a remote control for the full app than a substitute for it.
This means you can easily switch between server locations and fully mask your web activity without having to leave your browser window, but you need to have the full program installed in order to use it.
Additionally, ExpressVPN’s extensions all use HTTPS Everywhere – a collaborative technology made by <a href="https://www.torproject.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Tor Project</a> and the <a href="https://www.eff.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Electronic Frontier Foundation</a> – which encrypts your browser’s communication with websites that still use unencrypted HTTP connections.
Installing the browser extension is simple, but if you want to be extra sure then you can follow our step-by-step setup guides for either <a href="/guides/how-to-install-a-vpn-on-chrome/">Chrome</a> or <a href="/guides/how-to-install-a-vpn-on-firefox/">Firefox</a>.
ExpressVPN has recently added <a href="https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/expressvpn-adds-dark-mode-to-chrome-and-firefox-browser-extensions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dark mode</a> to its browser extensions, which is a nice touch if you want it to match the rest of your OS, and you can also set it to automatically activate when you open your browser.

There’s not a single VPN available that can be installed directly onto Apple TV or games consoles, but ExpressVPN does the next best thing and provides detailed instructions and workarounds for setup on devices like your Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Chromecast.
ExpressVPN&#8217;s excellent router app and support means that it&#8217;s also the best choice for console gamers and streaming device fanatics looking to protect their devices as best they can.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-126853" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/05/Fire-TV-Stick-App-700x394.png" alt="A screenshot of ExpressVPN running on an Amazon Fire TV Stick" width="700" height="394" />
ExpressVPN is also one of the increasing number of VPNs to offer a VPN app for Amazon Fire TV Stick. It’s good, but it’s not our number one choice.
It was one of the first VPN apps available for Amazon Fire TV Stick, but it’s now looking dated and lacks some of the features that we enjoy in more recent Fire TV Stick VPN apps.
There’s clearly not been too much thought put into the design, as it looks just like an enlarged version of the Android app – not ideal considering it’s viewed on a television. The UI also hasn’t been adapted for the use of a remote, rather than touch, meaning it can be difficult to predict exactly what your next button press will do.
If you own a Fire TV Stick and want to use a VPN app with it, take a look at <a href="/best-vpn/firestick/">our latest recommendations</a>.
While it may not be our top pick for Fire TV Stick, ExpressVPN is our favorite VPN for other streaming devices, as well as gaming consoles like Xbox and PlayStation.
<h3>ExpressVPN MediaStreamer</h3>
For devices which don’t support dedicated VPN apps you can use ExpressVPN MediaStreamer, a SmartDNS service included in every subscription plan.
MediaStreamer makes unblocking streaming services like Hulu and HBO as easy as possible, but it doesn’t encrypt traffic on that device. That’s because it works by changing your device’s default DNS servers to ones run by ExpressVPN. This tricks streaming sites and apps into thinking that they’re communicating with a server in the country whose content you wish to unblock.
You can find <a href="https://www.expressvpn.com/support/vpn-setup/#streaming-media-consoles-setup" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MediaStreamer setup guides for dozens of devices here</a>.
If you want to secure all (or most) connections in your home, you should instead install ExpressVPN on your router. Otherwise, you can always tether the device in question to one which has the VPN is already running (for example, your computer or smartphone).

ExpressVPN operates more than 3,000 VPN servers spread across 160 cities in 94 countries around the world. This is one of the largest VPN server networks available, which means that no matter where you’re located you should have no trouble finding a VPN server near you.
You can access 51 specific city-level servers in the following locations:
<ul class="columns-2">
<li>Australia (4 different locations)</li>
<li>Brazil (2)</li>
<li>Canada (3)</li>
<li>France (2)</li>
<li>Germany (2)</li>
<li>Hong Kong (3)</li>
<li>India (2)</li>
<li>Italy (2)</li>
<li>Japan (3)</li>
<li>Netherlands (3)</li>
<li>Singapore (3)</li>
<li>Spain (2)</li>
<li>Switzerland (2)</li>
<li>UK (4)</li>
<li>US (14)</li>
</ul>
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-30296" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2018/12/ExpressVPN-server-list-OPT.png" alt="" width="350" height="522" />
ExpressVPN’s 14 different city-level locations in the US and four in Australia are some of the highest we’ve seen. There are plenty of servers available in Asia as well as several countries that aren’t typically available elsewhere. You can find the full list of servers along with the protocols they support <a href="https://www.expressvpn.com/vpn-server" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on the ExpressVPN website</a>.
Even if you only intend to connect to one specific server, this quantity and variety is still important. The more servers there are, the less likely they are to suffer from congestion. The fewer users there are on each server, the faster the speeds.
Servers on opposing ends of massive countries like the US, Canada, and Australia means that no citizen is left behind, either.
Every single ExpressVPN server supports OpenVPN, IPSec, and IKEv2 protocols. A handful support L2TP, although we would recommend you don’t use it even if you have the option. The same goes for PPTP, which is available on about 30% of ExpressVPN servers – it’s potentially unsafe.
Overall, ExpressVPN has a diverse global server network that gives users access to a wide variety of locations and IP addresses. While there are no servers specifically optimized for streaming or torrenting, we’ve found the vast majority of server locations work perfectly well and without congestion.
<h3>Does ExpressVPN Use Virtual Servers?</h3>
40 of ExpressVPN’s 160 server locations are virtual server locations.
A physical or ‘bare metal’ VPN server is a real, physical piece of equipment located in the country or city you wish to connect to. ExpressVPN’s server in Denver, Colorado for example, is really located somewhere within that city.
The vast majority of ExpressVPN’s servers are physical servers – that is, the server and the IP address it assigns are located in the same country.
Virtual server locations work differently, though. They still exist physically in one country, but they provide you with with an IP address from another country. They help to ensure that you can connect to countries where it is difficult to install physical equipment. You can <a href="https://www.expressvpn.com/support/troubleshooting/virtual-server-locations/#virtual-locations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">see the full list of them here</a>.
The example ExpressVPN gives on its website is Indonesia. When you connect to the server labelled Indonesia, you’re actually connecting to a server based in neighboring Singapore, which assigns you an Indonesian IP address.
Virtual server locations have no effect on unblocking content or bypassing geo-restrictions, as your IP address is still registered in the country you’ve chosen to connect to. However, if the physical location of the server is further from you than expected, it can have an impact on your connection speeds.
ExpressVPN is one of the few VPN services that is open and transparent about its use of virtual server locations to improve the diversity and accessibility of its network. To find out more about this lesser-known aspect of VPN services, you can read our <a href="/guides/vpn-servers-explained/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">guide to explaining VPN servers</a>.

ExpressVPN is currently the <a href="/best-vpn/netflix/">best VPN for Netflix</a>, as well as a great choice to unblock other streaming services. It bypasses geo-blocks from websites and apps like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video at fast speeds and with minimal buffering.
In our latest tests, ExpressVPN easily unlocked the US Netflix library through almost all of its US VPN servers – New York was the only server that didn’t work.
While ExpressVPN doesn’t have servers dedicated to streaming, unlike <a href="/reviews/cyberghost/">CyberGhost VPN</a>, this isn’t an issue. The vast majority of its servers work with streaming platforms. ExpressVPN lists many of the <a href="/goto/?type=prc&amp;name=expressvpn&amp;ref=5f11be8647b2b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">streaming services it can unblock</a> on its website.
The Isle of Man and Jersey servers still work well with UK Netflix, and two out of four UK servers unblock BBC iPlayer (as long as you’re located outside the UK). Beating BBC iPlayer&#8217;s VPN ban isn&#8217;t easy, and it may take a few tries for ExpressVPN to work. We recommend using ExpressVPN&#8217;s browser extensions and connecting to the either the London or Wembley servers. Scroll down to read more tips on how to unblock BBC iPlayer with ExpressVPN.
Going back to Netflix, ExpressVPN unlocks 19 different Netflix regions in a variety of different languages. Some of the most popular libraries ExpressVPN unblocks are:
<ul class="columns-2">
<li>Argentina</li>
<li>Australia</li>
<li>Brazil</li>
<li>Canada</li>
<li>Chile</li>
<li>Colombia</li>
<li>Egypt</li>
<li>France</li>
<li>Germany</li>
<li>Italy</li>
<li>Japan</li>
<li>Malaysia</li>
<li>Netherlands</li>
<li>Pakistan</li>
<li>Panama</li>
<li>Romania</li>
<li>Sweden</li>
<li>UK</li>
<li>US</li>
</ul>
Just connect to a server located in the same country as the Netflix library you want to watch and you’re good to go.
<div class="block-highlighted">
You can also use ExpressVPN to unblock other popular streaming services, including:
<ul class="styled columns-2">
<li>Amazon Prime Video</li>
<li>DAZN</li>
<li>Disney+</li>
<li>ESPN</li>
<li>HBO Max</li>
<li>Hulu</li>
<li>Now TV</li>
<li>Peacock</li>
<li>Sky</li>
<li>Sling TV</li>
</ul>
</div>
Not only does ExpressVPN unblock most popular streaming services around the world, its fast download speeds mean that streaming sports, movies and TV shows will be buffer-free.
<h3>How Do I Stream BBC iPlayer with ExpressVPN?</h3>
We&#8217;ve seen an influx of users having difficulty getting BBC iPlayer to work with ExpressVPN recently. Here are the options you have to get it working:
<ol class="coloured">
<li>Try connecting to a different UK server &#8211; sometimes getting a new IP will be enough to access the service.</li>
<li>Try the browser add-on &#8211; we&#8217;ve seen users connect to BBC iPlayer more often using this method.</li>
<li>Change protocol &#8211; unfortunately less secure protocols are often better for BBC iPlayer. If you are comfortable with weaker security, try PPTP (you should never use PPTP unless you have to).</li>
<li>Use MediaStreamer DNS &#8211; ExpressVPN&#8217;s smart DNS service isn&#8217;t a full VPN, but it works better for streaming iPlayer.</li>
</ol>

Torrenting and P2P traffic is unrestricted across ExpressVPN’s entire server network. There is no bandwidth limit or restriction on P2P activity, either. Combined with strong security and a zero-logs policy, this makes ExpressVPN <a href="/best-vpn/torrenting/">an excellent VPN for torrenting</a> and downloading files securely with absolutely no leaks.
There are no specific servers optimized for torrenting – instead, you can connect to any server in the network and use it to protect your P2P activity. This results in less server congestion, which means faster download speeds.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-127213" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/05/ExpressVPN-Torrenting.png" alt="A screenshot of ExpressVPN running at the same time as qBittorrent" width="700" height="515" />
We tested ExpressVPN with popular torrenting clients including qBittorrent, uTorrent, and Deluge. The VPN successfully hide our IP address without any additional setup and we <a href="/goto/?type=prc&amp;name=expressvpn&amp;ref=5fc9280cba012" target="_blank" rel="noopener">encourage torrenters to use ExpressVPN</a> alongside their torrent client of choice.
ExpressVPN isn’t just fast, it’s secure, too. Leak protection and a reliable kill switch called ‘Network Lock’ keep you anonymous even if your internet connection drops. These features are absolutely vital for torrenting and don’t require any manual setup whatsoever.
The advanced privacy features of ExpressVPN also mean that you can anonymously stream P2P-based Kodi addons and IPTV apps. For this reason, ExpressVPN is still one the <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/kodi/">most anonymous VPNs to use with Kodi</a>.
Strong encryption guarantees your torrented files will remain private, while advanced features like leak protection and split tunneling allow you to choose the apps and services you want to route through the VPN tunnel.
The only issue with using ExpressVPN for torrenting is that it doesn’t allow port forwarding. That means that while you can still technically upload or ‘seed’ torrent files, your speeds will be incredibly slow.
To learn more, read our <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/expressvpn-torrenting/">complete guide to torrenting with ExpressVPN</a>.

Simon conducts our research and investigations into VPN safety and digital privacy. His work examining free VPNs, identity theft, ISP overblocking, plus his VPN Risk Index series have been featured in over 700 publications worldwide including the BBC, CNet, Wired, and The Financial Times. 

ExpressVPN is a popular VPN used by millions, but it&#8217;s also one of the pricier VPN services on the market. For this ExpressVPN review, we tested all its applications to determine if the VPN service still as fast and secure as it’s been over the years, and ultimately if it&#8217;s still worth the extra money.
While ExpressVPN isn’t perfect, it certainly comes close to it. It does almost everything right and meets all of our criteria, including fast global speeds, strong security, great usability, and the ability to unblock US Netflix on almost any United States server.
In fact, ExpressVPN&#8217;s ability to bypass aggressive geo-blocks is exceptional. Aside from unblocking popular streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, it&#8217;s one of a handful of VPNs to consistently work in China.
ExpressVPN allows P2P traffic on all its 3,000+ global servers, meaning you can torrent files and stream Kodi without any restrictions whatsoever.
The VPN protects your internet traffic with AES 256-bit encryption and secure connection protocols like OpenVPN, IKEv2, and IPsec. ExpressVPN also comes with DNS, IPv6 and WebRTC leak protection, and a VPN kill switch to keep your real IP address hidden at all times.
ExpressVPN&#8217;s VPN software is one of the safest available. Its applications are also <a href="/reviews/expressvpn/#review-platform">well-designed and beginner-friendly</a>, with native versions for popular platforms like Windows, macOS, Android, iOS and Fire OS.
One improvement we’d like to see is <a href="/reviews/expressvpn/#review-jurisdiction">more transparency</a> from the company behind the VPN service. It’s also one of the most expensive VPNs out there – even on a 15-month plan it costs more than $6.50 per month. If you can afford it, we believe ExpressVPN is worth the premium price, though. You can always try it risk-free thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee.
Overall, <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/goto/?type=pr&amp;name=expressvpn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ExpressVPN</a> is a market-leading VPN that is a valuable tool for both entertainment, security and privacy. In fact, it&#8217;s our number one VPN of {{year}}.
<a class="button green-cta" href="https://www.top10vpn.com/vpn-comparison-tool/?providers=direct,expressvpn,nordvpn,cyberghost"> Compare ExpressVPN to its top rivals side-by-side</a>

ExpressVPN offers <a href="/goto/?type=prc&amp;name=expressvpn&amp;ref=5f11be863f4e8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three main subscription plans</a>, all of which include the same features. As usual, the longer you subscribe for, the cheaper the monthly cost – although you will have to pay the full subscription fee up front.
The monthly plan costs $12.95 per month, which is quite expensive compared to most competitors. An annual subscription costs $8.48 per month, while a six-month plan is priced at $10.18 per month. <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-cost/">These prices are above average for a VPN service</a>, but very reasonable considering the quality of the service.
ExpressVPN provides the same features on all of its price plans, so the only decision to make is how much you want to pay upfront and how much your subscription costs you per month.
We recommend you opt for a longer-term contract if you can afford to. A 15-month subscription plan gives you a 49% price reduction to the equivalent of $6.67 per month, which is the best subscription plan available.
While ExpressVPN is more expensive than rivals like NordVPN and CyberGhost, you get what you pay for – it’s fantastic value for the best all-round VPN service on the market.

ExpressVPN doesn’t have a free trial, but all subscriptions come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. This means you can <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/get-expressvpn-for-free/">try ExpressVPN for a month risk-free</a>, if you decide it isn’t for you – perfect for beginners.
To claim your refund simply contact the ExpressVPN support team. We found this process to be quick and easy with no questions asked. You can learn more about the 30-day money-back guarantee here.
There’s also a ‘Refer a Friend’ program which earns you a 30-day free ExpressVPN subscription for both you and the friend you convince to sign up – and there’s no limit to the number of friends you can refer.
When it comes to payment methods, ExpressVPN accepts just about everything. You can pay using conventional bank cards, such as:
<ul>
<li>Visa</li>
<li>Visa Electron</li>
<li>Mastercard</li>
<li>American Express</li>
<li>Discover</li>
<li>JCB</li>
<li>Diners Club</li>
</ul>
More modern payment methods, such as:
<ul>
<li>PayPal</li>
<li>Bitcoin</li>
</ul>
And international payment methods (via Paymentwall) which include:
<ul class="columns-2">
<li>Alipay</li>
<li>UnionPay</li>
<li>iDeal</li>
<li>Klarna</li>
<li>WebMoney</li>
<li>Giropay</li>
<li>Yandex.money</li>
<li>Interac</li>
<li>Mint</li>
<li>OneCard</li>
<li>SOFORT</li>
</ul>
The only thing we feel is missing is a few more cryptocurrency options –it would be nice to see coins like Ethereum or Bitcoin Cash accepted in the future. There are also a few VPN providers that accept postal cash payments, for ultra-private transactions – that would be a fantastic addition.

<div id="attachment_126814" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-126814" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-126814" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/05/Logging-Policy-700x350.png" alt="An excerpt from ExpressVPN's logging policy" width="700" height="350" />ExpressVPN makes it perfectly clear what information it does and does not log</div>
ExpressVPN doesn’t collect any personally-identifiable activity logs. Some connection data is kept including the date of the connection and your choice of server, but there is no record of your full IP address or online activity. <a href="https://www.expressvpn.com/privacy-policy#aggregate-statistics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Here’s all the information collected by ExpressVPN’s servers</a>:
<ul>
<li>Dates when connected to the VPN service</li>
<li>Choice of VPN server location</li>
<li>Total amount of data transferred per day</li>
</ul>
That’s it. ExpressVPN maintains that this is the minimum amount of information required in order to keep the performance of its servers as strong as possible.
We spoke to Harold Li VP of ExpressVPN about the VPN’s data retention policy and this is what he told us:
“. . . we do not have a publicly stated data retention period for these types of data . . . duration of retention varies based on the type of data . . . we never collect nor retain any data that could link an individual customer with specific activity on the VPN network. Customers can also request for their data to be deleted at any time, in line with their rights under the GDPR.”
While it’s disappointing not to know exactly how long this data is retained, the most important thing is that it cannot be used to identify you or what you do online.
All that’s possible to reveal is that you have used ExpressVPN’s service at some point. This is totally anonymous, and about as close to zero-logs as you will find.
A <a href="https://cdt.org/insight/unedited-answers-signals-of-trustworthy-vpns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2018 report by the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT)</a> questioned ExpressVPN in greater detail, and concluded that its servers were both “extremely difficult to compromise” and “limited in the amount of data that could be revealed” in the event that they were.
ExpressVPN’s logging policy was also put to the test in December 2017 when one of the service’s VPN servers was seized and inspected by Turkish authorities investigating the assassination of the Russian ambassador, Andrei Karlov. The investigators <a href="https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/expressvpn-statement-andrey-karlov-investigation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">couldn’t find any customer connection logs</a>.
It’s clear that ExpressVPN is a company with respect for user privacy, which means we can fully recommend it to anyone looking to use a VPN to protect their anonymity online. In short, your privacy is safe with ExpressVPN.
<h3>Who Owns ExpressVPN?</h3>
Very little is known about who owns ExpressVPN. The company behind the VPN service has made the decision to stay discreet and private in order to help keep itself and its users safe.
What is known publicly is that ExpressVPN was founded in 2009 and is <a href="https://www.dnb.com/business-directory/company-profiles.express_vpn_international_ltd.50c0b41823c011ff5fe695d3e21cc1a8.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">operated by Express VPN International Ltd.</a>, which is based in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) – far outside the intrusive <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/5-eyes-9-eyes-14-eyes/">14 Eyes surveillance alliance</a>.
The BVI is an excellent choice of location for a privacy-minded VPN company because the country has full sovereignty over its own data regulations. This means that outside governments or agencies cannot force ExpressVPN to surrender information.
ExpressVPN International Ltd. is only incorporated in the BVI to benefit from the safeguards the legal jurisdiction brings. In reality, ExpressVPN is a big company with offices around the world.
We regularly reach out to the company’s staff to find out more about how it works, and we’ve also spoken with its Vice President, Harold Li, on a number of occasions.
We believe VPN providers should be transparent about their management and interests, and would like to see greater transparency from ExpressVPN in the future. However, we also understand that its private nature helps it maintain such a strong and safe VPN service in censored regions like <a href="/reviews/expressvpn/#review-censorship">China</a>. ExpressVPN has also never complied with any data requests from national governments or authorities.

Pros & Cons

About & Logging

Speed & Reliability

Streaming & Torrenting

Encryption & Security

Censorship

Server Locations

Platforms & Devices

Pricing

Ease of Use

Customer Support

Do We Recommend ExpressVPN?

ExpressVPN

IPVanish VPN

We compared our download speeds before and after connecting to an ExpressVPN server near our physical location. This allows us to test how much ExpressVPN slows down our internet connection when connected to a local server. Here are our full results:
Download speed without ExpressVPN: 95.71Mbps
Download speed with ExpressVPN: 85.00Mbps
Our download speed loss when ExpressVPN is running: 11%
Our average download speed dropped from 95Mbps to 85Mbps when connected to a server in London, which works out as a percentage speed loss of just 11%. If you’re new to VPNs and are still unsure: that is a very impressive result. ExpressVPN had barely any impact on our download and upload speeds, and the ping stayed exactly the same.
You can expect similar percentage losses wherever you are in the world if you connect to a server near you.
This level of performance is even more impressive considering they were recorded during the UK COVID-19 lockdown, when more people than ever are using the internet and putting strain on the network.
An 8ms ping time is also excellent, especially if you’re gaming online. Lag can absolutely ruin a tense game of Fortnight or a crucial raid in World of Warcraft: the lower your ping time the less lag you’ll suffer from.
We run all of our ExpressVPN speed tests using OpenVPN. We find that it’s the best protocol for striking the balance between speed and security. You could potentially record even better speeds with ExpressVPN if you change protocols to IKEv2 – it’s still extremely safe, so you don’t need to worry about sacrificing your security while prioritizing speed.
<h3>International Speed Test Results</h3>
We also measured ExpressVPN’s average speeds when connecting to servers in countries around the world. Our objective here is to demonstrate how well ExpressVPN performs over long-distance connections (even if these places aren’t that far from you).
Here are our long-distance speed test results:
<ul>
<li>USA: 77Mbps (download) &amp; 40Mbps (upload)</li>
<li>Germany: 79Mbps (download) &amp; 66Mbps (upload)</li>
<li>Singapore: 73Mbps (download) &amp; 22Mbps (upload)</li>
<li>Australia: 59Mbps (download) &amp; 1Mbps (upload)</li>
</ul>
ExpressVPN is by far the fastest VPN on long-distance connections, something a lot of competing VPN services struggle with. Its performance in East Asia and Australia is particularly remarkable: even the best VPNs would usually only achieve around 20Mbps download speeds connecting there.
If you’re not connecting to a country for any specific reason and just want to use ExpressVPN for security, then you’re best off using the Smart Location feature. It’s a clever tool that picks a nearby server optimized for high speed and low latency – it’s the default option within the app, so it doesn’t require any configuration.
<h3>How Fast Is ExpressVPN Compared to Other VPNs?</h3>
The results that follow are taken from our custom VPN speed test tool.
It runs on a VPN server that we rent in New York, automatically, four times per day, with speeds capped at 100Mbps (a number similar to what you might get on your home internet connection).
It shows the VPN’s average speed loss compared to the connection with no VPN running. Results go back eight weeks, and you can see how it fared versus other popular VPNs.
<div style="display: none;" data-joyceparams="9863dfce-9f44"></div>
<a class="button green-cta" href="https://www.top10vpn.com/vpn-speed-test/?to=nyc&amp;from=nyc&amp;period=8w&amp;providers=direct,private-internet-access,expressvpn,nordvpn&amp;int=7&amp;chart=dl_speed_avg"> Use our Speed Test Tool to compare ExpressVPN&#8217;s speeds across different cities.</a>
Historically, ExpressVPN was exceptionally fast, and we&#8217;ve tended to see it as the benchmark to judge other VPNs against. But for the last six months at least it’s been outperformed by both NordVPN and <a href="/reviews/private-internet-access/">Private Internet Access</a>.
When it comes to upload speeds and ping, however, the picture is less clear: ExpressVPN has been similar to – sometimes better and sometimes worse than – its rivals.
ExpressVPN’s speed test results are very good. They’re just as strong on international connections, where ExpressVPN rarely drops below rivals like NordVPN, Private Internet Access, or IPVanish.

ProtonVPN

User-friendly VPN with a strong privacy focus. Good choice for streaming fans.

Windscribe logo

Customer support is an area where Windscribe sometimes falls behind the competition.
Windscribe’s customer support is missing live chat – it’s something we always look for in a top VPN (ideally it will be 24-hour, too). Instead, Windscribe has a seriously extensive <a href="https://windscribe.com/guides">online library of guides</a>, <a href="https://windscribe.com/faq">FAQs</a>, and even its own <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/windscribe/">subreddit and </a><a href="https://discord.com/invite/vpn" rel="noopener">discord</a><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/windscribe/"> server.</a>
Windscribe also provides an online support ticket submission and an automated chat agent, Garry, although we’d recommend you don’t waste your time with the latter as it generally isn’t that helpful.
It also only understands English, which is pretty underwhelming. At least a basic understanding of languages like Spanish or Mandarin Chinese would go a long way to helping Windscribe’s international audience.
<div id="attachment_115414" style="width: 478px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-115414" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-115414 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/02/windscribe-gary-chatbot-issues.png" alt="Windscribe's chat-bot gets confused by Spanish" width="468" height="392" />Garry tiene dificultad para entender español</div>
When you get stuck with the chatbot it will offer you the chance to “Talk to a Human.” This just puts you through to a ticket system, though.
Response time could be better, we found Windscribe generally got back to us within a day, though.

Windscribe’s custom apps are incredibly easy to use and do not compromise on the need for specific features that cater to serious VPN users.
The Windscribe home screen keeps it simple on both desktop and mobile, with a big on/off button and a list of VPN server locations. The advanced options are tucked away in their own menu, with users warned not to touch them “unless you know what you’re doing,” which we quite like.
<div style="display: none;" data-table="14B2sRonQ3gksKWEI12KD26aYtg-sD8stq4kxX1KBqSg|133827099"></div>
<h3>Windows</h3>
The Windows app is exceptionally well presented and easy to use. A central power button connects or disconnects the VPN, and you’re clearly shown which server you’ve connected to, alongside its IP address.
<div id="attachment_115441" style="width: 260px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-115441" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-115441 size-medium" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/02/windscribe-windows-app-250x331.png" alt="Screenshot of the Windscribe Windows client" width="250" height="331" />Windscribe on Windows</div>
There’s a country search bar, which is a must have feature for usability with a VPN that has as many options available as Windscribe does.
Advanced options are easy to find, too, in a drop-down menu at the top-left of the app.
Windscribe offers lots of space for customisation. You can toggle the latency display between the ping in ms or a meter from 0 to 3 bars. There’s also 25 language options available, which is a welcome option for accessibility.
You can toggle the app between window and tray, too, which we like (although we really prefer the window mode). You can also customise notifications and the order in which countries are listed within the app.
We’ve been told split tunneling is soon to be added to Windows, Mac and Linux; it will be a welcome addition.
<h3>MacOS</h3>
The Mac app differs slightly from the Windows app. It’s a menu bar app, rather than a standalone window.
<div id="attachment_115549" style="width: 415px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-115549" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-115549 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/02/windscribe-macos.png" alt="" width="405" height="277" />Windscribe on Mac</div>
Don’t mistake that for simplicity or poor design, though. The MacOS looks pretty similar to the Windows app, and has several of the same features &#8211; with the only notable absence being the “always on” option on PC.
Again, there’s a broad range of customization options available within the app. You can change the location order, toggle notifications on and off, and alter the appearance of server latency.
Unique to the MacOS app, you can hide the Windscribe icon from the dock &#8211; allowing the app to feel like it’s running passively in the background. This is a nice platform-specific touch.
<h3>Android</h3>
The Android app is the most complete of all of Windscribe’s apps. The only major feature it’s lacking is the “Firewall” kill switch. Although this is a significant omission, which we would like to see added.
<div id="attachment_115552" style="width: 260px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-115552" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-115552 size-medium" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/02/windscribe-android-250x497.png" alt="Windscribe on Android" width="250" height="497" />Windscribe on Android</div>
The app includes a network whitelisting option, which allows you to select certain networks for Windscribe not to activate over &#8211; such as your home network or other trusted network. We really like this addition for mobile, where you don’t always notice your phone moving between networks.
There are also Windscribe’s standard customization options: location order (which is particularly welcome on mobile), latency display, language choice and notification.
Unique to mobile, Windscribe has also included a dark/light mode toggle, although the impact of this is really minimal.
<h3>iOS</h3>
Like all of Windscribe’s apps, the iPhone and iPad app is easy to use and nicely laid out.
<div id="attachment_115555" style="width: 260px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-115555" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-115555" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/02/windscribe-ios-app-250x432.png" alt="Windscribe app on iOS" width="250" height="432" />Windscribe on iPhone</div>
You’ll get all the same customization options on iOS as on Android: location order, latency display, notifications, language and light/dark mode.
What you won’t get, however, is many of the advanced features available on the other apps. There isn’t a split tunneling feature, or the ability to set the app to “always on”, for instance.
There’s no stealth protocol, either, so you won’t be able to use the iOS app from censored regions.
Unlike the Android app, though, there is an all important kill switch, which means you don’t need to worry about being exposed if your VPN connection drops out.
<h3>Browser Extensions</h3>
We really like Windscribe’s browser add-ons. They come with an unusually large suite of features including ad and malware blocking, advanced leak protection and city level server selection (for Pro accounts).
As we’ve already mentioned, the Windscribe browser add-ons for Firefox and Chrome aren’t strictly speaking VPNs, they’re proxies.
Being proxies, these extensions won’t fully protect your data like a desktop VPN would, and they will only redirect the traffic from your browser window.
What it can do, however, is successfully spoof your location. There’s a long list of city or country level servers on offer, too.<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-88972 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2019/10/windscribe-app.png" alt="Screenshots of the Windscribe browser extension" width="779" height="539" />
The add-on comes with plenty of browser features, like the R.O.B.E.R.T. ad blocker, a firewall, and tools to prevent you from being tracked by advertisers online, such as “<a href="https://windscribe.com/features/cookie-monster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cookie Monster</a>” which keeps tabs on and even deletes first and third party cookies based on your preferences.
There are some advanced tools to help you spoof GPS location (Location Warp) and browser time (Time Warp), too.
You can even randomly allocate your user agent to prevent your browser from determining what OS and browser you are using.
This is a great suite of privacy- and security-focused tools which are easy to use thanks to a lightweight and intuitive user interface.
In theory, R.O.B.E.R.T. is what really distinguishes Windscribe’s browser plug-ins from those offered by competing VPNs. Very few can say they offer malware and phishing and ad protection, alongside the ability to add custom filters to control your internet experience.
The reality is, though, that you can get more utility from an open source add-on like <a href="https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">uBlock Origin</a>. Windscribe may beat out some other providers’ add-ons with its security features, but it doesn’t come close to dedicated free software.
There is also some limited integration with the desktop app – allowing you to view the status of, but not change, your device-wide VPN. We’re hoping Windscribe will move towards more complete integration in the future.
For now, though, if you’re looking for the best in privacy and security we still recommend using the desktop app alongside a <a href="/guides/best-private-browsers/">privacy-first browser setup</a>.
<h3>Smart TV</h3>
Windscribe also maintains a smart TV app for Android TV or Amazon Fire TV Stick.
Let’s start with the obvious: it’s ugly.
Compared to all of Windscribe’s other apps, the TV app looks bad and can be fiddly to use. You can filter locations down to just the Windflix servers, though &#8211; a good call for a TV VPN.
The app includes a split tunneling feature &#8211; called “split routing” &#8211; which we like. It allows you to apply the VPN to only certain apps on your smart TV.
In general, it comes with more features than we expected. You can toggle on/off LAN connections to other local devices or set it to connect when you boot your TV.
The app keeps local logs, which you can choose to send to Windscribe &#8211; presumably with troubleshooting in mind. We understand the value of this, but don’t love it from a privacy perspective.
By default it runs on OpenVPN UDP over port 443, and you can also connect via OpenVPN TCP, Stealth, and IKEv2.
This app clearly hasn’t been prioritized, though.
We don’t recommend picking Windscribe for this app specifically &#8211; see our list of the <a href="/best-vpn/firestick/">best VPNs for Fire TV Stick</a> &#8211; but it’s a bonus if you already have your heart set on Windscribe.

How to Connect to a Server with Windscribe

How to Change Settings in Windscribe

China and other countries with privacy-hostile censorship regimes are increasingly using technologies like <a href="/guides/vpn-glossary/#deep-packet-inspection-dpi">deep packet inspection (DPI)</a> to identify and block VPN traffic &#8211; preventing people from accessing the global internet.
Many VPNs &#8211; including Windscribe &#8211; have pushed back at this censorship but employing <a href="/guides/vpn-glossary/#obfuscation">obfuscation technologies</a>, which make it harder for censors to identify VPN traffic.
Windscribe uses a “Stealth protocol” to avoid detection by the censors. This protocol uses the <a href="https://www.stunnel.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">open-source algorithm Stunnel</a>, to route your OpenVPN traffic through an additional TLS tunnel.
We&#8217;ve seen this protocol working first-hand in China, using our Shanghai server. Windscribe allowed us to break out of China&#8217;s firewall without much issue. We can&#8217;t measure performance, though, so it&#8217;s hard to say how smoothly the VPN will run in China.
We were even able to use Windscribe Free in China, by connecting to the Hong Kong &gt; Victoria server.
If this doesn’t work, there’s also a Wstunnel mode which wraps OpenVPN in WebSocket instead of TLS. It’s nice that Windscribe gives you the ability to play around with which form of obfuscation you use &#8211; particularly as what works in China is known to change so frequently.
The <a href="https://windscribe.com/support/article/29/stealth-protocol-on-ios" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stealth protocol isn’t available at all on iOS</a>, which we would like to see change in the near future. This means you won&#8217;t be able to use your iPhone in China with Windscribe.
If you do try Windscribe in China, you’ll need to make sure you have it pre-installed on all your devices before you travel, though, as it’s blocked for download inside the country.
In other high-censorship countries with less effective censorship apparatus &#8211; like Saudi Arabia, the UAE or Turkey &#8211; Windscribe also looks to be a an effective solution.
<h3>Using Windscribe with Tor</h3>
If you are worried about your communication being surveilled by a government, employer or corporation, or you are looking to overcome censorship at any level (from your network administrator, ISP, or government), Tor can be a very useful tool.
<div id="attachment_95758" style="width: 1190px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-95758" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-95758 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2019/11/Asset-2-min.png" alt="Diagram of data passing through the Tor network" width="1180" height="582" />How your data passes through the Tor network.</div>
It works by routing your traffic through three random servers, giving you total anonymity &#8211; even from the Tor network itself.
Windscribe doesn’t have explicit Tor compatibility, but a basic Tor over VPN setup &#8211; where you open the Tor browser on a computer &#8211; is possible.
This comes with two benefits:
<ul>
<li>Your ISP or network manager won’t be able to see you’re accessing the Tor network, potentially helping you get around any government, workplace or campus bans</li>
<li>Were anything to go wrong with the Tor network, it would be Windscribe’s IP that would be exposed, not your own</li>
</ul>
But it also has some downsides &#8211; namely that using Tor with a VPN is not as totally anonymous as using it alone. You can read <a href="/guides/tor-vs-vpn/">our full Tor vs VPN guide to learn more</a>.

Windscribe is a solid choice for VPN security with no evidence of any faults occuring in the company&#8217;s past. It comes with lots of extra features and customization options too, great for novices and experienced users alike.
It is <a href="/guides/vpn-encryption-protocols/">encrypted with top cipher AES-256</a> and includes our preferred VPN protocol, OpenVPN, so your IP address remains hidden at all times.
There’s also a secure <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SHA-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SHA512</a> authentication key and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSA_(cryptosystem)">4096-bit RSA</a> encryption for the handshake, all considered the very best in security and privacy.
In the five years it&#8217;s been running, there is no evidence that Windscribe’s security has ever been compromised, server or client-side.
It also operates <a href="/guides/vpn-glossary/#perfect-forward-secrecy">Perfect Forward Secrecy</a>, a standard we want more VPN providers to adopt.
This means that encryption keys aren’t reused between sessions; even if someone got their hands on your private key, it becomes useless as soon as you disconnect.
Windscribe lets you choose between UDP and TCP OpenVPN connections. Each of these protocols comes with its own advantages. UDP is faster but less reliable, but TCP offers the most consistent connection.
If you’re gaming or making video calls, we recommend UDP. If you’re aren’t doing these things and you experience stability issues we recommend changing to TCP.
By default, Windscribe uses the IKEv2 protocol on all platforms. We like IKEv2 as a choice for mobile connections, but it is a proprietary protocol without the same tested security as OpenVPN.
Generally we prefer OpenVPN for desktop platforms, but IKEv2 isn’t a terrible default either. It’s pretty easy to change protocols in all the apps’ settings menus, too, which is good.
<div id="attachment_115384" style="width: 603px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-115384" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-115384 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/02/windscribe-settings-openVPN-IKEv2.png" alt="Screenshot of the Windscibe settings menu" width="593" height="655" />The Windscribe options menu on PC</div>
<a href="https://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1928.txt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SOCKS5 is also on offer</a>, an old favourite of torrenters but not a protocol we would recommend using.
We like Windscribe’s ‘Firewall’ feature, which serves the same purpose as a <a href="/guides/vpn-glossary/">VPN kill switch</a>, so you’re also protected against <a href="/guides/which-vpns-leak/">DNS and IP leaks</a> in case your internet connection drops. It operates in three modes: automatic, manual, and always on.
The applications boast lots of advanced security features including WebRTC protection (dubbed the “WebRTC slayer”), port forwarding, and double hop – which makes your Windscribe connection even more secure by bouncing it between two different VPN servers (at the cost of speed).
In addition to this, Windscribe also includes a split tunneling feature &#8211; dubbed “Split Personality” &#8211; which lets users route certain apps inside/outside of the VPN. This convenient feature is thankfully becoming more and more standard, as it helps keep users in direct control of their data flow.
Ultimately, Windscribe is an extremely safe VPN. We’d even go as far as to say it’s one of the most private and secure VPN services on the market.
<h3>IP, DNS, &#038; WebRTC Leak Tests</h3>
Why should you just trust that it’s safe? You shouldn’t.
We’ve put Windscribe through a leak test so you can see for yourself that it doesn’t leak.
<div id="attachment_69883" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-69883" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-69883 size-large" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2019/06/Screen-Shot-2019-06-14-at-12.18.03-700x510.png" alt="A screenshot of Windscribe passing all IP and DNS leak tests" width="700" height="510" />Browserleaks.com found Windscribe to be totally leak-free</div>
This was the result when we connected to a US server from our office in London, UK. The DNS, WebRTC, and IP address all show up as being in Boston, US.
There is no way that this information could be used to detect we are based in the UK, let alone our actual IP address.
<h3>R.O.B.E.R.T: Windscribe’s Security Suite</h3>
Windscribe provides its own ad-tracker and malware blocker called “<a href="https://windscribe.com/features/robert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">R.O.B.E.R.T.</a>,” which is integrated into its custom VPN apps. R.O.B.E.R.T. includes eight different blocklists, making it easy to customize your VPN profile to your needs.
R.O.B.E.R.T. is basically a DNS-level malware and ad blocker &#8211; an increasingly common offering from VPN providers. If you’re a fan of these things, Windscribe was one of the first to integrate such a service with its VPN.
It lets users choose from a list of content they’d like to block, including advertisements, trackers, and cryptominers. You can also block social networks, sexually explicit content, gambling websites, and more.
<div id="attachment_115387" style="width: 1010px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-115387" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-115387 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/02/windscribe-fake-news.png" alt="Screenshot of Windscribe ROBERT fake news claim" width="1000" height="281" />Windscribe&#8217;s &#8220;fake news&#8221; filter</div>
The system isn’t without problems, though: the “fake news” blocklist includes <a href="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/StevenBlack/hosts/master/extensions/fakenews/hosts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a few well known parody sites</a> like The Daily Mash, despite explicitly claiming not to block satire.
There’s more than a little irony in having a VPN service mistakenly block content.
You don’t have to turn-on the fake news block, of course. Generally we have found the other R.O.B.E.R.T. filters to function as expected.
At the risk of sounding flippant, though, all this isn’t really what VPN services are about. The functionality doesn’t hurt, but it also really isn’t necessary, and becomes little more than bloatware once turned off.
We generally recommend using established open-source add-ons to protect your browser from third party trackers and malware &#8211; you can <a href="/guides/best-private-browsers/">read our secure browser guide to learn more</a>.
Similar in this regard is <a href="https://windscribe.com/securelink" target="_blank" rel="noopener">secure.link</a>, a free URL shortening service offered by Windscribe. It’s a handy tool, but it doesn’t really have anything to do with the VPN service.
<h3>Malware &amp; Tracking</h3>
VPNs process huge amounts of data coming in and out of your device, so it’s really important they aren’t loaded up with any dangerous malware or viruses. To make sure Windscribe is clean, we ran the desktop application through a full virus and malware test.
Here are the results we got from Malwarebytes:
<div id="attachment_115390" style="width: 900px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-115390" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-115390 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/02/malwarebytes-scan.png" alt="Screenshot of our Windscribe Malwarebytes scan" width="890" height="659" />Malwarebytes scan of the Windscribe desktop app</div>
Windscribe came out 100% virus and malware free. This is a great result, and another piece of evidence that Windscribe is a trustworthy provider.
To double check the security and privacy of Windscribe across all platforms, we also ran it through the <a href="https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">εxodus tool</a>, which produces reports on the  trackers and permissions present in Android apps.
<div id="attachment_115363" style="width: 1161px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-115363" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-115363 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/02/exodus-windscribe-app-scan.png" alt="Screenshot of the Exodus report on the Windscribe Android app trackers and permissions" width="1151" height="600" />The Exodus report on the Windscribe Android app trackers and permissions</div>
We found that the Android app has two trackers: Google CrashLytics and Google Firebase Analytics. Neither of these are necessarily too concerning, they are both event-based data collection tools which will help Windscribe know how users interact with the app, and respond to issues like crashes. They also aren’t completely private, though.
To put both this in context, Windscribe has fewer trackers than the <a href="https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/com.nordvpn.android/latest/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NordVPN app</a>, the same number as in the <a href="https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/com.expressvpn.vpn/latest/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ExpressVPN app</a>, but more than the <a href="https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/com.astrill.astrillvpn/latest/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Astrill app</a>, which has none.
Windscribe comes out well here &#8211; <a href="https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/org.freevpn/latest/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Free VPN by FreeVPN.org contains a truly horrifying 28 trackers</a> &#8211; but we think all VPN providers should aspire to minimise or completely remove the trackers in their apps.
The εxodus report also reveals that the app asks for 14 permissions, two of which &#8211; GPS and network-based location &#8211; are considered ‘dangerous’ or ‘special’ in Google’s protection levels.
These could be explained as part of the fastest server function, but many other VPN apps with similar functions do not ask for such information. This is one area where Windscribe could earn trust by making their app open-source.

Windscribe has a custom VPN app for almost every platform and OS you could think of, and they’re all very user-friendly. The mobile apps have also recently undergone an update, and a good one too.
Apps for Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS are all available, plus apps for more niche platforms like Linux and Android TV, too. There are<a href="https://windscribe.com/guides" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> helpful setup guides</a> for all of these devices on Windscribe’s website.
As is often the case, the iOS app is more limited than the others. We’ll go over every app in detail in our <a href="/reviews/windscribe/#review-ease">Ease of Use</a> section.
Importantly, Windscribe allows unlimited simultaneous connections, meaning you and your family can all have the VPN running at the same time &#8211; a fairly unique offering among VPNs who generally impose device limits.
However, Windscribe doesn’t allow sharing your account with friends (or even strangers), and the company will ban users that violate its terms of use.
Connecting on a variety of platforms is easy, and Windscribe even has its own <a href="https://windscribe.com/features/config-generators" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Config Generators tool</a> &#8211; which automatically gives you the exact information you need for manual setups.
This is ideal if you want to connect a platform that isn’t officially supported by an app, including:
<ul>
<li>Amazon Fire TV</li>
<li>Kodi</li>
<li>Nvidia Shield</li>
</ul>
There&#8217;s currently a beta version of Windscribe 2.0 available, too. It has a visual overhaul and some new features. We don&#8217;t recommend everyone move ahead of the standard release, but it&#8217;s an option for more advanced users.

Windscribe has revamped its hugely popular (almost <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/windscribe-free-proxy-and/hnmpcagpplmpfojmgmnngilcnanddlhb/related" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1,000,000</a> installs) browser extension, and we’re impressed by the results.
This more comprehensive extension supports city-level server selection and malware and phishing blocks among other security extra like WebRTC blocking, location API spoofing, and website notification blocking.
Like most VPN browser extensions, this is strictly speaking <a href="/guides/proxy-vs-vpn/">a proxy not a VPN</a> – but Windscribe is <a href="https://windscribe.com/support/article/27/difference-between-desktop-app-and-browser-extension" target="_blank" rel="noopener">upfront about that fact</a>, which we like. These extensions provide a quick and simple way to connect to Windscribe from your browser window.

You can also <a href="/guides/how-to-install-a-vpn-on-router/">install Windscribe VPN on your router</a> &#8211; or buy a <a href="https://www.flashrouters.com/vpn-types/windscribe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">preconfigured router</a> &#8211; to protect all the internet-connected devices in your home at the same time. This includes devices such as <a href="/best-vpn/apple-tv/">Apple TV</a>, Microsoft Xbox One, Sony PlayStation 4, and many more.
There are dedicated Windscribe VPN apps for the Amazon Fire TV Stick and Kodi, too, which is still fairly rare to see.
The <a href="https://windscribe.com/guides/firetv" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fire TV Stick app</a> has a good array of features, including Windscribe&#8217;s full range of VPN servers and the ability to favorite your most used locations, plus some extra technical settings.

Windscribe has a diverse VPN server network of <a href="https://windscribe.com/features/large-network" target="_blank" rel="noopener">110 cities in {{number_countries-windscribe}} countries</a>. This is a big number which includes almost every region in the world.
East Asia is especially well represented, which is uncommon – there are Windscribe VPN servers in Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and more.
<div id="attachment_60959" style="width: 387px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-60959" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-60959 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2019/04/Windscribe-server-list-1.png" alt="Windscribe server list" width="377" height="567" />Windscribe&#8217;s server select screen</div>
Altogether Windscribe offers over 110 individual VPN locations, meaning you get city-level choice in a number of different countries. There are multiple servers in a number of locations, but you can choose your city within:
<ul>
<li>Australia (Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney)</li>
<li>Canada (Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver)</li>
<li>France (Marseilles, Paris)</li>
<li>India (Chennai, Indore, New Delhi)</li>
<li>Israel (Ashdod, Jerusalem)</li>
<li>Italy (Milan, Rome)</li>
<li>Russia (Moscow, Saint Petersburg)</li>
<li>Spain (Barcelona, Madrid)</li>
<li>UK (London, Manchester)</li>
<li>US Central (Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit, Louisville, New Orleans, Salt Lake City)</li>
<li>US East (Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Miami, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC)</li>
<li>US West (Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oregon, Phoenix, Portland, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Seattle)</li>
<li>Turkey (Bursa, Istanbul)</li>
</ul>
Unsurprisingly, there&#8217;s very good coverage of Canada here, with servers on both the East and West coast of the country.
We’re a little disappointed that Windscribe refuses to reveal the total number of individual VPN servers or IP addresses it maintains, though, and <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Windscribe/comments/a09txj/windscribe_doesnt_own_its_own_server_or_ip_address/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a number of its servers are rented</a> rather than owned outright &#8211; which could mean Windscribe play less of a role in their security than we would like.
We can presume that there are at least 110 of each, though.
Windscribe does claim that all of its servers are actually located where they say. Surprisingly, this often isn’t the case when VPNs have large server networks. HideMyAss!, for instance, has the largest server network we’ve seen, with “servers” in all but five of the world’s countries, but a huge number of them are actually located in the US and UK.
In Windscribe’s case, at least one of its servers lies about its locations: pinging the Troll Station, Antarctica server reveals it is actually physically located in Canada. We think this is probably a one-off, though &#8211; the server is called “Fake Antarctica,” after all.
The Windscribe website includes a <a href="https://windscribe.com/status" target="_blank" rel="noopener">neat page with real-time updates of server status and capacity</a>. This is great when you’re trying to find a quick server or want to troubleshoot a slow connection.
There’s also <a href="https://windscribe.com/features/static-ips" target="_blank" rel="noopener">static IP addresses</a> available in 13 different locations, which can make it easier for you to get consistent access to streaming services. With Windscribe this IP will be shared with about 10 other users.
A static IP connects you to the same IP every time you connect. This comes with a few benefits like reducing the chance of websites blacklisting your IP.
You can also choose between <a href="https://windscribe.com/staticips" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a datacenter or residential IP</a>. The residential IP is more expensive, but really improves the chance of streaming services working properly.
Since a residential IP makes you look more authentic, it also stops you seeing unnecessary captchas around the web.
An example where this comes in handy is Amazon Prime Video, which will log you out on desktop every time your IP address changes. With a residential IP your streaming experience becomes more seamless.

One of the biggest benefits of a VPN like Windscribe is that it can get you around geographical restrictions on content. It does this by masking your true IP address with one from the country you want to access.
This is great news for expats and fans of foreign TV or cinema alike.
Platforms like Netflix have caught on to this loop-hole, though, and made it more difficult for VPNs to connect to their services. In {{year}}, only the very best VPNs can consistently pull it off.
Windscribe does offer dedicated VPN ‘Windflix’ servers for streaming in various countries around the world. These servers are labelled as <a href="https://windscribe.com/features/windflix" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Windflix</a> in the server selection menu, and can be found in the US, the UK, and Canada.
These specific servers are now mostly redundent, though. After a <a href="https://twitter.com/windscribecom/status/1237816806863015936" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent update</a>, all Windscribe servers can be used for streaming &#8211; including the free servers. Which makes Windscribe <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/free-vpn-for-netflix/">the only truly free VPN that works well with Netflix</a>.
It works in all 10 free server locations, too. Which is super impressive.
We’ve tested streaming services, including Netflix, iPlayer, and YouTube, across all four of Windscribe&#8217;s streaming server locations.
We found that Windscribe reliably unblocks Netflix in all four Windflix countries: both the US and UK, as well as Canada and Japan (two locations we’re not used to seeing VPN providers commit to).
We’ve never had any issues testing Windscribe with Netflix UK or US, meaning you can watch these Netflix libraries in buffer-free Full HD. Moreover, we recently found that Windscribe can unblock over 40 international Netflix libraries, making Windscribe one of the <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/netflix/">very best VPNs for Netflix</a> right now.
To give you a good idea of what you can expect we’ve carried out special speed tests on all the Windflix servers from the UK.
The absolute value we are getting is not as important as the drop in speed we experience when using the server. This is because our 100Mbps connection has greater bandwidth than many home internet connections. Here are our results:
<div style="display: none;" data-table="14B2sRonQ3gksKWEI12KD26aYtg-sD8stq4kxX1KBqSg|770789119"></div>
For reference, <a href="https://help.netflix.com/en/node/306" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Netflix’s official internet speed recommendations</a> are 3Mbps for SD quality, 5Mbps for HD quality and 25Mbps for Ultra HD quality.
We don’t think these are 100% accurate  &#8211; they’re a bit low &#8211; but they do offer an indication of the quality you can expect.
Using Windscribe from our location in London we can expect to stream in HD or Ultra HD from the US, UK, and Canada libraries, and at least in SD from the Japanese Netflix library.
Windscribe’s US servers also work well for hassle-free access to Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, though.
Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to get Disney+ running on the US servers, so fans of the Mandalorian should look at an alternative VPN <a href="/reviews/surfshark/">like Surfshark</a>.
<div id="attachment_60962" style="width: 383px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-60962" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-60962 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2019/04/Windscribe-streaming-servers-1.png" alt="Windscribe streaming servers" width="373" height="563" />The Windflix servers in app</div>
We also tested Windscribe to see if it offers access to BBC iPlayer. We found that the browser proxy will get you access to BBC iPlayer, but the full VPN won’t always.
Even Windscribe’s dedicated server can’t always achieve this; it’s been on and off for a while now, but looks to be improving. Read our guide to the <a href="/best-vpn/bbc-iplayer/">best VPNs for BBC iPlayer</a> for a more reliable solution to streaming BBC videos.
The VPN unblocks geo-locked content on YouTube, though, which is a plus.
All in all, Windscribe Pro is a solid streaming VPN, if not <a href="/best-vpn/streaming/">the best</a>.
Uniquely, this doesn&#8217;t only apply to the Pro version. Since its recent update, Windscribe’s free VPN has also been successful at unlocking content.
We’ve also been successful in getting the free app to unblock geo-blocked YouTube videos, and we’ve found the free browser add-on pretty consistently unlocks BBC iPlayer, too.
<h3>Torrenting works well (but beware of Canada)</h3>
Windscribe is a good VPN for torrenting, too, as P2P activity is allowed on the majority of Windscribe’s servers worldwide, although not all servers are P2P-optimized. Servers which won’t work are marked with a “P2P” icon.
<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-115375 size-full aligncenter" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/02/windscribe-p2p.png" alt="Windscirbe P2P strikethrough symbol" width="532" height="56" />
The speeds are consistently good enough for torrenting, too, which is really important. What’s key here is that Windscribe distributes its P2P servers around the world, which maximizes your chances of getting good upload and download speeds.
This means you can seed as well as leech &#8211; just make sure you keep Windscribe active if your torrent client continues seeding in the background.
With a <a href="/reviews/windscribe/#review-jurisdiction">trustworthy logging policy</a> and <a href="/reviews/windscribe/#review-encryption">high-end security</a> (like the all-important kill switch) Windscribe won’t only ensure your downloads complete quickly, but securely, and anonymously, too.
If you’re new to torrenting, Windscribe has guides to setting up a SOCKS5 proxy with <a href="https://windscribe.com/guides/utorrent" target="_blank" rel="noopener">uTorrent</a>, <a href="https://windscribe.com/guides/deluge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Deluge</a>, <a href="https://windscribe.com/guides/qbittorrent" target="_blank" rel="noopener">qBittorrent</a>, and <a href="https://windscribe.com/guides/vuze" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VUZE</a>. These are useful, but both we and Windscribe recommend using the full desktop VPN client in conjunction with your torrent client for maximum privacy.
Another thing to stay aware of is Canada’s aggressive copyright laws. <a href="https://help.ncf.ca/Copyright_Infringement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fines for copyright infringement in Canada can be up to $5000</a> &#8211; so it’s a good idea to make sure you never fall foul of them.
When thinking about jurisdiction it’s always a good idea to keep in mind:
<ul>
<li>The location of the server you’re connected to</li>
<li>The jurisdiction under which your VPN provider operates</li>
</ul>
We haven’t seen any examples of <a href="https://www.eff.org/issues/copyright-trolls" target="_blank" rel="noopener">copyright trolls</a> getting their hands on Windscribe user data, but you should be aware that Canada is a country in which they have the upper hand, legally speaking.
When you do torrent using Windscribe, we definitely recommend against connecting to servers in Canada, the US, or the UK.

Windscribe is available as both a free and paid VPN. While the paid subscription (Windscribe Pro) is better, the free plan offers a generous 10GB data allowance, and we consider it <a href="/best-vpn/free/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">the best free VPN currently available</a>. In this Windscribe review, we put both versions of the VPN to the test.
Both versions of Windscribe VPN provide reliable same-country speeds, a diverse network of server locations, and a good selection of applications for Windows, Android, iOS, and Linux. On the premium version you’ll even get unlimited data.
<a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/goto/?type=pr&amp;name=windscribe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Windscribe Pro</a> is a great choice if you’re looking to torrent, <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/windscribe-netflix/">stream US Netflix</a>, and maintain good internet speeds for a reasonable price. The company behind Windscribe is also very transparent about its logging practices, although we would like to see an independent audit to verify its privacy and security offering.
Advanced features include an ad-tracker and malware blocker called R.O.B.E.R.T., which is integrated into the custom VPN apps. We’ll cover it in more detail <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/windscribe/#review-encryption">later on in this review</a>.
Windscribe Pro has a few weaknesses that prevent it from taking a really high position in the market: we found issues with long-distance speeds and customer support. The free version is really is as good as a free VPN gets, though.
We’ve run both versions of Windscribe through our comprehensive review process to discover if this VPN is a serious contender amongst more established VPN services.
<a class="button green-cta" href="https://www.top10vpn.com/vpn-comparison-tool/?providers=direct,windscribe,protonvpn,privatevpn"> Compare Windscribe to its top rivals side-by-side</a>

If you’d rather not pay at all you can actually get Windscribe for free &#8211; sort of. <a href="/reviews/windscribe/">Windscribe Free</a> is as good as free VPNs come, although it’s definitely not as good as premium Windscribe.
You can contact Garry the chatbot and ask for a free trial of Windscribe Pro, which lasts for two days and doesn&#8217;t require any payment details.
Otherwise, it&#8217;s a three-day, 10GB data-capped money-back period, which isn&#8217;t very long at all. Our roundup of the <a href="https://cms.top10vpn.com/editorial_round_up/free-trials/">best free trial VPNs</a> should be your first port of call if you&#8217;re looking to try before you buy.

Windscribe is a pretty good value VPN, particularly on the one year deal. It comes in cheaper than most the top-tier providers without having to sacrifice quality.
You have two options with Windscribe: pay for a month or pay for a year. The $9.00 cost of a single month is rather steep, but it comes all the way down to {{best_price-windscribe}} per month on a 12-month deal.
There’s also a ‘Build-a-Plan’ option, which allows users to purchase Windscribe server locations for $1 each per month. This means that if you only need to access one or two VPN servers, you can keep the monthly cost down to just a couple of dollars &#8211; an extra dollar gives you access to unlimited data and the full R.O.B.E.R.T. feature, too.
You get the same extensive set of features and servers regardless of how you choose to pay, as there’s only one tier of paid subscription: Windscribe Pro.
On top of this there’s <a href="https://windscribe.com/scribeforce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a customizable package called ScribeForce available</a>. This is essentially a corporate plan that allows you to build a subscription of a “per seat” basis for 5 or more team members, at a rate of $3.00 per seat, per month.
We really like that Windscribe has so many bespoke options available.
Of course, if you opt for the free plan you won’t need to pay anything at all &#8211; and you don’t need to enter payment details, either. Great for anonymity.

Windscribe accepts the usual range of payment methods including most popular credit and debit cards, PayPal and Bitcoin, as well as several international options through its partnership with Paymentwall.
Once you’ve signed up for a paid subscription, the refund period is just three days, and you’re only eligible if you’ve used more than 10GB of bandwidth, which isn’t all that much.
Windscribe can also take up to 30 days to refund your money into your account. This is a really restrictive returns policy. Our advice is to test out a free account before you subscribe to the service, instead.
<h3>Windscribe Free</h3>
As we mentioned right at the top of this review, Windscribe also has a free plan available.
Its free plan is one of the best we’ve seen, and a great way to try out Windscribe before commiting to a subscription.
The plan comes with <a href="https://windscribe.com/features/large-network" target="_blank" rel="noopener">servers in 10 of Windscribe’s 63 countries</a> and a 10GB monthly data cap.
Using a free Windscribe account you can connect to:
<ul>
<li>Canada</li>
<li>France</li>
<li>Germany</li>
<li>Hong Kong</li>
<li>Netherlands</li>
<li>Norway</li>
<li>Romania</li>
<li>Switzerland</li>
<li>UK</li>
<li>US</li>
</ul>
The data cap is actually pretty generous for an ad-free, free VPN. This is one of the reasons Windscribe’s free plan is our favorite free VPN.
You might find the performance isn’t quite as good on the free version, either. When we tested, the free app consistently performed slightly slower than the Pro alternative, even when connected to the same server.
The free version of R.O.B.E.R.T. only gives you access to the Malware block list, but this is the most useful feature in the blocking suite anyway.
Beside these absent advanced features, though, you get access to the same service as the paid version. The biggest drawback is that you won’t be able to access Windscribe’s streaming Windflix servers.
Depending on your needs you might even be able to use Windscribe Free long term, but we expect most users will want to upgrade to the premium subscription for faster servers, streaming, unlimited data and all Windscribe’s advanced features.

Windscribe keeps <a href="https://windscribe.com/features/no-logs/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">minimal logs</a> for maintenance purposes. This isn’t ideal, particularly considering its Canada jurisdiction &#8211; we know other providers are able to work with less, and we’d like to see Windscribe do the same.
That said, the data kept by Windscribe cannot be used to identify you, or retroactively match your activity back to you.
Windscribe logs the following information:
<ul>
<li>The amount of data transferred in the past 30 days</li>
<li>A timestamp of your last activity on the Windscribe VPN network</li>
<li>The number of simultaneous connections on your account</li>
<li>Your OpenVPN or IKEv2 username (until the end of your session)</li>
<li>The time you connected (until the end of your session)</li>
</ul>
Windscribe collects this information to ensure that its VPN service runs smoothly. However, there is nothing in the above data that could be used to personally identify you once you have disconnected from the server.
According to Windscribe, your username and connection time are also stored in the server’s RAM, which means they will be deleted by design as soon as you end your session.
Windscribe does not log:
<ul>
<li>Your originating IP address</li>
<li>Browsing activity data</li>
</ul>
Yegor Sak, the company’s co-founder, has published a <a href="https://blog.windscribe.com/windscribe-logging-explained-in-detail-387ad63f646" target="_blank" rel="noopener">detailed explanation that covers</a> exactly what data is collected when you use the Windscribe VPN apps &#8211; a nice gesture to transparency.
You can also find more information in <a href="https://windscribe.com/privacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Windscribe’s privacy policy.</a>
With an independent external audit, we would find this explanation wholly satisfactory.
<h3>Based in Canada</h3>
Windscribe is located in Canada, which is part of the <a href="/guides/5-eyes-9-eyes-14-eyes/">Five Eyes data-sharing alliance</a>. It has a public PO address, but has kept the exact location of it&#8217;s Toronto office private.
The CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service)<a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-in-spite-of-past-warnings-csis-continues-to-harvest-troves-of-data-on/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> collects frightening amounts of personal user data</a> to track and identify people of interest. Under the <a href="https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/41-1/bill/C-11/royal-assent" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Copyright Modernization Act</a>, Canadian ISPs must log user data for six months, although it is not clear if VPN providers have been compelled to adopt similar practices.
Usually, this would be very concerning, but because of Windscribe’s minimal VPN logging policy it’s much less worrying.
<a href="https://blog.windscribe.com/i-doesnt-matter-how-many-eyes-you-have-66f59fc1e777" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Windscribe greatly downplays</a> the importance of a VPN’s jurisdiction. While we agree with several points raised by Windscribe, it’s still much safer for a VPN company to be based in a jurisdiction that isn’t legally obliged to hand over company information to authorities, particularly foreign ones like the US.
Nevertheless, <a href="https://windscribe.com/transparency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Windscribe maintains a page</a> documenting the DMCA requests and law enforcement data requests it has received since 2018.
<div id="attachment_115369" style="width: 1190px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-115369" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-115369 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/02/windscribe-transparency-report.png" alt="Tables of DMCA requrests and Law Enforcement requests received by Windscribe" width="1180" height="458" />Data from the Windscribe transparency report</div>
This is a positive step towards transparency, but means nothing without an independent external audit of the process.
Windscribe claims that it only stores connection information in the server’s RAM, and that that information is lost by design whenever a session ends.
Beyond this, it claims, since no browsing history, timestamps, or IP addresses are stored, it would be impossible for Windscribe to hand over information to companies or governments.
We only have Windscribe’s word that it doesn’t log more (inadvertently or on purpose), and if it were to, it would be conceivable that the Canadian authorities might get access to that data.
If the server setup is as Windscribe describes, and the data published on its transparency is accurate, we will be much more positive about Windscribe’s logging policies.
But for now &#8211; without an audit or any evidence beyond some graphs on its website &#8211; Windscribe’s claim that “exactly zero requests were complied with due to lack of relevant data” is meaningless.

Logging & Jurisdiction

Bypassing Censorship

Live Chat & Support

Do We Recommend this Windscribe?

Downloads are quick enough for HD streaming and speedy multiple file downloads, peaking at just under 70Mbps in the UK and averaging at around 40-50Mbps throughout the rest of Europe (we test from London).
We found latency to be fairly average, coming in at 18ms on same-country connections, while uploads are similar to downloads in that they’re very quick on local connections, with speeds of up to 61Mbps on local connections. This makes Windscribe a great option for torrenters.
If you&#8217;d like to find out more about how we conduct our speed tests, take a look at our guide to <a href="/guides/how-we-review-vpns/" rel="noopener">How We Review VPNs</a>.

Windscribe VPN

By comparing our connection speeds before and after connecting to a nearby VPN server, we’re able to see exactly how much Windscribe slows our connection when connected to local server.
The speed results were positive, some of the best we&#8217;ve seen, with an average speed loss of just 5%. This is the type of performance you can expect when connecting to a Windscribe server near your physical location.
Here are the full local speed test results:
<ul>
<li>Download speed without Windscribe: 100.45Mbps</li>
<li>Download speed with Windscribe: 94.72Mbps</li>
<li>Our download speed loss when Windscribe is running: 5%</li>
</ul>
It’s also very reliable VPN service – we didn’t experience any connection drops while connected to the servers, and speeds were very consistent from one test to the next.
This means that Windscribe should comfortably handle anything you’re planning on doing online, even with multiple devices connected to the VPN at once.
It isn&#8217;t quite the fastest VPN we&#8217;ve tested, though. If you want the absolute fastest VPN out there, though, then you should consider choosing an option from <a href="/best-vpn/fastest-vpn/">our list of the fastest VPNs</a>.
Ping times on short-distance connections of 12ms isn’t the best we’ve seen, either. This means there might be better choices available for gamers, particularly in online games where low ping is really important.
On the other hand, Windscribe’s maximum upload speeds of 93Mbps should keep torrenters satisfied, allowing them to seed easily.
We currently test speeds using the OpenVPN protocol, as this is widely available among VPN services and therefore helps us maintain a high level of consistency in our results.
Windscribe’s apps, however, default on startup to IKEv2, which it claims is the best protocol, so you could see slightly faster speeds if you connect this way.
If you’d like to know more about how we test VPN performance, take a look at our <a href="/about/how-we-review-vpns/#speed-anchor">VPN speed testing methodology</a>.
<h3>Global Speed Tests</h3>
In addition to local speeds, we tested the speed of the connection between our office in London and Windscribe VPN servers world-wide.
The results were less consistent than our local tests: Windscribe performed fine, but simply didn’t match up to the very best long-distance providers.
These are the average speeds you can expect when connecting out from the UK to these international locations with Windscribe:
<ul>
<li>USA: 68Mbps (download) &amp; 73Mbps (upload)</li>
<li>Germany: 85Mbps (download) &amp; 86Mbps (upload)</li>
<li>Singapore: 4Mbps (download) &amp; 14Mbps (upload)</li>
<li>Australia: 9Mbps (download) &amp; 24Mbps (upload)</li>
</ul>
These speeds will be enough for most users, but don’t expect to be streaming video from Asia in Europe without issues.
<h3>How Fast Is Windscribe Compared to Other VPNs?</h3>
The results that follow are taken from our custom VPN speed test tool.
We run speed tests automatically four times per day on a standard 100Mbps connection (a standard speed for home internet).
Here are our results from the last eight weeks on our New York server.
<div style="display: none;" data-joyceparams="550cd205-e4d0"></div>
<a class="button green-cta" href="https://www.top10vpn.com/vpn-speed-test/?to=nyc&amp;from=nyc&amp;period=8w&amp;providers=direct,windscribe,expressvpn,nordvpn&amp;int=7&amp;chart=dl_speed_avg"> Use our Speed Test Tool to compare Windscribe&#8217;s speeds across different cities.</a>
Windscribe hasn&#8217;t performed as fast as top competitors recently. On our New York to New York connection it caused a 30% download speed drop, compared to under 10% from NordVPN.

Streamlined VPN for beginners looking to browse and stream securely.

surfshark-logo-vertical

Surfshark offers fast, friendly, and helpful customer support with 24/7 live chat and a ticketing system available. There’s also an <a href="https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online help section</a> featuring installation guides, troubleshooting, an FAQ, and knowledgebase, which has everything from setup tutorials to billing information. There’s also the option to send an email, if you’d prefer.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-119185 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Customer-Support.png" alt="" width="2552" height="1120" />
Customer service is an incredibly important part of any premium VPN service. Many VPNs still don’t have a live chat feature, and even fewer have it available 24/7. For this reason, Surfshark’s efficient customer support is a huge advantage.
To access Surfshark’s live chat simply head to the website and click the Chat icon in the bottom right corner of the page. We found their customer support team to be fast and informative, and we got an answer to our query in under a minute.
However, technical questions might take a little longer. When we asked about ChaCha encryption, our support agent took a while to respond and their answer was lacking in detail. If you have a particularly technical question, we&#8217;d recommend using Surfshark&#8217;s email ticketing system instead.

Surfshark’s native applications are well-designed, functional, and reasonably easy to use. The interfaces are clear and, even if you&#8217;re new to VPNs, you should have little trouble using Surfshark’s advanced features.
There are also plenty of customization tools to personalize your VPN experience, including language change, auto-connect, status notifications, ‘Dark Mode’, and ‘Mini Mode’.
All of the native apps have an automatic kill switch, NoBorders mode, MultiHop, and CleanWeb. However, there are some differences between platforms, with some features present on certain devices and not others.
Each platform presents Surfshark’s server types in a different way, which can be confusing. We’d like to see more consistency between native applications as well as the option to view server load and streaming-optimized servers on all platforms.
<h3>Surfshark&#8217;s Windows Client</h3>
Surfshark offers a standard looking Windows app with simple navigation options on the left-hand-side. The main dashboard features a large connection button and a list of your most recent country connections.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-119233 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Surfshark-1.png" alt="" width="725" height="800" />
The menu is a sidebar condensed to just a few options: main screen, locations, settings, and features. A Quick Connect button is also available to automatically connect you to the most optimal server based on your location.
Surfshark provides a clear list of server locations and a search bar to help you quickly find the server you want. Windows users will see options for static IP servers, virtual servers, and MultiHop, and there’s also a favorites system to manage the locations you most commonly connect to. Unlike the Mac client, there is no easily accessible list of P2P servers on the Windows app. You have to use the Smart Search and click the P2P option.<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-119179 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Surfshark-locations-search.png" alt="" width="710" height="790" />Windows users do benefit from added customization options, including the ability to go into Dark Mode and Mini Mode.
You can change the basic menu to a smaller app window by right-clicking the system tray icon. From this smaller window, you can quickly connect to the fastest server or choose your most recent location without having to open the full interface.
The choice to switch between protocols (including OpenVPN) is also made simple on the Windows app, with a drop-down menu in the app Settings.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-119104 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Surfshark-Windows-Protocols.png" alt="" width="1040" height="800" />
Overall, Surfshark’s Windows application is nicely designed and easy to navigate. In the location section, we’d like to see an indication of server load or ping times for city-level servers so users can easily find the best-performing server for their location.
<h3>Surfshark&#8217;s MacOS Client</h3>
Surfshark’s Mac application is similar, but the locations are listed as an even simpler side menu for navigation. You’ll also see options between Physical&lt;/b, Virtual, P2P and MultiHop servers made much more prominent compared to Windows.
The Settings menu just above the servers is also nicely presented on Mac. The Features menu gives you one-button access to tools such as HackLock and BlindSearch, which means they’re never too far away. This type of access is exclusive to the MacOS client ‒ if you’re a Windows user you’ll have to navigate to the Surfshark website to find these tools.
<h3>Surfhshark&#8217;s Android &amp; iOS Apps</h3>
Surfshark’s mobile apps are also attractive and easy to use. The user interface is deceptively simple, with most of the important features lined up at the bottom of the screen. All of the features and functions work well on mobile devices for both Android and iOS.
Surfshark&#8217;s mobile VPN offerings are similar to its desktop counterparts, which is rare. The interface is the same and it includes many of the same advanced features, including CleanWeb, split tunneling via the Whitelister feature, and multihop connections. It runs OpenVPN/IKEv2 and Shadowsocks protocols and comes with a kill switch to protect you if the VPN connection drops.
As mentioned earlier, the Android app also comes with a GPS spoofing feature, as well as a &#8216;use small packets&#8217; setting to improve network performance.

Surfshark has clearly put a lot of work into bypassing aggressive online censorship. We can confirm that it&#8217;s currently one of the best VPNs to circumvent VPN blocks in countries like China, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Its additional anonymity features such as Camouflage Mode and NoBorders Mode, plus its Shadowsocks proxy, allow Surfshark to work reliably in highly-censored countries.
<a href="https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us/articles/360008344799-What-is-Camouflage-mode-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Camouflage Mode</a> is an obfuscation tool designed to make your VPN traffic appear as normal traffic, disguising your VPN usage from ISPs and thereby eluding web censors. This feature is automatically activated whenever you connect with the OpenVPN (TCP or UDP) protocol, and is the main reason why Surfshark works in high censorship nations.
The <a href="https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us/articles/360010423359-What-is-NoBorders-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NoBorders Mode</a> is a tool designed specifically to beat internet restrictions and censorship. This feature detects when you’re connected to a restricted network or in a censored country, and automatically redirects your traffic elsewhere.
<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-119173 aligncenter" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Surfshark-No-Borders.png" alt="" width="758" height="948" />
Surfshark also uses <a href="https://shadowsocks.org/en/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ShadowSocks</a>, also called SOCKS5. This is an open-source encrypted proxy, usually used by torrenters, that can often bypass strict web censorship in countries like China. However, ShadowSocks requires manual configuration on most devices. Here are helpful online guides on how to do this for <a href="https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us/articles/360026023133-How-to-set-up-Surfshark-Shadowsocks-protocol-on-Android" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Android</a>, <a href="https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us/articles/360026019633-How-to-set-up-Surfshark-Shadowsocks-protocol-on-MacOS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MacOS</a>, and <a href="https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us/articles/360025878774-How-to-set-up-Surfshark-Shadowsocks-protocol-on-Windows" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Windows</a>.
You can also use Surfshark and the Tor Browser at the same time for extra anonymity, which is useful against censorship. To do this, connect to a server first and then launch your Tor browser. However, it’s worth remembering that combining both tools will reduce your internet speeds significantly. You can find out more about using Tor with a VPN in our <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/tor-vs-vpn/">Tor vs. VPN guide&lt;</a>.

Surfshark includes all of the essential security features you would expect from a top-tier service. This includes robust encryption, a selection of secure protocols, leak protection, and an automatic kill switch on all native applications. We also found no evidence of IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks.
AES-256 encryption is used on all platforms, with ChaCha encryption also available for Android users. IKEv2 is the default protocol used on all apps, though you can choose OpenVPN in the settings menu. The Windows, Android, iOS and Mac apps also allow you to choose between TCP and UDP OpenVPN connections. Like many other providers, Surfshark also <a href="https://surfshark.com/blog/wireguard-protocol-is-now-live-on-surfshark" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduced its patched WireGuard protocol</a> recently, which has much less bandwidth overhead than OpenVPN.
Windows users also have access to the Shadowsocks (SOCKS5) proxy. This is another helpful tool to help users bypass internet censorship in countries like China and Russia.
Furthermore, Surfshark is filled with <a href="https://surfshark.com/features" target="_blank" rel="noopener">advanced security features</a> built to enhance your experience and safeguard your data. Surfshark’s advanced security features include:
<ul>
<li>BlindSearch is a private search engine designed to allow users to search the web with no ads or trackers. You can add BlindSearch, along with HackLock, to your existing subscription for an extra $0.99 per month.</li>
</ul>
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-119113 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Surfshark-BlindSearch.png" alt="" width="1593" height="899" />
<ul>
<li>Camouflage Mode, also known as <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-glossary/#obfuscation">obfuscation</a>. This is a technology that disguises your VPN traffic to make it look like ‘normal’ browsing. This means even your ISP can’t tell you’re using a VPN.</li>
<li>CleanWeb is Surfshark’s proprietary ad, tracker, and malware blocker. It is not turned on by default.</li>
</ul>
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-119071 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Surfshark-CleanWeb.png" alt="" width="1316" height="394" />
<ul>
<li>MultiHop, sometimes known as <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-glossary/#multi-hop-vpn-aka-double-vpn">Double VPN</a>, routes your traffic via two different VPN servers instead of one. This additional step makes you harder to track, though it may reduce connection speeds.</li>
<li>Surfshark Alert is a breach detection tool that scans the web in real-time, checking that your email and login information hasn’t been leaked online. This feature comes as an <a href="https://surfshark.com/privacy-beyond-vpn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added bundle</a> with BlindSearch.</li>
</ul>
<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-119119 size-full aligncenter" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Surfshark-HackLock.png" alt="" width="2482" height="1188" />
<ul>
<li>Whitelister is a <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-glossary/#split-tunneling">split tunneling feature</a> that allows you to define which applications and websites shouldn&#8217;t use the VPN connection. You can find it in the sidebar menu of the Surfshark app, under &#8216;Features.&#8217;</li>
<li>A VPN kill switch is an essential feature for any VPN, preventing your true IP address from leaking if your VPN connection drops. To enable it on Windows, toggle the setting in the app’s security menu. On Android devices, you’ll need to enable it manually in the device settings.</li>
</ul>
It’s encouraging to see Surfshark display a commitment to privacy even beyond the use of a VPN, and it’s impressive that these features all come bundled for such a low price. For the record, Hacklock and Blindsearch need to be downloaded separately, and cost an extra $0.99 per month.
Surfshark was also the first VPN to develop <a href="https://surfshark.com/blog/gps-spoofing-android" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a GPS spoofing feature</a>. An Android-only feature found under &#8216;Virtual Location,&#8217; it allows you to easily change your GPS location and bypass GPS geo-blocks set by various mobile apps. Hopefully, GPS spoofing will be rolled out to the iOS app soon, too.
Surfshark have also gone the extra mile to include a two-factor authentication (2FA) option for its users too. It has a guide on <a href="https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us/articles/360011448319-How-to-enable-2FA-on-your-Surfshark-account-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how to enable this useful feature here</a>.
For the more technically minded, Surfshark’s encryption uses an RSA-2048 handshake and HMAC SHA256 data authentication. <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-glossary/#perfect-forward-secrecy">Perfect Forward Secrecy</a> is implemented through the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffie%E2%80%93Hellman_key_exchange" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Diffie-Hellman Key Exchange (DHE)</a>, which means that encryption keys are not reused between sessions for an added layer of security.
In simple terms, Surfshark is a very safe VPN service. With the recent addition of OpenVPN across all apps, Surfshark&#8217;s encryption and protocol offering is as secure as it gets. All of its advanced features come in one easily managed package, which is more than can be said for some VPN services.
<h3>Leak, Virus &amp; Tracking Tests</h3>
Surfshark uses private DNS on every server to protect your DNS requests. We tested this by connecting to a US server from our office in London, and recorded zero DNS, IPv6 or WebRTC leaks when using its apps. You can see the results of our leak test here:
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-119077 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Surfshark-IP-Leak-Test.png" alt="" width="1100" height="730" />
Surfshark is virus-free too. We scanned the VPN software for any malicious files and it came back completely clean:
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-119086 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Surfshark-Virus-Scan.png" alt="" width="2799" height="2569" />
We also tested for any trackers in the app that could potentially compromise your privacy, so we ran it through the <a href="https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">εxodus tool</a>. This helps expose any trackers or permissions present in Android apps. Here’s what we found:
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-119089 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Surfshark-Trackers.png" alt="" width="1784" height="1400" />
Surfshark&#8217;s Android app has four trackers for Google Analytics, GoogleCrashLytics, Google Firebase Analytics, and AppsFlyer. Analytics aren’t too concerning as it allows Surfshark to maintain the performance of its app and see how users interact with its service. Some of the top VPN services have similar tracking in place, although some – like <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/astrill/">Astrill VPN</a> and <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/hide-me/">Hide.me</a> – have none at all.
The Israeli-based <a href="https://www.appsflyer.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AppsFlyer</a> is a little more concerning. This is a marketing tracker that “uses artificial intelligence and machine learning for big data analytics.” <a href="https://venturebeat.com/2017/05/25/appsflyer-helps-mobile-advertisers-beat-back-ad-fraud-via-machine-learning/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to VentureBeat</a>, AppsFlyer leverages metadata from 98% of the world&#8217;s mobile devices. While this doesn’t sound good for privacy at all, its privacy policy states that it doesn&#8217;t share data with any third parties.
The Android app also has 16 permissions, which dictate the level of access the software has to your device. Three of these permissions are considered ‘special’ or ‘dangerous’ according to <a href="https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/permissions/overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Google’s protections levels</a>, including:
<ul>
<li>Access to your camera</li>
<li>Access to the contents of your SD card</li>
<li>Permission to modify and delete the contents of your SD card</li>
</ul>
These permissions are unnecessary for a VPN application designed for privacy. We’d like to see these removed, or at the very least explained, in future app updates.

Surfshark is compatible with every major platform including Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS and Fire OS. It also provides VPN browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox, and even a custom app for Linux. The Surfshark website has <a href="https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us/categories/360001458953-Tutorials" target="_blank" rel="noopener">helpful setup guides for all devices</a>.
Additionally, there is no simultaneous device limit, meaning you can use Surfshark on all your devices with just one Surfshark subscription. This is a great feature that very few VPN providers offer, with most VPN services setting the limit to five devices.
If Surfshark doesn&#8217;t have a native app for a device you own, you can always <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/how-to-install-a-vpn-on-router/">install the VPN on your router</a>. Surfshark&#8217;s software is compatible with <a href="https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us/articles/360003086114" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DD-WRT</a>, <a href="https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us/articles/360003780834" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tomato</a> and <a href="https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us/articles/360003106093" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AsusWRT</a> routers. Any device connected to the router will use the VPN connection, if enabled. Or, you can use Surfshark&#8217;s Smart DNS solution on devices like Apple TV, Roku, PlayStation and Xbox.

Surfshark has developed safe and independently audited browser extensions for both Google Chrome and Firefox. It’s not free to everyone like CyberGhost&#8217;s extension is, but it’s certainly worth adding it to your browser if you prefer changing your IP address directly from your web browsers.
Both browser add-ons work similarly to the full Surfshark VPN app, but there are very little settings and they are proxies. In other words, they spoof your IP location but they don&#8217;t protect your privacy as well as full VPN software. Currently, ExpressVPN has a VPN browser extension that&#8217;s comparable to a full VPN. It’s worth reading about the differences between proxies and VPNs in <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/proxy-vs-vpn/">our &#8216;VPN vs Proxy&#8217; guide</a>.

Surfshark can really enhance your streaming experience, especially on Amazon Fire TV Stick and Apple TV.
To install Surfshark on Amazon Firestick, simply subscribe to the VPN and then download the Fire OS app from the Amazon App Store. For extra help, read our <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/how-to-install-a-vpn-on-amazon-fire-stick/">guide on setting up a VPN on Fire TV Stick</a>.
You can also access geo-restricted content on your Smart TV, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Apple TV by changing the DNS address provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). This can be done using <a href="https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us/articles/360018689853-How-to-activate-Surfshark-smart-DNS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Surfshark’s Smart DNS technology</a>.
You can activate the Smart DNS feature via “My Account” on the Surfshark website. Once you’ve done this, you will be sent an email with further instructions. While Smart DNS will allow you to access restricted content, it does not provide the same security level as normal VPN browsing, because your traffic is not encrypted.

Surfshark has a large network of over <a href="https://surfshark.com/servers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">{{server_count-surfshark}} servers in {{number_countries-surfshark}} countries</a>. It’s as large a network as <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/cyberghost/#review-server_locations">CyberGhost</a> or <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/private-internet-access/#review-server_locations">Private Internet Access</a>, but it&#8217;s extensive enough to keep most users happy. The majority of servers are in Europe, but this is the case with most VPNs.
The further a VPN server is from your actual location, the slower your internet speeds will typically be. That’s why having as many servers as possible is important. If Surfshark wants to expand its server park, we recommend adding coverage in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-119092 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Surfshark-Server-Locations.png" alt="" width="2337" height="1824" />
One of Surfshark&#8217;s server highlights is that he gives city-level choice in 12 countries:
<ul class="columns-2">
<li>Australia</li>
<li>Canada</li>
<li>France</li>
<li>Germany</li>
<li>India</li>
<li>Italy</li>
<li>Poland</li>
<li>Portugal</li>
<li>Russia</li>
<li>Spain</li>
<li>UK</li>
<li>US</li>
</ul>
The United States has the best location coverage, with 26 city-level server locations. This is very good US city coverage, and will come in handy to US residents looking to bypass sports blackouts.
Furthermore, the three locations in Canada – Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver – cover both Canadian coasts, and the 100 servers in five Australian cities is very good coverage, too.
You’ll see in Surfshark’s apps that it lists different types of server, too. Windows users will see options for static IP, virtual servers, and MultiHop. Mac users will see labels for physical, virtual, P2P, and MultiHop.
Static IP servers are worth clarifying. This means the IP address you connect to remains the same whenever you use that server. This allows for faster speeds and easier access to geo-restricted content. While on paper this poses a greater privacy risk, the reality is that many people will be using the same IP address, not just you. This means that any activity on that static IP address can&#8217;t be linked to you.
One very positive inclusion is MultiHop servers, sometimes called ‘Double VPN’. These add an extra layer of security, by &#8216;bouncing&#8217; your traffic from one encrypted server to another, and then onto a website or application. This may slow down speed, but it brings added privacy.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-119101 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Surfshark-MultiHop.png" alt="" width="2634" height="1386" />
As it stands, Surfshark’s server listings are difficult to understand for VPN beginners. We’d like to see more consistency with the labeling of servers, especially those optimized for services like Netflix.
Unfortunately, latency and server load information is not available within the app. This is useful information to help select the fastest server, which providers like ExpressVPN and CyberGhost do offer.
<h3>What Type of Servers Does Surfshark Use?</h3>
Surfshark allows users to choose between <a href="https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us/articles/360023512493-What-are-Virtual-servers-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">virtual locations</a> and physical locations. Virtual locations are marked with a small ‘v’ on the Window app, and listed separately on the Mac app.
<a href="/guides/vpn-servers-explained/">Virtual locations</a> will assign you an IP address in the country of your choice even if the actual server is located elsewhere. Physical locations refer to servers actually located in the country you’re connected to.
Virtual locations allow Surfshark to cover more locations around the world, and can often lead to better speeds. However, if the actual server is much further from your physical location than advertised, you may see a drop in performance.
These virtual server locations include:
<ul>
<li>Albania</li>
<li>Chile</li>
<li>Costa Rica</li>
<li>Slovenia</li>
</ul>
There&#8217;s nothing wrong with using virtual locations, and it&#8217;s good that Surfshark clearly marks which servers are virtual. However, it&#8217;s unclear how much of its network server network Surfshark actually owns. Both types of location – physical and virtual – could be hosted on rented machines, which can pose a risk to your privacy.
Following in ExpressVPN and NordVPN&#8217;s footsteps, in July 2020 Surfshark moved away from hard drive technology and now operates a completely diskless, RAM-only server network. This vastly improves security, as information cannot be physically extracted from the servers, and it enables central management of the whole network. Very few VPNs have this feature.<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-138678 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/07/unnamed-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1253" />

Surfshark is an excellent VPN for unblocking streaming platforms. It <a href="https://surfshark.com/use-cases/unblock-netflix">unblocks 15 Netflix libraries</a>, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Sky, and HBO Max.
<div class="block-highlighted block-highlighted--blue">
Surfshark unblocks US Netflix and 14 other international libraries, including:
<ul class="columns-2">
<li>Australia</li>
<li>Brazil</li>
<li>Canada</li>
<li>France</li>
<li>Germany</li>
<li>India</li>
<li>Italy</li>
<li>Japan</li>
<li>Netherlands</li>
<li>Norway</li>
<li>South Korea</li>
<li>Singapore</li>
<li>Turkey</li>
<li>United Kingdom</li>
</ul>
</div>
We experienced high video quality and lag-less streaming with Surfshark. All of Surfshark&#8217;s UK servers work with BBC iPlayer, too, which is highly impressive. This was also the first VPN to unblock Disney+ on its release, and has been <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/disney-plus/">our best choice ever since</a>.
While there are no dedicated streaming servers, the vast majority of servers will unblock streaming platforms anyway. In our most recent tests, only the Charlotte and St.Louis servers didn’t work with US Netflix, for example.
Surfshark also offers <a href="https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us/articles/360012825360-How-does-Smart-DNS-work-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Smart DNS</a> and <a href="https://surfshark.com/trust-dns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trust DNS (on Android and iOS only)</a> features. Both are proxy tools that allow you to unblock video content on devices such as Apple TV, games consoles and Smart TVs.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-119167 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Surfshark-SmartDNS.png" alt="" width="2524" height="968" />Surfshark&#8217;s native Amazon Fire Stick TV is also very well made, and it unblocks many streaming services like HBO Go, Hulu, Netflix, and YouTube. Because Surfshark allows P2P traffic on most servers, you can also use to access Kodi streams anonymously.
<h3>Is Surfshark Good for Torrenting?</h3>
Surfshark is also an excellent VPN for torrenting. Its almost no-logs policy and high encryption help hide your P2P activity from your ISP, and the VPN comes with an automatic <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-glossary/#kill-switch">kill switch</a> that stops your IP address from showing if your VPN connection drops. This keeps your download activity safe from any accidental exposures.
All Surfshark servers allow for P2P file-sharing, though some of them are specifically optimized for P2P.
<div class="block-highlighted block-highlighted--light">
Some of the servers optimized for P2P include:
<ul class="columns-2">
<li>Canada</li>
<li>Denmark</li>
<li>Germany</li>
<li>Hong Kong</li>
<li>Italy</li>
<li>Luxembourg</li>
<li>Netherlands</li>
<li>Norway</li>
<li>Poland</li>
<li>Singapore</li>
<li>Spain</li>
<li>UK</li>
<li>US</li>
</ul>
</div>
If you’re torrenting on a server location that isn’t optimized for torrenting, your traffic will be automatically routed to servers that are. If you’re in Europe or Asia or outside of the UK, P2P traffic will be routed through Surfshark’s Netherlands server. If you’re in the Americas, but outside of the US or Canada, it will be routed through Canadian servers.
These fast P2P-optimized connections will allow you to torrent anonymously using torrent clients like BitTorrent, Deluge, Transmission, uTorrent, and Vuze. You&#8217;ll also be able to stream privately P2P-based services such as Ace Player, VLC, and PopcornTime
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-119068 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Surfshark-P2P-Compatibility.png" alt="" width="1926" height="918" />
However, Surfshark does not allow seeding as there is no port forwarding option due to the &#8220;security threat.&#8221; It makes sense for Surfshark to prioritize safety, but most other VPNs allow the user the option.

Surfshark is a feature-rich yet inexpensive VPN service that suits VPN beginners. It&#8217;s highly secure, and its applications for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, and Fire OS are easy to use.
Reviewing Surfshark revealed how good a VPN it is for <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/surfshark/#review-streaming">streaming and torrenting</a>. It works reliably with Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu and Disney+. It&#8217;s also ideal for bypassing sports blackouts, with 26 city-level servers in the US.
In terms of P2P traffic, Surfshark doesn&#8217;t log any user activity and is protected by the safe jurisdiction of the British Virgin Islands. The apps come with many security essentials too; AES-256 encryption, the WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols, and a kill switch to mask your real IP address if your VPN connection drops.
Additionally, Surfshark&#8217;s VPN apps come with many <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/surfshark/#review-encryption">extra security features</a>. These include Camouflage Mode, malicious URL and ad blocking, MultiHop servers, and more. In this Surfshark review you&#8217;ll learn just how secure this VPN is and how it will not leak your true IP address location.
There&#8217;s room for improvement, though. Surfshark&#8217;s speeds are not the fastest at times, and often there&#8217;s a minor delay connecting to servers. Also, it&#8217;s no-logs policy hasn&#8217;t been independently verified yet, which is something we expect of popular VPN services.
Nevertheless, <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/goto/?type=pr&amp;name=surfshark" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Surfshark</a> is an excellent budget VPN that doesn’t compromise on quality and will satisfy most internet users.

One of Surfshark&#8217;s biggest benefits is its price point. It’s not only one of the best VPNs of {year}, it&#8217;s also one of the cheapest, at just {{best_price-surfshark}} per month on a two-year subscription. Upfront, that&#8217;s $59.76 for the first 27 months, and annually thereafter.
There are also short-term plans &#8211; you can see all pricing plans below &#8211; and a 30-day money-back guarantee for users not looking to sign up to a long-term contract plan.
If you want to compare how Surfshark’s pricing compares to other top cheap VPNs, see <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/cheap-vpns/">our list of the best cheap VPNs</a>.
<h3>Does Surfshark Have a Free Trial?</h3>
Surfshark offers a seven-day free trial on iOS and Android. You can access the trial applications directly from the Google Play Store or Apple App store, however you will have to submit billing information upfront.
Once you&#8217;ve installed the iOS or Android application onto your device, select ‘Start Free Trial,’ input your payment details and you’re good to go. With your login details you can then also sign into any of the Surfshark apps, including Windows and Mac. Simply download the software on each device from the website and enter your trial details to try out Surfshark on desktop too.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-119107 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Surfshark-Free-Trial.png" alt="" width="2389" height="1261" />
If you choose to continue using the Surfshark after seven days, you will be charged. However, the 30-day money-back guarantee kicks in at that point, meaning you can still get your money back if you cancel within the refund period. Ask customer support for a refund before the 30 days are up and the company will return your money, no questions asked.

Surfshark provides a range of payment and refund options including PayPal, all major debit cards, and even cryptocurrency. The full list of payment options includes:
<ul class="columns-2">
<li>Credit/Debit Card</li>
<li>Bitcoin</li>
<li>Ethereum</li>
<li>Ripple</li>
<li>PayPal</li>
<li>GooglePay</li>
<li>AliPay</li>
<li>Amazon Pay</li>
<li>Apple Pay</li>
</ul>
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-119110 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Surfshark-Payment-Methods.png" alt="" width="1814" height="1112" />
The most privacy-conscious users will be happy with the choice of cryptocurrencies, as this makes your payment anonymous. Cash payments are not available, and currently only <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/mullvad/">Mullvad VPN</a> offers this payment option.

There is no reason to doubt Surfshark’s commitment to user privacy. It does not keep logs of user activity or connection data, and its jurisdiction of the British Virgin Islands is a privacy haven.
We’ve read <a href="https://surfshark.com/privacy-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the service&#8217;s logging policy</a> closely and can confirm that it’s sensible and trustworthy, but not completely zero-logs.
<div class="block-highlighted">
To be specific, Surfshark collects:
<ul>
<li>Aggregated performance data</li>
<li>Unsuccessful connection attempts</li>
<li>Frequency of use</li>
</ul>
</div>
While Surfshark isn’t a no-logs VPN by definition, it comes close to it. Crucially, it doesn&#8217;t collect personally identifiable information, meaning it won&#8217;t store your browsing activity or IP address location.
<div id="attachment_119056" style="width: 1938px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-119056" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-119056 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Surfshark-Privacy-Policy-Screenshot.png" alt="Surfshark Privacy Policy Screenshot" width="1928" height="530" />Excerpt from Surfshark&#8217;s privacy policy</div>
However, Surfshark does store your account details and billing information, in order to process your payments. This is common among VPN providers, but if you’re uncomfortable with it you can subscribe using cryptocurrencies.
The VPN service&#8217;s privacy policy is worded as follows:
<blockquote>“To maintain a perfect quality of our Services and provide you with efficient support we collect diagnostics information and monitor crash reports on our apps. The information we collect contains aggregated performance data, the frequency of use of our services, unsuccessful connection attempts and other similar information.”</blockquote>
There are some very minor causes for concern here. Firstly, we were alarmed by the phrase “other similar information.” A good privacy policy is as specific as possible – it is unclear exactly what “similar information” entails.
Secondly, Surfshark collects advertising identifiers – unique, resettable IDs for advertising provided by third parties. You can opt out of personalized ads by adjusting the settings in your app.
While Surfshark’s browser extensions <a href="https://cure53.de/pentest-report_surfshark.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> have been audited</a> by German security company Cure53, there has still been no independent audit of its VPN applications, or its logging policy.
In our opinion, Surfshark needs to follow suit. Without a confirmed audit, there’s always room for doubt around logging practices. Many major VPN companies, like ExpressVPN and VyprVPN, have already done so to earn even greater trust.
<div id="attachment_119062" style="width: 1552px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-119062" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-119062 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Conclusion-of-Cure53-Surfshark-Audit-.png" alt="Conclusion of Cure53 Surfshark Audit" width="1542" height="540" />Conclusion of Cure53 Surfshark Audit</div>
It’s worth noting that there&#8217;s a <a href="https://surfshark.com/privacy-beyond-vpn-notice" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> separate privacy policy</a> for its <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/surfshark/#review-encryption" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BlindSearch and HackLock features</a>. BlindSearch collects an aggregated number of performed searches and HackLock stores your email address. Both tools are separate from the main VPN applications.
<h3>Who owns Surfshark?</h3>
Surfshark is owned by Surfshark Ltd, and a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) in 2018. This is a very sensible place to set up a VPN company. There are no intrusive data retention laws or practices in the BVI, and it&#8217;s widely viewed as a privacy-haven.
What&#8217;s more, the British Virgin Islands are outside the reach of the <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/5-eyes-9-eyes-14-eyes/">Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and 14 Eyes</a> surveillance agreements. This means Surfshark Ltd cannot be compelled by foreign governments to collect or share user logs. In the spirit of transparency, Surfshark publishes the number of government agency requests it receives on its <a href="https://surfshark.com/warrant-canary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warrant canary page</a>. Currently, it has received zero requests for information.
<div id="attachment_119065" style="width: 2054px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-119065" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-119065 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/Surfshark-Warrant-Canary-Feature-on-the-Surfshark-Website.png" alt="Surfshark Warrant Canary Feature on the Surfshark Website" width="2044" height="796" />Surfshark has a warrant canary feature on the website.</div>
As for the people behind Surfshark, the company has taken a similar approach to ExpressVPN in order to protect its personnel. In other words, it&#8217;s rather secretive about its company structure, history, and management team. Its CEO is known as “Par Kaz” (a pseudonym) and its CTO is called Magnus Steinberg; he’s quoted frequently on the <a href="https://surfshark.com/blog">Surfshark blog</a> and in various publications.
While this level of secrecy can be off-putting to some, we respect the desire of individuals in the VPN industry to remain private. We&#8217;ve discovered nothing compromising in our in-depth research, and Surfshark is certainly proactive in advancing privacy and security initiatives.
After all, Surfshark is a member of the <a href="https://www.i2coalition.com/vpn-trust-initiative/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VPN Trust Initiative</a> and it has received positive coverage for its <a href="https://surfshark.com/dql" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Digital Quality of Life Index</a>.

Pros and Cons

Pricing & Coupons

Streaming & P2P

Speed Test Results

Privacy & Security Analysis

Device Compatibility

Do We Recommend Surfshark?

HideMyAss

SaferVPN

Surfshark VPN

<h3>Long-Distance Speed Tests</h3>
Surfshark’s speeds over long-distance connections were also good. We connected its servers in the US, Australia, Canada, and Germany from our London office and measured our connection speeds before and after.
As expected, the servers located furthest from our office in the UK saw the largest speed losses.
We recorded an average speed loss of 41% when connected to the US, and 40% connecting to Australia. This is not unusual for long-distance connections, though competitors like Hotspot Shield <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/hotspot-shield/#review-speed">recorded losses of just 17%</a> on US servers.
Here are Surfshark&#8217;s full long-distance speed results:
<ul>
<li>USA: 56Mbps (download) &amp; 77Mbps (upload) ‒ 41% speed loss</li>
<li>Canada: 71Mbps (download) &amp; 73Mbps (upload) ‒ 28% speed loss</li>
<li>Germany: 71Mbps (download) &amp; 93Mbps (upload) ‒ 27% speed loss</li>
<li>Australia: 59Mbps (download) &amp; 58Mbps (upload) ‒ 39% speed loss</li>
</ul>
Surfshark’s international speeds are good and stable across the board, with speed loss consistently under 50% when connecting to servers very far away. However, it&#8217;s still slower than the <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/fastest-vpn/"> current fastest VPNs</a>.
We test and compare VPN speeds using the same scientific <a>speed-testing methodology</a>, currently testing speeds on the OpenVPN protocol, to keep comparisons fair and consistent. Surfshark uses the IKEv2/IPsec protocol by default, so you may experience faster speeds using this protocol.
<h3>How Fast is Surfshark Compared to Other VPNs?</h3>
In addition to testing VPN speeds manually, we&#8217;ve also developed an automated VPN speed test tool that is constantly testing VPN speeds around the world. Tests run automatically four times per day, and test connection speeds are capped at 100Mbps to recreate a typical home internet connection.
The graph below compares Surfshark VPN’s average loss of internet speed to other popular VPNs for New York to New York connections:
<div style="display: none;" data-joyceparams="79b93677-fd88"></div>
<a class="button green-cta" href="https://www.top10vpn.com/vpn-speed-test/?to=nyc&amp;from=nyc&amp;period=8w&amp;providers=direct,surfshark,private-internet-access,expressvpn,nordvpn,cyberghost&amp;int=7&amp;chart=dl_speed_avg"> Use our Speed Test Tool to see Surfshark&#8217;s worldwide speeds.</a>
Surfshark&#8217;s VPN speeds have been improving month by month. In fact, the gap with faster providers like NordVPN and Private Internet Access is narrowing down. Moreover, Surfshark is now consistently beating CyberGhost in many speed tests.

Surfshark

privatevpn-logo

PrivateVPN has good customer support but it is inconsistent in both availability and quality of service. The support team can be contacted either through live chat or via email.
Despite being operational 24/7, its live chat is not always available. After reaching out to the company for an explanation, we were told that there are only four customer support agents in total, so the live chat system is shut down temporarily if there is a large queue or if the agents are on break.
The chat box will display either red or green depending on whether it’s available. It can be initiated from the bottom-right corner of the PrivateVPN website and it will prompt you to enter your name, email address, and question before proceeding.
<div id="attachment_144999" style="width: 370px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-144999" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-144999 " data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/09/privatevpn-customer-service.png" alt="Image showing PrivateVPN's live chat customer support as unavailable" width="360" height="127" />PrivateVPN’s live chat is not available 24/7.</div>
This is extremely poor for a top VPN service. 24/7 customer support is now an expectation for good VPNs and, if not, then live chat is always available during set times of the day.
With PrivateVPN, though, the availability of a customer support agent is unpredictable and random — which can be extremely frustrating if you want a quick answer to a query.
In addition, PrivateVPN’s support agents differ substantially in helpfulness. Some agents are very knowledgeable, prompt to respond, and courteous. However, some others are very ill-informed, misunderstand queries, and are slow to reply.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-145002 " data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/09/customer-support-live-chat.png" alt="Image showing a conversation with PrivateVPN's live chat customer support" width="405" height="597" />
If live chat is unavailable, your question will be forwarded to PrivateVPN’s email support. This email support runs 24/7 and, in our testing, we frequently received a reply within an hour. The email support team is generally more knowledgeable than the live chat staff, so make sure to contact them if you have a more advanced query.
For any general issues, PrivateVPN’s online resources and <a href="https://privatevpn.com/support/faq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FAQs page</a> should suffice, but these are limited and only cover the basics. We would like to see more video walkthroughs and an update of the tutorials. Many still use screenshots from the old PrivateVPN app, for example.

One of the best features of PrivateVPN is its easy-to-use and simple apps. The apps have been recently updated, too, further enhancing their intuitiveness and attractiveness.
From the app’s home screen, you can only connect or disconnect from the VPN using the large on/off button, or change your server location. However, the app is more configurable than it first seems as it allows you to choose between this ‘simple view’ or an ‘advanced view’.
<div id="attachment_145005" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-145005" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-145005 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/09/privatevpn-user-experience.png" alt="Image showing the PrivateVPN app's simple and advanced modes" width="700" height="412" />PrivateVPN’s desktop apps feature both a simple and advanced view.</div>
From the app’s advanced view you can manually configure a range of settings. You can adjust the VPN protocol, the level of encryption used, as well as turn on advanced features like the kill switch and Stealth VPN. This makes the advanced view great if you want to tailor the service to suit your preferences. 
The simple view, on the other hand, is perfect if you’re a VPN novice who wants a quick and easy way to connect the VPN and change server location.
Overall, the user experience of PrivateVPN’s apps is one of the very best we’ve seen — they’re easy to use and navigate, they don’t include any bloatware, connecting is quick, and they’re very stable.
&nbsp;

Due to the strict nature of the Chinese government, it’s very difficult to test VPNs in China from outside of the country. Because of this, most claims about a VPN’s capability in China are not based on real tests and are instead based on internet forums and discussions.
To ensure our information is 100% accurate, we have servers physically located in Shanghai that run Windows 10 on a virtual machine. This allows us to make a real connection within China remotely, just as if we were in the country itself.
Our latest round of testing found that PrivateVPN works in China. Using the VPN’s Stealth VPN protocol, we were able to beat the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Firewall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Great Firewall of China</a> and unblock apps like Netflix, YouTube, and WhatsApp.
<div id="attachment_144978" style="width: 660px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-144978" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-144978 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/09/privatevpn-china-youtube.jpg" alt="Image of PrivateVPN working in China" width="650" height="410" />PrivateVPN works reliably in China.</div>
However, it is worth noting that despite being branded as a bespoke PrivateVPN protocol, Stealth VPN routes traffic through the open-source <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadowsocks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shadowsocks proxy</a>. Shadowsocks is not unique to PrivateVPN and is available from many other VPN services. It’s simply not as safe or effective as custom VPN obfuscation tools.
In contrast to PrivateVPN, some VPNs, <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/astrill/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">like Astrill</a>, have developed proprietary technology for bypassing censorship. These don’t rely on proxies and are a safer option if you regularly connect out from China.

Despite not offering many configurable security features, PrivateVPN is a trusted safe VPN and does the basics very well. You can rely on the service to encrypt your data and keep your online activities private and anonymous.
The <a href="https://privatevpn.com/support/faq/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VPN’s website</a> claims that the very strongest encryption methods are in use — including the AES-256 cipher and 2048-bit RSA handshake. To verify this claim, we analyzed the VPN connection logs, and we were pleased with what we found. 
After our research, we discovered that PrivateVPN’s encryption and security are tough. The VPN implements its encryption as follows:
<ul>
<li>OpenVPN connections are established via an RSA-2048 handshake.</li>
<li>Perfect Forward Secrecy via an ECDH key exchange.</li>
<li>Authentication is provided using an SHA-384 hash.</li>
<li>Traffic is securely encrypted using the AES-256 cipher.</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_144987" style="width: 511px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-144987" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-144987 " data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/09/vpn-connection-log.png" alt="Image showing PrivateVPN's encryption protocols" width="501" height="295" />PrivateVPN uses the best encryption protocols and ciphers.</div>
Although the technical details of this may sound complicated, these protocols work in tandem to ensure your data is kept safe, secure, and private.
If you want to read about VPN encryption, protocols, and ciphers in more detail, check out our <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-encryption-protocols/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dedicated guide to VPN encryption</a>.
<h4>Kill Switch</h4>
A kill switch is an essential feature for any VPN user as it stops your internet connection altogether if your VPN connection drops at any point. By doing this, the kill switch protects your IP address and your true identity is never exposed.
PrivateVPN has a kill switch for Windows and MacOS to keep you safe if your connection drops. It’s not enabled by default, though, so make sure to have it turned on within the ‘Connection Guard’ tab of the settings menu.
To test the effectiveness of PrivateVPN’s kill switch, we performed a number of IP leak tests while manually disconnecting the VPN. The kill switch worked flawlessly and our true IP address did not leak.<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-144990 " data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/09/kill-switch.png" alt="Image of PrivateVPN's kill switch" width="482" height="418" />
A kill switch is essential for many online activities, like unblocking streaming sites and torrenting, so we’re glad to see it included. However, a major drawback is that there is no kill switch on PrivateVPN’s iOS or Amazon Fire TV app — leaving connections from these devices vulnerable. 
<h4>Split Tunneling</h4>
Unlike so many other big-name VPNs, PrivateVPN does not offer a split tunneling feature. This means that you are unable to exclude any apps from using the VPN connection, which may result in PrivateVPN stopping them from working properly. 
Although it may seem unusual to leave some of your traffic unprotected, there are some situations where this feature is necessary. A VPN will interfere with your wireless printer and smart home devices, for example.
As a result, we were unable to use any of these local services while running PrivateVPN. Without this feature, PrivateVPN lags behind some of its competitors and may become useless to you, depending on your use-case.
<h3 id="dns-leak-test">Leak Test Results</h3>
Although PrivateVPN encrypts all VPN traffic with gold-standard protocols, data leaks can still occur. This happens when traffic is transmitted outside of the encrypted VPN tunnel, making your identity visible to third-parties.
Thankfully, PrivateVPN comes with IPv6 and DNS leak protection. To verify that these features are fully functional, we put PrivateVPN’s Windows and iOS apps through a series of real-world leak tests.
To test for any IP address leaks, we used <a href="https://ipleak.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ipleak.net</a>. We used PrivateVPN servers in the US, UK, Australia, and Sweden. PrivateVPN did not leak our real IP address at any point — keeping our identity private and anonymous.
<div id="attachment_144993" style="width: 544px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-144993" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-144993" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/09/ip-leak-test.png" alt="Image showing PrivateVPN passing our IP leak test" width="534" height="289" />PrivateVPN concealed our real IP address.</div>
PrivateVPN also passed our DNS leak test without any issues. This is helped by the fact that PrivateVPN operates its own DNS servers that resolve all your DNS requests, thereby removing any risk of leaks from third-party servers and data-handlers.
<div id="attachment_144996" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-144996" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-144996 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/09/dns-leak-test.png" alt="Image showing PrivateVPN passing our DNS leak test" width="700" height="303" />PrivateVPN easily passed our DNS leak test.</div>
In sum, these results show that PrivateVPN is safe and can be trusted to protect your identity as you browse the web.

PrivateVPN has native apps for all major platforms and devices, including Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. Its apps are some of our favorites, prioritizing simplicity and intuitiveness over an abundance of customization options.<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-144981 " data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/09/ios-app.png" alt="" width="238" height="424" />
The apps function and look almost identical across all platforms, enabling a familiarity and a continuity that we appreciate.
The only notable difference is that the iOS app does not include a kill switch — so your true IP address is at risk of exposure if your VPN connection drops. However, many top VPNs, including ExpressVPN, struggle to provide a kill switch on iOS, so it’s not necessarily a deal-breaker.
For alternative platforms like Linux, PrivateVPN’s website provides plenty of <a href="https://privatevpn.com/support/getting-started/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">manual setup tutorials</a> to guide you through installation.
You can connect up to six devices at the same time, too, which makes PrivateVPN a good choice if you want to protect your family’s devices as well as your own.

Unlike all other top VPNs, there are no browser extensions available for PrivateVPN.
VPN browser extensions provide a fast and convenient way to unblock streaming sites, like Netflix and Hulu, so PrivateVPN’s lack of options is disappointing.
It is worth noting, though, that most VPN browser extensions merely work as an internet proxy — failing to encrypt any of your non-browser internet traffic. This leaves activities, like photo syncing and torrenting clients, outside of the encrypted VPN tunnel.
As a result, if privacy is your priority, the absence of browser extensions will not be an issue. However, if you’re a streamer that wants a quick way to change server locations, the lack of browser extensions might be a regular frustration.
If VPN browser extensions are essential to you, you can find our picks for the <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/chrome/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">best extensions for Chrome</a> and the <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/firefox/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">best for Firefox</a> in our dedicated guides.

As PrivateVPN is a VPN designed for streaming, we were very disappointed to discover that it does not offer a Smart DNS feature. This means the VPN cannot unblock streaming sites on devices like PS4 and Apple TV.
As these devices do not allow for the installation of VPN apps, most top VPNs include <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-glossary/#smart-dns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Smart DNS</a>. This tricks websites and apps into thinking you’re connecting from a country different to your own without the need for a full  VPN.
Due to its absence, you will have to install PrivateVPN at router-level if you want to unblock streaming sites on a games console or streaming device. Unlike many other VPNs, PrivateVPN does not offer any pre-installed routers for sale, either, so you will have to do it manually.
To do this, check out our step-by-step guide on<a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/how-to-install-a-vpn-on-router/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> how to install a VPN on your router</a> or read<a href="https://privatevpn.com/blog/guides/357/how-to-install-a-vpn-on-a-router-(+the-pros-and-cons)" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> PrivateVPN’s own tutorial</a>. This process is complicated if you’re inexperienced, so double-check each step before starting.
Alternatively, you could use PrivateVPN’s Fire TV app if you want to stream movies and TV shows from around the world on your TV. Amazon Fire TV Sticks are very affordable, too, so it’s a good option. You can read more about this in the section below.
<h3>Amazon Firestick &amp; Fire TV</h3>
PrivateVPN features a great app for Amazon Fire TV Stick, with the ability to unblock over 30 Netflix libraries directly onto your TV.
The app comes with the same dedicated streaming servers as the desktop and mobile apps, so you can also stream sites like Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and HBO Max.
Some other VPNs, like Private Internet Access, struggle to unblock streaming services on Firestick due to the device’s stricter VPN-detection techniques. However, we connected to PrivateVPN’s US, UK, Australia, Japan, and Canada servers and they all worked with Netflix.
One drawback to the app is that it hasn’t been optimized for Fire TV — so it’s left looking like a blown-up version of the Android app. As it was originally designed for touch input, it makes it difficult to decipher what setting you’re controlling at any given time. The only indication being that the element in focus gains a faint green-colored border.
<div id="attachment_144984" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-144984" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-144984 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/09/privatevpn-firestick-app.png" alt="Image of PrivateVPN's app for Amazon Firestick" width="600" height="338" />PrivateVPN unblocks Netflix on Fire TV.</div>
The main negative to PrivateVPN’s Firestick app is that it doesn’t feature a kill switch. This is particularly problematic for Kodi streamers, as if your connection drops for any reason, you may accidentally reveal your IP address.
Overall, PrivateVPN is a great choice if you regularly stream content on an Amazon Firestick. It works flawlessly for unblocking geo-restricted sites and it features the largest number of dedicated streaming servers of any VPN.

PrivateVPN covers a wide range of locations, with servers in 60 countries around the world. Sadly, the app does not allow you to connect automatically to the fastest server, and it doesn’t include any information about server load and latency, either.
Servers are available in popular locations like the US, the UK, Australia, Japan, Germany, and Canada. All of these include city-level servers, too, so you can connect to the nearest server to you in a specific country.
<div id="attachment_144969" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-144969" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-144969 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/09/server-locations.png" alt="PrivateVPN server locations" width="690" height="385" />PrivateVPN has just 150 servers located around 60 countries.</div>
Disappointingly, though, South Africa is the only African server available. As a result, you’re likely to experience lackluster speeds if connecting from the continent. There are plenty of VPN servers located near China, however, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Vietnam — making connections from behind the Great Firewall fast and reliable.
However, despite the decent number of countries covered, PrivateVPN has a tiny global network of just 150 servers. Its best city-level coverage is in the US, with a total of 11 servers across 10 cities. By comparison, NordVPN has a massive 5,552 servers — with 1,700 servers across 15 cities in the US alone.
The benefit of an extensive VPN server network is that it increases the likelihood of you connecting to a nearby server, giving you better speeds and reliability. It also helps balance server load and prevents crowded servers — an issue that <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/privatevpn/#review-speed">PrivateVPN suffers from</a>.
<h3>Virtual Server Locations</h3>
13% of PrivateVPN’s server locations are virtual — meaning they are physically located in a different country to the IP address. For example, we discovered that PrivateVPN’s South Korea server is actually located in a server park in the US.
<div id="attachment_144972" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-144972" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-144972 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/09/virtual-server-locations.png" alt="PrivateVPN virtual server locations" width="700" height="290" />PrivateVPN uses virtual server locations.</div>
PrivateVPN uses a relatively small number of virtual server locations, which is an approach we typically prefer. This increases transparency and ensures that your data is not being diverted towards any country other than where you think it’s going.
Virtual server locations can also drastically hinder your internet speed if you think you’re connecting to a nearby server, when in fact it’s located on the other side of the world.
For this reason, we do wish that the PrivateVPN app would indicate which server locations are virtual and which are physically located. Other providers, <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/cyberghost/#review-server_locations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">like Cyberghost</a>, are very upfront about their use.
Although PrivateVPN does list all of its virtual server locations <a href="https://privatevpn.com/serverlist/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on its website</a>, they are concealed and not easily discoverable.
It also does not reveal the real physical location of these servers. This feature would allow users to weigh up a specific virtual server’s impact on privacy and speed performance before connecting. ExpressVPN, for example, <a href="https://www.expressvpn.com/support/troubleshooting/virtual-server-locations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clearly labels</a> both the announced IP address and the server’s true physical location.
For more information on virtual servers and fake server locations, <a href="/guides/vpn-servers-explained/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">read our comprehensive guide on the subject</a>.
<h3 id="dedicated-ip">Dedicated IP Servers</h3>
All of PrivateVPN’s apps come with a separate tab allowing you to connect to ‘Dedicated IP’ servers. These servers have several unique features which make them very useful for certain activities.
<div id="attachment_144975" style="width: 529px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-144975" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-144975 " data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/09/dedicated-ip-servers.png" alt="PrivateVPN dedicated IP servers" width="519" height="508" />PrivateVPN’s dedicated IP servers are perfect for torrenting.</div>
Firstly, PrivateVPN owns all of these servers, with none rented from third-parties. This makes these servers excellent for privacy and security, as it removes any additional intermediaries that are responsible for your data.
We spoke to a PrivateVPN representative and found that a subset of these servers are 100% owned by PrivateVPN — meaning it has full control of the hardware, servers, network equipment, and everything else.
These servers are:
<ul class="columns-2">
<li>Denmark &#8211; Copenhagen</li>
<li>France &#8211; Paris</li>
<li>Germany &#8211; Frankfurt</li>
<li>Italy &#8211; Milan</li>
<li>Spain &#8211; Madrid</li>
<li>Sweden &#8211; Stockholm</li>
<li>Switzerland &#8211; Zürich</li>
<li>The Netherlands &#8211; Amsterdam</li>
<li>UK &#8211; London</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">US &#8211; NYC 1 
</li>
</ul>
All of these servers have a 10GB dedicated internet connection, and as PrivateVPN wholly owns them, the bandwidth is not shared with any additional renters. This makes these servers particularly fast — great for demanding tasks like streaming.
Secondly, all ports are automatically enabled on PrivateVPN’s dedicated IP servers — making these servers perfect for torrenting and P2P file-sharing. With other servers, you are forced to manually configure your torrent client, which is often a lengthy and complicated process.
By having all ports open, this allows all incoming P2P connections to transmit directly to your device. Without this, you will get low priority from other seeds and your download rate would suffer.
Finally, these servers issue dedicated IP addresses — meaning that when you connect to one of them, your IP address will not be shared with any other user. These IPs are still dynamic, too, so you will get a different IP when you reconnect.
This makes these servers great for streaming sites like Netflix, as these services typically geo-block content by<a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/netflix/#how-does-netflix-identify-and-block-vpn-traffic" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> blacklisting crowded IP addresses</a>. As you’re the only person using the IP address at any time, it appears as a residential IP and bypasses the location-based restrictions.
We like that these dedicated IPs are dynamic, too. Most other dedicated IP features allocate a static IP address to your account that persists for each connection. But as every PrivateVPN user can connect to these dedicated IPs, it’s almost impossible to trace any activity back to a specific user.
In all, PrivateVPN’s dedicated IP servers are one of the VPN’s main strong points — allowing tighter security, faster torrenting, and reliable streaming. However, the VPN does not promote these servers anywhere, nor does it provide guides to educate users about their use, so we’d like to see it focus on these more in the future.

PrivateVPN is a fantastic VPN for streaming, with a huge amount of servers dedicated to streaming sites from around the world. Our repeated tests found the VPN always worked with Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video.
The PrivateVPN app includes servers to stream a total of 32 different Netflix libraries in a variety of different languages. This is the largest number of dedicated servers we’ve seen from any VPN provider.
<div id="attachment_144960" style="width: 494px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-144960" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-144960 " data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/09/privatevpn-us-netflix.png" alt="PrivateVPN Netflix servers" width="484" height="473" />The app includes dedicated Netflix servers for many countries.</div>
Our <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/netflix/#unblock-most-libraries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">investigation into Netflix VPNs</a> found that PrivateVPN is the second-best VPN service for unblocking the highest number of Netflix libraries. All 32 of its Netflix servers worked over months of our testing. Unlocking a larger amount of Netflix catalogs increases the likelihood that the content you want to stream will be available.
You can see the results of our study in the graph below:
<picture><source media="(max-width: 768px)" srcset="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/06/netflix-vpn-research-chart-stacked.png"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-131305 size-large" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/06/netflix-vpn-research-chart-700x343.png" alt="Chart displaying the findings from our Netflix VPN research" width="700" height="343" data-mobileimg="true" /></picture>
PrivateVPN doesn’t only work with the usual streaming services, either. The app comes with dedicated servers for 23 different streaming services, including less represented sites from around the world. These include support for Hotstar, IPTV, and sports services like Sky Go and DAZN.
PrivateVPN’s dedicated streaming servers change their IP address regularly, which prevents detection from geo-blocks. We tested all of these servers on iPhone, Windows PC, and on Amazon Fire TV Stick, and they worked flawlessly. This means you’ll always be able to access your favorite service on all of your devices without any issues.
<div id="attachment_144957" style="width: 547px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-144957" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-144957" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/09/privatevpn-sky-go.png" alt="PrivateVPN unblocking Sky Go" width="537" height="272" />We were able to stream Sky Go content while using PrivateVPN.</div>
However, despite their effectiveness, we discovered that most of PrivateVPN’s streaming servers suffer from poor speeds. As the VPN has a <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/privatevpn/#review-server_locations">relatively small server network</a>, the most popular servers are often congested, which results in extreme slowdowns. Depending on your internet speed, you may experience frustrating buffering and interruptions. You can read more about this issue <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/privatevpn/#review-speed">later on in this review</a>.
Another negative of using PrivateVPN for streaming is that the VPN does not offer a Smart DNS feature. Smart DNS allows you to spoof your location and bypass location restrictions on devices that are not VPN-compatible.
This omission means that PrivateVPN will not work on devices like Apple TV, PS4, and Xbox. If you use any of these devices for streaming, then you should avoid PrivateVPN. Instead, check out <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/expressvpn/#review-streaming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ExpressVPN</a>, <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/cyberghost/#review-streaming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CyberGhost</a>, <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/surfshark/#review-streaming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Surfshark</a>, or <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/nordvpn/#review-streaming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NordVPN</a> — all four of these VPNs offer a reliable and easy-to-use Smart DNS feature.
Overall, PrivateVPN is simply one of the <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/streaming/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">best VPNs for streaming</a>, and is available at a much lower price than competitors. Its dedicated streaming servers are the most reliable we’ve tested, and the Amazon Fire TV stick app means you can watch geo-restricted content on your TV.
<h3>PrivateVPN Is Excellent for Torrenting</h3>
PrivateVPN is one of the best VPNs for torrenting — with dedicated servers for P2P file-sharing, a kill switch that prohibits any IP leaks, and no-logs privacy policy to prevent your activity from being traced back to you.
We tested PrivateVPN with various torrent clients, and each time we were able to download a torrent file without any interruptions quickly. Our <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/privatevpn/#review-speed">most recent speed test results</a> measured a bitrate of 5.1 MiB/s from our 100Mbps internet connection, which means you won’t have any trouble sharing large files like movies, music, and software with others.
<div id="attachment_120415" style="width: 624px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120415" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-120415" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/03/PIA-Torrenting-Test.png" alt="A screenshot showing that the VPN allowed us to torrenting and P2P share successfully." width="614" height="427" />Our torrent file downloaded quickly while using PrivateVPN.</div>
The VPN also operates its own <a href="#dns-leak-test">no-logs DNS servers</a>, which means there is no third-party involved in resolving your DNS requests. This is a must-have feature for private P2P file-sharing, so we’re glad to see PrivateVPN cover it.
Although torrenting is allowed on all of its servers, PrivateVPN recommends you only connect to a location from the ‘Dedicated IP’ server list. These servers are easy to find, and we’ve found them to be faster than PrivateVPN’s other servers.
These servers are owned and controlled by PrivateVPN, unlike all other servers which are rented from third-parties. A PrivateVPN representative confirmed to us that only PrivateVPN have direct physical access to these servers and no one else.
This allows for an additional layer of control and security, which is essential when it comes to keeping torrenting activity private.
Additionally, these servers allow most ports to be forwarded automatically, so there’s no need to configure any port settings on your torrent client. In fact, it&#8217;s our number one recommended VPN if you want to seed torrents. For the fastest speeds, we also recommend you connect to the dedicated IP server location that is closest to you. You can read all about PrivateVPN’s <a href="#dedicated-ip">dedicated IP servers here</a>.
In turn, PrivateVPN’s superb torrenting performance makes it an excellent choice for using Kodi, Popcorn Time, and all other torrent-based streaming platforms.
Overall, PrivateVPN is simply one of the <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/torrenting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">best torrenting VPNs</a> on the market. There’s no notable downside to using it for P2P activity. It has dedicated servers for torrenting, supports port-forwarding, operates under a no-logs privacy policy, and it has no data cap — so you can torrent as many movies and TV shows as you like.

PrivateVPN is a basic VPN service that provides AES-256 encryption and native apps for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire TV. For this PrivateVPN review, we put each application through <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/about/how-we-review-vpns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our comprehensive testing process</a> to find out how PrivateVPN compares to other VPN services.
We discovered that PrivateVPN is one of the very best VPNs for streaming, with <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/privatevpn/#review-streaming">dedicated streaming servers</a> for streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer. However, these servers were often overly congested — meaning you can’t always rely on the VPN to stream titles in HD.
PrivateVPN is also an excellent choice for P2P file-sharing and includes dedicated torrenting servers, port forwarding features, and a functional kill switch on all desktop apps. It’s also one of the cheapest VPNs around, with <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/privatevpn/#review-pricing">prices as low as {{best_price-privatevpn}} per month on a two-year plan</a>.
It’s also one of a small number of VPNs that consistently works in China and other highly-censored regions, easily passing the Great Firewall in our tests.
The VPN is based in Sweden, a Fourteen Eyes jurisdiction, but its zero-logs privacy policy will keep your data safe and private. Its logging policy has not been audited by a third-party cybersecurity firm, though, so you’ll have to trust the information that PrivateVPN provides.
Although the <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/privatevpn/#review-server_locations">server network of just 150 total servers</a> is tiny compared to competitors, the VPN does a good job of providing worldwide coverage. One of the main downsides is that live chat customer support is not run during scheduled hours, so it’s only accessible at random times of the day.
In summary, PrivateVPN is a superb budget VPN that unblocks a huge number of streaming services. It&#8217;s also a simple choice for protecting your internet connection on insecure public WiFi. It’s not perfect, though. PrivateVPN needs to resolve its frustrating speed issues, provide a Smart DNS feature, and complete an independent audit.

PrivateVPN is a bargain on all of its pricing plans. As is typical, the larger discounts are only available on the longer-term plans, but all PrivateVPN subscriptions come with the same advanced features and 30-day money-back guarantee.
Three billing options allow you to pay monthly, every three months, or every two years. The PrivateVPN monthly package costs $8.49, or you lower the cost by 77% to {{best_price-privatevpn}} if you pay for two years in advance. The three-month subscription costs $4.99 per month.
These impressive prices make PrivateVPN the best VPN choice if value is your main priority. By contrast, other cheap VPNs, like NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost, all cost at least $11.95 a month, making PrivateVPN a clear price winner.
<h3>PrivateVPN Free Trial</h3>
PrivateVPN offers a 7-day free trial on all platforms. This trial period comes with no data caps, it doesn’t throttle your speed, and it doesn’t require any payment details to sign up. For these reasons, it’s our <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/free-trials/">favorite free trial</a> from any VPN service.
To initiate the free trial, visit <a href="https://privatevpn.com/prices/?mtrial=top10vpnfree7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the PrivateVPN website</a> to create your account. Once signed up, you’ll have access to all the same features as paying subscribers, including streaming and torrenting support.
If you want to test the VPN out over a longer period, it also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee for all users. You will need to provide a reason for asking for your money back, but all refunds are processed within five business days.

PrivateVPN protects your privacy as it doesn’t log any user data. Anything you do while connected to the VPN will remain private to you and hidden from any third parties, like snooping governments and PrivateVPN itself.
The only information that PrivateVPN does retain is your email address — used for logging in, resetting your password, and for renewing your account. This is nothing to worry about, though, as this is standard practice. PrivateVPN also confirmed to us that this is not linked to your activity in any way.
By not even logging anonymous usage data, PrivateVPN is one of the very few <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-logging-policies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">no-logs VPNs</a>. This level of privacy is typically reserved for more expensive services.
After analyzing PrivateVPN’s privacy policy in-depth, we found that the VPN provider categorically states that:
<blockquote>“PrivateVPN does not collect or log any traffic or use of its service.”</blockquote>
<div id="attachment_144966" style="width: 643px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-144966" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-144966 " data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/09/privatevpn-logging-policy.png" alt="PrivateVPN no-logs privacy policy" width="633" height="403" />Excerpt from PrivateVPN’s no-logs privacy policy.</div>
Although this statement is promising, it’s also the full extent of the logging policy. This isn&#8217;t very reassuring, and we’d like the policy to explicitly state that it doesn’t log DNS requests, connection timestamps, or IP addresses. Mullvad VPN, for example, does a much better job of <a href="https://mullvad.net/en/help/no-logging-data-policy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">breaking down its no-logs privacy policy</a> and doesn’t rest on a single statement.
We found that PrivateVPN has not always fully disclosed its logging practices, too. Although it has now been removed, the VPN previously logged user’s IP addresses when signing up for the seven-day free trial. After contacting it, PrivateVPN told us that these IP addresses were securely stored in a “dummy database” and linked to “no other data.”
Although the logging of IP addresses, in this case, was done privately and only to prevent abuse of its free trial, the problem is that PrivateVPN did not disclose its logging anywhere. It was not listed in its privacy policy, in its terms of use, or anywhere on its website. We discovered this only by signing up to the free trial multiple times ourselves.
The problem with this lack of disclosure is that it damages trust between you and the VPN provider. This is no small issue, either, given the level of sensitive data and information about you that’s handled by the VPN.
The problem is made worse by the fact that PrivateVPN has not conducted any third-party audits — so you are forced to trust the information that it provides. You can read more about this in the <a href="#audits">section below</a>.
As you are relying on the VPN to process your most sensitive information and data, a trustworthy relationship is essential. However, we are confident that PrivateVPN is now a true no-logs VPN and that this wrongdoing was a result of careless behavior rather than anything malicious.
<h4 id="audits">Logging Policy Is Verified Through Real-World Tests</h4>
PrivateVPN is noteworthy as it is one of only a few VPN services that has had its no-logs privacy policy verified by a real-world case. The VPN has been unable to give away user data, despite being asked by law enforcement on several occasions.
While PrivateVPN’s logging policy states that it will provide data if &#8220;necessary in order to [&#8230;] comply with a decision of a public authority or court of law,&#8221; this simply means that it is forced to respond to requests from law enforcement, not that it has to provide any information.
Although not known publicly, we have seen documents showing that, due to its no-logs privacy policy, PrivateVPN has always been unable to comply with law enforcement. We absolutely do not condone any illegal activities performed while using a VPN, but these real-world cases act as a trustworthy and practical test for a VPN’s logging practices and data privacy.
<blockquote>The important thing to know is that because PrivateVPN doesn’t store any user data, it has no logs to provide.</blockquote>
The only drawback to PrivateVPN’s logging policy is that it has not been audited by a third-party. Many popular VPNs conduct annual audits from reputable third-parties to verify their claims of no-logging — giving users hard evidence, rather than having to rely on the words of the provider itself.
Although we want PrivateVPN to complete an audit from a third-party cybersecurity firm, its logging policy has been verified by real-world cases. We prefer these, as it removes the risk of any window-dressing and puts the VPN’s security and privacy systems through the strictest of tests.
In short, while we do trust PrivateVPN to keep you private and safe, we are hopeful that it will provide more evidence of its no-logs policy in any future update, just for peace of mind.
<h3>PrivateVPN is based in Sweden</h3>
<picture><source media="(max-width: 768px)" srcset="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/02/14-Eyes-Countries-Mobile.png"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-114193 size-large" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/02/14-Eyes-Countries-700x249.png" alt="Infographic showing the 14 eyes countries." width="700" height="249" data-mobileimg="true" /></picture>
PrivateVPN is located in Sweden. Sweden is a relatively safe VPN jurisdiction, but it is certainly not perfect for user privacy.
Sweden is part of <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/5-eyes-9-eyes-14-eyes/#the-five-nine-and-fourteen-eyes-alliances" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the 14 Eyes</a>, a group of 14 nations that share surveillance information. Originally formed to exchange military intelligence, the program has since evolved to include information on regular citizens.
Although we don’t typically recommend VPNs based in a 14-Eyes country, Sweden conducts less invasive VPN data collection and surveillance than its partners.
In Sweden, VPN providers are not considered an ‘electronic communications network’ nor an ‘electronic communications service’. This makes PrivateVPN exempt from Sweden’s intrusive laws, like <a href="https://www.loc.gov/law/help/online-privacy-law/2012/sweden.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Electronic Communications Act</a>, allowing the PrivateVPN to sidestep any mandatory data collection.
On top of this, PrivateVPN’s no-logs policy means that it is unable to provide any information about its users, even if it was asked to comply with an investigation.
However, we do wish PrivateVPN took steps to educate and reassure users about its base in a 14-Eyes country. Mullvad, for example, provides a <a href="https://mullvad.net/en/help/swedish-legislation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">detailed breakdown of all relevant Swedish laws</a> and an explanation of its efforts to protect user privacy. OVPN, another Swedish-based VPN provider, has <a href="https://www.ovpn.com/en/blog/swedish-covert-surveillance-of-data-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published blog posts</a> explaining Swedish data laws and detailing its response and systems.
Overall, despite its base in an imperfect jurisdiction, PrivateVPN is a safe and private choice. The VPN’s no-logs policy offsets most of the negatives of an invasive government, and there has never been evidence to suggest that Sweden has forced a VPN provider to log user information secretly. In short, you can trust PrivateVPN with your data.

Pricing & Free Trial

Speed Test

Servers & Locations

Encryption, Privacy & Security

Customer Service

User Experience

Do We Recommend this VPN?

CyberGhost VPN

PrivateVPN

To maintain fair and unbiased speed testing, we measured our internet speeds before and after connecting to a nearby London VPN server while using a UDP OpenVPN connection. We performed a series of tests over several days and then took the average number for each.
We recorded a speed loss of just 6% — from 100Mbps to 94Mbps — which is a really impressive result. You’ll experience similar results when connecting to a server near you, making PrivateVPN a great option for demanding tasks like torrenting and video calling
<h3 id="long-distance">Long-Distance Speed Test Results</h3>
PrivateVPN’s speed on long-distance connections was equally impressive. We recorded good speeds across a range of locations.
Despite experiencing mediocre speeds when connecting to a US server, it performed more admirably in other far-away locations like Australia and Canada. We were able to play online games and stream HD video from these countries without any buffering or interruptions.
Here are the full results we recorded when connecting to far-away servers from London, UK with a 100Mbps internet connection: 
USA (New York): 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Download: 62Mbps (38% slower) </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Upload: 67Mbps (32% slower)</li>
</ul>
Canada (Toronto): 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Download: 84Mbps (16% slower) </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Upload: 65Mbps (34% slower)  </li>
</ul>
Germany (Munich): 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Download: 80Mbps (20% slower)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Upload: 95Mbps (4% slower)</li>
</ul>
Singapore:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Download: 32Mbps (68% slower)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Upload: 26Mbps (74% slower)</li>
</ul>
Australia (Melbourne): 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Download: 49Mbps (51% slower)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Upload: 31Mbps (69% slower)</li>
</ul>
Although PrivateVPN is not close to being the fastest VPN available, these speeds will still allow you to reliably stream, torrent, and browse the web without any issue. You do need to be wary of its <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/privatevpn/#review-speed">slow congested servers</a>, though, but through some trial and error, you will be able to find a fast VPN server.
<h3>How Fast is PrivateVPN Compared to Other VPNs?</h3>
To keep our speed test results as scientific as possible, we also record results using our in-house VPN speed testing tool.
These tests run automatically four times per day and the results are displayed exactly as we find them — so there’s no possibility for any bias or human error.
The graph below compares PrivateVPN’s average loss of internet speed to other popular VPNs while running on our New York server.
<div style="display: none;" data-joyceparams="8528c5af-24ff"></div>
<a class="button green-cta" href="https://www.top10vpn.com/vpn-speed-test/?to=nyc&#038;from=nyc&#038;period=8w&#038;providers=direct,private-internet-access,expressvpn,nordvpn,privatevpn,surfshark&#038;int=7&#038;chart=dl_speedloss_avg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Use our Speed Test Tool to compare PrivateVPN&#8217;s speeds across different cities.</a> 
These results show that PrivateVPN’s speeds are poor compared to other top VPN providers. Over the previous eight weeks, PrivateVPN’s speed performance has been very inconsistent — fluctuating between speeds of 73Mbps to 64Mbps on a same-city connection.
PrivateVPN’s poor speed test results are in contrast to other providers like Surfshark and NordVPN. As you can see, speeds from these services remained both fast and consistent, which is essential for reliability.
PrivateVPN performed slightly better on international connections. When connecting to London from New York, PrivateVPN often outperformed other top VPNs, like Private Internet Access and ExpressVPN. However, PrivateVPN’s speeds remained unpredictable.
Unreliable speeds are frustrating for streaming geo-blocked content from sites like Netflix and Hulu, as it makes HD streams less likely. For a more predictable streaming experience, our speed test results show that NordVPN and Surfshark are both better options.
PrivateVPN is a cheaper VPN service than some of its competitors, so congested VPN servers and slower speeds can be somewhat expected. That said, we hope PrivateVPN can increase their server capacity and improve their speed performance in the future.

Fast no-logs VPN with great privacy features. Good choice for streaming fans.

CyberGhost Logo

CyberGhost offers excellent customer service. With 24/7 live chat and email support, and <a href="https://support.cyberghostvpn.com/hc/en-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">detailed online resources</a>, you’ll find solutions to most issues. This makes the VPN service an excellent option for beginners that are new to using a VPN.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-122941 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/04/Screenshot-of-CyberGhost-Help-Page-on-the-CyberGhost-Website.png" alt="" width="2504" height="708" />
You can access Live chat in the bottom-right corner of the CyberGhost website. Type in your problem and related support posts will pop up. If you still can&#8217;t resolve your issue, you can always chat with a live agent.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-122944 " data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/04/Screemshot-of-CyberGhost-Support.png" alt="" width="333" height="495" />
The live agents responded promptly and answered our question in seconds:
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-122947 " data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/04/Screenshot-of-CyberGhost-Live-Chat-Support-Exchange.png" alt="" width="355" height="525" />
The service&#8217;s variety of support options and quick response times are very impressive. The agents are well-informed and the online resources are available in English, French, German, and Romanian.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-122968 " data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/04/Screenshot-2020-03-06-at-16.04.07.png" alt="" width="385" height="298" />

<h4>How to Connect to a Server with CyberGhost</h4>
<div style="width: 584px;" class="wp-video"><video class="wp-video-shortcode" id="video-5515-2" width="584" height="329" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2021/01/mobile.mp4?_=2" /><a href="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2021/01/mobile.mp4">https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2021/01/mobile.mp4</a></video></div>
CyberGhost is a light and simple service with a well-designed, intuitive interface across all apps. It’s easy to use and set up, and it’s got almost all the advanced features an expert user may need. This makes it a great VPN for beginners and experienced users alike.
There are differences in features and user experience across apps, though. For example, advanced users may be disappointed by the limited custom settings on the MacOS app.
In this section, we’ll go through the differences between each of CyberGhost’s native applications in detail.
<h3>Desktop Clients</h3>
In terms of design, there’s little difference between the Windows and MacOS clients. A simple interface shows your connection status, a list of locations, and a large connect button.
The right-hand panel houses a ton of functionality. There&#8217;s a list of servers with their distance and server load, as well as a &#8216;favorites&#8217; section. Plus, you can easily filter servers to find those optimized for streaming or torrenting.
While you can also filter by country, you can&#8217;t by city. This means you have to scroll through country servers until you reach your desired city. In a country like the US, which has so many servers, this can take some time.
<div id="attachment_160589" style="width: 2898px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-160589" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-160589 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2021/01/CyberGhost-MacOS-App.png" alt="" width="2888" height="1756" />CyberGhost&#8217;s MacOS app.</div>
The Connection Features menu contains tools such as ad and tracker blocking, HTTPS redirection, and data compression. The latter reduces the size of images and files to improve speed performance.
There are further options in the ‘Smart Rules’ menu on Windows. Here you can choose to launch the VPN on startup, change network preferences, or enable split tunneling.
While both apps look good, the MacOS client has much fewer customization options than the Windows version.
It&#8217;s disappointing there is no OpenVPN option on MacOS. To use OpenVPN, instead of IKEv2 or WireGuard, you have to use external software like Tunnelblick. You can find full instructions on <a href="https://support.cyberghostvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/214239925-Mac-OS-That-s-how-you-configure-OpenVPN-to-use-with-CyberGhost-Tunnelblick" target="_blank" rel="noopener">configuring OpenVPN for Mac here</a>.
<div class="block-highlighted">
These are some key features absent from CyberGhost’s Mac client:
<ul>
<li>Using OpenVPN TCP instead of UDP</li>
<li>Using a random port to connect</li>
<li>Blocking IPv6 traffic</li>
<li>Disabling DNS leak protection</li>
<li>Disabling kill switch (enabled by default)</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>iOS &amp; Android</h3>
CyberGhost&#8217;s iOS app is far simpler than the desktop clients. It has a relatively basic interface, and barely any customization settings. The Android app is similarly designed but has a much longer list of features. Unlike the desktop clients, both mobile apps use WireGuard as the default protocol.
The iOS app connects to your nearest server by default, or you can choose a specific server location. Tapping a location will display the server load, and you can save locations to a Favorites list.
<div id="attachment_122938" style="width: 370px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122938" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122938 " data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/04/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_1.png" alt="" width="360" height="575" />CyberGhost&#8217;s iOS app.</div>
Both mobile apps give you the option to adjust settings for specific networks. This way the VPN will know how to behave at home, school or work, or on public WiFi.
<div class="block-highlighted block-highlighted--blue">
The Android app has many more features than the iOS one, including:
<ul>
<li>Ad blocker</li>
<li>Connection checker</li>
<li>Data compression</li>
<li>Dedicated IP (paid token required)</li>
<li>Domain fronting</li>
<li>Prevent online tracking</li>
<li>Protection against malicious websites</li>
<li>URL filtering</li>
<li>Split tunnelling</li>
<li>Use random port</li>
</ul>
</div>

CyberGhost won&#8217;t work in heavily-censored countries like China, Iran, Turkey and the UAE. This is partly because it doesn&#8217;t come with obfuscation technology. Obfuscation disguises VPN traffic to make it appear ‘normal’ browsing to web censors. This helps bypass internet blocks in countries <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/are-vpns-legal/">where VPN usage is restricted or illegal</a>.
Moreover, CyberGhost itself warns against using its service where VPNs aren&#8217;t legal.
Using a VPN in China has become increasingly difficult since the country imposed a nationwide VPN ban. Most VPNs, including premium service, don&#8217;t work well -if at all &#8211; in China.
If you need a <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/china/">VPN for China</a>, we recommend either <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/vyprvpn/">ExpresVPN</a> or <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/astrill/">Astrill VPN</a>. They are the most effective and consistent at bypassing strict web censorship.

There is no doubt that CyberGhost is a secure VPN. It secures your web traffic with 256-bit encryption, and masks your IP address effectively. Your IP is never exposed thanks to a <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-glossary/#kill-switch">kill switch</a> (called &#8216;Secure Connect on the Mac app), and IP and DNS leak protection.
CyberGhost&#8217;s apps use WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols. For OpenVPN, you also have a choice between TCP and UDP connections. Recently, the VPN service <a href="https://www.cyberghostvpn.com/privacyhub/l2tp_pptp_discontinued/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">removed the insecure PPTP and L2TP protocols</a>. More proof of the company’s ongoing commitment to security.
Your protect your data, the VPN hashes web traffic using the SHA256 authentication. And, <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-glossary/#perfect-forward-secrecy">perfect forward secrecy</a> is achieved via an ECDH-4096 key exchange.
In addition to built-in IP leak protection, there is an impressive range of advanced security features. These include a malicious URL filter to block malware, automated HTTPS redirection, an online tracking blocker and split tunneling. All of these features are included in the standard CyberGhost subscription.
<div id="attachment_160583" style="width: 1210px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-160583" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-160583 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2021/01/CyberGhost-Connection-Features.png" alt="" width="1200" height="1050" />CyberGhost&#8217;s connection features.</div>
The “force HTTPS” function redirects insecure URLs to HTTPS versions. Not many VPN services offer this feature. Read more about the risks of HTTP websites in <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/public-wifi-security-tips/">our guide to WiFi security</a>.
Split tunneling is available on the Windows and Android apps under the label “use exceptions.” This lets you pick the applications to put through the VPN connection. It&#8217;s currently not available on CyberGhost’s MacOS client.
CyberGhost’s mobile and Mac apps are secure, but they have less security features than the Windows client. Changing protocols on Mac requires additional software, and it’s not possible on mobile at all. We’ll cover these in detail <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/cyberghost/#review-ease">later on in this review</a>.
CyberGhost has also developed its own free <a href="https://support.cyberghostvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/360017026600-CyberGhost-Desktop-Private-Browser" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Private Browser</a> that runs off DuckDuckGo. It has a built-in proxy extension, an ad and malware blocker, and a one-click deletion of browsing data. You can learn more about <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/best-private-browsers/">private browsers in our guide</a>.
<div style="width: 584px;" class="wp-video">
<video class="wp-video-shortcode" id="video-5515-1" width="584" height="424" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2021/01/desktop.mp4?_=1" /><a href="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2021/01/desktop.mp4">https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2021/01/desktop.mp4</a></video></div>
All in all, CyberGhost is very secure, with high encryption, 100% leak protection, and many advanced features on Windows. These extra features need to be brought over to the MacOS and mobile apps, though.
<h3>Data Leaks, Trackers &amp; Permissions</h3>
VPN security isn’t just about the strength of encryption available. We also tested CyberGhost’s apps for data leaks, tracking scripts, and intrusive permissions.
All of CyberGhost’s apps are free from <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/which-vpns-leak/#what-is-a-vpn-leak">IP, WebRTC and DNS leaks</a>. This means you can trust the apps to keep your true IP address hidden and your downloads private.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-122854 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/04/CyberGhost-DNS-Leak-Test.png" alt="" width="1050" height="450" />
We also ran the VPN apps through the <a href="https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">εxodus tool</a>, which reports on the trackers and permissions present in Android apps.
The Android app contains mostly standard trackers used to monitor usability. This allows the company to quickly respond to serious bugs and crashes.
<div class="block-highlighted">
These trackers include:.
<ul>
<li>AppsFlyer</li>
<li>Google Analytics</li>
<li>Google CrashLytics</li>
<li>Google Firebase Analytics</li>
<li>Google Tag Manager</li>
<li>Instabug</li>
<li>MixPanel</li>
</ul>
</div>
Lets put the above results into context. CyberGhost contains seven trackers while some of the worst VPNs <a href="https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/org.freevpn/latest/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have up to 28</a>. On the flip side, ExpressVPN and <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/astrill/">Astrill</a> have two and zero, respectively.
Some of the Android permissions are a little concerning. The app has the ability to access your location via your GPS and network information. This permission is considered ‘dangerous’ or ‘special’ according to <a href="https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/permissions/overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Google’s protection levels</a>. This isn’t uncommon, but the company should provide more clarity on this.
<div id="attachment_122857" style="width: 2748px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122857" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122857 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/04/Screenshot-of-CyberGhost-Virus-Test.png" alt="" width="2738" height="2462" />CyberGhost contains no malware</div>
Finally, we ran the CyberGhost installer through a malware test to ensure it doesn&#8217;t contain viruses. The software came back completely clean, as you can see from the screenshot below.
<h3>Security Concerns</h3>
There are two security &#8220;incidents&#8221; worth highlighting.
In March 2019, <a href="https://www.cyberghostvpn.com/privacyhub/typeform-breach/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CyberGhost suffered a security breach at the hands of cyber criminals</a>. The impact was minimal, with just 20 email addresses and 14 CyberGhost usernames exposed. While this is concerning, CyberGhost was very transparent about the incident, and reacted quickly.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-122926 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/04/Screenshot-2020-04-15-at-19.11.06.png" alt="" width="1000" height="280" />
In 2016, CyberGhost was criticized for installing root certificates on desktop and mobile apps <a href="https://www.wilderssecurity.com/threads/cyberghost-vpn-start-logging-hardware-id.388009/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with its ad blocker</a>. This was a huge security risk that allowed for the decryption of HTTPS traffic. This issue has now been rectified.
The ad blocker continues to be a controversial feature. It doesn&#8217;t filter adverts and malicious content through DNS requests, like most VPN ad-blocking software. CyberGhost’s ad blockerinspects and manipulates your traffic to modify your requests and avoid certain domains.
This is the equivalent of what’s called a <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/public-wifi-security-tips/">“Man in the Middle Attack” (MitM)</a>. Modifying user traffic is not something a trustworthy VPN provider should do.
The ad-blocker only works with HTTP websites as it can&#8217;t access the content of encrypted HTTPS connections.
A further controversy surrounds accusations that the VPN is <a href="https://www.wilderssecurity.com/threads/exposed-cyberghost-vpn-keep-logs.385903/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not actually zero-logs</a>.
Despite the above issues and controversies, CyberGhost VPN remains very secure. We haven&#8217;t uncovered any security concerns, other than the ad blocker and Android GPS permission issues.

CyberGhost has custom apps for PCs, Macs, Android and iOS devices, and Fire TV Stick. You can also use it on Android TV, Linux, and home routers. And there are browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox.
The setup on almost every platform is incredibly easy. CyberGhost is in fact one of the most widely compatible VPN services available.
The only device CyberGhost doesn’t work with is Chromebook, unless you use the Chrome browser extension.
CyberGhost is also compatible with Raspberry Pi, Synology NAS, VU+ Solo 2, and routers. These require a manual setup, but there are helpful setup guides available on the <a href="https://support.cyberghostvpn.com/hc/en-us/sections/203000605-CyberGhost-VPN-for-Routers-and-other-Devices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CyberGhost website</a>.
<div id="attachment_122929" style="width: 1712px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122929" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122929 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/04/CyberGhost-Router-Guide-.png" alt="" width="1702" height="660" />You can use your CyberGhost subscription with a number of different devices</div>
In terms of routers, CyberGhost is compatible with DD-WRT, TomatoUSB and Merlin-Built routers. Read our dedicated guide for help <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/what-is-a-vpn-router/">setting up a VPN router</a>.
The service has a simultaneous connection limit of seven devices, above the industry standard of five. For unlimited connections, set CyberGhost VPN at router level.

CyberGhost’s browser extensions are available for Chrome and Firefox. They are entirely free, hide your IP address and unblock geo-restricted content.
However, these VPN browser extensions are very limited compared to CyberGhost’s full VPN service. You can only access eight servers in four countries: Germany, The Netherlands, Romania, and the United States. This is ok for a free add-on, but substantially inferior to the paid apps.
<div id="attachment_122869" style="width: 448px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122869" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122869 " data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/04/Screenshot-of-Google-Chrome-CyberGhost-Extension.png" alt="" width="438" height="440" />CyberGhost&#8217;s Google Chrome browser extension</div>
Unlike ExpressVPN&#8217;s, CyberGhost&#8217;s browser extensions are <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/proxy-vs-vpn/">proxies and not VPNs</a>. Moreover, remember that extensions only protect browser traffic, and not all your device&#8217;s web connections.
Here’s a table that details all the differences between CyberGhost’s browser extensions and full VPN applications:
<div style="display: none;" data-table="1aMimQdoi8BrYZ5ohdBsxhCe3yrN6doW664wM6z27m8Y|0"></div>

The Smart DNS tool <a href="#review-streaming">we mentioned</a> earlier in the review is also very handy. It lets you use the VPN on devices that don&#8217;t support native VPN apps. These include Apple TV, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox, and other games consoles.
Because of Smart DNS, and its good speeds, CyberGhost is one of the <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/gaming/">best gaming VPNs</a>. Plus, it has a large server network to unlock geo-restricted games, prevent ISP throttling, and bypass IP bans.
Use the guides on CyberGhost&#8217;s website to configure Smart DNS on your games console:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://support.cyberghostvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/360012104059-Configure-My-Smart-DNS-for-PlayStation-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Playstation 4</a></li>
<li><a href="https://support.cyberghostvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/360012106179-Configure-My-Smart-DNS-for-PlayStation-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Playstation 3</a></li>
<li><a href="https://support.cyberghostvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/360012010840-Configure-My-Smart-DNS-for-Xbox-One" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Xbox One</a></li>
<li><a href="https://support.cyberghostvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/360012119999-Configure-My-Smart-DNS-for-Xbox-360" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Xbox 360</a></li>
<li><a href="https://support.cyberghostvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/360012127199-Configure-My-Smart-DNS-for-Nintendo-Wii" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wii</a></li>
<li><a href="https://support.cyberghostvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/360012029120-Configure-My-Smart-DNS-for-Nintendo-Wii-U" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wii U</a></li>
</ul>
We&#8217;re waiting for CyberGhost to add a guide for Playstation 5, too.
In addition, CyberGhost also comes with a well-designed <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/firestick/#cyberghost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">custom Amazon Fire TV Stick app</a>.

Cyberghost has a vast network of {{server_count-cyberghost}} VPN servers located in {{number_countries-cyberghost}} countries, more than most services offer.
It also covers 112 city-level locations, which is a great level of city coverage. This means users have a great variety of locations to choose across the globe.
As with many other VPN services, serer coverage in Asia and Africa is rather limited. There are currently 23 CyberGhost servers in Asia, but only six in Africa.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-122830 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/04/Screenshot-of-CyberGhost-Server-Locations-Taken-from-the-CyberGhost-Website.png" alt="" width="1806" height="1718" />
City-level choice is available in the following countries:
<ul class="columns-2">
<li>Australia</li>
<li>Canada</li>
<li>France</li>
<li>Germany</li>
<li>Italy</li>
<li>Spain</li>
<li>UK</li>
<li>US</li>
</ul>
The total number of servers in Australia recently increased to 78, which is great to see. It also added new servers in New Zealand, with 13 in Auckland alone.
CyberGhost&#8217;s <a href="/goto/?type=prc&amp;name=cyberghost&amp;ref=6001e3f2a0eaa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">server list</a> highlights which servers support P2P traffic. It also marks which server locations are virtual or physical. We explain the <a href="/guides/vpn-servers-explained/">difference between server types here</a>.
Within each app you can choose a server from the drop-down list. Or you can simply connect to the nearest server location. This allows you to surf anonymously in just a few seconds.
<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-160574 aligncenter" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2021/01/CyberGhost-Server-Locations.png" alt="" width="461" height="676" />
You can also see server loads in the desktop app, helpful to find less congested servers. It’s rare to see over 50% in server load, so you&#8217;re unlikely to experience slow speeds due to congestion.
<h3>What types of servers does CyberGhost offer?</h3>
CyberGhost offers different types of server that are optimized for certain activities.
<div class="block-highlighted block-highlighted--blue">
These server types include:
<ul>
<li>P2P Optimized</li>
<li>Streaming Optimized</li>
<li>Static IP Address</li>
<li>Token-based dedicated IP</li>
<li>NoSpy Servers</li>
</ul>
</div>
Usually, VPNs assign dynamic IP addresses, randomly assigned each time you connect.
By contrast, a static IP address server will assign you the same IP address every time you connect. This can improve unblocking geo-restricted content as your traffic patterns will look more like ‘normal’ web traffic. However, there are some privacy risks if you keep using the same IP address.
To get around this privacy threat, CyberGhost developed a unique token-based dedicated IP system. It&#8217;s great for users who want to use the same IP address, but also have privacy concerns. When you redeem a token, CyberGhost won&#8217;t know its details. Therefore, it can&#8217;t link your account to any specific dedicated IP.
<a href="/goto/?type=prc&amp;name=cyberghost&amp;ref=600310bc9b110" target="_blank" rel="noopener">These anonymous dedicated IPs</a> give you the benefits of static IP addresses with none of the privacy downsides. Token-based dedicated IPs do cost extra, though, and are only available in these locations:
<ul>
<li>Canada (Montreal)</li>
<li>France (Paris)</li>
<li>Germany (Berlin, Frankfurt)</li>
<li>UK (London, Manchester)</li>
<li>US (Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York)</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_160577" style="width: 1700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-160577" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-160577 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2021/01/CyberGhost-Dedicated-IP.png" alt="" width="1690" height="700" />You can purchase a dedicated CyberGhost IP via the app.</div>
Not that you can&#8217;t purchase the token-based dedicated IP add-on if you have an existing CyberGhost account. You have to buy it separately from the checkout, along with a new subscription.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-122842 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/04/Screenshot-of-NoSpy-Server-Advertisement-Taken-from-the-CyberGhost-Website.png" alt="" width="2840" height="828" />
NoSpy servers are also an optional extra. As <a href="#review-streaming">described above</a>, these servers are owned by CyberGhost in a private data center in Romania. They use top-shelf hardware, dedicated uplinks and come with bigger bandwidth for better speeds.
On the whole, CyberGhost offers a very good selection of server types and locations. We’d also like to see multi-hop (or double VPN) servers added in the future. This feature routes your traffic through two VPN servers, adding a further layer of security. Double VPN is offered by <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/nordvpn/">NordVPN</a> and <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/vpn-ac/">VPN.ac</a>.
<h3>Does CyberGhost Use Virtual Server Locations?</h3>
CyberGhost marks 58 out of its {{number_countries-cyberghost}} server locations as “physically located.” These servers are physical machines in the country you’re connecting to.
The remaining 31 servers are virtual server locations. These servers assign the IP address of a specific country, while physically located elsewhere.
<div id="attachment_123136" style="width: 1310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123136" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-123136 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/04/Listed-Servers.png" alt="" width="1300" height="520" />CyberGhost labels its physical servers</div>
Virtual server locations can help ensure your connection is fast, secure, and reliable. They can also provide access to countries, in which it&#8217;s difficult to obtain a physical server. However, they can also impact speed if the physical machine is much further away from your real location.
It&#8217;s good to see the VPN company being transparent about its virtual servers. One step further is to disclose the actual physical location of these servers. For example, <a href="https://www.expressvpn.com/support/troubleshooting/virtual-server-locations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ExpressVPN</a>, lists the real physical locations of its virtual servers.
One question we still have is how many of its servers CyberGhost owns. The company told us they have “total control over all [its] servers.” From our own research, it looks like CyberGhost rents some third-party servers, which is fairly common among VPN providers. That said, a well-maintained and self-owned server network can be a great benefit to privacy. If you’re interested in a VPN that owns all its servers, take a look at <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/vyprvpn/">VyprVPN</a> or <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/ipvanish/">IPVanish</a>.

CyberGhost is an excellent VPN for streaming. It works with US Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and <a href="/goto/?type=prc&amp;name=cyberghost&amp;ref=6003033382fb4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">many more platforms</a>.
There are dedicated servers for specific streaming platforms clearly labeled within each app. There are also streaming servers for Canada, Germany, France, Poland, Brazil, and more.
All these streaming servers regularly change IP address to bypass the blocks set by websites like Netflix.
<div id="attachment_160556" style="width: 489px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-160556" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-160556 " data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2021/01/CyberGhost-Streaming-Servers.png" alt="" width="479" height="530" />CyberGhost’s dedicated streaming servers.</div>
We easily unblocked US Netflix on all CyberGhost apps connecting to the US Netflix server. The Netflix website loaded slowly at first, but, once fully loaded, it streamed an entire movie without buffering.
CyberGhost can equally unblock the British, French and German Netflix libraries.
We also tested all UK servers to see if they unblock BBC iPlayer. While it used to work in the past, sadly CyberGhost no longer works with BBC iPlayer.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-160565 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2021/01/BBC-iPlayer-Not-Working-2.png" alt="" width="1600" height="250" />
BBC iPlayer&#8217;s VPN ban is notoriously hard to beat. Most VPNs will struggle to bypass the geo-blocks from time to time. We hope CyberGhost can fix this issue soon. Meanwhile, use a <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/bbc-iplayer/">VPN that still works with BBC iPlayer</a>.
CyberGhost also has a well-designed Fire TV Stick app, too. This is ideal for unblocking streaming apps, and for watching Kodi streams anonymously.
The VPN service also comes with a good <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-glossary/#smart-dns">Smart DNS</a> tool. This allows you to use the VPN on devices such as Apple TV, Roku, PlayStation and Xbox. Find out how to use <a href="https://support.cyberghostvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/360012002360-How-to-configure-My-Smart-DNS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CyberGhost&#8217;s Smart DNS feature here</a>.
Overall, CyberGhost bypasses regional restrictions on a wide range of video content platforms. As such, we rate the VPN service as one of the <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/streaming/">best VPNs for streaming</a>.
<h3>Is CyberGhost a Good Choice for Torrenting?</h3>
CyberGhost is also a safe VPN to torrent files anonymously. It&#8217;s fast, has a sensible logging policy, and offers <a href="https://support.cyberghostvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/360003545194-How-to-use-Torrent-optimized-servers-with-CyberGhost-VPN-7-for-macOS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">P2P-optimized servers</a> on all its apps. It also comes with built-in IP and DNS leak protection, which <a href="#review-encryption">worked well in our tests</a>.
Each VPN app shows you how many users are connected to each server. You can then choose the least congested one, to maximize upload and download speeds. Finding the right server for torrenting is easy. Click on the “for torrenting” tab, and you’ll see a list of servers ptimized for P2P traffic.
<div id="attachment_160568" style="width: 456px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-160568" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-160568 " data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2021/01/CyberGhost-Torrenting-Servers.png" alt="" width="446" height="507" />CyberGhost has P2P-optimized servers.</div>
While many VPNs shy away from mentioning P2P on their servers, CyberGhost is <a href="/goto/?type=prc&amp;name=cyberghost&amp;ref=600308d1d20c8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">much more upfront about it</a>. It’s clear that the service values its file-sharing customers.
For additional privacy, there are also <a href="/goto/?type=prc&amp;name=cyberghost&amp;ref=60030a7f3a3eb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NoSpy servers</a> that you can use. These are owned and managed by the company.
For peace of mind, make sure the VPN kill switch is enabled to prevent IP address leaks, if the VPN connection drops.
One of the downsides of the VPN service is that P2P traffic is not allowed on Australia servers. This can significantly reduce torrent speeds for users in Australia. Those users should connect to the New Zealand servers, instead.
Occasionally the VPN <a href="https://support.cyberghostvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/213982089-Why-does-my-torrent-not-work-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blocks P2P protocols</a> on certain servers to reduce congestion. Or to comply with specific laws in countries like Russia, Singapore, Australia, and Hong Kong.
For completely unrestricted torrenting on all servers, considering using these <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/torrenting/">torrent VPNs</a> instead.
Also, CyberGhost VPN doesn&#8217;t allow <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-glossary/#port-forwarding">port forwarding</a> for privacy reasons. This means you can&#8217;t seed torrent files with this VPN service.
All in all, if you stick to its list of P2P servers, CyberGhost is a good VPN for anonymous torrenting.

CyberGhost is a popular Romania-based VPN provider with over 10 million users. In this CyberGhost review you&#8217;ll learn that it&#8217;s a fast, secure, and easy to use VPN service.
The VPN service has a wide network of {{server_count-cyberghost}} servers across {{number_countries-cyberghost}} countries. It also supports P2P file-sharing on <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/cyberghost/#review-ease">user-friendly apps</a> for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, and Fire OS.
CyberGhost&#8217;s focus on <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/cyberghost/#review-streaming">unblocking streaming platforms</a> is clear. It has built streaming-specific servers that unblock US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video.
To keep its users safe, all the VPN apps use the secure OpenVPN protocol and AES-256 traffic encryption. The software also comes with a working VPN kill switch called Secure Connect.
<a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/goto/?type=pr&amp;name=cyberghost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CyberGhost</a> also offers a range of good <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/cyberghost/#review-encryption">additional security features</a>. These include IPv6 and DNS leak protection, a malware blocker, and split tunneling.
All of this comes for the cheap price of {{best_price-cyberghost}} per month on a three-year plan. You can also take advantage of a <a href="#review-pricing">one-day free trial</a>, and a very generous 45-day money-back guarantee.
In this CyberGhost VPN review we&#8217;ll also cover in detail the VPN service&#8217;s drawbacks. We&#8217;ll focus on the limited features of its mobile apps, and its inconsistent long-distance speeds. We&#8217;ll also discuss how it doesn&#8217;t work in highly-censored countries like China.
Also, CyberGhost VPN does collect <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/cyberghost/#review-jurisdiction">some aggregated web logs</a>, although this won&#8217;t affect your privacy.
Overall CyberGhost is a very good and user-friendly VPN. It hides your IP address without fault, and unblocks region-restricted video content. In other words, it’s ideal for every day VPN users.
<a class="button green-cta" href="https://www.top10vpn.com/vpn-comparison-tool/?providers=direct,cyberghost,expressvpn,nordvpn"> Compare CyberGhost to its top rivals side-by-side</a>

CyberGhost is a very affordable VPN. There are monthly, annual, two-year and three-year subscription plans available. As usual, the longer plans come at a heavily-discounted price.
There’s also short free trial period as well as a 45-day money-back guarantee.
The monthly plan costs $12.99, slightly higher than other top-tier VPNs like NordVPN or IPVanish. It’s also above the industry average of around $10-12 per month.
The annual plan costs $5.99 per month, which drops to $3.69 on the two-year plan. At its cheapest, CyberGhost costs just {{best_price-cyberghost}} per month on a 3-year subscription plan. It&#8217;s billed $99 upfront, but you get 79% off the standard monthly price.
This is excellent value for money, given CyberGhost is regularly rated as one of the best VPNs. These prices make it <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/cheap-vpns/">one of the cheapest</a>, too.
CyberGhost also offers a very generous <a href="/goto/?type=prc&amp;name=cyberghost&amp;ref=6003351c0ddc5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">45-day money-back guarantee</a> on subscription plans longer than a year. On the month-by-month plan, the refund guarantee is of 14 days.
To get a refund, contact CyberGhost&#8217;s support team via live chat or email. Request a refund before the 14 or 45 days are up and you’ll get your money back within 5-10 working days. Remember, it’s a “no questions asked” refund promise, with no hidden catches or restrictions.

CyberGhost accepts payment via Bitcoin, Cash, Credit Card, and PayPal. This is a good range of payment options, similar to most leading VPN services.
The ability to pay with cash and cryptocurrency will appeal to the most privacy-conscious users. Cash payments are limited to Germany, Switzerland, and Austria where resellers like Amazon, MediaMarkt, and Saturn process cash transactions.
You can’t pay for CyberGhost with Paysafe cards, AliPay, or UnionPay.
CyberGhost doesn&#8217;t have a free version, but it does offer a <a href="/goto/?type=prc&amp;name=cyberghost&amp;ref=60036598658c3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one-day free trial</a>. On mobile devices, this lasts seven days. It&#8217;s not the longest of free trials, but it&#8217;s still <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/free-trials/">one of the best available</a>.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-123133 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/04/CyberGhost-Free-Trial.png" alt="" width="1200" height="420" />
The free trial doesn&#8217;t require any payment details. A pop-up window will remind you of the remaining trial period every time you use the VPN.

We examined <a href="https://www.cyberghostvpn.com/en_US/privacypolicy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CyberGhost’s privacy policy</a> to understand what the service logs. The VPN only logs anonymous connection data for statistical purposes. This data is aggregated, anonymized, and cannot be traced back to you.
<div class="block-highlighted block-highlighted--blue">
CyberGhost logs the following data:
<ul>
<li>Account information</li>
<li>Logins of anonymous accounts per day</li>
<li>Connection attempts</li>
<li>Successful connections</li>
<li>Country of origin</li>
</ul>
</div>
Other popular VPNs collect <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-logging-policies/#what-types-of-data-do-vpns-log">aggregated connection logs</a>, and CyberGhost is no different.
This information above is deleted after 24 hours, and the monthly sum deleted every month.
Crucially, CyberGhost VPN does not keep logs of user activity or personal data. Your real IP address, the servers you used, or your browsing history will not be logged.
<div id="attachment_122806" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122806" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122806 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/04/Screenshot-from-the-CyberGhost-Privacy-Policy.png" alt="Screenshot from the CyberGhost Privacy Policy" width="2560" height="1504" />Screenshot from the CyberGhost privacy policy.</div>
CyberGhost also collects some hardware information from the devices you use. This is done to ensure you don&#8217;t break the service’s simultaneous device limit. This information includes:
<ul>
<li>Bios lD</li>
<li>Bios date</li>
<li>Video ID</li>
<li>CPU ID</li>
<li>Base ID</li>
<li>Computer username</li>
</ul>
The fact it collects some logs to enforce its device limit isn&#8217;t mentioned in the privacy policy. It also conflicts with its <a href="https://www.cyberghostvpn.com/en_US/no-logs-vpn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“strict no-logs” claim</a>.
<div id="attachment_122908" style="width: 1640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122908" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122908 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/04/CyberGhost-No-Logs-Claims.png" alt="CyberGhost No Logs Claims" width="1630" height="856" />CyberGhost claims to have a “strict no-logs policy” on its website.</div>
Despite these inaccuracies, the VPN service has taken user privacy seriously. It publishes an <a href="https://www.cyberghostvpn.com/en_US/transparency-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">annual transparency report</a> listing the number of legal requests and DMCA complaints it receives.
The company also <a href="https://support.cyberghostvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/213903049-Can-a-data-center-compromise-my-anonymity-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">commissioned an independent audit</a> on its security practices in 2012. However, we want to see a new, updated audit for its logging policy.
<div id="attachment_160763" style="width: 1582px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-160763" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-160763 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2021/01/CyberGhost-audit-1.png" alt="" width="1572" height="374" />Details of CyberGhost&#8217;s independent audit.</div>
Although CyberGhost is completely no-logs, it is still a safe and private VPN service. If a truly no-logs VPN is what you&#8217;re after, considering using <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/private-internet-access/">Private Internet Access</a>.
<h3>Where is CyberGhost Based?</h3>
Cyberghost is incorporated as CyberGhost S.A. in Bucharest, Romania and operates under Romanian law. This means it&#8217;s outside of the <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/5-eyes-9-eyes-14-eyes/#theeuropeanunioneu">14 Eyes alliances</a>.
Romania is in the EU, which does have aggressive data-retention and sharing agreements between nations. But, Romania is the only member state to have successfully said “no” to these invasive requirements.
In 2009, the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) <a href="https://romanialibera.ro/actualitate/eveniment/ce-solicita-romaniei-sa-transpuna-integral-normele-ue-in-privinta-pastrarii-datelolor-242599.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rejected EU legislation</a> forcing companies to keep digital records of customers. The court declared it “an unconstitutional violation of Romanian citizens’ rights to privacy.”
<div id="attachment_122818" style="width: 1610px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122818" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122818 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/04/Excerpt-from-Romania-Constitutional-Court-Decision-on-EU-Data-Retention-Laws.png" alt="Screenshot of the Constitutional Court of Romania’s (CCR) decision" width="1600" height="900" />Screenshot of the Constitutional Court of Romania’s (CCR) decision</div>
Romania is a relatively safe VPN jurisdiction and a rare defender of privacy among EU states. In any event, CyberGhost doesn’t collect any personal web logs therefore has no web data to hand over to authorities.
<h3>Who Owns CyberGhost?</h3>
CyberGhost was launched in 2011 by German tech entrepreneur Robert Knapp as a free VPN. In 2017 Crossrider Group <a href="https://www.crunchbase.com/acquisition/crossrider-acquires-cyberghost-srl--6d40ffd8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acquired the company</a> for €9.2 million.
Crossrider was founded in 2010 and operated mobile ad platforms and a <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2012/12/17/cross-browser-extension-development-platform-crossrider-sold-for-37m-to-markets-com-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">browser extension development platform</a>. The latter allowed developers to create cross-browser add-ons and monetize them through ad injection techniques.
One of these techniques bundles a ‘Crossrider’ adware PUP (potentially unwanted program) with other software. Once installed, the PUP would serve unwanted advertisements via an internet user’s web browser(s).
Ad injection is not only intrusive but, if misused, potentially unsafe. Some developers may have abused <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2015/06/09/from-israel-unit-8200-to-ad-men/?sh=6300521526e2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Crossriders’ capabilities for malicious purposes</a>.
Below is a screenshot from <a href="https://blog.malwarebytes.com/detections/pup-optional-crossrider/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a Malwarebytes report</a> into Crossrider PUPs:
<div id="attachment_122821" style="width: 1436px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122821" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122821 size-full" data-lazy-src="https://top10.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/prod/2020/04/Screenshot-of-Report-into-Crossrider-Malware-by-Malwarebytes.png" alt="Screenshot taken from Malwarebytes’ investigation into Crossrider" width="1426" height="828" />Screenshot taken from Malwarebytes’ investigation into Crossrider</div>
Crossider shut its platforms in 2016, prior to acquiring CyberGhost. It then re-branded to <a href="https://www.kape.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kape Technologies</a> in 2018. Its CEO, Ido Erlichmann, <a href="https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-crossrider-renamed-kape-after-switching-to-cybersecurity-1001227178" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was eager</a> to distance Kape from the controversies surrounding Crossider.
Knapp admitted to a potential conflict of interest between CyberGhost and Kape when <a href="https://archive.is/znwJr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he wrote</a>:
<blockquote>“While CyberGhost focused on privacy and security from day one, Crossrider started out as a company that distributed browser extensions and developed ad tech products. Quite the opposite of what we did.”</blockquote>
Since 2017, Kape Technologies has focused on becoming “<a href="https://www.londonstockexchange.com/news-article/KAPE/completion-of-private-internet-access-acquisition/14348750?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a global privacy and security company</a>. As part of its expansion, it has since acquired popular VPN services <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/private-internet-access/">Private Internet Access</a> and <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/reviews/zenmate/">ZenMate</a>.
Crossrider may have not always put user privacy first, but Kape has made a dedicated effort to do so. There is nothing to suggest that CyberGhost cannot be trusted.

We tested CyberGhost’s local speeds by connecting to a UK server from our London office. We say very good results, averaging at 89Mbps on our 100Mbps fiber broadband line. This is a percentage speed loss of just 11%.
This is more than fast enough to browse, stream, or torrent files without any major drop in speed.
You can expect to see similar results when connecting to a CyberGhost server near your physical location.
<h3>Long-Distance Speed Tests</h3>
We also connected to international servers in Germany, US, Singapore, and Australia. Sadly, long-distance speeds were much more inconsistent.
It’s natural for VPN speeds to drop connecting to distant servers since your data has further to travel. CyberGhost still delivered reasonable results, but it still lags the <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/fastest-vpn/">fastest VPNs</a>.
You can find the full results of our long-distance speed tests below:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">US: 26Mpbs (download) &amp; 59Mbps (upload) – 74% speed loss</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Germany: 66Mbps (download) &amp; 92Mbps (upload) – 7% speed loss</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Singapore: 14Mpbs (download) &amp; 45Mbps (upload) – 70% speed loss</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Australia: 8Mbps (download) &amp; 35Mbps (upload) – 88% speed loss</li>
</ul>
We suffered a speed loss of 74% connecting to a US server, which is much slower than other top-tier services. Australia and Singapore didn&#8217;t do much better, either.
<h3>How Fast is CyberGhost Compared to Other VPNs?</h3>
We also run speed tests using our bespoke VPN speed test tool. Speed tests run automatically four times per day. Test connection speeds are capped at 100Mbps to recreate a typical home internet connection.
The graph below compares CyberGhost’s average internet speed loss to other popular VPNs on our New York server.
Results go back eight weeks, giving you a good idea of CyberGhost&#8217;s speed and stability.
<div style="display: none;" data-joyceparams="3f6372ff-90c3"></div>
<a class="button green-cta" href="https://www.top10vpn.com/vpn-speed-test/?to=nyc&amp;from=nyc&amp;period=8w&amp;providers=direct,private-internet-access,expressvpn,nordvpn&amp;int=7&amp;chart=dl_speed_avg">Use our speed test tool to compare CyberGhost&#8217;s global speeds.</a>
Clearly, CyberGhost is slower and less consistent than some of its main rivals. This has been the trend over the last few months, but we hope speeds will start improving again soon.

	Cheapest Price	Speed	Logging Policy	Data Leaks
Read Review	Read Review	Read Review	Read Review	Read Review
$6.67/mo over 15 Months	$4.08/mo over 12 Months	$2.21/mo over 27 months	$1.98/mo over 24 months	$2.75/mo over 3 years
85Mbps	95Mbps	85Mbps	94Mbps	89Mbps
Anonymous Server Usage Data	Anonymous Server Usage Data	Anonymous Server Usage Data	No Logs	Anonymous Server Usage Data
No	No	No	No	No
British Virgin Islands (Privacy Haven)	Canada (Five-Eyes Member)	British Virgin Islands (Privacy Haven)	Sweden (14-Eyes Member)	Romania (EU Member)
3,000+	Not disclosed	3,200+	150+	6,700+
3,000+	Not disclosed	3,200+	7,000+	Not disclosed
94	63	66	60	90
Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Unlimited	Permitted	Permitted	Unlimited	Permitted
Yes	Unreliable	Yes	Yes	No
24/7 Live Chat	Email & Online Resources Only	24/7 Live Chat	Live Chat	24/7 Live Chat
ExpressVPN.com	Windscribe.com	Surfshark.com	PrivateVPN.com	Cyberghost.com

VPN Comparison Tool

Compare VPN Services

Summary (5 of 5 selected)