PrivateVPN

In terms of coverage, PrivateVPN does not compete with some top tier VPNs in anyway, but it is not as poor as you may think at first glance.

There are over 7,000 individual IP addresses in the PrivateVPN network, so, while it maintains just 150 servers, you don’t need to worry about slow speeds or congestion. The 150 servers in PrivateVPN’s network are spread out really well. Popular locations like the US, Canada, Australia, and countries in Western Europe are well covered, and there are still lots of server options in Asia-Pacific and South America.

PrivateVPN users in South and Central America can connect to VPN servers in Panama, Argentina, Costa Rica, Chile, and Colombia. But we were disappointed with PrivateVPN’s coverage in Africa – there is only South Africa on the list.

PrivateVPN offers city-level choices in eight countries:

•  The UK (2)
•  The US (9)
•  Australia (2)
•  Canada (2)
•  Sweden (3)
•  Italy (2)
•  Ukraine (2)
•  India (2)

The VPN service uses a blend of virtual and physical servers. PrivateVPN owns some of the servers in its network and leases others. Though this is not ideal, they set the leased servers up themselves and remotely monitor them to ensure that they do not store user logs.

PrivateVPN is a great choice for China as its Stealth VPN protocol and advanced privacy tools helps to protects its users and bypass China’s Great Firewall.

The Stealth VPN protocol means PrivateVPN can be used in countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Turkey. You can rest assured the speeds would remain fast and consistent in these areas since PrivateVPN has lots of servers in its network.

Encryption and Security: Strong Security Features and Lots of Configurable Options

•  Encryption: AES-256
•  Protocol: OpenVPN (TCP/UDP); PPTP; IKEv2/IPsec; L2TP/IPsec
•  Security: VPN kill switch; IPV6 leak blocking; DNS leak blocking; Supports TCP port 443; First-party DNS
•  Advanced features: SOCKS; TOR over VPN server

PrivateVPN is more than just a name. It is truly a safe and secure service, with loads of advanced features to ensure the security of your data and online activities.

PrivateVPN uses the near impenetrable AES-256 encryption method, and the DNS servers are owned and managed by PrivateVPN, so your web traffic cannot be diverted unexpectedly.

There is also a VPN kill for Windows switch to protect your data in the event of a connection drop. But the lack of this feature in MacOS and mobile devices is really disappointing.

During our extensive VPN review and testing, we were able to confirm that PrivateVPN protects users against DNS or IPv6 leaks, and you can even use TCP Port 443 or Tor over VPN for extra security.

PrivateVPN is one of the best choices when it comes to streaming. The VPN makes streaming very easy by organizing the list of server locations into those dedicated to streaming services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer. PrivateVPN also has optimized VPN servers for Amazon Prime, ESPN, Hulu, Sky, HBO, and 13 other streaming channels.

•  Torrenting

PrivateVPN is also ideal for torrenting, as it allows P2P activity on all of its servers, though there are servers specially optimized for that purpose in 17 countries too. Go to ‘By Service’ > ‘Dedicated IP/Torrent’ to find these special servers.

PrivateVPN is also one of the most secure options for torrenting due to its zero-logs policy, fast upload and download speeds, and loads of security features.

PrivateVPN lives up to the billing in terms of privacy. Our findings revealed that the VPN’s claims that it “doesn’t collect or log any traffic or use of its service” is true. The VPN service does not also log DNS requests, IP addresses, or connection timestamps, which makes it a true zero-logs VPN.

•  Jurisdiction

PrivateVPN was founded in 2009 by Privat Kommunikation AB – a Sweden-based company. Its location in the EU makes it subject to data retention laws and intelligence-sharing agreements. However, PrivateVPN’s no-logs policy means that they wouldn’t have any data to present if compelled by authorities to supply information about subscribers.

It only takes a few minutes to download and install PrivateVPN. On its website, the VPN provider has step-by-step installation guides for a lot of popular devices in case you need help.

PrivateVPN’s apps are very simple, displaying advanced features in a well-organized manner. Though PrivateVPN’s apps do not offer integrated support, you can always seek the help you need online.

PrivateVPN has a live chat support feature on its website, but it is not available 24/7. Worse still, it is impossible to predict when the live chat feature will be available as the feature could go red or green at anytime.

The email support responds quickly to requests, and the support agents are knowledgeable. Though the live chat is pretty inconsistent, PrivateVPN’s online resources can be especially helpful in these situations.

PrivateVPN is pocket-friendly on longer plans. The standard monthly plan costs $7.12, but you would be saving 73% on the 15-month plan which costs $2.88 per month. There is also a 3-month plan available at $4.20 per month.

PrivateVPN accepts relatively few payment options, but you can still pay with cryptocurrency. Other payment methods include PayPal and major credit and debit cards.

PrivateVPN users can sign up for a seven-day free trial where they wouldn’t need to provide any payment details. All you need is an email address to get full access to the service for seven days.

All subscribers are also entitled to a 30-day money-back guarantee, on the condition that less than 100GB of data was used within that period. PrivateVPN would make certain inquiries to determine why you are requesting a refund, but your funds would be processed within five working days.