Private VPN Review

8.9

Very Good

Our verdict:
A great all-around choice. Reasonable pricing, servers available in a respectable number of countries, and some super fast speeds in testing. Definitely worth giving a try.

Underrated and often overlooked, PrivateVPN is a hidden gem in the world of VPNs. While it may not boast an extensive range of security features like some of the more well-known providers, this service competes with market leaders and frequently comes out on top. PrivateVPN offers a range of features that not only enhance your online safety but also provide a seamless browsing experience. It excels in torrenting, offering both HTTP and SOCKS5 proxy support.

Additionally, streaming services will no longer be a source of frustration as PrivateVPN ensures unrestricted access to your desired content. The user-friendly app provides robust protection and guarantees that your activity logs will not be collected. If you’re eager to learn more about what PrivateVPN has to offer, look no further than my comprehensive review. From speed and performance to privacy and customer support, I’ll cover all the important factors you should consider before choosing PrivateVPN.

PrivateVPN  Specifications

PrivateVPN pros and cons

Pricing

PrivateVPN provides three different plans that differ only in their duration, similar to other VPN providers. The prices are surprisingly budget-friendly, with discounts available for longer plans. For a one-month plan, the cost is $7.67, while a 3-month plan is priced at $4.88 per month. Opting for the 13-month upfront payment offers the greatest value, as the monthly fee reduces to just $3.82. Additionally, all plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Speed and Reliability

Despite having only 150+ servers, PrivateVPN’s speed and reliability are not compromised. Test results indicate that they perform equally well compared to providers with thousands of server locations. This suggests that network size is not a deciding factor. To assess the impact on speed, we connected to various servers. Starting with a base download speed of 65Mbps, connecting to a US server resulted in a download speed of 22.3Mbps, while another server provided 61.26Mbps. The UK servers also performed reasonably well, with download speeds reaching 59Mbps. However, the most significant decrease in speed occurred when connecting to an Australian server, dropping down to just 3.38Mbps. This demonstrates that connecting to servers halfway across the globe affects speed. Nonetheless, the average connection speed remains decent and sufficient for activities such as MMO games, file downloads, video conferencing, and more.

Privacy  Anonymity

PrivateVPN offers comprehensive coverage for both work-related VPN usage and protection against online snoopers. It provides multiple encryption protocols, including OpenVPN and L2TP/IPsec, to safeguard your data. Upon connecting to the app, PrivateVPN intelligently selects the most suitable VPN protocol for your network. Additionally, it incorporates an automatic kill switch feature that ensures data security even if the connection unexpectedly drops. However, it is important to note that currently, the kill switch feature is only available on the Windows app. Nevertheless, PrivateVPN also includes DNS and IPv6 leak protection for enhanced security.

Rest assured, there is no need to be concerned about PrivateVPN being subject to the jurisdiction of the 14-Eyes Alliance. The company is very open and clear about the type of information they gather and why. They have explicitly stated that they do not retain any data related to your internet traffic or usage of their service. The only details they require are your email address and password, which are necessary for setting up your account after you register.

Server Locations

PrivateVPN currently has over 150+ servers located in 60 countries and this network is still expanding. While this doesn’t sound impressive compared to other VPN providers that boast of thousands of servers, it really is only due to the fact that it is still relatively new in the market with far fewer users. Still, its impressive performance speaks for itself so the network size is a moot point.

Number of servers

PrivateVPN counts its servers in hundreds, not in thousands. This translates into a modest fleet of 200+ servers in 63 countries.

So, even though the country variety is good, the number of server locations is somewhat of a bottleneck. PrivateVPN is highly susceptible to overcrowded servers, which can hurt your user experience. I hope that they’ll increase their fleet size, as most competitors are rocking much higher numbers. Plus, the fact that each user gets 10 simultaneous connections can quickly make the overcrowding worse. The upside is there are some exotic locations like Hong Kong or Cyprus, which might be just the locations that you won’t find anywhere else.

Customer Service

There appears to be a great deal of confusion surrounding the availability of PrivateVPN’s live chat feature. Some individuals have claimed that it is not accessible at all times or is limited to European daylight hours. However, the only way to verify this information is by attempting to use the live chat button. I personally tried it and was connected immediately with a support agent. The agent confirmed that the live chat option is currently not available 24/7 and there is no specific timeframe for its availability.

It would be beneficial if PrivateVPN could provide more clarity on this matter. Despite this drawback, their support page offers valuable resources such as comprehensive installation guides and an FAQ section. In the event that you encounter a more complex issue, they also provide TeamViewer, which allows technical support representatives to remotely access your device and troubleshoot on your behalf.

Summary

PrivateVPN is a reliable and secure VPN service that offers a wide range of servers in various locations. With its strong encryption protocols and user-friendly interface, PrivateVPN is an excellent choice for anyone looking to protect their online privacy and bypass geo-restrictions. The customer service provided by PrivateVPN is top-notch, ensuring that any issues or queries you may have will be promptly addressed. Whether you’re accessing streaming services, torrenting files, or simply browsing the web, PrivateVPN has got you covered. If you’re in need of a trustworthy VPN provider, look no further than PrivateVPN.