It doesn’t matter if you are using them for data protection or to access content blocked in your country; nowadays, VPNs are virtually a must. However, with so many options out there, it has become quite hard to find a reliable and trustworthy VPN. From low-quality to overpriced VPNs, making a decision requires a lot of research and knowledge. That’s why today, we are going to take a look at PureVPN and see how it fares against other industry giants.
What Are VPNs?
Virtual Private Networks are types of software that protect your data and provide you with online privacy. They work by creating an encrypted connection for your data to pass through, hiding it from prying eyes. As a result, a VPN hides your IP address and your location, making it look like you are connecting from an entirely different place.
Why is that important? Because it prevents internet providers, advertisers, and hackers from stealing your personal data. That data protection is essential if you are using public Wi-Fi or any other unsecured connection.
And if that wasn’t enough, a VPN also allows you to access content that is restricted in your country, such as movies or video games. Is Netflix removing your favorite show or movie in your country? Simply change your location to another country and enjoy all the content Netflix has to offer. Now that you know the basics, it’s time to talk about PureVPN.
What Is PureVPN?
PureVPN is a Hong Kong-based VPN that focuses on providing data protection without compromising speed. Since its founding in 2007, PureVPN has expanded and now has over 6,500 servers in more than 140 countries. It’s also worth mentioning that PureVPN is not a member or information provider for international surveillance alliances such as Nine Eyes and its variations.
Besides server locations and privacy, PureVPN’s platform support is also another highlight. They go beyond and above by offering dedicated apps for Windows, iOS, Mac, Android, and Linux. Not only that, but you can also use the PureVPN browser extension, which is available for both Chrome and Firefox. And when it comes to additional devices, PureVPN offers support for Android TV, Kodi, and Fire TV Stick.
Pricing
Even though other VPNs complicate their pricing with different tiers, PureVPN likes to keep things simple. They offer three types of subscriptions allowing you to save money in the long run. You can choose a monthly subscription and pay $10.95 per month with the ability to cancel anytime you want.
However, if you are looking to save money, you can opt for a one or two years subscription. The former will cost you $69.95 per year, while the latter will set you back by $79.92 per year. But if you start doing the math, you will soon notice that you end up paying $5.80 per month or $3.33 per month, respectively. So, it’s much more convenient and affordable to pay once a year than go for a monthly subscription.
Additionally, all PureVPN subscriptions offer a generous 31-day money-back guarantee. And if that wasn’t enough, you can also give their 7-day trial a shoot, as it allows you to test all the premium features at the low price of $0.99.
PureVPN Server Locations
As we mentioned before, PureVPN offers an impressive number of 6,500 servers in more than 140 countries. To put things into perspective, other VPNs struggle to cover more than 50 countries.
While most of their servers are located in the UK, US, and Canada, you can find servers in other notable locations such as Singapore, Japan, and South Africa. It’s clear that PureVPN’s main focus is to provide uncensored internet access in countries where the government restricts even popular websites such as Wikipedia or Facebook.
Privacy
Since privacy and security are the main purposes of VPNs, it’s important to analyze what PureVPN has to offer. For starters, PureVPN is based in Hong Kong, meaning that it stays away from intelligence gathering alliances like Nine Eyes, Five Eyes, and Fourteen Eyes. As a result, the local government has no right to force PureVPN to give up data it might have on any of its clients. So basically, PureVPN has no reason to gather or hold logs of user traffic, except the login information you use on their software.
It’s also important to note that PureVPN doesn’t leak any private information, passing both the DNS and WebRTC leak tests. In other words, it’s hard to find a more secure VPN than PureVPN, and that is all due to its high-quality encryptions and privacy policies.
Security
PureVPN uses AES-256 for all its data encryption, guaranteeing complete security when browsing the internet. As a comparison, the United States uses the same for all the top-secret information, which is why AES-256 is considered military-grade encryption.
When it comes to internet protocols, Pure VPN uses OpenVPN and IKEv2 which offer increased security levels. But if you want to choose speed over privacy, PureVPN allows you to switch between PPTP encryption and “no encryption,” the latter offering better speeds.
Last but not least, PureVPN has an internet kill switch that ensures your data privacy if the secure connection drops. It works by blocking internet access as soon as the VPN drops, which should stop all external connections. So you don’t have to worry about your privacy if something happens to your VPN connection.
Speed And Performance
One thing that many VPNs reviewers or advertisers fail to mention is that, generally speaking, a VPN will hinder your internet performance. In fact, a poor-quality VPN may impact your browsing speed and will make most online games unplayable.
We are happy to report that PureVPN, unlike other software out there, does not significantly reduce your internet speed. However, it’s worth mentioning that the results will vary depending on what server and what website you are using. For instance, using the UK or US-based servers will not disrupt your Netflix or gaming night. Yet, some servers, such as the Africa ones, might increase your latency and can reduce your gaming performance.
Additionally, most users will be happy to know that PureVPN also supports split tunneling. As a result, you can decide what connection goes through the VPN encryption system and what connection doesn’t. The feature allows you to browse the internet safely while also watching your favorite online shows without any buffering using your local connection. You can also use Torrent by connecting to one of the PureVPNs special Peer to Peer servers. So you can enjoy everything a normal connection would offer but with increased security.
Customer Support
Unless you are an experienced VPN user, chances are that you might need to contact customer support. That’s why it’s important for any VPN to provide a reliable and fast way to contact their help team. PureVPN allows you to reach their technical support team through email or a 24/7 live chat. They also provide their users with helpful guides and tips on how to use their software.
However, if you would prefer to call the support representatives, then you are out of luck, as PureVPN doesn’t offer that contact option. Additionally, some users report long waiting times when using the email contact form, so you should stick to the always available live chat.
Additional Features
When it comes to additional features, PureVPN offers two addons that will enhance your VPN experience. Firstly, you can opt-in for a dedicated IP, which can help you maximize your internet safety. That addon allows you to have your personal IP, meaning that you no longer have to use one of the shared VPN IPs.
Secondly, PureVPN provides its users with port forwarding capabilities while also maintaining high levels of security. With that feature, you can connect to your device from a remote location without fearing hackers or data leaks.
However, it’s important to mention that both features are premium addons and will require you to pay an additional fee. Even so, if you want to get the most out of your VPN, then you should consider purchasing them too.
The Bottom Line
Overall, PureVPN is one of the most feature-complete, safe, and efficient VPNs available on the market. Not only does it guarantee data protection, but it also manages to offer high speeds and low latency connections. If you are looking for reliable and affordable software, then PureVPN is definitely up your alley. And remember that you can always give their 7 days trial a shot before you commit to any of their subscriptions.