PureVPN Full Review: A KPMG Certified VPN
Have you ever been asked to chill out because no one is trying to put their hands on your precious data? Please don't! As long as you haven't taken the right steps towards your security and privacy, it is not okay to chill out.
You can keep your internet connection secure by choosing the right VPN. Here comes our part; Several.com has a bevy of options, but this time, we chose PureVPN to review its prices, plans, pros, cons, best features, and more.
PureVPN is packed with many features including a kill switch, a no-log policy, split tunneling, unblocking geo-restricted content, and many others are listed in detail.
Pros
Cons
Quick Stats
Did You Know This About PureVPN?
With more than 6500 self-managed VPN servers in 140 countries, PureVPN could build a firm base of over 3 million customers from every spot worldwide. The company is headquartered in Hong Kong since 2006.
Recently, news about shutting down their headquarter in Hong Kong has been a controversial issue, as a precautionary act to the recent changes in the National Security Laws. However, the company has not announced any news about the expected changes yet.
The speed of a VPN is one of the main concerns. That's because VPNs are known for their impact on the device's performance and speed. As a matter of fact, some VPNs slow down your connection, whether download, upload, or ping speeds. The question is how slow the speed gets, and if it's worse to the extent that using a VPN turns to be overwhelming more than being useful. Let's see how PureVPN reacts to the speed tests, the number of the available servers, and how they are distributed.
1. PureVPN in speed tests
Before getting to the point, we need to tell you that many aspects affect the connection speed while using a VPN, including the number of servers, physical distance, and the protocol type. With that said, PureVPN showed some impressive results when tested on both local and distanced servers. Better results when connecting to the local servers were no surprise.
The impressive part was when the speed didn't get hugely affected by using PureVPN on farther servers. The speed was good enough for watching videos, playing games, and surfing the web with a good speed and some but bearable lags every now and then.
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2. Number of servers and geographic distribution
Short explanation: PureVPN has more than 6500 self-managed VPN servers in 140 countries.
Long explanation: The best VPN services always offer many server locations. The high number of servers can relieve internet traffic congestion.
3. Fastest available protocol
Short Explanation: PPTP is the fastest available protocol by PureVPN (not recommended to use).
Long Explanation: PureVPN servers employ PPTP, L2TP, SSTP, IKEv2, OpenVPN. The servers support all protocols to transmit your data through secure encryption tunnels. For a good speed but less privacy than OpenVPN, we suggest using the IKEv2 protocol, it guarantees good security for a fast connection.
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PureVPN Security and Privacy
Security and privacy are two of the main reasons behind using a VPN. That's why many users find picking a VPN so confusing. Here we come with the solution, the features below will give a great deal of information to help you make up your mind.
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1. Encryption and protocols
PureVPN provides AES-256-bit encryption, which is just another name for military-grade encryption, one of the most secure encryption methods used in modern encryption standard security algorithms, protocols, and technologies.
Using this encryption makes sure that your data can’t be reached by hackers, snoopers, or even governments and agencies. If a third party tried to decrypt your data or see it, it would appear as total gibberish.
Pro mode: PureVPN servers employ a military-grade 256-bit of data encryption, along with security protocols like PPTP, L2TP, IKEv2, and OpenVPN protocols. The servers support all protocols to transmit your data through secure encryption tunnels. Let's compare the protocols:
| Protocols | PPTP | L2TP/IPsec | IKEv2 | OpenVPN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platform | All platforms | All platforms | Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, FreeBSD, and BlackBerry | All platforms |
| Security | Basic encryption (weakest) supports encryption keys up to 128-bits, and it uses MPPE (Microsoft Point-to-Point Encryption) | IPSec encryption | IPSec encryption | AES encryption (most secure) |
| Firewall | TCP port 1723, and IP port 47 (easiest to block/ least reliable) | UDP port 500 (easy to block) | UDP ports 500 and 4500, and ESP IP Protocol 50 | uses 443 port (hard to block) |
| Speed | Possibly the fastest due to low encryption (fewer data to transfer) | Relatively slow due to the double encryption | Generally fast (faster than OpenVPN) | Generally fast |
2. PureVPN logs policy
Short explanation: PureVPN has a no-log policy.
Long explanation: What you do online is just your business, and nobody has the right to store, use, or see the least amount of it. PureVPN has the same belief. With the no-log policy, your sensitive data is not saved or seen by a third party.
KPMG validated that PureVPN does not keep logs for browsing activities, original IPs, session timestamps, connection logs, and browsing history. Their privacy policy makes it all clear to people who can get confused or hesitant.
3. PureVPN kill switch
Short explanation: PureVPN has a fully functional kill switch feature.
Long explanation: Kill-switch is there when your VPN is not working for some reason to avoid any leaks that could occur when your VPN disconnects. How does it work? A kill-switch feature disconnects your device from the internet when your VPN stops working for some reason. A good kill-switch kills the connection immediately when a VPN stops working, that's simply because a short period of time remains a threat, even though it is a brief period of time.
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4. PureVPN RAM-based servers
Short explanation: PureVPN doesn’t have RAM-based servers.
Long explanation: A RAM-based server means that the data, instead of being saved to SSD drives, is saved on RAM (random-access memory). This is advantageous to security because RAM is wiped clean every time the servers reboot.
5. Based country
Short explanation: PureVPN is based in Hong Kong.
Long explanation: PureVPN is based in Hong Kong, which is outside the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance. VPN companies based inside the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance are considered a possible security threat as these countries are known to spy on their citizens and share information internally.
6. Warrant Canary
Short explanation: PureVPN doesn’t have a warrant canary system.
Long explanation: A Warrant Canary is an indirect method to warn customers of governmental attempts to subpoena, where the presence of the warrant on the company’s official website means the local government hasn’t tried anything yet. In the event the Warrant Canary is removed from the company’s page, it means they were asked.
7. Wi-Fi Security
Your data, activities, and communications will be reached when connecting to Wi-Fi networks that use weak and easily cracked protocols or authentications. With that being said, PureVPN has the right technology to secure your Wi-Fi connection using AES- 256-bit encryption; it means that your data is transmitted via a secure tunnel, thereby keeping your internet connection safe.
Small tips to avoid information leak:
- Keep changing your password, and don’t make it easy to guess.
- It is better not to give your Wi-Fi network credentials to your guests or friends; you can type it yourself or consider changing it periodically.
- Make sure that you use the strongest encryption.
- Secure your network by using security products, such as a VPN; make sure to depend on a trusted one.
- Turn off your Wi-Fi when you are not using it or when you are not home.
Think twice before connecting to a public Wi-Fi network
Dozens or even hundreds of devices connecting to a Wi-Fi network simultaneously; such immense traffic makes it an inviting target to hackers unless a VPN is used to prevent any leaks. Still, a VPN can’t ultimately shield your connection if you choose to download a browser extension or an app without checking its purpose and resource.
One more thing you need to do is make sure that the Wi-Fi network uses a secure protocol, it won’t take you a minute to check, yet this step ensures a safe internet connection. All you need to do is click on the properties and read what is written beside the Security Type; if it is one of these two protocols, WPA2 or Wireless Protected Access2, then your connection is strongly protected.
PureVPN in Practice
In terms of the applications of VPN in the real world, we dive further into how PureVPN fares against the rest in the following categories:
1. Streaming
You can enjoy your favorite online games, videos, TV shows, or any online content with PureVPN on your device. It supports many platforms, like Hulu, Disney, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, and Netflix US.
2. Torrent
Short explanation: PureVPN allows torrenting.
Long explanation: PureVPN dedicates servers specialized in guaranteeing fast and secure P2P file sharing. You can enjoy your favorite content with zero worries. Why is a VPN important while visiting torrent websites? Let's first remind you that Several.com does not encourage piracy or sharing illegal content. Still, some websites have pirated and illegal content; using a VPN masks your IP address and protects you from any files that carry viruses, malware, or even hackers' attempts to track your activity.
3. Gaming
Short explanation: PureVPN has specialized gaming servers.
Long explanation: You can depend on PureVPN for an enhanced gaming experience. With PureVPN's specialized servers, you will live your favorite games as you wish and with zero lags. PureVPN is an absolute winner in the game of VPNs. Let's not forget to tell you that PureVPN can get you access to regional limited games and content. Here are some features that gamers will love:
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Port-forwarding for $0.25
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Dedicated IP for $0.99
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DDoS protection for $0.99
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4. Tor over VPN
Short explanation: PureVPN doesn't support Tor over VPN.
Long explanation: Torrent onion router (Tor) is a P2P program used to enter the dark web. Using a VPN adds an extra layer of anonymity, especially at the entry node, with the addition of data encryption.
5. PureVPN dedicated IP
Short explanation: PureVPN has a dedicated IP.
Long explanation: PureVPN also shields your devices against DDoS attacks via dedicated IPs. DDoS attacks overwhelm your device with heavy traffic, causing a drop in your VPN network and hold back your connection speed. Why would you need a dedicated IP address?
- Business security
- Secure online payment
- Avoid getting blacklisted
- Avoid CAPTCHAs
6. Geo-censorship bypass (obfuscation)
You can enjoy your favorite online games, videos, TV shows, or any online content with PureVPN on your device. It supports many platforms, like Hulu, Disney, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, and Netflix US, on multiple operating systems and browsers, like Android, macOS, iOS, Windows, Chrome, Firefox, and Linux.
If you want to guarantee an unlimited online experience, you can depend on one of our tops. CyberGhost and Private Internet Access are there to let you enjoy your favorite content with no limitations.
7. Split tunneling
Short explanation: PureVPN has the split tunneling feature.
Long explanation: Route your internet traffic between the domestic ISP connection and PureVPN servers. With Split tunneling, you can exclude certain traffic from passing the encrypted tunnel so that you can access local and overseas content simultaneously. A VPN with this feature improves your connection efficiency and makes your online experience more convenient by picking which browsers and applications launch using the VPN and which not.
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Extensions and Compatability
PureVPN is compatible with:
- Windows
- macOS
- Android
- iOS
- Linux
PureVPN is available as an extension on:
- Google Chrome
- Microsoft Edge
- Firefox
- opera
PureVPN User Experience
PureVPN offers assistance in every possible way, and you can choose from a long list of options. Their knowledge base is excellent and has sections to every single problem you might encounter; it includes a setup guide, troubleshooting, account and billing, VPN use cases, and FAQs.
You can also report a problem in the ticket section or have a one-on-one live chat with one of the customer support team members, who are available around the clock and 7 days a week.
1. Supported languages
PureVPN supports the following languages:
- Arabic
- Chinese
- English
- French
- German
- Portuguese
- Spanish
- Italian
2. Customer support
PureVPN makes sure that all your problems will get solved by offering a bunch of assistance methods:
- Live chat
- Knowledge base
- Articles and guides
- Tickets
- Phone
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Pricing and Payments
PureVPN offers three subscriptions: Monthly, annually, and biennially. The prices vary in terms of duration only. Features in all plans are the same, though. Let's take a look:
- One-Month Plan: It is billed every month for $10.95. There is no discount or free trial for this plan.
- One-Year Plan: $3.74 per month, billed annually.
- Two-Year Plan: $2.91 per month, billed every 24 months.
All PureVPN plans have a 31-day money-back guarantee.
Available payment methods include:
- PayPal
- VISA
- Mastercard
- American Express
- Cryptocurrency
- Alipay
- Mint
- Yandex Money
- AmazonPay
- Sofort
- Unionpay
- GooglePay
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In a Nutshell
With a bevy of features and more than 3 million satisfied users, PureVPN deserves a try, especially that you can get your money back within the 31-day money-back guarantee duration. PureVPN is packed with inviting features, such as split tunneling, kill-switch, and P2P network. It also unblocks a vast majority of restricted online content. So, what are you waiting for?