In a Nutshell
pros
- Accepts alternative payment options for better privacy
- Port forwarding
- P2P virus protection
cons
- A little harder to work with than other clients
- Not all servers unblock Netflix
PureVPN at a Glance
Best for: Wide network of servers
Price range: $3.33-$10.95
Location: 140+ countries, 2,000+ servers
Netflix: Unlocks Netflix US
Torrenting: P2P and torrenting allowed
Logging: Connection timestamps
Number of devices: 5
Operating systems: Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, Linux, routers
Browser extensions: Firefox, Chrome
Privacy
PureVPN has a great privacy policy that is actually understandable (kudos to this service for that). It doesn’t log any of your activity, DNS requests, or IP address. It does record connection stamps and total bandwidth usage, but that doesn’t reveal anything about your identity, so it’s really irrelevant.
In terms of security, PureVPN offers solid protection. It supports IKEv2, L2TP, PPTP, OpenVPN, and SSTP. All of these provide 256-bit encryption, offers port forwarding, DDoS Protection, and uses dedicated IP VPN.
Features
PureVPN has excellent features to keep you safe and surfing fast like 5 device connections, kill switch, and DNS leak protection. Some of the features we liked were:
Split tunneling
Split tunneling is a convenient feature that allows you to decide which activity gets run through a VPN and which doesn’t. This way if you want max speeds without anything holding you back and don’t care about security, you can run these actions without the VPN, while keeping PureVPN on for all the other activities going on around you.
Proprietary software
Since PureVPN wrote its own code, it gets to decide which apps are available to you, and PureVPN has made it a point to be as inclusive as possible. Its software supports a huge range of devices including the typical Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices, but also including some far more esoteric platforms like the ones listed below. This means you can connect a huge range of smart devices to your PureVPN account. Everything from Roku to Amazon Fire, Chromecast, and routers are covered. It’s an impressive feat that scores this service big points.
5 logins
Five simultaneous logins allow you to connect just about every device you own at the same time to a single PureVPN account. This makes across the board protection more affordable and easier to manage.
Speed test tool
Another fabulous feature from PureVPN is the speed test tool. This feature allows users to find the best servers possible given their current location and requirements. PureVPN has a whole list of servers that are ideal for various situations, so you can get the best service possible. This is really a big deal for most users because it’ll show you how to get the fastest streaming, the most secure downloading, the best privacy, and the most security all around. Anyone using a Windows, Mac, Android, or iOS app can take advantage of the speed test tool.
A 99.99% uptime track record makes PureVPN a solid service you can depend on. It also has unlimited server switching, unlimited data transfer, and unlimited bandwidth, so you can surf, stream, or share on the web with total protection and without getting throttled.
Speed test
You may have heard that having a VPN will slow down your computer. While it can cause some slowdowns, we ran it through some tests to get an idea of just how much.
Computer speed without a VPN installed:
When we set the VPN to a US server, the tests ranged from around 30-35 Mbps, depending on which server we chose. Typically ones that were closer to our location performed slightly better, and with Pure you can always search for the server that’s performing best at that particular time.
Pricing and Deals
PureVPN has comparable prices for the industry. They're not the cheapest, but they're certainly more affordable than a lot of other options out there. Here are the 3 plans available:
All PureVPN plans come with a 31-day money back guarantee, so you can test it out and see how the service feels.
Plus, PureVPN has frequent promotions. At the time of this writing, for example, it was boasting 2 years for $3.29 per month. Not bad. What’s also cool about PureVPN is that it accepts a ton of alternative payment options. Things like PayPal, Alipay, gift cards, and even cryptocurrencies are welcome here.
Torrents
PureVPN supports torrenting. Plus, with the speed test tool we mentioned earlier, PureVPN even shows you exactly which servers will give you the most secure channels for safe torrenting. It also has in-depth tutorials to help guide you through the process if you’re not clear on the details.
Netflix
PureVPN unblocks a ton of geo-restricted sites including US Netflix. What’s more, the software has a Smart Purpose Selection, so you can automatically be connected to a server that is ideal for streaming.
Client Setup
One of the best parts of using PureVPN is getting access to tons of device connections. This service has a huge range of possibilities, including:
- Routers
- Android TV
- Amazon Fire Stick
- Microsoft Surface
- Kodi
- Roku
- Boxee box
- Now TV Box
- Raspberry Pi
- Chromecast
- PlayStation
- Xbox
- Linux
- Windows
- Mac
- DD-WRT Applet
That’s a pretty extensive list. What’s also great is that the client setup is discussed in detail for each type of device, so you can DIY connect in minutes. If you’d rather get some help on the matter, PureVPN provides step-by-step tech support to walk you through the entire process (or it’ll even use TeamViewer to take over and do the entire thing for you. Nice!).
Apps
PureVPN has mobile apps for iOS and Android as well as the desktop clients we mentioned above.
How Does PureVPN Compare?
Customer Support
PureVPN offers 24/7 live tech support. This is an incredible help for anyone who’s experiencing technical difficulties and needs help right away. And since most of us don’t like to wait (especially if we’re in the middle of a show), 24/7/365 live chat support is good for us all.
Ease of Use
This is probably the biggest downside to an otherwise excellent VPN product. PureVPN is a little complicated to get going. For starters, upon launching the software, PureVPN will ask you what type of activity you’re going to be using the VPN for (internet freedom, streaming, security, file sharing, etc.). Based on your answer, PureVPN will choose the settings and the servers that best fit your needs.
While customization like this is actually great for usability and efficiency, some users will have a hard time with it because it SEEMS more complicated. In truth, it’s taking away the complications of multiple features and settings you don’t need.
If you do want to choose, there are several options available to you. Plus, PureVPN shows you the speed and security level for each protocol, a convenient bonus.
FAQs
Q: How many IP addresses does PureVPN have?
A: Currently, PureVPN has over 300,000 IP addresses!
Q: What is a dedicated IP and why is it good?
A: A dedicated IP is an IP address that only you can use, and there are a few reasons you’d prefer this type of service. For one thing, dedicated IP addresses won’t get blacklisted, so you won’t get blocked at any point by geo-restrictions. These addresses also spell out faster email, faster verification, and easier network access.
Bottom Line
PureVPN has a tremendous network of servers spread across tons of locations. It’s also got more than 2000 servers that all allow torrenting and P2P sharing. It’s got some solid security features like firewall and dedicated IPs. Acceptance of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies makes PureVPN the most secure way to pay also.