PrivateVPN Review

Streaming, Does PrivateVPN Work with Netflix?

Yes. With PrivateVPN you can connect and watch geo-restricted Netflix content from different regions. 

In the entertainment world, there is a constant battle between giants like Netflix, HBOMax, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ and VPN services like PrivateVPN. For a variety of reasons ranging from legal to strategic, it is not in the best interest of streaming companies for users to access content restricted to certain regions. To this end, they continually look for ways to block proxies and VPNs. Netflix in particular recently took the bold step of adding certain residential IP addresses to its list of blocked VPNs. 

This is not the first (nor the last) time we will see such actions. The issue here is how quickly VPN services can adapt to such changes.

According to PrivateVPN’s official site, its service is capable of unblocking exclusive Netflix content. In fact, they go further than their competitors by listing the number of TV shows and movies available in different regions and even give specific examples of shows and movies blocked outside Netflix US. 

During our tests using PrivateVPN we were indeed able to connect to Netflix US successfully and access geo-restricted content.

P2P, Does PrivateVPN Allow Torrenting?

Yes, according to our tests, PrivateVPN is secure enough to download torrents anonymously.

Unblocking restricted content is just one of the challenges facing VPN service providers. In fact, downloading torrents anonymously is such a complex task that few VPNs manage to do it successfully. Fortunately, PrivateVPN is one of them.

Conveniently, with PrivateVPN you can use any server for torrenting. However, according to their documentation, it is recommended to use servers located in Sweden for better protection when using P2P services.

In addition to protecting your identity, PrivateVPN supports unlimited P2P file sharing, unrestricted bandwidth, and all the information needed to port forward to your preferred torrent client.

So if your main interest is downloading or sharing online content, PrivateVPN is a good alternative.

PrivateVPN Windows Vs. macOS Apps

It is our firm belief that in a world where so many operating systems coexist under one roof, providing a consistent user experience should be a priority for all software developers. In this respect, VPN service providers are in a unique position, offering apps for all types of devices.

With this in mind, it must be said that PrivateVPN, like most VPNs, has failed in this regard. In our comparison of the macOS and Windows apps, we found notable differences in functionality.

The picture above shows the first palpable difference. The list of servers in the Windows app (on the left) has the Ping value for each location while the macOS app (on the right) does not. The ping is an indication of the performance you can expect when connecting to each server. In green are shown the optimal values, in yellow the intermediate ones, and in red the values that are considered high.

As for the VPN protocols supported by each application, on the left is a screenshot of the Windows app while on the left is a screenshot of the macOS app. In addition to not having the PPTP protocol, the macOS app also does not have the option to install IKEv2 (an option we will discuss later in the protocols section).

In the next section, we will talk a bit more about the Kill Switch and a feature called Application Guard. For now, suffice it to say that the Application Guard and DNS Leak protection features are not available on macOS.

PrivateVPN Kill Switch

If you are new to the world of VPNs, you are probably wondering what a Kill Switch is. Simply put, the Kill Switch is a feature that constantly monitors your Internet connection. When enabled, Kill Switch prevents your local IP address from being compromised in the event that you lose your VPN connection. It does this by completely blocking access to the Internet unless you are using PrivateVPN’s secure connection.

Today, Kill Switch is indispensable for maintaining your privacy, as it provides an additional layer of security. Going back to the use case of torrenting enthusiasts, Kill Switch is very convenient to make sure that you are only connected to the Internet using a secure connection.

As mentioned in the previous section, PrivateVPN’s Windows application offers another type of Kill Switch which it calls “Application Guard”. When enabled, the Application Guard terminates the programs you have entered in a custom list. The advantage of the Application Guard over the Kill Switch is that it allows you more granular control. For example, you can use it to have your torrent application automatically shut down when the VPN connection is lost, but without affecting your browsing using other programs. 

Speciality Servers 

So-called “Specialty Servers” are nothing more than VPN servers tuned to perform one or more specialized tasks. Below we list the most common speciality servers today.

• Double VPN Servers
• Onion Over VPN Servers
• Obfuscated Servers
• Dedicated IP Servers
• Torrenting Servers
• Streaming Servers

Although not labelled as such, we already know that PrivateVPN has streaming and torrenting servers. The question is, does it also offer the rest?

Let’s start with one of the most widely used, obfuscated servers. These types of servers are useful for circumventing strong restrictions such as those in China where ISPs block certain types of content. Unlike other providers, PrivateVPN does not list specific servers for this purpose but uses a feature called “Stealth VPN” to hide the fact that you are using a VPN connection.

In addition, PrivateVPN also offers Dedicated IP Servers. Best of all, they are part of the standard plan. Dedicated IP servers are very useful for applications and websites that expect you to connect from the same IP all the time. Examples are banks, crypto exchanges, and other services that implement IP detection as a layer of security. Most VPNs offer dedicated IP servers, but at an additional cost. In this sense, PrivateVPN has a key advantage as you don’t have to pay extra to use these servers.

As for the rest of the speciality servers, unfortunately, PrivateVPN does not offer Double VPN or Onion Over VPN servers.

All in all, if you are looking for a VPN with dedicated IP addresses, PrivateVPN may be a good choice.

Does PrivateVPN Support VPN Split Tunneling?

No, sadly PrivateVPN does not offer this convenient feature.

If you are an advanced user or have used other VPN services that have split tunnelling then you will be disappointed to know that PrivateVPN does not have this important feature.

Basically, split tunnelling allows you to use side by side your secure VPN connection and your local “insecure” connection. Imagine for example that you only want to use the VPN for certain applications or web pages, while the rest of your programs continue to use your normal connection. This is possible thanks to split tunnelling. One reason you may want this type of setup is so that you are not affected by VPN slowdowns, or because certain programs or websites are not available outside your region.

At this point, it is important to differentiate the Application Guard feature from the split tunnelling feature. As mentioned above, the Application Guard terminates the applications of your choice when the VPN is disconnected. In other words, to use these applications you must have VPN enabled, which means that ALL of your applications would be using the VPN connection.

Supported Protocols 

According to the PrivateVPN FAQ, the supported protocols are OpenVPN with UDP/TCP, L2TP, IPsec, PPTP and IKEv2. However, in our opinion, this answer is somewhat misleading, to say the least.

Before we explain what we mean by this, let’s go through each of these VPN protocols.

OpenVPN. Without a doubt, this is the most widely used VPN protocol today. And no wonder. OpenVPN provides a code that has stood the test of time by proving to be secure, relatively fast, and with support for all types of devices. Its great flexibility makes it the default protocol for many VPNs, including PrivateVPN.

L2TP, IPsec, and PPTP. Some experts consider that these protocols are not secure enough to be used today. They are the precursors to OpenVPN and offer compatibility with a wide range of OSes and devices. However, they are noticeably slower, and unlike OpenVPN, do not offer the same level of security. If you are wondering why some providers continue to offer these protocols, the answer is simple. Compatibility with older PCs and phones and convenience. 

IKEv2 (Internet Key Exchange Protocol Version 2). This is one of the most promising protocols on the market. Developed by two giants of the computer industry, Microsoft and Cisco, the IKEv2 VPN protocol offers speed, high stability, and unprecedented security. One of its most notable features is its ability to switch from WiFi to cellular networks securely and without exposing your IP address. For this reason, many leading providers already offer IKEv2 as their standard protocol. The only drawback at the moment is that it is not compatible with all types of devices as is the case with OpenVPN.

We could mention other protocols with a bright future ahead, such as WireGuard, but unfortunately, it is not relevant for this review as it is not supported by PrivateVPN. It is at this point that we return to the issue of what “supporting a VPN protocol” entails.

As an end-user, what you expect when the provider tells you that it supports a certain protocol is being able to use it immediately. Below is a screenshot of the protocols installed by default in the Windows app.

Only OpenVPN, PPTP and L2TP are available. What happened to IKEv2? The answer lies somewhat hidden in the Getting started page of PrivateVPN.

There, you can get a detailed 12-step guide on how to install IKEv2 on Windows. The procedure involves making changes to the Windows network configuration, and worse, MANUALLY entering the VPN server information of your choice.

Needless to say, for most users, such a procedure is extremely inconvenient. Moreover, we only mention the Windows application because it is the only one with “support” for IKEv2. Neither the iOS, nor Android, or macOS apps can use this protocol.

In short, we would have liked more transparency regarding the supported VPN protocols. Installing a protocol (or any other feature) manually on an OS isn’t the most difficult thing to do, but it would have been nice to be supported by default.

Supported platforms

As important as the VPN features are the availability of native apps for different platforms. In this sense, PrivateVPN provides support for a large number of operating systems and devices.

• Windows 10, 8.1
• macOS 10+
• Linux 
• Android 
• iOS 
• Some routers

In terms of coverage, PrivateVPN offers an acceptable number of native applications. While not all of them provide the same functionality, at least we have found the Windows and macOS apps to be stable and fast. This may seem like a small thing, however, if you have read some of our other reviews you may have noticed that not all VPNs offer stable apps, especially for the new Macs with Apple Silicon.

In other words, PrivateVPN is available on all major platforms. However, our suggestion if you have an unusual use case (such as a router, or an older SmartTV) is to look for a VPN that officially supports that device.

PrivateVPN Servers Locations

PrivateVPN currently has 63 server locations around the world. You can access their current list by visiting this link.

The general rule of thumb is that the more locations you have, the more bandwidth and speed you have available. As we discussed in a previous section, the Windows app offers the ping value to each of these servers to help you choose the fastest ones depending on your location.

Despite this, we feel that the number of servers available is somewhat limited compared to other providers. For your reference, ExpressVPN has 160 locations in 94 countries, which guarantees virtually unlimited bandwidth no matter which server you connect to.

So, if you are looking for flexibility to connect from certain locations we suggest you check if those locations are offered by PrivateVPN.

Customer Support

Customer support is not exactly PrivateVPN’s strong point. At least, if you are the kind of person who is used to getting the information you need easily. 

The self-service centre is limited to two static pages, Getting started and FAQ. There is no search bar or blog to search for help and the YouTube channel at the time of writing this review has only 6 videos.

That leaves you with two support channels, live chat and an email contact form.

While we encountered no major problems installing the Windows and macOS applications, nor did we have any bugs to report, we must remember that for many users VPNs are a new experience. It is for this reason that PrivateVPN may not be the most optimal choice for those who are entirely new to VPNs, despite the user-friendly graphical interface.

PrivateVPN Price

Price is always a decisive factor when choosing a service. 

In order to give you a better overview, here is a comparison between the prices of PrivateVPN and Surfshark VPN.

Monthly plan

• PrivateVPN from $8.99 per month
• Surfshark VPN from $12.95 per month
• Winner PrivateVPN

Other plans

• PrivateVPN, from $2.50/month (2-year plan) billed $59.99 annually, $6.00/month (3-months plan) billed $17.99 every 3 months.
• Surfshark VPN, from $2.49/month (2-year plan), from $6.49/month (6-month plan)
• Winner Surfshark VPN 

First things first. It is our view that Surfshark provides a more complete experience than PrivateVPN. Not only does it have an equally user-friendly UI, but it also features sophisticated split tunnelling, default support for IKEv2 and WireGuard protocols, extensions for Firefox and Chrome, and top-notch support. In case you are interested in learning more about Surfshark,  you can read our in-depth review here.

That said, if you look at the prices of each you’ll find that Surfshark also offers better value than PrivateVPN. While it’s true that PrivateVPN’s monthly plan is cheaper, this difference in price vanishes when you move up to the 2-year plan. Not to mention that PrivateVPN’s 3-month plan costs about the same as Surfshark’s 6-month plan.

All in all, concerning the price, there are better alternatives out there.

Testing PrivateVPN Security & Privacy

Reliably testing the privacy of a VPN is not easy. There is no standard test to follow. Moreover, the vast majority of online privacy testing sites are owned by a VPN company which makes their results unreliable.

That said, for our reviews, we tend to use the DNS Leak Test from dnsleak.com as we consider it more reliable than others. However, on this occasion, it was not possible.

On the top left you can see the results of our test machine without PrivateVPN enabled. This step allows us to verify the real IP address of our machine and then compare it with the IP of the secure VPN connection. On the right you should be able to see the new IP of the chosen VPN server (in our case in the USA), however, the test failed.

Without going into too much technical detail, we used a more advanced test to confirm our suspicion of what was going on. You can see the results below.

This test is completely free courtesy of browserleaks.com and indicates two results. Above is the IP address detected (in the US) along with the name of the ISP. Below (DNS Leak Test) shows the problem that prevented the previous test from finishing. Not one but two DNS servers are being used.

Just to satisfy our curiosity, we performed an additional test, this time choosing a server in the UK.

Again, the test correctly detected the IP address and showed us the two DNS servers used.

In order to corroborate the results, we also performed a test known as the WebRTC test using the same tool, connecting first from the US and then from the UK.

As can be seen, the results (IP addresses) are identical in both the DNS Leak test and the WebRTC test.

Technicalities aside, is PrivateVPN able to maintain your online privacy? The definitive answer is yes, PrivateVPN reliably masks your IP address and maintains your anonymity.

Speed & Performance

Testing the performance of a VPN presents similar challenges to privacy tests. There is no test that provides 100% consistent results. In this case, the difficulty lies in the fact that many factors are related to the speed of the Internet connection. Some of them are the level of traffic your ISP is subjected to, the technology used (5G, 4G, fibre, ADSL, VDSL), distance to the VPN server and others.

That said, we used the procedure described below to get an idea of what you can expect from PrivateVPN in terms of speed.

• We used an ad-free and open-source test to measure the speed of the Internet connection.
• We used a 4G LTE broadband service for all our tests since it is slower and more limited than a wired service.
• Our tests were done from the USA, then in Germany, and finally in Australia.

Let’s start with the base speed, that’s with PrivateVPN deactivated.

You can think of 12.76 Mb/s as the base speed, without VPN enabled. This baseline speed will allow us to determine the impact of the secure connection depending on the geographic location of the server we are connecting to.

Let’s start with a server located in Miami, USA.

Although there is a slight difference in speed, technically speaking, it could be said that there was no performance drop when connecting to this server near our location.

Next, we will connect to a server located in Germany.

The drop in speed is already becoming noticeable now that we are connected to Europe. However, this 16% variation is still considered “good” given the distance.

Now, let’s try the server furthest away from our location.

The result obtained, 6.52 Mb/s is basically half of our base speed. While we can’t call these results outstanding, we have seen worse results in our reviews.

Based on the above we can conclude that PrivateVPN is not a provider that offers spectacular performance, but it is not among the worst either. 

What we mean by this is that your experience may vary greatly depending on how you use the VPN. If you plan to download or share large files constantly, PrivateVPN may not be the best alternative.  However, if you are just looking for a VPN for secure browsing then you will notice little difference between having the VPN enabled or not.

Privacy, Does PrivateVPN Log My Data?

No, PrivateVPN doesn’t track any kind of private information. Furthermore, PrivateVPN is among the few VPN providers that enforce a strong ZERO Data Logging Policy.

Maintaining privacy is not only about technical aspects but also about regional legislation. In this respect, PrivateVPN is one of the most reliable providers in the world.

• Zero-log policy. PrivateVPN doesn’t collect connection timestamps, session information, bandwidth usage, browsing history, traffic data, or IP addresses.
• Based in Sweden. PrivateVPN is a Sweden-based company. This means that PrivateVPN has no obligation to share your data with law enforcement agencies. Matter of fact, Sweden is known for its strong privacy policies.
• Payment methods. PrivateVPN accepts cryptocurrency payments, so you decide if you want to use your credit/debit card or PayPal or keep your payments private using crypto.

PrivateVPN review: Verdict

Reviewing PrivateVPN has been quite an adventure. While this VPN has a some disadvantages, such as its limited number of protocols available by default, its lack of split tunnelling, or its price, it also has strong advantages such as its intuitive interface or its dedicated IP servers. Summing up, this may not be the best VPN for everyone, but if you need basic functionality and the certainty that your online identity will be hidden then PrivateVPN will not disappoint.