Last updated April 2024
Last updated April 2024
PureVPN is one of the VPN providers from the top shelf: In terms of technology, speed and servers, hardly anything is left to be desired. Netflix fans will also get their money’s worth. In terms of speed, however, there are deductions in the B-grade: frequent disconnections and mixed speed losses cloud the solid picture of PureVPN. The bulky Windows client is also worthy of criticism.
Here is a summary of the features PureVPN offers its customers:
VPN providers encrypt their customers’ data and route it through a series of tunnels. What makes it so safe? If hackers succeed in intercepting communication or stealing transmitted data, they cannot do anything with it. After all, they only captured illegible, confused strings. PureVPN ensures that the bomb-proof 256-bit AES encryption . Especially in combination with the OpenVPN VPN protocol , PureVPN promises the best security. In addition, the PPTP , L2TP , SSTP , IKEv2 protocols are on board for various purposes.
For example, if you want the best download speed, activate PPTP. “Automatic” is set as standard, which according to the app combines the best possible speed and safety. Apparently, the choice is made based on selected profiles – more on that later. Which protocol is actually used remains unclear. However, you still have the option of manually selecting the protocol. VPN experts can also let off steam: in addition to supporting all common protocols, PureVPN offers various additional functions such as DDoS protection , extended port forwarding, split tunneling and NAT firewall . PureVPN thus leaves little to be desired in terms of “technology”, but makes it unnecessarily opaque in some places.
VPNs have the task of encrypting and anonymizing data. Even the internet provider does not know what the user is doing. The VPN provider might know for that. Namely, when the VPN service stores the surfing and internet activities. In this respect, it is good practice in the VPN scene not to make any logs (No Logs Policy). However, this promise is a matter of trust and cannot be checked from the outside.
After all, PureVPN vows to have data protection checked by an independent US accounting firm, the result (surprise) is extremely positive and without complaints. Accordingly, PureVPN assures that it will not create any log files. Definitely an advantage: PureVPN is based in Hong Kong. The political situation is currently difficult, but VPN providers cannot complain. Since Hong Kong is not one of the so-called Five-Eyes, Western intelligence agencies cannot definitely force PureVPN to give out user information.
The speed of VPN services is elementary, after all, streaming and surfing should be of an appropriate quality. For this purpose, the test laboratory subjects the VPNs to a 24-hour test on two US servers, in which the speeds of download and upload are checked. The results were mixed, resulting in speed losses of 10.9 and 17.7 percent when downloading and 4.1 percent when uploading. In addition, the ping was not always optimal, which is particularly noticeable in video telephony and online gaming. Another evil was above all the frequent disconnections, which gave deductions in the overall impression of the otherwise solid provider.
Netflix and VPN providers have been at war for several years. While in the past, users could use any service to access geo-blocked Netflix content from other countries, the streaming service put an end to this and built a system that blocks most VPNs. PureVPN is able to bypass this protection. In the test, this was achieved, for example, via the “US server” and a special “Netflix US” server. PureVPN is therefore well positioned in this area.
Start the program, establish a connection, done. This is how it works with most VPN services. PureVPN takes a different path. The user must first choose what he plans to do on the web, such as streaming, bypassing country blocks, file sharing or protecting privacy. Depending on this, the service chooses the appropriate protocol. Also unusual: only countries can be selected, no specific servers in a city.
Which of the more than 2,000 servers the user ends up on remains unknown. Practical against it: PureVPN lists a number of servers that bypass the country blocks of certain streaming services, including Netflix, Hulu.com, Amazon Prime US and HBO Go. Only a few VPN providers offer such a service. Nevertheless: All in all, the structure of the Windows client makes a bulky impression. The iPhone app we tested, on the other hand, uses an extremely simple concept with a completely different interface.
PureVPN’s prices are in the middle of the range. Astonishing: Those who have been committed to the service for a year or five pay no less than the monthly subscription.
The selected subscription is paid once in the selected period. There are the following ways to transfer the upcoming amount:
There is a 31-day money-back guarantee for dissatisfied customers.
PureVPN is one of the VPN providers from the upper shelf: In terms of technology and server park, there is hardly anything left to be desired. Netflix fans will also get their money’s worth. In terms of speed, however, there are deductions in the B-grade: frequent disconnections and mixed speed losses cloud the solid picture of PureVPN. The bulky Windows client is also worthy of criticism.
