VPNs are essential tools if your aim is to surf the internet safely and stay anonymous. Cybercriminals are always on the prowl online, seeking the slightest chance to exploit vulnerabilities in your digital defenses. Falling prey to a hack or data breach can cost you dearly, both financially and in terms of personal data loss, allowing thieves to impersonate you or commit fraud in your identity.
For newcomers to the VPN world, finding the right service can be a puzzle, and it's crucial to remember that VPN speed and quality vary by provider. We've made it our mission to test, evaluate, and compare top VPNs, starting with our recent exploration of... PureVPN .
Who Are PureVPN?
Establishing its presence in 2006, PureVPN has set a benchmark in the VPN landscape. Functioning under the umbrella of G.Z. Systems, it operates out of Hong Kong, a location comfortably distanced from governmental oversight.
PureVPN commands a vast network with over 2,000 servers spread across more than 180 locations worldwide. Boasting its proprietary infrastructure, PureVPN positions itself as a leader in global data protection and encryption. Its offerings span across all desktop and mobile platforms and it's compatible with devices like Chromecast and Amazon Fire.
Our curiosity drove us to scrutinize PureVPN's capabilities. We dedicated a few days to testing its software and have consolidated our insights regarding its features, performance, and overall value. Review our findings to make a well-informed decision before committing to PureVPN.
PureVPN Pricing
Let's delve into PureVPN's story by examining its critical statistics.
Pure VPN offers three subscription plans , whether you choose a monthly, yearly, or biennial subscription. Unlike some other VPNs that offer varied membership tiers for different perks, PureVPN ensures all users enjoy the full suite of features, no matter which plan they opt for.
To encourage customers towards extended commitments, PureVPN provides significant savings, up to 74% for those paying for two years in advance. Coupled with a 31-day money-back guarantee, it's tempting to give it a trial run without any financial risk.
When we sought a refund after 30 days, we encountered no obstacles in retrieving our payment. While their support team did reach out to us for a retention chat, we firmly declined and our refund request was processed smoothly.
It took about 10 business days for the refund to reflect in our account, and we appreciated the straightforward refund process facilitated by the PureVPN support team.
Examining PureVPN's pricing strategy, they offer three subscription models to their clientele.
- Monthly – At a rate of $10.95, the monthly plan classifies PureVPN among the higher-tier providers. We wouldn't typically recommend this plan owing to its costs, but it's likely that most users opt for longer-term plans anyway.
- Annual – Priced at $3.33 a month, this plan saves you a hefty 70% compared to monthly charges, making it economically competitive with other products out there.
- 2-year – At a mere $2.88 monthly, this represents the most cost-effective option; yet, it demands careful consideration before making a long-term commitment such as a 2-year upfront payment.
Exclusive Deals – Currently, PureVPN is running a special on their 1-year subscription. The cost is reduced to $1.99 monthly, translating to an impressive 82% discount off the usual rates.
You should be aware that PureVPN charges their annual and 2-year plans upfront, so make sure you have the funds ready for a single transaction. They accept an array of payment methods including credit cards, PayPal, gift cards, and even cryptocurrencies.
Putting PureVPN alongside other top-tier services, Private Internet Access also offers a comparable set of features. However, their 2-year plan is slightly more expensive, with costs around $2.91 a month.
Every subscription with PureVPN includes the assurance of a 31-day money-back guarantee. This might explain their decision against offering any free trials.
Privacy and Logging
The main motivations behind VPN usage are twofold: protection against hackers intercepting your data, and maintaining anonymity online. PureVPN reassures users with their 'no logs policy', suggesting they refrain from storing any browsing information during your use of the service.
However, a closer read reveals they do keep certain session traces. This contradiction begs the question: why claim on their site’s front page they don’t retain any logs, yet in the fine print admit to recording session specifics?
Our investigation led us to PureVPN's Terms of Service, which mention that the service records the incoming IP address, session duration, and total bandwidth consumed during each visit.
Sharing this data with the authorities may seem trivial to some, and we initially trusted PureVPN on this matter. That was until a colleague pointed us to a subreddit recounting an incident where police apprehended an alleged cyber-stalker in 2017.
The individual was reportedly using PureVPN, and law enforcement tracked him down by subpoenaing the service's records, leading to his subsequent identification and arrest.
Further exploration unveiled a blog post from PureVPN's management, addressing the issue. They clarified their logging habits, insisting they don’t keep detailed logs of sessions or spy on browsing history.
Despite this, the blog failed to address why the company's sales page advertises a 'zero log' policy, which might still leave some users skeptical.
While many may not be disturbed by sharing basic data, the larger issue revolves around the integrity of trust. A VPN service promising to safeguard your privacy yet promptly handing over data when requested poses a moral dilemma. However, the final decision rests with you.
Features and Functionality
Once you've chosen and paid for your subscription, download links for your device—be it iOS, Mac, Android, or desktop—are provided. PureVPN's installation is hassle-free and efficient, allowing us to swiftly install both the Windows application and a Chrome browser add-on.
Upon receiving our login credentials and user guide via email, we decided to launch the client through the browser extension for convenience.
We were then prompted to select a mode from five options: Internet Freedom, Stream, File Sharing, Security/Privacy, or Dedicated IP. This was our initial confusion, as there wasn’t a clear explanation about each mode’s purpose.
Luckily, through some logical thinking, we realized Internet Freedom was for general browsing, File Sharing for Torrent use, Streaming caters to Netflix watchers, and Dedicated IP is self-explanatory. However, we did wonder what precisely Security/Privacy targeted—Wi-Fi hotspots perhaps?
After reaching out to their customer service, we learned that selecting different modes tailors PureVPN’s settings to best execute each specific task. Yet, they left us ponderous about their distinctive functionalities.
A support representative finally elaborated that Security/Privacy mode prioritizes safeguarding data, while streaming mode enhances speed.
Post-mode selection, you can choose your server's geographical location from a dashboard, equipped with functions to switch between servers, check ping stats, and monitor speeds. You can bookmark preferred servers for quick future access.
Alternatively, a Purpose option allows you to select tasks like bypassing streaming blocks. PureVPN then automatically picks the optimal server for either speed or security based on your needs.
After engaging with the desired server, the client updates you regarding connection status. There's also a bandwidth chart available to visualize consumption, although we found it unnecessary. Notifications from the client appear seamlessly on the Windows desktop.
During browsing or minimized client use, pop-up alerts keep you informed about any account activities, helping you stay aware of disconnections or re-connections.
An extra feature named 'Gravity' lets you block potentially harmful sites. Numerous internet security providers offer standalone products without features quite like PureVPN Gravity.
Gravity not only blocks dangerous sites but also enables safe browsing across popular search engines, blocks harmful links, filters ads, and allows a personalized whitelist for smooth, uninterrupted internet access.
Navigating the PureVPN settings interface can feel overwhelming initially due to its many icons. Yet, with a little bit of time spent using the program, its workings become clearer.
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The use of VPNs has become critical for anyone aiming to surf the internet securely and maintain anonymity. With cybercriminals lurking around every digital corner, waiting for a lapse in your security measures, falling victim to their attacks can not only cost you financially but also result in personal data breaches, potentially leading to identity theft and fraud.
Finding the right VPN can be a challenge for those new to the service. Each company's VPN offerings vary in quality and speed. We've tested and compared top VPN providers, and our focus today is on PureVPN.
Established in 2006, PureVPN has carved out a reputation as a leader in VPN services. Operating as a branch of G.Z. Systems, they are headquartered in Hong Kong, a location outside the jurisdiction of many international government regulations.
Boasting a network of over 2,000 servers in more than 180 locations, PureVPN manages its complete infrastructure, establishing itself as a heavyweight in the realm of data protection and encryption. The service is compatible across desktop and mobile platforms, including streaming devices like Chromecast and Amazon Fire.
Performance
After scrutinizing PureVPN through our testing processes over a period of a few days, we've gathered insights into its capabilities, performance, and value proposition. Review our detailed analysis to make a well-informed decision before opting for PureVPN.
Kicking off our PureVPN evaluation, let’s delve into the specifics of its offerings.
With subscription options spanning monthly, annual, and bi-annual terms, PureVPN differs from some competitors by granting users full access to features across all plans without requirement for tiered upgrades.
As an incentive for long-term subscribers, PureVPN provides generous discounts up to 74% when you pay for two years upfront. Coupled with a 31-day satisfaction guarantee, trying PureVPN comes with minimal financial risk.
Requesting a refund after the 30-day period wasn’t a hassle. Despite being offered alternative solutions by PureVPN’s retention team, they honored our refund request promptly after we declined.
The refund seamlessly processed back to our account within 10 business days, evidencing a smooth customer support experience from PureVPN.
PureVPN and Torrenting
When considering the pricing structures, PureVPN offers three distinct subscription models.
Monthly – At $10.95 per month, PureVPN is priced at the higher end of the spectrum. While arguably not the most budget-friendly option, monthly plans are often less favored.
Netflix and PureVPN
Annual – At $3.33 per month, this plan saves you 70% over a monthly subscription. This pricing stands competitive when compared to other available VPN services.
2-year – For those seeking value, at $2.88 per month, this plan offers the best deal. However, locking in for two years may be daunting without thorough testing.
Special Offer – For a limited time, PureVPN's 1-year subscription is available at just $1.99 per month, reflecting an impressive 82% savings off the regular monthly rate.
Note that PureVPN requires upfront payment for annual or 2-year plans, so ensure you have the necessary funds available. Payment avenues include major credit cards, PayPal, gift cards, and cryptocurrency.
Upon comparing PureVPN to other top-tier services, we found Private Internet Access offers similar functionality but costs marginally more, with their 2-year plan set at $2.91 per month.
PureVPN Customer Support
All subscription plans feature a 31-day money-back guarantee, possibly explaining the absence of a traditional free trial option.
VPNs primarily serve two purposes: protection from hackers intercepting your data and ensuring anonymity. PureVPN supports this with a 'no logs policy,' ensuring no tracking of your browsing activity.
However, deeper investigation into the fine print reveals session data is logged. This contradiction raises a flag, as bold claims on their sales page are somewhat refuted in finer details.
Researching further, the terms outline that PureVPN logs incoming IP addresses, session durations, and bandwidth usage.
Such information sharing with law enforcement might seem negligible, yet it came to light when a user was tracked by authorities in a 2017 case involving PureVPN records.
Following the incident, PureVPN addressed the situation through a blog, asserting they don't keep full logs and omit tracking browsing histories or cookies.
Other VPN Providers
While the blog affirmed compliance with customer agreements, it didn’t reconcile the 'zero log' claims prominently displayed during sales.
PureVPN Pros & Cons
Although some might overlook the kind of data being shared, the core issue lies in the trust between users and VPN providers. Users could see the entity that professes to safeguard their privacy willingly sharing information under legal requests as a breach of trust.
Pros
- All the features of a premium VPN.
- Excellent support and onboarding.
- Upon purchasing any plan, users receive download links for iOS, Mac, Android, or desktop apps. PureVPN offers solutions across devices, ensuring quick downloads and hassle-free installations. We successfully acquired the Windows client and Chrome extension.
- Money-back guarantee.
- Upon receiving login and activation details, we launched the client through the Chrome extension.
Cons
- The software prompts you to pick from five modes: Internet Freedom, Streaming, File Sharing, Security/Privacy, or Dedicated IP. Initially, the distinctions between these modes weren’t immediately clear.
- Poor speeds outside of the U.K. and U.S.
- No option for a free trial.
- May Keep Some Logs
Conclusion
With some intuitive deduction, we figured Internet Freedom caters to browsing, File Sharing to torrents, Streaming for platforms like Netflix, and Dedicated IPs are self-explanatory. Yet, Security/Privacy remained somewhat obscure, hinting it might involve heightened Wi-Fi hotspot protection. PureVPN A clarification from support revealed each mode optimizes PureVPN for specific functions - a concept we grasp but still found insufficient in explanation.
Further interactions informed us that opting for Security/Privacy prioritizes your online safety, while Streaming mode gives precedence to speed.
The main dashboard, post-selection, enables server selection by country or city. Its interface allows you to toggle between servers, check ping times, and speeds, and even save preferred server locations.
Alternatively, you can choose a Purpose, automating server selection to optimize either security or speed based on your chosen task, such as unblocking Netflix.
After linking to your preferred server, the client updates you on the connection status and offers a bandwidth chart for activity monitoring. While not entirely useful, it’s a reassuring feature. Windows desktop notifications are enabled for convenience.
PureVPN
Pros
- All the features of a premium VPN
- Excellent support and onboarding
- Exceptional value for money
- Money-back guarantee
- While browsing with a minimized client, pop-up notifications keep you informed of account activities, including any disconnections or re-connections.
Cons
- A noteworthy feature, ‘Gravity,’ blocks access to potentially harmful sites. Several other security products are on the market, yet few offer a parallel feature set to PureVPN’s Gravity.
- Poor speeds outside of the U.K. and U.S
- No Free Trial
- May Keep Some Logs
