PureVPN test and review
PureVPN is one of the older VPN service providers. It has more than 2,000 servers in more than 180 countries and provides 300,000 IP addresses to freely create the desired geolocation. How does all this work in practice? In this review, we will try to answer this and many other questions that are certainly relevant to those seeking privacy on the Internet.
Is PureVPN safe?
PureVPN uses’military’ class 256-bit encryption to ensure maximum security on the network. This ensures that 100% of network traffic is completely encrypted, making it impossible for outsiders to eavesdrop and sniff. During every active connection, PureVPN prevents DNS leaks by using IPv6 in a Windows application. We can also activate the option to automatically connect to the VPN when using dangerous or unknown wi-fi networks. In addition, PureVPN has a built-in killswitch that completely cuts off network traffic in the event a connection is broken or suspended. You can also use Split Tunneling, which allows trusted applications to connect outside a VPN tunnel, even when it’s active.
For slightly more advanced users, PureVPN offers a range of custom services such as Port Forwarding, Dedicated IP and DDoSProtection. Unfortunately, these are added to your subscription and we have to pay extra for them.
What else can we use PureVPN for?
As well as increasing your anonymity on the web and reducing our cyber footprint, PureVPN is also useful for blocking ads that are breaking new records of absurdity with their pushyness. Even when we use incognito mode and regularly clean cookies on our computer, modern trackers can track us by our IP address. If we have an active VPN tunnel enabled, the sites we visit won’t know the real IP and we can enjoy unprecedented online privacy.
PureVPN will also be useful for bypassing regional blockades on YouTube. You have probably come across more than once the annoying message that the video you want to watch isn’t available in your country. With PureVPN, you will be able to bypass geolocation restrictions and enjoy unlimited Internet access.
How much does a PureVPN subscription cost?
PureVPN is somewhere in the middle of the market when it comes to VPN service prices. Before buying a subscription, it’s a good idea to use the 7-day trial version of PureVPN, which costs just USD 0.99 (just over PLN 4). When the trial version runs out, an indefinite plan will automatically start, which costs USD 5.82 per month (less than PLN 25). The price of a monthly plan is USD 10.95 (about PLN 46). If you decide on a six-month plan, you will have to pay USD 49.95 in total, i.e. USD 8.33 USD/month (after conversion – PLN 35). An annual subscription costs USD 4.08 per month (about PLN 17) and a two-year plan costs USD 2.88 per month (PLN 12). For all those who are undecided, PureVPN offers a trial period, with a 31-day money back guarantee in case of dissatisfaction with the quality of services provided.
Will we use PureVPN to watch Neflix movies and series?
There are many negative opinions on the Internet that PureVPN doesn’t support streaming services (including Netflix). This problem is so widespread that it’s even written about it… by / in Wikipedia. On the other hand, PureVPN on its website clearly writes about super fast servers dedicated to streaming. So how is it in practice? We’re about to find out. Every time we tried to run Netflix, we had a problem articulated in the following way: ‘It looks like you’re using an unlock tool or a proxy connection’. Unfortunately, it seems that many of the negative opinions about PureVPN that you can find on the Internet have their justification and reflection in reality.
What download speed does PureVPN offer us?
PureVPN provides its users with the maximum throughput of its servers, and VPN itself is designed to support ultra-fast connections of up to 10 Gbits. We’ve already learned to approach these promises with great distance, but we’re not hiding the fact that we’re intrigued by this information.
Before connecting to the VPN tunnel, we checked what parameters are achieved by our Internet. Download speed was 153 Mbps, ping 1 ms and upload speed was 155 Mbps.
After selecting a Polish server by the application, we managed to achieve a download speed of 130 Mbps and 135 Mbps upload, with a ping of 15 ms. This is a good result, active VPN connection won’t bother us with daily Internet browsing.
Despite the high-profile assurances, PureVPN doesn’t do well after selecting a server located in the USA. Download speeds of 43 Mbps and 107 Mbps upload speed, at 208 ms ping, are unsatisfactory for us and most users. It’s clear that PureVPN is far from the top VPN in our ranking here.
The British PureVPN servers also manage the loss of speed on average. A download speed score of 73 Mbps and 113 Mbps upload speed places it, more or less, in the middle of the stakes.
It’s a bit better when you choose a German server. Then PureVPN can reach 85 Mbps download speed and 124 Mbps upload speed and the ping is 42ms. Although it’s still quite comfortable to use the Internet, we will feel a decrease in its performance.
The connection is established relatively quickly, and hasn’t been broken even once during our tests. Unfortunately, the speeds achieved leave much to be desired.
Is torrent downloading possible with PureVPN?
PureVPN provides servers that are optimized for torrent downloads, but the quality of these servers isn’t optimistic, as with regular VPN nodes. During Internet peak hours, download speeds can drop by up to 75% of normal bandwidth, depending on the location selected. Downloads are still possible, but you have to reckon it will take much longer than you originally assumed.
How do I connect to the Internet with PureVPN?
PureVPN is simple and convenient to use, although it takes a lot of computing power away from our system, which can cause problems on slightly older machines or less powerful laptops. All functions are easily accessible, and you will find a host of configuration options in the setup window.
Summary
We have mixed feelings about PureVPN. On the one hand, it has a convenient application, but the speed of the Internet, which is achieved when you connect to a VPN, decreases significantly and the signal delay doesn’t knock you down either. In addition, PureVPN has trouble handling streaming services, and Netflix immediately detects the VPN connection. Fortunately, before making your purchase decision, you can use a 7-day trial version for a symbolic dollar to see if PureVPN will ultimately meet your expectations.
