PureVPN Review

Is PureVPN a good VPN? Is it worth getting?

Proof

Some VPN review sites just regurgitate information from other sites. I actually buy them and test them out. Here’s a screenshot of my current PureVPN plan.

How Was PureVPN Rated?

Privacy & Anonymity

Does PureVPN have a logging policy?

According to PureVPN, they are a no-log VPN service, and they are Hong Kong-based for favorable privacy laws. But they do collect logs such as the VPN server location, Internet Service Provider, connection length, and the number of connections.

However, in 2017, PureVPN gave away logs of a user to the FBI even though it was not required by law since the FBI is a US security organization, and resulted in a Massachusetts man getting arrested. This contradicted their claim that PureVPN is a no-log VPN.

Does PureVPN have a kill switch?

Windows and Android clients have an internet kill switch. But there’s no app kill switch on any platform.

What security protocols does PureVPN use?

PureVPN supports UDP, TCP, IKEV, PPTP, SSTP, and L2TP. They do not support WireGuard as yet.

Speed & Performance

Is PureVPN fast?

The speeds provided were average and suitable for daily use.

Does PureVPN provide consistent speeds?

Users have reported that the speeds fluctuate at times when connected to PureVPN.

Functionality & Application

Is PureVPN easy to use?

I personally loved their onboarding process; it was smooth and very easy to understand. But their member portal isn’t as streamlined. Some settings and options were a little hard to find.

Coming to the apps, Windows installation was relatively easy. Just a couple of checkboxes, and the app was ready to use. They have dedicated servers for each purpose, like file sharing, streaming, privacy, unblocking, etc.

Although the app is fast and smooth, some settings were not easy to find at first. It took a little time to get used to the interface, but everything was fine after that. Older people may find it a little difficult at first.

Does PureVPN support split tunneling?

PureVPN supports split tunneling both on Windows and Android, but it is in the beta stage on Windows.

Is PureVPN good for torrenting? Do they approve of using P2P technology?

PureVPN has dedicated servers for P2P in countries where P2P file sharing is legal by law. However, the torrenting speeds are pretty average.

Is PureVPN good for Netflix?

Is Private Internet Access good for BBC iPlayer?

Is PureVPN good for streaming?

What are some good features of PureVPN?

Reputation & Support

Is PureVPN trustworthy?

The one-word answer would be NO.

As mentioned, PureVPN claimed that they are a no-log VPN, but gave away ‘non-existent’ logs to the FBI, resulting in a man getting arrested. They published a detailed explanation regarding this, but it has been deleted from their website.

In 2017, PureVPN, ExpressVPN, and Hidemyass were caught using fake server locations by altering IP addresses. These VPNs didn’t mention this anywhere on their website, risking users’ privacy and security. A major part of PureVPN servers is virtual servers.

PureVPN provides live chat support. When I reached out asking a couple of questions, I got a reply within a minute. I opened a ticket through the member portal, but it disappeared after a few minutes and reappeared later, and the support team replied within 4 hours.

Does PureVPN have live chat support? Are they responsive?

PureVPN offers fast and responsive live chat support.

It seems like they actually care about the customer experience. They send emails requesting feedback and the ways to improve their service. Occasionally I received very helpful educational emails also.

Where are they based? What jurisdiction are they under?

PureVPN and the parent company is based in Hong Kong.

Who is the parent company?

PureVPN’s parent company is GZ systems limited, an online privacy and security company based in Hongkong. Their office is located at 36/F, Tower Two, Times Square, 1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay - 852, Hong Kong.

Have PureVPN or their parent company been involved in any controversies or scandals?

Apart from sharing logs to the FBI, PureVPN is also involved in shady business practices. According to this website, PureVPN bought many VPN review websites and placed themselves as the best VPN without disclosing their relationship with the websites.

As mentioned earlier, PureVPN was also criticized for advertising fake server locations as real servers. Security researchers found five fake server locations with PureVPN, and said that it is significantly more than five.

What do most customers say they like about the service?

Customers love their fast and reliable servers.

What do customers most dislike about the service?

Customers have reported that support is often unresponsive and slow. Also, many users had trouble connecting to Chinese servers.

Price & Value

How much does PureVPN cost per month?

The pricing is on the higher side, costing $77.88 for a year at $6.49/month. They also offer a 6-month plan for $49.95 at $8.33/month and a one-month plan at $10.95.

Is PureVPN worth the money?

PureVPN is one of the expensive VPNs I’ve reviewed. Considering their reputation and overall performance, there are a number of better VPN services available at a cheaper price. Privacy and anonymity are of utmost importance, and for that reason, PureVPN is not worth the money.

What payment forms do they accept?

PureVPN accepts MasterCard, Visa, and American Express credit cards and PayPal payments.

Do they have a trial or a money-back guarantee? What is their refund policy?

PureVPN offers a money-back guarantee for 31 days and a trial for seven days at $0.99. However, they don’t have a good reputation when it comes to the money-back guarantee. Customers have reported that it is hard to get a refund and perhaps have to contact support many times to get the money back. The payments made through Google Play Store and Apple App Store are not eligible for a refund. See their refund policy here.

Conclusion

Who is PureVPN good for?

PureVPN is a great VPN for those who are looking for a fast VPN to stay safe and secure when using the internet. It is a reliable VPN for day-to-day use.

Who is it not suitable for?

PureVPN is not a good choice for journalists, people who share sensitive data, and for anyone who has privacy concerns, due to their poor track record. The connection drops at times, so PureVPN is not good for gamers also.