TorGuard Review
Mullvad is one of the best VPNs for privacy. But is it fast and reliable?
Introduction
Overview
Considering the speeds offered, logging policy, pricing, and functionalities, TorGuard is a solid, reliable VPN service.
This review of TorGuard contains the results of tests between 3 September 2020 and 4 November 2020.
This document is a continuously being updated with fresh data each month in order to be accurate and consistent.
Is TorGuard a good VPN? Is it worth getting?
Privacy & Anonymity Summary
TorGuard has a great no-logs policy, and there are no privacy concerns or personal data breaches involving TorGuard as yet.
Speed & Performance Summary
The browsing and torrenting speeds are above average while the download speeds are only average.
Functionality & Application Summary
Their desktop clients are highly customizable, but important settings like protocols, cipher, port, etc. can be configured from the main screen itself, making it beginner-friendly as well.
Reputation & Support Summary
Even though TorGuard underwent a server breach, their VPN or proxy traffic was not compromised since they were practicing secure PKI management. TorGuard terminated all business with the related hosting reseller after this incident.
Price & Value Summary
At $59.99/year, TorGuard is slightly more expensive than many VPNs. But they’ve been offering a 50% off coupon for some time, and at $29.99/year, TorGuard is a great VPN service.
Proof
How Was TorGuard Rated?
Review Criteria
I've rated TorGuard on multiple elements across five categories, and analysed the results to give you a good understanding of the service.
Privacy & Anonymity
Does TorGuard leak any data while in use? Do they collect or store logs? Do they allow you to anonymously purchase the service? Do they employ a variety of security protocols to keep you anonymous online?
Speed & Performance
Does TorGuard offer fast speeds (on par with browsing without a VPN connection)? Are these speeds consistent? Or do they drop off or fluctuate too much?
Functionality & Application
Does TorGuard work well? Is it easy to install and use? Does it unblock geo-restricted content? Can it unblock Netflix and BBC iPlayer?
Reputation & Support
Is TorGuard a reputable seller with a strong track record of happy customers and good reviews? Does it provide outstanding customer and tech support? Does TorGuard and their parent company have a track record of honesty, transparency, and its customers' best interests at heart?
Price & Value
Does the price of the service match (or exceed) the quality of experience? Does TorGuard represent value for money?
Privacy & Anonymity
Does TorGuard have a logging policy?
TorGuard claims that they do not keep any logs from their VPN service. However, they do collect VPN server connection logs which is necessary to run their service, but according to their official blog, it is purged on a daily basis.
Does TorGuard have a kill switch?
The Windows client has an app kill switch but the Android client doesn’t. At the same time, both Windows and Android clients have a system kill switch.
What security protocols does TorGuard use?
TorGuard supports OpenVPN and OpenConnect on Windows, but only OpenVPN is supported on Android. WireGuard is not available on Windows and Android clients as yet.
Speed & Performance
Is TorGuard fast?
TorGuard provides above-average browsing speeds, average download speeds, and good torrenting speeds.
Does TorGuard provide consistent speeds?
The speeds offered are not consistent enough. It is slow at times, but most of the time it provides above-average speeds.
Functionality & Application
Is TorGuard easy to use?
The installation took only less than 20 seconds on Windows. There were a couple of checkboxes, and for someone who is not familiar with VPNs, those checkboxes can be confusing. The main app screen is intuitive and easy to use. The protocol, port, and cipher can be selected without opening the settings screen. The font size is too small, so it might be a little difficult for older people. The app offers several customization options. In fact, it is one of the most customizable VPN apps that I’ve reviewed. Power users will love the functionalities and customization options.
Does TorGuard support split tunneling?
TorGuard supports split tunneling on Android but does not support it on Windows.
Is TorGuard good for torrenting? Do they approve of using P2P technology?
Yes, TorGuard approves of using P2P technology and the speeds provided are decent.
Is TorGuard good for Netflix?
TorGuard was able to successfully unblocked geo-restricted Netflix content in 0 out of 14 countries. I couldn't watch any geo-restricted Netflix content.
Is Private Internet Access good for BBC iPlayer?
No, TorGuard is not a good VPN for BBC iPlayer. When I tested, the VPN was identified and I was given restricted access.
Is TorGuard good for streaming?
No, TorGuard is not great for streaming Netflix and similar websites. In my tests, TorGuard didn't let me watch geo-blocked Netflix content in any country.
What are some good features of TorGuard?
- Good no-logs policy
- Cheap yet great service
- Highly customizable
- Has app kill switch
Reputation & Support
Is TorGuard trustworthy?
Yes, taking the company history and past business practices into account, TorGuard is a trustworthy VPN service.
Does TorGuard have live chat support? Are they responsive?
Where are they based? What jurisdiction are they under?
TorGuard is a US-based company. Their office is located in Florida.
Who is the parent company?
TorGuard is owned by VPNetworks, LLC, and their mailing address is 618 E South St. Ste 500, Orlando, FL, 32801-2986, United States.
Have TorGuard or their parent company been involved in any controversies or scandals?
Hackers managed to breach one of the TorGuard servers back in 2017, but the incident came to light only when it was tweeted by a twitter handle in response to a NordVPN tweet, along with a link that lists private encryption keys of TorGuard VPN, Nord VPN, and Viking VPN.
In response, TorGuard said in a blog post that they were practicing secure PKI management, and hence the VPN or proxy traffic was not compromised. It added that TorGuard removed the affected server from the company’s network in early 2018, and terminated all business with the related hosting reseller.
What do most customers say they like about the service?
Many users reckon that the service provided is great for the price, especially with the discount codes.
What do customers most dislike about the service?
Some users say that the speeds go down at peak hours, while some others complain that customer support is not so helpful.
Price & Value
How much does TorGuard cost per month?
TorGuard offers four different plans for personal use, a monthly plan costing $9.99/month, a quarterly plan costing $19.99/three months, a semi-annual plan costing $29.99/six months, and an annual plan costing $59.99/year. They’re currently offering 50% off on all TorGuard services, so the annual cost comes down to $29.98/year.
TorGuard also provides business VPN services starting at $69/month and streaming bundles starting at $21.98/month.
Is TorGuard worth the money?
Considering the speeds, logging policy, ease of use, and functionalities, TorGuard is well worth the money at $29.98/year.
What payment forms do they accept?
TorGuard accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express credit cards, payment gateways like Paymentwall and Amazon Pay, Gift Cards, and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Litecoin through Coinpayments.
Do they have a trial or a money-back guarantee? What is their refund policy?
TorGuard offers a 7-day money-back guarantee and a 7-day free trial. The free trial is exclusive for those who are using other VPNs now, and it can be availed by sending the most recent VPN bill to freshstart@torguard.net. Upon canceling the other VPN subscription, TorGuard will add an additional one month of subscription for free.
According to TorGuard’s refund policy, they do not approve refund requests for payments made through gift cards.
Conclusion
Who is TorGuard good for?
TorGuard is a great VPN for power users since they offer decent speeds and a bunch of customization options at a low price. Those who are looking for a VPN with a perfect no-logs policy will find TorGuard very appealing. TorGuard’s P2P speeds are above average, so it is a good choice for those who use torrents a lot.
Who is it not suitable for?
It is not for journalists since TorGuard is based in the United States, a country known for internet surveillance. The downloading speeds are only average, hence it is not for those who want to download large files over VPN.
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