It’s not ideal that Astrill logs your IP address, but this data is only kept during your session and then permanently deleted.

This helps the app function without compromising privacy. All VPNs need to handle a minimal amount of information to operate; in this case, Astrill uses it to regulate the number of devices simultaneously connecting to one account.

However, this is a weak justification given that other VPNs, like ExpressVPN and PrivateVPN, monitor device connections without logging your IP address.

Astrill also tracks total bytes transferred for network maintenance and expansion. This isn’t personally identifiable and doesn’t threaten your privacy. Astrill reassures users that:

“The very design of our VPN server software does not allow us to see which clients accessed what websites even if we wanted to.”

Astrill does, however, log your last 20 connection records to help customer support troubleshoot issues. This includes:

• Connection time
• Connection duration
• Country
• Device type
• Astrill client version number

None of this is personally identifiable, and if your Astrill account is inactive for 30 days this information is automatically deleted. You can also request deletion by contacting support@astrill.com.

Although none of the stored data is identifiable, this is unreasonable for a VPN that advertises itself as no-logs.

Astrill would benefit from commissioning an independent audit of its logging practices to remove any doubts about its safety. We’d also like to see regular transparency reports so users can review any data requests from government agencies.

We were impressed by Astrill VPN’s privacy-friendly payment options. You can purchase a subscription with cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, for increased anonymity.

This isn’t as anonymous as Mullvad VPN’s option to mail cash to its office, but it’s still notable.

Astrill VPN Is Owned by Veloxee Corp

Astrill VPN is owned by a corporate entity called Veloxee Corp.

Its subsidiary, Astrill Systems Corp., was built and is run by a team of cryptographers, programmers, and networking engineers.

The company isn’t particularly transparent, but it has serious security credentials; there’s never been a server breach, security leak, or major controversy.

Moved from Seychelles to Liechtenstein

Astrill VPN used to be incorporated in the privacy stronghold of the Seychelles. However, in November 2023 Astrill quietly moved its legal base to Liechtenstein.

Liechtenstein is not in the EU, but it does have a data-sharing agreement with Europol. Either way, it’s not as private as the Seychelles.

Astrill focuses on privacy and anti-censorship, and this comes at the cost of streaming capabilities.

There is no mention of streaming across its website, and the VPN offers no optimized servers for services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, or Disney+. There’s no native app for Amazon Fire TV Stick, either.

Astrill Can Only Access the US Netflix Region

Astrill does work to unblock the US Netflix library. Combined with its strong long-distance speeds, this makes it a viable (but expensive) option for those looking to stream US-exclusive Netflix content from abroad.

Astrill doesn’t unblock any other Netflix region. When we asked why we were getting US Netflix on its Australian servers, we were told that Netflix isn’t supported on them, so the traffic is automatically redirected to the US. This applies anytime you try to access a non-US library.

Reliably Unblocks Hulu

Despite its poor Netflix coverage, Astrill VPN consistently unblocks Hulu on all of its US servers.

Using Astrill, we bypassed Hulu’s geo-restrictions on both our Lenovo T480 laptop and our iPhone 15.

In each case, the video loaded without buffering and the quality stayed consistent.

Works with UK Streaming Platforms

Astrill’s performance with UK streaming services is more mixed than with US platforms.

We were able to unblock BBC iPlayer, All 4, and ITVX using Astrill’s London server, but video quality was often blurry.

ITVX in particular took a few minutes to load, and the low-resolution stream was too blurry to watch on our iPhone.

Astrill Fails to Unblock Most Streaming Platforms

Despite its success with US Netflix and Hulu, Astrill can’t access US-based HBO Max or the American version of Amazon Prime Video.

Astrill also doesn’t unblock Disney+ if you’re in a region where it’s not yet available.

With no streaming-optimized servers, no Smart DNS, and limited access to major services, Astrill VPN can’t match the best VPNs for streaming. We’d expect a top streaming VPN to unblock multiple Netflix libraries, support a native Fire TV Stick app, and provide speeds sufficient for 4K — Astrill lacks all of this.

Astrill Offers Multiple Proprietary Tunneling Protocols

OpenVPN and WireGuard are trusted, open-source protocols that excel in different areas. Astrill offers both, plus two proprietary options—StealthVPN and OpenWeb—balancing standardization with custom features.

OpenWeb is a proprietary, TCP-based protocol designed for fast streaming and browsing. Instead of encrypting all device traffic, it only tunnels traffic from major web browsers like Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, Safari, Chrome, and Chromium.

You can configure OpenWeb to encrypt traffic from other apps and share your OpenWeb connection with iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. This is helpful if mobile VPN protocols are blocked by your ISP or network admins.

EXPERT ADVICE: When using OpenWeb, Astrill will disconnect all applications if you switch servers or turn the VPN off. To prevent this, go to Settings > Advanced > Keep Connection.

StealthVPN is Astrill’s flagship proprietary protocol. It adds obfuscation to already encrypted traffic to bypass firewalls without detection.

It’s stable and reliable, works over UDP and TCP, uses RSA-2048 certificates for authentication, and the AES-256 cipher for encryption.

Reliable & Advanced Kill Switch

Astrill’s kill switch prevents IP leaks by cutting your internet connection if the VPN drops. When this happens, a pop-up asks whether to restore your internet or reconnect the VPN first.

Windows users also get App Guard, which Astrill calls an “enhanced” kill switch. It lets you block specific apps from accessing the internet if the VPN disconnects, while everything else stays online.

It works even when the desktop app isn’t running and is enabled automatically at startup.

We tested both the standard kill switch and App Guard with our kill switch testing tool, which monitors IP and geolocation during connection drops.

As shown below, the normal kill switch failed to hide our real IP during a server change. This is more of a usability issue than a security flaw because Astrill requires you to manually disconnect before switching servers.

Top-rated VPNs like PIA let you switch servers without interrupting the VPN connection.

During a sudden VPN disconnection, the kill switch did prevent our IP from leaking, which is the key test.

App Guard hid our IP during both server changes and disconnections. We recommend enabling App Guard at all times to maintain anonymity.

Astrill doesn’t offer a kill switch on its mobile apps. This is a significant drawback for mobile users, and we’d like to see it added in a future update.

IP, DNS & WebRTC Leak Tests

We tested Astrill for IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks while connected to a US server. We found no leaks.

Our tests confirm that Astrill doesn’t expose personal data. It’s a safe, secure, and reliable VPN that hides your IP address effectively.

Astrill has physical servers in 107 cities across 56 countries.

Its modest server count is offset by excellent geographic coverage, with servers on every inhabited continent.

Astrill’s international footprint makes it easier to find a nearby server wherever you are.

Unlike many leading VPNs, it also invests in Asia. There are more Asian countries available than in North America, South America, Oceania, and Africa combined (though there are 26 cities in the US alone).

If you need a US IP address, you can connect to 26 cities across 24 states.

2025 UPDATE: Astrill has not removed its physical servers in India despite a law requiring VPNs to log and store user data in-country. This poses a privacy risk, and we advise against using Astrill in India.

Multiple Server Types

We’d prefer these options to be streamlined into a single plan—especially given Astrill’s high price. The variety can be confusing for new or casual users.

An All-Physical Server Network

While services like ExpressVPN and CyberGhost offer many more servers overall, Astrill emphasizes that all its servers are physical (“bare metal”), avoiding virtualization-related security risks.

The trade-off is scale: Astrill has 107 servers, compared to ExpressVPN’s combined physical and virtual network of 13,360 servers.

Installation & Setup

Interface & Ease of Use

Day-to-Day Experience

Astrill VPN is excellent for torrenting, combining fast speeds with P2P-optimized servers, customizable port forwarding, an effective kill switch, and strong security.

Thanks to AES-256 encryption, seeders, copyright enforcers, trackers, and ISPs can’t see your identity or activity.

Astrill’s DNS leak protection and reliable kill switch also prevent IP leaks and accidental exposure.

However, we don’t recommend torrenting with the OpenWeb protocol. Use Astrill’s P2P-supported protocols: OpenVPN and WireGuard.

Fast P2P Speeds & Port Forwarding Support

Our testing shows Astrill is one of the fastest VPNs for torrenting, with an average bitrate of 10.0 MiB/s. This is faster than industry-leading services like ExpressVPN and Surfshark.

Astrill’s speeds are helped by both automatic and manual port forwarding. You can enable this in the settings, but it only works with servers marked with a star (these are secure servers optimized for torrenting).

There’s also a port forward test tool in the Help menu, which lets you check specific TCP ports. This feature is rare even among top VPNs like NordVPN and IPVanish.

Astrill works well with clients like BitTorrent, LimeWire, and uTorrent. You can configure UDP port forwarding in these clients and enable UDP traffic over the secure tunnel.

Transparency Reports & Always-On Audit

Our tests confirm that PureVPN encrypts your internet traffic. Using Wireshark, we verified that our data became securely encrypted into unreadable code.

However, PureVPN’s security measures remain limited to the basics. Its applications are closed-source, preventing independent verification of their code, and the service has never undergone third-party security audits.

Protocol Concerns

Kill Switch Vulnerabilities

When it comes to servers, PureVPN prioritizes quality over quantity.

Its network spans 6,000 servers across 68 countries—fewer than competitors like CyberGhost and Surfshark, which cover 100+ countries, but strategically includes regions others often overlook.

The provider deliberately reduced its server count by half in recent years to transition from virtual to physical infrastructure, ensuring more reliable connections.

While most servers are now physical, virtual servers remain only where local regulations or logistical challenges make physical setups impractical. This focus on performance extends to ongoing upgrades, with high-speed 20Gbps servers bolstering network capabilities.

PureVPN retains virtual servers in countries where physical infrastructure is challenging to deploy, including Afghanistan, Bahrain, and Egypt.

Installation & Setup

Interface & Ease of Use

Using the Standard plan, we were frustrated by frequent prompts to upgrade or buy add-ons.

These features are visible in the app even if you skip them at checkout.

For example, “Remove My Data,” “Password Manager,” and “Discover More” take up valuable space in the menu and clutter the interface with unnecessary items. Similarly, there are prompts for “Teams,” “PureKeep,” a residential network, and more.

Most of these flashy features aren’t essential for a VPN, and the heavy promotion made us feel PureVPN was eager to upsell, which isn’t reassuring from a privacy service.

That said, the apps have been substantially improved since their December 2023 redesign. They are now easy to use, modern, and consistent across devices.

We were particularly fond of the option to filter server types with simple toggles labeled V, P2P, QR, and PF. The acronyms may seem unclear, but helpful tooltips explain each one.

We also liked the Connection Details on the home screen, which highlights your protocol, kill switch status, and other information that’s usually buried in the settings menu.

Day-to-Day Experience

We’re not comfortable recommending PureVPN if you regularly download torrents.

It offers P2P servers, but they cover only about 50% of the network. As a result, some regions can’t torrent using local connections.

For example, if you live in southern Africa, your nearest P2P server may be in Angola—thousands of miles away.

PureVPN’s torrenting speed is also average at 8.1 MiB/s. By comparison, our preferred VPN for torrenting, IPVanish, averages 9.9 MiB/s.

More concerning, PureVPN’s imperfect privacy policy, controversial history, and unreliable kill switch can put your anonymity at risk.

To make matters worse, port forwarding isn’t included in the Standard plan, so users seeking faster speeds won’t have access to it.

Streaming Devices & Smart DNS

Browser Extensions

Split Tunneling & Tracker Blocker

HMA VPN’s streaming performance is subpar, only unblocking BBC iPlayer and Disney+.

While this isn’t awful, HMA can’t compete with the top streaming VPNs. For example, NordVPN reliably unblocks US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Disney+, and more, without buffering.

Another drawback for streaming is HMA’s limited compatibility with TV-connected devices. There’s no app for Fire TV and no Smart DNS for Apple TV or game consoles.

However, there is an Android TV app, and you can install HMA on certain routers—though the setup can be complicated.

HMA Consistently Unblocks BBC iPlayer

We were able to unblock BBC iPlayer using HMA’s dedicated UK streaming server, “Donkey Town.” It appears in the default server list with a play icon next to its name.

Using HMA, we streamed on-demand and live BBC iPlayer content in HD without buffering or drops in video quality.

We’re impressed by HMA’s consistency, but we’d like to see more dedicated UK streaming servers to reduce demand on Donkey Town. This would help prevent congestion and minimize downtime issues.

No Longer Works with Netflix

Despite past success, HMA hasn’t worked with US Netflix for over a year of testing. We tried all of HMA’s dedicated streaming servers across multiple devices, but none could unblock US Netflix. As a result, we reduced HMA’s streaming rating to 0.8 to reflect its decline in performance.

Although HMA has dedicated streaming servers for the UK and Germany, we couldn’t unblock those Netflix regions either. In fact, HMA VPN doesn’t work with Netflix in any location.

If streaming Netflix is a priority, we recommend a top Netflix VPN like ExpressVPN, which consistently unblocks 18 different libraries.

HMA Struggles to Unblock Disney+

HMA can unblock Disney+, but it often takes several attempts. In our latest tests, we had to switch between multiple HMA servers before finding one that worked.

For greater consistency, we recommend one of our top Disney+ VPNs. Surfshark performed best in our testing, unblocking Disney+ on every server in its network.

HMA Doesn’t Work with Hulu or HBO Max

HMA VPN can’t bypass geo-blocks on Hulu or HBO Max. This has been true for more than three years of our testing.

Using a VPN with HBO Max and Hulu is popular among VPN users. We tested NordVPN with both platforms, and it worked flawlessly.

Uses Secure VPN Protocols & Encryption

HMA VPN encrypts internet traffic with AES-256. This cipher is virtually unbreakable and is used across all HMA apps to keep your personal data secure.

The HMA Windows app supports WireGuard, OpenVPN, and Mimic. WireGuard and OpenVPN are trustworthy, open-source VPN protocols that securely tunnel your traffic.

Mimic is a proprietary protocol developed by Avast RSO. It is closed source, and our Avast review found it too experimental to recommend. We suggest using OpenVPN or WireGuard instead.

Currently, HMA’s Android app only supports OpenVPN. While OpenVPN is secure, we’d like to see WireGuard added in a future update.

Both the iOS and Mac apps use the IKEv2/IPSec protocol. IPSec is older and is generally considered less secure and more vulnerable than OpenVPN and fully patched WireGuard implementations.

We’d like HMA to implement WireGuard and OpenVPN across all apps to strengthen the service’s overall security.

Using Wireshark, a packet-sniffing tool, we tested whether the VPN’s traffic is truly encrypted. We can confirm that HMA securely encrypted our data transfers.

HMA’s Kill Switch Prevents IP Leaks

A VPN kill switch is available on the Windows, Android, and Mac clients. It prevents data leaks if your VPN connection drops. The Windows client also offers an application-level kill switch that lets you select specific apps to disconnect from the internet.

Application-level kill switches are rare among VPNs, and even top-rated services like ExpressVPN do not provide one.

We tested HMA’s Windows kill switch using our in-house tool:

HMA’s kill switch is not available on iOS. This is disappointing and could put your data at risk. We’d like HMA to address this in the future.

HMA VPN Leak Test Results

We ran HideMyAss through a series of leak tests and found it leaked our IP address on iOS (due to a dropped VPN connection).

HMA’s other apps did not suffer IP or DNS leaks, thanks in part to built-in IPv4 and IPv6 leak protection.

HideMyAss also owns and operates its own private DNS servers, which helps keep your browsing activity hidden from third parties.

The screenshot below shows how the HMA app masked our real IP address, WebRTC, and DNS requests on Windows:

To install and start using HMA, create an account on the HMA website and choose a pricing plan. Then download the app on your device and log in.

For us, the entire process took about 10 minutes, and we didn’t encounter any issues.

On desktop, the HMA app launches a second installer after the initial download. It’s quick and only happens the first time you open the Windows or Mac app.

HMA hasn’t updated its app design since 2019. Despite that, the apps remain easy to use, with a streamlined, intuitive interface.

Below is an in-depth overview of our experience using HMA on every major operating system:

Desktop & Laptop (Windows & Mac)

HMA’s Windows and Mac apps use the same user-friendly interface but differ in their available features.

Upon launching HMA for the first time, you get a quick tutorial that explains how the app works and what each feature does. This is especially helpful for VPN beginners.

You can expand the side panel at any time to read clear explanations of HMA’s advanced settings.

Starting a VPN connection is as simple as toggling the central button to ON. You don’t need to dig into the settings or server list.

Once connected, you can click the shuffle button next to your VPN IP address to quickly get a new one. We like this feature, but we wish the protocol-switching option was located nearby. It’s inconvenient to open a separate window for this.

HMA’s desktop apps make it easy to browse all 195 server locations. Servers are grouped by continent, P2P-optimized, and streaming, and there’s a search bar to find a specific location.

However, we don’t like that the settings open in a separate window that blocks the home screen. It’s not obvious that you need to close this window to return to the main app.

In the settings, the VPN protocol option appears under Advanced rather than Connection. This feels unintuitive and may confuse both beginners and experts.

We also don’t like that you can’t resize the Windows or Mac app. This makes it harder to use alongside another window, like a torrent client.

Mobile (iPhone & Android)

HMA’s mobile apps are easy to use with a clean, uncluttered interface. You can connect to a server by tapping the connect button on the home screen.

Both apps support Lightning Connect (Optimal Location on iOS) if you want to connect quickly without choosing a location.

The iOS app is the least capable of HMA’s apps, offering very few options.

In fact, Connection Rules is the only setting, limited to basic toggles for cellular data and trusted Wi-Fi networks.

There’s no kill switch, protocol selection, or split tunneling.

The Android app offers far more control than iOS. Features include IP Shuffle (from desktop), a kill switch, TCP-only mode, and split tunneling.

You can access these options quickly using the tabs at the bottom of the home screen.

We’re disappointed that HMA hasn’t added any mobile-specific features to either app. There’s no dark mode, and the apps don’t make use of iOS or Android integrations.

The result is mobile apps that don’t feel fully optimized. They’re essentially identical to the desktop apps in most ways.

Android TV App

HMA’s custom Android TV app carries over the same user-friendly design found on desktop and mobile.

You can use Lightning Connect to connect to the nearest server or choose from HMA’s 195 locations.

There’s a search function to simplify navigation and continent tabs for quick browsing.

In our tests, we streamed US Netflix and BBC iPlayer directly on the TV without issues.

The Android TV app works on all Android-powered smart TVs and streaming devices, including Chromecast with Google TV.

It also includes useful settings such as split tunneling, a kill switch, and IP Shuffle.

We tested HMA VPN using the qBittorrent client and downloaded a torrent file without any issues.

HMA likely does not own all of its P2P servers, as it openly rents some from third parties. This can introduce privacy and security risks since another party is involved. However, HMA states that it maintains full management control over its rented servers.

Additionally, HMA’s first-party ownership of all its DNS servers ensures that any torrent sites you visit are only visible to the VPN service.

In the past, HMA suspended user accounts that received DMCA notices for torrenting copyrighted material. Since the launch of its improved logging policy, HMA VPN no longer has a way to track your torrenting activity.

This means you can safely use HMA VPN to torrent.

If HMA VPN wants to compete with the top torrenting VPNs, we’d like to see port forwarding added to maximize its already fast speeds. We’d also welcome more P2P-optimized servers to better serve users in different regions.

Inaccurate & Unreliable Customer Support

For a paid service, HMA VPN has one of the worst customer support teams we’ve encountered.

The lack of new content on its website since 2021, and the fact that the HMA copyright expired in 2022, leads us to suspect that HMA may have disbanded its support team.

Its live chat has also been discontinued—despite advertising the opposite—and several members of our testing team experienced wait times of up to six months for an email response.

Thankfully, HMA is backed by a large online knowledge base that includes detailed guides, FAQs, and video walkthroughs.

However, the written guides vary in quality; one article even incorrectly claims that HMA only supports OpenVPN.

We were also disappointed to find that HMA has shut down its community forum.

Supports Split Tunneling & Randomized IP Addresses

Split tunneling is available on HMA’s Android app. This lets you choose which apps use the VPN tunnel and which operate normally without protection.

We appreciate this feature, but its exclusivity to Android is disappointing.

There’s also the “IP Shuffle” feature, which assigns a new IP address in the same location if your current IP is blocked. This helps bypass IP bans and avoid potential trackers.

Unfortunately, this feature isn’t available on iOS.

Overall, this is a limited set of advanced features, and we’d like to see HMA add more in the future.

Technical Features We’d Like to See

Many of the technical features we expect from a premium VPN are missing from HMA’s apps.

We suspect no further features will be added, as the HMA development roadmap has been removed from the provider’s website.

That said, here are some features we’d like to see added to HMA VPN if its development team is reinstated:

Surfshark does not keep identifying logs. We’ve examined its logging policy in detail and can confirm that sensitive data — like your IP address — is not stored. This has also been confirmed by an independent audit from Deloitte.

Surfshark temporarily stores information about which VPN server you connect to, including your user ID and connection timestamps. However, this data is deleted within 15 minutes of disconnecting from the VPN and poses no meaningful privacy risk.

The only information Surfshark keeps is your account data, including:

• Email address
• Account registration date
• Encrypted password
• When you use the Smart DNS
• WiFi name if the Auto-connect feature is enabled

Although this means Surfshark is not technically a “no-logs” VPN, it only retains a small amount of non-sensitive information used to maintain the service. If you’re particularly concerned about privacy, you can sign up using cryptocurrency to avoid sharing any personal payment details.

Surfshark also operates diskless RAM-only servers that prevent your data from being written to a hard drive. This is an excellent privacy measure that ensures no identifying information is available in the event of a server seizure.

Based in The Netherlands (EU Jurisdiction)

Surfshark moved its company headquarters from the British Virgin Islands — a privacy-friendly jurisdiction with no data retention laws — to the Netherlands, which is in the EU and has stricter data retention rules.

Surfshark has reassured users that being based in the Netherlands still allows it to maintain its no-logs policy. However, the country is part of EU intelligence-sharing networks, and we would prefer to see Surfshark operate from a more privacy-focused jurisdiction.

Who Owns Surfshark?

Surfshark is owned by Cyberspace, a company incorporated in the Netherlands. The founder of Surfshark is a Lithuanian national called Vytautas Kaziukonis, and most of Cyberspace’s employees are based in Lithuania, where it also has an office.

Cyberspace was formed after a merger between Surfshark (Surfshark B.V.) and Nord Security, which runs NordVPN. Surfshark and NordVPN now collaborate to improve their separate services.

While the services are very similar, NordVPN performs better in most of our tests and still operates out of a privacy haven — Panama. However, NordVPN has experienced a data breach in the past, whereas Surfshark has never been involved in any major controversies.

Access to 9 Netflix Libraries

Surfshark works very well with Netflix. Our tests show that it unblocks 9 Netflix regions easily and streams without buffering.

As well as US Netflix, Surfshark reliably bypasses geo-blocks for:

• Netflix Brazil
• Netflix Canada
• Netflix France
• Netflix India
• Netflix Italy
• Netflix Mexico
• Netflix Singapore
• Netflix UK
• Netflix US

In our tests, most of Surfshark’s city-level servers successfully unblocked the corresponding country’s Netflix library. On rare occasions you may need to switch to a different server in the same country to get Netflix working.

We’d like Surfshark to label servers that are optimized for streaming, as this would make it quicker and easier to find a working server.

Streams Every British & US Streaming Site

Surfshark unblocks HBO Max and Amazon Prime Video. It used to struggle with Hulu, but our recent tests show a big improvement, and we can now confidently recommend Surfshark for watching Hulu outside the US.

The first UK Surfshark server we tested unblocked BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, ITVX, My5, Now, and Sky Go without issues, making it one of the best VPNs for connecting to the UK as well.

Surfshark remains one of the best VPNs for bypassing Disney+ blocks and lets you stream Europe-exclusive Star content from the US.

Surfshark is also a good choice for watching The Roku Channel and most other free streaming platforms, including Peacock and SBS On Demand.

In our testing, all of these platforms streamed at maximum video quality without buffering.

Overall, Surfshark is an excellent streaming VPN, especially given its price. However, it can’t quite match ExpressVPN for speed or reliability, particularly with Netflix. Windscribe VPN, meanwhile, unblocks significantly more Netflix regions overall.

Surfshark supports the security protocols WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. These are among the best and most secure options currently available. Surfshark has rightly dropped outdated protocols like PPTP.

Surfshark also uses the industry-standard AES-256 encryption cipher to protect your data. AES-256 is considered effectively unbreakable with current technology.

We verified this by testing Surfshark’s encryption using the packet-sniffing tool Wireshark. Our analysis showed that all web traffic was fully encrypted and unreadable.

Does Surfshark’s Kill Switch Work?

Surfshark’s kill switch is not enabled by default, which we see as a drawback. We strongly recommend going into Surfshark’s settings and turning it on.

We tested Surfshark’s kill switch using our in-house test tool. If the kill switch works correctly, our real IP address should never appear — even when we change servers or when the internet connection drops unexpectedly.

Our results show that Surfshark’s kill switch successfully prevented IP leaks in every case except when changing servers on macOS devices. This is a common issue with many VPNs on Mac. However, VPNs like Mullvad and Private Internet Access have already solved this problem, so we expect Surfshark to catch up.

Impressively, Surfshark’s Android TV VPN app is the only one we’ve tested that includes a built-in kill switch. With other VPNs, including ExpressVPN and NordVPN, our IP address leaked whenever the connection dropped on Android TV.

First-Party DNS Servers to Prevent Leaks

We tested Surfshark for IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks using our own leak test tool. It passed all tests and no sensitive data was exposed.

This is largely because Surfshark uses its own private DNS servers, meaning it handles your DNS requests internally instead of sending them to third-party DNS providers. This is a notable security advantage.

However, Surfshark does not support IPv6. Instead, it reroutes IPv6 traffic over IPv4. This approach prevents IPv6 leaks, which is good, but we would still like to see full IPv6 support in the future. If you own a router that only supports IPv6, Surfshark will not work on it at all.

Surfshark’s servers are distributed across 100 countries, making it one of the largest and most diverse VPN networks available.

Most countries have just one server location, but 11 countries include multiple city options, which is above average. We’d like to see more city-level options outside of Europe, but the list currently includes:

• Australia
• Belgium
• France
• Germany
• India
• Italy
• Poland
• Portugal
• Spain
• UK
• US

The US has the most choices, with 25 city servers in total. This is especially useful if you want a US IP address in a specific location to watch out-of-market NFL games or avoid MLB blackouts.

Although Surfshark offers IP addresses in 100 countries, it has only 3,200 physical and virtual servers. This is significantly fewer than the 18,651 servers offered by Private Internet Access and the 12,000 available with CyberGhost.

In March and June 2022, Surfshark shut down its servers in Russia and India after the authorities demanded that VPNs log user data. However, you can still obtain an Indian IP address using Surfshark’s virtual India servers.

Static IP Addresses & MultiHop Servers

Surfshark offers two additional types of servers:

Static IP: These servers assign you the same IP address every time you connect. This can result in more consistent speeds and easier access to geo-restricted services, but it slightly increases privacy risk, as your activity is always associated with the same IP.

Multi-Hop: Also known as Double VPN, MultiHop routes your traffic through two VPN servers before it reaches the internet. This adds another layer of privacy and security but usually reduces speeds.

A Mix of Virtual & Physical Servers

Surfshark uses both virtual and physical servers and clearly labels its virtual servers with a small ‘v’, which is a helpful touch that lets you choose between the two.

Virtual servers give you an IP address from your chosen country even when the physical hardware is located elsewhere. This allows Surfshark to offer more global locations.

The downside is that if the underlying server is much farther from you than the advertised location, your speeds and latency may suffer.

Overall, Surfshark has a large and flexible server network with a good mix of server types. Casual users can instantly connect using the ‘Quick Connect’ button, while advanced users can choose between virtual or physical servers, static or dynamic IPs, and single- or double-hop connections.

Surfshark is easy to install, set up, and use. You just need to sign up and download the appropriate software, and then sign in with your account.

The experience of using its applications couldn’t be more user-friendly. The apps are well designed and self-explanatory, and there are useful descriptions next to every technical feature.

Here’s a more detailed overview of our experience using Surfshark on every device:

Desktop & Laptop (Windows & macOS)

Surfshark’s desktop apps are a pleasure to use, with easy navigation, a clean layout, and a simple interface.

The server list appears as an alphabetical scroll-down list with a search bar at the top for quick access to specific servers. There are also buttons to connect instantly to the “Fastest Server” or “Nearest Country.”

The settings menu is straightforward. Both Connection Settings and Advanced Settings use on/off toggles with clear explanations, making all features easy to find and configure.

For customization, we like the dark mode option and the inclusion of 16 languages in addition to English. On macOS, you can also choose whether the Surfshark icon appears in the Dock or only in the menu bar.

However, we don’t like that the Surfshark Alert, Antivirus, and Search add-ons are integrated into the main menu as upsell prompts. They clutter the sidebar when, in most cases, you only need the “VPN” and “Settings” sections.

We also dislike that you cannot manually resize the macOS window, which takes up a lot of screen space. The Windows app is resizable, but only within certain limits.

Mobile (iPhone & Android)

Surfshark’s mobile apps are very similar to its desktop versions, which is great for consistency across devices.

The interface and overall usability are nearly identical. You’ll find many of the same features, including CleanWeb, MultiHop servers, and a kill switch.

There are just a couple of differences between the mobile apps: the iOS app has a “Pause” button that temporarily suspends the VPN connection without fully disconnecting, while the Android app has a system-wide kill switch that cuts internet access for all apps on the device if the VPN drops.

Windows and Android also include a feature called Bypasser (split tunneling), which lets you choose which apps use the VPN tunnel and which don’t.

As with the desktop apps, we wish the Surfshark One upsell did not appear so prominently in the interface.

Linux

Surfshark supports Linux on Ubuntu, Debian, and Mint distributions.

Once installed, you can use Surfshark’s Linux graphical user interface (GUI), which lets you change servers and switch between protocols without the command line. It also includes a kill switch.

Very few VPNs offer a full GUI for Linux. Surfshark previously only had a command-line client, so it’s a big improvement that it now provides a user-friendly visual interface for Linux users.

All Surfshark servers allow P2P activity. We tested it with popular torrent clients like qBittorrent, uTorrent, and Deluge.

Our torrenting speed tests recorded an average download bitrate of 8.7MiB/s. This is more than fast enough for quick downloads, but some VPNs are faster: PIA and ExpressVPN reached 9.6MiB/s and 9.8MiB/s, respectively.

Even if it’s not the absolute fastest P2P VPN, Surfshark is definitely safe for torrenting. Its privacy policy, AES-256 encryption, and first-party DNS servers ensure your torrenting activity is hidden from your ISP and copyright enforcement agencies.

This is only true, however, if you enable Surfshark’s kill switch in the settings menu. Since the kill switch is not turned on by default, we strongly recommend activating it before you start torrenting.

Overall, Surfshark is safe and capable for P2P file-sharing. But if you torrent frequently, you may prefer PIA, which is faster and better optimized for high-volume torrenting.

EXPERT ADVICE: Surfshark has servers optimized for P2P activity, but they aren’t clearly labeled. To find them, type “P2P” into the server search bar and you’ll see a list of P2P-optimized locations.

Smart DNS & Games Consoles

Browser Extensions

Double VPN, Rotating IP & Diskless Servers

Does Surfshark Block Ads?

Bad for Unblocking Websites in China

Fast Customer Support, but Chatbot Is Unhelpful

As you can see, Hotspot Shield keeps logs—many of which are sensitive and identifiable, including your real IP address.

Hotspot Shield justifies logging your IP address by saying it’s stored only for the duration of your VPN session. But it’s not necessary to store this information at any time. VPNs like Private Internet Access and Mullvad prove this.

Hotspot Shield also logs your bandwidth usage, connection timestamps, VPN server location, and originating location—and it keeps these logs indefinitely.

Your browsing data is recorded in aggregated form, which means it cannot be linked to your specific account.

Hotspot Shield Free is even less private, as using it means sharing your personally identifiable data with third-party advertisers.

Owned by Aura, Based in the US

Hotspot Shield is now owned by a company called Aura. This is a US-based company, where intrusive privacy laws apply. US authorities can compel Aura to retain and share its users’ information.

The US is also a founding member of the Five Eyes alliance—countries that work together to collect, share, and analyze mass surveillance data. None of this is good for privacy. Ideally, Hotspot Shield would be based in a country with no data retention laws, like the British Virgin Islands or Switzerland.

No Longer Releases Transparency Reports

Hotspot Shield used to release transparency reports detailing the law enforcement requests it receives and how it responds. This built trust and supported its logging claims. However, Hotspot Shield has not released a transparency report since 2019.

With no transparency reports and no independent audit, there is no evidence to support Hotspot Shield’s privacy protection claims, and therefore it cannot be fully trusted.

Hotspot Shield’s Controversial History

There have been a number of controversies surrounding Hotspot Shield:

• In 2016, a CSIRO report highlighted questionable practices by Hotspot Shield. The Android app was “injecting JavaScript codes for advertising and tracking purposes,” meaning Hotspot Shield used tracking codes to collect information about users and sell data to advertisers.
• In 2017, the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) accused Hotspot Shield’s free version of “unfair and deceptive practices.” Essentially, Hotspot Shield overstated the privacy and security benefits of its VPN, even arguing that collecting your IP address is not personal information.

• In 2018, an independent researcher found and reported a bug with Hotspot Shield that leaked users’ personal data, including location and Wi-Fi name. Hotspot Shield eventually acknowledged the accuracy of this report.

It’s hard to trust a company with such a checkered history. However, Hotspot Shield has since come under new ownership and its privacy policy has been revamped. It now clearly shows users what data the VPN does and does not collect, and how the free app is used for advertising.

Overall, based on Hotspot Shield’s current logging policy, its US jurisdiction, its refusal to provide transparency reports or audits, and a history of selling user data, we have to say that Hotspot Shield cannot be 100% trusted to protect your privacy.

Unblocks Most Global Streaming Sites

Our streaming tests show that Hotspot Shield Premium works to access most geo-blocked streaming sites, including six Netflix libraries (including the US), HBO Max, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video.

It’s also useful for watching British TV on sites like BBC iPlayer, ITVX, and Channel 4. However, Hotspot Shield does not work with Hotstar. This is disappointing, as the best VPNs for streaming unblock every platform.

Hotspot Shield Free Does Not Unblock Streaming Sites

Hotspot Shield Free performs very poorly as a streaming VPN. We tested it with every major streaming site and it failed to unblock all of them. For a free streaming VPN, we recommend Windscribe Free instead.

WireGuard, IKEv2 & Hydra Protocols Available

Hotspot Shield includes the common WireGuard and IKEv2 protocols, as well as its proprietary protocol called Hydra (formerly Catapult Hydra).

Hydra was developed by Hotspot Shield to deliver very fast speeds, and our tests show that it works. In terms of security, Hydra is safe: it is based on TLS 1.2 and uses 128-bit AES encryption, 2048-bit RSA certificates for server authentication, and perfect forward secrecy.

However, the problem with closed-source proprietary technology like Hydra is that independent experts can’t fully examine it. Hotspot Shield says the code is assessed by experts from cybersecurity firms like Bitdefender and McAfee. If you trust this, you can use Hydra without concern. If not, it’s better to use WireGuard.

We typically recommend WireGuard or OpenVPN because they are secure and open-source. But Hotspot Shield does not include OpenVPN in its list of protocols, preferring to promote its Hydra protocol.

Hotspot Shield Passed Our Encryption Test

We tested whether Hotspot Shield actually encrypts your traffic by analyzing it with the packet-sniffing tool Wireshark. If Hotspot Shield did not encrypt our data, Wireshark would show the websites we visited.

As you can see in the image below, our test found that all incoming and outgoing network packets were encrypted, and none of the websites we visited were decipherable.

No IP, DNS, or WebRTC Leaks

We tested the Hotspot Shield apps using our in-house tool to check for data leaks. The results were safe: no IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks were recorded, and our real IP address remained hidden throughout.

However, Hotspot Shield does not support IPv6 traffic, so you risk exposing personal data on IPv6 connections. Other VPNs like Hide.me offer a dual-stack solution to this issue, and others like Surfshark simply block IPv6 traffic to prevent leaks.

Browser Extensions Failed Our Leak Test

While the Hotspot Shield apps were leak-free, the same isn’t true for its Chrome browser extension. Our tests showed that the Chrome extension leaks DNS requests — even with the WebRTC leak blocker enabled.

This means your ISP can still see the websites you visit when connected via the Chrome extension. We recommend avoiding Hotspot Shield’s browser extension.

No Kill Switch on macOS

Hotspot Shield does not have a kill switch for macOS — not even an automatic one running in the background. We tested it with our kill switch test tool and found that our real IP address was exposed whenever we changed servers or triggered an unexpected internet disconnection.

Thankfully, the kill switch works properly on other apps. However, it’s not enabled by default, so you should turn it on.

Like all VPNs, most of Hotspot Shield’s servers are in North America and Europe. However, there are more options in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa than usual. It’s refreshing to see servers in countries like Algeria, Bhutan, Pakistan, Nepal, and Peru.

There are city-level options in seven countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, and the US.

It’s a shame that Hotspot Shield’s city servers are all in Western countries, but it’s still a solid number of city options — especially in the US, where there are 25 available cities.

Hotspot Shield does not disclose how many individual IP addresses it maintains, but it can offer IPs in various parts of the globe because it uses virtual servers. This means it doesn’t have physical hardware in the country but can still unblock geo-restricted content.

Hotspot Shield shares its server network with Betternet, TouchVPN, and VPN360. This is unusual, as it means the network is used by many more users, potentially leading to congestion. Furthermore, as a paying Hotspot Shield subscriber, it seems unfair that free VPNs have access to the same network.

Hotspot Shield Free Limited to Four Countries

Hotspot Shield Free’s server network is much smaller than the Premium version. It has servers on the US East Coast (New York), US West Coast (Los Angeles), the UK, and Singapore.

This is very limited, well below the 10 free countries available from Windscribe Free.

Hotspot Shield’s apps are simple, well designed, and mostly consistent across devices.

Here’s an overview of our experience using Hotspot Shield on different devices and operating systems:

Desktop & Laptop (Windows & macOS)

Hotspot Shield is more customizable on Windows than on macOS, with options for auto-connect, minimize to tray, and start on launch.

There are also useful keyboard shortcuts on Windows, such as for VPN connection and disconnection (Ctrl + Shift + C). This is a rare feature that makes the user experience more efficient.

The macOS app has none of these features and is much more minimal. It consists of a main connect button, a list of servers, and a settings menu that includes protocol choices and split tunneling. Beyond split tunneling, there are no customization options, and you cannot resize the window.

This might appeal to users who want a simple click-and-protect experience, but seasoned users wanting full control may prefer the Windows version or a different VPN altogether.

Neither app is complicated, and both include useful split tunneling (on the Hydra protocol only).

Mobile (iPhone & Android)

Hotspot Shield’s mobile apps are even simpler than its desktop clients, with a large connect button, a server list, and an almost identical settings menu.

The biggest difference between the desktop and mobile apps is the inclusion of streaming and gaming servers on mobile.

The iOS and Android apps are nearly identical. They are equally smooth and easy to use.

The only difference is the addition of Always-On VPN on iOS, a technical feature that ensures you don’t use apps or visit websites without Hotspot Shield’s protection.

Lots of CAPTCHAs

We ran into many CAPTCHAs when browsing the web with Hotspot Shield. CAPTCHAs occur when a VPN doesn’t refresh its IP addresses and their overuse gets flagged as suspicious. Frequently proving your humanity gets tiresome quickly, and we found it frustrating.

Hotspot Shield should update its IP address pool. The option to get a dedicated IP address would also help, but this isn’t available in any of Hotspot Shield’s subscription plans.

Hotspot Shield openly endorses torrenting on its service, but we don’t recommend it due to the VPN’s slow average download bitrate, its intrusive logging policy, and the lack of a macOS kill switch. Torrenting with Hotspot Shield is not without risk.

When testing Hotspot Shield with torrent clients like qBittorrent and uTorrent, we recorded an average download bitrate of 4.3MiB/s. This is a low result that can lead to slow file sharing, especially compared to top-rated torrenting VPNs.

Not Reliable Against Censorship

Live Chat Support Is Reserved for Paying Customers

Features We’d Like to See

Anonymous Sign-Up

Doesn’t Use Diskless VPN Servers

IVPN has stated that its service is not focused on streaming, so we weren’t surprised to find we couldn’t access geo-blocked content while connected to the VPN.

The VPN has failed to access major streaming sites, including BBC iPlayer and Disney+, over years of testing, even after trying multiple servers. Some free VPNs, like Windscribe, manage to access these platforms more consistently.

In a recent test, IVPN did unblock US Netflix, but only after several attempts and by connecting to specific servers (Ashburn and Chicago). This inconsistency shows that IVPN is unreliable for regular streaming.

To access local streaming sites while keeping our other traffic encrypted, we used split tunneling to exclude the streaming site or app from the VPN tunnel. However, this feature isn’t available on Mac or iOS, so we had to disconnect from the VPN entirely.

Adding to the frustration, IVPN also lacks apps for streaming devices like Fire TV, Android TV, and Apple TV.

Low Latency Is Ideal For Online Gaming

Encryption & Tunneling Protocols

Data Leak Protection

Open-Sourced Apps

Installation & Setup

Interface & Ease of Use

Despite its strong reputation in the cybersecurity community, we think IVPN is well-suited for beginners.

Its apps are easy to use and visually appealing. To connect to a server, you simply toggle the On button, which consistently connected us to a nearby server in under a second.

The app seems designed to run quietly in the background rather than being used frequently. It highlights the Network Protection feature, which automatically connects to a VPN server when you join an untrusted Wi-Fi network.

When using the app directly, we immediately noticed how limited the home screen is. It only shows the Connect button and the Multi-hop feature, which isn’t available on the Standard IVPN plan. We’d prefer if this space offered more practical options, such as quick access to a favorite server.

The apps have a consistent design across desktop and mobile, making it easy to remember how to complete common tasks. Despite the similar layout, the interface is well-designed and easy to use on everything from a small phone screen to a large PC monitor.

Day-to-Day Experience

In our P2P tests, we saw only a small drop in speed when torrenting on a local server. Without the VPN, we downloaded a 20GB movie in 32 minutes. Connected to an IVPN US server, the same file took 35 minutes.

Strangely, the VPN asks users not to connect to its US servers for torrenting because its server providers have threatened to disconnect them over DMCA notices. However, we were still able to download as usual while connected to all of its US server locations.

Rather than asking users to avoid certain servers, we wish IVPN would address this limitation by owning its entire US server network, as IPVanish does.

Port Forward Removal

Split Tunneling

Ad, Tracker & Malware Blocker

Of the 16 VPNs that include an ad blocker, IVPN AntiTracker blocked the most ads, stopping 100% of intrusive ads in Hardcore Mode. It also outperformed PIA Mace against social trackers, though it was less effective against analytics trackers.

However, Hardcore Mode blocks some legitimate sites entirely, including Google and YouTube. In everyday use, we preferred an ad blocker that blocked slightly fewer ads but still let us use the web normally.

Obfuscated Servers

Multi-hop Servers

Additional Features We’d Like to See

Hide.me does not log or sell your sensitive data, and your online activity cannot be linked back to you when using it.

We examined Hide.me’s logging practices and can confirm it only stores the email address used to register — encrypted on secure servers — and the amount of monthly data you consume.

When you connect, Hide.me also maintains a “non-persistent log of connection data,” which uses a randomly generated username and an internally assigned IP address. For added transparency, we’d like Hide.me to specify exactly what connection data is stored and for how long.

This is a safe privacy policy. Crucially, Hide.me does not log identifiable data like your real IP address or the websites you visit. If you close your account, all associated data is deleted from Hide.me’s systems.

To further improve its privacy, we’d like Hide.me to invest in a fully diskless server network so no data is stored on physical hardware. This would reduce risks if servers were ever seized.

Additionally, Hide.me rents its servers from third-party hosts. While Hide.me says it carefully vets partners, owning its entire network would strengthen its privacy posture.

Few VPNs own their entire server network, but our privacy standards are high, and leading providers like IPVanish own 100% of their servers.

Independent Audit & Transparency Reports

In 2015, Hide.me was audited by Leon Juranic of DefenseCode Ltd, which verified its logging practices. This was the first independent assessment aimed at validating a VPN’s no-logs claims and trustworthiness.

The audit concluded Hide.me is “absolutely zero logs.” We don’t fully agree, as Hide.me collects aggregated monthly usage data and some account information. Still, we agree that Hide.me is very private and safe to use.

We would like to see a more recent logging audit, as the last one was many years ago.

Hide.me also pioneered transparency reporting, publishing annual records of legal requests since 2012.

In 2023, for example, Hide.me received 42,487 DMCA complaints and 14 law enforcement requests. Hide.me responds to all legal requests and follows the law, but it has no usable data to hand over, which supports its privacy claims.

Who Owns Hide.me?

Hide.me is owned by eVenture Ltd, an IT security company incorporated in Malaysia since 2011.

This benefits its privacy reputation: Malaysia has no data retention laws and is not part of surveillance alliances like the Five Eyes.

Hide.me has never experienced a scandal or data breach, and its reputation remains strong.

Hide.me Works with Netflix

Hide.me Premium works very well with Netflix. It can access 11 Netflix libraries from abroad, including the US, without buffering.

Based on years of testing, Hide.me reliably unblocks these Netflix regions:

• Brazil
• Canada
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Japan
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• UK
• US

This is a solid selection, though the highest-rated Netflix VPNs can reach 30+ libraries.

Hide.me Streams HBO Max, Hulu & UK TV

Hide.me performs well on US services. It unblocks HBO Max and Hulu and includes streaming-optimized servers in 15 additional countries.

We tested all streaming servers and found they easily unblocked each region’s sites, such as CTV in Canada, ProSieben in Germany, and Japanese Netflix.

Hide.me also works reliably with BBC iPlayer via its optimized UK server.

There are UK streaming servers for BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and UK Netflix, and all worked well in testing.

Hide.me Free Doesn’t Unblock Any Streaming Sites

Hide.me Free is very different from the paid plan: it was detected by every major streaming platform we tested, making it one of the weakest free VPNs for streaming.

It doesn’t work with US Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, or BBC iPlayer. Despite unlimited data, we don’t recommend Hide.me Free for regular streaming. Windscribe Free is a better option.