PureVPN Review

PureVPN has been around for the test of time in the world of VPN providers. Launched back in 2006, a small team of young developers founded PureVPN and have not stopped improving the service since. Because of their dedication to their company and and customer base, PureVPN has become undeniably one of the top VPN service providers available in 2023. PureVPN has an extensively customizable VPN application with all the necessary and expected features with additional add-ons that expand into a suite of software tools for various ends that are sure to far exceed the needs of most users. In this review, I mainly focus on the VPN service and software capabilities currently offered.

Features & Security

PureVPN supports multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux. It also offers browser extensions for Chrome, Edge and Firefox, and smart TV apps for Android and Firestick TV. The service allows up to 10 simultaneous connections, which is twice as much the industry average of 5-6 connections. This is a great added value for families that require a VPN on a multitude of streaming and home devices.

Using their software is intuitive and provides pre-emptive options on the initial start screen for very specific needs such as gaming, streaming, higher security, or even server configurations for port forwarding and static IPs. Using PureVPN only gets easier from here as they continue to provide intuitive and informative options for select the right type of server for your specific application at that moment.

PureVPN guides you into selecting servers for very specific needs such as Peer-2-Peer Torrent file sharing, or unblocking streaming sites such as BBC, Netflix, HBO, Hulu and so on. By selecting a streaming server, once connected the software automatically opens a browser tab for you to instantly start streaming with no restrictions. The clear menus ensure that you will always pick the right server for your needs without having to fiddle around to try multiple servers until your streaming website is unblocked, or have to worry about torrent downloads being snooped on.

In terms of security, PureVPN uses AES-256 encryption, which is considered the gold standard in the industry. All the latest protocols including WireGuard are available. It also offers a kill switch feature, which automatically disconnects your device from the internet if the VPN connection drops, preventing accidental data leaks. The service also offers split tunneling, which allows you to choose which apps use the VPN and which don’t, and IP leak protection.

PureVPN follows a no-logs policy, meaning it doesn’t store or share user data. It has since moved from Hong Kong to the British Virgin Islands to have no data storage requirement rules. They also follow GDPR regulations for EU users. To go a step further from the norm, PureVPN also offers specialized quantum computer generated encryption keys for highly encrypted servers to be selected from their app, designed to protect against cyber security attacks and threats. It should be noted that PureVPN has been criticized and praised for having collaborated in the past with authorities regarding their pro-stance against cyberstalking and bullying. The company released their statement confirming no logs were kept or involved but their operational policies are for you to be the judge of.

PureVPN offers additional services at very low cost. These services focus around security and easy of internet usage that compliment the VPN very well. PureKeep is a password manager for those who don’t already use one. PurePrivacy is a tool to improve social media privacy. PureEncrypt allows you to encrypt all your files for secure storage. Although I did not test any of these services, they are worth checking out if you would make use of them, just note that they have a minimal additional monthly cost to them.

Performance and Speed

PureVPN’s performance is a key selling point. It offers a robust network of servers, which contributes to its impressive speed. However, like any VPN service, the speed can vary depending on the server location and the quality of your internet connection. In tests, PureVPN has servers capable of reaching great speeds using streaming servers while on the WireGuard protocol. Our first test out of the gate had us hitting 50% of our gigabyte fiberoptic line with a low ping of 9ms.

Additionally to good local server speeds, my tests demonstrated no IP or DNS leaks, and no snags when it came to unblocking geographically restricted websites or content libraries. I was able to browse through a variety of streaming websites without any technical issues coming up at all.

That’s not to say that speed was good all around all the time. When testing US servers, all the regional servers performed moderately well, but when going coast to coast or overseas, speeds greatly diminished and sometimes were too low for quality streaming to be made possible. This will always vary for users based on their location in the world and what server they connect to as well, but overall tests using UK and US based streaming services went on without any lag. Dedicated gaming servers are available but I did not have much application to test actual speeds in a real life scenario. However, gamers can test these servers risk free thanks to the money back guarantee so no harm is giving the service a spin. Speed and performance focused servers did provide very impressive ping times.

Servers & Coverage

PureVPN has an extensive network of over 6500 servers in more than 70 countries. This wide coverage ensures that users can access content from virtually any location, which is particularly useful for bypassing geo-restrictions as I already covered. For instance, if a show is only available on Netflix US, a user in Europe can still access it by connecting to a US server on PureVPN, and a whole list of shortcut streaming platform and country options are made available to you just worldwide. The list goes on, and the servers include all the major world locations and services you can think of.

Plans and Pricing

PureVPN offers a range of subscription plans to cater to different user needs. The monthly plan is a bit pricey compared to other VPN services, but the yearly and two-year plans offer significant savings. All plans come with a 31-day money-back guarantee, which is a standard offering in the industry, but always welcomed as it allows you to try the service without risk. It’s worth noting that PureVPN occasionally offers promotional discounts, which can make the service more affordable.

Customer Support

PureVPN offers 24/7 customer support through live chat and email. While the support team is generally responsive, some users have reported delays in response times and issues with the quality of support. I think this can be attributed to the growing popularity of the service. Just like any large corporation, even smaller businesses tend to outgrow their support teams. Overall, the ease of access to the 24/7 support line, and the actual availability of around the clock help is a good thing in my books. I had no issues finding the help and contact sections if I ever ran into any issues.

Conclusion

In conclusion, PureVPN offers a great VPN service with impressive speed and wide server coverage. Its feature set is robust, and the pricing is competitive for long-term plans. The intuitiveness of the latest software and application versions make it easy for any level of user to quickly get VPN type stuff done, be it using the VPN for torrent downloads, streaming or simply for security and privacy, PureVPN’s app is easy enough that even your grandparents can use it.