PureVPN review (2023) decent VPN service for a budget

Since PureVPN has been in the VPN business since 2007, it’s not surprising that the company has built up a long list of features. The service takes care of most of the technical basics, like strong encryption with WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2, protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks, support for torrents, split tunneling so you can choose which apps use the VPN, and a smart kill switch to keep you safe if the VPN goes down.

PureVPN: Description

Platform support is a big plus, with apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux, extensions for Chrome and Firefox, and more downloads and instructions to help you set up the service on routers, Kodi, Android TV, Amazon’s Fire TV Stick, and more. PureVPN is a VPN that is fast and has mostly good reviews.

It has strong data encryption, a lot of safe protocols, and features that make torrenting and streaming work well. This makes it a great VPN for watching media. On the other hand, PureVPN’s critics point out that its speed results aren’t always consistent and that it has a mixed image for security. But lately, this VPN has gotten a lot better in some ways. For example, it was the first VPN to have an Always-On Audit, which greatly improved its security.

PureVPN: Pricing

PureVPN is one of the least expensive VPNs on the market. When it comes to long-term contracts, it’s even cheaper than Surfshark and Windscribe. No matter which PureVPN plan you choose, you’ll get the same features and be able to use the VPN on up to 10 devices at the same time. Just remember that the VPN’s Terms of Service say you can’t share your account with anyone, not even family.

When you buy a long-term plan for PureVPN, you get the best deal. With the biggest savings on a 2-year plan, it is by far the least expensive choice. There’s also a 31-day money-back promise if you’re not happy with the service and want to change your mind.

You can also pay $10.95 for one month of PureVPN. Compared to other VPNs on the market, this price for a monthly contract is not too high. PayPal, credit cards, and a number of crypto currencies like Bitcoin can be used to pay. But some PureVPN landing pages don’t show the choice to pay with cryptocurrency, which is confusing.

PureVPN Key features

PureVPN is a good VPN service that has a lot to offer. It’s a good choice for people who want to keep their data safe, use streaming services that are blocked in their country, and download torrents.

PureVPN: Protocols

VPN technology has been around for a long time, and there are more than one way to make a secure link. We prefer OpenVPN and WireGuard, which are both open-source choices. Both can be looked at to see if there are any possible weaknesses.

PureVPN works with a number of VPN methods, but the platforms that work with it vary a lot. Its Windows app works with OpenVPN and another good protocol called IKEv2. Its macOS app works with IKEv2 and another good protocol called IPSEC. OpenVPN, IKEv2, and IPSEC can all be used with the iOS app, but only OpenVPN and IKEv2 can be used with the Android app. PureVPN only works with OpenVPN on Linux.

PureVPN: Server and Locations

At first glance, PureVPN can compete with even the most popular VPNs, like NordVPN and ExpressVPN, when it comes to the amount of servers it has. It has 6,500+ servers in 78 countries. PureVPN has two different kinds of servers. A lot of them are real, which means they are actually in the place they look like they are in.

But a lot of the computers PureVPN has are virtual. A virtual server looks like it’s in a different place than where it really is. If you choose to connect to a Bulgarian computer, for example, it might be in Greece. You’ll get a Bulgarian IP address anyway, which is good news. How does that affect you? Simply put, you can’t expect a virtual server to work as well as a real one.

If you use their Android app, you can also choose one of four ways to filter the servers based on your needs: Stream, Internet Freedom, Security/Privacy, and File Sharing. You can also call support and ask for a server in the country you need if you can’t find one. PureVPN also has Quantum-Resistant computers in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States. To improve security and privacy, they use encryption keys that are made with a quantum method that can be checked.

PureVPN: Security and Privacy

A virtual private network (VPN) adds security and anonymity to protect users’ privacy no matter how or where they use the internet. Here’s what PureVPN users can do to keep themselves safe.

Leak-proof Privacy: PureVPN’s IPv6 leak security keeps users’ DNS and IP addresses safe from prying eyes, like your ISP, by hiding your real IP address.

Unblock Locations: PureVPN uses AES-256 encryption to block locations. This lets VPN users watch and download their favorite content, like TV shows, live sports, trading cryptocurrencies, and international channels.

Portable privacy: is possible with PureVPN’s 10 simultaneous logins under one account, with no limits on speed or server switching.

Private File Sharing: PureVPN has special servers for peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, which lets you download and share a huge number of files with AES-256 encryption. But people aren’t sure how safe it is because P2P lines are open, so anyone can join and see the user’s IP address.

Defeat Censorship: PureVPN doesn’t have actual servers in India, but it lets people in that country access blocked websites, services, and those blocked by firewalls by connecting with an IP address from one of 70 different countries.

Kill switch is a function that stops connected devices from being able to connect to the internet when the connection isn’t stable or drops. It keeps the user’s IP address and other private information from getting out, and it starts up again when the link is back.

Split Tunneling: This feature lets users split their internet data between devices that need VPN security and devices that are safe to run on local ISPs.

PureKeep: For an extra USD 23.88 per year, users can add a feature to protect all of their online passwords with multi-factor authentication, which uses a single password, a PIN, or a fingerprint to log in. It has a storage vault where users can keep all of their online login information, as well as a choice to share.

PurePrivacy: This is another feature that helps users and businesses avoid data companies and ads that are tailored to them. PurePrivacy tells you which data companies have your information and asks them to get rid of it. It stops social media and other apps from keeping track of what they do online, which helps them escape getting targeted ads. This extra feature costs an extra USD $35.88 per year.

PureVPN: Streaming and Torrenting

For many users, good streaming speed is a must-have, so this is a very important area. In this way, PureVPN doesn’t do a good job and isn’t a good VPN for viewing. During our tests, we were only able to get into BBC iPlayer, which is one of the hardest services to get into. This gave us hope that PureVPN would continue to unblock the rest, but sadly, that wasn’t the case. We couldn’t get to Netflix, Disney+, or Amazon Prime Video when we used PureVPN. So, if you want a good VPN for Netflix, ExpressVPN or ProtonVPN are your best choices.

PureVPN does a decent job as a VPN when it comes to torrenting. As was said above, you’ll get split tunneling, NAT firewall defense, and good download speeds. But many of the most popular server sites, like the UK, US, Canada, and Australia, block P2P sharing. There’s nothing stopping you from choosing a different server, but ExpressVPN and NordVPN either let you torrent on every server or instantly reroute your connection to one that does.

PureVPN: Speed and Performance

We tested PureVPN’s speeds from places in the US and UK by using SpeedTest’s website and command line app, Measurement Lab, and Cloudflare, among others. We checked the download speeds from each site at least five times, then again using a different protocol, and then did it all over again in the evening.

At 140Mbps, OpenVPN wasn’t very fast. Windscribe and Hide.me’s OpenVPN connections hit more than 250Mbps, and Mullvad’s connection peaked at more than 500Mbps, breaking all of our OpenVPN records. When we moved to WireGuard, PureVPN still had more to offer, and the service gave us 620–650 Mbps.

That isn’t fast enough for PureVPN to make our list of the 10 fastest VPNs, but it’s fast enough for most uses and beat VPNs like CyberGhost, Hotspot Shield, and Proton VPN. NordVPN, Surfshark, and Hide are three VPN services.me all got into the top 10 and beat 950Mbps in their most recent tests.

Keep in mind that even though we test the speed of each VPN more than 100 times, your results may be very different based on where you are and how you have it set up. So, it’s a good idea to take the 7-day trial and run your own speed tests.

PureVPN: Always-On Audit

PureVPN just stated that they will be the first VPN on the market to have an audit that is always on. Their contract with KPMG International Limited makes it clear that the reporting company can do a full audit without warning. The message is clear: audits could happen at any time, so your information is always safe.

Most VPN services agree on a date and time when they will be checked, but not this one. This means that there is no way to clean up a job before the inspection. It makes sure that the VPN you use is safe and that the audit results haven’t been changed. It’s a big step toward making sure that the company is open about how it runs day-to-day.

KPMG has already looked at the service and found no proof that it doesn’t live up to their claims that it doesn’t keep logs. You should expect more checks in the future. KPMG will make these findings available to the public.

PureVPN: Devices Compatible

PureVPN works with a wide range of devices. There’s nothing worse than wanting to use a VPN on more than one device but only being able to do so on iOS or Android. PureVPN doesn’t let you down at all. During my tests, I was blown away by how easy it was to set up on my computer and run through my Playstation 5.

I also tried it on my Windows PC, Android phone, Firestick, and Google Chrome. Many VPNs don’t have as many options as the Firestick app. I’m glad you can change protocols and use split tunneling. You can also sort and mark sites as favorites. But it’s not yet available on the Opera or Safari browsers, which may upset some users.

It was interesting to find out that PureVPN doesn’t have SmartDNS methods. SmartDNS is like a proxy, but it uses your domain name server (DNS) to get around website blocks. It only sends your DNS searches through its server, so your IP address stays the same. It is used by many VPNs because it doesn’t change the data that passes through it, so it doesn’t slow down internet traffic. Still, PureVPN’s speeds were good, so I don’t think its absence makes too much of a difference here.

Because of the PureVPN DD-WRT software for routers, it works well with a lot of different devices. It gives you access to a simple GUI (graphical user interface) as soon as you log in to your router, so you can choose between different servers depending on what you need. PureVPN gives you a full set of instructions so you can set it up on most systems.

PureVPN: Desktop Apps

At first glance, PureVPN’s apps seem very basic and easy, which isn’t always a bad thing. Some people, like us, like to take the easy way out. You can turn it on or off, and it only takes one click to see the list of places. Aside from that, there are icons further down that show more functions. That’s all there is to the interface. With features like Favorites, Recents, a useful search bar, and ping times, it’s easy to find the fastest server. Choosing a place is also quick and easy.

On PC, however, it’s hard to choose a server that’s good for P2P. The site’s FAQ says to look for the “P2P icon,” but we’ve found that you can only see that on the mobile apps. Users of Mac and Windows are out in the cold. Depending on the protocol, connection times were between 3 and 5 seconds, which was average to good. That’s not a problem at all. The app has a few extra settings, like split tunneling, a kill switch, a few different protocols, and the option to start automatically when you turn on your PC. But IPv6 leak safety and the ability to use more than one port are no longer available.

If you get stuck, you can click the Help button, but the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) part that comes up is small, and sometimes you can’t even scroll to the end of an answer. You should go to the page instead. But being able to make a ticket in the app is a nice addition, but it takes you to a page run by a third party. It’s probably fine, but a little bit of branding from PureVPN here would go a long way.

The kill switch was the thing we had the most trouble with. When we tried out different ways to close the connection and checked our IP address, our normal IP address often got through. That means that the kill switch didn’t work and that the app let unprotected data go through it. It’s not likely to happen often, but it’s not perfect either.

PureVPN: Mac App

The Mac app for PureVPN looks a lot like the Windows app, with a clean and easy dashboard. With just one click, you can join. Then, if the closest server isn’t what you want, the location choice gives you quick access to the others, with the same “Recent,” “Shortcut,” and “Favorites” lists to help you find the most-used servers.

The app’s settings are what you’d expect. It supports WireGuard, IKEv2, IPSec, and OpenVPN UDP, but not OpenVPN TCP, which is strange. There is no split tunneling, which is normal because it is much harder to set up on Macs.

There are some changes between the apps for Mac and Windows, and if you use both, you might find these annoying. For example, the screen of the Mac app doesn’t have a “kill switch.” Also, if you look in the General settings menu on Windows, you won’t find anything useful because it’s in the Advanced settings menu, which is only on Macs. If app interfaces were the same on all systems, life would be easier for everyone.

Android App

The PureVPN app for Android currently has the most number of available features of all of the available apps. It provides a selection of server modes (Stream, Internet Freedom, Security/Privacy, and File Sharing), split tunneling, the option to select the kind of network (NAT or non-NAT), and both the Dark and Light theme options. Tunneling protocols such as WireGuard, IPSec, and IKEv2 are available through the Android application.

Which Information is not Stored?

As already said, PureVPN’s claims already point toward a business plan that doesn’t keep logs. Its privacy policy is short and clear, so you can see right away what the VPN doesn’t keep. The following information can be found on this list:

• Browsing history and activity
• IP addresses
• Connection timestamps
• Visited websites
• Outgoing traffic
• DNS queries
• Identifiable connection logs
• Customer’s original IP

It looks like PureVPN is serious about showing that it keeps no logs at all. This isn’t completely true, though, because PureVPN saves some information that you won’t find in ExpressVPN, NordVPN, CyberGhost, or any other service that’s better than PureVPN.

Which Information Is Stored?

When you sign up, PureVPN will store details like your email address, password, and billing information. For your account to work, you must do this. The things it stores that aren’t important and that I personally don’t like are:

• VPN server location
• Your city and ISP
• Connection length
• Day of connection
• Bandwidth consumption

PureVPN says that none of this information can be used to track or find a person. Also, information like how much bandwidth is used is often good for getting an idea of how busy the VPN network is. PureVPN says that it doesn’t keep track of your personal IP address or your exact position. In other words, it should only be an estimate of where you are, which I don’t think is necessary for the service to work.

PureVPN: Customer Support

Since we last looked at this service, the help site for PureVPN has improved, with many important guides being updated. Now, the guides have detailed steps for any common problems that users might run into. To be more specific, there are actually a lot of pieces for almost every operating system and many ways to get to Netflix.

Still, some of the guides only cover the basics for things that aren’t the most common problems. Most of the time, it will be enough, but if you have more complicated problems, you might not be able to solve them.

You can also open a help ticket from within the app, but we didn’t find this to be a great way to do things. Our first question was answered in about 30 minutes, which wasn’t bad, but the help we got was pretty basic, and our follow-up questions were not answered.

If the tips can’t help, the best thing to do is use the live chat feature. But while the reaction times were good, the help we got wasn’t great. It will probably help you in most cases, but it’s no match for the chat services offered by the class leaders.

PureVPN: Pros and Cons

Final Words

PureVPN works well and has a big network with many different locations to choose from. One of the best things about the service is that it works with a huge number of devices and operating systems and can handle up to 10 links at once. It’s also very cheap because it has long-term goals. We are glad that KPMG is putting in place the “always on” audit.