Find out what PureVPN brings to the crowded market of data encryption providers.
PureVPN is based in Hong Kong and prides itself in two areas: split tunnelling and reliability. The former is quite a unique feature that essentially means your data is encrypted and securely passed through a series of "tunnels" that lead to PureVPN's servers.
The company has a global network of more than 750 servers that physically exist in over 140 countries, all of which are self-managed. Compared to PureVPN's competitors, these are pretty impressive numbers. Other providers use servers that are managed by third parties and have far fewer countries you can connect to. This gives PureVPN an edge in terms of speed and versatility and having fewer middlemen involved in the process should mean less chinks in your armour when it comes to privacy.
Speaking of privacy, PureVPN's privacy policy clearly states that the company will occasionally record your connection and bandwidth in order to keep its servers running smoothly. This is fairly standard procedure for VPN providers and not at all untoward, providing that info is expunged after a time. However, there's been at least one report of PureVPN relinquishing a user's IP address for a cyber-stalking FBI investigation. When pressed for comment during the controversy that followed, PureVPN insisted the service does not track “what websites a user views or what content he or she downloads”. Food for thought.
PureVPN deals for August 2018
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PureVPN | Take 82% off PureVPN and instantly access thousands of Netflix TV shows and movies | |
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PureVPN | 82% Off PureVPN's 3-Year Plan | |
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PureVPN | Get 20% off 1 year of PureVPN + get your 2nd year for free | |
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PureVPN | 37% discount on 6 months plan | |
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PureVPN | 17% discount on 1 month plan | |
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PureVPN | 65% discount on 12 months plan | |
What features does PureVPN offer?
Along with the broad level of access and speed the company's global network can supply, there is a kill switch that instantly disconnects you should your access to PureVPN be interrupted, which is a great security backup for those who value anonymity. You also get IPv6 to defend against any IP and DNS leaks, and an NAT firewall for additional protection.
Other benefits include an app interface that is easy to set up and offers six protocols (OpenVPN UDP, OpenVPN TCP, PPTP, SSTP, IKEv2 and L2TP) with 256-bit encryption, except PPTP which tops out at 128-bit. Another nifty technology that's included is split tunnelling, which allows you to maintain contact with other LAN devices whilst using VPN. In other words, it enables you to allow some of your traffic to connect directly to the vanilla Internet as you simultaneously filter other traffic through the VPN. Pretty cool stuff if you have the know-how to set it up correctly.
If you do have difficulty getting everything to run smoothly, PureVPN has a 24-hour support team in place. We found live chat was quick to respond, and a quick test of the ticketing system showed our issues were attended to in under 20 minutes. This is good to know as you can't try before you buy. However, there is a seven-day money-back guarantee in case you're not happy with the service.
Though PureVPN delivered excellent speeds and proved to work perfectly during the rigorous P2P section of our tests, the service was found to be lacking in other areas. At the time of writing (August 2018), PureVPN seems to be burning rather brightly on Netflix's anti-VPN radar. No amount of spoofing or sidestepping could get around Netflix's streaming block. PureVPN's dedicated “streaming mode” (which exists alongside other presets such as “Internet freedom”, “security/privacy”, “file-sharing” and “dedicated IP”) also came to naught.
How much does PureVPN cost?
PureVPN costs $10.95 per month but there always seems to be some sort of discount on offer that'll make this cheaper. You can also opt to lock in for a one-year deal where you'll pay $4.95 per month, or there's a two-year sub that shrinks the monthly costs further to $2.49. Lastly, you can go all in with a whopping $657 five-year commitment.
What payment methods does PureVPN accept?
PureVPN supports a crazy amount of payment options; 47 in fact. Obviously, this includes the most popular methods such as credit card, bank transfer, PayPal, and Bitcoin, as well as other cryptocurrencies. You can even pay with gift vouchers from popular retail chains. It doesn't get much more versatile than that.
What devices does PureVPN support?
PureVPN currently lets you secure your browser with a dedicated Chrome plug-in, and offers app support for the following platforms:
- MacOS
- Linux
- Windows
- Android
- iOS
PureVPN can also provide software for routers and streaming devices, which is a great way to extend security to closed systems such as games consoles.
What servers does PureVPN offer?
At current count, PureVPN offers a whopping 141 servers.
To me it seems you are implying that(regarding geo restricted content) even though these are supposed to provide complete anonymity one could be identified, so whats the point?
Hi Ed,
Different VPN providers have different privacy policies in place. While most pride themselves on their “no data log” policies, there are some that keep basic account information or even browsing data for a limited time. We only suggest that you do your research before signing up if privacy is a concern for you. Over at our VPN comparison, we had a few providers comment on their data log policies, so that’s a good place to start.
All the best,
Brodie
What does it matter regarding legality of accessing geo restrict data
if ones anonymity is assured?
Thanks
Hi Ed,
We’re just covering all bases. Sure, your identity is concealed, but that doesn’t stop a VPN provider from cancelling your service (and potentially putting you out of pocket if you have prepaid) if you’re found to be dodging geo-blocking or torrenting through their services. Very few VPN providers have policies that restrict you from torrenting/dodging geo-blocking, but some do (and they don’t tend to make it obvious).
Thanks,
Brodie
Hi,
I want to purchase a 12 month subscription in australia will it include the smart DNS option free? and how do i checkout in australian dollars
Hi Lex,
Thanks for your question.
The 1 year subscription has DNS leak protection included. Since PureVPN is an American business they only accept USD.
You can checkout as per normal but you may be charged an international transaction fee for each transaction. This can be avoided by opting for a debit card with low foreign transaction fees.
Cheers,
Shirley
Can you tell me the price for a 12month subscription in Australian dollars
Hi Lez,
PureVPN costs $49.95 AUD for a 12-month subscription.
Thanks,
Brodie
Hi
More on the vpn issue. I use chromecast and when using the vpn the connection to the chromecast becomes flakey. Is there a vpn service that works with chromecast and the Netflix app? Or a config with purevpn that works. Thanks
Hi Lawrence,
We don’t know of any Issues when using Chromecast with Pure VPN. You might be best off visiting their website for live chat support. Alternatively, you could try Hide My Ass or Vypr VPN (both compatible with Chromecast).
Thanks,
Brodie
Using the vpn service with various iPhone apps such as Netflix has not worked as Netflix app was unable to connect. I was using hide my ass with USA Netflix. The port config stopped it from working.
What issues are there for purevpn that means these apps may not work.
Hi Lawrence,
Something may have gone wrong during the setup of your VPN. Follow these steps below:
1. Select “Settings” on your iPhone > “General” > “VPN”
2. Select “Add VPN configuration…”
3. Tap “L2TP” at the top of the screen
4. Type “PureVPN” in the Description field > Type “Netflix-us.purevpn.net” in the Server field > Insert your PureVPN username into the Account field.
5. Switch RDA SecurID to “Off”
6. Enter your PureVPN password into the Password field
7. Enter “12345678” into the Secret field
8. Switch Send All Traffic to “On”
9. Tap Save in the top-right corner of the screen
10. Select VPN and Turn on VPNAdd
Now try using the Netflix app again and let me know if you have any further issues.
Thanks,
Brodie
When start with PureVPN I added my isp information into the whitelist. Is this the correct method or have I let them see what is transpiring over the link.
Hey Charles,
I take it you’re setting PureVPN up manually on your PC? Adding your IP address to the whitelist is part of the process. Adding your IP address to the whitelist just identifies you as ‘spam free’ so you can freely browse the web.
Hope this helped!
Cheers,
Brodie