Finding a VPN that excels in all areas can be challenging, and VPNSecure is a provider that appears promising at first glance. Putting it to the test was the only way for us to find out if it actually works.
Assessing its performance across various aspects would help ascertain whether it can provide the security level it promises.
VPNSecure, established in 2010 and headquartered in Sydney, NSW, presents itself as a VPN service that prioritizes user privacy and security. Their security features seem robust, and their no-log policy appears airtight.
However, a notable aspect of concern is VPNSecure’s jurisdiction, as it operates under Australian law. This raises potential implications as Australia is a member of the 5 Eyes Alliance, a surveillance alliance involving various countries. This raises doubts about the credibility of their claim of never logging user data.
While VPNSecure’s customer support assured me that their service is functional in China, I was disappointed to discover its Australian jurisdiction, which may compromise its commitment to maintaining user privacy.
With servers spanning over 40 countries, it was not surprising that accessing most streaming sites proved challenging. It’s important to note that streaming is not the primary focus of VPNSecure, as confirmed by their support team.
VPNSecure offers multiple payment options and supports various platforms, providing convenience to users. However, the absence of a free trial option is unexpected. Instead, they offer a 7-day trial requiring a payment of $1. This limitation may deter users who prefer to thoroughly evaluate a service before committing to a subscription.
Here’s a comprehensive review to let you know whether or not this VPN is worth your investment. Read on to know!
| Features | VPNSecure Status |
|---|---|
| Supports torrenting | Yes |
| Number of servers | 76+ |
| Number of devices per license | 5 |
| Money Back Guarantee | 90 Days |
| Kill switch | Yes |
| Does VPN keep logs? | No |
| Based in country | Australia |
Streaming: Room For Improvement
When it comes to streaming geo-restricted content, my tests revealed that VPNSecure does not perform exceptionally well. Its primary focus lies in providing security and privacy rather than catering to streaming needs.
I also found that VPNSecure was unable to unblock popular streaming platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, ESPN, HBOMax, and iTV. The only streaming sites I could access successfully were Disney+ and Peacock.
Upon contacting VPNSecure’s support team, they honestly told me about their limitations in streaming. They even mentioned considering a partnership with another company to compensate for the features they lack while maintaining their focus on providing a secure environment for users.
Additionally, VPNSecure offers an HTTP Proxy feature that allows accessing streaming services in different countries without relying on the VPN. However, it’s important to note that the HTTP Proxy does not provide encryption, leaving users potentially vulnerable to security risks.
In my experience, VPNSecure tends to decrease internet speeds by approximately half. While this reduction may vary depending on your initial connection speed, it can still be sufficient for browsing and less demanding gaming needs.
During my first set of speed tests, I averaged about 70 Mbps down and 45 Mbps up on my connection. Surprisingly, certain remote servers, such as the one in Hong Kong, delivered relatively decent speeds despite the considerable geographical distance. Conversely, servers located in Germany and the Netherlands, which are closer to my location, exhibited slower performance.
In the majority of instances, I noticed that VPNSecure consistently reduced my internet speeds by half. It was noteworthy that the server located in Hong Kong outperformed the server in the UK, despite the latter being physically closer to my location. Additionally, when connecting to the streaming server in the US, my speed decreased by over 50%.
Interestingly, I observed that specific VPNSecure servers situated far away yielded slightly better performance compared to servers in closer proximity to me. This finding added to the overall variability of speed performance depending on the specific server location.
VPNSecure’s Speeds: Gaming-Ready and Reliable
Using VPNSecure on my MacBook Pro with OpenVPN over the default UDP connection allowed me to play low-bandwidth online games through Steam.
While there were a few minor issues during the initial download of Steam and the game itself, the gameplay itself was smooth and without significant interruptions.
Utilizing VPNSecure’s Belgium server, I successfully played online games on Steam. However, it’s important to note that VPNSecure does not offer dedicated apps for streaming or game consoles.
For a VPN tailored explicitly for gaming, particularly in high definition, faster and more robust VPN options may be more suitable.
VPNSecure’s server coverage left me less than impressed, with only 76 servers available. However, these servers are spread across 40 countries, providing some level of geographical diversity.
Compared to top-tier VPN providers that boast hundreds or even thousands of servers, VPNSecure’s server count is relatively low. Additionally, its server presence in Africa and South America is limited, with only a few servers in Brazil, Chile, and South Africa.
Most of its servers are concentrated in North America and Europe, resulting in passable coverage at best.
The smaller server network of VPNSecure may lead to connection issues during peak hours, as congestion can occur. I personally experienced such congestion a couple of times, which negatively impacted my connection quality.
VPNSecure does not disclose the exact number of its IP addresses. However, what sets its server network apart is that VPNSecure owns and operates its own network. This ownership offers advantages such as increased privacy, enhanced security, and potentially better speeds.
It’s important to note that VPNSecure has full control over its server network. This level of control enables them to manage and maintain the network according to their standards, potentially leading to a more reliable and secure experience for users.
VPNSecure’s Security Suite: Covering All Bases for User Safety
When it comes to security, VPNSecure offers a comprehensive package encompassing encryption and protocols. It provides a range of cipher strengths, starting from 64-bit for better speeds and going up to the robust Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256-bit, which is utilized by government websites. With 256-bit encryption, methods like brute force attacks or dictionary attacks are unable to bypass its protection. By default, VPNSecure selects 128-bit encryption for enhanced security.
Paragraph 2: VPNSecure supports a wide array of popular security features and protocols, ensuring a versatile and robust security framework. These features include:
- OpenVPN: A highly secure and widely-used protocol.
- IKEv2/IPSec: A combination of Internet Key Exchange version 2 (IKEv2) and IP Security (IPSec) for secure connections.
- L2TP/IPSec: A protocol combining Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) and IPSec for encrypted data transfer.
- PPTP: A legacy protocol known for its ease of setup but with lower security compared to other options.
- SSTP: A protocol that uses SSL/TLS for secure communication, often used in Windows environments.
Overall, VPNSecure offers a robust and comprehensive set of security features and protocols to safeguard user connections and protect their online privacy.
Leak and Malware Testing: VPNSecure’s Commitment to User Security
I conducted comprehensive tests on VPNSecure across multiple devices, including Android, Windows, and Apple devices, to check for DNS and WebRTC leaks as well as malware. Fortunately, all tests yielded negative results, indicating the absence of leaks and viruses.
It’s important to remember that even if you use a VPN, your ISP could still discover the sites you access if your DNS settings leak. Similarly, WebRTC leaks can inadvertently reveal your actual IP address even when using a VPN. On the other hand, malware encompasses various forms of malicious software, with viruses being a common example.
I can confidently state that VPNSecure passed all leak tests, ensuring a secure browsing experience. According to VPNSecure, there is no need to worry about “leak fixes” or disabling IPv6, as their native support for dual-stack IPv4 and IPv6 VPN ensures privacy protection across all devices and networks.
Furthermore, I conducted a thorough VirusTotal scan on the VPNSecure application, which confirmed its cleanliness from viruses and malware. Based on these findings, installing the VPNSecure app on your device is safe, providing an added layer of security for your online activities.
VPNSecure’s Privacy Policy: Generally Solid, with a Few Exceptions
VPNSecure strives to log the minimal amount of user information necessary while operating in a 5 Eyes country. The provider uses a “shared static IP service” feature to safeguard user data.
It’s important to note that the 5 Eyes alliance consists of Australia, the US, the UK, Canada, and New Zealand, which collaborate in sharing information of common interest.
Additionally, Australia’s anti-encryption law passed in 2019 grants the government the ability to compel businesses to hand over encrypted user information, posing a challenge to privacy.
However, VPNSecure has devised a workaround through its “shared static IP service” feature. I contacted customer support to inquire about the impact on their “No Logging, ever” policy if compelled to share information.
According to their response, VPNSecure employs a “shared static IP service” where multiple users use the same IP address simultaneously. This distribution system enhances user privacy, as all traffic is mixed among users, making it difficult to distinguish individual activities.
Users are assigned a shared IP address upon connecting to a specific server. While this approach may offer some privacy benefits, it’s worth noting that relying solely on a shared static IP address may not be an optimal solution for those seeking a privacy-focused VPN. Static IP addresses can be more vulnerable to hacking compared to dedicated IP addresses.
VPNSecure retains certain user information, including usernames, email addresses, and encrypted passwords using 256-bit encryption, which provides strong security.
However, they do not log IP addresses, connection timestamps, bandwidth usage, or DNS requests, reassuring users about their privacy.
It would be advantageous if VPNSecure supported Tor, as it would add an extra layer of privacy to users’ online activities.
Additionally, the company offers a Chrome proxy browser extension, which masks the IP address but lacks content encryption, unlike a full VPN.
One notable feature of VPNSecure is the availability of AdBlocker servers, providing an ad-free browsing experience.
It’s important to note that not all servers have this built-in AdBlocker functionality, which can enhance the user experience by blocking unwanted ads.
Torrenting: Comes With Some Risks
While VPNSecure supports P2P activities, I wouldn’t recommend it as the top choice for regular torrenting. The support team has confirmed that torrenting is allowed, but there are certain considerations to keep in mind.
The first reason is VPNSecure’s location in a 5 Eyes country, which means that complete privacy cannot be guaranteed. Australia’s anti-encryption law allows government agencies to request user information, even if it is protected by encryption.
Secondly, the speeds offered by VPNSecure may not be optimal for efficient torrenting. Depending on the size and nature of the files being torrented, the process could take considerable time.
Lastly, VPNSecure lacks dedicated servers that some other VPNs provide specifically for P2P activities. These dedicated servers tend to offer more reliability and faster speeds for torrenting purposes.
On the positive side, VPNSecure does offer a feature similar to split tunneling called “Routing.” This feature allows users to specify certain domains to be routed through the VPN, which can be beneficial for maintaining security while torrenting.
Additionally, VPNSecure supports SSH Socks proxies for applications, including P2P, enhancing the overall security of your connection.
However, it is important to note that my team and I do not endorse or condone illegal torrenting. It is essential to adhere to the rules and regulations regarding torrenting in your specific country.
VPNSecure’s Multi-Device Compatibility: Connect up to 5 Devices with Distinct Server Configurations
VPNSecure offers the convenience of connecting up to five devices simultaneously. However, it is important to note that each device must be connected to a different server.
This limitation was sufficient for my needs. I utilized VPNSecure on my MacBook, desktop PC, old iPad, and Android phone. Yet, I encountered bandwidth constraints when I attempted to stream videos on all four devices simultaneously.
When using VPNSecure, it is possible to have up to five devices connected concurrently. However, it is essential to connect each device to a distinct server.
This arrangement proved adequate for my requirements as I had VPNSecure installed on my MacBook, desktop PC, old iPad, and Android phone.
Nevertheless, I faced bandwidth challenges when simultaneously streaming videos on all four devices.
While VPNSecure offers cost-effective long-term subscription plans, committing to a 3-year or even a 1-year subscription is more than I’m comfortable with.
The extended duration of these plans doesn’t align with my needs.
One aspect that discouraged me was the absence of a free trial with VPNSecure. Instead, they provide a trial period of either 7 or 30 days, but you have to pay $1 for it.
The duration of the premium access, which covers all servers, remains unclear from their website, causing some confusion. Interestingly, I was charged before my 7-day trial ended, prompting me to contact their customer support for assistance.
It’s important to note that VPNSecure doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee, only a reasonable trial period that still requires a payment of $1.
I found it slightly disappointing that VPNSecure doesn’t have a “no questions asked” refund policy like some other VPN providers.
To be eligible for a refund, you must provide a valid reason, and they explicitly state that they won’t issue refunds if a specific site or service on the internet doesn’t work.
Credit cards, PayPal, Bitcoin, Perfect Money, Paymentwall, CashU, and Payza are just some of the payment options provided by VPNSecure.
Although VPNSecure lacks 24/7 live chat support, their support team is highly responsive and satisfactory.
Each time I reached out to them via their ticket support system, I received prompt and helpful responses, with the longest wait time being approximately 10 hours.
I utilized VPNSecure’s ticket support system to inquire about various topics, including streaming Netflix US, privacy issues, the 5 Eyes Alliance, device compatibility, and requesting a refund.
When I realized that I had been charged for the monthly subscription three days prior to the expiration of my 7-day trial (which I paid $1 for), I contacted VPNSecure’s customer support to request a refund. To my surprise, I received a reply via email in less than four hours.
Apart from the ticketing support system, VPNSecure offers additional avenues for assistance, such as support forums, device set-up pages, as well as active support on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.
Furthermore, they provide an extensive knowledge base that serves as a valuable resource for users seeking guidance and solutions.
Final Verdict: So, Is VPNSecure the Right Choice for You?
VPNSecure presents a mixed bag of features and considerations that should be weighed before determining its suitability for your needs.
While it may have limitations in the streaming department, it excels in encryption and security features, prioritizing the protection of your online activities and data.
The affordability factor comes into play if you opt for their yearly plans, offering cost-effectiveness for extended VPN usage. Additionally, the option to purchase pre-configured routers compatible with VPNSecure adds an extra layer of security by encrypting your entire internet connection.
However, it is essential to consider factors such as limited simultaneous connections and the absence of a “no questions asked” refund policy. Assessing your priorities and requirements will help you make an informed decision on whether VPNSecure is the right choice for you.
