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PrivadoVPN Review

Our rating
Security Read more toggle icon
80%
Features Read more toggle icon
70%
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  • No chat support chat disabled icon
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Swiss-based PrivadoVPN is a new VPN that promises its users excellent security and privacy features such as a zero-logs policy, secure encryption protocols such as IKEv2 and OpenVPN protocol, and a kill switch. As well as this, Privado claims to be a no-logs VPN, meaning your data is safe with the provider.

If you're on the fence about which VPN service to buy, or you're short on cash, then you can take full advantage of PrivadoVPN's free version. Unlike many other free VPNs, this one gives you access to many servers and has a decent data limit.

Although Privado's current server network isn't the largest, it is rapidly growing, with new servers being added constantly. There is decent global coverage, with the majority of servers being based in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Overall, PrivadoVPN is a good VPN that will surely improve and come to offer more features over time. With premium subscription prices starting from $4.99 per month, it offers great value for money and is a real competitor to other VPN providers.

    Pros

  • pro icon Free version
  • pro icon Fast server speeds
  • pro icon SOCKS5 proxy

    Cons

  • con icon No split tunneling
  • con icon No audit of privacy policy
  • con icon No live-chat
Price Starting At: Free VPN -
For New Users: Free VPN
Number of servers: Undisclosed+
General information
Type of IP offered: Shared
Simultaneous connections / Users: 10
OS support: Android, Android TV, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows
VPN Promotion: Get VPN from PrivadoVPN for 0$ per month
Capabilities
Unlimited Bandwidthcross iconKill Switchcross iconSplit Tunnelingcross iconZero Data Loggingcross iconFree Version / Trialcross iconMobile Appcross iconFirestick Compatiblecross icon
Payment options
  • American Express
  • Discover
  • Mastercard
  • Mastercard Debit
  • Visa
  • Visa Debit
  • Visa Electron
Geolocations available
  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Brazil
  • Bulgaria
  • Canada
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Hong Kong
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • India
  • Ireland
  • Japan
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Mexico
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Serbia
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • South Africa
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Thailand
  • Turkey
  • Ukraine
  • United Kingdom
  • United States

PrivadoVPN Security

80%

Considering that PrivadoVPN is a relatively new VPN service, it is extremely impressive regarding security and online privacy. Firstly there is AES-256 bit encryption, which is the highest standard and keeps your data private at all times. Privado also uses the OpenVPN and IKEv2 VPN protocols, which guarantee you have a secure VPN connection at all times.

Privado also claims that it can protect users from IP and DNS leaks, which is excellent news since it guarantees that your web activity isn't exposed. Moreover, PrivadoVPN offers an internet kill switch that will disconnect you from the internet if your server connection fails at any point.

Any decent VPN should not be monitoring or logging your web traffic, and Privado is no different. PrivadoVPN employs a strict no-log policy and only stores essential information such as your email address and payment details. This data is only used for account purposes.

We checked out PrivadoVPN's privacy policy to confirm its no-logging claims and were pleased to see that the provider doesn't do any of the following:

  • Log user browsing data, traffic destination, real IP addresses, or DNS queries.
  • Connect VPN IP addresses to users.
  • Sell data to third parties.

Moreover, PrivadoVPN operates its very own data centers, ensuring that its servers are located in a secure place and monitored 24/7. This is great news, as is the fact that PrivadoVPN is based in Switzerland. Switzerland operates some of the strongest consumer privacy laws in the world, which is great news for VPN users as they can rest assured that their data won't be automatically stored and shared with the government.

Of course, on the off-chance that PrivadoVPN is required to share any data with the Swiss government, it will do so. Luckily, since the provider doesn't log anything identifiable, your VPN usage will most likely not be exposed.

Overall, PrivadoVPN's security offerings are excellent. With a functional kill switch, no-logging policy, and VPN protocols, we can't fault the service. If we were to make one recommendation, it would be that Privado expands its options by adding the WireGuard protocol, an excellent protocol that is favored by many VPN services.

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PrivadoVPN Features

70%

Although PrivadoVPN is a relatively new VPN service, it offers an abundance of excellent features. First of all, there is support for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, and the PrivadoVPN apps are extremely user-friendly.

You can configure a few settings in the PrivadoVPN apps, including the option to auto-start the app and automatically connect to your preferred server. This removes the issue of having to remember to connect the VPN to protect your online activities since it will connect automatically whenever you launch your desktop or mobile device.

Each premium account comes with 10 simultaneous connections, which is a large amount. This means that you can protect all of your devices and share your subscription with some of your family members and friends.

Although Privado doesn't readily disclose the number of servers in its VPN network, we do know that this figure runs into the hundreds. The VPN server network is spread across 47 countries and 58 cities, with several servers in popular locations like the US and the UK.

Interestingly, PrivadoVPN only uses servers that are physically located in the country they claim to be in. By not using virtual servers, speeds are faster since the server isn't located far away from where it should be.

All servers also support P2P networking, which is impressive since many VPNs don't support torrenting on their networks. For the fastest server speeds during P2P transfers, you can use Privado's SOCKS5 proxy. Not only will using the proxy keep your IP address hidden, but it will ensure your downloads are completed in a shorter amount of time.

Lastly, it is important to mention that PrivadoVPN offers a free version of its service. The free VPN is excellent since it provides users with access to 12 server locations, which is more than what other free VPN services offer. Moreover, the PrivadoVPN free plan gives users a monthly data allowance of 10GB, which again is more than what free VPN providers like TunnelBear and Hotspot Shield offer.

Unfortunately, there are some features that Privado is missing, such as split tunneling. We think adding this would improve the service greatly since users would then be able to decide which traffic they want to tunnel via the VPN connection.

Summary

4
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Table of content

How Much is PrivadoVPN?

Although PrivadoVPN offers a free PrivadoVPN account, this is limited. If you want to enjoy unlimited access to its VPN server locations and unlimited bandwidth, we recommend avoiding the free account and purchasing one of its paid subscription accounts. The paid plans are priced as follows:

All paid plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee which is the industry standard. If you aren’t satisfied with the service, you can claim your money-back guarantee before the end of the first month.

At the time of writing, Privado only supports Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express card payments. It would be great to see PayPal and Bitcoin added as payment options in the near future.

Does PrivadoVPN Unblock Netflix?

Since PrivadoVPN offers unlimited data on the premium plan, this indicates that it would be a good option for streaming. We tested the VPN provider on popular streaming services to see whether or not it can bypass VPN blocks.

Fortunately, PrivadoVPN worked well on a number of services, including Netflix and BBC iPlayer. Considering that BBC iPlayer is particularly difficult to access with a VPN, we were extremely impressed. However, since there is a data limit on Privado’s free option, we only recommend accessing streaming services on its paid plan.

Is PrivadoVPN Good for Torrenting?

PrivadoVPN is a great option for torrenters since its VPN technology offers unlimited data transfers and supports P2P networking on every server. Moreover, it offers the SOCKS5 proxy, which will help with speed during downloads.

It’s worth mentioning that Privado also provides excellent security options, which are necessary for torrenting fans. Firstly, it encrypts your torrenting traffic so you don’t get caught by third parties. Secondly, it changes your real IP address with one from its VPN network and does not log your online activity for complete anonymity. Thirdly, there is a kill switch, meaning your torrenting activity won’t ever be exposed without your knowledge.

Is PrivadoVPN Fast?

PrivadoVPN promises its users unlimited data and unlimited speeds on its VPN network, so we ran a speed test to see if this was the case. Fortunately, our speed test results were positive across various PrivadoVPN servers. When we connected to a server in the US, our download speed was 26Mbps, and only dropped slightly to 24Mbps in the UK.

Both of the above speeds are good enough for streaming and torrenting, which is good news for users who are looking for a VPN for these activities in particular.

How Many PrivadoVPN Servers are there?

PrivadoVPN doesn’t disclose the official number of servers on its network, and we can only assume this is because the provider plans to add more servers to the PrivadoVPN networks at a later day. As it is a new VPN, the PrivadoVPN network only consists of hundreds of servers at the moment spread across 47 countries and 58 cities around the world.

Does PrivadoVPN Offer Customer Support?

Regardless of whether you have a paid or free account, you’ll be entitled to 24/7 customer support with PrivadoVPN. Users can get in touch with the customer service team at any time of the day using its support ticket system, which is accessible via the website.

Furthermore, there is an informative knowledge base with FAQs and setup guides to help users with any common problems that they might encounter. It is slightly disappointing that Privado doesn’t offer a live chat service since many rival VPNs do so, but overall its support offerings are good.

Is the PrivadoVPN App Easy to Use?

Yes, the PrivadoVPN app is extremely easy to use and has been created with users in mind. Upon launching the PrivadoVPN app, you can access all server locations and automatically connect to a server with one tap. There is also the option to adjust settings, such as changing your VPN protocols.

It’s worth noting that users can manually configure PrivadoVPN to their devices using IKEv2 or OpenVPN. You can also connect the VPN to your router if it supports DD-WRT or Asus firmware. However, if you manually configure your VPN to a device or router, you won’t be able to enjoy the provider’s official app, which makes the entire VPN experience easier.

Is Privado a Secure VPN Service?

Given the security features on offer, we would say that Privado is a secure VPN. Many other providers offer the same features, such as advanced encryption, secure VPN protocol options, and a no-logs policy to ensure that your online data stays private at all times. Moreover, PrivadoVPN is based in a privacy-friendly country and therefore enjoys the secure laws of this jurisdiction.

However, many VPN services like Surfshark and NordVPN have had their no-logging policies audited by independent authorities to reassure users that their data isn’t being misused. PrivadoVPN has not yet undergone an audit, and neither has it released a transparency report informing users about any new security updates on its network. This doesn’t make us think it isn’t a secure VPN service, but we would like to see an audit.

FAQs

Is PrivadoVPN No-logs?

Yes, PrivadoVPN operates a no-logging policy. The only data that Privado stores on its network is essential account information such as the email address you sign up with and billing details to process payments.

Does PrivadoVPN work in China?

PrivadoVPN does not work in China and doesn't currently offer servers in the country. However, it does provide server locations in Hong Kong, which is an autonomous region of China.

Does PrivadoVPN Have a free version?

Yes, PrivadoVPN offers a free VPN plan. The free account provides users with access to the PrivadoVPN app containing 12 server locations and a data allowance of 10GB, which is renewed every 30 days.

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Author Madeleine Hodson

Hi, I'm Madeleine. I'm a British writer with a global background, currently based in the UK. I have always been interested in the online world and how it connects people worldwide. My keen interest in the internet led me to ...
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