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vpnMentor was established in 2014 as an independent site reviewing VPN services and covering privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 as an independent site reviewing VPN services and covering privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

DefenceVPN Review 2024 - Keep This in Mind Before Buying

Our Score: 6.4/10
Ranked 169th out of 305 VPNs
Kristina Perunicic Updated on 19th January 2024 Managing Editor

Located in Canada, DefenceVPN surfaced in late 2016. They proclaim they’re “simply the best VPN" and back this up with claims of having tons of features and ‘1-click installation’. It is a series of statements that we have heard many times before, but in this case, does the provider had the specifics to back it up? Let's look at what DefenceVPN has to offer and see if they live up to their claims.

Firstly, we are disappointed to note that DefenceVPN can't unblock Netflix.

It is only fair to state that there have been numerous changes at DefenceVPN since our first review of their service went live. However, this has resulted in some down time, and the website has been inaccessible on several occasions. Additionally, it’s not clear, at least to me, that these changes have really had much of an impact on the service that is provided. Right away it’s clear that DefenceVPN lacks many of the other protocols that other services provide, offering only IKEv2 and OpenVPN. There is no obvious method for the user to choose the connection protocol from the app once it is installed, so there is a level of trust requested that you are connected using a suitable protocol. It’s good to know that DefenceVPN implements a high level of encryption: AES-256-CBC cipher on all servers, SHA-512 for authentication and RSA 2028 for handshake. They also operate a double encryption approach and are DNS leak free.

On top of this, DefenceVPN boasts of having “blazing fast servers" at 1GBps so if you’re simply in need of a service to unblock geo-restricted content then DefenceVPN may come to the rescue. You’ll also receive access to over 31 servers in over 25 countries. However, when using the VPN, even when connected to the services choice of ‘fastest server’ there was a noticeable slowing of my internet; the extent of this drop in speed was dependent on the time of day.

Currently, the service is available on Windows, Mac and Android directly from the website, while other platforms require the use of third-party software to connect to their servers. An app for the iPhone has been and completed and is currently being reviewed by Apple. It is also worth noting that while DefenceVPN does allow you to access geo-restricted websites, it does not currently work with Netflix. Now, it should be noted that they do not boast about unblocking Netflix anywhere on their site. But, as they do mention unblocking geo-restricted websites I thought I would give it a go. I was met big a blank screen and a warning from Netflix about trying to use a VPN or similar service on their platform. I contacted DefenceVPN support about this issue, and was not surprisingly told that they were unable to unblock Netflix at this current time, but were working on it. Unfortunately, they are one of the many VPN’s that has been affected by Netflix’s crack down on such services. However, t is possible to access a range of other similar streaming services, along with Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

The app does feature an auto connect feature, as well as the option to launch on start up. Both of these are useful features, as is the kill-switch that halts all internet traffic if your VPN connection drops – preventing your ISP and other potential snoopers from hoovering up your data. I can confirm that on the one occasion that my connection dropped when testing the app on Windows the kill-switch did kick in and do exactly what it was expected to.

Their website features swift installation guides for platforms like Android, iOS, Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux. Should you encounter any difficulties, you always have the option to submit a request via their support system or utilize the live chat feature.

It must be noted that they’re based in Canada – a known data retention “black spot" and therefore privacy advocates may opt for a different provider. However, DefenceVPN prefer to reassure users that their data is safe by including a warrant canary on their webpage which alerts users to whether the company has received a search warrant (you’ll have to keep an eye the page though). Also, they emphasize their partnership with foreign server providers adds some degree of protection so not all data is passing through Canada.

DefenceVPN have changed their pricing approach since the original review. Rather than having 2 pricing tiers; one with P2P allowed, and the other excluding P2P, they now offer one level of protection and usage with just the length of subscription changing. There are 3 different pricing plans (monthly, 6-monthly and annually). One of the biggest drawback, if you’re looking to maximize your anonymity, is that they only accept PayPal or credit cards.

With a top-level provider like ExpressVPN or IPVanish, you don't need to worry about your anonymity, as you aren't limited to only PayPal or credit cards. Plus, you'll benefit from greater security and compatibility with other devices too.

DefenceVPN can't unblock Netflix. If you don't want to miss out on your favorite international shows and movies, take a look at the best VPNs for streaming instead.

 

DefenceVPN Features — 2024 Update

4.4
💸 Price 6.49 USD/month
📆 Money Back Guarantee 7 Days
📝 Does VPN keep logs? No
🖥 Number of servers 300+
💻 Number of devices per license 5
🛡 Kill switch Yes
🗺 Based in country Canada
📥 Supports torrenting Yes

Installation & Apps

6.0

1-click installation may be a little bit of an exaggeration, but they can be forgiven for wanting a catchy marketing line. Installation is easy though and just requires you to choose your package and payment option, then choose a username and password, which you will need to remember. The next step is to enter your email address and complete your payment. An activation email is sent straight away and once you have clicked on this you can access the support aspects of the website fully. All that is left then is to choose your platform and click to download. For Windows this is a simple process that requires you to just follow the on screen prompts.
Once downloaded you can either choose a specific server, or go with the option of the fastest available server. Don’t forget to click to actually content in the dialogue box and to check the remaining settings to set your auto connect or kill switch options.

Pricing

8.8
12 Months
$ 6.49 / month per month
6 Months
$ 9.99 / month per month
1 Month
$ 12.99 / month per month

DefenceVPN offers three subscription lengths, all that provide the same level of coverage. You can choose to pay and subscribe monthly, 6-monthly or yearly. Each package comes with a 7-day money back guarantee if the service is not for you.

Reliability & Support

6.3

Despite the fact that the website was down for maintenance when I first encountered it, the service showed itself to be reasonably reliable. The connection only failed once, and the kill switch activated immediately. Support includes live chat, a ticket system, online guides and FAQs. The ticket system states that a reply should be expected within 24hrs and when I contacted them I had a full and complete answer within 12 hours.

Compare DefenceVPN With The Top Alternative VPNs
Our Score: 9.9
Our Score: 9.7
Our Score: 9.5
Our Score: 9.4

The Bottom Line

Privacy and P2P Friendly, but No Netflix – Not Just Yet

Overall, this is a basic VPN which still has not yet firmly established itself in the market. It does offer very robust encryption, the ability to bypass internet censorship and is torrent-friendly, but the lack of Netflix access is going to be a big turn off for potential users whose main motivation is accessing Netflix. DefenceVPN should appeal to a large proportion of other non-Netflix VPN users, however, if you’re primarily looking for complete anonymity then this provider's lack of anonymous payment options is a stumbling block, albeit a very small one. That is not to say that it is not showing promise for the future though.

  • 5 simultaneous connections
  • Strong encryption
  • Live chat support
  • P2P friendly (on some servers)
  • 7-day money back guarantee
Money Back Guarantee (Days): 7
Mobile app:
Number of devices per license: 5
VPN Plans: defencevpn.com
We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
Learn more
vpnMentor was established in 2014 as an independent site reviewing VPN services and covering privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
DefenceVPN User Reviews (User reviews are not verified)
5.3
Based on 8 reviews in 3 languages

Write a Review on DefenceVPN

Please rate VPN.

All Speed Streaming Security Сustomer service
Anglaise
Anglaise
2/10
Customer Support never sleeps?

That's maybe correct -they hibernate! I wrote to them 2 days ago concerning lack of access. Still awaiting a response. They don't instill me with confidence and (if i do ever get reconnected) I will not renew my subscription.

Rebel
Rebel
2/10
Bad one

I am using Defencevpn , I have subscribed recently and my connected rate to connect server %0 , my experience about Defencevpn are so bad , i tried so many times to connect their support but i have revived no response, i have more than 24 hour subscribed to their service, i paid all of my subscriptions fees but i am not able to take any benefit of their service. I have done mail them to cancel my subscription and refund my money but still i have no reply, so that is why i am saying that Defencevpn does not provide any good service.

Radu
Radu
2/10
Got Scammed

I payed them with my credit card and lost my money since i was unable to login afterwards with the username password and their support didn't bother to answer to my ticket except that they sent a reply in which they told me they are still investigating what went wrong after insisting with a ton of mails. It's just 10 USD i know but i doubt i am the only one which they scammed.

About the Author

Kristina Perunicic is a former editor for vpnMentor. She’s a cybersecurity expert with an interest in VPNs and their importance in the digital privacy landscape.

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