PrivadoVPN Review 2024 — Keep This in Mind Before Buying

PrivadoVPN claims to be a safe VPN with superfast speeds for streaming. This sounds great, especially with its affordable prices. But can this lesser-known service, which was only launched in 2019, really compete with the best VPNs out there?

To find out, I tested all its key features. I recorded several speed tests and checked its streaming capabilities. On top of that, I explored its security features. I also reviewed its privacy policy to see if you can trust it with your data.

My tests showed me that PrivadoVPN is a solid low-cost VPN for anyone looking to stream, torrent, or game. It’s fast and safe to use. However, it still has some room for improvement. It has a small server network, and I couldn't access all streaming platforms. It also lacks 24/7 live chat. To access all popular streaming services and get responsive customer support, look at our list of premium VPNs.

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PrivadoVPN unblocked several popular streaming platforms, including Netflix US, HBO Max, and Disney+. Unfortunately, I couldn’t access Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, or BBC iPlayer.

It doesn’t offer any streaming-optimized servers, but this wasn’t necessary as the platforms I could unblock worked well with all of PrivadoVPN’s servers. It also has superfast speeds, so you won’t experience annoying slowdowns. I just wish it unblocked more platforms.

The VPN also offers a free version, but it comes with a data cap of 10 GB per month. This means you can only stream 6 hours in HD before running out of data.

Unblocked: Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, YouTube, Disney+ Hotstar, and more

I had no problem accessing Netflix US, UK, France, Germany, and Japan, plus 10 other libraries with PrivadoVPN. Movies and shows loaded quickly, and I could stream in Ultra HD without buffering.

You can test PrivadoVPN's the New York server for free

After that, I tested if PrivadoVPN worked with HBO Max — it did. The VPN allowed me to unblock HBO Max and watch Euphoria.

With its New York server, I instantly got a US IP address and unblocked HBO Max

Accessing Disney+ using PrivadoVPN's New York server was also a breeze. The other platforms that I could unblock were Disney+ Hotstar and YouTube.

Blocked By: Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video

PrivadoVPN couldn't unblock Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer. The VPN got detected immediately when I tried logging in to Hulu.

Even though I tried accessing Hulu with 3 different browsers and various US servers, it didn't work

I had some hope with Amazon Prime Video since I managed to log in and select the series I wanted to watch. However, I received an error message after clicking the "Start Watching" button.

I connected to more than 15 servers but none of them managed to work with Amazon Prime Video

I was disappointed that PrivadoVPN didn’t work with these popular streaming platforms since most premium VPNs do. I recommend checking out this list if you need a PN that can unblock all the top streaming services.

PrivadoVPN has good speeds on local and long-distance servers. This is impressive since most VPNs slow down significantly on long-distance locations. I tested 3 locations close to me (Netherlands, Germany, and the UK) and 3 faraway (the US, Canada, and Brazil).

In my speed tests, I checked for 3 different things:

• Download speed. How fast your connection receives data from the internet, measured in megabits per second (Mbps). This affects how fast web pages load, streaming quality, etc.
• Upload speed. How fast your internet connection sends data to the server. This is also measured in megabits per second (Mbps). This is important for posting on social media, video calls, sending emails, etc.
• Ping. How long it takes your data to travel. It’s measured in milliseconds (ms). The lower your ping, the faster your connection will be, which is really important for gaming.

PrivadoVPN’s local and long-distance servers allowed me to stream buffer-free and browse the web without any delays.

My speeds were the fastest on the Frankfurt - Germany server

First, I tested my speed without a VPN connected as a base for comparison.

No VPN connected (Helsinki, Finland):

Afterward, I connected to PrivadoVPN’s local servers (Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and London). I only experienced a slight decrease, with the speed drop ranging between 8-15%. This is great since the average speed loss while using a VPN is 15-20%. Nearby servers are always faster than long-distance ones, so choosing them for online gaming, streaming, and torrenting is better.

Amsterdam - Netherlands server:

Frankfurt - Germany server:

London - UK server:

On its faraway servers in the USA and Canada, I had average speed losses of 10-25% (which is still good for long-distance connections). However, my speeds did drop significantly on its São Paulo server. PrivadoVPN showed me I could expect high latency with this specific location. The São Paulo server was red, meaning it would have slower speeds. In addition, my ping was much higher on the long-distance servers.

New York - USA server:

Montreal - Canada server:

São Paulo - Brazil server:

Overall, I was impressed with PrivadoVPN’s speed test results. I had fast speeds on local and long-distance servers, allowing me to browse the web and stream without interruptions.

PrivadoVPNs local servers have superfast speeds for gaming. You need a ping of 100ms or lower to game online without latency. On all of the local servers I tested, my ping ranged between 35 - 90 ms. It's best to use a server close to your actual location while gaming since this reduces the ping rate and maximizes your performance.

Its long-distance servers had good download and upload speeds, but the ping ranged between 130 - 250 ms. This resulted in long loading times while I was playing Runescape. This list will show you the best VPNs for gaming with great ping results – even at long distances.

PrivadoVPN has 338 servers in 48 countries, which is small compared to top VPNs. For example, ExpressVPN has a global network of 3,000+ servers in 105 countries. However, connections were consistently reliable.

Most servers are located in Asia, Europe, and North America. PrivadoVPN also offers a few in South America, Australia, Africa, and the Middle East. There's even one server in Turkey, a country with strict internet censorship.

Its free plan gives access to 12 cities, located in Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK, and the USA. This impressed me since most free services offer way fewer locations. The servers I tested all worked well, and I didn’t experience congestion due to overcrowding.

Below are the server locations you'll get with a paid PrivadoVPN subscription:

The VPN doesn’t offer streaming, gaming, or torrenting optimized servers like other premium VPNs. However, this isn’t a big problem since most of its servers let me stream, game, and torrent without issues.

PrivadoVPN has robust security features, including military-grade (AES 256-bit) encryption, auto-connect, multiple security protocols, IP/DNS leak protection, and a kill switch.

Just make sure the kill switch is on, as it isn’t on by default. Unfortunately, when I switched to the OpenVPN TCP protocol, the kill switch button disappeared. Customer support told me that the kill switch isn't available for OpenVPN TCP or mobile devices.

I really liked that it has physical servers rather than virtual ones. This creates an extra layer of security since physical servers have fewer potential exploits and a smaller chance of security breaches. Since PrivadoVPN owns its servers, there is no third-party involvement. Moreover, it allows them to respond quickly to issues whenever needed.

It’s too bad PrivadoVPN doesn’t offer split tunneling for all devices. Split tunneling is a feature that lets you choose what traffic is sent through the VPN tunnel. I like using this feature since it allows me to optimize speeds or check the local news while keeping my other traffic secure. Unfortunately, I couldn’t use it on my MacBook. PrivadoVPN doesn’t support split tunneling on its iOS and macOS apps. You can only use the feature for Windows, Android, and Amazon devices.

I also wish it had an ad/malware blocker and dedicated IPs. If you’re looking for a VPN that comes with additional features for extra protection, you can check out this list.

Protocols

The VPN offers OpenVPN (TCP and UDP), WireGuard, and IKEv2. I prefer to use OpenVPN as it’s the gold standard in online protection.

I could change the protocol using the app’s “preferences” section. There’s also an “automatic” option. This is great if you’re unsure which protocol to use since PrivadoVPN chooses the best one for you.

Leak Test Results

During my tests on ipleak.net, I didn’t find any IP/DNS/WebRTC leaks.

I tested 10 servers in the US, UK, Germany, France, and Brazil — my real location remained private

This means your personal information is kept safe from your ISP and other third parties.

PrivadoVPN states that it follows a zero-logs policy and that there's "no way to link any online activity to any individual account". Plus, its headquarters are in Switzerland, outside the intelligence-sharing agreement of the 5/9/14-Eyes Alliances. This is great since it means they aren’t obligated by law to hand over your personal information if authorities ask for it.

However, some basic information gets collected, including:

• Email address and username
• Payment info (not your credit card number)
• Support tickets
• Device information (such as the OS that is being used)
• Cookies ID

However, I’d like to see an independent security audit on PrivadoVPN’s policy

There is one thing I found a bit disappointing in the policy. It says PrivadoVPN stores the data it collects for as long as it wants. This means you never know when the information collected via your account will be deleted. On top of that, no info about its ownership can be found. And it's only been around for a few short years since April 2019.

These aren’t huge issues since it doesn’t store anything that can be used to identify you. But this keeps it from being one of the most trustworthy VPNs around. You can review our list of VPNs with proven no-logs policies here.

I had fast speeds while torrenting with PrivadoVPN. When I connected to PrivadoVPN’s Paris - France server nearby, my download speed was 1.5 MB/s. Since the VPN also offers a no-logs policy, you can safely torrent files using PrivadoVPN. You can also connect to a SOCKS5 proxy to increase seeding speeds, but I wouldn’t recommend it since your traffic won't be encrypted.

I had the same fast speeds when I tested its servers in the UK and Germany

However, the VPN doesn't offer port forwarding, which allows you to torrent from a NATed environment and might boost your download speeds while P2P file sharing. Still, it seems its entire network is P2P supported.

While torrenting is legal in most countries, it’s illegal to download copyrighted files. vpnMentor does not condone any illegal activities, so I recommend you check torrenting regulations in your country before downloading copyright-free content.

Does PrivadoVPN Work in China? No

PrivadoVPN support staff couldn’t confirm if it works in China. When I emailed customer support, they told me the service hadn’t been tested in China. So they can’t guarantee it will work there.

However, it does offer servers in Hong Kong, allowing you to access Chinese TV and websites while outside of China. When connected to its Hong Kong server, I could stream Chinese shows in HD without buffering.

Keep in mind that if you want to use a VPN in China, you must download it before going there. Since only approved VPNs are legal in China — the government blocks other VPN services. However, it’s uncommon for the authorities to go after the people who use them. This list shows the best VPNs that have verified they work in China.

Simultaneous Device Connections — Connect up to 10 Devices

You can use PrivadoVPN on 10 different devices simultaneously using its paid plans. Its free plan only offers 1 device connection.

I tested its speeds on multiple devices by streaming on Netflix with my iPhone, iPad, Windows PC, and MacBook at the same time. I didn’t experience any performance issues, so it works as promised.