RusVPN Review 2023 - Keep This in Mind Before Buying

RusVPN was recently transferred to Planet VPN, but still promises to be reliable, unlimited, and secure, along with offering a new free version. It operates 1,260+ servers across 60+ countries, with military-grade encryption and a kill switch. It also claims not to log any of its users’ data. This sounds nice, but is it as good as it used to be?

I put the VPN through a series of tests to determine if it delivers on its claims. I performed extensive speed tests and tried to access all the top streaming platforms with its servers. On top of that, I fully explored all of its security features and did a deep dive into its privacy policy.

Overall, it's still a good choice for security and privacy, but not the best for streaming. Its speeds are okay with nearby servers, but if you connect from a far distance, they significantly decrease. Depending on your specific use for the VPN, you may want to compare Planet VPN with alternative premium VPNs in the market. The good news is, you have plenty of opportunity for testing since Planet VPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee with all of its plans.

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Streaming — Unreliable for Unblocking Streaming Sites

Planet VPN fails to unblock several streaming platforms, including Disney+. When it did manage to bypass geoblocks, I could reliably watch in HD. I didn't experience buffering either. However, I wouldn't recommend this provider for streaming, even if you only want to watch Netflix (the 1 platform it could access). This is because other VPNs will help you unblock way more regions.

Unblocked: Netflix (2 Libraries)

I was pleased that Planet VPN worked successfully with Netflix US.

Australia is over 14,000 km away from me, but I could still load videos in only 5 seconds

The France and UK servers only unblocked Netflix Originals. This is a version of the site that doesn't have region-specific content. Other servers, like the one in Canada, couldn't access the site. When I could unblock Netflix, the videos loaded quickly and played back in the highest quality without buffering.  I was hoping to speak with an agent to find the best servers for Netflix. However, during this time, Planet VPN’s live chat was not available.

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

Planet VPN didn't work with the other streaming platforms I tested it with. Most of them sent an error message, saying they detected my VPN. Some wouldn't even let me load the site. I tried it with BBC iPlayer, and I could browse the library. But once I attempted to play a video, I got restricted.

I tried reloading the page and reconnecting the VPN, but nothing worked

Hulu and Disney+ wouldn't even let me reach the menu while I was connected to Planet VPN. The sign-in screens told me they detected my VPN and restricted me. Amazon Prime Video picked up on my VPN use as well. It's a tough service to unblock, so I wasn't surprised.

You know a VPN is great for streaming when it can unblock Prime Video

Having said this, I did manage to access Wikipedia, Reddit, Instagram, Vkontakte, and LinkedIn while connected to the VPN. It does live up to its claims for its non-video-based unblocking capabilities. If streaming is a priority for you, these are some VPNs I can recommend for accessing just about any platform.

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Speeds —  Very Slow on Distant Servers

Planet VPN's nearby servers dropped my speeds significantly, but its distant servers lowered my speeds several times more. Connection speed is one of the most important things to consider when you’re choosing a VPN. This has a major impact on streaming quality, your ability to game, and website loading times while you browse.

The important measurements of speed are:

• Download speed — determines the quality of your streaming and how fast you can download data. It’s measured in Mbps.
• Upload speed — measures the amount of traffic you can send. This is usually slower than download speed and is also measured in Mbps.
• Ping — vital for gaming, you’ll want as low ping as possible. It’s the time it takes for a server to respond, measured in ms.

Local Speeds

I measured my base speed against the connection speed of the nearest Planet VPN server first. It’s normal to experience some slow-down when you connect to a VPN because your data needs to travel farther to reach the server. It also takes extra time to encrypt and decrypt it. However, the difference should be barely noticeable with a premium VPN.

When you’re browsing local sites, you’ll get the best connection speed by connecting to a server close to your physical location. My base speed before connecting to Planet VPN was 360.95 Mbps download, 235.87 Mbps upload, with a ping of 25 ms.

I'm located in the US. So I started my tests with the US server. The closest server to me dropped my download speeds by 70%, which is quite significant. However, 45 Mbps is generally more than enough for anything you want to do on the internet. I was still over 100 Mbps, and I didn't notice much difference online. I put a few searches into Google and checked my Facebook notifications just to test the browsing experience. The web pages loaded within a few seconds, and I could even watch Youtube videos with minimal buffering.

I was surprised that the closest server didn't give me the best speeds

The 2nd closest server (Canada) only lowered my speeds by 64%. This was a little faster than the US location, but it's still a large drop. The top VPNs only drop my speeds by 10-20% (or less). The long-distance locations, like Australia (14,000+ km away), reduced my speeds by 89%. All VPNs will slow you down, but that's one of the biggest speed drops I've seen.

I was starting out with high base speeds, so I could still use the internet normally with Planet VPN. But if you have an average or slow connection speed, it could make it difficult to stream or even browse. If you want a VPN that will hardly lower your speeds at all on any server, I recommend you check out this list of the fastest VPNs around.

Are Planet VPN’s Speeds Fast Enough for Gaming? Not Always.

Planet VPN gave me decent ping rates on nearby servers, but I couldn't play competitive online games with distant servers. For most gamers, a ping below 65 ms is desirable. Considering the significant ping increase with its far-away servers, you're sure to encounter too much latency which will not work with gaming.

You’ll be able to use the VPN on your Xbox, Playstation, and more by setting up Planet VPN on your router. This will enable any device connected to your WiFi to be securely routed through the VPN. It offers additional protection against DDoS attacks and other malicious online threats related to gaming.

If you’re a super competitive gamer, I’d recommend you check out these top gaming VPNs.

Server Network — Decent-Sized Network

With a Planet VPN subscription, you get full access to 1,260+ servers in 60+ countries. It includes several key locations, like the US, the UK, France, Germany, and Spain. I was also pleased to find that Planet VPN now offers server locations in South America and Africa too.

You’ll get a large pool of IP addresses to choose from, so there are no problems here provided the servers work. However, even with servers in these locations, I was not able to consistently access their corresponding content. You can find a VPN with more servers that consistently unblock regional content in this list.

Security — Strong Encryption

Planet VPN carries some robust encryption and strong security features which proved trustworthy in my leak tests. However, I do wish it had a few extra features that many other VPNs offer. Split Tunneling isn't available. I like using this feature to conveniently access my banking app without getting blocked. It also no longer offers Double VPN, which can increase your security. But it will keep you safe, which is the most important thing.

Encryption and Protocols

You’ll get military-grade AES-256 encryption and the choice between protocols, including OpenVPN (2048-bit RSA, UDP/TCP), IKEv2, L2TP, and PPTP.

It didn’t appear to select OpenVPN by default, which is definitely the most sensible option here. P2TP is quite up to scratch, and PPTP is an older protocol that doesn’t offer the same level of protection. IKEv2 is good in specific cases, as it’s fast and suitable for mobile devices. If you set up the VPN using OpenVPN Connect, you’ll always be sure that you’ve got the most secure connection.

IP, DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC Leaks

The VPN kept my IP address and DNS requests secure. When I connected to its UK server, the leak detecting tool showed an IP address in the UK. It gave me a different DNS address (in Czechia). However, there were no traces of my actual location.

Leaks tests look for the following:

• IP leaks — your location can be exposed, making you susceptible to online threats.
• DNS leaks — risks your private internet traffic that can be intercepted.
• WebRTC — the peer-to-peer communication between your browser and the web pages you visit can slip outside the safety net, and mistakenly reveal your IP
• IPv6 — some data isn’t sent through the VPN ‘tunnel’, potentially falling into the wrong hands. Most VPNs disable it entirely.

  I'm actually in Texas, but the tests could only see Planet VPN's IP in California

Planet VPN didn't leak anything across all 4 categories I listed above. Because of this, I trust it to secure the personal data on my devices.

Kill Switch

I tested out the kill switch, and it proved successful. Its kill switch is essential for maintaining your secure connection. Should the VPN suddenly disconnect, your whole connection will be terminated to avoid detection. While browsing on Chrome, I suddenly disconnected Planet VPN's US server to switch to Canada. Immediately, my internet connection was cut. This let me know Planet VPN was actively protecting my data from being leaked.

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Privacy — Transparent Policy and Strict No-Logs

The VPN outlines its terms and doesn’t appear to misuse your data. It’s important to research VPN policies before using them, to avoid your data being handed over to 3rd party advertisers, or worse. I don’t condone using a VPN for any illegal purposes of course, but this is still a reassurance that your private info won’t be sold.

Location

Based in Romania, Planet VPN is outside the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances. This is an agreement between governments to share data on their citizens. So this makes me trust that Planet VPN won't be compelled to store and share your data in the future.

Planet VPN Doesn’t Keep Logs

The policy is transparent enough to determine that Planet VPN won’t hold onto your information. It does state that their legal department will be in touch should you download any material with copyright infringement. This is common practice for VPN providers. Again, I don’t condone illegal downloads — so long as you’re using the VPN lawfully this isn’t a concern.

It’s not evident that Planet VPN has undergone independent security auditing. This is a surefire way to boost confidence in a company that handles your online traffic, and I’d like to see this done in the future. Besides that small concern, it's a super solid policy that I trust.

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Torrenting — Supported and Safe

Planet VPN references torrent downloads on its webpage, suggesting they are allowed. Provided you are only downloading files without copyright infringement, you shouldn’t have any problems. On top of this, torrenting is completely illegal in some countries, so I advise that you read up on your local rules and regulations to avoid getting penalized. My team and I do not condone any illegal activities.

Additionally, torrenting can make you vulnerable to various cyber threats. For safe torrenting, I can recommend Planet VPN. It offers strong security features like encryption and a kill switch to keep you protected from malicious online threats and hackers.

It let me download a 700 MB file in an hour and a half

I found it to have decent speeds for torrenting. It only lowered my download rates on Utorrent by 40%. This is pretty typical for a VPN. In conclusion, Planet VPN provides the security, privacy, and support needed for torrenting.

Does Planet VPN Work in China? Yes

My team contacted Planet VPN’s support and they confirmed that it works in China. Not all VPNs have this capability, so this speaks for Planet VPN's level of security. It also makes it a good option if you’re planning a trip to China. However, you need to install the apps before you arrive since they will not be available for download from China. Its government has banned many VPNs, but it usually only goes after the technology. There have been no instances of tourists getting in trouble for using VPNs.

Simultaneous Device Connections — Up to 10

Planet VPN allows 10 simultaneous device connections, which is more than many VPNs provide. I tested this while connected to Australia and accessing YouTube on my Windows laptop. I also connected my iPhone and tablet to Planet VPN at the same time. Having multiple devices connected didn't compromise my connection speeds. I was still able to quickly load and watch videos.

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Device Compatibility — Multi-Platform Support

Planet VPN has a good range of device support and installation options. It was easy to determine what options there were, and choose the best way to use the VPN. The browser extensions are free but offer limited server choices. However, you can easily sign up to your premium account in the browser extension to unlock Planet VPN's full server network.

You’ve got dedicated apps for Windows, macOS/OSX/iOS, Android, and Linux. Browser extensions are available for Chrome and Firefox, with manual setup options for OpenVPN and routers.

The ability to install the VPN via OpenVPN is a bonus. This will automatically set you up with the strongest protocol available. By enabling Planet VPN on your router, you’ll be able to use any WiFi-enabled device with it including smart TVs. I’d like to see Opera and Internet Explorer extensions added though.