StrongVPN is one of the oldest VPNs, and many people praise it. However, its monthly plans don't offer a money-back guarantee, and you may find it too expensive if you only need a VPN for a short time.
To determine whether it's worth the yearly commitment, I tested every aspect of StrongVPN, including speed, security features, and a thorough investigation of its privacy policy.
Overall, I can wholeheartedly recommend StrongVPN. It's fast, great for gaming, and will keep you safe online and protect your privacy. However, it still needs to improve in a few areas to compete with the best providers. Our highest-ranked VPNs are on this list.
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Short on Time? Here Are My Key Findings
Pros
Cons
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StrongVPN Features — 2024 Update
8.4
💸
Price
|
3.97 USD/month
|
📆
Money Back Guarantee
|
30 Days |
📝
Does VPN keep logs?
|
No |
🖥
Number of servers
|
950+ |
💻
Number of devices per license
|
12 |
🛡
Kill switch
|
Yes |
🗺
Based in country
|
United States |
🛠
Support
|
24/7 Live Chat Support |
📥
Supports torrenting
|
No |
Streaming — Hit-Or-Miss for Secure Viewing
6.0
Strong VPN can securely access some platforms from anywhere, but it struggles with others. My global team and I had mixed results during our tests. StrongVPN often requires some troubleshooting as well.
Editor's note. The VPNs we recommend generally follow no-logging policies. This means they won’t monitor your online activities, leaving you responsible for how these VPNs are used. My team and I are strongly against breaking copyright laws.
Works With: Netflix, Disney+, and Max
We could safely watch Netflix US with Strong VPN.
My videos all loaded nearly instantly in full HD quality
We could also watch Netflix Canada, but we did have to switch from Firefox to the Chrome browser. Unfortunately, my teammate in Australia could only watch Netflix Originals while connected to the Melbourne server. This is a version of the site that only has the content Netflix owns, so you miss out on region-specific titles.
I used the OpenVPN UDP protocol with the Scramble feature
We were happy that we could watch Disney+ without issues. Our experience was similar with Max. Using the IKEv2 protocol, we could easily encrypt our connection and stream the former HBO Max. We didn’t run into any buffering while watching The Alienist.
I was able to watch the full episode in top-notch quality
Unfortunately, we had a more frustrating experience with many of our other local services.
Doesn't Work With: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer
Most streaming platforms use anti-VPN technologies to prevent people from watching in unlicensed regions. Unfortunately, this can make it difficult to safely stream certain platforms if you’re using a VPN that’s not properly optimized.
With WireGuard enabled, I couldn't even log in to my account
We attempted to use OpenVPN with the scramble feature (that hides your VPN use) enabled. This let us browse Hulu’s library, but an error message would appear any time we tried to watch a video. We could not watch Amazon Prime Video no matter what protocol we tested either.
It was also impossible to securely stream BBC iPlayer. We attempted to troubleshoot by using different browsers, protocols, and servers. But, there was no way to safely watch the platform.
StrongVPN does encourage using its Strong DNS feature for streaming. This feature could possibly allow you to bypass speed throttling while you’re watching videos. However, since it doesn’t encrypt your connection or hide your ISP, I wouldn’t recommend using it to protect yourself while you watch movies and shows.
There are many VPNs that can safely access all these platforms from anywhere. To stay safe while you enjoy your favorite platforms, I recommend you try out one of the best VPNs for streaming in this list.
Speed — Good Chance You Can Maintain Fast Rates
7.0
StrongVPN shouldn’t lower your speeds too much on nearby servers. While we’ve tested much faster VPNs, my teammate and I concluded that StrongVPN’s speeds are adequate on most locations.
Our speed expert in Indonesia recorded these results by testing each server at least 10 times to create averages for the chart you see below. We try our best to get all of our speed tests done from the same location with the same connection, so it’s easier to see how they all stack up.
Speeds fell 30% on nearby servers and 45% on distant ones
Those tests were done with the WireGuard protocol because it was the fastest. Since I’m in Austin, Texas, I had some servers even closer to me. I tested the nearby Houston location (266 km away) while connected to WireGuard. It lowered my speeds by 10%, which was slightly faster than some of our speed guru’s tests, but not by much.
The close-by server in Taiwan only lowered our speeds 14%
StrongVPN’s only virtual server is in India, so I wasn’t surprised it was faster than you’d expect. However, some other distant servers outperformed nearby ones too. I can only guess that this happened due to overcrowding.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t give you any indication of how many people are using its servers (often referred to as server load). I hope it adds this feature in the future.
The top VPNs will lower your speeds by 10-20% on close to mid-range servers. You should expect drops of about 40% on average with long-distance locations. So, StrongVPN is relatively fast, but it isn’t quite at the level of the best VPNs in this category.
You can find a VPN that’s faster and likely has more servers near you in this list.
Gaming — Low Ping and Easy to Use on Gaming Devices
9.6
StrongVPN is fast enough for gaming without lag. The most important factor while gaming is your ping. If it’s too slow, your character won’t respond immediately to your commands, and the game stops being fun. It’s optimal to have a ping under 85 ms to avoid lag.
On the closest server to me, my ping rate was only 17ms. So, if StrongVPN has servers near you, it’s great for gaming.
I could run, jump, duck, and shoot without any added delays
The VPN can’t be installed directly on gaming consoles, but you can set it up on your router to protect any device connected to your WiFi. Overall, StrongVPN is excellent for gaming. The only issue is its small server network that could prevent you from finding a nearby location. I’ve never found a VPN that allows you to game with low lag on a distant server.
Server Network — Missing a Few Popular Countries and Features
7.0
With 950 servers in 30 countries, StrongVPN has a fairly small network. On the positive side, it offers a good amount of city-level locations and a very high number of IP addresses (which reduces overcrowding). But it’s also missing many countries other VPNs include. For example, you can’t connect to any country in Africa.
You can also type in a location name with its search bar
It covers over 15 locations in the US, so US residents can connect to a server closest to them to get the best speeds. In addition to the US, StrongVPN has multi-city servers in the UK, Canada, Australia, and France.
All its servers are entirely owned and operated by StrongVPN. This is great, as it means that no third parties have access to your data, which enhances your privacy.
Plus, it basically only uses physical servers (except for one virtual location in India). Some VPNs have a ton of virtual servers, which are located somewhere other than the country listed. This could have helped StrongVPN add more countries, but I do appreciate that every server is actually as far away as you think it will be.
Besides offering more locations, I also wish StrongVPN included dedicated IP addresses. Many VPNs let you pay extra to get one, and they can be helpful, especially if you run a website. You can try a VPN with dedicated IP addresses and a larger server network in this list.
Security — Safe With Many Necessary Features
8.0
StrongVPN is a secure provider. It doesn't offer as many security features as some of the best VPNs out there, but it has a strong basis with a wide range of security protocols and military-grade encryption.
The VPN also offers other features such as an automatic kill switch that cuts off your internet connection if the VPN connection drops. There’s also DNS leak protection that prevents your ISP from seeing which websites you visit. Split tunneling is available, so you can decide which apps to use with the VPN while letting other apps access the internet directly.
Additionally, StrongVPN supports multiple VPN protocols, including WireGuard, OpenVPN (UDP and TCP), IKEv2, and L2TP, which offer varying levels of encryption and security to suit different needs and use cases. The only significant features it’s missing is an ad blocker and multihop. These would be nice, but they’re not necessary to keep you safe.
Military-Grade Encryption
StrongVPN uses AES-256 encryption to protect your vital data and ensure privacy and security.
I recorded successful tests with every protocol available
This is currently the strongest encryption standard available, and it's used by governments and militaries around the world to protect their sensitive data. All the top VPNs use this encryption level, so StrongVPN is in good company.
Kill Switch
StrongVPN offers a kill switch for its desktop apps, but not for mobile. It prevents data leaks by disconnecting your internet if the VPN connection drops, and it's an essential feature to ensure you’re always protected.
Scramble
When enabled, the Scramble feature hides the fact that you are using a VPN, making it more difficult to detect and block your VPN traffic. This can be helpful when you need to access something like your banking app while you’re out of the country. Just be aware it will slow down your speeds significantly, and it only works with the OpenVPN protocol.
Privacy — Keeps No Logs, but Based in the US
7.4
StrongVPN offers a lot when it comes to privacy, but there are 2 issues it could resolve. The privacy policy is excellent, and I believe it won’t store any of your information. However, it’s located in one of the worst countries for privacy. The policy also hasn’t been audited, which is a great way for a VPN to prove it sticks to its claims.
Does StrongVPN Keep Logs? No
The only information StrongVPN logs about you is your payment information and your email. Both are required for creating your account. It doesn’t log or share any information related to your online activity, such as your browsing history, timestamps, or IP addresses.
Was Strong VPN Audited? No
Unfortunately, StrongVPN hasn’t been independently audited. The best VPNs undergo regular audits to prove their no-logs claims. Some also publish a warrant canary to warn users about any data requests the company has received. So, to be sure that StrongVPN really is a no-logs service, I’d like to see it publish a transparency report, or conduct a security audit.
Based in the US
StrongVPN is based in Winter Park, Florida. This isn’t the most favorable location for VPN headquarters, since that means the company is obliged to hand over your data if requested by law enforcement. Additionally, since the US is part of the 5 Eyes Alliance, your data would not only be accessible to the US authorities, but also to the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. However, the VPN has a strict no-logs policy, so it wouldn’t have anything to share.
Does Strong VPN Work in China? Maybe
Support stated it doesn’t work with its iOS apps, but it might with the others. They recommend using the Scramble feature but can’t guarantee it will always be successful.
They told me the v.1 app isn't available on its mirror sites
The Chinese government has banned many VPNs, but there have been no publicly-reported cases of them going after individuals for utilizing them. We don’t condone any illegal activities and strongly advise you read up on the local laws before deciding to use a VPN in China.
Torrenting — Good Speeds and Privacy Features for P2P
9.0
StrongVPN allows P2P transfers on all its servers. Since it also has a strict no-logs policy, robust security features, and good speeds on most servers, I can recommend it as a good choice for torrenting.
I could download the 1.62 GB file Night of the Living Dead in about 3 minutes with no VPN connected. With Strong VPN, I could finish the download in about 5 and a half minutes. So, the change in speeds was barely noticeable.
Torrents are legal in most countries, but downloading copyrighted files isn’t. You should only access torrents within the public domain to make sure you don’t break any laws.
The last thing I’ll say is StrongVPN doesn’t support port forwarding, which can potentially increase your downloading and seeding speeds. However, since my results were so good, it’s not a big concern.
Installation & Apps
9.6
Installation & Apps — Works Great on Tons of Devices
StrongVPN is easy-to-use, and every app is pretty similar.
I especially like how well-organized the settings are
There are 5 tabs in the settings menu. Most important is the Options tab that lets you access the kill switch and set up connection features (Auto Reconnect, Connect on Launch, Connect on Startup). The rest are pretty self-explanatory, like Protocol & Update.
Setup & Installation
The apps can be installed in a few clicks. You can find the installation links for all supported operating systems on the VPN’s website, as well as manual setup guides for each one of these platforms.
There are also manual setup guides for tons of devices
Setting it up on my Windows laptop only took 2 minutes. It’s just as easy to configure on mobile, where you can find it in the appropriate app store. In addition, the smart DNS feature lets you hook it up on any device with DNS settings in 5 minutes or less. This can possibly let you avoid speed throttling, but be aware it doesn’t encrypt your connection or change your IP.
Device Compatibility
StrongVPN has native apps for Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, Fire TV, and Chrome OS. Here are the main differences between StrongVPN’s apps for different platforms:
|
Windows |
Mac |
Android |
iOS |
Fire TV |
Protocol |
OpenVPN,
Wireguard,
IKEv2,
SSTP,
L2TP |
OpenVPN, Wireguard,
IKEv2,
IPSec,
L2TP |
OpenVPN,
Wireguard,
IKEv2 |
Wireguard,
IKEv2,
IPSec |
OpenVPN,
Wireguard,
IKEv2 |
Kill switch |
✅ |
✅ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
Split tunneling |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
❌ |
✅ |
You can also install it on routers to protect the non-compatible devices in your household.
Desktop — Apps for Windows and Mac
As you can see in the chart above, StrongVPN’s Windows and Mac apps are virtually identical, besides starting out with different color schemes (although this can be changed).
You can also manually connect to servers on Linux through OpenVPN, and it’s compatible with the popular Ubuntu distro. However, to get a full-featured app on your device, I recommend you check out our list of the best VPNs for Linux.
Android and iPhone (iOS)
The mobile apps are well-designed, easy to use, and offer a range of features that cater to different needs. There aren’t as many security protocols as on the desktop apps, but both include the safe and fast WireGuard.
The main difference is that the Android app is the only one to offer split tunneling. Other than that, both mobile devices are pretty much equal. I especially like that you can directly contact support through these app versions.
Unfortunately, StrongVPN's mobile apps do not currently have a kill switch. This can be a potential security risk, especially if you frequently use public WiFi or other untrusted networks.
Browser Extensions for Chrome
A browser extension is available for Chrome, but only as a proxy, not a full-fledged VPN. This means you can use it for changing your IP address on a browser level, but your data won’t be encrypted. Additionally, you only get access to 14 server locations, with half of them in the US.
Apps for Amazon Fire TV
StrongVPN offers a dedicated app for Amazon Fire TV devices. The app is available on the Amazon Appstore, and you can install it directly from the device — it doesn’t require any manual installation. It supports all major VPN protocols and offers high-grade encryption, which makes it easy for users to secure their streaming and browsing activity.
One tip for Fire TV is to make sure you have the latest version installed. This is because the app may not work correctly on older versions of the software. For other smart TVs, you’ll need to connect to proxy servers over Strong DNS or hook up your router. This is also how you can connect your game consoles to the VPN.
Router Compatibility
StrongVPN supports a wide range of routers, including those from Asus, Netgear, and Linksys, among others. This is a great option if you want to protect all of your devices without having to install separate VPN apps on each device. It also lets you encrypt your connection on any device including Rokus, Chromecast, Xbox, Playstation, and Nintendo game consoles.
You can find detailed installation guides for all supported routers on the VPN’s website. If you don’t want to bother with manual installation, you can buy a router with StrongVPN pre-installed (all with the Sabai OS).
Simultaneous Device Connections
StrongVPN allows 12 simultaneous device connections, which should be more than enough for most regular users. This is very generous since most premium VPNs only let you use their apps on 5 devices. I didn’t notice any drop in performance when I used the VPN on 3 phones and 2 laptops at the same time. So, this is just one more area where StrongVPN really stands out.