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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.

SwitchVPN Review (2024) - Good Overall, But Some Drawbacks

Our Score: 8.8/10
Ranked 14th out of 305 VPNs
Andreea Juganaru Updated on 6th March 2024 Senior Editor

SwitchVPN is a decently-priced VPN with reliable speeds and the ability to unblock some streaming sites.

However, it's registered in the US and has some red flags in its privacy policy that gave me cause for concern. There are better VPNs available that have independently verified zero-logging policies and headquarters in more privacy-friendly countries.

Determined to find out more, I went over everything you need to know about SwitchVPN, including details about my personal experience with the product, its privacy policy, VPN features, set-up processes, and the service’s pricing plans.

So, are you ready to learn more about SwitchVPN?

Let’s dive in!

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SwitchVPN Features — 2024 Update

8.6
💸 Price 3.99 USD/month
📆 Money Back Guarantee 30 Days
📝 Does VPN keep logs? No
🖥 Number of servers 250+
💻 Number of devices per license 6
🛡 Kill switch Yes
🗺 Based in country United States
🛠 Support 24/7 Live Chat Support
📥 Supports torrenting Yes

Streaming — Works With Most Sites Excluding Amazon Prime Video

SwitchVPN unblocked US Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and HBO Max during my tests. The only streaming site I wasn’t able to access was Amazon Prime Video.

I didn’t face any significant interruptions when streaming with SwitchVPN. Overall my connection was fast enough to stream in HD — but not Ultra HD.

The VPN also provides dedicated streaming-optimized servers listed by country, which makes it easy to find the right server to try for your chosen streaming site.

Unblocked: Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO Max

Using SwitchVPN, I was able to unblock Netflix US, UK, and some other smaller Netflix regions. Netflix US and UK have two of the biggest libraries available, so I was pleased to see that SwitchVPN bypassed their geoblocks easily.

A screenshot of the SwitchVPN app with Netflix US in the background, playing the film Yes Day.I was also able to unblock Netflix’s UK library using SwitchVPN

SwitchVPN does an excellent job at providing Disney+ access, too. I could easily access Disney+ using servers based in the US, UK, and other countries including France and Italy.

I also tested multiple SwitchVPN servers with Hulu, HBO Max, and BBC iPlayer, and was able to unblock each of them.

The only slightly annoying issue was that I had to try out different servers with these streaming sites as each one gave a different download speed depending on which streaming platform I was trying to access.

Eventually, I was able to unblock them all with decent streaming speeds — but it was annoying and time-consuming to have to try a few different servers first.

Blocked By: Amazon Prime Video

As you can see in the screenshot below, Amazon Prime Video detected SwitchVPN immediately. I couldn’t stream any APV content.

A screenshot of Amazon Prime Video's error message saying I tried to stream a movie on Amazon Prime Video but the site knew I was using a VPN

If you want a VPN that can unblock APV (and all other major streaming sites), check out our list of the best Amazon Prime Video VPNs instead.

Speeds — Decent Speeds, Fast Enough for Most Online Activities

SwitchVPN isn’t the fastest service but, overall, its network is fast enough for browsing and streaming.

When analyzing speed, I tested 3 different elements:

  • Download speed refers to how fast you receive data from the server you’re in sync with. Your download speed affects your ability to load web pages and stream videos on platforms like YouTube and Netflix. It is measured in megabits per second (Mbps).
  • Upload speed indicates how fast you send data to the server. It includes activities like posting on social media and making voice calls over WhatsApp. Your upload speed is measured in megabits per second (Mbps).
  • Ping is measured in milliseconds (ms) and refers to the time taken for data to travel from one server to another. A low ping rate indicates a highly responsive connection, hence allowing you to proceed with your online activities without any interruptions.

I tested 25+ server locations without experiencing a drastic decline in network speed, despite using servers located in far-off regions that were thousands of miles away from my true geographical location.

When connecting to a US server (Chicago), I had a download speed of 9.5 Mbps, which was slower than my average of 20 Mbps. That’s still fast enough to stream Netflix but only in HD, not Ultra HD — you need 25 Mbps to stream in UHD.

A screenshot showing speed test results for SwitchVPN using a US server.Luckily my connection was still fast enough for streaming — but only in HD

Interestingly, when I connected to a server in Australia (which is much further away from my real location) I experienced speeds closer to my base connection:

A screenshot showing speed test results for SwitchVPN using an Australian server.Connecting to a server in Australia gave me better speeds

18 Mbps is still not fast enough to stream Netflix or APV in Ultra HD but it’s fine if you don’t mind slightly lower quality.

If you’re looking for a speedier service, take a look at our list of the fastest VPNs according to our latest tests.

Are SwitchVPN’s Speeds Fast Enough for Gaming? Yes, But Some Servers Have High Ping

I was able to play online games like Valorant and Minecraft but high ping sometimes gave me annoying latency issues.

As all online gamers know, it’s important to have the lowest ping possible to play online games smoothly. However, my ping occasionally went above 100 on some of the SwitchVPN servers I tested — giving me occasional lag.

A screenshot of the game Valorant, which I was able to play using SwitchVPN.However, other servers were too laggy for satisfying gameplay

Some servers let me play Valorant with no issues but, as with my streaming tests, it was a bit annoying to have to try several servers before finding one that worked well.

Take a look at our rundown of the best gaming VPNs to discover services that are more reliable for playing online games.

Server Network — Modest Number of Servers but Good Coverage

SwitchVPN has 250 servers based in 43 locations across the globe. I tested multiple servers and got a reliable connection with most of them, although speeds weren’t as consistent across the network as I’d have liked.

The majority of SwitchVPN servers are located within the US (10 locations including Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, and Silicon Valley). It has 3 servers within the UK. I tested all of these servers and they worked well from my geographical location in the US.

SwitchVPN also has servers in South America (Brazil), Asia (including countries like Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore), the Pacific Islands (Australia and New Zealand), North America (Canada and Mexico), and Europe (in countries like Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, and Romania).

Security — Basic Security Offering With No Extra Features

SwitchVPN’s security features are pretty basic. It encrypts your connection with AES 256-bit encryption. That’s the highest level of encryption and the standard for most VPNs — it makes sure your traffic can’t be monitored or intercepted by hackers or snoopers.

There is a kill switch but only on the Windows and Mac apps.

A kill switch cuts off your traffic if you lose connection to a VPN. It prevents your traffic defaulting to your ISP and accidentally exposing your online activity. Most VPNs offer multi-platform kill switches as standard so I was disappointed that it wasn’t available for mobile or Linux users.

The kill switch also only works with OpenVPN. If you want to use another security protocol, you won’t be able to use the kill switch — leaving you vulnerable.

The customer support representative I spoke to told me that split-tunneling is available but only on Android apps.

Split-tunneling is a useful feature that lets you choose which apps you route through your VPN and which ones you leave out. So you could use a VPN with your browser but whitelist your banking app to prevent the VPN triggering any location alerts with your bank.

The representative also assured me that the split-tunneling feature works as a kill switch on the Android app — cutting off your selected apps if you lose connection to the VPN.

A screenshot of SwitchVPN's live chat support talking about the VPN's Android app and split-tunneling.This is better news if you’re an Android user

Overall, SwitchVPN has decent security features but doesn’t offer anything special.

I’d also like to see more uniformity across its apps. You can’t always guarantee you’re getting the best protection when you use the VPN with different devices.

Security Protocols

SwitchVPN offers IKEv2, OpenVPN, SSTP, L2TP, and PPTP. These protocols help with encryption and help to secure your online activity.

  • IKEv2: This protocol showed promising results during the tests I conducted. SwitchVPN’s IKEv2 protocols generally work best when your browsing session is synced to a server that’s close to your geographical location. I’d recommend using IKEv2 when browsing from a mobile device simply because it has an auto-connect feature that helps you stay protected when you’re making the switch from Wi-Fi to data, or vice versa.
  • OpenVPN: A remarkably safe protocol, OpenVPN sees regular updates and transformations at the hands of qualified security professionals from around the world. This security protocol is offered in 2 versions: UDP and TCP. While UDP is better for live streaming and calls, TCP is ideal for browsing because it offers a more stable connection even though it is slower than UDP.
  • L2TP: An older security protocol developed in the 90s, L2TP offers decent speeds but there have been some reports that suggest it might be vulnerable to security leaks. It's also not good at getting around firewalls.
  • SSTP: Created by Microsoft, SSTP works best with Windows devices. It's slower and less secure than OpenVPN and IKEv2 but it is good at bypassing firewalls — so it's worth trying it out if you're having trouble getting around censorship or other internet restrictions. 
  • PPTP: One of the oldest security protocols around, PPTP is fast — but only because it offers hardly any security. I don't recommend using PPTP if you value your online privacy.

SwitchVPN also offers the SOCKS5 proxy. Proxies help you change your IP address and can be a bit faster than VPN protocols because they don't encrypt your connection. Without encryption though, your traffic is open to snoopers and hackers so I'd always recommend sticking to a VPN protocol instead.

Leak and Virus Tests

All the servers I connected to — in Canada, the US, Austria, and more — were water-tight with no IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks. It’s crucial that your IP and DNS are hidden, or your true location can be revealed. This could prevent you from unblocking streaming sites or expose you to nasty online threats. WebRTC should also be disabled because the communication protocols with your browser can show your location to the webpage you’re visiting.

The VPN also disabled IPv6, which is reassuring because some VPNs don’t send IPv6 traffic through the VPN "tunnel".

Screenshot of leak test results on SwitchVPN, showing that the VPN has no leaks.When I connected to a server in Canada, SwitchVPN hid my true location

The IP address successfully changed to match my chosen server location — my geolocation changed accordingly, hiding my actual location. This is great for unblocking streaming sites, and keeping your online activity secure.

Screenshot showing SwitchVPN changed geolocation with a new IP.I selected a server in Austria, and SwitchVPN changed my IP accordingly

I also ran a virus test on SwitchVPN's installer files and found no malware or viruses.

A screenshot of a virus test on SwitchVPN's installation files, showing the VPN is free from malware.It's safe to download SwitchVPN, the files contained nothing malicious

Privacy — Too Vague for a US-Based VPN

SwitchVPN’s privacy policy is too vague for me to recommend it as a completely private VPN service.

The VPN is also located in the US, which is a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance. The Eyes Alliance is an international intelligence sharing pact and the US is a particularly non-privacy-friendly member.

Any VPN based in the US needs to have a watertight logging policy to ensure that it has none of your information to hand over if legally requested by authorities. I read through SwitchVPN’s privacy policy, Terms of Service, DMCA policy, and wasn’t entirely satisfied with what I found.

The VPN claims only to store “non-identifiable information". It says it doesn’t log your IP address or anything you do online while connected to the VPN.

However, I was a bit alarmed to see “user IP addresses, browser types, domain names" listed amongst the "Non-Personally Identifiable Information" the VPN collects about you.

The VPN’s Terms of Service and DMCA policy also make it very clear that SwitchVPN will comply with any “valid legal processes". That means it will hand over any information it has about you to authorities if it has to.

As I mentioned before, normally this wouldn’t be an issue if the VPN doesn’t store any logs — it can’t hand over information about you if it doesn’t have anything to hand over. However, SwitchVPN has never undergone any independent audits so you can only take their word that they aren’t logging information that could be used to identify you.

SwitchVPN’s privacy policy is just vague enough that I wouldn’t trust it to give you complete privacy and anonymity.

Torrenting — P2P-Optimized Servers but Worrying DMCA Policy

All of SwitchVPN’s servers are P2P-friendly.

However, it also has special P2P-optimized servers in countries including the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Sweden. I was able to find these P2P servers using the filter function in the SwitchVPN app.

The VPN also offers port-forwarding, which speeds up P2P connections and helps you enjoy faster file sharing.

I tested SwitchVPN’s P2P servers with my torrent client and my speeds were fast enough for quick and easy torrenting.

That being said, SwitchVPN’s privacy and DMCA policies aren’t exactly torrent-friendly.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act is designed specifically to prevent copyrighted material from being shared online. It can be very easy to get into trouble under DMCA law when torrenting, if you accidentally download something that is copyrighted.

SwitchVPN makes it very clear that it abides by DMCA laws and will hand over any information it has about you should you become suspected of copyright infringement. Theoretically, they shouldn’t have much to hand over but the privacy policy is just vague enough that I wouldn’t feel completely safe torrenting with SwitchVPN.

Instead, I’d recommend that you use one of these safe VPNs for torrenting instead.

Does SwitchVPN Work in China? Yes, And It Has Servers in Hong Kong

SwitchVPN claims to be able to work in China. It even has China-optimized servers and servers in Hong Kong, giving you a better chance of good connection speeds when using the VPN in China.

Should you encounter problems while using SwitchVPN in China, the website offers a concise troubleshooting guide to assist you.

Simultaneous Device Connections — 3 or 6 Allowed

You can connect up to 3 devices on the Premium Plan and up to 6 devices on the Family Plan.

For a paid VPN, this limit is a bit off-putting. You can definitely find other VPNs that allow you more device connections, and some even offer unlimited simultaneous connections.

Device Compatibility — Compatible With Major Platforms

SwitchVPN is compatible with Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux.

Manual setup guides are also available for Chromebook, ASUS routers, gaming consoles, Smart TVs, and NAS devices.

Installation & Apps

8.9

Set-Up & Installation — Easy and Simple Apps

The installation process is quick and easy. It only took me a few minutes to download, install, and get started.

Once subscribed, you can log into the client area on the SwitchVPN webpage. This takes you to an easy-to-navigate dashboard, with the apps immediately visible. I was able to find and download the Windows app in seconds. As well as the native apps, there’s a manual setup option. Here you’ll find the guides for configuring the VPN on a router so you can use it on any device on your network.

Screenshot showing SwitchVPN dashboard page with app download linksI was presented with all my account information and download links as soon as I logged in

The Windows app installed without any problems, and I could log in straight away. It showed my current IP address, with a “select server" option on the main screen. There’s also a recommended server list, which I found to be reliable.

Screenshot showing SwitchVPN's Windows app with its recommended server list.SwitchVPN has a recommended server list to get the best connection

Under settings, you have some very straightforward options under different tabs. You can change your general options like launching the app on Windows startup, and connecting to the last used location.

The protocol area will let you switch to your preferred protocols, like OpenVPN UDP/TCP and IKEv2, and even has a handy description telling you the effectiveness of each one — I thought this was a nice touch.

Screenshot showing SwitchVPN's app with protocol optionsThe app is easy to navigate, including the protocols section

When you’ve selected your server, you just click on the connect button and wait for the app to confirm you’ve established a connection. Your connection speed is also displayed under the server location.

Screenshot demonstrating how SwitchVPN's app shows your connection speed.The Windows app enabled me to establish a secure connection very quickly

From installation to connection only took me about 5 minutes, so you won’t have any difficulties getting started with SwitchVPN.

To activate this VPN on Windows, be sure to visit the “Network and Internet" tab on the Settings menu. There, you will find an option that says “Add a VPN connection." Click on it and add “SwitchVPN" to the “Connection name" section. You will also need to input your user ID and password here, so keep those handy during set-up.

Don’t forget to save your settings, too, or else you may have to repeat the entire process.

Pricing

8.8
Premium Yearly
$ 3.99 / month per month
Families Yearly
$ 5.99 / month per month
Families Monthly
$ 9.99 / month per month

SwitchVPN’s Premium package costs from $6.99 per month when paid on a monthly basis. This package allows users to connect up to 3 devices at a time and includes all of the service’s features.

When paid annually, the same package will cost you just $3.99 per month, hence bringing down the overall annual cost from $83.88 (if paid by the month) to $47.88 (when paid altogether for the entire year).

The Families package costs $9.99 per month when paid on a monthly basis but will only cost $5.99 when billed annually. You can save 40% off the original price by paying for the entire year in one go. If paid for annually, this package will cost you $71.88, but when paid on a monthly basis, it will cost you $119.88 for 12 months.

The Families package has the same features as the Premium option. Save for one thing: you can connect up to 6 devices at a time with the Family package as opposed to only 3 when employing the Premium deal.

You can pay using cards supported by Visa, American Express, and MasterCard. PayPal, bitcoin, and Alipay are also accepted.

You can try out the 3-day sample plan for just $1. This trial period can help you decide whether or not to subscribe to the service as a permanent member. If you want a bit longer to test out the VPN before committing, there’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Reliability & Support

8.9

SwitchVPN offers excellent customer service with a 24/7 live chat and large knowledge base, making it easy to overcome any issues you may have with the service. The live chat support team got back to me within minutes and provided in-depth and helpful answers for all of my questions.A screenshot of SwitchVPN's excellent 24/7 live chat support

As for reliability, I’d say that this service is quite reliable. I’ve been using SwitchVPN for a few months now and have not faced any major issues during this time period.

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

The Bottom Line

Many servers to choose from, though limited number of IP addresses

Final Verdict

SwitchVPN is reliable but not outstanding. I found the service easy to use and mostly fast enough for everything I wanted to do online. However, its unclear policies and US headquarters were red flags when it comes to privacy.

The VPN gives you access to most major streaming sites and its speeds are good enough for streaming if you don’t mind watching in HD instead of UHD. It’s also one of the few VPNs that actually works in China.

Even so, SwitchVPN’s US HQ, open commitment to US data laws, and vaguely worded privacy policy didn’t fill me with confidence. Since SwitchVPN hasn’t has any independent audits, we can only take the VPN's word that it isn't storing any of your sensitive information.

I prefer to be completely sure that I’m guaranteed anonymity and privacy when using a VPN so I would choose a service with a more watertight privacy police over SwitchVPN.

If you feel the same way, I’d pick from our list of the best and most secure VPNs instead.

  • Gigabit-speed servers available
  • Torrenting allowed over Dutch servers
  • Range of connection types available
  • Quick and easy to set up
  • IP rotation
  • Kill switch feature

FAQs on SwitchVPN

Is SwitchVPN safe?

SwitchVPN provides decent security features and claims to have a no-logging policy. However, its security features aren’t consistent across its apps so you don’t always enjoy the same protection depending on which app you use.

I also found SwitchVPN’s privacy policy a little vague — especially for a VPN that’s based in the US, which is not a privacy-friendly country.

Can SwitchVPN unblock Netflix?

Yes, SwitchVPN can unblock Netflix within the US and the UK. In order to watch US Netflix, just select a US server. If you want to access British Netflix, be sure to select a server based within the UK.

During my tests, I found that SwitchVPN was also able to unblock a number of other major streaming sites.

Will SwitchVPN slow my speeds down?

Yes, SwitchVPN will slow you down somewhat.

All VPNs can be expected to slow you down but the best VPNs are so fast you barely notice any difference. SwitchVPN isn’t the fastest VPN I’ve tested but gave me mostly reliable speeds that were good enough for browsing and streaming in HD. Check out our list of the fastest VPNs if you want something speedier.

Money Back Guarantee (Days): 30
Mobile app:
Number of devices per license: 6
VPN Plans: switchvpn.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.
SwitchVPN User Reviews (User reviews are not verified)
7.3
Based on 58 reviews in 14 languages

Write a Review on SwitchVPN

Please rate VPN.

All Speed Streaming Security Сustomer service
Peter
Peter
2/10
Bad Client Service

I had invoice due Jan 17, 2019 which I paid on Jan 15th, 2019. The bill is shown as paid on the My Account website, but services are not available still as of Jan 23 because the account is suspended for not being paid. I have a ticket for three days now - nobody check it to open the account, nobody is answering... Very bad client service

    Aboidu Aodu
    Aboidu Aodu
    6/10
    Good service but could be much better

    Everything worked fine , I am satisfied with the service. I do hope you could add more servers especially in the Asia Pacific region. European pool of servers could also be improved some servers don't work in that region . Over all good service but not exceptional.

    Jean de Aguiar
    Jean de Aguiar
    10/10
    Very good!

    It's a very good service. The interface is friendly and Switch Vpn doesn't affect the speed of the computer or the connection. I tried different Vpn services but Switch Vpn is really the best far away.

    About the Author

    Andreea Juganaru is a former senior editor for vpnMentor. She used her extensive knowledge in cybersecurity to research and analyze ways our readers can protect their online privacy.

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