SymlexVPN Review 2024 — Keep This in Mind Before Buying

Symlex VPN claims to have recently overhauled its app for iOS users, fixing existing bugs and improving the overall user experience. I wanted to test to see if the improvements had made it a VPN worth using, and find out whether it lives up to its claims.

The answer is: yes and no. Symlex VPN has made improvements to its service, including better connectivity and improved security features. However, I found there were inconsistencies between its website claims and my user experience, and it isn’t as transparent as I like it to be.

This VPN was inconsistent in my testing, and I was blocked by several major streaming platforms. Currently, it’s only available on Android, iOS, and Windows. It’s by no means a terrible service; there are simply more reliable VPNs out there for a better price.

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Streaming — Unblocks Some Platforms but It's Not Easy

I could access a few of the major platforms, but it was always difficult with Symlex VPN. That’s because I was constantly getting blocked. I had to test out tons of servers, use different browsers, and contact support to get anything working. There were also several streaming services that I could never access. On the plus side, the streaming quality was great once I finally got a platform up and running.

Unblocked: Netflix, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime Video

Symlex let me watch Netflix Originals, but it couldn’t unblock any full libraries. Originals is a limited version of the site. It only lets you watch the shows Netflix owns, so you miss out on region-specific content. However, I was impressed that all 4 servers I tested unblocked it.

Symlex VPN let me load videos nearly instantly and stream in the highest quality

HBO Max was a chore to unblock, but I got it working eventually. In my first test, I used the Seattle 1 server. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t even let me load the sign-in screen. With the California server, I was given an error message that told me HBO Max isn’t available in this region (it’s definitely available in California). I was finally able to access HBO Max with the St. Louis server.

Thankfully, Amazon Prime Video was much easier to unblock. I stuck with the St. Louis server, hoping it was my lucky charm. It did the trick, which impressed me because Amazon has powerful geo blocking technology.

The video started in HD right away, and I never had to deal with buffering

These aren’t terrible results, but the top VPNs make it so much easier to unblock the major platforms. You don’t have to go through so much trial-and-error, and their support staff are much more helpful.

Blocked by: Disney+, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer

I came close to unblocking Disney+, but I never got it to play any videos. First, I tried a London server, which just got the platform to load indefinitely. With the Salt Lake City server, I got to the login screen, but I was met with an error once I entered my credentials.

Last, I thought I had it unblocked with the Miami server. It accepted my email and password, and the menu started to load…very slowly. But, any time I tried to choose a video, I was only met with a gray screen. I tried 5 different ones, but none would play. I know it wasn’t an issue on my end because I could watch Disney+ with no VPN connected, and even with some other services.

Hulu just blocked me the old-fashioned way. Servers in Miami, St. Louis, Chicago, and Seattle all gave me an error screen. I even tried with Opera, Chrome, and Firefox, but nothing helped.

It’s only available in the United States, so you can’t access it with other locations

Last but not least, BBC iPlayer blocked me every time. The one positive is there were only 3 UK locations available, so it was all over quickly. This isn’t one of the tougher platforms to access, so I was disappointed.

The other issue is Symlex support staff didn’t have great answers for me. When I asked about Disney+, the troubleshooting advice I was given didn’t work. I was told to log out, restart my computer, and retest every single US server. That took forever, and it never unblocked Disney+.

The best VPNs make it easy to unblock all of the major platforms with hardly any effort at all. Many come with streaming-optimized servers and have support staff that can tell you exactly which servers work. You can check out this list of the best VPNs for streaming to access all the top services with ease.

Speeds — Impressive, but Only on Long-Distance Servers

Symlex gave me good speeds when I tested long-distance servers. I had more than enough to stream in HD, and found that my general speed sometimes increased, meaning that I wasn’t throttled.

I had fast speeds while connected to Symlex VPN’s servers

I started off with a base speed of 64.2 Mbps download, 27.5 Mbps upload, and a ping of 3ms. The first server I tested was in the UK, where my download speed reached 67.8 Mbs — a 5% increase, upload 22.6 Mbps, and ping stood at 49 ms. This is a great result and I couldn’t even tell I was connected to a VPN.

On the US server, my speed dropped by under 1%, down to 63.7 Mbps, while upload took a bigger hit — 9.12 Mbps, which is a 66% decrease. While the upload dropped considerably, I could still engage in any of my usual online activities without interruptions.

The last server I tested was a local one, where I experienced a 50% drop in download and a 65% decrease in upload. This is a little counterintuitive, as local servers usually provide the best speeds because the data doesn’t have to travel too much. This makes me wonder if Symlex VPN’s servers are virtual.

It’s normal for your speeds to slow down a little when you use a VPN, since your data has to travel to the server location and go through the encryption process. However, it shouldn’t slow you down by more than 20%. This means that Symlex VPN is on the right track here.

Overall, I was pretty impressed with its speed. However, since it falters in other areas I would recommend an all-around VPN choice that performs well in all areas of testing instead.

Server Network — Smaller Than Most

Symlex VPN has a very small network of servers, spanning just 47 countries — making it one of the smallest VPNs I’ve tested. A small bank of servers means overcrowding is likely, leading to congestion and slow connection speeds.

That said, I didn’t have too many issues with connectivity during my testing process. One of its US servers repeatedly connected and disconnected, which was frustrating and made me nervous about its security protocols. However, many of its servers across Europe and Asia connected quickly and I didn’t experience any drops.

The server network is small, but in most of my tests I found it to be reliable. I’d still recommend choosing a provider with a larger network of servers to avoid issues with overcrowding in future.

Security — Vague Features

Symlex VPN has good security features, but they’re not clearly explained.

here’s no information regarding the encryption level and protocols on the website. Instead, you get vague explanations assuring you that your data is safe. I wanted to know if there was a kill-switch or other protective features in use, so I contacted the customer support team to ask. They emailed me back and confirmed that Symlex VPN uses AES 256-bit encryption with DTLS support, and has a kill switch function in both the Android and iOS app. I was happy to hear this, but found it unusual that this isn’t specifically stated on the website.

Its protocols are strong, using reputable tunneling such as HTTPS, SSH, DNS, Wireguard, OpenVPN, OneConnect, and AnyConnect.

I ran a couple of IP and DNS leaks tests to see if Symlex VPN can successfully hide my personal data, and I had great results.

I didn’t identify any IP and DNS leaks on Symlex VPN’s servers

IP and DNS leaks can reveal your IP address and browsing history to the websites you access and your Internet Service Provider (ISP). As such, it's commendable that Symlex VPN effectively conceals my location, identity, and web traffic.

Privacy — No-Logs Policy and Outside of the 5-Eyes Alliance

Symlex is clear about its no-logs policy, assuring users that it doesn’t collect any data. It states it will only take the minimum personal details from its subscribers, such as email addresses and payment details, but also encourages the use of Bitcoin if you wish to remain as anonymous as possible.

Your data won’t be completely protected with Symlex VPN

The company is based in Bangladesh, which is outside of the 5 Eyes Alliance. This means that even if the government asked Symlex VPN to provide information about its subscribers, it could refuse. That said, the VPN seems to have a solid privacy policy, and it would be unlikely that it would have any data to give in the first place.

Simultaneous Device Connections — Up to 5

You get 5 simultaneous device connections with this VPN when you sign up to any of its plans. However, as it is still a mobile-only app, I didn’t see as much benefit having multiple device connections in my household.

Device Compatibility — Limited

Symlex VPN is only compatible with Android, iOS and Windows devices.

I was a little confused about its compatibility as the website contradicts itself. On it’s home screen and in the FAQs it states that it is strictly mobile only, catering to Android and iOS devices. However, it does have an app page that appears to give the option to download for Mac, Windows, and Linux. I tried to download the macOS apps, but it didn’t work for me.

When I messaged support, I was told that the macOS app is not released yet, so I was left with the mobile one. While it’s not a bad thing for a VPN to be mobile-only, I was disappointed when I couldn’t access the macOS download page at all.

You’ll only be able to use SimlexVPN on mobile devices and Windows

You can easily download the app to your mobile via the Google Play or App store, but be warned that there is some smallprint regarding its refund policy if you purchase your subscription from the App Store.

Torrenting — Supports P2P File Sharing and Torrents

You can torrent with Symlex VPN and it fully supports P2P file sharing. I would recommend running anti-virus if you do choose to use this VPN to torrent, as it does not provide malware protection or pop-up blocking.

It does boast a kill switch, so in the event that the VPN fails you will be disconnected from the internet immediately, keeping you safe from data privacy issues.

Does Symlex VPN Work in China?

Symlex VPN’s support team told me that the VPN works in China. However, you need to install the app before you arrive, or download the APK and install it once you’re in China.

You can use Symlex VPN in China