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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover 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 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 to review VPN services and cover 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 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.

Whoer VPN Review 2024 — Is the Free Plan Really Secure?

Our Score: 5.1/10
Ranked 121st out of 198 VPNs
Editor's Note: Whoer and this site are in the same ownership group.
Doris Muthuri Updated on 1st October 2024 Fact-checked by Matthew Amos Senior Writer

Whoer is a lesser-known VPN that offers both free and premium apps. It claims to provide top-tier security and privacy features that match the top VPNs in the industry. But can the free version really keep you safe, and is it worth trying the premium version?

Unfortunately, I couldn’t thoroughly test Whoer due to the limited payment methods it accepts. Although its website makes it look like you can purchase it with international currencies, a teammate from the US and I couldn't pay with our credit cards. PayPal was also completely unavailable, even though Whoer claims to accept it.

However, after testing its free version, I don’t think Whoer VPN is worth your time. As you might expect, it’s pretty limited. It didn’t give me a good impression of the premium app, which has a small server network and lacks important features like 24/7 live support. If you want a service that offers various payment methods, fast speeds, and thousands of servers worldwide, you can try one of our top-rated VPNs from this list.

Important. This VPN is primarily marketed towards businesses. Unlike most personal VPNs we review, it's not necessarily designed for activities like streaming and gaming. Therefore, consider that its overall score may be impacted since we grade every VPN using the same categories. To make an informed decision, read on to see how the VPN performed in the areas that matter most to your business.

Short on Time? Here Are My Key Findings

Pros

Cons

Whoer Features — 2024 Update

4.4
💸 Price 3.90 USD/month
📆 Money Back Guarantee 30 Days
📝 Does VPN keep logs? No
🖥 Number of servers 60+
💻 Number of devices per license 5
🛡 Kill switch Yes
🗺 Based in country Cyprus
🛠 Support Email support
📥 Supports torrenting Yes

Streaming — Free Plan Doesn’t Work for Streaming

My team and I couldn’t test Whoer VPN’s premium version with any streaming services because we couldn’t successfully subscribe. We only tried testing the free servers.

The free plan offers you 2 servers, and both are in the Netherlands. Our team members in the Netherlands couldn’t get it to work with any streaming services available in the country. They tested it with platforms such as Netflix Netherlands, Prime Video, Disney+, and NPO Start and couldn’t even log into their accounts.

You could theoretically use a service like Whoer to access content that's not available in your region. However, doing so would likely be seen as copyright violation. Only our tester in the Netherlands attempted to stream with Whoer since there was a free server in her country.

The premium version might work for safe streaming, but there’s a good chance you’ll have trouble signing up like we did. If you want a reliable way to watch the content available in your country safely, check out this list of the best VPNs for streaming.

Important. My team and I are firmly against any form of copyright infringement. Whoer states in its policies that it doesn’t monitor your online activities. So, you’re responsible for how you decide to use it. We encourage you to please follow the rules and regulations of any site, app, or service you use.

Speed — Very Slow on Free Servers

Whoer VPN’s free servers are quite slow, which is common with free VPNs.

My team and I typically test various worldwide servers to gauge a VPN’s overall performance. This is purely done to assess their speeds. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to create one of our speed charts for Whoer since the free version only lets you connect to 2 servers in the same country.

I tested Whoer’s free servers in the Netherlands from my location in Nairobi, and my average speed drop was more than 90%. Even though the Netherlands is far from my location, about 7,000km away, this is a much larger drop than usual.

The top VPNs typically lower your speeds around 40% at that distance. I’ve even tested free VPNs that only dropped my rates by 60% with servers that far away.

I can’t say whether the premium servers are fast, but they weren’t very quick in our previous tests. However, we do regularly test many top VPNs for speeds, and the best ones lower your rates by so little it’s hardly noticeable. To learn more about them, check out this list of the fastest VPNs we’ve tested.

Gaming — Poor Results With Free Servers

As you might have guessed, I could only test Whoer’s free plan for gaming. Unsurprisingly, the performance was disappointing. When I tried playing Roblox, the game wouldn’t load at all.

Minecraft requires less data, so I wasn’t surprised that it technically worked with Whoer. However, the gameplay was frustratingly slow. During my Minecraft session, there was a long delay between my button presses and the character’s actions (over a second).

Screenshot of Minecraft being played while connected to Whoer free server in the NetherlandsMost free VPNs struggle to provide lag-free gaming

These results weren’t surprising because the ping on the free server was pretty high (312ms). You’ll want a ping rate below 85ms for smooth gameplay. This high rate was partially due to the server’s distance from me. However, even with a paid account, Whoer might not have a server near you as you’ll see in our next section.

If you want a VPN that can keep you safe while maintaining low ping, look into this list of the best VPNs for gaming.

Server Network — Small With Many Missing Regions

Whoer’s free version only offers two servers (both in the Netherlands). The customer support agent told me that the complete app has servers in 21 countries, mostly in Europe and Asia. This includes servers in Canada, Germany, France, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK, and the US. There are no locations in Africa and South America.

Screenshot of Whoer's Windows app showing the free serversI also like that many of its locations are city-level

The support agent also confirmed that all the servers are physically located in the countries you connect to. Some VPNs offer virtual servers that aren’t actually in the location listed. They also confirmed that it owns all its servers, but the company doesn’t provide much information about its network — including how many servers are available in each country.

Whoer doesn’t offer any additional network services, such as dedicated IP addresses. I like these because they are helpful if you need a consistent online identity for services like website hosting.

Overall, Whoer VPN’s server network is disappointing. You can review this list to find VPNs with much larger server networks.

Security — Decent Variety of Safe Features

Whoers has adequate security features to keep your data safe online. It even offers some advanced options, like double VPN. And even though I had many issues with its free app, it did pass all of my leak tests.

On the other hand, it’s missing some common, useful features such as split tunneling, ad and malware blockers, private DNS servers, and more. To get a service with all the top security features, you can try one of these VPNs.

Encryption and Security Protocols

Whoer VPN uses top-notch 256-bit AES encryption, the same level used by the military, to protect your online activities. This type of encryption is extremely secure, making it practically impossible to crack.

Additionally, Whoer offers various protocols including IKEv2/IPSec and OpenVPN. IKEv2 is known for its stability and is a good choice for mobile devices that switch between WiFi and cellular networks. OpenVPN is considered the safest protocol around since it’s open-source, which means it’s regularly checked for vulnerabilities by worldwide experts.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to switch protocols with the free app.

Kill switch

I was happy to find that Whoer VPN offers a kill switch — some of the smaller VPNs I’ve tested neglect this. A kill switch is a safety feature that automatically cuts off your internet if the VPN connection drops unexpectedly. I consider it a necessary fail-safe, and I’m wary of using VPNs without it.

Web proxy

Whoer also provides a web proxy tool. Although this sounds like something fancy, it’s actually just Whoer’s version of a browser extension, which is compatible with Chrome, Firfox, Vivaldi, Brave, Sidekick, and Opera. It doesn’t encrypt your full connection like a VPN does. Instead, it just changes the location within your browser.

Like with the free VPN, you can only connect to the free Netherlands locations unless you have a premium account.

Double VPN

This feature routes your internet connection through two different VPN servers instead of just one. This means your online traffic is encrypted twice, adding an extra layer of security. However, you should be aware that this almost always results in slower speeds. This feature is also irrelevant for the free app since you can only connect to 1 country.

Privacy — Doesn’t Log Data, but Not Audited

Whoer VPN claims it won’t collect any identifiable data during your sessions, but you have to provide your email address to use the free plan. I also didn’t find any proof that it has undergone any independent audits.

Does Whoer Keep Logs? No

Whoer is clear in its policies and states it never monitors your online activities. Its policies say it only collects the information necessary to provide you with its services, such as the email you use to register, license key, subscription date, and trial status. Whoer also logs your operating system version and the app version you’re using for troubleshooting purposes.

I have no issues with its policies, but I was a bit disappointed that you have to provide your email address before you can use the free service. Many free VPNs don’t require this, and I feel more comfortable that way, especially when testing out a new service.

Was Whoer Audited? No

Unfortunately, Whoer’s privacy policy hasn’t been audited or verified by a third party. I couldn’t find any information on the website or anywhere online about this. I even tried asking their support team about it but got no reply. Personally, I prefer using VPNs that have had their privacy policies independently checked and verified.

Based in Cyprus

Whoer VPN is based in a country outside the 5/9/14-Eyes Alliance. This is basically an agreement between governments to share data about their citizens. It’s always a good thing when a VPN is headquartered outside of these countries because they could hypothetically ask a provider to change their policies in the future.

Does Whoer Work in China? Maybe

A Whoer customer support agent told me that you can use Whoer in China, but it depends on your location and your internet provider. Therefore, I’m skeptical about how well it works. The SSTP and L2TP protocols would probably be your best bet within the country if you decide to try it out.

Screenshot of an email response where Whoer agent confirming that it does work in ChinaMost VPNs I have tested struggle to work in China

The Chinese government has banned many VPNs, but there haven’t been any publicly-reported cases of them going after individuals for using them. My team and I don’t condone any illegal activities and advise you to familiarize yourself with the local laws before using a VPN. If you choose to use one in the country, you can read this list of VPNs that regularly work in China.

Torrenting — Free Plan is Bad for Torrenting

Whoer VPN’s free plan performed poorly for torrenting. When I contacted customer support to find out if I could use P2P networks with the free app, the agent said that I could only use the servers where torrenting is not banned. They mentioned that the Netherlands servers aren’t banned, so everything should have been good to go.

The process required some complicated setup, and even after all that, my file never started downloading. I obviously wasn’t able to test any more servers. However, if you’re interested in staying safe during P2P file-sharing, I recommend you take a look at our list of VPNs that are excellent for fast and safe for torrenting.

While torrenting is legal in most countries, downloading copyrighted materials isn’t. The vpnMentor team is against all copyright violations, so we ask you to please only access torrents within the public domain.

Installation & Apps

5.2

Installation & Apps — Okay for Compatibility; Frustrating Apps

Whoer has apps for the most popular devices and operating systems. While they’re easy-to-use, the apps can be buggy. I was especially annoyed at how long it took to establish a connection, and my Windows app would also disconnect randomly.

Setup & Installation

The free app was easy for me to install once I could find it. I wasn’t able to get it directly from the website. I had to email customer support, who then sent me a link to their free trial download page.

Screenshot of Whoer's download pageFor your mobile device, you'll install it from your store

You have to ask for an activation code that you use to log into the app. It was easy to connect to a server after I provided mine. You simply need to pick one of the 2 free servers and click connect.

However, my colleague was never sent an activation code even after requesting it from various email addresses. During his discussions with support, they simply told him they would send his complaints to the technical department. This means on top of being unable to pay, there might be a good chance you can’t even test out its free version.

Device Compatibility

Whoer VPN has a native app for all the most popular operating systems. I was actually impressed to see that it supports routers, which most smaller VPNs don’t. However, its router setup is rather complicated as you’ll soon see. Using a VPN on your router can let you encrypt connections on any device connected to your home network, but it’s not easy with Whoer.

It doesn’t directly support any smart TVs or streaming devices like Amazon Fire Sticks. Whoer VPN also doesn't offer Smart DNS, a feature that makes it easier to connect a VPN to your gaming console.

Desktop — Apps for Windows, Mac, and Linux

The desktop apps are simple and seem user-friendly at first. The homepage is pretty minimalistic and only shows the server list and the connect button. The Windows and Mac apps are quite similar and share many features.

However, testing the Windows app was frustrating. It frequently froze, disconnected unexpectedly, and often displayed a connection error. I had to keep restarting my computer to get it working. Later on, I ran into a situation where I couldn’t get the VPN to connect at all.

Screenshot of Whoer's Windows app showing me an errorThe error always went away after I restarted my device

The Linux version is available for Ubuntu and Fedora. Unfortunately, there is no free app for Linux, so it only works with a premium account.

Android and iPhone (iOS)

The mobile apps are similar to the desktop versions but offer even fewer customization options. The only available settings are to enable the VPN at startup and to compress VPN traffic to save data.

When testing it on my Android, I was annoyed that it always took longer than a minute to establish a connection. Like the Windows app, the connection kept dropping at the most random times. With weak support for phones, I suggest you test out one of our best VPNs for mobile devices before setting up Whoer on your iOS or Android tech.

Browser Extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge

Whoer VPN has extensions (web proxies) for Chrome, Firefox, Yandex, Brave, Vivaldi, Sidekick, Edge, and Opera. The extensions are even simpler to use. Click on a server to connect. You can configure your connection, but it has fewer customization options than the desktop app. There’s WebRTC leak protection but no kill switch.

Router Compatibility

You can also set up Whoer VPN on your router, but it’s only through manual OpenVPN connections. It was a bit tough to find on the website, but it seems that it mainly supports DD-WRT routers. You could change your firmware if you have a different model, but I’d be cautious of this because it can cause serious damage if done improperly.

Manually connecting a router to your VPN is time-consuming and confusing. If you want an easy way to protect all the devices in your household, you can try one of the best VPNs for routers from this list.

Simultaneous Device Connections

You can use Whoer VPN on up to 5 devices simultaneously. This number is slightly below the average offered by other top VPNs. The free VPN only allows one device for each activation code.

When testing, I tried to use the activation code I used on my Windows laptop for my Android phone but got an error. I had to use a different email to get a unique activation code for the Android app.

Pricing

4.4
1 Year
$ 3.90 / month per month
6 Months
$ 6.5 / month per month
1 Month
$ 9.9 / month per month
Editor's Note: Whoer and this site are in the same ownership group.

Pricing — Expensive for What It Offers

Whoer VPN offers 3 subscriptions. Each of them offer the same features, they only differ in cost. The monthly plan is the most expensive as you might expect, with the prices decreasing as you extend your term. There are much pricier VPNs out there, but for what it offers, Whoer premium plans are not a good value.

It has a free version with unlimited usage, which is uncommon as free VPNs typically have strict data limits to encourage you to upgrade. However, the free version of Whoer VPN limits you to just 2 servers in the Netherlands. According to Whoer’s site, it’s also much slower than the premium version.

Whoer claims to allow a great range of payment options. These include PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit cards, along with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dash, and Litecoin (which receive discounts). In addition, it lists Perfect Money, Yandex Money, QiWi, and WebMoney as accepted methods.

However, the PayPal option didn’t pop up when I tried to pay. I also tried using different debit and credit cards but always received an error message. The customer support staff were no help, so I wasn’t able to buy the premium plan at all. The same issue happened to my colleague in the US who wasn’t even able to get an activation code for the free version.

Whoer mentions on the website that it offers a money-back guarantee, but it doesn’t specify how many days. Since I couldn’t subscribe, I wasn’t able to test this guarantee either.

Reliability & Support

5.4

Reliability and Support — No 24/7 Chat

Whoer customer support was responsive and helpful at times, but we mainly communicated with them through email because there is no live chat. I saw a customer support button on the website, but it was inactive. On the plus side, they usually emailed me back quickly.

Once, I even received a response in less than an hour, which was impressive. Many of their email responses were thoughtful and answered my questions satisfactorily. For example, when I asked about PayPal, they apologized before letting me know that new legislation due to world events has prevented them from accepting this method.

Screenshot of an email response where I asked if Whoer support P2P sharingI was happy that agents were easy to understand unlike the site

However, support agents could never help my US teammate test the free app. Even after going back and forth with them for a week, no activation codes were ever sent to any of his emails. I had a similar problem when the VPN stopped connecting (and its agents never responded to my requests for help). So, our support experience with Whoer was hit-or-miss.

You can also contact Whoer VPN on their social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Additionally, their website features a blog section where you can find answers to FAQs and other popular topics. But, I wish they had video tutorials, which is my favorite learning medium.

On the positive side, I’m glad that Whoer VPN supports six different languages, including Russian, English, German, Spanish, French, and Turkish.

Compare Whoer With The Top Alternative VPNs
Our Score: 9.9
Our Score: 9.7
Our Score: 9.6
Our Score: 9.5
Editor's Note: Transparency and impartiality are important to us when bringing you our best selection of VPNs. Some of the industry-leading products on our list, including Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost, and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company. The VPNs we choose are derived from a thorough testing process.

The Bottom Line

Final Verdict — Not A Reliable VPN

Overall, Whoer VPN’s free plan is an unimpressive service. It has decent security and privacy features. But, you’ll be stuck with slow speeds, a small server network, and poor performance while gaming or torrenting. The worst part is you might not even be able to upgrade to the premium version due to its currently limited payment methods.

So, I do not recommend this VPN. There are just too many options out there that top it in all categories. You can get a service with a larger network, audited privacy policies, 24/7 live chat, and more if you check out this list of our top recommended VPNs.

  • Military-grade encryption
  • No-logging policy
  • Free plan

FAQs on Whoer VPN Review

Is Whoer VPN safe?

Yes, Whoer VPN is safe. It uses AES 256-bit encryption to keep your data secure from hackers, and its servers passed my IP and DNS leak tests. It also has a strict no-logging policy and is based outside of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances, which means that it is not obligated to share your data with government bodies.

Is Whoer VPN any good?

No, Whoer is not a good VPN. The provider comes with decent security and privacy features, but it’s missing some common options like split tunneling. It also comes with a very small server network. The worst part is many of the payment methods listed on its website don’t work. So, myself and a colleague of mine found it impossible to sign up for the premium app.

Does Whoer have a free trial?

Whoer has a free app. It lets you connect to 2 servers, but both are located in the Netherlands. To use the free service, you need to provide an email address where you will receive a code that you need to activate the app. It worked for me, but I have to warn you my colleague never received any codes even after multiple attempts with various email addresses.

Money Back Guarantee (Days): 30
Mobile app:
Number of devices per license: 5
VPN Plans: whoer.net
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 to review VPN services and cover 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 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.
Whoer User Reviews (User reviews are not verified)
3.5
Based on 15 reviews in 2 languages

Write a Review on Whoer

Please rate VPN.

All Speed Streaming Security Сustomer service
Evgenii
Evgenii
2/10
Just scammers

I bought a subscription for a year. The speed is terrible, everything works very poorly. They don’t refund the money, their 30 day guarantee is just a lie. do not pay for their services and do not use them.

LEI
LEI
2/10
Scam companies

The customer service response is almost 0, the client is not available at all, the router connection speed is pitifully slow, and the refund is almost impossible.

Irina
Irina
10/10
Good enough

I've been using Whoer about a year, they provide 16 countries now. Fine service. good support. I work on euro servers mostly, fast enough for stream videos. Ask for promo coupons - they provide good discount

About the Author

Doris is a tech writer and a cybersecurity researcher for vpnMentor. She is enthusiastic about educating people about their rights to online freedom and provides actionable ways to protect their data.

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