Zenmate VPN Review & Test 2020 - Surprisingly Better than Others
Ariel Hochstadt | Updated on 2nd February 2020
Ex-Google, International tech speaker
ZenMate is an easy-to-use, high-speed VPN with military-level security features. It operates servers in 30+ global locations.
ZenMate is a great choice if you want to unblock Netflix. With a premium account, you’ll enjoy its streaming guarantee: Choose your favorite streaming service from the comprehensive list, and if there’s an outage, ZenMate will discount your next renewal.
Let’s take an in-depth look at this VPN’s features and policies to find out if it’s the best one for you.
Streaming – Does ZenMate Work with Netflix?
Given its unique streaming guarantee, my first test was to see if ZenMate could unblock some of the most popular streaming services. Unfortunately, it failed to unblock several of the most popular sites.
ZenMate now has dedicated streaming profiles with servers optimized for each platform, but it didn't unblock all of them. If you want to stream global content, uninterrupted, why not check out our best VPNs for streaming?
Netflix US: Yes, I could unblock Netflix US.
Hulu: Yes, I could unblock Hulu.
BBC iPlayer: Yes, I could unblock BBC iPlayer.
HBO GO: Yes, I could unblock HBO GO.
Amazon Prime Video: Yes, I could unblock Amazon Prime Video
ZenMate Speeds
Nobody wants to wait forever for a website to load, so it’s important to choose a VPN with high speeds.
For regular browsing, you’ll get the best speeds if you connect to a server that’s close to your physical location. The farther your data has to travel, the slower your speeds will be.
If you want to bypass a geoblock, you must connect to a server in a country where that content is available. For example, if you want to watch Netflix US, you’ll need to connect to a US-based server. Since your data has to travel farther, this will decrease your connection speed. But with a quality VPN, you shouldn’t notice the difference.
As part of my review, I tested ZenMate’s speeds while connected to my local Australian server, and a server in the US.
My base speed before I connected to a VPN was 12.62 Mbps download and 0.85 Mbps upload, with a ping of 32ms.
Next, I connected to my local Australian server, which would give me the best possible speed while connected to the VPN.
As expected, with a download speed of 12.47 Mbps, an upload speed of 0.8 Mbps, and my ping at 48 ms, my connection speed stayed almost the same.
Finally, I tested my speed when connected to the US server. Although my connection suffered some loss, 2.91 Mbps is still fast enough to browse, send emails, and even watch videos.
Is ZenMate Good for Torrenting?
Yes! ZenMate allows P2P connections and is fast enough for high-speed torrenting. ZenMate has recently added a dedicated torrenting section with servers optimized for P2P.
Is ZenMate Safe?
ZenMate provides a high level of security that will keep you and your data safe online.
Does ZenMate Keep Logs?
ZenMate follows a strict no-logs policy.
It is based in Germany, however, which is part of the 5/9/14-Eyes Alliance. But is this a risk to everyday users like you and me? Not really. Because of its strict no-logs policy, ZenMate wouldn’t have any data records to give to the authorities if such were requested.
Does ZenMate Have an Ad Blocker?
ZenMate doesn’t have a built-in ad blocker, but it does offer separate, free ad-blocking software.
Does ZenMate Work in China?
No. ZenMate has publicly announced that its service does not work in China. It even goes so far as to ask China-based users not to take out a paid subscription, as it likely won’t work.
Price and Value for Money
ZenMate is budget-friendly and offers exceptional value for money. The free version is especially good for having no data limits. Of its three paid subscription plans, the two-year plan works out to be the cheapest.
Does ZenMate Have a Free Version?
Yes. ZenMate offers a limited free version. It also offers a 7-day free trial of its premium service.
ZenMate’s Refund Policy
ZenMate offers a 30-day, money-back guarantee on all of its paid subscriptions.
Is ZenMate Compatible with My Device?
You can protect up to five devices at the same time with a single ZenMate account.
ZenMate is compatible with:
- Android
- iOS
- Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and some Chromium-based browsers
- macOS
- Windows
- Android TV
- Amazon Fire Stick
- OpenVPN
Its OpenVPN support allows you to install it on various gaming consoles, smart TVs, and operating systems like Raspberry Pi and Ubuntu.
Encryption
ZenMate’s browser extensions use AES 128-bit encryption and its desktop and mobile clients use AES 256-bit.
Security Protocols
ZenMate offers OpenVPN, 1Kev2, and L2TP protocols. It supports different cipher suites with PFS (Perfect Forward Secrecy).
Identity Shield
The VPN performs monthly security checks to detect if your email account has been involved in a data breach elsewhere on the net. If the email you registered with ZenMate is compromised, it will inform you so that you can update your credentials.
Customer Service
I was very impressed with ZenMate’s customer service.
It doesn’t offer a live chat option, so I reached out via email and expected a bit of a wait. I got my response within 10 minutes, with my questions answered in detail and extra information included. The customer support agent was polite and knowledgeable.
User Experience
ZenMate’s app is clean and simple to use. It’s great for beginners, but if you’re a more advanced user, you won’t be disappointed.
The simple layout makes it easy to find and configure your connection settings.
In the My Account window, you can control your subscription settings without having to leave the app, including renewing or canceling your plan.
It’s also especially easy to switch servers. All you need to do is search or scroll down the list, click on a server, and watch it connect. If there’s a problem, you’ll see an exclamation point next to the server name to let you know.
This app has been beautifully designed by ZenMate. It’s an absolute breeze to use. Even if you’ve never used a VPN before, you’ll be a master of this one in minutes. You can also choose to use the compact view. This offers connection to your favorite server or a one-click best location option.
Conclusion
ZenMate is packed with great features, and its app is one of the best I’ve used.
Its premium plans are well-priced, while its limited free plan provides adequate security and a choice of four servers. You’ll enjoy a nice discount if you opt for its two-year plan. All of its paid subscriptions offer the same great features.
ZenMate was also extremely fast. Although I lost a little speed using the US server, my local server provided optimal speeds.
Its customer support really impressed me. Although I always favor a VPN that offers live chat, I received a full response to my email within 10 minutes.
If you’re looking to invest in a VPN for torrenting, browsing, and general security, ZenMate is a great choice. It can unblock Netflix and BBC iPlayer, but if you’re looking to bypass geoblocks to watch international streaming services, I recommend checking out our best VPNs for streaming.
| Features | Details |
|---|---|
| Number of countries with servers | 30 |
| Number of servers | 2226 |
| Does VPN keep logs? | Partially |
| Does VPN include a kill switch? | Yes |
| Number of devices per license | 5 |
ZenMate is a hassle-free, feature-rich VPN.
It took me only 30 seconds to download and install the app, and I quickly created an account with just an email and password.
The app is highly customizable, but configuring your settings manually is optional; it’s ready to go once you log in.
ZenMate offers two membership tiers. The limited free plan for Firefox, Opera, and Chrome browser extensions allows you to connect to up to four different locations at a maximum speed of 2 Mbps.
If you’d like more locations, higher speeds, or to use the desktop app, you have three subscription options. You can sign on for one month, one year, or two years. The longer the plan, the better discount you’ll receive. The two-year plan works out to be the cheapest.
ZenMate accepts PayPal, credit cards, and UnionPay.
ZenMate’s website features an extensive support section. If your question isn’t answered in the FAQs, you can send an email or submit a ticket.
I reached out to their customer service via email to ask about encryption protocols. Although I expected a bit of a wait, I received a response from a very helpful and polite staff member within 10 minutes of emailing.
A slow and slightly dodgy VPN for advanced users, but simple and straightforward with plenty of options for beginners
ZenMate impresses as an outstanding VPN.
My app downloaded in under a minute, and the registration process was quick and easy. Everything was ready to go in about three minutes.
The discounts on its long-term subscriptions make it a very affordable service. I was impressed by its limited free plan: Although you can only choose from 4 server locations, and its speeds are capped, there are no data limits. This is one of the best free plans I’ve come across to date.
ZenMate’s customer service is terrific. Although it doesn’t offer live chat, I received a thoughtful, informed response within 10 minutes of emailing.
- 300 servers in 30 countries
- Browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera
- Offers free version and 30-day money-back guarantee
- Up to 5 simultaneous connections
- Unlimited bandwidth and P2P support
- Features include malware blocker, kill switch, and DNS leak protection
- Get started with Zenmate VPN now
Mark Foster
Although ZenMate has a dedicated server for BBC iPlayer it does not work. I contacted ZenMate support about this. They said they knew and are fixing it. One month later it still does not work. I cannot recommend ZenMate for BBC iPlayer. I switched to ExpressVPN as a result.
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