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.
Advertising Disclosure

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.

Buffered VPN vs AirVPN 2024

Table of Contents
    Our Score: 8.1/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Our Score: 7.3/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info

    Which VPN is better?

    Author Image Kristina Perunicic
    Kristina Perunicic

    Managing Editor

    UPDATE: Buffered VPN merged with StrongVPN and is no longer operating independently. For more information about StrongVPN, feel free to check out our review page.

    Best alternative to StrongVPN

    Our Score: 9.9

    With a larger global server network and its proprietary Lightway protocol, ExpressVPN offers access to more streaming platforms, plus improved speeds for buffer-free streaming. It’s the better overall service, as our testing showed, and comes with wider OS support, reliable 24/7 support, and headquarters in a privacy-friendly location.

    Our Score: 9.9
    Read more about ExpressVPN
    See ExpressVPN's Best Deals
    Compare ExpressVPN vs StrongVPN
    Visit ExpressVPN
    www.ExpressVPN.com

    AirVPN and Buffered are two popular VPN providers that are widely respected for reliable security and bypassing unusually tough geoblocks worldwide. Unlimited bandwidth, strong 256-bit encryption, and support for P2P are some of the essentials that these two VPNs share. You also get protection from wi-fi hacking, tracking, and leaks with either of these VPN providers. While AirVPN offers access to 220 servers in 20 countries, Buffered provides servers in 37 countries. In addition, Buffered offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for all new orders, whereas AirVPN only offers a 3-day refund policy. Both VPNs have apps for MacOS and Windows, but Buffered’s provision of additional apps for Android and iOS devices makes it a very attractive option for mobile users. Buffered also provides Internal VPN DNS resolution on root servers, which is great for bypassing geoblocks smoothly. Before deciding which of these VPNs is better for you, scroll down and see how we compare them across several categories.

    Our Score

    Features 8.1/10
    Pricing 6.3/10
    Ease of Use 8.8/10
    Reliability & Support 8.6/10
    Features 7.3/10
    Pricing 7.0/10
    Ease of Use 6.8/10
    Reliability & Support 7.2/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Doris Muthuri
    Doris Muthuri

    Senior Writer

    Our Score: 8.1/10

    Update: Buffered VPN merged with Encrypt.me. We have thoroughly tested Encrypt.me, and you can find everything you need to know in our review. Buffered VPN has a lot to offer due to its user-friendly interface, fast connection speeds, and reliable security. One thing it can't do is unblock Netflix, you'll need a premium vendor like ExpressVPN for that. In addition to dedicated apps available for ...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    D
    Don Bartlem
    10.0/10
    I considered a number of VPN's before going with Buffered which I find excellent.

    No issues in any aspect, On the rare occasions that I required assistance (in the initial set up stage... ), the Help Desk was outstanding. Would highly recommend Buffered to anyone considering using a VPNMore

    Latest negative user review
    T
    Trev
    2.0/10
    They are no more

    After being a customer for more than 2 years and paying a premium price for a good service. THEY DON'T...  EXIST ANYMORE.. No warning, just logged in one day and my app doesn't work and they have changed their website name. STAY AWAY, sounds dodgy.More

    Read the full review
    Review by our expert
    Author Image Lawrence Wachira
    Lawrence Wachira

    Senior Writer

    Our Score: 7.3/10

    AirVPN is a budget-friendly option that claims to provide robust protection against online threats. Plus, it says it offers high-performance servers. But can it really rival the top VPNs, or is the price so low because it’s not that good? After testing all its features, I found that AirVPN is secure, but it can't match the best VPNs. It has many great security features, solid speeds and works...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    M
    Marco
    8.0/10
    I am AirVpn cusomers since 2015, and on my gear works remarkably well

    I am working in the biggest country in Asia since 2006. I constantly use AirVpn on my MacBook Pro sinc... e 2015, and on my iPhone - iPad. I never had an issue, of any kind, with it, and I was quite amazed to read the article above. Lately, it is very difficult to get it properly run on iPhone and iPad, but this is more the result of this country where I live in restrictions than the vpn in itself. While in Hong Kong was still working fine, but as soon as I crossed the border troubles started. I will tweak that as soon as I will be out again. In the rest of the world, I never had issues. So I do not give the 5th star just because of my at present troubles using it on my iPhone and iPad. For the rest, I will stick with it.More

    Latest negative user review
    A
    Ari
    2.0/10
    14 Eyes country

    Italy is a 14 Eyes country and that is enough reason to not buy AirVPN. No servers in Russia, so you c... ant bypass the Western censorship of Russian media. VPN should be about bypassing censorship, but this is not the case with AirVPN.More

    Read the full review

    Pricing

    Starting price $8.33/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license 5 devices
    Starting price $2.24/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license 5 devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall

    Buffered offers a dependable service that includes many advanced features, user-friendly apps for all major platforms, and 24/7 customer support. Although AirVPN lacks 24/7 live support and mobile apps, it is nevertheless a secure VPN with strong encryption.

    Best VPN for Torrents

    With several dedicated P2P servers and fast server connections for downloading torrents, Buffered delivers a very reliable VPN service for torrenting anonymously. AirVPN also has an unrestricted VPN service for P2P file-sharing and includes port forwarding to allow you to torrent without a trace.

    Best VPN for Windows

    Buffered offers a user-friendly Windows app that gives you access to high-speed servers and 24/7 customer support via live chat. Meanwhile, AirVPN has a dedicated app for Windows that features support for OpenVPN over SSL and SSH, 256-bit encryption, and a built-in dynamic DNS.

    Best VPN for Android

    Buffered is our recommended choice for Android, with a native app that features a firewall-based kill switch, 256-bit encryption, and support for multiple VPN protocols, including SSTP and L2TP. AirVPN’s lack of an Android app is a letdown, but when installed manually, the VPN still provides a decent service with unlimited bandwidth and server switching.

    Best VPN for Mac

    Buffered’s MacOS app features a useful diagnostics tool and protection from wi-fi hacking and third-party tracking. Meanwhile, AirVPN also provides a powerful service for MacOS, with support for OpenVPN over SSL, SSH, and Tor.

    Best VPN for iOS

    Buffered has a very intuitive iOS app with a firewall-based kill switch, an easy-to-use layout, 256-bit encryption, and access to very fast servers. You won’t find a dedicated iOS app with AirVPN, but when configured using the built-in VPN tool, the service still provides good encryption and protection from ISP tracking.

    Best VPN for USA

    Buffered offers just one US server that reliably unblocks US Netflix and similar American websites and apps. However, its overall consistency in terms of connection speed makes it a good choice for streaming US content. The best feature of AirVPN’s service for the USA is that all its 200+ servers are uniquely programmed to unblock US Netflix, no matter where they are. The network also includes dedicated US servers for bypassing other American geoblocks.

    The Bottom Line

    See Plans & Pricing

    While AirVPN competes strongly with good security features and an innovative approach to unblocking Netflix, Buffered wins this comparison by providing dedicated mobile apps and a more user-friendly service overall. It also has 24/7 live chat support in place, which is absent with AirVPN, and comes with a much more customer-friendly guarantee. Although both VPNs can reliably bypass many tough geoblocks, Buffered offers better speeds for seamless streaming. Yet in spite of emerging as the winner here, Buffered struggles when compared to elite providers like NordVPN and ExpressVPN.

    Time to decide which one is best for you

    Go with Buffered VPN
    Go with AirVPN
    Or click here to check best VPNs, rated by {{review_count}} users

    FAQ

    Is Buffered VPN better than AirVPN?

    Yes, Buffered VPN is better overall than AirVPN. It has 30 servers in 37 countries, fast speeds, and impressive security features.

    Best of all, you can take advantage of its latest discount and get it for only $8.33 a month.

    What should I keep in mind when choosing between Buffered VPN and AirVPN?

    When choosing a VPN, you want to pay close attention to its number of servers, overall speed score, pricing, and the number of simultaneous device connections it offers. While some VPNs provide a flawless online experience, others will really slow you down.

    If you’re ready to commit, then Buffered VPN may be perfect for you due to its performance during the tests .

    Is Buffered VPN faster than AirVPN?

    Yes, Buffered VPN is faster than AirVPN. Since your VPN is your computer’s main connection to the internet, you need to use a service that won’t slow you down by more than 20%.

    If speeds are important to you, then I recommend you take a look at ExpressVPN. It’s the fastest service out there, provides unlimited bandwidth, and you won’t experience any slowdowns even when you connect to the other side of the planet. You can try it out risk-free. It’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can get a full refund if you don’t like it.

    Do Buffered VPN or AirVPN offer any deals?

    Both Buffered VPN and AirVPN offer deals on occasion. You can check out the current coupons and discounts here. However, ExpressVPN has the best deals. Right now, you can get a 49% discount and up to 3 months for free with a new subscription.

    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.

    About the Author

    Kristina Perunicic is a former editor for vpnMentor. She’s a cybersecurity expert with an interest in VPNs and their importance in the digital privacy landscape.