Ariel Hochstadt
Ex-Google, International tech speaker
TorGuard, WiTopia and PureVPN have a lot going, each on their own accord. PureVPN boasts competitive pricing plans, backed by a seven-day money back guarantee. This feature-packed VPN offers expansive server coverage, supports five simultaneous connections and comes with a kill switch and IP leak protection. PureVPN certainly lives up to its claim as the fastest VPN on the market. WiTopia’s paid plan unlocks access to servers in numerous countries, supports OpenVPN and other protocols and offers cross-platform compatibility. However, this VPN falls to its knees with poor connectivity speeds. iOS and Android customers using TorGuard may be unable to access strong OpenVPN protocol. Still, TorGuard stacks up pretty well on other fronts – its server network offers global coverage so you can access geo-blocked content, including Netflix, wherever you are. Other impressive features include a kill switch, DNS leak protection and stealth connections for bypassing firewalls like those in China.
Features
7.4
Pricing
9.1
Ease of Use
8.0
Reliability & Support
5.7
Features
8.8
Pricing
7.4
Ease of Use
8.8
Reliability & Support
9.1
Features
6.0
Pricing
8.2
Ease of Use
8.2
Reliability & Support
8.0
Rating
Features
7.4
8.8
6.0
Pricing
9.1
7.4
8.2
Ease of Use
8.0
8.8
8.2
Reliability & Support
5.7
9.1
8.0
Reviews
Review by our expert
Katie Kasunic
Technology Researcher
7.6
PureVPN is a premium service that operates 2,000+ servers in 140+ countries. It offers unlimited bandwidth, P2P compatibility, and high-end security features including military-level encryption and port forwarding.
Even better, it can unblock Netflix. But it's not as reliable as our top 10 recommended VPNs, since the speeds were slow and the quality was poor.
Streaming – Does PureVPN Work wit
3 years as a customerBeen using Pure VPN for 3 years without any issues. I always disable auto-renew and buy a year's deal on discount at around £12 for the year. These deals can be found on many deals sites if you look around. Speeds are fine at around 2 thirds of my unconnected speeds testing from UK based servers and neighboring countries servers. I don't connect to far-reaching countries so can't comment on the connection speeds. Only had to use the support once and within 5 minutes my issue was resolved. Android app is a bit clunky compared to the likes of the top 10 but at £12 for a year I can't complain. Suffices my torrent and streaming needs to keep my activities hidden from my ISP. Note, I do not use their streaming profile as PPTP uses RC4 and is not secure enough to hide your activities. Always best to be safe!
Latest negative user review
Cyryll
2.0
They will auto subscribe you even after cancelling before 7-day trial endsThey took $77 from me even after canceling for 1 day of use and before the trial ended. They will auto-subscribe you to their 1-year subscription even though you have not subscribed. Have to contact their customer service and told me it was automatic, didn't help me at all and I had to contact PayPal for a refund.
TorGuard is best known for its large server network and strong torrenting support.
Is TorGuard really privacy-friendly? How does TorGuard perform in other areas, such as streaming?
We tested TorGuard’s VPN service across a number of categories to find out its strengths and weaknesses.
TorGuard’s best features include robust security, a built-in adblocker, P2P support, a strict no-logs
Unbeatable price for fast speeds!What sold me on TorGuard was their pricing flexibility and different add-on features that you can choose to add-on later or bundle up to save even more. They have a 50% coupon that can be found on their website right now as of 6/29/2020, or you can google it and always find it. They have 1 month, 3 month, 6 month, and 1 year or longer plans so you don't have to commit to a ridiculous 2 or 3 year contract like NordVPN to save money. That's where TorGuard wins, you are NOT committed to 3 years to save money. You can save 50% immediately for any length of time whether its the 1 month plan or longer. Plus their speeds are awesome! I can get 300mbps download speeds easily using their normal public servers closest to me. My normal speed without VPN is like 400mbps, so that's really really good for a VPN at this price range. If I tune the settings more, I can get even faster speeds. I never get disconnected once you set it up correctly (there's a small learning curve, but their online customer support is fantastic). I use Windows 10 with their regular VPN service and windows client program and everything just works. If you can install a simple program or know the basics in computers you can easily set things up and get going. They also have an active forum with tons of tips and tricks to help you fix any issues you come across. I came from NordVPN and ExpressVPN and got tired of their price gouging and super long contracts, couldn't wait to leave and try something else. TorGuard is it! Can't believe what I have been missing. I am no longer tied to a dumb contract for 3 years anymore. So glad that was over.
Latest negative user review
Jeff
2.0
RE JasonI have had nothing but a pleasant experience with TorGuard, I came here to write a review but I had to respond to your mindless reply, as it's very clear on there TOS and there checkout even, that they cannot be refunded! If hiu buy it for some other purpose they do not advertise then could be disappointed but it's hardly there fault is it? Anyway TorGuard has been fantastic for me.
Endorsed by The New York Times and The Economist, WiTopia certainly does well in the first impressions stakes. Rebranded from the originally named Full Mesh Networks; WiTopia has been operating since 2003. Their aim has always been to supply "complicated and expensive security technology over the Internet as a set of managed services." They created their personalVPN in March 2005 to optimize their u
Had it for 9 years, still happyI've used them in Mexico for almost 10 years now. I know the computer support world and they go the distance, they are truly exceptional. I have no problem with US Netflix or Amazon, they have a kill switch now, and I have one account that runs on 3 devices. They've been around the block, they have experience and competence, they've been loyal to me and I'm not leaving anytime soon. If your connections are dropping it most likely has to do with your provider throttling your connections.
Latest negative user review
Anonymously
2.0
Constantly drops on my Mac, even worse on iPadI have been a Witopia user for at least 4 years. When I chose them they were the best rated and I liked their polices and ethics better than others. However, a persisting problem is that their connection drops, sometimes every few hours. When I first contacted support they blamed the issue on my ISP, saying that they were severing the connection between my Mac and the VPN server and they couldn't do anything about it. And discussions with support over the years have only ended with the company still claiming that a solution was out of their hands. What kind of tech company is this, so non-inventive.
Time passes and I can't find a VPN that I can trust. I purchase an iPad 6th gen a month ago, and setup the VPN. Unlike the experience on the Mac, the VPN drops sometimes in as little as three minutes and at other times remains connected for up to 30 minutes before dropping. I contacted Apple support, completed a diagnostic which found that the problem is not with the iOS, which only leaves Witopia as the problem.
The least that Witopia could do is develop a notification that alerts the user, telling them that the connect is about to drop. That way the browser(s), could be closed before the true IP address is revealed. My subscription expires soon and I won't be renewing.
PureVPN is a premium service that operates 2,000+ servers in 140+ countries. It offers unlimited bandwidth, P2P compatibility, and high-end security features including military-level encryption and port forwarding.
Even better, it can unblock Netflix. But it's not as reliable as our top 10 recommended VPNs, since the speeds were slow and the quality was poor.
Streaming – Does PureVPN Work wit
TorGuard is best known for its large server network and strong torrenting support.
Is TorGuard really privacy-friendly? How does TorGuard perform in other areas, such as streaming?
We tested TorGuard’s VPN service across a number of categories to find out its strengths and weaknesses.
TorGuard’s best features include robust security, a built-in adblocker, P2P support, a strict no-logs
Endorsed by The New York Times and The Economist, WiTopia certainly does well in the first impressions stakes. Rebranded from the originally named Full Mesh Networks; WiTopia has been operating since 2003. Their aim has always been to supply "complicated and expensive security technology over the Internet as a set of managed services." They created their personalVPN in March 2005 to optimize their u
3 years as a customerBeen using Pure VPN for 3 years without any issues. I always disable auto-renew and buy a year's deal on discount at around £12 for the year. These deals can be found on many deals sites if you look around. Speeds are fine at around 2 thirds of my unconnected speeds testing from UK based servers and neighboring countries servers. I don't connect to far-reaching countries so can't comment on the connection speeds. Only had to use the support once and within 5 minutes my issue was resolved. Android app is a bit clunky compared to the likes of the top 10 but at £12 for a year I can't complain. Suffices my torrent and streaming needs to keep my activities hidden from my ISP. Note, I do not use their streaming profile as PPTP uses RC4 and is not secure enough to hide your activities. Always best to be safe!
Ivan
10.0
Unbeatable price for fast speeds!What sold me on TorGuard was their pricing flexibility and different add-on features that you can choose to add-on later or bundle up to save even more. They have a 50% coupon that can be found on their website right now as of 6/29/2020, or you can google it and always find it. They have 1 month, 3 month, 6 month, and 1 year or longer plans so you don't have to commit to a ridiculous 2 or 3 year contract like NordVPN to save money. That's where TorGuard wins, you are NOT committed to 3 years to save money. You can save 50% immediately for any length of time whether its the 1 month plan or longer. Plus their speeds are awesome! I can get 300mbps download speeds easily using their normal public servers closest to me. My normal speed without VPN is like 400mbps, so that's really really good for a VPN at this price range. If I tune the settings more, I can get even faster speeds. I never get disconnected once you set it up correctly (there's a small learning curve, but their online customer support is fantastic). I use Windows 10 with their regular VPN service and windows client program and everything just works. If you can install a simple program or know the basics in computers you can easily set things up and get going. They also have an active forum with tons of tips and tricks to help you fix any issues you come across. I came from NordVPN and ExpressVPN and got tired of their price gouging and super long contracts, couldn't wait to leave and try something else. TorGuard is it! Can't believe what I have been missing. I am no longer tied to a dumb contract for 3 years anymore. So glad that was over.
Miriam Haberfeld
10.0
Had it for 9 years, still happyI've used them in Mexico for almost 10 years now. I know the computer support world and they go the distance, they are truly exceptional. I have no problem with US Netflix or Amazon, they have a kill switch now, and I have one account that runs on 3 devices. They've been around the block, they have experience and competence, they've been loyal to me and I'm not leaving anytime soon. If your connections are dropping it most likely has to do with your provider throttling your connections.
Latest negative user review
Cyryll
2.0
They will auto subscribe you even after cancelling before 7-day trial endsThey took $77 from me even after canceling for 1 day of use and before the trial ended. They will auto-subscribe you to their 1-year subscription even though you have not subscribed. Have to contact their customer service and told me it was automatic, didn't help me at all and I had to contact PayPal for a refund.
Jeff
2.0
RE JasonI have had nothing but a pleasant experience with TorGuard, I came here to write a review but I had to respond to your mindless reply, as it's very clear on there TOS and there checkout even, that they cannot be refunded! If hiu buy it for some other purpose they do not advertise then could be disappointed but it's hardly there fault is it? Anyway TorGuard has been fantastic for me.
Anonymously
2.0
Constantly drops on my Mac, even worse on iPadI have been a Witopia user for at least 4 years. When I chose them they were the best rated and I liked their polices and ethics better than others. However, a persisting problem is that their connection drops, sometimes every few hours. When I first contacted support they blamed the issue on my ISP, saying that they were severing the connection between my Mac and the VPN server and they couldn't do anything about it. And discussions with support over the years have only ended with the company still claiming that a solution was out of their hands. What kind of tech company is this, so non-inventive.
Time passes and I can't find a VPN that I can trust. I purchase an iPad 6th gen a month ago, and setup the VPN. Unlike the experience on the Mac, the VPN drops sometimes in as little as three minutes and at other times remains connected for up to 30 minutes before dropping. I contacted Apple support, completed a diagnostic which found that the problem is not with the iOS, which only leaves Witopia as the problem.
The least that Witopia could do is develop a notification that alerts the user, telling them that the connect is about to drop. That way the browser(s), could be closed before the true IP address is revealed. My subscription expires soon and I won't be renewing.
When important factors such as server coverage, pricing and security technology are considered, PureVPN comes out a clear winner. With servers spread across more than 140 countries, this provider shows its commitment to providing online security and anonymity for users, wherever they may be. PureVPN comes with DDoS protection as an additional layer of security against malware attacks. Cross-platform compatibility and a provision for five simultaneous connections means your entire family can safely browse and easily access any blocked sites. Backed by great customer support, PureVPN does offer great value for money.
Interestingly, if you compare PureVPN with NordVPN, which is our top ranked vpn, you'll see that PureVPN can learn a lot from NordVPN. Compare PureVPN with NordVPN
Honesty and transparency – our two core values – make the internet a friendly place. Our reviews are written by users themselves, and are not influenced by VPN companies. When you purchase a VPN, we sometimes earn affiliate commissions that support our work. Here is an explanation of exactly what we do and how to support our work.
Katie Kasunic
Guy Fawkes