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Budget-friendly
Fast and reliable for streaming
All About Cookies is an independent, advertising-supported website. Some of the offers that appear on this site are from third-party advertisers from which All About Cookies receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear).
All About Cookies does not include all financial or credit offers that might be available to consumers nor do we include all companies or all available products. Information is accurate as of the publishing date and has not been provided or endorsed by the advertiser.
The All About Cookies editorial team strives to provide accurate, in-depth information and reviews to help you, our reader, make online privacy decisions with confidence. Here's what you can expect from us:
Atlas VPN was a fast and secure virtual private network (VPN) that hid our local IP address with military-grade encryption while browsing the web, streaming videos, joining audio and video conference calls, gaming, or even torrenting. It was owned by Nord Security, the parent company of NordVPN.
The Atlas VPN free version was a great choice for basic web browsing but it wasn’t ideal for streaming due to its 10 GB monthly limit. The premium version of Atlas VPN was a better option for more data-intensive activities. It worked quickly and successfully for us thanks to its unlimited bandwidth and other features.
Learn about our recommended alternatives, some of the best VPNs you can buy, for Atlas VPN below.
| Price | $1.64–$11.99/mo |
| Free version | Yes |
| Max # of connected devices | Unlimited |
| # of servers | 1,000 servers in 49 countries |
| VPN protocol | WireGuard, IPsec/IKEv2 |
| No-logs policy | No logs |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Netflix access | Yes, but it was limited in some countries |
We complete standardized hands-on tests for each VPN we review so we can put their claims to the test. This includes vigorous third-party testing by comparing our internet speed while connected to different servers, checking for DNS leaks, making sure the kill switch actually works, and more. We also make sure we can comfortably access popular streaming sites, like Netflix, and still do our day-to-day work without interruption.
Once we’ve completed the testing, our editorial rating is calculated by taking into account key features you’d expect from a good product. We score each VPN in the following categories and use a weighted average to calculate the final rating out of 5 stars: price, server count, speed, security, and features.
To learn more about how we test, check out our full VPN methodology here.
Although Atlas VPN is no longer available, there are plenty of VPN services available. Whether you need lots of simultaneous connections, a large server network, or budget-friendly pricing, our recommended alternatives each have their own strengths to consider:
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| Price | $2.99–$17.99/mo | $1.99–$17.95/mo | $2.03–$11.99/mo |
| Free version | |||
| Max # of connected devices | 10 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| # of servers | 6,800+ servers in 111 countries | 3,200+ servers in 100 countries | Unlisted in 91 countries |
| VPN protocol | NordLynx (WireGuard), OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | WireGuard, OpenVPN |
| Encryption | AES-256 | AES-256 | AES-128-GCM |
| No-logs policy | No logs | No logs | No logs |
| Headquarters | Panama | The Netherlands | United States |
| Netflix access | |||
| Learn more | Get NordVPN | Get Surfshark | Get Private Internet Access |
On March 25, 2024, Atlas VPN announced that it would be suspending its services on April 24, 2024. The blog post explained that Atlas encountered challenges like "rapidly advancing technological demands, a highly competitive market, and the escalating costs of providing top-tier services."
If you had a Premium Atlas VPN subscriptions, its services will transition to NordVPN. You'll be able to use Nord's features without having to pay extra until your Atlas VPN subscription expires.
If you used Atlas VPN Free, you'll be invited to try NordVPN at a discounted price.
For online privacy on a budget, Atlas VPN was a great option because it had both a generous free plan and a subscription premium plan that started at just $1.64/mo. It also had a wide range of features that enhanced privacy and security and it offered unlimited simultaneous connections.
Additionally, Atlas VPN claimed to have a strict "no-logs" policy in its privacy policy. While this is great for those who value privacy, Atlas VPN collected device information such as the device model, operating system, and similar data to monitor and improve their service. Its Warrant Canary, which is a statement that informs its users if it has been issued a government subpoena, couldn’t be independently verified either.
In our testing, Atlas VPN proved to be fast, secure, and reliable. It excelled in a variety of use cases, including browsing the web, streaming shows, playing online games, downloading torrents, as well as audio and video conferencing.
Furthermore, its SafeSwap servers could be used to switch between different VPN server locations without being disconnected, so you could take advantage of deals on airline flights or hotels that aren't available in your region.
Atlas VPN had two subscription plans: a free plan and a Premium plan. The free version included access to three server locations (Netherlands - Amsterdam, USA - Los Angeles, and USA - New York), military-grade encryption, and 5 GB of data.
The Premium plan started for as low as $1.64/mo for a two-year plan and $3.29/mo for an annual plan.
In addition, Atlas VPN offered a student discount for students from the U.S., Mexico, the U.K., and Spain to pay just $1.82/mo for the two-year plan. They could also receive three extra months of service and a 30-day money-back guarantee, which was great for budget-conscious students who use the internet often for their needs.
Atlas VPN offered a one-month plan, a one-year plan, and a two-year plan, which are detailed below. Atlas VPN accepted major credit cards, PayPal, and Google Pay as payment methods.
| Plan | 1-month plan | 1-year plan | Best Value 2-year plan |
| Price per month | $11.99/mo | $3.29/mo | $1.64/mo |
Atlas VPN was fast, secure, and had hundreds of servers to choose from worldwide. It also offered a wide range of features that made it stand out from other providers, including a kill switch, split tunneling, double VPN encryption, and malicious website blocking.
In addition, Atlas VPN was compatible with many devices and operating systems. We were delighted with Atlas VPN's support for Android TV and Amazon Fire TV, which is a rare feature uncommonly found in other VPN services. This made it a great choice for watching content on Netflix and other streaming services.
Atlas VPN also had another rare feature that most VPNs do not offer: data breach monitoring. This feature regularly checks public databases for compromised data linked to your email address.
Atlas VPN had a sizable server network. In early 2023, it added four new server locations for a total of 1,000 servers in 49 countries. Users had a wider range of options to choose from when connecting to a server, reducing the chances of overcrowding and slow speeds.
Having servers in multiple countries makes it harder to trace your online activity back to a specific location, which helps protect your privacy. The diverse range also allows you to bypass content restrictions and unblock content.
Atlas VPN had a no-logs policy, meaning it didn't collect or store any information about your online activities. For example, if a VPN provider is compelled by law enforcement to hand over your data, they will not have anything to share. Without a no-logs policy, VPNs would be like any other internet service provider (ISP) that tracks and logs the online activities and data of its users.
Atlas VPN was headquartered in the U.S., which is part of the Five Eyes Alliance, a group of countries that share intelligence information with each other. Despite being based in the U.S., Atlas VPN's no-logs policy ensured that it didn't collect any data that could be shared with authorities or law enforcement agencies.
A VPN's headquarters matters because laws regarding data retention and sharing can vary between countries. For example, the U.S. has laws that allow authorities to access user data with a warrant, while other countries may have stricter laws that protect user privacy.
While Atlas VPN did collect device information to monitor and improve its service, the privacy policy clarifies this data wasn't associated with your online activities and it wasn't personally identifiable. However, some may prefer a VPN that collects no information whatsoever.
Additionally, Atlas VPN's Warrant Canary, a statement saying that it has not received any warrants or requests for user data, couldn't be independently verified.
Atlas VPN's kill switch feature was designed to cut off all internet traffic if the VPN connection is lost or interrupted, protecting you from malicious actors who may intercept and manipulate your data. This feature is critical in VPNs for safeguarding your online data privacy and helping prevent data leaks.
If you walk into a coffee shop and connect to a public Wi-Fi network, you could be vulnerable to man-in-the-middle (MiTM) attacks. In a MiTM attack, cybercriminals can intercept and capture your personally identifiable information. With a kill switch, you can be confident that your data is secure and that your privacy is protected, even in these scenarios.
Atlas VPN also had a split tunneling feature. Split tunneling allows you to pick and choose which websites and apps are protected by the VPN, which ensures that only necessary data traffic is encrypted.
It also helps conserve bandwidth, as the VPN is only activated when required. When you want to access geo-restricted websites, you can use split tunneling to create a secure tunnel to the website without exposing other activities.
You can also access online banking or sensitive work information while still being able to use other applications or websites that don't require a higher level of security without slowing down your internet connection.
The Atlas VPN app employed military-grade encryption to safeguard internet traffic and protect data. Its encryption options included AES 256-GCM cipher, known to be one of the most secure encryption standards available.
The VPN also used SHA-384 and BLAKE2s hashing algorithms as well as the Poly1305 with ChaCha20 encryption protocol, which offers excellent security and performance.
Additionally, Atlas VPN implemented Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS), which generates a unique session key for each connection and changes encryption keys regularly. This makes it difficult for anyone to intercept or decrypt the data being transmitted.
These encryption standards provided robust security and privacy online, protecting sensitive data from interception, access, or manipulation. This is especially important if you frequently use public Wi-Fi hotspots or work with sensitive information.
Atlas VPN used the WireGuard protocol to provide a secure and private internet experience for its users. WireGuard is a newer and faster VPN protocol that is considered to be more secure than protocols like OpenVPN. It uses UDP to pass network traffic and the encryption protocol ChaCha20 (which is three times faster than AES-256).
WireGuard is also designed to be lightweight and easy to implement, making it a popular choice for VPN providers like Atlas VPN. With WireGuard, you can experience faster speeds and lower latency, making it ideal for activities such as streaming, online gaming, and video conferencing.
Atlas VPN also used IPsec/IKEv2 encryption. This encryption method is a combination of two protocols that work together to provide strong security and privacy protection. IPsec provides encryption for your data, while IKEv2 manages the encryption keys and handles the negotiation of the connection between your device and the VPN server.
IPsec/IKev2 is also security-focused, utilizing the Diffie-Hellman key exchange algorithm with encryption protocols like AES-256 or ChaCha20. It even supports PFS for data integrity and complete secrecy.
Atlas VPN had unique bonus features that ensure comprehensive online security and privacy.
SafeSwap was ideal for users who need to switch server locations frequently, such as those who travel or work remotely. SafeBrowse gave people who want to keep their online privacy safe an extra layer of protection. MultiHop+ was particularly useful for individuals who require high-level security and anonymity, including journalists, activists, and researchers who work with sensitive information.
Lastly, we appreciated Atlas VPN’s data breach monitoring for its alerts whenever your credentials have been compromised.
We tested Atlas VPN to determine its speed, checked if it could stream Netflix effectively from various server locations around the globe, and ran DNS and WebRTC leak tests to make sure it wouldn’t leak our local IP address or ISP.
Running tests on VPNs is crucial for helping you decide which one is fast, reliable, and secure enough for your needs before selecting one.
We tested Atlas VPN's speed performance using a 2017 MacBook Pro running macOS Monterey and Spectrum from Los Angeles, California. Our baseline download speed was 383.61 Mbps, our upload speed was 21.43 Mbps, and our ping speed was 12 ms.
Speed test results without VPN. /images/2023/03/09/atlas-vpn0ff-01.png)
Atlas VPN passed our speed tests in various server locations, with download speeds ranging from 217.84 Mbps to 267.71 Mbps, all within the recommended range for good download speeds. These speeds allow for easy streaming, video conferencing, and gaming on multiple devices simultaneously.
In our testing, we found each server location performed well when browsing the web, downloading torrents, listening to music on Spotify, and playing online games.
Joining video and audio conference calls on Discord and Zoom was also a breeze, although we noticed the connection would drop if we ran too many apps in the background. The speeds worked especially well when streaming videos on Netflix, which was a very fast and smooth experience.
While the necessary speed depends on usage habits and the number of devices, other factors, such as network congestion, ISP throttling, and hardware performance, can also affect speed.
Overall, our tests showed Atlas VPN's speed performance to be strong and within the recommended range for most households.
U.S. to U.S. (Los Angeles to New York) speed test results. /images/2023/03/09/atlas_vpnny_02.png)
U.S. to U.K. speed test results. /images/2023/03/09/atlas_vpnuk_04.png)
| Test type | No VPN | US to US | US to UK | US to AU |
| Download speed | 383.61 Mbps | 217.84 Mbps | 253.95 Mbps | 267.71 Mbps |
| Upload speed | 21.43 Mbps | 16.93 Mbps | 8.96 Mbps | 10.14 Mbps |
| Latency (ping) | 12 ms | 86 ms | 152 ms | 168 ms |
| Download speed % difference | N/A | 55.12% | 40.7% | 35.6% |
| Upload speed % difference | N/A | 23.4% | 82.1% | 71.5% |
| Latency % difference | N/A | 151% | 170.4% | 173.3% |
We tested Netflix speed results with each VPN on Fast.com, which Netflix owns. A speed of 5 Mbps is recommended for streaming Netflix shows.[1]
When we tested Atlas VPN with Netflix in various locations, we found that watching Netflix with this VPN was a quick and smooth experience in multiple countries, including the U.S., Australia, and Canada. It performed reliably without any buffering or lagging.
Unfortunately, it didn't work with Netflix in the U.K., even when we connected using a server in London. Despite this, Atlas VPN was still a great option for streaming Netflix in multiple countries.
| US to US | US to CA | US to UK | US to AU | |
| Did it work with Netflix? | ||||
| Streaming speed | 84 Mbps | 41 Mbps | 290 Mbps | 260 Mbps |
DNS, or Domain Name System, is the method of translating a website's name into its associated IP address. This is necessary for web browsers and other internet-based services to access websites.
It's important to ensure that a DNS leak test is passed when using a VPN because it indicates that the VPN is securely encrypting data, protecting you from revealing your local IP address, ISP, or location.
Atlas VPN passed the DNS leak test when we tested it with various server locations in the U.S., Australia, Canada, and the U.K. It didn't leak our local IP address, ISP, or location, confirming that it was a safe and secure VPN to use.
WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) is a technology that enables browsers to make real-time peer-to-peer connections, allowing for audio and video streaming and file sharing. WebRTC leak tests are used to check for vulnerabilities that could leak private information, such as IP addresses, audio and video device IDs, and ISP information.
We used an Atlas VPN server in Canada and ran our WebRTC leak test with Chrome and Firefox, which revealed that both audio and video device ID information was leaked.
However, Apple’s Safari browser did not leak any of our audio or video device information. While our local IP address and ISP information were not leaked, audio and video device leaks can be of serious concern, making you vulnerable to cyberattacks.
Atlas VPN was compatible with the following operating systems and devices:
Atlas VPN offered a comprehensive range of 24/7 customer support services. Customers could contact its customer support team via ticketing, email, or live chat.
Atlas VPN’s website also had a dedicated help center with a wide selection of articles and FAQs to help customers troubleshoot issues and find answers to their questions quickly.
Atlas VPN provided both free and paid versions of its VPN service. The free version had restricted features, while the premium paid version offered unlimited data usage, faster speeds, more server locations, and enhanced security features like double VPN encryption, malicious website blocking, and data breach monitoring.
Atlas VPN used advanced encryption and security protocols to protect user data and maintain privacy. It also had a strict no-logs policy, meaning it didn't' track or store user data.
Overall, Atlas VPN was considered a safe option for browsing the internet securely and privately.
Atlas VPN offered a referral program where you could invite up to 10 friends and family to get seven days of Atlas VPN Premium for free per person you refer. You could earn up to 70 free days, but the person you refer must be a new user.
Each person you referred would receive three days of Atlas VPN Premium for free once they subscribed to the service and installed the Atlas VPN app.
Atlas VPN was a reliable and user-friendly VPN service that offers both a free and premium version. The free version was limited in terms of server locations, connection speeds, and data usage, but the premium version provided access to a wider range of features, including unlimited data, fast connection speeds, double VPN encryption, malicious website blocking, and more.
Additionally, our testing showed that Atlas VPN performed well for streaming shows on Netflix, gaming, downloading torrents, and joining audio and video conference calls. Although it passed our DNS leak test, it was only partially successful in our WebRTC leak test.
If you're looking for more highly rated VPN options, check out our best VPNs guide.
Budget-friendly
Fast and reliable for streaming
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