PureVPN checks many boxes for a good virtual private network (VPN) provider. It's one of the most affordable options, it has more servers than most VPN providers with over 6,500 servers in more than 70 countries, no logging of your data, and it passed our data leak tests.

However, PureVPN slowed down our internet speed, which is normal for a VPN, but PureVPN drastically dragged it down. Although it didn't affect our ability to stream services like Netflix, it's not ideal for those looking to maintain high-speed internet connections.

Let's dig into the details to find out if PureVPN's low cost is worth it for you.

PureVPN overview

Who is PureVPN best for?

• Recommended for people who want to save money on a VPN to connect to streaming services around the world without sacrificing their privacy

PureVPN has one of the more affordable VPN plans, starting at the lower end at $2.29. It's a no-frills VPN provider, but it does the job of hiding your online activity and connecting to servers around the world.

Its no-logs policy was independently audited in 2021. In the same year, it moved its headquarters from Hong Kong to the British Virgin Islands to maintain its commitment to protecting user privacy.

Although it hits all the right notes for online privacy, some people may find slower internet speeds to be not ideal. It also doesn't include any extra security features, such as a password manager and file encryption, unless you are willing to pay more for them.

PureVPN pros and cons

PureVPN features

PureVPN has a basic and modern interface that is easy to use. The app only shows you what you need to get started. Searching and connecting to servers across the globe is quick, and you can be ready to go with a click.

Sometimes modifying advanced settings is intimidating, but PureVPN makes it simple by providing brief one-sentence instructions and descriptions to choose what is best for you.

If you want a VPN and other security tools, then you might want to consider PureVPN. Along with the VPN services, it offers four add-on security features for an extra cost to your VPN plan:

• Password manager: PureKeep provides you with a safe space to store your login information and private documents.
• File encryption: PureEncrypt secures your documents, so you can share your files safely.
• Digital security: PurePrivacy helps you control your privacy settings to stop targeted ads and security leaks.
• Dedicated IP address: A dedicated IP address lets you use the same IP address for each session to ensure a smoother online experience.

Server count and countries

• 6,500+ servers in 71+ countries

You can easily find a fast server with PureVPN because it has more than 6,500 servers available. The servers are spread over 71 countries, so you can connect to server locations worldwide. 

A vast majority of servers are located in North America and Europe, but you can also find a decent amount of servers in Asia and Oceania. Options on other continents are pretty slim in comparison.

Having such a large variety of servers means you will always have options for a fast connection. It also makes it easier to access streaming services in different countries around the globe.

No-logs policy and headquarters

• PureVPN logs policy: No logs
• PureVPN headquarters: British Virgin Islands

PureVPN established a no-logs policy in 2018 and was independently audited by KPMG in 2021 to certify it as a no-log VPN company. The no-logs policy means the VPN won't log any data that can identify you or assist in monitoring your online activity. This can include browsing activity, identifiable connection logs, records of IPs assigned, and more.

As a further commitment to ensuring user privacy, the VPN provider moved its headquarters from Hong Kong to the British Virgin Islands in 2021. Although it's a British Overseas Territory, it's self-governed and has a separate legal jurisdiction from the U.K.

Therefore, it's not part of the Five Eyes alliance. Because the British Virgin Islands doesn't require PureVPN to store logs, the VPN can continue to protect your online activities from internet service providers (ISPs) and government officials.

Kill switch

A kill switch will automatically block your connection from the internet if the VPN loses connectivity. The benefit is that it ensures your data is always protected and not left exposed due to issues with internet connectivity or network failure. PureVPN does have a kill switch available. It's called Always-on.

We tested it out by enabling the Always-on feature. Then we disconnected from the VPN and opened a new window to see if we could connect to the internet. The browser was unable to load any pages, so the kill switch worked. Once we reconnected the VPN, we were able to access the internet again.

Split tunneling

You can opt for all apps to use a VPN, but you can also customize it by letting some apps bypass the VPN. This is known as split tunneling. It's a useful feature if you are looking to improve internet speeds or access an app that blocks VPN usage. PureVPN offers split tunneling, and it's easy to set up and use.

Encryption

PureVPN uses AES-256 encryption. The best VPNs use this type of encryption because it's nearly impossible to decrypt. AES-256 encryption ensures your data is constantly protected from unauthorized parties.

VPN protocol

PureVPN supports several protocols including OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEV, and Proxy. You can enable PureVPN to automatically connect to the most appropriate protocol.

You could also manually choose which protocol you want to use. If you think this is too technical for you, PureVPN does provide a one-sentence description of each protocol to help you decide which might be best for your needs.

PureVPN test results

We conducted four tests to evaluate whether PureVPN is capable of running overall privacy, quick internet speeds, and accessing Netflix in different countries. These tests include speed tests, a DNS leak test, a WebRTC leak test, and accessing Netflix libraries available to international countries.

PureVPN has mixed results. It had slow speeds, but it was able to provide privacy and access to Netflix across the globe.

Speed tests

• PureVPN speed test results: PureVPN failed its speed test.

The speed test began by establishing a baseline while using a MacOS without a VPN turned on. Our download speed was 42.2 Mbps and our upload speed was 10.8 Mbps. Then we connected to VPN servers throughout the world and tested how our internet speed was affected. Throughout our tests, PureVPN dramatically slowed down our internet speeds.

In theory, the further your local IP address is from the server, the slower your download and upload speeds become. So it's not surprising that Australia failed to deliver a strong connection, but we still noticed a significant difference in speed results even when connected to a local server.

Here are the speed results for the internet connection without a VPN and with VPN connections to servers in the U.S., Europe, and Australia.

PureVPN speed test results

We experienced slower internet connection speeds compared with not having PureVPN turned on. Slower internet speeds were experienced no matter where we connected internationally. Although it's normal for a VPN to possibly slow down your internet connection, it shouldn't be so drastic.

However, it's easy to search and connect to different VPN servers. PureVPN shows servers you recently connected to and recommendations based on past experience.

At one point during testing, we lost connection to a Netherlands server. PureVPN was quick to send a notification of the problem and recommended a different Netherlands server to improve speed.

Through it all, the slower internet connection didn't make a large impact on online browsing. But if internet speeds are important to you, then PureVPN may be disappointing.

PureVPN Netflix tests

• PureVPN Netflix test results: PureVPN passed its Netflix tests.

You might want to use a VPN to access Netflix content available in different countries. For example, you might want to watch a movie only available on Australian Netflix accounts. A VPN can help mask your current location and make it appear you are in Australia to access the movie.

We tested PureVPN's ability to connect to different servers in the U.K., Canada, and Australia and watch Netflix content available in those regions. We were able to access Netflix on all servers tested and didn't experience any lag or buffering. Tests were conducted on a Mac from a physical location in the U.S.

PureVPN Netflix test results

DNS leak tests

• PureVPN DNS leak test results: PureVPN passed its DNS leak tests.

A VPN is meant to encrypt your internet traffic, but some VPNs have Domain Name System (DNS) leaks that show your online activities.

We tested PureVPN using BrowserLeaks to see whether the VPN actually provided DNS leak protection and concealed our information. After connecting to PureVPN, it masked our information and displayed the connected server.

WebRTC leak tests

• PureVPN WebRTC leak test results: PureVPN passed its WebRTC leak tests.

A key characteristic of a strong VPN is the ability to hide your real IP address. However, WebRTC leaks can expose your IP address and make your online privacy vulnerable.

We used the BrowserLeaks website to test for WebRTC leaks while using PureVPN. When connected to a server with PureVPN, the app will display the IP address it is using to mask your genuine IP address.

Our WebRTC leak test shows that PureVPN used the IP address displayed on the app to mask our real IP address.

PureVPN compatibility

You can set up PureVPN on the following operating systems, devices, and browsers:

• Windows
• macOS
• Linux
• Android
• iOS
• Blackberry
• Android TV
• Firestick
• Google Chrome
• Microsoft Edge
• Mozilla Firefox
• Kodi
• Routers

PureVPN customer support

PureVPN has a support center filled with easy-to-follow guides. Although there is a contact page to send a message, it's much faster to use the 24/7 live chat support. The chat is available for all subscribers and is constantly supported by representatives. Unlike the app, the PureVPN website utilizes a chatbot along with the aforementioned live chat support.

There's no call center available, but our experience with customer support was relatively quick using the app chat. We asked a simple question about how to connect to the fastest server near us and received an answer within minutes.

We also tested out the website's chat feature, which uses a chatbot. It asked a couple of quick questions and for an email address before giving the option to continue to use the chatbot or connect to a representative. I opted to try out the chatbot and was able to receive some helpful information on a hypothetical connection issue.

PureVPN prices and subscriptions

PureVPN offers three different subscription plans: Standard, Plus, and Max. Standard comes with just the VPN, while the Plus plan includes the PureKeep password manager and PureEncrypt file encryption. The Max plan is most expensive but also comes with the most features, including a password manager, file encryption, and the Personal Privacy Manager.

You'll also have three subscription length options, and the longer you subscribe, the cheaper the overall subscription. The Standard two-year subscription costs $15.95/mo and is fairly affordable, especially compared with competitors such as NordVPN. If you choose to subscribe to the Standard plan for one year, the price goes up slightly to $5.82/mo, while paying monthly costs $2.29/mo.

Payment options include using a credit card, debit card, and PayPal. You can also pay with Google Pay but sometimes this option didn't show up for us, so you may want to consider a backup payment option just in case. In addition, you can pay with cryptocurrency via CoinGate. However, this option is nonrefundable and it was occasionally unavailable.

PureVPN prices and plan comparison

PureVPN FAQs

Bottom line: Is PureVPN good?

Yes, PureVPN covers all the basic needs of a VPN service: It protects your online data, can access streaming services internationally, and follows industry standards on encryption and no-log policies.

But we did run into a few issues while using PureVPN. All connected servers significantly lowered internet speeds and occasionally we lost connection and had to switch to a different server. There was also some inconsistency in payment options, as sometimes Google Pay and cryptocurrency choices appeared and other times didn't.

In general, PureVPN may be a good option if you are looking for an affordable no-frills VPN to protect your privacy and unblock streaming services abroad.

If you're looking for a reliable, high-speed VPN, then you may want to consider Proton VPN. It strikes a balance between fast internet speeds and affordability. There's even a free plan if you don't mind limited servers.

Learn More

On PureVPN's website

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• Affordable plans
• Works with popular streaming services
• Drastically lower internet speeds

Author Details

Sara J. Nguyen

About the Author

Sara J. Nguyen is a freelance writer specializing in cybersecurity. She aims to help people protect their data while enjoying technology. She has written about online privacy and tech for over 5 years for several organizations. When she's not writing about the latest cybersecurity trends, you can find her on LinkedIn.