/r/vpnreviews
User-submitted VPN reviews
/r/vpnreviews
BF is almost here, and every VPN promises "unbeatable discounts" and "incredible features". But IMHO, not every Black Friday VPN deal is worth your money.
So if you’re looking to buy a VPN, I’ve done some light digging and compared the top providers to help you decide which one is worth purchasing this year. I included coupons from that “best VPN list” that’s pinned in the sub too. So here it goes.
Provider | Code | 2-year plan price | Discount | Best feature |
---|---|---|---|---|
NordVPN | REDDITOFFER | $80.73 | 75% off + 4m extra | Balance of speed & features |
Surfshark | REDDITSPECIAL | $55.72 | 87% off + 4m extra | Unlimited device connections |
ExpressVPN | $149.70 | 61% off + 6m extra | Security | |
Mullvad | - | $126.24 | - | Same price for lifetime |
PIA | 3Y4M | $79.90 | 83% off + 4m extra | Value |
There’s not one “best VPN” because I believe that it always depends on your needs and budget. However, these five are strongly recommended by the Reddit community, with main reasons being:
NordVPN offers a great balance of speed, security, and features, making it a top choice for most users. Their Black Friday deal gives you up to 76% off, plus 4 extra months if you type in the code “REDDITOFFER”. It makes Nord a solid long-term investment.
With Surfshark, you get unlimited device connections, which is perfect for families or anyone using multiple devices. The up to 87% discount, plus 4 extra months (with code “REDDITSPECIAL”), makes it one of the cheapest deals available. For the quality that it offers, I say it’s a strong option for someone with a slightly lower budget.
ExpressVPN is known for its top-tier security. The deal isn’t the cheapest, but it is still a rather popular option.
Mullvad doesn’t offer discounts, but their flat €5/month ($5.26) rate remains the same. This VPN is often chosen by someone who is open to both short and long term plans, as the pricing is fixed.
PIA offers great value for the price, The 82% discount makes (code 3Y4M) it an attractive choice if you’re looking for a VPN that balances features and affordability.
After reviewing these Black Friday VPN deals, it’s clear that NordVPN offers the best overall package, especially with its 76% off deal and 4 extra months for free. A nice balance between price, performance, and features IMO.
However, if you’re on a tighter budget or just need a VPN for simple tasks, Surfshark maybe another go-to one, the most affordable option. Either way, you're in good hands with both of these options.
We purchased PrivateVPN's three-year subscription back in 2021.
We used the product sporadically. It worked off and on in China and Korea. Worked decently in Canada and Europe (dropped occasionally but didn't use it often anyways).
There was no language in the invoice, receipt, or confirmation email that it was an auto-renewal service. No terms and conditions in any of them either. (The website now displays auto-renewal on the selections but I can't vouch for what it looked like in 2021. Their current invoices and emails continue to not include any language around auto renewal however)
Today we were hit with a new invoice for a one-year subscription. We contacted them within the hour and said we didn't consent/nor want to renew our subscription. (There were no reminder/follow up emails from them the past three years indicating a renewal was a thing).
They refused any refund, despite us providing copies of the emails/receipts and invoices which clearly state the end date of the services.
We've had to escalate out to our Credit card company now.
So while the VPN itself worked okay most of the time for basic web browsing. I wouldn't recommend the company as the customer service experienced with any billing issues was poor (and total lack of transparency or language around the auto-renewal in their communications from the start).
VPN is one of the best things to safeguard you online and provide you with anonymity and security on the web. It creates for use of all, but the free VPN is harmful and the paid ones are expensive. The dilemma of the expensiveness of Paid VPN and safety compromise with free VPN can resolve on this Black Friday.
But I’ll tell you to get a VPN without compromise with your privacy and security at a negligible price. On Black Friday, companies will roll out bumper discounts and you can take advantage of it.
VPN | 2-Year Plan | 1-Year Plan | 1-Month Plan |
---|---|---|---|
NordVPN | $2.99 | $4.59 | $12.99 |
ExpressVPN | - | $6.67 | $12.95 |
ProtonVPN | $4.49 | $4.93 | $9.99 |
PureVPN | $2.19 | $3.99 | $12.95 |
You can get Black Friday discounts from the selected VPN company’s official site. I suggest you directly purchase from the official website as it is more authentic and reliable.
You do not have to compromise with the features because it provides all those quality and security features at a lowest price. You will get huge saving offers up to 70%-80%.
I am recommended PureVPN because i have used PureVPN coupons by using simple steps and saves lots of bucks also. You can also try money back guarantee to get satisfied with the features before make any payment for subscription. I’ve found it to be reliable with fast speeds and secure connections. Plus, the ability to use it on multiple devices at once is a huge bonus. Definitely worth considering if you’re looking for a solid VPN. Also PureVPN is offering an exclusive 5 years for Black Friday. Use the promo code bargain10 and get an additional 10% discount. It’s a limited-time offer.
The cheapest I've seen and most easy to use is PureVPN:
1- PureVPN: $1.99 for 5 years (Save 85%), with an extra 3 months free
2- 2 Years: $2.19/mo
3- A 2-year subscription is also available, but the best value for your money is the 5-year deal.
How to Buy any Premium VPN?
1- Visit the VPN’s website and hit the subscribe/get now button.
2- You’ll have to create an account by providing an email and password,
3- Select a plan (you can save money by choosing the yearly package. Also, reputable VPNs have a money-back guarantee, so if you’re not happy with the service, you can get a refund)
4- Pick a payment method (it’s mostly credit/debit cards, PayPal, and some VPNs have crypto options).
Black Friday is the only event where VPN providers offer some great bargains.
In my opinion, absolutely. PureVPN is an excellent choice for anyone looking for affordability without sacrificing quality. The Black Friday deal is a rare chance to lock in substantial savings while securing a reliable VPN service for years to come.
Good luck scoring the best deals, and Happy Black Friday! 🎉
Disclaimer: This review reflects my personal experience with PureVPN and its offerings.
Hey everyone. I came across NordProtect, a new service from NordVPN which is supposed to protect your identity in ways VPNs typically don’t cover. Hence, I thought I’d stack NordProtect up against ExpressVPN’s Identity Defender, which offers a similar suite of security tools.
I looked specifically at some of the most important features that an ID protection service should be offering (in my opinion). So here is the breakdown.
Before I even begin, I want to talk pricing because these services come at different price points and offer unique value bundles.
Feature | NordProtect | ExpressVPN Identity Defender |
---|---|---|
Monthly Cost | $4.99/mo (with 2-year plan) | $7.89/mo (with 2-year Prime plan) |
Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | 30 days |
Both services offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if you try one and it doesn’t meet your needs, you’re covered. Now, on to the feature breakdown.
The list of the features that both - NordProtect and Express Identity Defender offer - is quite extensive, so I chose to highlight and compare the ones which are key IMO.
Dark Web Monitoring
Both of the tools have dark web monitoring included. I find this obvious as it ensures users are alerted to possible identity breaches they would otherwise never know about, enhancing proactive protection - one of the key moments I’d be looking for in an ID protection service.
Identity Theft Protection/Monitoring/Restoration
Cyber Extortion Insurance
In short, cyber extortion insurance provides financial coverage and support if a person or organization is targeted by digital extortion threats, like demands for payment to avoid releasing sensitive personal information.
Social Security Number (SSN) Monitoring/Protection
Data Removal Tool
Credit Score Monitoring
Sensitive Data and Asset Monitoring
Here, I’m basically talking about security features that keep track of critical personal information and valuable assets to detect and alert users to potential threats or unauthorized activity. It can monitor anything from sensitive details like Social Security numbers and addresses to bank account information and other high-value identifiers.
Security Alert Notifications
Both NordProtect and ExpressVPN's Identity Defender do a solid job in identity protection, but NordProtect takes the edge if you're after a more comprehensive service.
NordProtect’s credit score monitoring and cyber extortion coverage are features that ExpressVPN doesn’t offer, making it ideal for those who want added layers of protection. So, in my opinion, if you’re going all-in on digital security, NordProtect has a bit more to offer.
Hey everyone, just dropping in to talk about the Surfshark Black Friday deal, especially since I just signed up myself after some back-and-forth. Figured my experience might help if anyone else is on the fence before BF.
To get into the details, the Surfshark Black Friday offer this year is actually pretty solid:
Honestly, that’s probably one of the better deals I’ve seen for any VPN this year. I saw some other channels offering different pricing for Surfshark but as I bought via this link (it applies REDDITSPECIAL discount automatically), the pricing was the best I could find. I mean, I think that’s less than a coffee each month, and for something that covers my internet use across all devices.
My feedback since the purchase
Overall, the Surfshark Black Friday deal might be a good option if you’re looking to try a VPN without spending a ton. I’d say give it a look before the discount ends, especially if you’ve been considering getting more privacy for streaming, browsing, or even just general internet use.
After using this VPN for 3 months now:
Their IP lists are so old that they are all (but a few in the US) blacklisted on Reddit (unless you log in), Imgur, and a number of other places. On eBay, I've so far had to reset my password twice because eBay had their IPs in a blacklist as well and automatically reset the password for security reasons.
Tthe second day of using their VPN with Amazon , my account of 10 years with 50K USD purchases (in other words, not a new account by any means) was permanently suspended and the support told me the decision is final, reason will not be provided and I can't make any new accounts. That's on Amazon for being a bunch of morons and outright banning people from their site due to using a specific VPN provider.
But guess what? Three of the prior VPN providers I had used in the last 5 years (including PIA and ProtonVPN) had NONE of these problems with any of the mentioned websites. All of this could have been avoided and I would still have access to Amazon if they ever bothered to update their damn IP addresses from time to time like everyone else.
To anyone skeptical about the Amazon ban reason: when it's a pattern, when similar issues happen with the closest Amazon competitor, when I have not returned any item and done anything else, when the timing is so perfect, it's all about probability: I don't have forensic evidence but it's the most likely explanation.
Other users complaining about some of these issues, sub members burying their head in the sand:
Here's a screenshot of the Amazon login screen:
https://i.imgur.com/Ve7thx1.jpeg
Here's evidence of the eBay password reset issue when using this VPN:
https://i.imgur.com/JAzkmL7.jpeg
Here's evidence of Reddit blocking Mullvad when not signed in:
https://i.imgur.com/hcIiIMn.jpeg
Here's evidence of Imgur being inaccessible with most of the IPs [it says over capacity but that's a lie, the moment you switch to a non-blacklisted US IP, it works just fine]:
https://i.imgur.com/dVPmRVq.jpeg
I really wanted to like this VPN as it seems the most secure, is fast enough amd the company (so far) is not as shady as PIA, the VPN is actually functional on Linux desktop without dumb bugs like Proton, but It doesn't matter how great everything else with this VPN is if it gets users into such serious trouble and inconvenience.
I have bought a 1 year subscription to OVPN. During my first month I have encountered numerous issues with different websites, which I have signaled via support tickets. For instance, Github access was spotty and Reddit had their service flagged for security reasons so inaccessible unless logged in. Other websites had the same issue, either spotty access or blocked.
When I told them about this and how their service is detectable and possibly flagged, their response was "it happens". Every support ticket dragged on for days, even weeks and that made me exceed the 10 day limit they have on refunds.
When I asked them for a refund on the remaining time they said that they must abide by the law and cannot refund. So, even though their service was crap, I was with customer service for the entire month, now I can't even get some of my money back.
They also refused to outright delete my account. So my information is with them.
Avoid! They are not professional and they seem to be quite predatory. If they respected themselves, they should have acknowledged the fact that I had issues with their service, close my account as I asked and refund me the rest of the 1 year. But no. So I hope that my loss will be your gain and that you avoid their service, there are tons of other VPN services that do a great job. I am currently using ProtonVPN and I there are no issues with it.
Just noticed that NordVPN Black Friday deal is on already. I mean the BF itself is not until the end of the month but I see it as a benefit to have time to check around and compare the deals.
This time they’re offering 74% off on the 2-year plan plus an additional 3 months free. Since I was already comparing VPNs for myself and keeping an eye on their offers, there was no better price than the current one.Some key moments for anyone who’s looking into Nord too.
Plan | Price |
---|---|
2 year plan | From $2.99 |
1 year plan | From $4.59 |
1 month plan | From $12.99 |
Although it’s a decent price cut, I’ve been weighing a few different providers, like ExpressVPN and ProtonVPN, so here’s how they compare:
Dropping a pricing comparison for convenience:
NordVPN | ExpressVPN | ProtonVPN | |
---|---|---|---|
2 year plan | $2.99 | - | $4.49 |
1 year plan | $4.99 | $6.67 | $4.93 |
1 month plan | $12.99 | $12.95 | $9.99 |
Although they already have a BF deal, I scrolled through Reddit for some community discounts. Succeeded in finding code “forum” for NordVPN, yet not much for other brands. So I guess it’s a friendly tip that you can make that NordVPN Black Friday deal even better than the default.
Is anyone else planning to grab this deal?
For those that don’t know, Egypt deploys the Chinese Great Firewall with Deep Packet Inspection. Their goals are 1) block every VPN possible, via both protocol blocking and DPI of suspected VPNs running on Port 443, 2) block any website that can be bad for the admin and not cause too much uproar (e.g., archive.org, archive.is, several news papers, etc.), 3) block websites like gambling, and more.
Almost all VoIP is blocked in Egypt, including Skype, WhatsApp calls, Telegram, the entire SIP Protocol used by US and EU residential VoIPs, etc. Even Discord VoIP. There are only three VoIP solutions I know that work without a VPN in Egypt: Google Voice, Slack and MS Teams.
UDP VPNs are universally blocked, as are non-obfuscated OpenVPN, PPP and IKEv2. As of mid-2023, they fully banned all but the most-obfuscated Wireguard servers, too.
Cisco AnyConnect to a corporate VPN will spin and spin and spin and usually won’t connect. This used to work for me as late as July 2023, but as of January 2024, I have had no success. What I do now is 1) connect to a VPN that works. 2) log into / connect to the Cisco AnyConnect VPN. Some internal sites will work, external websites will not. 3) Disconnect from the first VPN. Surprisingly, when AnyConnect reconnects, the login mechanism isn’t triggered, and I think this confuses the Egyptian Firewall’s DPI and the VPN reconnects successfully using your Egyptian IP.
Personally, I use both ExpressVPN and Mullvad. I default to ExpressVPN and Mullvad for streaming and Google search and work-related.
I was looking for a VPN to use for a few days. Other VPNs immediately tried to get me into their 'ecosystem'. "Take our $14 subscription!", "Subscribe for 2 years!", "Give us your e-mail so we can spam you!".
Mullvad was a breath of fresh air. Within 2 minutes of finding their website I was connected to their VPN, costing $5 for 30 days. They support iDeal, and no unsubscribing was required.
Hey, VPN users. I’ve been using both Private Internet Access (PIA) and NordVPN for a while now, and I thought it would be helpful to compare them head-to-head. Here's a breakdown of all the important aspects, from pricing to security, to, hopefully, help you decide which one suits your needs better.
Summary of findings
Category | Private Internet Access (PIA) | NordVPN |
---|---|---|
Price | Cheaper, but fewer features | Pricier, but packed with extras |
Speed | Rather inconsistent | Consistently fast |
Privacy & Security | Mediocre, based in the US (Five Eyes) | Strong, based in Panama |
Streaming | Doesn’t unblock many platforms | Reliable across platforms |
Server Network | 35,000+ servers in 91 countries | 6,370+ servers in 111 countries |
Features | Basic | Advanced, includes Double VPN & CyberSec |
Ease of Use | Simple interface | User-friendly with many options |
Pros and Cons of NordVPN vs. PIA
Feature | Private Internet Access (PIA) | NordVPN |
---|---|---|
Pros | Strong encryption and customizable | Consistently fast speeds |
No-logs policy | Excellent privacy features | |
Decent server count | Double VPN, CyberSec, Threat Protection | |
Large server network in more countries | ||
Cons | Slower speeds during peak hours | Might lack servers in more exotic countries specifically |
Based in the US (Five Eyes jurisdiction) | Some features may be overkill for casual users | |
Fewer features for advanced users | ||
Unreliable streaming performance |
When comparing these two VPNs, NordVPN stands out for its fast and consistent speeds, making it ideal for activities like streaming, gaming, and torrenting. Its advanced security features, including Double VPN and CyberSec, along with its Panama-based headquarters, offer strong privacy protection for those concerned about data security.
On the other hand, Private Internet Access (PIA) offers a budget-friendly alternative with reliable encryption and a no-logs policy that has been proven in court, making it a great choice for users who want solid privacy without the extra frills. However, PIA’s inconsistent speeds and less reliable streaming capabilities might make it less appealing for power users, especially those looking for smooth international content unblocking.
Pricing
Both VPN providers offer competitive pricing, but PIA comes in as the more affordable option. However, NordVPN frequently runs major discounts, making it more accessible for users who want the extra features and performance it offers.
Private Internet Access pricing
PIA’s pricing is highly attractive for budget-conscious users. You can get a great deal, especially on their long-term plans.
Plan | Price |
---|---|
1 month | $11.95/month |
1 year | $3.33/month ($39.95/year) |
2 years | - |
3 years | $2.03/month ($79.00/2 years) |
NordVPN pricing
NordVPN is slightly more expensive but is packed with features that surely justify the higher cost. On top, their longer-term plans offer better value.
Plan | Price |
---|---|
1 month | $12.99/month |
1 year | $4.99/month ($59.88/year) |
2 years | $3.09/month ($83.43/2 years) |
3 years | - |
Technical Aspects
Aspect | Private Internet Access (PIA) | NordVPN |
---|---|---|
Server Count | 35,000+ servers in 91 countries | 6,370+ servers in 111 countries |
Protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | WireGuard (NordLynx), OpenVPN, IKEv2 |
Speed | Good but inconsistent during peak times | Consistently fast, thanks to NordLynx (a protocol |
Encryption | AES-256 with RSA-4096 for key exchange | AES-256 encryption with Perfect Forward Secrecy |
Additional Features | Kill Switch, Split Tunneling | Double VPN, Obfuscated Servers, CyberSec, Kill Switch |
Privacy | Based in the US (Five Eyes) | Based in Panama (no data-sharing alliances) |
Logging Policy | Strict no-logs policy (proven in court) | Independently audited no-logs policy (4 audits) |
While Private Internet Access (PIA) is a budget-friendly option for users who need basic protection and privacy, NordVPN comes out as the clear winner. Its faster speeds, larger server network, advanced security features, and streaming reliability make it the better overall choice, especially for those who prioritize speed, privacy, and access to geo-blocked content. On top, if you take use of existing discount codes, it will cost almost the same!
My results so far are not so satisfying. Testing on appletv and firestick
IPLAYER
ITVX
NOWTV
DISCOVERY +
CHANNEL 4
Only works on appletv so no cyberghost (there's no app). Working fine with Expressvpn and Surfshark
OTHER CHANNELS STREAMING APPS
Can't find any problem with other apps
I’ve been using StarVPN’s free tier for a while, and it’s one of the better options out there. It allows access to servers in several countries, which is awesome for a free service. While there is a daily data cap, it’s more than enough for casual browsing and even streaming in small doses. The app itself is really simple to use, with an easy setup and quick connection times. If you’re looking for a basic VPN that offers decent features without paying upfront, StarVPN is a solid choice. It’s especially handy for maintaining privacy and unblocking region-locked content!
Hey everyone, just wanted to drop my two cents on Surfshark and make a Surfshark VPN review, as I've been using it for a while now. I've hopped between a bunch of VPNs in the past and here's why I think Surfshark is a solid pick. Spoiler: I’m renewing it.
The good stuff:
Affordable AF: straight up, Surfshark offers a really good price-to-feature ratio. It's probably the most budget-friendly premium VPN I’ve tried that still holds up on performance. Unlimited devices, tons of server locations, and smooth apps, plus it costs way less than a lot of the competition is what got me initially. Pro tip: if you're looking to save even more, check out the discount codes on r/surfshark.
Server locations: they’ve got a ton of servers (around 3200), and honestly, none of the places I needed were missing. Whether I’m connecting from Europe or hopping over to the US, it's all there. Plus, they’re upfront about which ones are virtual.
Unlimited devices: the whole "connect as many devices as you want" thing is a HUGE plus. I’ve got it running on five devices at home, and I share my account with a friend’s family - no issues at all.
Streaming: if you're all about Netflix, Hulu, or Disney+, Surfshark does a pretty solid job. I mostly use it on my laptop and Fire Stick, and no buffering, no issues with streaming quality. Works on all my go-to platforms, and that’s more than I can say for some other VPNs I’ve tried.
Solid security: multi-hop, rotating IP, kill switch, split tunneling - it’s packed with all the good stuff you’d expect. Plus, WireGuard is available on pretty much all servers, which helps keep things speedy.
The ”meh” moments:
Verdict:
For the price you’re paying for Surfshark, you’re getting a pretty robust set of features, solid streaming support, and the freedom to connect all the devices you want. If you’re after an affordable, no-nonsense VPN that covers most of the bases, I’d say this Surfshark VPN review should make it clear that Surfshark is definitely worth trying out IMO.
Been on NordVPN and ExpressVPN for a while now, and after some testing, I thought I’d share my findings to help you decide which VPN is the right fit for your needs as they both have their pros and cons. Let’s dive into the key differences between these two popular VPN providers: NordVPN vs ExpressVPN.
I’ll just get straight to the wallet talk. If you're looking for a short-term commitment, ExpressVPN and NordVPN are pretty much neck and neck, with ExpressVPN starting at $12.95/month and NordVPN at $12.99/month. However, you really start saving when you opt for a longer plan.
NordVPN stands out in this area, offering a 1-year plan at just $4.99/month. Their best deal, however, is the 2-year plan, which slashes the price to a mere $3.09/month. ExpressVPN, on the other hand, has its longest plan (12 months) priced at $6.67/month. So, if you're playing the long game, NordVPN offers a much better deal overall.
Plus, NordVPN often has additional promotions and discounts available - use the coupon code "savings" for extra savings. ExpressVPN, unfortunately, doesn’t offer many promotions, making it harder to get a better deal.
As you can see, NordVPN vs ExpressVPN shows clear advantages for NordVPN, especially when it comes to long-term savings.
Subscription Plan | NordVPN | ExpressVPN |
---|---|---|
1-month plan | $12.99/month | $12.95/month |
6-month plan | - | $9.99/month |
1-year plan | $4.99/month | $8.32/month |
2-year plan | $3.09/month | - |
Discount | Code ‘savings’ | Doesn’t offer discounts |
Both VPNs take your privacy seriously. If you compare NordVPN vs ExpressVPN, they both use the industry-standard AES-256 encryption and secure tunneling protocols like OpenVPN and IKEv2. Neither provider is based in a 14-Eyes Alliance country, which is great news for anyone serious about privacy.
However, there’s a slight edge for NordVPN here. They’ve undergone four external audits of their no-logs policy (PwC in 2018 & 2020, Deloitte in 2022 & 2024), whereas ExpressVPN has had two (KPMG in 2022 & 2023).
During my own tests, neither showed any signs of DNS leaks, so you're in good hands with both. But if we’re nitpicking, NordVPN’s audit track record is a bit more robust.
Speed can make or break a VPN experience, especially if you're into streaming or gaming. In my NordVPN vs ExpressVPN tests, NordVPN edged out ExpressVPN in terms of download speed retention rates. For instance, on UK servers, NordVPN clocked an average download speed of 475 Mbit/s, while ExpressVPN lagged slightly behind at 460 Mbit/s.
Both services delivered similar results for ping and upload speeds, but if you’re all about the download speeds, NordVPN takes the win here too.
Server numbers
Common Features between NordVPN and ExpressVPN
Exclusive Features
Devices Count
So, if you compare ExpressVPN vs NordVPN in terms of features and flexibility, NordVPN offers more options, especially for users looking to connect more devices or use additional features like dedicated IP.
Category | NordVPN | ExpressVPN |
---|---|---|
Price | ✅ (coupon "savings") | ❌ (no coupons) |
Privacy & Security | ✅ | ✅ |
Speed | ✅ | ✅ |
Features | ✅ | ❌ |
Devices count | ✅ | ❌ |
Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN are solid choices, but NordVPN clearly comes out as the winner here. With its better long-term pricing options, additional features, and excellent speed performance, it offers more value overall.
That said, if you prefer a VPN with a polished, user-friendly experience and don’t mind the higher price for a shorter commitment, ExpressVPN might still be a good choice.
That’s my take on both of these. As with anything, the best VPN choice may be different for everyone but I believe this is something that many will agree on.
Hey Reddit. I've spent around 6 years trialing everything from freebies to premium VPN offerings. In this journey, I've used services like ExpressVPN, which I dropped following the acquisition by Kape Technologies, and ProtonVPN (I’ll share a review on this one later, there’s much to say).
Yet for the past three years, my go-to has been NordVPN. So here's my honest NordVPN review - a deep dive into my experience, moving beyond the surface-level praise.
NordVPN Review: Cost Overview
Before we dive into the pricing details, it's important to note that NordVPN frequently offers discounts and promotions. So, instead of buying it for full price, be sure to use a coupon code like redditoffer (this one is taken from the Best VPN List on this subreddit) for additional savings.
Overall, NordVPN's pricing structure is straightforward, featuring three primary plans: Standard, Plus, and Ultimate. Costs vary based on the length of your subscription, with longer plans offering better savings. For instance:
NordVPN Review: Key Elements
NordVPN Protocols
NordVPN: Pros and Cons
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Fastest VPN as of September 2024 | Limited city options in smaller countries |
Strong no-log policy, backed by multiple audits | The Linux client lacks a graphical interface |
Meshnet feature for remote device access | |
High praise for its Threat Protection feature | |
A variety of payment options, including cryptocurrencies |
Concluding Thoughts
Despite the minor cons, NordVPN is still a top-tier choice for those seeking reliable, fast, and secure VPN services. The quality and range of features justify the pricing it offers.
Would I Recommend NordVPN? Yes indeed. It’s a well-rounded service that checks most boxes for VPN needs. That’s my in-depth NordVPN review, but I’m eager to hear about your experiences!
tl/dr: Wallpunch is a tool to get around internet censorship. We have completed a major update and will provide free test accounts for those interested (only iOS/Mac for now). PM me or email support@wallpunch.net.
***BACKGROUND***
One year ago we released Wallpunch, a new type of VPN for getting around internet censorship. So far the results have been promising: over the past 12 months the only downtime users have experienced has been due to bugs in the Wallpunch system itself. There have been no reported occurrences of the protocol being blocked, either locally or widespread, even during politically sensitive periods where other VPNs experienced issues. We also successfully mitigated several sustained DDOS attacks on the service.
That said, the original implementation has lots of room for improvement, including:
For several months now we’ve been rebuilding the protocol from the ground up to fix these issues. Specifically:
***BETA***
Now that Version 2.0 is finally complete and has been thoroughly tested in "laboratory conditions", we are looking for people to try it out in the real world. The main goals of this round of testing are:
If you are interested shoot me a PM here or send an email to support@wallpunch.net. We have limited server bandwidth available for testers, so if there is a lot of interest we will prioritize people in countries with strict internet censorship (China, Iran, Russia etc.). Right now v2.0 is only available for iOS/Mac via TestFlight, but Android and Windows versions will be ready soon.
A few months ago, I installed Tuxler VPN to try out their Residential IP addresses. I only used it for a few days, and forgot to uninstall it on my computer.
So today, I go to look at my data usage in Windows and notice something a bit fishy, I see a little over 1000 GB of data usage in the past 30 days, and I've never used that much before, I normally only use 300-400 GB, and I see that the app I installed for Tuxler had used 800 GB!
Now, I have an app called Glasswire, and I check to see what Hosts/Domains the Tuxler app is accessing, and its a bunch of domains that I've never even been to before! They waited a few months and then secretly in the background turned my computer into a VPN server for their customers to access!
If you were thinking about getting Tuxler, or currently use it I would cancel your subscription, and avoid using Tuxler at all!
Surfshark tried to refund money to the wrong network, even though I specified the right one. As a result, I cancelled the refund and asked them to repeat the process using the correct network. It has been 25 days since then, and I am still waiting. Support says the refund is delayed.
Request number: 6084971
If Surfshark checks this Reddit: I have already written an email to miles@…, but all it does is forward messages to the general support.
Upd: received the refund on the 38th day
Hello r/vpnreviews!
Jumping in here to remind you about an exciting new opportunity – if you're passionate about cybersecurity, data security, and online privacy, check out and join the NordVPN Community Council.
As a member of this council, you’ll have the chance to:
Sign-up if you are either:
Application Details:
We're stepping into uncharted territory here, but we believe in joint force power. So let's do this together!
_________________________________________
If you have any questions, feel free to send us a message via Reddit. Good luck and catch up soon!
As a moderator of r/vpnreviews, I’ve seen how challenging it can be to choose the best VPN With so many choices, finding the tool to suit your needs can be overwhelming. That’s why we wanted to highlight the comprehensive Best VPNs list, evaluating various providers across key criteria like speed, security features, pricing, and more.
This table isn’t our creation; it’s a resource put together by the members of the r/VPN community. It reflects a collective effort to simplify the decision-making process and help you find the best VPN according to Reddit.
What makes a VPN the best in 2024?
Here are some of the critical factors the table considers
Speed: The comparison table ranks VPNs based on their speed performance, considering both local and international servers.
Security and Privacy: The table highlights VPNs with strong encryption, a solid no-logs policy, and advanced security features like kill switches and DNS leak protection.
Ease of Use: The table compares VPNs based on the simplicity of their interfaces and the availability of apps for various devices.
Support & Reliability: The comparison table evaluates the availability and quality of support, including 24/7 live chat, email support, and helpful resources.
Value for Money**:** Pricing is an important factor, and the table provides a clear view of the cost of each VPN, including the value offered in relation to the features provided.
To help you find the best VPN for your needs, I encourage you to check out the VPN comparison table. It offers a comprehensive analysis of the leading VPN services, allowing you to compare them across various critical factors. Whether you’re looking for the fastest VPN, the most secure option, the best VPN for Mac, iPhone, PC, or Android device, or simply the best value for your money, this table will guide you to the right choice.
We’d love to hear your thoughts! Have you found a particular VPN to be especially effective? Are there features you consider essential that the table might not have covered? Let’s discuss and continue to refine this guide, making it as helpful as possible for everyone looking for the best VPN in 2024.
I got tempted into a life-time sub with this VPN. Seemed like a good deal to begin with.
But nothing seems to work. Their Windows app looks good. But it doesn't do most of the things it features. Split-tunneling doesn't work, for me. Most of the times, it says it is connected to a server, but turns out it is not.
At first, I just thought it was a buggy VPN app.
Then I installed their extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge. They all say I'm logged on to some server. My IP always remains the same; the one given to me by my own ISP. Their extensions do nothing.
Then I made the mistake of purchasing a dedicated IP there. That does work. But I get speeds under 1mbit. up and down. Useless.
Contacting their support only seems doable through their 'chat'. This is a complete nightmare. I'm either talking to a bots, or people who know very little about IT.
I'm om day three now, awaiting their 'solution' to my slow speed issue. I don't think I'll ever hear from them again.
I then did a search here on Reddit, for FastestVPN, and came across this thread:
https://www.reddit.com/r/FastestVPN/comments/mjwoc9/nothing_works_fastestvpn_is_a_scam/
Every positive comment is a bot...
So, naturally, now I'm thinking the whole company is a scam...
Any non-bots here with actual experience with FastestVPN?
I signed up for a NordVPN account last August for a one year subscription. They charged me $68 on August 20, 2023. I was reviewing my visa statement and noticed they charged me $219 on August 6 (2 weeks prior to my one year subscription expiring). I only had signed up for the basic service and the $219 did not include any additional features. I’m disgusted by this type of behaviour of companies trying to sneak charges past you in the hopes you don’t check your statements. This is fraud. I have cancelled my subscription. Is there another VPN service out there that someone can recommend? Please check your Visa card statements if you have a recurring NordVPN subscription.
I'm not usually one to leave reviews, but I had to share my experience with PremierVPN. As someone who's not tech-savvy and typically goes for mainstream providers, I was pleasantly surprised by how well PremierVPN suited my needs as a Mac OS and iOS user.
I usually sign up for VPNs during those never-ending sales from big-name companies, but this time, I took a chance and tried something different. Living in Turkey for half the year and the UK for the other half, I face a lot of geo-blocks on services I use. Even my son's Roblox was blocked!
Setting it up on my router was a easy but I did need directions and remote help initially, now I know, what really impressed me was how seamlessly it works on my iOS and Mac devices. It runs quietly in the background without a hiccup, maintaining solid connections for hours and even days.
For someone like me who isn't a tech expert, finding a VPN that just works without hassle is a relief tbh. PremierVPN is now my favorite, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for reliable VPN service.
GD
Hello r/vpnreviews !
The NordVPN team is excited to introduce a new initiative – NordVPN Community Council! Why now? What exactly it is and why should you consider being a part of it?
Over the years, we've noticed that some of our most engaged community members are here, on Reddit. The insights we gain from subreddit are precious to us. It pushes our limits and helps us build better cybersecurity tools for everyone.
And now, we’re ready to expand the scope of information gathering beyond the confines of our community. We feel enthusiastic about collaborating with other bright, privacy-oriented minds and communities to help us grow in the right direction.
Join if any of these apply:
Why should you join?
Participation in selection and other important details:
We hope you already feel the excitement like we do! We're stepping into uncharted territory here, and we honestly don't know how it will go. However, we believe in joint force power, so let's do this together!
_______________________________________
If you have any questions, feel free to send us a message via Reddit. Good luck and catch up soon!
Hey howdy,
So I’m new to the VPN space but wanting to get one, however I’ve noticed a lot of the companies are like… So whack. Like Proton was funding HK and Express is owned by an Israeli company, who I don’t support (please don’t get political, I just think they own enough lol).
I know that getting a vpn lowkey defeats the purpose of being ethical but does anyone know if there’s any companies who aren’t like, funding police brutality or any whack shit like that? Or do they just not exist??
Thanks heaps!
Note: again, please no political comments or whack comments, I’m genuinely asking as I’m trying to be more ethical in my consumption especially with how many companies are connected to terrible things like genocides and shiz.
Second note: for those of you who swear by Mullvad, what do you think about them not complying with the EU regulation preventing child abuse online? On one hand I’m like that’s whack, but also complying would defeat the whole purpose of the company? Just an interesting discussion!!
This is hardly a rant. The evidence is provided below and people can draw their own conclusions. I bought a "lifetime" subscription from Ivacy in 2018 which they now refuse to honor. The readers here should know about this.
Ivacy VPN (IVACY VPN)
Jun 8, 2024, 02:15 GMT+5
Dear Esteemed Customer,
Thank you for bringing up your inquiry regarding the terminology used in relation to our "lifetime" subscription offering through affiliate partners. Allow me to provide some context and clarity on this matter.
In the technology industry, the term "lifetime" typically denotes the life cycle or supported period for a given software product or service. This duration can vary across different types of technologies, but for cloud-based services like ours, a standard "lifetime" window is often around 5 years.
While this practice is widely accepted within tech circles, I understand how it can lead to confusion and even be perceived as misleading advertising when presented to general consumers who may not be familiar with this context. When you purchase a "lifetime" subscription from us or our partners, it's reasonable to expect permanent access for your own lifetime as an individual.
Allow me to directly address this discrepancy. Our intention was not to deliberately misrepresent or deceive, but rather to align with the common industry language used by our affiliates and partners. However, we acknowledge that we failed to adequately define and disclose these parameters in our customer-facing materials.
Moving forward, we will be taking the following actions:
We can offer an additional 24 months as compensation if you choose to resubscribe to the 5-year plan.
We appreciate you bringing this matter to our attention, as it gives us the opportunity to enhance our disclosures and business practices. While our terminology is rooted in industry norms, we understand your perspective and are committed to setting proper expectations through transparent and ethical communication.
Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any further questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mason
Ivacy Customer Success Team
I lived in China where VPN is necessary. I purchased 6 months Panda VPN for 47USD. It stopped working in 3 days & I requested refund. They ignored my email but the story did not stop there, I just found out that they kept charging me over the years ~200USD.
I wrote them asking for refund but again no response.
Anyone else has been the victim of Panda VPN's scam?
We need to find out where are they based and take legal action while also writing to Apple support demanding investigation of an app promoted on their App Store scamming people. Let's report Panda VPN with google play and every forum available.
Hey everyone. So I used Speedify for 3 years, I figured I'd leave a detailed review here.
Summary: its a less-than-mediocre VPN, but a great bonding service.
The good:
The bad:
The bonding didn't ALWAYS result in higher speeds. Or if it did, sometimes it was only marginal. I think this was MOSTLY due to the fact that where I was bonding had marginal cell phone service. But the vast majority of times (like 75%) when you bonded, you got much faster download speeds. I would say if your first source was 10 MBps, and your second sources was 8 MBps, you'd end up getting a d/l speed around 15MBps or so on average.
Their windows app needs work. It offers "work around" for specific services (even if those services aren't on your computer) but doesn't offer actual app specific work arounds. I once even tried to tell the developers this and they basically didn't want to help. I mean they referred me to the support team. I reached out to the support team, but they basically said "no" in so many words.
auto start on android doesn't always work. I have my phone set up to automatically restart once a week. I've noticed sometimes that I have to manually open speedify app to actually connect; not always though.
No way to quickly turn on/off kill switch. Okay so "quickly" is a loose term here. I mean within a swipe and a tap vs digging in the menu/settings which only takes a few seconds. Here is the situation. I have kill switch on, there is a website that won't allow my traffic (see ugly point 1 below). So I need to turn my VPN connection off momentarily; I turn it off, and the kill switch activates, disabling my internet. So the app (android and windows) offers 3 options: reconnect (now, in 1 hr, 2 hrs etc), turn off kill switch, or stay disconnected. I WISH it had a "turn off killswitch for 1 hour 2hurs etc) option. However, this could also be solved with simply having servers that don't constantly require human verification.
There were some (mostly very recently) bad "hiccups" with certain servers. I've noticed sometimes my internet was so slow, or not even working. I switched servers and it fixed it. I wish the app would detect these things and try to find a better server on its own.
pretty much every streaming service detects you're using a VPN so, can't use speedify while streaming a video from amazon/netflix etc.
The ugly:
Does anyone have any comment regarding this? https://restoreprivacy.com/protonmail-discloses-user-data-leading-to-arrest-in-spain/