PureVPN Review: Is It Surprisingly Better than Others?

PureVPN has been in the VPN industry for years since 2007. Its’ server network also expanded from 2 locations to 180+ locations today, with more than 2000 servers in over 140 countries worldwide.

PureVPN could unblock US Netflix and many other streaming services. It also offers P2P-torrenting, 10 multi-logins, and Internet Kill switch features. But could PureVPN be that desirable VPN you could want?

This PureVPN reviews will review its pros, cons, and key features based on our real testing, including pricing, speed testing, security, performance, customer support, and more.

Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links that I receive a small commission for at no cost to you. You can read my full affiliate disclaimer in the footer.

Let’s jump in!

PureVPN Reviews Overview

PureVPN Key Summary

PureVPN Pros & Cons

Pros

• No-log certified, never keep logs
• 2000+ server network across 140 countries
• Optimized servers unblock Netflix, BBC iPlayer & more
• One account on 10 devices at the same time
• Internet Kill switch and Split Tunneling feature
• Apps for Windows, macOS, iOS & Android and 20+ more devices
• Break free from the geo-restrictions and censorships
• 24/7 customer support (Emails, Chat and Tickets)
• 31-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Cons

• Premium features at additional cost
• Manual setup required for China
• Server speed needs to be improved

What is PureVPN?

PureVPN is a revolutionary VPN product of GZ Systems based in Hong Kong, and it was founded in 2006. Hong Kong is not a member of Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, or Fourteen Eyes. It means that PureVPN has no legal obligation to monitor your activities or share your data with the government or third parties.

PureVPN was first commercially available in 2007 with VPN servers at only 2 locations, and now, it has expanded its server network to 2,000 servers in more than 140 countries worldwide. As usual, your Internet speeds mostly depends on your distance to the server. It’s very convenient to find a server close to you with PureVPN.

Logging Policy

PureVPN revised its Privacy Policy to become a Zero-Log VPN company in 2018. The Privacy Policy states:

We DO NOT keep any record of your browsing activities, connection logs, records of the VPN IPs assigned to you, your original IPs, your connection time, the history of your browsing, the sites you visited, your outgoing traffic, the content or data you accessed, or the DNS queries generated by you.

Before that, PureVPN had ever received thousands of questions from customers. They are mostly about PureVPN’s privacy policy and internal logging policies.

So to ease customer’s misgivings and keep transparency, PureVPN hired Altius IT, a leading independent California-based Certified Information Systems Auditor, to audit its security and privacy policy.

After that, Altius IT provided the following conclusion, stating:

“[we] did not find any evidence of system configurations and/or system/service log files that independently, or collectively, could lead to identifying a specific person and/or the person’s activity when using the PureVPN service.” 

 – Altius IT

It means that PureVPN is a Certified No-Log VPN.

• No Logs of Browsing Activities
• No Connection Logs
• No Logs of Assigned VPN IPs
• No Logs of Original IPs
• No Logs of VPN Session Timestamps
• No Logs of Browsing History

PureVPN Speed Test

PureVPN has an extensive server network with more than 2,000 servers, which allows you to quickly find nearby servers and alleviate server network congestion issues.

But how fast are these servers?

As usual, we have selected different servers for testing based on physical distance from us, located in Seattle, US.

• Short Distance: US, CA
• Long Distance: UK, JP, AU, TW, SG

Here is the speed test result comparison：

Overall, the server network latency isn’t too far off, and the download speeds don’t drop too much for the US and AU servers.

PureVPN’s upload speeds are not very fast on long-distance connections, but unless you want to have faster servers.

Are you looking for the fastest VPN in 2020? Then you can look at ExpressVPN.

PureVPN Server Locations

As we’ve mentioned before, more than ten years after PureVPN was born, PureVPN has expanded the server network to more than 2,000 servers in over 140 countries worldwide.

• North America: 656 Servers
• Central America: 12 Servers
• South America: 81 Servers
• Asia: 273 Servers
• Europe: 769 Servers
• Oceania: 93 Servers
• Africa: 150 Servers

However, not all servers are physical servers, a number of our servers are virtual, and these have been labeled in the list of VPN servers. When you connect to a virtual server location, you are assigned an IP address from your chosen country, and your traffic is routed via a server in another country.

On the flip side, a virtual server is convenient for you to have a secure connection, even if there are still differences between this and the physical server.

What’s more, PureVPN provides many city-level servers in five countries:

• US (13 locations, 490 servers)
• Canada (3 locations, 60 servers)
• UK (4 locations, 168 servers)
• France (2 locations, 42 servers)
• Germany (5 locations, 201 servers)
• Australia (4 locations, 78 servers)
• Malaysia (2 locations, 30 servers)
• South Africa (2 locations, 36 servers)

Also, PureVPN offers optimized servers for Streaming, P2P, and VoIP. They are labeled accordingly on the application client for your convenience.

Apps, Extensions, and Compatibility

Apps for Popular Devices

• Windows
• macOS
• iOS
• Android
• Linux

PureVPN is compatible with multiple system and devices, and they are straightforward to install and use.

What’s more surprising is that you can simultaneously connect up to ten devices via only one account, even if many VPN providers only support a maximum of five devices. However, Surfshark has no limitations at all.

Apps for Games Consoles & Streaming Devices

• Android TV
• Amazon FireStick
• Microsoft Surface
• Kodi
• Roku
• Boxee box
• Xbox
• Now TV Box
• Raspberry Pi
• Chrome cast
• Play Station

What makes PureVPN stand out is that it offers dedicated apps for Amazon FireStick, Android TV, Kodi, and other twenty devices, plus it supports 10 multi-logins. If you would like to stream, all you need to do is download PureVPN apps and get started.

Additionally, PureVPN supports other streaming devices and game consoles like Xbox and PlayStation via your router.

Extensions for Browser

PureVPN also released browser proxy browser extensions for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.

PureVPN’s browser addons are not as secure as the application client, although it has a WebRTC leak protection feature. And the browser extension only allows you to access 25+ different locations. This is a massive difference from the desktop client.

If you don’t have to use a browser extension, we recommend using the desktop client.

PureVPN works with Netflix, BBC iPlayer & torrenting?

Our speed test results have shown that PureVPN’s servers are not exceptionally fast, but you can watch HD movies and shows on Netflix without buffering. Also, PureVPN is compatible with seven Netflix libraries, including for:

• United States
• Australia
• Germany
• Japan
• Canada
• France
• the United Kingdom

Moreover, we recommend changing the mode to ‘Stream.’ You can connect to the optimized servers in the popular websites server list.

Besides watching Netflix, you can use PureVPN to access many other streaming services, like:

• BBC iPlayer
• BT Sport
• Disney
• Hulu
• Amazon Prime

We usually can unblock the popular streaming services with PureVPN’s dedicated servers without issues. Still, sometimes we need to try to connect multiple times and different servers to make it work.

Torrenting

PureVPN has labeled the particular server for peer-to-peer (P2P) file transfers, and it also provides the ‘File-Sharing’ mode for torrenting files.

However, PureVPN doesn’t have P2P servers in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and others without P2P labeled. So you may have an unfriendly torrenting experience, even if you connect to the P2P servers that are very close to you.

Looking for a VPN for torrenting? You can think about NordVPN.

PureVPN Works in China, UAE & more?

After our long-term follow-up and testing, PureVPN is one of the few VPN providers that still can bypass the GFW in China. In the last few years, the government has blocked many VPN providers.

PureVPN does provide dedicated app clients for popular systems and devices, but they may not work well in China. If you have any issues, you should contact PureVPN’s customer support to ask for a comprehensive manual guide.

But how about PureVPN’s server speeds in China?

PureVPN Speed Test in China

We selected different servers depending on the distance from our physical testing lab in China, and our ISP is China Mobile. We recommend the IEKv2 protocol on macOS. It performs very well.

• Short Distance: HK, SG
• Long Distance: US, FR

This is the speed test result comparison:

In our speed test, the HK server performed better than others, but the download speed decreased by 91.5% on Mac.

For the latency, the average is very high. It’s bad news for gamers when playing online in China.

PureVPN Encryption & Security

Protocols

• OpenVPN(TCP/UDP)
• L2TP/IPSec
• PPTP
• SSTP
• IKEv2

Encryption

• AES 256 bit encryption

Security

• Secure Wi-Fi
• DNS Leak Protection
• WebRTC Leak Protection
• Internet Kill Switch

Advanced features

• Split Tunneling

The PureVPN app default ‘Automatic’ protocol will help you choose the best performance protocol. But based on our own experience, we highly recommend OpenVPN(TCP/UDP) on Windows and IKEv2 on macOS.

Of course, you can connect with other VPN protocols, or you can consider the suggestion from PureVPN.

• the Fatest VPN Protocol: PPTP
• the Most Secure VPN Protocol: OpenVPN
• the Best VPN Protocol for P2P File Sharing: OpenVPN

The VPN Kill Switch feature will protect your online activities for whatever reason your VPN disconnects, preventing your IP address and physical location from being exposed.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the Kill Switch feature is disabled by default. You can enable it in the Advanced Options. And it’s only compatible with L2TP, IPSec, and PPTP protocol.

PureVPN also helps in defeating DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leaks. It ensures that your online traffic is safe from the prying eyes of your ISP or any other spy entity. And, our tests have amply demonstrated this, we haven’t found any leaks.

What’s more, PureVPN has a Split Tunneling feature, but it’s only available on Windows, Android, and Android TV. With split tunneling, you can choose which traffic goes through the VPN network and the rest through your ISP.

PureVPN Supports Ad Blocker?

PureVPN had promised an ad-blocker before, but it has been removed after a significant update in 2019.

Nevertheless, more and more websites are not accessible if you use adblocker unless you whitelist them. If you prefer a VPN with an adblocker, take a look at NordVPN or Surfshark.

PureVPN Offers Static or Dedicated IP Addresses?

A dedicated IP has many benefits for your internet connections, especially when you require a static IP to access specific networks, databases, and servers.

PureVPN does have dedicated IPs, but it’s a paid service with one IP for $2.99 per month. And you need to get in touch with customer support for this service. However, dedicated IP is entirely free from other VPN providers, like NordVPN or Surfshark.

PureVPN Customer Support

• 24/7 Live chat support Yes
• Online Resources Yes
• Email Support Yes

PureVPN guarantees excellent customer support, and that’s exactly how they executed it. PureVPN specially offers a 24/7/365 Live Chat option on the website. You can quickly approach a representative for any form of assistance.

Then, you will get a quick and friendly response from the professional support agents. The more information you provide, the faster you’ll be able to solve the problems.

However, we recommend you firstly check PureVPN’s comprehensive Support Center. Most of the questions you have can be answered here, including setup guides, troubleshoot, and FAQs.

The support agent and support center is enough for you to solve some common problems. But if you have trouble with something complicated, you can submit a ticket with screenshots for seeking technical assistance.

PureVPN is easy to use?

How to Install & Set Up PureVPN

PureVPN is very simple to get started, even if you’ve never used it before. You just need to download the software according to your devices, refer to the detailed installation guide, and then log in to your account.

PureVPN does focus on a friendly user experience, but this still requires constant optimization and improvement. If you love testing PureVPN’s new application, you can become the PureVPN beta tester.

Before you start to connect to the server, you should choose the right model for your purpose. PureVPN has offered a total of five models:

• Stream: Enjoy unlimited streaming
• Internet Freedom: Get access to everything
• Security&Privacy: Get impenetrable security for your data and privacy
• File-sharing: Instantly share files
• Dedicated IP: Get a Reliable IP connection

PureVPN Pricing Plans & Refund Options

PureVPN Coupon

PureVPN often comes with offers on special days, and it currently provides a coupon with 73% off. Here is PureVPN’s latest coupon code in 2020 below:

PureVPN Pricing Plan

PureVPN has three different pricing plans, $0.99 for a 7-day trial, $10.95 monthly, and $49.95 annually for the first year.

If you want to test the water first, PureVPN has a 7-day trial for $0.99. And you can enjoy PureVPN’s all premium features without any restrictions except for extra paid services.

As you can see, PureVPN’s longer-term plans are much cheaper than a monthly basis. It’s almost the same as many other VPN providers.

Payment & Refund Options

• Credit Card Yes
• Debit Card Yes
• Bitcoin Yes
• AliPay Yes

PureVPN accepts many popular payment methods, even including cryptocurrencies, for the sake of your privacy. And it also supports AliPay, it’s very convenient for Chinese users.

You can test PureVPN for yourself for 31 days with a risk-free money-back guarantee, even if you have started a 7-day trial. This is completely no questions asked and any other restrictions.

But remember that, PureVPN support team will first try to resolve your issue successfully before processing the refund request. And PureVPN is committed to processing refunds within 24 hours of a valid refund request.

How to Download PureVPN?

PureVPN supports more than twenty devices, which makes PureVPN stand out in many VPNs. You can simply use the PureVPN app for all your devices, Click here to Get 73% Off.

And then, you need to click here to visit the PureVPN website, click on My Account > Member Login, login to your account with credentials, and click Apps > PUREVPN APP download the application.

PureVPN FAQs

PureVPN Alternatives

PureVPN VS ExpressVPN

PureVPN does have a wide range of server networks, but the server speeds are not super fast. ExpressVPN is a good choice when considering fast speeds. It has more than 3,000 servers worldwide and could unblock streaming services. Click here to Visit ExpressVPN or Read ExpressVPN review.

PureVPN VS Surfshark

You don’t want to pay extra money for a dedicated IP? Dedicated IP is necessary for unique internet connections, and Surfshark provides dedicated IP from five countries entirely for free. Surfshark is also affordable with many features. Click here to Visit Surfshark VPN or Read Surfshark VPN Review.

The Bottom Line

If you have used PureVPN, please share your honest review (good or bad).