Anya Zhukova · November 11, 2022 · 7 min read PrivadoVPN is a relatively new provider that you won’t find on most best VPN lists with big players like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Cyberghost, or Surfshark. But this new client from Switzerland could be a great choice for a secure VPN service.
In this PrivadoVPN review, we’ll outline the strength of this VPN service and its weaknesses and help you understand whether PrivadoVPN is a suitable VPN for you.
PrivadoVPN: Overview & Features
Before we dive into the details, here’s a quick overview and a list of the pros and cons of using the PrivadoVPN service.
Pros:
- Excellent free plan
- Reasonably-priced paid subscription
- Up to 10 simultaneous connections (with paid subscription)
- Zero-logs policy
- Split Tunneling
- Unblocks most geo-blocked content and streaming services like Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video
- Many supported platforms, including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Fire TV, Android TV, + router support available
Cons:
- Slow download speeds
- Lack of additional features
- No third-party audit
- Kill switch is only available on desktop apps
The main point of using a VPN is to secure your online activity by rerouting your web traffic to a server provided by the VPN company. Aside from getting your online privacy back, you can also use a VPN to access geo-blocked content, bypass your school or work firewalls, and even find the lowest prices for products and services.
PrivadoVPN offers an easy and quick way to protect your online activity across all your devices: your smartphone, tablet, computer, and more. With the paid subscription, you can simultaneously use PrivadoVPN on up to 10 devices. The free version is also impressive, mainly because it allows unlimited (or almost unlimited) browsing. This Swiss VPN service is also one of the strongest VPN providers when it comes to unblocking content.
For best performance, we recommend connecting to the closest PrivadoVPN server. Otherwise, you might experience slowdowns in the upload and download speeds and an increase in latency. When performing speed tests on a Mac, we didn’t notice a massive drop in upload speed, only a slight decrease in download speed. While VPN speeds are important, they shouldn’t be your primary choice criterion. The speeds will differ depending on the time of day, the speed of your internet connection, as well as which VPN server you’re connected to.
Bypass Geoblocks
PrivadoVPN is an excellent choice for anyone looking to use a VPN to bypass geoblocks and unblock streaming services unavailable in their region.
We tested PrivadoVPN in Russia, where several services are blocked now on a government level. With the VPN connection, we could open and use Instagram and Facebook. Unlike other VPN services we tested in Russia, PrivadoVPN didn’t cause a massive drop in upload/download speeds, and we could watch and upload videos on these networks without any frustration. PrivadoVPN also gave us access to LinkedIn, which is blocked in Russia, just like Instagram and Facebook.
Then we tried accessing streaming services like Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video from abroad. All three worked effortlessly. According to VPN reviews from other VPN users, you can also access Disney+ with PrivadoVPN. However, we couldn’t get it to work and can’t testify.
Aside from streaming, you can use PrivadoVPN for secure torrenting. The service offers P2P support and comes with a SOCKS5 proxy that maximizes torrenting speeds and helps you access large files much more quickly.
Interface & Ease of Use
PrivadoVPN has apps for different devices. The Mac and Windows apps seem to be the strongest, as they’re the only ones with the kill switch function. Kill switch protects your online activity in case you lose your connection to the VPN servers.
The interface of the PrivadoVPN app is minimalistic and straightforward. On the main screen, you’ll find the Connect / Disconnect button. Below, you’ll see your Selected Location, which you can change by opening up the available locations.
There are over 200 servers, with 63 locations to choose from. The On / Off switch below the location box belongs to the Kill Switch function. On the same screen, you’ll also see your IP address displayed together with the current location.
On the left side of the app, you’ll find the Settings icon that opens app Preferences. In settings, you get complete control over the Kill Switch and Auto-Connect features, and you can also choose which VPN protocol to use: IKEv2, Wireguard, or OpenVPN protocol.
You won’t find much else on the app. In settings, you can view your account information and get help with any issues with the app. When you select Contact Support, you’ll be transferred to the Support section of the PrivadoVPN site. You can get 24/7 customer support with online tickets or find out how to fix your issue using FAQs.
Privacy & Security
According to the PrivadoVPN website, the company only uses physical servers located in the jurisdiction they represent. This is better than using virtual servers located anywhere in the world and providing you with an IP address of a particular country. Physical servers come with better security and offer a more stable connection.
Another feature that makes PrivadoVPN stand out is its zero-log policy. They claim to be a “no-log policy VPN based in Switzerland.” That means two things: First, there can be no tracking of your online activity, and second, you’re protected by Swiss privacy laws, which are some of the best in the world. However, we should mention that the company never went through any external audit, so there aren’t any third-party audit results to support these claims.
If you used a VPN before, you probably noticed that some apps don’t work with VPN as well as others. With PrivadoVPN, that shouldn’t be an issue, as this VPN supports split tunneling. This feature allows you to decide which apps send their traffic through the VPN connection and which send their data through your ISP. Split tunneling is helpful for a high-bandwidth online activity like streaming or playing video games.
Pricing & Plans
PrivadoVPN doesn’t have a free trial period, but you can use the PrivadoVPN free plan to check whether this service works for you before buying the paid subscription.
On the free plan, you get access to 12 server locations in different cities and can use the VPN on unlimited devices but only one connection at a time. There’s a limit of 10GB of data that gets renewed automatically every 30 days. However, the cool part is that even PrivadoVPN’s free plan technically comes with unlimited data. After the initial 10GB runs out, you can still use the VPN to browse, only at a lower speed.
If you want to take advantage of the complete list of benefits of PrivadoVPN, you can choose between their one-month plan for $7.99 billed monthly or the 12-month plan for $59.88 billed annually. The longer-term plan is a bargain compared to similar VPN clients, and it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you change your mind about buying the subscription.
Both paid PrivadoVPN plans provide access to their entire server network in 63 locations, unlimited data, and the ability to use VPN on up to 10 devices simultaneously.
PrivadoVPN supports many payment methods, including credit cards, PayPal, and cryptocurrency.
Should You Use PrivadoVPN?
PrivadoVPN is an excellent VPN service for those who want a simple, straightforward protection service for their online activity. It’s affordable and great for streaming and torrenting, and the benefits of PrivadoVPN compensate for the lack of extra features.
At the same time, it’s better to seek other options if you’re after extra functionality like DNS leak protection, AES-256 encryption, or something that exceeds the standard protocols.
Either way, before you make a choice, try the free VPN plan that Privado offers to see if it has what you’re looking for.
