VyprVPN Review

Overall 4















Price

















Service

















Apps

















Speed

















Policy















Summary VyprVPN is a market-leading VPN which continues to build on its strong foundations and has added an independently-verified no logs policy to its offering this year. Pros Independently verified no logs policy.

Strong encryption.

30-day money back guarantee.

Robust connections.

Custom Chameleon VPN protocol. Cons Not the cheapest.

Limited concurrent connections.

Hit and miss in China.



VyprVPN is one of the big names in the VPN world, but there have been a few areas where their service has been lacking in recent times.

But they made some big leaps forward in 2019. So, we have taken a fresh look at their service to see how it compares to the market in 2020.

Service



Speeds



In recent years, VyprVPN's connection speeds have been mixed, to say the least. They have, generally speaking, been best described as average for some time now.

We have never found that connections speeds were so slow as to impact on daily usage. But we have never been blown away by their lightning-pace either.

This has recently changed and as shown in our speed testing there has been a marked improvement in overall speeds.

We ran a test on VyprVPN by downloading a test file on a UK residential connection from different servers around the world. Our regular connection speed with no VPN connection was 40.72 Mbps.

UK – 34.42 Mbps

– 34.42 Mbps Netherlands – 32.40 Mbps

– 32.40 Mbps Switzerland – 31.46 Mbps

– 31.46 Mbps Sweden – 33.75 Mbps

– 33.75 Mbps France – 33.65 Mbps

– 33.65 Mbps New York, US – 29.84 Mbps

– 29.84 Mbps Australia – 26.24 Mbps

There are definitely faster VPNs out there, but for everyday usage, even downloading files and online streaming, VyprVPN's speeds are satisfactory.

Logging

Like most VPNs, VyprVPN makes a bit of a fuss about keeping no logs of any kind. In previous reviews, we have been somewhat critical of the amount of connection data they have retained, but that is no longer the case.

2018 saw VyprVPN's No Logs guarantee independently audited by the security company, Leviathan Security Group.

They confirmed that VyprVPN not only have no logs of user content but that they also no longer retain any connection, metadata or identifying information either.

This independently verified no-logs guarantee means that VyprVPN now offers some of the best privacy protections of any VPN provider.

Simultaneous Connections

The number of concurrent connections you can use will depend on which subscription package you opt for. On the Basic package, three simultaneous connections are available, while the Premium package offers five.

In an age when most VPNs offer a minimum of five and often more, this is at the lower end of the scale.

Three concurrent connections will be insufficient for many users. These days most of us have multiple devices and people often like to connect their families to their package too.

Five will be sufficient for most users, but with other providers offering up to 12, it would be nice to see VyprVPN following their lead in the coming year.

It's worth noting, however that this is devices you can connect concurrently (at the same time). There are no limitations on how many devices you can install their apps on.

Jurisdiction

VyprVPN's parent company Golden Frog is US-based but the service is headquartered in Switzerland, which means it is Swiss law that it must follow.

On the face of it, this is not a bad choice.

Switzerland is not part of the five eyes, nine eyes, or fourteen eyes surveillance networks.

However, Switzerland does still have some pretty draconian data retention and surveillance laws.

All communications data, including IP Address and metadata are supposed to be retained for at least 12 months. However, as far as we are aware, this does not extend itself to VPN services.

It should be noted that VyprVPN has been independently audited as keeping no user logs, so there is no suggestion that they are retaining such data as things stand.

Customer Service

VyprVPN's support is improving, but it still doesn't hit the heights of some of its rivals.

The support section of the VyprVPN website is impressive with articles and guides of almost anything you might want to ask.

They operate a ticketing system where you have to submit a question and then wait to receive a response from one of their team. This system is available 24/7 but in the past, you could easily wait several hours to get a response.

That response time has now dropped significantly and in our tests, we never had to wait more than 20 minutes for a response.

This year VyprVPN introduced live chat on their website so if you have a specific question you can avoid the wait and ask directly.

We found live help to be knowledgeable but if you have a more in-depth question, it's often better to ask directly via a support ticket as responses to live chat can sometimes be slow.

Server Locations

VyprVPN expanded its network in recent years, adding a wealth of new locations.

However, this was 2018 and since then there have been no new locations added to their network. No new locations were added in 2019 or the early part of 2020.

Their most recently added locations still feature a ‘new' sign which is a little disingenuous, although technically they are the ‘newest'.

In total, VyprVPN still claims to have around 700 servers. This hasn't changed for quite some time and expansion has not kept pace with other providers in this regard.

However, server numbers aren't as critical as everyone makes them out to be. As long as it is sufficient for the user-base, then you don't need to concern yourself with vanity-high numbers.

This includes ten different North American locations, 30 in Europe, and 14 in Asia.

VyprVPN users can benefit from more than 200,000 global IP Address. They claim that all of their servers are ‘super-fast' too.

It is not the biggest server network you will find, but it does offer an excellent spread of servers with all of the most popular locations well catered for.

Wherever you are in the world, you'll find a local connection point.

It's also worth noting that VyprVPN has kept connection points available in countries like Russia where other providers closed them down. Useful if you have a specific need.

Does VyprVPN work in China?

It does and it doesn't.

VyprVPN's Chameleon protocol has been specifically designed to allow access in countries like Communist China, where VPN use is discouraged or illegal.

Chameleon does work in China the majority of the time but like almost all VPNs, there are occasions when it goes down for a few hours or a few days.

But feedback from our users suggests that even when VyprVPN is working behind the Great Firewall, speeds are slow and inconsistent.

So, while VyprVPN is an option, there are definitely better and faster VPNs available. Our VPN guide for China lists better options.

Security

Protocols & Encryption

All VyprVPN subscribers can take advantage of the usual selection of VPN protocols.

PPTP, L2TP/IPSec and OpenVPN are available to everyone regardless of which package you choose.

It's worth noting that some of these older protocols require manual set-up and are no longer available through VyprVPN's range of apps.

If you opt for the Premium package, you will also be able to access their unique Chameleon protocol which supposedly thwarts VPN blocking.

This is based on OpenVPN but has disguised headers which VyprVPN claims allows users to bypass online censorship in China and other countries around the world.

In our testing, it works OK but it's no miracle cure.

VyprVPN's encryption options vary slightly depending on which protocol you use but are generally up there with the market standard.

Their PPTP protocol only offers 128-bit encryption, which is not secure, but this is the case with all providers.

L2TP/IPsec and Chameleon offer 256-bit as standard, while OpenVPN is available with both 256-bit and the rather unusual 160-bit encryption.

This lower level of encryption should increase speeds but at the expense of security. This weaker encryption is also no longer available via the majority of their apps.

VyprVPN uses a 2048-bit RSA key for handshaking.

This is on a par with most premium VPNs, but not as secure as some such as VPN.ac which have already upgraded to a 4096-bit key.

Is Torrenting allowed?

VyprVPN has kept its cards pretty close to its chest regarding torrenting.

In their help centre, there is a single article which briefly states that because VyprVPN doesn't monitor user activity and treats all traffic the same, Torrenting is permitted.

But the slightly grudging tone of this response is a less-than-subtle hint of their real views.

There is also some anecdotal evidence of VyprVPN users having their accounts suspended or even cancelled for breaching copyright law although these were some time ago.

If they receive a DCMA notice, their policy is to identify and punish the user responsible.

The fact that they can do this raises certain privacy questions. But it also means that while torrenting is technically allowed, it is certainly not encouraged, and probably not advisable.

Apps

VyprVPN offers a vast range of dedicated apps for just about every device you can think of.

It is one of the biggest selections we have seen with a premium VPN and includes provisions for VPN routers, Smart TVs, QNAP, Blackphone, and Anonabox.

Last year VyprVPN introduced a basic Linux app to make connection a more effortless affair and if you're a Linux aficionado, you'll appreciate this development.

There are still a couple of omissions from the list though.

There is currently no Amazon app, which means you cannot use VyprVPN with your Fire TV or Fire TV Stick without manual setup either. This is rather disappointing as most other premium VPN services have offered one for some time.

Mobile Apps

But the apps that most people will use are the ones for Desktop and Mac computers and iOS and Android mobile devices and these are pretty impressive.

Our most recent tests used their apps for Mac and iOS devices, plus we also gave their Windows and Android apps a run-out.

The mobile apps for both Apple and Android are much like their big brother desktop counterparts.

They feature the same sleek design which has been vastly refined over the years and most of the features are available across all platforms.

We like the fact the mobiles apps offer a Kill Switch and Split Tunnelling that allows you to decide which apps should use the VPN connection and which should fall outside.

It's also nice to see their enhanced ‘Chameleon' protocol available and the offering of using VyprVPN's DNS servers.

We like the mobiles apps a lot, they're much better designed than much of the competition and navigating around is effortless.

There's not much more to say about them but you certainly won't have any problems utilising them regardless of your skill level.

Desktop Apps

The desktop apps look almost identical to their mobile counterparts and have been redesigned since we reviewed the service early last year.

From the main screen, you can connect to the fastest server. Opening in the same window, you can also select a server to connect to. These all have speeds next to them to help you make a choice.

Further options match that of the mobile apps, including a Kill Switch, Protocol Selection and DNS servers. There are additional options that deal with automatic connecting and other minor features.

As with the mobile apps we're impressed with the desktop VyprVPN clients. Using them is straightforward and their layout is in such a way that using them is effortless.

In general terms, all of the VyprVPN apps are well designed and easy to use. They have been simplified again from the previous two years and much of the unnecessary clutter has been removed.

Does VyprVPN have a Fire TV app?

No. VyprVPN doesn't offer a Fire TV app but you can still use VyprVPN on your Fire TV or FireStick device.

You will have to sideload VyprVPN onto your device, which is a reasonably straightforward process and something that their customer support team are usually happy to help with.

Once installed, VyprVPN does work fine but the app can look stretched and it is not as user-friendly as other VPNs that offer dedicated Amazon apps.

Sadly, the service is missing a dedicated app and it's something we would have hoped to have seen by now. Many other providers offer this as standard and VyprVPN have fallen somewhat behind by lacking a dedicated app.

Does VyprVPN offer browser extensions?

No. They used to offer browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and other browsers but these were discontinued some time ago.

If you ask, the VyprVPN team will point you towards their desktop/mobile apps and explain that these offer a much better service and far more features than their browser extension ever did.

It is hard to disagree.

However, if you're looking specifically for a browser extension, then you won't find one here. Check out NordVPN for a provider that does offer these.

Streaming

Does VyprVPN work with Netflix?

According to the VyprVPN website, VyprVPN can unblock Netflix but only the US, UK, German, and Canadian versions.

Our tests were a little less clear cut. We had no trouble accessing the US version of Netflix, which is what most users want.

But for all other countries, we encountered difficulties. Canada did work on one server, but we couldn't get any of the UK or German servers to work.

This could be down to bad luck or bad timing but it's fair to say that other VPNs do a much better job of unblocking Netflix than VyprVPN.

Does VyprVPN work with BBC iPlayer?

Yes. We had no trouble accessing BBC iPlayer using VyprVPN.

Occasionally we found a server that wasn't working, but it never took long to switch to another that did.

Does VyprVPN work with Disney+?

Yes. We found that as long as you connected to a US or Canadian server, it was never too much trouble to unblock Disney+.

Again, there was occasionally a server that let you down but there was always another one ready to step up to the plate.

Price

VyprVPN's pricing structure is a little more complicated than the majority of its rivals. You can choose between a monthly or annual subscription, but they also have two levels of subscription; basic and premium.

Those who opt for the basic plans can access the core features of VyprVPN's service but can only connect a maximum of three devices at any one time.

If you choose their premium subscription, you can connect up to five devices and also benefit from their Chameleon Protocol and their VyprVPN Cloud feature.

The pricing structure for these two packages is as follows:

VyprVPN Basic:

Monthly – £6.90

– £6.90 Annual – £32.64 (£2.72 per month)

VyprVPN Premium:

Monthly – £9.25

£9.25 Annual – £43.13 (£3.59 per month)

For a monthly subscription, these prices are relatively high, but if you are willing to commit for a year, prices are much more competitive and we would strongly recommend you choose an annual subscription.

VyprVPN did use to offer a free 3-day trial but this was discontinued a few years back and is no longer available.

Payment can be made by Visa and Mastercard as well as PayPal and for those in need of a local Chinese payment option, Alipay.

Unfortunately for privacy-conscious users, VyprVPN does not accept payment by Bitcoin at the moment.

Verdict

VyprVPN has always been one of the most dependable VPNs around with quality security features and they have made real progress in the last two years.

Their server network has continued to expand, although not so much over the last 12-months, their encryption continues to be sound, and their speeds are still consistent and reasonably fast.

The most significant improvement in their service has come around privacy. Their independently-verified no user logs guarantee is a huge leap forward in an area where our review a couple of years ago found their service to be wanting.

We like their range of apps which are easy to use even for the most novice user and make connection effortless. They are however missing one or two apps which we would consider a standard these days, namely an Amazon Fire TV app.

Generally speaking, VyprVPN really is now one of the best all-round VPN providers on the market.

Their monthly pricing is a little high although not overly in comparison with the competition and we're not a massive fan of having two different package choices, but that aside, it's a reliable service with a long reputation for quality.

Most importantly, there have been no huge security issues in all the time the service has been operating.

30-day money back guarantee

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