PureVPN review: Performance, privacy, and price reviewed

PureVPN, a service operated by GZ Systems Ltd, boasts millions of global users using the security and privacy protection of its server network across more than 70 countries. Using a dependable VPN is important in today’s interconnected world, providing a safeguard for your online activities while fortifying data privacy and bypassing geo-blocks. 

In this evaluation, we explore why using a high-quality VPN, such as PureVPN, is important. We also explore PureVPN’s specific features, efficiency and overall value. Using our wealth of knowledge in VPN technology, exhaustive research and rigorous testing, we offer an objective, thorough examination of PureVPN, empowering you to make a well-informed choice.

Rating: ★★★★

PureVPN demonstrates noteworthy performance in terms of privacy, security and the ability to bypass geo-restrictions. Implementing a strict no-log policy and top-notch AES-256 encryption, PureVPN gives users confidence in their personal data protection.

The service offers a vast network of over 6,500 servers located across more than 70 countries, delivering a broad range of server location options to cater to diverse user needs. PureVPN provides a reliable solution for local connections, featuring minimal latency, and distant ones, overcoming geographical limitations.

In terms of compatibility, PureVPN stands strong, seamlessly integrating with multiple computer platforms, browsers, streaming devices and routers. With its flexible plans and regularly promoted special offers, PureVPN provides great value. And if you face any issues, its reliable 24/7 customer service will respond to your query within minutes.

Overall, PureVPN offers a comprehensive solution that goes beyond just speed, with excellent privacy, security and compatibility features. In this review, we delve deeper into PureVPN’s features, performance, security and value for money, justifying its place among the top VPN providers. 

Our reviewers are dedicated to bringing you the most accurate and up-to-date information so you can make an informed decision when it comes to buying a VPN. We will only recommend a VPN after hours of testing, extensive head-to-head feature comparisons, and after taking into account verified customer feedback and reviews, and the opinions of industry experts.

Our review scores are determined by the following categories:

• Privacy and performance (30 per cent)
• Features and functionality (30 per cent)
• Reputation and credibility (25 per cent)
• Plans and pricing/value (10 per cent)
• Customer experience (5 per cent)

We research and test a total of 25 elements within these categories, including:

• Number and location of servers
• Streaming service accessibility
• Security features such as AES-256
• Performance (upload and download speeds, latency)
• Value for money, guarantees and customer service
• Independent server-site security audits

All of our VPN articles are verified by our in-house team of fact-checkers, so you can be assured our content is as accurate and up to date as possible. For more information, read our article on how we review VPNs. 

PureVPN excels in offering robust privacy and security protection. It’s backed by a zero-log policy and AES-256 encryption – the pinnacle of industry standards – giving users the confidence to browse and stream securely, knowing their personal data is protected. With a network exceeding 6,500 servers across more than 70 countries, PureVPN gives users a wide variety of global server options.

This VPN provider offers comprehensive compatibility, supporting desktop platforms such as Windows, Mac, Linux and Chromebook, as well as mobile platforms, including iPhone, iPad, Android and Huawei. A notable advantage of PureVPN over its competitors is its 24/7 live chat and email support service, which is always ready to assist users.

• Lowest price: £1.85 ($2.29) per month for a two-year subscription (plus four months free)
• Free version: No
• Maximum number of connected devices: 10
• Number of servers: 6,500+
• Encryption: AES-256
• VPN protocols: OpenVPN, IPSec/IKEv2. and WireGuard
• No-log policy: Yes
• Audited: Yes
• Headquarters: British Virgin Islands

PureVPN is a significant contender in the VPN market, boasting an impressive network of over 6,535 servers spread across more than 70 countries. Its extensive server coverage ensures reliable connectivity and a wide range of IP options for users, providing a robust platform for secure and private internet browsing.

Despite PureVPN’s competitive pricing, the service doesn’t compromise on features and performance. To give you a clear picture of how it stacks up against other top-notch VPNs, our experts have compared the leading five VPNs in-depth, assessing their overall feature offerings and efficiency.

Although there is no free VPN version, like many other VPNs, PureVPN provides flexible payment options. It offers monthly plans for those preferring short-term commitments, while users looking for more value can take advantage of the one- and two-year plans, which significantly reduce the monthly cost.

We like that PureVPN has a simple cancellation process and a 31-day money-back guarantee (one day more than many of its competitors).

Prices as of 5/6/2023.

In addition to the regular prices, PureVPN offers exclusive deals of 80 per cent off on a three-year plan and 88 per cent off on a five-year plan.

PureVPN provides many payment options. It offers conventional methods as well as cryptocurrency, for customers preferring an extra level of security and lower transaction fees.

Ways to pay for PureVPN include:

• Credit or debit card
• PayPal
• Google Pay
• CoinGate
• Payment Wall

When selecting a VPN service, it’s important to strike the perfect balance of security, convenience and cost. With its robust privacy protection, AES-256 encryption, excellent customer support, user-friendly design, and reasonable pricing, PureVPN offers a strong all-round package.

PureVPN operates an impressive network of over 6,500 servers in 78 countries. This coverage ensures that users worldwide can easily connect to a nearby server for fast speeds and reduced latency. Moreover, PureVPN provides server ping details at the point of connection, which helps users choose the fastest server location at that moment in time.

Although a few VPNs, such as ExpressVPN and CyberGhost VPN, offer servers in a larger number of countries, PureVPN’s server network exceeds that of many prominent competitors, including ProtonVPN and PrivateVPN, in the overall count.

Server count is an important factor in maintaining overall internet speed, especially at peak times. It’s not quite as simple as more servers is faster, but it certainly goes a long way.

It’s worth noting that, unlike ExpressVPN, PureVPN does not currently offer RAM-only servers that erase all data upon reset.

PureVPN proudly champions its no-log policy, prioritising user privacy. An audited no-log policy means that PureVPN doesn’t collect any user-identifiable data related to VPN usage and hence cannot be obligated to provide customer data.

Upon reviewing PureVPN’s privacy policy, our researcher established that the VPN does not keep records that could help identify or track a user’s activity. PureVPN collects information at sign-up to provide and improve its services. These details include:

• The user’s name
• The user’s email address
• Password
• The selected payment method 

PureVPN collects non-personal data during service usage, such as the date of connection, for customer support and service enhancement purposes. However, it does not track or store the specific times users connect to its servers. In addition, it never tracks or stores personal IPs or exact locations.

Contrary to some providers, PureVPN does not monitor or store any activity logs, effectively enhancing user privacy. More specifically, it does not record:

• Browsing activity
• Original IP
• Outgoing traffic
• Connection timestamps 
• Browsing history
• Sites visited
• Content accessed
• DNS queries generated by the user

Even the particular VPN servers used are not tracked, putting users virtually off the grid.

It should be noted that PureVPN is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, a location that offers considerable privacy advantages. With no data retention laws in force, businesses based in this region are not required to submit any information. 

Furthermore, as a separate legal jurisdiction from the UK, PureVPN’s headquarters in the British Virgin Islands ensure that user data is beyond the reach of other jurisdictions, such as the UK or the US. This strategic location bolsters PureVPN’s strong user privacy and data protection offering.

For those who value privacy, a kill switch is often an essential feature when selecting a VPN service. PureVPN’s built-in kill switch provides robust protection for your online activities.

A VPN’s purpose is to maintain your privacy and security online. However, an accidental momentary drop in your internet connection could put your privacy at risk, interrupting your VPN connection. Such an occurrence causes a temporary window of vulnerability, leaving your personal details and IP unprotected and your online activities exposed. The kill switch is designed to act as a buffer and maintain your security and privacy.

PureVPN’s kill switch provides fail-safe security for your internet connection. It operates by disabling your internet connection the moment the VPN connection drops, keeping your actual IP address and personal data secure. This way, PureVPN guarantees the utmost protection of your sensitive data and digital presence, keeping your IP address concealed from public view.

PureVPN offers split tunnelling as a part of its service, allowing you to decide whether all of your traffic or only part of it will go through the VPN. This feature is accessible for Android and Windows applications.

Split tunnelling with VPN allows users to direct some of their device or application traffic through the encrypted VPN tunnel while other devices or applications retain direct internet access. This means that services that need your VPN IP address and those that need your ISP’s IP address can operate concurrently, as split tunnelling segregates the requests between the two.

What makes split tunnelling an attractive feature? Let’s say you’re located in London, and you want to watch the latest episode of Sherlock on Netflix in high definition without any interruptions, thus requiring you to disable your VPN. But at the same time, you need to stay safe while browsing the internet.

Split tunnelling enables the concurrent execution of both these activities; it allows you to stream Netflix unhindered by a VPN while your browsing sessions remain encrypted by your VPN. 

So with split tunnelling, users can enjoy benefits such as:

• Streaming content while using web services from local IP addresses
• Downloading safely without slowing down other online activities 
• Accessing a network printer while securely browsing the internet

While split tunnelling can enhance security by ensuring that sensitive data is only sent through a secure VPN connection, users must be cautious about which applications or network traffic is sent outside the VPN to prevent potential data interception.

Without split tunnelling, users may face limitations such as:

• Inability to access foreign and local internet services concurrently
• Consumption of a large amount of bandwidth by transmitting all data through a VPN
• Inability to access LAN devices while connected to the VPN

In the PureVPN Android or Windows apps, users can route all apps through the VPN or choose specific apps to use the VPN, leaving the rest running via the ISP IP. To enable split tunnelling using the Windows app, select the settings icon in the bottom left corner. 

When split tunnelling is switched off, all traffic is funnelled through the VPN using the VPN-assigned IP address. Once the feature is turned on, you’ll need to decide which apps to add to the list, and PureVPN will handle only the traffic generated by them. 

Here are some advantages of PureVPN’s split tunnelling:

• Split tunnelling: Secures all devices and applications except those the user chooses to exclude.
• Selective split tunnelling: Only selected devices or applications are protected. All other traffic operates outside the VPN.

PureVPN employs top-tier AES-256 to protect user data. This stands for Advanced Encryption Standard with 256-bit encryption symmetric keys, which currently is the most robust industry standard of encryption. With its 2,256 possible key combinations and exceptional cipher complexity, AES-256 is practically unbreakable. It is trusted by the US government and military and is also used by companies that deal with sensitive data.

Even in the event of unauthorised access, the intruder would fail to crack open the AES 256-bit encrypted data, ensuring your data and privacy remain uncompromised. It is technically possible to break this encryption but it’s highly, highly unlikely. 

The PureVPN app automatically selects the optimum encryption, so users are protected immediately after connecting to the VPN, regardless of the device – be it a desktop, smartphone or tablet. The VPN provider offers multiple tunnelling protocols, employing AES 256-bit encryption across Wireguard, OpenVPN (UDP/TCP), IKEv2, SSTP and L2TP/IPSec. It guarantees “military-grade encryption” on all its VPN servers, alleviating user concerns about external snooping.

While PureVPN provides (nearly) uncrackable AES-256 encryption, it’s important to note that this high standard is not unique to this VPN. Our research reveals that AES-256 has become a staple among leading VPN providers, such as NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark and CyberGhost. However, its additional security features, which include multiple tunnelling protocols and a commitment to automatic encryption selection, help PureVPN stand strong in the crowded field of VPN services.

Using a VPN is an effective strategy to secure online privacy, yet the trade-off often involves consuming substantial bandwidth, which influences internet speed. The optimal approach to gauging the impact of a VPN on internet speed involves conducting a comprehensive test.

The speed assessment revolves around three key parameters:

• Download speed: The speed at which digital content is transferred from the internet to your device
• Upload speed: The speed at which data is transferred from your device to the internet
• Latency (ping): The time required to transfer a data packet from your device to an internet server and back

Our researchers conducted rigorous tests to evaluate the potential influence of PureVPN on internet download and upload speeds. Initially, they recorded internet speed without the VPN to establish a reference point, which facilitated the computation of speed variation with and without PureVPN usage. For this investigation, our researchers used Speedtest by Ookla.

The numbers below the download and the upload speeds (in megabytes per second) are the ping (latency) in milliseconds and the amount of data downloaded (green) and uploaded (purple) during the test, measured in megabytes.

Our assessment of PureVPN’s impact on internet speed centred around changes in download speed, upload speed and latency when connected to different servers.

With the VPN inactive, our baseline readings for download speed, upload speed and latency were 375.88Mbps, 230.47Mbps and 7ms, respectively.

We noted a decrease in performance when connected to a UK-based server. The download speed dropped to 159.68Mbps, representing 42.48 per cent of the baseline speed, while the upload speed stood at 61.6Mbps, about 27 per cent of the baseline. The latency increased to 10ms.

Connecting to a server in the US resulted in a download speed of 115.76Mbps, which is approximately 30.80 per cent of the original speed without a VPN. The upload speed was significantly impacted, recording at 13.97Mbps – a mere 6 per cent of the base upload speed. Latency also rose, hitting a higher ping of 152ms.

Performance took a further dip when connected to an Australian server. The download speed stood at 149.14Mbps, roughly 39.68 per cent of the base speed. The upload speed suffered most drastically, clocking in at only 6.09Mbps or 2.64 per cent of the base speed. Latency in this instance was the highest recorded, measuring 344ms.

From these results, it’s clear that using PureVPN does lead to a noticeable decrease in both download and upload speeds, with a significant latency increase, particularly when connecting to distant servers, such as in Australia. That said, the speeds may still be adequate for most users’ regular browsing and streaming activities.

When connecting to a UK server with PureVPN activated, there was a significant decline in both download and upload speeds compared with the baseline readings without a VPN. The download speed fell to 159.68Mbps, which is a 57.5 per cent speed drop from the figures recorded without using PureVPN.

Various factors could have influenced this drop in speed, such as the number of users connected to that specific server at the time of testing or network congestion due to high demand.

Interestingly, the latency remained relatively low, increasing by only 3ms compared with the baseline latency. This minimal change in latency suggests a swift transmission of data, but this did not translate into a comparable performance for upload speeds, which dropped by almost three-quarters, reaching 61.6Mbps, only 26.73 per cent of the base speed without using a VPN.

Despite these reductions, it’s important to remember that many users may still find this performance level adequate for standard internet activities, including browsing and streaming.

When testing PureVPN’s performance on a UK-to-US server connection, our researchers noticed a further decrease in both download and upload speeds compared with the non-VPN base speeds. The download speed registered at 115.76Mbps, which is about 30.8 per cent of the baseline speed without a VPN.

The upload speed took a more drastic hit, dropping to 13.97Mbps. This translates to just 6.06 per cent of the base upload speed – a significant reduction of almost 94 per cent. The potential reasons for this are varied and could include the increased distance between the UK and US servers and higher network congestion on the transatlantic route.

The latency significantly increased to 152ms, a substantial rise compared with the baseline 7ms latency. This higher latency represents the extra time it takes for data to travel to the US server and back, potentially contributing to the observed decrease in speeds.

When switching the connection from the UK to a PureVPN server in Australia, our reviewer observed some significant deterioration in performance compared with baseline figures. The download speed recorded was 149.14Mbps, equating to approximately 40 per cent of the speed without a VPN. Such a reduction in speed is not unexpected considering the vast distance between the UK and Australia and the complex routing that the connection likely requires.

The upload speed declined sharply by more than 97 per cent, plummeting to 6.09Mbps, which is indicative of the complexities and challenges in maintaining upload speeds over such long distances.

Further compounding the speed reductions was the latency, which rose steeply to 344ms. This is substantially higher than the 7ms latency observed without a VPN. Such a latency increase is typical when data must travel such long distances, as it represents the time required for the data to reach the Australian server and return to the originating device.

However, it’s essential to remember that while speed is important, a VPN’s primary purpose is to provide secure and private connections. With that in mind, even with the speed reduction, PureVPN still manages to offer an encrypted and secure connection, even on long-haul links, such as from the UK to Australia.

One of the risks associated with using a VPN is the possibility of a WebRTC leak. WebRTC, short for Web Real-Time Communication, is a set of standardised technologies that enables direct communication between web browsers, bypassing the need for a mediating server. This functionality enhances the speed of various online activities, such as video conferencing, live streaming and file sharing.

However, WebRTC-based communication requires participating devices to exchange their public IP addresses. This can reveal your actual IP address to a website or third party, enabling them to track you on the internet. Such WebRTC leaks can negate the advantages of high-level encryption your VPN provides.

To ascertain the reliability of PureVPN in preventing such leaks, we conducted extensive WebRTC leak tests on Windows across various browsers. The results were reassuring: we found that PureVPN effectively blocked all potential WebRTC leaks, thereby maintaining its users’ privacy.

Following a thorough investigation of PureVPN’s claim of being a no-log and secure VPN service, our researchers found this to be verified by solid audit procedures. PureVPN’s security systems and privacy policies have been audited by independent security auditors, such as Altius IT and KPMG.

As a result, the company has been verified as a zero-log VPN, offering high security and privacy protection standards. Furthermore, PureVPN takes pride in being the first VPN provider to implement an always-on audit policy with one of the Big Four auditing firms, KPMG. This means that PureVPN’s services undergo regular auditing to ensure transparency and reinforce its commitment to maintaining user privacy and security.

PureVPN provides applications that are compatible with a range of operating systems on computers and devices:

• Computer: Windows, Mac, Linux and Chromebook
• Mobile devices: iPhone, iPad, Android and Huawei
• Browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Brave
• Streaming devices: Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Samsung TV, Nvidia and Chromecast
• Supported routers

The PureVPN desktop application for Windows boasts a straightforward and minimalistic design, making it a breeze to navigate even for first-time users. The app’s main interface is clean and clear, featuring a large, easily recognisable connect/disconnect button for immediate VPN access. The sidebar provides quick access to other app sections, including settings, help and account information.

Upon establishing a connection, the app provides real-time upload and download speed updates in a dedicated status section. This feature is invaluable for users who want to monitor their connection speed continually.

A standout feature of the PureVPN desktop app is its highly customisable location picker. It offers a range of selection options, such as a list of recently accessed locations, a system for favouriting commonly used server locations and a comprehensive list of countries that can be searched as needed. Moreover, each country’s server comes with its corresponding ping time, helping users identify the speediest option.

Regarding connection times, the app performs reasonably well with the PureVPN WireGuard protocol, usually connecting in less than five seconds. However, using the OpenVPN protocol may sometimes result in longer waits, occasionally stalling up to 10 seconds before establishing a connection.

We also conducted tests on PureVPN’s kill switch capability, another crucial aspect of VPN performance. After thorough testing across all available protocols, we can confidently confirm that PureVPN’s kill switch performed excellently, offering a robust layer of security against any accidental data leaks.

The PureVPN mobile application emulates the user-friendly design of its desktop counterpart. It offers a smooth interface, which allows users to toggle effortlessly between diverse server locations. The ability to choose different themes to personalise the user experience adds a touch of customisation.

The app’s location list provides access to PureVPN’s extensive array of servers, enabling users to easily select and connect to different locations globally. The app includes favourites lists for a more personalised touch, enabling quick access and reconnection to the user’s most frequented servers.

The mobile app boasts numerous settings that enhance user experience and security. It supports various protocols, including WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2, catering to various user preferences and specific use-case scenarios. In addition, the app offers split tunnelling functionality, enabling users to manage what part of their traffic is encrypted through the VPN and what goes directly to their ISP.

The integration with Android’s “always-on” kill switch rounds off the security features, ensuring that your browsing data is never exposed, even if your VPN connection is inadvertently interrupted. This blend of user-friendly design and robust security measures makes PureVPN’s mobile app an excellent choice for secure, on-the-go connectivity.

Installing PureVPN directly on your Wi-Fi router is feasible if your router supports VPN integration. This setup offers the advantage of extending VPN protection to all devices connected to the network, simplifying the process of securing each device individually. However, not all routers are VPN-compatible. If your current router doesn’t support VPN integration, you will need to change to a VPN-compatible router. For instance, FlashRouters provides routers with pre-integrated PureVPN.

The advantage of a VPN router setup at home extends to all your devices, providing optimised protection. To successfully install PureVPN on your router, it must support either OpenVPN or PPTP protocols. To configure PureVPN on your router, you will need to access the PureVPN router setup page. From there, identify the specific model of your router from the provided list and follow the guided steps.

PureVPN offers comprehensive customer support through several efficient channels.

The quickest way to contact the PureVPN support team is through its live chat function. Found on practically every page of the PureVPN website, the live chat provides an instant connection to a customer service representative, typically with less than a five-minute wait time.

For users who prefer a more traditional method of communication, PureVPN provides a dedicated email form page. You can fill out your details and query, and the team will respond via email. This method may be more suitable for non-urgent inquiries or detailed questions.

Additionally, PureVPN hosts a rich support page that caters to a variety of user needs. Here, you’ll find resources including:

• Setup guides
• Troubleshooting
• PureDome
• Account and billing 
• FAQs
• VPN use cases
• Learning centre
• Status and announcement

With these resources, PureVPN ensures its customers have all the tools necessary to troubleshoot issues, explore features and get the most from their VPN experience.

Trustpilot: 4.7/5

Apple App Store:4.3/5

Google Play: 4.0/5

PureVPN receives high scores on Trustpilot, Apple App Store and Google Play. When it comes to customer opinions, however, our researchers identified a mix of positive and negative reviews from users across the same platforms.

The positive feedback generally highlights the impressive quality of customer service offered by PureVPN. Customers share their appreciation for the helpful guidance they receive when facing difficulties. The client application is also praised for its ease of use on various devices. Users are particularly satisfied with the comprehensive selection of worldwide server locations.

On the downside, some users have had difficulties with the PureVPN service, particularly the money-back guarantee process. Although advertised as a “no questions asked” refund policy, some customers found it to be more complicated than expected. Some users also found it challenging to manage or cancel their accounts. We also have to note that some subscribers report slow connection or failures to connect at all.

“I would like to express my gratitude and satisfaction with the exceptional support provided by Finn. They promptly resolved my issue, demonstrating a high level of expertise and professionalism. Their efficient assistance was greatly appreciated, and I am truly thankful for the outstanding support I received. I would highly recommend Finn and commend them for their excellent customer service.”

• Alex, via Trustpilot

“They say a 31 day no questions asked… Well 4 emails and a 30 minute online chat later I finally got confirmation of money back. They are really annoying. I don’t mind one or two ‘are you sure’ but this is unacceptable. It’s not a guarantee if you mess people around like this. I tried it because I thought I could cancel easily if it didn’t work out. It is really painful!”

• Christopher, via Trustpilot

“I have to run another VPN for this VPN to work on my device which is a shame… wasted my money on a 2yr plan for a VPN that keeps on giving me the “unable to connect” error all the time unless I run another VPN first… their troubleshooting and support team are like a robot, they just repeat the same script ‘have you tried connecting to multiple diff cities/countries’ if your app is not working in all countries, it means you failed. Not mentioning that to customers before they commit is a bad thing!”

• El Rigardo, via Apple App Store

“Over 3 months spent in China in the past 7 months and this is the only vpn that worked the best. Doesn’t work consistently and doesn’t work in all cities but that seems to be the norm for China. And every once in a while, just stops working even in ‘good’ cities. So far it’s served it’s purpose and it always works with LTE, it’s only hotel wifi that sometimes starts blocking vpn. Customer service is great. Some good suggestions occasionally that work. China is difficult so you do what you can.”

• Aditya, via Google Play

Despite speed drops in the case of long-distance PureVPN server connection, it’s important to note that the effectiveness of a VPN should not solely be judged by speed. Security, privacy and the ability to bypass geo-restrictions are also critical aspects of a VPN service. PureVPN has earned a reputation as one of the top VPN services in the market, a claim our investigation largely supports.

With a no-log policy and exceptional customer support, PureVPN shines in the areas of privacy and security. The use of AES-256 data encryption, the gold standard in the industry, ensures that users can surf and stream content knowing that their digital footprints are well hidden. While some of its competitors offer the same level of encryption, PureVPN offers additional privacy protection, as it is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, a separate jurisdiction that has no data retention laws.

Boasting a server list of over 6,500 servers in 70+ countries, PureVPN provides an extensive range of server locations globally. Users can choose from the three available plans or take advantage of the various limited-time offers, bringing additional value. Should any issues arise, they can rely on the 24/7 customer support, which offers a high standard of service.

Overall score: ★★★★

Legal disclaimer

The data in this review is reported from a neutral stance and should be used for informational purposes only. We review VPN services from the perspective of:

• The quality of the product based on the security it affords the user
• User experience of the application(s)
• Level and quality of customer service

Independent Advisor does not endorse the streaming of content from regions other than where the subscription is held, nor does it endorse the downloading or consumption of illegally pirated content.