The Best VPN Services and Apps of 2017 (Including Free Options) (Archive)

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Alezzane

Prominent
Jul 17, 2017
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510
Inaccurate review. Nord should get really more points. It's download speed reaches nearly ISPs, they provide high security level and like SR-71 BLACKBIRD mentioned their offer 2y for 79$ is unbeatable, where you pay for 1 year express more and have the same (for example with US servers it performed me even worst).
 

AholicMister

Prominent
Aug 2, 2017
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I'm using Nord for three months and I don't have any issues with performance. Speed reduces just around 7%. Big bonus they have 24/7 support team via live chat
 

PeterKendrick

Commendable
Aug 10, 2016
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1,610
I use PureVPN and recently they have introduced free advance features including Antivirus/Antimalware, IDS/IPS network protection, App Blocker, and Parental Control that's a huge plus and cost saver for me in the same subscription. Definitely a must have VPN service for all-in-one function.
https://www.purevpn.com/advanced-vpn
 

bitmill

Prominent
Aug 16, 2017
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I'm using NordVPN. I have great speeds and connections stability so in my mind it's the best service keeping in mind that price starts from around $ 3.3 per month for no logs service based in Panama (out of 14 eyes) with a lot of servers and 400+ streaming services available.
 

JoshRoss

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Jul 11, 2017
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Opera Free VPN is a pretty solid free version with acceptable speeds and decent functionality. Express VPN is fast, but also has log storage, which is not entirely ideal for privacy. Nord's support is questionable and the speeds can drop. However, they do not keep the logs, the best option for privacy.
 

Andrew_328

Prominent
Jul 11, 2017
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I am a Privatoria user and it is not worse than VPN providers described here plus they have better price offer
 

Thomasis75

Estimable
Oct 31, 2015
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Have only used NordVPN so can't comment on others. However Nord only costs me about 1-2 megs on my 50 Mbps connection and I check my speed every day. Cost is very reasonable when purchased on an annual or two year plan.
 

sbdotku

Prominent
Nov 1, 2017
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I have been trying PIA for the last month or so. I wish my experience were even half the experience the judges / experts had. I found it extremely slow, the support service ignored my email regarding set-up, and finally it would lose connection in the middle of my torrents thus exposing my activity to the world. Though I am writing calmly and in normal case, please use your imagination to insert expletives and put my text above in all caps. I thought Nord was overrated until I tried PIA.
 

sbdotku

Prominent
Nov 1, 2017
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Wow. Just spent time detailing my experience and then was required to log-in - submission gone.

SO, one more time.

I have been trying PIA as it is so well reviewed. I should say I WAS trying PIA. I become so frustrated with it that I cancelled my subscription (but I will receive no refund, of course. And yes, it was a yearly membership.)

I wish my experience had been half as good as the judges'/experts'. The three reasons I am moving on NOW even though my subscription isn't up for 11 months:
1) Ignored my support request email. I wrote them with a problem about the way the software had loaded and never heard back.

2) Sloooooooooooooow. Nord was a speed demon in comparison.

But the final straw? 3) PIA kept dropping my connection in the middle of activities thus exposing my actions to the regular good old web and all the snoopers accordingly.

In comparison Nord, when used with Viscosity, was a dream.

So, though I have put my experience mildly above, please imagine it curse-filled and in ALL caps. I can't adequately express my frustration and disappointment.
 

markhall1401

Prominent
Dec 3, 2017
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Astrill are a diabolical service!
This was their suggestion to a support issue:-
[Ticket ID: 899410469] Accessing BBC iPlayer
Hi Mark,
Thank you for contacting Astrill support!
BBC is actively blocking our shared server. The only solution now is to have a Private IP but unfortunately we do not have available Private IPs now. We have run out of stock because our clients bought Private IP for BBC.
If you are willing to purchase Private IP, we will have new batch of IPs in few days.
Private IP cost $5/month.
Let us know if you still have concerns and we will be glad to assist you.
Best regards,

I paid $99 for the UK Private IP but it was so slow it was completely unusable. But, they refuse to refund my money. They've offered to transfer me to another UK Private IP but there aren't any available and they can't tell me when there will be one available. So, I paid my $99 2 weeks ago, I haven't heard anything more from anyone in their support team about getting a different Private IP and, therefore, haven't been able to use my product for 2 weeks. The final straw is that, BBC iPlayer has suddenly started working with the normal Astrill IP's so I needn't have bought the Private IP at all. Keep away from Astrill unless you want to be ripped off!!!
 

jbowyer

Prominent
Jan 2, 2018
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Have you ever known a person who tries too hard to be cute? That's TunnelBear...with all of the same pitfalls.

Even rudimentary features of TunnelBear feel unfinished because most of the development effort has focused on presenting an image of "cuteness".

Support is probably the worst aspect of TunnelBear. As expected, the cuteness actually masks mean-spiritedness. When I failed to participate in the cuteness game by contacting TunnelBear about a problem and suggesting how the unfinished features could be improved, TunnelBear responded with a pompous, sactimonious attitude.

In short, TunnelBear needs more substance and less cuteness.
 

ctbrowncoat

Estimable
Jan 9, 2015
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4,510
What does the author mean here, "anyone wary of the U.S. government may want to choose another service?" Does the government own or run Private Internet Access, their top pick? Or is that warning simply because the company is based in the US?
 

R_1

Estimable
Herald


based in the US.
 
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