Test Report (77/100)
VyprVPN chameleon protocol and owning all their servers is what distinguished them from the rest of the pack.
Why do I keep testing VPNs?
Recently, I’ve been asking myself that same question.
And the answer is actually rather simple: I like to!
Testing VPNs and scoring them for me is like delving deep into uncharted territory, looking past the haze, and taking a stab at a new discovery.
It’s with this mentality that I take on the task of testing newer VPNs, and in sharing my findings with you, I hope I’m fulfilling my role.
But enough about me, let’s get down to business and talk about the VPN we’re going to explore today: VyprVPN.
Created and maintained by Golden Frog, a Switzerland-based company, this VPN has put in the required efforts to ensure that they become a well-trusted provider of online privacy.
I tested VyprVPN in terms of quality of service, reliability, and security, and I must say that I haven’t been disappointed by the product with my testing score of 77!
In fact, in several aspects, this VPN has given a performance that is much better than many established VPN providers.
The following are some of the factors across which I tested the service:
- Does it work with Netflix?
- How does it perform when it comes to torrenting?
- Is its speed something to boast of?
- What measures does it take to ensure the security and privacy of the user?
The above are only some of the parameters across which I tested the service.
Today, I’m going to lay bare everything that I found in front of you all.
Let’s get going.
The Frog And The Vypr
As already mentioned above, VyprVPN is owned by Golden Frog, which itself is operated by Powerhouse Management.
All these businesses are owned by Carolyn And Ron Yokubaitis, a Texan couple who have been internet entrepreneurs since 1994.
Golden Frog was started in 2009, and since then has been working towards the promotion of internet privacy and against online censorship.
By focusing solely on quality customer service, VyprVPN hopes to emerge as one of the prime providers of VPN technology in the world.
But is it really all that it lays claims to, or does it fall short of its own targets?
That’s what I intended to find out.
So, I decided to start with the very first thing that most users look for in a VPN.
Can It Unblock Netflix?
Unblocking the Netflix VPN ban has sort of becoming the primary operation of most VPN services.
So, I always start off my findings with the Netflix test.
Netflix’s geoblocks have gained immense notoriety across the globe, and VPNs are scrambling to provide ways around these roadblocks.
In this context, I’m glad to report that VyprVPN is actually great at unblocking Netflix!
The parent company behind VyprVPN has been putting in an immense amount of effort to ensure that it is able to provide the best possible service when it comes to unblocking streaming sites.
I used VyprVPN with a number of streaming service providers, and it was able to bypass restrictions on almost all of them.
VyprVPN achieves this using its very own Chameleon technology™, which stops the packet level scrutiny that most streaming services employ to block VPNs.
The first service that I tested was Netflix, and VyprVPN provided a commendable service across both US and UK libraries.
Especially, the servers based in the US provided superb speeds and I was able to stream HD content without any buffering whatsoever.
I also tested Netflix’s Canada, Germany, and France libraries.
To my satisfaction, I found that the France and German libraries worked well, but was disappointed to find that Canada was blocked.
With that, I run a speed test using Fast.com which is owned by Netflix, and without a doubt, it can’t be connected to the Netflix server from my VyprVPN’s Canada location.
I also tested other services such as BBC iPlayer, MuchTV, and ZDF; while I was a bit skeptical initially, I was glad to find that VyprVPN was able to unlock all of them.
One thing I’d like to mention, however, is this: I got significantly better service in North America as compared to Europe.
European servers do leave a lot to be desired on the speed front, so there’s an avenue for improvement to be explored.
Contrary to the CyberGhost that did an impressive job with Netflix and is certainly a combo killer on this.
Speed Testing
Taking a cue from the streaming tests, I next proceeded to try out VyprVPN’s speed.
Similar to other VPN providers, this one too claims the top spot when it comes to the speed front.
So naturally, I was interested to get a detailed insight into how fast it is.
I decided to test the service’s speeds across Asia, North America, and Europe.
Beginning with a base speed of around 30Mbps, I used the automatic fast-connect feature to link with the closest server in Singapore.
After logging average speeds of over 27Mbps across the straits, I next proceeded over to Europe. I was suspicious that Europe would disappoint me.
And sadly, I wasn’t wrong. Europe provided average speeds of below 20Mbps.
This told me that the greater the distance the lower the speed would be. Naturally, I was expecting lower speeds in the US.
But here I was in for a surprise!
In the US, I recorded speeds of over 23 Mbps, which is really great in my opinion!
I guess when it comes to VyprVPN, you can’t really make a guess on the speed.
Overall, I think we can say that while VyprVPN does provide good speeds in certain locations, still the inconsistency is something that doesn’t really seem desirable.
I hope the server network can be amped up to overcome this.
Until now, there’s still no competitor for ExpressVPN when it comes to VPN speed.
Server Network Distribution
Coming to the server network, VyprVPN boasts over 700 servers spread across 64 countries and 73 cities.
With a huge network of 200,000 IP addresses, there’s no dearth of choices on the server front.
A side note, do you know what is your IP and how it can actually haunt you?
However, the number of city-level servers is truly less, and I guess this accounts for the inconsistency in speeds, despite the great network.
I was, nevertheless, glad to find that VyprVPN uses dynamic server switching, which helps to automatically assign the best server to you based on server load and availability.
This means that once you’re connected to a server, there’s very little chance of a connection drop.
Considering all of the above, I can say with confidence that VyprVPN does have a great network, but it can be made better.
There’s room for significant improvement for the speed inconsistency, and the provider would only be enhancing their appeal by addressing this facet of the service.
VyprVPN’s Security
It unblocks Netflix, has a good server network, and gives sufficient speeds to get the job done, but is it secure enough?
That was the question on my mind as I started to delve into the VyprVPN security protocols.
First, I noticed that the service uses AES-256 encryption, which is one of the strongest encryption standards in existence.
Plus, it also uses the OpenVPN protocol, considered the most widely used and reliable VPN protocol on the planet.
In addition to this, VyprVPN also features a kill switch that automatically blocks your traffic in case of a connection failure.
What’s more, it even uses a NAT (Network Address Translation) based firewall for blocking malware attacks.
The feature which best impressed me, however, is the Chameleon technology that the service has incorporated.
This means, that when choosing the protocol, you not only have a choice between OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP/IPsec but can also use the obfuscating Chameleon protocol.
The latest addition of WireGuard proves that VyprVPN constantly enhancing its security features.
What does this protocol do?
Simply put, the Chameleon technology helps to scramble your traffic metadata.
This means that your VPN traffic remains free from the effects of throttling and VPN blocking.
VyprVPN also offers WireGuard and makes use of VyprDNS, Golden Frog’s very own DNS network.
This makes VyprVPN a service that is free from all regular DNS-based lapses, such as location errors, activity logs, and censorship.
What’s more, I also tested VyprVPN for leaks, and it passed all my Leak Tests with flying colors.
Check out my full VyprVPN testing report here.
Overall, I can say with confidence that VyprVPN is one of the safest VPN services out there.
It makes a good work-from-home VPN.
But if you happen to see any VPN that is still using PPTP protocol as their main encryption, ditch them quickly.
As I’ve mentioned you shouldn’t waste time on free VPN PPTP.
Carry on, does VyprVPN respect my privacy?
Privacy Concern
When using a VPN, the privacy of the service is something that you expect automatically.
However, past experience has taught me that not all VPNs take sufficient care of customer data.
That’s why I decided to be thorough in testing VyprVPN for privacy parameters.
But I needn’t have worried, for VyprVPN doesn’t collect any user data as per its privacy policy, which explicitly states that the service provider does not log any customer data.
What’s more, in 2018, VyprVPN had the independent Cyber Security provider Leviathan Security conduct a detailed audit of its privacy measures.
Here’s the audit report.
As per the audit results, VyprVPN doesn’t log any user information.
By auditing itself publicly through an independent consultant, VyprVPN succeeded in reaching a new level of trust among its patrons.
Another VPN that performs third-party auditing is NordVPN.
Plus, I was also glad to note that though Texas-based, VyprVPN is incorporated in Switzerland, which is a haven for privacy freaks.
It’s outside any major spy network, and the country can’t compel the company to share any info, simply due to the fact that it doesn’t store any.
Don’t just rely on the provider to protect your privacy, we should also do our part in ensuring that our privacy is air-tight.
Here are the 7 habits that can boost your privacy protection online.
Can They Torrent
The stellar privacy policy means that VyprVPN is just perfect for Torrenting.
The service allows P2P sharing on all its servers, and is known for a seamless torrenting experience.
And considering that VyprVPN didn’t really support torrenting in the past, it’s truly remarkable that they’ve taken a 180-degree turn and gone entirely private.
While all this was well and good enough, this is all available in countries that have relatively better privacy laws.
What about highly censored nations, such as China, which are notorious for blocking internet activity?
Or even VPN for Hong Kong which is under the amendment of National Security Law by China itself.
That’s what I hoped to find out next.
Pricing Structure
Finally, I’d like to talk a bit about VyprVPN’s pricing, which is divided into monthly, bi-yearly, and yearly subscription plans.
I recommend you go with the premium service with unlimited bandwidth, up to five simultaneous connections, and above all, access to the Chameleon protocol.
If, however, you’re in the mood to save a few bucks you can always opt for the standard tier ($9.95/mo) connection.
Keep in mind that here, you don’t get the Chameleon, and can only connect up to three simultaneous devices.
It might not be that of a good deal in my opinion.
However, they cancel the standard tier plan and change it to a subscription-based on duration. All their plans now include Chameleon and 5 simultaneous connections at a time.
Consider Surfshark if you are tight on budget but want a premium full-fledged paid VPN.
Final Verdict
At the end of the day, the final question that remains to be answered is this: is VyprVPN worth the buy?
I’d say it certainly is.
It’s a secure VPN that has proven privacy measures and security standards in place.
On top of that, it’s got a global network, can unblock Netflix, and even works in high censorship countries.
Overcoming a Netflix VPN ban is something that most premium VPN providers sought after.
True, the speed is a bit inconsistent, but with time, I expect this to improve.
Plus, where else can you get obfuscating services like the Chameleon Protocol?
All things considered; I’d say VyprVPN is certainly worth the money.
And if you’re still on the fence about making a decision, there’s the 30-day money-back guarantee in case you change your mind.
Or grab the 3-day free trial. Before you do, make sure you check out our VPN beginner’s guide.
Do keep in mind that if you pick the free trial, you are not entitled to the 30-day money-back policy.
VyprVPN provides you with all the benefits of its peers, and more.