PrivadoVPN Review

VPNs are a cybersecurity solution that can aid users’ privacy and security concerns. However, they are, in essence, a virtual and private network. A VPN consists of clients and servers that make up a private network over any public communication channel. The client establishes a tunnel to the server according to the security protocols and uses it to transfer data. This tunnel is at the core of the technology and is accompanied by VPN encryption that takes place inside.

Thus, a VPN can spoof IP addresses, hide VPN clients, encrypt data, unlock geo-blocked websites and services, and much more. One great example of those capabilities is PrivadoVPN, which we’ll review to demonstrate and study its numerous features. Also, keep in mind that VPNs are essentially a tool that can help prevent cybercrime and safeguard against online surveillance. At this point, you might be wondering how this provider performs. It’s time you find out.

A quick overview of PrivadoVPN

Right off the bat, we can say the high subscription prices of the PrivadoVPN is a drawback, as it offers poor value for money. However, we have to say that coming from Switzerland, the service is a staunch advocate of privacy. PrivadoVPN is yet another small-scale VPN service that aims to hit it big in the market, and it certainly tries its best. The company offers a few advanced features that include a SOCKS5 proxy. It helps obfuscation and prevents VPN blocking. However, the asking price is too steep. The VPN has a comparatively smaller fleet of 300 servers, too.

A direct comparison would be NordVPN, offering numerous features alongside 5000+ servers, and that too at the same price. But the good news is that the vendor does have a saving grace, the free version. Trust us, the free version is one of the best ones on the market. Even with a monthly cap of 10 GB and a limited number of servers, only 12, we prefer the free one over the paid iteration. However, coming to the performance, it shouldn’t surprise you that, as a Swiss company, it regards security seriously.

The VPN is a strict no-logs VPN with the latest encryption practices and security protocols. But the service lacks on the performance front, as it struggles to circumvent geo-blocking. Thus, the VPN is a top-notch choice for free users, but we won’t be recommending the paid version anytime soon unless it shapes up. If only it could increase the number of servers and offer a new set of advanced features, it could rank amongst the best the VPN market had to offer.

Specifications list for PrivadoVPN

Features	PrivadoVPN Premium	PrivadoVPN Free
Bandwidth	Unlimited	10 GB
Connection speed	85 Mbps	85 Mbps
Logging policy	No-logs VPN	No-logs VPN
IP, DNS, WebRTC leaks	None	None
Jurisdiction	Switzerland	Switzerland
Number of servers	300+	12
IP addresses available	–	–
Server locations	46	9
Streaming	None	No
Torrenting	Favors P2P traffic	No
Number of simultaneous connections	10	1
Obfuscation	None	None
Customer support	Allegedly 24/7 live chat and email	-||-
Cheapest price	$5 per month	n/a
Money-back guarantee	30-day refund guarantee	n/a
Official website	privado.com	–

PrivadoVPN features and specifications

To gain a better understanding of the service, let’s look at the components the VPN has to offer in great detail.

Servers and app performance

PrivadoVPN has a network of 322 servers across 46 countries. But it is certainly not enough if the users want to maintain fast speed over international connections. Although, the silver lining is that all these servers are physical and not virtual. But coming to the entertainment front, the VPN is a huge disappointment. It fails to unblock most geo-blocked platforms. Even when it does, the service is not consistent and thus unreliable.

However, on the plus side, the VPN provider is a godsend for torrent lovers. Every server is P2P optimized, and the service itself comes equipped with SOCKS5 to enhance the torrenting experience. But the service can’t bypass censorship. Yes, it can do it with the aid of SOCKS5, but it generally lacks obfuscation technology.

Privacy and security

PrivadoVPN, a Swiss company, favors privacy. The VPN logs minimum data, including the number of active users and total bandwidth used in a given period. What it logs is as follows:

• Account information (username and email address)
• Payment information
• Support messages
• Anonymous, aggregated statistics (number of active users over some time)
• Mobile identifiers
• Total amount of bandwidth used

Since it’s based in Switzerland, the VPN provider doesn’t have to respect data retention laws as they don’t exist. The vendor also does enough for security. From industry-standard encryption to the latest security protocols like WireGuard, it can unquestionably ensure a safe VPN experience. However, compared to other leading vendors that offer advanced features like Double VPN, Tor Over VPN, and so on, the provider lags significantly. The key perks the provider PrivadoVPN offers are:

• VPN protocol — IKEv2/IPsec, OpenVPN (TCP/UDP), WireGuard
• Encryption — AES 256-bit
• Security — Kill switch
• Advanced features — SOCKS5 proxy

Customer Service

Despite claiming to provide 24/7 Customer Support, agents can be unavailable. Hence, the VPN lacks a top-tier support staff. Although the team is polite and helpful enough, the waiting can be excruciating. The materials present online are limited too. You can use a live chat or an email to contact the team, but the best method is to generate a ticket on the official website. Again, you’d have to wait a couple of hours for a proper response.

PrivadoVPN platform support

The VPN is compatible with most operating systems, including Windows, iOS, macOS, Android, and Linux. It has custom apps for Smart TVs and Fire TV Stick. But sadly, the Fire TV app is buggy and doesn’t work as expected. Although routers support is available, the vendor doesn’t offer browser extensions. Overall, the vendor offers a basic streamlined VPN, making it most suitable for beginners. However, the lack of support for consoles and, perhaps, different devices such as Apple TV or Roku is not a great look.

Plans and subscriptions for PrivadoVPN

PrivadoVPN is not an affordable service, even if it comes with a free version. At $5 per month, it is on the pricey end of the spectrum for what it offers. Though in no way luxurious, the service lacks suitable features to justify that price tag. The service offers poor performance on the streaming front and misses out on advanced features. In contrast, the free service is one of the best out there. The company offers 10 GB of data per month with 12 global servers. The premium version comes with two plans:

• Monthly plan — $8 per month
• Annual plan — Comes down to $5 per month, paid upfront in full

Verdict

We conclude our review of PrivadoVPN by noticing the network is small and offers a lackluster performance. Yes, it is good enough for a beginner, but at $5 monthly, there are better options. Though the vendor tried to turn the tide by offering a decent free version, it failed to gain traction because it doesn’t cater to the entertainment sphere. It even lacks the capabilities to bypass censorship and proffers nothing outstanding newcomers would latch onto. All around, it is a basic VPN that could have been better at a lower price tag.