StrongVPN review

StrongVPN

Why choose StrongVPN

A simple VPN with lots of extras including Netflix unblocking and lots of simultaneous connections at once

Works with

Mac

Windows

Android

iPhone & iPad

Routers

Best VPN for

Netflix, Disney+, and streaming

Gaming

Torrenting and downloading

Security and privacy

See at StrongVPN

Pros

• Unblocks Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video
• 12 simultaneous connections at once
• High speeds

Cons

• Doesn't unblock BBC iPlayer
• Differing features per platform

StrongVPN is, as the name suggests, a powerful VPN – although it's not one of the most premium options out there. But if you want a VPN to unblock streaming services and need lots of device connections at once, this could be one of the best VPN services for you.

There's a simplicity about StrongVPN which is refreshing. For some that minimalism will be appealing, in its easy-to-use package, but for others it could mean a lack of features that might otherwise be expected at this price point.

With clients for Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android this is easily used and can even be set up directly on a router to allow for use on all devices connected. With servers numbering near the 1,000-mark across over 60 cities in over 40 countries, this is a well-spread VPN service. Ideal for unblocking the likes of Netflix from many locations as needed or getting a nearby secure connection.

So is this the best VPN for you? Read on in this StrongVPN review to find out.

Pricing and plans

StrongVPN keeps pricing simple. There are just two options, pay month-to-month or pay for a full year upfront.

For the freedom of monthly payments, you'll be charged $10 per month which does include a 30-day money-back guarantee and 250GB of SugarSync Secure Storage.

But if you can afford to pay for the annual plan upfront it'll cost you $34.99 which works out at a far cheaper $2.91 per month. This also includes that 30-day money-back guarantee and 250GB of SugarSync Secure Storage.

Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for deals though, as StrongVPN tends to offer great reductions, occasionally offering as much as 65% off regular prices. Our widget below keeps tabs on the latest StrongVPN deals so you'll always get the best price.

Testing and performance

StrongVPN's setup was very, very easy. This is not only thanks to the simplicity of setup but also thanks to the comprehensive guides on the VPN provider's website. This means from installing on a desktop to sideloading onto an Android device, it's all done quickly and easily.

Once up and running performance testing proved positive. For the US testing, the results have got us some very decent top-end speeds of 650-660 Mbps with WireGuard. The only VPNs where we've seen better U.S. speeds are ExpressVPN and NordPVN. Using OpenVPN, speeds were more mid-range compared to other VPN providers.

Over to UK servers and the WireGuard protocol result was similarly impressive with a top speed of 600 Mbps. With both our U.S. and UK testing, we found performance to be pretty consistent, too, so we feel safe to assume these high speeds weren't a fluke of timing.

Speeds can, of course, vary between servers so make sure to hop about servers before sticking to one, as you may find you get a better speed by doing that.

Features

This is one of the best streaming VPN options out there as it is able to unblock geo-restrictions for the likes of Netflix, Hulu, ABC, HBO, Disney+ and Sky Go. The only one missing from the list that would have been welcome was the BBC iPlayer.

StrongVPN has apps for all the major desktop and mobile operating systems as well as support for other devices like Kodi, Fire TV, and routers. It's worth noting that there isn't feature parity between the desktop and mobile apps with some features missing on mobile and other extras not found on the desktop. More on that in the next section.

The ability to setup this VPN on your router is a big appeal. Yes, this does offer up to 12 devices connected at once, but if you want more than this, the router setup is a great option. Then any device on that network will be behind the safety of the VPN.

Phone support is a nice feature. This is limited to 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday, CT – but even that is better than many services offer, especially at this price. To be clear, there is a 24/7 customer support service, it's just not on the phones, out of hours, but rather via email.

SugarSync is another positive feature as this 250GB cloud storage would otherwise cost you $9.99 per month to access. A very decent bonus here then, especially if you go for that lower-priced annual plan option or snag it on a VPN deal.

Privacy and security

There is a whole bunch of security on offer with the aptly named StrongVPN. You can connect using L2TP, SSTP, OpenVPN, IKEv2, and now WireGuard too. While all of those are options, they're not available on all platforms. The Android app, for example, won't offer L2TP or SSTP options.

That said, you do get split tunnelling on the mobile apps. This allows you to pick which apps use what connection, allowing you to keep your banking app on a local server, for example, while Netflix uses one in another country. There's also a reliable kill switch in the desktop apps.

The privacy policy of StrongVPN says upfront is that it has a zero-logging policy, meaning none of your usage data is tracked or stored. All it will keep is your email and payment details and nothing is sold to third parties.

Less clear is if the company logs connections to its services and if it prioritizes or penalizes some protocols above others. That said, everything else is what you'd hope for and should mean peace of mind.

This is a U.S.-based service though, meaning it doesn't have as much privacy protection as a VPN based in another country. As a U.S. company, StrongVPN could be compelled to hand over any data it has as part of various international security alliances that the U.S. is apart of. StrongVPN states it doesn't log any data, so theoretically wouldn't have anything to hand over, but its headquarters may be enough to put off certain users.

Should you sign up?

If you can afford to pay for the year upfront, you can get a very good price on a VPN that offers superb streaming unblocking, easy setup and use on lots of devices, decent top-end speeds, and a good no-logging policy.

This might lack some of the speed consistency of the top end providers and more apps for things like smart TVs, so if they're deal-breakers you may want to look elsewhere on our list of the best VPN services.

from Android Central - Android Forums, News, Reviews, Help and Android Wallpapers https://ift.tt/3pg7YVY
via IFTTT