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Is PureVPN, an alternative to Hide-My-Ass? I certainly think so! 375 servers in 74 countries with over 60.000 IPs offer a lot of flexibility. No bandwidth restrictions and a 99.9% uptime guarantee keep your connection safe at all times. So how does it stack up?
Table of Contents
Get Started
The email I received after signing up contained all the information I needed to get PureVPN up and running. I first tried to setup the dialer manually which didn't end well, so I succumbed and downloaded their software for Mac. A few clicks later, I was connected.
PureVPN's dialer turned out to be very easy to use and feature packed, all you have to do is enter the login details you received in your welcome email and the dialer does the rest.
The dialer also includes a handy "Server Selection Tool" which allows you to choose a server by purpose or country, making the server selection process very easy even for a VPN novice. You can download the PureVPN automatic dialer from here.
Speed
I really liked the connection speeds I got during my 2 week trial, mostly only slightly slower than the actual connection speed without VPN, sweet! Of course speeds varied by server and distance just like with any other VPN I have used.
PureVPN's Server Selection Tool combined with their Intelligent VPN Server Speed Test Tool make it very easy to find the fastest server for what you intend to do. I streamed movies and TV (even in HD) from the UK and Germany in the US without a problem.
A word about speed and testing speed: I mean the speed I got when I fired up the dialer and used speedtest.net. This speed will vary and depends on a lot of different factors along the route the packets must travel. The best way to test a VPN is to sign up for a test account, something all providers I tested offer, and try it from your computer, with your network connection and for your intended purpose.
Features
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Compatibility
PureVPN provides VPN client software for Windows, Mac, Linux. The tutorials and step-by-step instructions on their website can help you easily setup the service on almost any device. You can quickly connect to PureVPN, just enter your login credentials and click "Quick Connect".
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Security
In contrast to other VPN services PureVPN supports port forwarding and dedicated IP. No matter which plan you choose, all connections are 256-bit SSL encrypted.
PureVPN also offers "Secure DNS", which allows you to hide your DNS queries from your ISP which could blow your anonymity right out of the water. This is an easy-to-miss step, so please make sure you know where you are sending your DNS lookups BEFORE you go out there!
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Static IP
PureVPN is one of the few VPN providers that offers a dedicated IP address which you can easily add to your subscription for USD 2/month. A dedicated IP is a great way for you and your family or employees to securely access your home or small business network.
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Split Tunneling
PureVPN supports split tunneling. Simply put, split tunneling enables a part of your network traffic to go through the VPN connection while the rest goes through your local network connection. This means you can access a public network (e.g., the Internet) and a local LAN at the same time, using the same physical network connection.
One of the reasons people use "split tunneling" is to conserve bandwidth because it improves the overall speed of your network as only part of your Internet traffic need to go through the VPN tunnel. To learn how to best use this feature, click here for a detailed explanation.
Support
The support section on their website is quite extensive and answers most, even advanced technical, questions like, how to send and receive email, connect to Skype, Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites in countries that block those services etc. I recently tried their real-time chat, there was no wait, and I received an answer immediately.
Privacy
PureVPN does not log any user activity (DNS lookups, emails, etc.) period! PureVPN's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy are pretty straight forward (and easy to read too!): they won't share personal information unless required by law enforcement with proper documents in hand, which is pretty standard.
Being located in Hong Kong gives you an extra bit of security, as it would be rather difficult for law enforcement to get the proper local court orders.
Price
Prices start at USD 9.95 for monthly subscriptions, with discounts for longer subscription terms. No matter which subscription length you choose, you can add a dedicated IP for USD 2/month.
All plans include, unlimited data transfer, unrestricted speed, unlimited server switching, unlimited support and now also simultaneous login for up to 5 devices, cool!
PureVPN is one of the few providers that offers corporate plans with prices starting at USD 275/month for 25 users and up, so if you are paying for individual VPN subscriptions for your employees, you might want to look at that!
HOT: You can get unlimited data transfer, plus save $56 per year through this link.
The Bottom Line
PureVPN offers privacy and great speed at a very competitive price. Sure you can find cheaper providers, but, as always, you get what you pay for.
You can't beat the security a Hong Kong based company has to offer. They have been around since 2006 and even provide corporate plans in addition to personal VPN service, so they know what they are doing.
Image Credit: Mr Michael Pham