Review of PrivadoVPN: A Newcomer with Big Potential
Swiss-based PrivadoVPN has made a splash in the VPN market, quickly gaining attention due to its robust free version.
Swiss-based PrivadoVPN has made a splash in the VPN market, quickly gaining attention due to its robust free version. The company aims to appeal to an even larger audience with its premium offering. With a privacy-friendly location, a strong app, and an expanding set of features, it ticks all the right boxes on paper. But does it live up to the hype in practice? I tested PrivadoVPN to find out.
User Interface and Design
When you launch PrivadoVPN’s Windows app, you’re greeted by a sleek, modern interface. Early versions of the app were criticized for issues with awkward navigation and small text, but PrivadoVPN has since addressed these concerns. The user interface has undergone a complete overhaul in recent years, resulting in an intuitive and user-friendly experience. In my opinion, it is now one of the best VPN interfaces available.
The home screen is minimalistic, featuring a large “Connect” button and displaying your chosen server, current IP address, and location. The design is dominated by pleasant purple hues and a stylish keylock icon. At the bottom of the screen, you’ll find quick-access buttons for the kill switch, VPN protocol settings, split tunneling, and the ad- and tracker-blocking feature called “Control Tower” — which, interestingly, also has its own quick-access button on the sidebar.
Features and Functionality
PrivadoVPN offers several features designed to enhance your privacy and security. The kill switch feature comes in two forms: an overall kill switch and an app-based kill switch, which allows you to block access for specific programs if your VPN connection drops unexpectedly. This is a useful addition for those who want more control over which apps stay connected to the internet when the VPN is offline.
The app supports several VPN protocols, including WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2, which are available on all servers. This makes it easy to choose the protocol that best suits your needs, whether you prioritize speed or security. Additionally, the split-tunneling feature, named “SmartRoute,” provides flexibility by allowing you to either opt-in or opt-out of VPN usage for specific apps or websites. This gives users the ability to fine-tune which traffic is routed through the VPN and which isn’t.
The “Control Tower” feature is essentially an ad- and tracker-blocker, but it also includes options for parental controls, including the ability to block adult content and social media sites. Premium users also have the option to add antivirus protection for an additional $2 per month. Although these features aren’t groundbreaking, they are functional and will appeal to those who want extra privacy and security.
Settings and Customization
By clicking the settings icon on the sidebar, users can access a wealth of additional options. Here, you can adjust the features mentioned above, such as auto-connect, protocol settings, and account preferences. There’s also a “Locations” tab where you can control how the VPN recommends the best server locations, either based on physical distance to your home IP address or via ping tests across the server network.
The feature set offered by PrivadoVPN is strong overall, especially with the split-tunneling and kill-switch functionalities. However, the service lacks a few advanced features that other top VPNs offer, such as multi-hop servers and customizable DNS settings.
Support and Platforms
PrivadoVPN provides 24/7 customer support through live chat and email, as well as a self-help section on its website. The support section has recently been updated to offer better assistance to users, making it easier to find solutions to common issues.
The VPN service supports a wide range of platforms, including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Android TV, and some home routers. This makes it accessible to users across different devices and operating systems.
Pricing and Plans
PrivadoVPN offers a free plan and several paid subscription options. The free plan is generous, providing access to 13 global servers, unlimited speeds, and 10GB of data per month. Users can connect up to 10 devices simultaneously and enjoy streaming content without encountering any issues — though, as with most free plans, the 10GB speed cap can be limiting for heavy users, especially those who enjoy streaming.
For those who want a premium experience, PrivadoVPN offers monthly, 1-year, and 2-year plans. The monthly plan costs $10.99 per month, which is on the high end for VPN services. While this may be considered expensive compared to competitors, PrivadoVPN’s long-term plans offer better value. The 1-year plan costs $35.88 (or $2.99 per month), while the 2-year plan is even more affordable at $47.76 (or $1.99 per month). Both long-term plans also include three free months upon signup.
Speed and Performance
I tested PrivadoVPN’s connection speeds across servers in six different countries, comparing them to my baseline internet speeds. The results were impressive, with the average download speed being 68% of my base speed and the average upload speed being 79%. These speeds are competitive with some of the fastest VPN services I’ve tested, including NordVPN and ExpressVPN.
Although PrivadoVPN claims that WireGuard provides faster speeds, I didn’t notice a significant difference between WireGuard and OpenVPN during my tests. Nevertheless, WireGuard is generally considered the faster protocol, so your experience may differ.
PrivadoVPN is fast enough for activities like streaming, torrenting, and gaming without any significant performance issues. It excels at unblocking major streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Disney Plus, making it a solid choice for bypassing region-locked content.
Additionally, PrivadoVPN offers SOCKS5 proxy support for premium users, which can further improve speeds for torrenting and other high-bandwidth activities.
Privacy and Security
PrivadoVPN uses AES-256 encryption, which is the industry standard for secure data transmission, and offers a selection of VPN protocols like WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. Based in Switzerland, the company benefits from the country’s strict privacy laws. Switzerland is not a member of the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, or Fourteen Eyes intelligence-sharing alliances, which means the government is not obligated to share user data with other nations.
PrivadoVPN claims to be a no-logs service, but it has yet to undergo a third-party independent audit, which raises some concerns. Additionally, the service operates on traditional servers, rather than diskless RAM-only servers, which would be more privacy-friendly since data stored on RAM-only servers is wiped during each restart.
While PrivadoVPN does collect some data — such as device information and bandwidth usage — it states that it does not log sensitive information like browsing history or IP addresses. It’s important to note that PrivadoVPN has not been independently verified, so users must take the company’s word on its privacy practices.
During testing, I found that the kill switch worked well, blocking internet access whenever the VPN connection dropped. DNS leak protection was also effective, ensuring that my home IP address was never exposed while using the service.
Final Thoughts
PrivadoVPN may be a relatively new player in the VPN market, but it brings plenty of value to the table. With solid performance, strong privacy protections, and a generous free plan, it’s a worthy option for many users. The service’s server network may be small for now, but it’s likely to expand over time.
Although it lacks some advanced features and has yet to undergo an independent audit, PrivadoVPN is still a reliable and secure VPN. If you’re interested in giving it a try, I recommend starting with the free version to see if it suits your needs before committing to a paid plan.
