PureVPN Review: Is It As Good as Surfshark and NordVPN?

PureVPN is a secure VPN provider with more than one million users worldwide. During our latest round of VPN research conducted in March 2024, PureVPN came third out of 20 VPN providers we put to the test, behind only Surfshark and ExpressVPN.

PureVPN is a really good option for streaming – it has more than 6,00 servers across 65+ countries and performed really well on our unblocking tests. It also has one of the better server selection tools I’ve used and will let you filter servers by your use case, and some unique security features other VPNs don’t offer, like quantum-resistant servers.

In this guide, I’ll give you the lowdown on everything you need to know about PureVPN, from the provider’s privacy credentials to server infrastructure. I’ve been testing VPNs for over four years, and for just $2.11 per month, I have to say that it’s a pretty good one! Here’s what I’ll be covering:

In This Guide:

• PureVPN: Quick Fact File
• PureVPN: Pros, Cons, and Test Summary
• PureVPN Review: Product Test
• PureVPN Plans Explained
• PureVPN Free Trial and Discounts
• Is PureVPN Good Value vs Competitors?
• About Our VPN Research
• Verdict: Is PureVPN Worth It?

PureVPN: Pros, Cons, and Test Summary

While PureVPN performed very commendably on my recent tests – scoring an impressive 4.1/ 5 and coming third out of 20 VPN providers – it’s still got its weaknesses. Here’s a rundown of the pros and cons of the platform:

PureVPN Review: Product Test and Feature Analysis

• Setting Up Your VPN
• Layout and Ease of Use
• Unblocking Streaming Services
• Available VPN Protocols
• Server Infrastructure
• Customer Support Options
• Privacy and Logging
• Security Features

Setting up your VPN

The PureVPN setup process is simple – just head over to the website, pick a plan, and download the relevant client for your device. Then, you can make an account and get going with the software.

You can then head over to your mobile app store, download the mobile app, and log in with the same account. PureVPN will let you secure 10 devices via the same account.

Layout and ease of use

PureVPN’s interface is modern and clean, and the left-hand sidebar menu makes everything pretty quick to access. It won’t take long for you to get the hang of it, even if you’ve never used a VPN before – but all the major software providers offer pretty simple kits that don’t require additional explanation.

The first thing I noticed about PureVPN compared to other top VPNs is the amount of information made available for you – it displays your VPN IP, the protocol you’re using, the time since the last ping, upload, and download speed. ExpressVPN, by way of contrast, displays none of this information.

PureVPN has a simple, clean interface that displays lots of information about your connection. Image: Tech.co

I also liked the server selection tool, which lets you scroll through the different countries available but also provides a way to filter by your use case or need. This means you can find virtual servers, that help users connect to countries where it’s too dangerous to house physical servers, or ones that are particularly good for torrenting.

PureVPN has a straightforward server selection tool with lots of filters, which makes choosing a server much easier. Image: Tech.co

Unblocking streaming services

PureVPN has a streaming feature called “Shortcuts”, which will let you save a server and a website that you want to access it with, and label it. So, you can pair up a streaming service like the BBC with a VPN location in the UK, saving you doing so manually each time.

The shortcuts tool means you can access your favorite streaming service in seconds. Image: Tech.co

PureVPN did incredibly well in our streaming tests. We tried to unblock six different streaming services with all 20 of the VPNs we tested. The list included Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu, and we tried unblocking them with both a Windows and an Android device from servers in London and New York. PureVPN unblocked all six steaming services each time, scoring 5/5 for this assessment area.

This puts PureVPN up there with ExpressVPN and Surfshark in this assessment area – but I was surprised that it did better than NordVPN, which I’ve always found very capable when it comes to this sort of thing. It’s made PureVPN go up in my estimations when it comes to streaming!

Server infrastructure and speeds

PureVPN has over 6,000 servers in 65+ countries, which is a large network by industry standards. The global spread is actually pretty good too – some VPN providers boast large server networks but then pool all their servers in a few territories. Not PureVPN, though:

PureVPN has a large server network that you can use to stream content from all four corners of the globe. Image: Tech.co

While PureVPN didn’t slow my connection down in any noticeable way (and remember, all VPNs will slow your connection down) it’s not quite as quick as Surfshark or NordVPN.

I’ve definitely used quicker VPNs over the years, but again, it definitely didn’t impact my browsing experience in any tangible or irredeemable way.

There’s room for improvement when it comes to security, however – PureVPN doesn’t use diskless servers that run on Random Access Memory (RAM), which will wipe server data every time they power down. This is a shame because diskless servers are usually considered a lot more secure.

Customer support options

All in all, we scored PureVPN 4/5 for customer support. There are several different ways to contact the company from within the app and resolve technical problems.

If you’d like to troubleshoot your VPN issues yourself, you can use the troubleshooting guide provided to help you. You can also contact PureVPN through live chat, although this is only useful for common queries, as it’s not very advanced:

I found PureVPN’s live chat useful, but only for very basic queries. Image: Tech.co

I was also able to submit a support ticket via the app, which not all VPNs allow you to do. This was a simple, uncomplicated process, although there’s no guarantee on how long it’ll take the company to reply.

Of course, you can always email help@purevpn.com – which you’ll need to do to have any billing issues or you’ve decided you want to cancel your subscription. This is also the contact address you’ll have to message to secure a money-back guarantee if you don’t want to continue after a month.

Privacy and logging policy

It has to be said that PureVPN doesn’t have a squeaky-clean privacy track record, largely as a result of an infamous court case that took place years ago, in which PureVPN handed over logs to help the FBI identify a cyber stalker. It was a commendable move, but did raise some eyebrows about how much data PureVPN collects about its users. However, PureVPN didn’t log anything that wasn’t stated in their privacy policy, and the case does not imply that the provider keeps any activity logs. Read their explanation here.

But those days are long in the past, and the provider has done more than most to win back trust – which has clearly worked considering it’s now got more than one million users. More recently, PureVPN has been audited by consultancy firm KPMG, who verified that the provider is true to its no-logs claims. In fact, PureVPN has passed independent logging audits four years in a row.

The company has also moved its HQ to the British Virgin Islands, a notorious privacy haven, and has a much more emphatic privacy policy which now seems to put its logging practices in line with the world’s most secure VPNs, such as NordVPN. According to the company’s privacy policy, PureVPN does NOT log:

• Browsing activity
• Identifiable connection logs
• Records of IPs assigned
• A customer’s original IP
• Connection timestamps
• Browsing history
• Sites visited
• Outgoing traffic
• Content or data accessed
• DNS queries generated by the user

In fairness to PureVPN, it’s started logging its DMCA requests and “emergency proposals” from government agencies, which not a lot of VPNs actually do:

PureVPN makes all of its DMCA and “emergency” proposal requests public and tracks them in a graph. Image: Tech.co

Additional security features

PureVPN has all the basic security features you’d expect from any secure VPN worth its salt, including a kill switch, which will drop your internet connection whenever your VPN connection cuts out. In my PureVPN client, the kill switch was automatically switched on, which is a good sign – other VPNs leave you to turn it on manually.

Impressively, PureVPN has servers specifically designed to withstand quantum encryption attacks, which can sometimes break conventional encryption methods. There are quantum-resistant servers in more than 30 different countries in PureVPN’s server network. No other VPN provider I know of is currently offering this feature.

Another security feature you tend not to find within a lower-tier VPN is a tracker blocker, which blocks websites from tracking your activity online. This is something a barebones VPN can’t stop, and why a VPN doesn’t make you completely invisible when you’re on the internet. Surfshark and Private Internet Access now offer similar features, but more basic VPNs won’t have this as a free additional security feature.

However, that’s pretty much everything of note – there is no Double VPN/Multi-Hop feature, and to get access to things like the password manager, you’ll have to upgrade beyond the Standard plan to one of PureVPN’s bundles. However, it does have obfuscated servers that will hide the fact you’re using a VPN at all from your ISP, which is always handy to have and provides even more privacy.

Available VPN protocols

PureVPN will let you use the standard VPN protocols you’ll find inside pretty much every VPN on the market: IKEv2, UDP, and TCP. However, you’ll also get access to WireGuard, a newer protocol with a smaller code base that tends to facilitate better speed and security (although it really depends on the provider and your internet connection).

The protocols available inside PureVPN. Image: Tech.co

Changing protocols was a little more frustrating than it should’ve been. I clicked on the default protocol to try and change it, but it told me I had to (understandably) disconnect my VPN. But when you do that, there’s no longer a protocol to click on – so I had to head over to the settings to change it there. It’s a very minor issue, but pretty annoying!

PureVPN Plans Explained

PureVPN has three plans: Standard, Plus, and Max. The Standard plan includes just the VPN, while the other two plans include additional security features. You can purchase any of PureVPN’s plans on a monthly, annual or two-year plan.

PureVPN Standard

• One month price: $10.95
• One-year price: $3.74
• Two-year price: $2.11

The PureVPN standard package is probably what you’re after – it’s a standalone VPN with all the advanced security features we’ve mentioned in this article, but no access to any of PureVPN’s other products.

PureVPN Plus

• One month price: $16.95
• One-year price: $5.82
• Two-year price: $3.21

The Plus plan from PureVPN includes the provider’s fully-featured, high-speed VPN, but also a secure password  manager and end-to-end file encryption.

PureVPN Max

• One month price: $20.95
• One-year price: $6.24
• Two-year price: $3.85

Along with everything in the PureVPN Plus plan, Max plan users will be granted access to the Pureprivacy privacy manager. This will let you send automated requests to data brokers that hold your data and demand that they delete it from their systems. You can also use it to analyze your social media settings and ensure they’re maximally private.

PureVPN Free Trial and Discounts

Last year, PureVPN made a 7-day free trial of any of its premium plans available to users, so you’ll be able to access the company’s full range of security tools without paying for an annual or two-year subscription.

Like most other VPN companies, PureVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, which effectively means you can purchase a plan, use the software for 30 days, and get a full refund if you’re not satisfied.

In my experience, VPN companies are usually pretty understanding when it comes to giving refunds – I’ve accidentally forgotten to cancel before while testing VPNs and still got my money back. However, be prepared to do a bit of a back-and-forth with the help and support team, who will try to convince you to stay at all costs!

There is a way to make your PureVPN subscription cheaper – referring a family member or friend. You can do this from inside the desktop client if you’d like a discount on your plan.

Is PureVPN Good Value vs Competitors?

Yes – PureVPN is actually one of the cheaper options, and considering you’ll have the option to choose between a standalone VPN at $2.11 per month and a whole suite of advanced security tools at $3.85 (more on this below), it’s excellent value for money.

Surfshark is another reliable VPN that’s often positioned as a cheaper alternative to ExpressVPN and its sister provider, NordVPN. However, even Surfshark is more expensive than PureVPN, with its best value deal working out as $2.49 per month.

It’s also much cheaper than ExpressVPN, which costs a comparatively eye-watering $8.32 per month. What’s more, ExpressVPN doesn’t provide nearly as many features, and will only let you connect up to five devices compared to PureVPN’s ten.

For just $3.85 per month – still less than half of ExpressVPN’s cheapest price – you’ll get a VPN, password manager, data broker removal tool, and a file encryption mechanism. When it’s put like that, it’s a no-brainer.

NordVPN, on the other hand, offers superior speeds but costs more than PureVPN – with a first paid plan retailing at $3.09 per month for the standard VPN package.

About Our VPN Research

At Tech.co, we conduct independent research into all of the products, services, and software we write about. This involves carrying out market research projects, speaking to businesses about their needs and priorities in the ever-changing tech landscape, and getting hands-on with the products to see what they’re made of.

For VPNs, we’ve recently conducted a far-reaching analysis of the industry that involved assessing 20 top VPNs against a series of more than 60 different testing parameters. We then awarded the VPN providers scores based on their performance or provision of features.

The core assessment categories we focused on for this round of testing were: infrastructure, features, protocols, speed, unblocking capabilities, pricing, support, and platform availability.

While we do have commercial partnerships with some of the providers we write about, but it’s our independent research that allows us to stay editorially independent.