proXPN review
[Presented by BestCloudBest.com]
Looking for ways to protect your privacy and security online? You need a VPN (Virtual Private Network). Choosing a VPN could be hard since many of them operate in a crowded market. proXPN is one of them. proXPN, B.V., a Netherlands-based company owns and operates this VPN.
The company maintains offices in the USA and the UK too. In the USA, the company is registered as proXPN Direct LLC. It’s registered as proXPN Ltd. in the UK.
How do you choose a VPN? You should look for good privacy, security, speed, compatibility, and customer support. You might want a VPN to unblock geo-restricted streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer. Additionally, you might want a VPN to access P2P/torrenting services securely. Finally, you need to evaluate the pricing plans of a VPN.
We have used all of these criteria to evaluate proXPN. Does this VPN meet your requirements? Should you buy a proXPN subscription? Read on, as we answer these questions in detail.
What features are included with proXPN
Let’s review the features offered by proXPN.
Your privacy with proXPN VPN
VPNs that claim to protect your privacy must meet a few criteria. They must mask your IP address. Such VPNs should encrypt Internet traffic and follow a “zero logs” policy.
proXPN masks your IP address and encrypts Internet traffic. This VPN follows a “no logs” policy. It explains in its privacy policy that it doesn’t log any information, and we like that.
When you buy a proXPN subscription, you need to provide your email address. You also need to set a password. proXPN doesn’t collect any other personal information. The company secures your personal information. It doesn’t sell, rent, or transfer your personal information, and we like that.
proXPN is registered in the USA, the UK, and the Netherlands. Based on its “Terms of Service” page, it’s subject to the jurisdiction of the USA. This country is a part of the “5 Eyes” coalition. Countries in this coalition conduct mass surveillance. While the USA isn’t ideal for a privacy-friendly VPN, the “zero logs” policy of proXPN mitigates all privacy risks.
This company displays a warrant canary in its privacy policy. It states that it hasn’t received any gag orders, however, it hasn’t updated this information after September 2016. We would like proXPN to update its warranty canary regularly.
We find that proXPN follows an effective “no logs” policy. This VPN can protect your privacy.
Your security at proXPN
VPNs that promise a secure browsing experience should meet several criteria. Such VPNs should support secure VPN protocols and prevent all data leaks. They should provide strong encryption. Finally, they should offer advanced security features.
proXPN supports OpenVPN, and we like that. This VPN protocol enjoys the reputation of the most secure VPN protocol. proXPN supports IKEv2/IPSec. That’s a secure VPN protocol too.
We note that proXPN supports PPTP. We don’t recommend you use it since it has security vulnerabilities.
proXPN prevents all IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. It offers the following encryption:
· MPPE-128 for PPTP;
· AES-256 for IKEv2/IPSec;
· Blowfish CBC 512 encryption with 2048-bit encryption keys for OpenVPN.
As we have stated, we don’t recommend you use PPTP at all. proXPN provides the strongest encryption with IKEv2/IPSec. You can certainly use this. However, we don’t recommend Blowfish. This encryption has security vulnerabilities. We would like proXPN to offer AES-256 encryption with OpenVPN. All leading VPNs offer this and proXPN doesn’t meet our expectations in this regard.
We expect a good VPN to offer a kill switch. A kill switch blocks the Internet connection as soon as the VPN connection drops suddenly. This keeps hackers at bay even if the VPN connection terminates suddenly. A kill switch is a useful security feature. proXPN offers a kill switch, and we like that. The company calls it the “VPN Guard”.
The “VPN Guard” works at an application level. You need to list applications that it should block if the VPN connection drops. We recommend that you list your browser, torrenting clients, messaging apps, etc. in the “VPN Guard”. We prefer a kill switch that works at a system level.
We find a few drawbacks with the “VPN Guard”. If an application displays a prompt before it closes, then the “VPN Guard” can’t close it. Take, for example, an app that displays a prompt stating “Are you sure?” before it closes. The “VPN Guard” won’t be able to close it.
The “VPN Guard” isn’t available on the mobile VPN apps offered by proXPN. Finally, the kill switch works with the OpenVPN protocol only. We would like proXPN to offer a comprehensive kill switch. All leading VPNs offer this, and proXPN lags behind them.
proXPN should offer the AES-256 encryption with OpenVPN. It should also offer a comprehensive kill switch. We don’t find the security features of proXPN strong enough due to these drawbacks.
Where are the servers of proXPN VPN located?
You want a fast VPN. VPNs with enough servers in all key geographies can offer good speed. However, they need to invest in high-quality server infrastructure too.
proXPN has 17 servers in 12 countries. It maintains servers in the following geographies:
· North America: The USA, Canada, and Costa Rica;
· Europe: The UK, Netherlands, Switzerland, Iceland, and France;
· Oceania: Australia;
· Asia: Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong.
proXPN maintains a smaller server network than leading VPNs. It doesn’t maintain any infrastructure in Latin America and Africa.
proXPN offers reasonable speed, and it can’t compete with leading VPNs in this regard. Explore other market-leading VPNs if you want top speed.
Platforms supported by proXPN
You need a VPN that supports different kinds of devices. proXPN supports Windows, Mac, and Linux. These are key desktop platforms, and proXPN offers custom VPN apps for them.
proXPN supports Android and iOS, the two most prominent mobile platforms. This VPN offers custom VPN apps for them too.
proXPN supports Chromebook. You need to configure a VPN connection manually on a Chromebook. proXPN provides a guide for this. Additionally, proXPN provides manual configuration guides for the other platforms that it supports.
This VPN claims to support routers. We couldn’t find any manual configuration guides for routers though. All leading VPNs provide such guides for routers, therefore, proXPN lags behind in this aspect. proXPN doesn’t support other platforms like gaming consoles and smart TVs.
This VPN allows 4 simultaneous connections. Leading VPNs offer more simultaneous connections. proXPN offers custom apps for all key platforms. While this is an advantage, these custom apps aren’t user friendly. We will shortly talk about this aspect.
proXPN supports all key platforms. That’s an advantage. However, it also has limitations. We couldn’t find any manual configuration guides for routers. It allows 4 simultaneous connections only. Look for other leading VPNs if you want a more flexible VPN.
Can ProXPN unblock streaming services?
Popular streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer impose geo-restrictions on their content. Many people want to circumvent that by using a VPN, however, these streaming companies know that. They aggressively block VPNs. Many VPNs fail to unblock these streaming services.
proXPN can unblock Netflix USA on two of its US-based servers. It can’t unblock the other popular geo-restricted streaming services though. If you want a VPN to unblock all such streaming services consistently, then you should explore market-leading VPNs.
Is torrenting allowed with ProXPN?
Are you looking for a VPN that allows secure access to P2P/torrenting services? We recommend that you check applicable laws before accessing these services. Many countries have banned P2P/torrenting services. Even if a country allows them, you could get into copyrights issues.
Let’s assume that you want to access P2P/torrenting sites perfectly legally. You will still face other challenges. Hackers regularly monitor users of P2P/torrenting services. Your ISP will throttle your Internet connection since they will soon detect that you are accessing such services.
Many people use a VPN to get around such challenges. However, not all VPNs allow P2P/torrenting. You need a VPN that allows such activities. Such a VPN shouldn’t impose any bandwidth restrictions.
Furthermore, you need a VPN that follows a “zero logs” policy. This helps to prevent anyone from tracking your usage of P2P/torrenting sites. Finally, you need a VPN that offers a kill switch. This keeps hackers away even when your VPN connection drops suddenly.
proXPN meets all of the above-mentioned criteria. It doesn’t keep logs, and it doesn’t impose any bandwidth restrictions. It does provide a kill switch and allows P2P/torrenting, however, remember to use the OpenVPN protocol. You can use this VPN for P2P/torrenting. However, it doesn’t always offer a good speed. This can be a challenge when you access P2P/torrenting sites.
Explore other leading VPNs that meets all of the above criteria and offers good speed. That will give you a better user experience.
How much does ProXPN VPN cost?
proXPN offers a free VPN. As with other free VPNs, this service has plenty of limitations. We normally don’t recommend you use a free VPN. Our stand remains the same for the proXPN free plan.
This VPN offers the following pricing plans for its premium package:
· 3-months: You pay $29.95 every 3 months. This translates to $9.98 per month.
· 6-months: This plan costs you $49.95 every 6 months, therefore, your monthly average cost is $8.33.
· 12-months: You pay $74.95 every year. This means that your average monthly cost is $6.25.
We find that proXPN is expensive. It doesn’t offer a monthly plan, moreover, it doesn’t offer any multi-year plans. This reduces options for its customers.
proXPN accepts credit cards like Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. You can also pay using PayPal. This VPN provides a secure payment process.
proXPN claims to offer a risk-free free trial on its website. However, its customer support team states that it doesn’t offer a free trial!
It offers a 30-days money-back guarantee. The company tries to sell this as a free trial, which is misleading. You have to buy a premium plan. Subsequently, you need to ask for a refund within 30 days if you find the service dissatisfactory. This doesn’t qualify as a free trial by any stretch of the imagination! We don’t recommend you use VPNs that provide such misleading information.
proXPN is expensive for the services it provides. It doesn’t offer sufficient flexibility as far as pricing plans are concerned. It tries to pass off its 30-days money-back guarantee as a risk-free trial, and we don’t like such business practices.
The pros and cons of proXPN
proXPN offers the following advantages:
· This VPN can protect your privacy. It follows a “no logs” policy.
· proXPN supports OpenVPN and IPSec, which are secure VPN protocols. It also offers the best possible encryption with the IKEv2/IPSec protocol.
· This VPN prevents IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks.
· proXPN offers a kill switch that works at an application level.
· 2 of the US-based servers of proXPN can unblock Netflix USA.
· This VPN allows secure access to P2P/torrenting services. It doesn’t impose any bandwidth restrictions.
· proXPN supports all key desktop and mobile platforms.
· This VPN offers very good guides and FAQ articles on its support page.
There are a few disadvantages of using proXPN, which are as follows:
· This VPN provides a vulnerable encryption standard with OpenVPN.
· Its kill switch can’t close apps that have a user prompt. The kill switch works with the OpenVPN protocol only.
· It doesn’t offer a kill switch on its mobile apps.
· proXPN doesn’t offer the best speed due to its small server network.
· It can’t unblock Hulu and BBC iPlayer.
· proXPN allows 4 simultaneous connections, which is less than what leading VPNs offer.
· While it offers custom VPN apps, these apps aren’t user friendly. The apps sometimes don’t work. proXPN doesn’t offer a stable VPN connection.
· This VPN claims to support routers. However, we couldn’t find any manual configuration guides for routers.
· proXPN doesn’t offer live chat support. Its customer support team doesn’t respond to emails promptly.
· The proXPN website doesn’t show relevant information prominently.
· proXPN is expensive. This VPN doesn’t offer multi-year plans with steep discounts.
· proXPN tries to pass off its 30-days money-back guarantee as a free trial. This can mislead customers.
A few quick facts about proXPN
We now summarize a few quick facts about proXPN, which are as follows:
· This VPN is subject to the jurisdiction of the USA, however, it follows a “no logs” policy.
· proXPN doesn’t provide the strongest combination of secure VPN protocol and encryption.
· This VPN provides a kill switch, however, it’s not available on its mobile apps.
· proXPN offers only 17 servers in 12 countries, therefore, you can experience slow speed.
· 2 of its US-based servers can unblock Netflix USA. This VPN can’t unblock Hulu and BBC iPlayer though.
· proXPN allows secure access to P2P/torrenting services.
· This VPN supports Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, and Chromebook.
· It offers custom VPN apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. These apps aren’t user-friendly enough though.
· proXPN doesn’t offer live chat support. Its customer support team doesn’t respond to emails promptly.
· proXPN is expensive.
· This VPN doesn’t offer a free trial. It tries to pass off its 30-days money-back guarantee as a risk-free trial.
Is ProXPN easy to use?
User-friendly VPNs offer easy-to-use custom VPN apps. They also provide useful documentation and an easy-to-use website.
Let’s first review the proXPN website. We notice the following:
· While you will eventually find the information you need, the website doesn’t make it easy to find information.
· The website provides misleading information in some cases. For example, it promises a free trial. However, it doesn’t provide a free trial.
· When you read the homepage of the website, you will think that it doesn’t offer mobile VPN apps. However, it offers them. You will find them in the “download” page of the website.
· At first, you will think that proXPN supports OpenVPN and PPTP only. Upon a closer look, you will find that it supports IPSec too.
· proXPN offers good guides for its VPN apps and manual configuration. However, the website page containing these guides doesn’t work! You need to find these guides among the articles on the “support” page.
· The company claims to have a Twitter account. We found that Twitter has suspended this account! We can’t think of a reason why a VPN provider will have its Twitter account suspended!
We don’t consider the proXPN website user-friendly. proXPN should carefully check the information it publishes on its website. It should also fix the broken links on its website.
proXPN offers custom apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. We normally consider that as a positive. However, proXPN custom apps don’t qualify as user-friendly. We say this due to the following reasons:
· The app UI has too much information. This could confuse users.
· The proXPN VPN apps often stop working, and the VPN connection lacks stability.
· The company hasn’t updated its Android and iOS apps after 2017. That raises doubts about how seriously the company takes its business!
· The mobile VPN apps don’t offer the kill switch feature.
We find that the proXPN custom VPN apps lag far behind other leading VPNs.
Other supported devices
proXPN supports Chromebook, and it offers a manual configuration guide for this. This VPN claims to support routers, however, we couldn’t find any manual configuration guides for them.
The customer service of ProXPN
VPNs that claim to offer great customer service should offer live chat support and prompt email support. They should also offer great documentation.
proXPN offers a searchable knowledgebase. You can find a wide range of articles in it, and they are useful. We have reviewed several articles and found them informative. proXPN offers guides for its VPN apps and manual configuration. It also provides useful FAQs.
This VPN provider doesn’t offer live chat support. You can reach out to its customer support team via email. We sent a set of simple questions, however, proXPN took one full day to respond. We found the responses helpful and informative.
proXPN charges a premium, however, it provides limited customer support. Leading VPNs offer far better customer support than proXPN.
Where is ProXPN based?
proXPN is registered in 3 countries, and these are the USA, the UK, and the Netherlands. This VPN is subject to the jurisdiction of the USA.
That’s not ideal for a privacy-focused VPN. The USA is a part of the “5 Eyes” coalition. Countries in this coalition conduct mass surveillance. However, proXPN doesn’t keep logs. This mitigates privacy risks arising out of its jurisdiction.
Does ProXPN keep any usage logs?
proXPN doesn’t keep any logs. The company clearly explains this in its privacy policy. It follows an effective “zero logs” policy, and we are happy to see that.
Protocols and encryption used by ProXPN
proXPN supports OpenVPN, the most secure VPN protocol. This VPN provider supports IKev2/IPSec. IKEv2/IPSec is a secure VPN too. proXPN supports PPTP, however, it has security vulnerabilities. We don’t recommend you use this protocol.
proXPN provides the following encryption:
· MPPE-128 for PPTP;
· AES-256 for IKEv2/IPSec;
· Blowfish CBC 512 encryption with 2048-bit encryption keys for OpenVPN.
Since PPTP isn’t a secure VPN protocol, we don’t recommend you use it. AES-256 is the strongest encryption that you can find. We like that proXPN provides that with the IKEv2/IPSec protocol. However, we see that this VPN provider offers Blowfish CBC 512 encryption with OpenVPN. This encryption has security vulnerabilities.
IPSec is a secure VPN protocol, however, it’s not as secure as OpenVPN. proXPN offers the strongest encryption with IKEv2/IPSec. It offers weaker encryption with OpenVPN. We recommend our readers to look for OpenVPN with AES-256 encryption when they explore VPNs. That’s the gold standard, and proXPN doesn’t meet that.
This VPN provider prevents IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. It offers a kill switch and calls it the “VPN Guard”. The “VPN Guard” works at an application level. You need to list the apps that it should close when the VPN connection terminates suddenly. This kill switch can’t automatically close an app that displays a prompt asking for user confirmation. That’s a limitation. Furthermore, proXPN doesn’t offer this kill switch on its mobile apps. Finally, this kill switch works with the OpenVPN protocol only. We prefer a more comprehensive kill switch.
proXPN lags behind leading VPN providers when it comes to security features. It should offer AES-256 encryption with OpenVPN. Moreover, it should offer a comprehensive kill switch on all of its VPN apps.
The conclusion of our review
proXPN follows a no-logs policy. This VPN offers the AES-256 encryption with the IPSec protocol. It offers an application-level kill switch. Two of its US-based servers can unblock Netflix USA, and proXPN allows P2P/torrenting. proXPN offers good documentation. It offers a 30-days money-back guarantee. We find only these many advantages with proXPN.
While it supports all key platforms, its VPN connection isn’t stable. proXPN offers custom VPN apps that aren’t user-friendly. It offers a small server network and slow speed. This VPN allows 4 simultaneous connections only. It offers limited security features, and its kill switch has many restrictions.
proXPN doesn’t offer live chat support. Its customer support team doesn’t respond to emails promptly. proXPN is expensive, and it doesn’t offer a free trial. The proXPN website provides misleading information regarding its trial. In reality, this VPN provider offers a 30-days money-back guarantee. That’s not a free trial. We don’t recommend you buy a proXPN subscription.
