SpyOFF VPN Review
[Presented by BestCloudBest.com]
Are you looking for a “Virtual Private Network” (VPN)? You probably want to protect your privacy and security online. Many VPNs promise to offer privacy and security, and SpyOFF is one of them. Sareta S.r.l, a company based in San Marino, owns and operates this VPN. San Marino is a tiny landlocked country surrounded by Italy.
Note 1: You can’t buy a subscription for SpyOFF separately. This VPN is a part of Usenet.nl. Usenet.nl is a Netherlands-based company that provides an access to Usenet. Created in 1979, Usenet is a network that offers a large collection of uncensored information. Usenet had acquired a degree of popularity before the current form of the Internet became popular.
How do you choose a VPN? Apart from privacy and security, VPNs promise speed, compatibility, and user-friendliness. Quite a few VPNs promise to unblock geo-restricted content. Many VPNs offer secure access to P2P/torrenting services. Several VPNs claim to work in China and other countries that impose Internet censorship. We see many VPN promising great customer support and competitive price.
We have evaluated SpyOFF using all of the above criteria. Does this VPN meet your requirements? Read this review to find that out.
The main features of SpyOFF VPN
To start with, we review the features offered by SpyOFF.
Your privacy at SpyOFF VPN
You value privacy online, therefore, you want a VPN. VPNs that mask your IP address, encrypt Internet traffic, and follow a “no logs” policy can offer privacy.
SpyOFF masks your IP address and encrypts Internet traffic. The company commits to a “no logs” policy on its website.
We prefer to review the privacy policy of a VPN so that we can judge if it’s privacy-friendly. We couldn’t locate the privacy policy of SpyOFF, and we don’t like that. We prefer VPNs that demonstrate transparency by publishing a comprehensive privacy policy.
Since we couldn’t find a privacy policy, we aren’t able to judge what personal data SpyOFF collects. We can’t judge whether it secures your personal information. How SpyOFF uses your personal information isn’t clear either.
Note 2: The SpyOFF customer support team confirmed in an email that this VPN follows a “zero logs” policy.
SpyOFF uses servers from 3rd party providers. Since this VPN doesn’t own its servers, it has less control over them. Can SpyOFF prevent these 3rd party providers from logging your data? We can’t answer this question due to the lack of a privacy policy.
SpyOFF is subject to the jurisdiction of San Marino. It’s a sovereign country with its laws. San Marino doesn’t have data-retention laws, and it’s a privacy-friendly country. The jurisdiction of SpyOFF doesn’t pose any privacy risks.
Note 3: At the time of writing this review, SpyOFF seems to be available only as a part of the overall Usenet.nl service. Usenet.nl is a Netherlands-based service. Does that change the jurisdiction of SpyOFF? We have asked the customer support team of SpyOFF, and we are waiting for a response.
SpyOFF might be able to protect your privacy. We can’t state that confidently. Whenever you choose a VPN, you need to explicitly trust the VPN provider. VPNs should demonstrate transparency though. SpyOFF doesn’t demonstrate that. To start with, it should publish a comprehensive privacy policy. It should own and manage its VPN servers.
Is your data secure with SpyOFF VPN?
You probably prioritize security, and that’s why you are looking for a VPN. VPNs need to support secure VPN protocols to provide security. They need to provide strong encryption and prevent data leaks. VPNs need to offer advanced security features too.
SpyOFF supports OpenVPN, the most secure VPN protocol. We recommend you use it. This VPN protocol doesn’t have any known security vulnerabilities. SpyOFF supports L2TP/IPSec, which is a secure protocol too.
This VPN supports PPThttps://bestcloudbest.com/vpn/guides/what-is-pptp-protocol-P. We don’t recommend you use this VPN protocol since it has security vulnerabilities.
SpyOFF offers the following 3 modes of connection:
· The ultra-secure mode: This mode includes the OpenVPN protocol and AES-256 encryption. AES-256 is the strongest encryption in the market.
· The balanced mode: This mode uses the L2TP/IPSec protocol and AES-256 encryption. While L2TP/IPSec isn’t as secure as OpenVPN, the strong encryption makes this mode secure enough.
· The high-speed mode: This mode uses the PPTP protocol and AES-128 encryption. This mode doesn’t offer enough security, however, it offers good speed.
SpyOFF prevents all IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. This VPN offers a built-in kill switch. Even if the VPN connection drops suddenly, hackers can’t access your sensitive information. The kill switch will block your Internet connection as soon as the VPN connection terminates unexpectedly.
We find that SpyOFF provides robust security features. If you prioritize security online, then SpyOFF is a good choice.
Where are the servers of SpyOFF VPN located?
You want a fast VPN. VPNs that invest in high-quality infrastructure and have enough servers in all key geographies can provide good speed.
SpyOFF has 1,000+ servers in 40 countries. This VPN has servers in the following geographies:
· North America: The USA, Canada, and Panama;
· Europe: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Turkey, and the UK;
· Oceania: Australia, and New Zealand;
· Asia: Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore;
· Latin America: Brazil;
· Africa: South Africa, Libya, Nigeria, and Ghana.
SpyOFF offers reasonable speed, however, it’s not the fastest VPN in the market.
What platforms are supported by SpyOFF VPN?
You want a VPN that supports all the different kinds of devices with you. SpyOFF supports all key desktop platforms. It offers custom VPN apps for Windows and Mac, however, it doesn’t offer one for Linux. You need to manually configure a VPN connection on your Linux device. SpyOFF offers guides for this.
SpyOFF supports Android and iOS. This VPN offers custom VPN apps for both of them. SpyOFF supports popular routers like DD-WRT and Tomato. You need to manually configure a VPN connection on your router, and SpyOFF offers guides for that.
This VPN offers a Chrome extension. SpyOFF doesn’t directly support smart TV and gaming consoles, moreover, it doesn’t directly support Apple TV. You need to configure a VPN connection on your router and connect these devices to it.
SpyOFF offer unlimited simultaneous connections. We find that SpyOFF supports all key platforms. This VPN offers user-friendly custom VPN apps for most of the platforms it supports, which is an advantage.
Can SpyOFF VPN unblock streaming services?
Popular streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer impose geo-restrictions on their content. Many subscribers try to bypass these geo-restrictions by using VPNs. These streaming services know that. They aggressively identify and block VPNs, therefore, many VPNs fail to unblock these streaming services.
SpyOFF can unblock Netflix USA on some of its servers. It can unblock BBC iPlayer on a few of its servers too. You need to spend some time to find servers that can unblock these streaming services. This VPN offers reasonable speed, which is good for streaming.
Note 4: The SpyOFF customer service representative acknowledges that this VPN might not be able to unblock popular streaming services consistently. The representative provided some suggestions to unblock them in an email. These suggestions include preventing WebRTC leaks, removing caches/cookies, etc.
This transparency and performance are commendable! If you want to consistently unblock all popular streaming services with great speed, then you need to explore other leading VPNs.
Does SpyOFF VPN allow torrenting?
Do you want to access P2P/torrenting services? We suggest that you check applicable laws first. Some countries have banned these services. Even if a country allows them, you might get into copyrights issues inadvertently.
Assume you plan to access P2P/torrenting services legally. Even then, you will face other challenges. Hackers monitor these sites and target their users. Your ISP might throttle your Internet connection if it detects that you are accessing P2P/torrenting services.
Many people use VPNs to bypass these challenges. You need a VPN that follows a “no logs” policy. This keeps you safe even if you inadvertently violate copyrights-related laws. You also need a VPN that offers a kill switch. That will secure you from hackers even if the VPN connection drops.
SpyOFF meets all of these criteria. It follows a “zero logs” policy and it offers a kill switch. This VPN doesn’t impose any bandwidth restrictions. SpyOFF offers reasonable speed. If you prioritize secure access to P2P/torrenting, then SpyOFF is a good choice.
How much does SpyOFF VPN cost?
You can’t buy a SpyOFF subscription using its website. Existing users can’t upgrade their accounts via the SpyOFF website either. One needs to buy a Usenet.nl subscription to use SpyOFF.
The “compact” plan of Usenet.nl includes access to the SpyOFF VPN. This plan includes several features like access to free newsreaders. It costs you $14.00 per month.
You can’t access any separate free trial for SpyOFF. Moreover, you can’t get any refund separately for SpyOFF.
Note 5: If you want to buy only a VPN subscription, then SpyOFF doesn’t work for you. You need to buy a Usenet.nl subscription. If you don’t plan to access Usenet, then buying such a subscription isn’t useful. We don’t find this advantageous.
The pros and cons of SpyOFF
We now examine the pros and cons of SpyOFF. This VPN provides the following advantages:
· It follows a “no logs” policy. SpyOFF is subject to the jurisdiction of San Marino, a privacy-friendly country.
· This VPN supports secure protocols. It provides strong encryption, moreover, it prevents data leaks.
· SpyOFF offers a kill switch.
· This VPN has over 1,000 servers in 40 countries. It offers reasonable speed.
· SpyOFF supports all key platforms and offers user-friendly custom VPN apps for most of them.
· This VPN allows for unlimited simultaneous connections.
· SpyOFF can unblock Netflix and BBC iPlayer, however, you need to search for specific servers for this.
· SpyOFF allows P2P/torrenting, and it doesn’t impose any bandwidth restrictions.
· This VPN offers good documentation.
SpyOFF has the following disadvantages:
· It doesn’t publish a privacy policy, which makes it hard to understand what it does with your data.
· SpyOFF doesn’t own its VPN servers. This makes it dependant on 3rd party providers to implement a “no logs” policy.
· This VPN doesn’t work in China, and the SpyOFF customer support team acknowledges that.
· The SpyOFF website isn’t easy to use.
· SpyOFF doesn’t provide live chat support. Its customer support team doesn’t respond to emails or tickets promptly. We received a response to our email after 4 calendar days! That’s quite slow.
· SpyOFF doesn’t offer a separate pricing plan, free trial, or money-back guarantee. That’s a disadvantage. You need to buy a Usenet.nl subscription. If you don’t plan to use Usenet, then such a subscription isn’t useful for you.
A few quick facts about SpyOFF
Let’s summarize a few key facts about SpyOFF, which are as follows:
· SpyOFF is subject to the jurisdiction of San Marino, which is a privacy-friendly country.
· You can’t buy a subscription for SpyOFF. You need to buy a Usenet.nl subscription, and one of its pricing plans include the access to SpyOFF.
· This VPN follows a “zero logs” policy.
· SpyOFF depends on 3rd party providers to maintain its “no logs” policy since it doesn’t own servers.
· This VPN supports secure VPN protocols and robust encryption.
· SpyOFF offers a kill switch.
· With 1,000+ servers in 40 countries, SpyOFF offers reasonable speed.
· Some servers offered by SpyOFF can unblock Netflix and BBC iPlayer.
· SpyOFF allows P2P/torrenting, moreover, it doesn’t impose any bandwidth restrictions.
· This VPN supports all key platforms and offers custom VPN apps for most of them.
· SpyOFF allows unlimited simultaneous connections.
· This VPN offers good documentation.
· SpyOFF doesn’t offer live chat support, moreover, its customer support team doesn’t respond to emails promptly.
· You can’t avail of any free trial for SpyOFF since it’s a part of Usenet.nl.
· You can’t get a money-back guarantee separately for SpyOFF.
Is SpyOFF VPN easy to use?
You want a user-friendly VPN. VPNs that provide user-friendly custom apps, great documentation, and an easy-to-use website can be considered as user-friendly.
We start with the SpyOFF website. This VPN provider doesn’t provide an easy-to-use website. You might find it hard to gather relevant information. We already spoke about the lack of a privacy policy, moreover, we noticed that the company doesn’t display its terms of services.
SpyOFF provides a useful knowledge base. You need to search here to find information. You will eventually find the information you need, however, you need to search for some time.
SpyOFF offers user-friendly custom VPN apps for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. It also offers manual configuration guides for platforms where it doesn’t have custom apps. For example, SpyOFF offers such guides for Linux and routers. This VPN offers a Chrome extension.
We find SpyOFF reasonably user-friendly. It offers easy-to-use custom VPN apps, however, the website isn’t easy to navigate.
Customer service at SpyOFF VPN
You want robust customer support when you buy a VPN subscription. You would expect the VPN provider to respond to your support requests promptly, moreover, it should provide great documentation.
SpyOFF offers user-friendly apps and a stable VPN connection. You will likely need less customer support. This VPN provides a searchable knowledgebase, which has useful guides. We have reviewed several articles on its knowledge base. SpyOFF provides troubleshooting guides, and we have reviewed a few of them. SpyOFF offers useful documentation.
This VPN doesn’t offer live chat support. You can contact its customer support team via email. You can also submit a ticket via its support page. We did both since we had a few simple questions. We received a response after 4 calendar days! That’s quite slow. Most VPNs respond quicker than this, and SpyOFF can’t compete with them.
SpyOFF doesn’t provide enough customer support, however, the Usenet.nl plan costs $14.00 per month. It lags behind leading VPNs in this regard.
The jurisdiction of SpyOFF VPN
Sareta S.r.l, a San Marino-based company owns and operates SpyOFF. This VPN is subject to the jurisdiction of San Marino. This country doesn’t have data-retention laws, moreover, it has privacy-friendly laws. It doesn’t pose any privacy risks.
Note 6: SpyOFF is a part of Usenet.nl, which is a Netherlands-based company. We wonder whether this VPN is now subject to the jurisdiction of the Netherlands. We have asked its customer support team about this. At the time of this review, we are waiting for a response.
Does SpyOFF VPN keep any logs of your activity?
SpyOFF promises to follow a “zero logs” policy. The company commits to this on its website. However, we can’t find its privacy policy. This VPN doesn’t own its servers. We prefer VPNs that own their servers. That allows them to implement a “no logs” policy effectively since you don’t depend on a 3rd party provider. We want SpyOFF to operate its own servers and publish a comprehensive privacy policy.
The technical security behind SpyOFF VPN
SpyOFF offers 3 modes of connection, which are as follows:
· The ultra-secure mode: This mode uses the OpenVPN protocol with AES-256 encryption. OpenVPN is the most secure VPN protocol. AES-256 is the strongest encryption that you can find. Naturally, the ultra-secure mode offers the best security.
· The balanced mode: SpyOFF uses the L2TP/IPSec VPN protocol in this mode. While it’s not as secure as OpenVPN, this mode uses AES-256 encryption. This connection mode doesn’t offer the same security as the ultra-secure mode. It’s sufficiently secure though.
· The high-speed mode: This mode uses PPTP, which isn’t a secure VPN protocol. SpyOFF uses AES-128 encryption in this connection mode. This encryption can’t provide the kind of security that AES-256 provides. The high-speed mode lacks security. However, AES-128 offers a better speed than AES-256. The high-speed mode is faster among all 3 connection modes.
SpyOFF prevents all IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. This VPN offers an in-built kill switch. It will block the Internet connection if the VPN connection drops unexpectedly. This keeps hackers at bay even if the VPN connection terminates suddenly. We find that SpyOFF offers a robust set of security features.
The conclusion of our review
SpyOFF follows a “zero logs” policy. It depends on 3rd parties for servers since it doesn’t own them. This VPN needs to depend on 3rd party providers to ensure that no logs are kept. You need to trust SpyOFF concerning its “no logs” policy. This VPN offers robust security features. It supports secure VPN protocols and offers strong encryption. It offers a kill switch.
SpyOFF supports all key platforms, and it offers user-friendly custom apps for most of them. This VPN allows unlimited simultaneous connections. SpyOFF offers over 1,000 servers in 40 countries. It offers reasonable speed. Some of its servers can unblock Netflix and BBC iPlayer. SpyOFF allows secure access to P2P/torrenting sites, moreover, it doesn’t impose any bandwidth restrictions.
This VPN offers good guides and knowledgebase articles. You might find it hard to gather the required information on the SpyOFF website, which displays some outdated information.
SpyOFF doesn’t provide live chat support. Its customer support team doesn’t respond to emails and tickets promptly. We received a response to our email after 4 calendar days!
You can’t buy a SpyOFF subscription separately. You need to buy a “compact” plan of Usenet.nl, which includes access to Usenet. SpyOFF doesn’t offer a separate free trial or money-back guarantee. If you don’t need to access Usenet, then you might not need a Usenet.nl subscription. The $14.00/month price tag is a disadvantage in that case.
We find that SpyOFF is okay. This VPN offers several advantages. However, you can find leading VPNs with more comprehensive services for less.
