Skilled's Ranking
Professionals
- Cheap subscriptions
- Limitless connections
- Nice connection speeds total
Cons
- Small community
- Doesn’t unblock all streaming providers
- Primarily based in US, with no third-party audit
Our Verdict
Atlas VPN could also be low-cost, however that’s mirrored within the service. If privateness isn’t excessive in your want listing and also you solely wish to unblock main streaming providers it would tempt you. However finally there are higher VPNs in the event you’re ready to spend a bit extra.
Worth When Reviewed
From $1.99 monthly
Finest Costs At the moment: Atlas VPN Premium
Atlas VPN is owned by Nord Safety, which additionally owns NordVPN and Surfshark. It’s positioned because the funds providing, and is the one one of many three providers that has a free tier.
Initially, the free model gave you limitless bandwidth, however that was lower to 10GB monthly and now it’s simply 5GB.
Nevertheless, we’re not reviewing the free providing right here; we’re specializing in the paid-for Premium tier which supplies you entry to all servers and quite a few different advantages such because the quickest speeds and apps for Amazon Fireplace TV, Android TV and Linux.
Because you’re studying this, likelihood is you’re tempted by Atlas VPN’s low-cost subscriptions. Whether or not or not it’s good worth relies upon upon what you need a VPN for.
That’s why we’re going to have a look at each side of Atlas VPN to see precisely the way it stacks up in opposition to the massive names, together with NordVPN and Surfshark.
Options & apps
- 38 international locations lined by 750+ servers
- WireGuard protocol
- SafeSwap servers
- Two Multihop+ routes
As you’d count on from a comparatively new VPN service which fees little or no, Atlas VPN doesn’t have the hundreds of servers in as many international locations around the globe as people who cost extra and have been round for lots longer.
You’ll additionally discover that among the extra superior options are lacking from its apps. However in the event you’ll primarily use servers in well-liked international locations such because the UK and US, you may not want an even bigger selection.
Atlas VPN has a selection of seven places within the US and two within the UK. It doesn’t provide a selection of places in another nation, and has no servers in Africa in any respect.
None are digital, which implies servers are bodily situated within the international locations listed. Within the Netherlands, you get the choice of connecting to Atlas VPN’s 10Gbps server – the one location it at the moment affords that sooner uplink velocity.
There are apps for Home windows, Android, iOS and macOS. As talked about, you additionally get entry to the Android TV, Fireplace TV and Linux apps once you signal as much as Atlas VPN Premium. Linux help isn’t graphical: you sign up and join utilizing the command line.
There aren't any browser extensions, however that’s no downside as a result of nearly all VPN providers (apart from ExpressVPN) with Chrome and Firefox extensions don’t truly present a VPN service by means of these extensions. They’re proxy providers, which isn’t the identical factor.
Weirdly, there isn't any technique to ‘favorite’ a server within the apps. There's a ‘latest’ part which is an inexpensive various, but it surely’s an uncommon selection by Atlas VPN. No info is offered subsequent to every location: you may’t see particular person servers, which implies you may’t select by how busy they're or discover one with the bottom ping.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
There’s an on/off kill swap in the primary 4 apps, however solely the Android app affords break up tunnelling. Meaning you may select which apps do or don’t join through the VPN. It’s not a characteristic everybody will need, so it’s not an enormous downside that it’s lacking within the apps for different gadgets.
You possibly can’t get a devoted or static IP tackle with Atlas VPN however, once more, these aren’t options many individuals want.
What one can find are SafeSwap servers. These can be found within the US, Singapore and the Netherlands. As an alternative of assigning you only one IP tackle and sticking with it for the entire time the connection is lively, SafeSwap commonly modifications your IP tackle from the out there pool, and this makes it even tougher to determine you, which is nice for privateness.
The opposite factor you’ll see within the Privateness Professional tab is Multihop+. This routes your connection by means of three servers as a substitute of 1, which is even higher for privateness, however you may’t select the route: you may solely click on on ‘Europe’ or ‘North America’. The precise routes are Netherlands > Germany > France and, within the US, New York > Dallas > Miami.
Jim Martin / Foundry
The interface is replicated nearly precisely on cell, making Atlas VPN very straightforward to make use of.
Not too long ago, a pause button has been added to the Home windows app, permitting you to quickly disconnect (and use an internet site or service which doesn’t work correctly with a VPN, for instance) and robotically reconnect so that you don’t overlook.
Jim Martin / Foundry
You possibly can set the apps to auto-connect to your selection of server when Atlas VPN begins, and you'll select what occurs once you push the Fast Join button, resembling connecting to the closest or quickest server, a particular server or a Multihop+ route, or SafeSwap server.
Logging into the apps is just required in the event you’re a paying buyer. Sadly, this may be annoying. As an alternative of a password, you enter your e-mail tackle to be despatched despatched a “magic hyperlink” or a six-digit code. This could take a few minutes to reach, and we’d choose the choice of with the ability to set a password (and maybe 2FA).
The excellent news is that there’s no restrict on the variety of gadgets you should use with Atlas VPN on the identical time, in contrast to most VPNs which both power you to make use of only one gadget at a time or 5-10.
Security measures
Beneath the oddly named Assistant menu (which is now included within the macOS app) are Breach Scanner and SafeBrowse. The primary screens e-mail addresses and notifies you in the event that they ever seem on the darkish net. Including an e-mail tackle received’t begin a scan for historic breaches, although, so that you’ll see a message saying “Your accounts are secure!” which might be false. You’ll solely get notified of future breaches. Meaning you'd nonetheless want to make use of an internet site resembling haveibeenpwned.com to see if it's essential take any motion (resembling altering passwords) instantly.
Jim Martin / Foundry
Additionally, you may enter any e-mail tackle with out verifying that you just personal it.
The Home windows app has an additional part for Superior Information, together with Credit score Card, Social Safety Quantity and ID paperwork. Nevertheless, there isn't any technique to enter any of this: you’ll simply get notified if these particulars have been leaked alongside together with your e-mail tackle and password.
SafeBrowse warns you of doubtless harmful web sites, and likewise makes an attempt to cease monitoring cookies and different technique of monitoring your behaviour on-line. It really works solely when the VPN is linked, in fact.
Privateness
If you realize something about VPNs, you’ll know that they’re usually registered in international locations with beneficial privateness legal guidelines, even when their precise workplaces are elsewhere. Altas VPN relies within the US the place authorities can ask VPNs at hand over no matter information they've.
That is why they've ‘no-logs’ insurance policies so there’s no information at hand over. Atlas VPN clearly explains what this implies.
“We don't log your shopping exercise, shopping historical past, data of IPs assigned, authentic IP, websites visited, outgoing site visitors, content material, or information accessed. So, even when compelled, we can not present such information as we should not have it within the first place.
We attempt to reduce the gathering of any information. Nevertheless, we have to accumulate some info to supply our Service for you, enhance and optimize it, ship you related info, create new and higher privateness providers and adjust to our authorized obligations.”
You possibly can learn the privateness coverage in full to see precisely what information is saved. Basically, it's nothing uncommon or untoward.
It’s customary apply to log some information in an effort to optimise and develop the service the corporate likes to know which servers individuals are utilizing, roughly the place they’re situated on the earth and what gadget they’re utilizing to entry it, which choices they alter in settings, and so on. None of that is imagined to be personally identifiable: it’s nameless.
You would possibly discover ‘VerSprite Verified Safety’ talked about within the App Retailer and Google Play Retailer. Nevertheless, this doesn’t imply Atlas VPN’s privateness coverage has been audited: it hasn’t (but). As an alternative, its Home windows and iOS apps have been audited to verify they’re safe.
You’ll should take Atlas VPN’s phrase for it that it doesn’t log any of your information, and that’s why its USA location is much from ultimate.
In order for you a VPN merely to unblock movies, web sites and for safety on public Wi-Fi, none of this actually issues. However if you'd like one for privateness, we’d suggest Surfshark, NordVPN or ExpressVPN.
Efficiency
We examined Atlas VPN on a full fibre gigabit connection in San Francisco. On the time of testing, SpeedTest reported a obtain velocity of slightly below 800Mbps and an add of 950Mbps.
These are the add and obtain speeds we noticed from – going clockwise – New York, London, Tokyo and Sydney.
Adam Patrick Murray / Foundry
As you may see, speeds are excellent contemplating the value Atlas VPN fees. The one poor connection was Tokyo: we re-ran the take a look at a number of occasions (after disconnecting and reconnecting) to verify it wasn’t a one-off, and bought the same end result each time.
Usefully, Atlas VPN has supported IPv6 from the get-go, that means you’re protected out of your actual IP tackle being uncovered even in case you have an ISP that has already converted from IPv4 (resembling BT within the UK).
We discovered no DNS leaks in our checks both, which was good.
The kill swap is the everlasting kind. In different phrases, if the VPN connection drops, you’ll lose web entry till it’s restored. That’s achieved for cover, however may be complicated, which might be why the swap isn’t enabled by default.
Utilizing the streaming-optimised servers, unblocking is a bit hit or miss.
Mathilde Vicente / Foundry
We have been capable of watch titles unique to Netflix US and Japan, in addition to different exhibits on Disney+ and HBO Max. However this time round, neither the Manchester nor London servers would allow us to watch BBC iPlayer or ITV X from France, even when tried utilizing an incognito browser tab.
We additionally examined the Australia server, however discovered it didn’t unblock 9now.
Jim Martin / Foundry
Help
Atlas VPN affords 24/7 dwell chat for Premium subscribers. That is solely out there in an online browser once you’re logged into your Atlas VPN account, versus within the apps themselves.
Nevertheless, once we examined this, the response was rapid and technical questions have been answered shortly and precisely, together with a repair for when the Home windows app wouldn’t set up as a consequence of an error.
For those who’re on the free tier, you may search the FAQ on Atlas VPN’s web site (the place there are a whole lot of up-to-date guides) or e-mail help@atlasvpn.com.
Pricing & plans
For those who sign up to Atlas VPN for 2 years and also you’ll pay $49.19, or £36.21 within the UK. That’s loads cheaper than shopping for it one month at a time, which prices $10.99 / £8.09.
Now you can pay anonymously through cryptocurrencies. however you may as well select PayPal, Google Pay and credit score/debit playing cards.
Simply word that when the subscription expires it would auto-renew yearly, and also you’ll pay extra monthly at that time.
Jim Martin / Foundry
If discovering an affordable VPN is your prime precedence and also you don’t thoughts committing to a five-year subscription, it’s value studying our assessment of Ivacy.
Ivacy limits you to 5 gadgets, however has significantly extra servers in roughly twice the variety of places and helps OpenVPN (however not but WireGuard). It’s additionally based mostly in Singapore, which is a extra privacy-friendly jurisdiction.
You can even see different suggestions in our roundup of the most effective VPN providers.
Verdict
Atlas VPN has come a good distance since launched a few years again. It might not have many superior options, and a few aren’t out there in all variations of its apps, but it surely ticks a whole lot of packing containers for these with comparatively undemanding wants.
Meaning it’s good worth in the event you simply need a VPN to unblock well-liked US streaming providers, or for a bit of additional privateness and safety on-line. It’s a disgrace its unblocking is comparatively restricted, although, and it didn’t allow us to watch BBC iPlayer, or 9now.
And with out an impartial audit of its no-logs coverage, it’s troublesome to suggest Atlas VPN to anybody whose prime precedence is privateness.
Efficiency is best than you’d count on however, finally, you get what you pay for with Atlas VPN.