As the years go by, VPN services are becoming more and more necessary to browse the web safely and avoid online dangers, censorship, geo-restrictions, and such. With massive growth in demand, countless new VPN services emerged to offer their product to those seeking methods of protection. However, they are not always as good as they claim, which is why new arrivals to the VPN space need to know what they are getting themselves into when subscribing to a specific service.
SwitchVPN Review 2019
With that in mind, today we will cover SwitchVPN — a lesser-known VPN that still offers a number of useful features, but has a few downsides as well. Without further ado, let’s get to a more detailed assessment, starting with:
Features
- Multiple security protocols: SwitchVPN supports several great security protocols, including OpenVPN, SSTP, IKEv2, L2TP/IPsec, and Socks5. These creates a secure tunnel around your traffic, thus preventing anyone from spying on your online activities.
- Strong encryption: SwitchVPN uses AES-256-bit encryption to protect your data and prevent it from falling into the wrong hands, even if there is a leak.
- Kill switch: A very useful tool that top VPNs offer. The kill switch disables your internet connection instantly if your VPN stops working to prevent personal data loss and to protect your identity.
- P2P support: SwitchVPN openly supports torrenting and other forms of P2P traffic, which is perfect for those who enjoy online file sharing.
- No log policy: The company claims not to log customer information, which is extremely important considering that it is a US-based service.
- Affordable prices: The brand offers several payment plans which are quite affordable and definitely cheaper than a lot of other services.
- Dedicated apps for all regular systems and devices: SwitchVPN has apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac. Any device with the mentioned operating systems is good to go.
- Large server network: The company has a pretty decent server network, featuring over 250 high-speed servers in over 43 locations around the world.
- High-Security DNS: DNS leaks are among the biggest issues for VPN users, as they may reveal their location, identity, online actions and more. SwitchVPN take serious measures to prevent something like that from happening to its users.
- Supports five devices at once: With SwitchVPN, you can connect as many as five different devices at the same time using a single account, which is great for those who use several different devices for their online sessions.
Interface
SwitchVPN’s interface is extremely easy to use. There’s a large connection button in the middle of the screen when you launch the app. Above it, you’ll find your current IP address, while below it is a menu that allows you to select a specific server.
Connecting to a server will display information such as your VPN status, download and upload speed, as well as the duration of your VPN usage. In the upper right corner of the app, there’s a settings button where you can check out additional features and customize your app . That is pretty much it for the interface. It is very clear, clean, and user-friendly, with no complications or distractions.
SwitchVPN Apps
As mentioned, SwitchVPN has dedicated apps for multiple devices and systems. It covers desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, including Windows, Mac, Android, iPhones, and iPads.
SwitchVPN App for Windows
The apps feature a number of options, including automatic server selection, favorite servers selection, security upgrades such as DNS leak protection and Kill switch, and more.
SwitchVPN App for Android
All of the apps are easy to install, and simple to use. They are especially useful for mobile users who often tend to connect to public Wi-Fi, which is never a safe option without VPN.
SwitchVPN App for iOS
Privacy and Security
As mentioned earlier, SwitchVPN offers a variety of security protocols, but also different encryption models. In terms of security protocols, there is OpenVPN, which is the industry standard, and other alternatives such as L2TP/IPsec.
As for encryption, the default for OpenVPN is 128-bit Blowfish. But the apps also offer the top 256-bit AES encryption, which is the strongest in the market.
SwitchVPN also claims that it implements a strict no-logging policy. This means that it cannot sell or give your information to third parties, the government, or even lose it to hackers.
This becomes even more important when we realize that the company is US-based, meaning that it is right in the heart of the Five Eyes alliance. While the service was previously thought to be leaking your data if it notices inappropriate behavior, they claim that it is no longer the case, and their website strongly denies logging data.
Server Locations
Switch VPN offers a network of more than 250 servers spread across 43 locations. These include:
- Americas: Canada, the US, Mexico, and Brazil
- Europe: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK
- Asia & Pacific: Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan, and Israel
Compatible devices
SwitchVPN is available on a large number of devices, provided that they use iOS, Android, Windows, or macOS. The service claims to work on 98% of Android devices, meaning that the chances are that your Android will work great with it.
As for the rest — any device running iOS, macOS, or any version of Windows should be fully compatible with SwitchVPN apps.
Installation and Setup
When it comes to installation and setup, SwitchVPN actually has a minor flaw. The download and installation process surprisingly take a very long time. That’s pretty much the only issue.
Once you have downloaded and installed the app, it is instantly available and fully functional.
Pricing and Payment Options
SwitchVPN offers a one-day free trial, as well as two different payment plans: a monthly service, and a yearly service. It also offers two different packages: SwitchVPN, and SwitchVPN Plus. In total, that includes four choices:
- Monthly SwitchVPN for $5.95 per month.
- Monthly SwitchVPN Plus for of $9.95 per month.
- Yearly SwitchVPN for $39.95 per year ($3.33 per month).
- Yearly SwitchVPN Plus for $69.95 once per year ($5.82 per month).
The difference between SwitchVPN and SwitchVPN Plus is that the latter offers more features than its basic counterpart..
If you end up being dissatisfied with your purchase, each of the plans has a 30-day refund policy with “no questions asked,” as the service claims. After you have chosen which plan and package to choose, you can pay via PayPal, credit card, or even Bitcoin.
Help and Support
One of the most important features of a VPN provider is its customer support feature, and SwitchVPN offers an excellent one. It includes a wide variety of different setup guides right on the homepage.You can also contact customer service employees using the live chat feature, which is available 24/7.
Their response time, when tested, was about a minute or two, and the information that they provided was useful and precise. All in all, you should have no problems with customer support and guides.
SwitchVPN Pros:
- Kill Switch.
- Excellent round-the-clock customer service.
- Supports P2P.
- One day free trial.
- Accepts Bitcoin.
- Easy to use.
- Great encryption.
- Numerous protocols.
- A decently-sized server network.
- DNS Leak protection.
SwitchVPN Cons:
- US-based.
- Long download and installation.
- You cannot choose individual servers, only countries.
Other VPN Providers
If you’re still not too sure about SwitchVPN, the list below features some of the highest-ranked brands in the industry:
- 30-Day Money-back Guarantee
- Unlimited Bandwidth
- Apps For All Your Devices
- 24/7 Live Support
Conclusion
In conclusion, SwitchVPN is a pretty great VPN service, with the biggest problem being that it is based in the US. This might be a problem for those who aim to use it to ensure their security, and not just for bypassing restrictions and gaining access to blocked content.
Everything else works pretty well. The service has top security features, a decent server network, and an excellent customer service support. All of this makes SwitchVPN a pretty good, if lesser-known, option for a VPN of choice.
Review Summary
SwitchVPN is a great US-based VPN, with a strong focus on security and customer experience. Its app is easy to use and available on many popular systems, and you can even use it for torrenting.
