Month: June 2019

What VPNs Accept Bitcoin

 

You can take your anonymity one step further by paying for your service using a cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. The advantage of using Bitcoin is you don’t have to give a credit card or link a bank account to your service. Many people use Bitcoin because they think it will make them truly anonymous online. Nonetheless, this article provides VPNs that Accept Bitcoin.

Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency invented under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008 and has taken the world by storm.

It is a new form of money that uses Peer 2 Peer money transfer to create a more secure type of currency.

It allows money to become, decentralized, anonymous, and limited by a fixed amount of coin. These coins are mined and then transferred using actual money to buy currency and exchanged between wallets. People love Bitcoin because they feel it allows you to be anonymous.

 

 

Is Bitcoin Anonymous?

No. This is a common misconception. Bitcoin is pseudo-anonymous. Meaning that the identity that you provide is as anonymous as the information you give to it.

Anonymity is based on 3 key ideas:

• Your Bitcoin address cannot be traced to your real identity
• Transactions with Bitcoin do not contain any personal information
• Your IP address is not exposed (particularly if you are already using a VPN or Tor for your transactions)

But there are several weaknesses with Bitcoin anonymity, admittedly they require a specialist for many of them, but we provide them for you to understand that Bitcoin is not truly anonymous, as this is incredibly difficult for any type of currency transactions for the following 5 reasons:

• Your account uses a real-name authentication system to find deposit and withdrawal addresses
• Your Bitcoin address can be tracked to your real IP address if you do not mask your IP
• Every Bitcoin transaction is transparent and traceable by design
• It is possible to gather some or all inputs when sending Bitcoins which means you can be tracked
• Change of address transactions can be tracked

This sounds and is quite complicated. But Bitcoin is significantly more anonymous than paying using a Credit Card. You can also increase your anonymity by registering multiple wallets, sending from different addresses, and using mixers, but that level of complexity deserves an article of its own.  There are several anonymized wallet providers built on technology pioneered by Dark Wallet that provide a high level of anonymity and security using a system of random addresses and coin mixing.

By its nature. Transactions require that the sender and receiver of a form of currency have some security that what they send and receive will not be lost. Meaning there needs to be a certain level of traceability.

 

 

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5 VPN Providers That Accept Bitcoin – Best VPNs Accept Bitcoin

Here are our top 5 VPN providers, who we have thoroughly tested for quality, speed, anonymity, and accept Bitcoin.

 

Surfshark

We have Surfshark at the top of our list of VPN services that accept Bitcoin. Though being a new player in the VPN industry, Surfshark has already shown to offer one of the most secure VPN services today. Surfshark has already received the AV-Test seal of approval, joined the VPN Trust Initiative as a founding member, and more.

Apart from the industry standard AES-256 encryption, it also offers additional features that are beneficial in safeguarding its customers’ privacy. CleanWeb, which filters advertisements, trackers, malware, and phishing attempts, is one example of this. SmartDNS, IP Rotator, Cookie Pop-Up Blocker, and a lot more.

In addition, it offers 3,200 servers spread throughout 100 countries in America, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia Pacific. This signifies that you can access a quick and secure server from anywhere in the world.

You can opt to pay monthly, over 12 or 24 months, and you can do so with cryptocurrencies like CoinGate and CoinPayments. Furthermore, Surfshark provides a 30-day money-back guarantee, so it’s worth a go.

 

For a more detailed review, read our SurfShark VPN review, and also learn How to Install SurfShark on Firestick.

 

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NordVPN

NordVPN offers a whopping 5,000+ servers in 60+ countries. This means you get speed, selection, and server choice. Whether that be P2P, browsing, or just optimal location. Their range and depth mean they will always make any review site’s top 5 across the board.

Nord is also one of the few companies that have publicly been tested with privacy laws and asked to hand over their logs in a criminal investigation. They handed over what they had. Nothing. NordVPN goes into detail to state it keeps no logs of your activity outside of issues required for server optimization and user experience. Like the number of users online, total data used in aggregate and any crashes in performance.

They go one step further than a lot of other VPN providers. You can use cryptocurrency to pay for your VPN using Coin Payments. Which allows you to pay in 1,300+ recognized cryptocurrencies. So, you can use your Bitcoin, Ethereum, or whatever you have on hand.

Their awesome double VPN connection system acts like VPN over TOR allowing you to double the security (well, just making something very secure more secure actually) Routing your connection through two separate VPN servers. Along with a host of functions including ad and malware blocking.

Join the cheapest VPN provider online using Bitcoin with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

 

Read our NordVPN review and How to Install NordVPN on Firestick article to know more about this VPN.

 

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IPVanish

IPVanish ranks as one of the fastest VPN Providers around. A solid ‘Zero Logs’ policy means that you can trust that your browsing history and logs will remain anonymous.

With access to shared IP browsing on 40,000+ IPs across over 2,000+ servers and 70+ countries. You are going to be able to find the fastest server anywhere in the world. Whether you just want to use IPVanish to browse anonymously, torrent, watch Netflix or use Kodi. 

The more servers you can access the better, as it offers you better speed and geographic availability depending on where you are in the world. The bonus of a shared IP means it’s almost impossible to attribute a user to one IP.

Onto of this, unlike many other VPN providers, IPVanish manages all its servers and general infrastructure. Relatively unheard of, this gives IPVanish much more of a say over the data that its servers stored and therefore your privacy. Private DNS servers are crucial to persevering your IP address and making sure there are no IP leaks.

IPVanish has long accepted Bitcoin along with a host of major credit cards and PayPal. What’s more, their 30-day money-back guarantee on their service extends to Bitcoin payments.

 

Read our IPVanish review and How to Install IPVanish on Firestick article to know more.

 

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Atlas VPN

 

Atlas VPN is another VPN that accepts Bitcoin as payment, along with other cryptocurrencies including Litecoin, Ether, Monero, and Ripple. Additionally, it has a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to cancel and get a refund if you’re not satisfied with the service.

It also guarantees that no logs will be recorded when using its service and uses the industry-standard 256-bit encryption. They identify themselves as a protection expert who provides extra security against harmful websites and advertisements. It also has a data breach monitor, so you can see if your data is being exposed while you’re surfing the web.

In addition, it offers consistent internet speed performance whether using streaming services, games, or torrents.

 

To learn more, read our Atlas VPN review.

 

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ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN has been accepting Bitcoin payments since 2014. This will come as no surprise for fans of one of the best and most stable VPN providers around the world. The fact that ExpressVPN is one of the most used VPNs in China is a testament to their stability, security, and anonymity.

They even have an in-depth guide on how to use Linux’s anonymous browser Tails to use Bitcoin wallets and ExpressVPN which you can find here.

With access to 3,000+ servers over 94 countries and a zero logs policy that has been tested in a court of law and not been found wanting. Express has built a stellar reputation as one of the most reliable VPN providers around, serving as a bastion for user privacy and anonymity.

Using Bit pay you can pay for your subscription using Bitcoin and get a 30-day money-back guarantee.

 

Read our ExpressVPN Review Article and How to Install Express VPN on Firestick article to know more.

 

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How to Avoid VAT in The EU By Paying With Bitcoin

You are subject to pay VAT in most EU countries and the US. That’s an added 20% on top of your existing fee. With multi-year subscriptions, this can add up. The solution?

Use a VPN provider to circumvent the country’s restrictions. 

A payment provider will check what country you are in before administering VAT. So, start by using a free trial of one of our reputed VPN providers. Or simply buy a 1-month program and then get a refund.

Set your VPN to a non-EU country.  You can then go back and pay for your VPN service while getting out of VAT, and then finish off by paying with your Bitcoin from your anonymous wallet.

 

Other Ways You Can Increase Your Privacy

Though we said Bitcoin is not anonymous, it is certainly much better than a credit card. There are several steps you can take to make yourself even more anonymous online.

1. Burner email: Using a free service like Mailinator, you can use public randomly generated email inboxes where you can receive confirmation emails for your subscriptions. Leaving no information even if your provider keeps your email address. Or you simply give an address like tom@mailinator.com, get your email, and openly check the public inbox
2. Use an Anonymous Browser: Specifically designed operating systems like Tails in conjunction with an anonymous browser like Tor (The Onion Router) will keep your data safe behind Tor nodes, randomly rotating IPs, and a lack of data left behind. Every time your reboot tails OS it wipes all its data. Means you also have a fresh system when you log in, with nothing to track back to you.
3. Create a Fake Identity: Admittedly this needs a lot more work, but if you aren’t bothered about falsifying employment and education records, it is surprisingly easy to create a fake identity. Which you can use for your Bitcoin wallets. This gives you the maximum level of anonymity, by creating an identity someone can track, but ultimately doesn’t exist. Even with existing and regularly used social media accounts.

 

What are the Drawbacks of Paying With Bitcoin?

The only big drawback with using Bitcoin to pay for your service is it makes it difficult to pay for a monthly subscription. You will need to keep resending payments. Of course, this isn’t a problem if you are always forgetting to pay monthly plans and like the fact, you must manually pay for everything.

In some respects, automation can be our own worse enemy, as we leave ourselves open to recurring payments that we can’t even remember what we paid for.

Plus, you can just pay for a VPN like Surfshark in one lump sum if you want to buy an annual plan, make massive savings and save yourself the hassle of having to log in every month to remember the payment.

 

Best VPN Provider for Bitcoin?

We know that Bitcoin won’t keep you completely anonymous but it’s a damn good start. Throw in a burner email, Tails OS, and a Dark Wallet and you are going to be as anonymous as you would want to be. Unless you plan on buying plutonium in which case we doubt any cryptocurrency is going to hide you.

Our top pick for the best VPN provider that accepts Bitcoin is Surfshark. With its wide array of servers across multiple locations, IP sharing, and its completely managed in-house servers and infrastructure. 

We feel they are the best choice for complete anonymity and safety for browsing online. You are going to get the best, service, speed, and security with Surfshark.

Note: For more information about Surfshark, please read our SURFSHARK REVIEW.

 

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How to Install Surfshark VPN on Firestick

1. Go to the Home screen of your Firestick.

 

2. Navigate towards the Find tab. Press the Search button from the resulting dropdown.

 

3. Type in the keyword of SurfShark and select from the suggestions that will appear.

 

4. Click the official SurfShark icon from your search results.

 

5. Press the Download (You own it) button.

 

6. The SurfShark VPN installer will download on your device.

 

7. SurfShark VPN’s app will automatically install itself on your Fire TV stick.

 

8. Press the Open button after completing SurfShark VPN’s installation process.

 

9. Please wait for the SurfShark VPN to load its user interface.

 

10. You can now log in with your SurfShark VPN account credentials.

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The Biggest VPN Scandals

Every relationship is built on trust. As a consumer, you trust that the product you are buying does what it says and that everything that company writes in its marketing is true up to a point. Nonetheless, this article provides the Biggest VPN Scandals

When you use a VPN provider trust is crucial. You are paying for a company to safeguard your privacy. 

A big part of how a VPN provider safeguards your privacy can be found in their privacy statement, user statement as well as whether they keep logs.

The following scandals should be judged not on what the people who were brought to justice did. But, on what the companies promised they would do and then didn’t deliver on.

These are companies that have broken their user’s privacy when they had made grand statements about their 100% zero logs policy.

 

 

What Is A Zero Logs Policy?

VPN’s are built and destroyed by their zero logs policy. Every time you access their service and browse you are creating a log of actions.

Companies can choose to log this or have a zero logs policy.

Zero logs basically mean that they don’t keep a record of your online activities which could include:

• Your originating IP
• The IP’s and servers that you use
• Name, Email, and payment details
• Browsing history
• Data usage

This is all information that third-party advertisers would love to get their hands on. As well as law enforcement agencies.

VPN’s do not condone criminal activities, but if they sell a service promising zero logs then they need to deliver.

This simply means that whoever comes knocking for your data, gets turned away because there are zero logs to give them.

Some of the providers outlined were shown to be lying when they said they had a zero logs policy, which landed their users in hot water.

 

 

HideMyAss

HideMyAss find their selves top of our list for having not one but two scandals. In fact, if you check their site you will see they don’t have a zero logs policy, because they have been caught red-handed twice handing over user details to law enforcement agencies, that supposedly they weren’t meant to have.

Remember, zero logs mean there is nothing to give you. So, if I hand over a user’s logs, that means I have been logging your actions when I said to you I wouldn’t

2011, was the scene for possibly the biggest VPN scandal of all and was a watershed that showed people that their VPN provider may lie when they say you are 100% anonymous.

The LulzSec hackers were a high-profile group of international hackers who targeted several high-profile companies including Sony and Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation and Fox.

They became infamous for launching massive DDOS (Denial of Service attacks) using botnets. One of the reasons why DDOS attacks are so well known today. A Botnet is a series of malware-infected computers that carry out thousands of requests per second against a target server. The server overloads bringing down the website.

SOCA compels HMA to hand over logs

After an attack on UK’s SOCA (Serious Organised Crime Agency), they requested logs from HideMyAss which they had tracked one of the users to. HideMyAss was not meant to have any logs but handed over the information requested which led to the arrest of one of Lulzsec’s members Ryan Cleary.

In 2016, Chris Dupuy a judge was arrested on charges of cyberstalking. However, when reporters dug into the subpoenas and court statements, they found out how Dupuy had been caught.

Dupuy has used HideMyAss’es premium service to mask his IP. He had then placed offensive adverts with his ex-girlfriends’ numbers on the popular escort website backpage.com. The fact that he had used servers only available to premium members, meant that HideMyAss couldn’t even claim that he used one of their free proxies.

As a UK provider, HideMyAss keeps extensive records and was again compelled under Federal Law to hand over records which led to Depuy’s arrest. These are just the publicized cases that we know about.

A sobering reminder that not every VPN provider is equal to another when it comes to logs and anonymity. Always make sure you read the privacy policy before signing up.

 

EarthVPN

If your check out their home page, EarthVPN give the following statement regarding having absolutely no logs:

“EarthVPN neither logs VPN usage nor user activity. Neither we nor third parties are technically able to match an IP address to an account. Under no circumstances we will provide any personal or private information to third parties.”

Cool. Where do we sign up?

However, we pretty sure they had the same statement up in 2013 when our next scandal took place.

In Holland, a bomb threat was anonymously made against a school. The Dutch police traced the threat back to one of EarthVPN’s servers and asked the company to provide any information they could about the user.

Now, because EarthVPN has no logs of the user’s VPN activity and can’t even match their IP address like the statement says above. They wouldn’t have anything to give.

Wrong.

EarthVPN coughed up the user’s connecting IP and the terrorist was swiftly apprehended. Again, this isn’t about the crime. It’s the principle. You are clearly logging something.

We should also talk a bit about that their shady past. EarthVPN’s website looks like it’s stuck in 1998. Plus, the Revolution Slider error on their WordPress-based website.

As well as being based in North Cyprus. A place that technically doesn’t exist, as it is under contention for decades between Greece and Turkey.

Also, they haven’t made an update on Facebook since 2015. Or been seen on Twitter since October 2013. Plus, there have been multiple reports from users that the customer service is pretty much non-existent.

Avoid at all costs. Not only will you get no logs, but you’ll get no service to boot.

 

HolaVPN

What could be better than a great VPN provider? A free one!

HolaVPN has made a massive name for itself as a free and premium VPN provider. They boast an enormous 186 million users. 

But behind their sunny little mascot lies a nefarious scheme, that touches on the biggest fears of every person who is scared about what can be done with their data online if left in the wrong hands.

Hola’s free VPN works by using a peer-to-peer VPN service. That basically means that if you are in the UK and want to access content in Japan, you can use a Tokyo user’s proxy and access that content. Great idea, right?

No. Not a great idea. Using proxies and having you on the computer used as a proxy puts you at the mercy of random users who may carry out malicious attacks on your computer.

Essentially this a giant free proxy network. Proxies are notorious with hackers and offer an unsecured solution to accessing content that is geographically blocked. But don’t worry. Hola VPN has secured your connection. What could go wrong?

 

Luminati.io Sells your Data

Well, turns out your free VPN service is selling your proxy and data to the highest bidder. Meet www.luminati the first thing you will notice is the striking resemblance that their logo bears to Hola VPN. It’s the same but blue.

As a company, you can buy 35 million + residential proxies. The same proxies you are using, the same proxy other people use when you sign up for their free service. 

What the actual… This is a trusted VPN provider which is selling your data in plain sight. Oh, but if I pay for a premium service then perhaps, they won’t sell my proxy.

Wrong. If you scrutinize Hola VPN’s privacy policy, you will see that they reserve the right to sell your data and browsing habits to third parties. Basically, giving your data to advertisers. Completely defeating the point of having a VPN in the first place.

Hola VPN is probably the biggest scandal of all. This is a company that purports to keep its users safe and protected, and basically uses its service like a giant data-mining operation. This is everything we hate about providers who take advantage of unsuspecting users and then take money from them as well as pocketing money from their data on the side.

The website http://adios-hola.org makes for great reading. Showing how Hola’s engineers have publicly lied about plugging vulnerabilities and fixing their system when on testing no such fixes were made. Even actively publishing updates that prevent security specialists from revealing how your data is being leaked. HolaVPN showing they are a botnet with no regard to individual privacy.

 

PureVPN

PureVPN is based out of Hong Kong with a reported 3 million+ users.

If you read through their privacy policy, you will see this:

“We do NOT keep any logs that can identify or help in monitoring a user’s activity.”

In 2017 that was proved not to be true.

The FBI arrested a man who was charged with cyberstalking his ex-girlfriend along with her friends and family. By not only sending malicious messages but also posting sexually explicit images of her online. A dirtbag for sure.

But, of interest was how the FBI was able to find Ryan Lin, the man accused in the first place. Lin had used Tor as well as a VPN service to carry out a persistent cyberstalking campaign on his poor ex-girlfriend.

The FBI tracked his IP address to a work computer which was unsecured and found out that he had used PureVPN. They requested all records relating to Ryan Lin.

Information that PureVPN handed over led to Lin’s arrest. So much for not logging anything. Being based in Hong Kong the company was not compelled to comply and wouldn’t have been able if they hadn’t been lying about not keeping any logs.

Since then the company has worked hard to work on its security and reputation, but when a VPN provider is found wanting over such a key statement in their privacy policy, you must wonder whether they would just do the same thing all over again.

 

OnavoVPN – Facebook

Facebook is the biggest threat to privacy, shortly followed by Google. They record absolutely everything you do. In fact, without you knowing the technology giant will track you on almost any site you go to. Just check your cookies and see that Facebook tracker.

Anybody with an ounce of common sense wouldn’t have touched OnavoVPN. Bought by Facebook in 2013. The application was pulled by Apple from its App Store in 2018 as mounting protests built up over Facebook’s flagrant abuse of the VPN.

Facebook essentially used Onavo as a data mining tool. They re-routed the traffic from Onavo through their own servers and recorded everything that a user was doing while they were using Onavo.

Funnily enough, if you search Onavo VPN on Google, it has mysteriously “disappeared”. You can’t find anything relating to it, until you add the word scandal and then see the litany of articles damning Facebook.

In the end, Facebook had reverted to paying users to use the service in return for signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement and allowing them to hoover up all your data.

Just another of Facebook’s bad data practices which finally got revealed in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, when a company was revealed to have bought the data of millions of Facebook users without their consent.

Safe to say, avoid Facebook like the plague and any products it’s associated with. They had promised to protect user’s data, and then buried in their terms and conditions used a small piece of text to use your data to improve Facebook.

 

Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield runs a similar business model to HolaVPN. With a free and premium service side by side. This alone should give you some cause for concern.

But this scandal was quite different from HolaVPN’s flagrant abuse of your computer and proxy.

In 2017 the Centre for Democracy and Technology lodged an official complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. In the 14-page document, they outlined that their extensive testing had revealed that Hot Spot Shield was redirecting consumer’s traffic to preferred advertisers who had paid for their service.

So, this VPN is even altering your traffic to lead you straight to websites you hadn’t for. Anchor Free who owns Hot Spot Shield answered the complaint is an incredibly vague way, making no explicit mention of redirecting traffic until a second later statement.

Their own CEO David Gorodyansky at the time said that “we never log or store user data”

Yet during many tests by the CDT, they found that Hot Spot Shield was extensively logging connections, browsing habits, and even the websites that were being visited by their users. They then inject persistent cookies into your browser to steer adverts from chosen third-party advertisers.

Instead of protecting you from malicious third parties, they are injecting cookies into your data.

Utterly outrageous.

Carnegie Mellon helped to carry out a more detailed investigation which found cookies being injected from MoPub, Quantcast, and of course the King of data breaches. Facebook.

Avoid Hot Spot Shield like the plague itself.

 

Tesonet Scandal

In 2018, Surfshark had a public blog stating that the allegations being laid against them were false.

These allegations related to the sustained rumor that Surfshark was acting like a botnet like HolaVPN, a company they had just ended a 3-year business relationship with that year. The nature of that relationship was unknown. Allegations were that Surfshark was operating a giant data-mining operation like HolaVPN.

A copyright law infringement suit followed between Tesonet and Luminati Networks. The parent companies behind Surfshark and HolaVPN. Within the legal documents was a purported conversation between the Hola CEO and Tesonet co-founder. That Tesonet was considering entering the residential proxy business. 

But where would they get the proxies from? If not from their own users.

Tesonet has also been linked to suspect business practices with another rival VPN provider. ProtonVPN. Thought ProtonVPN claimed they had nothing to do with TesoNet. One of their Directors is the CEO of Tesonet, their Android APK certificate is signed by Tesonet. Oh, and they use IP blocks assigned to Tesonet.

Originally these claims were made by a business rival, PIA (Private Internet Access) but the evidence uncovered does point to ProtonVPN being a part of Tesonet.

Now, we are not saying that you can’t trust Surfshark. Or that its no-logs policy is in doubt. But three scandals following each other, must be more than a coincidence, right?

This may be more a Tesonet problem than a Surfshark problem, but there is enough reasonable doubt floating around to make us a tad edgy.

 

Can You Trust Your VPN Provider?

So, after all the doom of gloom of those scandals. Companies lying. Stealing your data. Injecting cookies, and possibly just being one big botnet. Can we trust anybody?

Yes, you can trust Surfshark.

The one test of a company’s zero logs policy is whether they can hold their nerve when being investigated by law enforcement. After all, if you truly have no logs, then there is nothing for you to give the authorities.

So, let’s end on a brighter note

 

SurfShark – Best VPN To Use

When we talk about being the best, there are a lot of factors to consider. So when we start reviewing Surfshark, it seems to be a very impressive VPN. With a low price and top-notch security features, Surfshark VPN is really remarkable.

We tested out Surfshark based on speed, security, accessibility, and other features. We also check the price, network, device compatibility, and more. All we can say is that this is something that we would recommend.

Surfshark is becoming a very popular VPN today in spite of being new in the industry. It has received a lot of great reviews from its users and was able to establish a good brand for itself.

Learn all of SurfShark’s word-class features as we continue to discuss them in this article.

 

How to Install Surfshark VPN on Firestick

If your Firestick still has the older interface, read this article to learn how to update it: Update Firestick Interface.

Follow our screenshots below to install the SurfShark VPN app on your Fire TV stick.

1. Go to the Home screen of your Firestick.

 

2. Navigate towards the Find tab. Press the Search button from the resulting dropdown.

 

3. Type in the keyword of SurfShark and select from the suggestions that will appear.

 

4. Click the official SurfShark icon from your search results.

 

5. Press the Download (You own it) button.

 

6. The SurfShark VPN installer will download on your device.

 

7. SurfShark VPN’s app will automatically install itself on your Fire TV stick.

 

8. Press the Open button after completing SurfShark VPN’s installation process.

 

9. Please wait for the SurfShark VPN to load its user interface.

 

10. You can now log in with your SurfShark VPN account credentials.

Learn more about Surfshark and Grab the Best Surfshark Deal Now!

 

Install Surfshark on Firestick

Best Surfshark Deal

 

 

For more VPN discounts, go to ReviewVPN Deals and purchase the best VPN for you.

Click here to get the lowest price on Surfshark through our exclusive limited-time offer.

 

IPVanish

IPVanish is one of the largest and most trusted VPN providers in the industry. Their name is synonymous with security, privacy, and reliability. Nonetheless, a great VPN service, such as IPVanish, is an awesome security tool that protects people’s connections to the web. A VPN offers an encryption protocol to safeguard people’s data and conceal their IP addresses to keep anonymity. For example, you can be in Canada, but the Virtual Private Network can make it seem to look like you are browsing from the United States.

 

ExpressVPN

A Russian ambassador was assassinated in Turkey in 2016. The case attracted international media attention. Turkish authorities following a lead seized a number of Express VPN’s servers. The servers were returned intact a few weeks later. The Turkish authorities had gained nothing from the servers.

Why?

Because the company didn’t keep any logs. Zip. Zero. Nada.

ExpressVPN came out squeaky clean. This famous case is the reason why many rate ExpressVPN as the best and most dependable VPN provider in the world.

 

Perfect Privacy

In the same year, Perfect Privacy had one of its servers seized in the Netherlands for no given reason. Only to be returned intact and breach-free.  Perfect Privacy stores all data on encrypted RAM discs. Your logs cannot be accessed on their hard drives.

 

Private Internet Access

PIA proved their no logs claim, not once, but twice.

In two cases in 2016 and 2018, PIA had logs requested from them as part of an ongoing criminal investigation.

Their response?

A coy smile and a shrug of the shoulders. They simply stated that they had no logs to provide the investigation with any information. PIA stated they could only confirm the IP was from the US East Coast in the 2016 case.

So, there you have it. The sad truth is that the scandals far outweigh the success stories for VPN providers. But there are companies out there you can trust. We hope this piece ends on a bright note. Don’t lose faith in VPN companies. Like any industry, there are going to be bad apples who don’t do what they say. But there are a lot of companies out there who you can trust to take your anonymity and privacy seriously.

Best Alternatives To A VPN

 

We use VPNs to safeguard our data and our privacy and obscure or hide as much personal information about ourselves and what we do online as possible.

But you don’t have to use a VPN to do this. 

There are alternatives to using a VPN. None of them are easy, and all of them have their drawbacks, but here we explore what you can do if you want VPN-like services without paying for a VPN.

 

SmartDNS

A DNS is a Domain Name Server. Your DNS allows you to connect to the internet and send and receive the appropriate IP address. Internet Protocols is a unique string of numbers which are specifically designated to one website. Most people will use the DNS supplied by their ISP (Internet Service Provider

An IP address gives a fixed location to your connection. So, a website receiving a request from your DNS will see that you are connecting from Tokyo, Japan. If you wanted to access Netflix, their DNS would then automatically refer your request to the Japanese version.

Major media providers alter the content that can be seen based upon the country that your IP is located in.

A SmartDNS works by replacing your ISP-designated DNS, with its own DNS. Making it look like your request could be coming from another country.

So, using a SmartDNS is a great way to work around Geographical IP locking. You can happily watch Netflix USA in Japan using a SmartDNS.

Prices range but can expect to pay about $5 a month for a SmartDNS.

 

How Is It Different To VPNs?

If you just want to watch media in another country, a SmartDNS is a good choice. But that’s about it.

A SmartDNS won’t provide you with any security or encryption, it simply re-routes your IP’s server requests through its own server and changes your location. It won’t hold up under an IP Leak test. A SmartDNS does not hide your original IP, nor will it allow you to bypass any firewalls.

Also, a SmartDNS is pretty much doing what any VPN provider would do. Most VPN providers like Surfshark will host their own DNS servers across the world, which allow you to mask or change your IP address.

Also, unlike a VPN, you are likely to get throttled (your speed slowed) by your ISP. As your connection to your SmartDNS is not encrypted, your ISP will see an uptick in data flow and may actively narrow the bandwidth that you can use. With a VPN your data will pass undetected as an encrypted package.

Basically, a SmartDNS will offer a very small part of the service a VPN can give you for the same price or even be more expensive.

 

Seedboxes

Unless you love to torrent, you have probably never heard of a seedbox.

A seedbox gives you access to a remote server that is placed in a high-speed data center. Seedboxes are fast. Really fast. You will get faster speeds than a VPN. Their bandwidths go as high as 10GBps. Yeah. We said Gigabytes. Though you are more likely to see speeds of 100MBps and up.

What this means is that if you are spending a lot of your time downloading and uploading big files which may be many gigabytes a seedbox is perfect. Because you can download the torrent much faster than just using your current broadband or even a VPN.

Seedboxes are popular with people who love P2P file sharing and the BitTorrent Communities.

They maintain your privacy and allow you to evade copyright law as all the actions happen on their third-party servers. When your computers access the file, which lives in the Seedbox it is done using HTTP and FTP, and therefore undetectable from normal internet traffic.

 

How Is It Different from a VPN?

Just like a SmartDNS, a Seedbox is a highly specialized tool for a singular task. So, if you only want to download and upload a torrent, then get a seedbox. But you won’t get any other additional functionality.

A lot of Seedboxes have the option to use the open-source OpenVPN protocol. This means that your connection with the high-speed server is secure. The encryption tends to be the same to VPN’s. Unbreakable 256-bit AES.

But, that’s it. 

You can’t access multiple servers, you won’t be able to browse anonymously, nor will your connecting IP be obscured. Also, it wouldn’t be able to circumvent Geo-IP locked content.

A Seedbox helps you download and upload content well. But you won’t get any added functionality.

Also, they are expensive. Those high-speed servers cost money. You can expect a basic monthly plan to start at $20 per month and go up steeply depending on your data usage. We are talking about a service where you plan on uploading and storing terabytes of data.

 

Proxys

In the early days of internet anonymity, proxies were all the rage. Suddenly you could re-route your traffic to thousands of free proxies all around the world. Meaning you were able to change your IP and remain anonymous in theory. As the proxy hides your public IP address assigned by your ISP.

A proxy is simply a middle connection between two computers. Proxies can be used to relay data, censor what someone sees, filter data, or act as a means of bypassing some form of content lock or censorship.

The next question is who is running the proxy. There have been many stories of people being hacked, having their information hijacked, and even getting malware from using unknown proxies. Always use a trusted company that provides proxies. Avoid free proxy lists online. They are a hotbed for hackers and malicious third parties who want to at best steal your data.

A VPN is not a proxy, as a proxy only works for the browser and the actions within that browser. Whereas a VPN secures all your traffic. Even when your devices aren’t being actively used, they are transmitting and receiving data. Also, a VPN will connect automatically and may even have an inbuilt kill switch that stops you from connecting to the internet if the VPN isn’t active. Without knowing how to code you will need to manually connect to the proxy each time.

Free proxies are also commonly used by VPN providers who give you a free service alongside their premium product.

People use proxies because they are free, and generally, they are misinformed about the dangers you face using a proxy.

 

How Is It Different from a VPN?

Proxies can be great for carrying out the same function as a SmartDNS, allowing you to unblock content based in other countries. But that’s about it.

Your connection is not secure or encrypted, and if you risk using a free proxy, the person running the server can monitor your traffic and see what you are doing. You don’t get any form of security using a proxy.

Plus, unlike a paid VPN like Surfshark, you don’t get an automatic connection through an easy-to-use application. Nor will you get stable servers that you can connect to every time. Free proxies are notorious for appearing and disappearing as well as needing to be constantly monitored to see if they have been compromised.

A VPN will give you security, safety, anonymity, and a host of added functionality at a small cost as opposed to a free proxy that may be used by hackers to access your computer and data.

 

 

Set Up Your Own VPN

A VPN is essentially an encrypted tunnel. From your computer, you set up encryption which can then be received by a DNS host and then receives a response that is encrypted back to your computer.

So why not just set up your own VPN?

Well, you can. You can use an open-source set of scripts from OpenVPN or Algo VPN. Set up a digital server. Use an SSH Proxy on a Raspberry Pi and hey presto! You have a VPN.

Sounds simple right?

No. Not really. The truth is the internet is littered with guides on setting up your own VPN server, but it just pushes the problem down the line. For example, does your virtual server keep logs of your traffic? 

Running your own VPN, even if you get it set up, doesn’t make you more secure, as your data must come out at a server somewhere. Third parties have no loyalty to you and your little pet project. Plus, your broadband provider will still be able to see all your traffic and still choose to throttle your bandwidth. A self-made VPN does not help you to switch around countries either. Unless you want to sign up for multiple servers.

Setting up your VPN is good fun, but it’s not going to give you anywhere near the functionality you would get from a paid provider. 

After all, you are paying them to do the hard work for you.

 

Why Pay For A VPN?

You can get a decent VPN provider like Surfshark for less than 7 dollars a month. Is it worth all that time setting up your own VPN which is only going to encrypt your traffic and obscure your IP if you have multiple instances set up?

The bottom line is that when we look at setting up a SmartDNS and subscribing for a Seedbox, they are great products. But they are tailored to a highly specific use. All of which you can use a VPN provider. With Surfshark you can torrent, just not at 1GBps. But do you really need to torrent a movie in 2 minutes? 

Surfshark will allow you to unlock all major media providers, like Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer, it will allow you to access geographically restricted content anywhere in the world. All at the click of a button.

You can access 1,400+ servers around the world. I mean sure, you can trawl through thousands of free proxies every time you want to anonymize your IP. But do you know who is running that proxy? How can you be certain that your connection is secure, and that someone isn’t using that proxy to carry out a man-in-the-middle attack on your computer, or piggy-backing on your data to hack someone else?

Free proxies were great in 2005, but the world has moved on and got significantly more sophisticated. Surfshark will give you military-grade 256-bit AES encryption on up to 5 devices. I mean do you really want to try setting up proxies on your phone every day.

 

Why not just set up your own VPN server?

I mean who can trust these big providers anyway. I’m better off doing it myself. For the same reason that I don’t build my own car. Sounds like a nice idea but I’ve got a busy life.

Also, how long would it take me to build a car like a Tesla? Longer than I must give, if ever at all.

Let alone the fact that I am going to need to set up a server, or use a third party, who may be recording all my data to sell onto a third-party advertiser.

Using a provider like Surfshark is the simple solution to all my problems. For less than $7 a month I can simply sign up, download the mobile application, and have all my devices secured in less than 5 minutes.

Better than spending the next 3 hours setting up your own VPN server, only to discover that you won’t be able to change your IP easily and access that film on Netflix you wanted to watch in the first place.

The short story is that it just makes more sense to pay for one VPN provider like Surfshark which is going to provide a one-stop solution for all your problems. Access content all around the world, do it safely, anonymize your IP and hop around hundreds of servers around the world. Safe in the knowledge that Surfshark’s no-log policy will keep you safe whatever you do.

 

Best VPN Provider

Surfshark

With 3200+ servers in 65 countries, you will never be far away from a blazing-fast connection with Surfshark. As a rule of thumb, the more servers a VPN provider has, the faster speeds, as you get a bigger distribution for all their user’s traffic.

You can enjoy whopping and unlimited simultaneous connections with unlimited bandwidth. They even offer unlimited P2P traffic which means that your connection will never be slowed down wherever you are.

You can switch between their servers to find the fastest speed. Surfshark consistently rates as one of the fastest VPN providers around. Also, you can remove any geographic IP blocks on the latest games and play anonymously at high speeds almost anywhere in the world.

Oh, and it’s secure. Really secure. Protect yourself when login onto a public Wi-Fi with military-grade 256-bit AES encryption. The most secure cryptography in the world used by the US Military.

Plus in between games you can watch Netflix anywhere, always browse anonymously and maintain your privacy with prices starting as low as $6.50 per month.

 

 

Note: For more information about Surfshark, please read our Surfshark Review.

 

Grab your subscription now!

 

 

How to Install Surfshark VPN on Firestick

If your Firestick still has the older interface, read this article to learn how to update it: Update Firestick Interface.

Follow our screenshots below to install the SurfShark VPN app on your Fire TV stick.

1. Go to the Home screen of your Firestick.

 

2. Navigate towards the Find tab. Press the Search button from the resulting dropdown.

 

3. Type in the keyword of SurfShark and select from the suggestions that will appear.

 

4. Click the official SurfShark icon from your search results.

 

5. Press the Download (You own it) button.

 

6. The SurfShark VPN installer will download on your device.

 

7. SurfShark VPN’s app will automatically install itself on your Fire TV stick.

 

8. Press the Open button after completing SurfShark VPN’s installation process.

 

9. Please wait for the SurfShark VPN to load its user interface.

 

10. You can now log in with your SurfShark VPN account credentials.

Learn more about Surfshark and Grab the Best Surfshark Deal Now!

 

Install Surfshark on Firestick

Best Surfshark Deal

 

 

For more VPN discounts, go to ReviewVPN Deals and purchase the best VPN for you.

Click here to get the lowest price on Surfshark through our exclusive limited-time offer.

 

 

Why Use a VPN When Gaming?

We will answer this question along with the best VPNs for gaming that you can use.

 

When you think of VPN and privacy you may not think about the game. After all, doesn’t a VPN slow down your broadband speeds? Also, who wants to be anonymous when you are fragging your mortal enemies online?

But we can think of 5 good reasons why you should consider using a VPN for gaming.

 

• Reduce Lag and Ping Time

There is nothing worse than lining up a headshot, hitting lag, and getting blown up. Once you finished scooping up the Xbox controller you just threw into the wall, consider using a VPN. Your broadband provider probably throttles your IP (Internet protocol) meaning to get the best speeds, reduce lag and pin time you can use a VPN to mask your IP. Fuel your gaming with the fastest speeds using a VPN. Any slowdown is negligible with our Top 5 VPN providers for gaming and may well increase your speeds when you circumvent throttling and get better latency during gameplay.

 

• Connect Anywhere in the World

Ever tried to connect with your friends online on holiday? Internet speeds vary massively across the world, and the best holiday destinations may have the worst cabled internet. Instead of relying on your hotel’s throttled Wi-Fi or worse trying to log to a server halfway across the world. You can join a VPN provider with a server in your country. Boost your speed and never be disconnected from your clan.

 

• Protect Yourself from Attack

E-Sports and MMORPG are just two types of battlegrounds for hackers. Your connection if unsecured could make you the victim of a DDOS attack or even have someone hack your system and steal everything you have spent months working for. Keep yourself your avatar safe online using VPN’s military-grade encryption and security protocols

 

• Be the First to Play

Do you want to be the first to play, but you don’t live in South Korea, Japan, or the US? Before you pack your bags, take a seat and use a VPN to connect to a server in the country your favorite has been released in. Now you can register with ease and circumvent any geographic IP blocks. With a VPN you can always be the first to play.

 

• Connect Multiple Devices

Many VPN providers like IPVanish will let you connect to 5 devices at the same time, with a negligible dip in speed. Get the gang round for an evening of Fortnite or DOTA and enjoy blazing fast speeds while all playing at the same time

 

Why You Need More Speed

Modern games like DOTA, League of Legends, and Fortnite need fast connection speeds and low latency. This is all measured using ping times. Ping is the time it takes your computer to respond to a request from the game’s server.

Ping speeds of 20ms and below are great. Anything over 150ms is dismal. Plus, this only gets worse as the game progresses. The lower the ping the quicker the game will react to your commands.

You can’t even connect to Fortnite if your ISP’s (Internet Service Provider’s) speed is too slow. You can buy a new router, update your computer and even use a Cat7 ethernet cable, but if your ISP is throttling your broadband then you will not be able to reduce your ping time as much as possible.

A VPN encrypts all your data through your ISP’s cable. This action is undistinguishable to your provider, so they allow the packet to pass at the fastest speed. This is why using a VPN, is safer and sometimes even faster than your normal connection.

 

Do I Have to Use a VPN to Increase Speed?

No. The internet is full of products specifically designed for increasing ping speed. They are commonly known as GPN’s (Game Private Networks)

Service like WTFast, Kill Ping, and NoPing Tunnel work by optimizing how you connect to the internet when you game. They use algorithms to calculate the fastest path to the game’s server and reduce ping time and latency.

So, what’s the catch? Well, they are pricy. WTFast starts at $9.99 per month. Plus, you don’t get any protection, encryption, IP Masking, or all the additional functionality you could get with a VPN.

Plus, you wouldn’t be protected against a malicious attack, be able to access games around the world or change your location.

GPN is a great specialized solution, they will reduce ping time, even out ping spikes, and provide a smoother gaming experience. But they will only do that. They also provide a similar service by essentially detouring your traffic to the fastest route to your game’s server.

So, let’s look at the pick of the best 5 providers to give you that speed you need.

 

 

Install IPVanish on Firestick

Best IPVanish Deal

 

 

Top 5 VPN Providers for Gaming

IPVanish

With 40,000+ shared IPs across 2.000 servers in 70+ locations, you will never be far away from a blazing fast connection with IPVanish. As a rule of thumb, the more servers a VPN provider has, the faster speeds, as you get a bigger distribution for all their user’s traffic.

You can enjoy whopping and unlimited simultaneous connections with unlimited bandwidth. They even offer unlimited P2P traffic which means that your connection will never be slowed down wherever you are.

You can switch between their servers to find the fastest speed. IPVanish consistently rates as one of the fastest VPN providers around. Also, you can remove any geographic IP blocks on the latest games and play anonymously at high speeds almost anywhere in the world.

Oh, and it’s secure. Really secure. Protect yourself when login onto a public Wi-Fi with military-grade 256-bit AES encryption. The most secure cryptography in the world is used by the US Military.

Plus in between games you can watch Netflix anywhere, always browse anonymously and maintain your privacy with prices starting as low as $6.50 per month.

 

 

Note: For more information about IPVanish, please read our IPVanish REVIEW.

 

Grab your subscription now!

 

 

Install IPVanish on Firestick with Screenshots

1.  Click Home on your remote and click “Find”.

 

2. Click “Search”

 

3. You can either say IPVanish to your Alexa’s voice-enabled remote or start typing it. If you typed it, click on the suggestion when it appears.

 

4. Click on the IPVanish icon.

 

5. Click on Download

 

6. Wait to download.

 

7.  Wait to install.

 

8.  Click on Open.

 

9.  Input your username and password to log in.

 

10. Click Connect.

Learn more about IPVanish. Get an IPVANISH now.

 

Grab the Best IPVanish Deal Now!

Click here to get the lowest price on IPVanish through our exclusive limited-time offer.

 

 

NordVPN

One of the most established providers in the VPN industry. You can access 5,500+ servers in 60+ countries. Plus, their servers are tailored to your needs. 

You could opt for their Double VPN feature, which bounces your signal through 2 layers of encryption and keeps you extra safe. Works well in countries with high levels of censorship like China. But you will see a drop-in speed.

Or you can connect to servers that are specifically tailored to speed like their P2P servers, and they have a lot of them. 

NordVPN is a perfect blend of speed and security. They have top-notch encryption and security features to keep you safe and protected from DDOS attacks, or malicious hackers who want to attack your unprotected IP at the point of entry.

Plus, they consistently rank as one of the fastest VPN providers around. Alongside their wide range of servers, you will never be far away from a good connection when you travel.

Their client is easy and intuitive to use and supports up to 5 simultaneous devices with prices starting as low as $2.29 per month. You can’t go wrong with NordVPN.

 

 

 

 

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is commonly thought to be the fastest VPN provider around. They consistently deliver blazing fast speeds with almost negligible slow down on broadband speeds. Some VPN providers can slow down your connection by up to 30%, but amazingly with ExpressVPN, you may see less than a 5% drop in your speed.

Which is more than compensated by encrypting your data and circumventing your ISP’s broadband throttling. A common practice used on high data users like gamers.

With 3,000 + servers in 90+ countries, ExpressVPN also has one of the widest coverages of any providers in terms of the sheer number of countries they cover. Plus, the speeds even in Asia and South America outrank their competitors. They have chosen a route of fewer servers with higher quality and speed.

1,000+ of these servers are specially tailored to P2P, meaning they are designed for the fastest download and upload speeds. Ideal for decreasing your ping times and latency.

You also get the choice to split tunnel your data. Meaning that some activities like normal browsing can be sent through a white label tunnel and your gaming can be secured at the same time. Their security protocols are top-notch, along with the same 256-bit AES encryption.

ExpressVPN is not the cheapest, with an annual plan starting at $6.67 per month. But that’s because you are paying for quality, and you can connect to 5 devices simultaneously.

 

 

 

CyberGhost

 

CyberGhost really delivers when it comes to ease of use. Their great applications have a specific setting for different uses. So, you can choose their Gaming setting to connect you with the fastest server, and slightly decrease the security and encryption being used.

This doesn’t mean you are more vulnerable to attack. As the protocols and encryption used are still unbreakable. But it sacrifices maximum security to give you the best gaming experience.

They offer 3,700+ servers in 60+ countries. Giving you similar depth and breadth to the other companies on our list. More servers mean more choice wherever you are in the world. Also, you are likely to get faster speeds as these servers share the load.

You may not quite get the same speed as our Top 3, but they certainly weren’t far off. Also, they were a noticeable downtick in speeds in countries like Indonesia as well as South America.

CyberGhost is widely used due to the ton of extra features you get. From malware and adblocker, to HTTPS always service which always looks for the most secure connection before connecting. You also get top-of-the-line security and encryption to boot. You can even get Wi-Fi protection for your mobile as well.

A great pick for the gamer who wants speed and lots of additional functionality. You can also connect to 7 devices at the same time with prices starting as low as $2.10 a month. Some of the lowest in the industry. An absolute bargain.

 

 

VyprVPN

VyprVPN makes the list not because it is the biggest of our VPN providers, or even the most secure. But because it is the most loved by gamers and rated by many as the best and fastest VPN for gaming.

Both IGN and PC Gamer rated VyprVPN as the fastest overall VPN for gaming, so it’s not just all marketing. They offer mind-boggling 200,000+ IP addresses across 700+ servers in 70+ locations.

Though on the face of it they offer significantly fewer servers, their networks are optimized for speed. They defeat their competitors not in download speeds, but in latency. Their ping speeds are some of the lowest around.

Their application also is massively configurable, allowing you to tweak connection, security protocols, and even your DNS. This allows you to really play around and ping test like a crazy person to optimize your gaming speed.

Speed tests showed that VyprVPN optimization means it runs 3 times faster than most other VPN providers while gaming as well as even shaving time off your pings. You can also expect a really easy-to-use application, great connectivity, and maximum uptime.

All of this from as little as $5 a month for basic and $6.67 a month for premium with 5 simultaneous connections. Just be aware that unlike most other providers they don’t offer a money-back guarantee.

 

 

Conclusion

If you are looking for the best all-around VPN provider, then our money is with IPVanish. It is famous for its excellent performance, security, server selection and unique features.

But if you are looking for the best VPN solely for gaming, speed, and ping time then we must agree with IG and PC Gamer. Results from their speed tests are out of this world! VyprVPN wins when it comes to a VPN provider that has been specifically tailored for the needs of gamers worldwide.

So, don’t miss another headshot or tactical decision ever again because of lag. Get a VPN provider today.

 

Overview

Do you know your IKEv2 from your SSTP? How about your metadata from your botnet? The world of VPNs is full of technical terms. We’ve put this glossary together to explain all those pesky technical terms and turn you into a VPN expert.

 

 

Security Protocols

A VPN secures your connection by encrypting your traffic between your VPN client (mobile/web application or browser extension) and your VPN’s server. To do this, they use a security protocol to encrypt and decrypt your data. Imagine your data being put in a box that is locked and unlocked using a unique key.

 

 

Let’s cover the most popular types of security protocols

PPTP

Point to Point Tunnelling Protocol. This protocol creates a tunnel between two points for your data. The oldest and fastest security protocol. Also, the least secure and commonly paired with another protocol to increase security.

IKEv2

Internet Key Exchange version 2. The newest security protocol originally released in 2005. Specifically designed for information exchange between mobile devices. Supports multiple ciphers and has a high-security standard as well as fast speeds. Widely seen as one of the most secure security protocols.

 

OpenVPN

The industry standard. This is an open-source commercial software that is used by almost all VPN providers. The software works by creating a secure point-to-point connection using OpenSSL to encrypt data and keys and then be authenticated by the server. Has a custom security protocol using SSL/TLS.

 

L2TP

Layer Two Tunnelling Protocol. The new and improved PPTP. It is a specific tunneling protocol and does not provide encryption. Often used with other security protocols like IPsec which encrypts the data that L2TP transmits. This protocol is solely used to transmit and receive data, but not encrypt it.

 

SSTP (Windows Only)

Secure Socket Tunnelling Protocol is used only on Windows Computers and is known to be significantly more secure than PPTP. Acting very much like Open VPN, the protocol transmits and encrypts data using SSL/TLS and gives you the ability to access remote servers which also use the SSTP protocol.

 

 

VPN

Virtual Private Network. A service that provides privacy and anonymity by encrypting your data online and protects your identity by masking or changing your IP Address which reveals your true physical location.

 

Kill Switch

Built into a VPN client. If for any reason your VPN stops working, this switch will ‘kill’ your internet connection until your VPN restarts. This is to prevent your true IP from being seen.

 

Simultaneous connections

The number of devices which can connect to your VPN at the same time. Using the same or different IP addresses.

 

Tor

The Onion Router. A system of decentralized nodes based on people’s computers. Known for anonymity as it masks your connection by bouncing your data through different encrypted connections. Making your browsing practically untraceable.

 

VPN Protocol

The rules determine the connection between your VPN client and server. Which could include connection protocols, encryption, and decryption as well as which server to connect to.

 

VPN Server

A programme that grants access to your provider’s network. Allowing you to appear in different physical locations and change your IP. This is where your data is decrypted going out and encrypted coming in as you browse online.

 

VPS

Virtual Private Server. A virtual machine where your data is hosted. Rented from an internet hosting service, it can be based anywhere in the world. As opposed to a physical server based at your property or close by.

 

Warrant canary

A method VPN providers use to inform their users if they have been served a subpoena or legal summons by a law agency. If the canary if updated or present on the site, then that means the company is NOT under investigation. When the canary disappears or stops being updated, then it signals the company is part of a criminal investigation. This is to circumvent laws around informing users that they are under investigation, by clearly stating when they aren’t under investigation instead.

 

WEP

Wired Equivalent Privacy. The security protocol used for Wi-Fi connections. Giving the same level of security as a wired LAN internet connection.

 

WPA2

Wi-Fi Protected Access 2. The encryption and certification protocol for most Wi-Fi connections.

 

TLS

Transport Layer Security. The encryption protocol for any form of communication over a computer network. Preceded by the now deprecated SSL (Secure Socket’s Layer) This protocol is used to secure many everyday habits like email, text messages, and internet browsing.

 

SmartDNS

An alternative to a VPN. With a few key differences. DNS stands for Domain Name System. They assign names and IP addresses to websites. When a website like Netflix receives a request from you, it uses your DNS to identify your location and attributes. A SmartDNS shows you as connecting from a different country but doesn’t change your IP, unlike a VPN. Also, it does not encrypt your data or allow you to unblocked censorship content. Only useful for accessing geo-secured sites.

 

AES

Advanced Encryption Standard. Originally known as the Rijndael cipher. A global encryption standard to secure data. Used by the US government and military and now as industry standard for VPN’s. The cipher comes in 128,192 or 256 bits. Commonly you will see that your data is secured using a 256-bit AES encryption. This level has never publicly been broken or ‘brute force’ decrypted.

 

Proxy

A proxy server acts as a bridge between two parties. Your traffic passes through a proxy before connecting to your target website. The proxy server can alter your data by encrypting it, or modifying the data based upon your request and the function of the proxy.

 

Ping Time

Used as a measure of internet speed. This is the time it takes for your connection to get a response once it sends a request. This is determined by the speed of your cable connection and the speed of the website’s server.

 

Packet

A packet is a unit of data. Everything you do use a computer and any form of data involves data packets. This is how you send requests and receive information and requests online.

 

OpenSSH

Secure Shell Protocol. OpenSSH is used to secure a channel over an unsecured network. This is the open-source alternative to SSH. Used generally to secure communication between a client and server.

 

Meta Data

Data about data. The metadata in a packet tells the computer what type of data it is receiving. The metadata of an email for example would tell you there is text, headers, formatting and a sender and receiver address.

 

Man in the middle attack

When data is sent and received between two points, it goes through a man in the middle. This could be a proxy server for example. A man-in-the-middle attack happens, when an attacker intercept data between two points pretending to be a server. Think about someone listening in to your phone call. These attacks can be avoided using an encryption system that requires endpoint verification. So, someone cannot pretend to send and receive data without the appropriate encryption key.

 

Wardriving

An attacker will be in a moving vehicle. Using a phone or laptop they will search out and map Wi-Fi networks. This map of networks can then be used as a GPS system where a person is tracked based upon the relative strength of internet networks at their location.

 

Botnet

A botnet is a series of computers or internet-connected devices that are linked in a network and used to run a bot. Used for hacking practices like a DDOS attack (distributed denial of service attack) Here a botnet is used to flood a website with thousands of requests per second overloading the website’s servers and causing it to crash.

 

Brute Force

A brute force attack is commonly associated with breaking passwords and encryptions. A powerful computer is used to go through every single combination to find the right one. For example, a 4-digit pin number has 10,000 possible combinations. Banks stop someone from being able to brute force a pin number by limiting you to 3 possible attempts before blocking the card. Modern 256-bit AES encryption has been found to be impervious to brute force attacks, purely due to the number of combinations that need to be attempted. You would need to try 2 to the factor of 256 attempts minus 1 bit. Even the best supercomputers today would take trillions of years to brute force a 256-bit AES key.

 

NAT

Network Address Translation. A method used to mask a computer’s true IP address. This method of remapping an IP changes the IP metadata in your data packets to show it coming from a different IP address

 

Log

Commonly seen in a VPN provider’s ‘no-log policy, a log is a record of your usage of a service. This could include your original registration details like name, address, and a credit card or payment. When using the service, a provider can log your original IP address, servers used, browsing history and time, data uploaded and downloaded as well as anything else you do while connected to their service.

 

IPv4

The fourth revision of the Internet Protocol. An IP is used to identify the device and location you are browsing from. Essentially an internet address book. New IPv4 addresses are no longer being assigned as they ran out. Originally the protocol only allowed for 4 billion addresses as it only used a 32-bit address protocol. New addresses use IPv6.

 

IPv6

The sixth revision of the Internet Protocol. IPv6 was introduced as we basically ran out of IP addresses. These addresses are also considerably more complex, easy to use, and faster than IPv4 addresses to adjust for technological and network advancements.

 

IP lead

IP leads are a form of tracking used by companies for their marketing. As well as malicious parties who want to trace back people’s IP addresses. An IP address can be used to trace where you are from and aggregate it alongside other data used to show what your browsing habits are, as well as your preferences.

 

IP Address

An IP address is a unique address that is specific to your internet connection. It allows a fixed point for your data to travel to and from. Like a map. You go from one IP to another and your server needs to know where to send and receive data. IP’s can be static (the same constantly) or Dynamic (changing) as well as Public or Private.

 

Great Firewall

China’s internet censorship project and system of technology used to monitor traffic within its borders as well as censor content it deems to be unacceptable. Acts principally to ‘protect’ the China public from foreign companies and information and nurture domestic companies as well as propagate nationalistic propaganda which is pro-government.

 

GeoIP / Geo-spoofing

Your IP address will reveal the country that you are connecting to the site from. Based on your location a website’s server could block or alter the content. Commonly used by media sites like Netflix as well as e-commerce and comparison sites that may change prices based upon your location. Geo-spoofing is used by VPN providers to change the location of the IP you use to visit a site. Essentially showing you are browsing from a country that allows you to access the site.

 

5 Eyes, 9 Eyes, 14 Eyes

A series of countries have an international agreement to share intelligence and information.

Started with the 1941 Atlantic Charter where the UK and USA agreed to intelligence share during World War 2, extended to the 5 eyes with New Zealand, Australia, and Canada.

The 9 eyes consist of the above 5 countries and Norway, The Netherlands, France, and Denmark.

The 14 eyes consist of the above 9 countries and Sweden, Spain, Italy, Belgium, and Germany.

The different groups are also thought to reflect the level of information shared between the countries. With the 14 eyes perhaps sharing less than the 9 eyes and 5 eyes. As each country also has active operations to spy on each other.

 

Firmware

Permanently installed software in your electronic device. Recently concerns have been raised that a company may use firmware to also snoop on a person’s habits and even their location.

 

Malware (Added)

Software designed to intentionally damage your computer or server. Which can be also used to control, monitor, or disrupt usage on that device.

 

Firewall

Firewalls control the flow of data through a network. Provides security by updating itself to monitor new types of malware and viruses.

 

Encryption Key

An encryption key is a unique code to unscramble your data. A VPN encrypts your data in a client and then decrypts it in their DNS.  This means that only a device that has the corresponding key can see your data.

 

DNS Poisoning

Also known as DNS spoofing. A healthy DNS routes your traffic to the correct website. A hacker can spoof a DNS and redirect your traffic to a malicious website.

 

Our Top Rated VPN Service

 

With all of the VPN services and protocols available today, Surfshark has been our tested and recommended VPN service. It offers first-rate protocols, features, prices, and customer service, among other things.

It employs AES-256-GCM encryption, the most powerful standard available today. Additionally, Surfshark employs the 2048-bit RSA key and the Wireguard protocol’s Chacha20. It also makes use of some of the top protocols now in use, including IKEv2, OpenVPN, and WireGuard. As a result, you can be confident that all data transmission in and out of your device is encrypted while maintaining the fastest speed currently available.

It also has a kill switch in case of an unexpected VPN interruption. Apart from that, the following are some of its standout features:

• Provides 3,200 servers in 100 countries for your anonymity.
• Allows for an unlimited number of devices and simultaneous connections.
• Ensures that no logs are kept when utilizing its service.
• It contains a CleanWeb feature that prevents advertisements, trackers, malware, and phishing attempts.
• To prevent obtrusive cookie consent pop-ups, there is a cookie pop-up blocker.
• IP Rotator that switches the user’s IP address at the selected location every five to ten minutes without cutting off their VPN connection
• Customer service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via live chat or email.
• It has a help center and blog, as well as a channel on YouTube with tutorials and other knowledge bases.

 

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Best Surfshark Deal

 

How to Install Surfshark on Firestick with Screenshots

If your Firestick still has the older interface, read this article to learn how to update it: Update Firestick Interface.

You can download Surfshark directly from the Amazon App store. It will be easy for you to find Surfshark with your Firestick’s Find feature. Refer to our screenshots below.

Follow our screenshots below to install the SurfShark VPN app on your Fire TV stick.

1. Go to the Home screen of your Firestick.

 

2. Navigate towards the Find tab. Press the Search button from the resulting dropdown.

 

3. Type in the keyword of SurfShark and select from the suggestions that will appear.

 

4. Click the official SurfShark icon from your search results.

 

5. Press the Download (You own it) button.

 

6. The SurfShark VPN installer will download on your device.

 

7. SurfShark VPN’s app will automatically install itself on your Fire TV stick.

 

8. Press the Open button after completing SurfShark VPN’s installation process.

 

9. Please wait for the SurfShark VPN to load its user interface.

 

10. You can now log in with your SurfShark VPN account credentials.

Learn more about Surfshark and Grab the Best Surfshark Deal Now!

 

Install Surfshark on Firestick

Best Surfshark Deal

 

 

For more VPN discounts, go to ReviewVPN Deals and purchase the best VPN for you.

Click here to get the lowest price on Surfshark through our exclusive limited-time offer.

Best VPN for Torrents

One of the main reasons people use VPNs is for Torrents. Torrent files contain information that has metadata files for download. They act as an index to allow your computer to find the position of the file you are looking for, contained in the global distribution of computers. In this article, we will show you the best VPN for torrents.

Torrenting lets you access the latest films, tv shows, sports events, and any other form of media you can think of. Some use an aggregating media software like Kodi, which provides an easy-to-use GUI (Graphical User Interface) and 100’s application extensions for specific use cases, like say Basketball on ESPN. But besides Kodi, there are thousands of torrenting sites.

Before we go through our Top 5 list of VPN providers, let’s break down what makes a VPN good for Torrents

 

Zero Logs Policy

Torrenting is not illegal but it is frowned upon. People can use torrenting to upload and download copyrighted material. In order to protect yourself, you want to choose a VPN provider that has a strict zero-logs policy. This means that they are not going to keep or record important information that could identify you.

This information could include your original IP, name, address, credit card details, browsing history, and data usage. All of which would be highly incriminating. The best providers will have no information to give even if law enforcement comes knocking.

 

Torrent Friendly

Not all VPN providers welcome Torrenting. In fact, some providers will clearly state that Torrents are not welcome. Or they may go one step less and simply not speak about Torrents on their site.

The best providers will be specifically designed around torrenting. This means they may provide in-depth guides on their site to Torrent and use popular sites like Kodi. Or they may even have super-fast servers which are specifically configured for P2P file sharing. Known as Peer to Peer, this is where users share files and Torrents.

Within this, you want a VPN provider that uses 256-bit AES encryption, alongside good security protocols. As well as this they should pass all IP leak tests. Like IPv6, DNS, and WebROTC. Remember your anonymity depends on someone not being able to see your original IP.

 

Download and Upload Speed

Media files tend to be big. High-definition movies can be up to 5GB in size. So, you need a connection that is going to mean you can quickly download these file sizes. Or alternatively, upload these files to be torrented.

VPNs will always depend on your Internet Service Provider, as your connection is running through their cable. But they may circumvent data throttling, where your ISP limits your data usage. So, you may see little difference in speed.

Ideally, you want a VPN that is going to deliver download speeds of 40-60 MBps, certainly no less than 15-20. As well as upload speeds of 7-10 MBps.

Traditionally the more servers a VPN provider has the faster the speed, as the more distributed their user’s traffic is. But some provider like IPVanish relies on fewer servers that is configured specifically for high traffic.

 

Ease of Use and Applications

Having a nice looking and easy-to-use web or mobile application is great, but what we are really looking for is our ability to find the fastest server, optimum connection based on country, and even the best server specifically for P2P file sharing.

VPNs that just connect you to a random server aren’t helpful for torrenting as you are playing server roulette for speed.

 

Kill Switch

The best VPN providers have an in-built kill switch for your internet. That means if your VPN application freezes or stops working your internet connection is terminated. The switch then automatically reconnects your internet when the VPN is working.

That means you don’t continue to browse, and torrent unprotected.

 

Unlimited Data

Torrents need data. Lots of data. You want a VPN provider that gives unlimited data usage without charging you by the gigabyte. Most big VPN providers will have this as standard.

 

The 5 Best VPNs for Torrents

SurfShark

SurfShark is the best VPN for torrents. With over 3,200 servers based in 65+ countries that are all optimized for torrenting or using Kodi around the world. SurfShark is a file sharer’s dream. This Netherland-based company has a solid zero logs policy, as actually keeps almost no proprietary user data apart from what is needed for customer experience.

One thing we absolutely love about SurfShark is its mobile and web application. The User Interface is beautiful. On the opening screen, you can choose what service you are going to use your VPN for. One of the choices is to torrent anonymously. SurfShark is Torrent friendly and will then find you an optimal server based on your location.

You can also manually choose your own server based on the country and arrange all the servers based on existing speed and server latency. 

SurfShark servers registered exceptional speeds. Making them an ideal VPN for torrenting. Giving you both great upload and download speeds. 

For a more detailed review, read our SurfShark VPN review, and also learn How to Install SurfShark on Firestick.

 

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NordVPN

NordVPN is not only one of the cheapest big VPN providers, with multi-year passes at less than $4 a month, but also arguably one of the fastest. With access to over 5,000+ servers in 60+ countries, you are going to get a damn quick connection anywhere in the world.

Though not all servers are configured for P2P, you can use their application to find the fastest server for your needs. As well as taking advantage of several security features which are unique to them. These include their Double VPN service, which will reduce your speed but will give you an added layer of security. Your traffic will be bounced through 2 different servers. Generally, 2 countries are next door to each other. You can also open for Tor over VPN, but of course, Tor isn’t recommended for torrenting or using Kodi because of its slow speed. In addition, you can choose an obfuscated service where your traffic will be masked as SSL traffic. Very handy in high censorship countries like China.

They have a great zero logs policy which is backed up by their jurisdiction. Being based in Panama they are under no legal obligation to provide their logs. Though just because a company is based in the US like IPVanish, is no reason why they would be compelled to give up their logs.

You get a kill switch, as well as the highest-level encryption. NordVPN unsurprisingly passed all the leak tests. Plus, you get to sift through all the servers and choose them manually or let their application choose automatically. You also get 6 simultaneous connections.

If you want to know more, read our NordVPN review.

How to Isntall NordVPN on Firestick

 

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IPVanish

IPVanish has built an industry reputation as one of the best VPNs for torrents. You can choose from 40,000+ IPs across 2,000 servers and 70+ countries. Get an added layer of security with IP sharing, where multiple users use the same IP. This won’t affect your speed but means that any user on that IP cannot be attributed to any one user.

With an impressive 9.7/10 from over 2,700+ reviews on Trust Pilot, they are a firm favorite with their users.  They offer great customer service and a rock-solid zero logs policy.

Their speeds are blistering quick, and you will have a little or no downtick from your regular speed internet. They also offer a SOCKS5 proxy, which means you can inbuild the VPN straight from your computer without having to go through their application. Further speeding up your connection.

You can connect unlimited devices at the same time, and IPVanish passed all the leak tests with flying colors with top-notch military-grade encryption and security protocols.

Read our IPVanish VPN review to learn more about this VPN.

How to Install IPVanish on Firestick

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Atlas VPN

Atlas VPN is also an amazing VPN for torrents. It only offers 750+ servers worldwide but all of them are working well. Atlas VPN is relatively new compared to others but it somehow proves to be one of the best.

They also offer a host of interesting security features. From the basic ad blocking and malware protection.

Atlas VPN has a simple user interface, and its web extensions allow you to block ads, web referrers, and cookies giving you a faster and cleaner browsing experience. All with an inbuilt kill switch.

This VPN has a great no logs policy, that also offers free service with limited servers.

Read our Atlas VPN review to learn more.

 

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Best Atlas VPN Deal

 

 

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is more expensive than most VPN providers, but you certainly get what you pay for. They have a clear zero logs policy and go one step further but not actually logging your general browsing activity and IPs used and data usage in the first place.

In speed tests, they ranked as one of the fastest VPN services, and in fact are a top choice for people wanting to use VPNs in high censorship areas like China, precisely because of their speed.

They have a tremendous range of servers which is only rivaled by NordVPN and PIA. With over 3,000+ servers in 94+ countries, you can rely on the fact that there will always be a fast connection near to where you want to torrent. On top of this, you can find and log into servers specifically configured for P2P, which means they are optimized for speed.

ExpressVPN’s application rival the best user interface of other companies like IPVanish. Their application was voted the best UI in the industry for their Linux app, and they are compatible with almost all devices, operating systems, and mobile phones.

They also have a kill switch inbuilt to all their applications, and military-grade 256-bit AES encryption. As well as being based in the British Virgin Islands, where the law does not compel them to keep logs even if they did. Plus, ExpressVPN passed all the leak tests with flying colors.

The only draw from their great service is that, unlike IPVanish, you can only connect to 5 devices simultaneously.

ExpressVPN Review Article

How to Install Express VPN on Firestick

 

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Use a VPN for P2P File Sharing

A VPN helps you speed up both your upload and download speeds. Their purpose is to encrypt your entire internet traffic with the help of digital tunnels. Your data will pass through these tunnels through a VPN’s vast private network of DNS Servers. As a result, your ISP cannot throttle your connection and reduce your download and upload speeds.

We recommend SurfShark for file-sharing purposes. Here are some advantages of using this VPN:

• Hide everything you do on the internet.
• Assign you with an anonymous IP address.
• Help you bypass geo-blocks letting you access exclusive online files.
• Encrypt your internet traffic resulting in quick file downloads.
• Supports P2P file sharing.

Note: For more information about SurfShark, please read our SurfShark REVIEW.

 

Grab your subscription now!

 

 

Install SurfShark on Firestick with Screenshots

If your Firestick still has the older interface, read this article to learn how to update it: Update Firestick Interface.

1. Go to the Home screen of your Firestick.

 

2. Navigate towards the Find tab. Press the Search button from the resulting dropdown.

 

3. Type in the keyword of SurfShark and select from the suggestions that will appear.

 

4. Click the official SurfShark icon from your search results.

 

5. Press the Download (You own it) button.

 

6. The SurfShark VPN installer will download on your device.

 

7. SurfShark VPN’s app will automatically install itself on your Fire TV stick.

 

8. Press the Open button after completing SurfShark VPN’s installation process.

 

9. Please wait for the SurfShark VPN to load its user interface.

 

10. You can now log in with your SurfShark VPN account credentials.

Learn more about Surfshark and Grab the Best Surfshark Deal Now!

Click here to get the lowest price on IPVanish through our exclusive limited-time offer.

 

 

Conclusion

All of our top 5 tick all the boxes when it comes to speed, privacy, ease of use, and encryption.

Alas, there can be only one winner and that goes to SurfShark. Almost always featured in any site’s top 5 lists for fastest VPNs. We just feel on the balance of ease of use, price, security, and features that SurfShark really does give the best torrenting or Kodi experience.

One of their drawbacks is their old-school design and sometimes glitchy kill switch and chat support.

Best VPN Jurisdictions – Understanding 5 Eyes, 9 Eyes, and 14 Eyes

As you become more familiar with VPNs and what they mean, we start to get into the finer details. One of these is jurisdiction. This means where is the company that runs your VPN based and what laws are applicable to them.

Online, you will find many competing opinions. Some say that you should never use a VPN in a jurisdiction of one of the 14 eyes countries.  Reasoning your logs could be given over by law. While others claim it makes no difference.

Truthfully, it comes down to the company and the country. We look at cases where companies have withstood law enforcement agencies and held up their zero logs policies. While others have lied, and handed over logs they promised they didn’t even keep.

So, let’s go through and break this down step by step. Demystifying the jargon as we go and finding whether there really is an ideal country for your VPN to be based.

 

Why Does Jurisdiction Matter?

Every country around the world has its own data privacy laws. Some countries care more about the privacy of their citizens than others. For example, the introduction of GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in the European Union in 2018 was ground-breaking. This series of laws bolstered consumer’s control over their data in the EU’s 28 member states. Also forcing companies who wish to operate online in those countries a greater need for transparency.

Privacy International produced a privacy ranking for the best and worst countries for the safeguarding and protection of consumer data. As well as a reduced intrusion by the state to monitor its citizens.

The Top 5 were in order: Greece, Canada, Romania, Hungary, and Argentina.

The Worst 5: England, Singapore, Russia, Malaysia, and China

If live in one of the worst 5 countries. There is no constitutional protection of your data, and you are under active surveillance by your government. Also, privacy enforcement is weak.

Jurisdiction matters because some countries compel VPN providers to keep comprehensive logs of their user’s data. While others do not.

 

 

What Does Zero Logs and Logging Policy Mean?

Every time you connect with your VPN provider this creates a log or a record of your activity. Namely the IP you are using, the websites you browse, any downloads or uploads, and the data that you use, as well as time on each site or activity.

On top of this for most providers, you need to provide a name, email address, and credit card unless you pay with Bitcoin.

So, your VPN provider as a guardian of your anonymity can choose to record and keep a lot of what you do. Essentially, they are almost like your browser history.

Countries like the USA and UK can compel VPN companies to turn over these logs if a law is broken.

But, companies like PIA and Surfshark which are based in the US have figured out a good way to get around the law. They don’t even keep logs.

Why zero logs matters

Companies cannot be compelled by law to produce something that they don’t even have. So, a lot of top VPN companies have what is called a “zero logs” policy. What this means is that all your browsing information isn’t even saved onto their hard drives. So, if asked all they can do is shrug their shoulders and at best confirm you have an account with them. But with no records, they can’t say what you did or provide any corroborating evidence to show that a crime is broken.

VPN companies live or die by their reputation to maintain the integrity of their zero logs policy, as you can see from this new report here. PIA even when compelled by the FBI to produce logs, could only give them an email address registered with them.

Be careful not to conclude that just because your VPN company is based in a 5,9 or 14 eyes country, your data is not just as secure as if they are based in Romania, the British Virgin Islands, or elsewhere.

 

 

What are the 5 Eyes, 9 Eyes, and 14 Eyes?

Sounds like some sort of night-time horror story.

The 5,9 and 14 eyes all relate to the short name for intelligence sharing agreements between countries.

 

5 Eyes

The 5 eyes date back to the 1940s and World War 2. The UK and the USA signed the UKUSA agreement signed an intelligence-sharing agreement, which would allow them to share intelligence freely and beat the Nazis. This was later extended to include New Zealand, Australia, and Canada to become the 5 eyes.

 

9 and 14 Eyes

To counter increasing threats from Russia, China, and terrorism in the wake of 9/11. This intelligence-sharing community was extended to the 9 and then the 14 eyes, to include: Norway, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, Germany, Italy, and Belgium.

These 14 countries form a global alliance and essentially do also run a large-scale surveillance operation on their citizens and countries outside of the 14 eyes. Many have turned to VPNs like Surfshark to protect their data and help them to feel safe.

But it’s worth mentioning these countries co-operate to fight back against terrorism and organized crime. They are not that interested in you torrenting the latest Marvel movie. Or the pot you are trying to buy on Tor.

Be careful not to be drawn into conspiracy theory, and tin hat territory when it comes to companies that are based in the 14 eyes. We live in democracies; not totalitarian states and a country’s legal system can only get what a VPN provider is able to give.

 

Is Jurisdiction or No Logs More Important?

No logs, times a million. Remember a company cannot be compelled to give something that it never had in the first place. It could be based in the least privacy-friendly country in the world, but if the piece of paper with your name on it is blank then nothing is going to come back to haunt you.

Does the company have a clear and transparent no-logs policy? One thing you want to make sure of is to read the terms and conditions, as well as the privacy policy.

 

What’s hiding in your VPN’s Privacy Policy?

Often companies will hide terms within their privacy policy, which allows them to retain some or all your information for a set period. Also, some VPN companies, have a strict No Torrent policy like Tunnel Bear, which means they are actively tracking your data usage and potentially your browsing habits as well.

Also, there may be clauses where you could be blacklisted or even reported for uploading unsuitable content. Though no one would argue that child pornography should be reported, how about certain copyrighted content?

Be on your guard for companies that try to twist and turn their way through the no-logs policy, with a series of ifs and buts.

The best VPN companies will have a clear and simple no logs policy. They just don’t keep any apart from what is needed to improve the performance of their servers and their user experience. For extra bonus points, they may even display how many times they have been asked to produce evidence by a law enforcement agency, and even have their system audited by a 3rd party auditor.

The more transparent a VPN company is, the more assurance you should have of your privacy and of your data.

 

If My VPN is in The USA or Another 14 Eyes Country Should I Be Worried?

No, some of the best and most relied upon VPN providers like Surfshark and PIA are based in the US. They have had multiple DMCA Notices (Digital Marketing Copyright Act) served when users are using VPNs to upload and download copyrighted content. As well as warrants and subpoenas for their user’s data. All of which have been refused.

The 14 eyes countries are morally and legally obliged to have safeguards and laws in place for privacy and safety.

If we compare the US to say China. The Chinese government has long been a proponent of state-sponsored censorship on a massive scale. The “Great Firewall of China” exists ostensibly to protect Chinese citizens, but, in the 21st Century it protects the interests of the Chinese government and business and keeps out external foreign influences. With over 2 million people estimated to monitor Chinese internet traffic.

 

14 Eyes countries have strict Data and Privacy laws

The 14 eyes have rules that it needs to abide by as well as its citizens. A VPN company that operates within these countries ostensibly is protected by these laws and can’t just have its servers blatantly hacked. However, with other countries with a lower value placed on personal expression and freedom, there is a question over whether your data is ever truly safe.

Ultimately, we know that major established VPN companies would not last long if they were seriously compromising users and their data. The internet would soon speak quickly and highlight cases and users who were compromised. Customers would vote with their feet and leave those providers in their drove.

You are better off looking at news and practices relating to the company itself rather than the country in which it is based.

 

How Have Companies in The 14 Eyes Dealt With Being Compelled to Provide Logs?

There have been several cases where countries have tried to compel VPN providers without success.

1. ExpressVPN: In 2017, The Turkish authorities tried to compel ExpressVPN to turn over data that they believe related to a political assassination. The company refused. Their servers in Turkey were then physically seized. But the police were unable to yield any worthwhile information. ExpressVPN genuinely did not keep any logs on their servers. They also asserted that as they are based in the British Virgin Islands, there is no obligation to keep them.
2. Private Internet Access: PIA operates in the US. Two court cases in 2016 and 2018 were officially subpoenaed by the FBI to provide their logs. They produced what they had. Namely, the cluster of IP addresses that may have been used. Again, they had no information to give because they did not log it.
3. VyprVPN: Vypr took a step that several big VPN providers are following. Namely having their security and no logs policy tested by a reputable cybersecurity agency. Testing to see if there are any leaks or compromises in their policy. This provides maximum reassurance to people who are doubtful about the provider’s zero logs policy. In this report from Leviathan, they had their No Logs Policy fully tested. They revealed several minor issues with VyprVPN’s policy which have since been resolved. 
4. Perfect Privacy: In 2016, Dutch authorities seized two of Perfect Privacy’s servers as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. The servers were returned without incident, as the Swiss-based company did not write logs on hard drives. Basically, there was nothing to see on the servers, they are run with encrypted RAM disks which makes it impossible to store logs on a hard drive.

 

Are Their Companies That Have Handed Over Logs While Claiming To Be No Logs Providers?

Yes. Depending on the severity of the claim. There are people who use VPNs to carry out heinous criminal acts, like serious hacking, cyberstalking, child pornography, and even human trafficking. The following providers have had widely publicized cases where they did hand over logs.

1. PureVPN: In 2017 PureVPN was mentioned in an affidavit in the US. They were explicitly mentioned as providing logs and details of one of its users which led to the conviction of a US resident for stalking and harassing people using ExpressVPN. The controversy came from PureVPN’s no logs policy which claimed that you were invisible and that they kept no records whatsoever
2. Earth VPN: In 2014, it was reported that EarthVPN had assisted the Dutch Police by providing logs to a user who sent a bomb threat to a local school. Again, their zero logs policy proved to not be wholly accurate
3. HideMyAss: In 2011, the LulzSec hacker group, caused an international stir when they hacked several high-profile sites including Sony and PBS. One of their London members was caught using the help of HMA. They provided logs and details of the user’s originating address so he could be tracked down

The controversy arose from the fact that the providers had given information to the users which proved not to be true.

This article does not condone any crime committed under the veil of a VPN provider. We are here to point out that many companies will be quick to tell you that they won’t give out any logs of your activity. However, if the situation is serious enough they will push you under the bus.

Find a reputable no logs provider whose policies have been tested by authorities and have come through with flying colors.

 

So Where Is The Best Country For VPNs?

We hope that this in-depth article really goes to show that there is no best country for VPNs.

There are good and bad providers all around the world. Just because your company is based within the 14 eyes does not mean they are compelled to give authorities anything.

A law agency has significant leverage on its side to freeze your entire business and operations.  This all depends on the seriousness of the crime.

But we keep returning to the same point.

A company that does not keep logs cannot give logs. They are not irresponsible; they are simply doing exactly what they said they would do.

 

Conclusion

Find a VPN provider that had a history, that is paid and that has a solid zero logs policy. Companies like Surfshark and PIA have a reputation that they have kept and upheld even under the most difficult circumstances.
Remember that countries based outside the 14 eyes may have much more lax ideas when it comes to the data that they can compel or even snoop from VPN providers based within their country.

Pay for a quality provider that has a clear and transparent no logs policy, privacy policy, and terms and conditions. Using a VPN provider is one of the few times when we strongly suggest that you read all their documentation.

After all dishonest companies love to sneak clauses in their terms and condition when they think you aren’t looking.

The 8 Cheapest VPN Provider For Less Than $7 a Month

 

People are taking back control of their privacy online and their data, using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) , it allows you to browse online anonymously, protect your identity and keep your historical data safe, rather than to be used maliciously or simple to feed the internet advertising machine.

Looking for a cheap VPN provider is harder than it looks. There are literally thousands of sites that will promise you the best service for the cheapest price or even free.

An awesome VPN provider doesn’t have to be expensive, but you certainly won’t find one for free. Having said that the increased popularity of VPNs means prices are coming down all the time which is great for us.

We’ve picked out the top 8 providers, which have contracts equating to safe and anonymous browsing for less than 7 dollars a month.

Before we picked these providers, they have all been thoroughly tested for privacy concerns, connectivity, speed, ease of use and backed by a great recognized company. There is no point getting a cheap service if they leak your DNS, or end up dropping your connection every 5 minutes, or worst of all if the speed means you can’t stream your favorite show on Kodi or make use of your access to Netflix.

So, though you are paying less, you are still going to get a quality service packed with value.

 

Cheapest VPN Lists

Surfshark

Surfshark is a heavyweight. With 3,200 VPN servers in 65 locations. Connectivity is never going to be an issue. Plus, they are the highest-rated VPN provider on our list with an impressive Trustpilot rating of 9.7/10 from over 2,700 reviews. The company is also unique being the only VPN provider that fully manages and owns its servers rather than using third parties.

Their yearly plan is cheaper than most other providers, who do come cheaper but want to tie you in for at least 2 years and comes with a 7-day money-back guarantee.

Their security is top-notch, boasting industry-standard AES-256 encryption with OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols. You also have a greater level of control with OpenVPN, allowing you to choose ports and also obfuscate traffic, which is useful for countries like China where you need an added layer of privacy to prevent being blocked.

You can support 10 simultaneous applications, and it is refreshingly different from other VPN providers in that its customer service extends to a phone number. Though they are a bit short on how-to guides you can reach service agents 24/7 by phone or through online messenger.

 

 

Note: For more information about SurfShark, please read our SURFSHARK REVIEW.

 

Grab your subscription now!

 

 

How to Install Surfshark VPN on Firestick

If your Firestick still has the older interface, read this article to learn how to update it: Update Firestick Interface.

You can download Surfshark directly from the Amazon App store. It will be easy for you to find Surfshark with your Firestick’s Find feature. Refer to our screenshots below.

1. Go to the Home screen of your Firestick.

 

2. Navigate towards the Find tab. Press the Search button from the resulting dropdown.

 

3. Type in the keyword of SurfShark and select from the suggestions that will appear.

 

4. Click the official SurfShark icon from your search results.

 

5. Press the Download (You own it) button.

 

6. The SurfShark VPN installer will download on your device.

 

7. SurfShark VPN’s app will automatically install itself on your Fire TV stick.

 

8. Press the Open button after completing SurfShark VPN’s installation process.

 

9. Please wait for the SurfShark VPN to load its user interface.

 

10. You can now log in with your SurfShark VPN account credentials.

Learn more about Surfshark and Grab the Best Surfshark Deal Now!

 

Install Surfshark on Firestick

Best Surfshark Deal

 

 

For more VPN discounts, go to ReviewVPN Deals and purchase the best VPN for you.

Click here to get the lowest price on Surfshark through our exclusive limited-time offer.

 

 

NordVPN

2-year plan – $3.99 per month

3 years plan – $2.99 per month

NordVPN is one of the biggest names in the VPN industry. With 5200+ servers in 67 countries, it also has the largest numbers of servers and countries served of any provider. More server means better speed for your connection.

Also, you can take advantage of their unique double VPN service, which means your connection is routed through not one, but two different IP’s making your connection and privacy airtight.

NordVPN has a no-logs policy, meaning you are safe from scrutiny, and is based in Panama they are under no legal obligation to provide information if asked.

You can connect to 6 devices at a time, and their yearly packages come with a 30-day money-back guarantee’s uses military-grade encryption with IKEv2 or OpenVPN protocols to choose from.

The provider checks out for accessing Netflix, YouTube, Kodi, and any GeoIP-locked services you can think of. Browser speeds register as some of the best in the industry, and you get to take advantage of more servers on offer meaning lower latency and better streaming or torrent upload and download speeds.

Their web-based client works on all major OS’es and they also have a slick and well-designed mobile application to secure you when you access public Wi-Fi with your phone.

Pros

• Award-winning company and encryption
• Double VPN for added peace of mind
• 5000+ servers
• Solid performance across the board
• Panama based for a solid no logs policy
• 6 simultaneous connections
• Good customer support through live chat

 

 

Surf shark

2-year plan – $1.99 per month

Surf shark is a top-rated and award-winning newcomer to the VPN industry. With a 9.3/10 rating on Trustpilot, they are giving out a service that keeps their rapidly growing user base happy. They offer 800+ servers across 50+ countries. So not quite the range of depth of NordVPN but we are sure they will keep adding locations and servers as they grow.

Their 2-year plan is seriously competitive on price, with their 1-year plan coming in just over our threshold at $5.99 per month. They also offer a limited 7-day trial on their mobile application.

Surf shark offers a similar service to NordVPN’s double VPN service with their MultiHop feature which allows you to connect via 2 servers to increase security.

What we love about Surf shark is just how darned easy it is to use. Their mobile application is an absolute dream and allows you to whitelist certain websites, as well as using their proprietary Clean Web function.

Clean Web is awesome. Allowing you to surf the web with no trackers, malware, or phishing attempts. But most importantly it optimizes your speed because it blocks a lot of outside ads on websites.

You can connect to unlimited devices. They have a strict no-logs policy and are based in the British Virgin Islands this is enforceable as they are under no obligation to keep logs and don’t.

Surf shark is great for streaming, through their web server you can automatically connect to the fastest server, a virtual location, or even the best server for P2P. The provider connects to all major streaming sites including Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu, and works well with Kodi. As well as having similar security to NordVPN, in other words, top-notch military-grade encryption

Pros

• VPN from $2 a month
• Multihop feature for double connection
• Clean Web to block ads and trackers
• Various modes of connection including fastest, closest, virtual and P2P
• Easy to use applications

 

 

 

Cyberghost

2-year plan – $3.69 per month

3-year plan – $2.75 per month

Cyberghost is another established player in the VPN market and boasts an impressive team of 70 based in Romania. With 3500+ servers in 50+ countries, as well as 30 million users they provide truly impressive and wide-reaching service to people around the world.

Their prices are directly comparable with NordVPN their main competitor, but they offer an extended 45-day money-back guarantee and with over 6700+ ratings on Trustpilot and 82% of their customers giving them a 5-star rating, you are in safe hands.

Cyberghost prides itself on having some of the fastest networks in the industry, and it’s zero logs policy is enforceable through Romania having no laws compelling companies to provide logs for their customers.

They offer the highest encryption available using 256 Bit AES military-grade with IKEv2 or OpenVPN security protocols.

Like Surf Shark they also provide software that can block ads, malicious content, and malware while browsing which makes for faster caching and quicker browsing speeds.

You can connect to 7 devices and they provide a truly impressive number of guides and helpful articles for you to understand how to connect to Netflix USA, YouTube and get the best out of Kodi. They also have reliable and fast online chat support for any problems you might have. As well as giving you unlimited bandwidth and traffic.

Pros

• Fast Speeds
• 45-day money-back guarantee
• Highly rated
• Ad and Tracker Blocker
• Lots of servers
• Helpful support and guides

 

 

Ivacy VPN

1-year plan – $3.33 per month

2-year plan – $2.25 per month

5-year plan – £1.33 per month

Ivacy VPN is not the most well-known name but has been going since 2010 and are based out of Singapore. They offer 450+ servers at over 100 locations, so not as many as some of the bigger players in the VPN industry.

However, their pricing is some of the cheapest you will see, though you may not want to commit to a 5-year plan, which is the longest offered by any VPN provider we have seen and unique to Ivacy.

Ivacy VPN has a transparent no logs policy. They don’t log anything at all, to the point where they cannot tell what you are doing or looking at. The only information they keep is server, crash, and maintenance reports.

In terms of accessing Netflix and Amazon, Ivacy is unique as it goes one step further than other applications. It has direct links to major media streaming sites inbuilt into its web application. Meaning you can access it with a single click.

Their speeds have received prizes in 2019, but from tests online and our own research they register at about average, but more than enough for streaming or torrents, as let’s face it anything over 10-15 MBps will work just fine unless you plan on uploading enormous files on a regular basis.

Their security and encryption are top-of-the-line military-grade, and they give you the option of multiple security protocols from IKEv2 to TCP, UDP, and L2TP. Importantly like another major provider, Ivacy also encrypts its DNS servers to prevent any leaks. They support 5 devices simultaneously which is the industry standard.

Pros

• Cheapest price on the market for the 5-year plan
• Good speeds
• Solid performance
• Great applications giving direct access to media streaming sites
• Solid no logs policy

 

 

Private Internet Access

2-year plan – $3.49 per month

PIA is often overlooked as a secure and reliable VPN provider purely for the fact that is based in the US, and therefore subject to US law. However, it is worth reminding you, that they have never compiled or released logs even under subpoena.

With 3300+ servers in 30+ countries, they offer a range that is comparable to some of the biggest VPN providers on the market, and their 2-year plan is attractively priced, but you only get a 7-day money-back guarantee.

There are some questions around connectivity and its ability to circumvent GeoIP to connect to Netflix. It failed to connect to Netflix USA in 1 of 4 servers. Also due to it being based in the US, it is careful not to explicitly mention that it can be used for Torrenting, Kodi, or P2P file sharing.

What makes PIA VPN a firm favorite for many hardcore VPN users is its server speeds. It is comparable to the fastest in the industry ExpressVPN doesn’t make the list due to being more expensive than their competition. Their servers register some of the fastest speeds in the industry which makes them ideal for torrenting and streaming.

Private Internet Access has top-of-the-line 256 bit AES encryption and is rare in that it offers SOCKS5 proxy as well as HTTP, alongside OpenVPN, IPSEC, L2TP, and PPTP security protocols. Plus you can support up to 10 devices simultaneously

Though a final drawback is their poor customer service. There is no chatbot, and you are resigned to emailing a support ticket and waiting for a response which may take some time.

Pros

• Very fast speeds
• A large number of servers
• Competitive pricing
• SOCKS5 Proxy
• 10 devices

 

 

Private VPN

13-month plan (1 year + 1 month free) – $3.82 per month

A relatively new company started in 2012 and based out of Sweden, Private VPN boasts 450+ servers in 60+ countries which is the lowest of all our choices. Fewer servers can mean less choice and slower speeds, though it depends on the servers being used. In all speed tests, Private VPN performed admirably registering average to good speeds in the US, Europe, and Asia.

They have a clear no-logs policy. As a Swedish company, there are no laws that mean they need to keep logs of their user’s activity, so they clearly state that they don’t log anything at all outside of maintenance, crashes, and servers.

PrivateVPN performed well accessing Netflix, Amazon, and YouTube as well as a host of other popular media sites, and has a page dedicated to using it with Kodi. There were no connection issues and PrivateVPN explicitly states that it has secured 15,000 TB of data with 99.8% uptime for its servers.

We love Private VPN’s clean and easy-to-use interface, as well as its mobile and web applications. Their security is top-notch and registered no leaks whatsoever. Your data is encrypted with top-of-the-line military 256 AES 256-bit encryption, as well as their DNS servers.

For us, Private VPN is a solid provider, which seems to fly under the radar or most reviews. The service is strong and stable with little downside, apart from the limitation in servers. They offer great guides and good customer support through live chat. They also offer 6 simultaneous connections and are one of the few providers we have come across that offers SOCKS5 as well as HTTP proxy.

Pros

• Solid performance
• Good speed
• No logs policy
• Easy to use and intuitive applications
• 6 simultaneous connections
• SOCKS5 proxy

 

 

Safer VPN

2-year plan – $3.29 per month

3-year plan – $2.50 per month

SaferVPN is the youngest company on our list. Started in 2013 and based out of Israel. With 700+ servers in 30+ countries, they have quickly become a contender in this highly competitive market. Don’t let their age fool you, they come highly recommended with over 2,000 reviews on Trustpilot and an average rating of 9.4/10, which is one of the best track records in the industry.

SaferVPN has a clear no-logs policy, though on close inspection of their terms of use we see a few clauses which would cause us to pause. For example, specific terms around ‘unlawful activity as well as uploading types of materials, means the company may give your details over to the authorities. Though we understand this may include child pornography, for example, their policy has enough loopholes to make us wonder just how secure their no-logs policy is.

The company has relatively few servers compared to some of its larger competitors but made short work of getting connected to Netflix USA and BBC iPlayer, two of the most notoriously difficult sites to circumnavigate using VPNs.

As far as speed goes SaferVPN is not the fastest, their speeds registered about average in the 40-60MBps range across servers in the US and Europe with a noticeable drop in Asia, so potentially not the best VPN if you are in China.

Their security is top-notch, and one thing we like about there is their cofounder holds several internet security-related patents. They use military-grade 256-bit encryption and offer a wide range of security protocols from OpenVPN to IKEv2, L2TP, IPsec, and PPTP.

Pros

• Great Customer Service
• Good price
• Strong performance
• Highly rated

 

 

 

Install Surfshark on Firestick

Best Surfshark Deal

 

 

Our Top Pick

We have covered some great VPN providers, and on merit, and could win, but there can be only one!

For our money, Surf Shark absolutely storms it, when it comes to getting a cheap chips provider at as little as $1.99 a month for an absolutely fantastic service.

Their highly intuitive application as well as their Clean Web technology, Multihop function, and even server selection from automatically linking to your fastest server, to accessing a server that is fastest for P2P is head and shoulders above the competition.

Using Surf Shark, we can understand why they are the fastest-growing VPN provider of 2019 and we don’t see that stopping any time soon.

Plus, their solid zero logs policy, jurisdiction, security, and speed make this an all-around great performer for the discerning user who needs speed, privacy, and ease of use.

Fastest VPNs Overview

In this article, we will show you the top 5 fastest VPNs for torrenting, Kodi, and streaming.

SurfShark, NordVPN, and IPVanish are amongst the fastest VPNs out there. Each of them has its own characteristics and features suitable for Kodi, torrenting, and streaming.

When we say fastest VPNs we can talk about how fast it connects to any server of your choice. We can also mention the download and upload speed. But you have to take note that using a VPN usually lessens the download speed of your internet. This is pretty normal because of the encryptions and protocols present. Although this is the case, many VPNs still manage to provide great internet speed to users.

We will tackle the top 5 fastest VPNs today.

 

Top 5 Fastest VPNs for Torrenting, Kodi, and Streaming

SurfShark

Features:

• Unblocks Kodi, Hulu, Netflix, Disney+, ESPN, DAZN, and many more
• Offers 3,200 servers in 65+ countries
• Connect an unlimited number of devices simultaneously
• 24/7 customer service support
• SurfShark’s CleanWeb protects your device from malware infections
• Prevents phishers from gaining access to your account
• The Camouflage Mode makes sure that even your ISP won’t be able to detect that you’re using a VPN
• Dedicated RAM-only servers for maximum performance
• MultiHop allows you to connect through numerous countries at the same time to ensure ID protection and footprint masking
• Strict no-logs policy
• AES 256 encryption will ensure that your data is secured and private
• Compatible with all types of devices
• Kill Switch will automatically block your internet connection when your VPN connection fails

For a more detailed review, read our SurfShark VPN review, and also learn How to Install SurfShark on Firestick.

 

Grab your subscription now!

Best Surfshark Deal

 

NordVPN

Features:

• Fast connection speed
• Unblocks Netflix and other platforms
• All main platforms are supported, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS
• Enjoy a fast and stable connection anywhere with no bandwidth limits
• NordVPN CyberSec technology prevents malware from infecting your device by automatically blocking suspicious Websites
• Access over 5,400 VPN servers from 59 locations worldwide
• Ensures to adhere to no logs policy
• Connect 6 devices in one account simultaneously including your smart TV and router
• 24/7 customer support via live chat and e-mail
• User-friendly and easy-to-use VPN service

Read our NordVPN review to know more about this VPN

How to Isntall NordVPN on Firestick

 

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IPVanish

Features:

• Socks5 Proxy and P2P-friendly VPN
• Connect to over 2,000 VPN servers in more than 70+ cities around the world
• Ensures zero logs and no IP address leaks
• Individual apps and browsers can use the SOCKS5 proxy to hide their IP addresses without encrypting their data
• 24/7 customer support is available via live chat, email, and phone
• Encrypted cloud storage provides secure access to your files from any device
• Advanced encryption standards protect your network connection and the data sent from your device over the internet
• Secures a Wi-Fi network or public hotspot for risk-free personal data handling
• Works with the majority of operating systems
• There is no limit to the number of devices you can use for storage and VPN protection
• 30-day money-back guarantee

Read our IPVanish review to know more.

How to Install IPVanish on Firestick

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Best IPVanish Deal

 

Atlas VPN

Features:

• Connect to 750+ VPN servers worldwide
• Strictly adheres to no logs policy
• Enjoy unlimited bandwidth and traffic
• Offers the highest possible VPN speed
• Protects unlimited devices simultaneously
• Compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS
• AES 256-bit encryption
• Automatic kill switch
• Uses IKEv2, and WireGuard protocols
• 24/7 live Customer Support
• Free service is available too

To learn more, read our Atlas VPN review.

 

Grab your subscription now!

Best Atlas VPN Deal

 

 

ExpressVPN

Features:

• Network Lock kill switch
• VPN split tunneling
• Uses AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) with 256-bit keys
• No activity logs nor connection logs
• Faster DNS queries with no DNS blocking, filtering, or hijacking
• Connect to 5 devices simultaneously
• 160 VPN locations in 94 countries
• 24/7 live chat support that can help you with set-up and troubleshooting
• ExpressVPN Speed Test allows you to check the speed of your high-speed VPN server connections
• 30-day money-back guarantee

ExpressVPN Review Article

How to Install Express VPN on Firestick

 

Grab your subscription now!

Best Express VPN Deal

Install SurfShark on Firestick with Screenshots

If your Firestick still has the older interface, read this article to learn how to update it: Update Firestick Interface.

1. Go to the Home screen of your Firestick.

 

2. Navigate towards the Find tab. Press the Search button from the resulting dropdown.

 

3. Type in the keyword of SurfShark and select from the suggestions that will appear.

 

4. Click the official SurfShark icon from your search results.

 

5. Press the Download (You own it) button.

 

6. The SurfShark VPN installer will download on your device.

 

7. SurfShark VPN’s app will automatically install itself on your Fire TV stick.

 

8. Press the Open button after completing SurfShark VPN’s installation process.

 

9. Please wait for the SurfShark VPN to load its user interface.

 

10. You can now log in with your SurfShark VPN account credentials.

Learn more about Surfshark and Grab the Best Surfshark Deal Now!

 

Conclusion

There can only be one winner, and we think it’s clear that IPVanish shows why they are a market leader. With a massive 40,000+ IP addresses, as well as the ability to obfuscate your traffic. It makes it a clear choice even in countries with an active anti-VPN policy. What impressed us the most about IPVanish is that we saw almost no drop in our connection speed using a VPN, which is unheard of. Speed is the priority when torrenting using Kodi or other media devices. Without speed, we can’t download or upload the files that we want.

We hope that whatever VPN provider you pick, you have a clear benchmark for the standard that you need to match our top pick SurfShark:

• Download speeds of 60Mbps
• Upload speeds of 7MBps+
• A clear and well-defined zero logs policy
• Shared IPs or other security functions to give you an added layer of security
• Access to a wide range of IP addresses, servers, and countries
• The ability to choose the fastest server specifically for P2P, torrenting, and Kodi