Atlas VPN Premium Review: Good, not Great

Worth When Reviewed

From $1.99 monthly

Greatest Costs Right this moment: Atlas VPN Premium

Atlas VPN is owned by Nord Safety, which additionally owns NordVPN and Surfshark. It’s positioned because the price range providing, and is the one one of many three providers that has a free tier.

Initially, the free model gave you limitless bandwidth, however that was reduce to 10GB monthly and now it’s simply 5GB.

Nonetheless, we’re not reviewing the free providing right here; we’re specializing in the paid-for Premium tier which supplies you entry to all servers and a lot of different advantages such because the quickest speeds and apps for Amazon Fireplace TV, Android TV and Linux.

Because you’re studying this, likelihood is you’re tempted by Atlas VPN’s low-cost subscriptions. Whether or not or not it’s good worth relies upon upon what you need a VPN for.

That’s why we’re going to have a look at each side of Atlas VPN to see precisely the way it stacks up in opposition to the massive names, together with NordVPN and Surfshark.

Options & apps

• 38 international locations lined by 750+ servers
• WireGuard protocol
• SafeSwap servers
• Two Multihop+ routes

As you’d anticipate from a comparatively new VPN service which costs little or no, Atlas VPN doesn’t have the hundreds of servers in as many international locations around the globe as people who cost extra and have been round for lots longer.

You’ll additionally discover that a few of the extra superior options are lacking from its apps. However for those who’ll primarily use servers in widespread international locations such because the UK and US, you may not want a much bigger selection.

Atlas VPN has a selection of seven areas within the US and two within the UK. It doesn’t supply a selection of areas in some other nation, and has no servers in Africa in any respect.

None are digital, which suggests servers are bodily situated within the international locations listed. Within the Netherlands, you get the choice of connecting to Atlas VPN’s 10Gbps server – the one location it at present affords that sooner uplink velocity.

There are apps for Home windows, Android, iOS and macOS. As talked about, you additionally get entry to the Android TV, Fireplace TV and Linux apps while you signal as much as Atlas VPN Premium. Linux assist isn’t graphical: you sign up and join utilizing the command line.

There aren’t any browser extensions, however that’s no drawback as a result of virtually all VPN providers (in addition to ExpressVPN) with Chrome and Firefox extensions don’t truly present a VPN service by way of these extensions. They’re proxy providers, which isn’t the identical factor.

Weirdly, there isn’t a strategy to ‘favorite’ a server within the apps. There’s a ‘latest’ part which is an inexpensive various, however it’s an uncommon selection by Atlas VPN. No info is offered subsequent to every location: you’ll be able to’t see particular person servers, which suggests you’ll be able to’t select by how busy they’re or discover one with the bottom ping.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

There’s an on/off kill swap in the principle 4 apps, however solely the Android app affords break up tunnelling. Meaning you’ll be able to select which apps do or don’t join by way of the VPN. It’s not a function everybody will need, so it’s not a large drawback that it’s lacking within the apps for different gadgets.

You possibly can’t get a devoted or static IP deal with with Atlas VPN however, once more, these aren’t options many individuals want.

What you will see that are SafeSwap servers. These can be found within the US, Singapore and the Netherlands. As a substitute of assigning you only one IP deal with and sticking with it for the entire time the connection is lively, SafeSwap usually adjustments your IP deal with from the obtainable pool, and this makes it even more durable to establish you, which is nice for privateness.

The opposite factor you’ll see within the Privateness Professional tab is Multihop+. This routes your connection by way of three servers as an alternative of 1, which is even higher for privateness, however you’ll be able to’t select the route: you’ll be able to solely click on on ‘Europe’ or ‘North America’. The precise routes are Netherlands > Germany > France and, within the US, New York > Dallas > Miami.

Jim Martin / Foundry

The interface is replicated virtually precisely on cellular, making Atlas VPN very simple to make use of.

Lately, a pause button has been added to the Home windows app, permitting you to briefly disconnect (and use a web site or service which doesn’t work correctly with a VPN, for instance) and robotically reconnect so that you don’t neglect.

Jim Martin / Foundry

You possibly can set the apps to auto-connect to your selection of server when Atlas VPN begins, and you may select what occurs while you push the Fast Join button, resembling connecting to the closest or quickest server, a selected server or a Multihop+ route, or SafeSwap server.

Logging into the apps is simply required for those who’re a paying buyer. Sadly, this may be annoying. As a substitute of a password, you enter your electronic mail deal with to be despatched despatched a “magic hyperlink” or a six-digit code. This could take a few minutes to reach, and we’d desire the choice of having the ability to set a password (and maybe 2FA).

The excellent news is that there’s no restrict on the variety of gadgets you need to use with Atlas VPN on the identical time, not like most VPNs which both drive you to make use of only one machine at a time or 5-10.

Security measures

Below the oddly named Assistant menu (which is now included within the macOS app) are Breach Scanner and SafeBrowse. The primary displays electronic mail addresses and notifies you in the event that they ever seem on the darkish net. Including an electronic mail deal with gained’t begin a scan for historic breaches, although, so that you’ll see a message saying “Your accounts are protected!” which could be false. You’ll solely get notified of future breaches. Meaning you’d nonetheless want to make use of a web site resembling haveibeenpwned.com to see if you should take any motion (resembling altering passwords) instantly.

Jim Martin / Foundry

Additionally, you’ll be able to enter any electronic mail deal with with out verifying that you just personal it.

The Home windows app has an additional part for Superior Data, together with Credit score Card, Social Safety Quantity and ID paperwork. Nonetheless, there isn’t a strategy to enter any of this: you’ll simply get notified if these particulars have been leaked alongside along with your electronic mail deal with and password.

SafeBrowse warns you of doubtless harmful web sites, and in addition makes an attempt to cease monitoring cookies and different technique of monitoring your behaviour on-line. It really works solely when the VPN is linked, after all.

Privateness

If you understand something about VPNs, you’ll know that they’re typically registered in international locations with beneficial privateness legal guidelines, even when their precise workplaces are elsewhere. Altas VPN is predicated within the US the place authorities can ask VPNs at hand over no matter knowledge they’ve.

That is why they’ve ‘no-logs’ insurance policies so there’s no knowledge at hand over. Atlas VPN clearly explains what this implies.

“We don’t log your looking exercise, looking historical past, data of IPs assigned, authentic IP, websites visited, outgoing visitors, content material, or knowledge accessed. So, even when compelled, we can not present such knowledge as we do not need it within the first place.

We attempt to reduce the gathering of any knowledge. Nonetheless, we have to acquire some info to offer our Service for you, enhance and optimize it, ship you related info, create new and higher privateness providers and adjust to our authorized obligations.”

You possibly can learn the privateness coverage in full to see precisely what knowledge is saved. Primarily, it’s nothing uncommon or untoward.

It’s normal apply to log some knowledge to be able to optimise and develop the service the corporate likes to know which servers persons are utilizing, roughly the place they’re situated on this planet and what machine they’re utilizing to entry it, which choices they alter in settings, and so on. None of that is imagined to be personally identifiable: it’s nameless.

You would possibly discover ‘VerSprite Verified Safety’ talked about within the App Retailer and Google Play Retailer. Nonetheless, this doesn’t imply Atlas VPN’s privateness coverage has been audited: it hasn’t (but). As a substitute, its Home windows and iOS apps have been audited to ensure they’re safe.

You’ll need to take Atlas VPN’s phrase for it that it doesn’t log any of your knowledge, and that’s why its USA location is much from ideally suited.

If you’d like a VPN merely to unblock movies, web sites and for safety on public Wi-Fi, none of this actually issues. However if you would like one for privateness, we’d advocate taking a look at Surfshark, NordVPN or ExpressVPN.

Efficiency

We examined Atlas VPN on a full fibre gigabit connection in San Francisco. On the time of testing, SpeedTest reported a obtain velocity of slightly below 800Mbps and an add of 950Mbps.

These are the add and obtain speeds we noticed from – going clockwise – New York, London, Tokyo and Sydney.

Adam Patrick Murray / Foundry

As you’ll be able to see, speeds are superb contemplating the worth Atlas VPN costs. The one poor connection was Tokyo: we re-ran the check a number of occasions (after disconnecting and reconnecting) to ensure it wasn’t a one-off, and acquired an analogous consequence each time.

Usefully, Atlas VPN has supported IPv6 from the get-go, that means you’re protected out of your actual IP deal with being uncovered even in case you have an ISP that has already converted from IPv4 (resembling BT within the UK).

We discovered no DNS leaks in our assessments both, which was good.

The kill swap is the everlasting kind. In different phrases, if the VPN connection drops, you’ll lose web entry till it’s restored. That’s accomplished for cover, however could be complicated, which might be why the swap isn’t enabled by default.

Utilizing the streaming-optimised servers, unblocking is a bit hit or miss.

Mathilde Vicente / Foundry

We have been capable of watch titles unique to Netflix US and Japan, in addition to different exhibits on Disney+ and HBO Max. However this time round, neither the Manchester nor London servers would allow us to watch BBC iPlayer or ITV X from France, even when tried utilizing an incognito browser tab.

We additionally examined the Australia server, however discovered it didn’t unblock 9now.

Jim Martin / Foundry

Assist

Atlas VPN affords 24/7 reside chat for Premium subscribers. That is solely obtainable in an online browser while you’re logged into your Atlas VPN account, versus within the apps themselves.

Nonetheless, once we examined this, the response was rapid and technical questions have been answered shortly and precisely, together with a repair for when the Home windows app wouldn’t set up as a result of an error.

In case you’re on the free tier, you’ll be able to search the FAQ on Atlas VPN’s web site (the place there are a number of up-to-date guides) or electronic mail assist@atlasvpn.com.

Pricing & plans

In case you signal as much as Atlas VPN for 2 years and also you’ll pay $49.19, or £36.21 within the UK. That’s so much cheaper than shopping for it one month at a time, which prices $10.99 / £8.09.

Now you can pay anonymously by way of cryptocurrencies. however you may as well select PayPal, Google Pay and credit score/debit playing cards.

Simply notice that when the subscription expires it can auto-renew yearly, and also you’ll pay extra monthly at that time.

Jim Martin / Foundry

If discovering an inexpensive VPN is your prime precedence and also you don’t thoughts committing to a five-year subscription, it’s price studying our assessment of Ivacy.

Ivacy limits you to 5 gadgets, however has significantly extra servers in roughly twice the variety of areas and helps OpenVPN (however not but WireGuard). It’s additionally based mostly in Singapore, which is a extra privacy-friendly jurisdiction.

You can even see different suggestions in our roundup of the perfect VPN providers.

Verdict

Atlas VPN has come a good distance since launched a few years again. It might not have many superior options, and a few aren’t obtainable in all variations of its apps, however it ticks a number of bins for these with comparatively undemanding wants.

Meaning it’s good worth for those who simply need a VPN to unblock widespread US streaming providers, or for a bit of additional privateness and safety on-line. It’s a disgrace its unblocking is comparatively restricted, although, and it didn’t allow us to watch BBC iPlayer, or 9now.

And with out an impartial audit of its no-logs coverage, it’s tough to advocate Atlas VPN to anybody whose prime precedence is privateness.

Efficiency is healthier than you’d anticipate however, finally, you get what you pay for with Atlas VPN.