Skilled’s Ranking
Professionals
- Cheap subscriptions
- Limitless connections
- Nice connection speeds general
Cons
- Small community
- Doesn’t unblock all streaming companies
- Primarily based in US, with no third-party audit
Our Verdict
Atlas VPN could also be low cost, however that’s mirrored within the service. If privateness isn’t excessive in your want listing and also you solely need to unblock main streaming companies it’d tempt you. However finally there are higher VPNs in the event you’re ready to spend a bit extra.
Worth When Reviewed
From $1.99 monthly
Greatest Costs As we speak: Atlas VPN Premium
Atlas VPN is owned by Nord Safety, which additionally owns NordVPN and Surfshark. It’s positioned because the finances providing, and is the one one of many three companies that has a free tier.
Initially, the free model gave you limitless bandwidth, however that was lower to 10GB monthly and now it’s simply 5GB.
Nevertheless, we’re not reviewing the free providing right here; we’re specializing in the paid-for Premium tier which supplies you entry to all servers and various different advantages such because the quickest speeds and apps for Amazon Fireplace TV, Android TV and Linux.
Because you’re studying this, chances are high you’re tempted by Atlas VPN’s low-cost subscriptions. Whether or not or not it’s good worth relies upon upon what you desire a VPN for.
That’s why we’re going to take 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 nations coated by 750+ servers
- WireGuard protocol
- SafeSwap servers
- Two Multihop+ routes
As you’d count on from a comparatively new VPN service which fees little or no, Atlas VPN doesn’t have the hundreds of servers in as many nations around the globe as those who cost extra and have been round for lots longer.
You’ll additionally discover that among the extra superior options are lacking from its apps. However in the event you’ll primarily use servers in common nations 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 provide a selection of areas in another nation, and has no servers in Africa in any respect.
None are digital, which implies servers are bodily positioned within the nations listed. Within the Netherlands, you get the choice of connecting to Atlas VPN’s 10Gbps server – the one location it at present provides that quicker 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 if you signal as much as Atlas VPN Premium. Linux help isn’t graphical: you check in and join utilizing the command line.
There aren’t any browser extensions, however that’s no drawback as a result of virtually all VPN companies (in addition to ExpressVPN) with Chrome and Firefox extensions don’t truly present a VPN service by means of these extensions. They’re proxy companies, which isn’t the identical factor.
Weirdly, there isn’t any strategy to ‘favorite’ a server within the apps. There’s a ‘current’ part which is an affordable different, however it’s an uncommon selection by Atlas VPN. No data is offered subsequent to every location: you possibly can’t see particular person servers, which implies you possibly can’t select by how busy they’re or discover one with the bottom ping.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
There’s an on/off kill swap in the primary 4 apps, however solely the Android app provides cut up tunnelling. Meaning you possibly can select which apps do or don’t join through the VPN. It’s not a characteristic everybody will need, so it’s not an enormous drawback that it’s lacking within the apps for different units.
You possibly can’t get a devoted or static IP handle with Atlas VPN however, once more, these aren’t options many individuals want.
There’s no restrict on the variety of units you need to use with Atlas VPN on the similar time, in contrast to most VPNs which both pressure you to make use of only one system at a time or 5-10.
What one can find are SafeSwap servers. These can be found within the US, Singapore and the Netherlands. As an alternative of assigning you only one IP handle and sticking with it for the entire time the connection is energetic, SafeSwap usually adjustments your IP handle from the accessible pool, and this makes it even tougher 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 means of three servers as an alternative of 1, which is even higher for privateness, however you possibly can’t select the route: you possibly can 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 quickly disconnect (and use a web site or service which doesn’t work correctly with a VPN, for instance) and routinely 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’ll select what occurs if you push the Fast Join button, akin to connecting to the closest or quickest server, a particular server or a Multihop+ route, or SafeSwap server.
Logging into the apps is barely required in the event you’re a paying buyer. Sadly, this may be annoying. As an alternative of a password, you enter your e mail handle to be despatched despatched a “magic hyperlink” or a six-digit code. This may take a few minutes to reach, and we’d choose 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 units you need to use with Atlas VPN on the similar time, in contrast to most VPNs which both pressure you to make use of only one system at a time or 5-10.
Safety features
Underneath the oddly named Assistant menu (which is now included within the macOS app) are Breach Scanner and SafeBrowse. The primary screens e mail addresses and notifies you in the event that they ever seem on the darkish internet. Including an e mail handle gained’t begin a scan for historic breaches, although, so that you’ll see a message saying “Your accounts are protected!” which might be false. You’ll solely get notified of future breaches. Meaning you’d nonetheless want to make use of a web site akin to haveibeenpwned.com to see if you might want to take any motion (akin to altering passwords) instantly.
Additionally, you possibly can enter any e mail handle 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. Nevertheless, there isn’t any strategy to enter any of this: you’ll simply get notified if these particulars have been leaked alongside together with your e mail handle 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 related, in fact.
Privateness
If you realize something about VPNs, you’ll know that they’re typically registered in nations with beneficial privateness legal guidelines, even when their precise workplaces are elsewhere. Altas VPN relies within the US the place authorities can ask VPNs at hand over no matter knowledge they’ve.
This is the reason 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 searching exercise, searching historical past, data of IPs assigned, unique IP, websites visited, outgoing visitors, content material, or knowledge accessed. So, even when compelled, we can not present such knowledge as we shouldn’t have it within the first place.
We attempt to reduce the gathering of any knowledge. Nevertheless, we have to acquire some data to supply our Service for you, enhance and optimize it, ship you related data, create new and higher privateness companies 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 commonplace apply to log some knowledge as a way to optimise and develop the service the corporate likes to know which servers individuals are utilizing, roughly the place they’re positioned on the planet and what system they’re utilizing to entry it, which choices they alter in settings, and so forth. None of that is speculated to be personally identifiable: it’s nameless.
You may discover ‘VerSprite Verified Safety’ talked about within the App Retailer and Google Play Retailer. Nevertheless, this doesn’t imply Atlas VPN’s privateness coverage has been audited: it hasn’t (but). As an alternative, its Home windows and iOS apps have been audited to verify they’re safe.
You’ll should take Atlas VPN’s phrase for it that it doesn’t log any of your knowledge, and that’s why its USA location is much from supreme.
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 need one for privateness, we’d suggest 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 just 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 possibly can see, speeds are superb contemplating the value Atlas VPN fees. The one poor connection was Tokyo: we re-ran the check a number of occasions (after disconnecting and reconnecting) to verify it wasn’t a one-off, and obtained an identical outcome each time.
Usefully, Atlas VPN has supported IPv6 from the get-go, which means you’re protected out of your actual IP handle being uncovered even in case you have an ISP that has already converted from IPv4 (akin to BT within the UK).
We discovered no DNS leaks in our exams both, which was good.
The kill swap is the everlasting sort. In different phrases, if the VPN connection drops, you’ll lose web entry till it’s restored. That’s achieved 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 in a position to watch titles unique to Netflix US and Japan, in addition to different reveals on Disney+ and HBO Max. However this time round, neither the Manchester nor London servers would allow us to watch BBC iPlayer or ITV X from France, even when tried utilizing an incognito browser tab.
We additionally examined the Australia server, however discovered it didn’t unblock 9now.
Jim Martin / Foundry
Help
Atlas VPN provides 24/7 stay chat for Premium subscribers. That is solely accessible in an online browser if you’re logged into your Atlas VPN account, versus within the apps themselves.
Nevertheless, once we examined this, the response was speedy and technical questions have been answered shortly and precisely, together with a repair for when the Home windows app wouldn’t set up as a consequence of an error.
Should you’re on the free tier, you possibly can search the FAQ on Atlas VPN’s web site (the place there are a number of up-to-date guides) or e mail help@atlasvpn.com.
Pricing & plans
Should 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 quite a bit cheaper than shopping for it one month at a time, which prices $10.99 / £8.09.
Now you can pay anonymously through cryptocurrencies. however you can too select PayPal, Google Pay and credit score/debit playing cards.
Simply observe that when the subscription expires it is going to auto-renew yearly, and also you’ll pay extra monthly at that time.
Jim Martin / Foundry
If discovering an affordable VPN is your prime precedence and also you don’t thoughts committing to a five-year subscription, it’s value studying our assessment of Ivacy.
Ivacy limits you to 5 units, however has significantly extra servers in roughly twice the variety of areas and helps OpenVPN (however not but WireGuard). It’s additionally primarily based in Singapore, which is a extra privacy-friendly jurisdiction.
You can too see different suggestions in our roundup of the perfect VPN companies.
Verdict
Atlas VPN has come a great distance since launched a few years again. It might not have many superior options, and a few aren’t accessible in all variations of its apps, however it ticks a number of containers for these with comparatively undemanding wants.
Meaning it’s good worth in the event you simply desire a VPN to unblock common US streaming companies, 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 unbiased audit of its no-logs coverage, it’s tough to suggest Atlas VPN to anybody whose prime precedence is privateness.
Efficiency is healthier than you’d count on however, finally, you get what you pay for with Atlas VPN.