VPNSecure Review

VPNSecure Pros and Cons

So VPNSecure looks pretty good on paper. Let’s get set up with the service to see how it performs on a daily basis.

Purchasing and Setting Up VPNSecure

VPNSecure offers three subscriptions to choose from: a month-to-month package, a six-month subscription, and a three-year plan. The longer you sign up for, the more savings you’re going to realize. This is typical, as most VPNs on the market are set up this way. I go into more detail about the pricing structure in the guide to VPNSecure’s costs, but see the table below for a quick breakdown.

VPNSecure’s Subscription Pricing

What was a little surprising was the purchasing process. I’ve purchased and set up quite a few VPNs in my day, but this was a first for me. At
checkout, you’re asked to enter a phone number so they can send you an authentication code. It’s not a confusing process by any means, but a rather interesting take on two-factor authentication I haven’t come across before.

VPNSecure uses two-factor authentication for sign up.

Once you’ve gone through that step, you’re redirected to a download screen where you select the version of the software for the platform you’re going to run it on.

The download and setup are relatively straightforward. You’re provided a username and password that I strongly suggest you write down and save. Once you enter that into the program, you’re all set and you’re off to the races.

Day-to-Day Use of VPNSecure

As mentioned, VPNSecure is extremely simple to use. Its user interface is intuitive, and everything is pretty much where you’d expect it to be. Just select the server you’d like to use, connect, and bingo — you’re browsing the internet in complete anonymity.

Speaking of servers, though, something to note really quickly. VPNSecure’s server network is really small. They only have about 100 servers across 48 countries. That said, they do own the entire network, so they can really stand behind their privacy policy and no-log commitment.

You’re also going to notice that some of the servers indicate that they’re running TCP protocols. TCP is a little more reliable and a little more secure, but you might run into some noticeable slowdowns if you’re using one of these servers.1

That’s really about it for VPNSecure’s day-to-day use. You’ll connect to the server of your choice, hit connect, minimize the window, and forget about it. VPNSecure just runs quietly in the background, ensuring your data and browsing habits aren’t falling into the wrong hands. That’s really what you’re looking for with a VPN — security you can forget about.

With that in mind, though, let’s run through some of VPNSecure’s basic operations.

VPNSecure’s Basic Functionality

If you’re looking at VPNSecure’s dashboard, you’ll see your server options at the top, and if you’re connected, you’re going to see your public IP address below. This is how you’re appearing online, and the only thing onlookers will be able to use to identify you. If you want, you can click on the arrow next to it to check your status.

Checking your IP address with VPNSecure is easy.

Next, if you click on the three bars at the top of the dashboard, you’re going to bring up the settings screen. Here, you’ll be able to play with some of VPNSecure’s options. One of the primary features you’ll want to know about is VPNSecure’s kill switch.

This function, when enabled, will disconnect your internet connection if the VPN service ever goes out. This is important for people whose safety and security rely on online anonymity. I consider this to be critical functionality with any VPN, so it’s definitely good to see it in VPNSecure’s toolbelt.

You’re also going to have the option to turn on VPNSecure’s “stealth” mode, which will help you bypass the geographic restrictions of countries with extreme internet censorship like China and Saudi Arabia.

While these options are great, one thing that’s glaringly missing from VPNSecure’s arsenal is meaningful P2P file sharing and streaming optimizations.

Now, there are one or two servers that are labeled “streaming” in VPNSecure’s list, but if you’ve read my CyberGhost review, you know that some VPN services have huge networks of servers that are tuned specifically to improve performance when downloading or streaming media. Unfortunately, VPNSecure’s network doesn’t offer this. So if you want to unlock Netflix internationally, check out ExpressVPN’s plans. They’re one of my favorite services, and streaming is their bread and butter.

So that’s all you’re going to need to know for the basic operation of VPNSecure — but you might be wondering if their security is going to slow you down. When you’re using a VPN, it’s pretty common to experience some slowdowns, but is that the case with VPNSecure, too?

VPNSecure’s Performance

First, as a disclaimer, everyone’s internet connection is unique, and my experience might not be the same as yours, but VPNSecure slowed me down — to the point that it was pretty noticeable in day-to-day browsing. When I actually put it to the test, the numbers backed up my experience.

Here’s how I was doing speed-wise without the VPN enabled. My download was 71.5 Mbps and my upload was 66.5 Mbps. Not blazing fast by any means, but still decent.

Baseline for VPNSecure’s speed test.

Once I turned the VPN on, though, it was a different story. My upload speeds took a bit of a ding, but my download speeds were slashed by almost half. These are definitely decreases worth pointing out.

VPNSecure’s speeds.

Also worth pointing out: VPNSecure lacks the “quick connect” functionality I’ve seen with other services. This is where, at the click of a button, you’re able to connect to the server with the fastest speeds. That’s something I’d really like to see added to VPNSecure’s suite of services.

And speaking of connections — they were a little sluggish. Sometimes it would take over a minute to connect to a specific server, and sometimes the connections failed outright. Not particularly happy about that.

VPNSecure’s connections speeds were a little slow.

So the overall performance of VPNSecure was a little lackluster, but that’s forgivable if the security is tight. How’d VPNSecure hold up in that regard? Spoiler alert: really good!

VPNSecure’s Security

We’ve got some good news here. In my tests, it looks like VPNSecure is … well … secure. It wasn’t leaking DNS requests, and my true IP address was never exposed.

VPNSecure’s security is tight.

So security is top-notch with VPNSecure. That’s certainly good to know, but how can you tweak the service to really get the most out of it?

VPNSecure’s Advanced Functionality

VPNSecure does have a few advanced features that are worth pointing out. For one, they’re the only service I’ve seen — other than in my analysis of Ivacy — that lets you select your encryption level.

Selecting which encryption to use with VPNSecure.

AES-128 is standard, but 256 is pretty much military-grade. For context, there are 984,665,640,564,039,457,584,007,913,129,639,936 possible key combinations to decode 256-bit encryption, and even using the world’s fastest supercomputers to brute-force that data open, it would still take millions of years.3 Simply put — the service is incredibly secure.

You’re also going to be able to disable IPv6 traffic through the VPN, meaning that you’re going to have an extra layer of security by ensuring that particular traffic won’t be leaking as you’re browsing. Again — VPNSecure is adding another layer of protection here.

One last thing before we wrap up. VPNSecure’s mobile app: Is it up to snuff?

VPNSecure On the Go

Another great aspect of VPNSecure is its mobile app. It’s essentially an exact port of the desktop experience, so you’ll have a pretty seamless transition moving from one to the other. The dashboard is nearly identical.

SecureVPN’s mobile app is strikingly similar to the desktop offering

You’ll also notice that you have access to the same settings as you do in the download version, including the kill switch as well as your encryption selection. This is nice to see, as some services skimp on their mobile versions, offering a stripped-down version of the service.

All of VPNSecure’s desktop features are present on mobile.

It’s always important to select a VPN provider with a strong mobile client, because you’re most vulnerable when you’re out and about, connecting to unknown or unsecured wireless networks. You more than likely know who you’re sharing your home network with, but when you’re at the coffee shop, you never know who might be snooping.

So there you have it. That’s VPNSecure in a nutshell. But what do we make of all of this? Is VPNSecure worth its salt?

Final Thoughts on VPNSecure

Would I recommend VPNSecure? Yes and no. True to their name, they’re a very secure service. Their speeds leave something to be desired, but as far as core functionality goes they’re really solid.

That said, their user experience could use a little work. The dashboard is anything but elegant, and although it’s intuitive, it still feels a little clunky. I liked the level of customizability VPNSecure offers, but for some reason it still felt lacking. It’s difficult to put your finger on, but the level of satisfaction I received when I reviewed ProtonVPN just wasn’t there with VPNSecure.

They’re certainly not the worst VPN I’ve ever seen, but they’re not the best, either. That begs the question, though — are they worth the money? I’m going to have to say yes. If VPNSecure was a little more expensive I might say no, but in my opinion, the price is reasonable for the service you’re getting.

At the end of the day, VPNSecure is a perfectly reasonable service at a reasonable price. If you end up going with them, you won’t be disappointed, but I’d still recommend checking out our list of the top ten VPNs on the market today before making your final call. Or cut right to the chase and read my latest ExpressVPN review, which happens to be my favorite VPN out there.

VPNSecure FAQs