I would not be wrong if I said that PureVPN is one of the top 5 VPN services in the market that attach importance to us Linux users. However, after reading the title, you must wonder what the second chance story is. You can find the answer to this question in this article, along with the features, pros, and cons of PureVPN.
In VPN Battles, I try to study the most famous and prominent VPN services that currently dominate the market to give an opportunity for Linux-Tech&More readers and the tech community to choose the best suitable VPN for them.{alertInfo}
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Why a second chance? What happened to the first chance?
Trust is like a pottery jar. It's hard to fix when it's broken. However, as humans, we believe in second chances, if you don't, then PureVPN is not the right choice for you, and you don't need to waste time continuing reading.
In 2017, PureVPN broke the jar, I mean trust, leaking personal information, including IP address, to the FBI to help the government authorities arrest a cyberstalker/criminal. If we vehemently deny crimes, we also reject the company's violation of the No-log covenant.
With the spread of this scandal, the company rushed to restore users' trust, modifying its privacy policy and adding an explicit statement not to collect any of the following: Original IPs, Browsing activities, Assigned VPN IPs, Session timestamp, and DNS requests.
Of course, a statement like this needs verification from third parties audit firm, or it will remain a mere claim. Altius IT and KPMG, two independent audit firms, have verified this claim. In addition, PureVPN has signed an agreement with KPMG that allows the latter to conduct a comprehensive surprise audit without notice, making PureVPN the first VPN provider on the market to have an always-on audit policy. With these measures, PureVPN sends a clear message that your privacy is safe and that It won't make the same mistake again.
In 2017, PureVPN broke the jar, I mean trust, leaking personal information, including IP address, to the FBI to help the government authorities arrest a cyberstalker/criminal. If we vehemently deny crimes, we also reject the company's violation of the No-log covenant.
With the spread of this scandal, the company rushed to restore users' trust, modifying its privacy policy and adding an explicit statement not to collect any of the following: Original IPs, Browsing activities, Assigned VPN IPs, Session timestamp, and DNS requests.
Of course, a statement like this needs verification from third parties audit firm, or it will remain a mere claim. Altius IT and KPMG, two independent audit firms, have verified this claim. In addition, PureVPN has signed an agreement with KPMG that allows the latter to conduct a comprehensive surprise audit without notice, making PureVPN the first VPN provider on the market to have an always-on audit policy. With these measures, PureVPN sends a clear message that your privacy is safe and that It won't make the same mistake again.
After this emotional story, have you decided to give PureVPN another chance?
If you are still hesitant, knowing the PureVPN features, pros and cons may help you make your final decision.
If you are still hesitant, knowing the PureVPN features, pros and cons may help you make your final decision.
Key Features
- Internet kill switch: an essential feature that disconnects your device If the VPN connection drops;
- Split tunneling: Control which applications use the VPN tunnel and which use your ISP connection;
- Bug bounty program: PureVPN has partnered with Bugcrowd for a bug bounty program to ensure its services remain protected;
- No-logs VPN: Two independent audits verified The PureVPN "no-logs" policy;
- Always-on audit;
- Strong encryption: PureVPN uses the highest available level of encryption, 256bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES);
- Native Tor network support: With PureVPN, you can access Tor directly and without any extra configuration, giving you an extra layer of anonymity;
- 20 Gbps capable servers in the US and UK;
- More security services: PureCrypt for a file encryption tool, PurePrivacy for account security monitoring, and PureKeep as a password manager;
- Cryptocurrency payment option: You can use this option for more private & anonymous transactions.
Pros & Cons
✅ On the upside (pros) the PureVPN offers:- Plenty of protocol options, including WireGuard & OpenVPN;
- +6500 servers in +78 countries;
- Unlimited bandwidth;
- Fast speed: On my net speed test, I got an average of 25% speed degradation on OpenVPN and 16% on Wireguard. Not the fastest but one of the top 5.
- Safe optimized torrenting (P2P) servers: PureVPN has dedicated servers for torrenting. It's also fully compatible with most torrenting clients, including qBittorrent;
- DNS, IPv6 & WebRTC Leak protection;
- Dedicated Linux Gui app (Beta);
- A real Cross platforms VPN: In addition to Linux, Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, PureVPN supports routers, Raspberry Pi, and Microsoft Surface;
- Solid Android app: The PureVPN android app is a features-rich app with plenty of configuration options, including servers locations, protocols, and internet kill switch;
- Effective browser extensions for Firefox, Chrome, Brave & Edge: The PureVPN browsers extensions work without issues in every mode;
- Easy to use: PureVPN is a one-click install software with an easy-to-navigate interface;
- Support 10 Multi Logins;
- Attractive price plans (More details in the prices section;
- 31-Day Money-Back Guarantee!
- 24/7 live chat customer support.
- PureVPN is Proprietary;
- It has no free plan;
- The service lacks the multihop feature (Double VPN);
- It has No built-in ads blocker;
- It offers a limited Wireguard experience;
- PureVPN infrastructure lacks Ram-only servers: A ram only server making your data wiped with every server reboot, which improves your privacy and security;
In 2020, NordVPN company upgraded its infrastructures to RAM-only servers. Check out my NordVPN review.{alertWarning}
- The applications are size-locked: the Purevpn apps have a fixed size which may be annoying to some users, including me;
- PureVPN provides dedicated IP & port forwarding features as a paid $3.49/mo subscription add-on.
iTopVPN offers this feature at no additional cost. You can read my full review of this service on TopVPN review.{alertWarning}
PureVPN Linux app
Not all VPN providers provide a GUI for their Linux app. For example, NordVPN, a market leader, does not have one. In addition to the command-line app, PureVPN offers Linux users a friendly Gui application. The latter permits you to graphicly choose the location, configure protocols, enable or disable internet switch kill, and connect/disconnect the VPN. The Gui client lacks essential options, such as split tunneling control &
Final verdict & Price
I'm one of those people who rarely give second chances. However, the always-on audit, the verified no-log policy, the new headquarters in the British Virgin Islands, the attractive price/value ratio, and the user-friendly Linux Gui client make PureVPN one of those rare that deserve my second chance. What about you?
Regarding prices, I have for you a little surprise. In addition to the regular discount, you can get an extra 10% OFF on 1-Month & 27-Months plans using the exclusive linuxtechmore10 discount code, making PureVPN prices further cheap.
Disclosure: Please note that this Blog contains affiliate links, and any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission – at no extra cost for you.
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