VPN.ac Review
VPN is a common term in 2021. The popularity of VPN is increasing today is because of the security risks that internet users in facing daily. It goes without saying that the advancement of technology and the wide use of digital media is making attackers smarter by the day. Further, these cybercriminals take advantage of individuals and firms who pay less heed to cybersecurity. They target everything from a newly-launched blog to an established online store to gain access to sensitive information.
So now, VPN is the only saviour. You may wonder what Vpn actually is? The term virtual private network describes any technology that can encapsulate and transmit network data, typically Internet Protocol data, over another network. Such a system enables users to access network resources that may otherwise be inaccessible from the public internet.
In simple term, you can think VPN as a tunnel or passage. It is the connection between your mobile or computer and web n which your IP address is hidden and all the data you generate while surfing the web is encrypted.
If you search now for a VPN on the internet, you will be surprised to see hundreds of brand names that provide VPN service. But the question is which of them is worthy? I have personally tried many of the available VPN in the market and reviewed them after thorough testing. You can check them in your VPN category.
VPN.ac is one of those and here the complete VPN.ac Review. I will discuss various aspects of VPN.ac that will help you to decide on selecting the most suitable VPN for yourself. So without any further ado, let’s begin the VPN.ac review.
Introduction
What Is VPN.ac?
As the name suggests, VPN,ac is a VPN service provider. VPN.ac is operated by Netsec Interactive Solutions, an IT security company established in Romania, in 2009. Their servers reach over twenty countries across North America and Europe. And they pride themselves on being “faster, safer, better.” VPN.ac is a service that was fully developed in-house and launched at the end of 2012 after several months of development and rigorous testing.
Overview of VPN.ac in short:
✔ Multiple VPN protocols/encryption types
✔ Innovative Elliptic Curve Cryptography, AES-GCM, obfuscation and WireGuard support
✔ No activity logs
✔ No speed limit
✔ Multiple speed optimizations
✔ SecureProxy browser addon included
✔ Up to 12 simultaneous connections (6 using WireGuard)
✔ Truly secure DNS implementation
✔ VPN apps for Win, macOS, iOS, Android
✔ Compatible with many other devices
✔ Multiple countries: 21 (VPN), 32 (SecureProxy)
So let’s find out whether they actually do what they claim to and whether you should buy this now or avoid wasting your time. Let’s begin VPN ac Review.
Vpn.ac Features
Reason To Choose Vpn.ac?
Some Of The Key Features Of VPN.ac
- Vpn.ac is self-hosted, encrypted DNS implementation.
- Cutting edge VPN encryption: up to AES-GCM 256-bit encryption with Elliptic Curve and/or 4096-bit RSA authentication, PFS; WireGuard support.
- Double-hop connections for improved privacy and connection speed overseas.
- There is no activity logging or monitoring of our users’ Internet activity.
- No logs, not even common Linux daemons, are kept on VPN servers.
- Users’ privacy is increased through shared IP addresses on VPN Nodes.
- Vpn.ac use our own – private DNS resolvers for all DNS queries
- All DNS queries are encrypted (AES 128-bit) to protect users against 3rd party DNS monitoring and hijacking.
- Easy to use VPN apps for Windows, macOS, iOS and Android compatible with all modern releases, working with all VPN protocols that we provide (mainly OpenVPN, IPsec (IKEv2, L2TP) and pure TLS with our browser addon).
- Most of their VPN servers are connected to 1000 Mb/s (gigabit) channels, with many speed and reliability tests being done before their deployment in our infrastructure
- VPN.ac also offers SecureProxy browser extension for Chrome and Firefox is an addition to our VPN service and provides with the ability to surf the web securely and privately without connecting to the “classic” VPN. It works as a browser proxy and all browsing traffic is encrypted through a secure tunnel.
- Vpn ac supports multiple platforms like we have a VPN Client app for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. For other Operating Systems and devices, we provide step-by-step connection instructions using 3rd party VPN software or OS-specific, built-in settings
Vpn.ac Pricing Info
How much Vpn.ac Costs?
| PLAN | PRICE |
|---|---|
| 1 MONTH | $ 9 |
| 3 MONTH (SAVE 11%) | $ 24 ($8/month) |
| 1 YEAR (SAVE 46%) | $ 58 ($4.8/month) |
| 2 YEARS (SAVE 62%) | $ 90 ($3.75/month) |
VPN.ac price structure has 4 plans, 1 MONTH, 3 MONTH, 1 YEAR PLAN and 2 YEARS PLAN. Vpn.ac 2-year plans offer the best deal as you can save straight 62% from that plan. Vpn.ac accept multiple payment options like Paypal, Credit/Debit Cards, Unionpay, Gift Cards, Webmoney, iDEAL, Giropay, mobile/SMS and many more depending on your location.
VPN.ac also accept cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, Dash, Monero and many more.
VPN.ac Security Protocols
Is VPN.ac Safe To Use?
- OpenVPN: 256-bit AES-CBC, 128-bit AES-CBC or 128-bit BF-CBC.
- For AES (both 128 and 256 bit) we use RSA-4096 and Elliptic Curve (ECDHE) with secp256k1, SHA512 HMAC.
- We are one of the very few in the industry providing full Elliptic Curve support.
- All OpenVPN certificates are generated “the right way”: offline, secure machine, multiple – high-quality sources of entropy.
- L2TP/IPsec: 256-bit AES or 128-bit AES (depends on OS/device).
- PPTP: 128-bit MPPE (considered insecure, not recommended for sensitive data transfers).
- SecureProxy: AES 128-GCM with 4096-bit RSA certificates.
VPN.ac Pros and Cons
Advantages And Disadvantages Of VPN.ac
Advantages Of VPN.ac In VPN.ac Review
Every VPN says they’re fast and secure. But VPN.ac apparently means it. They provide state-of-the-art encryption. And they do it without sacrificing speeds. Plus, they’re in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction and
offer strong device support. Let’s check out all the details in our VPN.ac Review.
1. Fast Network Speed
VPN.ac claims to be fast. Most internet speeds are pretty good, to begin with. The problem is when you
start loading them down. VPN connections add an extra layer of encryption. But that extra stuff also
often translates to slower download and upload speeds. Which is not so with VPN.ac. First up, we
connected to a server in the Netherlands and ran a speed test using a reputable third-party tool. Here
were the initial results:
VPN.ac speed as tested in the EU
Ping: 33 ms
Download: 90.22 Mbps
Upload: 48.76 Mbps
This is an awesome start! Any drop off in either the download or upload speed would be virtually unnoticeable. Now, let’s see if the U.S. server was able to keep pace.
VPN.ac speed as tested in the US
Ping: 115 ms
Download: 58.53 Mbps (40% slower)
Upload: 25.60 Mbps (51% slower)
Unfortunately, the U.S. server speed was a little slower. VPN.ac credits its strong connection speeds to being a smaller VPN with fewer users. But that’s not always a good thing. Here’s why. A small number of VPN servers typically means you have more customers going after fewer resources. Overloaded servers are slow servers.
The other problem comes down to miles. As in, the physical distance between you and the server you’re connecting to. The further away you are, the slower the connection. That means VPN.ac looks like a strong bet for users in North America and Europe. But users across other continents might not enjoy the same stellar speeds.
2. Protects Your Privacy with Strong Encryption
A VPN is only as good as its encryption. It doesn’t matter what their website says, for example, if they’re using an outdated protocol like PPTP that can be hacked within minutes. Fortunately, VPN.ac offers the best-in-class OpenVPN protocol, along with 256-bit AES encryption. This is the latest and greatest, used by security professionals and governments to keep private information private. But, if you are running on an older device or connection, they also give you the choice to use L2TP/IPsec or PPTP. (Again, don’t use this last one if security is a concern.)
On top of that, VPN.ac also throws in a kill switch. Let’s say your mobile device is connected to a public WiFi network. But suddenly, it drops and your phone’s data plan kicks in. That’s good because it helps you stay online. But it’s bad because it can leave your entire internet session exposed to your ISP (among others). A kill switch acts as a backup plan to make sure this doesn’t happen. Lastly, it uses a shared IP address for its users. That is another layer of added privacy to make sure no one can pick out your session data from anyone else.
3. No DNS Leaks and No Malware
Not all VPN connections are as secure as you might think. Yes, OpenVPN and AES-256 are rock-solid. But
even they won’t save you from a leaky connection. The problem is that your VPN tells you a connection is established. Everything looks and seems legit.
However, your ISP will say differently. You might think that the server in France is fooling them. Except
the VPN leaks your DNS information. A Domain Name System (DNS) is like an online phonebook of domain names that servers translate into an Internet Protocol (IP). Each time you visit a website, your browser sends a request to a DNS server (provided by your ISP) with the URL you typed in. The server then points your browser to the right IP address.
It means your ISP (plus government agencies and anyone else with that IP) can monitor every single website you visit. That’s why we put every VPN through a series of DNS and WebRTC leak tests. The goal is to line up the IP address they see, with the one your VPN tells you, to make sure they match. And the good news is that VPN.ac passed each test with flying colours. So, no malware was found.
4. They Don’t Log Your Activity
There’s a little white lie that VPNs like to tell. Every single website has “No logging” plastered all over it. Only to reveal, deep in their Privacy Policy, buried under a ton of legalese, that they do, in fact, log some of your data. Many VPNs have been caught lying directly to their customers. VPN.ac’s documents show that they do not keep any user activity data. This includes the websites you visit, emails, any files downloaded, or even messages.
However, they do keep track of aggregate connection logs. That means they want to see how the service
is being used — across all users — to make sure both performance and security remain legit. So this isn’t
necessarily a bad thing. Most of this data is kept on a different server altogether. And they’ll erase the data within a certain time frame (one day for VPN.ac, up to a week or month with some other companies).
5. They’re Based in Romania- A Safe Jurisdiction
Romania is located well outside of any 5-eyes, 9-eyes, and 14-eyes security alliance. That means if they do collect some of your personal data, they won’t share it with any other countries. So on the one hand, you do need to worry about which data your VPN has access to. Because on the other, they might be forced to reveal that to government agencies. And if the local jurisdiction places them inside one of the ‘Eyes’ agreements, your data could be shared with dozens of countries around the world.
6. They supports multiple platform
VPN.ac provides access across all the major platforms, including Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. Even
better, is that they extend access to routers like DD-WRT, Tomato, Advanced Tomato, OpenWRT, AsusWRT/Merlin, pfSense.
They officially support up to six simultaneous device connections. However, with a router, you’re able to
side-step this restriction and connect even more. Unfortunately, they don’t natively support game consoles or smart TVs just yet. But once again, you can use the router workaround to lock down these devices or gain access to geo-blocked content.
7. VPN.ac- The Best VPN For China
Vpn.ac is really the best option while we are choosing a VPN for China. With most of the VPN’s getting blocked by the Great Firewall, VPN.ac works like magic. They work really well and doesn’t give you much scope for complaint. VPN.ac in China was always reliable, never drops the connection and works fast. Part of VPN.ac’s advantage stems from the fact that as a smaller VPN company they can more easily fly under the radar of the Great Firewall of China. Therefore, VPN.ac is undoubtedly the best VPN for China.
Disadvantages Of VPN.ac In VPN.ac Review
VPN.ac’s strong encryption, fast speeds, and solid connection were impressive. What wasn’t impressive was a buggy app that didn’t extend access to Netflix or Tor. You read it right, VPN.ac is not a VPN for Netflix. Here are some of our biggest problems with their service.
1. They Use Ticket-Based Support (But Also Offer Skype)
VPN.ac’s support was another good news, bad news scenario. But this time, let’s start with the bad. Your only support option here is to submit a ticket. Ugh. Usually, this means it’s going to take you a few days to get a response to any question. Good luck if you need to swap a few messages to clarify issues. Because that could mean you’re looking at closer to a week to get an answer. Finding out that VPN.ac only offered ticket support was a cringe-worthy moment. Especially considering that other top companies, like ExpressVPN, offer instantaneous live chat.
However, It only took them one hour to reply! This has to be some kind of support ticket record. And despite a short response, it directly answered our question, while also providing a recommendation (to avoid using outdated protocols). VPN.ac support email reply.
Pro tip: Another test we ran revealed that high-priority ticket results in a response within just a few minutes. So use their priority scheme to possibly speed up your response time. But wait, there’s more! We noticed something interesting in the initial confirmation email. Look for “Alternative contact methods” in the middle: VPN.ac support ticket confirmation. They offer both Wire and Skype support, too! Now, we didn’t test either. But the fact that they do offer another alternative to support tickets is encouraging. This support experience defied my initial expectations.
2. They’re Incompatible With TOR
Google Chrome might be the most popular web browser. But it’s also a hive of privacy invasion, with Big Brother Google tracking your every move. That’s why private browsers like The Onion Router (TOR) exist. They use layers of connections to bounce your signal around the world, making it difficult (if not impossible) to trace your original starting point. The issue is that TOR is not always safe. People can set up bad relay points and take advantage of security loopholes. And sadly, VPN.ac is incompatible with TOR.
3. VPN.ac Not a VPN For Netflix
Netflix has been leading a crusade over the past several years to identify, block, and shut down access to every VPN service. And unfortunately, VPN.ac is the latest in a long line of casualties. This VPN doesn’t support Netflix. The company even owns up to the problem. Just to make sure, we connected to five different servers at random and tried streaming Netflix content. Each server was correctly identified and blocked. So no luck
on any of them. Instead, I’d recommend checking out our blog for some of the best VPNs for Netflix.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
?Does VPN.ac offers a trial period or a demo?
Fortunately Yes, VPN.ac provide a 1-week trial account for only $2. Note that a trial account allows 3 simultaneous connections compared to 6 and additional 6 using WireGuard, with a regular account.
?What’s the fastest VPN protocol I should use?
WireGuard (beta) and IKEv2/IPsec are likely the fastest ones. OpenVPN over UDP comes next, while OpenVPN over TCP is a bit slower because of its design.
?Does VPN.ac work with routers?
Yes. OpenVPN works with custom ROMs like DD-WRT, Tomato, Advanced Tomato, OpenWRT, AsusWRT/Merlin, pfSense.
?Does VPN.ac use virtual or dedicated servers?
VPN.ac use dedicated servers on our VPN nodes, mostly consisting of powerful E3 and E5 Xeons with hardware AES crypto acceleration. Running VPN gateways on VPS/cloud instances is a security risk. Moreover, running VPN nodes on dedicated hardware can be as 10x or even 20x times more expensive than running on virtual servers, hence the reason why they don’t advertise ‘hundreds’ of locations but focus on fewer, where security is done properly and the bandwidth capacity is enough to ensure a fast and reliable service.
?What is the difference between a VPN and a proxy server?
A VPN provides security by encrypting your connection from your PC/device to the VPN Node. A Proxy doesn’t provide encryption (referring to classic ones, not our SecureProxy service), therefore unauthorized 3rd parties can easily intercept your communication and access your private data, such as usernames/passwords, websites you visit and emails.
?Does a VPN slow down my internet connection?
It depends on your connection speed between you and the VPN node. Using a VPN node which is closer to your location would usually be faster due to better routing/peering – matching or almost matching your regular connection speed. VPN speeds also depend on the VPN protocol you use. OpenVPN (TCP) is slower by design, L2TP/IPsec, OpenVPN (UDP) and PPTP(insecure) are the fastest. Try all of them and see what’s the fastest for you.
Final Verdict
Conclusion
If you are searching for an inexpensive VPN service, then VPN.ac is perfect for you. Except for some flaws, most of the features are really impressive. Fast network speeds, good protocol and encryption options, even decent support times (despite being the only ticket-based). It is not a VPN for Netflix. Neither for Tor. There weren’t that many country servers available. And the ones they did offer were highly concentrated in just a few spots. VPN.ac is pretty solid. But it’s not exceptional across the board, either.
NOTE: Accessing banned websites by using VPN is still illegal. You may face serious Legal problems while doing so.
I hope you have liked my VPN.ac Review(2021). If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section below. I will be happy to respond.
