VPN.ht review

VPN.ht review: VPN.ht is a perfect VPN solution for anyone who wants to maintain their privacy online and access U.S. streaming services such as Netflix or Spotify. However, it has a minimal server network, does not unblock BBC iPlayer, and lacks customer support. That’s why you should look at one of the best VPN services if this kind of thing means a breakthrough for you.

VPN.ht review: Privacy and logging

To hide your online activities, this VPN provider uses strong encryption via the 64-, 128- and 256-bit algorithms, while all its servers support OpenVPN, L2TP, PPTP, and IPsec transfer protocols. The Android app also has an optional kill switch. This mechanism is activated when your VPN connection is disconnected, effectively cutting off your Internet access and protecting your IP address from exposure.

The provider indicates that it doesn’t actively monitor user sessions for inappropriate behavior and doesn’t keep direct logs of customers’ Internet activities, so it doesn’t know what you’re doing with its service. That said, “VPN.HT reserves the right to investigate matters that we consider violations of these Terms. This may sound a little alarming, but it does not say that it would report or hand over any of the authorities’ findings.

The only punishment seems to be the removal or blocking of “any materials or information that we consider to be actual or potential violations of the restrictions outlined in these Terms, and any other activities that may subject VPN.HT or its customers to liability.

Fair enough, although we have no choice but to take the provider’s word for our information’s privacy. Some VPN providers have already taken steps to demonstrate the integrity of their no-logging claims by inviting external auditors to confirm this. It would be suitable for VPN.ht to follow their example. However, the company does offer a Warrant Canary, which lists all the search or seizure orders it receives to a certain extent.

The platform is P2P friendly, which in its own words means “you can Bittorent at will,” in perfect privacy, without restrictions.

VPN.ht review: Performance

Downloading and installing the apps is a piece of cake – click on the download link on the website, run the installer, and you’re done. Before you can connect, you need to create an account at VPN.ht and enter the details you will receive after payment. Please note that the Windows app will ask for your “email address,” but instead, you will need to enter your VPN username sent by the provider. A small inconvenience, but still something that VPN.ht should fix.

Once logged in, the app will show you all available servers on a server card, but you can also let the app choose the best server for you based on your physical location or connect to any location. The download speeds provided by this provider were stable for the servers located in Europe rather than elsewhere. For example, Serbia’s server reached a decent 20Mbps on a 55Mbps test connection, while a server in Las Vegas was around 8Mbps. We also tested a server in Japan, which is quite far away from us, and we got a pathetic 0.31Mbps.

VPN.ht review: Pricing and plans

When it comes to pricing, VPN.ht keeps things simple, as there are only two subscription lengths – monthly and annual. The monthly subscription only costs $1.00 for the first month, after which it is extended to a still very acceptable amount of $4.99/month. The annual plan is priced at $3.33/month ($39.99 per year), which is not the cheapest on the market but still affordable. Whichever plan you choose, you can use up to three devices at the same time. Some competitors support more, but VPN.ht can also be enabled on a router to remove the restriction.

Accepted payment methods include credit cards, PayPal, bank transfer, Mobiamo, gift cards, and a wide range of cryptocurrencies. There is no free trial period, but there is a 100% money-back guarantee for the first 30 days of service, which is more than enough to see if this VPN platform is good enough for you. Please note that we received our refund in the form of VPN.ht credit, not directly to PayPal, so that’s something to keep in mind.

Final words

VPN.ht offers strong privacy and security; it supports a substantial selection of platforms and unblocks Netflix US and Spotify, in addition to budget-friendly pricing. Despite all this, VPN heavyweights such as ExpressVPN are a better choice, thanks to faster and more accessible customer support, thousands of servers that guarantee better speeds, as well as unblocking capabilities for many more services.