David Gewirtz
for DIY-IT
| November 16, 2021
| Topic: VPN
They say you need the coupon code BLACKFRIDAY, but I just went to their site and hit their big Black Friday banner. The deal here is good on a per-month basis, but put that renewal date in your calendar for three years from now. Otherwise, you’ll be slammed paying three times more when it renews.
This is a middle of the road VPN with support for just Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. But it has one thing going for it: you can use it on all your devices. There’s no 5 device limit, like is the case for many other vendors.
View now at AtlasVPN
PureVPN
Pay now: $49 for 24 months
How they pitch it: $2.04/mo for 24 monthsMoney-back guarantee: 31 daysAuto-renew: Yes, the price balloons to $70 per year
These folks are running one of those annoying countdown clocks on their page as if they won’t take your order after the deadline. They’re also trying to virtue signal by offering a 31-day money-back guarantee while everyone else is offering 30. Whether 30 or 31 days, it’s on you to test your purchase to be sure it does what you need.
PureVPN allows 10 devices, and it supports a pretty wide range of devices. Beyond that, it offers the usual features, ranging from kill switch to split tunneling and even a fixed IP as an upsell for business buyers. Back in 2018, we ran an article about IP leaks, but all indications are they’ve fixed those problems since then.
View now at PureVPN
Surfshark
Pay now: $59.76 for 27 months
How they pitch it: $2.21/mo for 24 months + 3 free monthsMoney-back guarantee: 30 daysAuto-renew: Yes, the price might bump up
The Surfshark marketing folks are going to town with the large fonts and Black Friday animations. They have a countdown clock, an announcement about a price drop where the word “drop” actually drops, and even a spinning, flashing, 200 point “Ultimate”. So, they really want you to buy.
Our review: Surfshark VPN review: It’s cheap, but is it good?
It looks like your bill will double once the promo runs out. They say, “59.76 billed now, then annually starting after 27 months.” So keep that in mind and make a note in your calendar if you want to cancel.
View now at Surfshark
IPVanish
Pay now: $38 for 12 months
How they pitch it: $3.20/mo for 12 monthsMoney-back guarantee: 30 daysAuto-renew: Yes, the price explodes to $90/year!!
The most important thing is to watch out for that automatic billing hit. $90 a year is a big jump, and it’s among the most expensive we’ve seen for any services that bill for more than one month.
Our review: IPVanish review: A VPN with a wealth of options
That said, I gave it a pretty positive review. Although some conditions apply, the service offers unlimited connections, and they have quite a lot of clients they support. I was pretty bullish on the features but wasn’t entirely sure I’d want to use the service if I was hiding from a government or otherwise wanted to secure my privacy completely.
View now at IPVanish
NordVPN
Pay now: $79 for 24 months
How they pitch it: $3.29/mo for 24 monthsMoney-back guarantee: 30 daysAuto-renew: Yes, the price might bump up
Nord is also rocking a countdown clock. The VPN vendors love this kind of involvement device because it helps create a sense of urgency among prospects. It’s kind of Marketing 101, applied to service sales.
As you can see, I’ve spent quite a bit of time getting to know the service and the company. The deal they’re offering isn’t the best, but six simultaneous connections are generally pretty workable. Overall, the company’s performance was consistent among the VPNs I’ve tested, and you could do worse than choosing this vendor.
Also read:
NordVPN review: Consistent speed and performanceInside a VPN service: How NordVPN conducts the business of Internet privacy
Meet NordSec: The company behind NordVPN wants to be your one-stop privacy suite
View now at NordVPN
ProtonVPN
Pay now: $120 for 24 months
How they pitch it: $4.99/mo for 24 monthsMoney-back guarantee: 30 daysAuto-renew: Yes, the price jumps to $160 for 2 years
Here’s a note for US-based customers who might be confused. When you click into the company’s promo page for Black Friday, you’re taking to Euros-based pricing. Hit the little USD menu item under the middle deal to get dollar-based pricing. Interestingly, they charge the same digits (5.99) in both Euros and dollars, but €5.99 is about $6.82, so you’re actually saving money if you buy with dollars.
As for how many simultaneous connections they allow, I have no idea; I’ve looked all over their site and sent out a query to the company but haven’t heard back. I’ll update this if I find out. Beyond that, the company has been working hard on a speed upgrade, which we reported earlier this year.
View now at ProtonVPN
I get a lot of questions about VPNs, and I’ve answered many of them in the articles below. They’re definitely worth your time if you’re on the fence about what a VPN can do for you.
When your VPN is a matter of life or death, don’t rely on reviewsWhat is a VPN and why do you need one? Everything you need to knowDo I need a VPN if I have https? A reader question, answer
Fastest VPN in 2021: How we rated the top services
zdnet recommends
Best mobile VPNs: Ensure your privacy anywhere
Best VPNs for your Windows PC
Best VPNs for torrenting
Best VPNs for gaming
Best Android VPNs
Best iPhone VPNs
Best VPNs for streaming
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