AceVPN is a US VPN provider founded in 2009. Since its launch, it has been providing its growing number of users with advanced solutions for internet privacy, security and freedom. To give you a fair evaluation, we will also mention the advantages and disadvantages of AceVPN. Starting with the security advantages: AceVPN protects your network with military-grade 256-bit encryption and supports several advanced security protocols, including OpenVPN with TCP/UDP, L2TP/IPSec, PPTP and IKEv2.All packages include a free Smart DNS service designed for uncensored online use.
There are a few other security specifications, but these are the main points that make AceVPN shine. These features are enough to make AceVPN a reliable service, but when it comes to actual implementation or actual performance, that’s when things really get serious. Unfortunately, AceVPN has some weaknesses when it comes to performance.
The most commonly documented issues are poor connection speeds and a complicated registration and configuration process. In other words, unless you’re a tech geek or looking for a VPN for streaming or P2P sharing, we wouldn’t recommend AceVPN. However, if online security and privacy are your top priorities and you don’t mind a few speed penalties, then AceVPN can be an important option.
Key Data
| Features | Data |
|---|---|
|
Over All Rank |
#71 |
|
Usability |
Not User-Friendly |
|
Log Files |
Some Logging |
|
Locations |
26 Countries, 48 Servers |
|
Support |
Great Customer Support |
|
Netflix |
Unblock Netflix USA |
|
Cost |
$3.89/Month |
Speed Test
Generally, all VPNs tend to slow down your internet speed, and aceVPN is no exception. A smart way to choose the right VPN provider is to check if it has reasonable network latency.
When we tested the speed in our aceVPN review, it showed impressive results on local connections. But unfortunately, long-distance connections were disappointing. Especially for US-based servers, you have to give up about 90% of the actual internet speed.
Remember, AceVPN servers are built on a high-speed gigabit network system. This requirement may now be in jeopardy.
| Server | Ping | Download Speed | Upload Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
|
United States |
253ms |
8.48 Mbps |
11.00 Mbps |
|
Europe |
52ms |
37.25 Mbps |
26.27 Mbps |
As you can see from the speed test results above, AceVPN is definitely not the fastest VPN if you are looking for it.
Server Locations
One of the things that disappointed me when writing my AceVPN review was the number of servers. This is because the provider offers a limited number of servers in over 50 locations in over 26 countries.
These numbers are hardly comparable to those of Ivacy VPN, which has thousands of servers. AceVPN will meet the needs of its users by offering more server locations in the future.
Pricing and Payment Information
| Period/Methods | Price |
|---|---|
|
1 Month |
$3.98 |
|
Free Trial |
Yes |
|
Refund Period |
7 Days |
|
Payment Methods |
PayPal, Bitcoin |
Privacy and Logging
Most VPN providers understand that customers want to preserve their anonymity, but Acevpn didn’t quite get that message. For example, when you sign up, the company asks not only for your email address, but also your name, address and phone number.
That’s just the beginning. The fine print says the company “may call you to verify the validity of your phone number” or “block your internet access” “until you send us a scanned copy of your passport, ID or driving licence.” But don’t worry, the company advises you what to do next: “If you want to avoid such problems, make sure you’ve registered correctly (i.e. no fake details) and finally, send us a copy of your photo ID immediately after registering.” Thanks! But no, thank you.
No other major VPN is this intrusive, but the company isn’t done yet. Acevpn’s privacy policy explains that at least some of this information “may be shared with other companies or individuals to provide certain services for us or on our behalf, such as server management, security audits, customer lists and data analysis, or to provide marketing or consulting services.”
According to the FAQ page, Acevpn’s logging policy seems a little more reasonable. There is no metadata logging, no traffic logging, and no bandwidth usage tracking. We are a non-logging VPN service.
In this regard, there is a paragraph in the privacy policy that essentially says: “We do not log VPN traffic. We do not monitor our users or track their bandwidth or internet usage. Our VPN servers do not store any personally identifiable information (PII).
There’s some good news in a “transparency report” about “government requests [Acevpn] has received regarding disclosure of our customers’ data.” It says the company has never received a warrant, been searched or seized, given out its SSL keys, installed backdoors on its network, “terminated customers or taken down content due to political pressure” or “shared customer content passing through our network with any organisation.”
Customer Support
Unfortunately, customer support is another area where Acevpn fails. There’s no live chat option, so if you have sales or support questions, you’re out of luck.
Acevpn recommends you visit their support forum. I checked myself and found that the last post was 4 months ago! I don’t think that’s possible. The forum is obviously very inactive and I don’t think any issues are resolved promptly.
The only other way to try and contact Acevpn customer support is to use the email address they provided. They suggested this for technical support and billing issues.
While I have some complaints about their support, their email response time is actually very good and I get a response within minutes. I’m just a little disappointed that there is no live chat service.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Acevpn’s main feature is their Smart DNS, which is free but only available if you buy their VPN plan.
- Their Ultimate VPN package also allows you to make torrent and P2P connections.
- It supports all popular VPN protocols, including OpenVPN, IPSec IKEv2, PPTP and L2PT.
- It claims that there is no significant drop in speed, even when VPN is enabled or when Smart DNS is used.
- Payments can also be made via Bitcoin, allowing you to remain anonymous during the payment process.
- Acevpn does not log user traffic or monitor bandwidth usage.
Cons
- The Ultimate VPN costs $12, which doesn’t offer value for the money paid, as it is one of the most expensive offerings when it comes to buying a VPN client. The Premium VPN, on the other hand, is very affordable but only allows access to servers in three countries, namely the US, UK and France. It also does not allow torrenting and P2P connections.
- It collects personal data, which includes names, addresses and IP addresses.
- The servers only exist in more than 50 locations in over 26 countries, which is not enough to provide good speeds for a large user base.
- It is not possible to download and use the VPN client directly. To use it, you need to download and install it and configure it for the protocol you are using.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does AceVPN bypass deep packet inspection?
AceVPN provides an invisible VPN option designed to bypass deep packet inspection as used by ISPs in China, Egypt and other overly restricted countries. Stealth VPN achieves this by making VPN traffic appear like normal browser traffic.
At the time of writing, Stealth VPN is only available for Windows, macOS and Linux operating systems.
Can I set up AceVPN in Kodi?
Although AceVPN does not offer a Kodi VPN plugin, you can use the provider to protect and enhance your Kodi-related activities. Simply launch the AceVPN app, connect to the server of your choice and then launch Kodi. This gives you access to geo-blocked content while preventing third parties from monitoring your online activities.
Does AceVPN offer a free trial?
AceVPN does not offer a free trial. However, it does offer a 7-day money-back guarantee. While this refund period is much shorter than the 30-day money-back guarantee offered by most VPN providers, it still gives you enough time to decide if AceVPN is the right VPN for your needs.
Summary
Acevpn is a generic VPN provider that makes some pretty big claims on their website, including that they offer one of the lowest prices. While it’s true that their prices can be ridiculously cheap, you have to make a serious commitment to take advantage of their benefits, and if you’re commitment-phobic like me, this will definitely put you off.
The performance is reasonable, but the setup and configuration is a bit technical, which isn’t exactly beginner-friendly. While the privacy policies aren’t entirely transparent, features like Smart DNS and TV Unblock are quite appealing when you’re faced with geographical restrictions and trying to watch some of your favourite shows. It’s best to try out the service before you decide to go for a paid service. I’m definitely glad I did.
