ActiVPN is a modest VPN provider with 61 VPN servers in 32 countries. The VPN has grown steadily since its launch in 2011 and currently serves around 6,000 users. This provider has some interesting features, but our overall impression is mixed.
We would like to mention that ActiVPN offers one of the best protection policies, with precise, strict rules that do not specify personal data. There is room for improvement in customer support, speed and reliability, and the size of the server network. ActiVPN’s one-month package is also a bit pricey.
ActiVPN is a decent VPN provider, but you can find more reliable VPN solutions for the price of their service. Check out our reviews of the best VPN providers to find a good one that meets your needs.
Features
- Security: Advanced security and encryption (AES-CBC 256 + PKI RSA 2048 bit).
- Customer support: Always ready to help you.
- Simplicity: Very easy to use software.
- Protocols: OpenVPN, L2TP + IPSec, PPTP.
- Low ping: For real-time applications: Games, videos.
- Data protection: Anonymous encryption of all traffic.
- No restrictions: Unlimited data transmission.
- Multiplatform: PC, Mac, mobile phone, tablet, router.
- Works on all devices: roaming, data transfer, mobile, roaming, mobile, roaming, mobile, tablet, tablet, roaming.
Speed Test
Speed is one area where ActiVPN does relatively well. There are no limits on user speed or bandwidth, so streaming and gaming shouldn’t take a hit.
And in our speed tests, we saw very good performance on most servers. The drop in download speeds was barely noticeable, around 30-50%, as were our upload speeds.
Latency was not an issue with the YouTube content we used, and we tested servers in multiple countries for safety. With almost all of them, we were able to watch our test videos without interruption.
IPCheck and DNSLeak Tests
Based on our IP checks, ActiVPN resolved to the exact IP address the client was pointing to. It also anonymised activity and data. No DNS leaks were found.
Privacy and Logging
ActiVPN uses impenetrable AES-CBC 265 and PKI RSA 2048-bit encryption to provide its clients with the highest level of online privacy. Combined with standard VPN protocols such as OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec and PPTP, this encryption provides bulletproof security and allows you to access censored content even in tightly controlled areas such as China or Saudi Arabia.
We also noticed that ActiVPN has different types of servers, some labelled “paranoid”, which we take to mean that they provide an extra level of security, although there is a possible loss of download speed.
When asked what data the provider does and does not record, we tried to find the privacy policy but were unable to do so. The only similar document available is the privacy notice, which contains only one sentence: “ActiVPN has not received any national security letters or FISA court orders, and has not been the subject of any FISA court-issued gag orders.”
Whether or not this VPN allows P2P activity is hard to say, as this is not mentioned anywhere on the website. However, with the help of a Google search, we managed to dig something up. It led us to a French page entitled “Conditions Générales d’Utilisation du Service”, which translates into English as “Terms of Use”, where we were told that “Les usages du type peer to peer sont strictement interdits”. In other words, using a VPN for P2P traffic is “strictly prohibited”.
User Experience
From launching the website to downloading and installing apps for multiple platforms, using ActiVPN is quite simple. The apps are very user-friendly and easy to navigate. It is also easy to cast spells on the servers in the iOS app. If you need to manually select or switch VPN protocols, this can be done seamlessly from within the ActiVPN app.
The main aspect that affects the user experience with ActiVPN is support. Your support team needs some improvements in response time to keep up with other aspects of the VPN service and improve overall reliability.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Secure
- Simple and fast
- Unlimited data transfer
- Accepts bitcoin payments
Cons
- No free trial period
Summary
ActiVPN offers ease of use from accessing websites to installing and using VPN services on all platforms. In terms of user support, email response time was around 5 hours in our tests, while access to the live chat option was excellent. ActiVPN features support for multiple protocols, strong encryption and anti-DDoS protection, which together provide users with complete anonymity, privacy and top-notch VPN security.
