AtlasVPN Review
AtlasVPN is a young but highly-ranked VPN service that has been available since 2019. Several years of experience were enough for the company to accumulate an audience of 6M users worldwide. This is one of the so-called freemium VPN services: users have a choice between the light version with limited options for free and the premium one with a full range of features.
The company has many positive reviews and takes the leading positions in many ratings. In 2021, AtlasVPN became part of Nord Security, a company with an experience of more than ten years and a strong reputation in the market. All this may serve as reassuring evidence.
However, you may wonder if AtlasVPN is the exact VPN platform you need. In this guide, we’ll explain the key possibilities of the service. So, follow us, and you’ll know the answer.
Pros and Cons
A detailed review of the AtlasVPN possibilities is to follow. Let us start with a quick roundup of its key benefits and drawbacks.
Pros: |
Cons: |
✔ ease of use; ✔ Netflix & similar services unblocked; ✔ good for torrenting; ✔ blockers for ads, malware, and trackers; ✔ fast speed due to WireGuard protocol; ✔ a free version & cheap plans; ✔ quality support. |
✘ a US-based VPN service; ✘ a limited choice of servers and countries; ✘ basic features only. |
Many users would prefer to try free AtlasVPN at once. However, if you wish to learn more about the VPN service’s options, features, and plans, stay with us. We’re ready to give you all this information about AtlasVPN.
AtlasVPN Specifications
The feature set of AtlasVPN is just enough to let users do everything they want to do with the help of a VPN. When thinking of subscribing to this service, consider the following specialties in the first place.
Unlimited Options
AtlasVPN is available across all possible devices, from Windows and Linux to Android TC and Amazon Fire TV. The platform allows any user to connect an unlimited number of devices to AtlasVPN and employ its servers on them simultaneously via one account.
SafeSwap Servers
One of the key features of AtlasVPN that you won’t find with other providers is SafeSwap. The tech allows users to switch from one IP address to another without doing anything. The SafeSwap servers will do the full job themselves. You connect to AtlasVPN once, and then you do not have to disconnect/reconnect again to change a protected IP address.
The feature works together with the AtlasVPN Best Location Detector. For a user, it means they can enjoy the VPN options with one click. However, the whole process will be smart and rather automatic.
WireGuard
The WireGuard tech is the AtlasVPN specialty ensuring lightning-fast connections, streaming, and torrenting. It opens access to the most restricted locations. With its help, you can stream the following apps:
- Netflix;
- HBO Max;
- ESPN Plus;
- iPlayer BBC;
- Spotify;
- Hulu;
- Snapchat;
- TikTok;
- Youtube;
- Instagram;
- Twitch, and numerous others.
The AtlasVPN WireGuard tech is not only the most advanced protocol available in the industry. It also represents a set of tools to make your streaming seamless and fast. These built-in anti-buffering and anti-logs modules are present in every AtlasVPN server based on the WireGuard technology.
SafeBrowse
Another unique feature of AtlasVPN is SafeBrowse, a security toolkit designed to protect you against various threats. The main SafeBrowse tool is a smart anti-tracker. It disables bots and similar software to analyze your Internet activities and store any info about them.
The feature includes other instruments designed to block third parties from installing their dangerous spyware and ransomware or any crypto-jacking software into your browser. You can also expect powerful anti-phishing protection from the AtlasVPN SafeBrowse feature.
The SafeBrowse instruments also include the smart ads blocker that will let you get rid of irritating advertisements.
Block Malware
The Block Malware instruments may be seen as part of SafeBrowse since their mission is the same – they protect you from all sorts of malware. The main feature here is Kill Switch. It will immediately block the malicious site if you try to access it by accident.
That is, you may not worry about sites containing dangerous viruses, self-installing malicious programs, etc. AtlasVPN will simply disallow you to access them.
Data Breach Monitor
A good VPN today does not only hide your identity online. It serves as a reliable protection means by scanning loads of websites in the so-called dark web area. Such sites specialize in collecting and selling users’ data. If AtlasVPN detects your data on such a site, it will immediately report the leak. You’ll be informed about what information was leaked, when it happened, and so on.
Split Tunneling
The Split Tunneling feature allows you to use AtlasVPN servers for a certain part of your online traffic. The other part can remain unprotected with the VPN. This feature is important when you need to access a definite site via a VPN server without losing connection with other sites susceptible to location changes.
MultiHop+
The MultiHop+ feature is based on advanced encryption methods used by AtlasVPN. When using this feature, users protect their connection with several encryptions applied to their traffic. They don’t need to change servers or locations – MultiHop+ does all this itself.
Is AtlasVPN Safe?
Yes, AntlasVPN is safe to use. You may expect the most advanced encryption methods to be used on the platform. They include ChaCha20 and AES-256-bit encryptions. These methods are used for tunneling via WireGuard, while for IPSec/IKEv2S servers, you can also expect the SHA-384 and PFS encryption models.
Speed
Multiple tests of AtlasVPN servers have shown their solid performance. This is not the fastest VPN in the industry, but it surpasses competitors’ best part. Even when we were checking the free version, AtlasVPN servers impressed us with their fast speed.
It depends on your choice of protocol and the location you wish to unlock, of course. The highest possible results we achieved on WireGuard were 780 Mbps. The lowest speed was 210 Mbps, which is also solid when bearing in mind the location and a less powerful protocol used.
Cost
Atlas VPN offers a free version with three servers and two countries supported. For many users, these options may be enough. Moreover, most AtlasVPN features described above are included in the free plan. Free AtlasVPN supports all devices and unlimited connections, too.
The prepaid plans have more features and allow smarter management. At your disposal will be three options:
- A month-to-month subscription for $11.99/mo.
- A 1-year subscription for $4.08/mo.
- A 3-year subscription for $1.83/mo.
For the latter two, users should apply the BIGDEAL promo code when conducting their payments. All prepaid plans go with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Privacy and Security
Atlas VPN is a solid player in the market, but you may be disappointed with its location in the USA, a country from the Five Eyes alliance. Yet, AtlasVPN offers a strong No Logs policy and states it never shares its users’ sensitive data.
However, you should remember that AtlasVPN collects certain information about its users, including emails, device info, payment details, etc. AtlasVPN also employs cookies on its website. The company claims it stores the above-mentioned data only in order to improve the VPN service and never shares it with any third parties.
One more fact to consider is that since October 2021, AtlasVPN has been part of Nord Security. The latter is a reputable company based in Panama, a much more privacy-friendly location than the US. Hopefully, this acquisition will lead to further improvement of the AtlasVPN security and privacy options.
AtlasVPN Technical Parameters
It’s time to go a bit deeper and observe Atlas VPN’s technical capacities. Their main components are tunneling protocols and servers themselves.
VPN Protocols
AtlasVPN employs industry-forwarding protocols for tunneling data. Their list includes the following:
- WireGuard protocols (ensure fast speed and seamless connections);
- IPSec/IKEv2 (based on the UDP 500 port and can work less efficiently.)
AtlasVPN allows you to shift between these protocols when experiencing connection problems. The switch can be easily done through the AtlasVPN tab.
Servers Locations
The server capacities of AtlasVPN include 750+ servers in 42 countries. These figures are far from the best in the industry. Yet, most users will be satisfied since the countries include several ‘hard’ destinations.
Verdict: Is AtlasVPN Safe?
AtlasVPN is a budget-saving software with excellent performance and security. Even its free version can fully cover the needs of many users. If needing a modern and fast VPN based on the latest technologies, opt for AtlasVPN prepaid plans. For a very reasonable price, you’ll get an ideal instrument to ensure fast and seamless streaming. The best thing about AtlasVPN is that its free and prepaid versions support unlimited devices and unlimited simultaneous connections.