VPN services (virtual private networks) are mobile and computing apps that allow you to hide your location, identity and IP address from the rest of the internet. The best VPN services encrypt all your internet traffic and pass it through a private tunnel to their own secure servers so that no one can see what you're reading or downloading - not the government, not your ISP, not even the VPN service itself.
All internet content is completely encrypted - securely jumbled so no one could read it even if they intercepted it - between the VPN server and your device.
Avast SecureLine VPN: Pretty But Pricey. Avast used to charge for each Mac, but has simplified things so that Mac software simply costs $59.99 per year. Who own both smartphones and tablets. Avast SecureLine VPN: Pretty But Pricey. Avast used to charge for each Mac, but has simplified things so that Mac software simply costs $59.99 per year. Who own both smartphones and tablets. These devices include Windows and Mac OS X PCs and laptops, iPhones, iPads, or Android smartphones or tablets. This SecureLine VPN plan is marketed using term pricing. Avast has graciously offered our guests a discount on these packages.
By doing this, a VPN can protect your data, keeping it safe and anonymous while you connect with your online banking account, favorite retailer or adult entertainment site. So if you want to keep your emails, browsing history or bank details away from potential prying eyes, a VPN is the way to do it.
https://yellowchatter.weebly.com/blog/avast-for-free-mac. A VPN's ability to encrypt traffic and change your location to be whatever you want it to be also allows you to bypass blocks, filters or restrictions on the internet or local networks. That means if there's a Netflix block at your school, you can use a VPN to access it on your phone regardless. If you're visiting China next month, you'll be able to use a VPN to access Facebook and Whatsapp which are both blocked in that country. And if you're on vacation in the UK and want to access your usual US Netflix content - that's easy too.
What's more, the best VPN apps these days are super easy to use - there's no need to be some sort of computing expert. They're self-explanatory and easy to work out.
Best Vpn For Mac And Ios
So if you’re interested in the benefits of a VPN, on this page we have compiled our top 10 services to help you find the VPN that's right for you. You can also read our full reviews at the included links if you want to take a deeper dive into the pros and cons of each individual service.
The best VPN 2019:
1. ExpressVPN
Simply the best VPN money can buy - ExpressVPN came top in our tests for speed, ease of use, unblocking and security
Number of servers: More than 3,000 | Speeds: Unlimited | VPN locations: 160 in 94 countries | IP addresses: 30,000 | Maximum devices supported: 5 | 24 live chat: Yes | 30 day money back guarantee: Yes
12 months
$6.67
6 months
$9.99
1 month
$12.95
Fastest VPN out there
30-day free trial
Now allows 5 connections
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for almost everyone, thanks to its fantastic apps, ease of use, superb speeds, excellent 24/7 customer-service support and wide compatibility across devices. You can use the service on Mac, Windows, iOS, Android or even Linux and BlackBerry. You can also install it on your Android TV, games console or your home router.
For anyone new to the VPN world, ExpressVPN is super-simple to use with a one-click startup option. And for those looking for more complex and advanced options, it also offers a kill switch and DNS leak protection - plus you get industrial-level encryption and there's a clear no logging policy.
The service also recently fixed one of its primary drawbacks - it used to only allow three simultaneous connections per account. That has now been upped to the industry standard of five - enough for the vast majority of people's needs.
If you're planning to use your VPN to access Netflix and other streaming services like HBO Go, Hulu or Sky Go - Express is simply the undisputed champion. It has a team constantly ensuring they're providing access to the most popular sites and helping you find the right server locations - if you're struggling, the aforementioned 24/7 customer service team will sort you out with a quick chat.
One final killer addition to this service is a 30-day money-back guarantee. So, effectively, you can try this for free for 30 days, and if you don't like it you can easily cancel and walk away without having spent a dime.
Read our full ExpressVPN review
Get a discount on Tom's Guide's best VPN 2019 If you're still not convinced by ExpressVPN, knowing that a 30-day money back guarantee is in place may just sway you. Or, if you know that going for the full 12 months makes sense, then hit the 'View deal' button below and claim 3 months extra FREE and a healthy 49% off what a 1-month plan would cost.
2. NordVPN
The world's most famous VPN service is still very impressive, offering excellent speed, great apps and top security
Number of servers: 5,691 | Server locations: 60+ | IP addresses: N/A | Maximum devices supported: 6 | 24 live chat: Yes | 30 day money back guarantee: Yes
36 months
$2.99
12 months
$6.99
1 month
$11.95
Super 2048-bit encryption
Handy connection wizard
NordVPN is our second best VPN of 2019. If pure security is your need, then Nord is one of the options for you, thanks to the provider's 2048-bit encryption that'd leave even the military impressed – and blocked out. To be specific, that's out of over 5,500 servers that are spread over 60 countries. All that gives you strong DNS leak protection, two kill switches and excellent connection speeds.
Unique features of NordVPN include proxy extensions for the likes of Bitcoin, PayPal, credit cards, Chrome and Firefox. In addition, you get SmartPlay, which helps you get around geo restrictions, making it ideal for watching the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video or BBC iPlayer abroad. And if you run into problems, you can solve them with the aid of NordVPN's help center articles, email support or live chat support options.
On the downside, there were issues with server connections from time to time but largely we got online fine and speeds were well above average. With lots of payment options available, there should be something for everyone here. But compare the price of NordVPN to the rest, and it may just be the service for you. Read our full NordVPN review.
3. IPVanish
Another top VPN service that offers 10 simultaneous connections and excellent support for those with lots of devices
Number of servers: 1,300 | Server locations: 75+ | IP addresses: 40,000+ | Maximum devices supported: 10 | 24 live chat: Yes | 30 day money back guarantee: Yes
12 months
$4.87
3 months
$6.75
1 month
$7.50
Very reliable
Fast speeds
Third in our rankings list comes IPVanish - a fantastic VPN service that boasts over 1,300 servers in more than 75 countries, 24/7 customer service and a whopping 10 simultaneous connections available at a time.
You may yet use those 10, as IPVanish works on lots of devices, including Mac, Windows, Android and iOS. The desktop apps offer plenty of options that will keep the pros happy, while the just-work simplicity is also there for everyone else. That it all functions with far above average speeds is a nice bonus.
The lack of a kill switch on the mobile version of the app may be a downside for some but generally everything worked well. If you do want to give this VPN a go, you're covered by a seven-day money-back guarantee. However, its subscription price is kind of high, and its U.S. base may be a negative for some potential customers. Read our full IPVanish review.
4. Hotspot Shield
A super popular VPN service with an iffy free option
Number of servers: 2,500+ | Server locations: 80+ | Maximum devices supported: 5 | 24 live chat: No | 30 day money back guarantee: No
36 months
$2.99
12 months
$5.99
1 month
$12.99
Free data allowance
Servers in China and Russia
U.S. based
Hotspot Shield is mostly famous for its free option but we've included it in our list of the best VPN services due to the quality of its premium, paid option. The feature it has over the competition is a super cheap price. If you can't stomach the albeit minimal cost of ExpressVPN, Hotspot Shield is a decent cheap option. That being said, it does have its limitations versus the competition. For example its lack of support for the OpenVPN standard means you cannot set it up on your router, games console or Chromebook for which there are no specific apps. There's a free trial of the paid service if you want to try it - it offers a week of service for nothing.
5. Windscribe
The very basic VPN with a killer feature - unlimited connections
Number of servers: 400 | Server locations: 60 | Maximum devices supported: Unlimited | 24 live chat: No | 30 day money back guarantee: No
12 months
$4.08
1 month
$9
Affordable
Privacy wins
Windscribe VPN's standout features are a very generous free service that gives you up to 10GB per month, and a moderately priced paid service that lets you connect as many devices at once as you like. Most other VPN services permit only five to 10 at a time.
Windscribe is compatible with many platforms – including routers and Amazon Fire and Kodi TV set-top boxes. The service offers a great variety of connection options, has a wide geographic reach with hundreds of servers, and presents an appealing, if minimal, user interface. It was also one of the best at connecting to foreign Netflix catalogs, if you're into that sort of thing.
Windscribe's network performance wasn’t quite as impressive, however. Our testing showed slower connection times than its competitors.
You can pay for a Windscribe subscription with bitcoin, and you don't even have to provide an email address. The service is based in Canada, which may appeal to users wary of U.S. authorities. The only feature lacking is a kill switch to stop all internet activity if the VPN connection is lost while in use. But Windscribe argues that its built-in firewall prevents data leakage. Read our full Windscribe review.
6. CyberGhost
A respectable VPN service with plenty of features servers to choose from
Number of servers: 4,700 | Server locations: 65+ | IP addresses: N/A | Maximum devices supported: 7 | 24 live chat: No | 30 day money back guarantee: No
36 months
$2.75
12 months
$5.99
1 month
$12.99
Wide server spread
45-day money-back guarantee
Interface could be better
CyberGhost has a feature-loaded, user-friendly interface, with convenient buttons in the Windows client software for streaming media, torrenting files, protecting your Wi-Fi transmissions and evading censorship.
There are about 4,700 CyberGhost connection points in over 60 countries worldwide. You don't need to provide your real name, just a working email address, and you can pay in bitcoin (should you have any) to remain nearly anonymous. As with most full-fledged VPN services, you can connect directly from your operating system's network settings or use third-party OpenVPN software to do so. You can also select from among VPN protocols and set up a home Wi-Fi router to use CyberGhost all the time.
CyberGhost is transparent about its company structure, posting photos and bios on its website of everyone from the CEO to the cleaning person, and privacy fanatics will like that the company is based in Romania rather than in the U.S. But CyberGhost's full-service subscription price is among the most expensive month-by-month — it's far better to just pay for a year at a time. Read our full CyberGhost review.
7. TunnelBear
A great option for total VPN newbies and technophobes
Number of servers: 1,500+ | Server locations: 22+ | IP addresses: N/A | Maximum devices supported: 5 | 24 live chat: No | 30 day money back guarantee: No
24 months
$4.17
12 months
$4.99
1 month
$9.99
Extremely user-friendly
Very secure
Client software required
Goldilocks would love TunnelBear, as it's just right for VPN newcomers. It has a friendly, easy-to-use interface; offers a limited free plan that's ideal for casual use in airports and cafes; is uncomplicated yet offers a fair number of options; has over 1,500 servers in 22 countries; and doles out a large helping of security and privacy.
TunnelBear's network performance and pricing are just about average compared with other services we've reviewed The company takes security and privacy seriously, explaining its policies and protocols in plain English, and you can read the results of two third-party security audits on the company website.
However, you've got no choice but to run TunnelBear's client software – unless you use Linux – which may concern some privacy-minded users, and there's no option to set up TunnelBear connections on routers or other devices. Finally, this tiny Canadian firm is now owned by U.S. antivirus giant McAfee, which may mean TunnelBear is subject to U.S. search warrants. Read our full TunnelBear review.
8. StrongVPN
A great VPN option if you need up to 12 devices connected at once
Number of servers: 650+ | Server locations: 26 | IP addresses: ?? | Maximum devices supported: 12 | 24 live chat: No | 30 day money back guarantee: No
12 months
$5.83
1 month
$10
Works on 12 devices at once
Has own DNS service
No trial offer
limited features
StrongVPN is a solidly performing VPN, perfect for bypassing region locks. However, beyond the basics, it offers some unique extra benefits while missing out on some more obvious others.
The really attractive feature is that you can have up to 12 devices running StrongVPN at once, which is more than enough to cover all of your devices and still have some left over. But this is balanced out by a lack of details, like information in the server browser or DNS settings, and the fact you have to pay a relatively high price for even an annual subscription in comparison to rival VPNs. You don’t get a free trial either, as the best StrongVPN offers here is a 30 day money-back guarantee, meaning you will have to pay first no matter what.
All the same, you do get 24/7 customer support, including a helpline with more limited opening times, plus a good speed in almost every server location, which makes it at least passable for any kind of user.
9. VyprVPN
A super secure VPN that deserves its place in our top 10
Number of servers: 700+ | Server locations: 70+ | IP addresses: 200,000+ | Maximum devices supported: 5 | 24 live chat: No | 30 day money back guarantee: No
12 months
$5
12 months
$6.67
1 month
$9.95
Speedy performance
Attractive annual plans
Monthly plans cost you more
VyprVPN is one of the most secure VPN options out there, thanks to it being a Swiss-based service. That means 73 server locations with zero-knowledge DNS plus its own famous-in-the-right-circles Chameleon protocol, which gets you online even in VPN-blocking countries – yup, including China.
This service has clients for most platforms, including Mac, Windows, iOS and Android plus Android TV, QNAP, BlackPhone and Anonabox, to name a few. You also get to enjoy superfast download speeds. Previously VyprVPN was criticised for its use of session logging, even if it was only a 30 day record of details connection times and IP addresses. Now though, the service has moved to a 'zero log' policy, keeping your information truly private.
Some server issues were spotted when testing this service but that could have just been bad luck, as generally it performed well. Pricing is reasonable, so this is an appealing offering indeed. Read our full VyprVPN review.
10. SurfShark
The new VPN on the block, SurfShark is an up and coming VPN service
Number of servers: 800+ | Server locations: 50+ | IP addresses: N/A | Maximum devices supported: Unlimited | 24 live chat: Yes | 30 day money back guarantee: No
24 months
$1.99
12 months
$5.99
1 month
$11.95
Cheap two year plan
Basic app interface
In general, SurfShark is both fast and powerful, with advanced features (although the mobile app is more bare-bones), and is capable of bypassing region restrictions with ease.
The 24-month deal works out at only $1.99 a month, which is clearly fantastic value. But there’s no free trial, meaning you have to commit for two years immediately or pay for a single month first if you want to try it out.
The other problems you might want to watch out for are a lack of online support beyond set-up (although the live chat makes up for this should you want it) and the fact that some of the servers have their physical locations separated from their IP locations, meaning that depending where you’re accessing them from, you could end up with sluggish performance.
How We Test VPNs
We start by collating all of the VPN service provider options. We then narrow down the options by checking security requisites for each one, so if one requires your personal details, for example, that would be a strike against it. We then look at the features offered to further whittle the selection. We also take into account pricing, with not only the charge but how you're able to pay, and whether any money-back guarantees were on offer. Security also applies here as we look at those companies that keep your payment details private, allow you to pay with bitcoin and so on.
The next step in security testing is to delve into the Privacy Policy as well as the Terms and Conditions. Yup, we must really love you to be reading that stuff. Avast for mac 10.7.5. We make sure that things like company-logging policies are clear, and that any information sharing is clear. We also check to see if there are any restrictions like age or commercial use.
Then comes the testing of the VPNs themselves. We not only test performance speeds for downloads and uploads across local and distant servers using Speedtest.net but for leaks, too. Some VPNs can have DNS or other leaks that give clues to your identity, so we use IPleak.net to test that the VPNs are as secure as they claim to be.
Finally, we make sure that the client interface is simple to use but also that there are more complex options for those who need them. That includes things like tools for country, region, server, speed, filters, favorites, server load and ping time displays and so on.
What VPNS Do And Don't Do
Using a VPN can make it look like you're someplace else. It's a well-worn practice to evade online censorship, as is done in some countries, or to tap into U.S. streaming services while in Europe or Asia. We've used VPNs to read the New York morning paper in Beijing, and watch U.S. TV in England.
But there are some caveats. A VPN will give you more privacy but not more security. If you end up on a website harboring malware, the VPN can't prevent you from being infected. Some of the full-fledged VPN services block known malicious websites, just as some browsers do.
Also, although your data is encrypted as it travels between you and the far-off VPN server, it won't necessarily be encrypted once it leaves the VPN server for its final destination. If the data isn't encrypted — and that depends on the website you're connecting to — then the traffic might be intercepted and read. One well-known VPN provider was recently accused of inserting ads in users' web browsers, which would violate users' security and privacy.
If you just want to evade geographical restrictions on streaming content, such as BBC iPlayer or Hulu, you don't need a VPN to do so. You just need a proxy service that will make it look like you're in the right country. There are many free proxy services available, but do your homework before choosing one — some are a bit dodgy.
Finally, Netflix and the BBC are cracking down on VPNs and proxy services. There's no guarantee that a particular service will evade geographical restrictions on a particular day.
Know Your VPN Types
All of the VPN services we've reviewed use the AES-256 encryption standard, which would take a well-equipped hacker with a powerful computer many years to crack. Anyone eavesdropping on your Wi-Fi traffic in a café would see gibberish without the encryption key.
Nine of the VPN services we've tested — CyberGhost, ExpressVPN, IPVanish, Mullvad, NordVPN, Private Internet Access, PureVPN, VPN Unlimited and Windscribe — are what we call 'full-featured.' If you plan on running all your home internet traffic through a VPN, or you travel frequently, these are the services you should consider.
These services offer many ways to connect, including without the service's client software; support operating systems and devices, such as routers or set-top boxes, beyond just the 'big four' operating systems of Windows, Mac, Android and iOS; have hundreds, or even thousands, of servers in dozens of countries; and generally let the user sign up and pay anonymously.
The flip side is that a few of these full-featured services are pretty anonymous themselves, operating behind shell companies in offshore tax havens. If you're trying to avoid government scrutiny, that's great, but you might have a hard time getting your money (or bitcoin) back in a dispute with the VPN provider.
Two more services, Hotspot Shield and TunnelBear, make you use their client software, which is limited to the big four OSes. You can't connect your home router or other nonstandard devices directly to these service's VPNs. TunnelBear makes an exception for Linux boxes.
Avast SecureLine and Avira Phantom VPN are run by antivirus companies as complements to their primary businesses. These services are also limited to Windows, Mac, iOS and Android and don't work without client software. But they offer few features, have a couple of dozen servers at most and don't let you pay anonymously. However, the companies are known quantities, and the services are handy for occasional travelers.
Finally, there's Opera VPN, which is completely free. The desktop version works only within the Opera web browser. Imovie download mac free trial. But the mobile apps, which are made by a different company, encrypt all the internet traffic to and from an iOS or Android device. However, both the desktop and mobile versions of Opera VPN have servers in only five countries.
VPN Protocols
There are several different VPN protocols, not all of which are used by all of the VPN services we reviewed. Most operating systems have built-in support for at least one of these protocols, which means you can use that protocol — and a willing VPN service — without client software. The full-fledged VPN services have online instructions for how to do this, as well as how to set up routers to connect directly to the services.
OpenVPN: OpenVPN is very secure, open-source and widely used. Most VPN services support it, but except for Chrome OS and Linux, few operating systems do. This protocol can be used in either TCP (web) or UDP (streaming) mode; the latter is sloppier but faster. You'll need either the VPN service's client software or one of the many free alternatives. Either way, you'll still need to pay for the VPN service.
L2TP/IPsec (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol with Internet Protocol Security): L2TP is not secure itself, so it's generally paired with the IPsec secure-networking standard. The combination of the two was once thought to be very secure when properly implemented, but some VPN services suggest that you use OpenVPN instead. L2TP/IPsec has native support in Windows, OS X/macOS, Android, Chrome OS and iOS. Most VPN services support it.
IKEv2 (Internet Key Exchange version 2, generally with IPsec): This is a newish standard that is very secure when properly implemented. It has native support in Windows, iOS and recent versions of OS X/macOS.
SSTP (Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol): SSTP is a Microsoft protocol with native support on Windows Vista and later versions. It's thought to be quite secure, but only Microsoft knows for sure.
PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol): This standard is largely obsolete, with many known security flaws, but it's fast. It has native support built into Windows, Android and older versions of Mac OS X and iOS; Apple dropped support with macOS Sierra and iOS 10. Use PPTP only for streaming content, as it won't protect your data.
SecureLine VPN is a premium online security service that is provided by Avast Software s.r.o., headquartered in Czech Republic, Prague. For those not familiar with Avast, they operate one of the largest cloud-based cybersecurity networks with over 435 million users. They leverage this big data to drive its next-gen, machine language and artificial intelligence engine to protect and defend your digital life. As part of this goal, they have developed both free and paid software and services. SecureLine VPN facilitates this goal by providing powerful encryption to secure your data and protect your online privacy. They have developed custom software for most major operating systems. Thus making it easier for Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, and Android users to connect to the SecureLine network whether at home or using your mobile Wi-Fi device from anywhere in the world.
Pricing and Special Offers
SecureLine markets their VPN service in a variety of ways. We feel that one of their best values is the one that allows multi-device access to their network. It provides up to five simultaneous devices. These devices include Windows and Mac OS X PCs and laptops, iPhones, iPads, or Android smartphones or tablets.
This SecureLine VPN plan is marketed using term pricing. Avast has graciously offered our guests a discount on these packages. As a result, you can get a month of their service for $7.99. Signing up for a longer term will save you even more. A year of their service will only cost you $63.99 or just $5.33 per month. This will save you 20% off their already discounted yearly package. Similar discounts are also applied to there 2-year and 3-year packages for those who want longer service terms.
Payment Methods
SecureLine offers a couple of different ways to pay for their VPN service. These include most major credit cards. The cards they accept are Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. For those who like to keep all of their online purchases in a central location, they accept payment through PayPal. No cryptocurrencies are supported at this time.
Open-source privacy protection – built on OpenVPN and OpenSSL. These are the most used privacy protocols because of their speed, reliability, and transparent security.
Network access – provide you access to virtual locations spread through 34 different virtual countries.
No activity logs – no logs of your online traffic. This includes apps used, websites visited, and content accessed.
256-bit AES encryption – ensures your incoming and outgoing data is secured against ISPs, malicious third parties, or other invisible snoopers.
Single shared IP address – allows you to disappear in the crowd of other Avast SecureLine VPN users.
Secures any Wi-Fi network – provides you with peace of mind when you connect to any hotspot. This includes your favorite coffee shop, local or international airport, or any unknown public network.
DNS leak protection – for IPv4 and blocks against IPv6 requests to suppress your true IP address.
Stream & gaming speeds – capable of letting you watch hi-def movies, avoid lag-sensitive twitch gameplay, or download large files.
Subvert censorship – to access social services and media content from wherever you are in the world.
P2P support – through select servers to let you privately share information.
Fast VPN network – servers with 2Gb/s throughput.
Free Trial and 30-Day Money Back Guarantee
SecureLine offers all new users a free 7-day trial of their VPN service. They also have a 30-day money back guarantee for subscribers. This shows that they want potential customers to have ample opportunity to fully test their network to ensure that it meets all of their needs. You should take advantage of these offers to fully test the SecureLine network. Make sure that it is compatible with all of your devices and that you are happy with its performance when visiting your favorite sites.
If you decide that the service does not suit all of your needs, you can request a refund of unused service time within 30 days of purchase. See the terms of this guarantee in their TOS to get the particulars for your refund.
Avast SecureLine VPN Network
The Avast SecureLine VPN network consists of 53 virtual locations. These are spread across 34 different countries to maximize the service coverage area. SecureLine has multiple locations in many popular countries to help improve overall network performance. These include Canada, Germany, Spain, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
All of their VPN gateways run on dedicated servers and they make sure each has enough excess capacity to maintain high performance even under peak loads. In addition, their network runs systems to automatically balance traffic across different servers to make sure none of them become overloaded. These VPN gateway locations are as follows:
Africa
South Africa, Johannesburg
Asia
China, Hong Kong; Israel, Petau Tikva; Japan, Tokyo; Malaysia, Johor Bahru; Singapore, Singapore; South Korea, Soeul; Taiwan, Taipei; Turkey, Istanbul
Europe
Austria, Vienna; Belgium, Brussels; Czech Republic, Prague; Denmark, Copenhagen; Finland, Helsinki; France, Paris
United States, Atlanta; Boston; Chicago; Dallas; Gotham City; Honolulu; Jacksonville; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Miami; New York; Salt Lake City; San Francisco; Seattle, Phoenix; Washington DC
Oceania
Australia, Melbourne; New Zealand, Auckland
South America
Brazil, Sao Paulo
All SecureLine VPN servers have a theoretical 2 Gb/s maximum throughput. Additionally, stress tests show that they average 450-600 Mb/s even under periods of intense load. They all run over UDP, so their network should be fast enough for your favorite HD streaming media, online RPG, or first-person shooter. SecureLine also allows P2P and torrent traffic on some of their VPN servers. These include the following locations:
Prague, Czech Republic; Frankfurt, Germany; Amsterdam, Netherlands; New York City, New York; Miami, Florida; Seattle, Washington; London, United Kingdom; and Paris, France
Your Anonymity and Privacy with SecureLine VPN
SecureLine does not allow subscriptions using a cryptocurrency. Therefore, they will know who you are so you must implicitly trust them. This should always be your first consideration when choosing a VPN. Their service will help you mask your true IP while surfing the Internet and provides a virtual IP that other Internet users see. They also channel IPv4 requests through the encrypted tunnel, block IPv6 requests, and guard against DNS leaks to protect your online privacy and anonymity.
SecureLine does not keep any logs regarding your traffic activity while using their VPN service. This means they do not log the apps you use, the sites you visit, or the content that you access. However, they do log connection data. This is stated in their Privacy Policy as follows:
Avast SecureLine: When you use the Avast SecureLine virtual private network (VPN) service, the server may capture certain basic data such as the time and network location from which the VPN connection was made and the duration of the VPN connection. This information is routinely deleted within 30 days. In addition, the system may store data on the bandwidth transferred per session.
As always, we would prefer that SecureLine not log any data while using their service. However, we applaud their honesty in providing this information. Under normal circumstances, this connection data should not directly affect your online privacy. However, we always prefer a true zero-log policy.
Secureline does not share or sell any of your information to third parties. However, they will evaluate and make decisions with relevant legal entities on a case by case basis. To this end they have published a transparency report of such requests for SecureLine on their website.
In summary, Secureline guards your online privacy while using their VPN service. However they will know who you are and they do log some connection data and store it for about 30 days. Therefore, we recommend that you thoroughly examine their Privacy Policy and TOS for yourself to see if they are compatible with your purpose for using a VPN service.
VPN Network and User Security
OpenVPN and IPSec Protocols
SecureLine uses OpenVPN on UDP utilizing OpenSSL as the protocol for their Windows and Android applications. This is widely believed to be the best VPN protocol available today by many providers. It is also one of the most trusted as it uses open source code. Their Mac OS X and iOS apps use the built-in IPSec protocol for security. These are built on Apple’s proprietary stacks for compatibility and performance. These are used with IKEv2 to support MOBIKE. This allows users to switch between Wi-Fi and cellular networks without the VPN dropping and supports auto-reconnection.
RSA- 2048 Handshake
The service uses SSL/TLS for server authentication and control to establish the initial encryption tunnel between your device and their VPN gateway. It uses RSA-2048 bit certificates for verification of all negotiated keys. Certificates are verified using SHA256 and keys support forward secrecy.
Data Encryption/Decryption and Authentication
SecureLine uses Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) with 256-bit key length to encrypt and decrypt your Internet traffic. This is the encryption used by the United States government for secret documents. Data authentication is handled using a SHA256 HMAC algorithm.
In summary, the VPN network implementation used by SecureLine will ensure that your data is protected from malicious Internet denizens and threats like packet sniffing, fake hotspots, evil twins, and man-in-the-middle attacks. Connecting to the network will provide you peace of mind while you are perusing your favorite Internet sites.
Technical Support
Avast SecureLine has a support section on their website that can answer many of your general questions about their VPN service. They also have a forum for both advanced and beginners that can help you with many issues. You can create a support ticket from their software or website for more technical issues. They answer most tickets within 24 hours. They also have 24/7 phone support. Finally they have an up-to-date social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and others.
Avast SecureLine VPN: Hands-On Testing
SecureLine VPN has developed custom software for Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, and Android devices. Windows and Android connect using the OpenVPN protocol. Mac OS X and iOS apps connect using IPSec. The respective minimum OS versions necessary to run these are as follows:
Windows – Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3 (any Edition, 32-bit or 64-bit) and later
Mac OS X – Apple macOS 10.9.x (Mavericks) and above
iOS – Apple iOS 5.1 or higher
Android – Google Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich, API 15) or higher
Downloading, installing, and using the custom software is easy. The procedure is essentially three basic steps.
Choose the download button for your Windows or Mac OS, the file to install it will be opened. It you choose to download iOS or Android apps, the install page on the iTunes or Google Play store will be shown.
Configure and install the software.
Run the software on your device and connect to the SecureLine VPN network.
Installing and Using SecureLine Windows Client
Installing the Windows Client
After allowing the software permission to make changes to your computer, it will ask you which language you want to use for the installation. Choose a language and the software welcomes you to the setup wizard. After clicking “Next”, the EULA will be shown. Review this and toggle your acceptance of it. You must accept the EULA for the setup to continue. Call of duty 2 cheat engine table.
Once the setup proceeds, you will have to choose an install directory or just accept the default one. You will then be presented with a series of installation screens. This process can take a couple of minutes but the completed setup window will eventually appear. Toggle “Start Avast SecureLine” and click the “Finish” button to open the client software.
This will open the first screen of a small SecureLine VPN tutorial. Click on “Get started” to step through the tutorial or choose to skip it.
After you step through the tutorial, click on the activation button to start the 7-day free trial. This will open the SecureLine client and connect you to the optimum VPN server from your location. In our case this optimum gateway is a server in New York.
This opens the SecureLine VPN dashboard. The dashboard takes four different states:
Connecting – displayed while the virtual IP address and other connection parameters are being established.
Connected – dashboard has a green background to make it easy to distinguish its state at a glance. It also displays a circumscribed check, the “Disconnect” button, and the current virtual location.
Disconnecting – displayed while connection to virtual location is broken and true IP is unmasked.
Disconnected – dashboard has a dark background indicating that you are not secure. It also displays a circumscribed x, “Connect” button, server selection down-arrow, and last successful connection location.
All forms of the dashboard show your subscription details at the bottom as well as purchase and license links if they have not been registered as is the case for the free trial. The bottom-right also has the settings icon.
Windows Client Settings
Clicking on the gear icon opens the settings window. All of the technical details are automatically handled by the service and it does not have port forwarding, a kill switch, or other added features.
Consequently, the Avast SecureLine VPN software only has a couple of general manual settings. These settings include the following:
Unsecured WiFi – lets you decide how you want to treat unencrypted Internet connections. (We recommend option 2; prompt for connect or option 3; automatically connect)
Leave the connection unsecured.
Offer to connect to SecureLine.
Automatically secure the connection.
Chose your language – select from over 20 different languages.
After you make your selections, click “OK” to save them and return to the dashboard
Using the SecureLine VPN Windows Client
Now that we have looked at the settings for SecureLine Windows client, let us examine it in action. Looking back at our disconnected dashboard, we see that it has a selection down-arrow.
Clicking on this opens the list of VPN Gateways on the SecureLine network. Selecting the Chicago, USA location will change our last connected location from New York to Chicago.
Click on the “Connect” button to finish your change of virtual locations and secure all of your online traffic. To disconnect, select the “Disconnect” button. Once the disconnecting window finishes it will cycle back to its disconnected state. The Windows minimize icon will shrink the client to the task bar while the close icon sends it to the system tray.
Notice that the icon in the system tray has an x in a red circle. This shows that our Internet is not secured. Right-clicking on the icon opens its control menu. This menu has the following options:
Open Avast SecureLine – maximizes the client. You must do this to change VPN servers or settings.
Connect – this connects to the last chosen virtual location.
Disconnect – as you might guess this disconnects you from your current VPN server. Notice, it is grayed-out since we are not connected.
Getting started – allows you to watch the opening tutorial again.
About product – opens the licensing information for the current client version.
Exit – this is the only way to completely close the software.
Clicking on the “Connect” option changes the SecureLine tray icon and the mouse over message. Also notice, “Connect” is now grayed-out and “Disconnect” is now an active option.
When you connect and disconnect from the VPN network, you will also see the following notifications above the system tray area. You can toggle these notifications if you would rather not see them.
In summary, the SecureLine client is easy to download and install. It makes it simple for anyone to connect to their VPN network regardless of their technical prowess. Changing virtual countries takes just a few clicks of your mouse. Connecting or disconnecting from your last connection takes just one. You can do this from the desktop or the system tray.
Installing and Using SecureLine Android App
Install the Android App from Google Play Store
The Android App installation procedure starts by browsing the SecureLine website and tapping on the “Install on Android” button. This opens its install page on the Google Play store. Once there, tap “Install” to transfer the app to your device. Then select “Open” when the transfer is completed.
When the app opens, it will show a short slideshow tutorial. Swipe across to view it. Afterwards, tap on the “Start free trial button”. This will prompt you to choose a plan and payment methods to subscribe once the trial period is up. You will not be charged until the trial period has ended. The dashboard screen will be displayed once you have subscribed to a SecureLine service package.
The dashboard is shown in its disconnected state with the optimal location selected. Before we examine how to connect to the SecureLine network with the app, let us look at the settings menu. This can be accessed by tapping on the gear icon in the upper-right corner of the dashboard screen.
SecureLine VPN Android App Settings
The settings menu consists of four categories. These are as follows: Malwarebytes for mac.
Account
Subscription – screen displays your current plan, optional upgrade plans, and help for canceling your subscription.
Settings – allows you to set connection rules to handle different types of networks.
Wi-Fi security – lets you choose how to treat unsecured and trusted networks.
Unsecured networks – have three different options. (Ask and automatically connect are the preferred options.)
Ask to turn on VPN
Automatically turn on VPN
Do nothing
Trusted networks – allows you to add known and stored networks to the trusted networks list.
Troubleshooting – opens a help screen with questions and answers to make using the SecureLine VPN easier.
General – settings for the current app version.
Data settings – let you choose how your data is collected and used.
Using the SecureLine VPN Android App
Now that we have examined the app settings, let us take a peek at it in action. Our first connection will be to the optimal location from us. All that is necessary to make this connection is a single tap on the “Connect” button. Since this is our first connection to the SecureLine VPN network, we first have to allow it to establish a VPN tunnel. Once we tap “OK”, the connection process completes.
Tapping on the “x” button disconnects us. Tapping on the up-arrow beside the country icon opens the list of VPN server locations. Notice that the optimal location is highlighted in light blue which indicates that it was our last selected location.
To change this, scroll to a location like Netherlands, Amsterdam and tap on it. This will automatically connect us to the new location. Again, we can disconnect with a tap on the “x”. Notice that the Netherlands location is now highlighted.
Also note that we must disconnect from the SecureLine service before we can connect to another server. Connecting to China, Hong Kong which has a longer ping time from us takes a little longer as indicated by the connecting state of the dashboard. After a short time our virtual location to China is established and secured. Again, disconnecting takes a single tap.
You can see from our look at the SecureLine Android app that it is simple to install. Using it is just as easy. Most of the technical details are obscured by the software but it does have some manual settings. Connecting to the last chosen VPN server takes just a single tap. Changing virtual locations needs only a couple of taps. Finally, disconnecting from the network can be accomplished with one tap on the dashboard.
Avast SecureLine VPN Speed Test
The overall performance of the Avast SecureLine service was acceptable. The speed test shows that their network performed well. As with most VPN providers, there was some loss in Internet speed when using their VPN gateways. The performance loss is largely due to the computational cost associated with encrypting and decrypting all of your Internet traffic.
As you can see from the images above, the SecureLine encrypted connection lowered our base ISP download speed from 22.74 Mb/s to 20.58 Mb/s. This is a drop of about 9.5% to a server in Chicago which is an acceptable drop in speed. This loss in performance is offset by the extra security provided by their 256-bit encryption. The security and privacy offered by this at your favorite hang out makes it well worth the performance cost.
Conclusion
SecureLine has been in the Internet privacy business for just a few years. However, their parent company Avast Software has been in the computer security business since 1988. Their network is built on the OpenVPN and IPsec protocols. These are two of the most secure protocols for VPNs. They are used along with the OpenSSL libraries for the network infrastructure.
Their network is not the largest but has physical servers on six different continents. It has servers in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America. SecureLine has VPN has servers in 34 different countries with multiple locations throughout the United States and several other popular destinations in Europe. The network allows P2P traffic on some of their servers but they do log some connection data. Thus they may not be the best choice for torrent users.
SecureLine has custom software for Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, and Android. Their apps are easy to download and install. They are also simple to use as they have only a couple of customizable settings. The Windows and Android apps use OpenVPN to connect to the network. Mac and iPhone use the built-in IPsec with IKEv2 for secure connection to the Secureline network for increased compatibility with Apple stacks. All the protocol options they provide use 256 bit AES encryption. The software includes protection against Internet leaks and DNS queries.
The SecureLine team has a support area on their website that contains answers to general VPN usage, billing questions, and low level technical questions. More involved issues are handled by senior technical staff through online tickets or 24/7 phone support. Most tickets are answered in about 24 hours. They also have a blog, forum, and an active social media presence.
What we liked most about SecureLine VPN:
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Custom clients for Windows, Mac OS X.
Mobile apps for iOS and Android devices.
Leak, DNS query, and malware protection.
New users get a 7-day free trial account.
Our guest get 20% off the yearly package.
30-day money-back guarantee.
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Ideas to improve the service:
Expand the network with more locations.
Add a kill switch to their software.
Add chat support to the website.
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The Avast SecureLine network has servers on six continents. Their network has servers in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America. They provide a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee for new accounts. This will allow you plenty of time to thoroughly test their service. If it suits all your VPN needs and you are happy with their performance, you can sign up from just $5.33 per month with our 20% discount on a yearly package.