Description: PureVPN is, as you might imagine, a VPN solution for Android. It’s designed for a number of different use cases, with online security and the ability to access blocked or geographically restricted content that allows you to travel the world with an open internet, being a couple of the most popular uses. With PureVPN, you can choose which country to appear like you’re connecting from, you can use it to access TOR sites with full anonymity and it’s great for keeping your information safe and private. Moreover, it can help you enjoy streaming blocked or restricted content from your home country while travelling or if you’ve emigrated somewhere. So, someone from the US can access the far superior Netflix no matter where they are in the world, for instance. There’s 256-bit encryption at play here which provides unbeatable security that secures your emails, instant messaging, communication and connection on Wi-Fi hotspots. It can stop data sniffers from accessing your private information and prevent geo-targeting and location identification.
There are free and paid plans. A free plan enables you to use 500MB of data a month in three geographical locations. The paid plan offer a whole lot more with no caps, bandwidth limitations and a great many locations to choose from. So, with all of the boxes ticked, let’s take a closer look at PureVPN on Android.
How it Works: The first thing you’ll need to do is to go ahead and download PureVPN from the Play Store, once you’ve done that you’ll either need to sign in with your account or create a new one. Either of which is fairly simple.
Once you’ve loaded up, you’ll see how much of your plan’s data you have left – I’m testing out the unlimited plan here – and you’ll also see where you’re connecting from, too.
To get started and get a VPN connection running, you’ll need to choose a use case first, this tells PureVPN what sort of connection it should provide you and the list is pretty comprehensive. With the team focusing on helping users to stream content otherwise unavailable in their region and keep safe online.
I went ahead and chose the security option, which would be perfect for those using an insecure network while travelling. Something like this will enable you to check your bank or your email or whatever safely, thanks to the 256-bit encryption.
Once you’ve gone ahead and chosen a nation from the expansive list, you can get yourself connected.
One thing you need to be aware of of course, is that you will be sending all your traffic through this app, but then again that’s the whole point.
When you’re connected to a VPN, you’ll be able to monitor your network traffic and see your virtual IP from the main display.
You’ll also be notified of your connection status in the notification tray, too.
Opinion: I’ve spent quite a bit of time with a number of VPN solutions on Android this past year, and while they all essentially offer the same sort of thing, PureVPN goes above and beyond what’s required. For one thing, there’s a staggeringly long choice of different nations to connect from, with some nations I genuinely didn’t think were known for internet access. I like the descriptive uses that you can choose when getting a VPN connection set up, that’s a nice touch for new users that aren’t familiar with VPN solutions and will certainly help new users choose the best thing for them. Being great for watching content from overseas as well as keeping your information secure no matter where you are, I was impressed with PureVPN as it’s one of the better solutions and certainly one of the more complete I’ve used.
Ratings
- Speed (4/5) – PureVPN is nice and speedy, and while connected I didn’t notice any sort of slowing down of my WiFi or cell connection.
- Features (5/5) – This does what other apps do, but the servers are solid and work well, and there’s use cases to help tune your connection and there’s a massive list of countries to connect from.
- Theme (4/5) – The UI is pretty decent, and while nothing stunning it doesn’t look dated or anything.
- Overall (4/5) – A solid VPN solution that arguably has more on offer than similar options, PureVPN is worth looking into as a safe solution while overseas, or to help you get your TV fix while travelling.
Pros
- Lots of different countries to connect from, allowing for a dizzying array of flexibility.
- Works well for keeping your info secure, as well as catching up on TV and such while travelling away from home.
- The use cases and their short descriptions can help give users an idea of what PureVPN can be used for.
- Offers more than other for free, albeit without the same breadth of countries to connect from.
Cons
- Subscription plans could be pricey to some, but they’re well worth it for regular users.
- More countries for the free plan would be nice, but the three on offer do cover the bases, mostly.
Conclusion: PureVPN is one of the more complete VPN solutions that I’ve spent time with on Android lately and while the free plan isn’t great, the subscription plan has a lot to offer regular users and is worth it for frequent travelers or those concerned about security. A VPN solution that covers all the bases, offers lots of different use cases and is great for catching up on TV back home as well as getting a secure connection while on the move, PureVPN is one to take a look at.