Anonymous VPN Review 2024 — Read This Before Buying

Anonymity is the main factor behind VPNs, and Anonymous VPN is conveniently branded around this critical component. While the provider portrays this fun-filled approach to privacy, it doesn’t joke with the technical aspects of anonymity.

In matters of security, the platform offers you a choice between using the OpenVPN and IPSec protocols. They use the AES 256-bit cipher for added security on the platform. They’ve even included a kill switch to ensure your IP doesn’t leak in case your internet drops.

Anonymous VPN has a zero-logging policy for sensitive data. They collect and store minimal data, such as your email and payment information when registering.

Movie lovers will be glad to know that you can use P2P software for torrenting. The VPN is also a great way to stream geo-blocked content such as YouTube, NBC, and some platforms in the UK. However, it can’t unblock Netflix and other major streaming sites.

Even worse, users from China can’t use the provider to bypass the country’s Great Firewall. Fortunately, those in other restricted countries, such as Russia, can use the VPN since they even have a server there.

In terms of pricing, Anonymous VPN has two membership options, including a monthly option at $12. That said, the platform offers a 3-day paid trial. Of the many fairly priced VPNs that we have reviewed, I believe these prices are above average, and the fact that you need to pay for the trial is unheard of.

I have gone the extra mile to test various features on Anonymous VPN and compiled this comprehensive review. Is this cool VPN provider truly anonymous, or will your IP address leak when you log in to sites like The Pirate Bay? Let’s find out, shall we?

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Streaming — Terrible

If you are thinking of using Anonymous VPN to access other major sites such as Netflix US, Netflix UK, Netflix Canada, Netflix EU and Netherlands, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, DAZN, Channel 4, or Hulu, don’t bother.

The only popular sites that I successfully unblocked were YouTube and NBC.

Unblocked: YouTube, and NBC

If you love watching videos or streaming music on YouTube, then Anonymous VPN is a great choice. You can also access content on NBC using the VPN.

Blocked By: Netflix US/UK/Canada, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN

Unfortunately, Anonymous VPN is among the worst VPNs for streaming that I have come across.

To start with, I couldn’t unblock Netflix using this VPN. I specifically connected to 5 servers on the network (Canada, UK, Netherlands, Germany, and Japan), and none of them could unblock Netflix. When trying to log into Netflix, I was met with proxy error alerts, redirects to the Netflix catalog in my country, and extremely slow speeds which were frustrating.

After unsuccessfully trying to unblock streaming sites using almost 12 servers, I decided to contact support for clarification on the issue. In the response email, the support team blamed the issue on the US servers which were under maintenance.

A screenshot of a message from Anonymous VPN’s support team

I even tried my luck with Hulu, but unfortunately, I was met with an error message as shown below:

Efforts to access HBO Max were also met with a geo-restriction alert.

Speeds — Average

Connecting to VPN servers comes with a loss in speed. The most obvious reason is the distance from the server — the further away it is, the slower the connection. Other factors include the geographical location of the source content, your ISP, and the strength of the internet connection.

I carried out lengthy tests to gauge whether there was a loss in speed when using Anonymous VPN. The results indicated over a 90% drop in download speed when connected to international servers. I first tested different local servers with my baseline location in Nairobi, Kenya where the speed was as follows: ping — 22 ms; download — 5 Mbps; and upload — 4.8 Mbps without a VPN.

I started the tests by connecting to a nearby server in Nairobi. The speed dropped slightly to 4.07 Mbps (download), and 4.54 Mbps (upload).

Speed test results on Anonymous VPN’s Nairobi server

When connected to a server in Canada, the download speed dropped by over 90% to 1.46 Mbps, but the upload speed was fairly stable at 4.30 Mbps.

Speed test results on Anonymous VPN’s Canadian server

A similar drop happened when I connected to a server in Germany. My download speed dropped to 1.19 Mbps.

Lastly, I decided to test a server in Japan. The download speed dropped terribly to 0.98 Mbps.

It’s worth noting that it takes an average of 20 to 30 seconds to connect to a server on Anonymous VPN. That’s a fair speed compared to other VPNs.

Are Anonymous VPN’s Speeds Fast Enough for Gaming? Yes

Since Anonymous VPN uses the OpenVPN protocol, you will enjoy pretty decent speeds when gaming.

I tested the network’s speed when playing a game of Fortnite Battle Pass using a server in Germany. Indeed, there was no buffering and the speed was passable.

Server Network — Limited

Sadly, Anonymous VPN has only 1,000 servers spread across 23 countries. So limited is the server network that you can manually count them on the network’s website. Having so few servers on a network often results in slower speeds, especially when there are many people connected to the VPN.

Most of the servers were in Europe, Asia, and Australia with only one server in Africa and zero servers in South America.

Unfortunately, the US server wasn’t available on the VPN’s drop-down list. I decided to double-check with support and they confirmed this, claiming that the said server was under maintenance.

A screenshot of the customer service response from Anonymous VPN

Also, to switch servers, you have to disconnect from the current server which I found to be a tedious task.

Security — Solid With Zero IP, WebRTC, or DNS Leaks

True to its brand of anonymity, Anonymous VPN has taken deliberate steps to ensure your security when connected to the VPN.

However, security information is hard to find on their website. Therefore, I decided to carry out my own verifications using various parameters. I tested it and the VPN has no IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks.

A screenshot of Anonymous VPN’s leak test results

Further, there are three protocols supported by Anonymous VPN: OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP. Of these three, the most secure is OpenVPN since it provides a secure connection without sacrificing your speed. For those looking for an easy set-up, PPTP is the best option, though it has a lower encryption level compared to the other two. While L2TP has a better encryption level compared to PPTP, it’s much slower and less efficient.

All the protocols on Anonymous VPN are locked down using military-grade 256-bit encryption which is used by government agencies and leading security firms. The info is kept safe using a P-256 key exchange.

Unfortunately, Anonymous VPN doesn’t work with Tor, a leading privacy browser. Combining Tor with your VPN provides you with that extra layer of privacy. When entering Tor, the VPN blocks the entry node which then hides your IP address.

However, Anonymous VPN allows you to have a dynamic IP address that prevents attackers from accessing your network equipment.

You can also enable the kill switch on the platform to prevent your IP from leaking in case your VPN connection suddenly drops.

A screenshot of the Anonymous VPN app

Anonymous VPN doesn’t protect your device from malware since there is no malware blocker.

Privacy — Strict Zero-Log Policy

The platform adheres to a strict zero-log policy to ensure the maximum privacy of its users. Therefore, the platform doesn’t track or keep records of the sites you visit or your activity while connected to the VPN.

A screenshot of Anonymous VPN’s log policy

However, the policy also discloses that they do collect some personal data during registration, such as your email and credit card information, for you to make payments. Any transactions are handled by a third-party processor, SafeCharge, which has a strict confidentiality level.

Those using the VPN for sensitive activities such as P2P torrenting can rest easy knowing that their logs don’t remain on the network. However, they do collect bandwidth information and timestamps, which are used to evaluate the network’s performance.

Better yet, the VPN’s headquarters are in Seychelles, which has no data retention laws. It’s also outside the scope of intelligence watchdogs and alliances that are seen to violate people’s privacy.

Torrenting — Allowed and Fast

It’s safe to torrent using Anonymous VPN which takes pride in being a P2P-friendly provider. To test that, I logged into uTorrent when connected to the VPN, and indeed I successfully downloaded a free Wikipedia backup file within a short time.

I reached out to support to find out if torrenting is allowed, and they confirmed that it is. However, they put a disclaimer that one should triple-check their IP address when logging into sites such as BitTorrent. The response made me skeptical about torrenting using the VPN due to the risk of my IP leaking.

A screenshot of a response from Anonymous VPN’s support team

While torrenting may be safe on Anonymous VPN, downloading huge files may be cumbersome due to the slow speeds on the network.

Furthermore, all the servers on Anonymous VPN allow P2P which isn’t common with other providers.

A screenshot of Anonymous VPN’s P2P servers

Does Anonymous VPN Work in China? No

Unfortunately, Anonymous VPN doesn’t help unblock content in China despite having a server in Hong Kong. China has put in place strict censorship on internet activity that is commonly referred to as the Great Firewall.

I decided to confirm with support about the issue but the email response was dodgy. They didn’t answer about China specifically as you can see:

A screenshot of an email from Anonymous VPN

There’s a way one can bypass the Firewall using specific ports on the OpenVPN protocol which is supported by Anonymous VPN. However, one needs to be technically savvy to successfully configure the necessary settings.

I would also steer away from using the VPN in Russia or the UAE, which also have strict censorship of content.

Simultaneous Device Connections — Unlimited

You can connect an unlimited number of devices simultaneously with one subscription.

However, it says that it has a right to cut to 3 simultaneous connections with one subscription in the event of overloading on the servers.

Device Compatibility — Compatible With Windows, Mac, and Android

Unfortunately, Anonymous VPN is only compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, and select routers. At the moment, the VPN doesn’t have an app for iOS and isn’t compatible with Linux. It also doesn’t support many other devices such as Kodi, Roku, Apple TV, and Smart TVs. This limited compatibility is unfair considering the VPN’s hefty price tag.

Windows

I downloaded the Anonymous VPN desktop app on my laptop that was running on Windows 10. The app had a simple layout with a drop-down menu to access the server list and a slot to enter your log-in details.

Mac

The VPN has a different app for Mac but it works in a similar way as the Windows app. There’s also an app available on the Apple App Store designed for iPads, but its poor reviews and 2-star rating are worrying.

Android

You can download the VPN’s Android app on the Google Play Store. However, the app has a low rating of 2.9 with most users complaining about the VPN's poor customer support.

A screenshot of Anonymous VPN’s Android app reviews

Routers

There’s no clear information on the specific routers that the VPN supports. However, you will find a guide on the website’s knowledge base that will help with setting up the VPN on a router, so it must be compatible.

A screenshot of Anonymous VPN's router set-up page

iOS

The VPN doesn’t have an app available for iOS users. However, users can create a workaround on the OpenVPN app to use the VPN on their iOS devices. More details on how to go about this have been provided on the site’s knowledge base.

Linux

There’s no dedicated client for Linux devices. That said, the platform provides a guide on how to use the VPN on Linux devices.