Aura VPN Review — Is It Worth Your Money in 2025?

Aura VPN claims to offer all-in-one protection, fast speeds, and an easy-to-use interface — on par with leading VPN providers. However, mixed reviews and user complaints suggest otherwise. So, we set out to determine if Aura VPN delivers on its promise.

Is Aura VPN worth it? As far back as 2021, Aura had over 1.7 million users (Forbes)¹, so it’s doing something right. However, our tests showed that Aura VPN isn’t built for power users or those who value online privacy.

It lacks crucial VPN features and tries to be many things at once, so you’ll be better off with one of our top-rated VPNs. But, Aura VPN is a decent option if you’re looking for basic VPN protection on top of an all-in-one security package — and you live in the US.

Aura Pros, Cons, and Needed Improvements

Aura doesn’t provide details about the streaming platforms it reliably works with. In contrast, most popular VPNs offer information about compatible streaming platforms and how to troubleshoot common streaming issues. I asked Aura’s customer support about this, and they informed me that the VPN works with YouTube and Netflix on mobile devices. It also doesn’t offer any streaming-optimized servers.

In contrast, top VPNs provide dedicated servers that can reliably access popular streaming platforms such as Netflix, Max, BBC iPlayer, and Sky Sports. These specialty servers are frequently tested and updated to confirm that the work. Check out this list of the best VPNs for streaming to enjoy your favorite content safely online.

Aura VPN generally provides solid speeds, but we noticed significant drops in performance when connected to some distant servers. The speeds on local US servers were excellent — we didn’t experience connection issues when streaming on YouTube.

When evaluating Aura VPN’s speed, we looked at three key factors:

• Download speed. Measures how quickly data is transferred from the internet to your device, which affects things like streaming and browsing.
• Upload speed. Shows how fast you can send data from your device to the internet. Upload speed is important for video calls and file sharing.
• Ping. This is the response time between your device and a server, which impacts online gaming and real-time applications.

For accurate comparisons, we used the same setup for each speed test — same internet connection, same location, and the fastest protocol available. Our tester in the US ran multiple tests per server at several points during the day, and the average speeds are summarized below.

We lost 2% on average with nearby servers and 68% on distant ones

Surprisingly, some Aura VPN servers didn’t slow down our connection speeds at all, which is impressive. For example, when we tested the Los Angeles and New York servers, we noticed a slight speed uptick. This could be a result of the VPN helping us avoid ISP throttling. Even some distant servers, like those in Singapore, only resulted in a 7% speed drop.

That said, we experienced considerable speed losses on a few servers. For example, the Brazil server had a 61% drop, while the Tokyo server had a 76% drop. If your regular speeds without a VPN are already low, such a loss can make it impossible to stream or browse reliably. Overall, Aura’s speeds are one of its best attributes, but it might not matter if it struggles during gaming and streaming sessions where speed matters.

Aura VPN doesn’t offer specialized gaming servers — there’s no mention of gaming anywhere on its website. I tried asking support about it, but the AI-based virtual assistant did not know the VPN’s gaming capabilities.

Additionally, you can’t install Aura VPN on your router, which means you can’t use the VPN on gaming consoles. You can only use it to protect your connection while gaming on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices.

If you are an avid gamer looking to safeguard your device and connection while gaming specifically, feel free to explore our list of the best gaming VPNs.

Aura VPN gives you over 100+ virtual locations to choose from. The servers are spread across North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia, with countries like the US, Canada, and Australia offering multiple server locations. With all these server locations, you are unlikely to experience server overcrowding when using Aura VPN.

Aura VPN has 20+ locations in the United States

Unfortunately, Aura doesn’t offer much information about its servers. There’s no information on whether the servers are owned or rented, nor is there any information on the server technology, such as the use of diskless servers. Diskless servers provide higher privacy by wiping all data every time the server is rebooted. As mentioned above, there are also no specialty servers.

If you’re concerned about Aura VPN’s lack of network features, check out our list of top VPNs with highly secure global server networks.

Does Aura VPN Work in China? No

According to support, Aura VPN does not reliably work in China. The Chinese government implements advanced internet censorship tools — often called the Great Firewall — that block access to most VPNs, especially those lacking strong obfuscation technology. Since Aura VPN doesn’t offer obfuscated servers, users in China may experience frequent connection failures or be completely unable to connect.

China generally restricts the use of VPNs within its borders, but there are no public records of anyone being prosecuted for using one. The vpnMentor team strongly opposes the use of VPNs for illegal activities. Therefore, familiarize yourself with the local rules before using a VPN in China. If you decide to use one, consider these VPNs with a strong track record of working reliably in China.

Aura (the antivirus software) has a generous suite of security tools, but the VPN is lacking. For example, its claim of "military-grade encryption" feels vague. It doesn’t specify the actual encryption level, like AES-256 or AES-128, which is a standard expectation for transparency in the VPN space.

Unfortunately, the VPN is also missing some common features like multiple VPN protocols, and multi-hop servers. Again, this raises some concerns, especially compared to top competitors. While the antivirus features help offset this lack of clarity, it's still something to consider if you're highly focused on security.

If you’re specifically interested in the type of security VPNs provide, here are some top-rated providers that will enhance the safety of your data and devices.

Antivirus

You have to get the full Aura suite to use its VPN, which allows you to scan for malware, ransomware, and other threats in real time. This feature is Aura’s main draw, while the VPN is likely considered a nice bonus for most. The antivirus runs quietly in the background, automatically checking for new threats without slowing your system down.

Do you need an antivirus? It’s quite useful when you consider that over 121 million Americans use third-party antivirus software (9cv9, 2025)². With that said, some VPNs offer great security along with their own malware scanners for much cheaper (like NordVPN).

Vault

This feature acts as a secure digital locker for your sensitive files and personal documents. It's encrypted and accessible only through your master password. I found this quite handy — it provides extra protection in case your device is lost or compromised.

Safe Browsing

The Safe Browsing feature flags suspicious websites before you click and helps block known phishing links. It works well with Aura VPN’s ad blocker and anti-tracking tools to reduce the chances of falling for scams or downloading malware. While the VPN doesn’t come with a specific browser extension, it acts like one, and it’s available for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.

Password Manager

Aura VPN has a built-in password manager that securely stores your login credentials, generates strong passwords, and auto-fills them when needed. I found it easy to use, and it easily syncs across devices. While it’s not as advanced as dedicated tools like 1Password or Bitwarden, it covers the basics well and makes everyday users ' lives convenient.

People Search Sites & Spam List Removal

This feature scans data broker sites for your personal information and helps remove it from public listings. It’s a big plus if you're serious about digital privacy. While removal takes some time and isn't always 100% effective, having this built into the VPN dashboard is convenient.

Anti-Track and Ad Blocker

This comprehensive tracking prevention system blocks cookies, fingerprinting attempts, and other tracking technologies while you are browsing. The integrated ad blocker improves page loading times, reduces data usage, and eliminates potential malvertising threats.

Enabling these features gave me a cleaner, faster, and more private browsing experience than many standalone browser extensions. How popular are ad blockers? About 31.5% of internet users globally reportedly use ad blockers (Backlinko, 2024)³, so this is a feature you expect from a comprehensive cybersecurity package.

Email Alias

The email alias feature lets you create disposable addresses that forward emails to your primary inbox. This helps protect your real email from spam and phishing attacks. You can delete or disable an alias anytime, which is excellent when signing up for services you don’t fully trust.

Spam Call & Message Protection

This feature filters unwanted calls and messages on mobile devices, reducing interruptions from telemarketers and potential scammers. The system uses a regularly updated database of known spam numbers and pattern recognition to identify and block unwanted communications. While not perfect at catching all spam, it significantly reduces the volume of nuisance contacts compared to standard device filtering.

While Aura positions itself as a privacy-first brand, you must provide it with a lot of personal information, like your social security number, date of birth, and address. This will raise concerns if you’re cautious about your privacy. Now, this is necessary for features like its Identity Theft Protection and Financial Fraud alerts. Still, it’s only going to be beneficial if you trust the company’s policies, and I have some concerns.

The VPN says it doesn’t share user activity with authorities, but there’s no public track record or third-party verification to back this up — making it hard to thoroughly verify how strictly the no-logs promise is upheld under legal pressure. As stated above, there’s no way to get the VPN alone. Most VPNs only require an email address and a payment method, so I recommend checking out this list of the best no-log providers if you’re wary about sharing personal info.

Does Aura VPN Keep Logs? No

Aura VPN claims to follow a strict no-logs policy, meaning it doesn’t collect your browsing activity, DNS queries, or connection timestamps. This is good news for privacy-focused users, but the policy lacks some of the transparency you’d find with top-tier VPNs that undergo independent audits.

Aura VPN is very transparent about the kind of personal data it logs

That said, I noticed that Aura sometimes logs your IP for fraud prevention purposes. The VPN claims that the IP is encrypted before storage and isn’t associated with your browsing activity. Other data that Aura collects includes bandwidth consumption, duration of VPN connections, device hashes, and anonymized details of domains you visit.

However, this is all related to the information the VPN collects and records. Please be aware that you must provide a lot of personal information upfront to get the suite you’d need to use this VPN.

Was Aura VPN Audited? No

Aura VPN's no-logs policy has not been independently audited by a third party, which is a significant drawback compared to industry leaders. Many top VPN providers have undergone rigorous independent audits of their no-logs policies to verify their privacy documents. The lack of independent verification means taking Aura's no-logs claims at face value.

Without an independent audit, it's impossible to confirm whether Aura's technical infrastructure prevents user data collection as claimed in its privacy policy. This lack of transparency could decide if you prioritize verified privacy protections when choosing a VPN.

Based in the USA

Aura VPN is based in the United States, which has significant privacy implications for users. The US is a founding member of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, a surveillance partnership between the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand that facilitates intelligence sharing among member countries.

The US jurisdiction means that Aura VPN operates under laws that could potentially compel the company to turn over user data to government agencies. These requests often come with gag orders, preventing the company from notifying affected users.

Unfortunately, Aura doesn't appear to implement significant safeguards to counteract these jurisdictional vulnerabilities. Unlike some competitors based in Five Eyes countries that use warrant canaries, multi-jurisdiction server architectures, or diskless RAM servers, Aura's approach is more limited. It relies primarily on its stated no-logs policy, so its ability to resist valid legal demands from US authorities is inherently limited.

Aura VPN does not openly advertise support for P2P file sharing or torrenting. Unlike VPNs that cater specifically to torrent users, it doesn’t include features like port forwarding or SOCKS5 proxy support, both of which are popular tools for boosting torrent speeds and adding flexibility during P2P transfers.

The lack of these features can negatively impact your torrenting experience. Without port forwarding, for example, you might face slower download speeds. Without SOCKS5, there’s no easy way to reroute torrent traffic through a lightweight proxy that keeps your real IP hidden while maintaining good speeds. If you want a combination of fast speeds and good security, check out some of the best P2P-optimized VPNs.