StreamVPN Review 2024 — Keep This In Mind Before Buying

My Expat Network (MEN) focuses on expatriates interested in watching TV abroad. The VPN company was founded in 2011, and so far, it has 120 servers across 13 countries.

MEN uses primary and stealth servers to unblock major streaming platforms, including Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer. However, MEN states that there’s no guarantee on upload and download speeds. So, I’d recommend other better-rated VPNs.

MEN doesn’t store activity logs, details on bandwidth usage, and DNS queries. The VPN uses OpenVPN, IKEv2, and L2TP protocols, and AES 256-bit encryption. Furthermore, it’s equipped with DNS leak protection and a kill switch.

It is expensive with 3 plans to choose from but offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. $5.49/month is the lowest cost for a long-term subscription. Payment options are diverse. Though, there’s no anonymous payment option.

MEN allows torrenting in only 1 of its server locations. Furthermore, I had a good experience with the support team as they responded to my queries fairly quickly.

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Streaming — Works With Major Platforms

With MEN, you can stream content from the 13 countries where its servers are located. It offers primary and stealth servers and recommends using Stealth Mode only when necessary at the cost of slower streaming.

The website has a directory of online streaming channels in each country that MEN serves. It promises to unblock all these channels and streaming platforms.

Some of these channels offer on-demand online content that MEN promises you can unblock while traveling

However, since these are just claims, you’ll be better off with one of these more dynamic VPNs for streaming.

Unblocked: Netflix UK, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, and Amazon Prime Video

I asked MEN’s customer support, and they replied that the VPN unblocks Netflix UK and its other libraries (without specifying which ones).

However, they said that it doesn’t unblock Disney+

MEN also unblocks Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and ITV as all these platforms are included in its TV Guide.

You can find these streaming platforms in the TV Guide with channels that MEN promises to unblock

Blocked By: Disney+ and HBO Now

MEN’s customer support said it doesn’t unblock Disney+ or HBO Now. These streaming services implement advanced VPN monitoring algorithms that can immediately detect the origin of IP addresses.

After I sent a follow-up email about HBO Now, the representative confirmed that MEN can’t unblock the platform

Speeds — Unpredictable and Inconsistent

MEN’s speeds may differ based on location, internet traffic, line quality, and other circumstances beyond its control. Taking into consideration that MEN has servers in just 13 countries, you’ll most likely have slow speeds if you’re located far away from those countries. The provider doesn’t guarantee uninterrupted service, nor upload and download speeds. The amount of data you transfer each month doesn’t limit the service, but MEN can impose this restriction when necessary.

Its Terms & Conditions also explain that speeds can vary depending on many factors

Are My Expat Network’s Speeds Fast Enough for Gaming? No

No, they most likely aren’t. I don’t recommend MEN for gaming that requires good ping, especially in competitive environments like tournaments. Given its limited server network, some servers might be overcrowded or none of them will be close to your location. These factors can slow down your speeds and increase your ping, which won’t be suitable for gaming. If you need fast speeds and low ping, I recommend other VPNs that are certainly reliable for smooth gaming.

Server Network — Limited Coverage

MEN has 120 servers in 13 countries: the US, the UK, Canada, France, Australia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Italy, and Spain. It also offers over 2,000 IP addresses.

Each VPN location has regular and stealth servers. Stealth servers offer extra security by making the VPN traffic appear to be from a standard network. I asked MEN’s customer support if I’ll get a different IP address on both connections. During my research, I found some claims that it actually assigns you the same IP, so I wanted to check in with them. They responded vaguely by saying that IPs are assigned automatically on each connection without specifying whether I’ll get the same or different IP on the primary and stealth server counterparts.

They didn’t answer whether the IPs would be different on both stealth and regular servers from the same location

Security — Decent Security Features

The good news is MEN uses AES 256-bit encryption to hide your browsing data from your ISP and the government. There’s also a kill switch that automatically disables your internet if your VPN connection drops to prevent your IP address from being exposed. Additionally, it comes with a DNS leak protection, which further strengthens your security.

MEN integrates Stealth Mode that makes your VPN traffic look like a normal, unencrypted one, making it harder for the VPN to get detected. It also uses 3 protocols:

• OpenVPN leverages the OpenSSL library with AES 256-bit encryption, which is currently the best you can get. It’s available on Windows, macOS, and Android.
• L2TP by itself is not the safest option. Most VPNs pair it with another protocol to make it safer, but MEN doesn’t. It’s IPSec that enables encryption if you want to be safe on public WiFi networks. You can use L2TP on Windows and iOS.
• IKEv2 is one of the fastest protocols. It can hop from WiFi to a mobile network without losing the VPN connection (this is great for phones and tablets). It’s available for macOS and iOS.

I emailed MEN about setting up the VPN on my iPhone manually using the L2TP protocol. This was their response:

The representative’s instructions were concise and clear

Privacy — Not the Focal Point

MEN is based in the jurisdiction of Hong Kong where data laws are acceptable for VPNs, and the region isn’t a part of the Five Eyes Alliance. According to MEN, it won’t sell or divulge your personal details to third parties without your consent, or without the law requiring it to do so.

Hong Kong is an administrative region of China, and their complicated relationship makes me wonder if I can trust MEN’s privacy policies. Perhaps, it won’t be long before Hong Kong implements mainland Chinese surveillance laws. This would be detrimental for MEN.

Privacy isn’t MEN’s major focus, though it highlights certain information that it doesn’t collect.

However, this makes its Privacy Policy not very transparent since it doesn’t state what data it actually stores

There’s no information in MEN’s Privacy Policy about the details that the VPN collects. However, its website records your name, phone number, email address, website usage data, and any details you provide when filling in contact forms.

Torrenting — Only 1 Server Location Supports Torrenting

MEN’s Netherlands servers support torrenting and the VPN has a kill switch, making it secure. In its Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), MEN states that distributing or retaining any materials protected by copyright will result in the provider suspending or terminating your account.

Make sure that you torrent safely and ethically

Please note that the team and I don’t encourage users to take part in any illegal activities. For your own safety, always check the laws in your country before deciding to torrent.

Does My Expat Network Work in China? In Some Regions

I contacted MEN’s customer support and they responded that the VPN doesn’t work in some regions of China without specifying which ones. They also recommended using Stealth Mode in China.

Stealth Mode scrambles your traffic, making it much harder to detect that a VPN is in use

Note that only government-approved VPNs are permitted in China, but the officials usually go after the VPN technology. No tourists have been penalized for using a VPN in China.

Simultaneous Device Connections — 5

MEN supports up to 5 connections at a time with a single subscription. However, if you get the Sabai or DD-WRT routers, you can connect all your home devices simultaneously.