SiteLock VPN Review 2024 - Expensive Plans - Worth the Price?

SiteLock VPN has basic security features and high-speeds, but it isn't worth the price. SiteLock VPN is proof that even if you have a brand known for security and can create a VPN, it doesn't mean you should.

It has apps for Android, macOS, iOS, and Windows. All of which have auto-connect options available on the Settings interface. Still, set up took an abnormally long amount of time for a VPN that offers easy install apps (more on that later).

Streaming - Can SiteLock VPN Unblock Netflix? Yes

I also tried Netflix Canada, Australia, Japan, and even India, with easy access. But Netflix Sweden and Germany didn't work. It routed me to Netflix UK each time (where I'm based).

If you're after European libraries, it seems like SiteLock isn't very reliable. I couldn't switch to different servers either to see if that worked, as there's only one location available in each country. There are many other VPNs that offer worldwide Netflix reliability – check out the best ones here.

Unblocked: SlingTV, HBO Max, Netflix US and multiple other libraries, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu

Streaming speeds were even fast enough to stream in HD, and I didn't experience any buffering or disconnects.

SiteLock VPN was able to unblock multiple Netflix libraries, Hulu, and more.

I tested more than Netflix though, to give you the full range of services available for access through SiteLock VPN. I was pleased with the results, SiteLock unblocks many popular streaming services.

Blocked By: Netflix Sweden and Germany

Speeds - Good Download Speeds, Not Much Else

Fast download speeds are incredibly important for being able to stream in HD and UltraHD/4k. Netflix recommends around 5Mbps download speeds for HD and upwards of 25Mbps for UltraHD/4k, anything under that and it's SD viewing for all you movie lovers out there.

SiteLock delivers on download speeds for the most part, even if its quick connect server was way slower than the other four I tested. Best connection servers or quick-connect servers are generally optimized for speed. That's why that result was so surprising. Still, I was able to stream in HD and even UltraHD/4k on most of the servers I tested.

Most download speeds are good enough for HD and even 4k, but upload speeds were poor and pingback was high.

Upload speeds are more important for torrenting, loading images to social media sites, and using video calling services like Zoom or Skype. For example, Skype recommends upward of 10Mbps for HD video calling.

You can definitely stream in HD or even UltraHD/4k on most servers and it unblocks a fair amount of streaming services. However, the chart above confirms that the upload speeds are nowhere near fast enough for using HD video calling software. That means even if you can unblock Skype, most areas won't give you speeds enough to use it to its full potential. The same would go for Zoom, Facebook Messenger, and other video messaging apps.

Are SiteLock VPNs Speeds Fast Enough for Gaming? No

Gaming usually requires ping speeds that are anywhere from 20-100ms but no higher. This is simply because ping is the amount of time it takes for your data to travel to the server and back, if it's too slow it can result in latency issues that cause lag and disconnects during gaming. The lower the ping the better, so you want to stay near that 20-50ms mark whenever possible.

That means that half of the servers I tested aren't suitable for gaming, as many had a pingback that was over 100ms in most areas. The others were still on the higher end of ideal. If you want a VPN for gaming, check out the best VPNs for gaming.

Server Network - Decent Global Reach

SiteLock VPN offers unlimited data, speed, and bandwidth. I was able to choose from 1,000 servers in 40 countries worldwide. Sounds impressive but you only get 70 servers to choose from on the Android app. This means one of two things, (a) many of the servers are in the same location (b) the service uses a lot of virtual servers to provide more IP addresses to its users.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find the exact information about this on its website but considering that during the speed test it showed an IP address in Australia, even though I'd connected to Hong Kong, I am betting on virtual servers.

Does SiteLock Work in China? Yes

Working in China is the true test of any VPN. I had high hopes for SiteLock because it uses a server scrambling technique. Basically, this disguises your VPN traffic as normal internet traffic, so your Chinese ISP thinks you're just a regular internet user. It's unable to see you're using a VPN, so it's rare you'll be blocked. Of course, it can't see what sites you're accessing either.

I managed to unblock WhatsApp, Google, Facebook, Twitter, and yes, even Netflix.  I used the scrambling technique with the OpenVPN protocol and it worked seamlessly. There was a pretty big dip in speeds, though, as the extra privacy slowed me down. Streaming was more difficult, but it was fine for light, fairly quick browsing.

You can use the obfuscation method on both mobile and desktop, so you're not limited to just one device unless you're an iOS user. Since scrambling is only available with OpenVPN, iOS users don't have that function.

Since SiteLock has servers in Hong Kong, you can also use the VPN to access Chinese domestic sites from outside China, too. I had no trouble watching Chinese TV.

Security - Lacks Important Features

SiteLock prides itself on being a top cybersecurity company, so I expected to see high levels of security throughout its apps. That includes the highest level of encryption, the best security protocols, and of course, added features like an automatic kill switch. It even lets you choose between OpenVPN protocol with 128-bit encryption or IKEv2 protocol with 256-bit encryption.

The current industry-standard is OpenVPN for protocol and 256-bit AES for encryption, so it was nice to see SiteLock took that to heart during development.

IP Lock

Its main security feature IP Lock assigns a new random IP address every time you connect to a server. A useful feature for anyone worried about hackers. SiteLock VPN also offers DNS leak protection, no-logs, and a scramble feature.

Kill Switch

SiteLock used to offer an automatic kill switch that stops your internet traffic if your VPN connection fails. It does this by disconnecting your device from the internet connection if the VPN server fails. That way, your DNS requests and IP address remain safe from the prying eyes of your ISP or anyone else who may be watching.

Privacy - Collects Information

SiteLock VPN claims it collects no personally identifiable logs, but a quick look at the site's privacy policy creates doubt. The VPN openly states that it collects the following information from its users.

• Account: Including name, address, telephone number, billing information, and domain address
• Cookies and tracking technologies: Allows them to capture and remember certain information by tracking users' movements around the website and gathering demographic information on its user base
• Statistics: Including IP addresses, browser type, ISP, operating system, date/time stamps, and clickstream data

While it insists that it never share this information with third-parties, SiteLock VPN flat out says the advertising cookies are used by Google to show you ads that are relevant to your viewing habits and information. So it has to be sharing something, I can confidently say this is definitely not a no-logs VPN.

When I performed an IP leak test on the service, I was happy to see it didn't leak any of my information. It wasn't much of a comfort though, considering how much data it collects and uses.

SiteLock didn't leak my true IP address.

Is SiteLock Good for Torrenting? No, Torrenting Isn't Supported

It doesn't support torrenting, which isn't unusual for most smaller VPNs. Don't worry, if you want a VPN for P2P/torrenting you can check out these great torrenting VPNs. There are plenty of options for affordable, secure VPNs that support file sharing.