SymlexVPN Review 2024 — Read This Before Buying

Symlex VPN claims to have recently overhauled its app for iOS users, fixing existing bugs and improving the overall user experience. I wanted to test to see if the improvements had made it a VPN worth using, and find out whether it lives up to its claims.

The answer is: yes and no. Symlex VPN has made improvements to its service, including better connectivity and improved security features. However, I found there were inconsistencies between its website claims and my user experience, and it isn’t as transparent as I like it to be.

The VPN can be inconsistent, and it has trouble securely accessing many popular streaming platforms. Plus, it has speed issues and a small server network. It’s by no means a terrible service; there are simply more reliable VPNs out there for a better price.

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Symlex is capable of securely accessing some platforms, but it’s inconsistent. During testing, we were constantly having to change browsers and reach out to support. Plus, it’s incompatible with several of our favorite platforms. On the plus side, streaming quality was pretty good when it worked.

Works With: Netflix, Max, and Amazon Prime Video

We could only watch Netflix Originals with Symlex VPN. This is a limited version of the site that only lets you watch the content owned outright by Netflix, so you miss out on region-specific movies and shows.

Symlex VPN let me load videos nearly instantly and stream in the highest quality

We were eventually able to watch Max. However, several tests were unsuccessful. In our first one, we couldn’t even load the sign-in screen. We were also given several error messages before we could finally watch it. On the positive side, Amazon Prime Video worked in our first test.

The video started in HD right away, and I never had to deal with buffering

These aren’t terrible results, but the top VPNs make it so much easier. You don’t have to go through so much trial-and-error, and their support staff are much more helpful.

Doesn’t Work With: Disney+, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer

We could never watch Disney+ with Symlex VPN. Our first test only got the platform to load indefinitely. Then, we received an error at the login screen. In our final test, we actually got the menu to load…very slowly. However, any attempt to watch a video left us with a gray screen.

It was also impossible to safely view Hulu. We tried Opera, Chrome, and Firefox browser, but nothing helped.

Last but not least, BBC iPlayer never worked. The other issue is that Symlex support staff didn’t have great answers for us. At one point, they told us to log out and restart our computer, which did nothing.

The best VPNs make it possible to safely access all these platforms from anywhere. Many come with streaming-optimized servers that are regularly tested and helpful support staff that are easily accessible 24/7. You can check out this list of the best VPNs for streaming to find the top options.

Symlex gave me good speeds when I tested long-distance servers. I had more than enough to stream in HD, and found that my general speed sometimes increased, meaning that I wasn’t throttled.

I had fast speeds while connected to Symlex VPN’s servers

I started off with a base speed of 64.2 Mbps download, 27.5 Mbps upload, and a ping of 3ms. The first server I tested was in the UK, where my download speed reached 67.8 Mbs — a 5% increase, upload 22.6 Mbps, and ping stood at 49 ms. This is a great result and I couldn’t even tell I was connected to a VPN.

On the US server, my speed dropped by under 1%, down to 63.7 Mbps, while upload took a bigger hit — 9.12 Mbps, which is a 66% decrease. While the upload dropped considerably, I could still engage in any of my usual online activities without interruptions.

The last server I tested was a local one, where I experienced a 50% drop in download and a 65% decrease in upload. This is a little counterintuitive, as local servers usually provide the best speeds because the data doesn’t have to travel too much. This makes me wonder if Symlex VPN’s servers are virtual.

It’s normal for your speeds to slow down a little when you use a VPN, since your data has to travel to the server location and go through the encryption process. However, it shouldn’t slow you down by more than 20%. This means that Symlex VPN is on the right track here.

Overall, I was pretty impressed with its speed. However, since it falters in other areas I would recommend an all-around VPN choice that performs well in all areas of testing instead.

Symlex’ strange speed results make it the wrong choice for gamers. Ping is the most important measurement when you’re playing online games. It tells you how long it takes for your character to respond to your inputs. When it’s above 85ms, there will be a noticeable lag that makes it difficult to stay competitive.

Most of Symlex’ servers raised our ping rates too high for seamless gameplay. This is because ping rates always increase even more than download or upload rates as the servers get farther away. This VPN performs surprisingly well on distant servers, but ping rates still rise on those locations, and many of its nearby tests gave us poor results.

It does offer gaming servers, but they’re only in Singapore. So, those won’t be of any help to most of you because we’ve never found a VPN that lets you enjoy online games with minimal lag on distant servers. You can find one of the top VPNs for gaming in this list. They all provide faster ping rates and more global coverage to help you find nearby servers.

Symlex VPN has a very small network of servers, spanning just 47 countries — making it one of the smallest VPNs I’ve tested. A small bank of servers means overcrowding is likely, leading to congestion and slow connection speeds.

That said, I didn’t have too many issues with connectivity during my testing process. One of its US servers repeatedly connected and disconnected, which was frustrating and made me nervous about its security protocols. However, many of its servers across Europe and Asia connected quickly and I didn’t experience any drops.

The server network is small, but in most of my tests I found it to be reliable. I’d still recommend choosing a provider with a larger network of servers to avoid issues with overcrowding in future.

Symlex VPN has good security features, but they’re not clearly explained.

There’s no information regarding the encryption level and protocols on the website. Instead, you get vague explanations assuring you that your data is safe. I wanted to know if there was a kill-switch or other protective features in use, so I contacted the customer support team to ask. They emailed me back and confirmed that Symlex VPN uses AES 256-bit encryption with DTLS support, and has a kill switch function. I was happy to hear this, but found it unusual that this isn’t specifically stated on the website.

Its protocols are strong, using reputable tunneling such as HTTPS, SSH, DNS, Wireguard, OpenVPN, OneConnect, and AnyConnect.

I ran a couple of IP and DNS leaks tests to see if Symlex VPN can successfully hide my personal data, and I had great results.

I didn’t identify any IP and DNS leaks on Symlex VPN’s servers

IP and DNS leaks can reveal your IP address and browsing history to the websites you access and your Internet Service Provider (ISP). As such, it's commendable that Symlex VPN effectively conceals my location, identity, and web traffic.

Split Tunneling

This is currently only available for Android and iOS. It’s also only accessible with a premium account. Free users actually only get to use its encryption since every other security feature is blocked off.

It’s a useful feature that lets you choose what traffic uses the VPN tunnel. I like to keep my banking app outside of the tunnel for example. That way, I can protect everything else, but I don’t have to worry about getting flagged.

Dark Web Monitor

Symlex can also check the dark web to see if your information is being circulated. All you have to do is provide them with your email address. It’s a decent feature you don’t see in many VPNs, but it’s nothing like using an extensive data removal service which will actually reach out to data brokers on your behalf.

Kill Switch

Symlex’ kill switch is available on its apps for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. This is a necessary security feature that blocks your internet connection if the VPN ever disconnects. It’s a must for any VPN, so I’m glad Symlex has incorporated it in all its apps for the major operating systems.

Symlex is clear about its no-logs policy, assuring users that it doesn’t collect any data. It states it will only take the minimum personal details from its subscribers, such as email addresses and payment details, but also encourages the use of Bitcoin if you wish to remain as anonymous as possible.

Does SymlexVPN Keep Logs? No

Symlex claims to only record the information it needs to keep its services running.

Your data won’t be completely protected with Symlex VPN

I appreciate that it retains such a minimal amount of data. It only stores the time of your first connection, what days you make a connection, how much data is used, and from which country a connection was made. There are VPNs that store less, but I consider this an acceptable amount of data.

Was Symlex VPN Audited? Maybe

The website claims an audit has been done, but there’s no link to a public report. There also aren’t any further details. For example, some VPNs have specific apps audited rather than their logging policies. I hope it reveals this information in the future to prove a third party has verified its claims.

Based in Bangladesh

This is a country outside of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances, and that’s a great thing. This alliance is an agreement between governments to share their citizens’ data. Being within one of these countries means a VPN could be forced to change its policies, so this is a big plus for Symlex.

Simultaneous Device Connections — Up to 5

You get 5 simultaneous device connections with this VPN when you sign up to any of its plans. However, as it is still a mobile-only app, I didn’t see as much benefit having multiple device connections in my household.

Device Compatibility — Limited

Symlex VPN is compatible with Android, iOS, and Windows devices. While it started out as a mobile-only VPN, I’m happy that it now supports these popular desktop operating systems. It can also be used on Huawei and Amazon devices. However, the VPN doesn’t mention smart TVs, streaming devices, or routers on its website.

This is too bad because setting up a VPN on your router lets you protect every device connected to your network. To find a VPN that lets you protect your entire household at once, check out our list of the best VPNs for routers.

Desktop — Apps for Windows & Mac

Symlex now offers desktop apps, but it’s obvious they were designed for mobile devices. The left side of the screen even has a vertical interface that looks just like a VPN for phones. I’m happy that these apps can use its kill switch, but I hope split tunneling is added to them soon.

Unfortunately, there is no support for Linux devices. If you’re looking for protection on one of these devices, take a look at our list of the best VPNs for Linux.

Android and iPhone (iOS)

These apps have a more attractive interface since they are what the VPN was originally designed for. They also get to utilize all of its features, including split tunneling and its kill switch.

They can be downloaded from their application stores, and there’s an APK file for Android devices. However, be warned that when you subscribe through the App Store, you have to be approved for a refund by Apple.

You can torrent with Symlex VPN and it fully supports P2P file sharing. I would recommend running anti-virus if you do choose to use this VPN to torrent, as it does not provide malware protection or pop-up blocking.

It does boast a kill switch, so in the event that the VPN fails you will be disconnected from the internet immediately, keeping you safe from data privacy issues.

Torrenting is legal in most countries, but downloading copyright files isn’t. We ask that you please only access torrents within the public domain.

Does Symlex VPN Work in China?

Symlex VPN’s support team told me that the VPN works in China. However, you need to install the app before you arrive, or download the APK and install it once you’re in China.

You can use Symlex VPN in China

The Chinese government has banned many VPNs. With that said, there haven’t been any publicly-reported cases of them prosecuting individuals for accessing them. My team and I don’t condone any illegal activities and urge you to read up on the laws before using a VPN in any country.