We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
Learn more
vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
Advertising Disclosure

vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

PureVPN vs VPN Shield vs ZenVPN 2024

Table of Contents
    Our Score: 8.0/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Our Score: 5.9/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Our Score: 4.1/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info

    Which VPN is better?

    Author Image Kristina Perunicic
    Kristina Perunicic

    Former Managing Editor

    An interesting collection of VPNs here, with a varied service level. ZenVPN has good network location coverage, with a reasonable number of servers. They don’t have logging which is good, but the encryption levels are below average. In addition, there is no kill switch, it does, however, support torrenting. One interesting thing about ZenVPN is they give you the chance to win a subscription every week, which is a nice surprise.
    PureVPN boasts hundreds of servers over a hundred countries worldwide coupled with 24/7 365 support and multiple concurrent connections this is a great VPN option. PureVPN is great for privacy too, with 256-bit encryption and a no logging policy.
    VPNSheild provides a pretty good option with blazing fast speed, great for Netflix type streaming, and good privacy protection. It's built for the non-technical layperson so it’s easy to use with a simple pricing structure and multiple concurrent connections, this a great entry-level VPN.

    Our Score

    Features 8.0/10
    Pricing 8.0/10
    Ease of Use 9.0/10
    Reliability & Support 8.5/10
    Features 5.9/10
    Pricing 8.6/10
    Ease of Use 8.4/10
    Reliability & Support 7.0/10
    Features 4.1/10
    Pricing 6.2/10
    Ease of Use 6.8/10
    Reliability & Support 7.4/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Lawrence Wachira
    Lawrence Wachira

    Editor

    Our Score: 8.0/10

    PureVPN (which recently purchased Ivacy) is a highly rated and affordable VPN, but it has had its share of controversies. A previous incident involving the FBI severely impacted its reputation. So, has it done enough to rebuild trust since then? To find out, my team and I investigated its privacy policy and everything else it offers. We tested its speeds, streaming performance, security featur...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    R
    Rich
    10.0/10
    An excellent value, all things considered

    While they will absolutely throttle p2p in most servers, it's easy to find and log into the p2p server... s. They responded promptly when I had questions (although once it was basically to say "sorry, tough luck"). Overall though, I think I paid something like $20 for a year's subscription - I really can't complain. I'm sold on the service, although I think the fact that it's based out of HK is a bit spooky. 9/10More

    Latest negative user review
    J
    John
    2.0/10
    Not Private! They cooperate with FBI! Application will NOT CLOSE (only minimizes)

    PureVPN COOPERATES WITH FBI INVESTIGATIONS! You can verify this with any search! PureVPN REQUIRES ... USERS TO PROVIDE REAL NAME TO USE THE SERVICE! VPN Does NOT Support Close Application, Against Windows Standards! Close Actually Minimizes and it Keeps Running. Company refuses to change this back (used to operate correctly) A clear violation of your rights as owner of your PC.More

    Read the full review
    Review by our expert
    Author Image Kennedy Otieno
    Kennedy Otieno

    Cybersecurity Researcher

    Our Score: 5.9/10

    VPN Shield is a Polish-based VPN service created by Defendemus in 2012. A closer look into the company website shows this is the only product in its portfolio. It might leave you wondering whether the company has the authority to command the VPN space. VPN Shield pricing is the standard industry rate, but I would say the value offered is barely competitive to 2024 standards. You can...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    A
    Anonymously
    10.0/10
    Easy to use

    Works very well wherever I go, especially when I have to use apps usually blocked in certain countries... . Allows me to access websites usually blocked outside of the US. Easy to use - no fuss. If one server cannot be connected, can easily changed to other servers. Can be used across all of my Apple devices. Not too expensive.More

    Latest negative user review No reviews yet
    Write a review
    Read the full review
    Review by our expert
    Author Image Doris Muthuri
    Doris Muthuri

    Senior Writer

    Our Score: 4.1/10

    ZenVPN claims to be a fast and affordable VPN service that will protect your privacy and security online. While it does uphold that promise, it's not reliable for streaming. We weren't able to access Netflix on any server, so if you're looking for a VPN that can, check out one of these top five vendors. We put it to the test across multiple categories to find out how it really performs. The pr...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    A
    Anonymously
    10.0/10
    No problems at all.

    Been using ZenVPN for about a year and find it's reliable. I skipped their own app due to its limitati... ons, rather downloading my OpenVPN configuration file from the settings page, and I use the OpenVPN app instead. On my Android I have setup the built-in vpn using my personal connection details. All in all, I think connection speeds are great and it's a straight forward system to use.More

    Latest negative user review
    A
    Artur Illenseer
    2.0/10
    Came with a pretty annoying uninstallable add-on

    Since installing ZenVPN my starting page in my browser changed and I then uninstalled it, The starting...  page was the same, but showed a ZenVPN message saying I cant use it anymore with a link to customer service. Looking for other software on my computer and using a malware scanner didn't help. Customer service then made one suggestion that didn't help, then another one and when that didn't help either suggested to just try it again, because that is how problems are solved. Searching the web and trying a bunch of different things didn't help either so I´m stuck with it until I re-install my entire system. Now I got a pretty effective reminder to never try ZenVPN again.More

    Read the full review

    Pricing

    Starting price $2.14/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 31 Days
    Number of devices per license 10 devices
    Starting price $2.78/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 10 Days
    Number of devices per license 5 devices
    Starting price $5/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license 50 devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall
    Read the full review
    Best VPN for Torrents
    Read the full review
    Best VPN for Windows
    Read the full review
    Best VPN for Android
    Read the full review
    Best VPN for Mac
    Read the full review
    Best VPN for iOS
    Read the full review
    Best VPN for USA
    Read the full review

    The Bottom Line

    See Plans & Pricing

    PureVPN is an outright winner, this provider is ranked 3rd in the world and with good reason. Great support levels and extensive coverage are just part of the reason. PureVPN provides a unique split tunneling feature which allows you to have country specific IP addresses, a great feature to access websites with limited geographic access.
    Other factors that make this a winner: No logging, a kill switch, excellent encryption and obfuscation support to get you through that great firewall of China. ZenVPN and VPNSheild are both good entry-level VPNs, PureVPN is definitely for the power users out there.

    Time to decide which one is best for you

    Go with PureVPN
    Go with VPN Shield
    Go with ZenVPN
    Or click here to check best VPNs, rated by {{review_count}} users

    FAQ

    Is PureVPN better than VPN Shield and ZenVPN?

    Yes, PureVPN is better overall than VPN Shield and ZenVPN. It has 6500 servers in 70 countries, fast speeds, and impressive security features.

    Best of all, you can take advantage of its latest discount and get it for only $2.14 a month.

    What should I keep in mind when choosing between PureVPN, VPN Shield and ZenVPN?

    When choosing a VPN, you want to pay close attention to its number of servers, overall speed score, pricing, and the number of simultaneous device connections it offers. While some VPNs provide a flawless online experience, others will really slow you down.

    If you’re ready to commit, then PureVPN may be perfect for you due to its performance during the tests.

    Is PureVPN faster than VPN Shield and ZenVPN?

    Yes, PureVPN is faster than VPN Shield and ZenVPN. Since your VPN is your computer’s main connection to the internet, you need to use a service that won’t slow you down by more than 20%.

    If speeds are important to you, then I recommend you take a look at ExpressVPN. It’s the fastest service out there, provides unlimited bandwidth, and you won’t experience any slowdowns even when you connect to the other side of the planet. You can try it out risk-free.. It’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can get a full refund if you don’t like it.

    Do PureVPN, VPN Shield or ZenVPN offer any deals?

    PureVPN, VPN Shield, and ZenVPN offer deals on occasion. You can check out the current coupons and discounts here. However, ExpressVPN has the best deals. Right now, you can get a 82% discount and up to 3 months for free with a new subscription.

    We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
    Learn more
    vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

    About the Author

    Kristina Perunicic is a former editor for vpnMentor. She’s a cybersecurity expert with an interest in VPNs and their importance in the digital privacy landscape.