With so many VPNs in the market trying to grab your attention, it can be hard to decide when determining whether to make a commitment with any provider or not.
From reading the fine print to discerning whether a VPN is right for you, you’ll definitely save a lot of time and money by getting it right with your VPN selection from the onset.
This EarthVPN review provides key details regarding all you need to know about this provider before making a decision on whether to subscribe, or not.
Overview of EarthVPN
EarthVPN is a Northern Cyprus based VPN provider that promises to keep your online activity anonymous at budget-friendly prices. It also guarantees a 99.99% uptime and 24/7 customer support via email and tickets.
Although EarthVPN’s prices seem fair, you should expect to make additional payments if you’re interested in additional features like static IPs, 256-bit encryption, and SSH/SOCKS5 tunneling.
The cost of these add-on features certainly make EarthVPN a lot pricier than many top VPNs in the market like NordVPN and ExpressVPN.
EarthVPN offers over 400 servers strategically distributed around 54 countries worldwide. They support multiple VPN protocols including OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP, and SSTP and has AES 256 encryption in place even though you have to pay additional costs for the add-on features.
EarthVPN is also ideal for you if you’re interested in downloading torrents or engaging in any other P2P file-sharing activity.
One major challenge with EarthVPN is that since it has no mobile apps, you might struggle to manually configure the VPN on your device.
Pros
- Supports PPTP, L2TP, SSTP, and OpenVPN protocols
- 7-day money-back guarantee
- Works in China
- 24/7 customer support
- Supports P2P
Cons
- No dedicated apps
- Owned by an ISP
- No live-chat support
Features and Benefits
Pricing
I like that EarthVPN allows you to pay budget-friendly prices for its subscription plans.
These plans are good if you’re simply looking for basic VPN protection.
However, things could end up far more expensive when you start to pay for add-ons like AES 256 Encryption, SSH/SOCKS5 Tunneling, and additional connections.
I would prefer to see these add-ons provided as part of the basic package for a fair price.
Encryption
EarthVPN uses standard 128-bit encryption as standard.
This is great, but not the best available.
If you’re interested in getting 256-bit encryption which is more difficult to break through, EarthVPN offers this as an add-on feature for an additional $1.99.
Jurisdiction
EarthVPN operates from Northern Cyprus which is not a member of the 14-eyes surveillance alliance meaning it is under no obligation to share intelligence with other member countries.
However, Northern Cyprus operates as a jurisdiction of Turkey which has internet censorship laws in place.
Customer Support
On paper, EarthVPN offers 24/7 customer support all year round.
However, when I contacted them, it took a few days to get a response. This also seems to be the consensus with many users on the internet.
I would like to see EarthVPN introduce a live-chat facility to improve the responsiveness of its customer support.
Security Protocols
This is one area where EarthVPN performed really well.
I was impressed to find support for all major protocols like PPTP, L2TP, SSTP, OpenVPN as well as SSH/Socks Proxy.
This means that if you use a device that does not support traditional VPN protocols, you can opt for the provider’s SSH Tunnel or SOCKS5 proxy.
Additional security features like its 256-bit encryption also go a long way in protecting your personal information and preventing third parties from accessing viewing them.
Since EarthVPN does not provide dedicated apps, you should not expect to find proprietary security features like DNS leak protection or even split tunneling.
P2P Compatibility
EarthVPN has offshore servers dedicated to P2P activities in 6 continents.
This means you download torrents seamlessly or engage in any other P2P file-sharing activity.
Since EarthVPN has dedicated servers for this activity, you will most likely not experience any impact on their servers during normal usage.
Dynamic Port Forwarding
The dynamic port forwarding feature is available as an add-on for an additional fee.
Once you activate this feature, your port number will change every time you connect to an EarthVPN server location, thereby improving your download speeds while using P2P applications.
You’ll find this very useful if you regularly engage in P2P file-sharing activities and do not mind paying extra for the add-on.
US/UK TV Streaming
EarthVPN allows you to unblock Netflix US and BBC UK with ease.
However, for improved loading times and overall speed, you may consider buying a dedicated IP from the provider.
Logging Policy
EarthVPN claims it keeps no personally identifiable logs.
This means your online activity cannot be traced back to you while using the VPN.
However, it’s worth noting that EarthVPN’s privacy policy clearly states that they log your IP address to prevent spam and abuse.
According to their privacy policy, “EarthVPN neither logs VPN usage nor user activity. Neither us nor third parties are technically able to match an IP address to an account. Under no circumstances we will provide any personal or private information to third parties”.
The Great Firewall
I was pretty impressed to discover that EarthVPN claims to work in China.
This is great if you’re planning a trip to China anytime soon as you’d still be able to access your favorite content while you’re there.
Cross-Platform Support
Regardless of the platform you’re using, EarthVPN offers instant activation immediately after purchase.
It also allows you to set up the VPN on any device or platform manually since it does not have apps.
You may find it difficult to set up EarthVPN if you’re not familiar with manual VPN configurations.
Social Proof
After searching the internet for other users’ experiences with EarthVPN, two things were common throughout.
While a lot of people suggest that it’s a very reliable service to use, a huge amount of users are dissatisfied with EarthVPN’s customer support especially in terms of responsiveness to tickets and emails.
What Should You Consider Before Getting a Service Like EarthVPN?
With the rate of data and privacy breaches constantly on the rise, using a VPN when going online has become more of a necessity than a thing of convenience.
Unfavorable data regulations are also fast becoming a thing of concern especially as the US and UK have recently passed laws that allow ISPs legally sell users’ data without their consent (US) and more investigatory powers for authorities (UK).
If you’re concerned about protecting your identity and keeping your online activity private, you should consider using a VPN.
A VPN essentially masks your real IP address and replaces it with an alternative from the provider, making it somewhat difficult or impossible for third-parties to view your online activity or trace it back to your real-world identity.
Many users have subscribed to certain VPN providers only to discover that it doesn’t suit their needs.
By arming yourself with the right information, you’ll be able to decide which VPN is right for you.
The following are some of the factors you should consider before subscribing to a VPN provider.
- Logging policy: This determines whether a provider logs any user information, or not, and also what kind of information is stored.
- Speed: Some VPNs will offer faster connection speeds than other.
- P2P Support: Since some VPNs do not allow torrenting on their servers, you should ensure that P2P file-sharing support is available if it’s something you’re interested in.
- Strong encryption: Connections made via a VPN are encrypted and the stronger the encryption the more difficult it’ll be for third-parties to access or view your online activity.
- Responsive Technical Support: A responsive technical support will usually resolve your queries faster than one that isn’t. VPN providers that offer a 24/ live-chat channel are usually more responsive than those who rely on emails and tickets.
- User-friendly cross-platform apps: Many VPN providers usually have dedicated apps for major mobile and desktop operating systems but some do not.
- Security Features: In addition to the basic features of a VPN, the best providers offer more for improved protection. For example, some VPNs may additionally offer advanced features like split tunneling and malware protection.
- Price: This implies getting a VPN that suits not only your security needs but budget.
EarthVPN Alternatives
NordVPN – Premium Security
NordVPN is widely considered a market leading VPN provider mostly for its wide coverage, budget-friendly prices, and availability of useful features.
You’ll find that it has over 5,000 servers and that you do not have to break the bank for a subscription.
If you’re looking for advanced VPN protection, NordVPN is the ideal provider.
It offers a unique Cybersec feature that protects your from cybersecurity threats like malware and also uses strong protocols like Onion over VPN which is absent with EarthVPN.
NordVPN also provides you with more value for money when compared with EarthVPN, especially as it allows you to connect up to 6 devices simultaneously and has more premium features as part of your subscription.
You can find a list of the main advantages NordVPN has over EarthVPN below.
- 5,000+ servers worldwide
- Onion over VPN protocol
- DNS Leak Protection
- Unique Cybersec feature
- Dedicated mobile apps
- Very low prices
CyberGhost VPN
CyberGhost is another top VPN with a strong lineup of features and extensive server coverage.
It offers dedicated apps for mobile and desktop platforms that you’ll find easy to adapt to and use.
CyberGhost also gives you access to its own malware and ad-blocker, which is great for blocking malicious content and intrusive ads.
In addition, you also get more value from CyberGhost as it allows you to make up to 7 simultaneous connections per subscription.
It also has an extended money-back guarantee of 45 days in the event that you’re dissatisfied with the product after you start using it.
You can find highlights of how CyberGhost VPN differs from EarthVPN below.
- User-friendly mobile apps
- 3,600+ servers in 59 countries
- Military-grade encryption
- Up to 7 simultaneous connections
- Malware and ad-blocker
- 45-day money-back guarantee
ExpressVPN
This VPN operates from the British Virgin Islands which is a VPN-friendly jurisdiction and is widely popular for offering very fast connections.
ExpressVPN provides a large network of over 3,000 servers in 94 countries, which is great if you require VPN servers from obscure destinations.
In terms of prices, ExpressVPN’s subscriptions are a lot pricier than what EarthVPN or even many other providers offer.
However, ExpressVPN makes up for this with features like advanced split tunneling, intuitive mobile apps, and outstanding support via live-chat.
If you’re a speed junkie or regularly stream HD content online, ExpressVPN would be best suited to your needs.
You would also benefit a great deal from its split tunneling feature if you need some traffic to go through your VPN connection and others via your ISP.
See a list of ExpressVPN’s standout features below.
- Lightning-fast connection speeds
- Advanced Split Tunneling
- 3,000+ servers in 94 countries
- 24/7 Live-chat support
- Cross-platform apps
- Dedicated streaming feature
Final Word
As issues surrounding data breaches and online privacy continue to show no signs of reducing, one of the best ways you can stay protected is by using a VPN.
EarthVPN has stood the test of time as a VPN provider and delivers an admirable service.
Features such as port forwarding, SSH tunneling, and support for P2P are some of the key reasons why it’s the good VPN for your privacy needs.
However, I recommend a more reliable, more robust choice – NordVPN.
