Introduction to AdGuard VPN
AdGuard VPN is a free and inexpensive privacy solution that hides your location, encrypts internet traffic, and unlocks geo-blocked content. While AdGuard is best known for its popular ad blocker and Domain Name System (DNS) services, its VPN is a relatively new addition to the market. In this review, we’ll take a closer look at AdGuard VPN to see how it stacks up against the best VPNs available.
Specs and Pricing
AdGuard VPN is available on a range of platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, and Chromecast. It supports up to 10 devices and offers email support. The free version of AdGuard VPN has some restrictions, including a limited 3GB of internet data per month and access to fewer servers. However, with a subscription, AdGuard VPN is unlocked, allowing you to use it freely on up to 10 devices at once with no data cap.
The monthly fee for AdGuard VPN is $11.99, which is about average for the industry. However, you can get a better deal if you subscribe for longer. An annual plan costs $47.88 ($4/mo.), and a two-year subscription is just $71.76 ($3/mo.).
Design and User Interface
AdGuard VPN has a simple design that’s easy to use. The app is medium-sized, with a cartoon ninja character that indicates the status of the VPN at a glance. The interface shows a list of server locations, with the fastest appearing in a separate section at the top. A search bar lets you quickly find particular countries and cities to connect to and bookmark your favorites for quicker access.
The app also has tabs for exclusions, stats, support, and settings. Exclusions let you specify apps and websites that can bypass the VPN tunnel, showing your actual location and running at full speed. App settings include toggles for a kill switch that blocks internet access if the VPN unexpectedly disconnects, automatic launch, and automatic connection.
Features and Performance
AdGuard VPN was as fast as my native Ethernet connection when I chose a nearby server. The custom VPN protocol minimizes round trips for transfer confirmation, shortening the time it takes to deliver content. I found it to be the fastest VPN I’ve ever tested, with download speeds ranging from 522Mbps to 633Mbps for European servers and upload speeds around 5Mbps.
The AdGuard VPN extension was significantly slower than the app, with download speeds plunging to 416Mbps when I tested the fastest location again with the extension. However, the app’s performance was impressive, allowing me to browse and stream with excellent speed, hiding my location and displaying foreign content as if I’m a world traveler.
Support and Customer Service
AdGuard VPN provides support via email, but it can take a long time to get a response. I tested the response time, asking about the number of servers available, and it took more than a day to get a reply. If you need quicker answers, you might be able to find solutions in help articles or community forums.
Privacy and Security
AdGuard’s VPN privacy policy clearly states that it doesn’t share or sell your personal information. It also promises not to keep logs of your browsing activity. The company has earned the trust of a large user base with its open-source ad blocker and DNS services, starting in 2009. However, AdGuard VPN hasn’t been audited, which means you need to assess how much you trust the company.
Conclusion
In my testing, the AdGuard VPN app surpassed the speeds of even the fastest streaming VPNs, and the results with the Windows app were consistent worldwide. An AdGuard VPN subscription also includes AdGuard DNS with simple blocking of malware, trackers, and ads. While an AdGuard VPN subscription is affordable, with an average monthly cost as low as $3, there are better VPN deals with even lower prices. If you want an all-in-one solution, Surfshark is an excellent VPN that can also protect your computer from malware. Ultimately, AdGuard VPN is one of the best VPNs you can find, but it lacks some special features and has fewer configuration options than VPNs like NordVPN or Proton VPN.
