In my testing, I found Privado adept at streaming and easy enough to use.
The no-frills VPN doesnt get you blazing-fast speeds, an exhaustive server web link or advanced privacy features.
The apps work fine but could use some refinement.
For reference,Netflix recommendsa minimum 15Mbps internet download speed to stream 4K ultra high-definition videos.
Privado proved unreliable in some cases.
Even stranger, the 91.5% internet speed loss on MacOS with OpenVPN was alarmingly high.
Normally, youll get faster speeds when tunneling through geographically closer servers.
Nevertheless, the 41.3% average speed loss on WireGuard US New York servers was slower than I predicted.
I dont have an explanation for its astronomical MacOS OpenVPN speed loss.
It could be overloaded servers or any number of issues.
Generally, Wireguard is fast because it’s lightweight, but real-world experiences can vary.
PrivadoVPNs paid plan is tough to recommend over other budget picks like Surfshark considering its high internet speed loss.
Thats more countries than Protons free plan, which features only five.
Additionally, Privados no-cost service lets you pick the server youre using, whereas Protons free plan doesnt.
Although the paid PrivadoVPN server online grid isnt the largest, its free server roster is pretty beefy.
Comparing Privado to other cheap VPNs, like Surfshark andPIAis a different story.
Both Surfshark and PIA cost around the same price as Privado but offer more extensive server networks.
Likewise, I was impressed with Privados zero-dollar tier.
I find the ability to choose a server more useful, but this boils down to personal preference.
Go with Proton if you want a higher data cap, or stick with Privado for more server flexibility.
It worked well on my Android phone and iPad as on my Windows and MacOS machines.
In my experience, the PrivadoVPN app is fairly universal across most devices.
The overly protective kill switch could be overhauled to be less intrusive and more practical.
Privado does a solid job with streaming service geo-unblocking
PrivadoVPN is great forstreaming.
Disney Plus US and UK streaming worked well – I watched Moana and Abbott Elementary.
BBC iPlayer streamed The Fall buttery smooth with Privado.
Instead, youll need to rely on the knowledge base, installation guides, or contacting support.
According to the website, the support team is available 365 days a year.
Privado also offers manual setup instructions for routers, Linux operating systems and other devices.
Its knowledge base contains fundamental troubleshooting information, like diagnosing internet connectivity issues, but isnt the most robust.
PrivadoVPNs privacy is a mixed bag.
I appreciated its privacy-friendly jurisdiction in Switzerland, which isnt part of theFive, Nine or 14 Eyesdata-sharing alliances.
Theres industry-standard AES-256-bit encryption for the OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols, with ChaCha20 for Wireguard.
I didnt detect any DNS leaks in my benchmarking.
If youre concerned, you’ve got the option to alwaystest whether your VPN is working.
Its a strange behavior and one that Ive yet to encounter in a VPN before.
Only a handful of VPN companies have encrypted tunnels that dont break when hopping between servers, notably NordVPN.
When switching servers, it unlocks and shows your public IP address.
Thankfully, the kill switch is on the home screen, so its fairly easy to remember.
Privado keeps its privacy policy concise and well-plotted out.
I didnt notice any red flags.
The company is upfront about the information that they do – and dont – collect.
We will never sell your data to any third parties.
On the free plan, bandwidth usage is measured, but theres no identifiable information along with that data.
Overall, I was satisfied with Privados privacy policy.
Its simple to follow and straightforward.
Audits back up VPN service braggadocio, verifying that your information truly isnt being collected.
Our favorite VPNs, like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark and Proton VPN, undergo annual audits.
Additionally, Privado expressed its opinion that audits are difficult to justify outside of marketing benefits.
I hear where Privado is coming from – audits certainly arent cheap anddont paint a full picture of privacy.
In the future, Id like to see Privado undergo annual audits.
Despite its unreliable internet download speed performance and privacy issues, its hard to complain about free service.
