Atlas VPN is a freemium VPN for beginners that focuses on security and privacy. This VPN service has great extra features, impressive connection speeds, well-developed apps for all operating systems, and the best free version we’ve tested so far.
It also unblocks streaming services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer, keeps your browsing ad-free with an ad blocker feature, and ensures your data stays clean with its powerful data leak checker.
In this Atlas VPN review 2023, we’ll take a deep dive into all the pros and cons of this freemium VPN. Read on to learn about its speed, features, security, and apps to ultimately decide if it’s the best VPN for you.
Atlas VPN Pros and Cons
Advantage
- Unblocks most streaming services
- Include web filter
- WireGuard® protocol
- on-site support
- Built-in 2FA login
- free version
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Shortcoming
- based in the US
- small server farm
Is Atlas VPN safe?
Atlas VPN is a secure VPN provider. It has the basic security features you’d expect from a VPN, such as a no-logs policy, AES encryption, and a solid kill switch. While you can choose a truly secure tunneling protocol, there are only two options – IKEv2 and the market standard WireGuard.
However, Atlas VPN still has room to grow. Instead of using pure RAM servers, this provider keeps data on fully encrypted drives. Also, their no-logs policy has not been independently audited, only the iOS app was tested for security.
On the other hand, if you are wondering who owns Atlas VPN – it has been acquired by Nord Security, the owner of the market-leading NordVPN. As such, Atlas VPN is expected to follow the same security standards and practices as NordVPN.
Encryption and Tunneling Protocols
When you connect to one of Atlas VPN’s servers, your connection is encrypted, which means no one can see what you’re doing online.
Specifically, Atlas VPN uses the AES-256 cipher, which is the current standard for data protection and is used by numerous governments and financial institutions. They also implemented ChaCha20 ciphers with Poly1305 authenticators for next-gen security.
As for tunneling protocols, there are two options: IPSec/IKEv2 and WireGuard. The latter is the latest addition to the standard tunneling protocol and Atlas VPN, ensuring faster speeds and lower pings. It is available for Android, Windows, macOS and iOS devices.
Record
Atlas VPN is based in Delaware, USA. Unfortunately, the US is at the forefront of the 5-Eyes alliance and is not a privacy-friendly jurisdiction in general, which is why this won’t be one of Atlas VPN’s selling points.
However, like other reputable VPN services, Atlas VPN has a no-logs policy. The document says they do not store any private information. Although not explicitly mentioned, the no-logs policy seems to apply to the free version as well.
Their policy mentions that you can contact them to permanently delete your account. California users can even request a copy of the data the company has about them.
kill switch
Atlas VPN adds a security feature that helps prevent data breaches. It’s called a kill switch, and it’s designed to shut down your internet traffic if the link to the VPN server goes down. We perform two tests to check how it works: blocking connections from routers and disabling background VPN processes.
In the first test, the kill switch worked fine and terminated the connection when accessing the server was blocked. Our only qualm is that it doesn’t notify you that the kill switch has been triggered. However, we found it useful to be able to restore the internet connection by disabling and enabling the kill switch.
The second test was more complicated than usual because the service doesn’t support OpenVPN. Therefore, the VPN process is associated with the client. Therefore, we have to disable the client with the kill switch turned on. Even so, even in this case, the kill switch will work.
Programs and Pricing
Atlas VPN is one of the cheapest VPNs on the market. Especially remember that the service offers unlimited simultaneous connections.
- 1 month plan $11.99/month
- 1-year plan $3.29/month
- 2-year plan $1.82/month
The monthly plan is the most expensive, going up to $11.99/month. Therefore, we never recommend short-term planning. However, if you have already subscribed for a year, you will get a huge discount and the monthly price is only $3.29/month.
The 2-year plan is where Atlas VPN shines at an affordable price. With this subscription plan, you will only pay up to $1.82 per month.
Each plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try out the paid options and decide if you like them enough to justify a purchase.
Payment methods include credit cards, Google Pay and PayPal. There are also options to pay with cryptocurrencies, including BTC, LTC, ETH, etc., as well as QIWI. The newest payment option is Klarna, which allows US users to pay for Atlas VPN in installments.
Atlas VPN Free
Atlas VPN is one of the few free services that should not be underestimated. However, it’s important to note that this plan has a 5 GB data limit – so it’s not the best choice for downloading and streaming large media files.
Atlas VPN remains the value king here. As a free user, you have access to three locations: Netherlands – Amsterdam, US – Los Angeles and US – New York.
However, the free version does not give you access to streaming-optimized servers, unlimited bandwidth, 24/7 support, unlimited simultaneous connections, and safe browsing features.
