Verdict
VyperVPN has a solid focus on security, wide OS support, plenty of features and has become one of the fastest services around.
Pros
- Wide range of privacy and security features
- Wide range of endpoint countries
- Good for Usenet, if paired with a Giganews subscription
Cons
- Somewhat expensive
- Over 70 server locations around the world:With so many endpoints to choose from, VyperVPN offers lots of flexibility if you want to use a server from a specific country.
- Multi-platform support:VyperVPN is supported by multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.
Introduction
Golden Frog’s VyprVPN is a virtual private network service based in Switzerland, with endpoints in more than 70 countries.
It’s also the VPN that comes with the company’s famous and venerable Giganews Usenet service, and although easy to use, VyprVPN includes a range of features that also satisfy people who are comfortable with more than just email and the web.
It has a good range of security options and clients, a solid track record for uninterrupted streaming, plus support and documentation for plenty of devices and operating systems.
It was one of the first VPN providers to back its no-logging promise with an independent audit.
Pricing and Subscriptions
VyprVPN is available for £75/$100 per year, which works out at £6.25/$8.33 per month.
A 30-day money-back guarantee is available to help you decide whether VyprVPN is the service for you. If you’re after a monthly subscription, look elsewhere – a month of VyprVPN comes in at £11/$15, which is more expensive than most.
However, if you’re interested in using Usenet as well, it’s worth looking at a Giganews + VyprVPN subscription, priced at $10 (£7.87) a month or $100 (£79) a year – you basically get one service free, and the monthly fee is significantly cheaper.
Privacy and Protection
- Has a no-logging policy, but ideally needs new audit
- Recently found to install expired Trusted Root Certificate
VyprVPN has been a no-logging VPN since 2018, when it had itself audited by Leviathan Security to prove that no personally identifiable information on the service’s users is collected.
It’s probably about time for a new audit, though, to reflect any upgrades to clients or infrastructure. The company says it will carry out audits on a regular basis. However, like ProtonVPN, the company is bound by Swiss law – which, although more privacy-friendly than most of Europe, requires online service providers to comply with valid international warrants.
VyprVPN was recently found by AppEsteem to install an expired Trusted Root Certificate on Windows in order to make its legacy protocols work. Although it hasn’t yet published a response, the company has issued an updated certificate.
The practice of installing Trusted Root Certificates without clear permission from the user isn’t best practice, and they can be exploited by their issuer or if the private key used to sign them is stolen. This is an unlikely scenario, but I’d like to see more clarity from VyprVPN on this issue.
Features and Usability
- Simply and polished layout
- Features include kill switch and auto connection
The VyprVPN client is simple and polished, showing uptime, connection and disconnection buttons and the endpoint country you’re in.
You can easily connect to your choice of geographical endpoint location and save favourite endpoints. Click the Customize button and you’ll find a full range of advanced options to help you tweak the VPN to your precise needs, including protocol selection, automatic connection on start-up, automatic reconnection, automatic connection on public Wi-Fi networks, and a kill switch to prevent any traffic from being sent over an unsecured internet connection.
The protocols list also allows you to enable an obfuscated Chameleon protocol, which tries to hide the fact you’re using a VPN. This is for use in countries with restrictive internet connections such as China, or on local networks that attempt to deter their users from concealing their traffic.
VyprVPN has dedicated apps for a huge range of platforms, from Windows, macOS and Linux desktop PCs to smartphones, routers and NAS devices. Golden Frog also provides extensive documentation for correctly using its VPN service in a variety of scenarios.
Performance
- One of the top performers in group test
- Fine for most streaming services
All of my testing was carried out on a virtual desktop physically located at a data centre with a high-speed internet connection in London. This testing setup produces results under optimal connection conditions. VPN clients are tested on their default settings.
| UK | Netherlands | United States | |
| VyprVPN | 396.00 Mbps | 448.80 Mbps | 264.00 Mbps |
| Reference Group Average HTTP | 310.77 Mbps | 306.83 Mbps | 194.52 Mbps |
| Reference HTTP without VPN | 489.60 Mbps | 532.80 Mbps | 490.40 Mbps |
VyprVPN uses the fast WireGuard protocol by default, and was far quicker than the already speedy group average in all my tests. It’s been consistently among the top performers over the past 12 months.
VyprVPN is generally fine for watching streamed video content, without having to resort to split tunnelling. However, you might run into problems with Netflix, because of its recent crackdown on VPN services being used for region shifting.
Latest deals
VyprVPN is available for £75/$100 per year, which works out at £6.25/$8.33 per month.
Should you buy it?
You want a fast and reliable VPN:
VyperVPN is one of the speediest VPNs in our group test, while also featuring a secure connection so you can browse the web with peace of mind.
You want a monthly VPN subscription:
VyperVPN offers a great value one-year subscription, but its pay monthly offering is arguably too expensive if you’re not willing to commit yourself to 12 months.
Final Thoughts
VyprVPN is reliable and fast, offering plenty of features, and it’s a particularly good deal if you’re already in the market for Usenet provider.
But rival NordVPN is cheaper and more reliable for streaming content. For the security-minded, Perfect Privacy is currently my top recommendation, if you’re not in a position to run your own VPN server. Otherwise, check out our Best VPN list for even more options.
How we test
We run tests from a London-based connection that typically sees speeds between 500Mbps and 700Mbps, which means that we’re able to get a good idea of what each VPN’s maximum speeds currently are.
We test multiple endpoints from each provider in three locations: the UK, the Netherlands and the U.S.
Tested speeds with three endpoints: UK, USA and the Netherlands.
Researched security and no-logging claims
Tested all available features
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FAQs
No, you need to pay for a subscription to use VyperVPN.
You can have 5 simultaneous connections.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.