If you've been keeping an eye out for easy-to-use, all-in-one solutions to create a stunning website, you've surely stumbled upon Squarespace website builder somewhere along the line.

It's hardly surprising since it's one of the best site builders for setting up beautiful personal blogs, online photography portfolios, and small online shops. For starters, all essential ecommerce website builder tools you'll ever need are part of the package you'll get with Squarespace. 

As soon as you land on Squarespace’s official site, you'll notice it's particularly pleasant to look at. It's also simple to use as it benefits from a clean, modern, user-centric design which makes navigating around the site as simple as anything.  

The company behind the site builder, New York-based Squarespace, Inc. has been part of the SaaS industry since 2004 - so, it was set up almost two decades ago. Its founder and CEO, Anthony Casalena, came up with the idea of Squarespace while still at the university and turned it into the famous, full-fledged platform we know today. As we write, Squarespace's team consists of over 1,600 talented individuals, and the platform itself is utilized by millions of sites across the world.  

So, Squarespace is a pretty popular, beginner-friendly web platform with more than a handful of handy features, but could the same be said about its site builder?

To answer this question, we'll cover core facts about this site-building solution as well as its pros and cons.

• Interested in Squarespace? Check out the website here 

What is Squarespace website builder? 

Squarespace started life as a simple tool for building static sites but soon evolved into the all-in-one web platform we got right now. This solution covers everything from domain name registration and cloud hosting service to full-scale site builder with built-in ecommerce features. 

As suggested, this is a hosted solution, which means it runs on its own servers and you don't need to purchase a separate web hosting service. Thanks to its beginner-friendly content management system (CMS) and incredibly intuitive user interface (UI), Squarespace site builder lets even the most clueless rookies create eye-catching sites in a short time. It's as simple as selecting a pre-built template and customizing it until you're captivated by it. Then, you can add blogging site tools, ecommerce elements, and custom code to expand its functionality further. 

This site builder is a superb choice for professional-looking personal blogs, professional creative sites, and small to mid-sized online stores.  

Squarespace features

Similar to most “up-to-the-minute” site-building solutions on the market, Squarespace strives to have a bit of something for everyone. A newcomer with a new site on the way will be supplied with all of the tools they need to do the trick, while well-versed designers and developers will get a secure space and freedom to create whatever they had in mind. However, since Squarespace was created with beginners in mind, it’ll appeal more to its core audience. 

Squarespace benefits from beginner-friendly drag-and-drop UI which makes it simple to customize any of the awesome ready-made templates without any coding skills. Currently, there are over 100 of these templates and new ones are added fairly frequently. So, whether you’re planning to start a cute membership site about cats or an e-commerce business site, you’ll find the thing you need. 

Since all templates are responsive, they’ll look as terrific on a screen of any size. So, whether your visitors are using a smartphone, tablet, or computer your site will seem the same, both in terms of looks and functionality. On the downside, if you want to change the template you’re using, you’ll have to start everything from scratch.  

As for additional features, all Squarespace plans come with a free custom domain. However, you’ll have to subscribe for no less than one year and it’s one free domain per site only. 

We’ve mentioned above that Squarespace solutions include a cloud hosting service but we didn’t point out that this web hosting features unlimited bandwidth and storage on all plans. So, it will probably be able to support a high-traffic site at any point.

Also, most packages include some media marketing features (such as Video Maker, audience management tools, and promotional pop-ups and banners) and fully integrated ecommerce features. Plus, you can add as many products as you want. 

Unfortunately, there’s one drawback with the “Business” plan – Squarespace charges a 3% transaction fee for all sales, which might not seem as significant at the start. However, once your sales kick off, this charge will start getting in your way. To break free, you'll be prompted to upgrade your plan to one of the pricier ones.  

If you go with these pricier plans, you'll also get an advanced site and ecommerce analytics so you can work out where your site traffic is coming from, what your visitors are searching for, and how they interact with your content, products, and services. 

Squarespace tools

If you’re into blogging, you’ll be glad to hear that Squarespace provides a full set of blogging features such as built-in blog pages, a comment section, and content promotion tools. However, if you’re making a blog as a means of making money, Squarespace shouldn’t be your first choice. First off, to get hold of ecommerce features, you’ll have to purchase the “Business” plan or up, and it will set you back $23 (£18.70) per month (if you subscribe for a year) or $33 (£26.80) for one month. 

This plan will let you integrate a shopping cart into your blog with ease, as well as sell physical products, digital downloads, online services, and subscriptions. However, if we take the 3% transaction fee on sales and the plan’s initial price tag into account, this solution doesn’t seem particularly pocket-friendly. So, if you plan to become a professional blogger on a tight budget, it’s better to use WordPress instead. 

Also, Squarespace isn’t as strong as some of its competitor (like Shopify) when it comes to shipping and payment options – for instance, manual payments isn’t an option and you can’t sell in multiple currencies.

Squarespace also offers superb search engine optimization (SEO) features, which will help you get your site in front of your core audience. There are also multiple options for social media marketing, email marketing, and custom post designs. So, it seems Squarespace has everything a small business could wish for.  

However, Squarespace doesn’t take too kindly to third-party tools – while there’s a decent variety of versatile tools it’s not up to scratch – so, you might feel like you’re stuck with Squarespace's ecosystem.

We should also talk about Squarespace’s up-to-date, drag-and-drop editor called Fluid Engine, a superior version to their old editor. As soon as you add an element or change something on the template you’re using, it will become visible straight away. It also offers a decent level of customization choices, so you can adjust your template to suit your needs and desires. 

The only major drawback is that you can’t place elements (such as images or text) wherever you want them to be - you can position them in pre-built places bounded by grid lines. Also, while you’ll be prompted to save your site after each change, you won’t enjoy the convince of the autosave functionality.

Is Squarespace website builder easy to use? 

At the start, you’ll be supplied with a simple-to-understand setup menu, where you can choose between a variety of templates based on the categories - online store, membership, blog, art & design, and photography to name a few. 

After this, you can shape the way your site looks and you have the freedom to personalize every element of it. However, as explained a bit earlier, your freedom will be confined to a somewhat limited grid system. Because of this everything is superbly streamlined, making both setup and editing as simple as can be. 

We should also note that the new Squarespace 7.1 version is superior to the 7.0 version when it comes to ease of use. While the previous version got a whole lot of criticism, there’s scarcely anything to complain about with the latest version of Squarespace.

Squarespace website builder pricing: is it a good value for money? 

The site builder’s price tag is on par with similar all-in-one solutions on the market and it provides plenty of bang for the buck. However, if you only wanted a pocket-friendly site builder without other components of Squarespace, we’re sorry to say you won’t find this here.  

If you’re in for an all-in-one solution, you can choose between four plans ranging from $16 (£13.30) to $49 (£40.65) per month, if you opt for an annual billing option, that is. If you choose a one-month-only option, the price will spike significantly. 

While Squarespace doesn’t offer a forever-free edition of its site builder, there is a 14-day free trial with all four plans and no credit card details are required.

As for payment methods, Squarespace accepts all major credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, and American Express included), JCB, Diners Club (in USD only), and SEPA direct debit (in EUR only). As you already suspect, you can’t pay via PayPal or Bitcoin (BTC).

Squarespace website builder safety and security 

Squarespace will safeguard your site and its visitors with a strong set of safety and security features. All Squarespace sites are kept on the safe side with SSL certificates, two-factor authentication (2FA), protection against denial of service (DoS) attacks, page passwords, and a login activity panel. While log activity won’t protect your site by itself, it’ll help you discover if any logins were made from suspicious or unknown devices.  

Squarespace’s security staff is monitoring all Squarespace sites round-the-clock for threats and vulnerabilities to make sure your site is properly protected. Still, if you discover a vulnerability, you can report it to the security staff and they’ll conduct their investigation on it.

Squarespace help and support

If you get stuck somewhere during your Squarespace journey, you can seek assistance from Squarespace’s support staff via live chat, email, and Twitter. Sadly, phone support isn’t available. 

Live chat is available Monday to Friday, 5 AM to 8 PM, EST, and once you contact the staff, someone will get back to you in a matter of minutes. In contrast, email support is available 24/7, but the response time can sometimes be sluggish.

 As for self-service, you can visit Help Center which contains a well-supplied knowledgebase, video guides, and an avidly active community forum you can conveniently browse by topics. 

Squarespace website builder alternatives

Wix is an awesome alternative for those who want to build their site on a tight budget or entirely free - it offers a forever-free edition of its site builder. Plus, it’s super simple to use, packed with features, and provides automatic backups. 

If you’re searching for a cheap yet completely customizable site builder, WordPress is the solution of choice. Since it’s an open-sourced software, it has thousands of themes, templates, plugins, how-to guides, and a committed community that can lend you a helping hand. While it’s not as beginner-friendly as Squarespace or Wix, it makes up for it with a fabulous level of flexibility and freedom. 

Shopify is built for ecommerce from the ground up, so if an ecommerce solution is what you’re looking for, it might be the best choice. While Squarespace offers all essential ecommerce features, it’s better suited for a professional site or a blog. 

Is Squarespace website builder right for you? 

Squarespace is a splendid, simple-to-use site builder with terrific templates and it gets better each time a new version crops up. Hitting high marks in all major areas, Squarespace site builder qualifies as an amazing all-arounder in the market, and it’s also fit for small and mid-sized online stores.   

However, Squarespace keeps its users on a short leash with a low level of customization and the inability to switch between templates without starting from scratch. Also, the lack of auto-save features makes it less convenient than some of its competitors. 

 Squarespace website builder FAQ 

• We've featured the best small business website builder

With hundreds of VPNs on the market and most of them promising to do the same thing, it can be difficult to decide what will be the best VPN for you.

Today we’re looking at vpnjack, a division of Jack512 VPN & VoIP Solutions headquartered in the United States. Unfortunately, the United States is one of the least privacy-friendly countries in the world. This is due to the fact that the US is a participating member of the Five Eyes, which enables US authorities to obtain user information from the company with a warrant if they so desire.

As of the time of this review, we do not know how many servers they have. vpnjack claims to have servers located in several cities in the USA, which means you can only access their service if you are also based in the US.

Pricing & plans 

vpnjack is designed to be a cheap service, although not suitable if you’re looking for a free VPN. It currently offers six packages, depending on how long you want to commit for. You can subscribe to the service on a daily basis for $0.99, weekly for $1.99, monthly for $4.49, three months for $11.99, six months for $19.99, or on an annual basis at $29.99. Plans can be purchased through PayPal or with Bitcoin.

Payments made to this service are generally non-refundable, which is very unusual compared to competitors. For you to test the service and determine whether you want to purchase any of its plans, they offer a free trial that lets you use the VPN for 60 minutes every day for 24 hours. When compared to other VPN services, which permit you to test their VPN for at least thirty days, this is subpar.

Privacy & encryption 

The official website states that your data is only collected to the extent necessary for proper accounting and system health monitoring, such as the length of your VPN connection and average bandwidth. However, it should be noted that as of the time of this review, they have not requested an independent VPN audit to check the servers' logs.

Remember that vpnjack is based in the United States, part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance. This is a group of countries that exchange surveillance information. Your privacy might be jeopardized as a result of vpnjack's obligation to turn over your data to the government upon request. If you desire a privacy tool which can offer confidentiality and anonymity, you might prefer to try an alternative.

No information is provided regarding the encryption used or any extra security measures employed to safeguard your privacy. We were only informed on the website that the provider uses PPTP and L2TP VPN transfer protocols. 

Streaming 

You shouldn't expect to be able to access international services like BBC iPlayer, because vpnjack has a US focus and only allows you to stream content from US streaming platforms. If you use streaming applications for an extended period, The service would limit your connection speed because of its fair usage policy. This makes it less desirable if you want a VPN for Netflix or other streaming. 

Speed & experience 

Since all the servers are located in the same nation, our speed tests produced identical results. We noticed that you would receive a relatively high server speed if you were close to the US, but results would be slower if you were halfway around the globe. 

Apps 

Although vpnjack doesn't provide any native desktop or mobile VPN apps, it can be manually enabled on a variety of devices, including Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, by following the set-up instructions on its website. Linux, routers, smart TVs, and game consoles are all incompatible. 

Customer support 

Both a support ticket and a 24/7 LiveChat window are absent, leaving email as the only method of communication, which takes a lot of time. The FAQ section on the website is sparse and not sufficiently comprehensive to assist you. 

Alternatives to vpnjack

Nord VPN

Nord VPN,  gives you access to geographically restricted content from anywhere in the world, offers an app that has strong encryption to add an extra layer of security to your online activities and gives you features like a kill switch, peer-to-peer networking, web threat management, and multiple concurrent device connection.

Read our full NordVPN review 

Cyberghost

Cyberghost VPN supports up to seven simultaneous device connections, unblocks major streaming platforms, offers 1200 servers spread across more than 50 countries, permits torrent downloads, and offers a generous 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Cyberghost review

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is based in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction and has thousands of servers dispersed throughout the world. It’s secure, does not keep any logs, unblocks streaming websites, allows for five connections at once, and has a quick speed.

Read our full ExpressVPN review

PureVPN

PureVPN is the best protection against ISP speed throttling. It allows you to access blocked websites and protects you from third-party spying, while also giving access to features such as intrusion detection systems, anti-spam, IP protection, and web threat monitoring.

Read our full PureVPN review 

Verdict

vpnjack doesn't have any exciting features or even P2P support for torrenting. The website doesn't give so many details about the product, so we could not tell what kind of encryption it uses. 

Although they have a low subscription price, they operate in just one country, don't support multiple connections at once, and can't boast of a secure service. In our opinion, vpnjack isn't worth your time. 

First impressions count - and USAIP VPN left us seriously unimpressed. The company website needs some work, feeling like an outdated mess. But what caught our eye was the assertion that the VPN promises ‘full and strong anonymity’. Nearly all VPNs make this claim, then either fail to have an independent party run a VPN audit to check the companies live up to their claims. So, how does USAIP VPN stack up in the privacy and security stakes? 

The service was founded in 2017, with 35 servers spread across 20 different countries around the world in regions like Pakistan, China, Russia, Estonia, Luxembourg, and the USA. This is significantly fewer than the industry average, and tiny compared to big-name VPNs like CyberGhost VPN, which boasts over 8,100 servers in 90 countries. 

USAIP VPN: Pricing & plans 

The VPN service offers a single plan - so everyone gets the same features and benefits. However, it does have different pricing based on subscription length. 24 hours for $1.49, $3.99 a week, and $7.99 a month. An annual subscription costs $74.99. 

There’s no free VPN option here - but the VPN provider offers a free trial that includes unlimited access but requires you to reconnect every 7 minutes. You can request a refund during the first 3 days of your subscription if you're extremely dissatisfied with the service. 

USAIP VPN accepts credit cards, PayPal, Webmoney, Skrill, Perfect Money, and Ukash, as payment options.

USAIP VPN: Privacy & encryption 

According to USAIP, the service does not collect sensitive user information; however, in their privacy policy they state that “any mild information may be shared with 3rd parties or law enforcement officials.” This indicates the company logs data, even though it's vague about the kind of data collected.

Our primary concern with the USAIP logging policy is the absence of a recent external audit, which would support the company's assertions regarding the types of logs maintained.

It is imperative to keep in mind that this VPN is based in the US, which is a member of a 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance (a group of countries that share surveillance data with each other). Your privacy might be jeopardized as a result of USAIP's obligation to give your data to the government upon demand. We suggest using VPNs like Express VPN instead, which are transparent and have had their software openly audited to prove their privacy claims. If you still want to proceed with getting this virtual private network, proceed with caution.

USAIP uses military-grade 256-bit encryption, which is unbreakable even by anyone or a computer, along with the PPTP, L2TP, IPSec, SSTP, and OpenVPN protocols. To break it, you would need to try a gazillion of different combinations, which hasn't been done yet. This isn’t a VPN for torrenting though, or a VPN for China for that matter, due to a lack of obfuscation tools. 

USAIP VPN: Streaming 

USAIP VPN is touted to be a streaming VPN, its website promising to grant access to well-known geo-restricted streaming services - we found out otherwise. We couldn't access any of its servers, so there was no way we could test it to see if it would unblock any streaming channels. If you’re looking for a Netflix VPN to access content on streaming platforms, you can try USAIP, but you may need to look for a more reliable alternative.  

USAIP VPN: Speed & experience 

Despite the VPN's assertions that its service increases internet speed, tests for USAIP’s VPN servers were not possible because we were unable to make the service function no matter how hard we tried. It's highly likely that the service in now wholly inactive - a statement that, if true, should've been made clear on its outmoded website. 

USAIP VPN: Apps 

The tool runs on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux, with mobile VPN apps for Android, iOS, and iPad. Routers are also supported. For each of them, the website offers comprehensive setup instructions and configuration files to make installation easier, as well as a list of possible error codes and their solutions. 

USAIP VPN: Customer support 

Customer support for USAIP subscribers appears to be defunct, or at least ignored. As we do with all VPN providers, to test their response time, we emailed USAIP VPN's support team. We never received a response.  

USAIP VPN: Alternatives 

Since during our review, USAIP appeared almost entirely inoperative, we strongly recommend investing in a more reliable alternative. After extensive testing, top tools we recommend trying include:

ExpressVPN which is one of the best VPN services available that enables five concurrent connections on devices and unblocks all major streaming platforms. 

NordVPN has over 5,200 servers scattered across 60 countries. 

Proton VPN does not monitor your actions or utilize any of your personal information. 

PureVPN has an encrypted VPN tunnel that allows you to access prohibited websites and browse around the world at speeds up to 1,000 times faster than normal. 

Verdict

Despite all those big promises on its website, our devices simply wouldn't connect to USAIP's VPN.  And our requests for support from the company appear to have been ignored. This is unfortunate because we think it would have been a really good VPN with support for Netflix and Hulu. In the end, there is absolutely no situation under which we would suggest this VPN for use, as there are plenty of other VPNs out there that can give what USAIP VPN promises, and more. 

Every VPN provider on the market makes outlandish claims about protecting your privacy and not keeping any logs of your online activity. However, many fail to live up to these claims – often because they are based in a country with less respect for individual privacy, or because they keep logs of your data to share with third parties.

Swedish company Netbouncer AB makes many of the claims we’ve come to expect from the best VPN providers, citing robust protocols that are meant to keep your online activities secure. But can its Azire VPN really live up to the hype?  

Azire VPN: Pricing & plans 

To begin with, AzireVPN doesn’t have a free trial, which is disappointing. However, it does offer 4 different subscription plans (1, 3, 12, or 24-month), with the opportunity to get discounted prices if you opt for a longer plan. It also offers a seven-day money-back guarantee - although one-month subscriptions, Swish payments, cash payments, and cryptocurrency transactions are not eligible for a refund. 

Prices for the different plans are: 

1-month plan: $5.00

3-month option: $12.00 ($4.00 per month)

12-month plan: $45 ($3.75 per month)

24-month plan: $78.00 ($3.25 per month)

Payment options include credit card payments, PayPal, Swish, cryptocurrency, and even cash, which can be mailed to AzireVPN’s Stockholm office.

If you’re looking for a cheaper option, take a look at our guide to find the best free VPN. 

Azire VPN: Privacy & encryption 

The company uses WireGuard, OpenVPN, and the SOCKS5 protocol, along with 256-bit AES encryption, the most secure encryption available. Both OpenVPN and WireGuard are quick and secure, with WireGuard being the fastest option and the industry standard. Although the SOCKS5 proxy protocol is a proxy tunnel without encryption, it is quick and frequently used for navigating around geo-restrictions.

AzireVPN asserts that it adheres to a strict no-logs policy and does not record private information such as your IP address, the websites you visit, or the files you download. They claim to only log your email address and payment information.

Since the host nation of the VPN is a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes, an association of nations that use digital surveillance to monitor their citizens in order to promote cybersecurity, the VPN is quite transparent about its privacy policies. Keep in mind that, unlike other VPN policies, Aspire VPN has not had an independent VPN audit. This means it’s not possible to verify their claims.

To reassure customers that no search queries or seizures have occurred at the company's location, Azire VPN regularly publishes a warrant canary. They even go as far as publishing the complete company address and even extend an invitation to stop by for coffee in their headquarters to demonstrate how seriously committed they are to transparency.

To support their no-log policy claims, the VPN also provides a function known as "blind operator mode," an open-source rootkit that stops your data from leaving protocols, disables the display of endpoints, and permits IP fields from WireGuard. However, it also lacks useful features such as a VPN kill switch, which would monitor the VPN server connection and disconnect the device automatically if the connection is lost. This means you do run the risk of having your IP address revealed.

One excellent feature that does gives Azire VPN a slight edge over other VPNs in terms of security and privacy is that they do not depend on virtual servers or server farms.

Finally, all of Azire VPN's servers support P2P file sharing, but none are specifically tailored for torrenting. Remember that it is unlawful to download copyrighted files, and we don’t support using VPNs for unlawful behavior.

Azire VPN: Streaming 

We put the Azire VPN to the test and discovered that it could unblock a few well-known streaming services. With some of the servers and the WireGuard protocol, we were able to unblock Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime, but that was the extent of its effectiveness. Regardless of how many servers we tried, we were unable to unblock Hulu, we also couldn't unblock HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, or BBC iPlayer. This means that those specifically looking for a Netflix VPN or general streaming VPN may prefer to try a different tool.  

Azire VPN: Speed & experience 

When using a VPN for torrenting or streaming, you want the speed to be similar to your regular internet speed as this will determine how quickly content uploads. 

We put Azire VPN to the speed test, firstly trying a server in Spain. The connection was 70Mbps, and it gave us a download speed of 9.68Mbps – expected speeds considering that the server was far away from our physical location. Similarly, a Dutch server gave us a download speed of 4.52Mbps. Overall, we observed that the speed on local servers was good while the speed on distant servers was lower. 

Azire VPN: Customer support 

The website states that email is the only way to contact the support team and that you can only expect a response from them between the hours of 8:00 am and 9:00 pm universal time. On the website's support section, there are clear installation instructions, however, you won't find popular features such as live chat or phone support. 

Azire VPN: Apps 

AzireVPN has apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. The software can be downloaded from the website or Google Play, and installation is a quick process.

Although the desktop applications are fairly simple and easy to use, they lack important features like a kill switch that other top VPNs have. The mobile VPN apps are similar to their desktop counterparts, but some of the features have been stripped out. 

Azire VPN: Alternatives 

Proton VPN

Proton VPN is one of the best VPN services currently available. It's a fantastic option for streaming because even the free version can access geo-restricted streaming services. It is also a great choice for torrenting and has excellent security features to give you the privacy you deserve.

Read our full Proton VPN review

Hide.me

Hide.me is one of the leading VPNs on the market. It offers great speed, can unblock virtually anything, and has a variety of unique and cutting-edge features for its customers.

Read our full Hide.me review

Nord VPN

If you're trying to find a VPN service that provides privacy, security, and speed, pick NordVPN. It provides military-grade online security and permits unrestricted access to your preferred websites (Netflix and all the major streaming platforms). It also does not keep any records of your activities and permits six simultaneous device connections due to its strict no-log policy.

Read our full NordVPN review

ExpressVPN

You must be familiar with this VPN if you haven't been living under a rock. It is based in China – a  privacy-friendly jurisdiction – has 3000 servers, is safe, doesn't log anything, unblocks streaming websites, allows connections from five devices at once, and has blazing-fast speed. It will also keep your data safe and secure.

Read our full ExpressVPN review 

Verdict

AzireVPN is a very transparent platform with many good features. It is suitable for torrenting and unblocking some streaming services. However, it doesn’t work in China, lacks a kill switch option, and hasn't requested an independent auditor to examine its servers. Choosing a VPN is dependent on your specific requirements, so if this VPN meets your requirements, go for it. 

It’s all about ‘dude’. The dude. Visit the Anonymous VPN homepage, and it’s the ‘anonymous mascot’ in the dark shades that dominates all. We’re told he will never reveal his name. And, we assume, the company will never reveal our name either. Or, we’d hope, any other details, if it’s set to join the ranks of the best VPN services.

The company is based in Gibraltar, a territory of Great Britain and member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance - a group of countries that share security data. As of this review, Anonymous VPN hasn’t published a full VPN server count but they said they have "several servers" in 23 countries such as Singapore, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Sweden, Netherlands, Australia, Spain, Itay, Ireland, New Zealand, Romania, South Africa, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Ukraine, and Russian. 

In comparison to industry giants, which have thousands of servers and cover multiple locations, this is a limited server count. 

Anonymous VPN: Pricing & plans 

In our years of reviewing VPNs, we haven’t come across a VPN provider that charges for a free trial, it is called a free trial for a reason. However, Anonymous VPN has a non-refundable 3-day plan at $1, and if you fail to cancel your 3-day trial, they will automatically upgrade you to a weekly plan at $4/week without consulting you, which is highly unethical.

The VPN plans are as followed:

Monthly: $12.00

Annually: $69 ($5.75/month)

The plans allow only three simultaneous connections, unlimited bandwidth, and a dynamic IP address. We dislike that Anonymous VPN only accepts credit or debit cards for payment. However, payments on the platform are handled by SwiftCharge, so no payment information is stored. Keep in mind that there is a 14-day money-back guarantee included with the monthly and yearly plans. You only get a refund if you used no more than 500 megabytes and made fewer than 100 connections. All in all, it's hardly a cheap VPN. 

Anonymous VPN: Privacy & encryption 

Anonymous VPN claims to follow a strict "zero-log" policy to ensure maximum privacy by not tracking or keeping records of the websites you visit or your actions while linked to the VPN. 

The policy does state that in order for you to make payments, they collect your email address and credit card information. They do, however, collect bandwidth data and timestamps, which are used to assess network performance. Although they claim not to log data, we would like to see them have an independent auditor run a full VPN audit to be sure. 

Anonymous VPN may be based in Gibraltar, but because it doesn’t collect and store personal data that can be used to track you, there’s nothing to turn over even if a government requests user data.

Anonymous VPN is also a P2P-friendly provider - in other words, you can use this VPN for torrenting. Remember, though, downloading copyrighted files is illegal, and we recommend that you check your country's laws before torrenting. 

Anonymous VPN: Streaming 

One of the reasons you need a VPN, aside from not having to worry about your privacy being compromised, is to stream geo-restricted content. We tested the streaming VPN, expecting great things. We were sorely disappointed. It's a shame - it’s a fine VPN for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer, but it doesn't appear to work for other streaming services. 

Anonymous VPN: Speed & experience 

The rate at which your internet connection can retrieve data from the internet is referred to as download speed. It is expressed in megabits per second (Mbps). Upload speed is the rate at which data can be sent from your devices to the internet via your internet connection and it is expressed in megabits per second (Mbps). 

We ran the speed tests on a server near our location in Canada and saw a fast speed, with websites loading in 3 seconds, which is quite acceptable. On a 30Mbps connection, we tested a Singapore server and received a download speed of 11.41Mbps; on a Russian server, we received a download speed of 15.23Mbps. We noticed that a nearby server had a fast speed, while a distant server had a slow but manageable speed. 

Anonymous VPN: Customer support

Anonymous VPN can be contacted via email through a ticketing system which is available 24/7, the responses are provided in English within 20 minutes of the inquiry.

The VPN platform also has a comprehensive Knowledgebase section that covers most topics, with a two-part FAQ section and helpful tips on some of the most common problems subscribers might encounter. To engage their community, they also have a Facebook page and a Twitter account. Anonymous VPN, on the other hand, lacks a live chat feature, which has become popular among so many VPN providers these days.

Anonymous VPN: Apps 

Anonymous VPN is compatible with Windows,, with mobile VPN apps for iOS and Android. Unfortunately, there’s no support for macOS and Linux. Installing and configuring the Anonymous VPN app is simple, requiring no technical knowledge. To begin, you must register on the website, where you will be asked for your email address and asked to create a password. 

Anonymous VPN: Alternatives 

Top alternatives to try include ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Proton VPN, and VyprVPN. These offer better security assurances and value for money. 

ExpressVPN allows for five simultaneous connections on devices as well as unblocks all popular streaming media. NordVPN operates over 5,200 servers in 60 nations. Proton VPN does not track your activities and does not collect or use any of your personal information. And VyprVPN's apps are feature-rich and simple to use, and its proprietary Chameleon protocol does more than most to get you online in China and other VPN-unfriendly countries.  

Verdict 

Overall, Anonymous VPN could use some development. Some streaming websites are unblocked, and it has top-notch security features. But the virtual private network simply can’t compete with the fastest VPNs on the market - especially when connecting to a distant server. Additionally, it is quite expensive, lacks a live chat feature, and has a very small server network. 

• Best business VPNs: Get your employees connected safely online

It is crucial to have a fast, reliable, and stable connection wherever you go in today's fast-paced online world where we rely on the internet for everything. It’s especially difficult to keep your data safe from snoopers (government surveillance and would-be hackers) that might want to monitor your online activities. 

The best VPN services are designed to protect your data, many companies have popped up to offer you the opportunity to use their services and protect your data. But is Liquid VPM one of them?

Networking engineer Dave Cox launched LiquidVPN in 2013. The VPN is based in the US which warrants concern because this makes it possible for the US authorities to obtain user information from the company with a warrant if they so choose. 

The VPN has 2,100 public IP addresses and 45 dedicated bare metal VPN servers spread across 11 different nations. LiquidVPN provides servers in the US, Canada, UK, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Romania, and Singapore. 

But it’s not a VPN for China. This is because China's internet blockades cannot be circumvented by LiquidVPN because it lacks obfuscation protocols. So, not a VPN for China, but most of the world should be covered.  

Pricing & plans 

LiquidVPN has three pricing plans: SideKick, Road Warrior, and Ultimate or Family Plan, which are all available in monthly and annual subscription plans. LiquidVPN doesn’t offer any free trials, and there’s no free VPN option.

The plans are as follows:

SideKick

1-month plan: $7.00

12-month plan: $57.00 ($4.75 per month)

2 simultaneous connections

Road Warrior

1-month plan: $10.00

12-month plan: $69.00 ($5.75 per month)          

4 simultaneous connections

Ultimate

1-month plan: $18.00

12-month plan: $105.96 ($8.83 per month)

8 simultaneous connections

Payment options include Bitcoin, PayPal, Master Card, and even cash, although using cash or bitcoin for payment makes you ineligible for their 7-day money-back guarantee should you want a refund.

Privacy & encryption 

OpenVPN, SSTP, and L2TP/IPSec are the three VPN protocols that LiquidVPN supports. It also employs ES-256-CBC, AES-128-CBC, AES-256-GCM, and Camellia-256-CBC encryption. These protocols provide excellent security for your data being transmitted through the VPN tunnel and are practically impossible for any hacker to breach.

The VPN also provides public and shared IP modulation, as well as a built-in VPN kill switch called "Liquid Lock" in its app. The public one is your personal IP address, which the VPN randomly chooses for you for each connection you make. Unlike the public IP, a shared IP address is protected by a NAT firewall and is used by numerous VPN users. Your online privacy is greatly increased because your IP changes so frequently and randomly that it is nearly impossible for any hacker or agency to track your online footprints.

When it comes to its log-in procedures, LiquidVPN is open and honest, claiming that it doesn't watch the information you send or receive. It does record additional information, such as the total number of active user logins per account, the status of the account at the moment, the number of active sessions, and failed logins, but it does not store any identifiable data about you.

Overall, that is a pretty good logging policy because LiquidVPN only keeps the absolute minimum amount of information about your VPN session, which makes it impossible for anyone to determine your activities or identity. Even though they say they don't keep records of customers' activities, we'd like to see them go the extra mile and hire a third party to conduct a VPN audit of their websites for logs, just like other VPNs. Only then can we fully put our trust in them. 

Streaming

According to LiquidVPN, it is effective at unblocking geographically restricted streaming services in the US. When we tested the VPN, it unblocked streaming services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and HBO. 

So, if you’re looking for the best streaming VPN or, specifically, a Netflix VPN, this tool should provide ample opportunity to watch region-locked content.  

Speed & experience 

LiquidVPN is headquartered in Wyoming, USA. The company has at its users’ disposal over 2,100 public IP addresses and 45 dedicated bare-metal VPN servers in 11 countries.

Customer support 

With LiquidVPN, you have access to a knowledge base forum with articles on getting started, a FAQ section, a ticket system with quick responses, and an email address. Good options, then, for getting started, or if you run into difficulties.  

Apps 

LiquidVPN runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux, with mobile VPN apps for iOS and Android. The LiquidVPN desktop application has a straightforward-looking interface that is simple to use. From the home screen, you can select your preferred servers and toggle the Liquid Kill Switch feature on or off. 

The interface of the LiquidVPN Android app is identical to that of the desktop apps, it does not, however, have the Liquid Lock kill switch, which is present in the desktop apps and it only supports the OpenVPN protocol.

LiquidVPN alternatives 

Private Internet Access

Although the speeds aren't the best, Private Internet Access excels in all other areas. PIA unblocks Netflix and nearly every other service we tried. It runs on almost any device, is simple to use, has a ton of features, has an audited no-log policy, and costs less than a quarter of what some of the top competitors charge.

Read our full Private Internet Access VPN review

NordVPN 

This VPN has numerous convenience, privacy, and security features such as an Ad blocker, DNS leak protection, robust encryption, and a VPN kill switch all provide security and user-friendly apps.

Read our full NordVPN review

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is based in a nation that values privacy, it is quick and secure, unblocks well-known streaming services, supports torrents, doesn't keep any records of your data, is simple to use, has a three-month free trial, and can handle five connections at once. This is one of the leading VPNs on the market.

Read our full ExpressVPN review

CyberGhost

CyberGhost is one of the best VPNs available today. The software never slows down your computer, is simple to use, It offers extensive P2P and torrent functionality, as well as access to over 1200 servers spread across more than 50 countries.

Read our full CyberGhost VPN review 

Verdict

LiquidVPN is quite fast, and has good security features (particularly IP modulation). And it does have the capabilities to unblock content on Netflix and some other geo-restricted streaming platforms. It is, however, a little more costly than other VPN vendors with comparable features. It also has a relatively small server network, no live chat support, and is based in a privacy-invading jurisdiction. 

• Best cheap VPNs: Stay secure on any budget

The best VPN services allow you to browse the web anonymously and unblock restricted sites in any region. Unblock-Us - which is now part of StrongVPN - is not your typical VPN service. It provides you with a new dedicated IP address by directing your DNS queries to its servers and changing your location based on the sites you browse.

This means that Unblock-Us effectively masks your location whenever you use sites that offer location-based services, allowing you to unblock their countries. This makes it different to how other VPN services operate. 

Unblock-Us: Pricing & plans 

Unblock-Us offers a one-week free trial that doesn’t require a credit card, giving you the opportunity to test the software. But there’s no free VPN offer here. Instead, the service has two subscription plans:

Monthly: $5.83

Yearly: $49.90 ($4.16/month)

Each plan only allows you to be connected to one device at a time. This does not meet industry standards, which would typically be 5 – 7 simultaneous connections. 

Unblock-Us is also below industry standards in terms of payment methods, as they currently only offer Visa and MasterCard. Sadly, there aren’t methods like PayPal or Bitcoin for maintaining anonymity. However, they do provide full refunds to users who cancel their annual subscription within the first thirty days of purchase.

Unblock-Us: Privacy & encryption 

Unblock-Us makes use of its SmartVPN to add an additional layer of security to your connection, as opposed to SmartDNS which uses a proxy to hide the origin of your IP address from the domains that ask for it. 

Rather than using encryption software, the company simply retains the entire content of your data for transfer so that the data within cannot be modified.

In its Privacy Policy, the company notes that it does not monitor or log any traffic or consumption of its services, nor does it store any of your data that passes through its servers. They also claim never to manipulate the content you access or provide information about your usage to others – unless they are legally forced to. In other words, it appears that some data is being gathered, and if a government agency requests any information about you, they would have comply.

Unfortunately, Unblock-Us has not contracted a third party to run a VPN audit and independently confirm its claims of zero logging. This means we have to take the service at its word that sensitive information about your online activities is not being jeopardized, which can be risky. However it’s important to reiterate that Unblock-Us claims that it doesn't collect any traffic data.  

Unblock-Us: Streaming 

Unblock-Us is a great option if you are looking for a top streaming VPN or dedicated Netflix VPN. That’s because customers can access streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and others that might be blocked in some locations due to geo-restrictions.  

Unblock-Us: Speed & experience 

Unblock-Us is owned by the company NetProtect Ltd, headquartered in Nicosia, Cyprus. It operates with the help of 100 servers in 17 countries.

Unblock-Us: Customer support 

Although Unblock-Us does not offer live chat, the webpage does have a support section with helpful articles on a variety of subjects and customer support via web ticket or phone. 

Unblock-Us: Apps 

Unblock-Us asserts that it can be set up on all popular desktops, with mobile VPN apps available. It also claims to work with a variety of other gadgets, such as Apple TV, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii and Amazon Fire TV.  

Unblock-Us: Alternatives 

Unblock-Us has been absorbed by StrongVPN as of the writing of this review – which is a great option for those specifically looking for a streaming or Netflix VPN. Read our StrongVPN review to find out more and see if it makes a good replacement, or checkout some other alternatives below. 

NordVPN

It ranks among the best VPNs, and has been operational for more than ten years. You have unrestricted access to your preferred websites and can take advantage of online security that meets military standards. Furthermore, it doesn't keep a record of your data, comes with a 30-day refund policy, and supports multiple client device connections.

Read our full NordVPN review

Windscribe

Windscribe has special software that blocks trackers from following you, a focus mode that makes it easier for you to concentrate when you need it, and a strict no-login rule that keeps your online activities strictly confidential. Additionally, the service provider has a protocol for getting around Internet censorship.

Read our full Windscribe review

Surfshark 

This provider unblocks all streaming content, has a user-friendly app and a generous unlimited devices policy, is lightning fast, and is stuffed with cutting-edge features that are easy to use. Additionally, it has allowed an independent audit to verify its software, unlike the large percentage of VPN providers being used today.

Read our full Surf Shark review

ExpressVPN 

ExpressVPN is based in a country that prioritizes privacy, provides swift and ensures security, unblocks highly regarded streaming services, supports torrents, doesn't hold any documentation of your data, has large numbers of servers distributed out across the world, and is simple to use. It also has a 3-month free trial and allows for five concurrent connections.

Read our full ExpressVPN review

CyberGhost 

CyberGhost provides a number of practical VPN features and a simple interface. It offers extensive P2P and torrent functionality and gives you access to over 1200 servers spread across more than 50 nations. Remote access, DNS leak protection, anonymous browsing, and more are among the features of the software.

Read our full CyberGhost review

TunnelBear

TunnelBear is a must-see for less discerning or casual users. The service has undergone the most exhaustive independent audits available, has a fun theme, strong security features, and unblocks the majority of streaming services, it also does a good job of simplifying VPNs for novice users.

Read our full TunnelBear review 

Verdict

Unblock-Us might have been a suitable VPN substitute, but since it is currently inactive, it is impossible for us to say. Instead we recommend reading our review of Strong VPN to find out if the VPN it was absorbed by offers better performance, or checking our top alternatives.