Atlas VPN Review & Test (2024) + Exclusive Bonus (2024)

Atlas VPN is a new VPN service that has been generating a lot of buzz – and for good reason. It promises to provide “top-notch online security, fast connection speeds, and user-friendly design at no cost.”

Yes, you read that right: it’s all entirely free.

All this, while maintaining absolute transparency and keeping the service ad-free.

But is Atlas VPN worth saving a few dollars over?

Is it as fast or secure as it claims to be?

Does it work with streaming services, such as Netflix and Hulu?

Well, I put the VPN to the test and in this Atlas VPN review, I’ll highlight its features and benefits.

I’ll also look at the drawbacks associated with this VPN, to make sure you have all the facts you need.

Ready? Let’s dive in.

Atlas VPN is a virtual private network that is owned and operated by Peakstar Technologies Inc. based in Delaware, USA. The service was launched in 2020 with the goal of bringing a reliable free VPN to the market.

Today, Atlas offers both free and paid versions, but it’s the free option that has caught most VPN users’ attention.

Unlike most free VPN providers, Atlas is transparent about its operations.

The VPN keeps a strict no-logs policy and does not bombard you with ads.

"Legitimate free VPN product armed with a deep belief in Internet Security will return the privacy to the users. Normal people now have the option to try truly free, trustworthy Atlas VPN and see it’s value. All this without shady practices which are sometimes used by others".

- Atlas VPN CEO Jim Roberts

On top of that, the provider does not impose bandwidth restrictions.

However, if you opt for the free version, you’ll be limited to only three locations in 2 countries – the US and the Netherlands.

On the other hand, thepremium versionprovides access to over 750 servers in 37 locations across the globe.

In regards to security, Atlas VPN features AES 256-bit encryption alongside IKEv2/IPsec and WireGuard. It does not support OpenVPN or L2TP/IPsec.

At the moment, the VPN is compatible withWindows, macOS, iOS, Android, Android TV, and Amazon Fire TV only.

The provider is also working on a Chrome extension.

Although the VPN misses in some areas, Atlas can still compete with the best of them and come out unscathed.

The service can be a perfect fit if you’re looking for a safe and reliable free VPN.

I was impressed with many of its features and I’ll outline each below.

But first, here are the main pros and cons of Atlas VPN.

Nothing is free and free VPNs too have to find a way to make money.

Many will collect your data and sell it to third-parties while others will bombard you with ads. It could also be both.

But while you can tolerate ads, the last thing you want is to have your browsing history recorded and stored. That’s because anyone with access to the logs can easily trace your activities back to you.

The problem is, very few free VPNs are transparent about their logging practices.

This is one of the key reasons why Atlas VPN is attracting so much hype.

Yet, Atlas VPN does have to make money to sustain its service, which is why they run on a freemium business model.

Meaning, if the users like the service and want more features, they can purchase Atlas’ premium plan.

Atlas VPN does not keep any logs. The provider maintains a strict zero-logging policy and I was pleased with their transparency.

Atlas makes it clear that it does not collect your IP address or online activities. For a freemium VPN, that’s pretty impressive.

That said, you’ll still need to provide some personal details when signing up. These might include your:

• Email address
• Billing information

But note, this is the norm across the VPN industry and it isn’t something to be worried about. According to their privacy policy, Atlas does not disclose your information to third parties and you can always ask them to delete it.

If you opt for the free version, then you won’t need to provide any details, not even your email address.

Atlas VPN is located in Delaware, USA.

If I’m being honest, it’s not the best jurisdiction for privacy.

The US is a founding member of the 5 Eyes as well as the 9 Eyes and 14 Eyes surveillance alliances. That means any country within the network can get their hands on your personal data.

Not good for privacy.

But while Atlas VPN can be compelled to provide your data to the authorities, their no-logs policy ensures you’re protected at all times.

If the provider is subpoenaed, there simply won’t be any data to share.

And despite its bad rep in regards to online privacy, the US still does not have mandatory data retention laws. As such, the government cannot in any way impede Atlas VPN’s no-logging policy.

As I’ve always mentioned, if a VPN can’t keep you safe online, then ditch it.

I found Atlas VPN to be quite secure but I wasn’t too impressed with its limited security features.

First off, Atlas VPN uses military-grade AES 256-bit encryption, the same standard used by the National Security Agency (NSA).

That means, the VPN is impossible to crack and can protect against any threats, including man-in-the-middle and brute-force attacks.

As for tunneling protocols, the provider offers IKEv2/IPsec and WireGuard.

I was somewhat disappointed to see that they do not support OpenVPN. However, the recent inclusion of WireGuard makes up for this, as it’s faster without sacrificing security.

Plus, IKEv2 is also faster and more suited for streaming and other bandwidth-intensive tasks than OpenVPN.

Atlas VPN does pretty much what a VPN should do – and it does it well. It includes military-grade encryption, a MultiHop feature, DNS leak protection, and more.

All in all, you’ll find:

• MultiHop+–Routes your network traffic through an additional VPN server for double the protection.
• SafeSwap– Similar to MultiHop+, this feature switches your IP address periodically, so you’re never using the same IP while browsing the internet.
• DNS leak protection – Protects your online activities from accidental exposure by ensuring all your DNS requests travel through Atlas VPN’s encrypted tunnel, and not through your ISP’s DNS servers.
• SafeBrowse (Ad & malware blocker) – Blocks ads and prevents you from opening malicious links and sites. This helps keep you safe from malware and phishing attacks.
• Internet kill switch – If your Atlas VPN connection drops, the kill switch automatically blocks internet access, protecting your IP and online activities from exposure.
• Split tunneling– This feature lets you access local accounts and content while still using your VPN for other activities, like unblocking content.

VPN connection leaks give users a false sense of security.

They expose your identity and browsing history even when you are connected to a VPN.

And the worst part is, you can’t easily tell when they happen.

The only way to detect a leak is to compare the IP address assigned to you by your VPN with the one showing online.

If the two IPs match, then you’ll be fine.

But if they don’t, then it could spell trouble for your online anonymity.

It means your ISP can see exactly what you’re doing online.

So, how does Atlas VPN perform in this regard?

I conducted extensive IP, DNS, and WebRTC leak tests to find out.

Note: When conducting the tests, I was connected to the Los Angeles, US servers and my public IP address was 37.120.132.36.

Free VPNs are notorious for injecting malware devices.

And although Atlas VPN now offers a popular premium option, you can’t leave things to chance.

I ran the VPN app through VirusTotal.com and the report came out clean.

Zero out of 59 engines detected malware.

Atlas VPN comes with 750+ servers in 37 locationsacross the Americas, Europe, and the Asia Pacific.

That’s almost 5000 servers less than NordVPN.

Remember, the provider is still quite young.

I didn’t expect them to have an extensive server network but I’m pleased with the pace at which they are expanding.

In total, there are 37 Atlas VPN server locations to choose from. Here are some examples:

• United States
• United Kingdom
• Canada
• Singapore
• Australia
• Germany
• Sweden
• Netherlands
• France
• Austria
• Switzerland
• Belgium
• Ireland
• Denmark
• Italy
• Norway
• Spain

However, if you’re using the free version, you’ll be able to connect to 3 locations – New York, Los Angeles, and Amsterdam.

Atlas VPN offers surprisingly good speeds even on their free version.

While it won’t earn a nod in our fastest VPNs guide, the service delivered stable performance and I didn’t experience any connection leaks.

To get a clear picture of Atlas VPN’s performance, I decided to test the free and paid versions separately.

First, I checked out the free option and I have to admit, I was happily surprised by the performance.

Often, you expect free VPNs to be frustratingly slow but Atlas VPN seems keen to change that notion.

With a baseline speed of 100 Mbps, I attained speeds of between 44 Mbps and 68 Mbps. So, if your internet connection is at least 10 Mbps, you should be able to stream HD videos on Netflix while connected to Atlas VPN.

Baseline:Ping 25 ms / 98.72 Mbps Download / 51.20 Mbps Upload

The premium servers performed much better across the board.

As expected, the nearest servers were faster but even the distant servers did not struggle.

Overall, I was pleased with the performance.

Error“Streaming Error: You seem to be using an unblocker or proxy. Please turn off any of those services and try again.”

That’s because Netflix actively detects and blacklists VPN IPs.

Even premium VPN services struggle to unlock its content library and the situation is even more dire with free VPNs.

So, how does Atlas VPN perform in regards to streaming?

Does it unlock Netflix? What about Hulu and BBC iPlayer?

I tried the VPN with the streaming services to find out.

Yes, Atlas VPN works reliably with Netflix, including the American version.

I tried all 4 US servers and all worked on the first try.

As you can see below, I was able to stream Jericho, a US exclusive, without any problem.

Besides Netflix, the streaming service also unblocked:

• Hulu
• BBC iPlayer
• HBO Max
• Amazon Prime Video
• ESPN
• Disney+
• Hotstar
• DAZN

The bottom line is, you can unblock virtually all streaming services with Atlas VPN.

Interesting Read:How to Watch DAZN Using NordVPN?

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If you are looking to access torrent sites like The Pirate Bay, then you better arm yourself with a good VPN.

While torrenting in itself is legal, sometimes you can download copyrighted materials without knowing.

And with copyright trolls and the authorities increasingly monitoring torrent swarms, you can easily find yourself in trouble.

But as with streaming, you have to make sure you get the right VPN for the job.

So…

Atlas VPN is an excellent VPN for torrenting.

The providerallows P2P file sharingacross their entire server network and does not impose data caps.

That means you can download as much content as you need.

Another thing that makes the Atlas VPN app perfect for torrenting is its robust security.

Besides, the provider does not keep logs and which means, you don’t have to worry about your torrenting history falling into the wrong hands.

Another area where Atlas VPN has to work on is its device compatibility.

At the moment, the VPN only supports:

• Windows
• iOS
• Android
• Android TV
• Amazon Fire TV
• macOS

That’s bleak, especially when you consider providers like ExpressVPN and Surfshark offer compatibility for routers, smart TVs, and even game consoles.

On the bright side, they’re rapidly expanding as the months roll on.

Additionally, Atlas VPN is also developing a Chrome extension for those users who would prefer to keep things web-based.

Just like any other software, VPNs too can develop problems.

In the unfortunate event that happens, quick customer support can go a long way in helping you get things back up and running.

Atlas VPN offers multiple support options, including live chat, email, and support tickets.

The Atlas VPN support is knowledgeable and straightforward with their answer.

I was also happy with the response times.

Besides direct support, Atlas VPN also maintains an FAQ section, where you can find answers to questions frequently asked by users.

Atlas VPN is one of the most pocket-friendly VPNs in the market.

Its cheapest subscription plan sets you back only $1.99 per month (check for Atlas VPN coupon codes).

And then there’s the free plan, which you don’t even need to register to use.

In terms of affordability, few providers can rival Atlas VPN.

In addition to offering a freemium version, Atlas VPN has three paid subscription plans.

Currently, these are the pricing options offered by Atlas VPN:

• 1-month plan – $10.99 per month.
• 1-year plan – $3.29 per month.
• 3-year plans – $1.99 per month.

The service accepts multiple payments methods, including:

• Visa
• MasterCard
• American Express
• Discover
• Google Pay

With Atlas VPN, all initial purchases are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

You can request a refund by contacting customer support specialists via live chat or at support@atlasvpn.com. However, if you made your purchase via Apple Store, you can only be refunded via the Apple Store.

Atlas VPN’s sleek design and simple interface are some of the top things I like about this VPN. Its apps are streamlined and offer a delicate balance between usability and functionality.

Regardless, you still can’t help but notice that the VPN sacrifices a lot in terms of customizability. There is simply not much that you can change.

If you are using the free version, then you don’t need to sign up.

All you have to do is select a server location and click the ‘ON’ button.

What about premium users?

Well, the signup process is a breeze, too.

Interesting Reads:

Atlas VPN may be a very young VPN, but it already has a respectable presence on Trustpilot.

Over 40 users have reviewed the service, with 66% rating it as excellent.

While many users liked its performance, others praised its user interface and ease of use.

Some, however, took issue with its small server network.

Atlas VPN is an exciting new VPN that does almost everything right.

However, if it’s not a perfect fit for you, here are a few alternatives worth checking out:

NordVPN is known for its robust data security.

It’s also super-fast and boasts an extensive server network with 5400+ servers in 60 countries.

NordVPN is also a great alternative for Atlas VPN if you’re looking for a service that offers dedicated IPs.

Try it here.

Surfshark is an affordable alternative to Atlas VPN that offers fast and secure connections and global server coverage.

The VPN is compatible with a wide range of devices, including Mac, Amazon Fire Stick, and routers.

Check Surfshark here.

ExpressVPN provides blazing fast speeds and is more suited for Ultra HD streaming. It also supports Smart DNS, which allows you to bypass geo-restrictions with minimal speed loss.

Although ExpressVPN doesn’t come cheap, you can take advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee and try it risk-free.

Check it out here.

I recommend Atlas VPN.

Atlas VPN provides an excellent free VPN service that is both safe and reliable.

Its premium option is even better, thanks to its superb speeds and higher number of servers.

I extensively tested Atlas VPN over a couple of days and I was pleased with its performance.

The VPN is user friendly and offers a one-click solution to safeguard your online anonymity.