PureVPN vs VPN Unlimited in 2021

PureVPN and VPN Unlimited aren’t as famous as some of the more prominent names in the VPN industry. However, that doesn’t mean that they are inferior in any way. In fact, they bring quite a few unique features to the table.

PureVPN is based in Hong Kong and is equipped with 6500+ servers in 140+. It uses the OpenVPN tunneling protocol and can unlock a variety of streaming services. Meanwhile, VPN Unlimited has 500+ servers in 50+ countries and offers the WireGuard and KeepSolid Wise tunneling protocols. Plus, it’s one of the few VPNs that have a lifetime subscription option.

To find out more details about each provider in various categories, continue reading our PureVPN vs VPN Unlimited comparison.

PureVPN vs VPN Unlimited comparison highlights

Speed

Typically, we would look at our VPN speed test results to get accurate and up-to-date information about the connectivity of two different VPN providers. However, VPN Unlimited has not been integrated into it yet. As such, we’ll have to contend with manual speed tests from Ookla.

The baseline download speed is 393 Mbps, while the upload speed is 348 Mbps. To keep things fair, we’ve used the OpenVPN tunneling protocol with both VPNs. Plus, there were some issues at the time of writing this review while trying to use VPN Unlimited with WireGuard.

As you can see, PureVPN performed better with OpenVPN. However, it’s important to remember that these manual tests can vary greatly depending on the circumstances.

As such, I think it’s fair to say that VPN Unlimited is faster than PureVPN simply because it has the WireGuard tunneling protocol available. After all, WireGuard should perform significantly better than OpenVPN under the right circumstances.

Servers

PureVPN has over 6500 servers across 140+ countries in 180 different locations. These countries include Asia, Europe, Africa, Central America, Australia plus South and North America. Meanwhile, VPN Unlimited boasts 500+ servers in 50+ countries such as South Africa, Turkey, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico.

As you can see, PureVPN stands out in terms of server number and coverage. Otherwise, the two services allow P2P activities on all servers and don’t have any other exceptional features regarding servers.

Pricing

When it comes to pricing, PureVPN vs VPN Unlimited differ on a few fronts. For starters, VPN Unlimited offers a lifetime subscription, something that’s relatively uncommon in the VPN industry and even in the tech industry in general. Furthermore, VPN Unlimited offers different pricing plans if you’d like to have 5 or 10 simultaneous connections. Plus, there are a few optional extras as well.

Meanwhile, PureVPN offers standard subscription plans and a few optional features for extra costs. We’ll cover these in more detail below. But to summarize, PureVPN is cheaper thanks to its two-year plan. Furthermore, we can’t recommend lifetime subscription plans as it’s uncertain whether the service will actually be around for so long and if you’ll get the most out of such a subscription.

As for payment options, both services allow credit cards and PayPal, while VPN Unlimited also accepts Bitpay, an anonymous payment option.

PureVPN pricing

As mentioned earlier, PureVPN subscription options are pretty standard and come in three different options:

• $10.95/month for a monthly subscription
• $3.74/month for an annual subscription
• $2.91/month for a two-year plan

By grabbing the lengthiest plan, you’ll be rewarded with an impressive 73% discount. For even better deals, you can try your luck with a PureVPN coupon code.

It’s worth remembering that some PureVPN features will cost extra. However, this isn’t a big issue as these bonuses are just that – optional perks that aren’t essential for everyone.

For starters, you can grab a dedicated IP for an extra $2.99/month. You’ll choose between seven different countries (Singapore, Malta, Germany, Canada, UK, Australia, USA). Meanwhile, DDoS protection costs $3.99/month, which would essentially double the price of your subscription. On the other hand, it’s an essential feature if you’re a competitive gamer in need of a VPN. Finally, port forwarding costs only $0.99/month.

Unsurprisingly, each subscription comes with a 31-day money-back guarantee. Plus, you can also grab a 7-day trial for only $0.99.

VPN Unlimited pricing

VPN Unlimited offers a wide variety of pricing options, which depend on your needs and preferences.

If you want to secure five different devices simultaneously, you can choose between:

• $9.99/month for a monthly subscription
• $4.99/month for a yearly subscription
• $199.99 for the lifetime deal

Meanwhile, securing ten devices will cost you:

• $14.99/month for a monthly subscription
• $7.49/month for an annual subscription
• $299.99/month for the lifetime subscription

And then, there are even more options if you’d like to grab the MonoDefense bundle. The prices would be:

• $10.99/month for the monthly subscription
• $5.83/month for the yearly subscription
• $149.99 for a lifetime commitment

The MonoDefense bundle includes VPN Unlimited, the Passwarden password manager, and DNS Firewall.

If all of this seems like a lot to take in, just use a VPN Unlimited coupon code and get a great deal regardless. Additionally, there’s even a 7-day free trial available on most app stores, including Google, Microsoft, and Apple. After that, you can also take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee.

Security

Like many VPNs out there, PureVPN and VPN Unlimited offer solid AES-256 encryption, a reliable kill switch, and a lack of IP and DNS leaks. Plus, each VPN has OpenVPN and IKEv2 tunneling protocol options.

The specific features that each service offers will be covered below. However, VPN Unlimited brings more versatility to the table with its variety of tunneling protocols and features. Plus, having the WireGuard tunneling protocol gives VPN Unlimited an exceptional advantage over PureVPN.

PureVPN security features

At an affordable price, PureVPN gives access to a handful of essential features.

• With split tunneling, you can choose which apps should go through the VPN tunnel. This feature is available on Windows and Android devices.
• Port forwarding results in better download speeds when torrenting as it gives users easier access to your home network remotely.
• You can choose a dedicated IP from seven different countries and have exclusive access to an IP address.
• DDoS protection ensures that any unwanted internet traffic coming your way won’t disrupt your network.

VPN Unlimited security features

VPN Unlimited offers more tunneling protocols than PureVPN, giving it a slight edge over PureVPN in terms of security.

• WireGuard is the fastest open-source tunneling protocol currently available.
• KeepSolid Wise is the proprietary tunneling protocol meant to bypass VPN blocks on networks.
• The DNS Firewall feature, which costs extra, filters certain malicious websites. You can customize what type of websites the filter should block.
• Split tunneling lets you choose which apps should go through the VPN tunnel. Currently, this feature is only available on Android devices.

Privacy

When it comes to privacy, PureVPN and VPN Unlimited are on opposite sides of the spectrum.

PureVPN Privacy

First, let’s have a look at PureVPN. It’s based in Hong Kong, a country free from the grasp of the Five Eyes surveillance alliance. However, the influence of nearby China is a cause for concern.

What’s even more concerning is the fact that in 2017 PureVPN was able to assist the FBI in catching a cyberstalker. While their intentions were pure, it brought into question their no-logging claims. As such, PureVPN conducted an independent audit in 2019 and has been clear of any wrongdoing ever since.

VPN Unlimited Privacy

Meanwhile, VPN Unlimited is located in the US, a founding member of the Five Eyes alliance. This is a red flag for any privacy enthusiast. Unfortunately, that’s not the end of the privacy missteps that VPN Unlimited undertakes.

For starters, the VPN is known to collect a fair amount of data about you, such as:

• Email
• Device name and number of connected devices
• Device information (OS, browser type, time zone, app usage)
• Social networks (optional)
• IP address and geographical location (optional)

Of course, some of this information is optional, and you can opt-out from giving it to VPN Unlimited. However, some collection is necessary to run the VPN service (allegedly).

Oddly enough, you have the option to pay for the VPN service using cryptocurrencies with Bitpay to maintain anonymity, something that’s also possible with PureVPN.

Whatever the case may be, VPN Unlimited is far from the ideal choice for maintaining confidentiality.

Device compatibility

In terms of compatibility, the two VPN services are practically on the same page. Both have dedicated apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android. Additional applications exist for Amazon Fire TV Stick, plus browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.

PureVPN compatibility

First off, PureVPN can secure ten different devices simultaneously on any subscription plan and at a more affordable price than VPN Unlimited.

Furthermore, it also supports Android TV and has a Kodi add-on. Manual setup is available on a wide range of devices, but it all boils down to setting up your router with a VPN, which PureVPN supports.

VPN Unlimited compatibility

VPN Unlimited falls slightly behind because the cheaper plans can secure only five devices simultaneously. However, it does have an advantage by also supporting the Opera browser with a dedicated extension.

Streaming

If you’re looking for the ideal streaming VPN, you’ll find the top options on our list of best VPNs for streaming. You’ll notice that neither PureVP nor VPN Unlimited is on it, but that doesn’t mean that these services are poor choices.

However, between the two, PureVPN is ahead in terms of streaming. While both services can unblock Netflix US, only PureVPN can access other Netflix libraries. Luckily, other streaming platforms, such as BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and YouTube, can be unblocked using either VPN service.

Neither VPN provider has the Smart DNS feature by default, but KeepSolid does offer it as a different product entirely.

Torrenting and P2P

For peak performance, PureVPN for torrenting is the way to go. For starters, it’s nominated as one of the best VPNs for torrenting. Furthermore, it offers split tunneling on Android and Windows devices, while VPN Unlimited only supports Android devices.

Moreover, PureVPN users can take advantage of the port forwarding feature to improve their download speed while using P2P traffic.

However, you can only torrent with specific server locations on both VPN providers. Plus, neither one offers a free SOCKS5 proxy.

China

Even though neither VPN service is on our list of best VPNs for China, they can still tear down the Great Firewall rather effectively.

To clarify, PureVPN has the advantage of its base in Hong Kong, enabling the service to maintain servers right next to China quite easily.

Meanwhile, VPN Unlimited has the KeepSolid Wise tunneling protocol, which is meant to mask the fact that you’re using a VPN in the first place.

However, what both VPNs lack is some sort of integration with the Tor Browser for added versatility.

Customer support

Somewhat surprisingly, we couldn’t find how to contact PureVPN’s customer support agents via email. We could only create a ticket from the website or the app.

However, this is hardly an issue when there’s 24/7 live chat available, the most common method of solving VPN-related issues. Plus, there’s also the option to troubleshoot problems yourself by browsing through a load of written guides on the website.

VPN Unlimited is pretty much on the same page as it also has a 24/7 live chat option, an online knowledge base, as well as the ability to write an email to customer support.

Best VPN by category

PureVPN vs VPN Unlimited – which is better?

Finally, the PureVPN vs VPN Unlimited comparison has reached its conclusion. While the two services have their fair share of similarities, some essential differences mean that only one VPN comes out on top.

This time, the winner is PureVPN. Although it’s pretty conventional in terms of pricing and functionality, it’s reliable and has everything you need from a VPN. It’s also much better for streaming and torrenting, which is essential for any worthwhile VPN.

What would you pick between PureVPN vs VPN Unlimited? Let me know by leaving a comment!

You may also like to read:
PureVPN vs NordVPN
PureVPN vs ExpressVPN
VPN Unlimited vs NordVPN
VPN Unlimited vs Windscribe

FAQ

How do I use PureVPN in Chrome?

You can use PureVPN with Chrome by downloading the PureVPN extension from the Chrome Web Store and installing it on your browser.

Is VPN Unlimited free?

No, VPN Unlimited is not free. However, KeepSolid (the company behind VPN Unlimited) offers a separate free VPN called VPN Lite.

Does PureVPN work with Netflix?

Yes, PureVPN works with Netflix and can unblock a wide range of libraries, such as the US, UK, Canada, Germany, and more.