Atlas VPN Review – Pros & Cons in 2023

Atlas VPN is one the best freemium VPNs available in 2023. It’s an excellent budget-friendly service that facilitates optimal performance and doesn’t limit simultaneous connections.

Furthermore, Atlas VPN is easy to use, is based in the US, has many extra features, and uses the next-gen WireGuard tunneling protocol. There are over 1000 servers in 42+ countries to choose from, 3 of them also available with a free version. They all support torrenting and can unblock many streaming platforms, including Netflix.

In this Atlas VPN review, I take an in-depth look into a few crucial aspects of this technology. Namely, these are connection speeds, privacy and security features, supported platforms, pricing plans, and much more. I’ll also be answering burning questions some people might have, such as, whether Atlas VPN is trustworthy, or not. Let’s dive in.

Atlas VPN overview

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Atlas VPN pricing

Atlas VPN is the cheapest top-rated provider. It has three premium deals for June 2023:

• $10.99/month for the 1-month plan
• $3.29/month for the 1-year plan
• $1.82/month for the 2-year plan + 3 months FREE
  

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All premium plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee and unlimited simultaneous connections. You get access to the complete server list, the WireGuard tunneling protocol, 24/7 customer support, UHD streaming, and no ads. Payment options include credit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, and cryptocurrencies.

You can also try out Atlas VPN Premium without spending money or giving your credit card details. Both Android and iOS mobile apps let you invite your friends to register using your link, and you will receive 7 days of the paid version.

Curious cats can also get Atlas VPN for free. Just keep in mind that it has certain limitations and differences from the premium product, which you can get now 85% off. Learn more in the section below.

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Atlas VPN free version

You can download Atlas VPN for free by going to their website and choosing your preferred platform. It’s a very limited experience compared to the premium tier, though.

Free users get only three locations – two in the US (New York, Los Angeles) and one in the Netherlands. That’s not great news if you live in South America, Africa, Asia, or Oceania because the distance to the servers will impact latency and speed. It also means getting access to foreign streaming platform libraries isn’t exactly possible.

Moreover, the data cap is set to 5 GB/month. Also, the free version doesn’t include streaming-optimized hardware, SafeSwap servers, and MultiHop+ features. At least torrenting is an option, though downloads will take some time to finish due to slower speeds.

How Atlas VPN compares to other VPNs

Atlas VPN security and privacy

Atlas VPN is a good choice if you care about your online privacy and security. This provider offers:

• AES-256 encryption
• Reliable kill switch
• Solid leak protection
• Strict no-logs policy
• Latest tunneling protocols

So, it’s safe to say, Atlas VPN is a trustworthy service worth your consideration. It packs all the essential VPN security features, refuses to log user info, and protects you from potential leaks.

Is Atlas VPN safe?

Atlas VPN is one of the safest providers in 2023. First, it uses military-grade encryption to hide all of your traffic. Next, this VPN has a strict no-logs policy, meaning no personal data is stored.

What’s more, all Atlas VPN apps have a kill switch and use reliable tunneling protocols. This makes a solid foundation for ensuring online privacy and security. And then there are quite a few extra features for even more safety.

Encryption

Atlas VPN has AES 256-bit encryption – the same cipher used by the military and financial institutions. You can rest assured that no critical information is at risk. This cipher is so secure, in fact, that hackers wouldn’t be able to brute force it in millions of years.

The provider also implements ChaCha20-Poly1305, which provides better performance on mobile apps. Both ciphers are practically unbreakable and should make Atlas VPN users feel very safe indeed.

Tunneling protocols

When it comes to tunneling protocols, Atlas VPN offers WireGuard on all apps, which is both very fast and secure. Alternatively, you can choose IKEv2/IPSec, which is not too shabby by itself. Some users might miss OpenVPN, but the provider doesn’t support any devices that would work with just this protocol anyway.

By now, WireGuard is the standard tunneling protocol most premium VPN services implement. It’s lightweight, fast, and secure – a great combo that ensures superb performance without sacrificing protection.

IKEv2/IPSec is a speedy protocol that works best on phones. Your secure VPN connection won’t drop whenever you’re switching from mobile data to Wi-Fi. While it’s not as fast as WireGuard, you can still expect optimal speeds.

Kill switch

Atlas VPN has a kill switch for all apps. Fortunately, it’s also available in the free version. Android owners can also turn on the native “Always-on VPN” feature.

A kill switch is used to block your internet connection in case of a VPN failure. It ensures that none of your personal data, such as an IP address, gets leaked. While it’s disabled by default, we highly recommend having the kill switch turned on all the time.

No IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks

Atlas VPN has no IPv6, DNS, or WebRTC leaks. It’s difficult to say how sophisticated their leak protection is, but my actual location or IP didn’t pop up during any tests.

I connected to a server in Canada and saw only this country as the assigned IP address location wherever I went. Atlas VPN also passed the IP and WebRTC leak tests with flying colors.

As you can see from the image below, the DNS servers are also in Canada, so everything seems to be in order.

Atlas VPN leak protection is always turned on, meaning you don’t have to toggle any settings to keep your device safe.

Where is Atlas VPN located?

Atlas VPN is based in the United States, and its Terms of Service are in accordance with the laws of Delaware. Previously owned by Peakstar Technologies Inc., it’s been part of Nord Security since 2021. The company is known for NordVPN, NordLayer, and Surfshark VPN products.

In its press release, Atlas VPN states that it aims for “transparent ownership, a clear privacy policy, and adherence to the highest privacy standards.” It remains to be seen if these words are true, but one thing is certain – a founding Five Eyes country is not the best place for the privacy-minded.

Does Atlas VPN keep logs?

Atlas VPN doesn’t keep any logs that could trace internet usage to you. It collects only minimal data needed to run the service and comply with applicable laws. New users will only have to share their email, but the payments made via Google Play or Apple Store won’t be anonymous.

Further in the Privacy Policy, it’s stated that Atlas VPN may collect app usage data, device data (model, OS version), and the device ID for marketing and analytics. While the latter technically could help identify someone, you can reset it any time.

So is there anything you can do about the data that’s being collected? Well, California residents may ask for a copy of their data once a year. Moreover, users can contact customer support and request an edit or complete deletion of their data.

Finally, just like the other Nord Security products, Atlas VPN should get a third-party audit of its no-logs policy in the near future.

Atlas VPN features

The provider offers more than just the essential VPN security features. A subscription nets you:

• SafeBrowse
• MultiHop+ (Double VPN)
• Split tunneling
• SafeSwap servers
• Data Breach Monitor

While there are providers that offer more perks than this, it’s still a pretty solid feature set. Whether at home or on the go, Atlas VPN proves to be versatile in many situations.

The SafeBrowse feature protects your online ventures by blocking third party trackers from gathering data about your browsing habits. Moreover, it takes care of all those pesky ads and even prevents users from entering websites known for hosting malware.

MultiHop+ chains several VPN servers for ultimate untraceability. Regular multi-hop (Double VPN) involves running your traffic via two servers, effectively doubling the encryption. In this case, your online activities are hidden by also rotating exit servers in different locations, which works even better against surveillance and censorship.

Split tunneling is excellent for those who want to customize their VPN connection. This feature lets you select which apps work only when you’re connected to a secure server. Quite useful for torrenting and streaming.

You can also connect to the SafeSwap servers, which rotate your IP address. This further enhances your anonymity without the need to reconnect. Also, utilizing this hardware doesn’t affect the performance.

We also recommend turning on the Data Breach Monitor to check if your email account hasn’t been compromised. And if it was, you’re going to get a whole report detailing what was revealed during the leak.

Atlas VPN speed: is Atlas VPN fast?

AtlasVPN offers fast speeds, thanks to the WireGuard tunneling protocol and quality server list. However, it greatly depends on the distance between you and the country you’re connecting to.

Overall, the results are pretty good. There were no significant download drop-offs, so Atlas VPN’s implementation of WireGuard proved to be beneficial. In fact, we rank it among some of the fastest VPNs in the market.

And even though Atlas VPN was slower than NordVPN or Surfshark in all countries, most users shouldn’t feel the difference. As always, you shouldn’t take these numbers for granted as the results depend on many factors, such as your internet connection, location, and server load, to name but a few. But I can conclude that download and upload speeds won’t slow down much with Atlas VPN.

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Atlas VPN server locations

Atlas VPN offers 1000+ bare-metal servers in 42+ countries. Choosing the US will give you 7 available cities: New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, New Jersey, Pheonix, and Las Vegas. Below is the full list of available countries in different locations.

Compared to the top VPN providers, Atlas VPN offers a modest server and country selection. While the former doesn’t always reflect the overall quality of the service, not having a server nearby will impact latency and speed. The free version of Atlas VPN will unlock only two countries for you – the Netherlands and the USA (New York and LA).

Atlas VPN also offers specialized hardware. Namely, these are:

• Streaming-optimized. You can expect zero lag and virtually no buffering while streaming the latest shows and movies while connected to these servers.
• SafeSwap. Your IP address is periodically rotated without having to disconnect from the VPN server.

Atlas VPN for streaming

Atlas VPN is reliable and an excellent choice for streaming enthusiasts. I was able to unblock multiple Netflix libraries, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu, among other platforms.

Users can choose from streaming-optimized servers in 12 countries, including the US, the UK, Japan, and other popular destinations. It makes the service one of the top streaming VPNs.

Unblock Netflix with Atlas VPN

Atlas VPN claims to unblock Netflix in the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. After testing, I can confirm this to be the case.

In the screenshot below, I’m connected to a Canadian Atlas VPN server and watching Doctor Strange – a Canada exclusive at the time of writing this review). The speed was more than enough to stream in 4K (UHD) without noticeable buffering.

Unfortunately, the free version of Atlas VPN doesn’t unblock Netflix or other streaming services. On the other hand, the same can be said about the majority of free services.

Unblock other streaming platforms with Atlas VPN

As mentioned previously, this provider is pretty powerful when it comes to unblocking other popular streaming platforms, too. Whether online channels, like YouTube TV, or content services, like Hulu or BBC iPlayer, Atlas VPN gets access to them in just a few clicks.

What’s more, streams will be smooth as butter due to the WireGuard protocol. I didn’t experience any noticeable lag, making my viewing experience as pleasant as it can be.

Is Atlas VPN good for torrenting?

Atlas VPN is a good option for torrenting. P2P is allowed on all servers, and the speeds are great, thanks to the bare-metal servers and WireGuard. Plus, a kill switch and leak protection keep your IP hidden.

What’s more, Atlas VPN is a no-logs provider, meaning it doesn’t collect data about your torrenting or any other online activities. And since the connection is fully encrypted, there’s virtually no way for a third party to see what you’re downloading.

There are a few shortcomings, though. Atlas VPN lacks a SOCKS5 proxy and port forwarding. The first one is great if you want to protect just your P2P traffic, while the latter is essential if you’re behind a firewall and need to seed before downloading more.

Atlas VPN’s split tunneling could be an alternative to the SOCKS5 proxy, but it works on Android only.

You can also download torrents using the free version but the 5 GB/month limit will probably make you go premium soon.

Interface and ease of use

Currently, Atlas VPN supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, and Amazon Fire Stick & Fire TV. Also, a browser extension for Chrome is under development. Unfortunately, at the moment, there’s no support for routers.

Generally speaking, all Atlas VPN apps are easy to install and use. My biggest complaints are the lack of Favorite servers for quick connection and sorting them according to the continent. To my mind, a simple A to Z list would work better, especially when Atlas VPN doesn’t offer that many countries in the first place.

Android

Atlas VPN for Android is simple, easy to use, and similar to the desktop version. Most importantly, Android users exclusively get the split tunneling feature. It allows you to choose which apps will use the VPN and which will connect directly to the internet.

The mobile app has four buttons on the bottom panel – Home, Assistant, Invite Friends, and Settings. A fifth one appears in the middle if you’re using the free version, urging you to upgrade.

From the Home section, you control the VPN connection. You can click the massive button in the center to connect to the faster server or choose the location below. The Assistant lets you turn on Data Breach Monitoring and Tracker Blocker. In the meantime, Invite friends gives you 7 days’ worth of Atlas VPN Premium per successful conversion.

Finally, the Settings are pretty similar to those in Windows or Mac apps. However, you can switch between Light and Dark modes, toggle Haptic Feedback, or spread the good news by sharing and rating Atlas VPN.

iOS

Unsurprisingly, Atlas VPN’s iOS application is virtually identical to its Android counterpart. iPhone owners benefit from the same level of security, ease of use, and tunneling protocols.

Of course, there is a noticeable lack of split tunneling. On the other hand, it’s not available on Windows or Mac either.

Windows

Atlas VPN for PC is visually similar to the Android and iOS interfaces. However, the mobile apps have a friend referral option that gives you 7 days for free. There is no difference between the Windows and Mac versions which is nice because the latter tends to be watered-down on most VPNs.

There aren’t many options to choose from. You can connect to regular, streaming-optimized, and SafeSwap servers. By clicking Assistant on the left sidebar, you’ll be able to toggle Threat Protection and Data Breach Monitor. We strongly suggest having both of them on for maximum safety.

Under Settings, you will find the kill switch, protocol selection, and connectivity options. Auto-Connect turns on the VPN as soon as you launch the app. In the meantime, Quick Connect lets you customize the default location from the fastest to nearest. Alternatively, it can be any specific country of your choice.

Mac

Once you launch the macOS application, you’re greeted with almost the same experience as Windows. Again, you can toggle the settings, pick specialized hardware, enhance your browsing safety, and such.

Linux

Premium customers can now enjoy Atlas VPN on Linux. Specifically, the software is currently compatible with the Ubuntu distribution.

The experience is slightly different because users don’t get a complete graphical interface like with Windows and Mac operating systems. Instead, Linux enthusiasts are catered to and can control the VPN via the terminal using commands.

For maximum speed, the software runs on WireGuard and can’t be switched to another protocol. Additionally, you can choose between standard and the already-familiar Atlas VPN specialty servers (Streaming, SafeSwap, and MultiHop).

However, other critical features are absent, such as the kill switch, Tracker Blocker, and Data Breach Monitoring. Thankfully, the provider announced that additional features and greater Linux distribution support are on the way.

How to use Atlas VPN on any device

1. Pick a suitable plan and subscribe to the service
2. Download the Atlas VPN application on the device of your choice
3. Open the client and log into your account
4. Toggle the VPN settings to your liking
5. Pick a server, connect, and that’s it.

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Atlas VPN customer support overview

Atlas VPN has the following customer support options:

• 24/7 live chat
• Submitting a ticket
• FAQ
• Knowledgebase

24/7 live chat is available to premium users only. I contacted them a couple of times and got quick and polite responses. The agent could not answer one of the questions right away, so he emailed me an answer within a couple of hours.

Submitting a ticket is another option. Depending on the question, you can expect an answer on the same or the next day. This is probably the best choice for free Atlas VPN version users.

You can find the FAQ in the knowledgebase under the General info tab. It has over 20 articles and covers some basics like what a VPN is and how to use it. There are also more Atlas-related questions on supported devices, bandwidth limitations, and leak protection.

The rest of the knowledgebase covers setting up Atlas VPN on different platforms, available features, and unblocking streaming platforms. There’s a separate section for billing and account questions, plus one for troubleshooting.

All in all, I was happy with the Atlas VPN customer support. The 24/7 live chat is responsive, and the whole help section is well-written. I liked that there were articles not only about the VPN itself but also with more general tips, like cleaning cache or disabling location services.

Atlas VPN video review

Have no time to read the whole article? Learn everything you need to know about Atlas VPN from our video review:

Atlas VPN – Reddit opinions

If you’re ever in doubt about a service or a product, Reddit is the right place to go for honest reviews. If a person (or several) had a bad experience, you’ll get detailed explanations of what went wrong and where to improve. This technology also gets rated accordingly, too, thus the birth of our best VPNs according to Reddit article.

Being a newcomer to the game makes Atlas VPN lesser known than industry veterans like NordVPN. And yet, it has garnered some positive reviews since more people have started discovering it.

Many Redditors note Atlas VPN’s great geo-block bypassing capabilities, simple & user-friendly design, and optimal performance. I think it’s fair to say the provider has Reddit’s stamp of approval.

Should you get Atlas VPN?

Atlas VPN is definitely worth getting if you are looking for a cheap, fast, and simple VPN. First off, the apps are easy to use, and you can install them on as many devices as you want. Additionally, Atlas VPN is great for unblocking Netflix and other popular streaming platforms.

I loved the extra security features of Atlas VPN, such as Tracker Blocker, Data Breach Monitor, and SafeSwap servers. Unfortunately, split tunneling works on Android only, and torrenting fans might also miss port forwarding. Adding a Stealth VPN for circumventing internet censorship in certain countries would be great too.

While being the cheapest top-grade service, Atlas VPN has the best free version for trying things out risk-free. It won’t unblock Netflix but allows P2P. In the end, I firmly believe that teaming up with Nord Security means a bright future for Atlas VPN.

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FAQ

Is Atlas VPN trustworthy?

Yes, Atlas VPN is a reliable provider with a strict no-logs policy, robust security features, and transparent business practices. Try Atlas VPN risk-free for 30 days and see for yourself.

Is Atlas VPN good?

Atlas VPN is a good service that can do most of the things that more expensive VPNs can. First of all, it’s ridiculously cheap and has an excellent free version. Secondly, it unblocks Netflix, allows torrenting, and offers fast speeds thanks to WireGuard.

Does Atlas VPN work with Netflix?

Atlas VPN works with Netflix and other streaming platforms. These include Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and HBO Max, among others. The speeds will be enough to stream in 4K (UHD) with minimum or no buffering, depending on your internet connection.

Is Atlas VPN still free?

Yes, Atlas VPN is still free. You can get it by downloading the app and creating an account. However, only the paid version unblocks Netflix and other streaming platforms while offering a full server list and maximum performance.

How do I use and install Atlas VPN?

First, download the Atlas VPN app. It’s available on their website, Google Play Store, and Apple App Store. Afterward, install Atlas VPN and sign up for the service.

How much does Atlas VPN cost?

You can get Atlas VPN for as low as $1.82/month when choosing a 3-year plan. More pricing options are available. And you can try a limited, albeit completely free version, too.