BlackVPN Review

BlackVPN is a Hong Kong-based VPN service from BlackVPN Ltd.

But their network of around 50 servers in 27 countries still pales in comparison to the thousands offered by competitors like NordVPN.

That’s not always a deal breaker.

VPN servers aren’t always what they’re cracked up to be. Many times, they’re rented or completely fake.

So we set out in this BlackVPN review to determine whether a limited network should matter or not.

Does the rest of their service make up for this? Or do they fall short in multiple areas?

Let’s find out.

BlackVPN Overview

BlackVPN Overview

OVERALL RANK:	#13 out of 86 VPNs
USABILITY:	Easy to use with one-click server switching
LOG FILES:	No Logging Policy
LOCATIONS:	27 countries, 50+ servers
SUPPORT:	Email, support tickets, FAQs
TORRENTING:	Limited Torrenting
STREAMING:	Inconsistent with Netflix 3/5
ENCRYPTION/PROTOCOL:	AES 256-bit
COST:	EUR 59-109/yr
OFFICIAL WEBSITE:	www.blackvpn.com

BlackVPN’s Pros

Here are the biggest positives we experienced with their service.

1. Does Not Collect Logs

BlackVPN does not collect logs of your browsing history or online activities.

In addition, they don’t keep DNS logs or a record of your real IP address connecting to their VPN.

They do keep your email address and payment details, though. But these wouldn’t be connected to online logs showing your online activities.

So in that respect, your exposure is pretty limited.

2. Supports Multiple Protocols with Strong AES-256 Encryption

BlackVPN supports several tunneling protocols: OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2/IPSec, and L2TP/IPSec. OpenVPN remains the default option, with ready-made clients already set up to work out of the box.

BlackVPN uses 256-bit encryption, which is the industry standard used and approved by governments worldwide.

So it should be good enough for you in most cases, too.

There are a couple of minor issues, though.

The first is that certain server locations may be unavailable depending on your plan.

The second is that you still have to close the app to change locations on some devices, which can be inconvenient.

Fortunately, this last issue is covered by an always-on kill switch.

All BlackVPN clients have a built-in kill switch that’s activated by default. So no need to worry about accidentally exposing your location or browsing data when switching servers.

3. Easy Setup and Use

BlackVPN’s clients are extremely simple to set up and get started.

Go to the top of the main page, choose VPN setup, then choose your platform. You will then get the installation files. Go ahead and install the main program to download the server files.

When installing, you’ll be walked through adding the servers. This part is super easy.

Next, sign into the box to connect your account.

You can drop the server list down to switch server locations. The number you ultimately have access to will depend on which plan you’re paying for.

Only the Global plan gives you access to all servers. Whereas the TV plan gives you a more limited selection of streaming-optimized servers.

When you choose a server, you will be notified it is connecting. And in some cases, you may be asked to enter your username and password again.

To connect to a new server, you will have to disconnect from the current one first. Then choose your new one from the drop-down list.

4. Works with Tor

BlackVPN is fully compatible with the Tor Browser.

Tor is known for adding an extra layer of privacy to your browsing sessions. Random relay points are set up to help redirect and conceal your true location.

The only downside is that your data is not protected in any way within the Tor network itself. Your connection is still exposed and can be intercepted in any one of the relays you’re passing through.

If concealing your location is of the utmost importance, make sure your VPN works well with Tor to keep you protected while browsing through the Tor network.

5. Customer Support Is Available Through Multiple Channels

If you ever run into any problems or questions, BlackVPN’s customer support is available through email, support tickets, and a searchable knowledge base.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned after reviewing over eighty VPNs, it’s that you can’t trust a company based on face value alone.

Just because they offer all of these options doesn’t mean they always work flawlessly.

BlackVPN’s support response times can vary significantly. While they provide comprehensive support resources, live chat is no longer available, which can be a drawback if you need immediate assistance.

 

BlackVPN’s Cons

There’s a lot to like about BlackVPN. We appreciate their no-logging policy and security features.

Unfortunately, there were a few hiccups along the way.

Here are some of the biggest gripes we experienced.

1. Based in Hong Kong

Technically speaking, Hong Kong is outside of the extended ‘Eyes’ security agreement.

So they don’t share data collected with other top intelligence agencies from around the world.

That’s a good thing, right?

Yes and no.

After all, Hong Kong is under the control of the People’s Republic of China. And the only VPNs allowed in China are ‘government-sponsored.’

This raises concerns about the potential for government influence or monitoring, especially given China’s approach to internet control and surveillance.

Make of it what you will.

2. Security Concerns

Our assessment shows mixed results regarding BlackVPN’s security profile.

In terms of DNS leaks, BlackVPN has improved its protection mechanisms. Our tests didn’t show any significant DNS leaks on most servers, which is crucial for maintaining your privacy while using a VPN.

However, some reviews have reported occasional security issues with certain servers or configurations. This inconsistency can be worrying for users who prioritize airtight security for sensitive activities.

BlackVPN claims to use industry-standard encryption, but the implementation may vary across different apps and platforms. Their apps have undergone updates since our earlier reviews, but there are still reports of occasional connection issues that could potentially compromise security.

The presence of a kill switch in all their applications helps mitigate some of these concerns, but the overall security infrastructure appears less robust than what top-tier competitors offer.

3. Limited Platform Compatibility

BlackVPN covers the basics.

They work with Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, and Android devices. The menu at the top right-hand corner of the page has a drop-down menu for the installation files for each platform.

BlackVPN also works with routers and the Tor browser.

All good news.

Except, it still has limited compatibility with SmartTVs or gaming consoles. Not officially, anyway.

Customer support suggests there’s a workaround if you connect them to a router using BlackVPN.

Since BlackVPN operates on OpenVPN (including the BlackVPN app itself), there aren’t actually any dedicated apps to install on some devices. Instead, you have to configure connections manually using OpenVPN or other protocols, which can be cumbersome for less tech-savvy users.

On the plus side, you can use the same BlackVPN account on up to seven devices at the same time.

4. Inconsistent Server Speeds

Testing server speeds is pretty straightforward.

First, you test your connection without any added encryption. Our baseline connection started at 200.00 Mbps download and 100.00 Mbps upload.

Then, you connect to different VPN servers and re-try.

You’ll almost always notice a drop off in both categories. But ideally, the difference is negligible.

That was not consistently the case in our experience. Here’s what we saw on the U.S. servers:

U.S. Server

• Ping: 110
• Download: 45.70 Mbps (77.2% slower)
• Upload: 32.80 Mbps (67.2% slower)

That’s a substantial speed reduction. Let’s check a European server to see if this was consistent.

EU Server

• Ping: 40
• Download: 142.50 Mbps (28.8% slower)
• Upload: 81.20 Mbps (18.8% slower)

Better, but still showing significant speed loss.

Part of the reason for this skewed performance?

Physical distance plays a major role. The closer you are to a server, the better performance you’ll typically experience.

That’s still a problem in this case, though.

Remember that BlackVPN has around 50 servers in 27 countries. Limited networks like this typically make it harder to:

1. Find servers ‘free’ from the demands of too many other users, and
2. Find these ‘free’ servers that are still relatively close to your starting location

So it’s not just that these speed tests showed inconsistent performance. Based on a limited network, we can probably expect variable speeds in real-world usage too.

5. Unreliable Streaming Performance

BlackVPN’s performance with streaming services is inconsistent at best.

In our testing, we found that about half of BlackVPN’s streaming-optimized servers could successfully unblock Netflix US, while others consistently failed. This hit-or-miss performance extended to other popular streaming platforms like Disney+ and Hulu.

The limited number of streaming-capable servers means you may experience overcrowding during peak hours, further degrading your streaming experience.

What’s more frustrating is that the working streaming servers are only available on the more expensive plan options. So you’ll need to pay premium prices if streaming geo-restricted content is important to you, with no guarantee of consistent performance.

6. Limited Torrenting

BlackVPN allows torrenting, but with significant restrictions.

Torrenting is only permitted on selected servers that are available only on selected plans: The Privacy plan and the Global plan.

Despite paying for the premium Global plan, you’re still not allowed to use the US or UK servers for torrenting.

Their reason remains puzzling:

Isn’t hiding your location a primary reason for using VPNs in the first place?

If you can be traced in the US and UK, it sounds like this VPN provider might not be doing its job effectively.

They even put this torrenting issue front-and-center in their terms of service when you’re signing up

So yes, technically, they allow torrenting. But there are so many restrictions that it’s practically a wash if you’re looking for a VPN primarily for P2P activities.

7. Features Limited Heavily by Plan

We’ve alluded to this one in the past few points.

But your plan features are heavily influenced (read: limited) based on how much you’re paying.

For instance:

• Privacy: Access to most VPN locations, but NOT the UK and US. You also get unrestricted P2P/Bittorrent. No TV streaming.
• TV: Limited VPN locations focused on streaming (primarily US and UK servers). With this package, you can also “stream TV from the USA and UK”. No P2P and Bittorrent.
• Global: All VPN locations (including all US and UK servers). You can also stream TV from the USA and UK, as well as have unrestricted P2P/Bittorrent. However, the limitation is that you cannot use the US and UK servers for P2P and Bittorrent.

Most other VPNs we’ve reviewed will give you full access to all features in each plan. The only difference is the signup length and pricing.
Unfortunately, that’s not the case here.

BlackVPN Cost, Plans & Payment Methods

BlackVPN plan pricing starts at EUR 59 (~$65 USD) and goes up to EUR 109 (~$120 USD).

You’ll notice that their pricing plans are still only available in annual installments.

You can pay for BlackVPN through a variety of options, including:

• Credit card, bank transfer, gift cards, and e-wallets
• PayPal
• Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for anonymous payments

Unfortunately, you can’t purchase this service using cash.

They do offer a 14-day money-back guarantee with no bandwidth limit. That way, you’re free to try out the service for two weeks before committing to that annual payment.

Do We Recommend BlackVPN?

There are some positives with BlackVPN, including their no-logging policy, compatibility with Tor, and strong encryption standards.

However, the main issues center around inconsistent server speeds, limited torrenting capabilities, and unreliable streaming performance. The fact that features are heavily restricted by plan is also a significant drawback.

Not to mention, their questionable jurisdiction in Hong Kong raises some concerns about potential surveillance.

There are just too many other good VPN services out there, like NordVPN, ExpressVPN or Surfshark, that don’t force you to sacrifice this much for arguably better features.

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