Touch VPN Review

Does Touch VPN have the right touch as a VPN?

It promises to “protect your data and surf anonymously”.

But does it really deliver?

That’s what we’re going to find out in this Touch VPN review.
We’ve done the tests and research then laid out the Pros and Cons to help you decide if Touch VPN is the right one for you.

We based our review on these 6 categories:

• Download Speed;
• Privacy and logging policy;
• Jurisdiction;
• Torrenting and Netflix availability;
• Usability and support; and
• Cost

So let’s get down to business.

Touch VPN Overview

OVERALL RANK:	77
USABILITY:	Limited supported devices
LOG FILES:	Some Logging Policy
LOCATIONS:	25 countries, 25 servers
SUPPORT:	Slow email-based customer support
TORRENTING:	Not working
NETFLIX:	Blocks Netflix USA
ENCRYPTION/PROTOCOL:	SSL encryption; OpenVPN UDP, TCP, and HydraVPN
COST:	Free
OFFICIAL WEBSITE:	www.TouchVPN.net

Touch VPN Pros

1. You Don’t Pay for Anything

That’s right:

Touch VPN is absolutely free and doesn’t require a single cent to use.
Their site does mention something about “premium services” but we didn’t find anything related to these services as of the time of this review.

That being said:

Being free to use may be the only good thing going for it.

It should go without saying that the expression “you get what you pay for” must be kept in mind when checking out free VPNs.

So:

What are Touch VPN’s Cons?

Touch VPN Cons

1. Slow Download Speed

“It can’t be that bad, right?”

It can.

Our speed tests reveal that Touch VPN slows down internet speed to a crawl. This is what we found in our tests:

The image above shows the internet speed for the Netherlands.

The image below shows the internet speed for the USA.

These are what the results look like in detail:

Netherlands

• Ping: 43 ms
• Download: 25.04 Mbps
• Upload: 32.80 Mbps

USA

• Ping: 244 ms
• Download: 24.27 Mbps
• Upload: 6.68 Mbps

Compare these results to fastest VPNs like PersonalVPN or Private Tunnel and it’s clearly a no contest.

If what you’re looking for in a VPN is speed, Touch VPN isn’t the one for you.

2. They Log Your Information

Let’s get this straight:

A VPN’s most important feature should be securing your privacy while you use the internet.
It’s the main reason most people use VPNs in the first place, right?

Well:

Most free VPNs log your information and sell them to 3rd parties.
This is because selling your data is how they can make money.

We here at TheBestVPN have already talked about the dangers of using free VPNs in the past but it’s worth repeating this fact now.
It’s important to always read the fine print when dealing with free VPNs.

On the “bright” side:

Touch VPN (at least) admits to logging your personal information (unlike other free VPNs that outright lie to you).

They collect your information by logging your data.

They say that they’re doing this to provide you with better services and for statistical purposes and, of course, for marketing purposes.

This shouldn’t really be a surprise.

If the company doesn’t make money from a free VPN, they make money off you instead.
This is done by selling your information to 3rd parties.

It means you are the product. This kind of defeats the purpose of using a VPN in the first place.

So:

If you still want to use their services despite this knowledge, you’d have to be careful with the information that you provide because…

3. They’re Under 5-Eyes Jurisdiction

“What is 5-eyes and why does it matter?”

Answer:

If your VPN provider is in a country that’s under the 5-eyes jurisdiction, it means that their government can compel them to hand over any data they have collected– which includes your personal information.

Now:

While some VPNs may also fall within the same jurisdiction, you’re still at an advantage if their logging policies prevent them from keeping logs.
Even if they’re made to surrender any of the data they kept, they won’t have any of your personal information to surrender because they never kept it in the first place.

So:

As far as keeping your personal information is concerned, Touch VPN is risky because they log everything.

4. Doesn’t Work with the TOR Browser

What is the TOR browser for?

The Onion Browser (TOR) is a browser that protects your anonymity on the internet by bouncing your connection three times to different IPs before connecting to the server you’re looking for. This ensures that anyone monitoring your data can’t trace it back to your IP.

So:

If you’re someone who wants that extra layer (get it?) of protection for your identity and information, you’d want your VPN to work in tandem with the TOR browser.

Unfortunately:

Our tests reveal that Touch VPN is incompatible with the TOR browser.

Here’s what our tests found:

The two images above show our IP with Touch VPN active.

Meanwhile, here’s what our IP was while using the TOR browser with Touch VPN active.

The differences in the results show that Touch VPN is incompatible with the TOR browser.

There are better options (like NordVPN) if you just gotta have complete online anonymity with the TOR browser.

But just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse…

5. DNS Information Leaks and Possible Viruses

This should be a cause for concern since not even big companies are safe from hackers these days.

“but what’s a DNS?” you ask?

A Domain Name System (DNS) is like an online directory of domain names that servers translate into Internet Protocol (IP).

Every time you go to a website, your browser sends a request to a DNS server (provided by your ISP) with the URL you put in. The server then points your browser to the right IP address.

Any URL you put in can be monitored and recorded by your ISP. If you use a VPN, the request your browser sends is instead sent to an anonymous DNS server through your VPN.

Which is why:

You’re only getting a false sense of security if your VPN leaks your DNS information.
This is why keeping your DNS information private is crucial if you want true privacy while surfing the web.

Now:

Touch VPN assures you that your anonymity is safe while using their services.

But:

This was not the result we found during our tests. It was revealed that Touch VPN does indeed leak your DNS information:

DNS leak test 1:

Chrome app leak test 2:

IP leak test 3:

These results are worrying as they mean that Touch VPN does not really protect your privacy— despite their assurance.

Furthermore:

A Virustotal scan always accompanies our VPN reviews when we talk about DNS leaks. After all, a VPN that doesn’t leak your DNS information is still dangerous if it contains viruses (like most free VPNs).

Passing these two tests are the benchmarks of secure VPNs.

However:

We were not able to do a Virustotal scan because the app is only available through the Windows store. We couldn’t access the app’s file as it was a Windows store app.

This is bad news since most free VPNs contain viruses. Touch VPN may contain viruses that you just can’t detect because there’s no way of knowing.

6. No Built-In Kill Switch

“What’s a kill switch and why does having it matter?”

Listen:

A kill switch ensures that your online information is kept safe in case there is an interruption in your internet connection. This feature should be an important factor to consider if you truly want to keep your information and identity safe.

Unfortunately:

Our research revealed that Touch VPN does not have a kill switch feature. This makes it risky to use especially if you’re in a place where constant interruptions to your internet connection are common.

7. No Torrenting or Netflix

“Wait, what?” Is what you must be thinking.

In these times when most of the big torrenting sites are being shut down by governments around the world, it would be completely understandable for you to want your VPN to let you torrent.

That being said:

A VPN would be a lot better if it could get you Netflix. And if not that, then it should at least let you torrent, right?

Sorry to say, but:

Our research showed that Touch VPN gets you neither torrenting nor Netflix (despite featuring the Netflix logo on their homepage, no less).

So:

If what you’re looking for in a VPN is Netflix, you should check out our top VPNs for Netflix. If torrenting is what you’re looking for, our top VPNs for torrenting shouldn’t disappoint.

That said:

At least it’s convenient to use, right?

Well…

8. It’s Easy to Use but They Use Fake Locations

Firstly:

When it comes to usability, you’d want to know what devices you can use with Touch VPN.

Well:

We found that it can be used on these devices:

• Windows
• Mac
• Google Chrome
• iOS
• Android

However:

If you want to use Touch VPN on your gaming consoles or smart TVs, you’re better off using another VPN because you can’t use Touch VPN on these devices.

Now, secondly:

How easy is Touch VPN to install and use?

The fact is the best VPNs will only be “the best” if customers can use them.
There’s no use in signing up for a top-tier VPN if you can’t figure out how to get the darn thing to work.

Well:

When it comes to ease of use, Touch VPN’s app may be okay but we still got mixed feelings towards it and you’ll see why.
Here’s what Touch VPN’s Android app interface looks like:

Their android app isn’t half-bad.

• Installation only takes a few minutes.
• Connects smoothly to the server;
• They’re true to their name in that you can connect to the internet with one touch by pressing “connect”;
• You sign in by simply connecting with Facebook, Google+, Twitter, or your Email; and
• They have features that “make battery life work better” or “improve Wi-Fi security” and “improve bandwidth”.

However:

• It has lots of ads; and
• They constantly hound you to give them a good review.

Now:

While the positives may outnumber the negatives (being chalked up to the usual actions a free app does) as far as usability is concerned, quantity does not necessarily equal quality…

Because:

While testing their PC app, we found that they use fake VPN servers. Although we were connected to the US server, it showed “France” instead.

After that, we found it hard to reconnect to the US server, perhaps due to the servers going down. It was only after several tries that we were finally able to do so.

These facts taken together make Touch VPN sketchy at best. That’s why we say that Touch VPN’s usability gave us mixed feelings.

So:

If you’re looking for a safe VPN to use exclusively on your Android, it may be better to look at our top picks for best Android VPN apps instead.

9. Bad Customer Support

Touch VPN uses email-based customer support. While we can’t really expect them to offer 24/7 chat support (as is the standard of most top tier paid VPNs), we do expect them to at least be able to respond to our questions in our time of need.

Well:

We tested their customer support by sending them 2 questions via the “feedback” function on their PC and Android apps then waited for their responses.

Sadly:

As of the time this review was written, it’s already been over 24 hours from the time we sent those questions and they have yet to respond to any of the two!

Not a good sign at all since this means that if you ever run into an urgent problem with their VPN that prevents you from using it–

–you’re gonna have to wait more than a day before you get your answers and get to use their VPN again.

10. They Only Have 25 Servers Around the World

“I tend to travel a lot. Can I use Touch VPN wherever I am?”

Unfortunately, no.

Touch VPN only has 40 servers around the world. While you may be able to use it just fine in most countries, there are places (like New Zealand or anywhere in Africa) that they just aren’t available in.

With all that said:

We listed down other server features that you may find useful:

• SSL encryption: It’s the most common security protocol. It provides a secure channel between your device and the server you’re connecting to.
• Use any number of devices: There’s no limit to how many devices you can connect with because it’s free. There’s no need to set up an account with them because all you need to sign up is your Facebook, Google+, Twitter, or just your Email.

11. Okay Protocols, but Limited Device Support

Touch VPN offers OpenVPN UDP, TCP, and HydraVPN protocols. That’s good on the surface.

However, there is a huge lack of support across most devices. Don’t even think about routers, smart TVs or gaming consoles.

You can currently get Touch VPN through a variety of basic app stores, like Google’s or the Windows App Store.

But here’s the thing.

Try clicking on their parent company’s site, NorthGhost.com, and you get this:

Um, what?

No functioning website. And even if it was functioning, this ‘technology’ company uses the Wix website builder for their site?!

Run and hide.

Do We Recommend Touch VPN?

Not really.

We here at TheBestVPN have already established the dangers of using free VPNs. The moment you sign up, Touch VPN logs your personal information and keeps it to sell to 3rd parties.

Don’t be tempted by the fact that it’s free and save yourself from a world of leaks, viruses, and sketchy practices.

If you’re looking to find the right VPN to settle down with for dirt cheap, we recommend that you take a look at our top cheapest VPNs.

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