Zoog VPN review

ZoogVPN was founded by Zoog Services PC over ten years ago in Greece.

They claim to be lightning fast, secure, and private. They also claim to work on Netflix.

But almost every single other VPN service we’ve reviewed makes those claims, too.

Does ZoogVPN live up to those claims?

I’m going to answer those questions in this review.

I’m also going to lay out the pros and cons of the service to tell you if it’s easy to use, if ZoogVPN’s customer service is any good, and much more.

But first, let’s provide a little background information on ZoogVPN.

ZoogVPN Background + Compatibility

The ZoogVPN website has a simple, modern design. It immediately inspired confidence.

The site features some high-quality graphics and is very easy to navigate.

So far so good!

Here’s what ZoogVPN has to say about themselves:

“The complete fast VPN service comes with easy to use apps, access to US Netflix & BBC iPlayer, no logs, own DNS servers, safe torrent downloads and up to 10 simultaneously connected devices.”

We did a quick search and saw pretty positive reviews across the board. Most were pleased about the strong speeds.

But how accurate is this information? Are the speeds really that great? And how do they compare to other VPNs on the market?

Customer reviews are great. But the only way you can trust a service is by actually using it yourself.

That’s why we signed up for a paid account, set up the VPN client, and tested the speeds of three different servers for ourselves.

Right off the bat, ZoogVPN provides unlimited bandwidth and server switches.

Other notable features include no logging and public wifi security.

The VPN service also supports these devices and operating services:

• PC
• Mac
• iPhone
• iPad
• Android
• Linux
• Fire TV
• Android TV
• Routers
• TOR

ZoogVPN has updated their device limit substantially – now allowing unlimited simultaneous connections on a single account. This is a major improvement over their previous limit of five devices, making it an excellent choice for households with many devices.

ZoogVPN has significantly expanded their server network to over 100 server locations in 55+ countries. This is a substantial improvement compared to their previous network, though still not as extensive as industry leaders.

ZoogVPN covers all the major cities in North America, Europe, and Asia, with some presence in Africa and Oceania as well.

Kill switch functionality is now available across all major platforms including Windows, macOS, and Android, addressing what was previously a significant weakness in their security offerings.

A kill switch is an essential security feature that acts as your ultimate failsafe. If your internet connection drops unexpectedly, your VPN connection usually drops out too, potentially exposing your activities. The kill switch prevents this by cutting all internet traffic if the VPN connection is interrupted.

ZoogVPN appears to work with DD-WRT and Tomato routers. The company offers a Setup Wizard for routers here.

ZoogVPN now supports a wide range of protocols including OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard, L2TP, and PPTP. WireGuard is a welcome addition as it offers improved speeds while maintaining strong security.

So keep that in mind before moving forward.

Next up, everyone’s favorite topic: actual cons and pros

Finally, ZoogVPN is based in Greece. The latter is far away from the jurisdiction of the 5 eyes, 9 nines, and 14 eyes.

ZoogVPN Overview

 

ZoogVPN Pros

ZoogVPN has been on the market for over a decade now.

You’d expect them to have a strong service with all of the kinks worked out by now.

So let’s start with what they do well on, first, before taking a look at where they might improve.

1. ZoogVPN encryption is strong enough

Security and privacy are probably the most important factors to look at when selecting a private network. Privacy is the reason you’re using a VPN in the first place.

Is ZoogVPN’s encryption strong?

Well, that depends on the plan you’re using.

Is it Well Encrypted?

ZoogVPN has some industry-standard encryption AES-256 for the paid plans. This is the best of the best.

However, when using the free plan, you only get 128-bit encryption. Technically, it’s still pretty strong. It will cover you in most cases. But it’s not top-of-the-line, either.

If your main reason for choosing a VPN is privacy, be sure not to use the free plan. You get the security you pay for.

Is Torrenting Allowed?

Torrenting is allowed with ZoogVPN on their dedicated P2P servers, which are clearly marked within the app. The service offers optimized servers specifically for torrenting across many countries including Canada, the US, and several locations in Europe and Asia-Pacific.

For example, servers that allow P2P traffic will have a small “P2P” icon next to their server name.

Be sure to select one with this icon if you’re looking to use torrenting.

Logging Policy

ZoogVPN maintains a strict no-logs policy. According to their privacy policy, they “do not keep any logs of your online activity” and “strictly do not collect or keep any usage information on user activity, the websites or apps the user visits, timestamps, user IP addresses, or user log-in/log-out sessions.”

The only information they collect is your email address (for account management purposes) and the total amount of data transferred on their servers as aggregated upload/download statistics.

ZoogVPN is based in Greece, which is outside the jurisdiction of the 14-Eyes international intelligence-sharing alliance, providing an additional layer of privacy protection.

2. Improved connection speeds

Nearly every VPN service claims to have incredibly fast speeds.

ZoogVPN is no different. So I put them to the test, analyzing download speeds on EU and US servers.

ZoogVPN’s speeds have improved considerably since our last review. Recent tests show only a 5-18% speed reduction on local connections, which is impressive compared to industry standards.

The addition of the WireGuard protocol has significantly contributed to these performance improvements, offering better speeds than the previously available OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols.

US Server

• Ping: 82ms
• Download: 43.64 Mbps
• Upload: 38.75 Mbps

EU Server

• Ping: 32ms
• Download: 68.15 Mbps
• Upload: 57.33 Mbps

Asia Server

• Ping: 187ms
• Download: 45.78 Mbps
• Upload: 27.45 Mbps

While not the absolute fastest VPN on the market, ZoogVPN now provides reliable speeds that are suitable for most online activities including HD streaming, gaming, and torrenting.

3. ZoogVPN offers competitive pricing and a free plan

First, the good news. ZoogVPN offers a free plan. So you can sign up and try out the service without ever seeing a bill.

The free plan now comes with 10GB of monthly data, access to servers in three locations (US, UK, and Netherlands), and supports all the protocols available in the premium app except WireGuard.

As with most free VPN services, there are several restrictions. You’re limited to a single device connection, and streaming services like Netflix won’t work with the free servers.

There’s also no guarantee that the speeds will be fast on the free plan. They offer their “Best effort Bandwidth” with a free account.

If you’re ready to take the next step, the company offers monthly, annual, and 2-year plans.

All of these packages give you the same exact features. So you get access to every server, unlimited data transfer and bandwidth, unlimited simultaneous connections, and full content access.

The only difference is the term you’d like to prepay and the discount for each.

Here’s a breakdown of the current pricing .

The monthly plan is $6.99 per month.

This is a 42% discount in comparison to the original price of $11.99 per month. This one is perfect for a VPN user looking to pay month-to-month.

The pricing is decent with this plan, especially since you don’t have to make any commitments to get this low of a price.

Many other month-to-month plans I’ve seen can cost twice as much as this one.

The annual package is $3.33 per month.

This is a 72% discount in comparison to the usual price of $11.99 per month. Overall, you’ll pay $39.99 for access to ZoogVPN for one year. This is a huge savings compared to the first plan.

The two year package is $2.49 per month.

This plan will set you back $59.99 for 24 months. Occasionally, ZoogVPN runs promotions that offer additional months free with this package.

If you aren’t sure how you feel about ZoogVPN, start out with the one month plan. Then, if you like it, I would recommend boosting your package up to have a full year of access.

You’ll save more of your hard earned cash that way.

ZoogVPN offers a 7-day money-back guarantee, though it’s worth noting this is shorter than the 30-day guarantees offered by many competitors. The refund is also nullified if you exceed 10GB of data during this period.

They support various payment methods, including PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, and Bitcoin for those seeking additional anonymity.

4. Seven Day Money-Back Guarantee

The longest commitment to a VPN will always get you the cheapest rate. ZoogVPN is no different, here.

However, there’s a problem with this.

How do you know if you like their service? How do you know if making a one-year commitment is the right decision?

Thankfully, ZoogVPN helps you in two ways.

First, they have a completely free plan. It has limitations, but it’s perfect for trying the service out.

Second, they still offer a money-back guarantee. So you can still get a refund if you have a change of heart after a few days.

5. Improved Netflix and streaming compatibility

ZoogVPN has significantly improved its streaming capabilities since our last review. The service now offers dedicated streaming-optimized servers that are clearly marked with a play button symbol in the server list.

In our tests, ZoogVPN successfully unblocked multiple Netflix libraries including US, UK, and Canada. The service also works well with other popular streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer.

ZoogVPN now maintains a network status page that indicates which servers are currently working with specific streaming services, making it easier to find the right server for your streaming needs.

It’s worth noting that streaming performance can vary, and you might occasionally need to try different servers to get the best experience. The free plan does not support streaming services like Netflix.

6. Good customer support (and live chat)

After logging in on ZoogVPN.com, you can access the support area on the left-hand side of the screen.

When you click on the “Support” button, you’ll be taken to this area:

ZoogVPN offers 24/7 live chat support, which is a significant improvement from their previous ticket-based system. Live chat representatives are generally knowledgeable and responsive, providing quick assistance for technical issues and general inquiries.

The ticketing system still exists for more complex problems. You’ll be required to provide your name and email, and you can also select the device you’re using, the VPN type, the type of support you need, and the priority of your question.

ZoogVPN also maintains a comprehensive knowledge base and FAQ section on their website, which covers most common questions and setup instructions for different devices.

As with most kinds of customer support, it’s wise to check out ZoogVPN’s FAQ page to see if your question has already been answered.

 

ZoogVPN Cons

ZoogVPN turns in a decent performance across the board. Especially for such a low price.

However, that doesn’t mean everything is OK.

In fact, there are a few areas where the performance wasn’t good enough in my opinion.

Here’s a quick run down.

1. The VPN app could be more intuitive

ZoogVPN is pretty straightforward to download, install, and use. Just select your device, and you’re off.

While ZoogVPN’s apps have improved since our last review, they still lack some of the polish and intuitive design found in top-tier VPN services. The desktop apps in particular can be somewhat clunky to navigate.

A common complaint is the lack of a search function in the server list, which means you have to scroll through the entire list to find specific servers. This becomes more frustrating as ZoogVPN continues to expand its server network.

The mobile apps are generally better designed but may occasionally experience connection issues requiring you to try multiple servers.

Start out by creating an account with ZoogVPN and install the service on your device.

Once it’s been downloaded, here’s what it will look like:

Just enter in your credentials to login.

Then, the main dashboard will appear:

You’ll see your current IP address, a power button, and a section to select a server at the bottom.

I’ve blurred out the IP address, here, but just select a server from the menu when you’re ready.

Again, servers with “P2P” next the name will allow for P2P downloads. You can also favorite a server if you wish. Just click on the one you want to connect to.

Then, it will appear at the bottom. Press the power button to connect to it.

You’ll receive a notification that ZoogVPN is connecting you to the server. Once it’s connected, the service will record the duration of time you’re on the server.

2. Limited advanced features

While ZoogVPN has addressed some of the major shortcomings from previous versions (like adding kill switch support across platforms), it still lacks many advanced features that have become standard in competing VPN services.

There’s no split tunneling feature, which would allow you to route only certain apps through the VPN while others use your regular connection. This is particularly useful for using banking apps (which might block VPN connections) while keeping other activities protected.

ZoogVPN also doesn’t offer more advanced security features like double VPN (routing through multiple servers for extra protection), RAM-only servers (which ensure no data is stored after a server reboot), or an integrated ad blocker.

For users who need these advanced features, there are other VPN options on the market that might better suit their needs.

3. Inconsistent streaming performance

While ZoogVPN has improved its streaming capabilities, performance can still be inconsistent. Not all of the streaming-optimized servers reliably work with their advertised platforms, and you may need to try multiple servers before finding one that works properly.

Some users report being limited to only Netflix Originals content rather than the full regional libraries when using certain servers. This inconsistency is frustrating when compared to more reliable streaming VPNs.

Additionally, ZoogVPN’s Fire TV app reportedly has issues unblocking geo-restricted content, which limits its usefulness for streaming on larger screens.

Do I Recommend ZoogVPN?

ZoogVPN has made significant improvements since our last review, but it still falls short of being a top-tier VPN service.

The positives include strong encryption, a strict no-logs policy, improved speeds, expanded server network, unlimited device connections, and better streaming capabilities. Their pricing is also very competitive, especially for longer-term plans.

However, there are still some drawbacks, including a somewhat clunky user interface, limited advanced features, inconsistent streaming performance, and a short 7-day money-back guarantee period.

Overall, ZoogVPN gets a 65/100. It’s a decent budget option, especially for basic VPN users who prioritize price over advanced features. Their free plan is also a good way to test the service before committing.

For power users or those who need absolute reliability for streaming, you might want to look at our “Best VPN” page for finding the recent top 5 VPNs that offer more advanced features and consistent performance.

Add your Zoog VPN Review

P.S. I’m always interested in user-reviews so if you’ve used ZoogVPN before, don’t hesitate to leave your review below. If your experience matched mine, cool. If it didn’t, that’s fine too!