Atlas VPN Review: Speed, Security, and Performance Examined - VPNInsights (2024)

Atlas VPN is a relatively new name in the market; it started in 2019 and has since caught many VPN users’ eyes. The quick success of Atlas VPN resulted in Nord Security acquiring the VPN in 2021. Nord Security also owns the famous NordVPN and is a trusted company.

The VPN is a freemium service perfect for someone looking for a completely free VPN. Moreover, it is one of the fastest VPNs on the internet, with over 750 servers. It also offers to stream on optimized servers for fast speed and efficiently unblocks many streaming sites.

However, it is not as perfect as it sounds. The VPN is based in the US, which is a member of the five-eye intelligence. Some users even complained about the VPN trying to collect their data without consent. Keeping everything in mind, I decided to review the VPN for good. We will look into the security, speed, features, and privacy policies of Atlas VPN.

Who owns Atlas VPN?

Atlas VPN started in 2019 and quickly became popular in the industry. The VPN offered fast speed and was ahead of many VPN services. Impressed by the success and performance of Atlas VPN, Nord Security, in 2021, joined hands with the new VPN service. Nord Security is the company behind NordVPN, a popular VPN service known for offering its users endless privacy and robust security.

Tom Okman is the co-founder of Nord Security, which is an umbrella company for different cybersecurity solutions. The company offers NordVPN, NordVPN Teams, NordPass, and NordLocker. All of these are popular services and are trusted by many.

Is Atlas VPN worth it?

VPNs have become a critical part of the online world. In this era of cybercrimes and artificial intelligence, it is getting hard to maintain your online security. Looking for a reliable VPN, we came across Atlas VPN. Although the VPN is known for offering unique security features, we found some loopholes in its privacy policy. Moreover, its jurisdiction in the five-eye country poses privacy risks. There is a lot to unfold about Atlas VPN, and this review will cover all the major fronts of it.

• Online privacy: you get AES-256-bit encryption and fast protocols like WireGuard to elevate your online privacy.
• Jurisdiction: the VPN has jurisdiction in Delaware, which raises many suspicions as the US is not a privacy-friendly country.
• No-log policy: it has a no-log policy to assure users of their data safety. However, the policy is not audited.
• Streaming: you can unblock streaming sites with Atlas VPN, prevent ISP throttling, and perform HD streaming.
• Torrenting and P2P: it allows users to download and share files through P2P sharing. Torrenting is also possible with Atlas VPN.
• Gaming: the high speed helps online gaming by decreasing the ping time.
• Tor Browser: the safeswap servers help access the Tor Browser safely.

Our focus while writing reviews is to provide authentic and legitimate information. We used the VPN to test its speed, features, and privacy policy for this. Moreover, we leveraged to check out online forums for users’ experience. Read further to learn about our experience with Atlas VPN.

Privacy and Security- Does Atlas VPN offer complete security?

Atlas VPN is strict about its security; it offers AES-256-bit encryption, the most secure cipher. It also offers a no-log policy and other security features. Here is a table of all the security and privacy features Atlas VPN offers.

• Network Kill Switch: It works by protecting your IP during connection drops.
• Private DNS: It offers private DNS on every server to prevent DNS leaks.
• Block malware: The VPN blocks malware, phishing sites,v viruses, ads, and trackers from damaging your device.
• Data breach monitor: It scans the internet for leaked credentials and alerts users if their credentials have been compromised.
• MultiHop+: it protects your online activity by routing your network through multiple VPN locations.
• SafeSwap: It maximizes online anonymity by allowing users to access the internet through several IPs simultaneously.
• Safe browse: This feature prevents trackers from infecting your device and collecting data.

However, the kill switch is useless, as it never works. Moreover, the no-log policy is not audited. So, there is no guarantee that the policy is legitimate or not. Another thing that Atlas VPN lacks is a dedicated IP. This is an important security feature, and many premium VPNs offer it.

Atlas VPN Jurisdiction- is it privacy-friendly?

When searching for a VPN, most people look for one in a safe jurisdiction that is free of data retention laws. It may seem small, but jurisdiction is important in maintaining users’ privacy. You don’t want the VPN company to share your data with the government.

Atlas VPN is based in Delaware, United States. The United States is a member of the five-eye data-sharing intelligence. The VPN can be forced to share its user’s data when needed. Although the company promises to keep no logs of users’ activity, we are still skeptical about our privacy.

Log policy- Does Atlas VPN log data?

The VPN promises to keep no logs of users’ data. However, the log policy is not audited. Only the iOS client was independently audited in 2021 by VerSprite. Apart from that, it is located in the US. Thus, no one can completely ensure its privacy. The user’s data can be shared with the five-eye intelligence when needed. And with the logging policy still not audited, we are unsure if the VPN should be trusted with personal information and sensitive data.

The no-log policy states that California users can ask for their collected data report once a year. Moreover, if users want to delete their accounts, they can request to delete their data from the VPN servers permanently. Although it isn’t mentioned anywhere on the site, the no-log policy also seems to apply to the free plan. Or so we hope.

Past Records of Atlas VPN

In 2021, the company was acquired by Nord Security, which also owns NordVPN. Atlas VPN has a clear record of providing security to its users. Aside from its association with the five-eyes country, the service seems legit. As the VPN is new on the internet, there are no reports of data breaching history or hacking.

What encryption does it use?

Encryption is like a door lock; the stronger the lock, the more security it assures. There are various encryption ciphers, and the strongest and most secure is AES-256-GCM. It works by changing your network activity into unrecognizable codes.

Fortunately, Atlas VPN uses the same encryption. AES encryption is standard encryption, and to further amplify the security, it uses the perfect forward secrecy feature. In addition, the VPN offers ChaCha20 cipher with the Poly1305 authenticator for next-generation security.

Atlas VPN protocols.

Atlas VPN offers quality protocols for fast encryption. These tunneling protocols are responsible for speed and security. While every protocol is different from another, here is a list of protocols offered by Atlas VPN;

• OpenVPN (TCP/UDP): an open-source protocol, great for high speed and reliable security.
• IKEv2: it’s suitable for establishing connections between cellular data and wifi.
• WireGuard: a new addition to Atlas VPN, it offers fast speed and robust security.

In short, the OpenVPN is good for streaming, and when you need fast speed, the IKEv2 is good for mobile use, and the WireGuard is a good all-over choice for both speed and security.

Atlas VPN for streaming

VPNs can make streaming seamless; from solving throttling issues to bypassing geo-restrictions, a good VPN can make your life easier. Most people now opt for streaming VPNs to unblock geo-restricted sites and prevent ISP throttling. However, finding a good VPN is hard.

Atlas VPN is a good choice for streaming. It unblocks many streaming sites and offers high speed. We have listed the prominent streaming features of Atlas VPN;

• Prevents ISP throttling: The military-level encryption masks your IP to prevent ISP throttling.
• Many servers: 750 servers in 45 locations provide high speed for HD streaming.
• Netflix: Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Sweden, India, Singapore, Australia, and the United States.
• Hulu: New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, New Jersey, Phoenix, Las Vegas, etc.
• BBCiPlayer: London and Manchester.
• HBO Max: US-based servers: New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, New Jersey, Phoenix, Las Vegas, etc.

Can Atlas VPN unblock Netflix?

Netflix is a popular site that produces its content, mainly known for having different regional libraries. Every region where Netflix is available has a different collection of movies and TV shows. As exciting as it sounds, all libraries cannot be accessed due to geo-restrictions. So, if you are in the UK and want to stream US Netflix, you’ll be restricted.

We used Atlas VPN to unblock Netflix US, and it exceeded our expectations. The VPN unblocked more than 10 Netflix libraries, including the US. We enabled the Kill Switch from the settings to prevent IP leaks. Moreover, there was no buffering, and the video quality was also excellent. In short, Atlas VPN is a great choice for streaming Netflix, although a smart DNS would be a great addition to the VPN.

How to set up Atlas VPN for Netflix;

• Install and launch the Atlas VPN app.
• Register yourself and create an account.
• Enable the Kill Switch from the settings.
• Choose a server of the region you want to access Netflix from.
• Open the Netflix app or open the site on your browser.
• Start streaming!

Users must have a Netflix subscription to unblock the site.

Unblocking BBCiPlayer with Atlas VPN.

BBC iPlayer is another famous streaming site. The site applies geo-blocks due to copyright issues and is only available in the UK. It can be an issue if you live or travel outside the UK. However, a VPN can bypass geo-blocks. Thus, we gave Atlas VPN a try to unblock BBC iPlayer outside the UK.

For this site, we had to connect to a UK-based server, and the streaming-optimized servers helped to offer fast speed. The VPN bypasses geo-restrictions very easily; within a few seconds of connecting to Atlas VPN, we can access BBC iPlayer. Like Netflix, we enabled the Kill Switch. There were no lags, and the whole experience was smooth.

How to set up Atlas VPN for BBC iPlayer;

• Install and launch the dedicated app.
• Register yourself and create an account.
• Enable the Kill Switch from the settings.
• Choose a UK-based server from the list.
• Open the BBC iPlayer app or open the site on your browser.
• Start streaming!

Users must have a BBC iPlayer subscription to unblock the site.

Is Atlas VPN compatible with Hulu?

Atlas VPN passed another test. We tried the VPN with Hulu, and surprisingly, it unblocked it easily. Hulu is a streaming platform in the US, and due to geo-restrictions, outsiders cannot access it. Although these geo-blocks are very strong, a good VPN can bypass them.

Setting up Atlas VPN is pretty simple; the app is user-friendly, and streaming-optimized servers help unblock streaming sites. We turned on the Kill Switch to maintain our privacy. The VPN has a vast list of servers, and we connected to the Los Angeles server in the US, and the speed was fast enough for HD streaming. Overall, Atlas VPN is a great choice for Hulu.

How to set up Atlas VPN for Hulu;

• Install and launch the Atlas VPN app.
• Register yourself and create an account.
• Enable the Kill Switch from the settings.
• Choose a server of the region you want to access Netflix from. (e.g.: Los Angeles server)
• Open the BBC iPlayer app or open the site on your browser.
• Start streaming!

Now, you can stream all your favorite shows with ease.

Can I unblock HBO Max with Atlas VPN?

HBO Max is a US-based streaming site that offers many popular shows and movies. However, the stubborn geo-blocks restrict many users from streaming on the site. This is when a VPN comes into play. VPN uses encryption ciphers that mask your IP, and by connecting to a server in a different region, you can change your online location.

Atlas VPN conveniently unblocked HBO max; we connected to the WireGuard protocol for fast speed and enabled the Kill Switch. It took us a few tries to connect to a reliable server, but we finally did. The homepage lagged a little, but the streaming quality was fine. The quality was not the same as on Netflix, but it was still good.

How to set up Atlas VPN for HBO Max;

• Install and launch the VPN app.
• Register yourself and create an account.
• Enable the Kill Switch from the settings.
• Connect to the WireGuard protocol.
• Choose a US-based server from the list.
• Open the BBC iPlayer app or open the site on your browser.
• Start streaming!

Now, you can stream all your favorite shows with ease.

Troubleshooting.

If you have trouble accessing streaming sites, try these methods.

1. Re-connect to the Atlas VPN server.
2. Try using streaming-optimized servers.
3. Clear the cache.
4. Change the connection protocol.
5. Try using the private mode of your browser/go incognito.
6. Disable SafeBrowse in the VPN application Assistant tab. Only do this if you trust the website you are visiting.

However, if none of the above tips work, contact customer support immediately.

Torrenting with Atlas VPN

Torrenting is a prohibited act in many countries. The process disregards copyrights, and if you are caught torrenting, there are chances that your ISP will throttle your connection to maintain internet speed. However, in some regions, you can be penalized for Torrenting.Therefore, it is crucial to practice safe torrenting techniques.

Using a VPN for torrenting is a safe option. The VPN will encrypt your data, and your ISP or government will be restricted from monitoring your activity. Here is what Atlas VPN offers for safe torrenting.

• Split tunneling: With this feature, you can choose what data travels through encrypted tunnels and which data travels on the open network.

Here is the thing: Atlas VPN is nothing too surprising for storing. We got average downloading speeds, and downloading a single file took 8 minutes. There are no P2P-optimized servers, and most do not support torrenting. Although the split tunneling features helped manage the speeds, it is nothing to hype about. Moreover, the free version also supports torrenting, but the speed is slower than the premium version.

Here is how to set up Atlas VPN for torrenting.

• Launch the VPN app and log in.
• Select a server from a nearby country.
• Turn on the Split Tunneling feature from the setting.
• Connect to the UDP protocol for high speed.

Is Atlas VPN a good choice for gamers?

Gaming on Atlas VPN is not a very good option. The VPN offers good speed but nothing too exceptional. The US servers are not very suitable for gaming. The ping time increases, and the game starts to lag. However, some servers offer high speed; we recommend using the UDP protocol for high speed and enabling the Kill Switch to prevent IP leaks. The VPN offers the following gaming features.

• VPN protocols: Fast protocols help in offering fast speeds.
• DDOS attack shield: It prevents attacks by hiding your internet traffic.
• Split tunneling: With this feature, you can choose what data travels through encrypted tunnels and which travels on the open network.

Here is how to set up Atlas VPN for gaming.

• Launch the VPNapp and select your subscription plan.
• Select a nearby server.
• Enable the Kill Switch and Split tunneling feature.
• Open the game you want to play.
• Start gaming.

Setting up Atlas VPN is very simple, but the VPN is not the absolute best for gaming. However, choose a European server for better speed and lower ping if you wish to game with the VPN.

Atlas VPN support with Tor.

Accessing the dark web can be a risky task. However, if you use a VPN while accessing the Tor Browser, your activity will be hidden, and you can safely browse. Atlas VPN offers many security features that help in providing maximum privacy and anonymity.

• Kill switch: It prevents IP leaks during uncalled connection drops.
• MultiHop+: Protects your online activity by routing your network through multiple VPN locations.
• SafeSwap: It maximizes online anonymity by allowing users to access the internet through several IPs simultaneously.

Atlas VPN works well with Tor; the security features and high encryption offer maximum security, and users can securely access the dark and deep web. The split tunneling feature also helped maintain security, and the shield blocked all malware threats. In short, it is a great choice for safely accessing Tor.

Pricing and Money-back guarantee.

Atlas VPN offers 3 payment plans, along with a free version. The premium and free versions are different in terms of features.

The VPN accepts these payment methods;

• Credit Card
• PayPal
• Google Pay.

It has a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can refund your money anytime if you are unsatisfied with the VPN.

A quick comparison between the Free and Premium versions.

The table below shows the difference between the VPN’s free and Premium plans.

• The premium version has a 30-day Money-Back Guarantee for users.

Customer support – Is Atlas VPN user-friendly?

Atlas VPN has excellent customer support. The premium version has live chat support, and the recipes are fast. However, if you are using the free version, you can contact the service through email at support@atlasvpn.com. Email support takes a few hours to respond, and users must wait patiently for a reply.

Moreover, the FAQs section also has a variety of issues covered. You can find articles related to troubleshooting and streaming issues.

Pros and cons of Atlas VPN

Here is a list of the unique features that the VPN offers alongside its cons.

Final Words

Atlas VPN is a new service that has made its name in such a short time. It offers various security features and privacy features. Moreover, it is a freemium service and offers a completely free version. So, Atlas VPN is the right choice if you are looking for a free VPN. The VPN has a no-log policy and unblocks all major streaming sites.

However, there are some downsides to it. The logging policy is not audited, and no Smart DNS or dedicated IPs exist. Also, the VPN is based in the US, raising many concerns about user data security. In short, the VPN is a good choice for beginners, but it might not be the correct one for businesses and companies.

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