For over a decade, SwissVPN has been offering users the possibility of protecting their internet traffic with the help of an encrypted VPN tunnel. The company behind SwissVPN has an extensive experience in telecommunication services and it supports a data center in Switzerland that allows you to enjoy internet securely, as if you were connecting from that country. The VPN is set to add an extra layer of security, particularly when you are using public WiFi networks. It also allows you to mitigate privacy threats and to enjoy a fast, reliable solution to browse the internet. Here is more about Swiss VPN.
Privacy and Security
The protocols supported are OpenVPN, SSTP, L2TP/IPSec and PPTP, so you have flexibility choosing the level of security that you want and to select the option that better suits the platform that you are using. Dual-stack IPv4/IPv6 is available with some protocols. For PPTP, SwissVPN uses 128-bit encryption with authentication protocol MS-CHAPv2. L2TP/IPSec use AES/SHA1 with DH and AES/SHA1 128-bit with PFS. The encryption algorithm for SSTP is AES/RC4 128-bit, while OpenVPN uses Blowfish 168-bit. In general, OpenVPN is considered as the most secure and reliable protocol, but the best option will depend on your specific needs and the device you are using.
Although the level of encryption offered by SwissVPN is decent, it is not the strongest standard available. When it comes to privacy, Switzerland has strict laws to protect user’s data. However, SwissVPN doesn’t provide clear information about its logging practices. We found that they only keep connection logs, meaning that although your online activities are not monitored or recorded, the time duration of your session and the amount of data transferred are logged for maintenance and troubleshooting purposes. The service promises to give users the chance to connect to the “Swiss internet”, which should help them to avoid the heavy monitoring that is applied in other locations.
Features
SwissVPN doesn’t require registration and it advertises itself as a solution that allows you to browse internet safely by connecting to an encrypted server in Switzerland. Given that out online activities, including chats, emails and the websites we visit, may be monitored by third parties, a VPN that encrypts your data and disguises your IP address is always a good choice. However, the functionality of SwissVPN is rather limited considering that it only allows users to connect to a data center in Zurich.
While this still allows you to conceal your actual location if you are outside Switzerland and in some cases, you may be able to access content that is not available in your location, you will still face geo-blocks if you try to access popular streaming services. SwissVPN focuses on offering users the chance to route their internet traffic through a secure server in Switzerland, but it is not the most effective solution to bypass geographical restrictions.
There is no dedicated VPN software available, but the service can be set up on a variety of platforms including Windows, Linux, iOS, Android and macOS. The website offers detailed instructions for all the platforms supported. By default, users get a public IP address, but it is possible to acquire a static Swiss IP address for an additional cost.
SwissVPN doesn’t impose limits on the amount of data transferred. While the standard service offers good speeds, it is possible to improve them by purchasing the Speed upgrade option. Only one connection is allowed, but you can get up to 3 simultaneous connections for an additional fee. Users can also get a firewall option for an extra cost.
Plans
SwissVPN doesn’t offer subscription plans, but users can select a fixed contract during the purchase. You can pay for only one month or prepay for 12 months of service. You can manually renew the contract or select auto-renewal, if you pay using your credit card. The cost for one month of SwissVPN is 6 CHF, which is 5.45 EUR or $6.22 USD. The extra features such as additional connections and improved speeds cost 2 CHF (around 1.80 EUR and 2 USD) and the payment methods accepted are cards, PayPal and PostFinance.
Customer Support
The website is easy to navigate and it includes a short but comprehensive FAQ section. At the moment, support is only available via web-based email form but SwissVPN promises to respond quickly to all queries received. In general, users can expect a response within 2 to 3 hours. It is possible to contact them in English or German. SwissVPN also has presence in Twitter and posts updates regularly.
Conclusion
SwissVPN provides a simple solution for users who want to surf the internet safely and protect their traffic from eavesdroppers. However, the service is limited in terms of functionality since it only offers access to servers in Switzerland and doesn’t support advanced features. The price is average but there are providers that offer more for the same cost, or even less. Still, SwissVPN will appeal to customers who want to take advantage of the privacy and security laws applied in Switzerland.