Online privacy is a huge deal these days. It has now become more important than ever due to advancements in user tracking and data scraping techniques. So, VPNs are not just for super techy people anymore, they are pretty much essential for everyone. They help you browse safely, watch stuff from anywhere in the world, and keep your data secure on any public Wi-Fi.
One of the fresher players in the market out there is OysterVPN. It has been getting some crazy buzz because it is so easy to use and seems great for streaming. But the question is, is it worth your cash and precious time? Let’s get into it and see what it’s all about.
So, what is OysterVPN? It’s a service that helps you hide your online identity. Basically, it masks your computer’s address. It also scrambles all your internet activity. This means you can get into websites or content that’s usually blocked where you are.
They make some big promises, too. We are talking military-grade encryption here! Plus, a strict no-logs policy. They even say they have servers all over the globe, and apparently, it works super well with popular streaming sites.
OysterVPN seems like a reliable and logical VPN choice. But, before you decide if it’s the one for you, there are a few important things we really need to look at.
One really neat thing about OysterVPN? It’s just so simple to use. The app itself looks clean and uncluttered. Doesn’t matter if you are on a Windows PC, a Mac, your iPhone, or an Android phone. Getting it set up and running is a breeze, even if you are not a tech whiz.
Seriously, you just click one button, and boom! You are connected. It even smartly picks the best server for you, aiming for good speed and reliability. And about switching servers? That’s super smooth too. It’s truly designed with new VPN users in mind.
But, there’s a small drawback to this situation. If you are someone who loves to explore every single setting, OysterVPN might feel a bit too basic. It doesn’t have all those advanced options that you can tinker but rather comes pre-set for immediate use If you don’t like too many customization options, this is right up your alley.
OysterVPN has servers in more than 30 countries. The regions include the US, the UK, Canada, Germany, Australia, and Japan. This will surely make it pretty good for getting around those annoying geo-restrictions.
When we tested it, connections to servers in North America and Europe worked pretty fast. Also, the streaming in HD was smooth, too. But if you ever try to connect from places like Africa, the Middle East, or South Asia, there are not as many suitable servers available. That might mean slower speeds, however, the company claims to be constantly adding new locations and increasing server counts, so the users from outside the Americas can expect improved service.
We also got some speed tests done with OysterVPN; the results were mostly good with a few sluggish ones. Some servers, especially in places like the US East and the UK, worked well. We only saw about a 10-15% drop from our regular internet speed.
But then, other servers, like those in Australia or Brazil, had bigger drops. Sometimes, speeds went down by as much as 23%. So, if we say:
If you are using servers close to you, they will be decent for just casual browsing, streaming, or even some light gaming.
But if you are connecting across long distances, you might notice slower loading times or some annoying buffering now and then.
Here’s another thing: OysterVPN uses the latest encryption techniques and WireGuard which is a new and much faster VPN protocol that most top VPNs use now. So, if you don’t want a specific country’s server, you can switch to the fastest VPN server relative to your location. And all the while the security levels will remain intact.
Security is where OysterVPN actually works. It uses AES 256-bit encryption, the same standard used by banks and governments. Beyond that, there are additional privacy features that combine to create several layers of protection for your data.
They have a Kill switch feature which automatically disconnects you from the internet if the VPN slows down. OysterVPN operates under a no-logs policy which is highlighted in their Privacy Policy in the form of claims that user activity is not monitored, logged, or stored.
It also has DNS leak protection which helps ensure that your ISP can’t see what sites you visit. OysterVPN has not done any third-party audit yet which is something many users now expect from privacy-focused services.
The lack of a third-party audit is somewhat sweetened by the fact that OysterVPN is based in Ireland, a privacy-friendly jurisdiction, which helps in maintaining its commitment to data protection.
OysterVPN does support torrenting on certain servers. There are no marked torrent-friendly servers though, which can be a bit annoying if you are trying to figure out where to connect.
Speeds were okay and not blazing fast, but not painfully slow either. If you are downloading a movie or two here and there, it’ll do the job.
But there’s no port forwarding feature. It might be a dealbreaker for serious torrent users or seeders. If you are a heavy downloader or someone who is into tweaking advanced settings. You might find it limiting.
For casual users? Perfectly dependable. For advanced torrent fans? Maybe look around a bit more.
OysterVPN’s live chat is pretty solid. Responses came in quickly, and most of the time, they were helpful with quick answers. If you have a more complicated issue, they hop you over to email where you can share screenshots of problems or go into more detail. Not the worst thing, but it kind of breaks the flow when you’re trying to solve something fast.
If you have the time to search yourself, explore the many articles in their Support section. The FAQ section covers the basics and there are many guides on installation, manual configuration, troubleshooting, etc.
OysterVPN is quite affordable, offering plans like:
This pricing makes it one of the cheaper premium VPN services in the market, a fact we love because the product itself is good so it’s a win-win for us. The Lifetime is frankly astonishing as it not only gives you unlimited monthly data (fair use applies) for an indefinite period, it also comes with free Cloud storage for an entire year.
There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee, which is a nice touch if you want to test it risk-free. If we were in the market for a VPN right now, we would immediately grab this Lifetime deal. Not sure for how long the company will offer it.
Now that we’ve gone over the features, performance, and pricing of OysterVPN, let’s take an overview of what’s great and not-so-great about this VPN:
OysterVPN is a pretty solid pick if you are someone just looking for a security tool that is simple and privacy-friendly. It’s super easy to use, and it gets the job done. If your main goal is streaming your favorite shows or just staying safe online, it does a commendable job.
Now, it’s not showy or heavy on marketing. Speeds can sometimes be sluggish if a user’s bandwidth is stretched. And yes, there’s no third-party audit, which might make some people hesitate. That said, for what you pay, it delivers great value and then some. It’s not trying to be the biggest name out there, but for casual users? It holds its own remarkably well.
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