AtlasVPN Review: Huge Benefits From Small Network

AtlasVPN is a relatively new, but rapidly growing VPN service that specifically focuses on the needs of its users in various regions offering high levels of security and protection. Can it compete with VPN kings in the market with that small server network? We should never judge a book by its cover, So we honestly reviewed AtlasVPN by directly testing its features, pricing, and customer service of this VPN service. Let’s find out what it has to offer…

While this little guy is owned & operated by Nord Security (NordVPN Parent Company) since 2021, but is based in the US. AtlasVPN has two versions paid & free with all the basic essential features embedded. While the free version is the best free VPN we’ve tested. Let’s see what its paid version can do…

AtlasVPN Quick Review

Server Network
Streaming
Security
Speeds
Torrenting
Customer Support
Pricing

Summary

AtlasVPN is a kick-starter & decent VPN for beginners with all essential security and privacy features. It unblocked many streaming services with its small server network & supports torrenting on all servers. We can expect more from this VPN near future as it is owned by Nord Security.

4.1

AtlasVPN Detailed Review

VPN Background

AtlasVPN is from the United States which is a 5 Eye Alliance country but now this VPN is acquired by Nord Security recently in 2023. Though they have a VPN No-Log policy and claim not to store any user information on the server. But the country in which it’s located makes things fierce & terrible as the country can force the to provide logs and hand over the data if needed.

But the company has no past of sharing user information yet which is a good sign. We’ve discussed this more in the logging & privacy section. Since the VPN is relatively new to the market and now in the hands of Nord Security, we have to wait till how the tables get twisted.

Server Network (750+ Servers)

AtlasVPN lacks global coverage as it only has 750+ servers in 42 locations. While other VPN services have a minimum of 2000+ servers but numbers don’t define the quality and connectivity but they impact 😢speeds. Most of its server network is located in Europe.

Though they have dedicated servers for streaming and safe swap, I could only see that a few server locations support them among 42 locations. Here are they.

Streaming Supported Locations

  • Belgium
  • France
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Netherlands
  • Poland
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • UK
  • Canada
  • US
  • Japan
  • Singapore
  • Australia

Safe Swap Supported Locations

  • Netherlands
  • Singapore
  • Amsterdams

AtlasVPN shows its wide variety of server classifications on the home page of the application. So you can choose streaming services during Netflix streaming and connect to Privacy Pro servers while surfing the web (superior anonymity).

AtlasVPN Privacy Pro servers are composed of “MultiHop+” & “Safe Swap” servers.

  • Safe Swap: Changes your IP Address frequently (advanced privacy) even if you are connected to a single VPN server while accessing the web.
  • MultiHop+: A unique feature that chooses a random server from a pool of VPN Servers in different locations. Makes your online browser activities untraceable from the government or ISP.

MultiHop+ Servers

Generally MultiHop (DoubleVPN) is a feature that we see in a few VPN services like Surfshark, and NordVPN will offer. But Multihop+ is a unique feature from AtlasVPN “This is an advanced network topology with carefully selected locations for optimal latency and speed designed to randomly rotate between various gateways“.

You can see these servers in the Privacy Pro section, currently, there are only two locations that support this feature. Connecting to these servers helps in bypassing any geoblocks and surveillance even in highly restricted countries.

Sadly I couldn’t find any dedicated IP or obfuscated servers, also there is no labeling like server load, PING, speeds, etc. So, it’s really difficult to tell which server is the fastest.

AtlasVPN doesn’t own the servers, all are rented i.e they can be compromised by third parties and this VPN might not know about it. But they claim to implement some security measures on the rented servers (Not Specified Exactly).

No Virtual Servers

Every AltasVPN server is physically located in the country i.e its assigned IP is the true location of the server. Though this is better in one way but limits the number of servers in another way.

Also, their servers are not Disc-less RAM Servers i.e data can be stored on the servers. While other No-log-VPNs in the market are running on RAM technology. But the only 🤗good news here is, that Nord Security owns AtlasVPN since 2021. We can expect huge improvement along the way.

Speed (23~27% Drop)

AtlasVPN claims to offer ultra-fast speeds (4K streaming) without any buffering. Nobody wants their screen to buffer during a stream, we are really 🤩excited to test this VPN speed as it has WireGuard protocol by default.

Here is my base internet connection speed without connecting to VPN and connected to US Las Vegas

ConnectionDownload SpeedsUpload Speeds
Without VPN97 Mbps91 Mbps
VPN (Las Vegas)81 Mbps73 Mbps
AtlasVPN Speeds with WireaGuard Protocol

While there is only a ~17% speed drop in my first test, again it depends on several factors. So, we have tested the majority of the servers in different regions, and here’s what the 😅shocking news is...

AtlasVPN Server Speeds

As you can see the above results which depict that it’s US performance is 🔥impressive, especially on some servers like Las Vegas and New York. It’s tough to find the fastest server without any option, so I had to test all the server locations manually.

It’s surprising that AtlasVPN also sustains upload speeds, whereas other VPNs fail. The server connection is consistent and results are almost the same on every test but the France servers are the lowest among all.

AtlasVPN offers decent speeds for browsing, streaming, and downloading. It’s nice to have good upload speeds though never bothers the majority of VPN users except for streamers or gamers. But videos 😥buffered a bit in between, which I discussed in the streaming section.

It’s the same as the Free version which has only three locations (New York, Netherlands, and Los Angeles). Connecting to a nearby server will reduce the speed loss and they mentioned we don’t throttle on free servers, so they are identical to premium ones.

Rounding up🙌, there is an average of 25% speed drop which is good in the present VPN market. Due to less server network, you might face more drops in peak streaming hours.

Gaming

If you are a hardcore 🎮game boy, AtlasVPN is not for you though it has decent upload/download speeds PING is high which is not ideal for gaming. Check the PING from each server tested above in the below image.

PING (ms) (2) (1)
AtlasVPN PING Test

As you can see the PING is more than 100ms on almost every server I tested. Smooth & seamless gaming requires <80ms PING consistently. During my game session, PING fluctuates every second which made my game laggy all the time and feels 😡frustrating even though my device is fast enough to handle the game.

📝Note: Accept the fact that VPNs will slow down your speeds a bit due to encryption unless your ISP throttles you.

Security (2FA + AES 256-Bit Encryption)

This VPN is packed with industry-leading AES 256-bit encryption i.e impossible to read the data encrypted inside. Also, it has some unique and multiple security features (really useful). So you will be completely anonymous all the time with its leak protection technology.

2FA Authentication

For additional security, AtlasVPN adopted 2 Factor Authentication which asks you for confirmation when a new login is detected. Though this sounds frustrating while quick logins, but can be an additional layer of security.

Safe Swap

AtlasVPN engineers crafted a unique privacy technology feature that rotates the IP Address of the VPN users frequently even if they are connected to a single VPN server. This frequent IP rotation makes it hard for those who want to track your activities (🔥boosted anonymity).

While these servers are available in three locations 1. Amsterdam (Netherlands), 2. Singapore, 3. Los Angeles (US). This feature is available in the premium version and can be enabled from the “Privacy Pro” tab.

Tunneling Protocols

Tunneling protocols define how your encrypted data will be routed to the VPN server, and plays a vital role to keep a balance between speeds & security.

AtlasVPN uses the industry-leading WireGuard protocol for better ⚡speeds & reliable 💪security along with IPSec/IKEv2. But they missed the OpenVPN protocol which has been serving the VPN industry and is trusted as the most secure protocol.

Here is a short explanation of each protocol that you will get in AtlasVPN.

  • WireGuard (Fastest & New): This is the latest protocol (⚡lightning fast) that only works on UDP and open source like OpenVPN but it uses ChaCha20 encryption (256-bit) rather than AES-256.
  • IKEv2/IPSec: One of the oldest protocols profoundly used for mobile devices (faster speeds), try this protocol when your mobile device doesn’t work with other protocols.

Tracker Blocker

Trackers are treasures for third parties as they keep track of your online activities. So, they can easily know what’s your interest & personal information. Thanks to the AtlasVPN Tracker Blocker feature that blocks all these online trackers.

It also helps in blocking malicious websites & unwanted ads, so you are 💯% safe & peacefully browsing the internet without any doubt in your mind. You can find this setting in the “Assistant” section and this is available on Android, iOS, and Windows apps.

Data Breach Monitor

Cyber-attacks and data breaches became very common these days. Everyone is doubted whether their data got breached or not. AtlasVPN introduced this feature to further enhance online security. Clicking on it will ask you to enter the 📧email address that you want to protect.

It will scan & verify whether your email got breached or not. Surprisingly this feature is also available on the free version, I have tested it with my friend’s email. As you can see his personal data is breached from three sites, it also shows data that is compromised along with date & time.

Kill Switch

Many of the VPNs miss this defense feature called “Kill Switch” which helps in protecting your identity during accidental VPN connection drops. Basically, it kills your internet connection to preserve your anonymity from IP & data leaks if your VPN connection drops.

Either you can enable kill Switch system-wide (all applications) or for specific applications (your preference). AtlasVPN lacks a feature of reconnecting to the servers when your internet connection is paused by the kill switch. So, you need to manually connect to the server again (a bit frustrating).

AtlasVPN provides this feature on all of its device platforms.

Split Tunneling

Split Tunneling is a very handy feature that splits your internet traffic & VPN traffic into two. So you can be anonymous on one world & normal user on the other. Useful especially when you want to access services that work on certain IPs only and continue streaming in between on your Netflix app.

This feature is only available for mobile devices currently and will be included in other platforms shortly.

DNS/IP Leak Protection

We have tested AtlasVPN against any DNS/IP leaks, it’s passed our test and shows the VPN server IP. This confirms that there are no IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. You can check below test results.

With AtlasVPN you are 100% safe from online leaks, impressive that it provides you with an IPV6 address. While other VPNs tries to block IPV6 connection to prevent leaks.

Privacy & Logging

AtlasVPN is based in US i.e 5 eye surveillance groups (not a privacy-friendly country). This is the trust-breaking point for VPN users but, the good news is like other no-log VPNs they don’t store any of your personal information on the servers to share with the authorities. This isn’t the same as their free version.

AtlasVPN Privacy Policy

This doesn’t mean they do not log anything at all, they log some data that helps in improving the service. Here’s what they claim to log from the VPN users.

  • App Date Usage
  • Device Data
  • Device Identifiers

Also, its privacy policy has never been audited yet as this VPN is relatively new to the market. So, we can’t judge the VPN 💯% being trustworthy. So, I contacted customer support for clarification. But the response shocked me, here’s what they mentioned.

“If we are issued a court order, we have to share customer details we have. However, we have nothing to share following our strict no-log policy”.

But it’s clearly stated in their policy that you can permanently delete your account by contacting them.

But if you insist on taking a privacy-friendly VPN like ExpressVPN (British Virgin Islands) and NordVPN (Panama).

Streaming (Decent Streaming Unblocker)

AtlasVPN has safe swap server technology that smartly bypasses any online geoblocks. So you can enjoy streaming your favorite content without any hassle. With its premium version, you’ll get better speed and 😎4K streaming support.

AtlasVPN has dedicated Streaming servers in 14 Locations to avoid streaming services blocking your VPN. So we tested this VPN against the popular streaming services and here are our findings…

Netflix

AtlasVPN quickly unblocked Netflix US without any hassle but the page loaded a bit late. Although they claim, that this VPN is tuned for a buffer-free experience. Video buffered for some time and then shifted to 4K quality. I felt the same on every US server, but it’s a decently enjoyable streaming experience.

As per their official claims, AtlasVPN can only unblock 11 Netflix libraries i.e if you want to unblock every Netflix library try picking other VPN services like ExpressVPN or NordVPN.

I’ve tried to unblock the movies like The Others, Die Hard, Wind River and it worked perfect with Netflix.

BBC iPlayer

AtlasVPN quickly unblocked BBC iPlayer so I could watch live sports (Badminton) for free without any buffering. This VPN will never disappoint you for UK streaming.No

While the speeds are pretty decent & consistent during my stream which let me watch the content in max resolution.

Amazon Prime

It was very easy & smooth to unblock Amazon Prime (quickly detects VPNs). As you can see, I got connected to the New York US server to watch Iron Man 2. Though I was able to watch the movie and I encountered some VPN blocks in middle.

But it did work fine in incognito mode, may my browser might have stored my location in the cache.

HBO Max

HBO Max unblocked by AtlasVPN (1)

HBO MAX is only available in certain regions like North America, Latin America, and Europe. On connecting to the US (New York) server I am able to access HBO Max without any geoblock prompts.

HBO Max is a complete bundle packed with DC, Warner Brother, CN, and Originals. You will be pleased to watch the content once you access the streaming service. Also, its subscription is costly.

Disney+

AtlasVPN also managed to bypass Disney+ as well, thanks to its dedicated streaming servers which have 💪superior unblocking capabilities. I connected to the US server to unblock Disney+Hotstar. While many other VPN providers struggle to unblock Amazon prime & Disney+, AtlasVPN did it within seconds.

But when it comes to some streaming services like DAZN, it failed like most other VPNs. Here’s what else you can unblock with AtlasVPN.

Other Streaming Services Unblocked by AtlasVPN

  • Hulu
  • Peacock
  • Crackle
  • YouTube

While the paid version does a decent job of unblocking streaming services. When I tried the same with its free version, every streaming service is showing a “VPN Detected” prompt, and blocked my VPN.

AtlasVPN is also compatible with Kodi to watch everything free without a subscription apart from the regular streaming services.

📝Note: AtlasVPN says the free version is only for security not for streaming.

Torrenting

Unlike other VPNs, which maintain dedicated P2P Servers for torrenting. AtlasVPN supports P2P torrenting on all of its servers. Keeping this aside it doesn’t have any advanced features either like port-forwarding like in NordVPN or ExpressVPN.

During our test with the best torrent clients, I downloaded a few torrents from the different trusted & popular torrent sites mentioned below. I was able to download huge files in minutes.

MoviesGamesAnimeeBooksSportsBest
17 Best Torrent Sites21 Best Torrent Sites27 best Torrent Sites19 Best Torrent Sites9 Best Torrent Sites21 Best Torrent Sites
Torrent with AtlasVPN

But keep in mind that the download speeds depend on various factors like your internet speeds, server connection, protocol, etc.

Its security features like Tracker Blocker coupled with AES 256-bit encryption ensure that you are completely anonymous while torrenting. You can block all the annoying ads & malicious sites with its built-in security features.

The good 🤗 news is, that you can torrent even on the free version. Without any doubt, AtlasVPN is one of the fastest torrenting VPNs. But this VPN lacks a port forwarding feature torrenting that reduces torrenting performance overall as it helps in finding peers & makes your download quick.

AtlasVPN is a decent VPN for torrenting, but not the best one.

Compatibility & Ease of Use

AtlasVPN keeps the interface simple & clean across all the device platforms. i.e beginner-friendly. Its interface is similar across the platforms which makes it easy to navigate without any hassle. While this VPN is available for Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS along with Amazon Fire TV.

It’s really sad that there is no server 🔎search option available and anything like “Quick Connect” or an option to find the fastest servers available nearby.

But it mentions server locations in a separate section which are divided based on the region. All the essential security & additional features are available on the Android version.

AtlasVPN Android Interface

Installing & configuring AtlasVPN is dead easy, all you need to do is download the app from the official site and install it on your device.

There is this toggle button that will establish your VPN connection or you can choose any server from the server list you want to connect to. Here you can see the interface of AtlasVPN in windows and macOS.

Almost all the VPN features are available across the platforms except Split Tunneling which is available for mobile devices only. Also, the macOS app doesn’t include a tracker blocker & data breach monitor.

The good🤗 news is that they are planning to bring it to desktop clients as well. Currently, these are the features you will get across the applications.

PlatformProtocolsKill SwitchSplit TunnelingTracker Blocker + Brach Monitor
AndroidWireGuard/IKeV2✔️ ✔️✔️
iOSWireGuard/IKeV2✔️✔️✔️
WindowsWireGuard/IKeV2✔️✔️
macOSWireGuard/IKeV2✔️

Recently they have developed VPN client applications for Android TV and Amazon Fire TV, so you can enjoy the VPN services on your TV streaming Netflix, Kodi, Disney+, etc.

AtlasVPN Apps for Devices

Unlimited Device Connections

Only a few 🔥premium VPNs like Surfshark and IPVanish in the market offer unlimited device connections of which AtlasVPN is one. But no one will connect unlimited devices as they know using simultaneous devices will slow down their speeds.

Thanks to AtlasVPN for offering unlimited bandwidth without any throttling in their paid version whereas you will be restricted to 5GB per month in the free version.

Subscription Connections
Free Version2 Device Connection
Paid Version Unlimited Device Connections

But to test the device connections, I have connected 15 devices of which 7 are Android, 5 are iOS, 2 are Windows, and 1 MacBook. When I stream on all the devices connecting to the US Las Vegas server, I took time long time than usual to load the page and video.

🎯Tip: Connect devices to other servers in that region to avoid network congestion.

Customer Support (🐱‍💻Live Chat)

AtlasVPN is one of the top VPNs offering live chat support serving its users better, though it’s new to the market. But this live chat is only available in the premium version, you can contact them through the support option available in App or Website.

Also, they have tutorials & Knowledge base, and guides for any of the common issues. These are very helpful for DIY solution seekers or you can email them about your concern, to test this out I have mailed them regarding their Server Network.

The response is very quick stating they are working on improving the server network in near future. Hope it will happen and they maintain 📌city-level servers.

Pricing 💲(10.99/month)

AtlasVPN is a Freemium VPN that offers services in both free & premium versions. There will be only basic and limited features available in the free version. Whereas the premium version is available in three subscription plans as shown below.

AtlasVPN Pricing

While the basic one charges you about $10.99/month. Rest two are yearly-based subscriptions where you can save a lot in your pocket with the 2 Year subscription plan that saves you 81% ($2.05/month). While the other saves you only 70% ($3.29/month).

Free Service Features

  • 3 Server Locations
  • Encryption
  • SafeBrowse
  • 5GB of Monthly data per account
  • 2 Simultaneous Device Connections

Premium Service Features

  • 39 Server Locations
  • SafeBrowse + Encryption
  • Specialized Servers + 4K Streaming
  • Data Breach Monitor + Tracker Blocker
  • 24/7 live customer support
  • Unlimited Bandwidth and device connections

Every subscription plan is covered with 30 day money-back guarantee program i.e you can claim your refund if you don’t like the service. So you can try the premium features for free or you can try their free version just to have a glimpse of what they are offering.

Pros & Cons of AtlasVPN

Pros Of AtlasVPN

  • Optimized Servers for Streaming
  • Unlimited Device Connections
  • Ad-blocker & Email Protection

Cons Of AtlasVPN

  • Fewer Server Network
  • No Dedicated P2P Servers
  • Based on the US

Will AtlasVPN Works in China?

Yes🥳, it did work during my test. Even though some premium VPNs like ProtonVPN struggles to work in China. AtlasVPN premium & free version bypassed the Great Firewall of China, I doubted at the start as it doesn’t have obfuscated technology as well.

On reaching customer support they mentioned “AtlasVPN doesn’t guarantee it“, but it may work. So, we recommend you try its Japan or Hong Kong server locations to access China content.

The AtlasVPN page will be down in China, make sure you download & install the VPN before boarding to China. As AtlasVPN doesn’t guarantee whether it will work or not in China, you can check out the best VPNs working in China.

Final verdict

Though AtlasVPN is new to the market, it 💪achieved a lot with its small server network. Yet, still available at a very cheap price and managed to pack everything in one bundle. We are really impressed with its speeds & streaming capabilities though it struggles a bit at the start.

AtlasVPN is the best VPN for beginners and has dedicated servers for streaming. Also, it has some unique features like Safe Swap and Data Breach Monitor. Still, this VPN is incomplete & lacks in some areas regarding security, servers, and convenient features.

We can 🤗expect more from this little guy as it’s owned by Nord Security recently and started improvements.

Check out the best Top VPNs available in the market.

🥇

ExpressVPN
49% Off

$12.95 $6.67/month

Review: ExpressVPN Review

🥈

NordVPN
60% Off

$11.99 $3.29/month

Review: NordVPN Review

🥉

Surfshark
81% Off

$12.49 $2.49/month

Review: Surfshark Review

FAQs Related to AtlasVPN

What is a VPN?

A VPN stands for Virtual Private Network which is a software tool that keeps you anonymous while surfing the web by masking your IP Address to that of the connected server. Also, encrypt your web traffic and securely routes it to the server. This helps you in bypassing any geoblocks, pauses your browsing history, and makes you anonymous (no one can track you).

Does AtlasVPN keep logs?

Though it claims to have a no-log policy (never audited). If you check their logging policy which states they are storing some device & user information. So far there are no complaints against this VPN from the users, we can’t conclude unless its privacy policy is audited.

Can I get AtlasVPN for free?

AtlasVPN has a free version in which you will get three server locations, and basic VPN features (Kill Switch, Encryption, etc), Check the comparison to get to know what its free & paid versions to offer.

Can AtlasVPN unblock Netflix?

Yes, AtlasVPN can unblock Netflix and many other streaming services. But it has a small network server which limits you from unblocking other Netflix libraries. I have discussed it above in the Netflix section, better you look after other Best Netflix VPNs if you watch Netflix more.

Is AtlasVPN safe to use?

AtlasVPN is safe & trustworthy as it doesn’t collect any personal information (collects device identifiers to improve the service). It has tons of security features and is now owned by Nord Security which owns other top VPN providers like NordVPN.

About Nandam Sreenivasulu

Nandam Sreenivasulu is passionate about cybersecurity and tech lover believes in Internet freedom for all. Loves to watch animes in his free time and explore more about the latest animes.

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