The constant struggle for us all is finding a VPN that does the job without breaking the budget. This is why Atlas VPN has caught our attention as a good affordable option.
Atlas offers both a free version of their protection and also subscriptions for as little as $1.39 per month. While the free version is quite limited, the paid version includes access to servers optimized for streaming and P2P, and a variety of other nice features.
Atlas is a relatively new player on the market, and they certainly aren’t competing with the big guns yet in terms of server network or features, but their capacity for expansion looks promising.
There are some concerns about the fact that the service is based in the United States and what this means for your data privacy. But if you are just using the VPN for encryption and protection, rather than to mask any dubious activities, this is a payoff you might be willing to accept for such an affordable service.
Read our full review to decide whether Atlas VPN is the right choice for you.
Review
Atlas VPN is worth looking at if you want something affordable. They offer a limited free version that can offer basic protection for your smartphone, and then the full version is available for as little as $1.39 per month.
For that low price, you can protect an unlimited number of devices with unlimited data. With the free version, you can only connect one device, but you do get unlimited data.
For your subscription fee, you get access to Atlas’s VPN network of 700+ servers in 28 countries. This is a relatively small network, with more established VPN services giving you access to thousands of servers in almost twice as many countries.
This isn’t a problem for most people as they are only looking for countries that will unlock specific geofenced content. As long as you have the USA and UK, most people are happy and these countries are covered. But if you are looking for more geographic freedom, you might want to look elsewhere.
If you are using the free version, you only get access to the servers in the Netherlands, Australia, and the United States.
If you prefer that your IP address bounces around instead of staying static, you’ve got that option too with SafeSwap, but only when you are using the servers in the Netherlands, Singapore, and the United States.
There are servers that are optimized for fast streaming, including 4K, as well as P2P clients. It has been tested as successfully unlocking premium US sports on YouTube, BBC iPlayer, and Netflix USA.
All VPNs cut your upload and download speeds as you bounce your connection around the world. Atlas only cuts download speeds by about 40%, which is why you should still be able to stream in 4K. However, it cuts upload speeds by almost 90%, which is pretty bad. You will be frustrated if you are a P2P seeder, or if you are working and need to upload a lot of content.
There is no dual tunneling feature available, so you can’t selectively liberate certain activities to increase speeds.
Features
Atlas VPN does have a few features that users will like. There is an optional kill switch that disconnects you from the internet if your VPN drops out to protect you from any data leakage. You can also choose to turn on SafeBrowse mode, which will block blacklisted websites and scan emails and downloads for viruses.
In terms of the actual protection that you get, Atlas uses the industry-leading IKEv2 protocol and 256-bit encryption. This is good, but most of the big VPN services give you more than one tunneling option. Again, this won’t bother most people who just want to click and protect, but if you want something more sophisticated, you’ll be disappointed.
But the real concern is that Atlas is based in Delaware in the United States. This is interesting because most VPN services choose to base themselves offshore in countries with strong personal privacy laws. These prevent government agencies from rolling in and demanding that the VPN company turn over data. But the United States is part of the Five Eyes alliance, and does have the right to demand that data.
Atlas offsets this problem with a no-logs policy, which in theory means they aren’t recording any of your data and so they don’t have anything to turn over. Whether you are comfortable with this or not is up to you. You might want to think twice about using it with Kodi.
If you do choose to use Atlas, there are easy-to-use intuit apps available for Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS.
That’s a lot to take in. So, what are the main things to consider when deciding whether Atlas VPN is right for you?
Our Rating
Overall, we give Atlas VPN 3 out of 5 stars. It gets good marks in terms of its affordability and the features that you get for your dollar.
However, we have taken away points because it has a pretty limited network, relatively slow upload speeds, and restricted options when it comes to the encryption protocols that you want to use.
Also, this VPN isn’t for everyone. Since it is based in the United States, there is a relatively high risk of the government being able to access your data. While Atlas compensates for this with a no-logs policy, some users will feel more comfortable with an offshore VPN.
You might be asking yourself why a site dedicated to Android TV is talking about VPNs. Do you really need a VPN for your Android TV box? The answer is a resounding yes!
If your Android TV box is on your network, if you leave it unprotected it can be a gateway into your entire network. Plus, you probably have more sensitive information running through your Android TV box than you might imagine. What about your Netflix password? And how do you pay for your subscription services?
Learn More
Where To Buy
Atlas VPN has entered the market offering some of the most affordable coverage options, all available directly from the Atlas VPN website.
There is a free version of the application that lets you cover one device with unlimited data. You are also restricted in terms of which servers you can access, and you don’t get access to a variety of features, such as optimized servers of SafeBrowse.
If you want full access, you can subscribe from month to month for just $9.99 per month, and then you get major discounts if you sign up for longer periods.
With a one-year plan, you can get the service for just $2.49 per month. If you sign up for three years, you can get it for just $1.39 per month.
You can choose to pay by credit card, Google Pay, or PayPal, so you can connect your anonymity with an anonymous PayPal account if you want.
FAQs
Is Atlas VPN free?
Atlas VPN is a freemium product, so there is a free version with limited features and then a complete paid for version. The free version is probably enough to give decent protection for basic smartphone activities. More than that, and you probably need the premium version.
How do I download Atlas VPN onto my Android TV box?
You can download the Atlas VPN app directly from the Google Play Store to your Android TV box. Sign up on the website and enter your credentials as you go through the setup on the app.
Does Atlas VPN sell your data?
There is no good evidence that Atlas VPN sells your data. While we always warn against free VPNs because they might be generating income in another way, with Atlas, the free version of the VPN is a gateway to the paid version, so their goal is to upsell you. It does not appear like data selling is part of their business model.
The Verdict
If you are looking for a highly affordable VPN service that does the job without all the bells and whistles, then you’ll appreciate Atlas VPN. You can get access to the complete version of the service for as little as $1.39 per month, and there is a decent free version if you want basic protection for your smartphone.
With a full subscription, you can cover unlimited devices with unlimited data, with intuitive and easy-to-use service. You get access to servers optimized for streaming and P2P, and the VPN has been shown to successfully unblock premium YouTube, BBC iPlayer, and Netflix USA.
The service is definitely more limited than the more established VPNs. It is a smaller network with fewer features. It is also a little concerning that Atlas VPN is based in the United States, where personal privacy laws aren’t great. So, if you are planning on doing anything questionable, you might need a different service.
But overall, most users will be very happy with the service they get for their dollar with Atlas VPN.
Do you use Atlas VPN? What do you think of it? Share your insights with the community in the comments section below.
