FlyVPN Review 2024: Before You Buy, Is It Worth It?

FlyVPN Offers Fast Speeds on Nearby Servers

FlyVPN’s speeds are great when connecting to nearby servers but significantly slower when connecting to servers further away. I could surf the web, stream videos, and torrent regardless of which server I was connected to.

Speed Test Results

My default download speed on the internet was 49 Mbps before I connected to the FlyVPN service. My test results showed a median download speed of 24.99 Mbps, a decrease of roughly 50% from my base speeds. This speed was adequate for the vast majority of online pursuits, including video streaming and torrenting.

I was curious about how server performance varied depending on how close they were to me. So, I decided to compare the speeds of nearby and far-off servers. The speeds I got from nearby servers were fast, only slightly slower than my regular connection speed.

For example, the server speeds in London and Paris dropped by 32.87 Mbps and 33.64 Mbps, respectively. Compared to its European counterparts, the Miami, USA, server was unable to keep up. It produced a poor 22.86 Mbps, which is likely due to overcrowding as a result of the increased demand for servers located in the United States. Using far-off servers, like the one in Japan, reduced my download speed to just over 10 Mbps, a decrease of 78%.

FlyVPN was quick on nearby servers but subpar on distant servers

Gaming enthusiasts will be dissatisfied with FlyVPN because of its slow upload speeds. My base upload speed on my internet connection was approximately 9 Mbps before I ran my tests. When I connected to FlyVPN servers, I saw upload speeds of less than 1Mbps on the vast majority of servers.

Multiplayer online games typically require upload speeds of 3Mbps or higher, making this speed unsuitable for playing those games. Furthermore, most of my connections had high latency, which could cause delays and stuttering.

Server Network — Conflicting Server Numbers

FlyVPN has inconsistent server information on its website and the apps. While the website claims to have 1350 servers spread across 40+ countries, I was only able to locate 777 when using the Windows client. CyberGhost boasts one of the largest server networks in the industry, with over 11,670 servers located in 100 different countries.

The servers are spread across Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. You’ll get hundreds of servers in popular locations like the US, the UK, Canada, Japan, France, Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Singapore.

I liked how FlyVPN displayed the specialized streaming servers on the server page

One unique thing about FlyVPN is that it is one of the few VPNs with servers in countries like China and Russia. It has 130+ servers in China, 240+ servers in Hong Kong, and 180+ servers in South Korea. These combined 3 locations alone account for 550+ servers, more than half of the total servers in the network.

FlyVPN has specialized streaming servers for Netflix, HBO, Youtube, and myTVSUPER (a popular streaming platform in Hong Kong). However, you’ll find that some specialized servers, like Netflix servers, simply don’t work.

Most of FlyVPN’s servers are virtual, which explains the high latency for some servers close to my location. You can also sign up for dedicated US or South Korea IP addresses. This means only you can use this IP, making the chances of your favorite streaming service blocking you slim, unlike with shared IPs. Even with this ability, I found my connection frequently blocked by streaming platforms.

Security — Provides Military-Grade Encryption

If you’re concerned about your safety online, you can rest assured that FlyVPN will provide adequate shielding for you.

The service comes equipped with the following security features:

• Solid encryption – It encrypts your data with military-grade AES-256 technology that keeps your data secure from hackers, internet surveillance, and other cybersecurity threats.
• OpenVPN protocol – FlyVPN offers the OpenVPN protocol with different configuration modes depending on your use case. It can run in Auto Mode, Game Mode (UDP), Browse Mode (TCP), and as a SOCKS5 proxy server.
• Kill switch – FlyVPN ensures that you aren’t exposed to data leaks. It does this with its automatic kill-switch, called “Network Lock” which cuts off your internet if your connection accidentally disconnects. Note that this feature is turned off by default, and you’ll have to activate it from the settings tab.
• Auto Reconnection – If for some reason your virtual private network connection drops out, this feature will reconnect you automatically. With the help of the kill switch, you can rest easy knowing that your identity won’t be exposed online.
• Connect on Launch – This function allows you to re-establish a connection with the previous server you were using.

I ran leak tests to further evaluate FlyVPN, and I was pleased to see that it passed all of my security checks. There weren’t any DNS, WebRTC, or IPv6 leaks. More importantly, the app was virus-free when I tested it on VirusTotal and Exodus Privacy.

My ideal package would have anti-malware and ad-blocking features. However, since FlyVPN does not offer these capabilities, you may be subjected to annoying advertisements while browsing the web. Additionally, I would have appreciated split tunneling, which would have given me the option to restrict the VPN’s traffic to specific programs or web addresses.

Privacy — Questionable Privacy Policy

The FlyVPN service keeps logs and is not open about its practices. It collects users’ email addresses, server load information, customer service information, GPS location, and app diagnostics. Your IP address and the assigned IP address are both included in the FlyVPN server load information that is gathered, but this is not made explicit.

FlyVPN retains the information it gathers for a further two years, which is a considerable amount of time for a VPN to hold onto your data. Additionally, there is a lack of detail regarding the data that is gathered via the app’s use.

The fact that FlyVPN is headquartered in Hong Kong is a big plus. First, the area is not part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance, so customers need not worry about their information being shared with other countries. FlyVPN’s excellent support for Asian countries like China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan can be traced back to its headquarters in the region. If you’re based in Asia or plan on making frequent trips there, this provider is a good option to consider.

However, I do not have faith in FlyVPN, and I am wary of the data it collects and stores on you, as its privacy policy seems to be missing some key details. A VPN that cares about user privacy will have a strict no-logs policy, publish a transparency report that tells users about data requests, and do an independent audit to back up its privacy stance. I’d like to see FlyVPN adopt the level of security that services like ExpressVPN have in place to safeguard their customers’ personal information.

Torrenting — Not Safe for P2P

FlyVPN supports P2P file-sharing on all servers. However, I wouldn’t recommend using it because of its questionable privacy policy. You can’t say for sure if FlyVPN doesn’t keep the personal information that could expose your identity.

No matter the VPN you use, you should note that my team and I don’t endorse illegal torrenting, downloading copyrighted files, or breaking the rules of any country. So, make sure to check with the regulations of your country before torrenting.

Does FlyVPN Work in China? No!

Unfortunately, FlyVPN doesn’t work in China. Customer support informed me that the VPN doesn’t work in China. I was surprised because FlyVPN has hundreds of servers in the country. It shows that the VPN lacks the obfuscation technology needed to work in China.

If you need to stay connected to your preferred services while you’re in China, then you should consider using a different VPN. You can use ExpressVPN to safely browse the free web in China. It has been the most reliable VPN for me and allows me to access popular sites on my PC and phone.

Keep in mind that using a non-government-approved VPN is illegal in China. However, there haven’t been any cases of tourists being penalized for using a VPN. Instead, the country uses tools that technologically block many VPNs from working over there.

Editor's Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.

To better serve you, FlyVPN provides multiple support channels, including email, a ticket system, and live chat. You will, however, be unable to get assistance outside of normal business hours.

Live chat responses are quick, usually taking less than a minute, but this wasn’t always the case for me. I got feedback via email in less than 5 hours, which was moderately fast. You will also find helpful responses and app tutorials on the FAQ page.

I created different tickets and monitored the status from the support page

The feedback I received from customer support was extremely helpful. The customer support staff at FlyVPN responded in a timely and professional manner.