Speed
|
7.1 / 10 |
Servers
|
6.0 / 10 |
User Experience
|
7.6 / 10 |
Support
|
7.2 / 10 |
Pricing
|
7.4 / 10 |
PearlVPN Review 2024: Before You Buy, Is It Worth It?
Reading time: 2 min
Updated on Dec 4, 2024
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Written By Eric Raue Cybersecurity & Tech Writer
PearlVPN Overview
Pearl VPN is a new player in the VPN market (since the beginning of 2018) and still has some way to go in terms of matching some of the basic offerings of more established VPNs. Pearl VPN evidently strives for simplicity, but currently, things are a little too simple.
The fact that this VPN is based in the United States (a Five Eyes nation) may make some potential users a little more apprehensive.
Pearl VPN does have some bright spots to build off. They have a decent server network in locations including Australia, the UK, and Vietnam, plus multiple servers in the USA. For now, at least, their speeds are above average.
Security is basic yet adequate with Pearl VPN. You get 256-bit encryption, with OpenVPN, IPSec, and PPTP protocols. The company does not keep any logs but does store your personal information when subscribing.
Pearl VPN is not a good choice if you’re trying to access geo-blocked content. It can work for BBC iPlayer, but not Netflix or Hulu.
At present, considering their existing pricing model, Pearl VPN is not strongly recommended unless you have a specific preference for a basic VPN primarily designed for browsing purposes. We recommend holding off until the company makes their product a little stronger.
Speed
- 7.1
/ 10
Why Most Speed Tests are Pointless & How We Correctly Test VPN Speeds
Speed determines how fast content uploads, so if you're torrenting or streaming, you want the speed to be somewhat identical to your regular internet speed. Since a VPN encrypts your data, it usually takes a bit longer to send your data back and forth, which can slow down your connection. However, if your ISP deliberately slows down your connection (also known as throttling) a VPN might increase your internet speed. Testing a VPN is somewhat pointless because new servers pop up and affect speed. Your speed can also differ according to your location, so your speed test might not match ours. Having said that, we tested the speed in numerous locations to provide you with the average.
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Servers
- 6.0
/ 10
Pearl VPN has 33 servers in 25 countries and 33 IP addresses/locations.
Server Locations
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User Experience
- 7.6
/ 10
Pearl VPN is easy to install and get running if you’re using OSX or Windows.
It’s easy to choose a server, and the intuitive map is responsive and quick to switch server. If you like simple VPNs with little customization, you’ll appreciate this.
Customer support is sorely lacking at this time. There are some setup guides on the site for some protocols, but there is currently no live chat, and support can only be accessed via the contact form on their website. It can take days to get a response.
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Support
- 7.2
/ 10
How We Test Customer Support and Why Should You Care
We personally test the customer support team of every VPN we review. This means asking technical question through the live chat feature (where applicable) and measuring the response time for email questions. Whether you need to connect to a specific server, change your security protocol, or configure a VPN on your router, finding a VPN with quality customer support should be important to you.
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Pricing
- 7.4
/ 10
PearlVPN offers the following plans
Editor's Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: ExpressVPN, Cyberghost, Private Internet Access, and Intego. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
