Atlas VPN is a relatively new service, having been established in 2019. However, it is part of the ever-increasing security software under the umbrella of Nord Security, the same parent company responsible for NordVPN and more recently, Surfshark. However, this Free VPN The Service operates independently of other parts of the Company.
Atlas VPN Free only has three server locations, two of which are located within the United States. The third is in the Netherlands. For paying customers, this rises to over 750 servers in 37 countries.
Atlas VPN is compatible with PC and Mac, Android and iOS smartphones, as well as Android TV and Amazon Five TV. While premium users can unblock all the popular TV streaming apps, we were able to unlock Disney Plus with Atlas VPN Free. Some users have reported having access to Netflix – and while we wouldn’t count on it, that’s a pretty cool bonus.
Atlas VPN Free Review: Specifications
Number of servers: 3
number of countries: 2
Supported platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android
simultaneous connections: 2
Split tunneling: Android
kill switch: yes
Supported protocols: WireGuard, IKEv2 / IPSec
Registration Country: United States of America
the support: Email and knowledge base
Atlas VPN Free Review: Privacy & Registration
Atlas VPN uses the highest level of encryption available to ensure that anything you send through its servers is well-forked and hard to trace back to you. It has DNS protection, which is especially useful when using public internet connections because it prevents intrusion from hacking into your connection and hitting personal information. Atlas VPN also has a kill switch that quickly disables your internet connection if the VPN is interrupted or hacked in any way.
We tested Atlas security, and it mostly performed well. The kill switch blocked our activity when the VPN failed, and we didn’t detect signs of a DNS leak. However, the lock switch has some hiccups. You need to disable it every time you stop using Atlas VPN, otherwise internet access will still be blocked even with the VPN not activated.
Atlas VPN does not have a logging policy, but there are some aspects related to this company. For example, we tested its ability to detect third-party trackers (which is not a feature available in the free version), and it blocked three trackers on its website, including Google Analytics and Facebook. Also, it is not easy to bypass the cookies used on their website. Only the notification itself has an “accept” option.
It is also important to note that Atlas VPN is located in Delaware, USA. This means that while it may have a strict no-logs policy, it may be subject to some collection of information based on local laws, even though the information is not required to be kept for longer than 30 days.
Atlas VPN has undergone an independent audit to help it find vulnerabilities and other issues. However, this audit was only performed on iOS devices, so there is no transparent or third-party information to check its security on other devices.
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Free Atlas VPN Review: Windows and Mac Apps
The free tier of Atlas VPN gives you access to some important features, such as a kill switch, P2P capabilities on each server, and the WireGuard protocol. However, you cannot set the application to connect automatically when your computer starts up. Also missing is the ability to split tunneling. This means that you cannot decide to pass specific data through the VPN while leaving others unaffected. This isn’t the biggest deal breaker, but it does mean that your data limit may be reached faster.
On that note, there is a monthly data limit, but while it’s 10 GB per month for Windows users, Mac users get 2 GB per day. Save on Proton VPN’s free unlimited plan, which is as generous as any free provider. Another advantage is that Atlas VPN allows you to connect two devices at the same time.
Finding a free server takes a little work. This is because the sites are listed in alphabetical order and not with the available servers listed first, and you can’t add servers to your favorites list to speed up this process. In addition, the dashboard is not the most intuitive, so it may take some time to figure out where all the features and functions are.
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Free Atlas VPN Review: Android & iOS Apps
The Android app is very, very basic and looks like an old version of the desktop software. But stripping off the back means it’s easier to find the jobs you’re looking for. One of the advantages that the Android app has compared to the other Atlas VPN version is split tunneling.
The iOS app is more attractive because it is well designed with a mobile device in mind. Call button front and center with positioning and other important functions clearly and easy to find.
With both mobile apps, we’ve found that you still enjoy great connection speeds and protection. The kill switch is working as it should and there are no indications of a DNS leak.
Atlas VPN Free Review: Performance
For a free service, Atlas is a very fast VPN. We were able to connect at an amazing speed of 320Mbps. On average, 200Mbps internet download speeds are fast for most apps, so Atlas VPN is good enough to watch some HD videos without experiencing lag or buffering.
We tested Atlas VPN’s claim to support P2P and were able to verify that it allows this and does it well. We were able to download torrents through each of the three Atlas VPN Free server locations.
If you need a little help getting ready and up and running, Atlas VPN has two options. First, there is a help section on their website with the most common issues listed under topics to make them easier to find. You also have an email option. When we tried it, we got a very quick response – less than 2 hours. The information we got was very detailed and easy to understand and follow. Atlas VPN has a live chat option, but it is only for paying customers.
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Atlas VPN Free Review: Final Verdict
Overall, Atlas VPN Free does a decent job of protecting your privacy, although there are some issues with the apps, in particular the kill switch. Also, since it uses third-party trackers on its website, we’re not entirely convinced by its anti-logging policy.
However, you do get great connection speeds, P2P support, split tunneling for Android devices, and a very generous data cap on Mac. Overall, it is a good service that is clearly improving, and it can be a great choice for the average user who is not looking for advanced features.
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