Atlas VPN Review: Quick Expert Summary
Atlas VPN has been discontinued as of April 24, 2024. It is no longer available for purchase and all of its existing users have been transferred to NordVPN for the remainder of their subscription.
Atlas VPN has fast speeds on most servers and comes with industry-standard VPN security features like 256-bit AES encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and a kill switch. It also allows an unlimited number of simultaneous connections, so it’s a good choice for large families or someone with lots of devices to protect.
Atlas VPN also includes a few extra features:
- SafeSwap — Frequently rotates your IP address from a pool of available IPs without having to disconnect from the VPN server.
- MultiHop+ — Frequently changes not just your IP address, but also the location from which you appear to be browsing.
- SafeBrowse — Blocks ads and ad trackers and prevents you from visiting malicious websites.
- Data Breach Monitor — Alerts you if the email address you provide is exposed in any known data breach.
It’s a good option for streaming and torrenting. It has dedicated streaming servers in 10+ countries and works with top streaming sites like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. It also allows P2P traffic on all servers and works with popular torrenting apps.
I like Atlas VPN, but there are a few things that keep it from being one of the best VPNs on the market. Some of its servers were very slow during my tests, and it only offers split tunneling on Android devices. Plus, it’s missing advanced security features like RAM-only servers, as well as extra features like port forwarding.
| 🏅 Overall Rank | #14 out of 85 VPNs |
| 🌍 Number of Servers | 1,000+ servers in 42 countries |
| 📱 Number of Devices | Unlimited |
| 💸 Starting Price | $0.49 / month |
| 🎁 Free Plan | ✅ |
| 💰 Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days (for long-term plans) 14 days (for monthly plan) |
Atlas VPN Full Review
I spent weeks researching and testing Atlas VPN and I can safely say it’s a good VPN, but it isn’t quite good enough to be called one of the best VPNs on the market.
It has fast speeds on most servers and good security features (including an ad blocker), as well as unique features like MutliHop+ and a pretty good free plan. It’s also pretty good for streaming and torrenting, and it allows an unlimited number of simultaneous connections.
Atlas VPN Features
Atlas VPN has the following industry-standard security features:
- 256-bit AES encryption — This is the same military-grade encryption used by banks and governments around the world.
- No-logs policy — Atlas VPN doesn’t log your IP address or browsing activities (including the websites you visit, the videos you watch, or the files you download).
- Kill switch — This feature disconnects you from the internet when your connection to the VPN server drops to prevent data leaks.
Atlas VPN also has a handful of extra features to keep you safe and anonymous, like Atlas VPN’s SafeSwap and MultiHop+, and I really like how well the VPN works overall. During my tests, I never experienced any glitches or bugs, and all of its features worked perfectly.
That said, Atlas VPN is missing a few things, including advanced security features like RAM-only servers (wipes all data with every reboot).
If you’re looking for a fast, secure, and feature-rich VPN, I recommend ExpressVPN. It has excellent security features, maintains incredibly fast speeds on all servers, and is better for both streaming and torrenting.
Atlas VPN’s extra features include:
SafeSwap
SafeSwap allows you to browse the web with multiple IP addresses. It does this by routing your internet traffic through a pool of IP addresses, frequently changing the one you use as you browse the web. I was surprised to see this feature because not many VPNs have it — Surfshark is one of the few top VPNs that offer a similar feature (called IP Rotator).
I tested the SafeSwap feature and was really impressed. After connecting to the server in the US, I refreshed the whatismyip website every 10-15 seconds for about 2 minutes. Over the span of just 2 minutes, Atlas VPN gave me 10+ different IP addresses, all located in Los Angeles. It sometimes used the same IP addresses but never the same one twice in a row — it seemed to randomly apply a new IP address either every few seconds or for each new connection request — which is really good for keeping someone from being able to track your browsing activity.
Overall, SafeSwap performed pretty well. I really like that SafeSwap changes your IP address frequently, but it’s a shame it’s only available on servers in 3 countries.
MultiHop+
Atlas VPN’s MultiHop+ routes your internet activity through 2 VPN servers, but it works a little differently than the “traditional” Double VPN and MultiHop features offered by top VPNs like NordVPN and Surfshark, though. Instead of your connection routing through the same entrance and exit server every time, your activity is routed through a random exit server, frequently changing the location you appear to be browsing from and providing an extra layer of encryption.
I tested this feature on all MultiHop+ servers, performing multiple IP checks, and I was impressed by my results. When I connected to the MultiHop+ server in North America, I was shown as being connected from 5 different cities in the US over about a 30-minute time frame. It gave me both East and West coast servers, so they’re pretty spread out, but my exit server was always in the US. When I connected to the MultiHop+ server in Europe, I was shown as being connected from Paris, Frankfurt, and Amsterdam within the same 30-minute span.
I really like Atlas VPN’s MultiHop+, but there’s always room for improvement. It would be nice to see this feature utilize more server locations. I was never connected to a server in Canada or Mexico when connected to the North American server, so it’s more of a “US” server. That combined with the limited number of exit servers for the European server, and those two being your only options, leaves a lot of users without a nearby server to connect to, which can affect connection speeds.
Split-Tunneling
Split-tunneling allows you to choose which apps use the VPN connection and which apps use your ISP’s (Internet Service Provider) network. This allows you to browse the web or game with a foreign IP address and check your local bank account at the same time (most banks block VPNs), without having to disconnect the VPN.
The only downside is that its split-tunneling is only available on Android devices. I found this pretty disappointing, and it would be nice to see Atlas VPN add this feature to all of its apps like ExpressVPN, or better yet to include the ability to list certain websites and not just apps, as you can with Private Internet Access.
SafeBrowse
SafeBrowse blocks connections to servers that host malware and trackers. It blocks intrusive website ads, trackers, malicious websites, and downloading files that can infect your device.
During my tests on Windows and Android devices, SafeBrowse performed really well. I visited a handful of ad-heavy pages like online recipes and celebrity news sites — Atlas VPN blocked all of the ads on the page, and it also blocked these websites from saving cookies on my device. It also prevented me from visiting websites that hosted crypto miners and other malicious code and stopped me from downloading a batch of test malware files.
Overall, Atlas VPN’s SafeBrowse is really good — it works exactly as intended and in my opinion, definitely stands tall when compared to similar ad-blocker and anti-malware features offered by top competitors like Private Internet Access’s MACE and ExpressVPN’s Threat Manager. However, SafeBrowse is a paid add-on, and it only comes as part of its Atlas VPN+ plans.
Data Breach Monitor
The Data Breach Monitor can detect if your personal data has ever been involved in a public leak. When I input an email for Atlas VPN to look for, I was impressed that it returned a list of leaks my email had been detected in, what data is likely compromised, and when the breach occurred. It also suggested actions to resolve the issue. And just like SafeBrowse, you can only get it if you buy an Atlas VPN+ plan, which includes all the VPN features plus the paid add-ons.
The only problem is some of the breaches don’t give enough specific information. While the breach reports may include a lot of information, some of the breach alerts are simply named something vague like “Breach Compilation” or “Collection #1”. It suggests I change my password, but without knowing exactly where the leak happened, it can be difficult to know what website or account I should change the password for.
Atlas VPN Privacy & Security
Atlas VPN has a strict no-logs policy — it doesn’t collect any information about the websites you visit, the videos you watch, or the files you download. That said, it would still be nice to see an independent audit of Atlas VPN’s no-logs policy. This would go a long way toward proving that it protects users’ anonymity. ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access, and CyberGhost VPN have all undergone independent audits to verify their no-logs policies.
Atlas VPN’s privacy policy states that it only collects basic information, like your email address to provide you with an account and to prevent fraud. It also says that Atlas VPN can see your IP address when browsing its website or using its chatbot, but that it never keeps a record of any of this information.
I really like that Atlas VPN doesn’t use passwords — all you need to log into your Atlas VPN account is an email address. You’re then sent an email to verify you want to be logged in. This forces two-factor authentication each time you want to add Atlas VPN to a new device, which helps ensure your account is never hacked or accessed without your permission.
Atlas VPN is based in the US. The US is a member of the 5 Eyes Alliance (a group of countries that share security information), but since Atlas VPN minimizes the amount of data it processes and never stores personal data like browsing activity, there isn’t much Atlas VPN could turn over even if a government requested information about its users.
Atlas VPN Speed & Performance
I got very mixed results while connected to Atlas VPN servers in 42 countries. Although many of the servers were incredibly fast and only decreased my speed by about 4% — which is really good — others slowed down my connection by as much as 93%. Distance didn’t seem to influence this, as some of the fast servers were much further away from me than some of the slow ones.
I first ran a speed test without being connected to a VPN server to determine my baseline speed:
Then, I used Atlas VPN’s Quick connect feature to find the fastest available server and was connected to a VPN server nearby. Here’s my speed when connected to a VPN server in the US (from the US):
After that, I manually selected servers to run speed tests on, both nearby and distant. While the distance wasn’t always a factor, many of the more distant servers significantly decreased my speed, making it difficult to browse the web and watch HD video. Here’s my speed when connected to a VPN server in Albania:
If you’re looking for a VPN that has consistently fast speeds, I recommend ExpressVPN — it offers the most reliable connections and has blazing-fast speeds on all its servers.
Atlas VPN Servers & IP Addresses
Atlas VPN has 1,000+ servers in 42 countries. This is pretty small compared to top competitors like ExpressVPN (servers in 105 countries) and CyberGhost VPN (servers in 100 countries). Atlas VPN’s servers are evenly spread out, and it provides multiple servers in the US to ensure users on both the East and West coasts have access to nearby servers but it doesn’t have any servers in Russia and Africa. This can leave many users without a nearby server to connect to.
Atlas VPN has servers optimized for streaming in 13 countries. All of its US servers are optimized for streaming, and it has multiple streaming servers in the UK, Australia, Germany, Japan, Sweden, and more.
AtlasVPN’s Privacy Pro servers provide access to features like SafeSwap and MultiHop+. It has SafeSwap servers in the US, Singapore, and the Netherlands, and it has MultiHop+ servers in Europe and North America.
Atlas VPN Streaming & Torrenting
Atlas VPN is good for streaming. It works with top streaming sites like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+, as well as less-popular streaming sites like Tubi, Crunchyroll, and Peacock. Since it allows an unlimited number of simultaneous connections, everyone in the house can watch their favorite content at the same time with a single account.
Atlas VPN is also pretty good for torrenting — it allows P2P traffic on all its servers and works with top torrenting apps like BitTorrent, uTorrent, and Vuze. In my tests, I was able to download a 20 GB torrent file in around 5 minutes while connected to a server in the US (from the US).
That said, it’s missing extra features offered by top competitors — Private Internet Access has port forwarding, which lets you connect to more peers for faster downloading speeds, as well as advanced security features like RAM-only servers for extra security when streaming and torrenting. It would be really nice to see Atlas VPN add these features in the future.
Atlas VPN Plans & Pricing
Atlas VPN has monthly and yearly plans. Its Premium plans include all of the core VPN features and start at just $1.70 / month. This is competitive with the top VPNs on the market, as Atlas VPN costs about the same as Private Internet Access and CyberGhost VPN regardless of which plan you choose. But if you want the SafeBrowser and Data Breach Monitor feature, you need to get the Atlas VPN+ plan that costs an additional $0.49 / month.
You get a 30-day money-back guarantee on all of its long-term plans, while its monthly plan comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Atlas VPN allows an unlimited number of simultaneous connections. Very few VPNs on the market do this, but I still think top competitors like ExpressVPN offer a much better value — it has faster speeds, better security, more features, and works with more devices.
Atlas VPN also has a pretty good free plan, but it has a few limits — it still allows unlimited simultaneous connections, but you only get access to 3 server locations (1 in the Netherlands and 2 in the US). The free plan also limits the amount of data you can use to only 5 GB per month, which is just enough for a few hours of browsing to test out the VPN. Another issue with the free plan is that its servers don’t always work for streaming. While the US ones worked for me (I could watch Netflix), my colleague in the Netherlands couldn’t get his local server to work with Netflix.
Atlas VPN Ease of Use: Mobile & Desktop Apps
Atlas VPN has native apps for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux devices. It also supports Android TV and Amazon Fire Sticks. Atlas VPN has the same sleek interface across all platforms and is incredibly easy to use, even if you’ve never used a VPN before.
Installing and setting up Atlas VPN was very easy. It took 2 minutes to install Atlas VPN on my Android and Windows devices and start using the VPN.
Atlas VPN’s apps have a range of convenient features like Quick Connect to automatically connect you to the fastest available server and Auto-connect to automatically connect to a VPN server when the app starts. What’s more, Atlas VPN lets you customize which server these features connect you to, which is really cool.
Atlas VPN Customer Support
Atlas VPN has email support and live chat, and it offers detailed troubleshooting guides and FAQs. It doesn’t offer video guides like ExpressVPN, though, which can sometimes be more helpful than reading an article.
I like how extensive Atlas VPN’s library of troubleshooting guides is — the help center has over 100 articles covering features, connectivity, app troubleshooting, and more.
Atlas VPN’s email support is helpful and responsive. I sent Atlas VPN a few emails at different times of the day to test how responsive the support team is. Each time I received a response within 4-6 hours and was given a helpful response that didn’t require any follow-up questions.
Live chat support is helpful, but it’s not always available, and you only get access to it if you’re a paid subscriber, so you have to rely on its email support for any pre-purchase inquiries. I really liked that every time I was connected to a support rep, they were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, but it seems that representatives are only available at random times of the day, and if there isn’t one to take your chat, you’re bounced to an email form. It would be really nice to see Atlas VPN’s live chat available 24/7, and for everyone, like ExpressVPN.
Overall, I think Atlas VPN’s customer support is pretty good. It has really helpful guides to solve most issues on your own, and its email and live chat support reps are friendly and knowledgeable. That said, it would be nice to see Atlas VPN offer 24/7 live chat.
Is Atlas VPN Worth the Cost?
Atlas VPN is a pretty good VPN. It has fast speeds on most servers and good security features, it’s good for streaming and torrenting, and it allows an unlimited number of simultaneous connections.
Some of Atlas VPN’s features are really unique. I really like its MultiHop+ feature that randomly changes your IP/location and its SafeSwap servers that let you browse the web with several IP addresses. I also like how well its SafeBrowse feature blocks ads, trackers, and malware.
There’s definitely room for improvement — speeds vary across servers, and the service lacks features such as RAM-only servers and port forwarding. Plus, there’s no router support for securing all the devices on a network, and its ad, tracker, and malware blocker is only available as a paid add-on — most VPNs include this feature for free.
If you want a great VPN that has all this and more, I recommend ExpressVPN. It has blazing-fast speeds on all servers and excellent security features, it works with 100+ streaming sites, offers 24/7 live chat support, and supports all popular devices including routers and smart TVs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Atlas VPN safe?
Yes, Atlas VPN is safe to use — it has industry-standard VPN security features as well as a few extra features like SafeSwap and MultiHop+ to give you an extra layer of security. It also blocks website ads, trackers, and malware, and prevents you from visiting malicious websites for a small extra fee.
That said, I still like ExpressVPN more. ExpressVPN has advanced security features that AtlasVPN does not have, like RAM-only servers to ensure no data is ever written to a hard drive.
Is Atlas VPN free?
Atlas VPN does have a free plan, but it’s pretty limited. The free plan still allows an unlimited number of simultaneous connections, but it only gives you access to 3 server locations and doesn’t include some extra features like SafeSwap.
I recommend upgrading to the premium version of Atlas VPN. All paid plans include access to Atlas VPN’s 1,000+ servers in 42 countries, SafeSwap for an extra layer of security, and a 30-day money-back guarantee (only its monthly plan offers a 14-day money-back guarantee).
Does Atlas VPN work with Netflix?
Yes, Atlas VPN works with Netflix. It also works with many other top streaming sites like Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+, as well as less-popular streaming sites like Peacock, Crackle, and Crunchyroll.
That said, ExpressVPN is my favorite VPN for streaming — it has blazing-fast speeds on all servers, great security features, works with 100+ streaming sites around the world, and provides some of the most reliable connections on the market.
Can I torrent with Atlas VPN?
Yes, Atlas VPN allows P2P traffic on all servers. It also works with top torrenting apps like BitTorrent, uTorrent, and Vuze.
It would be nice to see Atlas VPN add port forwarding, though — many top torrenting VPNs like Private Internet Access include port forwarding, which can give you faster speeds when torrenting.
