ZenMate VPN Review — Is It Secure & Fast? [Full 2024 Report]

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Updated on: February 7, 2024
Fact Checked by Eric Goldstein
J. Sweeney
J. Sweeney
Published on: February 7, 2024

ZenMate Review: Quick Expert Summary


ZenMate VPN has partnered with CyberGhost VPN, which resulted in ZenMate’s service being integrated into CyberGhost. There are no changes to ZenMate users’ subscriptions, but they will need to transition to CyberGhost’s apps once ZenMate’s apps are discontinued. ZenMate’s staff will still continue to handle their users’ subscriptions and provide them with customer support.

ZenMate VPN is secure, fast, and user-friendly. It also works with top streaming sites like Netflix and Amazon Prime, and it allows unlimited connections, which makes it perfect for large households. In my tests, I experienced fast speeds across all servers — websites and HD videos loaded almost instantly and I had fast torrenting speeds.

On top of industry-standard security features, ZenMate VPN also has:

  • Full leak protection.
  • Perfect forward secrecy.
  • RAM-only servers.
  • Dedicated torrenting servers

While ZenMate is a great VPN provider, there are some annoying issues — it can’t access Hulu, extra features like split-tunneling and malware blocking are only available on its browser extensions, and live chat isn’t available 24/7.

ZenMate VPN has 2 tier-based paid subscription plans, and each one comes with monthly and yearly plans. ZenMate covers all of its plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

🏅 Overall Rank # out of 84 VPNs
🌍 Servers 4,000+
📱 Number of Devices Unlimited
💸 Starting Price $1.99 / month
🎁 Free Plan
💰 Money-Back Guarantee 30 days

ZenMate VPN Full Review

ZenMate VPN Full Review

I spent a few weeks researching and testing ZenMate VPN to see how it compares to other top VPNs on the market. And there is no doubt that ZenMate is good for streaming and torrenting.

ZenMate is able to access 30+ streaming sites via dedicated streaming servers in 10+ countries (and its regular servers also work with top sites like Netflix). And it has P2P servers in 50+ countries, provides fast download speeds, and works with popular torrenting apps.

And while I’m not a fan of how ZenMate VPN includes split-tunneling and malware blocking only in its browser extensions, it provides excellent security features, allows unlimited connections, and maintains fast speeds on all servers.

ZenMate VPN Features

ZenMate VPN has the following industry-standard security features:

  • 256-bit AES encryption — ZenMate VPN protects your data with military-grade encryption.
  • No-logs policy — ZenMate VPN doesn’t log your IP address and internet traffic (sites you visit and files you download).
  • Kill switch — This feature disconnects you from the internet if your VPN connection drops to prevent traffic leaks.

ZenMate comes with OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec, and WireGuard. While WireGuard is faster than IKEv2/IPSec and OpenVPN, it’s only available on ZenMate’s Android app — top competitors like Private Internet Access and ProtonVPN have WireGuard on all of their apps. I’d really like to see ZenMate VPN add WireGuard to its other apps in the future.

I’m a big fan of how ZenMate comes with full protection against IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leaks (some top VPNs like VyprVPN don’t have IPv6 and WebRTC protection and you need to manually disable them). I ran leak tests on 10+ servers and thankfully never saw any leaks.

And I like that ZenMate has perfect forward secrecy and RAM-only servers. Perfect forward secrecy changes your encryption key for each session so that hackers can’t compromise past or future sessions. And RAM-only servers never store any data on a hard drive and every server reset wipes all of the data.

ZenMate is one of the only VPNs on the market with encryption on its browser extensions — ZenMate’s support representatives confirmed that the browser extensions use 128-bit AES encryption, which provides excellent security. The only other VPNs that have this are CyberGhost VPN and ExpressVPN.

ZenMate VPN also has a range of additional features like a tool that automatically clears your browsing history, split-tunneling, and a malware blocker, but these features are only available on ZenMate’s browser extensions — and aren’t included on the apps. Most of my favorite VPNs like ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access, and ProtonVPN include all of their features on all of their apps and browser extensions.

ZenMate VPN Features

  • Stealth Connection. This feature automatically clears your browsing history and cookies when you disconnect from ZenMate VPN. It’s similar to incognito mode in popular browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari, but Stealth Connection is more convenient — I don’t need to open a separate window for incognito mode to clear my history. I tested this feature multiple times, and it always deleted my internet history and removed all cookies to help provide extra online privacy.
  • Whitelist. This is ZenMate’s split-tunneling feature, which lets you choose which websites use the VPN and which websites use your local network. I tested Whitelist and it works well — I was able to exclude my bank’s site from the VPN connection (most banking sites block VPN connections) and access my favorite TV shows on Netflix with the VPN. That said, other VPNs provide better split-tunneling. For example, ProtonVPN lets you split-tunnel IPs and apps, which is more convenient, and its split-tunneling is available on the Windows and Android apps.
  • Malware Blocker. This feature blocks you from visiting malicious sites. I tested it with shady sites that host malware and it worked well. But other top VPNs like ProtonVPN and Private Internet Access combine a malware blocker with an ad blocker and provide better functionality — for example, ProtonVPN’s NetShield feature helps web pages to load faster and it’s available on all of ProtonVPN’s apps.

ZenMate VPN Privacy & Security

ZenMate VPN has a no-logs policy — it doesn’t log your IP address and traffic (the sites you visit and the files you download). It only logs your email address, which is needed to open an account. While the privacy policy doesn’t mention what data ZenMate’s apps log, customer support confirmed that it doesn’t keep any logs.

But unlike ExpressVPN, ZenMate’s no-logs policy hasn’t been independently audited and verified. I’d like to see ZenMate conduct an independent audit of its no-logs policy to provide more transparency and prove that it doesn’t store user data.

ZenMate VPN Privacy & Security

ZenMate is headquartered in Germany, which is a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances (a group of countries that share surveillance data with each other). But even if the authorities asked ZenMate for user data, it wouldn’t have anything to hand over because it doesn’t collect any user data.

ZenMate VPN Speed & Performance

I ran speed tests on my Windows PC on servers in all 80+ countries where ZenMate VPN has a server to determine my average VPN speeds. I had the fastest speeds on local servers in the US, and I only experienced minor slowdowns on distant servers in Japan, Belgium, Australia, India, and Lithuania.

First I ran a speed test without the VPN to get a baseline for my internet service provider (ISP) speeds:

ZenMate VPN Speed & Performance

Next, I connected to a server using ZenMate VPN’s quick-connect feature (Best server location), which connects you to the fastest server based on your location — I’m based in the US, and ZenMate accurately connected me to a server in New York.

Then, I tested a long-distance server in Japan. Here are my speeds:

ZenMate VPN Speed & Performance

Overall, ZenMate VPN maintained fast speeds on both local and distant servers. When I connected to a local server, I experienced a 36% slowdown on average, which normally isn’t good, but websites loaded instantly and I was able to play online games with no lag. When I tested distant servers in Japan and Belgium, my speeds slowed down by about 39%. HD videos loaded in less than 5 seconds, and I only experienced minor buffering when skipping through them. Also, I had fast torrenting speeds — I downloaded a 5 GB file in less than 10 minutes.

ZenMate VPN Servers & IP Addresses

ZenMate VPN has 4,000+ servers in 80+ countries. While a few other VPNs have servers in more countries (both ExpressVPN and CyberGhost VPN have servers in 100+ countries and HMA has servers in a whopping 210 countries), ZenMate VPN has servers in most parts of the world, so it’s very easy to find a nearby server to get good speeds. Also, the large number of servers prevents server overcrowding, which can cause slowdowns.

I really like that ZenMate displays the server load, which displays how many active users are connected to a server. It helps you quickly identify fast servers (the smaller the load, the faster the speeds). The server load was always accurate in my tests — the servers with the lowest load always provided me with the fastest speeds. And I really like that you can rank the servers by server load. That way, you don’t need to scroll through the list of servers to find the one with the lowest load.

ZenMate has dedicated torrenting servers in 50+ countries. I was able to torrent on regular servers too, but they were slower than the P2P servers. It also has dedicated streaming servers in 10+ countries that work with 30+ streaming services. They work well, but I also tested regular servers in the same countries and was able to access the same sites — there was no incentive for me to use the streaming servers.

Overall, ZenMate VPN has a large network with servers in most countries, displays the server load to help you find fast servers, and also has dedicated P2P and streaming servers that work well.

ZenMate VPN Streaming & Torrenting

ZenMate VPN is a great VPN for streaming — it works with top streaming sites like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and HBO Max, and my colleague in the UK said it works with BBC iPlayer. I was also able to access less popular sites like Crunchyroll and VRV.

Unfortunately, ZenMate doesn’t work with Hulu. If you want a VPN that consistently works with Hulu and even more streaming sites, I recommend ExpressVPN, which claims to access 65+ streaming apps (Express ranks as our #1 streaming VPN).

ZenMate VPN Streaming & Torrenting

ZenMate VPN is also good for torrenting — it allows torrenting on servers in 50+ countries and works with popular P2P client apps (I had the fastest speeds with qBittorrent).

That said, I still think there are better torrenting VPNs out there — for example, ExpressVPN allows torrenting on all of its 3,000+ servers and has the fastest speeds. Private Internet Access supports P2P traffic on all servers and also has port forwarding (a feature that lets you connect to more peers to get faster speeds).

Overall, ZenMate is good for both streaming and torrenting. It works with most of the top streaming sites like Netflix and BBC iPlayer (but not Hulu). And it has multiple dedicated torrenting servers and works with top P2P apps.

ZenMate VPN Plans & Pricing

ZenMate VPN has 2 tier-based subscription plans that include different features and have different subscription lengths.

The Pro plan only lets you use ZenMate VPN’s browser extensions, and not the native apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS, which is really inconvenient. However, the Pro plan comes with unlimited connections, streaming support, and extra features like Stealth Connection, Whitelister, and the malware blocker.

The Ultimate plan adds P2P support and lets you use the desktop and mobile apps, but it’s very annoying that the apps are missing all of the extra features.

ZenMate starts at $1.99 / month and offers one of the cheapest long-term plans on the market — but I think that other top VPNs like CyberGhost VPN, Private Internet Access, and PrivateVPN offer better value.

ZenMate VPN accepts credit cards and PayPal (most top VPNs also accept cryptocurrencies), and it backs all plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

ZenMate VPN Ease of Use: Mobile & Desktop Apps

ZenMate VPN Ease of Use: Mobile & Desktop Apps

ZenMate VPN has apps for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows, and browser extensions for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. The browser extensions are more feature-rich (they have a browser-history clearing tool, split-tunneling, and malware blocking) than the mobile and desktop apps — unlike the top VPNs on the market that include all of their features on every app and the browser extensions.

The mobile apps are intuitive and easy to use — there’s a quick-connect feature and it’s very simple to manually connect to a server (especially since there’s a search field). The only thing I don’t like is that the mobile apps don’t display the server load. That said, there are better options for both iOS and Android users.

Zenmate’s desktop apps are also very user-friendly. I really like how there are tabs located on the left panel for different server categories like favorites, all servers, torrenting servers, and streaming servers. Also, all settings have quick definitions, so it’s always clear what they do.

ZenMate VPN Customer Support

ZenMate VPN Customer Support

ZenMate VPN has decent customer support — it has live chat (but it’s not available 24/7), responsive email support, and a helpful support section.

When I tested ZenMate’s live chat, I was usually connected to a support rep in less than 10 seconds. They were always friendly and provided me with good answers. That said, ZenMate VPN told me its live chat is available between 6am and 10pm (Germany’s time), but I sometimes wasn’t able to use it even during those hours. Other top VPNs (ExpressVPN and CyberGhost VPN) have 24/7 live chat.

ZenMate VPN Customer Support

I tested ZenMate’s email support, and on average, I received replies within 6–8 hours, which is a decent response time. The representatives consistently offered informative answers, and I did not require any further clarification or follow-up questions.

I like ZenMate’s support section — it has useful setup guides that include screenshots and a few helpful troubleshooting guides but some of the frequently asked questions (FAQs) didn’t have the correct information or they were outdated.

Overall, ZenMate VPN doesn’t have 24/7 live chat and some FAQs are inaccurate. But at least the support reps reply fast over live chat and email and provide helpful answers.

Is ZenMate VPN a Good VPN in 2024?

ZenMate VPN has excellent security features, fast speeds, and easy-to-use apps, and it works with top streaming sites like Netflix and Amazon Prime and supports unlimited connections. I always had fast speeds on both local and distant servers for browsing, streaming, and torrenting.

ZenMate comes with essential VPN security features like 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, a no-logs policy, and full leak protection. It also provides advanced security features like perfect forward secrecy and RAM-only servers, and has dedicated P2P servers.

But there are a few things I don’t like — ZenMate doesn’t work with Hulu, you only get extra features like split-tunneling and malware blocking on its browser extensions, and its live chat isn’t available 24/7.

ZenMate VPN has 2 paid tier-based subscriptions with monthly and yearly plans and backs all plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ZenMate VPN safe?

Yes, ZenMate VPN is very safe — it has 256-bit AES encryption, a strict no-logs policy, an always-on kill switch, and full leak protection. It also comes with advanced security features like perfect forward secrecy and RAM-only servers, as well as a tool that blocks you from visiting malicious websites.

Does ZenMate VPN keep logs?

No, ZenMate has a strict no-logs policy and doesn’t store any user data (it only logs your email address when you sign up). ZenMate VPN’s privacy policy doesn’t say if its apps keep logs or not, but customer support confirmed that ZenMate doesn’t store any user data. My only complaint is that ZenMate’s no-logs policy hasn’t been independently audited and confirmed (unlike ExpressVPN).

Is ZenMate VPN good for torrenting?

Yes, ZenMate VPN is really good for torrenting — it allows P2P traffic on servers in 50+ countries, works with popular P2P apps (qBittorrent, uTorrent, etc.), and has fast download speeds. It also comes with a kill switch, a strict no-logs policy, and full leak protection.

That said, there are better torrenting VPNs out there — for example, ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access allow torrenting on all of their servers and maintain faster speeds.

Does ZenMate VPN work with Netflix?

Yes, ZenMate VPN works with Netflix. It has dedicated streaming servers that are optimized to access Netflix, but I was also able to watch Netflix using its regular servers. ZenMate also works with other popular streaming sites like BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, and Disney+ (but can’t access Hulu).

But my favorite Netflix VPN is ExpressVPN — it consistently accesses Netflix (as well as 65+ other streaming sites) and has some of the fastest speeds out there.

ZenMate Products & Pricing

Free
$0.00 / month
12-month plan
$1.99 / month
30 Days Money Back
Ultimate 18-month plan
$1.99 / month
30 Days Money Back
Bottom Line

ZenMate VPN is secure, fast, user-friendly, works with popular streaming sites like Netflix and Amazon Prime, and allows unlimited connections. It has industry-standard security features, full leak protection, and also provides advanced features like perfect forward secrecy and RAM-only servers. But it doesn’t work with Hulu, you only get extra features like split-tunneling and malware blocking on the browser extensions, and the live chat is not accessible 24/7. ZenMate has 2 paid tier-based subscriptions with monthly and yearly plans and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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About the Author

About the Author

Sweeney is a former writer at Safety Detectives. He has nearly a decade of experience in copywriting across a wide range of niches, most related to science and technology, and he has been researching and testing VPNs, antiviruses, and parental controls since 2020. When he’s not working, he can be found spending time with his family, playing and creating video games, or playing disc golf.

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