Atlas VPN Review: How Good is this VPN?

Tom VincentNovember 3, 2022
Webmaster - DTechClub
Fact checked by a VPN specialist

With thousands of VPN services available online, we spent time researching the best ones for you. Let's have a look at Atlas VPN, a relatively new but promising VPN player. Using Atlas VPN for thousands of hours at various places with different internet connections, we have finally made a full review for your help.

Although Atlas VPN does not have a huge number of servers, its services continue to compete with the VPN market's behemoths. With the premium subscription, you can unblock any geo-restricted sites all over the world, even also in China. From Netflix streaming to accessing geo-restricted sites like VK, safe chatting to fast torrenting, Atlas VPN offers all such services for every operating system.

Chapter 1 - Apps and Devices

Subscribing to one of the three premium plans of Atlas VPN will let you use the service on unlimited devices. This means you don’t need to purchase separate subscriptions if you intend to use the VPN on multiple devices.

atlasvpn iphone

Moreover, subscribing to Atlas VPN would eliminate the security risks and unblock geo-restricted sites on all of your devices. Almost all everyday-usage devices are compatible with Atlas VPN.

  •  Windows
  • macOS
  • Android
  • iOS
  • Linux
  • Android TV
  • Fire TV
  • VPN-compatible Network Routers

Atlas VPN is constantly working on making the service available for every device. Using Atlas VPN would help you circumvent government restrictions over the Internet without alerting the authorities. Additionally, your connection throughout the various sites remains safe and ensures a lag-free experience.

Chapter 2 - User Interface and Features

To have a closer look at the user interface of Atlas VPN and the features it offers, we have selected the Windows app. There is no need to worry if you want Atlas VPN for an operating system other than Windows, as its user interface and functionality are almost the same for every platform.

1 - User Interface

Atlas VPN, like all premium VPNs, chooses the best server for you. Its connection speed is what will pique your interest the most. It takes a few seconds only to connect you to the fastest server based on your network and location.

Europe has the most servers, with 750 in total. For an easier search, all of its servers are divided into various lists for each continent and then alphabetically organized. Aside from that, SafeSwap servers, MultiHop+ servers, and servers better for streaming are separated into distinct columns.

2 - Server List

Diving further into the settings would introduce you to more customization.

Quick Connect

Imagine not worrying about which server would work best for you. The Quick Connect feature of Atlas VPN turns your imagination into reality. From the available options as shown in the screenshot below, you can select the category of servers you would prefer to connect. Selecting it once connects you to the same location always to attempt.

3 - Quick Connect

Auto-Connect

Extending the list of features, Atlas VPN has added a feature of auto-connection. Turning it on would automatically connect you to your choice of location whenever the app starts. 

4 - Auto-Connect

Stay on Launch

With Atlas VPN, you won’t need to launch the VPN service manually every time you turn on your device. Stay on launch is a feature that does it! With this feature activated, your internet connection would be encrypted, made secure, and routed through a server outside of the geo-restricted area automatically.

5 - Start on Launch

Notifications

Atlas VPN has a feature known as Push Notifications. It makes it even easier to know what’s going on with your connection. It sends a push notification once or twice a day collectively of the things that need your attention.

6 - Push Notifications

Language

Including English, French, German and Japanese, you get an option to turn the user interface of Atlas VPN into NINE languages. 

7 - Language

Analytics

Completely left to your choice, turning on the analytics would send in-app analytics to Atlas VPN. Although your data is never sent to any third-party app, you can turn the function off if you feel insecure.

8 - Analytics

Close to tray

Addict of closing the applications mistakenly? No worries if you use Atlas VPN! Pressing the exit button would not close the app. Instead, it would minimize the app in your system tray menu. To open the app again, you can go to the hidden icons tray at your taskbar. To make it even easier to open the minimized app, you can drag the icon from the hidden menu to the sidebar of your taskbar.

9 - Close to tray

Chapter 3 – Privacy and Security

Looking at the privacy policy of Atlas VPN, it’s a service that doesn’t store any logs. Except for billing details, Atlas VPN doesn’t collect user data such as browsing history, location, and DNS queries. Moreover, Atlas VPN features several security methods to avoid data leaks, such as SafeSwap, a server with multiple IP addresses and locations.

10 - SafeSwap Server

VerSprite, an independent security audit firm, conducted an Application Penetration Test (APT) on Atlas VPN's iOS app. Atlas VPN had no high-risk flaws or vulnerabilities discovered at the end of the examination. There are, nevertheless, a few low and middle-risk vulnerabilities. Although, the vulnerabilities were not critical and didn't impact Atlas VPN users' security and privacy. Nonetheless, Atlas VPN rolled up its sleeves to address even slight flaws and mitigated them quickly once VerSprite discovered them.

Tracker Blocker

Atlas VPN has features like Tracker Blocker and Data Breach Monitor, in addition to the customary uses. Its Tracker Blocker service prevents the popping up of unwanted ads, third-party tracking, and malware attacks. Atlas VPN must be enabled before it can disable intrusive ads from worsening your surfing experience.

11 - Tracker Blocker

Data Breach Monitor

Data Breach Monitor is another superb function that Atlas VPN functions. Turning it on would make Atlas VPN capable of tracking data breaches. It would help you find whether your email accounts, personal data, and passwords are safe. DBM keeps scanning the sites you visit to see whether your data is compromised.

12 - Data Breach Monitor

Additionally, it reduces the risk of data breaches by asking you to change weak credentials to make them more secure. Moreover, if your data is found in any data breaches, or is compromised at some site, Atlas VPN notifies you if anything unusual occurs. Plus, there is a status interface of the DBM where you can locate data breaches that happened in the past and recent ones as well.

13 - Data Breach Monitor

Kill Switch

When your internet connection stops, or you manually disconnect it, Kill Switch, as the name implies, will switch off all of your online activity. It does so to keep your info from leaking. Kill Switch safeguards your identity by ensuring that when the connection is lost, your device does not revert to the default internet connection.

To make things even simpler, Kill Switch will disable your internet access until your connection with the VPN server is restored. Premium VPNs, such as Atlas VPN, seldom need to utilize Kill Switch since their network techniques are so robust that connection disruptions are rare.

14 - Kill Switch

Protocols

Network protocols are one of the most crucial things to look at when subscribing to a VPN service. With Atlas VPN, you can select one of the two available network protocols.

WireGuard®, a cutting-edge network protocol, establishes an encrypted tunnel to create a safe passage for your data. It’s fast and consumes less power and resources.

Contrary, there is another protocol, namely IPSec/IKEv2. It is said to be renowned for its security and connection stability.

With Atlas VPN, you are allowed to choose any one of them or select the auto function. The auto function gets a slight edge over selecting any protocols as it uses different mechanisms and turns your network to the at-time best protocol.

15 - Protocols

Chapter 4 – Speed and Performance

Less drop-out of Internet speed is necessary in the case of a VPN. Here, the premium version of Atlas VPN happens to be distinct. To examine a VPN’s impact on Internet speed, we have put our efforts into creating a reliable mechanism. We tested Atlas VPN with different Internet protocols and various locations.

Here are the results of our Atlas VPN examination process that we performed using an online Internet speed measuring site.

Internet speed with a standard connection

Before beginning the examination, we preferred to take a speed test of our Internet connection with the VPN turned off. Here are our results with our Internet connection which isn't very fast:

  • Ping: 17 ms
  • Download: 26.96 Mbps
  • Upload: 2.63 Mbps 
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Internet speed with a Hungarian server

The first test we performed with Atlas VPN was by connecting to a Hungarian server. For that, we selected Hungary from the available 56 locations. The following screenshot demonstrates the Internet speed of our system when connected to a Hungarian server.

atlasvpn speedtest 1
  • Ping: 17 ms
  • Download: 5.40 Mbps
  • Upload: 2.49 Mbps 

You can see a major drop in the Internet speed with the Hungarian server of Atlas VPN. Atlas VPN VPN routes your Internet traffic through many servers before sending to and receiving from an online source. That way, the path your data takes to travel is enlarged. But the good thing is that your connection stays stable, and you don’t have to face any interruptions in the browsing process.

Internet speed with a New York server

The second speed test with Atlas VPN was with a New York server. The following screenshot has better visionary information to indicate to you how the connection worked.

atlasvpn speedtest 3
  • Ping: 249 ms
  • Download: 11.72 Mbps
  • Upload: 1.61 Mbps 

Here again, you might face a bit of slow Internet, but it stays stable. The farther you are from the server you’re connected to using a VPN, the downgraded your Internet speed will be. If you get connected to a server near you, speed reduction would be far less.

Internet speed using a UK server

As the United Kingdom is a country with up-beating many states in Internet Freedom metrics, most users want to connect to a UK server to avoid geo-restrictions. The following screenshot depicts the performance of Atlas VPN with a UK server.

atlasvpn speedtest 2
  • Ping: 79 ms
  • Download: 16.93 Mbps
  • Upload: 2.44 Mbps 

The drop in Internet speed is small here, yet it exists. Minor speed losses don’t impact your overall surfing experience. They are due to the security mechanisms and enlarged data transfer paths that a VPN chooses to make your connection safe and secure.  

Our opinion on speed losses

A premium VPN service enhances your overall surfing experience but is also bound to diminish any security loopholes. Consequently, using VPNs with different security mechanisms and protocols, minor to middle-range speed losses are prevalent. However, if you connect to the nearest server, your surfing experience will be fabulous.

Chapter 5 – Bypassing Web Censorship

Accessing geo-restricted sites in China or Chinese sites outside of China is a matter near impossibility. Our experts examined whether Atlas VPN is capable of bypassing the great Internet firewalls as that of China or not. The results were incredible!

Accessing Facebook, WhatsApp, BBC, Google mail, and many other websites becomes easy if you change your IP address and location using Atlas VPN. Examination conducted by our experts suggests that Atlas VPN can unblock the geo-restricted sites in China and Chinese services outside of China.

We first performed the test using Chinese servers. Although we were able to access the censored sites, it lags if you don’t have a high-speed Internet connection. Contrary, we tried it with Hongkong servers, and it worked efficiently, even with slow Internet.

Chinese authorities have blocked the sites and app stores from having the option to download Atlas VPN. So, we recommend downloading Atlas VPN before you enter Chinese territory.

Chapter 6 – Torrenting with Atlas VPN

We deemed it fair to conduct a torrenting test using Atlas VPN in addition to all other tests. Its security features, including a Kill Switch, AES 256-bit encryption, a No-logs policy, and the secure WireGuard, keep all your torrenting data concealed from authorities.

After testing Atlas VPN while downloading torrents, we can say that it does very well despite our average connection. In our situation, a 2.38GB file got downloaded in less than 20 minutes with download peaks of 5 MB per second.

torrent with atlasvpn

Apart from torrenting, we put Atlas VPN on test with a peer-to-peer (P2P) sharing process. As expected, Atlas VPN turned out to be one of the fastest and most stable VPN services.

With you being a newbie to VPNs, all the features Atlas VPN has are enough for you to bypass government censorship. Meanwhile, if you're a techie or have used other premium VPN services, you are likely going to miss Port Forwarding here. Some clients at a few popular torrenting services require seeding for you to have a better leeching speed. Without port forwarding, it all seems impossible. But overall, leaving a few advanced features, Atlas VPN offers the majority of standard functionality.

Chapter 7 – Netflix and streaming with Atlas VPN

Netflix libraries in your country ran out of service or are short of the shows you would like to see? You can switch to the libraries available in other countries. Doing so would open a whole new set of content for you.

streaming servers netflix atlasvpn

To see the performance of Atlas VPN with streaming, we connected to various servers spread across the globe. Atlas VPN exceeded our expectations and worked the way a premium VPN service must do. Atlas VPN unblocks all the geo-restricted exclusive content on Netflix. Furthermore, there was no latency and no buffering time.

Next to Netflix, we tested Atlas VPN with several other popular streaming services. The results were as great as for Netflix. Atlas VPN also performed admirably with Amazon Prime and Disney Plus, outperforming many competitors.

Apart from that, testing Atlas VPN for streaming ITV, BBC iPlayer, and Channel 4 was also a part of our examination. The results didn’t vary that much. Although we experienced cessation of service quite a few times, it later worked after changing the location.

All in all, Atlas VPN performed well in circumventing geo-restrictions and allowing us to stream geo-restricted content for almost every site.

Chapter 8 – Servers and locations

Atlas VPN has a total of 750 servers spread across 34 countries. Most in Europe, Atlas VPN has servers in North America and Asia, but none in Africa and South America. The number might seem less competitive if compared with other premium VPN services. But for sure, the purpose for which we use a VPN is served fairly by Atlas VPN.

Servers and Locations

The recent improvement we noticed in Atlas VPN is that the service categorized the servers according to their locations and capabilities. With the recent update, we now see a separate column for the servers most compatible with streaming services and a separate column for Privacy-Pro servers, too. Furthermore, poorly ordered servers were not less than a headache Atlas VPN had in the past. With much praise, Atlas VPN has ordered the servers alphabetically, making it easier to search for one.

Atlas VPN being a part of Nord, we can expect it to reach far more locations than it does now. Moreover, the UI can get enriched with many features soon.

Chapter 9 – Support

Atlas VPN is one of the few VPN services that believes in better communication with customers. 24/7 Live chat and online tickets are two direct ways to contact Atlas VPN in case of any issue. To get more directions and details, you can go through their blog and the FAQs section. Furthermore, there is an email service to make it even easy to reach the Atlas VPN support team: support@atlasvpn.com

The quick live chat support feature is available to premium users only. You must log in to Atlas VPN before asking for any live chat support. After logging in successfully, head toward the bottom right and click the chat widget, as shown below.

25 - Support

Chapter 10 – Pricing and Value

Atlas VPN provides both free and premium versions. For a free version, you get access to three locations and 2GBs of your daily traffic. If the free version doesn't meet your criteria, you can subscribe to their premium packages, which are certainly not that much expensive.

Concerning the premium pricing, Atlas VPN offers three packages:

  • Two years (plus 6 months free) for just $1.64 a month (billed the first two years at $49.19).
  • One year for $3.29 a month (billed yearly at $39.42).
  • One month for $10.99 (billed monthly).

The longer the package is, the smaller the price Atlas VPN charges. For their two-year subscription, you get a massive discount of 85%.

With all the features discussed above, Atlas VPN seems to be one of the cheapest VPNs in the market. So, the price it charges is justified and beneficial.

Final Verdict

AtlasVPN is a good VPN service and offers at a very modest price making it a worth-to-buy VPN. In case you’re new to VPNs, Atlas VPN might be the ideal and only solution for you.

But concerning the tech-geeks, it doesn’t have some advanced features like obfuscation and port forwarding. But we assume that Atlas VPN and its parent company NordVPN are doing their best to add the missing features as soon as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Atlas VPN worth it?

Yes, absolutely! Atlas VPN is one of the top VPN services for those who want a simple VPN service with no technical jargon. However, it lacks certain complex functions and may not be an ideal solution for tech geeks unless and until an update with the addition of missing functionality is released.

Is there a free version available?

There is, indeed. However, we recommend upgrading to a premium membership because it is less expensive and gives you access to more than 56 sites.

Is Atlas VPN safe?

Yes! It is safe to access geo-restricted sites using Atlas VPN, even in China. It employs AES 256-bit encryption and other security measures to safeguard your online privacy.

How many devices can be used with a single subscription?

No, thankfully! There is no restriction on the number of devices you may connect to Atlas VPN.

About the Author: Tom
Tom is the founder of DTechClub.com and has been fascinated by VPNs since 2012. He writes about online privacy, is always testing VPNs (both new and existing services), and is highly interested in the challenges of accessing certain sites and content in various regions. In addition to his interest in VPNs, he loves indie films and playing flamenco guitar.
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