TorGuard VPN review
- Katie KasunicTechnology Researcher
TorGuard Review & Test 2023 – Keep This in Mind Before Buying
TorGuard is best known for its large server network and strong torrenting support.
Is TorGuard really privacy-friendly? How does TorGuard perform in other areas, such as streaming?
We tested TorGuard’s VPN service across a number of categories to find out its strengths and weaknesses.
TorGuard’s best features include robust security, a built-in adblocker, P2P support, a strict no-logs policy, responsive customer service, and the ability to bypass tough censorship without being detected.
TorGuard can unblock Netflix, but only if you pay an additional monthly fee to purchase a dedicated IP address. If you’re looking for a VPN for Netflix, we recommend ExpressVPN instead. It’s fast enough to stream in UHD, and you don’t need to purchase any add-ons to stream.
Other downsides include below-average connection speeds and an interface that isn’t very user-friendly.
Streaming – Does TorGuard Work with Netflix?
When we first tried to access Netflix while connected to TorGuard, we were blocked by Netflix’s VPN ban on each server that we tried.
TorGuard can’t unblock Netflix without a dedicated streaming subscription
However, we soon realized that TorGuard can unblock Netflix. It just can’t do so with a standard VPN subscription.
If you want access to streaming services, you have to purchase a dedicated TorGuard streaming IP address for an additional monthly fee.
Dedicated streaming IPs are offered in the US and the UK. The dedicated streaming IPs can successfully access Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Video, and BBC iPlayer.
TorGuard claims that if you purchase a streaming IP and are still unable to access your desired streaming content, you can contact customer support to receive access to a new unblocked IP address.
To find a VPN that can unblock Netflix easily and without any additional costs, check out our best VPNs for Netflix.
Server Network and Speeds
TorGuard has a very large server network of 3,000+ servers in 68 locations across 50 countries.
A larger server network is typically good news for connection speeds, and the website claims that TorGuard is the “fastest VPN and Proxy Network powered by 3K+ Gigabit Servers with unmetered bandwidth”.
Before connecting to TorGuard’s network, our base speed was 60 Mbps.
We can compare our starting speed with the connection speeds that we got while connected to TorGuard to see whether the VPN slowed us down.
Unfortunately, we weren’t very impressed with the results, in spite of TorGuard’s large server network.
All five servers that we tested in the US gave us download speeds of under 10 Mbps, which is pretty bad compared to our starting speed.
Our speeds with TorGuard’s UK servers were around 20 Mbps, which is better but still not ideal.
Our speeds across the world in Hong Kong were all the way down to around 5 Mbps.
We had high expectations for TorGuard’s speeds because of their large server network, but overall we were disappointed by TorGuard’s relatively low speeds across the board.
The one positive is that we found the connections to be stable and reliable over time, without large jumps and dips in speed.
Is TorGuard Good for Torrenting?
Torrenting is one of TorGuard’s strengths. The “Tor” in the provider’s name actually refers to torrents, which goes to show that secure torrenting is a core part of TorGuard’s service.
TorGuard supports P2P file sharing on all servers in its large network. The provider recommends using the TorGuard VPN for the most secure torrenting, but if you are looking for a more lightweight option, you can also use the proxy service to torrent with the SOCKS5 proxy.
TorGuard claims to be fully compatible with BitTorrent, uTorrent, Vuze, qBittorrent, and more.
TorGuard also supports port forwarding, which can improve your torrenting file transfer rate.
Security – Is TorGuard Safe?
TorGuard protects your privacy with some robust security. The VPN masks your IP address and protects your data with secure encryption.
The service has built-in DNS and IPv6 leak protection, as well as an STunnel obfuscation feature that helps to hide the fact that you are using a VPN. The STunnel feature is great for escaping tough censorship and bypassing VPN bans.
TorGuard also offers an automatic kill switch, which will keep your data secure even if your VPN connection unexpectedly drops.
In addition to a master kill switch, TorGuard allows you to set up an app kill list. This will immediately close all apps on the list when the VPN disconnects.
We did not detect any DNS leaks while connected to TorGuard.
Encryption
TorGuard gives you a lot of freedom to choose your preferred encryption method and secure protocol.
The most secure option available is AES 256-bit encryption, but you can also choose to use the faster but slightly less secure AES 128-bit or Blowfish 128-bit encryption.
TorGuard supports multiple security protocols, including OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, and OpenConnect VPN, which is a fast protocol that disguises your VPN traffic to look like normal SSL traffic. It even offers ultra-secure WireGuard protocol on its Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android apps.
Does TorGuard Keep Logs?
TorGuard takes a strong stance on privacy. The provider promises not to collect or log any data of any kind from its VPN or proxy services.
When you provide TorGuard with your email or other contact information as part of payment or troubleshooting, they claim that this information is only ever used for correspondence.
You also are never required to provide them with identifying information. Although TorGuard claims not to store private payment information like credit cards, the best way to ensure your anonymity is to pay with Bitcoin, which TorGuard accepts.
The downside is that TorGuard is based in the US, which is one of the founding members of the 5/9/14-Eyes Alliance.
This means that TorGuard falls under US jurisdiction and data retention laws, and any information gathered by US government surveillance can be shared with other countries.
However, if TorGuard truly sticks to its privacy policy as it claims, this shouldn’t matter. TorGuard promises that even if they were to be legally compelled to hand over information, they would have nothing to give because of their strict no-logs policy.
Does TorGuard Have an Adblocker?
TorGuard does offer a built-in adblocker as part of the VPN service, although enabling the adblocker in the settings can be a little confusing.
Within the advanced menu, if you navigate to the DNS settings, under “Use these nameservers” you can find an option that says “- when VPN is connected”.
Select “Ad blocking DNS” from the drop-down list. After you save the settings, the adblocker is enabled.
You can easily change TorGuard’s settings within the client
When we tested the adblocker on several websites, the VPN was successfully able to block all advertisements that we encountered.
Does TorGuard Work in China?
TorGuard includes several built-in features that make the VPN a great choice for use in China.
The VPN’s stealth feature, which TorGuard calls STunnel, is optimized to bypass Deep Packet Inspections (DPI) and hide your VPN use. This allows you to fly under the radar of the Great Firewall of China.
In addition to TorGuard’s STunnel feature, the OpenConnect protocol is also good for bypassing censorship and VPN bans by disguising your traffic to look like regular SSL traffic.
Price and value for money
TorGuard charges a bit more than average, but on the surface the cost is still reasonable for what the service has to offer.
However, things get expensive when you consider that some important services must be purchased as an add-on.
For example, if you want to use one of TorGuard’s streaming IP addresses to access Netflix, you will have to pay a hefty monthly fee in addition to the basic subscription cost.
You are given a lot of freedom to customize your service package. Although this review is about the VPN, TorGuard actually offers three distinct services: a proxy, a VPN, and an email service. You can also purchase bundles that include all three services.
Here is an overview of the features included in each service:
TorGuard has different features on each of its plans
With each of these services, you can choose from several different-length subscription plans. As is typical, discounts are offered on longer plans, making them more affordable.
As previously mentioned, you have the option to choose from several add-on services with your VPN subscription.
These add-on services include support for additional simultaneous devices, access to a premium 10-Gbit network, and dedicated IP addresses for streaming, sports, and regular use.
All plans come with a 7-day money-back guarantee. When we requested a refund to test out the guarantee, we received a full refund within two hours of submitting the request.
TorGuard also technically offers a free trial as part of their Fresh Start discount, but you have to jump through some hoops to gain access.
If you are currently subscribed to a different VPN service, you can send TorGuard a copy of your most recent VPN bill. TorGuard will then provide you with a 7-day free trial.
If you then email TorGuard proof that you have cancelled your old service, they will give you 30 days free on any TorGuard subscription plan.
We would have rather seen a traditional free trial and a longer money-back guarantee, but it’s still something.
Is TorGuard Compatible with my Device?
TorGuard is compatible with the following devices:
- Windows
- Mac
- Android
- iOS
- Linux
- Router (DD-WRT and Tomato)
TorGuard’s VPN is also available as a browser extension for Chrome and Firefox.
Features and interface are similar across devices. The main difference is the iOS app, which we actually found to have a much more attractive and user-friendly interface than the other dedicated apps.
The downside for both Android and iOS devices is that OpenVPN connections can’t be created through the TorGuard app. Instead, you must manually configure a connection through third-party software.
On the bright side, there are easy-to-follow instructions available on the TorGuard website to set up OpenVPN connections on mobile devices.
TorGuard provides its subscribers with the ability to connect to up to 12 simultaneous devices with each subscription.
You also have the option to pay a small fee for each additional simultaneous connection, which is useful.
TorGuard Customer Service
Customer service is a strong area for TorGuard. There are three main channels for getting in touch with customer service: 24/7 live chat, email tickets, and a toll-free phone number (only available in the US).
We had a pleasant experience with the 24/7 live chat support. Within five minutes of reaching out with a question, a representative responded to us. Our questions were fully answered by the knowledgeable support team.
The live chat is definitely the best way to get a response, but for in-depth technical questions you may be asked to open a ticket instead so that you can include more details and screenshots, if applicable.
User Experience
TorGuard has some room for improvement when it comes to creating a smooth user experience.
The TorGuard app’s interface is stripped-back and overwhelming at the same time. The main screen asks you to select your encryption and protocol settings before connecting to a server.
TorGuard has a complicated interface
The server selection menu has neither an auto select feature nor any indication of which servers are the fastest.
However, you can sort servers by their proximity to your physical location, as well as by region.
You can sort the servers, but you need to log in on each one
One annoying feature is the need to log in every time you connect to a server. While there is an option to remember your login information, it took us a few times of logging in manually before we noticed this setting.
In terms of advanced settings, the app offers no guidance so it can be challenging to understand what many of the options will do even if you are an experienced VPN user. You can see this in the earlier example about the adblocker feature.
Even on the app’s main screen, it was unclear to us what the STunnel setting would do until we reached out to customer support for information.
We like that TorGuard gives you a lot of freedom to customize your settings, but it feels like some amount of user-friendliness was sacrificed in the process.
It’s possible to provide a large number of advanced settings in an intuitive and user-friendly way, but unfortunately TorGuard missed the mark for us.
Conclusion
TorGuard has some great strengths. The VPN is privacy-friendly, and its robust security features give you a lot of freedom to customize your experience. TorGuard can bypass tough censorship even in China, and also offers great torrenting support.
The main downside is that you have to purchase a dedicated IP address for an additional monthly fee if you want to stream Netflix. There are other premium VPNs that let you access streaming sites without any extra costs in our best VPNs for Netflix guide.
On the other hand, we weren’t impressed with TorGuard’s speeds despite its large server network, and the interface leaves much to be desired. We also would like to see better streaming support included in the basic VPN service rather than as a pricey add-on feature.
We’ve reviewed (and ranked) the best VPNs in the world and while there’s a lot of good to say about TorGuard, it’s not as robust as we’d normally like. Bottom line: a service like ExpressVPN may be more reliable and better suited for consistency, speed and ease of use.
TorGuard Features — 2023 Update
8.7
| 💸 Price | 9.99 USD/month |
| 📆 Money Back Guarantee | 7 Days |
| 📝 Does VPN keep logs? | No |
| 🖥 Number of servers | 3000+ |
| 💻 Number of devices per license | 12 |
| 🛡 Kill switch | Yes |
| 🗺 Based in country | United States |
| 📥 Supports torrenting | Yes |
Installation & Apps
9.2
The TorGuard website isn’t quite as attractive and easy to navigate as we have come to expect from premium VPNs, but it has lots of useful information and gets the job done.
The process of creating an account and completing payment is straightforward, but a little lengthier than competitors because of TorGuard’s invoice system. Once your invoice is paid, you are directed to a helpful step-by-step guide to download, install, and use TorGuard on your device.
Opening TorGuard for the first time can be a little confusing if you aren’t an experienced VPN user. The app runs smoothly, but right away you are asked to select your encryption and protocol settings from drop down lists without any guidance.
The app also requires you to log in each time you connect to a server. It’s not the worst thing in the world, but it gets frustrating pretty quickly.
Pricing
7.7
Anonymus VPN
$ 9.99 / month per month
Anonymus VPN Pro
$ 12.99 / month per month
Secure Business VPN
$ 32.99 / month per month
TorGuard offers three distinct services: a VPN, a Proxy, and an email service. The payment interface gives you some freedom to mix and match different packages together depending on your needs.
TorGuard’s VPN and Proxy services allow you to choose from several different-length subscriptions, each with the same features. There is a free version of the email service with limited data storage, as well as several different-length payment plans. In general, discounts are offered on longer subscriptions.
TorGuard also offers dedicated bundle packages specifically designed for businesses. These Business VPN packages encompass multiple user accounts, email services, and dedicated IP addresses, providing a range of package sizes to accommodate varying needs.
All subscriptions come with a 7-day money-back guarantee. Multiple payment options are accepted, including major credit cards, PayPal, Paymentwall, and Paygarden. Bitcoin is also accepted, which is a great option for anonymity.
Reliability & Support
9.2
We found TorGuard’s service to be reliable and didn’t run into any technical issues or installation problems during our tests.
It’s easy to get in contact with TorGuard’s customer support team if you do have any concerns. We were very pleased with the provider’s 24/7 live chat support, which we found to be responsive, informative, and to-the-point.
You can also contact TorGuard through a ticket request system on the website or by calling TorGuard’s toll-free number if you are in the US.
There are some helpful resources available on the TorGuard website, including a YouTube channel, a searchable knowledge base, a community forum, and an FAQ page.
Compare TorGuard With The Top Alternative VPNs
9.9/10
9.7/10
9.5/10
9.4/10
The Bottom Line
Strong privacy, security, and P2P support, but below-average speeds and not very user-friendly
TorGuard is packed with great security features and a privacy-friendly no-logs policy. The VPN also offers great support for torrenting.
Conversely, we found the VPN’s connection speeds to be sluggish and the user interface difficult to maneuver, leading to our dissatisfaction.
TorGuard becomes pricey if you are looking for faster speeds or streaming support, which comes at an extra cost.
- Unlimited Bandwidth and Speed
- Up to 12 simultaneous connections with the ability to add more connections for $3 per additional connection
- Multiple security protocols supported Stealth VPN
- 3,000 servers in more than 50 countries
- 24/7 Live chat customer support
Money Back Guarantee (Days): 7
Mobile app:
Number of devices per license: 12
VPN Plans: www.TorGuardAnonymousVPN.
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TorGuard User Reviews (User reviews are not verified)
Based on 90 reviews in 16 languages
Based on 90 reviews in 16 languages
All Speed Streaming Security Сustomer service
Love Torguard
I have used several VPNs over the years and got blocked by Netflix or Amazon, etc. I went with Torguard and I did have to get a personal IP address at an additional cost. But anytime there is any issue, they are right there and helping. They may have to change your IP address, but they do what they promise. I switched to their annual plan and I don’t see anyone with a much better price than what I am paying. I also have a free email address that I don’t use much, but a few people have it, so I keep it and use it. I consider trying someone else once in a while but am afraid if I do that, if I’m not happy and come back to them, the price will be higher. I honestly, don’t see why they aren’t more highly recommended. Also, I find them very patient, as I am not so young and not always great with current technology. They have been great with me.
Been a very happy customer for years
I have been a customer for over 5-6 years at this point I believe. Yes, streaming is an issue. I have used the Streaming IP before and it worked well. I don’t bother anymore though because I do not use any streaming services besides YouTube which works fine without a dedicated IP. Amazon Prime will not stream even with the Streaming IP, however, I have not tried it with anything other than my standard Open VPN configuration. I don’t have Prime anymore either, so no loss here. Works great with torrents though. I use 4G as my main source of Broadband where I live in the sticks where it’s my only option besides HugesNet aka Dish (same thing just rebranded because of the bad rap Dish has), I can’t do much better than 10MBs even without it. I don’t see why you would need anything faster though. I have never been in that much of a hurry. People like to compare and complain about arbitrary nonsense and have . measuring contests about everything, so I’m not surprised to see it brought up so much. I have really appreciated their customer service over the years too! Especially when attempting to set up an open VPN configuration on a router with a tethered USB WAN as well as other equality odd situations that come up when using a Phone for your WAN. They were fast, extremely knowledgeable, and comprehensive in their attempts to help me reach my goals. Even when I would bring up a weird idea or configuration, they would still give it just as much attention and effort as something typical. Whereas I would imagine most others would just say “we can’t help you with that”. Their team seems to enjoy the challenge and is quite good. I’m sure there is a better solution when compared head to head on specs, but I appreciate their attitude, ethics on privacy, pricing, and customer service. One other bit I would like to share; when I was looking at other plans and their details close to my renewal time, I wasn’t paying attention and apparently added them ALL to my cart and then paid. It was like $275 worth of services. I didn’t use any of them, but I let them know and the money was back in my account for all the ones I didn’t want in less than a day!! To me, the peace of mind that provides is worth a lot more than the extra few mins that faster speeds save. I also have a feeling that in order to provide those faster speeds, other VPNs are either charging a lot more or cutting corners. I will conclude with OF COURSE IT DOESNT WORK WITH FIRESTICK!! They tell you that upfront in the description! Would be nice if folks would stop blaming others for things not being as they uneducated guessed they would be. Says a lot more about them than what is being reviewed. It’s “funny” how people have the time to write a bad review, but not enough time to read the label of/look into what they are buying in thw first place. There is plenty more to say, but I’m sure most people already stopped reading this, so I will stop at that. Be safe y’all!!
Does not work with firestick
Their VPN does not work with 1st gen firesticks. They did not post this on their site. I paid $60 for a 1-year membership. After 7 days got a notice from Spectrum 18 complaints “Notice of Copyright Infringement” emails from the spectrum. Contact billing for refund, they gave me the runaround and kept asking the same questions over and over again. Then told me a refund is not available after 7 days. However, it takes spectrum over 7 days to send a complaint and they never said it didn’t work with 1st gen firestick. Also, the app connected to vpn through the firestick and never said it had an issue. So this company is scamming, do not use it if you want to get a “Notice of Copyright Infringement” letter from Spectrum and no refund.
About the Author
- Katie KasunicTechnology Researcher
Katie is an experienced tech researcher and writer with a passion for fluff-free web content.
TorGuard VPN review
A flexible VPN with powerful features and customization options
published 18 July 2022
(Image: © TorGuard)
Tom’s Guide Verdict
TorGuard delivers mind-blowing speeds, with many powerful tools and features that give you flexibility. However, novices and the not-so-knowledgeable may struggle with such in-depth applications, and the service’s unblocking capabilities are poor.
TorGuard VPN deals
TorGuard 3 Years
TorGuard 1 Year
TorGuard 1 Month
Pros
- + Supports eight simultaneous connections
- + Strong connection speeds
- + Support available over live chat
- + Flexible configuration options
Cons
- – Less accessible than other VPNs
- – Not a good option for streaming
- – Unintuitive interface
Why you can trust Tom’s Guide
Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what’s best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.
TorGuard is a popular name in the cybersecurity business, offering various security related services for both consumers and businesses. In this review, we’re only focusing on their VPN which has some impressive stats on the paper. The service has a fairly large network with more than 3,000 servers in 50 countries, with blazing speeds and plenty of configuration options.
However, there are some flaws. Compared to the best VPN services today, TorGuard VPN is can be complicated to use, especially for newbies and less knowledgeable users. In addition to that, the service has poor geo-unblocking capabilities, which is an important part for a good deal of users. In any case, read on to see our full review, where we go into details about both pros and cons of this VPN that should help you determine if TorGuard VPN is a good fit for you.
CyberGhost 1-minute review
- TorGuard VPN subscription options:
- 36 month plan – $3.89 per month ($140.04 total cost)
TorGuard has three plans: Standard, Pro, and Premium. Pro and Premium have some extras but the main difference between them is the number of devices they support. As we’ve seen with most other VPNs, monthly billing for the Standard plan is a bit pricey at $9.99. If you want a cheaper option you’ll have to commit to annual billing, which is much cheaper at $59.99 a year. Translated to a monthly billing that’s $4.99 a month.
While the privacy policy states there is no logging, we’re left to trust the company on its word. As such, we’d like to see this proven by an audit. That said, the apps themselves have plenty of privacy-related features, like WebRTC or IPv6 leak blocking, and the ‘standard’ features like the kill switch.
However, to get the most out of it, you’ll have to do some tweaking, so it’s not perfect for beginners.
Performance when using OpenVPN is very good, with speeds of 315-330Mbps. However, with WireGuard the performance skyrockets, reaching a mind-blowing speed of 950Mbps, making TorGuard the fastest VPN service we’ve tested.
The service was disappointing in terms of streaming, as it failed to unblock any of the major streaming services. Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, and Disney+, all managed to prove too much for it. TorGuard is great for torrenting though, with full support and, as expected, some in-depth features to improve the experience.
The apps are complex. There’s a lot of information that experts will appreciate, but for newbies it may well be unintuitive and difficult to learn. The mobile apps are much the same.
Customer support is acceptable, but the ticket system didn’t hugely impress, and the forums and knowledge base are sparse and of limited use.
However, for the right user, TorGuard is an appealingly in-depth and powerful VPN – if you can live without using streaming services while connected to your VPN, it could be a good choice.
TorGuard on paper
Number of servers: 3,000+
Number of countries: 50
Platforms supported: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, routers
Simultaneous connections: 8-30
Split tunneling: With some coding, yes
Kill switch: Yes
Supported protocols: OpenVPN, WireGuard
Country of registration: USA (apparently)
Support: Articles, live chat, email
TorGuard price: how much is it and is there a TorGuard free trial?
Pricing for TorGuard starts at $9.99 per month for the Standard plan. There are also Pro and Premium plans with prices starting at $12.99 per month and $14.99 per month. These two plans support more simultaneous connections (12 and 30), with the addition of some extras, like a dedicated IP.
For more affordable pricing, you’ll have to check the annual billing. The price for Standard plan is $59.99 per year, which works out at $4.99 per month. The Pro plan is currently priced at $59.50 per year, down from the usual $119 per year, due to a sale – although this may change. Finally, the Premium plan is priced at $129.99 per year.
TorGuard also has something of a free trial, but it doesn’t work like other trials that you may be familiar with. You get seven days of free access when you provide a recent VPN bill, and another 30 days when you prove that you canceled that service.
Customers who don’t already subscribe to another VPN won’t get a free trial from TorGuard, although there is a seven-day money-back guarantee, with no questions asked. That’s not exactly generous though, seeing as our #1-rated service ExpressVPN offers 30 days to claim your cash back, and Hotspot Shield offers a massive 45.
TorGuard also offers add-ons, the most notable one being the dedicated streaming and residential IP which could come in handy for users that have streaming and unblocking websites as a priority. It is pricey though, at $7.99 a month. All things considered, TorGuard isn’t the cheapest service around, so if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, make sure to check out our guide to cheap VPN services.
- More: Need something for your employees? See today’s best business VPN
How private is TorGuard and does it keep logs?
As expected, TorGuard has a no-logs policy but for now, there’s no way to know for sure, as there have been situations with some other VPNs where a “no-log” VPN provided logs to law enforcement agencies. That’s why we’d like to see TorGuard submit itself to an independent audit in the future as that would clear any doubts.
To be fair, TorGuard excels in other areas of privacy. Users can manually control their authentication method, port, and encryption algorithm, and the platform automatically blocks both IPv6 and WebRTC leaks. Furthermore, there’s a built-in kill switch that immediately ends your connection if the VPN cuts out.
On the other hand, this level of depth could also be overwhelming for users who are less familiar with the technical side of a VPN. The default configurations won’t add much value on their own, so you should consider using a simpler VPN if you don’t think that you would tweak any settings.
How fast is TorGuard?
TorGuard’s download speeds were through the roof with WireGuard, and using the OpenVPN protocol it still performed admirably. In the UK, with OpenVPN, the speed averaged between 315-330Mbps, which is above average when compared to other services.
As already mentioned, with WireGuard TorGuard showed amazing performance, with speeds reaching an astonishing 950Mbps, making TorGuard the fastest service at the moment, with only Hide.me and IPVanish coming relatively close with 900Mbps and 890Mbps respectively.
How good is TorGuard for streaming and torrenting?
Unfortunately, TorGuard’s “experience content without any restrictions” claim didn’t hold up when we tested the service’s unblocking capabilities. We failed to access any of the major streaming services – Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+.
If watching geo-blocked content is your priority then it might be better to look elsewhere, as VPNs like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark all give you the ability to watch all four of the mentioned streaming services. There is an option to buy a dedicated residential IP that’s unlikely to be flagged, but it’s pricey at $7.99 per month, and you might be better off picking the best streaming VPN.
That being said, TorGuard is a great torrenting VPN. You can use torrents through the TorGuard client or via a SOCKS5 proxy, and TorGuard is compatible with several torrenting applications, including qBittorrent, Vuze, and uTorrent. Torrents are supported across the entire set of servers. However, as of a few months ago, the company said that they are blocking BitTorrent traffic on US servers.
How good are TorGuard’s desktop apps?
TorGuard’s Windows app has a huge amount of tools and settings to tweak, which does make it unfriendly and a bit too complicated for newbies and less experienced. After you connect, you’ll see remote and local IPs, your protocol and cypher, and many other data points. While this can be interesting and helpful to some users, for most, it’s redundant to have that kind of information on the interface.
There are also notable idiosyncrasies that could confuse users even further. For example, Windows Defender Firewall blocked certain TorGuard features during our testing and had to be overridden manually. All things considered, it’s significantly less accessible than most other Windows VPN services.
The advantage of this depth is that experienced users can change more settings than they would be able to with almost any other VPN. Such settings include selecting from multiple DNS providers, configuring scripts to run when you connect or disconnect, or refreshing, saving, or recovering your DNS state. The TorGuard client has outstanding flexibility if you know how to take advantage of it.
How good are TorGuard’s mobile apps?
With mobile apps, it’s mostly more of the same with similar advantages and disadvantages to their desktop counterparts. Fortunately, a few helpful quality-of-life tools are there, like the always welcome Favorite system, which eases the use and access.
Furthermore, the TorGuard Android app supports the Always-On setting, ensuring that your activity is never vulnerable. You can also configure the app to pause when connected to the mobile network or a password-protected Wi-Fi network. However, like their desktop counterparts, both mobile VPN apps have a deep set of features, often to the detriment of their ease of use.
What customer support does TorGuard offer?
At first look, TorGuard seems to have a thorough support center, with many options to find help. You can find and read support articles, watch video guides, use community forums to post a question, open a support ticket, or talk directly to support agents via email or live chat.
Unfortunately, this isn’t as helpful as it sounds. For instance, the video guides are relatively limited and are only focused on specific technical questions, or on marketing. It’s the same with knowledgebase articles, where the only issues covered are mostly the most basic questions that newbies might have.
The forums seem to receive only a few posts per day, and roughly half the questions go unanswered. Finally, even though our ticket received a quick response, it was only a boilerplate answer that didn’t speak to our specific question. Overall, we were not impressed by the depth of TorGuard’s support services.
TorGuard: Final verdict
The main advantage of TorGuard is its blazing speeds and performance, and powerful configuration options, which is something that advanced users will benefit from the most and it could prove an appealing wildcard choice for them.
As for disadvantages, the expert-level configuration will push inexperienced users away, and the support is not that good. Furthermore, TorGuard’s unblocking and streaming capabilities also fell short so any streaming enthusiasts should look elsewhere.
All in all, while TorGuard has its good points it’s difficult to recommend it over ExpressVPN, for instance, or other top services from our best VPN services guide, but it sure has potential for experienced and more advanced users.