TorGuard Review
Opening TorGuard VPN, especially for the first time, can be overwhelming, as the VPN apps are not easy to navigate. The macOS app has the basic and advanced settings scrambled together and won’t even appear on your entire screen. Also, the app requires you to log in each time you want to connect to the VPN. You will also need to disconnect from the VPN to switch between servers.
TorGuard VPN Review 2023: Features, Pricing & More
Christiana Jolaoso-Oloyede creates compelling content for B2B tech companies. She also empowers business leaders with unbiased data-driven information needed to run their SMBs. She has worked with web publications and tech brands such as U.S News & World Report, Elevato, LeadDyno and OMTech.
Christiana Jolaoso Contributor
Christiana Jolaoso-Oloyede creates compelling content for B2B tech companies. She also empowers business leaders with unbiased data-driven information needed to run their SMBs. She has worked with web publications and tech brands such as U.S News & World Report, Elevato, LeadDyno and OMTech.
Contributor
Kelly is an SMB Editor specializing in starting and marketing new ventures. Before joining the team, she was a Content Producer at Fit Small Business where she served as an editor and strategist covering small business marketing content. She is a former Google Tech Entrepreneur and she holds an MSc in International Marketing from Edinburgh Napier University. Additionally, she manages a column at Inc. Magazine.
Kelly is an SMB Editor specializing in starting and marketing new ventures. Before joining the team, she was a Content Producer at Fit Small Business where she served as an editor and strategist covering small business marketing content. She is a former Google Tech Entrepreneur and she holds an MSc in International Marketing from Edinburgh Napier University. Additionally, she manages a column at Inc. Magazine.
Updated: Jun 6, 2023, 7:27pm
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors’ opinions or evaluations.
Our Verdict
Our Verdict
TorGuard VPN helps you to stay safe and maintain your privacy while accessing your favorite content without restriction. But this virtual private network (VPN) stands out from the best VPN services for its flexibility and customization. We tested TorGuard VPN to verify its privacy and security capability and examined its features and their peculiarities, benefits and fine print to help you determine if it suits your privacy needs.
Pros
- Multiple security protocols
- Lots of DNS leak protection options
- Highly customizable subscriptions
- Works in China
- Seven-day free trial
- First month is free on all premium plans
Cons
- Nonintuitive user interface
- Android-only split tunneling
- Streaming on its Standard plan requires a dedicated IP address
- Only seven-day money-back guarantee
- No public audits
- Under the Five Eyes alliance
On TorGuard’s Website
Our ratings take into account a product’s cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
$9.99 per month
Simultaneous connections
Eight to 30 devices
Number of servers
More than 3,000
Table of Contents
- What Sets TorGuard VPN Apart?
- TorGuard VPN’s Core Features
- TorGuard VPN’s Pricing and Plans
- TorGuard VPN Setup
- TorGuard VPN Ease of Use
- TorGuard VPN Security and Privacy
- TorGuard VPN’s Customer Service and Support
- TorGuard VPN’s Device Compatibility
- TorGuard VPN for Streaming
- TorGuard VPN Alternatives and How They Compare
- Is TorGuard VPN Right for You?
- Our Expert Take on TorGuard VPN
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Is TorGuard VPN?
Besides being one of the best VPNs, TorGuard VPN is one of the cheapest VPNs, costing as low as $4.99 per month on an annual subscription. TorGuard VPN has over 3,000 servers, and a subscription to its lower plans allows eight to 12 simultaneous connections. TorGuard’s primary offerings include:
- Secured encrypted tunnel for your online traffic protection
- Anonymous browsing through websites and applications
- Access to georestricted content, even in places with extreme firewalls
- Multidevice compatibility
What Sets TorGuard VPN Apart?
TorGuard has robust security features that are also strong enough to break through firewalls, making it suitable for international travelers that want to maintain their privacy and access the internet without limits even when they are away from their locations. Notably, TorGuard’s Stealth protocol combines with Stealth proxy to combat firewalls in countries such as China, Russia, India and Turkey with repressive internet policies.
Pros
TorGuard VPN provides users with multiple layers of privacy and security. It also has a dedicated IP address for unlocking geo-restricted content. This VPN is highly customizable—it provides a series of subscription plans. Plus, you can jump on a trial to test its features for free.
Cons
TorGuard VPN lacks an independent auditing process, which we like to see in VPNs. Also, the company is in the U.S., under the Five Eyes alliance. So, the government can request TorGuard to hand over your information for investigative purposes.
Also, TorGuard’s split tunneling feature is only available on Android, and TorGuard doesn’t allow streaming on its Standard plan unless you pay extra for a dedicated IP address. The VPN app is also not as user-friendly as other VPNs.
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TorGuard VPN’s Core Features
TorGuard VPN offers features such as anonymous browsing, DNS leak protection, split tunneling, a kill switch and dedicated IPs to provide users with optimum privacy and security when using the internet.
Anonymous Browsing
IP addresses are prone to tracking by websites, ads and other online services, thereby exposing user activities and locations. TorGuard VPN hides your actual IP address and assigns you an anonymous one. That way, your location and identity remain private, and you can browse websites and download or upload content without restriction or feeling insecure.
DNS Protection Measures
The Domain Name System (DNS) sends requests through your internet service provider (ISP) whenever you visit a website. This transfer leaks valuable information, including your IP address and browsing activities. However, TorGuard VPN protects your IP address by conducting relevant transfers through its tunnels.
TorGuard VPN offers users multiple DNS and IPv6 leak protection measures, including OpenDNS, Level3 and Cloudflare. We ran DNS test leaks on TorGuard VPN and confirmed that you’re leak-safe connecting to this VPN.
Dedicated IP
At additional costs, choose dedicated, shared, residential, streaming or sports IPs for more anonymity and privacy. TorGuard VPN also allows you to earmark IP locations and switch between dedicated and shared IPs in only a few clicks.
TorGuard VPN’s dedicated IP offers users a unique IP address, removing CAPTCHAs and other delays that accompany the use of shared IPs. TorGuard’s handpicked streaming IPs are compatible with popular streaming services, giving you access to restricted content from the regions you purchase. For TorGuard’s residential IP, you will get IP addresses from ISPs in the U.S. and U.K., so it looks like you’re connecting from home.
Kill Switch
TorGuard’s integrated kill switch feature shuts down your internet connection when your VPN disconnects. You can further choose the apps and extensions you need closed. TorGuard VPN also offers users a “network kill” feature that shuts down their internet once the VPN is disconnected. That way, the internet on your device stays encrypted and secured.
Split Tunneling
TorGuard VPN’s split tunneling feature is available on Android. Users can select “Restricted apps” to choose the apps they want to allow or restrict on the VPN app. To do this, open the feature to view the apps on your smartphone. Then, toggle on/off. This feature is handy when you want only specific apps to connect through the VPN.
TorGuard VPN’s Pricing and Plans
TorGuard VPN offers three packages—Anonymous VPN Standard, Anonymous VPN Pro and Anonymous VPN Premium. The difference between these packages is mainly the streaming ability and the number of devices you can connect simultaneously. Also, TorGuard offers multiple Business plan options with additional features, such as private email, user management, IP management and an isolated secure network. And if you want more security, TorGuard also offers anonymous email, which provides email security alongside multiple email aliases and email scheduling.
TorGuard VPN Tiered Pricing
TorGuard VPN Standard plan further allows users multiple billing options, which include:
- Monthly: $9.99
- Quarterly: $19.99
- Semiannually: $29.99
- Annually: $59.99
- Biennially: $99.99
- Triennially: $139.99
You can pay for TorGuard VPN with debit cards, credit cards, gift cards, cryptocurrency and PayPal.
TorGuard Free Trial
TorGuard VPN offers a seven-day free trial, but you must email [email protected] the most recent bill from your current VPN provider. That means you need to have an existing VPN account. After TorGuard VPN verifies your account, you will get seven days to navigate the VPN. After seven days, you can email proof of canceling the competitor VPN service to get 30 free days on any TorGuard VPN plan subscription.
Money-Back Guarantee
TorGuard VPN promises a 100% refund if it doesn’t meet your expectations. However, you only get a refund if you complain within seven days. This period is shorter than what most VPNs offer and it limits your experience with the privacy software. Also, you won’t get refunds for payments made on dedicated IPs or subscriptions you paid for with cryptocurrency or gift cards.
TorGuard VPN Setup
TorGuard VPN setup only takes a few minutes. On the website home page, click “Join” to create an account and select your preferred plan, billing cycle and add-ons. After entering your email address and selecting a payment method, choose the suitable app for your device. You can also choose from the available browser extension options.
The next thing to do is to run the installer. Then, click on the app and log in with your sign-up details. TorGuard VPN is ready for use. However, we recommend removing your previous VPN app before installing TorGuard VPN, to avoid glitches.
TorGuard VPN Ease of Use
TorGuard VPN is highly customizable, with multiple features and options. You can bookmark your preferred servers and sort the list alphabetically or according to proximity and current usage. However, TorGuard VPN is quite challenging to navigate. For example, TorGuard payment takes longer than most VPNs, and you need to decide which app to download. Other VPNs show you the app suitable for your device.
Opening TorGuard VPN, especially for the first time, can be overwhelming, as the VPN apps are not easy to navigate. The macOS app has the basic and advanced settings scrambled together and won’t even appear on your entire screen. Also, the app requires you to log in each time you want to connect to the VPN. You will also need to disconnect from the VPN to switch between servers.
TorGuard VPN Servers and Locations
TorGuard has over 3,000 VPN servers in 68 VPN server locations in 50 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Turkey, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, Hong Kong and Japan. TorGuard VPN keeps updating its network and asks users to recommend more connections. TorGuard VPN’s availability in Europe, North America, South America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East means you’ll get more spoofing locations and are more likely to find a server near you.
However, we would love for regions such as North America and Africa to get more coverage. For example, Africa has only one server location, which is in South Africa.
TorGuard VPN’s Speed and Performance
With TorGuard VPN, you can browse the web, stream music videos and play video games without sacrificing speed for privacy and access to restricted content. TorGuard VPN provides users unlimited bandwidth and won’t throttle connection speed, allowing you to upload and download as many files as you want. When we conducted speed level tests on TorGuard, using the Ookla speed test we pulled 160.87 Mbps download speed, and 2.10 Mbps upload speed. While that is not the fastest you will see on other VPNs, it is fast enough for browsing and streaming.
For optimal speed and performance, try to select the closest location and switch between tunnel types and protocols to see what works best for you. When we used the WireGuard tunneling protocol and connected to closer servers, we achieved 219.36 Mbps download content and 6.17 Mbps when uploading.
TorGuard VPN Security and Privacy
TorGuard VPN provides multiple professional security protocols and features to protect your privacy. It combines strong security protocols with many privacy features and a no-logs policy that assures you of your safety when using the VPN.
Strong Encryption and Tunneling Protocols
TorGuard VPN supports multiple protocols. You can choose from AES-128 or AES-256 encryption, Blowfish encryption, SHA-512, WireGuard, OpenVPN (UDP and TCP), OpenConnect and SSTP. TorGuard VPN also supports IKEv2/IPsec, PPTP and L2TP/IPsec, but you’ll need to set them up manually if you’re not a Pro or Premium user.
No-Logs Policy
TorGuard is clear about its logging policy. It doesn’t store your browsing history or logging sessions. TorGuard VPN only collects basic information such as email addresses during sign-up. So, you can be sure it won’t sell your information to advertisers or hand over incriminating information to law enforcement agents.
Multifactor Authentication
TorGuard VPN’s multifactor authentication security feature makes it challenging for hackers to log in to your account, even with brute force attempts. You can activate the authentication and use apps such as Google Authenticator and Authy to further protect access to your activities.
Our Concerns with TorGuard VPN
TorGuard VPN is based in Florida, U.S., so it is subject to the Five Eyes alliance, which requires service providers to hand over your information when necessary. Also, TorGuard VPN has not undergone any independent audits. While public audits and transparency reports can be imperfect, they are valuable assurances of a VPN company’s privacy and security commitment.
TorGuard Review
Simon Migliano is a recognized world expert in VPNs. He’s tested hundreds of VPN services and his research has featured on the BBC, The New York Times and more.
Fact-checked by Callum Tennent Additional Testing by Alyx Morley
Our Verdict
Overall Rating:
7.62 7.6 / 10
How is this calculated? Close
We calculate the VPN service’s Overall Rating by combining the ratings of several testing categories. Each category is weighted as follows:
- Privacy & Logging Policy: 20%
- Speed: 20%
- Security & Technical Features: 15%
- Streaming: 15%
- Ease of Use: 10%
- Torrenting: 5%
- Server Locations: 5%
- Bypassing Web Censorship: 5%
- Customer Support: 5%
TorGuard is an excellent VPN for torrenting. It has a no-logs policy that’s been proven in court, a kill switch, supports port forwarding, and allows P2P on almost all of its servers. It has apps on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Fire TV and is compatible with routers. But it’s standard plan is terrible for streaming, and will cost you a lot more if you want a dedicated streaming IP address or residential address.
Ranked #21 out of 55 VPNs
TorGuard Category Ratings
- Streaming
TorGuard Pros & Cons
Pros
- Proven no logs policy
- Fast same-country speeds
- Works with BBC iPlayer
- Wide range of features
- Ad and malware blockers
- Free encrypted webmail service
Cons
- Complicated desktop apps
- Doesn’t work with Netflix
- Disappointing customer support
- High ping times
Why Trust Our Review?
We’ve spent thousands of hours testing and reviewing 55 VPN services using our impartial review process to recommend you the best VPN software.
Here are some of our key VPN testing statistics:
| Total Hours of Testing | 30,000+ |
| Weekly Speed Tests | 3,000+ |
| VPN Services Reviewed | 55 |
| Streaming Platforms Tested Daily | 12 |
| IP & DNS Leak Tests Performed | 9,500+ |
| How Much We’ve Spent On Testing | $25,000+ |
TorGuard is a well-established VPN service that was launched in 2012. It promises “complete privacy,” and in this review we put this claim to the test.
TorGuard has a huge amount of customizable features. But it can be intimidating to new users. You also have to restart the app each time you enable the kill switch in order for it to register.
In our security tests, TorGuard never leaked our IP address and DNS. It offers the safest protocols, OpenVPN and WireGuard with AES-256 and Blowfish encryption. Subscribers also get access to a fully encrypted Chrome and Firefox browser extension and a DNS ad blocker.
We don’t recommend the VPN for unblocking streaming platforms. In our latest tests, TorGuard’s standard servers failed to unblock any international Netflix libraries, Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max.
On the plus side, its Manchester server successfully unblocked all UK streaming platforms, including BBC iPlayer, All 4, and ITV Player.
You can choose to upgrade your subscription to get a dedicated IP address or residential IP address to improve your chances of unblocking streaming service.
But this will cost you a lot more and isn’t the best value for your money. There are cheaper VPNs that offer access to streaming service in their basic plans.
The VPN service is based in the US, which is one of the worst jurisdictions for digital privacy. It’s part of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which means your VPN usage logs could be stored and shared with government agencies in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
However, TorGuard’s zero-logs policy should protect you from this.
Here’s a video of TorGuard VPN in action: