SkyVPN is a “free” VPN for mobile and desktop users. Right off the bat when you Google “SkyVPN” you get two websites with similar domain names. Which is the legitimate one? Are they operating under the same company?
We believe the two are the same – just using different domain names to target different locations. You’re lead to the same checkout page on both sites.
For desktop users, only 500MB is available to use. After using that 500MB, users can opt to buy the product for various plans and prices. Mobile users, however, can still access it free of charge – as long as they watch ads and complete various missions, of sorts.
They claim to provide secure connections with high speed and unlimited bandwidth to both free and premium users. Access to geo-restricted content is also one of the features of their VPN.
Let’s see if what they’re offering is really worth your time and money.
SkyVPN Specs & Offers
VPN Name | SkyVPN |
---|---|
Leak Test | Leaks Detected |
Logging Policy | No Logs |
Speed | Slow |
Torrenting | Torrenting & P2P Forbidden |
Netflix | Unblocks Netflix |
Jurisdiction | Unknown |
Servers / Countries | 10 / 10 |
Max Connections | 5 |
Kill Switch | Does Not Have Kill Switch |
Anonymous Payment Methods | Not Available |
Free Trial | 500 MB |
Refunds | No Refunds |
Customer Support | None |
Price Starting From | $4.99 |
SkyVPN Pros
Netflix Test: Yep, Netflix is a-go!
We’re very happy and satisfied to report that Netflix is available with SkyVPN. Users of SkyVPN can enjoy binging on different series, anime, and movies available on Netflix.
It’s quite rare to find a free VPN that allows users access to Netflix or similar streaming services, so this is a big win for SkyVPN.
Looking for other Netflix-accessible VPNs? Check out our top picks here.
Product Interface: Very clean
SkyVPN’s interface is clean and straightforward. A big button in the middle connects users to the server of their choosing. Above, users will find the drop-down button containing server locations to choose from (but not the server itself). Buying a premium plan and giving feedback can easily be done within the program.
Sign-Up Process: No account needed until you pay
The first free 500MB of the desktop version doesn’t require an account to use. To get another 100MB of bandwidth, you’ll need to create an account.
Creating an account is very simple. All they need is your email and password. That’s it. You get another 100MB to use for your desktop.
Overall, a pretty simple and easy process. It’s just a shame that free accounts are so limited! Imagine if they gave more bandwidth like what Windscribe has done.
Logging Policy: No-logging policy protects users
SkyVPN lets its customers use their VPN without fear of being tracked; the VPN features a no-logging policy.
This means your browsing history, traffic data, and DNS queries won’t be logged. We have no way of proving that SkyVPN keeps their word here, but the fact it’s in black and white on their page means they at least commit to that ethos.
SkyVPN Neutral Points
Pricing & Plans: Standard pricing model
SkyVPN offers a straightforward pricing model unlike what they’ve done in the past by separating prices for different devices.
Now, everything is inclusive and you have three plans:
- 12 Months – $4.99 per month or $59.88 upfront
- 6 Months – $6.99 per month or $41.94 upfront
- 1 Month – $10.00 per month
The mobile version is free but bandwidth is earned through completing missions and watching advertisements. Meanwhile, the desktop version only provides 500MB for initial use. To get more bandwidth, users must purchase a plan.
All plans have unlimited bandwidth, or so they say on their home page. We dug around their page a bit more and found that they have a fair use policy.
SkyVPN considers 600MB traffic per day as fair usage. That’s like one YouTube video in 1080p!
Payment Methods: PayPal and cards are covered
Users can subscribe to SkyVPN by using PayPal and credit cards. Though PayPal is widely used, we would like to see SkyVPN provide more options for customers who use Bitcoin and the like.
They also have other options like Klarna, WebMoney, Yandex, etc. but no anonymous payment methods.
SkyVPN Cons
Servers and Locations: A severe lack of servers
SkyVPN provides just 10 different servers from North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia (10 countries in total!). Users who are looking for a healthy dose of servers to choose from should look elsewhere.
10 servers is a number lacking by anyone’s measurements. When paid VPNs like NordVPN offer 5359 servers, it makes SkyVPN’s offering pale in comparison.
VPN Speed and Performance: Like their servers, speeds are lacking
We were disappointed with the results of the speed test. Among the 10 servers, we tested three: United States, Germany, and Hong Kong.
North American VPN Server Speed Test
NA Baseline (Without VPN) |
Test Results (to NA Server) |
EU Baseline (Without VPN) |
Test Results (to EU Server) |
---|---|---|---|
Ping (5 ms) |
42 ms (+37 ms) | Ping (90 ms) |
94 ms (+4 ms) |
Download (98.6 Mbps) |
5.4 Mbps (-93.2 Mbps, -95%) |
Download (87.4 Mbps) |
0.6 Mbps (-86.8 Mbps, -99%) |
Upload (98.4 Mbps) |
7.9 Mbps (-90.6 Mbps, -92%) |
Upload (56.3 Mbps) |
2.5 Mbps (-53.8 Mbps, -96%) |
European VPN Server Speed Test
NA Baseline (Without VPN) |
Test Results (to NA Server) |
EU Baseline (Without VPN) |
Test Results (to EU Server) |
---|---|---|---|
Ping (93 ms) |
105 ms (+12 ms) | Ping (27 ms) |
30 ms (+3 ms) |
Download (92 Mbps) |
9 Mbps (-82.9 Mbps, -90%) |
Download (99.1 Mbps) |
6.7 Mbps (-92.4 Mbps, -93%) |
Upload (58.6 Mbps) |
8.6 Mbps (-50.1 Mbps, -85%) |
Upload (98.7 Mbps) |
9 Mbps (-89.7 Mbps, -91%) |
Asian VPN Server Speed Test
NA Baseline (Without VPN) |
Test Results (to NA Server) |
EU Baseline (Without VPN) |
Test Results (to EU Server) |
---|---|---|---|
Ping (278 ms) |
215 ms (-63 ms) | Ping (281 ms) |
467 ms (+186 ms) |
Download (46.9 Mbps) |
7.5 Mbps (-39.4 Mbps, -84%) |
Download (57.8 Mbps) |
7 Mbps (-50.9 Mbps, -88%) |
Upload (7.9 Mbps) |
2.8 Mbps (-5.2 Mbps, -65%) |
Upload (6.2 Mbps) |
2.6 Mbps (-3.7 Mbps, -59%) |
If SkyVPN thinks 5 Mbps is super-fast, then we guess they hit their mark – but they’re wrong. It’s pretty disappointing to see how SkyVPN is a paid VPN service, yet fail to provide an acceptable connection.
The test showed that SkyVPN only has a download speed of 5.38 Mbps and an upload speed of 7.86 Mbps. At a time where many services are offering gigabit servers, a paltry 10 Mbps or less is simply unacceptable – free or not.
Torrenting Policy: Alas, no torrenting allowed
If you were planning to do some torrenting with SkyVPN, you’ll be disappointed. SkyVPN doesn’t support torrenting, and if you try to torrent on their US, UK, CA, and FR servers, your account will be terminated.
No torrenting here, but you can find plenty of VPNs that do allow it right here.
Device Compatibility: Basic offering only
Most desktop and mobile users will find themselves able to use SkyVPN’s service, because the VPN is compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.
Unfortunately, there’s no support for more niche devices, like Smart TVs, Raspberry Pi, or routers – something we appreciate in a good VPN.
Note that one account can be simultaneously used on 5 devices. That’s a decent number.
Refund Policy: No refunds allowed
Users who are thinking of purchasing SkyVPN should be 100% sure they’re satisfied with the VPN because all purchases from SkyVPN are non-refundable.
We hate the idea that a dissatisfied customer can’t get a refund, which is why this section is squarely in the Cons section.
Customer Support: Good luck getting any help
For users who have issues with SkyVPN, we wish you luck in troubleshooting. SkyVPN’s FAQ page contains the bare minimum information about the VPN and doesn’t contain any technical information. The VPN also lacks live chat support and their support page seems to be malfunctioning completely.
They can be contacted through their feedback page within their application. We’re not too certain on how long they take to respond to feedback or if they provide any help to users who have sent inquiries through the feedback page.
It’s all a bit of a mystery.
They have a blog but it doesn’t contain any information on troubleshooting. It’s more of an ad-archive with all their articles on how useful SkyVPN is. Overall, a very lacking support offering.
New VPN users, beware. If you run into trouble, don’t expect SkyVPN to come to your rescue. You may just have to save yourself.
IP and DNS Leak Test: Leaks, leaks everywhere!
Besides a super-fast connection, SkyVPN also promises a very secure connection. We were already disappointed with the speed of the VPN and we were further disappointed with the DNS leak test.
And a timed out test for IP leaks…
This is a red flag for a VPN. Most VPN users are looking to be anonymous when surfing the web, and SkyVPN doesn’t provide the security to do that.
What is a fairly basic requirement for a VPN, SkyVPN seems to fail at. Bummer.
Encryption and Protocols: Strong security
SkyVPN claims to let its users surf the web anonymously and privately with 256-bit AES encryption which is considered to be military-grade.
It’s good to know SkyVPN uses secure encryption protocols but they do not state exactly which protocol they use. You won’t be able to customize the protocol type to your liking, unlike on other (read: better) VPNs.
Kill Switch: No switch, and honestly, we didn’t have high hopes
Sadly, SkyVPN doesn’t have a kill switch. Not an unexpected result, but still disappointing regardless.
A kill-switch will protect you should your connection to the VPN falter – ensuring your personal IP and other details remain anonymous. We always recommend users opt for a VPN that provides a kill-switch – something SkyVPN doesn’t provide; another nail in the coffin for an overall disappointing VPN service.
SkyVPN as a Business
The creators of SkyVPN remain anonymous. There’s no creator or about page on their website. In fact, we struggled to find their creators even searching the web. Who exactly owns or runs this VPN?
We’re not sure – and that makes us very nervous.
Jurisdiction
Most VPNs have their company based in countries within the 14 Eyes Alliance. This may bring some amount of fear or doubt within users but not to the users of SkyVPN.
According to their Terms of Service, SkyVPN is based in Hong Kong, meaning there is no fear of mass surveillance by the 14 Eyes Alliance.
That said, China is notorious for its invasive citizen surveillance and similar practices; should this extend to SkyVPN, there’s no guarantee your data is safe.
Also, here’s an interesting bit in their Terms of Service:
Typo or sneaky legal trick? You decide.
SkyVPN Conclusion: Lacking in just about every area
SkyVPN could be better – a lot better.
The VPN provides a very lacking amount of servers and offers extremely slow internet speeds. They claim to provide a secure connection, but our tests showed us our DNS was still visible.
There’s a lot of room for improvement for SkyVPN; they seem to lack the fundamentals of a good VPN.
Their redeeming features are their access to Netflix and a clean interface. Overall, a weak offer considering the price.
If you have money to spend and are looking for an incredible VPN for a great price, check out our top VPN picks here.
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