Atlas VPN Review 2024 | Security Expert Analysis - VPN Compare (2024)

Atlas VPN is a virtual private network founded in 2019. Still, its clever blend of premium features alongside a more limited free version has already delivered it more than 6 million users.

It hit the headlines a few years back after being bought out by Nord Security, the parent company of NordVPN. But Atlas VPN will remain a stand-alone VPN service.

So, what exactly have Nord Security got for the unspecified amount of money they have purchased the Atlas VPN app for?

We’ve been putting this VPN through its paces and here is a detailed Atlas VPN review that will show you what it has to offer.

Don’t have time to read the full review? Check out our Atlas VPN video review:

1. Service

Speeds

After using Atlas VPN for a number of weeks we found their speeds to be extremely usable.

Everything from regular daily internet tasks to gaming and streaming generally worked without any issues.

To test things to an even greater extent we ran speed tests from a regular UK residential internet connection. The same as you would be using in your own home.

Using a Windows system and the Atlas VPN app with the Wireguard protocol we downloaded a number of test files and ran speed tests and recorded the speed. Our base speed without VPN was: 481.6 Mbps.

Below are a selection of results from across the service’s server range.

• UK – 310.0 Mbps / 417.2 Mbps (10Gbps server)
• Netherlands – 465.3 Mbps
• Switzerland – 310.5 Mbps
• Sweden – 468.0 Mbps
• France – 329.1 Mbps
• New York, US – 426.5 Mbps
• Australia – 67.3 Mbps

As the results show, speeds are generally very good both with nearer servers and even those at distance. They’re some of the highest speeds we’ve seen.

Logging

Atlas VPN’s privacy policy offers a solid no user logs guarantee across both its premium and free version VPN service.

Given how young this VPN provider is, it will come as no surprise to learn that this no logs guarantee has not yet been independently verified.

However, under the terms of the purchase deal with Nord Security, one of the few details that was provided said that Atlas VPN would be subject to third-party audits.

We would have, therefore, expected an independent audit of their no logs policy at some point. However, in the two year ownership, this has still not happened.

AtlasVPN has had both their Windows and iOS apps audited which is a good start but we would like to see their logging policy and overall service put through a rigorous audit sooner rather than later.

On the basis of what information is in the public domain, there is no reason to doubt their no user logs guarantee at the moment. But obviously, a third party audit will increase user confidence.

Simultaneous Connections

Atlas VPN is one of a growing number of VPN providers that offer unlimited simultaneous connections with every subscription.

This means that once you have signed up, you can connect all of your devices to their service, and even those of your family, at the same time.

Even more impressive is that this unlimited simultaneous connections offer also extends to Atlas VPN’s free VPN service too. Although do note that there are other restrictions and limitations to that service such as being limited to 3 locations.

Jurisdiction

Atlas VPN is headquartered in the state of Delaware in the USA.

The USA is not a privacy friendly country and it is also a member of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing network. However, at the time of writing this review, there are no specific laws in the US that require VPN services headquartered there to keep user logs.

Atlas VPN is far from the only premium VPN to be based there and so far, there has been no reason to think that any of them have compromised user privacy as a result of the legal requirements of the jurisdiction in which they are based.

The jurisdiction of Atlas VPN is muddied somewhat by the recent buy-out by Nord Security. NordVPN is headquartered in Panama, an offshore location with rock-solid privacy protections, so Atlas VPN privacy should be at a satisfying level.

It is possible that in time, Atlas VPN might shift over to this jurisdiction formally too. For now, it remains a US entry but there is still no reason for users to be unduly concerned.

Customer Support

Customer support is very much an area of Atlas VPN that has improved in recent years. What started off as an extreme sparse help section has expanded into a more rounded and useful resource.

The answers section is broken down into five categories; Getting Started, Having Issues, Managing account and payments, More about Atlas VPN and FAQ. There is also a search facility which works well.

Since we last took a look at Atlas VPN they have thankfully introduced a live chat help service. This is restricted to premium users only, which is fair. Sadly, if you’ve got any pre-sales questions you won’t be able to get help this way.

Atlas VPN also allows you to contact them via email and in our tests we got answers reasonably swiftly. This option is available to all current and potential users.

2. Server Locations

Atlas VPN currently offers 1000+ premium servers which, given that it was only founded in 2019 is a reasonably impressive number.

They previously only covered 31 countries but this has increased massively and there are now VPN servers in over 49 countries across the world.

But, to be fair to Atlas VPN, it does have a good server selection in all the places where service demand is highest, and the need for local IP addresses is the greatest.

There are several different Atlas VPN server locations for protecting your internet connection within the USA, seven different Asian locations, and even VPN servers in Australia and New Zealand.

For the vast majority of users, this will be more than enough locations for their needs.

3. Security and Safety

Protocols and Encryption

Atlas VPN encrypts your traffic with the ‘military grade’ AES 256-bit encryption which is the minimum that we would expect of any premium VPN provider in the day and age.

Tunneling protocols are surprising and apps like their Windows edition already support Wireguard, which is a huge bonus. It doesn’t, however, offer OpenVPN, which is quite odd.

Other apps instead work solely with the IPSec/IKEv2 VPN protocol. This is likely to be a hangover from Atlas VPNs early days when it was a mobile-only VPN service.

The IPSec/IKEv2 VPN protocol is secure and it can protect your personal data, but it is not as secure as more modern tunneling protocols and it is also far less user-friendly as a protocol, so we would like to see these expanded across their entire range.

This is definitely an area where Atlas VPN has room for improvement.

To their credit, Atlas VPN has already undertaken an independent security audit of their apps. This looked at their iOS app and Windows app and identified no serious vulnerabilities, only two mid-level issues, and a further three minor issues.

It is refreshing to see such a young VPN go down this path already and the results were very encouraging.

Following the buyout by Nord Security, one of the details that was stressed in the public announcement was that Atlas VPN will continue to be subjected to such external scrutiny moving forward. That is certainly to the benefit of their users and is something we would welcome.

Is Atlas VPN safe for torrenting?

Torrenting is not something that Atlas VPN is especially vocal about, unlike some of its competitors.

It does not offer P2P optimised premium servers or any other features that are specifically aimed at people downloading torrents.

But crucially, torrenting does work on Atlas VPN, even if you use a premium version.

We tested it on several servers and while the download speed varied a little, all were respectable and torrenting worked on all servers. The IP addresses were replaced properly, and our identity was hidden.

Best of all, you have unlimited data, so you don’t have to worry about using it all.

We also gave it a quick try on their free VPN service. While Atlas VPN’s speeds here were a little slower, as we would expect, torrenting also worked.

But this is likely something that Atlas VPN doesn’t want shouted from the rooftops. Even so, yes, Atlas VPN does seem to be one of the best free VPN companies for torrenting, surprisingly.

Are there any AtlasVPN security incidents?

Towards the end of 2023, AtlasVPN’s Linux client was shown to have a vulnerability which would allow an attacker to reveal the user’s IP address.

This bug affected only their Linux client and at the time of writing it has not been resolved.

The issue revolved around the ability to remotely disconnect the user which resulted in their IP address being exposed.

4. Apps

Mobile Apps

Atlas VPN premium version offers apps for both iOS and Android devices.

There is very little difference between the two. They look identical and have the same features.

It was the Android app that we put through its paces mainly but we did give the iOS app a thorough testing too.

Downloading and installing the app was fairly straightforward. We did it from the Google Play Store.

The layout of the app is sleek, modern, and very user-friendly.

I wasn’t massively keen on the sign-in system. Upon entering your email address you’re sent a login link via email. You’ll need to click that link or copy the code from your email.

If you’re signing in on a device where you don’t have access to email, you’ll need to find a way to access that email, otherwise you’ll be unable to login to the app. In all fairness you’ll only need to login the first time, but if the app logs you out at any time you’ll hit the same issue.

The all-important quick connect button is there, along with easy-to-access menu options and an Atlas VPN server list if you want to switch locations. You can also switch between light and dark modes if you want to.

There is a kill switch on the premium version which should sever your internet access if your VPN connection starts to break. That makes the kill switch a very valuable tool.

However, a few other reviewers seem to have had problems with getting the kill switch to work. On the other hand, the kill switch worked fine for us. So, when it comes to the kill switch, Atlas VPN might be a hit or miss.

You can also check if your email addresses have appeared in any data breaches thanks to their data hack detection feature, or data breach monitor feature, as it is also called.

Overall, we found the premium version Atlas VPN mobile apps perfectly sufficient for most people’s needs. They are not weighed down with features like some VPN apps are and, of course, a lot of people prefer to keep things clean and simple.

Desktop apps

Atlas VPN began its life as a mobile VPN provider but branched out into desktop apps some years ago.

We tested the Windows app but have also previously put their macOS app through its paces. Like with most VPN apps, the main screen features their server locations and a connect button.

Choosing a country to connect to is straightforward and within just a few clicks you can be connected and protected.

You’re also able to access their “Assistant” which allows you to turn on their ad-blocker called “Shield”, their “Data breach monitor” to discover if any of your data has been released in a leak and the option to protect all of your devices.

Elsewhere you have Settings. Here you can choose the protocol from either WireGuard or IPSec/IKEv2. I found this to be an easy switch, similar to all other popular providers.

All of the other basic options you find from most providers are covered too. These include things like booting the app automatically on start-up, activating their kill switch amongst others.

I found after using plenty of other providers the layout to be similar. I had no trouble connecting or altering any of the settings. The app covers most of the settings your like to need.

Other apps

Alongside the apps for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS, Atlas VPN have been expanding their offering.

They now offer an Amazon Fire TV app which is an excellent addition. I found this extremely useful for streaming TV shows while travelling and accessing my home Netflix catalogue.

If you’re a streamer then you’ll love this addition.

Alongside they also offer a Linux app and an Android TV app.

5. Streaming

Does Atlas VPN work with Netflix?

Yes. As long as you are a premium subscriber, Atlas VPN can unblock Netflix. The free version, on the other hand, will not work, which is usually the case with free VPNs.

We tested Atlas VPN with several different Netflix libraries, including US Netflix and the UK library too and both worked, which is surprising given many providers are struggling right now.

Connection speeds were sufficient to enjoy viewing Netflix content too, which is important, as without good VPN speeds, buffering and interruptions of your video will be a common occurrence.

They weren’t however the fastest and it did take up to 30 seconds or more for some content to start playing, which was a minor annoyance.

However, if you are using the Atlas VPN free version, it is a slightly different story. While Atlas VPN is able to load the Netflix platform without incident, none of the three Atlas VPN free servers in the free version were able to switch the location of Netflix to a different library.

So, if you want free VPNs to watch US Netflix or other libraries from overseas, you can’t do it with free servers – only with a server location available to premium users of Atlas VPN.

In other words, you will need to sign up to them in order to be able to, as the free version will not be able to help you.

Again, this is not surprising when it comes to free VPNs, which are all typically blocked by such services, and very few free VPNs can bypass any major service’s defences.

Does Atlas VPN work with BBC iPlayer?

There have been some mixed reports about how effective Atlas VPN is at unblocking the BBC iPlayer streaming service but in our tests, BBC iPlayer seemed to work fine.

The service was unblocked without a problem and it streamed content fine with no buffering or other major issues encountered.

Does Atlas VPN work with Disney+?

We had no trouble unblocking various Disney+ libraries using Atlas VPN. It worked seamlessly and there was no interruption to our viewing.

Does Atlas VPN work with Amazon Prime?

Amazon Prime Video has always been one of the more challenging streaming services to unblock and it is one that Atlas VPN seems to have some issues with as well.

We tried out Amazon Prime Video on several different servers but were unable to get it working. We are therefore forced to conclude that this is one service that doesn’t work with Atlas VPN.

Other services

Given its youth, we were pretty impressed with how Atlas VPN performed at unblocked streaming services overall.

We had difficulty with a few premium services, such as DAZN and HBO Max (although others have reported having joy with this one.)

But for most other streaming services, Atlas VPN seemed to do the job for us. It was fine with Hulu and others such as ITVX and Sky Go. A decent effort for a VPN that has only been around for a couple of years.

6. Prices and Plans

Atlas VPN offers a standard range of packages with discounts for those users willing to sign up for longer. Packages are available in 1-month or 1-year options. Depending on where you’re located you’ll also either see a 2-year or a 3-year deal.

Current prices on the Atlas VPN site at the time of writing are:

• 1-month – $11.99 p/m (£9.83)
• 1 year – $4.08 p/m (£2.69)
• 2/3 years – $1.83 p/m or £1.49 p/m

The monthly fee is fairly expensive, as seem to be the way with most VPN providers these days and has gone up since we last looked at their service. However, it is still a dollar or two cheaper than many.

The annual and 2-year and 3-year packages are much more competitive and actually come out cheaper than our previous review.

Atlas VPN does attempt to up-sell you their “Shield” and “Data Breach Monitor” service. So be careful when checking out as the button to add them on is much more prominent than the one to decline them.

They do however work out extremely cheap at just 56 cents or 38 pence per month extra.

The longer packages come with a full 30-day money back guarantee, as well as basic features, such as the kill switch.

A 30-day money-back guarantee means you have 30 days since the moment of subscribing to ask for a refund. This is plenty of time to put Atlas VPN through its paces to make sure it works for you. If it doesn’t, the money-back guarantee will get you your money back.

There are a number of different payments options available, including all the usual credit and debit cards, Google Pay, and PayPal. Atlas VPN also now accept Cryptocurrencies through CoinPayments.

It is worth noting, that Atlas VPN will automatically renew your subscription for a further year at the end of your initial subscription period. Aside from the monthly package which will renew another month.

7. Verdict

Throughout this Atlas VPN review, we have made references to the fact that Atlas VPN is a young VPN. This bears repeating one final time here.

For a VPN that only launched in 2019 and then as a mobile-only service, Atlas VPN has made hugely impressive strides in a remarkably short space of time.

They deserve credit for that.

But we are acutely aware that most users are far more interested in the level of service that a VPN can offer here and now as opposed to the progress they are making. And while Atlas VPN’s premium service has some very positive features, there are some areas where significant improvement is needed.

Let’s take a look at the positive points first.

Unlimited simultaneous connections are great and the expansion of apps available makes it a more serious option in the VPN market.

The logging policy is good as is the level of encryption offered (AES 256-bit encryption). However, we would like to see the no-logging policy and service audited, as oppose to just the apps.

Atlas VPN server network has decent speeds and a pretty good IP address count, and it works well with torrenting and in unblocking quite a few streaming services too.

Prices are competitive if you sign up for a year or more and there is a 30-day money back guarantee available too. As for the kill switch, Atlas VPN has worked fine for us, while others reported that the kill switch might be problematic.

On the flip side, there are some significant negatives. Being based in the USA is not ideal, while there are no requirements for it to retain data, the US is part of the five-eyes. You’ll need to make a personal decision of if that is a deal breaker for your circ*mstances.

Apps at Atlas VPN perform decently and offer a good range of options.

Sadly, we also note that Atlas VPN does not offer any of the obfuscation technologies needed to work in Communist China and other such countries. If that’s your VPN usage reason, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

The same can be said if you’re after double-hop VPN servers or dedicated IP addresses.

So, Atlas VPN is very much a mixed bag at the moment. There is no doubt that Nord Security has made its investment on the back of the potential it has to be a major player in the VPN market in the years ahead.

Overall Atlas VPN is well rounded, but there is certainly room for improvement. Would I pick AtlasVPN over their more established providers, NordVPN or Surfshark? Probably not just yet.