Cryptostorm offers a unique approach to online privacy, utilizing cryptographic network access tokens to authenticate users within its network. This process ensures anonymity from the very start of your interaction, even with the purchase itself. Furthermore, the VPN comes with a custom OpenVPN version designed to eliminate any IP or DNS logging. Cryptostorm is also open-source, adding an extra layer of transparency.
Features
Based in Iceland with offices in Canada, Cryptostorm has established itself as a veteran in the VPN space. Previously known as Cryptocloud, this provider goes beyond the typical VPN service, focusing on more than just location spoofing.
One of Cryptostorm’s standout features is its token-based access system, which offers several benefits. There are no accounts, usernames, or passwords involved. Additionally, the token doesn’t start its validity period until the first time you authenticate and use the VPN, meaning you can purchase a token and use it whenever needed. However, it’s crucial to safeguard your token, as the company does not retain any records of sold tokens and cannot replace them if lost.
Windows users will find Cryptostorm particularly user-friendly thanks to its dedicated desktop widget, a compact program with minimal settings but excellent functionality. It does, however, require your token each time you connect to a server for the first time.
For Mac OS, iOS, Android, and Linux users, the VPN is accessible via OpenVPN with Cryptostorm configuration files. While functional, this method lacks the convenience of the Windows widget.
Support is somewhat limited, offered mainly through email, FAQs, and forums. However, the IRC chat can serve as a helpful resource for users seeking quick assistance from the community.
While usability is smooth on Windows, it is more average on other platforms. A notable drawback is the poorly organized website, which scatters crucial downloads across multiple pages, making them difficult to locate. The site’s design and font choices do little to aid in navigating its technical content, making the experience frustrating.
Despite these issues, Cryptostorm’s VPN is easy to use, even if its website is cumbersome. The focus is clearly on the VPN’s performance, and much effort has gone into the technical back-end of the service, which is reflected in the extensive forum and GitHub resources.
The Windows widget, although compact, offers a range of advanced features, including toggles for disabling IPv6, DNS leak prevention, STUN/WebRTC leak prevention, and DNSCrypt server selection. The latter enhances privacy by routing traffic through multiple servers, making it highly difficult for surveillance to pinpoint your real location. Users can also customize ports, protocols (UDP or TCP), timeout settings, and how the program starts and connects.
With no logs kept and no user identities known, Cryptostorm is ideal for torrenting, streaming, and gaming. However, no information is readily available regarding the number of simultaneous connections allowed.
Pricing
Cryptostorm offers a variety of payment methods, including PayPal, credit cards, Stripe, and Bitcoin. Although there is no free trial, the pricing plans are flexible. A week of service costs $1.86, while a month is priced at $6, making it competitively affordable.
Other pricing options include:
- Three months for $16
- Six months for $28
- One year for $52
- Two years for $94
Additionally, Cryptostorm offers custom bundles for teams or groups. For instance, 5 one-month tokens cost $24, 11 tokens are $48, and 25 tokens are priced at $97.
As a token-based VPN, Cryptostorm does not sell its subscriptions directly. Instead, purchases are made through third-party vendors. After checkout, users receive an email with their unique token along with a detailed guide to getting started, which includes valuable information and links.
It’s important to note that Cryptostorm does not offer a money-back guarantee. The only circumstance under which a refund may be considered is if a user is terminated due to a violation of the Terms of Service, which could entitle them to a partial refund.
All paid plans provide the same access to servers and compatibility across multiple operating systems. However, live support is not available, so users must rely on forums and guides for troubleshooting.
Performance
Cryptostorm may not be the fastest VPN, but it delivers consistent results. With my pre-VPN speeds averaging 40 Mbps for downloads and 35 Mbps for uploads, Cryptostorm’s servers significantly reduced download speeds to approximately 7 Mbps across various locations, regardless of server proximity. Upload speeds, however, fluctuated considerably.
Here are my speed test results before connecting to the VPN:
- US, Dallas server:
- Phoenix server:
- Coventry, UK:
- Bucharest, Romania (Obfsproxy connection):
While the speed decrease is noticeable, Cryptostorm performed excellently in my security tests, passing without any DNS, WebRTC, or IPv6 leaks.
Despite my attempts to optimize the connection by adjusting settings and clearing the cache, Cryptostorm could only bypass restrictions to HBO. Unfortunately, it failed to unblock both Netflix US and BBC iPlayer.
Netflix detected the use of a VPN, and BBC iPlayer recognized that I wasn’t accessing it from the UK.
Privacy and Security
Cryptostorm employs industry-standard security protocols, using OpenVPN with 256-bit encryption, RSA-2048 asymmetric key exchange, and SHA-512 hash authentication. While these technical details may seem complex, rest assured, this level of encryption is highly secure by modern standards.
For the more technically inclined, Cryptostorm’s OpenVPN patch is set to /dev/null, ensuring that private IP addresses are not recorded in temporary status logs. Furthermore, the absence of weak protocols like PPTP—known for their vulnerabilities—underscores the provider’s commitment to security. Cryptostorm maintains a strict no-logs policy, does not track user identities, and does not store your VPN token. In addition, it is open-source and decentralized.
Being open-source means that Cryptostorm’s code is available for public audit, which enables developers to identify and fix vulnerabilities swiftly. It also allows knowledgeable users to verify the security claims. The decentralized nature of the service adds an extra layer of operational flexibility. While the company is primarily based in Iceland, it operates offices in Canada and other locations, but lacks a centralized headquarters, making jurisdictional issues more complex. Cryptostorm’s Privacy Seppuku Pledge and clear, concise Privacy Policy and Terms of Service pages emphasize its transparency.
Concerns
However, as someone who has reviewed numerous VPN providers, I have learned to maintain a healthy skepticism. Despite the robust security measures, Cryptostorm has faced allegations in the past. Notably, there have been claims suggesting that Cryptostorm was, at one point, an FBI honeypot. These allegations reference Douglas Spink, an alleged owner of Cryptostorm, who was convicted of smuggling $34 million worth of cocaine in 2005 and served only three years of a 17-year sentence. This raised suspicions that he may have cooperated with the FBI. Additionally, the company has not publicly addressed how it complies with Canadian data retention laws.
While these allegations date back to 2013, Spink’s connection to an internet encryption service was mentioned as recently as 2016. It is somewhat disconcerting that Cryptostorm has not made efforts to clarify or address these concerns publicly, which casts a shadow over its otherwise solid reputation.
