Renowned for its commitment to privacy protection, Perfect Privacy lives up to its name by providing industry-leading encryption protocols, unique functionalities, cross-platform support, and servers in 23 countries. Given its stellar reputation, I was eager to determine whether it truly embodies its “perfect” moniker.
Features
Based in Switzerland, Perfect Privacy is a VPN service established in 2008, distinguishing itself as a premium option in the market. Its high price point is justified by its extensive array of features.
The service allows unlimited device connections per account, provided that only one user is active per account. It supports a range of operating systems including Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, and iOS. While some applications are simpler to configure than others, the overall installation and setup process is relatively straightforward.
For instance, Android users can download the APK directly from the member area. However, using the OpenVPN protocol on mobile devices requires installing the OpenVPN Connect app from Google Play and downloading configuration files from Perfect Privacy’s website. Although this process is somewhat cumbersome, it is a one-time requirement.
The Windows client, while not particularly aesthetically pleasing, is functional and user-friendly. The settings are well-organized into tabs, and users can easily access advanced features such as cascading, stealth VPN, proxy settings, port forwarding, and a kill switch. Configuring essential features like DNS leak protection, firewall settings, and startup behavior is also straightforward. Users can firewall their local router with a single click, enable IPv6 leak protection, or manually set the DNS server.
A notable feature is the inclusion of a help icon next to each setting, which provides a clear, layman’s explanation when hovered over—an excellent addition for ease of use.
Server selection is efficient, with options to sort by country, ping, bandwidth, or name. Disconnecting is also simple via the tray icon.
Perfect Privacy imposes no bandwidth caps or traffic limits, making it an ideal choice for families. The VPN cascading feature routes traffic through a sequence of four VPN connections, enhancing anonymity and complicating tracking efforts for potential surveillance entities.
The member area includes additional features such as tracking protection, anti-phishing, ad blocking, malware site blocking, and Facebook tracking prevention.
Pricing
Pricing for Perfect Privacy is relatively steep. Although subscriptions can be made using various payment methods, including PayPal, Bitcoin, credit card, and over 60 other options via Paymentwall, the pricing structure lacks flexibility.
The cost is $12.99 per month for a monthly subscription, $9.99 per month for a one-year plan, and $8.95 per month for a two-year plan, making it one of the more expensive VPN options available. Prices are listed in euros, and there is no option to view pricing in USD, which can be a drawback.
Additionally, there is no free trial available, which is a significant limitation. Although there is a seven-day refund policy with certain conditions, users must purchase at least a monthly plan to experience the service before committing to a long-term subscription.
Tests
Perfect Privacy operates approximately 40 servers across 25 countries, with Europe being the most comprehensively covered region. Their coverage in other areas is also commendable.
It is important to note that enabling more protections can lead to a noticeable decrease in speed. The following are the results of my speed test on SpeedTest.net before enabling Perfect Privacy:
[Insert speed test results here]
Here are the results with Perfect Privacy enabled:
Regarding security, with DNS leak protection activated, no issues were detected:
However, there was an IPv6 leak, which I discovered through a thread on the Perfect Privacy forums. It appears that a third-party firewall might be the cause of this issue.
For those who may not be particularly tech-savvy, opting for a service with a gentler learning curve might be advisable.
Perfect Privacy supports P2P torrenting and streaming. While it successfully unblocked BBC iPlayer on both desktop and mobile devices, I encountered difficulties with Netflix.
Privacy
Perfect Privacy excels in privacy protection and adheres to a strict no-logs policy—there is no retention of user IPs, connection logs, or server logins. Consequently, in the event of a DMCA notice, they would have no data to disclose. BitTorrent and P2P activities are permitted; however, some popular torrents are blocked when using servers located in the US or France due to these countries’ rapid actions against servers facilitating illegal P2P activities.
Security
In terms of security, Perfect Privacy provides the option to connect via OpenVPN or IPSec, both of which utilize AES-256 encryption, along with various additional security features. If experiencing speed issues, you might consider using lower-grade encryption. SSG2 tunnels are also available for enhanced security
