PureVPN

PureVPN's privacy narrative has a hard break at 2017. Before: a stated no-logs policy under BVI incorporation. That year, court records documented PureVPN providing subscriber and connection logs to the FBI. After 2019: KPMG audits started and have run annually since. What they don't resolve is whether the same organization would respond differently to comparable legal pressure today.

In 2017, court records documented PureVPN providing subscriber and connection logs to the FBI in a cyberstalking investigation — directly contradicting the active no-logs policy. The company revised its architecture and started KPMG's annual audit program in 2019. KPMG audits have verified the revised no-logs implementation annually since. Transparency reports and warrant canary maintained. Bitcoin and crypto payments accepted. BVI incorporation is structurally favorable. The 2017 disclosure surfaced through court records rather than voluntary PureVPN communication — the disclosure posture at the time of the incident is part of the record alongside subsequent improvements.

WireGuard and OpenVPN available. Kill switch runs on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux — more complete cross-platform kill switch coverage than most competitors that exclude iOS or Android. Kill switch isn't on by default. Stealth mode tunnels OpenVPN through port 443. WireGuard can't be obfuscated. No multi-hop.

WireGuard and OpenVPN cover the core protocol needs. Kill switch operates system-wide across Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux — five platforms, broader cross-platform coverage than competitors that exclude iOS or mobile. Kill switch requires manual activation; it's not enabled by default. Stealth mode routes OpenVPN through port 443 for restricted-port environments. WireGuard doesn't support obfuscation in PureVPN's implementation. No multi-hop routing. The cross-platform kill switch reach is the clearest security differentiator relative to comparable providers.

A Streaming Mode toggle exists in the interface — a UX acknowledgment of streaming as a use case, not an infrastructure investment. No labeled platform categories, no SmartDNS. Netflix works on some servers depending on current IP status, not maintained infrastructure.

PureVPN includes a Streaming Mode in the app that adjusts connection parameters for streaming use cases. No platform-labeled streaming server categories — no 'Netflix US' or 'BBC iPlayer UK' sections. Netflix access is inconsistent, dependent on which IPs haven't been blocked rather than maintained infrastructure. No SmartDNS for non-app streaming devices. Streaming Mode is a configuration hint rather than an infrastructure commitment. For occasional streaming it may help; for users who need consistent access to specific platforms across regions, the approach isn't built for that.

WireGuard is the default. A large fleet across a wide geographic spread. Virtual servers are in the fleet alongside physical hardware — the ratio isn't disclosed per region. KPMG audits scope the no-logs policy, not the infrastructure architecture.

WireGuard runs as the default protocol on all major platforms. The fleet spans a large server count across a wide set of countries. Virtual servers are part of the infrastructure alongside physical hardware — the ratio isn't disclosed per region, meaning some geographic latency expectations may not match actual server placement. KPMG's audit program verifies the no-logs policy; whether servers are virtual, physical, RAM-only, or disk-persistent falls outside the audit scope. For standard use, WireGuard performance across the geographic footprint is adequate.

Mode-based navigation — Security, Privacy, Streaming, File Sharing, Dedicated IP — organizes the interface around what you're trying to do. Over time, PureVPN has accumulated features and use-case categories addressing different needs. The result is a product with more surface area than providers built around a single philosophy.

PureVPN's interface uses mode-based navigation organized around use cases. Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and Android TV covered. Split tunneling on Windows and Android; iOS and macOS not confirmed in official documentation. Browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge operate as proxy connections. Mode-based navigation works for users who think in terms of what they're trying to accomplish; it adds steps for users who want to configure specific settings directly. Dedicated IP mode surfaces the paid add-on without requiring navigation through advanced settings.

Ten simultaneous connections. Chrome, Firefox, and Edge proxy-level extensions. Dedicated IP available as a paid add-on — relevant for services that block shared VPN IPs or for remote access configurations that need a predictable exit address.

Ten simultaneous connections. Browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge operate as proxy — browser traffic only, not system VPN. Dedicated IP add-on provides a static exit IP not shared with other subscribers — useful for services blocking commercial VPN IP ranges and for remote access needing a predictable address. The add-on cost is separate and should be included in budget comparisons when applicable. Router guides cover OpenVPN and WireGuard for extending coverage beyond the connection cap.

A 31-day refund window — slightly more runway than the 30-day category standard. Long-term pricing is competitive. Renewal pricing increases from introductory rates. Any value calculation for privacy-sensitive users needs to hold both the current KPMG-verified posture and the 2017 incident simultaneously, not treat one as having resolved the other.

Money-back window extends to 31 days on qualifying plans. Long-term pricing is comparable to Surfshark and PIA at similar subscription lengths. Renewal pricing increases from introductory rates. No free tier. Refunds require support contact. Dedicated IP add-on carries a separate cost. For privacy-sensitive users, the value calculation includes the 2017 incident history alongside the current audit-verified posture — both facts simultaneously rather than treating the audit program as having fully resolved the prior disclosure.

KPMG audits have run annually since 2019 — a multi-year verified record under the revised policy. No infrastructure incidents in PureVPN's own disclosures since 2019. The original 2017 disclosure surfaced through court records, not PureVPN's own communication. The transparency posture during that event is part of the record alongside subsequent improvements.

KPMG has audited PureVPN annually since 2019, building a multi-year verification record under the revised architecture. No infrastructure incidents documented in PureVPN's own disclosures since the audit program started. No RAM-only architecture published. No formal uptime commitment. The 2017 incident: PureVPN provided connection logs to the FBI, and the disclosure became public through court documents rather than voluntary PureVPN communication. The transparency posture has measurably changed since 2019. Whether the communication pattern during a comparable future incident would differ is a question the audit program alone can't resolve.