ZenMate VPN Review 2024: Does it live up to its reputation?

zenmate

ZenMate VPN offers free and paid subscriptions. The ZenMate free version comes with IPSecIKEv2 & L2TP protocols, while the premium version comes with Open VPN tunnelling protocol. Unlike its other VPN counterparts that use 256-bit AES encryptions, it only uses 128-bit encryption which helps you feel more secure while surfing the internet.

zenmate vpn review

Are you tired of slow internet speed? Do you want to open popular streaming sites like Netflix even if there’s a geo-restriction in your area? Are you a torrent user? Do you want a reliable online security presence when using public WiFi?

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Looking for VPN that protect your online privacy?

Protect your online presence, P2P file sharing, secure your identity, and watch your favorite movies online with ZenMate VPN. Your best choice for your VPN needs.

Have you ever used a VPN? Do you even have an idea what it is? If you do, then are you considering using it? So with the thought of helping you get started, we created this review ZenMate VPN.

ZenMate – a reliable and better VPN

ZenMate was first released in 2013 by a German company ZengGuard. It’s is a high-speed VPN service that’s easy to use and equipped with military-level security features. Currently, it is operating 30+ servers from different locations around the world.

zenmate vpn

This is probably because the company gravitate towards three core values; Easy, Fast and Secure. Although this might look like a lack on its part, the company boasts of having reached 43 million users worldwide.

Without further adieu, we created this review ZenMate VPN.

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ZenMate Prices and Plans

ZenMate offers three pricing plans, namely: 1-month subscription for £9.49 / month, 1-year subscription for £3.89 per month or £46.68 every year and £1.33 per month for three-years which is £51.84. The latter being the most cost-effective, the company accept payments from credit cards or PayPal.

Zenmate VPN free is only for a limited time offer of 7 days. However, the free version has limited speed, locations and platforms. It only works with servers in the US, Germany, Hong Kong, and Romania.

One important thing to note is, every purchase comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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Summary sheet for Zenmate

Characteristic Value
Does this provider have a no-log policy? Yes, this provider doesn't log your activities
Is this VPN service good for P2P? Yes, it is good for torrenting
Netflix catalogues availability US, FE, DE, UK
How many devices can be connected simultaneously? This provider allows 5 simultaneous connections
Server locations 74+
Supported apps and devices Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Any refund policy? Yes, the money-back guarantee lasts 30 days
VPN protocols? OpenVPN (TCP, UDP), L2TP, PPTP
Bandwidth? Unlimited
VPN encryption? Most secure VPN encryption: Military AES 256 bits
How many IP addresses does this service provide? This provider doesn't disclose that information
VPN Servers? 3,500+

Zenmate – The VPN with simple and clean interface

ZenMate has servers optimized for streaming different platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Yle, Globo Sport TV, Fox Spot, Channel 4, HBO Now, Eurosport, PLayer.PL, Comedy Central, Globo and ORF.

ZenMate Torrent

Luckily, ZenMate uses servers that are specially optimized for torrent users. This means that your P2P traffic is safe and secured. You can always count on its safe and reliable capabilities without worries of your file-sharing being monitored.

You can never go blind again or even endure slow download speeds because of overcrowded servers. This is because you can see all torrent servers with its corresponding user counts and server load on your screen.

ZenMate Netflix

With Netflix, there is a geo-restriction in place with its content outside the US territory. They do this because other countries have a set of requirements before they grant services like Netflix any license to operate. Here is Netflix’s statement with regards to geo-restrictions in your area.

However, according to another review ZenMate VPN, there are two servers that worked well with ZenMate Netflix and they are located within the US territory.

However, it’s the UK and GE servers that are more stable and deliver the uninterrupted streaming experience.

ZenMate for Android

ZenMate offers secure VPN for all devices including Android devices. It can unblock contents not just Netflix and Hulu but with Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, HBO Now and many others. It has all the security features of its high-priced counterparts like hiding your IP address and protect your personal information against cyber invasion.

For ZenMate android, you can go to google play store to download the VPN. Launch the client app, create your account and verify using your email address. Choose and connect to any ZenMate VPN servers available. That’s it!

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ZenMate Features

zenmate interface

Speed and performance

According to one review ZenMate VPN, after they’ve monitored its performance over 13 different servers for a week, with their team located in Belgrade, Serbia, it showed that the best results were recorded from the server in Stockholm. They were surprised to see that it’s able to maintain 97.65% of their original speed.

Frankfurt and London servers did perform fairly as well. However, it’s the New York server that performed exceptionally well with a result of 72.19%, surprisingly ZenMate Netflix is streaming HD quality. Sydney and Hong Kong servers are also doing well.

Servers mentioned above performed very well that the team did not experience disconnections, lags, and other related issues. However, other servers that were optimized for Netflix US are a complete disaster. They were not able to complete connections with other distant servers.

ZenMate Free and Premium Subscriptions Supported Platforms

Here are the platforms that are supported by Zenmate:

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • Linux
  • Gaming consoles
  • Firestick TV
  • Apple TV
  • Chromebook
  • Raspberry Pi
  • Routers
  • Smart TV

It also works on extensions like:

ZenMate Google Chrome, ZenMate Firefox, and the ZenMate Opera.

ZenMate allows its users up to 5 simultaneous connections, a standard feature for modern VPN services. It also gives you the option to add more devices. You can do this by downloading the software from their official website using your login data. At the same time, you can also remove other devices on your client dashboard.

On the other hand, ZenMate download free and ZenMate add to chrome options are also available.

Zenmate Servers

Currently, ZenMate did not specify how many servers they have in more than 30 countries around the globe. Likewise, the company provides a private DNS server as a standard protection measure against DNS leaks that might occur.

zenmate server list

The client gives you the option to connect to special VPN servers that are specially optimized for either streaming and torrent use. When you click on the All Servers and Torrenting Tabs, the client will show you the number of users for each server, therefore, preventing yours from overcrowding a server.

It also shows you the accurate distance of your current location to the ZenMate VPN server of your choosing. Unless you don’t know which server would give you the optimal result, you can click the auto-pick option and the software will do the work for you. To make things easier, there is an option that lets you create your own list of servers as you continue using this tool.

Also important to keep in mind that ZenMate does not offer its service in countries like China, Saudi Arabia and Iran because of their heavy censorship measures. The company even discourages users from the said countries against premium subscription because they cannot guarantee their services to work. This is the same in Pakistan, Turkey, and UAE.

Safety and Security

ZenMate uses AES-256 encryption that is considered military-grade or bank-grade To say the least, this kind of encryption is considered state-of-the-art security. It is also equipped with software that generates a new encryption key for every section. This means that even if someone is able to infiltrate your online traffic, once you log out the previous encryption key will turn useless.

ZenMate supports OpenVPN, IKEv2, and L2TP software. However, if you have no idea about connection protocols, the software can help you pick the best choice for you but it is based mainly on your internet connection properties.

It has also a killswitch feature that you can control. In like manner, this feature can be annoying if your internet connection is unstable. In other words, if you’re just using a VPN to bypass geo-restrictions in order to stream online, turning the killswitch features will have no effect on you.

An added benefit is the software has anti-malware and anti-tracking features.

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30-day money back guarantee

Logging and Privacy Settings

Upon logging in, ZenMate will need this information:

  1. Non Personal data like browser version, operating system, potential referrals, alternate websites, date and time, ISP and IP addresses.
  2. Personal data like name, address, surname, email, payment info, billing method, chargeback requests, transaction information, limited credit card information.
    Windows client (Interface/Settings)

ZenMate app is simple and very easy to use. Although it’s excellent for beginners, it won’t disappoint advanced users. You’ll find the app easy to navigate and configure especially when you’re working on your connection settings.

zenmate settings

You even cancel or renew your subscription plan without leaving the app. When you scroll down the list, you can click on the server you want to connect into. However, when there’s a connection issue, an exclamation point will appear next to that server. Having said this, the client lets you switch users fast and easy.

Customer service

ZenMate has a fairly good support section. If the FAQ section doesn’t answer your query, you can send them a ticket instead. Although it doesn’t have live chat support, you can expect an excellent response from their polite representatives within 10 minutes.

Conclusion

ZenMate’s premium plans are considered well-priced while the ZenMate free plan provides decent security with four servers. Although it has capped speed it has no data limit.

However, when you subscribe to the two-year plan you’ll get a better discount. Their long-term subscription offers bigger discounts and It’s extremely fast for its price value. Especially with US servers, you can expect a small amount of lost speed but it does perform a lot better with local servers.

8.5 Total Score
Zenmate

Privacy and Security
9
Features
9
Speed and Performance
8
Value for money
9
Ease of use
9
PROS
  • Good encryption standard AES-256
  • Automatic Killswitch
  • No DNS leakage
  • Have servers in 30 or more countries
  • Connections up to 5 devices
  • Ideal for beginners
  • Supports more than 11 languages
  • 7-day free trial
CONS
  • Modest customer service support
  • Poor performance with Netflix US servers
  • Limited payment method
Carol Brooks

Meet Carol, a passionate cybersecurity expert, with a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, specializing in Internet Security. With a thirst for knowledge, she possesses a diverse range of skills, including expertise in VPN servers, encrypted connections, kill switches, P2P, PPTP, and much more. Carol's insatiable curiosity drives her to research and explore new topics relentlessly. Her determination to expand her knowledge base makes her a valuable asset in the realm of internet security and technology. For inquiries or collaborations, feel free to contact Carol via email at: carol@privacycritic.com

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