X-VPN Review: How Good is It?

X-VPN is a lesser-known VPN provider that recently created a buzz in the industry. Like most of its competitors, it claims to offer high-level online security and privacy. But is it a marketing ploy, or can X-VPN keep up to its name? We set out to find out in this honest review of X-VPN.

Read along to get the complete picture of this VPN service.

X-VPN quick review

Speed	6/10
Average speed, Video streaming support	41 Mbps 4K UHD
Streaming	10/10
Works well with	Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, etc
Security	5/10
Encryption Logging practice Kill switch Split tunneling Protocols	AES 256-bit encryption Strict no-logs policy Yes Yes, but only on the Windows client Unnamed
Value for money	3/10
Lowest subscription Money-back guarantee	$5.99 30 days

X-VPN pros and cons

X-VPN review summary

Like other VPN providers in the industry, X-VPN boasts excellent security and makes big claims about its zero-logging practices. However, things start to reveal when you dig just a little deeper. For example, upon reading the privacy policy, we found that the company collects more data than most premium VPNs.

Moreover, it isn’t easy to know the security level as the provider does not say the type of VPN protocol. Instead, the only reference is by letter, i.e., Protocol A, Protocol B, Protocol C, etc. We didn’t understand what this meant.

Fortunately, the VPN offers fast speed on some servers and unblocks most streaming services. However, you can get a VPN service with better security and more features at a more affordable price than X-VPN.

Server network: Does X-VPN have sufficient servers?

An extensive server network is important for increasing a VPN’s ability to unblock geo-restrictions in many regions. In our assessment, X-VPN scored 8 out of 10 in this section.

Number of servers and locations

X-VPN offers over 8,000 servers spread across 65 countries. This is far much more than most premium offers. The following shows how X-VPN servers are spread across different locations.

Location	Countries
Africa	South Africa, Egypt
Asia	Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Japan, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, South Korea
Center and South America	Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia
Europe	Cyprus, Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Belgium, Finland, Denmark, Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Greece, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Latvia, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Moldavia, Norway, Netherlands, Spain, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Sweden, Slovakia, United Kingdom, Switzerland
Middle-East	United Arab Emirates, Bahrein, Israel
North America	United States, Canada
Oceania	New Zealand, Australia

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X-VPN free server coverage

When utilizing X-VPN Free, the service automatically connects you to the closest server location without providing any options or prior information about the specific region you’re connecting to. Unfortunately, X-VPN was unable to provide us with details regarding the number of server locations available to free users.

As a result, the only way to determine proximity to a free VPN server is by testing it firsthand. The complete list of premium server locations is accessible within the application; however, if you attempt to select one, X-VPN will prompt you to upgrade your subscription.

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Dedicated IP address 

X-VPN does not provide dedicated IP services, implying you can connect solely to shared IPs. This aspect favors privacy, as utilizing a shared IP address makes it increasingly challenging to trace the connection back to you.

Nevertheless, one drawback to using shared IPs is that websites can more readily identify the IP address as belonging to a VPN server. Let’s take Netflix as an example. If you and five other individuals try to access Netflix simultaneously through the same VPN server, Netflix might become suspicious and flag the IP address.

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Speed: Is X-VPN fast enough?

Speed is a crucial factor to consider when choosing a VPN service. You wouldn’t want your connection to strain while streaming videos or to encounter lag during gaming or browsing. We conduct thorough speed tests to evaluate a VPN’s performance. In this regard, X-VPN receives a rating of 4 out of 10. 

Here’s our review: 

• The VPN significantly slows down your internet connection. If you prefer a service that doesn’t make you wait for pages to load constantly, we recommend considering checking our fastest VPNs in 2024. 
• We observed noticeable decreases in speed both during our official speed tests and in everyday use. 
• Furthermore, there were inconsistencies with IP addresses matching the servers we connected to. For instance, when connecting to an Amsterdam server, we received IP addresses associated with Helsinki and Paris instead.

Speed test results X-VPN

We initially tested the speed without utilizing an X-VPN server to establish a benchmark for comparison. 

Server	Download speed (Mbps)	% Download	Upload speed (Mbps)	% Upload	Ping (ms)
Not connected to VPN	93.24	100	28.45	100	11
The UK (London)	37.95	39.54	15.63	52.97	18
The US (New York)	5.89	6.4	10.41	36.09	25
The US (California)	50.86	50.98	27.05	92.12	154

After establishing the base speed, we started testing several local servers in the UK. Despite these servers being labeled as London, X-VPN assigned us IP addresses in other countries. This inconsistency can be frustrating when attempting to access content from a specific country.

Regarding speed, even the fastest server we tested was more than 48% slower compared to our regular connection speed. We encountered similar issues with United States servers. According to various IP tools, our connection was not actually routed through an American server.

For instance, the traffic we directed towards a New York server was routed through France instead. When we connected to a New York server, the speed significantly decreased, and the ping reached as high as 86, exceeding the values shown in the table above.

Surprisingly, a server on the American West Coast yielded better results. Although X-VPN claimed that we were connected to different servers in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Jose, our IP tools only displayed the same address in Los Angeles.

In terms of speed, these servers performed relatively well compared to others. However, compared to our baseline results without a VPN, we achieved only 50.98% of the original speed.

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Speed during daily use

We also conducted daily usage tests to assess the speed of X-VPN, and the results were quite disappointing. Websites took long to load, especially when opening multiple tabs simultaneously. 

Also, streaming YouTube videos proved to be a slow process as well. However, after slight buffering, the video played smoothly without interruptions, even when streaming content in full HD quality. We also tested the VPN’s performance for gaming, and our experience was far from satisfactory.

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Security – Is X-VPN safe?

A VPN’s ability to protect your privacy is the most crucial feature. After assessing X-VPN’s security and privacy features, we ranked it 2 out of 10. The following are our reasons:

• X-VPN collects and stores user logs
• Sometimes, the website requests your social media details
• The network kill switch doesn’t work
• X-VPN utilizes private VPN protocols that aren’t publicly audited

Protocols

The safety of your data relies heavily on the strength of the VPN protocol and the quality of encryption employed. Most providers rely on OpenVPN, widely recognized as the benchmark protocol. However, X-VPN takes a different approach by utilizing its own independently-designed protocols, referred to as ‘Protocol A,’ ‘Protocol B,’ ‘Protocol C,’ and so on.

To better understand the distinctions between these protocols, one must visit the X-VPN website and check the FAQ section.

Unfortunately, X-VPN does not offer clear explanations. According to the website, the protocols are developed in-house, and further information is withheld due to ‘confidentiality concerns’ and the need to maintain the protocols’ effectiveness.

While exploring the website, we discovered that X-VPN has a bug bounty program. We sought clarification through the live support chat on whether participants could access the code. However, the customer service representative informed us that the bug bounty program solely pertains to reporting any issues encountered while using the app, with the X-VPN team taking over from there.

The exact method of earning money by discovering bugs remained unclear. Considering the lack of accessibility to their closely guarded protocols, their score was negatively impacted.

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Kill switch

A kill switch is a valuable feature that automatically disconnects you from the internet in case of a sudden VPN connection failure. Unfortunately, X-VPN offers a kill switch for premium plan users, and you can find more information about it in the installation section below. Regrettably, even for the clients equipped with a kill switch, we encountered difficulties getting it to function across any of the applications.

According to X-VPN, the kill switch is designed to activate under the following circumstances: 

• When you change your password while connected to the VPN. 
• In the event of a VPN connection failure caused by network issues. 

We decided to put the first scenario to the test. While connected to the VPN, we proceeded to change our password. As a result, our connection was indeed lost. However, it was still possible to browse the internet, as our computer switched back to the regular network. This indicates that the kill switch was not effectively activated.

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Split tunneling feature

Also, the VPN has split tunneling, but it is only available on the Windows client under the name ‘Application Control‘ in the settings. It is too bad that other apps don’t support the feature.

Security features X-VPN should consider

We were somehow disappointed by X-VPN’s features, considering it’s a premium VPN. Some features X-VPN should add include the following:

• Standard VPN protocol: Generally, well-known and tested protocols like OpenVPN and WireGuard would improve the VPN’s overall speed, security, performance, and reliability.
• First-party DNS: This would help do away with DNS leaks that significantly threaten your privacy and security.
• Double VPN: This feature would improve VPN’s security by encrypting your traffic twice. 
• Ad Blocker: To help smoothen your browsing experience by blocking intrusive ads.

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Privacy and logging practices

X-VPN seems to possess numerous appealing qualities for privacy. The company emphasizes its no-logging policy extensively and incorporates various ‘security’ references into its marketing efforts. However, upon closer examination, certain aspects start to unravel. Despite its claims regarding the no-logging policy, carefully reading the company’s privacy policy exposes its extensive data collection practices.

Logging and privacy 

The primary reason for opting for a VPN is to enhance your online privacy. A reliable VPN keeps no records or logs of your browsing activity. This is precisely why we thoroughly evaluate the privacy and logging policies of each VPN service. If you prioritize a VPN with a robust no-log policy, X-VPN may not be ideal. Instead, VPN providers like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or Private Internet Access offer stronger options.

X-VPN collects the following data:

Type of data	Examples	Rationale
Account data	Email address, registration data, and payment status	Customer support
VPN usage data	Type of network, connection duration, type of protocol, potential errors	Troubleshooting and improving service delivery
Data status	App version, geo-location, device data, data usage	Improving services and profiling users
Payment details	Mode of payment, transaction details, time of payment	User support, service, and troubleshooting
Other data	Your IP address, websites you visit, data from other apps	Brute force prevention, analysis, and troubleshooting

X-VPN claims to delete your IP address within five minutes and automatically deletes logs on VPN usage after 48 hours. While X-VPN’s Terms of Service state that they do not share data with third parties, it’s important to note that they will comply with legal orders to hand over requested information. 

Considering X-VPN is headquartered in Hong Kong, there is a possibility that your data could potentially be accessed by Chinese authorities. To ensure the highest level of privacy, opting for a VPN service with a more robust and transparent privacy policy may be more prudent, especially if you have concerns about potential data sharing with authorities in certain jurisdictions.

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What information does X-VPN need?

X-VPN requires you to provide an email address and select a payment method when purchasing a subscription. However, if you prefer to maintain complete anonymity, purchasing the VPN using a gift card or cryptocurrency is possible. In X-VPN’s privacy statement, it is mentioned that submitting an email address is not mandatory.

However, omitting an email address is not an available option on the website itself. If the ‘Email Address’ field is left empty, it is impossible to create an account. Another privacy aspect mentioned in the Terms of Service is the requirement to provide a Telegram Link during registration, which refers to a user’s Telegram username. 

We did not encounter this requirement when we signed up for the service. Upon contacting customer service, we were informed that X-VPN only asks for a user’s Telegram details if they report a bug as part of the bug bounty program. Interestingly, the website contradicts this information, stating that communication regarding the bug bounty program is conducted via email or social media. Overall, these discrepancies and inconsistencies can lead to confusion and uncertainty.

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Links to Chinese ownership

X-VPN operates under the ownership of Free Connected Limited, a company established in July 2017 and headquartered in Hong Kong. From the perspective of data retention, Hong Kong is regarded as a VPN jurisdiction that prioritizes privacy.

Moreover, it is not affiliated with the intelligence-sharing alliance known as the Five Eyes. However, our investigation into the ownership of this VPN revealed worrisome connections to mainland China, which raises privacy concerns. Jin Li, the company’s director, and Chengdu Zhuozhuo Technology Co, the sole shareholder, are located in the Sichuan province of China.

Considering X-VPN’s logging practices and their utilization of closed-source protocols, we cannot consider this service trustworthy.

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Compatibility: What apps does X-VPN offer?

X-VPN is compatible with most of your day-to-day devices. The VPN offers dedicated apps for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows platforms.

Windows app

X-VPN falls short in terms of features on its Windows platform, and its ‘free’ version can be difficult to navigate. You can download it directly from the website or through the Microsoft Store. The former provides access to 12 VPN protocols but exceeds the free data limit by default, rendering it unusable. The latter offers only four protocols but grants you access to a 500MB data limit.

Regardless of the version you choose to install, you can’t establish a VPN connection if you don’t upgrade to the premium version. Even if the free version functions properly, the one-time data limit of 500MB is insufficient for even the most basic online activities. The main menu of the Windows app mirrors the layout found in other versions of X-VPN. It features a prominent connect button and options to alter the VPN server and protocol below it.

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MacOS app

X-VPN’s macOS application bears a visual resemblance to its Windows counterpart. However, in contrast to the Windows version, the free macOS app is functional and supports all 12 proprietary protocols. However, it has a data limit of 500MB, which you cannot renew once you deplete it. 

This limitation reflects poorly on X-VPN since many other free versions of premium VPN services renew their data allowances daily or monthly. The premium version of X-VPN functions in a similar manner to the Windows app. The server network, protocols, and the absence of advanced features remain consistent across both platforms.

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Android app

X-VPN’s Android app stands out as its most developed version, offering support for the full server network and several advanced features. The Android app is free and doesn’t have data limits. However, it comes with the drawback of periodic disconnections without warning, effectively restricting your usage. This poses a risk to your personal data since the VPN kill switch feature is locked behind a paywall on Android, leaving your internet connection unprotected during these disconnections.

In the paid version of X-VPN for Android, you can access 13 VPN protocols, one more than what is available on Windows and macOS. Additionally, the paid version offers the convenience of split Tunneling. 

Another notable feature exclusive to the Android app is the private browser, which automatically deletes your history, cookies, and session data each time you exit the app. Moreover, the Android version grants access to the VPN tethering feature, enabling you to create a VPN hotspot for your gaming console or other devices.

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iOS app

X-VPN on iOS closely resembles its Android counterpart in many aspects but lacks certain advanced features. Unlike the other platforms, the iOS app does not support split tunneling, and the VPN kill switch is only available in the premium version. While you can use X-VPN on iOS for free, you will experience frequent disconnections to manage your data usage without warning. Nonetheless, the server network on iOS is identical to that of Windows, macOS, and Android. 

The Boost Streaming button simply redirects you to the streaming-optimized servers for improved performance. On iOS, the private browser feature is not accessible. However, in the paid version, you can still enjoy the VPN tethering feature, which allows gamers to create a VPN hotspot for their gaming consoles or other devices.

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Browser extensions

While X-VPN has a Chrome extension, we advise against it. Our test uncovered that the extension encrypted our traffic but leaked our geo-location, WebRTC, and DNS. Such leaks expose your IP address and put your privacy and security at greater risk.

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Streaming: Does X-VPN unblock streaming platforms?

X-VPN has proven to be highly effective in unblocking various streaming services. Throughout our tests, it consistently provided access to major streaming platforms such as US Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video. Furthermore, X-VPN goes beyond popular options by offering streaming servers tailored for less common platforms in South Korea and Italy.

The table below shows how X-VPN paid and free version performs across different platforms:

Streaming service	X-VPN Premium	X-VPN Free
US Netflix	Yes	No
BBC iPlayer	Yes	No
Amazon Prime Video	Yes	No
Disney+	Yes	No
Hulu	Yes	No
HBO Max	Yes	No
Hotstar India	Yes	No
ITVX	Yes	No
YouTube	Yes	Yes

When it comes to streaming, X-VPN has optimized servers specifically designed for popular services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer. By selecting the ‘video&Game’ option within the X-VPN app, you’ll be presented with a categorized list of services based on both region and streaming platform.

Although X-VPN can only unblock the US and Australian Netflix libraries, it is worth noting that the US library is highly sought after, making X-VPN’s streaming performance quite robust. However, it is important to consider that X-VPN’s international speeds tend to be slower. While the VPN effectively unblocks numerous content platforms, the streaming quality may not match the top streaming VPNs. 

Here’s a summary of the best server for each streaming service:

Streaming platform	Best X-VPN server
Netflix US	US-Video-N
Disney+	US-Video-D+-1
HBO Max	US-Video-N-1
BBC iPlayer	GB-Video-B
ITV Hub	GB-Video-Iv
Amazon Prime Video US	Us-Video-A
All 4	GB-Video-Iv

X-VPN free streaming performance

X-VPN’s free service is ineffective for streaming purposes. While the paid version offers dedicated streaming servers, they are not accessible to free users.

We encountered difficulties accessing popular streaming services such as US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and others during our testing. Unfortunately, this is a common limitation among most free VPN services, as streaming access is not their priority.

X-VPN Free automatically assigns you a server that is as close to your real location as possible. This approach defeats the purpose of accessing geo-restricted content in different regions.

We attempted to use the free London server to unblock content from the UK but were unsuccessful in accessing any British streaming services.

Throughout our testing, we were never assigned a server location outside of Western Europe, further restricting our ability to access content from different regions.

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Torrenting: Does X-VPN support P2P sharing?

X-VPN falls short of torrenting due to several reasons. The primary concern lies in the company’s ownership, which remains shrouded in mystery, along with their logging policy, both of which fail to inspire complete trust.

Moreover, X-VPN simply doesn’t offer fast enough download and upload speeds, a fact that is not readily apparent within their VPN client or on their website. These are the results we got from our torrenting tests:

Torrenting Attribute	X-VPN Paid	X-VPN free
Bitrate download speed	4.3MiB/s	1.9MiB/s
Number of P2P servers	8,000+	1
No logs policy	Some	Some
Automatic kill switch	Yes	No
Port forwarding	No	No

When we contacted the support team, it was unclear whether they allowed torrenting and P2P activity. They claimed to recommend ultimate line servers with K-protocol. The ‘Ultimate Line’ servers, listed as default servers, lack any accompanying information, making it unclear to users.

Furthermore, it is not explicitly stated that Protocol K can only be accessed through the Ultimate Line servers. If Protocol K is selected on a standard VPN server, the connection is forced to switch to Protocol B without any explanation provided.

In our X-VPN’s torrenting tests, its Ultimate Line Frankfurt server, we recorded an underwhelming average bitrate of 4.3 MiB/s. While X-VPN performs slightly better on its standard protocols and servers, it still fails to meet the speed requirements to be considered a top-tier VPN for torrenting.

Will X-VPN work in China?

China uses a very advanced firewall known as The Great Firewall that blocks most VPNs. XVPN is no exception, so it doesn’t work in China. However, you can check out our recommendation for the best Chinese VPNs to protect your privacy in the region.

Reliability and support: Is X-VPN customer support reliable?

One major downside of XVPN is the lack of information on its website. Most top rivals offer extensive and comprehensive information and a list of FAQs to help you solve common issues. 

XVPN Help section only has a few articles. We couldn’t get any results when we searched by typing into the Help function. For example, it has an Ultimate Line feature, but we couldn’t find its meaning. 

Nonetheless, the provider allows you to contact the support through a live chat or email. Unfortunately, the support is not available 24/7 like most competitors; instead, it mentions 24/5 customer support via chat.

Pricing: Is XVPN affordable?

XVPN is slightly expensive, especially if you consider its features and value for money. It comes with three subscription packages; the monthly plan ($11.99), the six-month plan ($53.94), and the yearly plan ($71.88).

Thankfully, you can use XVPN for free with the free plan that allows you to use only 500 MBs. You will only need to download the mobile app to use it on a limited number of servers.

In addition, the VPN service offers multiple payment methods, including debit/credit cards, PayPal, and cryptocurrency for anonymous payments.

Verdict: Do we recommend X-VPN?

Based on the above information, would you recommend the VPN to someone else? Probably not.

Many things are incorrect compared to well-known premium services like NordVPN. For example, there is confusion about the type of VPN protocols it uses as it prefers to identify them with letters.

Moreover, during our tests, we observed DNS leaks that can reveal your identity. A VPN is supposed to secure your internet connections and keep you anonymous, and X-VPN doesn’t fulfill its purpose. With that in mind, we recommend this VPN only if you want to unblock streaming platforms and don’t care much about your privacy.

FAQs