CryptoStorm VPN review

We know it is important to use a VPN to change your IP in order to send anonymous emails, encrypt your internet connection, and browse in privacy.

The service, previously known as Cryptocloud, claims to go beyond location faking, boasting almost 675 IP addresses and over 60 servers located in 33 different nations. But just how good is the self-proclaimed “VPN for the truly paranoid”? 

Pricing

Unfortunately, there’s no free VPN option here, but there is a good amount of flexibility in Cryptostorm’s pricing plans and payments.  

CryptoStorm accepts PayPal, credit cards, Stripe, or BitPay, as well as a free plan with one server and bandwidths of 160 kbps. CryptoStorm is a VPN that uses tokens. It means that the provider does not sell its subscriptions directly, Instead, it directs you to one of its vendors. Following your purchase, you will receive an email with your unique token as well as a comprehensive introduction to the service, including useful links and information.

You’ll have plenty of payment plans to choose from. Subscriptions can be bought on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, annually, and bi-annually. Prices start a little under $2 for a week’s access, or $6 a month.

The number of simultaneous device connections is determined by the plan. If you have a one-week subscription, you can only connect one device, for a three-month subscription, you can connect two devices, three devices at once if you have a six-month subscription, four devices for an annual subscription, and five devices if you have a two-year subscription.

In cases where the token has only been used for 50% or less of its duration, the VPN also provides a money-back guarantee. For instance, if you sign up for a 30-day subscription, you can only request a refund if the token has only been used for 15 days or less. Keep in mind that you cannot request a refund if you purchased the lifetime plan, this, according to CryptoStorm, is the result of transaction fees incurred during the refund processing.

We put their money-back guarantee to the test by signing up for the one-month plan and contacting support for a refund after having used the token for twelve days. Our refund was handled, and we received our money within 7 days.

Privacy and encryption

Although it has offices in Canada, CryptoStorm has its roots in Iceland. And Iceland, with its principles of free speech, is considered a safe haven for any VPN provider. 

We checked CryptoStorm's privacy notice and discovered that although they do log data, none of these logs would ever contain information that has the potential to identify a specific customer.  

The CryptoStorm token configuration impressed us, it was mostly in the form of a string of code, and access tokens function as login credentials. When you access servers, the authenticated data associated with the user is secured behind these codes because of encryption. In this way, Cryptostorm doesn't have the ability to access any of your personally identifiable information from the token user registration process.

On the encryption software front, CryptoStorm uses ChaCha20 encryption, Poly1305 authentication encryption, an RSA-2048 asymmetric key, and SHA-512 hash authentication, which means the security is the best by recent ratings. It also appears to support the OpenVPN and WireGuard, a set of VPN protocols. This features a unique secure environment and helps you protect your Wi-Fi activities from scammers and cybercriminals.

In addition to IPv6 and DNS leak prevention, extra configurations include STUN/WebRTC leak prevention, DNSCrypt, and an emergency stop (killswitch) that blocks your internet connectivity in the event that the VPN disconnects. 

Our real IP address was kept secure on each of the 10 servers we tested, despite multiple DNS leak tests that we ran. Additionally, we increased security by using its multi-hop configurations to simultaneously route our internet traffic through several different locations.

Streaming

Regrettably, you cannot access popular streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer with CryptoStorm VPN. If you enjoy streaming  just as much as we do, we recommend that you check out some alternatives of this VPN. 

Speed and experience

Frankly, CryptoStorm doesn't provide adequate connection speeds. 

With our initial download speed hovering around 7.27 Mbps and upload speed hovering around 17.48 Mbps, most of the VPN  servers dropped download speeds to 6Mbps despite server nearness, whereas the speeds for upload varied a lot. 

The Phoenix server's speed test showed download and upload speeds of 9.01 Mbps and 16.02 Mbps, respectively. 

Support

In terms of customer service, CryptoStorm provides dependable round-the-clock assistance via live chat, phone, Facebook, Twitter page, online form, and email.

When we tested the service, the support staff promptly answered all our information requests and resolved all our service issues. On the VPN's website, there is a comprehensive FAQ section filled with instructions on how to use the service and useful information. If you contact the VPN on Github, they will help in solving your technical problems.

Apps

Linux, macOS, and Windows are all compatible with Cryptostorm. It is also router-configurable and performs admirably on mobile devices. The user interface looks pretty good, with support for the majority of Android and iOS devices. It can also be combined with the Tor network when using a VPN for torrenting.

With the exception of our routers, we had no trouble installing the mobile VPN apps. Just remember, the number of concurrent connections you can establish varies depending on the plan you choose.  

Cryptostorm VPN alternatives 

NordVPN

NordVPN is one of the leading VPN service providers with more than a decade of experience. It provides military-grade protection online and makes it possible for you to freely access your favorite websites (Netflix and all the major streaming platforms). Additionally, it doesn't keep any logs of your activities because of its strict no-log policy, and allows 6 simultaneous device connections.

Read our full NordVPN review

Express VPN

It operates in China, has thousands of servers, is secure, doesn't keep logs, unblocks streaming websites, allows 5 simultaneous device connections, and has strong speed! ExpressVPN is a well-known business with a solid reputation that is also among the more prominent players in the commercial VPN market.

Read our full ExpressVPN review

Proton VPN

Proton VPN is an alternative that respects your privacy, doesn't record your activities, and won't use any of your personal information. Additionally, Proton VPN has a feature that prevents trackers from tracking you and a built-in VPN kill switch that automatically halts all network traffic in the event that the VPN connection is lost. Want safety and speed? Check out this alternative.

Read our full  Proton VPN review

Windscribe

Windscribe is a well-known VPN service. It has a desktop application, as well as a browser extension that works together to block advertisements. It also has a Block Trackers feature, which prevents trackers from tracking you. Windscribe has a distraction-free mode to keep you focused when you need to. The VPN does not log your activities and supports the shadowsocks protocol to bypass Internet censorship.

Read our full Windscribe VPN review

Verdict

Cryptostorm VPN is particularly strong on data protection and security. The service is ideal for you if you don’t care about high speeds, unblocking major streaming sites, or even having multiple servers to choose from. But it lacks the tools and features of many major rivals.