Unlocator VPN review

Unlocator is a Smart DNS-VPN hybrid platform. While its Smart DNS allows you to remove geo-blocks and stream whatever content you want, the VPN service is where it truly shines.

That said, its server network is limited and there aren’t many additional options and features, except a kill switch. For this reason, we recommend you also check out our best VPN guide for more suitable solutions.

Price

Even though it offers Smart DNS as a separate service, Unlocator includes it in its VPN offering, which is available under four subscription packages.

As always, the most expensive one is the monthly option at $9.99/month, followed by the 6-month option at $8.17/month, the yearly one at $6.58/month, and the 2-year subscription option at $4.96. Accepted payment methods include credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Play.

If you want a chance to try out Unlocator before purchasing, you’ll be able to do so thanks to the 7-day free trial that only requires your email address - no need to leave your financial information or pay anything upfront. And if you do purchase a subscription and the service doesn’t work out for you, you can make use of the no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee.

Alternatives

While Unlocator is certainly a VPN worthy of your attention, it has a few problems that you won’t see among some of its more famous competitors. For example, ExpressVPN may be more costly, but it offers access to thousands of servers all over the world, 24/7 live chat, and is highly customizable. 

NordVPN also boasts a massive server network and a quality service, while costing less than Unlocator. Some of the other big names that also outperform this provider include CyberGhost and Surfshark, each with their own advantages.

Streaming

Unlike some of its competitors, Unlocator proudly boasts its capability to unblock virtually any streaming channel and service that you could want to access. These include Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and many, many more. 

If this is the only reason you’re considering a VPN, then Unlocator’s Smart DNS is a great choice for you. However, if you also require privacy and security, then we recommend going for the package deal - VPN and Smart DNS.

About the company

Unlocator is a solution offered by Linkwork, a limited liability company registered in Denmark. The provider has a very small server network, counting only 43 servers and the same number of different IP addresses in 42 locations.

Privacy and encryption

To protect your privacy, Unlocator uses the standard and super-secure 256-bit encryption, alongside the usual list of protocols - OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, and IKEv2. 

Torrenting is allowed, although customers are encouraged “to use servers in P2P friendly countries like Spain, as opposed to countries like the US and UK, where downloading torrents is not as safe, and maybe even disrupted, throttled, and blocked.”

Unlocator doesn’t have many features and extras like some of its more famous competitors, but it does have one of the most useful options in the VPN industry - a kill switch. This mechanism is designed to terminate your entire Internet access in case the VPN connection is lost, effectively preventing any of your data from leaking into the wrong hands.

The vendor’s Privacy Policy states that no logs “on the individual accounts” are stored, but a log is kept “at a personal [sic] identifiable level which is automatically purged at a 24-hour interval with no backups.”

That said, this information leaves a lot of room for interpretation as it doesn’t detail what exactly constitutes a log at a personally identifiable level. It is good to know that it is deleted after 24 hours, but it would be even better if there was confirmation from a third party auditor.

Support

Unlocator offers user-friendly apps for Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, and Amazon Fire devices. If you have a device that isn’t covered by native clients, like a Linux device or a router, you can still manually set it up with the help of the provider’s support section. Its DNS service can also be used on gaming consoles, smart TVs, or any media player like Xiaomi Mi Box, Chromecast, or Sonos.

The Android app has so far been judged by 311 users, who gave it a median score of 3.3 stars (out of 5). It has been downloaded over 50,000 times and was last updated on June 11, 2020.

The iOS app has received a higher score - 4.1 as rated by 129 people - and it was last updated on January 10 2020, with some fixes.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for on the website, contacting customer support is possible via email, web form, or online chat, which isn’t live but is faster than email. We received a polite email response in less than 12 hours.

Speed and experience

We tested the service on a server in Prague, Czech Republic, which delivered a very good download speed of 25Mbps on a 55Mbps testing connection. Toronto, Canada, gave us a not so impressive but still very usable 13Mbps.

Curious to see how more exotic locations would manage, we also connected to a server in India, and we were surprised by its results - 7.85Mbps. It may not seem like a lot, but is better than what we have witnessed with many of Unlocator’s competitors. 

Server switching is exceptionally easy; two clicks are enough to change your VPN connection to a different location - one to select a new server, the other to confirm the choice.

Verdict

Unlocator is a very good VPN choice for anyone who wants to retain their privacy online while having access to all the geo-restricted content online.

Not only does it provide good speeds and unlock every possible streaming channel, but it also offers a 7-day trial and a no-questions-asked 30-day refund guarantee.

That said, it still has a long way to go if it aims to become a well-known provider such as ExpressVPN.