TorGuard

torguard
Rating 3.6 / 5.0

Jurisdiction: USA | 3rd party audit: No | Ram-only servers: No | Native apps: Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Amazon FireTV | Simultaneous connections: 8 | Browser extensions: Chrome, Firefox | Advanced Privacy Features: Kill Switch, Stealth VPN, Dedicated IP, Ads Blocker | Number of Servers and Countries: 3,000 VPN servers in 50 countries | Streaming and P2P: P2P, servers for streaming as paid addon | Free trial: 7 days

TorGuard Review

In this comprehensive TorGuard VPN review, you’ll learn everything you need to know:

  • What jurisdiction does TorGuard operate from, and what does that mean for your privacy?
  • Is TorGuard transparent enough?
  • How does TorGuard help you protect your privacy?
  • Is it good for torrenting and streaming?
  • How to use TorGuard
  • And more!

Pros

Great flexibility to set up a VPN you need [for advanced users]
Dedicated IPs available in more than 50 countries
Great add-on products: encrypted email, VPN for business, private VPN router
Works in locations where VPNs are restricted

Cons

Likely will not work for streaming without buying Streaming Bundle
It can become expensive with all of the add-ons
It wasn’t audited by 3rd party
It is not beginner friendly

About TorGuard

If you’ve been on the lookout for a VPN provider that can help you protect your privacy, you’ve likely come across TorGuard VPN service.

This online privacy protection service promises to help you encrypt your internet access and mask your IP address so you can browse (or torrent – which is where the ‘Tor’ comes in) safely.

TorGuard was founded way back in 2012, and to date, they’ve built a worldwide network with more than 3000 servers. They’re most famous for torrenting.

However, they’ve significantly expanded their offer in the last few years.

Jurisdiction

TorGuard operates from the US. This means that TorGuard has to stay compliant with US data retention laws.

However, they claim to have a strict no-logs policy, so even if someone tries to get TorGuard user data, there would be nothing that could be found.

In layman’s terms, this means that, even though TorGuard is based in the US, your privacy is still protected under their no-logs policy.

Privacy Policy

TorGuard makes good on their promise not to store any of your information, as is visible from their privacy policy. VPN and proxy logs aren’t stored at all.

However, TorGuard stores payment information (no CC numbers, though) to process payments through their partners. And if you do choose to get TorGuard’s VPN, you can pay with major credit cards or alternative methods:

  • Cryptocurrency
  • Paymentwall
  • Paygarden

A cryptocurrency payment method is a good option for reinforcing your privacy, even while buying your VPN plan.

However, other VPN services go much farther to protect their customers’ identities. Some go as far as generating one-time log-in keys, so we’re not impressed by how TorGuard is approaching privacy from the sign-up to the log-off.

TorGuard also stores Apache logs, but they are only related to troubleshooting problems with the software, and none of your data is stored.

Finally, TorGuard stores cookie and customer support data like any other site, but you can opt-out.

Transparency

TorGuard supports open-source software and protocols like OpenVPN, and SSL VPNs that offer an even higher degree of privacy. This is great for everyday users and businesses that want to make sure their sensitive information doesn’t get out into the open.

While TorGuard offers diverse protocols, we recommend sticking with OpenVPN. It’s one of the fastest and most reliable open-source protocols, and it has been checked thoroughly.

When it comes to general transparency, TorGuard has a great reputation for sharing information with their customers and making sure that they know exactly what they’re signing up for.

Features

Kill Switch

No VPN is faultless, so downtime can happen. However, whenever your VPN goes down, you risk exposing your actual IP address.

To protect your privacy even during unexpected outages, TorGuard implements Kill Switches.

You can choose which apps and processes you want to “kill” (terminate) as soon as your VPN becomes unavailable. You can also select the option to terminate all processes immediately after disconnection if you want complete privacy.

This is pretty handy, and we love the way TorGuard implemented it: you can get everything set up in just a few clicks.

TorGuard’s Kill Switch feature is available for the following platforms:

  • Windows
  • Mac
  • Linux

Dedicated IP VPN

Some VPN users use their services to protect their anonymity while performing certain actions on the internet, such as torrenting. However, if you want full privacy for all of your activities, you might hit a snag when using a shared VPN.

Let’s say you’re logging on to your online banking portal. Your bank could recognize that you’re using a VPN and lock you out.

This is mainly because shared VPNs are – well, shared. You’re not the only person using them.

So if you want to use a VPN for everything you do online, TorGuard offers dedicated IP VPN in more than 50 locations. That’s probably the biggest number of options for a dedicated IP VPN we have seen.

This feature gives you a dedicated IP address that’s only yours, so there are fewer chances of some online services recognizing it as a VPN and locking you out.

It’s a great option if you want to turn on your VPN and keep it running.

TorGuard dedicated IP VPN is an add-on to your standard VPN plan that will set you back for $7.99. It’s a monthly fee.

Proxy service

If you only want to use TorGuard VPN for specific software and activities (for example, torrenting), their proxy service is pretty good.

Unlike the VPN, TorGuard proxy only shields your data from specific software. You’ll be protected while downloading and seeding torrents, but not while browsing the internet.

Keep in mind: this isn’t specific to TorGuard. Plenty of other VPN services have similar proxy settings.

The main downside is that it can only protect one app at a time, so you can’t use, say, BitTorrent and Vuze at the same time.

At the same time, it’s really simple to set it up, but since TorGuard proxy is $9,99/month (the same as their basic VPN), we recommend going with the VPN instead.

Stealth VPN

With more and more VPN services popping up on the block, some websites and ISPs in certain countries have started recognizing and blocking traffic that’s coming from VPN servers.

TorGuard’s solution?

TorGuard Stealth VPN – VPN that’s stripped of everything that could identify it as such. Think of it as wearing camouflage; slip on a camo jacket, and no one will be able to tell you’re not a bush.

TorGuard’s Stealth VPN does the same thing for your VPN traffic. First, it removes headers that show OpenVPN encryption, and then it obfuscates it in SSL/TLS encryption. Finally, TorGuard reroutes your traffic through a regular HTTPS port.

At the same time, you’re getting even more online privacy.

In layman’s terms: TorGuard Stealth VPN makes your VPN traffic look like regular traffic.

If you’ve been going through TorGuard reviews wondering if you’ll be able to use it for websites that usually block VPNs then the answer is: yes.

(For an extra layer of security, choose a dedicated IP VPN.)

TorGuard Stealth VPN also has different obfuscation options, depending on your location and your needs. No matter if you want to bypass your country’s firewall or just download your favorite shows in peace, TorGuard has the right options.

WireGuard Protocol

One of the main problems people have with VPNs is that they can get a little slow, especially if you’re connecting to a server across the world from you. However, we’re fortunate that technology is continually evolving.

TorGuard’s solution to slow VPN connection is the new WireGuard protocol. Similar to other encryption protocols, WireGuard is an open-source protocol that gives significant speed boosts.

You’re still perfectly protected – it’s just that your protection is now much, much faster. And since WireGuard is open source, it’s been extensively tested for vulnerabilities by cyber tech experts.

TorGuard has also made sure that your root IP address isn’t stored anywhere while connecting to the WireGuard protocol.

On your side of things, using WireGuard is easy. All you have to do is select “WireGuard” under ‘tunnel type’ in your TorGuard settings, and you’ll be good to go!

WireGuard is a great option for power users who need their info, and they need it fast. However, you can still use OpenVPN if the speed works for you.

Ad Blocker

By now, we’ve all got our go-to tech stacks for using the internet. From ad blockers to browser extensions, and finally – the VPNs we swear by using, we need more and more tools to enjoy our digital experiences.

So TorGuard offering an ad blocker is a huge plus in our book!

All you have to do to use TorGuard’s ad blocker is select “Ad blocking DNS” under “Nameservers” in your TorGuard settings.

From there, you’ll enjoy a much cleaner and faster online experience (and you won’t have to worry about ads tracking you wherever you go online).

This is a pretty simple approach to ad blockers. An in addition to using it on your Mac or PC, you can also use the ad blocker on Android.

TorGuard’s DNS will make sure that pesky ads don’t reach your corner of the internet.

TorGuard Business VPN

In the first six months of 2019, there have been over 3,800 data breaches. More than 4 billion records have been compromised.

If you’re running a business, you know how important data privacy and online security are. Unfortunately, leaks happen all the time, and if your data can be intercepted and traced back to you (and your clients), you’re going to have a hard time.

Now, we’ve all gotten used to using VPNs as individuals, but it’s time for businesses to seriously consider protecting their online activity, especially as we migrate into digital, work-from-home environments due to the pandemic.

Every time you or your team members connect to third-party sites like Google Docs or even Salesforce, you’re risking being exposed in the event of an attack.

But with TorGuard, you can use all the apps you’ve normally been using, with an added layer of security.

You can use it on PC, Mac, and mobile.

Unlike other VPNs, every TorGuard Business VPN plan comes with options such as:

  • Stealth VPN (deep encryption that means no one can recognize your company is using a VPN service)
  • Packages for multiple users
  • Encrypted email accounts
  • Dedicated IPs
  • Account managers

Your pricing only changes when you onboard more users and you want to get more dedicated IPs or email accounts. The Starter plan for up to 10 users is $69/month.

In general, we think this is a pretty great offer.

Besides offering top of the class stealth VPN, TorGuard also adds dedicated IPs and encrypted email accounts, so you’re completely protected.

Your traffic still looks normal, but you can rest easy knowing that your data is in your hands.

If you’re worried about ease of use and user adoption, you don’t have to be. You’ll get access to a management portal where you can onboard new users and help them get everything set up.

From there, they can behave as they normally would, but you can breathe a sigh of relief.

Other TorGuard Products

TorGuard Private Email

TorGuard’s private email brings the convenience of easy to use email providers such as Gmail to high-level security standards. That make sure none of your emails will be intercepted, and that your data is never found in any of the security leaks.

How does it work?

Firstly, TorGuard’s private email is as simple as can be on the user side of things.

You can log in normally, and you don’t have to encrypt your emails or files manually. This is a massive plus in our book because you no longer have to be a tech whiz to keep yourself safe online.

Secondly, you’re getting all the benefits of end to end OpenPGP encryption.

This makes it impossible for hackers to intercept your data and your files. If you want to feel even safer, you can add an additional layer of military-grade AES256 encryption.

TorGuard email also offers the option of syncing your calendar and your contacts with your email, so it’s convenient – especially for business. The pricing plans are pretty expansive so that you can get onboard your entire team.

Finally, to avoid sensitive information being intercepted, TorGuard’s private email comes with the option of self-destructing emails.

For an added dose of security, you can use email aliases. This is a great way to stop spam and unwanted messages from ever reaching your account. Think of it as the front door to your house: check who’s on the other side, and decide if you want to let them in.

Another significant part of TorGuard’s private email offering is secure file sharing.

Your attached files will be encrypted on your end and decrypted on the receiver’s computer, just like your emails. No information is stored on TorGuard’s servers, and hackers can’t intercept your files.

All in all, TorGuard’s private email offers plenty of features to keep you safe. It’s especially nice to see them expanding in this direction with such easy-to-use implementation.

You can use your private email on desktop, iOS, and Android.

Seriously – it’s really convenient!

Private VPN Router

It’s a digital world, and we’re just living in it. If we’re honest, the use of IoT devices has been steadily on the rise, with plenty of devices in your home now connecting to WiFi for your convenience.

However, IoT network connections aren’t 100% hacker-proof.

Fortunately, TorGuard devised a way to keep you protected while operating your smart gadgets: a private VPN router.

TorGuard’s private VPN routers (DDWRT and OpenWRT are bestsellers) are pre-configured so that all your traffic is automatically encrypted before leaving your home.

This is great for your general IoT and smart home device usage, but TorGuard offers plenty of other options as well, including TorGuard Firestick for Amazon streaming with Alexa.

So, would we recommend TorGuard’s VPN routers?

Yes, especially if you’re using smart home devices. This way, your router will protect devices that can’t connect to VPNs on their own.

Additionally, this allows you to skip the headache of wondering whether your ISP’s router would work with your VPN. You’re getting everything pre-configured so you can browse, stream and Netflix & chill with peace of mind.

TorGuard for China

If your country is restricting access to the internet, you can bet their firewall has plenty of ways to see if something is VPN traffic. The only way to bypass it and stay protected is by using a stealth VPN that encrypts your data so well that it can pass even the most thorough Deep Packet inspection.

We already talked a bit about TorGuard’s stealth VPN in general terms, especially for bypassing ISP firewalls and websites that block VPN traffic.

However, stealth VPN is essential for countries like China that restrict access to the internet.

Here’s how TorGuard does it:

  • First, TorGuard strips any VPN identifiers from your data packets. Normally, this means obfuscating (camouflaging) OpenVPN headers that can show you’re using VPNs.
  • Those same headers are wrapped in SSL/TLS encryption that makes your VPN traffic look like regular traffic.
  • At the same time, your payload (the content of your data – for example, the websites you’re visiting) is so deeply encrypted that there’s no way of anyone intercepting it and seeing what you’re doing online.

Ultimately, your VPN traffic ends up looking like regular traffic, from the headers to the ports.

TorGuard also offers another layer of protection for bypassing “the great firewall:” Stealth proxy.

Proxies are generally a good idea. Should your VPN go offline for even a second, you risk being tracked. But with a stealth proxy, you’re safe through and through. This isn’t necessary for regular VPN use, but it’s definitely a good option if you want to bypass huge firewalls.

In any case, it’s an extra layer of encryption.

If you’re worried about vulnerabilities, you don’t have to be. The most popular encryption method for TorGuard’s stealth VPN is OpenVPN, which is open-source, and it’s been picked apart by tech experts.

It’s as safe as can be!

Don’t forget that you can pay for TorGuard with cryptocurrency, which means you can keep your identity protected every step of the way.

Supported devices

Native TorGuard apps are available for:

  • Windows
  • Mac OS
  • Linux
  • iOS
  • Android

Browser Extensions

In addition to native TorGuard apps, TorGuard also offers a few browser extensions:

  • TorGuard Firefox extension
  • TorGuard Chrome extension

TorGuard Manual Setup

You can deploy TorGuard VPN and other products on every major platform. However, if your needs are a little more specific, you can manually set up TorGuard on your router (although their pre-flashed routers are an option).

Servers Network

TorGuard has a vast network of servers. They have over 3,000 servers in 68 locations across 50 countries.

Streaming

TorGuard is made with streaming in mind, which is why they have a specific plan – the Streaming Bundle at $21,98 per month.

You’ll love TorGuard for streaming. Forget about restricted access and being unable to play your favorite game or watch a specific TV show just because you’re not in the right area.

TorGuard streaming plans come with standard options with a wide network of servers and dedicated IPs in the US, UK, and Japan.

This can be a problem if you want to watch, say, Argentine Netflix.

The dedicated IPs are a game-changer. More and more streaming services are becoming aware that people are using VPNs to watch content that’s otherwise unavailable in their countries.

With a dedicated IP, there are fewer chances of your traffic being blocked as VPN traffic. You’re not sharing your IP address with anyone.

Now, this can be a privacy drawback: it’s much easier to anonymize your traffic and make you untraceable if a lot of people are using the same IP address.

However, a shared IP is the first red flag for streaming services. So if you want to use a VPN just for streaming, then a dedicated IP can help you binge in peace.

Streaming Netflix

Netflix is among the wiser streaming services when it comes to blocking VPNs based on shared IPs.

So TorGuard’s streaming bundle is a great option: you’re getting a dedicated IP address. This way, Netflix won’t realize you’re using a VPN.

The same goes for other streaming services such as:

  • Hulu
  • Amazon Video
  • iBBC

You can’t access them with a regular TorGuard VPN, but you can with a dedicated TorGuard IP address.

Now, you can buy the standard streaming bundle, or you can opt for a purchase-add on with your standard TorGuard package.

Similarly, you can use TorGuard for Kodi.

Torrenting

TorGuard’s very name should tell you that it’s here for torrenting. While it’s not officially a part of any torrenting project, TorGuard does keep you safe while downloading and seeding your favorite content.

Thanks to TorGuard’s various security protocols, you will be 100% protected while torrenting through popular services such as uTorrent.

You have two options for TorGuard torrenting:

  • TorGuard VPN
  • SOCKS5 proxy

TorGuard’s VPN will completely encrypt your traffic. At the same time, the SOCSK5 proxy protocol allows you to replace your standard ISP IP address with an anonymous, shared IP address that makes you virtually untraceable.

(Seriously, you’ll be like a needle in a haystack.)

We also want to reference TorGuard’s no logs policy here. They don’t store any logs at all, so even though they’re based in the US, they physically can’t share your data.

TorGuard also works on mobile, and offers incredible speeds thanks to its vast network of servers.

All in all, we’re really happy with TorGuard’s torrenting options!

Reddit about TorGuard

We don’t know about you, but when we want an inside scoop on software (and especially VPN), we hit the Reddit threads.

Here’s what Reddit experts had to say about TorGuard: “TorGuard Isn’t Beginner-Friendly.”

As one Reddit user explained: “TorGuard isn’t very noob friendly.”

There are also plenty of complaints about their support. When you also consider that TorGuard is sometimes a bit too complicated for a beginner to set up on their own, it can be detrimental to the experience.

Yes, you’ll likely have no problems setting up a basic VPN. However, if you decide to expand to private routers and want complete privacy, you’ll need to be a tech whiz because TorGuard can get complex.

You Need a Dedicated IP to Stream

One of the main drawbacks that Reddit users mention is that generic TorGuard VPN isn’t useful for streaming. This is something that TorGuard also says, recommending that you get a dedicated IP address.

If you opt for the streaming bundle, you’ll get two dedicated IPs. Otherwise, it’s a $7,99 add-on. We can definitely see how that would tick users off.

However, this isn’t TorGuard being mean. It’s just that the streaming providers are keeping a close eye on VPN traffic. And if you share the same IP address with thousands of other internet users, streaming providers are bound to realize what’s going on.

Value for Money?

The majority of Reddit threads related to TorGuard are stuck on one question: “Is TorGuard good value for money?”

Redditors mainly want to use TorGuard for streaming and torrenting. However, keeping in mind that you need a dedicated IP to bypass streaming services’ blocks, the costs can seem too much.

The consensus seems to be: TorGuard is good, but make sure you find a discount code.

Pricing

TorGuard has plenty of options, so the pricing is pretty colorful.

TorGuard Basic VPN Pricing

If you want your garden variety VPN to stop ISPs from snooping on you, you can get by with TorGuard’s basic package: Anonymous VPN, which starts from $9,99/month.

TorGuard’s Anonymous VPN package offers great speeds, stealth proxies, and other extra features that’ll keep you protected while browsing.

We wouldn’t go so far as to call it completely anonymous, but it will definitely give you more privacy.

TorGuard Business VPN Pricing

If you want to use a VPN for business and ensure that your sensitive data doesn’t appear in the next major leak, TorGuard’s Business VPN plan is a pretty good option.

However, it’s pretty expensive at $69,99/month.

Still, this plan offers ten users, ten email accounts, and three dedicated IPs.

TorGuard Streaming Pricing

If you want to stream your heart away, you’ll want to take a look at TorGuard’s streaming bundles.

TorGuard streaming packages start at $21,98.

We think this is a bit too much. You are getting a proxy and two dedicated IPs that will make sure you can stream in peace, but still… It’s a lot of money for something that should be a standard part of the offer by now.

TorGuard Anonymous Email Pricing

If you’d like to protect your email, you’ll have to opt for TorGuard’s private mail plans, which start at $8,95/month.

Again, we’re not fans of this price. This should be pretty normal by now. But if you’re handling sensitive information, TorGuard’s private email is a good option.

Ultimately, we agree with Redditors: TorGuard is okay, but make sure you find a discount code online.

In summary

All in all, TorGuard has plenty of pros.

They offer powerful security features that allow you to protect your data from third parties. In addition to basic VPN features, TorGuard also offers a plethora of other options such as private mail and proxies.

Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to use.

If you want to implement advanced features, you’ll have to set everything up manually or request help from customer support. TorGuard is a VPN provider that we’d recommend to power internet users who are proficient at this type of technology.

Finally, plenty of users and reviewers point out that TorGuard is not exactly affordable, especially considering that you will need to pay for add-ons for certain functionalities (e.g., dedicated IP addresses for streaming).

Ultimately, the decision is yours. If you’re looking for a powerful VPN provider with plenty of options to upgrade your digital security as needed, TorGuard gives you room to expand.

FAQ

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