OysterVPN Review: Fast, Secure, and Budget-Friendly

Whether you're a staunch privacy advocate or want to access some geo-restricted content, subscribing to a service like OysterVPN can give you peace of mind when browsing the Internet, downloading files, and accessing data. personal data.

While OysterVPN isn't as household a name as some VPN providers, it has all the features you need, including a built-in ad blocker, IP leak protection, DNS, and servers. in multiple countries and multiple logins across all the devices you want to protect.

What is OysterVPN?

OysterVPN is a virtual private network provider that brings "privacy to your digital life" based in Dublin, Ireland. It has strong privacy protections designed to help users stay anonymous online, allow access to geo-restricted content, and most importantly, enhance browsing privacy and security web.

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Like most VPNs, OysterVPN's core function is to help you appear anonymous and create distance between your physical location and your online location. Once you sign up and start using OysterVPN, you can choose from one of the service's secure VPN servers, located across 17 countries.

What's more, you can connect up to 5 devices simultaneously to OysterVPN, giving you protection on any hardware you own. This VPN offers apps for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. Although there is no Linux support and no browser extension, OysterVPN can be configured on the appropriate router.

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Finally, OysterVPN has a no-logs policy, meaning it doesn't collect or log any more data than necessary to run the service.

OysterVPN server locations

Let's start by looking at where OysterVPN's servers are located. The VPN server you choose will directly impact your Internet browsing experience (along with the content you'll see on streaming services).

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OysterVPN's servers are located at:

1. Australia
2. Canada
3. France
4. Virtue
5. Hong Kong
6. India
7. Ireland
8. Israel
9. Japan
10. Netherlands
11. Russia
12. Singapore
13. South Africa
14. Switzerland
15. United States (with some specific server locations, such as New York, Los Angeles, and Miami)
16. UK
17. Ukraine

Across those countries, OysterVPN hosts over 150 servers, which means you can always find a server where you need it, and your connection will be fast when you need it. OysterVPN doesn't have the geographical coverage of top VPN providers like NordVPN or ExpressVPN, but it will be enough for most users.

OysterVPN Privacy and Security Features

Privacy is key to any VPN, and OysterVPN packs some decent security and privacy features to keep you safe online.

First, all of OysterVPN's servers use AES-256 encryption by default. AES-256 is one of the strongest public encryptions and is used to secure all types of online services. Passing AES-256 is extremely difficult due to the time it takes to crack the password.

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However, you should note that the use of AES-256 does not extend to older VPN protocols, like PPTP. About that, OysterVPN supports most of the major VPN protocols:

1. OpenVPN
2. IKEv2
3. PPTP
4. L2TP/IPSec

However, at the time of writing, it does not support Wireguard, the most modern VPN protocol. The other VPN protocols listed above are all good, secure, and perform well, but Wireguard's combination of speed and security is something OysterVPN lacks.

Kill switch, IP and DNS leak protection

OysterVPN's security features are designed to protect you if anything goes wrong while using the service.

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For example, OysterVPN's built-in kill switch prevents your Internet from automatically reconnecting if you lose your network connection for any reason. If you're online and using a VPN to hide your activity from your ISP or third parties or otherwise, you don't want your activity to be accidentally revealed. Kill switch is a great tool in your arsenal.

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Another important consideration for any VPN service is its ability to protect against DNS and IP leaks. By using a VPN, you are entrusting the VPN service with your data and Internet activity. Since OysterVPN encrypts all of its connections, you are protected from these problems.

No-logs policy

No matter what you're using a VPN for, you should always choose a VPN that doesn't log or track your data. All VPN services process data such as your IP address as part of normal operations.

However, no-logs VPNs delete any data once you're done and don't log information related to your searches, the websites you visit, and any other online activities.

However, despite OysterVPN's claims to be a no-logs VPN, without third-party testing there is no way for users to verify these claims.

Block ads and malware

OysterVPN comes with ad and malware blocking, a pair of handy tools as you navigate the Internet. OysterVPN's ad blocking is pretty good, but some still slip through censorship. Even so, removing ads from some of the heavier pages will definitely speed up the browsing experience.

OysterVPN's malware blocking feature is also useful, preventing users from visiting malicious websites and protecting against potentially malicious downloads.

OysterVPN Speed

Of course, among all the security and privacy features, VPN speed is also important. The speed of OysterVPN during testing was impressive. To give an accurate assessment of the overall speed, I tested using a desktop computer, a laptop with an Android 13 smartphone as a hotspot and only the Android app in two locations. different (England and Switzerland).

Some of the speed results are interesting, with the mobile hotspot connection increasing speeds significantly when connecting to OysterVPN.

OysterVPN speed test on desktop

OysterVPN works well on a wired computer connection. Without VPN connection, FTTC connection registered 43Mbps. These speeds drop to 25Mbps when connecting to the London 01 server, a significant drop for an already relatively slow connection. However, the speed dropped slightly when connecting to the Swiss server, dropping to 34Mbps.

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OysterVPN Android app speed test

The OysterVPN Android app is very easy to use (the iOS app is very similar but I don't have an Apple device). Once downloaded and logged in, select a VPN server from the drop-down menu, then hit the big connect button. All very intuitive.

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Mobile VPN speeds will always be limited by the type and strength of your connection. Switching OysterVPN has no noticeable effect on connection speed. The highest speed during my testing of the OysterVPN Android app was when connecting to the London 01 server, at about 34Mbps, and when connecting to the server based in Switerzland, it was 22Mbps.

OysterVPN Mobile Hotspot Speed ​​Test

The OysterVPN mobile hotspot speed test is one of the most interesting results.

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Using an Android smartphone as a hotspot delivers download speeds of 32Mbps and upload speeds of 13Mbps. After turning on OysterVPN and connecting to the London 01 server, the download speed skyrocketed to about 90Mbps/13Mbps.

It should also be noted that these speeds are achieved on a train traveling at 125 mph.

Is OysterVPN fast?

Experience with OysterVPN connection speed is very positive. Most modern VPNs work well to give you good Internet speeds, but you'll often experience a slight hit from the extra hop between your computer, the VPN server, and accessing the website or service.

Of course, VPN speed also depends on the server you connect to and the speed of your Internet in the first place. While smartphone hotspots have sped up, that's not a prime example. A typical rule of thumb is that the greater the distance between you and the VPN server, the more performance impact you will experience.

But overall, the speed of OysterVPN is good and remains stable during use.

How much does OysterVPN cost?

You can get a year's subscription to OysterVPN for $4.17/month, bill $49.99 for 12 months. That is a reasonable price. It's cheaper than some of the major VPN providers, like NordVPN ($60-80/year) and ExpressVPN ($116/year).

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However, if you don't want to spend a lot of money and want a VPN with good speed and security then a one-year subscription to OysterVPN might be just what you need.

If you find a 1-year subscription to be too much, you have two other options:

1. 1 month for $9.99 (3 months free)
2. 6 months for $5.00/month ($29.99/6 months)

The one-month option is useful for trying out OysterVPN.

Should I subscribe to OysterVPN?

OysterVPN is a solid choice when it comes to secure and cost-effective VPNs. You won't have to pay much for an OysterVPN subscription, but you can rest assured that your connection will remain fast enough for streaming, gaming, and downloads.

The OysterVPN app is easy to use and available for a wide range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, streaming devices, and more. With simultaneous support for up to 5 devices to use subscribe to OysterVPN, you will get good coverage on all your devices.

Currently, there are still some issues with OysterVPN and hopefully these will be changed in the future. Overall, if you don't want to spend a lot of money but want to secure and protect your device and data, then OysterVPN is well worth a try.

Kareem Winters

Update 30 August 2023