Home » UnblockVPN Review

UnblockVPN Review

UnblockVPN is a Canadian VPN provider that started in 2005. Its main focus is delivering unblocking services for sites like BBC, ABC, and Hulu. The company offers two service plans based on the type of IP address you are getting, either a dynamic or dedicated IP.

One thing we found in our UnblockVPN review is that it has a very small network, covering only nine countries. While these countries are some of the most popular locations for the content that the site supports, UnblockVPN offers fewer options for other purposes. The speed of these servers might also not be up to the task.

Another concern is that the site stores certain types of personal information. These can easily be used to trace back the traffic to users. The fact that they are stored for the duration of your contract worsens the situation. We suggest that you look at these other VPN options that have better networks and stronger data protection policies.

Features

UnblockVPN claims to offer users unlimited access to popular online TV sites, including:

  • Hulu
  • BBC
  • ABC

It provides you either a US or UK IP address for unblocking these sites regardless of location. The site guarantees that the IP address is real, lessening the chances of it being blocked.

The provider also claims to let you do VoIP calls without restrictions. It says that its service masks your VoIP location, making things hard for your ISP to block and limit such calls. This also lets you get around the rate restrictions that are imposed on them.

Outside of unblocking content, UnblockVPN has a decent set of features, including:

  • Support for multiple protocols
  • Easy-to-use apps for major platforms and routers
  • SmartDNS and SmartVPN
  • Data encryption for use on public Wi-Fi

These features are not as numerous as other providers, such as the feature-laden Cyberghost, but will meet the requirements for common VPN applications.

Servers and countries

UnblockVPN has one of the smallest VPN networks available, covering only nine countries. These include:

  • The United States
  • The United Kingdom
  • Canada
  • Germany
  • Israel

Most of these countries cover popular locations for the TV services unblocked by UnblockVPN, such as Hulu. UnblockVPN has a total of 21 servers distributed in these locations. This is so far behind a high quality VPN like Private Internet Access, with their 3000+ servers in over 30 countries, that it’s laughable.

Note that the exact server locations are not indicated on the site’s main pages. You need to sign up and go to the Member Area to view them.

Speed and reliability

According to UnblockVPN’s FAQ section, users that connected to the European servers reported speeds of three to six Mbps. On the other hand, users reported speeds of one to two Mbps for US servers. The site adds that you can transfer at least 240 GB of data monthly without any noticeable slowdown.

UnblockVPN states that the actual speeds users get will vary greatly from server to server. You can use these figures as a guide when doing initial tests of the service’s speeds before signing up.

Pricing and payments

Instead of having term-based plans, UnblockVPN offers plans based on the type of IP you are getting.

UnblockVPN Pricing

All these plans let you access all the available servers and perform unlimited server switches. The free trial has a limited connection speed and is available only for three days. The dynamic IP plan will let you connect up to three different devices at the same time. On the other hand, the dedicated IP plan provides you remote access.

To buy any of the paid plans, you need to create an account on the site. When you make your purchase, you can choose the term length (one, three, six, or 12 months). The site lets you renew your term anytime by simply paying in advance for the additional months.

You can pay using your credit card, PayPal, Skrill, or Ukash.

Support

UnblockVPN has a live chat panel, but its agents are available only between 8:00am and 3:00pm UTC. You can leave a message through the panel, and the agents will reply later. There is also a contact form that you can use for non-urgent messages. The site claims to respond to questions within a few hours after you send them.

Unblock VPN Contact Form

Aside from the support channels, UnblockVPN has a detailed FAQ section. It covers most of the basic topics of setting up and maintaining your connections. Do note that the given answers are short ones, which means that they might not always be sufficient.

Policies and logging

UnblockVPN states that it doesn’t store customers’ session logs, but also says that it does store these pieces of personal information:

  • Personal details (name, address, company name)
  • Email
  • Cookies
  • IP address

The site says it stores these details only for the duration of your contract, adding that it anonymizes your data during storage. This can still be a cause of concern for some users, storing logs is storing logs. For those who are concerned, visit our list of no-log providers.

UnblockVPN’s paid services are covered by a three-day money back guarantee. To get the refund, you need to send a request to the site’s agents within the said period.

Expert recommendations

UnblockVPN is one of those few providers that focus on unblocking region-locked content. It covers most of the popular services like Hulu, ABC, and BBC. It does come short since there is no Netflix unblocking available, though you can see our list of the best VPNs for Netflix. We also like the fact that you can easily use UnblockVPN for VoIP sessions.

One major downside of this provider is its small network, which limits your options. If you want more locations, you have to get them elsewhere. We are also concerned about the fact that the provider stores some personal information. Because of these concerns, we suggest that you look for better VPN options on our best VPN list.

UnblockVPN Review