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TorGuard Review: Can This Florida-Based VPN Provide Value for Its High Prices?

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TorGuard Review: Can This Florida-Based VPN Provide Value for Its High Prices?

Their company VPNetworks LLC. office is situated in Florida, the United States, and it makes us a bit concerned. VPN in 5 eyes country? Read Torguard review.

Price: 4.99

Price Currency: $

Operating System: Windows

Application Category: Utility

Editor's Rating:
8.3
TorGuard website

With a focus on maintaining user privacy and anonymity in the digital age, TorGuard’s VPN service aims to give peace of mind when browsing the internet.

In this review, we will take a look at servers, features, streaming services, device compatibility, and more.

Check out our TorGuard review below.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Strong encryption and secure protocols
  • Compatible with torrenting
  • A wide range of security features

Cons

  • Based in the US (Potential privacy concerns)
  • Some advanced features missing

TorGuard Synopsis

Countries 50+
Servers & Locations 3000+
Customer Support 24/7 Email, Tickets, and Call Centre
Log Policy No Logs
Encryption Protocols AES-256 encryption with SHA-512 Stunnel, OpenVPN, Wireguard and IKEv2
Supported Platforms Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android
Routers Supported DDWRT, Tomato, and pfsense firewalls
Simultaneous Connections 8 – Standard 12 – Pro
Split Tunneling Yes
Kill Switch No
P2P File Sharing (Torrenting) Yes
Country of Registration United States
Dedicated IP Yes
Smart DNS No
Multihop No
Port forwarding Yes
Price $9.99/mo – Standard Plan $12.99/mo – Pro Plan
Free Trial or Money Back Guarantee 7-day money-back guarantee
TorGuard Website https://torguard.net/

 

Streaming Movies and TV Shows With TorGuard

TorGuard allows you to unblock geo-restricted streaming services so you can watch all your favorite shows and events. Here are the streaming services you can watch with TorGuard:

  • Netflix (US version)
  • BBC iPlayer
  • Amazon Prime Video
  • Hulu + Live TV
  • YouTubeTV

TorGuard supports streaming via specially designated “streaming IP addresses” in a dozen locations globally.

These IP addresses allow you to stream videos with unlimited speeds without buffering.

You can browse through hundreds of movies, TV shows, and other content and these addresses are designed to avoid any lag or buffering issues.

Of course, all VPNs will have an effect on your internet connection speed. Mostly leading to a drop in speed — unless your bandwidth has been throttled already, then expect an uptick in download and upload speeds.

Using Streaming Devices with TorGuard

TorGuard can be installed on the following streaming devices:

  • TVs: Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV
  • Gaming consoles: Xbox/PS3
  • Other devices: Chromebook, Kindle, Amazon devices

Mobile and Desktop apps

There are TorGuard apps compatible with the following devices:

  • Windows 7, 8.1, 10, 11
  • macOS 10.12+
  • Linux Ubuntu 14+, Mint and Debian, REDHAT, Fedora 26+, CentOS 7+, ARCH Linux, ARM Arch
  • Android
  • iOS

You can install TorGuard apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, and WiFi Routers on their website. You can download them for free and use them after signing up for a subscription plan.

TorGuard Features

In this section, we will take a look at some of the features offered by TorGuard.

VPN protocols

TorGuard’s encryption is designed to offer top-notch security.

The company uses AES-256 encryption alongside SHA-512 sets the industry standard.

For added protection, they leverage secure protocols including Stunnel, OpenVPN, Wireguard, and IKEv2 that are unique to TorGuard. Trust us to keep your data and online privacy secure.

TorGuard provides a range of options including OpenVPN obfuscation, Stunnel, OpenConnect, and Shadowsocks to make your VPN access even harder to detect.

These protocols are designed to mask your data through encrypted channels, enhancing your online privacy and securely bypassing VPN restrictions.

Stealth VPN

TorGuard’s Stealth VPN is a solution for those who need to bypass internet censorship.

By hiding VPN use and wrapping the header in SSL/TLS encryption, it can bypass Deep Packet Inspection and unblock websites and services worldwide.

Stealth VPN traffic is made to look like normal web HTTPS traffic, meaning it is difficult to block, even in countries with strict Internet censorship, like China, Russia, or the UAE.

Port Forwarding

TorGuard is a choice for P2P sharing and Torrenting. Its servers, available worldwide, support P2P sharing and port forwarding is allowed.

Browser Extensions

TorGuard’s HTTP/SSL proxy is a breeze to set up, providing support for multiple browsers.

To get started, simply download the extension from the Chrome and Firefox app store and you’ll be up and running in no time. Remember that if you are using the browser extensions only the data transmitted through the browser will be encrypted.

TorGuard Plans and Pricing

TorGuard users have the option of four different payment packages for monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, annual, biennial, and triennial subscriptions.

The Standard Plan costs:

  • $9.99/mo
  • $19.99 every 3 months
  • $29.99 every 6 months
  • $59.99 every 12 months
  • $99.99 every 2 years
  • $139.99 every 3 years

The Pro plan costs:

  • $12.99/mo
  • $34.99 every 3 months
  • $69.99 every 6 months
  • $119.00 every 12 months
  • $179.98 every 2 years
  • $249.99 every 3 years

The annual plan offers the best value for money, with the monthly cost rounding out as $3.86/month for the Standard plan and $6.94/month for the Pro plan.

They also offer a Business VPN and an Anonymous Email. TorGuard offers various payment options, including Credit cards (all forms), Debit cards, Visa, Amex, Mastercard, Discover, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies (via CoinPayments), BTC & LTC (via our own BTCPay Node), Paypal (via Paddle), and Gift cards and other payment options (via PaymentWall and PayGarden).

Money-Back Guarantee

What do you do after subscribing to one of TorGuard’s subscription plans, only to find yourself wanting out of such a commitment? Firstly, we must mention, that there is a 7-day money-back guarantee so you can try it before buying.

However, you must take note of the following:

  1. Refunds are only available for basic packages. You cannot receive a refund for a dedicated IP address.
  2. Only requests made within 7 days of subscribing will be refunded.
  3. Refunds can be withheld if there is a breach of the Terms of Service.
  4. Gift card payments will not be refunded, “cards that cannot be refunded to the source will be applied as a credit on your TorGuard account”.
  5. Bitcoin refunds will equal the dollar equivalent at the time of disbursement.

How to Claim the Money-Back Guarantee

To get your refund and you are within 7 days of purchasing the service, you will need to submit a support ticket so that their technicians cancel your account for you.

How to Cancel TorGuard

To cancel TorGuard services and remove your credit card details from your account, follow the steps below:

  • Login to your client area.
  • Click on ‘Services’ in the top menu, and select ‘My Services’.
  • Next to the service you want to cancel, click on ‘Manage’ and then click on ‘Request Cancellation’.
  • Cancel any recurring payments.

TorGuard’s Privacy and Security Features

In this section, we will take a look at some of the privacy and security features surrounding TorGuard.

Encryption

There is an abundance of protocols available for TorGuard connection: OpenVPN, PPTP, SSTP, L2TP/IPSec, and IKEv2/IPSec. OpenVPN, being an open-source protocol, offers the most secure IP obfuscation service, with leaks, vulnerabilities, and errors constantly fixed.

The other protocols are relatively secure, yet with their own perks. TorGuard also comes with Fort Knox-style AES-256-bit encryption.

The IPVS leak safeguard built into the app provides an extra layer of privacy, for those who really worry about data breaches or leaks.

Server Technology

With over 50 VPN server locations and 3000+ servers in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania, TorGuard is dedicated to providing the fastest speeds possible.

When you use TorGuard’s VPN service, you can stay assured that your online privacy is secure, and you can experience blazingly fast internet speeds from virtually anywhere on the planet.

Defense against malware and hackers

TorGuard offers a strong defense against malware and hackers by utilizing military-grade encryption to protect users’ online activities.

The VPN service features a built-in ad blocker that filters out annoying ads and malicious websites that may contain malware or spyware.

Leaks are a very real threat when dealing with a VPN. For reasons, ranging from your PC sleeping to the network disconnecting; your outgoing traffic can become unprotected — revealing your actual IP address.

When this happens, it becomes easy for your personally identifiable information to become a target for hackers or spy corporations.

TorGuard comes equipped with a kill-switch feature designed to prevent leaks. It will kill your connection in the event of application malfunction.

Technical Details

In this section, we will take a look at some of the technical details surrounding TorGuard.

How Easy is it to Install?

TorGuard’s applications are designed with a minimalistic interface across all devices. Installation is designed to be hassle-free, and the app’s primary window is designed to allow for easy navigation.

The app also boasts numerous advanced customization settings which allow users to make additional adjustments allow users to augment their security, block ads, switch to TorGuard’s proxy servers, and even run customized scripts.

Dedicated IP

With TorGuard, you can receive a Dedicated IP address. You may choose from a variety of options, including anonymous shared, dedicated, streaming, sports, or residential IPs.

Here are some of the options offered by TorGuard:

  • Dedicated IP: A dedicated IP is a unique address provided to you as an add-on. With a dedicated IP, none of the problems associated with shared anonymous IPs exist. You have full control and exclusive access.
  • Streaming IP: TorGuard’s streaming IPs are hand-picked to be compatible with major streaming services. Streaming IPs allow you to “unlock” streaming services regardless of your real-world location.
  • Residential IPs: By leasing legacy residential IP addresses directly from major ISPs in the US and UK, TorGuard provides fresh residential IP addresses making it nearly impossible for websites or third-party services to detect VPN tunneling.

No Logs Policy

According to TorGuard, no information is shared with external parties unless adequate representation within their legal jurisdiction is obtained.

Additionally, their policy claims to only comply with official court orders, in which case they would be obliged to turn over blank hard drives as they have no sensitive data stored.

TorGuard claims to have a strict no-logging policy: ensuring customers’ personally identifiable data cannot be leaked or revealed to corporations and crooks alike.

The only personal data that is supposedly collected is done at the point of purchase, and there is an option for payment via more anonymous platforms, like cryptocurrency.

Methodology

We personally try out each VPN for our reviews. We evaluate speed, security features, ability to unblock streaming services, support for torrenting, customer support, and many other factors. We also look at the VPN company’s jurisdiction, history, past security incidents, privacy policy, and audit reports to ensure that you get a complete picture of the service. Learn more about how we test VPNs on our methodology page.

Does it Work in China?

According to the website, Circumvention Central – TorGuard is not available in China and as such you should consider another provider if this is an important factor for you.

Customer Support

TorGuard’s customer service provides a 24/7 ticketing system, email support, FAQs section, and a community forum.

Their Support Center incorporates a searchable database of articles and a well-serviced blog for general and specific information, thus greatly enhancing the user experience.

However, the FAQ lacks comprehensive answers and some outdated images. TorGuard features a thriving community forum.

Typically, customer support agents respond to inquiries within the same day. The VPN’s website also provides comprehensive installation guides for its multiple OS platforms.

How does TorGuard stack up to CyberGhost?

Firstly, it’s worth mentioning that both TorGuard and CyberGhost offer a range of security features to ensure that your online activity remains private and secure.

They both use military-grade AES 256-bit encryption which is considered unbreakable by most industry standards.

When it comes to the number of servers available, CyberGhost outshines TorGuard. With over 6300 servers across 90 countries, CyberGhost offers one of the largest server networks in the industry. TorGuard, on the other hand, has a smaller network of around 3000 servers.

In terms of money-back guarantees, CyberGhost offers a 45-day money-back guarantee while TorGuard offers a 7-day money-back guarantee.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning that both TorGuard and CyberGhost have a good reputation for their customer support services. TorGuard offers a ticketing system, live chat support, an FAQ section, a community forum, and email support.

Meanwhile, CyberGhost offers a user-friendly website with a helpful FAQ section and 24/7 live chat support.

In conclusion, both TorGuard and CyberGhost offer a range of benefits and features and which one you choose will depend on your individual needs.

Wrapping Up

TorGuard is an option for those who need a VPN for secure torrenting.

TorGuard also incorporates dedicated apps for many operating systems, it is only available for PCs, smartphones, and routers.

To summarize, TorGuard is potentially a good VPN for torrenting, and could well serve you well for an extended period, but it won’t suit everyone looking for the best VPN out there.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is TorGuard related or similar to The Tor Project?

TorGuard is in no way related or affiliated with the famed deep web browsing application TOR.

TorGuard is, rather than a platform for surfing the innermost depths of the web, a service that is more suited to making torrenting as easy as possible.

The ‘Tor’ in TorGuard stands for torrenting — the file-sharing via torrent sites that has become the preferred method of P2P sharing across the globe.

Why were US servers banned from BitTorrent on TorGuard?

On March 13th, 2022, TorGuard reached a settlement in court with 27 film studio companies that accused it of promoting illegal torrenting of copyrighted material.

As part of the settlement, TorGuard agreed to utilize commercially reasonable efforts to obstruct BitTorrent traffic on its servers within US boundaries utilizing firewall technology.

Is TorGuard still a reliable VPN for torrenting with US servers?

Yes. There are three key reasons why TorGuard is still one of the best VPNs for torrenting.

Firstly, it maintained its no-logs policy and did not disclose any customer records during the lawsuit.

Secondly, it only blocks BitTorrent traffic on its US servers and not on its servers in other countries.

Finally, it is not the only VPN that has been sued by major film studios and settled to block BitTorrent traffic on its US servers.

Collins Kigen
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