Our Browsec VPN score
Browsec VPN Review (2023): A VPN With a Vague Privacy Policy
Browsec is a Russian freemium VPN with millions of downloads worldwide. Since Russia is not a VPN-friendly place, Browsec must be doing something right to attract millions of users worldwide. That’s why we decided to create this in-depth Browsec VPN review and see how it fares against the top VPN providers.
After extensive independent testing, we saw some tangible benefits paired with a few thought-provoking flaws. Having said that, did the pros outweigh the cons during our testing circuit?
Read our full Browsec VPN review to find out.
Browsec VPN: A Short Review
What We Like
- Good speeds
- AES-256 encryption
- No data leaks
- Free limited version
- Up to five simultaneous connections
- Beginner-friendly apps and extensions
- Quick installation
- Split tunneling available
- Decent server network
- Works with Netflix US
What We Don't Like
- Fluctuating speeds
- Vague privacy policy
- No desktop apps
- No live chat
- Expensive
- No crypto payments
- Doesn't work with any streaming platforms apart from Netflix
Browsec is a VPN provider headquartered in Russia. This VPN appears to be negatively impacted by its location on a number of different levels. Unfortunately, we didn’t see enough to counter this concerning fact during our testing.
It’s a mid-tier VPN service with browser extensions and native apps for Android and iOS. In other words, Browsec doesn’t have any desktop clients. It employs OpenVPN and IKEv2 with AES-256 encryption, but we’d also like to see WireGuard added to that mix in the future. Browser extensions serve their purpose but they’re limited to securing your browser, not third-party apps on your computer.
The speeds are good, but they also fluctuate a lot on most server locations. The browser extensions can’t support a kill switch while mobile apps use the system kill switch. This interferes with split tunneling since you can’t access the internet without a VPN connection. Moreover, Browsec’s privacy policy is quite vague and doesn’t specify what the company logs on its servers.
There’s a free Browsec VPN version but the speeds on the free servers are throttled into the ground. So, if you want a usable VPN, you’ll have to go premium. The company offers a seven-day money-back guarantee, which is not overly generous. Having said all that, we still believe that Browsec VPN is too expensive for what it offers.
After extensive testing, we gave Browsec VPN an overall score of 6.5/10. Read the full Browsec VPN review below to learn more about our test results and our reasoning behind the final score.
Speed – How Fast Is Browsec VPN?
When we test the speed of a VPN, we want to see minimal speed drops and smooth performance throughout. The fastest VPNs out there are the ones that strike a delicate balance between performance and online security. With that in mind, Browsec VPN gets a 6/10 for speed.
Here are a few key points to keep in mind:
- Browsec’s premium servers delivered good speeds for the most part.
- The speeds fluctuated a lot during our testing.
- The pings were extremely high on distant servers.
- The day-to-day operations felt smooth, except for gaming.
Speed test results for Browsec VPN
For this Browsec VPN review, we tested its Firefox browser VPN extension from our office in the Netherlands. We first determined our benchmark speed (without a VPN) and compared it to performances on Browsec VPN’s servers.
Here are the actual results of our Browsec VPN speed tests:
| Server | Download (Mbps) | Upload (Mbps) | Ping (ms) |
|---|---|---|---|
| No VPN | 203.68 | 244.5 | 3 |
| Netherlands (Free) | 8.32 | 29.12 | 80 |
| Singapore (Free) | 0.29 | 0.29 | 591 |
| United Kingdom (Free) | 4.81 | 11.82 | 29 |
| United States (Free) | 0.89 | 1.49 | 187 |
| Netherlands | 157.19 | 68.28 | 37 |
| Germany | 202.75 | 247.18 | 17 |
| United Kingdom | 203.88 | 247.88 | 47 |
| United States | 61.13 | 180.13 | 182 |
| United States West | 117.27 | 147.84 | 235 |
| Canada | 144.9 | 60.09 | 203 |
| Brazil | 132.33 | 84 | 405 |
| South Africa | 76.82 | 81.45 | 360 |
| Japan | 138.98 | 74.25 | 507 |
| Australia | 123.06 | 69.49 | 566 |
| Spain | 199 | 204.64 | 95 |
| Mexico | 154.63 | 138.77 | 293 |
| France | 203.25 | 246.68 | 27 |
| Italy | 201.21 | 240.26 | 35 |
As you can see, Browsec VPN is quite fast, especially when using servers close to the Netherlands. However, we did notice considerable speed fluctuations on most of Browsec’s servers. So, the speeds were good but Browsec VPN definitely needs to work on its consistency. The connection times were between two and nine seconds, which is quite impressive.
Furthermore, the pings were very high on distant servers. They weren’t that great on nearby locations either, but we could still work with those. Unfortunately, this makes Browsec a poor gaming VPN, especially if you’re into bandwidth-hungry multiplayer titles. Hence, we recommend picking one of our top VPNs for gaming, instead of Browsec.
Browsec is the perfect example of why VPNs need more than just raw speed for optimal performance. High latency can also cause lag and the speeds can fluctuate due to server instability. When Browsec VPN addresses these issues, we’re sure its performance score will go much higher. In the meantime, we recommend sticking with Surfshark, our number-one pick for speed and stability.
Moreover, Browsec VPN’s free servers were beyond slow, but we won’t criticize something that’s offered completely free of charge. Just note that they’re basically unusable unless you’re on a super-fast connection.
Speed during daily use
During our tests for this Browsec VPN review, we streamed a lot of YouTube clips, anime, and Netflix shows. We were able to unblock Netflix US, but no other streaming platforms. Since Browsec only offers phone apps and browser extensions, we’d recommend using a different VPN for torrenting.
As we already mentioned, Browsec is not a good gaming VPN due to high latency values. Regular browsing, however, was unaffected by its encryption and we didn’t notice any lag or similar problems. Note that your speed could go further down if you’re using a browser with enhanced security.
Safety – How Secure Is Browsec VPN?
Apart from smooth performance, your VPN should also ensure anonymous browsing and airtight data protection. This is done by hiding your real IP, encrypting your traffic, and implementing a zero-log policy. With all that in mind, Browsec VPN gets a 6/10 for online safety.
Here’s why:
- Depending on the platform Browsec VPN supports OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec, and HTTP Proxy over TLS.
- We weren’t satisfied with its vague privacy policy.
- Browsec VPN’s Android app comes with a kill switch.
- We saw zero IP or DNS leaks during our tests.
- You’ll only have to provide your email during registration.
Protocols
Browsec VPN supports the following VPN protocols:
- OpenVPN TCP (Android): The gold standard among VPN tunnels known for its excellent speed and security. TCP connection is slower than UDP but better for geo-unblocking and dealing with online censorship.
- IKEv2/IPSec (Android, iOS): A fast protocol with impressive reconnection capabilities. It allows you to switch between mobile and Wi-Fi networks without dropping your connection.
- HTTP Proxy over TLS (Browsers): It connects to proxies over secure TLS connections. This is usually a TCP connection, so everything we said about OpenVPN TCP applies here as well.
All protocols use AES-256 cipher to encrypt your traffic. Also described as “military-grade encryption,” this high-end cipher is used by banks, hospitals, and other institutions with a lot of sensitive data to protect.
Browsec VPN has a decent list of VPN tunnels, but it lacks flexibility offered by options like OpenVPN UDP and, most of all, WireGuard. So, if you’re looking for a VPN with bulletproof security and a lot more tunneling flexibility, we recommend going with NordVPN.
Logging and privacy
Browsec Inc. is a Russian company, which is a huge red flag in the world of cybersecurity. Although we don’t have to worry about the Eyes Alliances here, Russian censorship is a pretty big privacy threat all on its own. With that in mind, Browsec VPN can keep its users safe only by implementing a strict no-logging policy.
Unfortunately, Browsec’s privacy policy is a vague 300-word document that doesn’t tell us much about anything including its no-logs policy.
According to the said privacy policy, Browsec VPN records “some information” from your browser and their VPN clients. They don’t say what data they record or what they’re using it for. If we’re dealing with a Russian VPN, we want a detailed privacy policy enumerating every piece of data that gets logged.
As it stands, Browsec’s vague privacy policy is a huge deal-breaker for us. It is very similar to the privacy policy offered by another low-tier VPN provider, Secure VPN. If you’re in Russia and want a private internet connection, we recommend taking a look at our list of VPNs that work in Russia.
Kill switch
An automatic kill switch is your last line of defense when your VPN drops a connection for whatever reason. It blocks your internet access when the encrypted tunnel fails, preventing your real IP and other data from leaking out.
Browsec VPN has a function called “Always-on VPN” on mobile, which acts as a permanent kill switch of sorts. In other words, it doesn’t let you go online without a VPN connection. The first option just ensures that Browsec will reconnect after reboot.
The browser extensions don’t have anything even remotely resembling this fail-safe, though. They don’t have enough control over your internet traffic to operate a functional kill switch. That’s why we recommend using Proton VPN instead. It features one of the most powerful kill switches out there and also comes with a better free version.
Does Browsec VPN leak your data?
For this Browsec VPN review, we conducted our leak tests from Serbia while connected to a Dutch server. We were surprised to see no DNS or IP leaks during our testing circuit. Our main test was performed on ipleak.net.
Since we unblocked Netflix US, this shouldn’t come off as such a surprise. Browsec VPN managed to hide our real IP and DNS requests. We also used our own IP checker tool and it only showed our assigned IP address. It’s always unfortunate when a VPN manages to provide excellent IP and DNS leak protection but fails in so many other aspects.
What information does Browsec VPN need?
During registration, you’ll only be prompted to provide your email address. As always, we recommend creating a burner email without any personal identifiers.
If you wish to go premium, you’ll also have to provide your billing method and country. Browsec VPN doesn’t accept crypto payments at the moment, which is a huge privacy negative in our book.
Usability – How User-Friendly Is Browsec VPN?
Running a good VPN service (especially a free VPN) is all about delicate checks and balances. One of the crucial factors is the balance between advanced features and user-friendliness. In other words, VPN providers should cater to power users without introducing a super-steep learning curve. With that in mind, Browsec VPN gets a 7/10 for usability.
Here’s our reasoning behind this score:
- The official website is easy to navigate but doesn’t offer much help.
- The installation was quick and smooth.
- Browsec VPN’s apps are very easy to use.
- The prices are high for the features offered.
- There’s no live chat support and you can reach the customer service team by sending a message.
Browsec VPN’s website and installation process
Browsec’s website is fairly simple and easy to navigate. You don’t have to deal with any confusing menus, cryptic options, and a wide range of subscription packages. You can create an account by clicking the “Sign Up” button in the top menu and providing your credentials.
Once you’ve confirmed your account via email, clicking the “My Account” button will grant you access to your personal dashboard. This is a modest user area that allows you to:
- Check your Browsec VPN subscription plan
- Take a look at your previous purchases
- Change your password
- Subscribe to the company newsletter
Note that the “Plan” tab also allows you to cancel your future payments and change your payment method. Simply click on the “Manage” button to open the corresponding drop-down menu.
The installation was simple and fast. As mentioned, Browsec VPN only offers mobile clients and privacy-focused browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Edge. The company has been promising Mac and Windows VPN apps since 2019, but we’re not keeping our hopes up at this point.
For this Browsec VPN review, we used their Android app and extensions for Chrome and Firefox. Here’s how to install Browsec VPN on your Android phone:
- Visit Browsec VPN’s official website.
- Click on “VPN Apps,” at the top of the homepage, and from the drop-down menu select “VPN for Android.”
- Choose “Get it on Google Play.”
- Select “Install on more devices.”
- Pick a device from a drop-down menu.
- Click “Install.”
Note that you can use the free version without an account. However, we’ve already stated that the free version is borderline unusable unless you’re on a very fast connection. Installing a Browsec VPN extension is just a matter of downloading it from its respective store.
After registration, you’ll get an email with an account confirmation link and a receipt if you decide to go premium. After installation, though, you won’t receive any important emails you need to keep handy.
Browsec VPN supports up to five simultaneous connections, which is good enough. This should cover your entire household, but if it doesn’t, you can always get unlimited connections with Surfshark or IPVanish.
Browsec VPN’s appearance and ease-of-use
Browsec VPN’s mobile apps and browser extensions are basic and beginner-friendly. However, power users might not like them since they don’t offer many advanced options.
The main window of the Browsec VPN Android app features a prominent world map that you can’t interact with in any way. It only turns green when you connect to a VPN server. In other words, most of the client’s real estate is wasted on a useless gimmick. Apart from this, you can see your current VPN server, protocol, and connection status.
The hamburger menu in the top-left corner allows you to:
- Purchase premium subscriptions
- Activate split tunneling
- Enable “Always-On VPN”
- Contact customer support
- Access the “Help” section
- Rate the app
- Read more about the service
- Open the company’s Facebook page
- Sign out from the platform
There is no traditional settings menu where you can customize your VPN experience. This is to be expected, however, since Browsec is a pretty bare-bones VPN.
The Android app also has this tedious pop-up that appears every time you tap on something. It was designed to show you how to start the VPN but gets really annoying really fast.
Browsec VPN browser extensions are even more minimalistic. They only allow you to connect to the chosen server and access a few customization options.
Browsec VPN’s apps and extensions can only be viewed in English. The website, on the other hand, supports English, Turkish, and Korean.
Split tunneling
Split tunneling allows you to route trusted apps and sites outside of the protected VPN tunnel. This boosts your speed since there’s no encryption to hold it back. Browsec VPN’s split tunneling on Android lets you separate the apps that need VPN protection from the ones that can access the internet directly. The option is called “Apps Protection.”
In browser extensions, though, Browsec lets you access trusted sites without the protection of a secure VPN browser. It also allows you to define which server will be used for any specific site. This is a good feature that lets you automate your Browsec VPN usage to an extent. We tested both tools for this Browsec VPN review, and they worked as intended.
Having said that, if you wish to use Browsec’s version of a kill switch on Android, no apps will be able to access the internet outside of the VPN tunnel. In other words, permanent kill switches and split tunneling don’t work well together.
Pricing and payment methods
Considering what it brings to the table, Browsec is not the cheapest VPN out there. Its two-year subscription costs $2.99/month, which is quite expensive for what you’re getting. CyberGhost, for example, offers much more for just $2.19/month. Fastest VPN is yet another good service that costs only $0.66/month.
With that out of the way, here’s Browsec VPN’s current pricing model:
- Browsec VPN 1 month $6.99mth View offer
- Browsec VPN 1 year $3.33mth View offer
- Browsec VPN 2 years $2.99mth Deal View offer
We also have the aforementioned free version with heavily throttled speeds. Browsec also offers a seven-day money-back guarantee, which is one of the shortest refund periods out there.
Moreover, we didn’t like the false advertising in the promotional offers that were plastered all over the site, extensions, and VPN apps. Namely, they lead you to believe that Browsec VPN is also available on Windows, Linux, and macOS, which is not true at the moment. We also have no idea what “Use unlimited number of smart locations” means.
When it comes to payment methods, Browsec VPN accepts PayPal, credit cards, and Russian credit cards. As always, we recommend going with providers that allow you to buy your VPN subscription with crypto. Services like Mullvad VPN also accept cash payments, which guarantee complete anonymity.
All in all, we don’t believe that Browsec VPN offers enough to justify its prices at the moment. We have nothing against simple, beginner-friendly VPNs but the prices also have to reflect this minimalism.
Customer service
Browsec VPN’s website features a modest help center that should help you solve some of the most common problems. Its FAQ section, however, only has four questions. Their Facebook page hasn’t had any posts since 2021.
The only way to contact the support team is via email. The site features a live chat-like interface that can only be used to send a message. In other words, Browsec VPN doesn’t have live chat support.
We sent a couple of messages and the support team answered around six hours later. The explanations ranged from satisfactory to confusing but the support agents were quite friendly and willing to help. Although the messaging system does what it’s supposed to, we’d still prefer instant communication via live chat.
Server Network – Can Browsec VPN Unblock the Internet?
Large server networks allow VPNs to ensure smoother performance, fewer crashes, and a better geo-unblocking experience. Of course, the overall quality of the server infrastructure also plays a huge part. With that in mind, Browsec VPN gets a 7/10 for its current setup.
Here’s why:
- Browsec VPN operates 600+ servers across 40+ countries.
- It unblocks Netflix US but no other streaming platform.
- You can torrent only on your phone.
- Browsec VPN doesn’t offer dedicated IPs.
Number of servers and locations
Browsec VPN’s network counts 600+ servers spread across 40+ countries. The servers generally provide good speeds but tend to fluctuate a lot. We didn’t experience many unexpected disconnects during our testing for this Browsec VPN review.
You can access any server location by clicking the shortcut on the client’s main window. These locations don’t come with load indicators but do have signal strength bars. You can’t create a list of favorites or group the servers in any way.
The full list of Browsec VPN’s server locations includes:
- Americas: Brazil, Chile, the US, Canada, Mexico
- Asia Pacific: Australia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea,
- Europe: Finland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Serbia, Sweden, Ukraine, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Romania, Switzerland, the UK, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Norway, Russia, Slovenia, Spain
- Middle East: Israel, Turkey
- Africa: South Africa
Browsec VPN can’t pick server locations automatically for you. So, if you’re not sure about the best option, we recommend using servers closer to your physical location.
Browsec VPN and streaming (Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, BBC iPlayer)
We tested Browsec VPN with all popular streaming platforms and it didn’t perform that well. We managed to access Netflix US on occasion but not even that was 100% consistent.
Here are the full results of our Browsec VPN streaming tests:
| Platform | Can Browsec VPN unblock it? |
|---|---|
| Netflix | ✔ |
| Disney Plus | ✖ |
| Hulu | ✖ |
| Amazon Prime Video | ✖ |
| BBC iPlayer | ✖ |
| Crunchyroll | ✖ |
| HBO Max | ✖ |
As you can see, Browsec’s geo-unblocking capabilities are quite limited. If you want reliable access to the top catalogs, we recommend going with one of our best VPNs for Netflix instead. They should all work with other sites as well.
Browsec VPN and torrents
Since browser extensions can’t protect your P2P client, Browsec VPN forces you to torrent on your phone. Although mobile torrenting is perfectly viable, avid torrenters usually have desktop platforms in mind when talking about P2P file sharing.
So, if you don’t mind P2P traffic on your phone, Browsec VPN has you covered. If you wish to use a desktop device, however, we recommend picking a provider from our list of the best VPNs for torrenting.
Dedicated IP address
Browsec VPN doesn’t sell dedicated IPs, which is understandable since this is a very costly service to maintain. A dedicated IP address is tied to your personal account and nobody else can use it.
This means you won’t be bothered by CAPTCHA pop-ups and your chances of getting IP blacklisted are considerably lower. Furthermore, sensitive software like online banking apps won’t suspect you for signing in with different IPs.
If you need the benefits of a dedicated IP, we suggest going with a provider like Private Internet Access, for example.
Our Experience With Browsec VPN
This Browsec VPN review showed a mixed bag of good features paired with some concerning flaws. Its security setup looks decent at first glance, but it loses its luster after a thorough examination. Browsec is headquartered in Russia, its logging policy is beyond vague, and it has no desktop apps. In other words, it can’t compete with the likes of NordVPN.
The speeds are good, but they fluctuate too much. Browsec can only unblock Netflix US and no other streaming platforms. You’ll also have a poor online gaming experience due to high ping values. Torrenting is not recommended since browser extensions can’t protect your P2P client (and let’s face it, nobody wants to torrent on their phone). Surfshark blows Browsec out of the water with its stable speeds and consistent performance.
This leads us to the conclusion that Browsec VPN doesn’t do anything well enough to merit its asking price. Speaking of prices, we’d say that Browsec is too expensive for its current setup. Yes, there’s a useless free version but if you wish to use it in any meaningful way, you’ll have to go premium. CyberGhost offers much more for less money and if you’re on a budget, you can always go with the free version of Proton VPN.
As already mentioned in this Browsec VPN review, the available apps are generally easy to use but the on-site knowledge base can’t help you with any technical problems. There’s no live chat so you’ll have to message the support team and wait for their response.
After extensively testing this VPN provider, we still don’t understand why millions of people prefer Browsec VPN. It has some decent options but its problems paired with its Russian headquarters make it more trouble than it’s worth. As such, we recommend going with one of the best VPNs for this year instead and steering clear of Browsec until it fixes its issues.
Want to learn more about Browsec VPN without reading our entire review? Just click on one of the FAQs below to expand the answer.
Browsec VPN Free VPN for Chrome is safe to an extent. VPN browser extensions are always limited compared to fully-fledged VPN clients. Browsec’s Chrome extension can only protect your browser traffic, not the third-party apps on your computer (this includes your torrenting client).
On top of that, browser extensions can’t support a kill switch effectively. If you’re looking for complete online privacy and security, we recommend going with a top VPN provider instead.
Browsec VPN uses a freemium model. It offers a limited free version paired with premium subscriptions. Unfortunately, the free servers are heavily throttled, which makes them borderline unusable. You’ll need to go premium for any meaningful VPN usage. If you’re on a budget, we recommend taking a look at our list of the best free VPNs for this year.
You can cancel your Browsec VPN subscription by clicking on the “Plan” tab in your personal dashboard (on Browsec’s official website). There’s a “Manage” button within this tab that allows you to update your payment details or cancel your next payment. You can get more details in our full Browsec VPN review.
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