Reviewing Urban VPN (2024): Is it a Secure & Trustworthy VPN to Utilize?

Moreover, Urban VPN will gather user browsing data, search engine results page, web pages visited, clicked stream data, and details on the content viewed by users of its free mobile app version.

As per Urban VPN, the gathered data is predominantly “aggregated Non-Personal Data, yet occasionally Web Browsing Data may contain terms that qualify as Personal Data, which is why they filter and scrape the data to eliminate any Personal Data prior to usage.”

From my perspective, surrendering such an extensive amount of data seems excessive, especially for tools like VPNs that are meant to safeguard your data. It also directly contradicts their no-logs assertions.

My DNS leak tests yielded unfavorable results with Urban VPN, where I detected two DNS leaks after conducting a series of evaluations. Below is a snapshot of one of the leaks that occurred while connected to Urban VPN’s server in India. The DNS leak test exposed a server located in the United States as well.

My findings suggest that Urban VPN falls short in delivering a secure and privacy-focused VPN experience.

A Brief Look at Urban VPN Features

Urban VPN lacks several essential features that I anticipate from VPN services in 2024. It does not include a kill switch, split tunneling, or ad blocking — functionalities that are standard or present in the majority of VPN services today. Nevertheless, it does offer a few distinctive features that might persuade you to experiment with their service.

Complimentary version accessible on multiple platforms

Urban VPN’s main appeal lies in its free version, which is accessible on various platforms. Their product section on the website emphasizes the variety of platforms it supports.

Currently, Urban VPN provides a free VPN for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. Additionally, you can utilize Urban VPN for free via a router or as an unblock proxy.

Personally, I believe that offering a premium desktop VPN version would enhance Urban VPN’s offerings, especially considering that only the mobile platform has a paid plan. This could enable them to deliver greater security and functionalities.Characteristics for advanced users on a dedicated system.

One positive aspect of Urban VPN is the availability of a complimentary VPN service. It should be noted, though, that the level of security and feature selection will be different when using a free service. This could be beneficial for individuals needing to temporarily change their IP address to access region-restricted content.

Unlimited gadget support

Urban VPN also offers unlimited device compatibility, enabling users to link numerous gadgets concurrently without any cost.

Not all VPN services provide unlimited device compatibility, as some have a limit of 5–10 connected devices at a time. I admire Urban VPN for offering unlimited device support, particularly in its complimentary version. This allows you to connect your laptop, smartphone, and other gadgets without worrying about reaching a device cap.

Complimentary VPN servers with unlimited data transfer capacity

I also commend Urban VPN for presenting its free VPN servers without any data caps or restrictions on server choices.

In other complimentary VPN solutions I’ve experimented with, there is often a data cap or limitations on selecting the VPN location. Urban VPN, right from the beginning, lets users pick from its collection of over 60 server locations in its free edition.

Speed and efficiency: What is the pace of Urban VPN?

For the purposes of this assessment, I evaluated Urban VPN’s complimentary Windows version, so evaluating speeds with its paid mobile plans isn’t feasible. Throughout my testing, I observed that Urban VPN’s overall VPN speed was slow and sluggish.

This was evident while connected to one of its servers and working on my standard writing tasks: having multiple browser tabs open for research, using Google tools like Docs and Drive, and occasionally streaming 1080p videos.

Website loading times were extended, and there was a noticeable decline in connection compared to my internet service provider. Additionally, I noticed that Urban VPN struggled to promptly establish new connections when switching to a different server, often taking several seconds to connect properly.

Regrettably, maintaining VPN connections was also a challenge. For instance, when attempting to connect to its France server, I encountered frequent disconnections even after the application indicated a successful connection.

Regarding speed tests, Urban VPN did not perform well. Compared to my internet service provider, there was a 79.7% reduction in download speed and a 67.1% decrease in upload speed when using Urban VPN.

Unfortunately, Urban VPN’s complimentary version functions as expected for a free VPN: delivering slow speeds and unreliable connections.

Urban VPN servers and geographical locations

In its server collection, the complimentary version of Urban VPN offers access to approximately 60+ VPN locations. The paid version of Urban VPN claims to offer 530+ servers in over 80 countries. Naturally, these figures may vary over time.

Overall, Urban VPN has a satisfactory distribution of servers across different locations, placing it in the middle range when compared to other VPN services. Nevertheless, the limited number of over 530 servers may not suffice for optimal speed and reliability, particularly under heavy user load on specific server locations.

If high-speed performance is crucial for your needs, I would suggest exploring alternative services such as NordVPN or ExpressVPN.

One noteworthy feature of Urban VPN is its online interface that enables users to check if their desired VPN location is supported by the service.

Insights into the Urban VPN Application

My initial experience with the Urban VPN Windows application left much to be desired. The application demonstrated a simplistic design with basic VPN functionalities.

The Urban VPN app showcases a basic layout with only essential controls like a Play/Stop button and a server listing on the sidebar. Although user-friendly, the application lacks advanced features and functionality.

Despite my preference for straightforward VPN solutions, Urban VPN seems to offer a limited set of features. Notably, it lacks additional security measures such as a kill switch, ad blocking, or split tunneling. While a free version might justify this absence, the paid subscription also fails to introduce these capabilities.

Furthermore, the process of switching servers felt cumbersome, encountering occasional connection issues or unexpected server disconnections.

Advantages of Urban VPN

• Availability of a free plan.
• Support for unlimited devices.
• No data restrictions on the free tier.

Challenges with Urban VPN

• Retention of user activity logs.
• Lack of third-party audits.
• Scarcity of fundamental VPN functionalities.
• Subpar connection speeds.

Ideal Users for Urban VPN

My firm recommendation would steer clear of utilizing Urban VPN presently. However, if compelled to proceed, Urban VPN suits individual users seeking immediate IP address modifications, primarily for unblocking geo-restricted content while traveling or related purposes.

Aside from these limited scenarios, I caution against utilizing Urban VPN due to its extensive user data logging, absence of independent auditing to verify its no-logs stance, and poor VPN performance in terms of speed.

Urban VPN serves as a prime example of the potential risks associated with free VPN services, particularly concerning data monitoring and collection practices. Moreover, its lack of fundamental features like a kill switch and split tunneling, paired with minimal enhancements in the paid version, raises further concerns.

Even within the free domain, alternatives like Proton VPN or hide.me VPN offer superior value and functionality. For accessing reliable free VPN services, explore our compilation of the Best Free VPNs and top picks with complimentary trials in the Best VPNs with Free Trials.

Substitutes for Urban VPN

Surfshark

If you’re after a comprehensive VPN service, my suggestion is Surfshark. It offers great value with its server network spanning 100 countries, swift and consistent VPN speeds, and reasonable pricing. Surfshark supports an unlimited number of simultaneous device connections, making it ideal for cost-conscious users and businesses.

In my opinion, Surfshark boasts one of the best user interfaces, providing both an intuitive and nicely designed desktop application.

To discover more, check out our complete Surfshark review.

Proton VPN

For individuals who prioritize privacy, consider Proton VPN. It is headquartered in privacy-conscious Switzerland, known for its robust privacy legislation. This ensures an additional layer of security for your data, especially against government intrusion. Proton VPN also offers a fully-featured free version with no data limitations.

SEE: Cost of VPN Subscription (TechRepublic)

Among my top three recommendations, Proton VPN boasts the largest server fleet, with an extensive 6,580+ servers spread across 112 countries. This is particularly advantageous for individuals seeking a VPN to unblock geo-restricted online content.

To find out more, read our in-depth Proton VPN review.

hide.me VPN

For tech enthusiasts and advanced users, hide.me VPN is a solid choice. It offers a customizable VPN experience, allowing users to configure specific automated actions, such as setting custom configurations for each VPN protocol or controlling the hide.me app launch behavior. This is ideal for individuals who enjoy personalizing their software experience.

hide .me VPN also features a convenient StealthGuard functionality that serves as its own version of a kill switch. This automatically blocks any connection or traffic not safeguarded by the VPN service.

To find out more, read our comprehensive hide.me VPN review here.

Review methodology

My assessment of Urban VPN involved an in-depth examination of its features, pricing, and real-world performance. I had hands-on experience with Urban VPN’s free version on my Windows laptop.

To assess Urban VPN, I evaluated it based on various factors, ranging from its security protocols to pricing. I considered five key criteria, each assigned specific weights:

• Pricing (20%).
• Core VPN features (30%).
• User-friendliness (15%).
• Customer assistance (30%).
• Professional analysis (5%).

Based on this framework, Urban VPN received a rating of 1.7 out of 5 stars. I also examined user feedback and reputable reviews to provide comprehensive insights on Urban VPN.

SEE: Guide to Conducting Cybersecurity Risk Assessment in 5 Steps (TechRepublic Premium)

For speed and performance evaluation, I used Ookla’s public Speedtest to measure download and upload speeds. Additionally, I conducted multiple DNS leak tests on Urban VPN using DNSLeakTest to check for any potential DNS leaks. Lastly, I identified the types of businesses and individual users that would benefit most from using Urban VPN.

To understand more about our VPN review process, read our detailed VPN Review Methodology.

About Author

AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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