StreamVPN Full Review 2024: Is It Any Good?

StreamVPN (formerly known as My Expat Network) is a minimal VPN that is only good for basic web browsing and streaming. There are many other top VPNs that offer better security, faster speeds, better streaming and torrenting support, and an overall much better value, including ExpressVPN.

StreamVPN protects your data with industry-standard VPN security features like 256-bit AES encryption and a kill switch, and it comes with DNS leak protection (but not IPv6 or WebRTC leak protection).

However, StreamVPN definitely has a lot of flaws that I simply can’t ignore — its no-logs policy is too vague, it has slow speeds on local servers, and you don’t get any extras like split-tunneling, RAM-only servers, or perfect forward secrecy. Also, I couldn’t connect to any of its Stealth servers, it has an extremely small server network (with servers in only 12+ countries), it only has native apps for Android and iOS (that have no settings), it allows torrenting in only 1 server location, and its customer support is awful.

StreamVPN allows up to 5 connections with a single account and offers monthly and yearly plans, which are covered with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

StreamVPN Full Review — Could Be Better (Tiny Server Network & No Native Desktop Apps)

I spent a couple of weeks testing and researching StreamVPN to see how it compares to the top VPNs on the market in 2024. Overall, make no mistake, it falls well short of competing with industry leaders like ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access.

StreamVPN works with most top streaming sites, but it only has servers located in 12+ countries, so many users looking to enjoy content libraries on sites like Netflix and Amazon Prime will be shut out. And StreamVPN allows torrenting but only in the Netherlands, which means users in distant countries in North and South America, Africa, and Asia will have much slower download speeds.

While you get top-of-the-line encryption and a good kill switch, StreamVPN’s no-logs policy is unclear, it doesn’t have any advanced security features, and there are only native apps for Android and iOS.

StreamVPN Plans & Pricing — Competitive Pricing, but It Lacks Value

StreamVPN allows 5 connections and offers monthly and yearly plans that start at $6.79 / month.

While the plans are competitively priced, StreamVPN doesn’t provide as much value as other top VPNs like ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access, and CyberGhost VPN — all of these come with better security features, include convenient extra features, maintain faster speeds, and have larger server networks.

StreamVPN accepts credit cards and PayPal (but no cryptocurrencies) and backs each plan with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

StreamVPN Features — Has the Basics Covered

StreamVPN has the following industry-standard VPN security features:

• 256-bit AES encryption. StreamVPN uses bank-grade encryption to make your internet traffic unreadable.
• Kill switch. This feature automatically shuts down your internet access if you’re disconnected from the VPN server to protect your data from leaking onto the internet.

StreamVPN has DNS leak protection but not IPv6 or WebRTC leak protection. I ran multiple DNS leak tests while connected to servers in 12+ countries and didn’t detect any leaks. I also didn’t suffer any leaks during my WebRTC leak tests, but I prefer VPNs that have built-in WebRTC protection like ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access so I know I’m 100% safe.

StreamVPN uses OpenVPN, IKEv2, and L2TP protocols, which are all secure and pretty fast (I had the fastest speeds while using OpenVPN). However, I wish StreamVPN offered WireGuard, which is faster than all 3 of these protocols — in our speed tests, VPNs that have WireGuard (like Private Internet Access, CyberGhost VPN, and Surfshark) always outperformed OpenVPN, IKEv2, and L2PT.

StreamVPN Privacy & Security — Vague No-Logs Policy (But Privacy-Friendly Location)

I don’t like StreamVPN’s privacy policy — it claims the VPN doesn’t log your bandwidth, any information regarding your internet activity, or DNS queries (this is your online traffic). While all of these are good policies, they are still too vague for me. I prefer a VPN that has a straightforward privacy policy, like ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access, that clearly states it doesn’t store records of the websites you visit, the files you download, or your IP address (StreamVPN’s support team stated that the company logs user IP addresses, but not online activity).

Additionally, I’m not a fan of how StreamVPN hasn’t conducted an independent audit to confirm its no-logs policy. I hope StreamVPN takes this action so it’s more aligned with top VPNs like ExpressVPN and NordVPN.

StreamVPN is based in Hong Kong, which isn’t a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance (a group of countries that share surveillance data with each other). This means that StreamVPN isn’t required to turn user info over if requested by the Hong Kong government.

Overall, StreamVPN has a vague no-logs policy but is headquartered in a privacy-friendly nation.

StreamVPN Speed & Performance — Not Great Overall

I conducted speed tests in all 12+ countries where StreamVPN has a server to determine its average speeds. I had very disappointing speeds on StreamVPN’s local servers and decent speeds on distant servers.

First, I ran a speed test without being connected to a VPN to get a baseline for my internet connection speeds.

However, when I tried to run speed tests while connected to StreamVPN’s US server and other distant servers in Europe and Australia, the speed test website was unable to find an optimal server. I asked 2 of my colleagues to try and run a speed test with StreamVPN but they also had the same issue. I have never had this problem with any other VPN, and to be honest, it’s definitely a bit concerning.

When connected to a local server in the US, websites and HD videos took 4-5 seconds to load, which is really slow for a local server, but I experienced little to no lag or buffering while streaming in HD.

When connected to distant servers in Europe and Australia, websites and HD videos took 5-6 seconds for me to load, which is more common due to the servers being further away from me, and I experienced minimal lag or buffering while streaming.

Overall, StreamVPN doesn’t have the best speeds, and there are many other alternative options for really fast speeds for browsing, streaming, torrenting, and gaming.

StreamVPN Servers & IP Addresses — Extremely Small Server Network & Only 1 Torrenting Location

StreamVPN has 120+ servers in 12+ countries, which is a very small server network. Its servers are primarily located in North America, Europe, and Australia, so many users around the world may not have access to a server in their country or even close to them (causing them to have slower speeds).

Other top VPNs on the market have much larger server networks. For example, CyberGhost VPN has servers in 100 countries and ExpressVPN has servers in 105 countries.

I also don’t like how StreamVPN only allows torrenting in 1 server location (the Netherlands). Top VPNs like ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access allow P2P sharing on all servers.

StreamVPN also has Stealth servers, but I was unable to connect to any of these servers — and customer support couldn’t help me resolve this issue, either.

Overall, StreamVPN has an extremely small server network that doesn’t allow most users to find a local server and supports torrenting in only 1 server location.

StreamVPN Streaming & Torrenting — Good for Streaming but Not Torrenting

StreamVPN is a good VPN for streaming — it works with top sites like Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime. However, it doesn’t work with Disney+.

If you’re looking for the best streaming VPN, I recommend ExpressVPN — it’s ranked #1 on our lists of the best VPNs for streaming, it works with 100+ streaming sites, it has lightning-fast speeds across all servers, and it’s user-friendly.

I don’t recommend StreamVPN for torrenting — it allows P2P sharing only in the Netherlands. This is good for people in the Netherlands and some neighboring countries, but it’s bad for all other users around the world because they won’t have access to a nearby server for fast torrenting speeds. For example, it took me around 50 minutes to download a 20 GB file.

There are much better torrenting VPNs — my favorite is ExpressVPN because it allows torrenting on all of its servers in 105 countries, has blazing-fast speeds, and best-in-class security features.

Overall, StreamVPN is a solid option for streaming, but it only allows torrenting on servers in 1 location.

StreamVPN Ease of Use: Mobile and Desktop Apps — No Native Desktop Apps & Mobile Apps Are Minimal

StreamVPN has very minimal and basic apps for iOS and Android, and it doesn’t have native apps for Windows and macOS (but installing it on desktop is pretty easy).

I installed StreamVPN’s app on my Android smartphone and iPhone in just 1 minute, and the process took around 2 minutes on my Windows 10 laptop and MacBook Pro.

StreamVPN’s mobile apps are extremely basic but easy to use. I like the intuitive design and how simple it is to connect to a server — the countries are listed in alphabetical order. However, there are no settings on the Android app at all. Plus, it was super frustrating, as you get stuck on the settings page and have to force close and reopen the app to get back to the main screen because there’s no back button. On the iOS app, the only feature is Auto Reconnect.

StreamVPN’s desktop apps are even more minimal — the VPN doesn’t have any native apps available for download, the Windows install doesn’t work, you have to search your menu bar in order to find the app, and 2 of my colleagues couldn’t connect to any servers. Take a look at this list for the best VPNs for Windows, or check this post for the best VPNs for macOS.

Overall, StreamVPN has easy-to-use mobile apps, but they’re bare-bones. Top providers like ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access have native and intuitive apps for nearly every device.

StreamVPN Customer Support — Inaccurate FAQs & Support Reps Lack Technical Knowhow

StreamVPN has bad customer support — it offers fairly responsive email support, along with some installation guides, some troubleshooting guides, and FAQs, but it lacks live chat.

StreamVPN offers email support via an online ticketing system. When I emailed StreamVPN, I usually received a response within 6-7 hours, which is OK. StreamVPN’s email support team was able to provide general information about billing but couldn’t assist me with more technical issues — I had problems connecting to StreamVPN’s Stealth servers, and none of the reps were able to help me fix this problem.

StreamVPN provides limited setup and installation guides but compensates by offering a free virtual installation service conducted by its support reps. However, the troubleshooting guides are very minimal, and the FAQs often give incorrect information. For example, one FAQ says you have to select the restart button in your account dashboard to renew your subscription, but that button doesn’t exist.

Overall, I was not impressed with StreamVPN’s customer support.

Is StreamVPN a Good VPN in 2024?

StreamVPN is a below-average VPN that has good security and decent streaming support. It protects users’ data with industry-standard VPN security features like 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, and DNS leak protection (and passed all of my leak tests). And it works with popular streaming sites like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and BBC iPlayer (but not Disney+).

However, StreamVPN comes with many downsides that keep it from being a top VPN. For example, it lacks advanced features like RAM-only servers and perfect forward secrecy, it has an extremely small server network, its apps are glitchy, its no-logs policy is vague, and it only supports torrenting on 1 server location.

StreamVPN allows up to 5 simultaneous connections and offers monthly and yearly plans, and each plan is covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is StreamVPN safe?

Yes, but only on a basic level. StreamVPN has industry-standard VPN security features like 256-bit AES encryption and a kill switch.

However, it only has DNS protection (there’s no WebRTC or IPv6 leak protection), it’s missing advanced security features like RAM-only servers and perfect forward secrecy, and the privacy policy doesn’t explicitly or clearly state what it logs.

If you’re looking for the most secure VPN, I recommend ExpressVPN, which includes industry-leading security features.

Does StreamVPN offer a free VPN?

No, StreamVPN doesn’t offer a free VPN.

I don’t recommend using free VPNs — they usually lack key security features, provide subpar speeds, and limit how much data you can use each day or month. If you’re only in the market for a free VPN, check out our top picks here (Proton VPN has the best free plan).

Does StreamVPN work with Netflix?

Yes, the VPN is compatible with Netflix. However, my favorite VPN for streaming Netflix is ExpressVPN — it works with 100+ streaming services, consistently has some of the fastest streaming speeds in the industry, offers servers in 105 countries, and has intuitive apps across all platforms.

Is StreamVPN good for torrenting?

StreamVPN is only good for torrenting if you’re in the Netherlands or in a nearby country, as it only allows P2P traffic on servers in the Netherlands. As a result, most users around the world won’t be able to connect to a server in their home country, causing them to have much slower torrenting speeds. For example, I’m located in the US and it took me just under an hour to download a 20 GB file.

There are much better options for torrenting out there — I recommend ExpressVPN because it allows torrenting on servers in 105 countries, maintains faster speeds, and has a no-logs policy that has been independently audited and verified.