ZenMate Overview

General Overview

ZenMate is a German company based in Berlin that also offers a virtual private network software under the same name. The app is available on Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, Android TV and they also offer a free browser extension for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.

Since 2013 they racked up over 47 million users and their simple, user-friendly dashboard makes it one of the easiest VPN apps to use.

ZenMate is probably the most affordable high-quality VPN apps out there. Its features are up to date and hold up against other competitors. The app uses military-grade AES-256 encryption technology and they have a strict no-logs policy in place. They offer about 2000 servers in over 35 different countries. The VPN service has servers dedicated for unblocking streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO GO, and more. As well as servers optimized for high download speeds. Plus, they offer a 7-days free trial period as well as a 30 days money-back guarantee.

Privacy

ZenMate VPN has a strict no-logs policy in place. Which means, from the moment you connect to one of their servers you become 100% anonymous. They claim on their website to never record their users or keep any logs of their online activity. As stated in their privacy policy: “activity done by the user inside the ZenMate VPN tunnel, which is NOT recorded, logged or stored at all.”

Here’s the tricky part: Germany is part of the 14 eyes alliance. An organization that forces companies to keep logs on their users and share them with other member states. However, part of ZenMate’s operations are in Romania. An Eastern-European country that isn’t a member of any surveillance alliances. And that’s how they can practice their zero-logs policy.

Product and User Experience

With dedicated apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Android TV, ZenMate offers a simple to use interface for anyone, no matter their technical skills level. When you start-up the app you can quickly connect to a server by clicking the big button with the shield logo on it. Or you can click the arrows in the bottom-left corner to choose the detailed view and select a server from their list of 35+ countries.

If you choose to select the server yourself, you’ll find 3 lists. The 1^st one is the Favorites list. Here you can bookmark the servers that work best for you, to easily and quickly connect to them. Then you’ll find a list of servers optimized for high download speeds. And lastly, you’ll find a list of servers that are guaranteed to work with streaming services such as Netflix, HBO GO, Amazon Prime, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and more.

Speed and Performance

Most people try to avoid VPNs because they fear their internet will start slowing down. However, a good VPN service lets you experience fast speeds and doesn’t slow down your connection. In fact, some ISPs tend to limit users’ speeds to avoid congestion, so if you do use a VPN service, sometimes you might end up having a faster download speed.

To see how ZenMate VPN affects users’ internet speed we tested our connection with the VPN turned off and on. You can see the results bellow.

ZenMate VPN OFF

ZenMate VPN ON

As you can see the speed was affected, but it’s barely noticeable. And we connected to a random local server, not a server optimized for download speeds. So, everything considering, we’d say ZenMate holds up well.

Servers & Locations

ZenMate VPN has about 2000 servers in over 35 countries worldwide. This is more than enough to be able to establish a good connection no matter where you are in the world.

When connecting to a server you can either let ZenMate pick the best server for you depending on your location and on servers’ congestions. Or choose one from their lists. You can also see the number of users that are on every server.

ZenMate offers a list of servers for getting the best download speeds. And a list for unblocking streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, HBO GO, and more.

We tested the Netflix US server to see how it holds up. So, if you’re on a normal US server and trying to access Netflix, you’ll get the message bellow.

However, if you choose the US server from their list of streaming servers, you’ll be able to stream Netflix US. And you’ll get access to a ton of content that’s restricted to other countries.

Devices

With 1 ZenMate VPN subscription you can use up to 5 devices at the same time. ZenMate VPN has dedicated apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Android TV. Which means you can protect all your devices: laptops, phones, tablets, or even routers. That’s because ZenMate is also compatible with OpenVPN. You can configure an OpenVPN connection on your router and keep all your devices protected at the same time.

Support

ZenMate VPN offers 24/7 support in English. If you’re experiencing any issues you can submit a ticket on their website by going to the Support tab on the homepage. Or you can send them a message at [email protected]

On their website they also have a lot of useful “how to” articles and answers to frequently asked questions which you can consult before contacting them. These articles are being updated frequently and some might find them very helpful. Unfortunately, there’s no live chat support at the moment, but their customer support team tends to respond very quickly.

Pricing & Plans

If you want to get a ZenMate VPN subscription they offer 3 different plans you can choose from. A 1-month, one-time payment for $9.99. A 1-year, one-time payment that amounts to $4.49/month. And a 2-year subscription that amounts to $1.64/month but you’re billed yearly.

This makes ZenMate VPN one of the most affordable high-quality VPN services out there. Their competitive prices stand out considering their top-notch features.

And that’s not all, with every purchase you get a 7-day free trial period and a 30-days money-back guarantee.

Plus, ZenMate also has FREE browser extensions available for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. While the free version of the extension offers servers in only 4 countries and no options for unblocking streaming, it’s still a very reliable browser VPN.

Summary

Considering their low prices and high-quality service and features, ZenMate VPN is a great alternative for both beginners and more advanced users

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