BeeVPN Review (No Longer Operational)
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When choosing a VPN service, many of us would always go for a better-known one. Since VPNs deal with private data, it’s natural to choose one with a reputation for keeping its users safe. However, this isn’t a reason to overlook lesser-known VPNs, such as BeeVPN. You might be surprised by what you’ll find in these VPNs, which usually come with unique features as they try to stray away from a typical VPN service. That’s because they desperately need to be seen and noticed. So, could this VPN be one of those hidden gems? Let’s find out! We wish you a warm welcome to our BeeVPN review!
Let’s not rush into technical terms and deep explanations. To get started, we’ve prepared three handy tables, showing you the most prominent highlights of this VPN. First, we’ll start by listing some of the prominent aspects of BeeVPN, allowing you to easily compare it to its competitors.
Next, you should know that we’ve tested BeeVPN and its website unblocking capabilities. You can learn more if you continue reading, and here are the highlights.
And finally, we have a table where we present the pros and cons of using BeeVPN. In case you don’t have the time to read this entire review, we’re sure you’ll find it helpful.
That would be it for our introductory segment. If you’d like to get to know more about BeeVPN, make sure to keep on reading. We’ve tested this VPN from the inside out, and you’ll learn all there’s to know about it. So, let’s continue, shall we?
BeeVPN – TechNadu’s Hands-On Review
We’ve tested dozens and dozens of VPNs so far. Each of those articles has a uniform structure, as we do our best to be objective when rating VPNs. So, if you’d like to know about how we review VPNs, don’t forget to click on the provided link.
Background, Jurisdiction & Reputation
BeeVPN comes from Denmark, a member country of the European Union. Even though there are privacy-protecting laws in practice, Denmark also forms a part of the 14-Eyes Alliance. Our Score: 5/10.
First things first – you’ll want to know where BeeVPN comes from and what that means for its users. After all, there’s a reason why top-rated VPNs come from exotic countries with privacy-protecting laws.
Jurisdiction & Applicable Laws
BeeVPN is a product of a company called BeeVPN ApS – coming from Denmark. First of all, you should know that this country is a member of the European Union. This has two equally important sides. First of all, the EU has recently embraced new privacy-friendly laws and Demark followed as well. The 2018 Danish Data Protection Act superseded the Danish Act on Processing of Personal Data, expanding the rights of individuals to control how their private data is handled. This means that companies need to follow a series of incredibly strict laws regarding the data they collect.
However, it’s also worth noting that Denmark is a member of the 14-Eyes Alliance. This is a group of countries that collect and exchange plenty of information, and there were cases of these practices going against both national and international laws. In other words, BeeVPN can be forced by foreign intelligence agencies to collect or reveal certain data. In general, it’s always better to choose a VPN based in a country that’s not participating in any intelligence alliances.
Previous Data Leaks
BeeVPN is one of the most 'mysterious' VPNs we’ve encountered yet. There’s very little information on the Web about this VPN service, even though it’s been around for close to a decade now. This means that we couldn’t find any reports of BeeVPN collecting personal data or going through a data breach.
In other words, BeeVPN might be doing an extremely good job of protecting your private information. Or, maybe its shortcomings or problematic elements from its past never surfaced since not many people use this VPN. Either way, we recommend exercising caution if you decide to use BeeVPN.
Supported Platforms & Devices
BeeVPN is compatible with many platforms. However, it doesn’t offer easy-to-use native applications and relies on third-party solutions instead. Our Score: 5/10.
In theory, BeeVPN is compatible with many devices. So, let’s first check which devices are those – but make sure to keep on reading as the situation surrounding BeeVPN is a complicated one.
After taking a look at the table found above, you can conclude that BeeVPN brings wide compatibility with numerous platforms. However, it’s important to be said that BeeVPN doesn’t offer any native applications – which can be a major obstacle to using this VPN.
Instead of offering native apps, you’re asked to install a third-party solution through which you can control your VPN connection. You can also fine-tune your experience via this VPN’s Web interface. So, there’s some fine-tuning involved, and you’re not exactly limited. However, we can’t hide the fact that BeeVPN doesn’t have an official application – which really complicates things.
Installation & Initial Configuration
BeeVPN comes with a somewhat complicated installation, which might be overwhelming for inexperienced users. Our Score: 5/10.
As noted earlier, BeeVPN doesn’t have an official VPN client. Instead, it completely relies on the Cisco AnyConnect client, designed for companies to offer VPN-related services. So, the first step is to sign-up for BeeVPN and pick the plan you like best. Then, you need to log-in to your account on the BeeVPN website and choose a setup guide based on your chosen platform. Upon downloading Cisco AnyConnect, you need to log-in using your username and password. And then, return to the website, set up your connection, and you’re ready to go. Setting up your connection includes choosing one of four available gateways, choosing whether you want to enable the firewall and this VPN’s SeeAllTV feature (that allows media streaming).
In case you want to connect to a different server, you need to choose another gateway on the BeeVPN website. Then, you need to restart your VPN client for these changes to be applied. This can surely be a tedious process as you need to go back and forth even if you want to make a single change.
Prominent Features
BeeVPN won’t blow you away with its set of features. This is a basic VPN service with no advanced features, designed for average home users. Our Score: 6/10.
In this segment, we’ll check what kinds of features this VPN brings. More precisely, we’ll tell you whether this is a basic VPN or one made for more experienced users.
We can see that BeeVPN is a basic VPN service. It protects your private data by utilizing different methods of protecting you against DNS, IPv4, and IPv6. However, as we don’t have an IPv6 connection, we weren't able to check for any leaks. BeeVPN says that you can use IPv4 and IPv6 at the same time, which is perhaps the most advanced feature this VPN offers.
In terms of high-end features, you won’t find them here. For example, BeeVPN doesn’t offer a kill-switch or split-tunneling. Therefore, we conclude that this is a fairly basic VPN, designed for average home users.
Server Count
BeeVPN comes with 4 locations, all located in Europe. We’ve tested dozens of VPNs so far – and this one comes with the smallest VPN server network yet. Our Score: 1/10.
Today’s VPN services often offer several thousands of servers – while still being affordable. So, let’s see what to expect from BeeVPN.
Surprisingly enough, BeeVPN offers 4 servers only. These are located in the United Kingdom (London), France (Paris), Sweden (Stockholm), and Denmark (Copenhagen). You get unlimited switches between these servers, but you’ll need to log-in to your account on BeeVPN’s website to do this.
It’s also interesting to note that BeeVPN promises to bring access to the US version of Netflix, even though it doesn’t offer any US-based servers. We’ve tested this claim, and you can read more about this aspect of BeeVPN in one of the following segments of this review.
Ease of Use
This VPN doesn’t have its own app – and relies on Cisco AnyConnect instead. This isn’t the most elegant solution and can be tiresome to use after a while. Our Score: 4/10.
As said earlier, BeeVPN relies on a third-party interface provided by Cisco. This means that you need to install the Cisco AnyConnect client, which can be done from BeeVPN’s website. Once you install the application, you’ll be asked for your credentials. Several moments after, your VPN connection will become active.
Even though the AnyConnect client is helpful, it’s not that usable in this case. All you can do is connect and disconnect from BeeVPN’s server. To dive a bit deeper, you’ll see a cogwheel icon in the bottom-left corner. This will allow you to check additional details about your connection, connect to a chosen server automatically, and check out your Web connection’s logs. That’s pretty much it.
To change a server, you need to log-in to your account on the BeeVPN website. Then, simply click on a new server via an easy-to-use interface. The next time you connect via AnyConnect, these changes will be applied. All in all, not the most elegant solution – even though it works. Still, our strong recommendation would be to find a more intuitive VPN service, especially if you don’t have experience using a VPN application.
Media Streaming & Torrenting Support
BeeVPN can unblock some media streaming websites, you’ll be facing a somewhat problematic situation. There are much better options out there. Our Score: 5/10.
We’re sure that many of you need a VPN for media streaming. More precisely, you need a VPN that can unblock media streaming services. So, let’s see if BeeVPN meets your needs.
So, BeeVPN can be used to unblock some streaming platforms, including Netflix and BBC iPlayer. However, we have to say that this VPN wouldn’t be our first recommendation. Unblocking Netflix took plenty of time and effort, as well as trying out different options until we found the one that works. With this said, it’s quite possible that this VPN’s ability to unblock Netflix might not last very long. So, make sure to check out the best VPNs for streaming if you need some better options (which you’ll easily find).
It’s also worth mentioning that BeeVPN support torrenting. However, to learn what kind of performance you can expect, make sure to continue reading this review. We have a dedicated segment talking about BeeVPN’s performance and speed.
Security & Privacy
BeeVPN isn’t using the strongest VPN protocols available and it collects certain information. However, it comes with strong encryption and leaks no DNS data. Our Score: 6.5/10.
Let’s not forget the primary role of any VPN – to keep your private data safe on the Web. To make this happen, VPNs offer different types of encryption and various protocols. Here’s what BeeVPN offers.
Supported Encryption Protocols
BeeVPN comes with 256-bit AES encryption, which is considered to be the strongest type of commercially available encryption. However, in terms of the available protocols, it relies on DTLS and IPsec. In general, average home users might be happy with IPsec but know that there are many better options out there. Top-rated VPNs feature OpenVPN, known to be incredibly secure and fast-performing protocol.
Logging Policy
Finding legal documents on BeeVPN’s website is a difficult task. However, after some digging, we managed to find its privacy policy, and here’s what it says.
BeeVPN claims not to collect any PII data, including your Web browsing data. However, it keeps track of when and for how long you use this service. This means that it collects timestamps and also collects bandwidth-related information. So, even though BeeVPN might not collect your personal information, it can still provide information regarding your use of the service.
DNS Leak Test
As you can see from the screenshot above, we didn’t find any DNS leaks. This means that BeeVPN keeps your real IP address hidden, and it presents virtual information only. So, third parties on the Web will only see what BeeVPN is showing them.
Speed & Performance
BeeVPN isn’t the fastest VPN around. During our tests, it slowed our Web connection by around 80% - and we’re located near one of its data centers. Our Score: 2/10.
To tell you what kind of performance and speed you can expect, we’ve done a round of speed tests. What you need to know is that BeeVPN comes with servers placed in Europe. The following information, therefore, applies to those living in Europe. In case you’re further away from these servers, you can expect some throttling. This isn’t usually the case with other VPNs, who resolve this problem by having servers placed across the planet.
First, we needed to establish some baseline data. So, we did a speed test without having this VPN enabled. We managed to get 78.63 Mbps for downloads and 18.39 Mbps for uploads.
Then, we connected to a server located in Denmark. This time around, we managed to get 14.29 Mbps for downloads and 15.77 Mbps for uploads. As you can see, our Web connection speed had already gone down by this point.
And lastly, we also connect to a server found in the United Kingdom. During this round of speed tests, we got 11.92 Mbps for downloads and 17.11 Mbps for uploads. Let’s make sense of all these numbers by putting them into a table.
On average, this VPN slowed us down by around 83%. We don’t have to tell you that you can easily find much better-performing VPNs out there.
Customer Support
BeeVPN comes with some helpful resources, but they’re very limited in scope. This VPN’s customer support team isn’t responsive either. Our Score: 2/10.
To assist its customers, BeeVPN offers several types of resources. There are helpful (and essential) installation guides as well as a group of frequently asked questions. These resources can help you learn how to set up this VPN service, as well as what to expect from its individual features. In case you need additional information, you should contact BeeVPN via email.
The thing is that BeeVPN’s customer support team isn’t quite responsive. In general, be prepared to wait at least three days before you receive a reply - if you receive one at all. There’s no live chat available, and this VPN’s Facebook page hasn’t been updated in a really long time. This certainly isn’t the way to treat customers paying for this VPN service.
Pricing
BeeVPN is one of the least affordable VPNs we’ve encountered yet. Simply said, it doesn’t offer plenty of value for its price. Our Score: 1/10.
BeeVPN comes with three pricing plans, all priced in EUR. They all come with the same set of features, and the only difference is in their duration and price.
We can see that BeeVPN is far from being affordable. Its monthly plan puts this VPN among the lest affordable options right now. So, if you consider signing-up for BeeVPN, we recommend checking its long-term plans. Still, you won’t find any drastic savings there.
It’s also interesting to note that you need to pay extra if you want to use this VPN on your iOS device or router. This feature comes priced at €1.19 per month, and this applies to all of the available subscription plans. You can pay via credit cards, PayPal, and Bitcoin is also on offer. And finally, BeeVPN lets you decide to change your mind and have your money returned within 14 days of buying this VPN. However, this applies only to those who aren’t able to log-in. In other ways, getting your money back is close to impossible.
Do We Recommend BeeVPN?
So, after everything said and done, do we recommend BeeVPN? Honestly, we’re sure that you can find much better VPN services out there – and you can save plenty of money while doing that. BeeVPN just isn’t worth the money as it doesn’t have many standouts, yet it comes with plenty of shortcomings.
- PROS: Doesn’t leak private data; Doesn’t collect Web browsing data.
- CONS: Somewhat difficult to set up; Complicated to use; Incredibly small server network; Not the strongest VPN protocols; Limited customer support; Overpriced.
- OUR SCORE: 3.9 out of 10!
In case you need more information about BeeVPN, the provided link will take you to this VPN’s official website. However, if you need additional options, make sure to check our article on the best VPNs right now. We’re sure you’ll manage to find plenty of interesting alternatives.
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