By: Hailey | Last updated July 15, 2020 
Pros
- Good download and upload speeds
- Has 250+ servers
- Can bypass Netflix geo-filters
Cons
- Questionable logging policy
- Failed some IP-leak tests
Virtual Private Networks are our protection while online. It allows us to remain anonymous while surfing the internet. This prevents us from being seen by third-parties like advertisers and hackers who may access our data. ZenMate is one of these VPNs.
Zenmate is known for offering both paid and free versions which can make it more accessible for most users. This, partnered with good speeds and reliable security making them one of the best. To review ZenMate, we need to review four factors: Speed, Security, User-Friendliness, and Features.
Speed
Virtual Private Networks naturally make your internet connection slower. This is because it has to encrypt your data and then send it to their server which will redirect it to the website of your choice. As complicated as it is, ZenMate managed to give us good speeds.
As usual, servers that are further from the point of access has slower speeds and higher pings. European servers from US-based access gave low ping and moderate download speeds (about 30% slower). Servers on South Asia gave high ping and moderate download speeds (about 60% slower). This is why it is recommended to connect to servers closer to you to still have the speed for surfing.
They have 298 servers that are based on 31 countries. The VPN is capable of restrictions on countries that have strict censorship rules. You can have up to five connections per subscriber account.
Security is the most important part of a VPN. This is because looking for anonymity and defence for your data is the main reason for subscribing to one.
For starter, ZenMate has a kill switch feature that automatically ends your session to the internet once your security is down. This prevents your data from being accessed by third-parties. This is an industry standard.
ZenMate also passes antivirus and antimalware applications. This indicates that it is not positive for any Trojan or Adware.
ZenMate uses IPSec and IKEv2 protocols for its security for Mac. Windows users have the additional option of L2TP/IPSec, though. Their premium plans give you access to OpenVPN tunnelling protocol.
Logging policy
ZenMate falls a bit short in terms of logging policy. This specific policy is often a focus for some in selecting a VPN. This is because it dictates whether a VPN can actually track the activities you do online. Having a bad logging policy can be a deal-breaker for some.
Based on customer logging policy, ZenMate is capable of logging your IP address. This means that your specific IP address can be detected as one that is using a VPN.
ZenMate is also based on Germany which unfortunately has laws that allow surveillance of the data stored on the internet by its users.
Even worse, ZenMate also failed the test for IP leaks. Your IP should be an important part of your internet identity that must never be revealed if you plan to use a VPN. Upon testing, ZenMate failed on IPLeak and DNSleak. It passed four other websites, though.
User-friendliness
Connecting yourself to a server of your choice is simple. You will only need to select a country and the app will tell you if you are already connected.
The interface for ZenMate is simple and intuitive.
Their app is a little buggy, though. Some users report a screen issue where the app is unusable because it only lets you see a white screen.
In relation to this, the customer service is also not a recommendable. Customer replies to tickets were slow and generic. In comparison, other VPNs like SurfShark and ExpressVPN has precise answers and fast response times.
A good feature is that ZenMate allows you to pass Netflix’s geo-filters. Because Netflix has specific copyrights and usage for their content, some countries may not be able to watch certain shows. ZenMate allows you to view restricted content in your country.
Price
ZenMate has three plans for payment.
For its free service, you are given a proxy service along with TLS Encryption.
The first plan is priced at 11.99$ per month available for one month. The second plan is 3.99$ per month billed and available per year (saves 67%). The third plan is priced at 2.05$ per month billed available per 2 years (saves 83%).
