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ZenMate VPN Review

Our rating
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65%
Features Read more toggle icon
65%
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  • No chat support chat disabled icon
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ZenMate offers an affordable VPN product that comes with three subscription levels. There are unlimited simultaneous connections and reliable workarounds for accessing geo-restricted content on Netflix and Disney+. However, Zenmate VPN cannot access other services such as the BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime Video. The provider offers a no-logging policy; however, unfortunately, this has not yet been independently audited, meaning that the provider's claims remain unverified.

Overall, ZenMate is designed for beginner VPN users with little technical knowledge. If you want a simple VPN product that offers an easy way to protect your online privacy and anonymity, ZenMate is not a bad choice. There are over 2700 servers across 78 countries which is impressive. However, there is room for improvement in customer support, advanced security features, and connection speed.

    Pros

  • pro icon Free trial
  • pro icon Cheap 3-year plan
  • pro icon Unlimited simultaneous connections

    Cons

  • con icon Confusing privacy policy
  • con icon No split tunneling
  • con icon Doesn't work in China
Price Starting At: 1.64 $ / monthly 53.88 $ / annually
For New Users: 7 days free trial + 30-day money-back guarantee
Number of servers: 2700+
General information
Type of IP offered: Dynamic
Simultaneous connections / Users: Unlimited
OS support: Android, Android TV, Apple TV, ChromeOS, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows
VPN Promotion: Get VPN from ZenMate VPN for 1.64$ per month
Capabilities
Unlimited Bandwidthcross iconKill Switchcross iconSplit Tunnelingcross iconZero Data Loggingcross iconFree Version / Trialcross iconMobile Appcross iconFirestick Compatiblecross icon
Payment options
  • American Express
  • Mastercard
  • Mastercard Debit
  • Paypal
  • Visa
  • Visa Debit
  • Visa Electron
Geolocations available
  • Albania
  • Algeria
  • Andorra
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Bahamas
  • Bangladesh
  • Belgium
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Brazil
  • Bulgaria
  • Canada
  • China
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Egypt
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Greenland
  • Hong Kong
  • Hungary
  • India
  • Iran
  • Ireland
  • Isle of Man
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Macau
  • Malta
  • Mexico
  • Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Mongolia
  • Montenegro
  • Morocco
  • Netherlands
  • Nigeria
  • Norway
  • Panama
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Qatar
  • Romania
  • Russia
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Serbia
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • South Africa
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Sri Lanka
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Taiwan
  • Thailand
  • Turkey
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • Venezuela
  • Vietnam

ZenMate VPN Security

65%

A VPN offers anonymous online access by rerouting your internet traffic and activity through a secure encrypted tunnel of servers so that no one can access or decipher it. ZenMate VPN uses industry-standard encryption to protect your private information, IP address, and country location on all of your devices.

ZenMate's website is simple and straightforward; however, its privacy policy is somewhat complicated. The policy is lengthy, although it lacks in detail. Almost every aspect of its privacy statement is over-described. The documents do not highlight important details, nor do they explain exactly what type of activity logging occurs.

We would like to see ZenMate offer a transparent, easy-to-understand privacy policy that explains in simple terms exactly what it does and does not log. We would also like to see the provider complete an independent audit of its policy and services to provide evidence of its no-logging claims.

ZenMate VPN uses AES-256 bit encryption to hide your IP address and ensure your private activity data is anonymous and undecipherable. The VPN service supports a range of first-rate security protocols, including OpenVPN, IKEv2, and L2TP. There is also support for Perfect Forward Secrecy technology to ensure encryption keys are altered frequently so that your previous sessions cannot be linked to your current VPN session.

A VPN allows you to hide your IP address by masking it with the IP of its server locations. This means that your online activity cannot be linked to your or your IP address to ensure your online activity remains completely anonymous.

The VPN offers an identity shield service that serves to perform monthly security checks to ensure your email account has not been involved in any data breaches. If your email address is identified as compromised, ZenMate will inform you so that you can secure your account.

ZenMate VPN app includes a kill-switch too, to ensure that your private web activity and real IP address do not become exposed if your VPN connection fails for any reason. A kill-switch is a security feature to ensure your privacy and anonymity are always protected when connected to the VPN.

Without a killswitch, if your VPN connection dropped for any reason, any unencrypted activity data, as well as your actual IP address and location, may become compromised. Your Internet Service Provider, the government, malicious advertisers, and cybercriminals may be able to monitor your activity and steal your private information. The killswitch will automatically cut your Wi-Fi connection, preventing the transfer of unencrypted activity data until the connection is re-established.

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ZenMate VPN Features

65%

As part of this ZenMate VPN article, we have analyzed the provider's subscription options. With Zenmate VPN, prices start at $10.99 a month if you opt for a short-term plan, which is not cheap. If you sign up for a longer-term plan, prices will fall significantly.

ZenMate's one-year plan comes in at just $4.49 a month, which is relatively affordable. However, as with any VPN provider, the lowest subscription prices come with the longest-term commitments. On the provider's 3-year plan, the monthly price is just $1.64 a month, cheaper than most other VPNs on the market.

There is a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to test the service risk-free for a month before committing to a paid subscription plan. There is support for unlimited simultaneous connections, meaning that you can use the VPN on as many devices as you like for no additional cost.

ZenMate offers an extensive privacy policy; however, it is somewhat lacking in detail. The provider claims that it is a no-logging service, but an independent security audit has not yet verified this. Although we have no reason to doubt the provider's claims, we would like to see it backed up by solid evidence.

If you are looking for a VPN to access geo-restricted streaming content that is not typically available in your country on services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer, you will likely be disappointed by ZenMate. The provider is successful at accessing a few streaming sites, including YouTube and Netflix. However, other services such as iPlayer and Prime Video were inaccessible, which is disappointing.

There is unlimited bandwidth and support for torrenting, though, with almost all of ZenMate's 3,800 servers being compatible with P2P sharing.

ZenMate offers support for an unlimited number of devices and is compatible with a range of devices. There are apps for macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, and browser extensions for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Opera.

ZenMate's apps are modeled on CyberGhost 7, and there is a range of similarities to CyberGhost's clients. However, ZenMate offers fewer advanced features and is relatively basic when it comes to the user experience. The iOS and Android mobile apps are similarly basic and only support OpenVPN and not IKEv2 or WireGuard. The apps offer few configurable features to satisfy an experienced VPN user. The browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Edge, can be used for free.

There is no live-chat support option which is disappointing. Users have access to email support and a range of troubleshooting articles.

Summary

3
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Table of content

How Much Does ZenMate VPN Cost?

Price is one of the most important factors when choosing a VPN; therefore, we have compared ZenMate’s pricing options as part of this review.

ZenMate offers 3 different subscription levels- one month, one-year, and three-year options. For ZenMate’s monthly rolling contract, you will have to pay $10.99 a month, which is average among VPN providers, although expensive considering the basic options on offer. For $53.88, or $4.49 a month, you will gain access to the VPN for a year.

As with any VPN provider, the lowest ZenMate subscription price comes with its longest-term plan. The three-year subscription option costs just $1.64 a month. Therefore, ZenMate is not cheap if you opt for the monthly plan; however, if you are happy to commit to a three-year subscription, it is extremely affordable.

Users can also choose to access just the ZenMate Ultimate Chrome and Firefox browser extensions for $5.99 a month on a rolling contract, $3.19 a month on a 6-month plan, or $1.99 a month for a year. In this case, it makes sense to opt for the longer subscription option if you think you will need it.

There is a 7-day free VPN trial of the ZenMate premium VPN plan, as well as a 30-day money-back guarantee. This means that you can test the product risk-free for a month before committing to a paid subscription plan. Just remember to cancel your subscription within thirty days to receive your refund.

Does ZenMate VPN Log User Data?

As part of this VPN review, we have analyzed ZenMate’s no-logging policy. The company offers an extensive zero-logs policy that claims that the VPN does not log customer activity data. However, the policy is long, confusing, and offers little actual detail to explain exactly what information the provider logs.

The VPN is also yet to complete an independent security audit to verify its no-logging claims. Although we do not necessarily distrust the company, we would like to see solid evidence to back up the claims.

Does ZenMate VPN Offer Customer Support?

With ZenMate VPN, there is email support; however, there is no live chat, which is disappointing. This means that you may have to wait a few days to receive a reply to your query. The company website offers support and troubleshooting articles, but these do lack detail.

Is ZenMate Good for Streaming and Torrenting?

Many users choose to download a VPN to access the geo-restricted content on a range of streaming services such as Netflix, iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and Hulu. A VPN serves to hide your IP address and replace it with that of the VPN server. This means that you can make your internet activity appear as if it is coming from an entirely alternate location, enabling access to a host of geo-restricted content that would typically be available in your region.

However, if you are looking to access a wide range of streaming websites, you will likely be disappointed with ZenMate. Many streaming services employ strong VPN blocking technology and firewalls to prevent users from accessing geo-restricted content. This means that it is becoming increasingly difficult for VPN apps to unblock websites and services.

Zenmate does offer a decent range of server locations and relatively fast speed. It successfully accessed YouTube; however, the site has only basic VPN blocking technology, so this is not surprising. The VPN was successful at accessing the United Kingdom and United States Netflix libraries too. However, it was unable to access Prime Video, iPlayer, and a range of other websites.

ZenMate VPN is not a bad choice for torrenting fans thanks to torrenting support across most of the provider’s downloads servers, a no-logs policy, a wide range of VPN server locations, unlimited bandwidth, decent download speeds, and military-grade encryption. However, there are few advanced P2P-optimised tools on offer.

Is ZenMate VPN Compatible with Desktop Computers?

ZenMate’s desktop app for Windows is based on CyberGhost 7. This means that users familiar with the CyberGhost product will recognize multiple aspects of the ZenMate app. However, it does lack the ad blocker and tracker that are available on the CyberGhost app. Otherwise, the tools and design are relatively similar.

When you launch the Windows app, you will automatically be offered a default server location, depending on your connection location. You can activate the VPN simply by clicking the Connect button. The server location list is easy to use and includes an option to sort the VPN servers from 78 countries by load times and distance. The app also offers the option to easily connect to servers that support torrenting or streaming and to save your favorite server location for easy access later.

The app does not offer a kill switch notification, which is a significant omission. Typically a VPN will notify users when the connection is cut to prevent the transfer of unencrypted data. However, ZenMate turns of your connection without any explanation.

Is ZenMate Compatible with Mobile Devices?

ZenMate VPN offers support for an unlimited number of devices, including iOS and Android. This means that you can use the VPN on your mobile and desktop devices simultaneously. The iOS and Android mobile clients are similar to the desktop versions and feature a basic design that lacks advanced tools. There is a large Connect button, easy to navigate location list and a Favorites system.

The Android and iOS clients only support the OpenVPN protocol. There are just 2 configuration options, allowing you to choose between OpenVPN TCP instead of UDP or connect to a random port.

Does ZenMate Offer Browser Extensions?

As part of this ZenMate review, we have analyzed and compared its browser extensions. Alongside its Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android apps, Zenmate also offers free browser add-ons for Firefox, Chrome, Opera, and Edge.

The Zenmate VPN browser extension offers an easy way to activate or de-activate the VPN from within your browser interface. The VPN browser extension operates as a proxy, so it will only protect your browser extension; everything else will run through your normal ISP Wi-Fi connection. There is a tracker and malicious website blocker, as well as WebRTC leak protection. These options are not enabled by default, so you will have to turn them on manually.

The browser extension comes as a free VPN. However, users are limited to just four server locations in Germany, Romania, the United States, and Singapore, and there is no support to unblock streaming sites. The extensions also feature ads to prompt users to upgrade to ZenMate Ultimate.

Is ZenMate a Good VPN?

Although ZenMate may not be one of the best VPN apps available on the market, it does offer an affordable option that comes with support for an unlimited number of devices, including iOS and Android. It is successful at accessing geo-restricted content on Netflix and Disney+. However, the ZenMate VPN servers cannot unblock Prime Video or iPlayer. Its connection speeds are disappointing, and an external security audit has not verified its no-logging policy.

Some VPN products are designed to suit expert users’ requirements; however, ZenMate targets beginner VPN users with little technical experience who want a simple online security solution. The company website details the general benefit of using a VPN, but there is little mention of the unique benefits of ZenMate. This simplicity is reflected in the ZenMate VPN client, which is straightforward and clean, although relatively limited.

ZenMate VPN offers a decent number of over 2700 VPN servers across 78 countries, average among VPN providers. Even though it is not a bad choice, there is significant room for improvement in a few areas. ZenMate VPN lacks fast connection speed, advanced security tools, and reliable customer support, which is disappointing.

ZenMate subscription prices start at $10.99 a month on its rolling monthly contract, which isn’t cheap, especially considered the limited service on offer. If you sign up for a longer-term plan, you will receive a significant discount on the monthly cost. The ZenMate VPN 1-year subscription option will set you back just $4.49 a month, which is reasonable. However, the most cost-effective option is the 3-year plan, which cuts the price to an extremely affordable $1.64 a month. There is a 7-day free VPN trial, as well as a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to test the VPN before committing to a paid subscription plan.

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Author Cliff Durward

Hi, I'm Cliff. I'm based in Cleveland, Ohio, with my wife and two kids. I have a keen interest in cybersecurity and have been writing about it for around a decade now. Due to my background in computer science, I am familiar ...
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