FlowVPN
5.4
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Content: Our Score:
Speed 9.0 / 10
Servers 5.0 / 10
User Experience 5.0 / 10
Support 1.0 / 10
Pricing 7.0 / 10
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FlowVPN Review 2024: Before You Buy, Is It Worth It?

FlowVPN Overview

FlowVPN claims it uses backbone routes for what it calls a “speedier experience”, and further touts heightened security. I decided to put this VPN to the test to determine if it actually lives up to these lofty promises or if it’s just blowing smoke. Moreover, it will be interesting to see how this so-called fast and secure service measures up against the true VPN titans of the industry.

In my experience with FlowVPN, a less widely recognized VPN, I found it to surpass my initial expectations in terms of both speed and its ability to unblock content. I was pleasantly surprised that it successfully granted access to all of my streaming libraries, ensuring a seamless streaming experience without interruptions. Nevertheless, I was somewhat let down by the fact that FlowVPN retains records of your online activity and lacks certain fundamental security features.

Apart from offering a 30-day money-back guarantee, FlowVPN provides a 5-day free trial with no data caps or server restrictions, so you can test it out before making any commitments. Overall, FlowVPN is a good choice for streaming and gaming but not data-sensitive tasks.

Don’t Have Time? Here’s a 1-Minute Summary

FlowVPN Unblocks Netflix, Hulu, Max, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer

For a VPN that’s not so well known, I was happy with FlowVPN’s unblocking capabilities. I have tested many other VPNs, and only a few managed to unblock all the streaming platforms I’m subscribed to, including FlowVPN. However, I encountered a few problems along the way, and the streaming experience wasn’t exactly as seamless as I had hoped.

Netflix, Max, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer: Unblocked

I started my test by accessing my US Netflix account. I was sure I’d be able to access it since Netflix is available almost everywhere, and I was right. I connected to a server in the US Northeast and accessed my Netflix account easily. I streamed Space Force in UHD and got no buffering whatsoever.

Screenshot of The Launch playing on Netflix while FlowVPN is connected to a server in the US

I had no problems accessing my US Netflix account with FlowVPN

Next, I tried accessing Max and was unsure if FlowVPN would be able to unblock it since many other VPNs I’ve tested before couldn’t. To my surprise, FlowVPN lived up to the challenge, and I streamed an episode of Friends without any buffering. However, the video quality wasn’t UHD, so I wasn’t entirely satisfied with my streaming experience.

After that, I decided to access my Amazon Prime Video account, which has a reputation for detecting if you’re using a VPN. So, I wasn’t sure if FlowVPN would be able to go undetected, but, surprisingly, it did. I streamed Liar Liar and didn’t experience any buffering. The video quality wasn’t exactly UHD, but it was better than what I got streaming Max.

At this point, I was impressed by FlowVPN’s unblocking capabilities, but I decided not to get ahead of myself. My next streaming destination was Hulu. I connected to the US Northeast server and tried logging into my Hulu account many times but kept getting the error message below:

Hulu is not available in your region, or you may be using a VPN

Unimpressed, I decided to give it another shot with a different US server. I connected to the US Central server and was able to get in on my first try. I watched an episode of Modern Family without any buffering, but the video quality wasn’t great. If you’re having trouble unblocking a streaming platform, I recommend you try connecting to other servers in the country, which might solve the problem.

Screenshot of Modern Family playing on Hulu while FlowVPN is connected to a server in the US

You might have to try out different servers to access Hulu

To come to a decisive conclusion, I decided to give it a final test run by accessing my Disney+ account. I’ve always had trouble logging into Disney+ when I’m traveling abroad, which I currently am. I opened the platform multiple times but got a blank screen, but then I used the same trick of changing the server, and it worked.

It took a while for the login page to appear, but, after that, I easily signed into my account and streamed Encanto in UHD. The movie buffered for about 15 seconds initially but not after that. I was also impressed that the video quality didn’t drop throughout.

Screenshot of FlowVPN unblocking Disney+

I had to try accessing my Disney+ account multiple times before I got in – but, once I did, everything was smooth

The US Central server worked for both Hulu and Disney+, but I wondered if using the US Northeast server again would work this time — it didn’t. At this point, I started having mixed feelings about FlowVPN’s unblocking capabilities. The VPN works, but you must be ready to do a bit of trial and error to make it work every time it runs into a problem.

Finally, it was important to see whether FlowVPN’s servers outside the US were any good. FlowVPN’s servers in the UK were tested with BBC iPlayer, a UK-specific streaming platform. The site allowed access but BBC iPlayer had poor speeds at first, forcing a switch to another server, which worked fine.

If you’re looking for a VPN with excellent unblocking capabilities, I strongly recommend CyberGhost. It has 11,670+ servers in 100+ countries and can unblock almost any streaming platform no matter where you are on the globe. You can test CyberGhost risk-free with its 45-day money-back guarantee.

Speed

- 9.0 / 10

FlowVPN Offers Excellent Speeds on Nearby and Distant Servers

Despite not being that well-known, FlowVPN offers performance at par with some of the premium VPNs out there. I used the Ookla speed test to see its performance on nearby, mid-range, and distant servers and found that it provides excellent speeds on both nearby and distant servers.

Speed Test Results

Before moving on to the speed test, you must know that I frequently travel between North America and Southeast Asia. At the time of testing, I was in Pakistan, which means servers in the US were distant from my location. It’s important to mention this, so you have a clear idea of which servers were nearby, mid-range, and distant for me.

Screenshot of FlowVPN's speed test results on nearby, midrange, and distant servers

I found that FlowVPN provides excellent speeds on nearby, mid-range, and distant servers

I started the speed test by measuring my speed without connecting to the VPN, and I got speeds of 10.74Mbps. Since FlowVPN doesn’t have servers in Pakistan, I connected to a server in India to test its performance on nearby servers and got speeds of 10.48Mbps, an impressively small drop of 2.4% from my baseline speed.

Next, I connected to a mid-range server in Cyprus and got amazing speeds of 10.28Mbps. I was expecting the speeds to drop more drastically, but they didn’t, and I was quite impressed by that. However, my ping increased to 172ms, which means the data took a bit longer to transfer to and from my location. This latency would have a significant impact on online gaming, especially for fast-paced titles.

Although FlowVPN provided exceptional speeds on nearby and mid-range servers, the real test was how it performed on distant servers. I connected to a server in Australia and got speeds of 9.30Mbps, which means my speeds dropped only by 13.4%. That’s not bad at all, considering most other VPNs I’ve tried before gave me more than 20% speed drops on nearby servers.

Screenshot of FlowVPN's Smart Connect feature

The Smart Connect feature automatically connected me to the fastest server in India

I also liked FlowVPN’s Smart Connect feature, which automatically connects you to the fastest server based on your location. For me, the closest and fastest server was in India. You can also sort the servers by ping if you click the Ping tab beside the VPN Location tab.

Overall, I was thoroughly impressed by FlowVPN’s speeds on both nearby and distant servers. For a lesser-known VPN, FlowVPN exceeded my expectations throughout the performance tests.

Why Most Speed Tests are Pointless & How We Correctly Test VPN Speeds

Speed determines how fast content uploads, so if you're torrenting or streaming, you want the speed to be somewhat identical to your regular internet speed. Since a VPN encrypts your data, it usually takes a bit longer to send your data back and forth, which can slow down your connection. However, if your ISP deliberately slows down your connection (also known as throttling) a VPN might increase your internet speed. Testing a VPN is somewhat pointless because new servers pop up and affect speed. Your speed can also differ according to your location, so your speed test might not match ours. Having said that, we tested the speed in numerous locations to provide you with the average.

Servers

- 5.0 / 10

Server Network – Decent Server Network but Limited Server Options

FlowVPN has servers in 60+ countries most of them in North America, Europe, and Asia. Despite a decently spread-out server network, I found that it doesn’t have servers in restrictive countries like China and Russia. I also found that most countries only have one server, which can be limiting if you’re looking for more options.

Screenshot of FlowVPN's server network

FlowVPN has servers in 60+ countries, but I found most countries only have one server

FlowVPN’s servers are well spread out around the world, which makes this VPN great at getting past geo-blocks when you’re traveling. One thing I found odd about it, though, is that it picked up my location in Pakistan, but after I connected to the US server, the blue drop pin hovered in the United States even when I had disconnected the VPN. I even restarted the app, but the issue persisted.

You can sign up for a 5-day free trial and test it out yourself completely risk-free. The thing I really liked about FlowVPN is that it doesn’t restrict you from accessing all its servers and premium features in the free trial, something I’ve seen many other VPNs do.

Overall, FlowVPN’s server network is decent, looking for more server options in each country even for avid VPN users. However, if you’re, I highly recommend you check out ExpressVPN as it has over 3,000 servers in 105+ countries.

Security – Doesn’t Offer Airtight Security

FlowVPN provides standard protocol options, yet disappointingly, it does not quite measure up when it comes to encryption, thus creating a vulnerability in its security defenses. The difference between the types of protection FlowVPN provides and the strength of its encryption creates a big problem for its overall security.

The safety measures provided by FlowVPN are:

  • Solid encryption – FlowVPN offers AES 128-bit encryption, which is weaker than the usual 256-bit encryption used by other VPNs.
  • Standard protocols – I found that it can use various security protocols like IPSec, Wireguard, SSH, PPTP, L2TP, OpenVPN, and IKE v2 protocols. However, I was curious as to why I couldn’t find these options when using the FlowVPN app on my Mac. I tried connecting to several servers in various countries and realized the app automatically picks the most suitable security protocol. In most of my attempts, it chose IKEv2.
  • NAT firewall – this provides an additional layer of security by blocking unsolicited incoming connections from the internet. The NAT firewall helps prevent unauthorized access and potential threats, such as hackers or malicious attacks, by only allowing established and requested connections to pass through while blocking all others.

I couldn’t find a kill switch button in FlowVPN’s app or any information about it in its Knowledge Base. To confirm if they have one, I contacted customer support but didn’t receive a response. Without a kill switch, there’s a risk of your real IP address being visible if the VPN connection fails, potentially enabling tracking or interception of your online activity. So, if you can’t compromise on airtight security, FlowVPN isn’t the right choice for you.

EN-review-FlowVPN-IP-DNS-leak-test-english

My location and online activity were kept private

Given the lack of robust security in FlowVPN, I took it upon myself to conduct tests specifically targeting IP and DNS leaks. During my tests, I connected to multiple servers across various locations, such as Canada, the US, and Australia. I am pleased to report that none of these servers exhibited any IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks.

Privacy – Questionable At Best

FlowVPN doesn’t have a no-logs policy officially, but it claims to protect users’ data as per “regulatory and legislative requirements.” I found this statement vague, to say the least, but I decided to read its privacy policy before jumping to conclusions. Its privacy policy left me even more confused.

Screenshot of FlowVPN's privacy policy

I found that FlowVPN stores and may disclose your personal data in some situations

From the moment you create a user account, FlowVPN says it can keep track of many types of your data. This data can include things like details of your subscription, your connecting IP address, authentication requests, and information about your sessions, such as your assigned IP, when you connected, and how long you stayed connected.

I also found that FlowVPN tracks your cookies, which means it keeps track of what you’re doing online. However, it claims that it doesn’t share this data with third parties. At this point, I found this hard to believe because it hasn’t undergone any independent audits so far.

Screenshot of FlowVPN's privacy policy regarding tracking cookies

FlowVPN tracks your online activity but claims it doesn’t share it with third parties

Reading FlowVPN’s privacy policy raised some major red flags for me. It’s certainly not a privacy-focused VPN and may store your data, and, in some cases, even share it with third parties.

Screenshot of FlowVPN's privacy policy, stating it may use personal information

FlowVPN is a UK-based VPN and may share your personal information if need be

Since FlowVPN is based in the UK, a Five Eyes Alliance member, your privacy is at risk because it doesn’t have a no-logs policy. Its privacy policy claims that FlowVPN reserves the right to share your information as per UK laws, but at least I was relieved to know it’ll ask your permission first.

Torrenting – Doesn’t Support Torrenting

One thing I immediately noticed after using FlowVPN’s Mac app was its lack of torrenting servers. Most VPNs I’ve used before have a small torrent sign beside some servers, indicating which servers support torrenting. Before jumping to any conclusions, however, I decided to check FlowVPN’s website and found that FlowVPN prohibits torrenting on its servers.

Screenshot of FlowVPN's website stating that it doesn't support torrenting on its servers

I was disappointed to find out FlowVPN doesn’t have torrenting support on any of its servers

FlowVPN monitors your activity to check if you are torrenting on any of its servers, which I found quite privacy-intrusive.

Screenshot of FlowVPN's Terms & Conditions page

I was alarmed to find out that FlowVPN is constantly monitoring whether I’m torrenting on any of its servers

After reading FlowVPN’s terms and conditions, I didn’t try torrenting on any of its servers, and I won’t recommend you to do it either. For one, it’s a violation of FlowVPN’s terms, and allegedly, if FlowVPN catches you torrenting, they’ll cancel your subscription immediately.

Does FlowVPN Work in China? Yes, but Only With Approved ISPs

It’s rare to find a VPN that works in China, and while FlowVPN doesn’t have any servers in China, I was unsure whether it works there. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any colleagues in China who could try using FlowVPN there. So, I went to the VPN’s website again for some answers and found that FlowVPN works in China but only via approved ISPs, namely TieTong.

Screenshot showing FlowVPN works with selected Chinese ISPs like TieTong

Accessing FlowVPN in China comes with an extra price tag

I was still not convinced, so I contacted customer support about this. I filled out the query form on its website and submitted a ticket, but, unfortunately, I didn’t get a response from them.

Getting past China’s Firewall is no easy feat, and I’ve seen very few VPNs live up to the challenge. If you’re traveling to China, there are a handful of great options you can choose from.

Keep in mind that it’s illegal to use a non-approved VPN in China. However, the Chinese government hasn’t punished any tourists using a VPN there. Instead, it focuses on technologically blocking VPNs.

Server Locations

Albania
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark

User Experience

- 5.0 / 10

Simultaneous Device Connections – 4 Devices at a Time

FlowVPN supports up to 4 simultaneous device connections, which is below the industry standard of 5. I connected my Macbook, iPhone, and iPad and was able to surf the internet and stream YouTube on all of them seamlessly.

Device Compatibility – Supports All Major Platforms

FlowVPN is compatible with macOS, iOS, Windows, and Android. Apart from that, it has Chrome and Firefox extensions. I used the Chrome extension and found it compact and user-friendly.

As for its native apps, I used its macOS, iPad, and iOS apps and found they all have a similar and easy-to-use interface. You don’t need to be a tech wizard to use FlowVPN. I also didn’t find any additional features on its Mac app missing from the iOS app. However, there aren’t many features, to begin with.

Most VPNs are compatible with routers, so I wondered if I could set up FlowVPN on my router. I found that you can use the VPN on your router as long as your router supports PPTP, IKEv2, or L2TP protocols. All you need to do is put in details like server address and secret key, and you will be good to go.

Screenshot of FlowVPN's support page, showing it is compatible with routers

I found that FlowVPN is compatible with routers

FlowVPN isn’t compatible with smart TVs, which I found odd since so many other VPNs are. However, that’s why it’s compatible with routers — so you can use it on a range of other devices, including smart TVs.

Ease of Set-Up & Installation – Easy to Install

It’s very easy to install FlowVPN. If you’re using a Windows desktop, just head over to its website and download the setup file. If you want to use FlowVPN on your Mac, you can either download it from the App Store or download the setup file from its website. Here’s a step-by-step guide on setting up FlowVPN on your device.

When I downloaded and installed the app, I didn’t have to sign in with my user credentials, and the free trial had already been activated as soon as I clicked the email confirmation link.

Overall, I found FlowVPN’s user interface easy to navigate. It’s easy to scroll through the list of servers, pick one, and connect to it. You can also use it from the navigation bar at the top while the app is minimized.

Screenshot of FlowVPN's client dashboard

I found FlowVPN’s client dashboard not so useful

Having said that, I didn’t find the client dashboard particularly useful. Normally, a client dashboard shows how many devices are connected to your VPN account, but FlowVPN’s dashboard only shows the user details like password, secret key, and your account’s expiry date.

Steps to Installing FlowVPN on Windows

  1. Visit the official FlowVPN website. Go to your preferred web browser and navigate to the official FlowVPN website. Sign up for the free trial and enter your user credentials.
    Screenshot of FlowVPN's free trial sign up page
  2. Confirm your account. Click on the email link sent by FlowVPN to confirm your account.
    Screenshot of FlowVPN's email confirmation link
  3. Download the FlowVPN setup file. Look for the download section or the Windows-specific download link on the website. Click on it to initiate the download process for the FlowVPN setup file compatible with Windows.
    Screenshot of FlowVPN's
  4. Run the FlowVPN setup file. Double-click on the FlowVPN setup file to start the installation process. If prompted by Windows User Account Control (UAC), click “Yes” to grant permission.
  5. Launch the application. Open the app and start using FlowVPN.
    Screenshot of FlowVPN's server selection interface

Support

- 1.0 / 10

I wasn’t impressed by FlowVPN’s customer support, mainly because it doesn’t have a live chat option even for subscribers. Instead, it offers a ticket system and a Knowledge Base.

First, I opened the Knowledge Base to see how comprehensive it is. I found that it’s sufficiently detailed and covers most of the basic questions customers might have. There are only a couple of articles, and most of them are troubleshooting guides or features of the VPN.

Next, I filled out the form on FlowVPN’s support section and submitted a ticket. Oddly, I didn’t get any email notification that my ticket had been submitted. There wasn’t any ticket history on the client dashboard either, so I was totally in the dark. I waited for more than 24 hours and didn’t get any response from the support team.

I also checked my spam folder, but I never received a response from the customer support team regarding my ticket. Overall, FlowVPN’s support is barely adequate, and you may be left hanging for a long time before you get a response.

How We Test Customer Support and Why Should You Care

We personally test the customer support team of every VPN we review. This means asking technical question through the live chat feature (where applicable) and measuring the response time for email questions. Whether you need to connect to a specific server, change your security protocol, or configure a VPN on your router, finding a VPN with quality customer support should be important to you.

Pricing

- 7.0 / 10

FlowVPN has three plans – the monthly, annual, and quarterly plans and all of them include a 5-day free trial. The good thing is that the free trial has no data caps or server restrictions so you can test FlowVPN with all its features completely risk-free.

On top of that, FlowVPN provides a 30-day money-back guarantee – so, if you’re unsatisfied with the service then you can always get a refund. Also, it supports a variety of payment options, including Visa and Master cards, PayPal, Union Pay, Sofort, Dollar General, CVS Pharmacy, FlowVPN gift cards, and even Bitcoin.

Screenshot of FlowVPN's refund policy

I found FlowVPN’s refund policy to be more generous than I expected it to be

That’s all well and good, but I wanted to check out FlowVPN’s refund policy and see if there’s a catch. I read its policy and found that you can file for a refund even after your trial period, but only if you can prove that the service was working well in the trial period but not afterward. FlowVPN will investigate the matter independently and provide a refund if your case is valid. If you’re in search of VPN services with a worry-free money-back guarantee, consider our carefully selected list of top monthly VPN providers.

FlowVPN offers the following plans

1 Month
 
$6.99
per month
 
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1 Year
$6.99
$4.17
per month
Save 40%
View Plan
View Plan
Save 40%
3 Months
$6.99
$5.99
per month
Save 14%
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View Plan
Save 14%

Final Verdict

From a performance perspective, FlowVPN is an excellent VPN that will give you little to no speed drops, even on distant servers. Whether you’re an avid streamer, a casual internet surfer, or even an online gamer, you’ll have a seamless experience using FlowVPN.

It also has a decently large server network, so you’ll be able to access geo-blocked content if you’re traveling. However, you might experience some hiccups along the way. For instance, some servers work better than others, so you’ll have to manually try out each one to see which one works for you.

On the downside, FlowVPN doesn’t support torrenting on its servers. If FlowVPN catches you torrenting on its servers, it may terminate your subscription immediately, and you’ll not be able to file a refund either. Apart from the lack of torrenting support, FlowVPN may monitor your online activity and share your data with third parties according to UK laws without informing you. It’s not a VPN for privacy-focused users, nor does it offer top-of-the-line security features, such as AES 256-bit encryption and a kill switch.

Overall, FlowVPN is good if you’re looking for a high-performance VPN that can compromise security and privacy. However, if you’re looking for a top-tier VPN that offers excellent performance in all domains, I highly recommend you use ExpressVPN.

Editor's Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.

FAQs About FlowVPN

Is FlowVPN good?

Yes, in some ways. FlowVPN provides exceptional performance on both nearby and distant servers. It also has a decently large server network capable of accessing geo-blocked content when you’re traveling. Overall, it’s an excellent choice if you want a high-performance VPN for streaming, gaming, or surfing the internet at the cost of security and privacy.

Can I use FlowVPN for free?

Yes, FlowVPN provides a 5-day free trial. You don’t need to share your payment details simply sign up from an email to start using FlowVPN for free. Its free version has no data caps or server restrictions, so you can use all its features to see if it suits you. Also, it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test it out completely risk-free.

Free VPNs are risky because they often have weak security, collect and sell your data, are infected with malware, and lack essential features. Use a paid VPN with a good reputation for security and privacy instead. If you have budget constraints, it may be worthwhile to consider the following free VPN options.

Is FlowVPN really safe?

Not entirely! FlowVPN is safe to download and install, but it lacks essential security features and uses outdated encryption. I don’t recommend using it for sensitive tasks. Apart from that, its privacy policy explicitly mentions that the VPN can store your data, monitor your activity, and share your information with third parties by UK laws.

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Editor's Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: ExpressVPN, Cyberghost, Private Internet Access, and Intego. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.

We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research, and also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.