Red Shield VPN Review 2024: Before You Buy, Is It Worth It?

Inconsistent Server Speeds With High Latency

Red Shield VPN isn’t very fast, especially when compared to other VPNs of the same size. My testing found that server speeds vary quite a bit on Red Shield VPN. I had trouble gauging which servers would be fast and which would be slow. Even servers in nearby countries were often slower than distant servers.

Speed Test Results

I have a home network speed of 400Mbps and found that my speed plummeted to 50% of that speed at best and 12% of my base network speed at worst. Even the high end of this VPN’s performance imposed a significant impact on connection speed.

In addition, I experienced high ping on just about every server that I used, which means that this VPN will not be well-suited for fast-paced tasks such as online gaming.

Server Network — Very Limited

This is an extremely small VPN with just 14 servers in 14 different regions. Each region only has a single server, so the connection options are quite limited. With most small VPNs having more than a couple of hundred servers, this VPN truly has one of the smallest networks available.

There is no server list on Red Shield VPN’s website, nor does this VPN clarify if these are virtual or physical servers. This is an important distinction to note. VPN’s that use virtual servers often deal with third-party server owners that often require a degree of user data to be stored and shared. Not having that distinction leads me to doubt some of the VPN’s claims of privacy and security.

The application does not provide any useful information for any of its servers. There are no details regarding server capacity, latency, or intended use.

Security — Industry-Standard Protocols and Encryption

Red Shield VPN is a secure VPN that centers around anonymity and complete data protection. Its network is backed by impressive military-grade AES-256 bit encryption that will ensure your personal data and information is never leaked. This VPN also supports a wide range of useful security protocols that can be configured in the applications.

You can use IKEv2 IPSec, OpenVPN, and OpenConnect. Each protocol offers varying speeds and security, though IKEv2 IPSec will be chosen by default unless changed in the preference menu.

You can also make use of an internet kill switch that cuts your connection to the internet in the event of an outage or drop in VPN coverage. This feature means that you can remain protected even when switching servers.

Privacy — Exceptional

Red Shield VPN works through Telegram, which is a very secure messaging system that does not store long-term user data. In fact, Telegram accounts can be set to auto-delete after certain periods. In addition to operating through Telegram, this is a strict no-logs VPN. This means that none of your identifying information is stored or shared.

This service is located in the United States, which is part of the 14-Eyes Alliance. This is an information-sharing alliance with other countries. Being based in one of those countries is often a cause for concern if the VPN keeps logs. However, Red Shield VPN remains a safe VPN to use due to its air-tight no-logs policy.

Torrenting — Full Support

You can make use of P2P file-sharing connections on any of Red Shield VPN’s servers. It isn’t the fastest VPN on the market, so you won’t be able to download many files quickly. However, it is a secure network that is backed by robust encryption and a stellar no-logs policy. There are no limits or data caps when it comes to torrenting files with this VPN.

Just be sure to adhere to your local laws and ISP policies when torrenting files. If you’re uncertain, make sure to only download files that are readily available under the public domain to be safe.

Does Red Shield VPN Work in China? Probably Not

Since I am not located in China, I reached out to Red Shield VPN’s support team to determine if this VPN would work in China. While they did not say for certain, the representative I spoke to expressed that they were fairly doubtful of it working.

While I did appreciate the fast and honest answer, this response tells me that this VPN has not been extensively tested in China. Given that fact, I would avoid using this service in China as you may run into issues or risk detection. If you are looking for a VPN that is guaranteed to bypass China’s censorship restrictions, I recommend ExpressVPN. It has been shown to consistently get around China’s firewall.

Just make sure to do a little bit of preparation before going to China. It is best to install whatever VPN you plan to use ahead of time so that you can continue to access content from your home region while you travel. Chinese authorities can and will block non-approved VPNs. While these policies are in place, there are currently no reported cases of Chinese officials seeking to punish or fine travelers for attempting to use non-approved VPNs.

Editors' Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.

All of Red Shield VPN’s support can be found and accessed through Telegram. You can submit a question and a support team member will respond in a timely fashion. It is not as instant as a live chat, but I found that all of my inquiries were answered within a couple of hours. For such a small VPN with a modest team behind it, I was pleasantly surprised with these turnaround times.

The application has a help section where you can browse FAQs and get a few tutorials for troubleshooting. These tutorials are rather surface level and don’t cover any issues in particular depth. You will likely have to contact support for more complex issues or concerns.