Cryptostorm VPN Review
16th May 2015
Summary:
Today I checked out Cryptostorm to see how they delivered on things like connection speed and customer service.
Pros:
- super anonymous browsing
- low prices
- easy to use and set up
Cons:
- slow connection
- long support wait times
- only compatible with Windows
- no money back guarantee
Overall Score: 49/100
This score is much, much lower than the 97/100 scored by our top rated VPN – Express VPN.
While they certainly rock when it comes to secure and anonymous browsing, I found that Cryptostorm has some work to do when it comes to connection speed, and even marketing their features.
To get Cryptostorm, sign up here: Cryptostorm
———————————-
Identity theft and fraud are now the two fastest growing crimes in the world.
As more and more of our lives become streamlined and digitized, our personal information is at the greatest amount of risk it’s ever been.
Not only that, but many government agencies have taken it upon themselves to limit your access to certain content, blocking many websites and services in some countries.
In the name of national security, they’ve been monitoring activity and tracking IP addresses, and online privacy seems like a cruel joke.
With their IP address blocking and encrypted tunnels, VPNs present a simple and yet effective solution to these problems.
With this software we can bypass content blocks, keep our activity private, and our information safe.
There’s a lot to choose from out there though, and with so many people clamoring for your money, it can be hard to know who’s worth it.
This week I’ll be reviewing Cryptostorm’s VPN service, and I’ll show you just what to look for in the very best VPNs.
I’ll go through every feature step by step, so you can be on top of your game and make the most informed decision possible.
Will Cryptostorm Work on My Operating System?
Before you look at anything else, look at operating system compatibility. You can rule out a lot of contenders by seeing which ones are going to work with all of your devices, so start here.
The best VPNs have software for every platform, so don’t even consider anything that only works on one or two.
While you can configure a connection with any device that supports the OpenVPN platform, their software itself is only compatible with Windows systems at this time.
They’re working on some new platforms for other devices, but there’s no telling when those will be up and running.
Rating: 1/5 – Only compatible with Windows
What Kind of Features Does Cryptostorm Have?
The features are the finer points of VPNs, and where you’re likely to see a lot of variation.
I’ll explain what each one means and why it matters, so you can decide what’s the most important to you. Then we’ll see what Cryptostorm brings to the table.
Feature #1: Multiple Connections
This feature is pretty straightforward, and pretty important. It refers to the number of simultaneous connections you can have under one account, without paying additional service fees.
Since you’ll probably at least have a desktop and mobile device you’ll want covered, I’d look for no less than two connections per account
I had a hard time finding this information with Cryptostorm.
It doesn’t appear that they limit simultaneous connections, but their software compatibility limitations may do that for you in and of itself.
Unfortunately I couldn’t get an answer from their service department on this one, and their site makes it pretty unclear.
Rating: 0/5 – Unknown number of connections
Feature #2: Money Back Guarantee
A money back guarantee may seem pretty run of the mill, but it’s really important with this type of service.
A company that offers at least a two week period to get a refund is generally one you can trust not to leave you high and dry when it comes to service.
Cryptostorm doesn’t have anything in writing on their site, so you really don’t have anything concrete to hold them to in giving you a refund if things don’t run smoothly with them.
Though they certainly seem to be a nice enough group of developers, without anything in writing, don’t count on being able to get your money back.
Rating: 0/5 – No concrete refund policy
Feature #3: Number of Servers
This can have a really big impact on the quality of your connection, so make sure you pay close attention to the number of servers the VPN provider has to offer.
Also, make sure they have at least one located near you, as this will make for the most reliable connection.
Though it’s obviously better to have more, make sure that whoever you go with has at least 50 servers.
Cryptostorm has a pretty small network, with only ten servers around the world.
All of these servers are either located in Europe, the UK or the US, so people in other parts of the world may have difficulties connecting as a result.
Rating: 1/5 – Limited server selection
Feature #4: Referral Program
Though this isn’t a feature you’ll see much of, it’s one that really pays to get.
Some VPN providers do offer referral programs to their customers, allowing them to cash in on free or discounted ervices for sending new business their way.
At this point and time, Crpytostorm doesn’t have any kind of referral program in place.
While word of mouth marketing is definitely a business’s best friend, this isn’t one they’ve capitalized on yet.
Rating: 0/5 – No referral program
Feature #5: Data Logging
Data logging is the practice of capturing and storing activity logs from internet users.
While it’s done quite commonly elsewhere, and even used to target-market ads to you, it’s not something any VPN provider should ever be doing.
Cryptostorm is definitely one of the more anonymous VPN services that I’ve ever seen.
Not only do they never log any of your activity, but they don’t even keep records of your personal information. All that’s given to you for an account set up is a token code – no username, nothing.
Rating: 5/5 –So anonymous it’s downright sketchy
Feature #6: Bandwidth
Bandwidth is of course the capacity for data that a server’s connection has.
There are very few VPNs out there that put a cap on bandwidth, so don’t settle for anything less than completely unlimited bandwidth with any service plan.
Cryptostorm doesn’t put any limits on the bandwidth. The only ones you have to worry about are the limitations that your own internet connection already has in place.
For this reason, they can’t exactly guarantee your connection speed, but other than that your options are wide open for streaming and downloading.
Rating: 5/5 – No bandwidth caps
How Secure Is It?
VPNs basically have three purposes: security, privacy, and accessibility. What you need to look for with the VPN you choose is the strongest encryption there is – 256 bit.
It also doesn’t hurt to have a few different protocols available, so that you can pick the one that’s best for your circumstances (stronger security often makes for a slower connection).
One thing I really like about Cryptostorm was that privacy and security are clearly tantamount to everything else.
They have a couple of different security protocols to choose from in their software, and run the 256 bit grade encryption supported by OpenVPN.
It’s though stuff, and more than enough to protect your information from hackers and government snoops.
Rating: 5/5 – Strongest encryption for truly private browsing
What’s the Set-Up Process Like?
Not everyone’s heard of or used VPNs before, so it’s important that the set up process be a no-brainer. Any VPN that requires you to manually configure connections is more trouble than it’s worth.
Stick with one that has simple software that takes care of all of that automatically.
Cryptostorm is really easy to set up. Once you select the software package that’s compatible with your operating system, it’s a simple matter of downloading and installing.
The wizard takes care of your connection settings, and you’re ready to rock.
Rating: 5/5 – Set up is a no-brainer
Is it Easy to Use?
Once you get your VPN software set up, it should be as simple as logging in, selecting a server, and connecting.
Digging into your network connections menu is way too cumbersome to do every time you need added security.
Cryptostorm is really easy to use, with software that is pretty simple and self-explanatory. The first step is entering in your secure token ID. Then just choose a server location, and click connect!
Rating: 5/5 – Couldn’t be simpler
Logging In
Logging in is a little different with Cryptostorm. Rather than have a username and password, you’re instead given a long, random ID token that you use to access the connection.
It’s completely random, so make sure to keep it somewhere where you can copy and paste it easily. Once you’ve got it entered, check the box to save it.
Changing Servers
If you hop online with Cryptostorm and decide your connection isn’t quite up to par, you can switch servers pretty easily.
Just disconnect, peruse the others in the drop down menu, and try a different one.
What If I Need Help?
Any time I review anything from any company, I’m always paying extra close attention to their customer service.
Products can vary in quality, but in the end customer service should be across the board excellent. It’s a sign that a company values their customers, and respects their time.
24/7 Support?
This is definitely the most important start to great customer service.
24/7 support is crucial if you don’t want to wait overnight or until the next business day for service, so I wouldn’t settle for anyone who offers anything less.
Though it’s not indicated anywhere on their site, after running my customer support tests it seems pretty clear that Cryptostorm’s customer service is not 24/7.
Though you do get a real human being as opposed to an automated FAQ content e-mail, you’re likely to wait at least overnight to hear back.
Rating: 0/5 – Limited support availability
Channels
While phone support is a great option to have, not all of us can hold a phone in the crook of our necks very well.
E-mailing is another good option, but one that requires you to wait a while for a response.
The best option to look for as far as support channels go is live chat, with at least one of the other methods as a backup.
Cryptostorm only has e-mail support. They do have a live chat room, but this is made up more of seasoned users than it is of actual professional support staff.
Though you may be able to get some technical advice from them, it’s just as likely to be a social hub.
Rating: 2/5 – Only e-mail for professional support
Customer Support Test
What better way to see just how good Cryptostorm’s customer service is than by putting them to the test?
I contacted their customer service twice – both during peak business hours, and well outside the norm, to see how they typically do in terms of response times and service quality.
E-mail Support Test #1 – Friday/3:12 p.m.
I sent my first customer service inquiry to Cryptostorm well within the limits of typical business hours, hoping to get a relatively fast response from them so I could get things moving along.
However, I had to wait almost 17 hours to hear anything back from them, even on a week day.
Result: 16 hour 43 minutes
Rating: 2/5 – Long wait time
E-mail Support Test #2 – Friday/9:32 p.m.
The results of my second inquiry were much the same. Though my wait time was just shy of 12 hours this time around, it was still way too long my liking.
Had I been having technical issues, I would have been one irritated customer.
Result: 11 hours 56 minutes
Rating: 2/5 – Still a really long wait
I guess my overall impression of Cryptostorm’s customer support was that they really know their stuff, and answer your questions in a really thorough way.
However, it’s abundantly clear that you’re going to be at their mercy as far as wait times go.
And any issues that are preventing you from logging on to a server right away are going to be every bit as much on the back burner as general inquiries.
It’s unfortunate that their response times are so lacking, because in truth their staff came across as very friendly and personable, obviously wanting to be helpful.
However, the fact of the matter is is that wait time longer than a couple hours are just not realistic or helpful for most users.
Overall Support Rating: 4/10 – Knowledgeable but slow support staff
How Fast is Cryptostorm?
A slow connection is definitely a deal breaker, but it’s something you’re really not going to know about until you actually try it out.
I saved you the trouble here, running two speed tests to compare my connection with Cryptostorm to my standard home connection.
Without Cryptostorm
With Cryptostorm
So as you can see, my connection was way slower when I was using Cryptostorm.
Usually a download speed up to 2Mbps slower is pretty normal, but this one was nearly four – way slower than average.
Rating: 1/5 – Very slow connection
How Much Does Cryptostorm Cost?
Since there are so many VPNs out there, prices have gotten increasingly competitive, which is good news for you.
Even with the most top of the line VPN services, you really shouldn’t ever expect to pay more than $15 per month.
Okay, so as you can see, pricing is a bit of a complicated subject with Cryptostorm. Their prices seem to vary, depending on whether you use Paypal, a credit card, or Bitcoin.
Anyway, it looks like prices start at just shy of $4 per month, and go down incrementally from there as you purchase more service.
It’s a complicated model, but there’s no doubt that these are tough prices to beat.
Rating: 5/5 – Some of the lowest prices around
The X Factor
This section of our review deals more with how the company presents themselves, and what kind of impression they make on you as the customer.
Maybe it’s their marketing, maybe it’s their professional website, but whatever ‘it’ is, it often either makes or breaks a deal.
With Cryptostorm, I feel like you would either love them or hate them. Their marketing is centered around mysterious, encrypted text, which visually is kind of cool.
Honestly though, the weird phrasing and odd symbols left me scratching my head more than anything else.
The problem here is, their marketing overshadowed what they were actually trying to sell.
Rating: 10/20 – Cool marketing, but makes site confusing
Conclusion
With any luck, I’ve got your brain chock-full of all the right stuff to make a seriously smart decision in purchasing a VPN service plan for yourself.
We put Cryptostorm to the test, and now it’s time to see how they did.
Why they’re awesome:
- the most anonymous browsing I’ve ever seen
- unlimited bandwidth
- ultra-secure connection
- no data logging
- friendly and knowledgeable support staff
- easy to set up
- user-friendly software
- super low prices
- alternative currencies like Bitcoin accepted
What could use some work:
- only compatible with Windows
- number of connections is unclear
- no money back guarantee
- no referral program
- limited server selection
- limited support hours
- only e-mail support available
- long waits for service
- slow connection
- website was confusing and uninformative
Overall Score: 49/100
As you can see, it was a pretty even split with these guys.
Honestly, I love where they’re coming from with all of this – the anonymity, the ultra-secure connection, and accepting Bitcoin all made me smile and say “right on”.
But the ins and outs of it, the poor server selection and slow connection, were all pretty disappointing.
Maybe in the future these guys will grow and get better, but for now there’s definitely room for improvement.
To get Cryptostorm, sign up here: Cryptostorm
To see the highest rated VPN that scored a 97/100, click here: Express VPN.
2 Comments
Just wanted to add that CS is also usable under Linux with openvpn and config files for the different countries.
Thanks Patrick. We’ll make sure we update our details.