Seed4.Me VPN Review
14th May 2015
Summary:
I reviewed Seed4.Me’s VPN service to see what they had to offer in terms of connection quality, customer service, features, and value.
Pros:
- unlimited bandwidth
- multiple security protocols
- 24/7 customer service
- compatible with all operating systems
Cons:
- no refunds
- have to request additional connections
- customer service could be faster
Overall Score: 75.5/100
This score is much lower than the 97/100 scored by our top rated VPN – Express VPN.
Seed4.Me has a really cool membership style program that keeps server traffic within reasonable limits to protect the quality of your connection.
To get Seed4.Me, sign up here: Seed4.Me
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As cybercrime rates around the world soar, many people are turning to the simplicity and convenience of VPNs to protect their information on public connections.
If you’re an eBay shark or Amazon addict, it’s time to seriously consider how much of your financial information is floating around in cyberspace.
But VPNs aren’t just awesome for protecting your information – they’re perfect for getting around content blocks.
Whether it’s the Facebook ban your boss has at the office, or a more broad sweeping government censorship program getting in the way of your day to day activities, a VPN will get you through them all.
You’ll be free to access anything you want, all while browsing completely anonymously.
The number of choices on the market for VPNs right now is mind-boggling.
Everyone has something to sell, and everyone is selling the best.
To help you make a more informed choice as you look for this latest and greatest in privacy protection, I’ve compiled a list of criteria to put VPNs the world over to the test.
At the same time I’ll be reviewing one of your choices, Seed4.Me, to see how they do in terms of features, quality, and of course price.
Will Seed4.Me Work on My Operating System?
Okay, so the easiest way to weed out the VPNs that you definitely don’t want is to see if they’re even going to work with your devices first.
Keep in mind that you’re probably going to want to use their software on more than one gadget, so make sure it’s compatible with all of the operating systems you’re running
Seed4.Me is compatible with most major operating systems, including Window, Mac, iOS, Android, and even Ubuntu.
The only one that you may be missing out on is Linux, but other than that their coverage is pretty comprehensive.
Rating: 4.5/5 – Works on just about everything
What Kind of Features Does Seed4.Me Have?
So this is where you really get to sort out the winners from the duds.
Features can vary a lot from company to company, but the key is to make sure that you’re getting the most for the lowest price possible.
Remember, you’re the customer with money to spend – make ‘em work for it.
Feature #1: Multiple Connections
This feature refers to the number of simultaneous connections you can have per account.
Most VPN providers offer at least two, allowing you to use their software on multiple devices without having to pay extra.
By default, Seed4.Me only offers one connection per account.
However, their set up is a little different than most – you can actually add more connections, but you have to make a request with the company.
There doesn’t appear to be any limit to the number you can have, but it seems a little strange that you have to have your account adjusted to accommodate them.
Rating: 2.5/5 – Have to request more than one connection
Feature #2: Money Back Guarantee
Needless to say, you don’t want to sign up for a VPN that’s just going to take your money and run, so to speak.
Technical problems are the least of your concerns – you need to make sure that if it’s their poor customer service that’s the problem, that they’re going to give you your money back, no questions asked.
Buyer beware – Seed4.Me doesn’t offer any refunds on their products.
While they generally have pretty decent customer service, be cautious with signing up for extensive service plans until you know for sure they’re going to be accountable to you.
Rating: 0/5 – No refunds.
Feature #3: Number of Servers
While this feature may seem like a bit of technical mumbo jumbo, it has some pretty significant impact on the quality of your service, so pay attention.
The more servers a VPN has to offer, the wider distribution their customer base will have, and the faster and more reliable your connection will be.
Make sure the one you choose has at least 30 servers to choose from, and in places like the US with the most access to content.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a whole lot to choose from with Seed4.Me.
They only have ten servers for their entire network, making it very likely that as their customer base grows, their connection quality will suffer.
Rating: 1/5 – Only ten servers worldwide
Feature #4: Referral Program
This may not be the first thing that you think of when you start shopping around for a VPN, but it’s something worth checking into.
Some VPN providers out there actually giver their customers discounts or free service for sending new business their way, so don’t let this one slip through your fingers.
While Seed4.Me doesn’t have a typical referral program for standard customers, they do offer a 20% commission to website owners that send them business through their affiliate program.
Rating: 3/5 – Affiliate program for blog owners
Feature #5: Data Logging
Okay, so this may seem like a pretty redundant feature for a VPN, but you’d be surprised who keeps tabs on your internet activity these days. One thing’s for sure, it better not be your VPN provider.
Seed4.Me never keeps any logs of their users’ activity. The only records they keep of their users’ activity are IP address files to address technical issues, but these records are deleted after a week.
Rating: 5/5 – No activity logging
Feature #6: Bandwidth
So most of us with a home internet connection know that bandwidth refers to a server’s capacity for handling web traffic at a given time.
The more bandwidth you get, the faster your connection will be. Most VPN providers offer their customers unlimited bandwidth, so there’s no need to settle for less than that.
Seed4.Me offers their customers completely unlimited bandwidth with all of their service plans. Music downloaders and instant streamers rejoice – there are no caps with this company.
Rating: 5/5 – No caps on bandwidth
How Secure Is It?
Even if you’re just using a VPN to Skype with your buddies while you’re in China, it still pays to have one that offers the toughest encryption around.
The very strongest you can get is 256 bit, though 128 bit encryption definitely does a great job of protecting your information too.
Keep in mind though that with great security comes a slower connection a lot of times, so a VPN that offers you options of security protocols in addition to solid encryption is a win-win.
Seed4.Me offers the best of both worlds. They have four different VPN protocols to choose from, so you can tailor fit your encryption strength to your online activities.
This includes military grade 256 bit encryption, so your information is well guarded against hackers and government spies alike.
Rating: 5/5 – Strong encryption with good options
What’s the Set-Up Process Like?
Whether you’re a software savant or can barely work your smartphone, you’re going to want software that’s simple to set up.
Even if you’re familiar with setting up connections manually, it’s one extra step you shouldn’t have to mess with.
Most VPNs have software that does the work for you, so don’t settle for a VPN that makes you manually enter server addresses in your connection settings.
Seed4.Me is super easy to set up. All you need to do is go to their website, download the software that’s compatible with your system, and run the installation wizard.
From there their program opens automatically, and you’re ready to roll on.
Rating: 5/5 – Set up couldn’t be easier
Is it Easy to Use?
Hey we’re all busy, and we definitely don’t have time to go digging through our program files for our security software.
VPNs that are fast and easy to connect to save you time and frustration, and allow you to use it seamlessly as you surf between home and public networks.
Seed4.Me has a very basic software set up, but one that keeps everything very simple. Just select your server location and hit connect.
If you feel like getting technical, you can dive into ‘Properties’ and manipulate some more advanced settings, like changing the security protocol.
Rating: 4/5 – Software anyone can figure out
Logging In
Logging in is for the birds. It’s a pain to remember yet another set of username/password credentials, so a VPN that doesn’t demand that you authenticate every time is a winner in my book.
Seed4.Me only requires you to log in upon installation – from there the software leaves you alone about it.
Changing Servers
If you decide you’d like to try your luck with Denmark’s server instead of France’s, switching servers with Seed4.Me is very straightforward.
Just go back to the software window, and select a new server from the drop down menu.
A few things could be better here, like more information on the server’s location (city and full country name), and it would be nice if you could see a real time display of the servers’ traffic. Oh well.
What If I Need Help?
Since VPNs are a service that is rendered completely online, it’s one you need to make sure you have reliable customer service for.
Sometimes companies think they can just disappear behind a snappy website and cool graphics – don’t let them.
You need a VPN provider that’s not just going to process your payments on time, but address your questions in a reasonable amount of time.
24/7 Support?
This is definitely the most important part of great customer service for me, because more often than not it dictates the speed of the response.
We all live in different time zones around the world, but with 24/7 support, it won’t matter. You’ll get faster service, anytime, day or night.
According to Seed4.Me, they do offer their customers round the clock support, seven days a week.
Rating: 5/5 – Round the clock support
Channels
The more ways you can get in touch with customer service, the better off you’ll be – trust me.
The very best customer service out there offers live chat support, but at the very least they need to have an e-mail system in place for you to use.
Seed4.Me only has email support, with a ticket system on their website customers can use to get in touch with them.
Rating: 2/5 – Only e-mail support
Customer Support Test
There’s really no way to know just how good their customer service is until you put them to the test, so that’s what I did with Seed4.Me.
I usually score customer service based on how fast their service is, how helpful they are, and the tone and politeness of the representative.
I made sure to contact Seed4.Me both during peak and off business hours, to see how their support may have varied.
E-mail Support Test #1-Friday/5:42 p.m.
I sent my first inquiry to Seed4.Me’s support staff in the later hours of the afternoon, with a couple of simple questions about their service.
I got a response in under 24 hours, which was great, though it still took almost 9 hours. However, their service was really helpful and to the point.
Result: 8 hours 41 minutes
Rating: 3.5/5 – Service could have been faster
E-mail Support Test #2 – Saturday/1:54 a.m.
I sent my second inquiry into Seed4.Me in the wee hours of the morning, curious to see how their response time would change this time around.
However, it was roughly the same, eight hours for a response this time. However, the service representative was once again very helpful and professional.
Result: 8 hours
Rating: 3.5/5 – Professional quality service
Though I was a little disappointed that I wasn’t able to get service in under 8 hours, Seed4.Me’s customer service was very helpful and personable – definitely not an automated system.
Overall Support Rating: 7/10 – Friendly and professional
How Fast is Seed4.Me?
There’s no denying the importance of speed when it comes to your VPN connection. But really, there’s just no way to tell how fast it’s going to be until you sign up for a plan and actually use the thing.
Here you go, I saved you the trouble.
I ran two speed tests, one on my standard home internet connection, and one while connected to Seed4.Me, to see how the two compared.
Without Seed4.Me
With Seed4.Me
As you can see, the connection was a bit slower with Seed4.Me.
It’s not a huge difference, but keep in mind that you may want to adjust your security protocols if you’re using this VPN to stream or download.
Rating: 3.5/5 – Connection could be faster
How Much Does Seed4.Me Cost?
Cheapskates rejoice – I’ve got wonderful news for you. It’s a buyer’s market, and everyone wants to sell to you. That means low prices abound, and there are deals to be had my friend.
Never feel like you have to settle for a VPN that’s a bit outside your price range. The most you even want to consider paying is $15 a month.
As you can see, Seed4.Me is well below that, with service plans starting from $1/day to about $3/month, depending on the package you choose. Either way, they’re well below average in terms of cost.
Rating: 5/5 – Great prices
The X Factor
Okay, so this definitely isn’t a technical category, and refers more to the overall impression you get from a company. Some can come across as slick and professional, others as downright shady.
Ultimately this feeling can make or break the sale though, so it does matter how a company presents themselves.
Seed4.Me’s marketing is direct and simple, and their website design is eye catching and professional.
However, what I really liked about how they sold their product wasn’t so much in the design, but rather in the very sensible model they used.
Rather than having their products open to be purchased by whoever wants to buy them, they treat their service more like a club, to which members have to be invited.
Once you’ve received an invitation, you can sign up for a service plan with them.
They do this to control the amount of traffic their servers get, so that despite their small network your connection quality stays optimum. How cool is that?
Rating: 18/20 – Smart sales model
Conclusion
We covered a lot of ground there. Let’s recap and see how Seed4.Me did in today’s review.
Pros:
- compatible with most operating systems
- unlimited bandwidth
- affiliate program for blog owners
- ultra secure connection
- multiple security protocols to choose from
- simple software set up
- user-friendly software
- 24/7 customer service
- professional customer support
- low monthly rates
- membership club to keep connections fast
- no data logging
Cons:
- no refunds
- have to ask for more connections
- limited server selection
- customer service can take a while
- connection could be faster
Overall Score: 75.5/100
Overall, their service is a pretty good deal, and they’re a small company that definitely has a lot of potential to grow with such a strong dedication to their customers.
They’re the little engine that could right now, but it looks like they can.
To get Seed4.Me, sign up here: Seed4.Me
To see the highest rated VPN that scored a 97/100, click here: Express VPN.
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