PureVPN review

The short answer

PureVPN is a paid VPN run by GZ Systems Limited from the British Virgin Islands. It has done more than many budget VPNs to back up its no-log claim, with audits by Altius IT and KPMG and a standing offer to let KPMG check without notice. But in 2017, while it marketed itself as a no-logs service, it gave the FBI information that tied a stalking suspect to his home and work connections. The company that did that still runs PureVPN, which is why we rate it Mixed.

Tunnelcheck hasn't tested PureVPN. This review uses PureVPN's own pages, its press releases on the audits and reporting on the 2017 case. See how we review.

Who owns PureVPN and where is it based?

PureVPN's terms say it is a trading name of GZ Systems Limited, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands with its office in Tortola, and they name an associated company, GZT Associates Limited, in Cyprus. The terms are governed by BVI law. Wikipedia names Uzair Gadit as a co-founder. Older coverage described PureVPN as based in Hong Kong, and its Trust Center says it moved its jurisdiction to the BVI in 2021.

Sources disagree on when PureVPN started: its own 2021 press release says 2006, while Wikipedia says 2007. We've left the year blank. Unlike Kape, Nord Security or Ziff Davis, GZ Systems publishes little about its structure. See who owns your VPN.

The 2017 FBI case

In October 2017 the US Attorney's Office in Massachusetts charged Ryan Lin with a cyberstalking campaign against a former roommate. Help Net Security and Techdirt reported that, according to the FBI's affidavit, PureVPN was able to determine that its service had been accessed by the same customer from two IP addresses: his home and his workplace. Investigators also used records from another VPN provider and other evidence.

At the time, PureVPN's marketing said it kept no logs, and the case showed it held records that could identify a user. All of PureVPN's audits came after this. They're worth something, but they were commissioned by the same company that kept those records.

Does PureVPN keep logs now? The audits

PureVPN's Trust Center says it doesn't log data that can identify users and doesn't store data users generate while using the service. Its audit history looks like this:

PureVPN's blog says the KPMG review checked four claims: that it doesn't log your origin IP, your assigned VPN IP, your connection time or your activity. Its August 2021 press release quotes KPMG saying that "PureVPN puts a strong emphasis on the privacy of customers". The always-on arrangement means KPMG can run an unannounced audit at any time. PureVPN hasn't published how often that has happened.

The Trust Center also lists an ISO 27001 certification (an international standard for information security management), the i2Coalition VPN Trust Seal, and penetration tests by an unnamed third party. The full audit reports aren't linked from the page. Compare on our VPN audits page.

Security features and protocols

PureVPN's protocol page lists WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2 in its apps. A protocol is the rule set that builds the encrypted tunnel; see WireGuard vs OpenVPN. The Trust Center mentions quantum-resistant encryption keys for users in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, the UK and the US only.

Its features page describes a kill switch that disconnects your internet if the VPN drops. See our kill switch guide and check for leaks with the leak test guide.

Streaming and torrenting with PureVPN

Torrenting. PureVPN's terms say file sharing is allowed only on servers in certain countries, which they list, including Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. The terms discourage copyright infringement, say repeat infringers may lose their accounts, and set out a notice-and-counter-notice process for complaints. Port forwarding is sold as an add-on with a dedicated IP address. A VPN hides your downloads from your internet provider. It doesn't make copyright infringement legal. See is torrenting illegal.

Streaming. Watching another country's catalog usually breaks the streaming service's terms, and services block VPN IP addresses. Results change. See why streaming services block VPNs.

Apps and devices

PureVPN's order page says one account protects up to 10 devices. Its terms forbid sharing one account between two people. Apps are listed for Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone, Android, Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, Huawei devices and routers, plus Chrome, Firefox and Edge extensions.

Price and refund (checked 2026-11-13)

Plus and Max tiers cost more and add extra products. The page's FAQ also mentioned plans "from $1.69/month", which didn't match any listed plan. The page shows a 31-day money-back guarantee; the terms say refunds are subject to fair use and a separate refund policy. Check the official pricing page, and see our checked VPN prices.

What we couldn’t verify

• Who did the latest audit, and when. The Trust Center calls the firm "well known" and links a page whose address mentions KPMG, but the text doesn’t say so or give a date.
• The reports. We found no link to the full Altius IT or KPMG reports; our account comes from PureVPN’s blog and press releases.
• How often unannounced audits have happened. PureVPN describes the always-on clause but hasn’t published how many snap checks KPMG has run.
• The founding year. PureVPN says 2006; Wikipedia says 2007.

IPVanish is the closest comparison. Both handed US investigators identifying data while advertising no logs, and both have since paid for audits. The difference is that IPVanish has changed owners twice since its case, while PureVPN is still run by the same company.

Who PureVPN suits, and who should look elsewhere

• Suits: buyers who want a low long-term price and are comfortable with audits since 2019 as evidence of change.
• Look elsewhere if the 2017 case is disqualifying for you, especially since ownership hasn't changed. Mullvad and Proton VPN have stronger records.
• Look elsewhere if you want P2P on every server. Private Internet Access says it allows it.