Buffered Review

What is Buffered VPN?

Buffered is a Hungarian-based company that offers effective and reliable virtual private networks. There are over 45 servers at customers’ disposal, as well as unlimited bandwidth. VPN service allows accessing websites that are blocked in user’s country and protecting the data transferred via an established Internet connection. With Buffered VPN, Internet users can be sure in safety and 100% privacy.

Rating/Score

In the vast majority of independent rating systems, Buffered VPN has the score of about 4.1 out of 5 or 7 out of 10. Most users are pretty much satisfied with the level of service and customer support provided. What they don’t like is the pricing policy as the services from Buffered aren’t cheap. Some Buffered VPN reviews mention that the provider doesn’t refund customers in case of different issues, which also hurts overall rating.

Pros and Cons

Our Buffered VPN review wouldn’t be full without enlisting the advantages and disadvantages of the service:

Expert’s Buffered VPN review

From a usability standpoint, Buffered VPN doesn’t differ much from all other similar services. The interface is simple: there are a few settings, On/Off button, the list of locations – everything is familiar, so you don’t have problems with usage.
There are a few performance issues so far. First, some websites refuse to work complaining about ad-blocker (it was the service to blame), so the VPN can cause browsing problems. Secondly, the application launched cmd.exe that forces clients to accept Windows UAC (user account control) prompt. What for? It doesn’t seem like a professional approach to privacy.
As for the speed, Buffered VPN can decrease download speed at short distances by up to 50%, but the upload speed can be much better than with the native connection. The speed mostly depends on servers: US and UK locations are perfect.
From some servers of Buffered VPN Netflix cannot be opened: therefore, if you plan to watch something that’s not available from US Netflix, you have to figure out another way.

Browser extensions

Buffered VPN offers clients for desktops on Mac, Windows and Linux OS. Additionally, it can be set up on Android and iOS, but inexperienced users can find it hard (the website provides the instructions for installation).

Safety and Encryption

In one Buffered VPN review, a user performed a DNS leak test with the help of IVPN’s online tool: its results have displayed that there was no DNS information disclosed by Buffered. This is crucial for user safety, because DNS leak can give away a lot of personal data. It should also be mentioned that every server provided by Buffered VPN has a DNS server on it, so you have a fast access to DNS.
The company uses 256-bit Blowfish encryption – a standard for VPNs that ensure minimal necessary protection. Additionally, it uses OpenVPN protocol that is considered to be pretty secure. Therefore, you can sleep soundly knowing that Buffered VPN offers a solid level of protection, but there are no additional features that would make it stand out.

Pricing plans and payment methods

Here and there you can find a Buffered VPN review mentioning its unfriendly pricing policy. However, Buffered offers average prices: $12.99 per month, if you order the server for a short term, $9.99 monthly for 6 months of usage, and $8.25 monthly if you order it annually. All in all, if you’re ready to pay for the excellent level of quality, this price is definitely worth paying.

Support

What the provider claims are that customers are provided with 24/7 support: there’s an online support center and the system of ticket processing (they’re answered via email). The online support resolves about 95% of clients’ issues, while guides on the official website explain how to install the application, and what the requirements for it are.
Unfortunately, there is no live chat or phone support. However, Buffered VPN reviews mention that the assistants answer within a few hours and help professionally.

How to Use and Installing

If you’re going to use Buffered VPN on your PC, installation is a piece of cake. You just need to:

• log into the online download area;
• choose the client for your OS;
• make a few clicks.

At the moment, Buffered offers client applications for Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android. For mobile users, the process of installation is far more challenging – there is no native mobile client. You need to download the OpenVPN app for your platform and work with the .opvn connection file to establish the connection. If you want to use the service on multiple devices (it supports up to 5 devices simultaneously), better install service one-by-one.
As for the functionality, the application is minimalistic: there’s a simple menu, and Buffered isn’t jam-packed with a myriad of features. You can specify the basic parameters like server location, switching between TCP and UDP, choice of custom port and automatic start-ups.

The bottom line

All in all, Buffered VPN provides a relatively small network of servers and basic features: if you need a simple and relatively non-expensive service, this is an optimal solution. With Buffered VPN, you can easily stream content, work with torrents and have your privacy protected.

Recommendations

Judging by Buffered VPN reviews, this is a simple service that would be perfect for customers who need a basic level of protection and basic access to foreign websites. If you need a mobile VPN, probably, you have to find some alternative. Buffered VPN justifies its cost when ordered for at least a year.