PandaVPN 2024 Review: 7 Cons and 2 Pros

by Vít Nováček
updated January 1, 2024 (Report a bug)

1. PandaVPN Misses Kill Switch and Hides Its Operator

   • The VPN operator is not publicly known
   • Missing an important kill switch feature
   • Security of the service is not independently audited
   • Application is only available for basic platforms
   • Basic package protects only 3 devices
   • Average download speed (42 Mb/s)
   • Very slow server response (141 ms)

   • Unblocked most streaming services
   • Good supply of 3,000 servers in 80 countries

   The PandaVPN lists Seychelles as its headquarters, trust in the service is greatly undermined by the secretive operator of the service. We have been unable to trace the company behind this VPN on their website or other publicly available sources. Some articles mention possible links PandaVPN to China and to the US, neither of which we have been able to verify.

   In our test, PandaVPN achieved an overall rating of 6.8/10, which ranks it 48 among 90reviewed VPNs.

   It loses points in the PandaVPN rankings due to limited platform support, with the app only available for basic desktop and mobile devices. It lacks support for traffic on routers and via browser extensions. The basic package provides protection for a maximum of 3 devices, which is low in the context of other VPNs.

   Problems when using it during video calls or gaming can be caused by the relatively slow response time of the servers, in our test we measured on average 141 ms. The lack of independent auditing and the secretive operator, with the Gmail address serving as the only contact, also do not contribute to trust.

   In contrast, PandaVPN performed well in the streaming platform unblocking test. It coped with Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max and YouTube. With sufficient download speeds (we measured 130 Mb/s on average), it’s possible to watch ultra-high-resolution video.

   The PandaVPN operates servers in 80 countries around the world, many of which are in relatively exotic locations and can bypass geo-blocking.

   Connection security is provided by modern OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols and 256-bit encryption. Thus, PandaVPN is not behind the competition in this area.

   Overall, PandaVPN may be a good choice for the need to access the Internet from some less common countries. The most cost-effective subscription comes out to $2.49 per month, with a free trial version PandaVPN available for 3 days. The subscription rate is comparable to Private Internet Access ($1.91) or Surfshark ($2.12). However, these services are among the top rated and offer more features.

   

2. PandaVPN Subscription: Discount Code, Free Trial, Money Back Guarantee…

   • Your Price: $9.99​75% off  $2.49 /mo (3 devices)
   • Money Back Guarantee: Yes (7 days)
   • Free Trial: Yes (3 days)
   • Cryptocurrency payments:
     No

     Bitcoin :No
     Dash :No
     Ethereum :No
     Ripple :No

   

   6.8

   ★★★

   The relatively unknown service’s advantage is a wide selection of available locations. Trust is eroded by an undisclosed operator, low data transfer speed, and slow server response.

   $2.49 /mo Free 3-day trial ​7-day money back guarantee

   Get this VPN 75% cheaper

   PandaVPN offers subscriptions in five different variations.

   The shortest weekly subscription is only available when registering through the mobile app. A flexible subscription is available on the PandaVPN website, which can be cancelled at any time. The amount $9.99 is deducted on a monthly basis.

   The most cost-effective subscriptions are three-month, one-year and two-year subscriptions with payment for the entire period in advance. On a per-month basis, $2.49 is paid.

   You can use a debit or credit card and PayPal to pay for your subscription. Anonymous payment via cryptocurrency is absent for PandaVPN, although it is mentioned repeatedly on the site.

   A trial version of PandaVPN is available via mobile apps for a period of 3 days. Once registered, the app can be used on all platforms.

   A money-back guarantee of 7 days applies to all subscription options longer than 7 days.

   You can get a free subscription PandaVPN through referring friends to the service. If they buy an annual subscription through your referral, you have the service for 30 days for free. The reward for a paid two-year subscription is 90 days.

3. PandaVPN and Supported Devices: Android, iOS, macOS…

   • Device limit: 3

   Platforms supported

   • Android:
     Yes

     Android is supported by 98 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Android TV:
     Yes

     Android TV is supported by 36 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Apple TV:
     No

     Apple TV is supported by 18 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Fire TV:
     No

     Fire TV is supported by 43 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Chromebook:
     No

     Chromebook is supported by 20 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Chromecast:
     No

     Chromecast is supported by 16 % of reviewed VPNs
   • iOS:
     Yes

     iOS is supported by 99 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Kodi:
     No

     Kodi is supported by 21 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Linux:
     Yes

     Linux is supported by 61 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Mac:
     Yes

     Mac is supported by 98 % of reviewed VPNs
   • NAS:
     No

     NAS is supported by 24 % of reviewed VPNs
   • nVidia Shield:
     No

     nVidia Shield is supported by 14 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Playstation:
     No

     Playstation is supported by 20 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Raspberry Pi:
     No

     Raspberry Pi is supported by 17 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Roku:
     No

     Roku is supported by 16 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Router:
     No

     Router is supported by 53 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Windows:
     Yes

     Windows is supported by 100 % of reviewed VPNs
   • xBox:
     No

     xBox is supported by 20 % of reviewed VPNs

   Browser Extensions

   • Brave :
     No

     The Brave browser add-on is offered by 43 % of reviewed VPNs.
   • Chrome :
     No

     The Chrome browser add-on is offered by 43 % of reviewed VPNs.
   • Edge :
     No

     The Edge browser add-on is offered by 21 % of reviewed VPNs.
   • Firefox :
     No

     The Firefox browser add-on is offered by 34 % of reviewed VPNs.
   • Opera :
     No

     The Opera browser add-on is offered by 43 % of reviewed VPNs.
   • Safari :
     No

     The Safari browser add-on is offered by 0 % of reviewed VPNs.
   • Vivaldi :
     No

     The Vivaldi browser add-on is offered by 43 % of reviewed VPNs.

   With a single paid subscription, PandaVPN can be used on up to 3 devices simultaneously. You can manage the connected devices in your web account. Additional devices can be added for an additional fee.

   The native PandaVPN app is only available for Windows, Mac, and Linux computers and for Android and iOS mobile devices. In addition, Android TV smart TVs are directly supported.

   Multimedia platforms Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV or Kodi, gaming consoles Playstation and Xbox or alternative devices Raspberry Pi and Chromebook PandaVPN are not directly supported.

   The downside is the lack of support for router-based traffic, which would allow simple security for all devices connected to a single network. Router-based traffic is supported for example by NordVPN and Surfshark.

   It does not offer the PandaVPN browser extension.

4. PandaVPN App: User-friendliness, whitelist, server selection…

   • App Languages: 🇺🇸 English +10 more🇪🇸 Spanish 🇫🇷 French 🇨🇳 Chinese 🇷🇺 Russian 🇰🇷 Korean 🇯🇵 Japanese 🇹🇷 Turkish 🇦🇪 Arabic 🇮🇩 Indonesian 🇹🇭 Thai
   • Whitelisting:
     Yes

     Whitelisting is supported by 52 % of reviewed VPNs

   To run the app, you must first create a user account on the PandaVPN website. The advantage is that the system will automatically generate an identification number for the user, so there is no need to enter an email address.

   Subjectively, the mobile app looks more modern than the desktop version. The PandaVPN supports only dark mode, the light alternative is not available.

   There is a button on the home screen of the app to quickly connect to the last used site. There is also a “Smart Connect” feature that connects the user to the fastest server. Alternatively, the location can be selected manually from a list. Connecting to the server was quick and the application generally worked without any problems.

   The app PandaVPN supports whitelisting and blacklisting, so you can choose in the settings which websites can be visited without VPN and which ones only with active protection.

   The PandaVPN also offers common features such as automatic connection when the app starts or when the device is turned on. The options differ slightly in the mobile and desktop versions of the app.

   The app environment PandaVPN is available in 11 languages, with English among them.

   In the context of other VPNs, an interesting feature is the ability to synchronise settings between devices, where, for example, the protocol used can be unified.

5. PandaVPN Connection Speed: Upload, Download & Latency

   • Traffic limit: Unlimited

   Download speed

   Higher is better. The average download of all tested VPNs is 115 Mb/s.

   Upload speed

   Higher is better. The average upload of all tested VPNs is 81 Mb/s.

   Server latency

   A lower value is better. The average response rate of all tested VPNs is 48 ms.

   PandaVPN does not limit the user in any way in the amount of data transferred, which is the standard of all paid VPNs.

   Connecting to all servers was fast with both protocols offered. To test the speed, we used the server that the app selected as recommended and also the one that was geographically closest to our location. The transfer speed fluctuated quite significantly during the measurements, especially the upload and response values can be described as below average.

   The average measured download speed 130 Mb/s is sufficient for downloading bulky files and for watching ultra-high resolution video.

   The upload value 42 Mb/s may slow down users with fast internet when backing up files or torrenting. For example, FastestVPN achieved an average upload speed of 254 Mb/s in the test.

   The weakest result PandaVPN achieved in the response speed test, 141 ms can cause annoying image stuttering, for example during video calls or online gaming. For server responsiveness as opposed to bit rates, lower is better. For example, Atlas VPN Pro measured 11 ms in our test, and IVPN achieved an average response of 10 ms.

6. PandaVPN Server Locations

   • Number of servers:
     3,000

     The average number of servers for the reviewed VPNs is 1699.
   • Number of countries:
     80

     The average number of countries available for the reviewed VPNs is 41.

   Europe	🇧🇪 Belgium 🇦🇱 Albania 🇧🇾 Belarus 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇬 Bulgaria 🇨🇿 Czech Republic 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇪🇪 Estonia 🇫🇮 Finland 🇫🇷 France 🇭🇷 Croatia 🇮🇪 Ireland 🇮🇸 Iceland 🇮🇹 Italy 🇨🇾 Cyprus 🇱🇹 Lithuania 🇱🇻 Latvia 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 🇭🇺 Hungary 🇲🇹 Malta 🇲🇩 Moldova 🇩🇪 Germany 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇴 Norway 🇮🇲 Isle of Man 🇵🇱 Poland 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇦🇹 Austria 🇷🇴 Romania 🇬🇷 Greece 🇲🇰 Northern Macedonia 🇸🇰 Slovakia 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 🇷🇸 Serbia 🇪🇸 Spain 🇨🇭 Switzerland 🇹🇷 Turkey 🇺🇦 Ukraine
   North America	🇨🇦 Canada 🇨🇷 Costa Rica 🇲🇽 Mexico 🇵🇦 Panama 🇺🇸 USA
   South America	🇧🇷 Brazil 🇦🇷 Argentina 🇪🇨 Ecuador 🇨🇱 Chile 🇨🇴 Colombia 🇵🇪 Peru 🇺🇾 Uruguay
   Asia	🇦🇿 Azerbaijan 🇧🇩 Bangladesh 🇵🇭 Philippines 🇬🇪 Georgia 🇭🇰 Hong Kong 🇮🇳 India 🇮🇩 Indonesia 🇮🇱 Israel 🇯🇵 Japan 🇰🇷 South Korea 🇯🇴 Jordan 🇰🇭 Cambodia 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan 🇱🇦 Laos 🇲🇾 Malaysia 🇲🇳 Mongolia 🇵🇰 Pakistan 🇷🇺 Russia 🇸🇬 Singapore 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates 🇹🇭 Thailand 🇹🇼 Taiwan 🇻🇳 Vietnam
   Africa	🇪🇬 Egypt 🇿🇦 South Africa 🇰🇪 Kenya 🇳🇬 Nigeria
   Oceania	🇦🇺 Australia 🇳🇿 New Zealand

   PandaVPN operates 3,000 servers in 80 countries on all continents.

   Some of the servers, especially in exotic countries, are only virtual, although YouTube, for example, has had no problem geolocating them. The number of countries available is above average in the context of other networks. In addition to the traditional ones, PandaVPN offers some relatively inaccessible locations such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, Mongolia, Jordan, Nigeria, Kenya or Costa Rica.

   The USA, Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand are also among the available servers. Of the countries with government censorship, Russia, Turkey, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates are represented.

   The PandaVPN app offers a smart connection feature that connects users to the fastest available server. During testing, it worked rather oddly, connecting us to different servers across the world without any apparent logic. Surprisingly, the servers in the app cannot be saved as favourites, so you have to search through an extensive list each time. At the very least, the breakdown of servers by continent and the available search by country name is helpful.

   The list shows the specific city for each server and possibly also the specifications, as some items in the list are specifically designed to unblock selected streaming platforms. The PandaVPN also runs servers specifically designed for torrenting.

   Both OpenVPN and WireGuard are usable on all available servers.

7. PandaVPN Security Features: DNS Leak Protection, Kill Switch…

   • DNS leak protection :
     Yes

     DNS leak protection is offered by 92% of the reviewed VPNs.
   • Kill Switch:
     No

     Kill Switch is supported by 87% of the reviewed VPNs.
   • Multi-Hop:
     No

     Multi-Hop connection is offered by 20 % of the VPNs reviewed.
   • Tor:
     No

     Tor support is offered by 19 % of the reviewed VPNs.

   PandaVPN offers basic DNS protection, our real IP address remained secret during use and all tests displayed the addresses of the connected VPN servers. It is possible to clear the DNS cache at any time in the application settings.

   The PandaVPN apps for all platforms lack the important security feature kill switch, which disconnects the device from the Internet if the connection to the VPN server is lost. This prevents the user’s IP address or location from being revealed. Kill switches are offered by most VPNs on the market.

   In the app settings PandaVPN, you can choose from WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols, both of which are considered modern and secure. There is also the relatively unknown Shadowsocks protocol, which offers the highest transfer speeds but also the lowest level of security. The transmitted data is protected by 256-bit ECC encryption.

   Missing from the advanced security features PandaVPN is multi-hop (also known as Double VPN), where the application connects through two different servers simultaneously. This achieves a higher level of security.

   Use on the Tor network is not supported by PandaVPN. Similarly, two-factor user account security is not available.

8. PandaVPN & Streaming: Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime…

   • Amazon Prime:
     No

     Amazon Prime streaming is supported by 52 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Disney+:
     Yes

     Disney+ streaming is supported by 53 % of reviewed VPNs
   • HBO:
     Yes

     HBO streaming is supported by 57 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Hulu:
     Yes

     Hulu streaming is supported by 49 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Netflix:
     Yes

     Netflix streaming is supported by 67 % of reviewed VPNs
   • YouTube:
     Yes

     YouTube streaming is supported by 97 % of reviewed VPNs

   While PandaVPN doesn’t run any servers specifically for video, it does show a brief description for each site as to which streaming platforms should be unlocked.

   With PandaVPN we have been successful in unblocking most popular streaming platforms. Locked video from YouTube, Disney Plus, HBO Max, and Hulu platforms played without issue. For Netflix, we had to try a few different servers, but were ultimately successful with that one as well. The only Amazon Prime Video we were unable to unblock was when the platform wouldn’t let us play the videos and just displayed a message requesting the VPN be shut down.

   Thanks to the average download speed 130 Mb/s, even playing 4k resolution video, for which a speed of at least 50 Mbps is listed as required, was no problem. We were able to achieve this without any problems even on remote servers.

9. Features of PandaVPN: AdBlock, Static IP…

   • Blocks Ads:
     Yes

     Ad blocking is offered by 44 % of the VPNs reviewed.
   • Blocks Malware:
     No

     Malware blocking is offered by 33 % of the VPNs reviewed.
   • Blocks Trackers:
     No

     Trackers blocking is offered by 38 % of the VPNs reviewed.

   Ad blocking and malicious sites are only available in the mobile app PandaVPN. After activating the feature, the ads on the site decreased, but did not disappear completely. More advanced malware and tracker blocking is not available at all.

   The PandaVPN does not support the useful camouflage mode, which can disguise a VPN as a regular connection from ISPs or streaming platforms. For example, the camouflage mode is supported by Surfshark.

   For an additional fee, a dedicated server is available that is exclusive to a specific user and offers a secure, stable and fast connection. For now, the only location available is Hong Kong, with more to come in the future.

   Other extra features such as monitoring for personal data leaks on the Dark Web or antivirus password protection are not available with PandaVPN.

10. PandaVPN‘s CPU usage and App Performance

    In terms of computer performance requirements, PandaVPN is not out of line with other VPNs.

    The macOS app PandaVPN took a relatively small percentage of the computer and battery power. It only bit off an average of 44 MB of RAM capacity, so using the app won’t be a problem even on older computers.

    The PandaVPN allows the application to automatically start and connect to the VPN when the computer boots. The feature can be easily disabled in the settings. If you don’t use a VPN, you can disable the application completely via the icon in the system tray.

11. PandaVPN Torrenting Servers

    • Torrenting servers:
      Yes

      Torrenting support is offered by 89 % of the reviewed VPNs.

    PandaVPN offers servers in the US, Canada, Germany, UK and Singapore specifically optimized for P2P file sharing. However, any available server can be used for torrenting.

    When sharing legal content via torrents, PandaVPN was able to reliably protect our real IP address from other users and third parties. Still, VPN is not entirely suitable for torrenting, as it lacks the important security feature of a kill switch, which disconnects the device from the Internet in case of a connection failure to the server.

    Our measured average download (130 Mb/s) and upload (42 Mb/s) speeds are sufficient for torrenting on their own.

    For regular torrenting, we recommend using a VPN that offers a superior level of security in addition to high transfer speeds. For example, we can recommend CyberGhost VPN or NordVPN.

12. What is the country of origin of PandaVPN?

    • VPN Provider: ?
    • Country of origin: 🇸🇨 Seychelles

    The provider of PandaVPN is not publicly known, which does not contribute to trust in this service.

    Legally, Seychelles is listed as the location of the operator. The country is not part of the 14 Eyes alliance and local laws do not oblige VPN operators to collect user data.

    According to some unsubstantiated speculation, the operator PandaVPN is believed to be from China. If true, this would be alarming news in terms of ensuring user protection and privacy. China is one of the countries with the highest level of state censorship.

    On social network X (formerly Twitter), PandaVPN lists the US as its headquarters. The United States is a member of the 14 Eyes group, which shares intelligence between them regarding Internet users.

    Although it is quite common by the nature of VPNs that tracing their operator is difficult, we consider the unclear structure and minimal information available with PandaVPN to be a security risk. The lack of a security audit from an independent company also contributes to the errors, which may be a reason to prefer a competing service. For example, NordVPN has undergone several audits and publishes the results.

13. PandaVPN and Privacy: Logging Policy, Security Issues…

    • No-Logs Policy:
      Yes

      The No-Logs Policy is followed by 78% of reviewed VPNs.

    PandaVPN states on its website that there is no log collection when using the service. It confirms the same in its privacy policy, where the operator explicitly states that it does not store any activity data, browsing history, IP addresses or data transmitted.

    Given the secrecy of the service operator, we would appreciate an independent audit to substantiate these claims for PandaVPN. We have not been able to track down either the publicly available Transparency Report or Warrant Canary, which informs users of the requests received to release data to security forces.

    On the contrary, the possibility to create a user account without using an e-mail address helps to achieve a higher level of anonymity. During registration, a unique numeric code is generated which is used as a username.

    Payment data for subscription payment purposes are processed by third parties. Accepting cryptocurrency payments would help to achieve an even better level of anonymity. Although the Bitcoin logo is displayed among the payment methods, this option was missing from the menu when completing the order.

14. PandaVPN Support: Chat, e-mail…

    Customer support at PandaVPN is available via email at panda7x24@gmail.com or via chat directly in the app. Unfortunately, support is not available around the clock, although the email address suggests it may be. We have waited hours for answers to submitted questions.

    Compared to other reviewed VPNs, the customer support contact address on Gmail seems untrustworthy.

    There is also a FAQ page on the PandaVPN website, but these are few and many of the details are not traceable.

15. PandaVPN FAQ

    Is PandaVPN secure?

    In terms of security, PandaVPN achieved mixed results. On the one hand, the application reliably hid our real IP address and blocked malicious sites and ads well. For data transfer, it uses the proven modern protocols WireGuard and OpenVPN combined with 256-bit ECC encryption. In addition, the service provider states that it does not store any logs of user activity.

    On the other side of the coin, there is some doubt about the operator of the service, who is effectively untraceable. Although PandaVPN lists Seychelles as its home country, the social network has the US as its home country and, according to online speculation, traces back to China. In either case, this would not be good news for users. The PandaVPN also lacks independent auditing and the important kill switch feature.

    Is PandaVPN free?

    The PandaVPN is a paid service, the price of the most affordable subscription option is $2.49 per month. The order is covered by a money-back guarantee of 7 days.

    The free PandaVPN can only be obtained via the mobile app in the form of a free trial, which is functional for 3 days.

    Is PandaVPN suitable for streaming?

    With the exception of Amazon Prime Video, PandaVPN was able to unblock all of the streaming platforms we tested. We successfully played video from YouTube, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus, and Hulu.

    The download speed, which is important for watching videos at maximum resolution, reached an average value of PandaVPN for 130 Mb/s. It is therefore sufficient for 4k video playback, for which at least 50 Mbps is recommended.