Snap VPN Review Hong Kong: A Slow & Untrustworthy Free VPN

  • Last updated June 26, 2023
  • written by
    Editor

Snap VPN is a free Android-only VPN service having slow and unreliable servers in Hong Kong. Snap VPN can be ranked one of the worst VPNs that we have reviewed so far. The millions of downloads on Google Play may convince you to fall into the trap. However, it’s not even worth your attention.

Besides, offering limited servers with a major lack of security features, it has failed badly in every test area. First, it doesn’t support high-bandwidth activities, like streaming or torrenting. Additionally, it is completely untrustworthy with unclear ownership.

To highlight the performance, we have compiled this Snap VPN review Hong Kong after a thorough evaluation on different grounds. You can also explore other VPN reviews Hong Kong to get to know about premium VPNs and how they are an absolute lifesaver for you.


Our Verdict
Overall Rating :
2.9 / 10

Ranked #47 out of 56 VPNs

In our Snap VPN review, we discovered the VPN's free of cost and offer servers in the US, UK, Germany, Singapore, and a few other countries. However, it all goes downhill from there. It offers terrible download speeds, is available only for Android devices, and may keep logs. So, you're better off with a premium VPN instead!
Snap VPN Category Ratings
  • 4 / 10
  • 1 / 10
  • 3 / 10
  • 2 / 10
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  • 5 / 10

Key Findings for Snap VPN Review Hong Kong

Here are the key findings for the Snap VPN review Hong Kong:

  1. Pricing in Hong Kong – The VPN offers free services.
  2. Servers and Locations in Hong Kong – The VPN has more than 2000 servers in the UK, the US, India, France, Singapore, Germany, etc.
  3. Security and Features in Hong Kong – The VPN discloses no information about the encryption standard and lacks a kill switch.
  4. Speed and Performance in Hong Kong – This VPN throttles speed largely, resulting in slow servers that are incapable of performing activities with consistent speed.
  5. Streaming in Hong Kong – Snap VPN didn’t unblock Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and other popular US streaming platforms.
  6. Torrenting in Hong Kong – The VPN doesn’t work for torrenting.
  7. Easy to Use in Hong Kong – Apps lack customizable configurations and features and bombard users with ads on the app.
  8. Compatibility in Hong Kong – The VPN is compatible with Android phones and tablets only.
  9. Bypass Censorship in Hong Kong – Doesn’t bypass censorship.
  10. Customer Support in Hong Kong – No live chat, user guides, chatbot, or FAQ services are available in the app.

Pros

  • Unlimited data
  • Free service

Cons

  • Unclear ownership
  • Inadequate information about server locations
  • Extremely slow servers
  • Not compatible with systems except Android
  • No support for torrenting
  • Can’t unblock streaming platforms
  • Weak bypassing strength
  • Basic security features missing
  • Headquartered in a privacy-unsafe region
  • Poor customer support service

Pricing in Hong Kong — How much does Snap VPN cost?

Snap VPN is a completely free VPN in Hong Kong. Snap VPN’s pricing is one of the reasons behind its popularity in the industry. It offers free services with unlimited data. Although there are no restrictions on data, the free version has limited server access and speed for users.

The premium plan promises an ad-free interface and more server locations. However, pricing plans are not clearly mentioned on Play Store.

Like other premium VPNs, customers can earn discounts on longer-term subscriptions. Snap VPN offers three paid plans to users. The monthly plan costs US$14.16. The 6-month subscription significantly reduces the price to US$4.91 each month. Whereas the 12-month package is available at US$3.64 monthly.

Plan Price Refund policy Payment option
1-month $14.16 ❌ Google Pay
6-month $4.91 monthly ❌ Google Pay
12-month $3.64 monthly ❌ Google Pay

From the pricing, it’s clearly evident that Snap VPN has exceptionally high prices. If compared to top industry VPN services, you can get an all-rounder product at a lesser price than Snap VPN. For instance, our first choice ExpressVPN costs in Hong Kong US$12.95 on a monthly plan, which is cheaper than Snap VPN.

On top of this, you get an ExpressVPN 7-day fre e trial in Hong Kong for mobile phones. You can try the VPN and claim a refund under the 30-day money-back policy if you plan to discontinue the service.

snap-vpn-free-trial-in-Hong Kong

You can also avail of Snap VPN’s 7-day free trial in Hong Kong.

However, in the case of Snap VPN, there is no free trial or money-back policy available for customers. We personally never recommend purchasing VPN services with no refund policies.


Server Network in Hong Kong — How many servers do Snap VPN have?

Snap VPN offers around 2000 servers to users on the free plan. It has not disclosed the complete list of server locations. However, like a typical free VPN, it offers limited free server locations.

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Snap VPN free servers are located in approximately 6 countries, including, Singapore, the United Kingdom, India, Canada, the Netherlands, and the United States.

Continent No. of Countries Covered
South America 0
North America 2
Europe 3
Oceania 0
Asia 1
Africa 0

From the continent-wise distribution, we can see that Europe has the maximum number of servers. Two of the countries in South America come next. Finally, Asia has servers in only 1 country. However, no free servers are available in North America, Africa, and Oceania.

Snap VPN specifies the server locations in case of just some cities in the UK, the United States, and Germany. Whereas many countries are left unlabeled. You can verify the location by using the IP checker tool in Hong Kong. The partial information seems frustrating to us as we can’t get an idea of the exact region.

Snap VPN does offer extra server locations to premium users, but it doesn’t compete with the wide server network options offered by industry-leading ExpressVPN in 94 countries.


Security and Features in Hong Kong — Is Snap VPN secure?

No. Snap VPN uses some protocols for encrypting internet traffic, but it is not clearly specified. It only lets users choose IPSec. It can be either a super secure IKEv2/IPSec or the unsafe and outdated L2TP/IPSec. Snap VPN brings a variety of protocols to select from, such as the well-recognized OpenVPN or the shady IPSec. It also offers Android OS exclusive options, SSR and ISSR.

snap-vpn-security-in-Hong Kong

Snap VPN doesn’t have a variety of security protocols for safe browsing in Hong Kong.

Of the available options, only IPSec is free to use. However, the protocol selection feature is available for premium users only in Hong Kong.

Parameters Snap VPN
Encryption AES-128, AES 256
Protocols Not disclosed
Kill switch Unavailable
Split tunneling Available
IP Leak blocker Unavailable
DNS leak blocker Unavailable
WebRTC leak blocker Unavailable
Ad-blocker Unavailable
Tracker blocker Unavailable
Smart DNS Unavailable
Dedicated IP Unavailable
Multihop/Double VPN protection Unavailable
Threat manager Unavailable

Snap VPN lacks advanced security features, such as double VPN protection, ad-blocker, tracker blocker, smart DNS, and dedicated IP, which is expected from a free VPN service.

As for the encryption, Snap VPN provides no details on the page. After contacting customer support and exchanging multiple emails, it has been confirmed that Snap VPN uses AES-128 and AES-256, acceptable standards of encryption.

Snap VPN app claims it doesn’t keep any identifiable user logs. However, its privacy policy hasn’t been updated since 2020 which is sort of dubious. Who knows maybe things have changed in the past few years and they’ve started keeping logs. You can learn through our VPN logging policies in Hong Kong about factors to look out for in most VPNs’ privacy policies.

snap-vpn-privacy-policy-in-Hong Kong

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On testing leaks, no IP, WebRTC, or DNS leaks were found, which is a positive sign. So the free VPN certainly passes our VPN leak tests in Hong Kong.

Snap VPN has split tunneling to let users choose which apps should be run on the VPN connection. However, it doesn’t offer a kill switch to secure personal information from being exposed immediately after the VPN connection drops.

We are disappointed to note this lack of a basic security option in the app. Without a kill switch, Snap VPN is completely unsafe to use.


Speed and Performance in Hong Kong — Is Snap VPN fast?

Not at all! Snap VPN has one of the slowest servers in Hong Kong. Speed throttling and inconsistent delivery are commonly reported on these servers. Basic user activities, like gaming, browsing, streaming, and torrenting seem impossible with such slow speeds.

The first test was conducted with a baseline 30 Mbps connection, where Snap VPN performed below average. On its US – Dallas server, Snap VPN’s download speed went up to 5.42 Mbps only.

snap-vpn-us-server-speeds-in-Hong Kong

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After connecting to a 35 Mbps baseline connection, the download speed dropped further upon connecting to Snap VPN’s German servers, providing merely 4.47 Mbps download speeds.

snap-vpn-german-server-speeds-in-Hong Kong

Snap VPN’s German servers weren’t any faster in Hong Kong.

Later, different locations in Australia, Asia, the US, and Europe were tested, but Snap VPN didn’t exceed 2 Mbps for any of these tests conducted. No matter where the server was located, the VPN provided extremely slow speeds. In the case of upload speeds, the server reached up to 10 Mbps on average, which wasn’t satisfactory either.

Overall, extremely slow speeds have been experienced in testing. Here, the drop in download speed above 50% proves that the VPN is certainly throttling the free users. Snap VPN’s speed dropped below 98%, indicating it to be record-breakingly slower than the competitors.

Don’t let your productivity decrease with this slowest free VPN service. Boost your performance with the fastest VPNs in Hong Kong like ExpressVPN connections.


Streaming in Hong Kong — Does Snap VPN Work with Netflix?

No, to evaluate the streaming capabilities in Hong Kong, Snap VPN was tested using 10 globally trending streaming platforms. Snap VPN straight away failed at unblocking any US premium streaming channel. Moreover, it couldn’t unblock even a single Netflix library out of the multiple tested.

Streaming Channel Snap VPN 
Netflix US ❌
HBO Max ❌
Amazon Prime Video ❌
Hulu ❌
YouTube ❌
Disney+ ❌
All 4 ❌
Hotstar India ❌
BBC iPlayer ✅
ITVX ✅

From the 10 mixed services, it only unblocked 2 UK-exclusive sites, ITVX and BBC iPlayer. Both tests were conducted in the UK, therefore, it may be just that Snap VPN didn’t put effort to unblock them. Opt for the best VPN for streaming in Hong Kong to get your hands on a reliable VPN for your binge-watch weekends.


Torrenting in Hong Kong – How good is Snap VPN for torrenting?

The tests conducted on Snap VPN revealed that its servers don’t support torrenting. We have found Snap VPN to be involved in logging user data collection in Hong Kong. Moreover, it is not a trustworthy service in Hong Kong, lacking essential security protocols.

It can’t be trusted for sensitive and confidential user data. Therefore, we wouldn’t suggest using Snap VPN even if it permitted torrenting or exchanging P2P file traffic.

After researching, we learned that Snap VPN had previously mentioned no support for P2P traffic on Play Store. However, they have removed it now, but the condition is still the same.

On trying to torrent a file for testing, it didn’t download and remained dangling. We are not surprised by the zero torrenting support by Snap VPN as this is very common in free VPNs. However, with the unlimited bandwidth it offers, we were expecting some input on torrent activity.

For securing your torrenting activities and P2P traffic truly, use a reliable and secure VPN. Our first choice for torrenting is ExpressVPN which offers a safe torrenting zone with world-class protection and blazing-fast speed servers. You can also opt for any of the best VPNs for torrenting in Hong Kong for safe P2P sharing.


Installation of Apps and Ease of Use

Snap VPN app has a simple interface that lacks customizable settings or options. Moreover, the full-screen ads cover the interface most of the time, which was really annoying to note.

The worst part is that you can’t skip the ads before a certain time limit, which is commonly between 5 to 10 seconds. Ad-prone apps spoil the complete user experience.

As for installation, Snap VPN can be easily downloaded from the Google Play Store. After installation, you simply need to pick your desired VPN server location from the free list and click on the “Go” button on the main menu.

snap-vpn-android-in-Hong Kong

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Compared to other free VPN apps, Snap VPN has very limited features. It even lacks the basic options that are expected from a VPN service. We would appreciate some advanced features in addition to the essential options.

Overall, the interface is simple, but it needs to work on improving user experience.


Device Compatibility in Hong Kong — Which devices work with Snap VPN?

Snap VPN is only available for Android devices in Hong Kong, which is the major drawback. No other platforms users can try it on their devices, limiting its customer base to a large extent. Even Snap VPN for the PC version doesn’t exist.

Some VPN services offering personalized support focus more on the internal elements and improve the personal experience within the platform. However, no such commitment of Snap VPN was observed while testing in Hong Kong.

The only good thing is that Snap VPN download completes quickly.

Snap VPN claims to shield the list of apps next.

  1. YouTube
  2. Facebook
  3. Chrome

Users can even add other apps to the list. We can’t figure out the level of protection this VPN lends to the mentioned apps in Hong Kong.

With no multiplatform support, we expect Snap VPN to add more features and work on bringing a complete protection framework under the shelter for Android users.


Snap VPN Review Hong Kong: Bypass Censorship

Snap VPN clearly has no obfuscation technology to overcome geo-blocks in Hong Kong. Therefore, it can’t bypass the Great Firewall to work in China.

Surprisingly, it claims to bypass strict geo-restrictions and allow blocked content from other regions. We warn you to not fall into this trap as this is not true. Like other small free VPNs, it doesn’t have essential techniques and tools to overcome tight international restrictions.

We personally can’t trust a service that keeps the customers in delusion.

Does Snap VPN Work in China?

No, Snap VPN doesn’t work in China. It lacks obfuscation technology in Hong Kong and other necessary tools required for bypassing censorship. We found out that it had previously mentioned unavailability in the Chinese region. However, it’s shady to no longer have it specified to the users.

Talking about China, its Great Firewall is not a joke, which even the top-quality premium VPNs find hard to unblock. Snap VPN has a long way to come even closer to premium VPN services; therefore, its limited capacity is evident.


Snap VPN Review Hong Kong: Customer Support

Snap VPN has a very limited customer assistance program in Hong Kong. We found its customer service to be one of the worst-known in the industry.

It offers no live chat support, which can be expected from a free service. However, the unavailability of basic options, such as user guides and FAQs on the website is a big turndown for us.

The only way you can contact their support agent is through email service. Be prepared to wait for at least a week or two to receive the response.

For us, it was frustrating to find no website for this VPN in Hong Kong. It only exists on the Google Play Store, where you get all the information.

Customer Support Services Snap VPN
24/ 7 Live chat ❌
Email ✅
Chatbot ❌
Phone line ❌
User guides ❌
FAQs ❌

On contacting customer support via email, the wait time was quite long. In the reply, no clear answer was given and the agent only requested to upgrade to a premium account. The team was steadfast in not disclosing any information about the VPN. However, after an exchange of a good few emails, the queries were answered.

We expect a VPN service to provide adequate customer support options regardless of the nature of the service. Customers must be valued and heard no matter which plans they use, free or paid.


Snap VPN Review Hong Kong Reddit

Snap VPN Reddit reviews state different customer experiences with the app. One customer complains about the sudden unavailability of Snap VPN service in their region. Moreover, a customer also reports Snap VPN to be crashing background apps frequently and running extremely slow servers. One user reported issues with Snap VPN, reporting that it has been blocked in his country:

SnapVPN-review-reddit-in-Hong Kong


Alternatives to Snap VPN Review in Hong Kong

Considering the limitations of Snap VPN in Hong Kong, you must not risk online safety and privacy with this slow and insecure service. Many trustworthy and excellent VPNs exist that assure you way better performance and protection than Snap VPN.

Some alternatives to Snap VPN in Hong Kong can be:

  1. ExpressVPN review Hong Kong – the best all-rounder VPN for users
  2. NordVPN review Hong Kong – the large VPN server network service for users
  3. Surfshark VPN review Hong Kong – a budget-friendly VPN for users
  4. CyberGhost VPN review Hong Kong – a secure VPN for users
  5. Private VPN review Hong Kong – an effective VPN for streaming
  6. SiteLock VPN Review Hong Kong – good security and protection for users
  7. SwissVPN Review Hong Kong – Very basic service provider
  8. VPNCity Review Hong Kong – a secure and privacy-friendly VPN
  9. WorldVPN Review Hong Kong – The VPN has a small server network
  10. iProVPN Review Hong Kong – It provides good speeds to handle heavy browsing

FAQs – Snap VPN Review Hong Kong

Snap VPN claims to bypass geo-restrictions by encrypting traffic and assigning different IP addresses to users in Hong Kong. Snap VPN also claims to offer the best services for the gaming and streaming over cross-regional content. Whereas personal testing and customer experiences prove it to be a failure in all these domains. Snap VPN is not even closer to what it states.

No, Snap VPN is an extremely untrustworthy and weak security service in Hong Kong that has very slow servers. Snap VPN doesn’t provide basic and essential security features and collects user logs excessively. It is one of the poorest services that have been reviewed by security experts.

You can cancel your Snap VPN subscription in Hong Kong by clicking on your profile icon on the top-right side of the Google Play Store. Pick the Payments and subscriptions option and click on Snap VPN from the subscriptions list. Proceed to follow the prompts for cancellation.


Do we Recommend Snap VPN in Hong Kong?

No, we don’t recommend Snap VPN in Hong Kong. It has recently earned customer attention primarily because of its free services. Our Snap VPN review Hong Kong shows its weaknesses by evaluating it on different metrics.

Snap VPN is unsafe and untrustworthy on every end, owing to its weak security infrastructure and vague privacy policy. This Android-only security solution has extremely limited features, a small server network, and missing essential security options.

Considering the risks, you should avoid Snap VPN to prevent data loss and identity exposure on the network. We suggest top-quality ExpressVPN services to shield your online activities with enhanced protection and multiplatform support. You can give it a try without hassle under the money-back policy.


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