Private WiFi Review 2023

Private WiFi is an affordable VPN service that offers good server speed. It has servers in 57 countries but does not work with Netflix. For the price of $1.99/mo, it earns 3 Stars rating.

Based in United States [Unsafe]
Price $1.99/mo
Servers 25 Server Locations
Logs No Logs
Multi Login 5 Devices
Refund 30 Days Money Back
Recommended Yes
Website Privatewifi.com

We have all used public Wi-Fi at coffee shops, airports, malls, and even in hotel room.

But did you ever consider that these public Wi-Fi hotspots could be vulnerable to your online privacy and security? Public WiFi claims that it does, and so we do too.

Public WiFi is just that –Public, but Private WiFi makes you invisible. The New York Times calls it the ‘VPN for Masses.’ A bold claim and that is exactly what I am going to review.

In this Private WiFi review, I will be looking answers for to the following questions:

  • Is this really the ‘VPN for the Masses’?
  • Does it use VPN-type encryption to make public WiFi secure?

Stay tuned as we perform the Speed and IP Leak test to evaluate this VPN performance.

If you want to read other VPN Reviews, select from our top VPN page.

Private WiFi Review – Rating Criteria

Here you will find a list of factors that I will perform Private WiFi review:

  1. Pricing – How much does Private WiFi VPN cost?
  2. Security – Encryption & features
  3. Jurisdiction – Is it located in a 5-eyes country?
  4. Speed – How fast is Private WiFi VPN?
  5. Streaming – Does it work with Netflix?
  6. Leaks – Does it leak IP, DNS & WebRTC?
  7. Trustworthiness – Logs and customer support
  8. Compatibility – Apps and supported devices

Pricing – How much does Private WiFi VPN cost?

Its pricing is a little odd where packages are differentiated by the number of devices they can use. The price is affordable, no doubt.

There are 3 pricing plans, i.e., Pay-As-You-Go, Monthly, and Annual. I have listed them below:

Private-Wifi-pricing-review

For 1 GB of data, it will cost you $1.99 with an unlimited number of devices.

Its monthly plan is $2.99, $9.99, and $12.99 per month, depending on how many devices you use. But the best value offer is its annual plan.

It also offers a 10-day free trial.

However, if you want to save money on VPNs, check out our list of amazing VPN deals in 2023

Security – Encryption & features

It uses bank-level encryption, i.e., 256-bit, which is the industry standard. This means that this VPN is definitely secure.

It is the same proven encrypted that banks and government agencies trust. Enhance your security on public Wi-Fi networks with a free VPN for public Wi-Fi. Safeguard your sensitive data and enjoy worry-free browsing while connected to public hotspots. Discover the ultimate protection for your online activities, even on open networks, with a reliable free VPN.

Jurisdiction –Is it located in a 5-eyes country?

Private WiFi is based in the United States, an active member of the 5-eyes country.

This changes everything. If the US authorities want users’ information from the company, they can get it with a warrant. That is how powerful these countries are. A lot depends on these VPN companies’ logging policies, and that is what I’ll discuss next.

Servers

Currently, it has servers in 25 countries. The numbers might be low, but it is equally worth it for a free version. There are no obfuscated servers, and therefore cannot be used in China, Russia, or any country that has tough online restrictions.

If you’re looking for a VPN with the highest number of servers, you can look for it on our best VPN server location.

Speed – How fast is Private WiFi VPN?

Private WiFi offers a good server speed, unlike many service providers. I connected to England server to check for the speed test:

London-server-speed-test-Private-Wifi

Now I ran the speed test using Speedtest.net

Internet speed without VPN: 16 Mbps

Internet speed with Private WiFi VPN: 10.13 Mbps

Speed-test-Private-Wifi-review

I witnessed a decline of only 37%, which is extraordinary for a service that offers both free and premium service.

Please have a look at our speed Test guide for the fastest VPNs.

Streaming –Does it work with Netflix?

In this AOL Private Wifi review, I found that this service does NOT work on Netflix.

I tried to unblock US Netflix from its few US servers, but it did not stream the content that was only available in the US. It doesn’t mention anywhere that it has P2P servers that keep you anonymous while you do torrent.

So, no torrenting on this VPN service.

When it comes to streaming videos on Kodi, gladly, this service was able to unblock geo-restrictions. There are plenty of other VPN services for Kodi that happen to unblock Live TV Channels on Kodi.

Leaks – Does it leak IP, DNS & WebRTC?

I also tested for any IP leak while connected to London server in this Private WiFi AOL review. I ran the IP leak test using the IPleak.net website.

I found these results:

IP-Leak-Test-Private-Wi-Fi-review

Private WiFi easily passed the IP Leak test.

If you look closely, the IP address found in the app is the same as found on the IP Leak website. It means it is not leaking your real IP.

Virus Test

I use this test in a Private WiFi VPN review to see if its Windows app contains any virus, malware, or adware.

These are the results I got using the website VirusTotal:

Private-Wifi-review-virus-test

As you see above, I found NO viruses. The file was clean.

Trustworthiness – Logs and customer support

Private WiFi does not keep track of your logs. According to the CEO and Founder of Private WiFi, Kent Lawson:

We are a privacy company, full stop.

This, in itself, doesn’t prove that this company doesn’t store any of your data.

Its privacy policy states:

We do not store any information about your communications or the websites you visit connected to PRIVATE WiFi.

What information they collect…

  • Contact Information (name, e-mail, mailing address, and phone number)
  • Billing Information (credit card number and billing address)
  • Computer Information (IP address, browsing type, and OS)

They do NOT store whatever you browse online.

But Private WiFi collecting your original IP address is a bit shady. Other than that, this VPN service provider is safe to use.

Try to have a look at our compiled list of VPNs with their logging policies.

Customer Support

You can reach its customer support staff only via email. There’s no other way you can talk to its support staff, which is a bit of a letdown. Also, email services are only available from Monday to Friday (8:00 AM to 12 AM EST).

Not so impressive.

Compatibility – Apps and supported devices

Private WiFi is compatible with the following device:

  • Windows
  • Mac
  • iOS
  • Android

Private-Wifi-compatibility-review

It is still not compatible with Wi-Fi routers; otherwise, it would have helped small business owners provide a safe and secure internet connection.

App Experience

Once you open the desktop app for Windows, it will show you your current location and IP address…

Activate-US-server-Private-Wifi-review

Once you click on Activate, it will connect you to the nearest and fastest server…

Activating-Private-Wifi-review

Once it is activated, it will look something like this…

Encrypted-Private-Wifi-review

This app might look difficult to use at first but is easier to use once you get a hold of it.

Private WiFi Reviews on the Play Store

Play Store Ratings: 3.7 Stars out of 5 (384 user reviews)

iTunes Ratings: 3.9 Stars out of 5 (278 user reviews)

Here are the recent reviews posted by users for Private WiFi:

my-private-wifi-reviews

Users complain time and again that they experience internet problems while using it on Samsung S9 phones.

Their developers have failed to resolve the problem and are persistent that there is a conflict between the OpenVPN protocol and OS update.

VPN Comparison between Private WiFi and ExpressVPN

Here is a quick comparison between the two service providers based on their features. You decide which one is best:

Features ExpressVPN Private WiFi
Price $6.67/mo $1.99/mo
Servers 3,000 in 94 Countries Servers in 25 Countries
Compatibility All Devices Windows, Mac,
Android & iOS
Jurisdiction The British Virgin Islands United States
Logging Policy Zero Log Zero Logs
Customer Support Live Chat & Email Support Email-only
Trust Pilot Score 4.7 N/A
Website ExpressVPN Private WiFi

Private WiFi Alternatives

Below you will find some of the alternatives for Private WiFi VPN that offers similar yet better services:

Final Verdict

Yes, I recommend using a Private Wi-Fi VPN.

Firstly, I rarely recommend my readers buy a VPN that is based in the US. But Private WiFi is an exception.

I would tell you why.

Since this VPN does not store your data or browsing histories, there will be no data to show US authorities even if they come knocking at the door using warrants.

But the other half of me telling you not to buy this VPN if the only reason you’re getting this is that you need to access US Netflix. In this Private WiFi review, I have addressed that it does not access the US Netflix library.

So, that’s the case.

Overall, it has good encryption and is certainly a VPN for the Masses.