Based in | United States [Unsafe] |
Price | $5.00/mo |
Servers | Create your own server |
Logs | No Logs |
Multi Login | 1 Device |
Refund | Unclear |
Recommended | No |
Website | getoutline.org |
Alphabet Outline VPN is a project of ‘Jigsaw’, a technology incubator created by Google.
It was developed for the sole purpose to give safe access to information to journalists. It makes it easy for news organizations to set up a VPN on their own server.
It is not an easy-to-use VPN for normal users in UK but it’s certainly free of cost.
The product is still in its nascent stage however, the future of outline VPN looks quite optimistic.
In this Alphabet Outline VPN UK review, I will be testing its speed, IP leak, compatibility, and more.
Alphabet Outline VPN UK review – My Rating Criteria
These are the factors on which I have given ratings to Alphabet Outline VPN in UK :
- Pricing – How much does Outline VPN cost?
- Security – Encryption & features
- Jurisdiction – Is it located in a 5-eyes country?
- Speed – How fast is Alphabet Outline VPN?
- Streaming – Does it work with Netflix?
- Leaks – Does it leak IP, DNS & WebRTC?
- Trustworthiness – Logs and Customer Support
- Compatibility – App experience and supported devices
Pricing – How much does Outline VPN cost in UK?
Google Outline VPN is absolutely free. But, you will need to create your own server, and for that, you will need to pay at least £4.17/month.
You will need to add a payment method to your account. After that, you will be awarded £8.34 in your account straight away.
Surprisingly, Digital Ocean will charge you £4.17 as a server maintenance fee.
See also: Best Cheap VPN Services in UK of 2022.
Payment Method
The only billing method available for server maintenance is through:
- Credit/Debit Card
- PayPal
Refund Policy
If you are accessing the VPN through a Digital Ocean server, you can request a refund from the company.
That said Digital Ocean does not have a particular time period in which you can receive a refund.
Security – Encryption & features in UK
The provider uses 256-bit ChaCha2020 IETF Poly 1305 cipher. There were no tunneling protocols specified by the VPN service in UK.
Still, the encryption level is top-notch. This is a strong VPN encryption that only a few VPNs use in this industry.
By this, it has kept its word to provide a safe platform for journalists to share their information.
Jurisdiction – Is it located in a 5-eyes country?
Alphabet is the parent company of both Outline VPN and Google. So, it is based in Mountain View, California. The US is a part of 5 eyes intelligence-sharing country.
This gives US authorities the right to access users’ information of any company that lies within the United States’ jurisdiction.
To know if your VPN has safe jurisdiction, visit our 5 eyes, 9, eyes, and 14 eyes guide.
Servers
Users can develop and manage VPN servers on their own. However, once you have set up an Alphabet Outline VPN in UK, you cannot change your server locations.
If you are using a Digital Ocean account, you can delete the prevailing server by clicking the Gear button.
Thus, you can choose the “Destroy Server” option to attain your desired objective. You can still create a new server in your preferred location.
Speed – How fast is Alphabet Outline VPN in UK?
Alphabet Outline VPN has decent speed and is good for streaming in UK.
This may be because the servers are not clogged and it does not use a tunneling protocol.
Internet speed without VPN in UK:
Internet speed with Outline VPN in UK:
We see a decline of speed by 44% which is decent.
Streaming – Does it work with Netflix in UK?
Alphabet VPN does not unblock Netflix in UK.
So when you try to run Netflix with the VPN connected, it shows you the infamous black screen. This is not surprising, as these servers do not have the technology to surpass Netflix restrictions in UK.
VPNs such as Surfshark and ExpressVPN have decent servers that can unblock Netflix in UK with ease. Since this VPN is more of a proxy, it has issues outside your browser. This means torrenting with Outline VPN is fruitless.
Leaks – Does it leak IP, DNS & WebRTC?
It easily passed the leak test since Outline VPN in UK has the strongest encryption.
There was only 1 server to connect to when checking for the IP leak:
Virus Test
I also conducted a virus test. Unfortunately, it found 1 Trojan engine. The file had a virus. You can see the results in the below picture:
Trustworthiness – Logs, virus test, & customer support in UK
This Alphabet Outline VPN UK review explores that the service does NOT store session logs. However, it collects information that includes server IP, non-personal identifiable technical information, and others.
It was also found in this Alphabet Outline VPN UK that it stores information that consists of comments and emails of the users if they provide feedback.
Technically, it is a safe VPN in UK to use and trust.
Look for the VPNs and know their logging policies.
Customer Support
Since this VPN is free, I did not expect it to have extensive customer support. Still, I was impressed by what I witnessed. This Alphabet Outline VPN UK review explores that the service offers an exclusive Outline Help Center feature to its users.
I would expect that the service would add more features to make the customer support function more efficient in the near future.
Compatibility – App experience and supported devices in UK
Alphabet Outline VPN in UK is compatible with a limited number of operating systems. These operating systems include Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. However, Android users will have to rely on the beta version app at present.
The service is also compatible with Chrome operating system.
App Experience
Here is a look at the interface of Windows, Android, and iOS apps in this Google Outline VPN review in UK:
Windows
Alphabet Outline VPN UK has two different interfaces. The users may assume the first interface as Alphabet Outline manager. Likewise, the official Alphabet Outline VPN client is the second interface.
You can use the first interface in order to develop and manage VPN servers. The second interface which is an app allows you to secure your web traffic after developing the VPN connection.
Mac
Alphabet VPN’s Mac client is available free on the Apple App Store. It’s 17MB in size, which means that it does not take up much of your disk space.
Android
The android version of Outline comes with MD5, SHA-1, and SHA-256 signatures. It’s a lightweight app, taking only 9.48 MB of space.
One thing to like about this app is that it is easily navigable.
Check out our detailed guide on top VPNs for Android in UK in 2022 to disclose more popular VPNs in the industry.
iOS
The iOS app is a bit similar to the Android. However, it is 59.4 MB in size. With its 256-bit encryption, the app keeps your data secured.
Outline VPN Reddit Review
Here are the recent reviews of Outline VPN by Reddit users:
This user complains that once he connects Outline VPN to Wi-Fi, it seems to work fine. But once he uses it on an iOS device via cellular data, it doesn’t seem to work.
There is NO auto Turn ON/OFF option. You will have to manually shut it down in settings. This function is really frustrating because all of the VPNs have this functionality, but not Outline VPN.
VPN Comparison between Outline VPN in UK and ExpressVPN in UK
Features | ExpressVPN | Outline VPN |
---|---|---|
Price | GB£5.36/mo (US$ 6.67/mo) - Save up to 49% with exclusive 1-year plans + 3 months free | £4.17/mo |
Servers | 3000+ in 94+ Countries | Create your own server |
Compatibility | All Devices | Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, Linux, & Chrome OS |
Jurisdiction | British Virgin Island (BVI) | United States |
Logging Policy | No Logs | Zero Log |
Customer Support | Live Chat, FAQs & Email Support | Contact Form & Email Support |
Trustpilot Score | 4.6 | N/A |
Website | ExpressVPN | OUTLINE VPN |
Alphabet Outline Alternatives in UK
If you think Alphabet Outline VPN UK Review is not for you then, Here are some other reviews worth checking out if you are an internet privacy seeker.
- Avast Secureline VPN
- VPNArea
- FinchVPN
- VPN Master
- SpyOFF VPN
- Perfect Privacy VPN
- Buffered VPN
- Private Tunnel
- VPNBook
- FrootVPN
- SaferWeb VPN review in UK
- Keezel Review in UK
Do I Recommend Outline VPN in UK?
No, I do not recommend Outline VPN.
Outline VPN is hard to set up on desktop and macOS. You need to create your own server which is a bit complex. The server maintenance fee is £4.17/month which is costly when compared to NordVPN or ExpressVPN.
It is not a bad VPN, but it offers no new features to be listed among the best VPNs. Journalists and other users can use other VPNs for a lesser price. I hope you found my Alphabet Outline VPN UK Review helpful.
More Guide For VPN Users In the UK
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