VPN Gate Review in 2024: Everything You Need to Know

VPN Gate was launched in 2013 by Japan’s National University of Tsukuba and offers a unique VPN service using volunteer-run servers worldwide. This allows users to access geo-restricted content like US Netflix and bypass firewall restrictions. Despite its benefits, there are significant pros and cons that I am going to discuss in this VPN Gate review.

The decentralized nature of VPN Gate provides a broad range of IP addresses, enhancing potential content access. However, this can also lead to fluctuating reliability and possible privacy concerns, particularly with server availability and data logging practices. Additionally, the need for dedicated apps necessitates manual configurations, adding complexity to their use.

Furthermore, the volunteer-based model of VPN Gate does not ensure long-term service stability or data privacy. The absence of a kill switch and advanced encryption leaves users vulnerable. Speed inconsistencies and the potential for abrupt service discontinuation further reduce its attractiveness.

For those in search of a reliable and secure VPN, ExpressVPN is an excellent choice. It matches the other best VPNs with its user-friendly apps for all platforms, consistently high speeds, and robust security features, including 256-bit encryption and a strict no-logs policy.

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Quick Overview – VPN Gate Review: 2024 Updates

VPN Gate continues to evolve, offering enhanced capabilities in its 2024 update. Emphasizing a robust global network and user-centric features, this update reinforces VPN Gate’s dedication to providing secure, accessible internet access at no cost.

Explore the detailed updates in the table below to see how VPN Gate remains a leader in the free VPN market.

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Comprehensive Review of VPN Gate 2024

After several weeks of evaluating VPN Gate, I’ve found it to be significantly lacking compared to other VPNs I’ve tested. It ranks as one of the least effective services I’ve encountered.

Originating from a university project in Japan, VPN Gate operates through a network of volunteer-run servers. Despite being a free service, I strongly advise against installing it on any device.

In the VPN Gate full review, I found that it suffers in providing slow connection speeds, fails to support streaming services, performs poorly for torrenting, and lacks customer support options like email and live chat. Also, it does not provide dedicated applications for any devices, requiring manual setup, which can be time-consuming and overly complex for users without technical expertise.

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VPN Gate Review – Servers and Locations

VPN Gate offers a massive server infrastructure of 6608+ public VPN relay servers distributed across prime regions worldwide.

The number of public VPN relay servers keeps changing, but on average, VPN Gate offers around 12 to 13 active servers in the US. These servers are located across New York, Florida, Texas, and more cities.

The servers are also available in countries like Ukraine, Georgia, the UK, Germany, Canada, Poland, Japan, the Philippines, Brazil, Norway, India, and Thailand. By using these regional servers of VPN Gate, you can get regional IP addresses like Georgian IP addresses.

VPN Gate may have a huge number of servers. However, the server network spans only a certain number of countries and lacks in providing secure IP tunnels. If you’d like several options in terms of server networks, you’ll be better off with a premium VPN like ExpressVPN.

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VPN Gate – Privacy and Security

In this VPN Gate review, I’ll also address the privacy and security features VPN Gate provides. I expect at least VPN Gate’s security will prove to be efficient compared to other VPN providers in its league.

VPN Gate – Jurisdiction

VPN Gate is a free privacy solution and a subsidiary of SoftEtherVPN that was introduced in Japan. The VPN service was initially launched as a research project at the University of Tsukuba, Japan. Internet freedom has recently declined to a certain extent as the official authorities have banned manga piracy sites.

As a result, law enforcement agencies have arrested numerous copyright violators. This is why users should be wary of VPN Gate Japan, as you can not be sure whether your data is safe from being stored and shredded by the provider. Therefore, you should not use VPN Gate for downloading copyrighted material.

VPN Gate – Kill Switch

VPN Gate doesn’t offer a kill switch. SoftEther VPN’s user forum has plenty of complaints from current users who demand that the VPN provider include a kill switch in its app.

If the VPN intends to improve its services, it should offer a kill switch, as it is a critical part of any VPN. It ensures your actual IP address is never revealed to others if your VPN connection drops at any moment.

VPN Gate – Logging & Privacy Policy

You may easily find the logging policy of the VPN Gate on the server list page. The providers clarify that they keep logs for three months or more. Other than that, VPN Gate also maintains a strict anti-abuse policy. For that purpose, it records connection logs that include:

All this information is on the university’s logging server through the VPN Gate servers. That’s a lot of data being logged; I would rather not use this VPN regularly.

I have discussed VPN logging policies in more detail in a separate blog, which you can refer to if you’re interested in knowing which factors to look out for in a VPN’s Privacy Policy.

VPN Gate – Protocols and Encryption

As worldwide volunteers run VPN Gate servers, each server can support different protocols, including OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, or SSL-VPN. However, I didn’t find a PPTP protocol, which is not a big issue since PPTP is an obsolete technology.

VPN Gate has an interesting mechanism for tunneling protocols and encryption. Here is how VPN Gate works:

Server operators of VPN Gate have the freedom to choose which encryption they would like to use on their server. They can use anything up to 256-bit military-grade encryption. Therefore, you are never sure which encryption level is used until you test the VPN yourself. It varies from server to server.

Leaks – IP, DNS, WebRTC & Virus Tests

In this VPN Gate review, I have found that the VPN is secure as it does not leak your IP, DNS, and WebRTC information. Moreover, its app did not reveal any viruses or malware during the testing phase.

IP Leak:

After connecting my system to VPN Gate’s Atlanta server, I checked the IP address. Well, what do you know, my actual IP address didn’t show up, as you can observe in the screenshot below:

DNS Leak: After that, I checked if I was facing any DNS leaks while using VPN Gate’s Atlanta server, but I didn’t! You can see the evidence right below:

WebRTC Leak: Similarly, I also tested the VPN Gate for any webRTC leaks. However, there weren’t any issues, and my IP address remained hidden. See for yourself in the screenshot below:

Virus Test: I checked its Windows file to see if it was affected by any virus or not. Fortunately, I did not detect any malware in its systems.

Things I Would Have Liked to See in VPN Gate:

VPN Gate’s lack of a kill switch feature is a significant gap in its security offerings. Users’ data could be exposed during unexpected VPN disconnections without a kill switch. This omission is critical for those who consider non-stop protection necessary for their online activities.

Additionally, vpngate.net Japan does not specify the number of simultaneous connections allowed, which is a notable gap in information for users looking to protect multiple devices.

My research suggests that only one connection is typically supported at a time. This limitation is important when comparing VPN Gate with other providers that offer multiple simultaneous connections, such as ExpressVPN.

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VPN Gate – Speed and Performance

The server speed of the VPN Gate is not good enough. I explored this reality when I connected to its US server. I used a 24 Mbps internet connection, and after connecting to its US Atlanta server, I received a mere 3.98 Mbps download speed and 10.32 Mbps upload speed.

I noticed a considerable drop of more than 83.42% in speed. This VPN didn’t make it to my best fastest VPN list.

On the other hand, I didn’t receive any better speed on the South Korean server. I was met with a download speed of 1.95 Mbps and an upload speed of 0.11 Mbps on the base connection of 24 Mbps. I faced a speed drop of 91.88%. That’s why I couldn’t watch any Kdramas on South Korean Netflix, which was unfortunate.

Your speed may also vary depending on your proximity to the VPN Gate Network servers.

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VPN Gate – Streaming

To my immense surprise, VPN Gate.net has the potential to one day find itself among the best VPNs for streaming. Based on my VPN Gate review, I could unblock multiple streaming sites and bypass geo-restrictions with ease like Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and others.

However, UK streaming channels like BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub are out of reach since VPN Gate doesn’t have UK servers. Here are the results for accessing BBC iPlayer with VPN Gate:

Does VPN Gate work for Netflix?

Yes, VPN Gate works with Netflix. That said, connection speeds, at times, can hamper your streaming experience a great deal. However, you might not be able to access Netflix with every server. So you’ll have to try your luck until you find one that does the job.

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Is VPN Gate Recommended for Torrenting?

No, I don’t recommend VPN Gate for torrenting. A VPN with L2TP/IPSec is considered a safe and perfect solution to download torrents anonymously. This Japanese service offers L2TP/IPSec, but you shouldn’t use VPN Gate for torrenting purposes.

As VPN Gate servers are run voluntarily by worldwide users, your online activities might get shared with ISPs or copyright trolls. Thus, in this VPN Gate review, I suggest users steer clear of VPN Gate, especially for torrenting activities.

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Compatibility – Apps and Supported Devices

VPN Gate is compatible with:

Users can freely use the VPN on Windows, Android, and iOS. However, they must manually set up this VPN on these devices.

Windows users can use VPN Gate on their laptops and desktops to protect against prowling hackers, snoopers, identity thieves, state surveillance, and cyber threats. While conducting this review, I found no official VPN Gate client for iPhone, iPad, or other iOS devices.

VPN Gate does not offer a native app for Android, either. Furthermore, the service does not have extensions for browsers such as Opera, Chrome, and Firefox. The provider has not specified if it also supports routers, smart TVs, or gaming consoles.

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Installation of Apps and Ease of Use

Downloading VPN Gate’s Windows app proved to be a bit of a hassle as I had to set it up manually. There are two options: rely on downloading through a third-party client or connect it through a native VPN. Once I finally got past this stage, I was a bit taken aback by the UI since it wasn’t as user-friendly as I hoped.

Again, remember that this is a free VPN, so you have to make do with what you get. I successfully established a connection using the OpenVPN protocol, even though it took me a minute or two to connect.

You can customize the limited features in the Settings menu of VPN Gate. Overall, the VPN Gate client has little to offer and needs improvement.

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Does VPN Gate Work in China?

Yes, VPN Gate works in China, as some of its servers work, apparently. However, the website doesn’t list Chinese servers, which is inconvenient.

VPN Gate claims to work in China, but its performance and availability can be unpredictable due to the nature of its volunteer-run servers. Users needing reliable VPN access in countries with strict internet censorship should consider services with proven track records evading such restrictions.

Instead, on the VPN Gate China forum, I found several people leaving their email addresses, hoping to access its China VPN server list.

One of the comments included how the service has been discontinued, and now I don’t know what to make of the situation. In such a case, you’re better off using other trusty China VPN instead of opting for dubious ones, which may or may not bore fruit.

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VPN Gate Customer Support

While examining customer service for this VPN Gate review, I couldn’t find any 24/7 live chat or helpline for timely customer support. Instead, VPN Gate offers a detailed discussion forum where users can find basic VPN Gate information. However, you’ll need to register for an account to post any queries or even answer someone’s query.

Once you do that, you can look up answers to your queries and seek help from other users who have faced similar issues.

I found this way of communication a bit jarring, to be honest. However, given it’s a free VPN, this might be the best you can get. Since the forum is open to everyone, perhaps you can comment on updating VPN Gate’s customer service.

I was tempted to do that, but I thought better of it. Anyways, you can always explore more efficient free VPNs that offer better and more efficient customer service.

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Comparison Between ExpressVPN and VPN Gate

Since I don’t recommend VPN Gate, I have compared ExpressVPN, my recommended provider, with VPN Gate. Have a look at the Gate VPN table given below:

As a result, ExpressVPN is a far better option compared to VPN Gate. You should opt for the former and invest in a reliable future for your VPN needs through ExpressVPN.

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What Do Redditors Say About VPN Gate?

A detailed analysis of Reddit threads concerning VPN Gate reveals a mix of skepticism and cautious endorsement among users. Here’s a summary of the key points discussed:

While some users appreciate VPN Gate’s free service and support for people in restrictive countries, others remain wary of its safety, logging practices, and technical shortcomings. The recommendation leans towards using more established and possibly paid VPN services for those requiring robust privacy and security features.

For a more secure and private VPN experience, I recommend considering a service like ExpressVPN. It offers strong encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and comprehensive leak protection, making it a more reliable choice for those prioritizing their online security and anonymity.

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Is VPN Gate Trusted in 2024?

VPN Gate fails to meet essential security standards in 2024. Originating from a Japanese university project, it operates with a volunteer-run server network, leading to inconsistent security practices like varied encryption levels and unreliable server availability.

While VPN Gate is free, its lack of a kill switch, no-logs policy, and native apps, coupled with slow speeds, make it inadequate. It also misses advanced features such as perfect forward secrecy, split-tunneling, and streaming and P2P traffic support. Additionally, the number of simultaneous connections remains unspecified.

In conclusion, VPN Gate ranks poorly among VPN options. I strongly discourage its use and suggest a more reliable free or premium VPN service.

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What VPN is like VPN Gate? Alternatives to VPN Gate

VPN Gate is not stacked with advanced security tools like many other VPN providers. However, those providers may cost you some money. So, if you are in the mood for a superior VPN experience, check out the following providers:

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FAQs – VPN Gate Review

Is VPN gate free?

Yes, VPN Gate is free. It offers public free VPN access, provided by the University of Tsukuba, Japan, to help users access global information beyond government firewalls and change their IP addresses.

Does VPN Gate keep logs?

Yes, VPN Gate does keep logs. Each public VPN relay server retains packet logs, which include all TCP/IP headers of communications initiated by VPN users, for at least two weeks. These logs may be compressed or deleted after two weeks to free up disk space.

How do I connect to VPN Gate?

To connect to the VPN Gate, run the VPN Gate Client Plug-in and connect to a VPN Gate Server. First, double-click the SoftEther VPN Client icon on your desktop. Then, double-click the “VPN Gate Public VPN Relay Servers” icon on the window. Follow any on-screen instructions to complete the connection process.

Is VPN Gate good for torrenting?

Torrenting with VPN Gate can be problematic, as many servers do not support P2P traffic, and the service lacks essential security features like a kill switch. Those interested in secure and anonymous torrenting should look for VPNs that allow P2P traffic on all servers and offer strong encryption and privacy protections.

Is VPN Gate safe?

No, the VPN Gate is not considered safe. It does not implement a no-logs policy, allowing it to potentially log your IP address and share your data with authorities upon request.

Additionally, the absence of a kill switch means that if your VPN connection drops, your internet traffic could be exposed. VPN Gate also lacks advanced security protocols such as perfect forward secrecy, RAM-only servers, and supplementary features like split-tunneling.

How to access 5G VPN Gate Net free of charge?

You can access VPN Gate Net 5g free of charge as it is free software developed by enthusiasts. However, the lack of refinement, such as missing features like a kill switch and native apps, means you must rely on third-party apps for installation and setup. This could be complex if you’re not tech-savvy.

Can VPN Gate unblock Netflix?

Yes, VPN Gate can unblock Netflix. However, not all servers may be able to unblock Netflix for you. So, you’ll have to opt for a brute force method and look for a server or two, which will finally do the trick for you.

Will VPN Gate slow my speeds down?

Yes, VPN Gate will slow down your speeds as observed in my speed test results. However, the speed drop may vary depending on your location. If you live near a server offered by VPN Gate, you’re less likely to encounter a drop in speeds.

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Wrap Up!

Although VPN Gate is free, it is a very attractive option for breaking firewalls and unblocking geo-restricted streaming platforms. However, I don’t recommend VPN Gate after my extensive testing.

My detailed VPN Gate review revealed that it doesn’t provide the edge of other VPNs due to certain shortcomings. For instance, it doesn’t work in China, it doesn’t have active customer support, and most of all, it keeps logs for three months or more, which I find highly intrusive.

So, if you’re looking for top-grade privacy, robust online security, and reliable data protection, choose a full-fledged premium VPN service like ExpressVPN. For this VPN Gate review, I give their service an average rating per privacy features and service offerings.