Expert rating
Benefits
- Pleasant to look at.
- No newspaper policy.
- Ideal for bypassing geoblocks.
Disadvantages
- Some features like split tunneling are missing.
- Not the fastest.
Our Verdict
ClearVPN lacks some of its competitors’ features and arrives a little slower, but it’s one of the simplest VPN options to use right now and has an attractive user interface to get you started.
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MacPaw has been a name on many podcasters’ lips in recent years, with CleanMyMac
And, while its ClearVPN service follows suit with a nice interface that’s a Mac citizen model, it’s much more focused in its execution. This is a VPN that lacks many of the advanced features offered by its competitors, but on the other hand, it’s arguably one of the easiest to use out of the box.
With a striking purple interface, it’s carefully designed with VPN newcomers in mind, but a lower server count and slightly lower speed mean experienced VPN users may want to look elsewhere.
For more options, check out our roundup of the best VPNs for Mac. We also look at the best VPNs for iPad and the best VPNs for iPhone.
Features and applications
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It’s hard not to feel something when you start ClearVPN on your Mac for the first time. While many VPN offerings tend to stay in the background, its bold purple color and alluring power button make it clear that it’s here to grab your attention.
With many rivals seemingly indistinguishable from one another, it’s a godsend, and it’s really as simple as pressing that button to connect.
There are over 50 servers, which sounds like a lot, but it’s dwarfed by many competitors to the tune of thousands of servers. This means your choices are limited, but at least ClearVPN lets you filter between the optimal location or jump straight to something like Disney Plus US or UK.
In fact, it’s a great app for bypassing geoblocks, and in my testing I was able to switch between Netflix regions with relative ease.
In the settings, you’ll find options to block ads or keep ClearVPN in the dock, as well as a Kill Switch so you can cut off your device’s traffic if the connection to the VPN is interrupted.
These are pretty basic items, but they’re offered in such an easy-to-use way that it’s hard not to appreciate the simplicity. There are also handy keyboard shortcuts for moving around the app.
Performance
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One of the most common features power users have for VPNs is split tunneling, which allows some traffic to go through the VPN while some bypasses it.
It’s not supported here, so it’s an all-or-nothing deal with ClearVPN, but it’s something I hope they add eventually.
Unfortunately, MacPaw’s VPN speeds also need some improvement. Testing on a 65-70 Mbps connection, I saw considerable drops across multiple servers, even on shorter servers like using a server in London.
Connecting to many servers resulted in ~20-30% drop in download speed and ~50% drop in upload speed.
It’s still fast enough to use Netflix, but it’s slower than the majority of alternatives available.
Privacy and security
As we’ve already discussed, a no-logging policy is potentially difficult to prove when it comes to VPN services. After all, how do you prove that you are not do something?
Most VPN companies use external auditors to verify that they are not logging user or session data, but ClearVPN has not done so at the time of writing this article.
Nevertheless, the company is headquartered in Ukraine and is not part of various surveillance alliances. We cannot therefore ask him to share your data.
We hope this can be ratified by an audit soon, but for now things look positive on the privacy front for ClearVPN.
Rates and packages
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Perhaps confirming my suspicions that it’s best for new VPN users, ClearVPN has an affordable price.
If you go with the annual option, you’ll only pay $3.75/£3 per month after a three-day trial, and you’ll also get a 30-day money-back guarantee. That means you have very little to lose, at just over $44.99/£35.99 per year. If you only want it for a few months, you can opt for the $9.99/£7.99 per month option.
There is a limit of six devices, however, so depending on how many phones, tablets, and computers are in your home, you may need to consider two annual subscriptions to make sure everything is covered.
Should you buy ClearVPN?
If you’re new to using a VPN service, ClearVPN makes a compelling case for being your first choice. With a nice user interface, easy-to-use features, and stress-free access to Netflix worldwide, it’s a great starter option.
Still, the drop in speed and lack of common features like split tunneling probably mean power users should look elsewhere.
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