Urban VPN Review 2024: Is It Good and Safe to Use? - TechNadu (2024)

Urban VPN is a free VPN service based in New York, USA, a country that’s a member of the 5 Eyes Alliance. It’s also a P2P (peer-to-peer) network. This means you're piggybacking off the extra bandwidth of other Urban VPN users, which is an approach not widely used in the global VPN industry.

The website of Urban VPN is light on details about its features. Its apps are also barebones, with nothing more than a list of locations. You won't find any fancy bells and whistles like different protocol options, custom DNS, kill switch, split tunneling, or a double VPN. The apps, surprisingly, don't even have a decent "settings" page.

We thoroughly tested Urban VPN and discovered that it only offers basic security and privacy features. And while Urban VPN might be functional for unblocking streaming platforms, it’s not the best for torrenting or gaming due to limited capabilities and its potential for slower speeds.

Perhaps the most concerning is that Urban VPN keeps logs of your data and shares information with affiliated companies and third parties. For us, this is a major privacy concern.

Before we dive deeper into this Urban VPN review, let's take a look at some of the basic facts about this VPN provider and how it compares with one of the best VPNs in the market, NordVPN.

In this review, we’ll take a closer look at all its features and assess how well they perform in real-world scenarios. You can expect a comprehensive analysis of Urban VPN's performance in terms of reputation, security, ease of use, value, and more. Additionally, you can explore our guide on how we review VPNs for insights into our evaluation methods.

Background, Jurisdiction & Reputation

Urban Cyber Security Inc. is located in Manhattan (New York), under the jurisdiction of the United States. As the US is a member of the 5-Eyes Alliance, it’s considered an undesirable location for VPN service providers. Our Score: 5/10

Knowing the origin of your chosen VPN is essential because VPNs handle sensitive personal data. It’s vital to ensure that your data remains protected and isn’t collected by anyone. With that in mind, let's explore the details of Urban VPN and its country of origin.

Where Is Urban VPN Based?

Urban VPN is based in New York. It's a VPN service owned by Urban Cyber Security Inc., and claims to have a no-logs policy. However, its location in the US, a member of the 5 Eyes Alliance, raises privacy concerns.

This alliance allows government data sharing, potentially exposing your information. If you put privacy and security first, this may be a red flag, and you might want to use a VPN that operates outside the jurisdiction of international intelligence alliances.

Urban VPN isn't shy about its free service, but there's a catch - it partners with a digital intelligence company called BiScience. This means Urban VPN shares user Web browsing habits and marketing insights with BiScience. Urban VPN indeed offers a tempting free package, but it's important to understand what you're giving up for that price.

Beyond the free VPN, they also provide additional free tools like a handy browser extension called 'Urban Hotspot Shield,' a password generator, and more. These extras might seem convenient, but the core functionality – the VPN itself – comes with data privacy concerns.

For everyday tasks, Urban VPN might do the job. However, if you're a privacy-conscious user or need a VPN for more serious purposes, it's best to consider paid alternatives with stronger privacy protections.

Did Urban VPN Leak Private Data in the Past?

No, Urban VPN hasn't leaked private data in the past. However, it's important to be aware that their privacy policy acknowledges the collection of anonymized browsing logs and online identifiers, including IP addresses. While the data is anonymized immediately, this logging practice can still compromise your privacy.

Additionally, Urban VPN's questionable privacy practices include selling personal data to third parties. The lack of essential security features, like a kill switch or IP/DNS leak protection, raises concerns about the safety of your online activities. If the VPN connection is lost, there's a risk of exposing your personal information without these protective measures in place.

Is Urban VPN Safe?

No, Urban VPN isn’t safe, primarily because it’s based in the US, which is a member of the 5 Eyes Alliance. The fact that it falls under the jurisdiction of the US government makes it a suspect for data breaches.

Urban VPN doesn't provide a clear statement about their encryption method, but they do mention using the OpenVPN 256-bit encrypted protocol. Moreover, the company states that its services are powered by a P2P network, which is an old networking system that's vulnerable to basic cyberattacks.

Another downside is that Urban VPN hasn't been through a third-party audit, which makes it challenging for us to give it a solid recommendation. We also found out that Urban VPN's extensions aren't reliable at encrypting your connection. To truly hide your IP, desktop apps are a slightly better option.

The only silver lining for Urban VPN is that you don't have to sign up or give out any personal information when downloading it. In short, Urban VPN is only good for basic needs, but if you're looking for a more secure VPN service provider, it's better to look for other options.

Supported Platforms & Devices

Urban VPN works on most major platforms, including browser extensions. However, it doesn't explicitly specify support for routers and other devices. Our Score: 6/10

When selecting a VPN, it's crucial to ensure compatibility across all your devices. Let's take a look at this aspect of Urban VPN in the table below.

Urban VPN has a proxy extension and apps for the most popular PC (except for Linux) and mobile platforms. It supports a Chrome extension and Web browser extensions for Mozilla Firefox and Edge. But keep in mind that its browser extension only acts as a free VPN proxy - it will hide your IP address but won’t encrypt your traffic (unfortunately, we can’t guarantee the provider’s VPN service will do that either).

Urban VPN now claims to be compatible with routers, according to their website. The catch is that they haven't listed the specific routers the VPN supports. Free VPN services usually skip router compatibility, making us a bit uncertain about Urban VPN's performance on those devices. The good news is that Urban VPN allows connections to unlimited devices across all platforms.

Installation & Initial Configuration

Despite its cluttered website, this VPN service has developed an incredibly user-friendly installation process. Even newbies won't have trouble installing and setting up Urban VPN. Our Score: 10/10

In this segment, we’ll guide you through installing and configuring Urban VPN. The process is remarkably smooth and doesn’t require any technical experience.

In terms of installing Urban VPN, you’ll get an installation file for Windows only. If you use platforms like macOS, iOS, or Android, you’ll need to turn to your device’s app store. That means the application will download and install on its own.

To install the software on Windows, follow the steps outlined below:

1. Visit Urban VPN on any Web browser.
2. Choose your operating system from the various OS icons at the top of the page.
3. Click on "Get for Free" and download the installation file.
4. Double-click the downloaded file to start installing.
5. After installation, launch the VPN.
6. Urban VPN is now ready to use. That’s it!

No registration is required with Urban VPN. With minimal formalities, in just about five minutes, you can install the VPN and complete the entire process. After a successful installation, you can start enjoying its features.

Thanks to its user-friendly interface, Urban VPN guarantees a smooth and hassle-free initial user experience. This VPN service is accessible across multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.

Prominent Features

Urban VPN lacks both essential and extra security features. It's perhaps the least capable VPN service available on the global market. Our Score: 3.5/10

Since Urban VPN is a free service, it not only lacks security features but also doesn’t offer advanced functionality like split tunneling, kill switch, and dedicated IPs. This VPN provider even struggles to fulfill all the basic requirements and lacks transparency in its operations.

Here's what you can expect from Urban VPN.

• DNS Leak Protection: As stated on its website, Urban VPN claims that it can protect you from IPv6 leaks. This means there won't be any DNS leaks stemming from dual-stack tunnels. We also ran leak tests on servers in 5 countries and didn't see any leaks.
• Data Encryption: Urban VPN secures your Internet traffic with OpenVPN, a robust protocol that encrypts your data using a 256-bit key. This encryption scrambles your information, making it virtually impossible for anyone to decipher.
• Safe Browsing: This feature notifies you when you’re visiting malicious sites. However, it doesn't block malicious websites, so you’re still at risk when you’re surfing the Internet. This feature is only accessible on Android devices.Interestingly, you need to enable it on Android to get unlimited bandwidth.

• Anti-Mining: Urban VPN safeguards you against crypto-mining and enhances online security by replacing your IP address with one from their secure servers. This prevents unauthorized mining activities on your device.
• Ad-Blocker: You can get this particular feature by installing a browser extension. This feature blocks ads and distractions while you browse the Internet. It works seamlessly across major browsers, such as Chrome, Safari, and Firefox.
• Unlimited Bandwidth: This VPN provides you with limitless bandwidth for a smooth and unrestricted online experience - except for Android, which only provides 100 MB daily unless you upgrade to its premium plan or enable the "Safe Mode."
• Unlimited Devices: With Urban VPN, the freedom to use an unlimited number of devices is at your fingertips. In other words, you can enjoy a secure and private connection with Urban VPN from as many devices as you'd like. Despite its device flexibility, Urban VPN is still considered a limited VPN service in certain aspects.

Server Count & Infrastructure

Urban VPN has a relatively large network (with different numbers of locations on free and premium mobile plans), but it doesn’t show the server ping or load or say whether its servers are P2P-friendly. Our Score: 9.5/10

In general, it's important to choose a VPN that has many servers. This allows you to connect to various countries and access a wide range of IP addresses. Additionally, VPNs with plenty of servers can offer faster performance for all their users.

Urban VPN has a network of 4,600+ servers across 80+ countries, providing decent coverage for a free service. VPNs with the most servers, on the other hand, offer a much wider global reach.

However, Urban VPN has made significant improvements recently, especially for free iOS users who were previously limited to just 5 countries. Its Android and iOS apps now offer servers in 50+ countries, giving you more choices.

The VPN also doesn’t show the server ping (how long it takes for your Internet signal to travel from your device to the VPN server) or server load (how many people are actively connected to a VPN server) inside its apps. That’s a shame because those metrics make it easier to find VPN servers with fast speeds.

UI/UX Design & Ease of Use

Urban VPN’s mobile and desktop apps are easy to navigate, but they don’t have many features. Also, the desktop apps aren’t as good as the mobile apps, and the Web browser extensions are subpar in terms of reliability. Our Score: 4/10

In this part of our Urban VPN review, we’ll examine the VPN's applications designed for desktop and mobile platforms. We’ll also discuss Urban VPN’s offerings in terms of Web browser extensions and provide insights into what you can expect from them.

How Well Does Urban VPN Work on Desktop Platforms?

Urban VPN’s desktop apps aren't very well optimized - you can’t minimize the app or switch to full screen on Windows, only on Mac. There's also no native app for Linux. And you don’t have any in-app options that let you fine-tune your VPN connection.

You can only search for server locations and manually connect to them. These limitations might be a dealbreaker if you prefer a more streamlined and customizable VPN experience. The images shown below are from a Windows app.

On the bright side, there’s an option to enable the VPN on startup. However, the apps don’t have any features, and you can’t choose specific cities for popular countries (like the US and the UK).

The gear icon in the upper left corner of the app serves as the “Settings” menu. When you click on it, two QR codes appear on the right side of the app. You can scan these codes to conveniently download the app to iOS and Android devices.

Beyond connection and download options, Urban VPN's settings provide control over the following:

• Autorun: You can enable this option to automatically launch Urban VPN when Windows starts up. This ensures that the VPN is running without manual intervention every time your computer starts.

• Urban VPN Admin Settings: This option deactivates Urban's background services and resource sharing when the VPN app isn't used. However, disabling this option requires administrative rights. Also, you need to keep this option turned "ON" to be able to use Urban VPN.

How Well Does Urban VPN Work on Mobile Platforms?

Urban VPN’s mobile apps are easy to use, and they save your recent locations, so you don’t have to look for those in the country list. However, only the Android app comes with the 'Auto Server' feature, which automatically connects you to the fastest server for your location.

Urban VPN's server list also offers a contrasting experience between platforms. The iOS app features a modern layout, while the Android version maintains a simpler, somewhat outdated design. This inconsistency clashes with Urban VPN's attempt to present a trendy image.

As the images below show, the Android app lacks the visual appeal of its iOS counterpart.

Regarding its Android mobile settings, the app offers very limited features, allowing you to only connect to or disconnect from a server and turn on the “Safe Browsing” feature.

Tapping on options such as 'About,' 'Products,' 'Terms of Service,' and 'Privacy Policy' will redirect you to the corresponding website pages of Urban VPN.

Overall, Urban VPN has a friendly user interface and a straightforward UX design that beginners will appreciate. However, its lack of features and customization options means it falls short in terms of functionality despite being easy to use.

How Well Do Urban VPN’s Web Browser Extensions Work?

All of Urban VPN's Web browser extensions have the same set of features. However, they have limited functions and aren’t particularly effective in terms of performance and reliability. It offers Web browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.

As we mentioned earlier, a browser extension works like a proxy extension. It will only mask your real IP address but won't encrypt your traffic. Unfortunately, there's no assurance that Urban VPN's free VPN proxy works consistently and without any issues.

In this review, we used the Chrome extension. The extension offers limited customization options, as there's no list of settings that you can fine-tune. Nonetheless, you do have the option to enable the ad blocker and anti-phishing features within the extension.

Interestingly, its browser extension includes a built-in referral program. You can easily share an invite link to encourage others to download and use the VPN. Moreover, clicking on the three dots menu located at the upper right corner of the extension simply displays a list of Urban VPN’s additional info. These will redirect you to their corresponding pages on the VPN's website.

Urban VPN's capacity to unblock streaming sites, including Netflix US and others, has improved. However, its support for torrenting and gaming remains somewhat limited. Our Score: 4/10

Urban VPN could be a suitable choice for media streaming but not for torrenting and gaming. The VPN provider lacks the necessary features and infrastructure to handle the specific requirements of these activities.

Is Urban VPN Good for Streaming?

Yes, Urban VPN is good at unblocking streaming platforms, but its speed isn't quite up to par. It can unblock Netflix US and other libraries from other countries but fails to unblock other major streaming services like Disney+, Prime Video, ESPN+, and BBC iPlayer.

Although the VPN provider occasionally worked with Prime Video, it only managed to connect successfully about half the time. Other times, Prime Video asked us to turn off our VPN.If you want to stream on a VPN without a glitch, check out our guide to the best streaming VPNs.

Here are some US-streaming platforms that Urban VPN manages to unblock:

When checking out streaming services beyond the US, here's what you can anticipate:

After testing Urban VPN for streaming, we have to say that the consistency of speed, be it for downloads or uploads, didn't meet our expectations. It's definitely something to keep in mind if you're aiming for a smooth streaming experience.

Is Urban VPN Good for Torrenting?

No, Urban VPN isn’t a good VPN for torrenting. During our tests, we were able to initiate torrent downloads using Urban VPN. However, it doesn’t clarify whether they offer P2P support or provide additional features for torrenting, such as port forwarding or SOCKS5 servers.

We would assume it doesn’t have these features, as they’re not mentioned on the website or in the app settings.

Is Urban VPN Good for Gaming?

No, Urban VPN isn’t a good and reliable VPN for gaming. Online gaming demands low latency, stable connections, and optimized servers for gaming traffic. Urban VPN doesn’t prioritize these factors, leading to lag, latency issues, and subpar performance during gaming sessions.

In other words, you might want to lower your expectations when it comes to gaming. While it offers a variety of servers, poor optimization and unpredictable speeds mean you can't play games at a competitive level.

To have a seamless and optimized experience in media streaming, torrenting, and gaming, we suggest exploring VPN services that specifically cater to these activities. These services often have a larger server network, optimized infrastructure, and additional features to enhance performance and security for these specific use cases.

Security & Privacy

Urban VPN logs user data and shares it with affiliates and partners. It also operates on a P2P network, which is dangerous for your privacy. Our Score: 1/10

To assess Urban VPN’s trustworthiness with your data, we'll examine three factors in this segment: VPN protocols, logging, and IP/DNS leaks. These will provide valuable insights into how your information is handled.

Urban VPN Protocols

The VPN protocols Urban VPN relies on are a bit unclear. While their website mentions the use of the OpenVPN protocol, there's no way to confirm it. A trustworthy VPN typically discloses the protocols it uses, visible in its apps. The fact that Urban VPN doesn’t do that is quite alarming.

Does Urban VPN Keep Logs?

Yes, Urban VPN does keep logs, as it doesn’t have a true no-logs policy. It logs your IP address and browsing data, which includes search engine results, the websites you visit, and more. Urban VPN claims they use that data for their 'Safe Browsing' feature, but their privacy policy also says Urban VPN will share user data with third parties.

On its website, Urban VPN claims it won’t keep logs of premium users, but that’s not true. The privacy policy doesn’t say anything about paid users, so it’s likely that Urban VPN will still log and share your information with affiliate companies and trusted partners.

There’s also no independent audit of the no-logs policy to prove the VPN doesn’t collect the user data of paid users.

Urban VPN’s free plan also operates on a P2P network. That means you use other users’ IP addresses to surf the Web, and they use your IP address to do the same. That’s dangerous for your privacy because a malicious actor could use your IP to engage in shady activities.

Will Urban VPN Leak/Expose Your Private Data?

Yes, Urban VPN may leak or expose your private data. This VPN doesn’t use a kill switch. As a consequence, if your VPN connection drops, your real IP address and unencrypted data could be exposed. This could put you at risk of identity theft, hacking, or other online threats.

We tested multiple VPN connections using Urban VPN to check for data leaks. Fortunately, the results, as shown in the image above, revealed no leaks. Our real IP address remained hidden and replaced by Urban VPN’s virtual information.

While no leaks were discovered, there's no guarantee that Urban VPN will never expose your private data, considering the factors mentioned above. It's a free service, after all. If safeguarding your data is a priority, we recommend exploring more reliable and trustworthy VPN options like NordVPN and ExpressVPN.

Speed & Performance

On average, we experienced a 90.4% average slowdown when using Urban VPN. We suggest considering an alternative option that performs better. Our Score: 2/10

In this Urban VPN review, we conducted a speed test by comparing our Web connection speeds with and without the VPN active in the background. Without an active VPN session, our baseline speed test recorded a download speed of 336.1 Mbps and an upload speed of 5.53 Mbps.

Before we check Urban VPN’s results, we have an important note. We typically use Ookla’s Speed Test, the most reliable tool for testing download/upload speeds. However, this tool didn’t work with Urban VPN. So, we used Google’s speed testing tool instead.

Here are the results:

• USA Server (Miami): The Miami server had the second-highest download speeds we measured, reaching 42.1 Mbps. However, upload speeds were lower at 11.0 Mbps. Keep in mind that this server still experienced a significant slowdown of 87.5% compared to our baseline speed. In other words, you could enjoy Web browsing but not downloading large files.
• UK Server (London): We connected to this server via London, and it delivered a 91% download speed reduction at 30.2 Mbps. Unfortunately, it had one of the poorest upload speeds at 8.81 Mbps, making it challenging to share files efficiently from our location.
• Canada Server (Toronto): Download and upload speeds were significantly lower with this server at 32.9 Mbps and 11.7 Mbps, respectively. This translates to an average slowdown of 90%, making it less suitable for downloading large files or streaming high-definition content.
• India (Mumbai): Testing the India server revealed download speeds of only 28.2 Mbps and uploads of 9.82 Mbps. Despite its relative geographic closeness, these speeds resulted in a significant 91.6% reduction compared to our baseline connection. This makes the server less suitable for activities requiring high bandwidth.
• Australia Server (Sydney): This one impressed with the fastest download speeds we measured, clocking in at 58.4 Mbps. Upload speeds were decent as well at 17.9 Mbps. However, even this geographically close server resulted in an 82.6% speed reduction compared to a non-VPN connection.
• Italy Server (Milan): Given the distance, we somewhat expected a speed dip for the Italy server. However, we were surprised by the extent of its low performance. Download speeds plummeted to a sluggish 0.20 Mbps, and uploads weren't much better at 0.21 Mbps. Having an average speed reduction of 99.9% is practically unusable for any online activity.

Based on our speed tests, Urban VPN made our Web connection slower by 90.4%. That means Urban VPN is one of the slowest VPN services around. Hence, we wouldn’t recommend this provider.

If you prioritize reliable and speedy Internet connections, we suggest exploring the fastest VPNs like NordVPN to better meet your needs.

Customer Support

Urban VPN doesn't currently offer live chat support. If you require assistance, you can submit support tickets through the iOS app or their website's contact form. However, response times for these tickets and forms are slow, leaving us without immediate assistance or guidance. Our Score: 3.5/10

VPNs handle your sensitive data and online security. Because of this, responsive customer service is crucial to address any connection problems or security concerns that might pop up quickly. Here's what you can expect with Urban VPN's customer support.

• Knowledge Center: Urban VPN offers a comprehensive knowledge base with both Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and troubleshooting guides to help you find answers.
• Glossary: If you're unfamiliar with a VPN term, Urban VPN's glossary provides clear definitions and explanations of various VPN topics related to their service, all conveniently listed alphabetically.
• Support Ticket (iOS): The Urban VPN iOS app conveniently provides an option for submitting support tickets. This support option redirects you to Urban VPN's website where you can easily connect with their customer support team.
• Urban VPN for Business Contact Form: This support option is specifically for Urban VPN business inquiries. You can use this contact form available on the "Urban VPN for Business" webpage.
• Blog: Urban VPN maintains an active blog packed with valuable information about VPNs. Find how-to guides, the latest tech news, tutorials, and more, all regularly updated.

These support options might suffice for basic issues, but the lack of a live chat option and potentially slow response times could leave you hanging. So, if you’re experiencing problems with their VPN, you'll likely be left to deal with them alone.

Pricing

This VPN seldomly changes its pricing plans. On top of that, its desktop apps are free at the moment, while its mobile apps use a freemium model. Our Score: 1.5/10

Urban VPN's desktop apps are free, with no cap on how much data you can use. Just set it up on as many devices as you want, and you're good to go. Interestingly, aside from its free versions, it also offers premium plans for iOS and Android devices. Here’s what you need to know.

How Much Is Urban VPN?

Urban VPN starts at $5.00 on iOS devices but remains free on desktop apps. However, if you're interested in testing out Urban VPN's premium plan, they offer a complimentary 7-day free trial. This allows you to experience the benefits and features of the premium plan at no cost for a full week.

Urban VPN has different pricing options in their mobile apps. For now, let's take a look at three premium plans available for iOS devices:

• 1-Month Plan: For those who prefer a month-to-month arrangement, it costs $9.99 per month, with no savings associated with this option.
• 6-Month Plan: If you're considering a longer commitment, the six-month plan is available at a total price of $38.99, which breaks down to $6.50 per month, offering you a savings of 35% compared to the monthly plan.
• 1-Year Plan: This is the most cost-effective option. Priced at $59.99 for the year, it brings the monthly cost down to $5.00, equating to a substantial savings of 50% relative to the standard monthly rate.

Choosing the yearly plan with Urban VPN offers significant value. It will save you a substantial 50% compared to the regular monthly rate. For payment, you’ll be redirected to your respective app store to complete the payment process.

However, there’s no mention of a 30-day money-back guarantee. Instead, you’re given a 7-day free trial to test out the service. If you decide to cancel within the trial period, you won't incur any charges whatsoever. But if you fail to cancel, you won’t be able to ask Urban VPN for a refund, as payments are processed by Apple and Google.

You’ll need to turn to Apple or Google, which are usually very strict when it comes to issuing refunds (you’ll need to prove you made a purchase by accident).But then again, we want to mention that upgrading to a premium plan won't bring any extra features on board. So, it's a good idea to give it some thought before making a decision.

Is Urban VPN Free?

Urban VPN is a completely free service that requires no registration on desktop and Android apps.On Android, you can access nearly all server locations, but you’re limited to 100 MB of data per day unless you enable the "Safe Browsing" mode or opt for the premium upgrade.

However, things are different for iPhone users. Urban VPN recently launched a premium iOS app, so there's no longer a free tier available. It does offer a 7-day free trial, but you'll need to provide your payment details upfront. Just make sure to cancel at least 24 hours before the trial ends to avoid getting charged.

But no matter which platform you use (Android or iOS) or whether you choose the free or paid version, there aren't many benefits. Sure, premium plans provide more countries to connect to, but the connection speeds are abysmal - even slower than dial-up!

Hitting the scene in 2018, it’s a fresh fish in the sea of free VPNs. A lot of VPN companies use their free version as a hook to reel in customers to pay for a subscription. Urban VPN is playing the same game with its mobile users, but their premium plans don't offer a compelling upgrade compared to the free version.

Final Thoughts - Is Urban VPN Good?

No, Urban VPN isn't good - we don’t recommend it at all. For free users, it uses a P2P network, which is very unsafe. Basically, people around the world can do illegal things on the Internet with your IP address.

Despite this, the service uses industry-standard features like 256-bit AES encryption and leak protection. However, its privacy policy also states that Urban VPN keeps logs of your IP address and browsing history as well as shares user data with its affiliates - even if you’re a paid user.

Since their claims are contradictory, we consider Urban VPN a shady service that puts your personal information at risk. Therefore, we strongly recommend avoiding this VPN.

For overall safety and privacy, you’d be better off subscribing to NordVPN. The provider is based outside the reach of government surveillance, doesn’t leak data, and is transparent about its protocols and features.