In a Nutshell
pros
- 30 day free initial trial
- Ping testing utility
- Full Linux GUI
cons
- 5 simultaneous connection limit
- Slow speeds on some servers
Keep Solid VPN at a Glance
Best for: Users that need a fast VPN with good speeds
Price: $9.99 month to month
Location: More than 500 servers in more than 80 locations
Netflix: Yes, unblocks US Netflix
Torrenting: Yes. Special Torrent optimized servers.
Logging: No logs
Number of Devices: 5
Operating Systems: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Router, Synology NAS
Browser Extensions: None
Privacy
If you’re using a VPN to protect your online connections, then there’s a good chance that its logging policy is of very high interest to you. The good news is that Keep Solid VPN has outlined its logging policy in plain English in its privacy policy.
Like many VPN providers, Keep Solid’s approach to logging is best described as ‘ephemeral’: it logs user data but says that it wipes those after each usage. According to the policy: “Keep Solid does NOT monitor, store, or log your internet activities” but “certain personal data are collected by us automatically… and is only stored for the duration of your session in the VPN services.” Therefore, while Keep Solid isn’t a true zero logs provider, it doesn’t store user data.
Features
AES-256 Encryption
Outbound connections through the VPN are secured by 256 bit encryption. This makes it extremely difficult for third parties to decrypt and intercept the IP packets and DNS requests travelling through the connection server on their way to the internet.
Protocol Selection
Keep Solid VPN allows its users to toggle between the following protocols on both its Windows and Ubuntu Linux clients:
- IKEv2
- OpenVPN
- Keepsolid Wise UDP
- Keepsolid Wise TCP
Additionally users can choose the optimal protocol which will be applied based on their browsing activity.
Network Based Connectivity
Keep Solid VPN can be configured to only connect when certain networks are connected to. To use this feature, users need to whitelist certain networks. When they connect through those, the VPN will not engage.
DNS Firewall and Filtering
Because VPNs route both internet traffic and DNS requests, they can be used for content filtering and network firewalling purposes. Keep Solid supports both these applications. Filtering settings can be configured online through the web UI.
Speed
The baseline connection speed before I began testing was about 91 Mbps. I got my best connection speed through Ireland but the US California server grinded down to a very poor 3 Mbps. Other speeds were on the slow side or mediocre: for instance Australia was 24 Mbps and Costa Rica was 45 Mbps.
Baseline
91 Mbps
Costa Rica
45
Australia
24
Ireland
54
US California
3
Pricing and Deals
VPN Unlimited is available on 1-month, 1-year, and 3-year subscriptions. Additionally, users can opt to pay a 1-time fee and receive lifetime access. If users are really satisfied with the service and confident that they are going to want to retain access to it for the long term, then clearly this is the best option.
Cost
$9.99 per month
$5 per month
$2.78 per months
$199.99
Torrents
The official word in Keep Solid’s FAQ page about torrents is that “the primary use of KeepSolid VPN is not to download torrents, but to offer online security.” The company then states that it allows “legal usage of P2P file sharing” through 5 specific servers, including 1 in the USA.
Therefore, while it’s safe to say that Keep Solid has grievances about allowing torrenting on its network, users are able to use some of its servers for the purpose of downloading peer-to-peer content.
Netflix
Good news for Netflix fans! Users are able to use the special Netflix streaming servers in order to connect to the content giant. After opting to connect through a US-based server in California I was able to gain access to Netflix’s US content version.
Client Setup
Client setup on both Windows and Linux was as easy as downloading the executable files (.exe and .deb) from the VPN Unlimited website. Then, after activating my membership by clicking the confirmation email, I proceeded to install the programs.
Apps
Keep Solid VPN has apps for Android, iOS, and for Windows Phone. These can be installed through all these platforms’ official app repositories.
How Does Keep Solid VPN Compare?
Price
$9.99 per month
€5 per month
€10.64 per month
Number of Devices
5
5
6
Number of Servers
More than 500
737
1,960
Best for
Users that want a lifetime subscription deal
Serious privacy enthusiasts
Those that want a variety of server types
P2P or Bittorrent
Yes
Yes
Yes
Customer Support
If you run into support difficulties then the Keep Solid Contact Center is the best port of call. Manuals and FAQs are both posted online in the knowledge base and users can reach out to the team via live chat and email support if they require personalized assistance.
Ease of Use
Keep Solid VPN is extremely easy to use. A ping tester can automatically detect latency from the connection endpoints while a network strength style icon indicates the expected speed of each server connection. After selecting the right connection point 2 clicks are all that are required to get connected.
FAQs
Can I install Keep Solid VPN on my Synology NAS?
Yes, there is an installation tool for Synology.
Where is Keep Solid VPN based?
The company says that it is based in the USA.
Does Keep Solid VPN have a Linux client?
Yes, there is a fully functional GUI for Linux users.
Bottom Line
Keep Solid VPN is a solid choice of VPN for users that are interested in choosing a tool which they can commit to for the long haul. It’s lifetime membership option clocks in at about $200 and allows users to maintain a lifetime subscription to the service. While the company isn’t particularly torrent-friendly it does have a no logs policy.