ZoogVPN review 2025: A cheap VPN, but is it any good?

Searching for an honest ZoogVPN review to see if its rock-bottom price and generous free plan are actually worth it? You’re in the right place. It’s tempting to grab a cheap VPN, but the risk of slow speeds, frustrating blocks, and – worst of all – security that doesn’t protect you is very real.

As a cybersecurity analyst who has tested over 50 VPNs, I know a good deal when I see one, but I also know a bad one can be more dangerous than using no VPN at all. We put ZoogVPN through its paces to separate the marketing promises from reality.

Let me guide you through our hands-on findings to help you make a smart decision.

1. Quick summary: Is ZoogVPN worth your money in 2025?

Let’s cut to the chase: No, for most people, ZoogVPN is not worth the money, despite its low price. While its free plan is decent for very basic, non-sensitive tasks, our tests uncovered significant security risks and performance issues that make the paid plans a poor choice compared to safer, faster alternatives.

Here’s a quick breakdown of our findings.

ZoogVPN: The Safelyo Verdict
Overall Rating: 5.8 / 10

• Speed: 5/10
• Security: 4/10
• Streaming: 6/10
• Pricing: 8/10
• Support: 7/10

A budget-friendly VPN for very basic tasks, but significant flaws in security and performance make it a poor choice for most users.

• Who it’s for: Users needing a free VPN for occasional, non-sensitive browsing on public Wi-Fi, like checking emails at a café.
• Who it’s not for: Serious streamers, torrenters, gamers, or anyone who prioritizes privacy and security.

Top 3 Better Alternatives:

1. NordVPN: The best all-around choice for speed and security.
2. Surfshark: Unbeatable value with unlimited device connections.
3. ExpressVPN: Excellent for unblocking streaming content worldwide.

Our testing methodology in brief: To ensure our ZoogVPN review is fair and accurate, we follow a strict, hands-on testing process. We don’t just repeat what the company says – we verify it ourselves.

• We started all our tests from a stable 100 Mbps fiber optic connection to get a clear performance benchmark.
• We used trusted third-party tools like Ookla’s Speedtest.net for performance metrics and IPleak.net to check for any potential data leaks.
• Our team conducted tests on both a Windows 11 PC and a macOS Sonoma laptop to check for consistency and platform-specific bugs.
• For speed tests, we used the WireGuard protocol where available, as it generally offers the best performance.

This consistent approach allows us to compare ZoogVPN fairly against all other VPNs we review, giving you data you can actually trust.

2. My honest take on the pros and cons of ZoogVPN

Every VPN service has its strengths and weaknesses, and ZoogVPN is a textbook example of this trade-off. After spending hours testing its apps and features, here is a quick summary followed by a detailed breakdown of where it shines and where it falls dangerously short.

What I Liked

What I Disliked

2.1. Pros of ZoogVPN

On the positive side, ZoogVPN does have a few appealing qualities, primarily centered around its accessibility and cost.

• Extremely competitive pricing: Let’s be clear, ZoogVPN is one of the cheapest paid VPNs on the market. If your primary concern is price, it’s hard to ignore.
• A surprisingly generous free plan: The free version offers 10GB of data per month and access to servers in 5 locations. This is far better than many competitors, who might cap you at 500MB. It’s genuinely useful for very light browsing.
• Simple, no-frills apps: If you’re new to VPNs, you won’t be overwhelmed. When I first launched the app, I found the big, central “connect” button immediately. There’s no complex menu to navigate, making it very beginner-friendly.
• Allows torrenting on specific servers: ZoogVPN designates certain servers for P2P traffic, which is a welcome feature for users who need to download files.

2.2. Cons of ZoogVPN

However, these advantages are heavily overshadowed by a list of significant and, in some cases, critical disadvantages that we uncovered during our testing.

• A critical kill switch failure: This is the biggest deal-breaker. A kill switch is your VPN’s emergency brake; if the VPN connection drops, it should instantly block all internet traffic to prevent your real IP address from being exposed. During our tests on macOS, ZoogVPN’s kill switch failed. Our real IP address was visible for several seconds – more than enough time for an ISP or a malicious actor on a public Wi-Fi network to see it.
• Inconsistent and often slow speeds: While connecting to a local server was acceptable for basic browsing, our speeds plummeted on long-distance connections. When I connected from my office in the US to a UK server, my internet speed dropped by over 70%, making smooth 4K streaming impossible.
• A tiny server network: With only around 70 servers, ZoogVPN’s network is a drop in the ocean compared to the thousands offered by industry leaders like NordVPN. This means you have fewer options and a higher chance of connecting to an overcrowded, slow server.
• Poor streaming performance: If you want a VPN for streaming, look elsewhere. In our tests, it consistently failed to unblock Netflix US, Hulu, and Disney+.
• Unverified “no-logs” policy: ZoogVPN claims it doesn’t keep logs of your activity, which is standard. However, unlike top-tier providers, it has never undergone an independent audit to prove this claim. We’re forced to take them at their word, which is a significant privacy risk.
• Based in a 14 Eyes-allied country: Its headquarters in Greece (an EU member) means it operates within a jurisdiction that cooperates with the 14 Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance. This could potentially compel them to log user data if required by law.

3. Key features breakdown: A hands-on test

A VPN’s marketing page can promise the world, but the real story is in the performance. We pushed ZoogVPN to its limits to see how it holds up under real-world conditions. Here’s what we found when we tested its core features.

3.1. Security and privacy: Can you really trust ZoogVPN?

This is the most important question for any VPN, as security is its primary job. On the surface, ZoogVPN checks a few boxes, but digging deeper reveals some serious concerns.

Encryption and protocols

ZoogVPN uses AES-256 encryption, which is the industry standard – it’s the same level of encryption used by banks and governments. It also offers a decent selection of VPN protocols, including OpenVPN, IKEv2, and the modern, faster WireGuard protocol. This is a solid foundation.

Logging policy

The company has a stated “no-logs” policy, meaning it claims not to track or store your online activity. However, this is a major red flag for us: ZoogVPN’s privacy policy has never been independently audited by a third party. Top providers like NordVPN and Surfshark regularly hire reputable firms to audit their systems and prove their no-logs claims. With ZoogVPN, we only have their word for it. At Safelyo, we put more trust in VPNs that have proven it through independent audits, something ZoogVPN critically lacks.

Kill switch

This is where ZoogVPN fails catastrophically. A kill switch is a VPN’s most critical safety feature. Think of it as an emergency brake for your car. If your VPN connection suddenly drops, the kill switch should instantly cut your internet access to prevent your real IP address from leaking.

During our tests on macOS, the kill switch simply did not work. When we manually disconnected the VPN to simulate a connection drop, our leak-testing tool instantly showed our real, home IP address for everyone to see. This is an unacceptable security flaw that completely defeats the purpose of using a VPN for privacy.

Jurisdiction and ownership

ZoogVPN is based in Greece. While Greece itself isn’t a core member of the “5/9/14 Eyes” intelligence-sharing alliances, its membership in the EU means it can be subject to data-sharing agreements. Combined with the lack of a privacy audit, this location doesn’t provide the same level of confidence as providers based in privacy havens like Panama or the British Virgin Islands.

3.2. Speed and performance: How fast is ZoogVPN really?

A secure VPN is useless if it slows your internet connection to a crawl. To conduct our ZoogVPN speed test, we tested its performance from our US location with a 100 Mbps baseline connection. The results were a mixed bag, leaning towards disappointing.

What this data means:
As you can see, connecting to a local server was fine. A 15% speed drop is barely noticeable for day-to-day browsing and even HD streaming.

However, the moment I connected to servers overseas, performance fell off a cliff. A 71% speed drop on the UK server made streaming a buffering mess, and the nearly 80% drop on the Japan server made even basic websites feel sluggish. For gaming, the high ping makes it completely unusable.

3.3. Streaming and torrenting capabilities

Many people use VPNs to unblock streaming libraries from other countries or to torrent files safely. Here’s how ZoogVPN performed.

Streaming

This was a story of failure. If you’re hoping to use ZoogVPN for Netflix, you’ll be disappointed. In our tests, it failed to access the popular US Netflix library, and we were also blocked by Hulu and Disney+. We were consistently met with the dreaded “Pardon the Interruption” proxy error screen. While we did manage to unblock BBC iPlayer and Netflix UK on one occasion, the performance was inconsistent. For reliable streaming, you need a different VPN.

Torrenting

ZoogVPN does allow torrenting on servers specifically marked with a P2P icon. This is good. When I connected to a P2P-optimized server in the Netherlands, I was able to download a public domain file without any issues. However, be aware that the slow speeds we recorded earlier will directly impact how long your downloads take. A large file could take hours longer than it would with a faster provider.

3.4. Server network and ease of use

A VPN’s server network and app design significantly impact your daily experience.

Server network

ZoogVPN’s network is tiny. With roughly 70+ servers in 40+ locations, it’s dwarfed by competitors like NordVPN (6,000+ servers) and Surfshark (3,200+ servers). This matters because a smaller network means VPN servers are more likely to be overcrowded and slow. It also gives you far fewer options for bypassing geo-restrictions.

Ease of use

The apps for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS are very straightforward. When I installed the Windows app, it took me less than a minute to connect to a server. However, this simplicity comes at a cost. The app is basic and lacks advanced features that are standard elsewhere. For example, advanced users will miss features like split tunneling (which lets you choose which apps use the VPN) or multi-hop connections (for extra security), both of which are found in most other top VPNs.

4. ZoogVPN pricing, plans, and value for money

ZoogVPN’s biggest selling point is undoubtedly its price tag. It’s one of the most affordable VPNs out there, which catches the eye of anyone looking for a deal. Let’s break down the plans, what you’ll pay, and more importantly, what you’ll actually get for your money.

4.1. ZoogVPN’s current plans

Here’s how the pricing for the paid plans stacks up. As with most VPNs, you get a bigger discount for committing to a longer term.

Beyond the paid options, there’s the ZoogVPN free plan. Here’s a direct comparison of what you get with the free plan versus any of the paid versions.

Which plan should you choose?

Based on my analysis, here’s my advice:

• For trying it out: Stick to the Free Plan. The 10GB of data is generous enough to test the basic functionality for non-sensitive tasks like browsing on cafe Wi-Fi. There’s no reason to spend money initially.
• If you absolutely must buy, the 2-Year Plan offers the lowest monthly cost. However, I strongly advise against locking yourself into a multi-year plan with a service that has the security and performance issues we’ve identified.

4.2. The hidden cost of a cheap VPN

On paper, paying just a couple of dollars a month for a VPN sounds like an incredible deal. But based on my testing, I have to ask: What is the hidden cost?

When I buy a tool, I expect it to do its job reliably. The “price” of ZoogVPN isn’t just the money you pay; it’s also paid in:

• Your Privacy: The single most important job of a VPN is to protect your identity. With a kill switch that we proved can leak your real IP address, you are paying for a false sense of security. The cost of saving a few dollars could be exposing your identity when you need protection the most.
• Your Time: In a world of high-speed internet, a 70%+ speed drop is unacceptable. The time you waste waiting for websites to load, files to download, or videos to constantly buffer is a cost. Your time is valuable.
• Your Frustration: Paying for a service that claims to unblock streaming sites, only to be met with error screens, is frustrating. You’re paying for a key that doesn’t open the doors it promises to.

4.3. Value for money, money-back guarantee, and payment methods

So, does ZoogVPN offer good value for money? Frankly, no.

When I can get a vastly superior service like Surfshark for a similar price – one that has a proven no-logs policy, a kill switch that actually works, and reliably unblocks Netflix – the value proposition of ZoogVPN completely disappears.

ZoogVPN offers a 7-day money-back guarantee on its paid plans. While it’s good that they offer a guarantee, this is a very short window. Most top-tier providers give you a risk-free 30-day guarantee, which gives you much more time to thoroughly test the service.

They accept a good range of payment methods, including major credit cards, PayPal, and even Bitcoin for more anonymous payments.

5. How ZoogVPN compares to the competition

A VPN doesn’t exist in a vacuum. To truly understand its value, you have to see how it stacks up against the top players in the game. When I put ZoogVPN head-to-head with industry leaders like NordVPN and Surfshark, the differences become starkly clear.

This isn’t a fair fight, but it’s the one that matters for your money.

The table makes it obvious: ZoogVPN wins on one single metric - the initial price.

However, for a price difference that, in the case of Surfshark, can be negligible, both NordVPN and Surfshark deliver a completely different class of service.

Think of it this way: You could buy a very cheap car, but if you knew its brakes were unreliable (like ZoogVPN’s leaky kill switch), would you trust it for an important journey? For me, the answer is a firm no.

Both NordVPN and Surfshark have passed independent security audits, offer thousands more servers, provide blazing-fast speeds, and reliably unblock streaming services. They offer overwhelmingly better value and, most importantly, peace of mind that your data is actually secure.

6. Who should (and shouldn’t) use ZoogVPN in 2025?

After extensive testing for this ZoogVPN review, my conclusion is clear. ZoogVPN is a service that lures you in with an attractive price and a generous free plan, but it fails to deliver on the most fundamental promise of a VPN: reliable security and privacy.

The leaky kill switch we discovered is not just a minor bug – it’s a critical flaw that undermines the entire purpose of the product. When you add in the slow long-distance speeds, the tiny server network, and the inability to unblock major streaming platforms, the paid plans become impossible for me to recommend.

So, who is this VPN for?

You should consider ZoogVPN's free plan if:

• You are a student or a very casual user on an extremely tight budget.
• You only need a VPN for very brief, non-sensitive tasks, like using public Wi-Fi at a library to browse the news, and you understand the risks involved.
• You need more than the 500MB of data offered by some other free VPNs, and you can make use of the 10GB limit.

You absolutely MUST NOT use ZoogVPN if:

• You prioritize your digital privacy and security above all else.
• You intend to stream content from international libraries like Netflix US, Hulu, or Disney+.
• You need fast, consistent speeds for gaming, torrenting, or large downloads.
• You live in or travel to a country with high levels of internet censorship.

In my professional opinion, your digital safety is worth more than the few dollars you might save. The peace of mind that comes from a VPN that has been independently audited and has proven its security is an investment, not an expense.

7. FAQ about ZoogVPN

We understand you might still have some specific questions about ZoogVPN. Here are the direct, no-nonsense answers to the most common queries we receive.

8. Conclusion

To conclude our ZoogVPN review, it’s a classic case of getting what you pay for. The service successfully draws users in with its rock-bottom pricing and a genuinely useful free plan. However, these benefits are completely overshadowed by unacceptable compromises in the two areas that matter most: security and performance.

Here are the key points to remember from our hands-on testing:

• Affordable but Flawed: It offers very low prices and a generous free plan, making it tempting for those on a budget.
• Critical Security Risk: The kill switch failed during our tests, exposing our real IP address. This is a deal-breaking security flaw.
• Poor Performance: Long-distance speeds are slow, making it unsuitable for 4K streaming, gaming, or large downloads. It also fails to unblock the most popular streaming services.
• Better Alternatives Exist: For a similar price, providers like Surfshark and NordVPN offer audited security, vastly superior performance, and a reliable experience.

At Safelyo, we believe that your digital privacy is not an area where you should have to compromise. Investing a few extra dollars in a reputable, audited, and high-performance VPN is a much smarter choice for protecting your digital life. For a VPN that won’t let you down, check out the comprehensive guide to the Best VPN services of 2025 from Safelyo.