Trust.Zone VPN Review – Middle of the Line

Trust.Zone VPN ReviewIs Everything About It Average?Trust.Zone Company DetailsThe company was founded in the year 2014 and is based in the Seychelles Islands. These islands just North of Madagascar are usually more popular as a vacation destination and offer a great deal of protection for VPN companies.

The fact that Trust Zone bases their physical location in the Seychelles Islands is a big deal for a VPN company. They are outside of the jurisdiction of all “Eyes” organizations, including the Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes agencies. This means that your data won’t be tracked by nosy surveillance organizations or used against you in any way.

Additionally, they have 206 servers across 44 countries. While this isn’t the most expansive network we have ever seen (CyberGhost has 3,157 in 60 countries), it is still enough to be able to connect to almost any location you could need.Features and PricingOne of the biggest concerns of VPN users is the price plan. So many will be happy to learn that Trust Zone costs only $8.8 per month. This is well below the $10.69 per month industry average for VPN services. But how does such a small price stack up with the competition who are charging almost double that? Pretty well, actually.

However, one of the service’s most significant drawbacks is that they only allow five simultaneous connections at a time, compared to ten or unlimited that the best VPN providers offer. So in that regard, you are paying less, but you are also getting less bang for your buck. If you would like to upgrade to more connections, it is possible, but it will also cost you more. You can upgrade your connection package to include two more connections, but they charge an additional $3.99 each month. Compared to other more generous services such as CyberGhost or TorGuard, a paltry five connections seems rather stingy.

Like other VPN companies, Trust Zone offers reduced prices if you choose a more extended subscription plan. If you sign up for two years, you pay as little as $2.33 each month. If you opt for one year, you only pay $3.33. They will also even let you try the VPN free of charge so you can test the waters first.

They support all varieties of major credit cards, cryptocurrencies (including Bitcoin), and even PayPal for payments. The later options are great if you want to have complete anonymity throughout the entire process.

Trust Zone does not have a full free plan. However, you can try the service for up to 3 days, with some restrictions, of course. You will be limited to just 162 location servers, and you can only use up to 1GB of data. This is great if you want to test your uses and services before purchasing, but it falls a little flat when compared to other services. For example, TunnelBear and Hotspot Shield both offer free versions of their VPN; however, they do cap how much data you can use each month.

As mentioned before, this VPN service is BitTorrent friendly. Trust Zone allows connections to P2P file-sharing networks on all of its servers. Legally, they ask all of their users to keep their traffic within their country’s laws connected to the VPN servers. However, they will not be regulating or monitoring what you do.

To the frustration of many international users, streaming sites such as Netflix do not generally allow users to flow their content outside of their specified regions. They are working around the clock to block VPNs and their connections. However, with Trust Zone, we have no issues with any of the content providers, although you may need to toggle which server you are connected to. For more information on Netflix, see below.Servers and Server LocationsThe actual size and reach of a company’s VPN network are more than just a number to post on their landing page. It has a real effect on how the service operates and how customers will experience service on their platform.

If a company has numerous servers, statistically, there should be fewer people on each server. A smaller number of users on each server means that individual users will get a larger slice of the bandwidth pie, which translates to faster speeds and better performance.

This is one area where the Trust Zone isn’t lacking but could improve. Their count of 206 servers isn’t bad, but when you compare it to the 500+ servers of some of the larger companies, you might begin to doubt the real quality of the services provided. It is undoubtedly a distant reach from the 4,800 servers available from NordVPN, which is among the most extensive VPN company groupings. If Trust Zone wants to stay in the highly competitive VPN market, they should really up their service offerings.

Of course, you will want to consider the number of server locations and where they are distributed before you make a purchase. One reason is that the more server locations a company provide, the more choices you will have when spoofing your location. The server amount can also have an impact on the speed of the service as well. In most cases, you will get a faster speed from a server that is nearby your location. The more choices you have, the better your chances are of finding a server that is located nearby.

The servers in the Trust Zone network are distributed into 80 different “zones”. They do a decent job of spreading these zones out evenly and even represent some of those significant regions of the globe that are often not covered by other VPN services. One example being their servers in South Africa, which many companies outright ignore. It also has servers in Hong Kong and India. They used to have a server in mainland China but have since moved it due to heavy government restrictions. A few areas lacking coverage are Russia, Turkey, and Cuba, all places with high-level government restrictions.

Trust Zone also uses a substantial number of virtual VPN servers. Many users have expressed concern over virtual servers in the past. Virtual servers are configured to appear as if they are in a different location than where they actually are. This can help those countries mentioned previously, which heavily restrict the access of VPNs due to government concerns.

Many people are cautious about virtual servers because they are concerned about where their data is being routed and where it will end up. A representative of Trust Zone has stated that the company owns all of the physical servers and has constant access to them. However, they also have servers in some zones that aren’t used as often, in which they rent servers from third parties.

If you are concerned about security more than any other feature, it might be safer to go with a VPN such as ProtonVPN, which keeps all of their servers housed underground in a vault that they own. However, most standard users are okay with the level of privacy and security that Trust Zone offers.Hands-On With Trust.ZoneSome users might think that Trust Zone only provides a native client for those using Windows machines. However, you can still use any device with Trust Zone, but you will need to configure the OS to use a manual VPN or download a third-party client compatible with OpenVPN. This can be a frustrating process if you are not familiar with setting up VPNs, and unfortunately, it is not very consumer-friendly.

When we first started testing the Trust Zone VPN, we used the client on a Windows 10 operating system. The installation seemed to work fine; and however, when we went running the client, we received a strange error message when we tried to connect.When we contacted customer support, they referred us to an article in the FAQ section, which told us to use the client on a Windows 10 machine. We needed to disable a standard feature known as the “Driver Signature Enforcement”. The article detailed the steps in order to disable the function by booting up in the BIOS. This was a bit unsettling as most other VPNs on the market make the installation process incredibly simple and straightforward.

When we raised our concern with the representative, they assured us that the process for using an unsigned driver was put in place to protect consumers but offered no real explanation as to how that is achieved.

Since that time, the Trust Zone developers have pushed through an update to their installer, and you are no longer required to adjust your security settings to get the VPN up and running. This is quite a relief since most users will not be willing to go to such lengths to install a VPN.

The new installation process is quite similar to other VPNs on the market and has been changed into a simple one-click process.The client itself is a little clunky to look at compared to other sleek and stylish VPNs. It comes with a simple and unassuming blue window with a large button located at the center. When you click the button, you will start a new connection. You have the option to either connect to a server of your choice or to connect to whatever server the app decides is best.

It is quite simple to switch servers, and with a few clicks in the settings panel, you will be connected to whatever server you desire. This client leaves you wanting the clean and polished look that most users have come to know when using a VPN. It is simple but almost to a fault. The features are adequate and leave a bit to be desired when it comes to extra functions and aesthetic design.Trust.Zone FeaturesIf you are in the market for a new VPN and are considering Trust Zone, you probably wonder what features the client offers. Here is an in-depth look at what features, functions, and extras the Trust Zone client comes with out of the box.

Does Trust.Zone Log My Data?

You will be happy to learn that Trust Zone is among the majority of VPNs that do not log your data or user activity. It even goes so far as not to log the email address that you sign up with. The no-logs policy extends to everything from web traffic, IP addresses, web activity, and sign-in information. You know, all the things that made you look into getting a VPN in the first place.

What about a Kill Switch?

If you are concerned about your privacy, it might be a good idea to look into a VPN with a killswitch. Trust Zone does come with a killswitch as a network feature. A killswitch will make sure that if the VPN connection fails, the activity of all of your browsers will shut down automatically. It is a great backup plan if you have an unstable connection or you just want to make sure that you are covered at all times.

Does Trust.Zone offer Network Tunneling?

Unlike many other VPN competitors, Tunnel Zone does not offer a split tunneling option. This means that you will not be able to be on both a private and a public network simultaneously. This means that it is likely that this VPN utilizes more network bandwidth than other VPNs that offer a split tunneling feature.

Does Netflix Work with Trust.Zone?

When selecting a VPN, most users plan to do some form of content streaming, so it is useful to know whether the service will allow the popular streaming platforms. The answer to the question is a little complicated.

The basic answer is “yes” Netflix will work, but you will not be able to unlock all the regional content. We tested the Netflix app on the US, UK, Canada, and France servers with no issues; however, it was spotty with other locations. In order to get the service to work, you need to follow the special instructions provided by the Trust Zone. These instructions are easy to follow and use a step by step guide to get you up and to run.

If you are looking for a VPN that will stream Netflix 100% of this time, you might want to look at something like NordVPN or ExpressVPN, in that case.Trust.Zone Encryption

VPN Encryption

Encryption is the primary function of a VPN service and is what converts your data traffic into code that no one else will be able to decipher. So how exactly does Trust Zone encrypt your data when you connect?

AES-256 Encryption

AES stands for Advanced Encryption Standard and is one of the most commonly used methods to encrypt and decrypt and is measured using bits. For a frame of reference, 256 bits is the industry standard, so it is good to see Trust Zone, including this service method. Through this type of encryption, they can also encrypt data twice using what is known as “Double VPN.”

RSA-4096 Encryption

RSA is a protocol used to make sure that only those authorized to use the VPN can log in. This method uses a double authentication scheme to do so. Usually, it completes the authentication by sending a password via push notification, but it could also use biometrics. This is a great feature to include if you want to make sure that you are the only one using your VPN service.

IPSec

IPSec is an encryption method that can be used in a few ways. It can encrypt the actual data packet, or it can encrypt a full packet while in tunneling mode. When it is used in combination with other protocols, it is excellent for keeping internet communications secure.

Trust.Zone Protocols

Every VPN uses a protocol to determine how information is passed along through a network. So what protocol does Trust Zone use, and how does it encrypt data to the server?

OpenVPN Protocol

As mentioned previously, OpenVPN is one of the most widely used VPN protocols around. It is used because it is often the most secure means in which to bypass a firewall. It combines the perfect amount of speed and security. The best part is that it is open source and crowd funded, so it is always being scrutinized and made stronger to keep it safe from intelligence agencies’ prying eyes.

L2TP Protocol

L2TP stands for Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol, and it is used to create a tunnel for your data to travel through. However, it is not responsible for any encryption itself.Trust.Zone Speed TestingOne of the most important aspects to look at when purchasing a new VPN is how fast it operates when connected. In addition to security, speed is one of the most critical functions of a VPN. To do the rate accurately, we used the Ookla Speedtest.com service and tested several servers. We did all of these tests using the Windows 10 operating system with the Windows client.

We started off testing our speed without turning the VPN on. We used these results as a baseline to measure the tests using the VPN. The initial results are as follows:Next, we ran the test with the VPN on using the optimal server setting. These are the results:The results were a pretty noticeable slowdown to download speed and a substantial deceleration to upload speed.

Lastly, we tested the VPN using a US only server. Here are the results:As to be expected, with a high ping time, both the download and upload speeds decreased substantially. However, these are not the worst we’ve seen. In fact, these speeds are relatively average.

Overall, the speeds for Trust Zone VPN are middle of the line, and what we have come to expect from the cheaper VPN services.

DNS Leak Test

To get a better idea of how this VPN performs, we also conducted a DNS leak test. What is a DNS, you ask? You probably use these all the time without even realizing it. Domain names are the addresses you type in, like vpn.org. Each domain represents a unique IP address that will direct your computer and web browser where to go.

DNS is like giving your friend directions to stop at the “Big white house on the corner,” and the actual IP is like “321 Main Street.” If you are using a VPN, you do not want these addresses or locations getting out. In order to do that, we do what is called a DNS leak test to make sure that this information is staying server-side and not bouncing around cyberspace. The great news is Trust Zone passed the DNS leak test with flying colors.

WebRTC Leak Test

WebRTC is the protocol that allows web browsers to talk to each other directly instead of going through a server. This protocol makes it possible to experience faster speeds when you are video chatting or live streaming. The downside to this protocol is that it is necessary to obtain the user’s private IP address. This is information that most VPN users do not want to get out into the net. Again, great news on this test, there were no issues with WebRTC leaks of any kind.Trust Zone Manual ConfigurationsMany VPNs start to create downloadable apps for all devices, which takes the guesswork out of installation on lesser-used devices. For example, NordVPN has applications for almost all devices, including Amazon Fire Stick. These apps make it easy for those who are not used to dealing with VPNs to install them and set them up quickly.

Additionally, most are including options to install the configuration on your router so that any device that connects to it will be under the VPN service’s umbrella protection. Unfortunately, Trust Zone does not offer the router option and offers very little in terms of applications.

However, that does not mean you are out of luck if you have one of the lesser serviced devices. You can manually configure the VPN on Xbox 360, Playstation, Smart TVs, and Amazon Fire TV or Firestick. You can follow the step by step instructions available on their website.

Browser Support

Trust Zone does not offer any individual browser plug-ins, but if you are connected through the client or a manual setup, you will also be connected when you are using your browser.Trust.Zone Customer SupportIf you ever have any VPN issues, you will want to know that there is adequate customer service to back you up. If you get into a jam, Trust Zone has several different ways to contact their support. The first way to get help with your issue is to browse their well-documented FAQ section. This is usually not most people’s first choice when there is an issue, but they have mapped out the most common problems and make it easy for customers to find answers. This is helpful if you have an immediate problem and do not want to wait to be contacted by a support representative.

If you would like to speak to a human support representative, you need to fill out an online form. Their support is available Monday through Sunday, during business hours, and usually responds within 24 hours.

They do not host any reviews from actual customers on their site, so it is difficult to gauge whether or not this response time is accurate, however in our experience, it took them almost precisely 24 hours to respond to our request. Their replies were well written and easy to comprehend, and they seem to put a good deal of effort into constructing their responses.The OpenVPN AppWhile you won’t be able to download any app from the Apple store, you can still use the app for OpenVPN from the Google Play Store. Of course, this is only an option if you are using an Android device. To use this app, you will enter your Trust Zone credentials, and the app will connect to the server using the OpenVPN encryption protocol.Trust.Zone vs. Other VPNsLike most other VPNs on the market, Trust Zone will not log your activity or web traffic. Additionally, it has a kill switch that will cut off your browser traffic if you lose connection to the VPN server.

One area where Trust Zone lacks compared to other VPN services is its ability to connect to streaming services. Different VPNs have a dedicated server to connect to that is solely for the purpose of streaming. It is curated so that if a service gets wind of the VPN and blocks it, it will work around the block to resume service.

With Trust Zone, you are beholden to the luck of the draw. Most servers work but only in certain areas. Additionally, there is no telling when these servers will be blocked or when the company will service a workaround to the blockage.

Another area where TrustZone falls short compared to other services is its app offerings. Many different providers have apps for every OS and device. This makes Trust Zone less user friendly for users who are not accustomed to setting up VPNs manually.The Final VerdictOverall, Trust Zone VPN is a middle of the line product with several areas in which they could improve. However, you do get what you pay for, and this VPN is reasonably cheap. Additionally, they offer a free trial period, so you can try before you commit to paying the monthly or yearly fee.

The service and apps are not exactly user-friendly, which means if you aren’t an expert, you might be spending some time talking to customer support or consulting the FAQ page. The good news is that the FAQ page is well documented, and the customer service responds promptly and professionally.

They do have some issues with streaming, and with no dedicated streaming server, you can’ be sure when the servers or locations will be working for apps like Netflix.

Overall, Trust Zone is a decent, if not simple, app that offers middle of the road speeds and services for a low price. If you are looking for more features, apps, or support, you might consider some of the more expensive options. However, if you are okay with troubleshooting and average speeds, you should have no problem using the Trust Zone VPN.