Encryption
Signing up for the BTGuard service is straightforward and simple. It offers a BitTorrent proxy and a VPN which may be considered too pricey by most users especially when compared with top VPNs like NordVPN. It however provides some tutorials on how to setup the VPN on every platform. Even though BTGuard says that it’s using 256-bit AES encryption, this isn’t true. When connecting to this VPN’s servers, you’ll see a detailed log if you use OpenVPN’s GUI. And more importantly, you don’t have to be an IT expert to understand this log.
Its tagline “Anonymous BitTorrent services” speaks of the main reason for its creation – allowing you to use torrents care-free. However, it is not its only purpose, as it encrypts all of your traffic, unlocks sites not available in your country, and offers you a high level of anonymity. If you are interested in its offer, discover all the details in this comprehensive BTGuard review.
BTGuard is also known for providing really fast VPN connections and this is mainly because it uses 10Gbit servers. These can be paid for monthly or yearly (with a 25% price reduction for paying annually). The first is a proxy service that is primarily aimed at BitTorrent users (the BT part of their name stands for BitTorrent).
This is an extremely useful tool for protecting your identity from other users on any peer-to-peer (P2P) network. In addition, BTGuard provides encryption for users who are having their bandwidth throttled by their Internet Service Provider (ISP).
However, if this sounds good, you should also consider the fact that there are some negative aspects that can’t be ignored. For instance, they don’t come up with their own software and you have to rely on the OpenVPN client, the privacy policy is a bit shady and the customer support is almost inexistent. The generated information isn’t sold or disclosed to any unrelated third parties, and is only used to communicate with the users to deliver news regarding the products and services. Under no legal obligation, BTGuard keeps no logs of the IP addresses or track of the internet usage of the users.
Whether you’re using the proxy to remain anonymous while torrenting or using the VPN service to bypass ISP throttling, there is hardly any noticeable strain on the servers. Overall BTGuard is reliable for hiding your identity during P2P file-transfers but its inability to access Netflix USA and unavailability of dedicated apps really dampens the experience. BTGuard is a small VPN provider based in Canada, with servers in 3 countries worldwide.
Founded in the year 2008, BTGuard is one of the most reliable VPN service providers situated in Toronto, Canada. The company has established its prime strength in drawing peer-to-peer online communities into its magical fold. At first, BTGuard VPN might seem to be a short form of BitTorrent Guard VPN which is, however, untrue as no VPN provider would ever focus exclusively on a single website. BTGuard provides secure and anonymous internet access to the users, thereby protecting their individual identity and sensitive personal information online.
The BTGuard VPN kicks in at $9.95 per month, $27.95 per three months, $49.95 per six months, and $89.95 per year. The VPN service supports PPTP and OpenVPN, 256-bit encryption, unlimited download speeds, 10Gbit servers in the Netherlands, Canada, and Singapore. Even though there is no native software, you can configure your Windows, Mac, and Linux devices manually.
I see some complaining about how you’re locked into a reoccurring billing cycle. Laziness to click a button when you’re finished doesn’t justify a complaint. The company offers OpenVPN and PPTP protocols with up to 256-bit AES encryption, which is strong enough for sensitive data. And it’s reassuring to know that the 256-bit OpenVPN is the default configuration for all connections, thus confirming the fact that BTGuard is serious about security and privacy.
To get people up and running, BTGuard VPN comes with a pre-configured version of the uTorrent BitTorrent client. Originally, BTGuard VPN rose to prominence due to an endorsement by TorrentFreak.
The services are compatible with several security protocols, including OpenVPN and PPTP. BTGuard makes use of 256-bit AES encryption to encrypt the information being sent over to the internet and decrypt the information being downloaded.
What you’ll see if your data using 64-bit encryption, which is pretty weak. Then, it’s worth noting that there was a series of problematic events in this country. ISPs of this country can sell personal information related to digital pirates.
I demand a lot for what I do and I dedicate much activity through BTGuard and it has yet to fail me. I feel that they could afford to bring the price down a little bit but considering the security and privacy you get through BTGuard I’m comfortable with paying the $9.99 monthly fee. I cannot attest to the proxy service as I have only used the VPN portion.
- The BTGuard VPN kicks in at $9.95 per month, $27.95 per three months, $49.95 per six months, and $89.95 per year.
- The VPN service supports PPTP and OpenVPN, 256-bit encryption, unlimited download speeds, 10Gbit servers in the Netherlands, Canada, and Singapore.
Is BTGuard Compatible with My Device?
Secure encryption services are also provided to the users who are suffering from bandwidth throttling from the ISPs in the BitTorrent package at $6.95/month. Given the extensiveness of the features provided, the cost of $9.95/month doesn’t seem too much. Whether you’re looking for a VPN to download torrents anonymously or simply bypass throttling from your ISP, BTGuard offers users secure and anonymous connections to the internet.
Since then, consumers have often shot-down the service, complaining of poor connection speeds and instability. Then, a few years ago, news emerged that BTGuard VPN had been storing passwords in plain text and emailing them unencrypted to customers. That is absolutely terrible behavior by a firm that is supposed to provide privacy and security for its subscribers.
People complain about tech support yet if you know what you’re doing you’ll likely never need it. If it’s a real issue you’re having everyone will likely have the same issue and BTGuard will inform you. They’re not going to help you with your own network configuration woes. I have used it on all corners of the country on all types of connections (even mobile) and I have zero complaints about available bandwidth.
BTGuard is like a traditional VPN service, though it is very focused on its initial mission to make your BitTorrent activities anonymous and secure. Instead of offering different packages with different pricing and features, with this company you pay for the whole service and all of its whistles and bells. BTGuard provides two different kinds of packages to its clients. The first package is designed for the BitTorrent clients who are willing to download/upload files in an anonymous manner. The package provides a proxy IP address to the users for hiding their original identity while using BitTorrent client.
It uses a very strong 256-bit encryption system in masking users’ web activities. You can use either the OpenVPN or PPTP protocol when using this VPN service.
Strong Encryption and Protocols
The service is fast, I’ve had no issues come up as far as privacy is concerned and I was achieving must faster speeds using the OpenVPN connection. I am currently in the southeastern united states and am on a 100mbps fiber connection. I have had no issues maxing out my bandwidth using btguard.
BTGuard Speeds
The second is a full VPN service with servers in Toronto, Amsterdam, and Singapore. A major downside to using BTGuard VPN is that it is based in Canada which is not a favorable location for VPN providers in terms of data retention laws. It’s generally a reliable VPN for staying anonymous when downloading torrents but is lacking in areas such as its VPN server network compared to other top VPNs in the market. In this BTGuard review we tried to elaborate all the details and features of it. BTGuard is a solution that offers high-speed connections, good encryption and a ‘no logs’ policy.
Except for unrestricted freedom for P2P torrenting, OpenVPN, and 256-bit encryption, BTGuard offers no perks. No advanced customization, fancy software, or toggles for a kill switch and firewall. BTGuard had its ups and downs when consumers complained of poor performance. As of this writing, BTGuard is still a niche provider with a limited set of three server locations – in Canada, Singapore, and the Netherlands. While it does not offer as many servers as some other VPN services, BTGuard fared quite well on our speed tests, with average to above average speeds for all three server locations.
Such a massive failure forced us to update the ProPrivacy.com review, retracting our support and recommendation of the service. BTGuard is a weak proposition with above average prices, no customer support, native client, trial plan, refund, or streaming. But even if you specifically need a P2P-friendly VPN, BTGuard fails to impress with its shady Privacy Policy. Its speeds are good, but I can’t recommend it due to privacy concerns.
Then, there’s an effort to ban ‘copyright infringing’ VPN services, which might also include BTGuard in the future. As you can see, this puts this VPN in a problematic position as it’s clear that its users will download torrents, often associated with piracy. This plan is aimed at BitTorrent users who wish to download files anonymously. It does so by providing a proxy Internet Protocol (IP) address with which users can hide their true IP address.
To wrap it up, BTGuard is a VPN service that’s oriented towards torrent users, given that it’s also in the very name of the service (BTGuard stands for BitTorrent Guard, so go figure). The service has been developed and supported by Netcrawled LLC, a company based in Canada.
Offering servers in the Netherlands, Singapore, and Canada, BTGuard VPN unblocks pretty much one of the streaming services I usually test. So forget about Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, HBO US, Channel 9, or whatever streaming service you prefer.