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It's just moved them into a hugely comprehensive Settings dialog with more fine-tuning customizations than we've seen anywhere else.

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TorGuard's Windows app may look simpler than previous editions, but don't worry, it's not ditched all its low-level tweaks and technical detail.

You get a massive range of options, but all this will be intimidating for less tech-savvy users (Image credit: TorGuard) Windows settings This installed easily, but confused us on launch when the app displayed a bizarre warning that ‘setting the DNS “at application start”, “while establishing VPN connection” is not recommended and will be removed in the near future,’ asking us to ‘please disable them selecting “None” and keep only the selection “when VPN is connected.”’ We handed over our cash anyway, and grabbed the Windows app. If Mullvad and IVPN can allow you to sign up without even an email address, why does TorGuard have to know where you live? Setupīuying a TorGuard plan was easy, although we were surprised to see a privacy service ask us for our email, name and physical address. The service won't help you much by default, though, so network novices could get better results from much simpler apps with a very few settings they might actually understand (global kill switch, DNS leak protection, auto-connect when accessing insecure networks). If you understand everything TorGuard has to offer, you'll be able to set it up to deliver excellent privacy and security. The key here is the user's knowledge and experience. Built-in blocking of WebRTC and IPv6 leaks prevents you giving away clues to your identity, and a kill switch blocks internet access if the VPN drops.

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You're able to take manual control of your encryption algorithm, port and authentication method (AES-256, various CBC and GCM algorithms, SHA1, SHA256, SHA512). Multiple stealth and obfuscation technologies aim to get you connected, even in countries which detect and block regular VPNs.

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TorGuard certainly provides a pile of technical features to enhance your privacy, at least for old hands who can figure out how to use them. And as TorGuard hasn't put itself through any form of public audit, we're left to trust that the company is telling it like it is. Most VPN providers use their privacy policy to spell out any logging issues in detail, but TorGuard's privacy page (opens in new tab) restricts itself to a single sentence on the topic: 'TorGuard does not collect or log any data from its Virtual Private Network (VPN) or Proxy services.' This is just about as basic as any privacy policy can get, but at least it's easy to read. TorGuard offers various ways to defeat VPN blocking (Image credit: TorGuard) Privacy and logging There are some potential catches, too, with the small print stating that 'Geo location, blocks and Info from third party sites do not merit a refund.' That suggests this isn't a 'no questions asked' guarantee, and you'll need to give TorGuard a reason for the refund request that will have to be accepted before you'll get your money back. Sign up and a money-back guarantee offers a little protection, but only for 7 days most providers give you at least 30. It's good to see support for PayPal has arrived since our last review, too. If you decide to sign up, there's support for paying via card, PayPal, Bitcoin, gift cards, and many other payment types via Paymentwall. If you'll use yours, TorGuard might save you money overall. But as we've mentioned, other providers can charge $5 or more for dedicated IPs. It's a little more expensive at $12.99 billed monthly (opens in new tab), $9.92 on the annual plan (opens in new tab), falling to $6.94 on the three-year plan (opens in new tab).

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The TorGuard Pro plan adds a dedicated IP, improved streaming support, and supports 12 simultaneous connections (up from 8). NordVPN provides static IPs for $70 a year ($5.83 a month), while Ivacy asks a minimal $1.99 a month. There's way more choice than you'll get with most vendors, and the residential IPs are far more likely to unblock your favorite websites, but there are cheaper options around. TorGuard offers dedicated streaming and residential IPs for multiple countries and US states, potentially allowing you to unblock just about anything in your destination country, from an extra $7.99 a month. Private Internet Access offers a great service for $3.33 per month on the annual plan, for instance, and a tiny $2.03 a month for three years (with three months free). This isn't bad value, but shop around and there's plenty of cash to be saved.

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