Can Bullguard VPN convince in the test?

Jun 1st Can Bullguard VPN convince in the test?

After all, only 16 different servers are available for the VPN solution. The service also doesn’t offer detailed manual settings. But don’t give up on the VPN client yet, because its simplicity turns out to be one of its strengths!

References to this article and about VPN in general:

Does Bullguard VPN keep up with other services in the test? After all, with services like Nord VPN or CyberGhost you’ll find more servers in more countries to choose from. Not for nothing do they top our list of the best VPN services. So why should you limit Bullguard VPN to only 16 countries?

Is the service very cheap or does it offer features you can’t find on any other VPN client? We’ll find out in the following test report. In it we will guide you through the simple menus, tell you which practical additional functions Bullguard VPN offers and give you details about price, speed and more.

Bullguard VPN under test: Operation and setup

As with most VPN providers, you install your own app or application with Bullguard VPN. Thanks to this you can establish VPN connections with just a few clicks and don’t have to manually enter server addresses into your system. If you want to try Bullguard VPN you will need an active user account.

After a free trial period you will search here in vain. To try the service, you will need to start using VPN with at least one year. The purchase price of 73 Euro (May 2019) can be refunded for 30 days. Here we would have wished for a free trial period. If you extend your subscription directly to two years, you pay almost 100 Euro, if you extend your subscription to three you pay almost 112 Euro. This will save you over 50 percent if you decide on a three-year subscription.

With your account you can log on to six different devices on the servers of Bullguard VPN. In our download area you will find the software for the operating systems Windows, macOS, iOS and Android. Bullguard VPN does not offer an app for Smart TVs and plugins for your internet browser.

The mobile apps as well as the applications for Windows and Mac convince with clearly understandable, simple menus. The operation is self-explanatory and also very comfortable thanks to some additional functions. Let’s take a closer look and find out why Bullguard VPN is especially suitable for beginners.

Bullguard VPN under test: additional functions and scope

The first feature Bullguard calls „Quick Connect“ and allows you to establish a secure connection with just one click or fingertip. The app automatically selects the nearest and best VPN server based on your location and other factors. You can also use Quick Connect if you want to activate Bullguard VPN automatically. On the PC and notebook you can do this directly when you start the device.

On mobile devices, the automatic connection activation is available to you when surfing via WLAN or the mobile Internet. So you are on the safe side if you surf at home via a router with VPN connection and want to protect yourself from disconnections. In this case Bullguard VPN jumps directly to your mobile surfing and secures your connection.

Bullguard VPN offers you another protection mechanism if your VPN connection is interrupted. The so-called „Internet Kill Switch“ prevents connections via the conventional Internet connection once the VPN fails. Instead of surfing unprotected, the software interrupts all connections. This provides more security and sudden error messages if you should bypass a country lock via VPN.

Bullguard VPN under test: These countries are available for selection

Bypassing country blocks may not always work reliably with Bullguard VPN, however, as you only have 16 different countries to choose from. The VPN client offers only one server per country. In the list of countries you’ll only find three states that are outside the so-called „14 eyes“. VPN experts often classify the agreement on cooperation between various secret services as a security risk. In the linked article we have more information for you.

If you attach great importance to your security on the Internet, this could be a thorn in your side. In addition, with Bullguard VPN we were not always able to access a foreign streaming catalog at Netflix. In some cases we got an error message and had to use another VPN for Netflix.

Bullguard VPN under test: Security protocols, encryption and log files

VPN connections must also be secured. VPN clients like Bullguard VPN encrypt their connections according to certain patterns. A basic distinction is made here between IPSec and SSL. Which advantages result from these encryption types, we have explained in the linked article for you. A request to the Bullguard VPN support team revealed that the VPN connections are encrypted using 256-bit encryption according to the Diffie Hellmann standard. In addition, both the OpenVPN protocol and IPsec are used.

In addition, Bullguard VPN describes a „No-Logs Policy“ in its user guidelines.
This policy states that Bullguard VPN does not log your accesses to the 16 servers. Bullguad is therefore one of the VPN providers that does not store log files.
Only in the smartphone app and on your PC can these be tracked. With only one click you can delete these data.
For legal reasons, Bullguard VPN stores your user data for five years after you have deleted your account.

Bullguard VPN under test: Connection speeds

But the encryption of your connection is not everything. After all, you want to continue surfing with your VPN active and stream the best movies to Netflix. For this reason we have carried out our netzwelt DSL speed test in the following four test runs with different countries. The results are the mean values of each test. Bullguard VPN established the connection to Denmark by itself using the „Quick Connect“ feature.

In fact, the VPN from Denmark is the fastest in comparison. In the test, we lost just under 15 percent of the original performance when downloading and 32 percent when uploading. Bullguard set up the worst connection to Australia. Here we lost as much as 99 percent of the original performance when downloading a file and 85 percent when uploading.

However, it would tend to be possible to stream videos on YouTube or watch films on Amazon Prime Video and Co. via most of the connections tested. Most users won’t have much to complain about Bullguard’s speed.

Bullguard VPN under test: No manual setup possible

If you want to use Bullguard VPN in the whole house and configure a WLAN router for this purpose, this is not possible. The service does not offer a tool for creating a manual configuration file. Here you have to use the free protocol OpenVPN or choose a VPN service like Windscribe. The latter can create the required files automatically.

You also can’t buy your own WLAN router like Bitdefender with the Bitdefender Box at Bullguard VPN. Instead, the manufacturer Bullguard offers with the „Dojo“ a security solution for your home. This secures the IoT devices in your home network, but does not use VPN connections. If you want to connect all network participants in your home via VPN, you will have to choose an alternative.

Secure VPN connections even for laypersons

Bullguard VPN convinced in the test by understandable menus and the reliable establishment of a VPN connection with only one click. This is due on the one hand to the good apps, but on the other hand also to the professional functions that the service does without. Bullguard VPN cannot be set up on routers and you also have to use a different VPN for Smart TVs. Server locations in only 16 countries are below average compared to other VPN clients. So we recommend Bullguard VPN especially for beginners.

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