CactusVPN 2022 Review: Is It Fast & Safe?

CactusVPN has great security and is easy to use. It also provides fast connections to local servers.

CactusVPN’s server network is very small (only 39 servers in 22 places), but I love how evenly distributed the servers are all over the globe — giving most users access to a nearby server for faster speeds.

CactusVPN claims that it can access 340+ streaming sites in 10+ countries. However, it uses Smart DNS to access streaming content instead of a VPN. CactusVPN’s SmartDN was tested by my team. We were able to access streaming sites such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, etc.

CactusVPN offers additional industry-standard security features, such as 256-bit AES encryption and a kill switch. It also has secure VPN protocols.

• Dedicated servers — CactusVPN is compatible with all popular torrent clients such as qBittorent and Deluge.
• Proxy servers — A proxy replaces your IP address by an IP address from the destination you are connecting to. However, a proxy does not have encryption.
• Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS – This feature changes your encryption key every time you open a new session on the internet. It prevents hackers from gaining access to your data in a future or past session.
• Split tunnel – You can choose which apps will travel through your VPN tunnel and which through your local network. Split-tunneling by CactusVPN is only available for Android, Android TVs and Amazon Fire Stick.
• and more…

CactusVPN has many things I love, but it also has some issues that need fixing. CactusVPN’s biggest problem is its slower connections to distant servers than other top VPN providers. CactusVPN also has a difficult time bypassing firewalls in countries such as China. The kill switch is not available in the Android app and doesn’t work well with WireGuard or OpenVPN on Windows.

CactusVPN offers a 1-month, 3-month and 1-year payment plans. CactusVPN subscriptions include a 30-day money back guarantee.

• Top VPN in 2022

CactusVPN Full Review

CactusVPN was one of my top choices for a VPN. I tested it and evaluated it over a period of several weeks.

CactusVPN is well-respected for its ability access hundreds of streaming services from the most famous to less-known.

This provider delivers on its promises of accessing tons streaming sites and easy-to use apps. They also offer fast internet connections, good apps and an excellent online experience for browsing and torrenting.

CactusVPN Features

CactusVPN offers the following security features:

• Multiple encryption options – CactusVPN protects your data using industry-leading 256 bit AES, 192 bit AES and 128-bit AES encryption.
• No logs policy – CactusVPN does not log traffic history, personal data, or IP addresses.
• CactusVPN’s kill switch shuts down internet access when the VPN connection drops. You can use the kill switch on Windows, macOS, or iOS.

CactusVPN provides 7 VPN protocols including PPTP and L2TP/IPSec. Although I enjoy the wide range of protocols CactusVPN offers, new users may feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options. CactusVPN’s SoftEther is a great option. It’s fast, secure, and open-source. Anyone can look at its code to see if there are any cracks in its security. SoftEther is a manual setup and may not be the best choice for users who aren’t tech-savvy.

CactusVPN offers WebRTC protection and DNS leak protection. It doesn’t support IPv6, so it is necessary to disable IPv6 manually on your device. However, you can disable IPv6 manually.

CactusVPN offers many additional features such as Smart DNS, split tunnelling, proxy servers, and Tor support.

Smart DNS

Smart DNS is more efficient than a VPN to access streaming content

Smart DNS is more compatible with streaming services than VPNs and offers faster streaming speeds. SmartDNS does not encrypt your connection so it is less secure than VPN. This shouldn’t matter if you use SmartDNS only for streaming.

I love the simplicity of CactusVPN Smart DNS – it’s integrated into the CactusVPN app, so there’s no set up required. You can switch between Smart DNS or the VPN with just one click (although Smart DNS cannot be used simultaneously). CactusVPN was tested with Netflix, Hulu and Disney +. We were able to stream HD movies and TV shows on sites such as Crunchyroll and Amazon Prime.

CyberGhost VPN and ExpressVPN VPN both offer Smart DNS services. However, they are not able to access the same number of sites as CactusVPN’s Smart DNS. Additionally, Smart DNS services offered by CyberGhost VPN and ExpressVPN require manual configuration.

CactusVPN Smart DNS does a great job accessing streaming services. It’s simple to use and fast, so you can stream clear and crisp content from any place.

Split-Tunneling

CactusVPN split-tunneling only works on Android, Android TV and Amazon Fire Stick. However, I love the flexibility it offers

All apps can use VPN (the default setting), but some apps can bypass it or can only be routed through the VPN tunnel.

CactusVPN’s split tunnelling feature was tested by me connecting to a dedicated Romanian P2P server to download a large file. I also excluded my bank’s mobile application from the VPN server as many banking apps block VPN traffic. I was able simultaneously to torrent and check my bank account without any problems.

Split-tunneling works exactly like ExpressVPN or TunnelBear’s split tunnelling. Both allow you to exclude specific apps. ProtonVPN’s Split-tunneling is my favorite because you can redirect apps, IP addresses and web browsers using the VPN. For example, when torrenting with a VPN connection you can exclude Chrome and Firefox to gain faster browsing speeds.

Although I love CactusVPN’s split tunnelling feature, I wish it were available on Windows. Top VPNs such as ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access offer split-tunneling for Windows.

CactusVPN’s split tunnelling feature for Android is quite good. CactusVPN should add split-tunneling for the Windows app. However, I love that the Android app allows you to customize the route of your mobile apps through the VPN.

Obfuscation

CactusVPN hides your internet traffic with a layer encryption. This protects your VPN traffic from prying eyes.

Although your ISP can see that you are using a VPN to conduct online activity, the VPN does not allow them to see what sites you visit or which files you download. CactusVPN’s encryption tool disguises your connection to the VPN server. Your ISP will believe you are accessing the internet using a normal connection and not with a VPN.

CactusVPN does not have an obfuscation tool built in for Windows apps, but you can manually set it up for Linux and macOS.

Obfuscated connections can be slower than regular VPN connections due to the extra layer of encryption. My tests showed that websites loaded in about 5 seconds. I also experienced some lag when streaming sites were enabled.

CactusVPN offers decent obfuscation. It’s great for hiding your VPN connection to your ISP. It’s also available on Windows, macOS and Linux.

Proxy Servers

CactusVPN doubles as proxy servers

Although a proxy server acts in the same manner as a VPN server and replaces your IP, it is not as secure. CactusVPN offers excellent tutorials on how to setup a proxy server.

Proxy servers allow you to surf faster and torrent more easily because they don’t encrypt your traffic. Speed tests were run while I was connected via proxy server. They were nearly as fast than my speed when I am connected to my local network.

CactusVPN VPN servers work as proxy servers. It’s much faster than my regular VPN connection. It’s also very convenient for torrenting and browsing internet.

Tor Support

CactusVPN’s servers all allow you to connect with The Onion Router(Tor) browser.

Tor browser, a free privacy network, cloaks IP addresses and encrypts your traffic multiple time. CactusVPN is very easy to use. Just connect with any CactusVPN servers and start browsing.onion sites.

While Tor is very secure, IP addresses can still be leaked. CactusVPN gives you extra protection.

It is important to note that the Tor network will slow down your internet connection. This is because it encrypts your information multiple times. My tests showed that Tor websites took longer than regular browsers, such as Chrome and Safari.

CactusVPN offers Tor support that is quite impressive, but there are many VPNs that offer better access to Tor. ProtonVPN allows access to.onion sites from your browsers Chrome and Firefox.

CactusVPN Tor support is great for anyone who frequents.onion site and wants their IP address to be protected from possible leaks.

CactusVPN Privacy & Security

CactusVPN offers transparent privacy policies

It doesn’t log your IP address, sites visited, files downloaded, connection timestamps or session duration. CactusVPN logs only your email address (for registration), payment details (to issue refunds or process orders), as well as support tickets (to provide customer service).

CactusVPN moved its headquarters from Moldova to Canada. Canada does not have any mandatory data retention laws. However, it is part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances which shares intelligence data. CactusVPN does not store any user data so it would not have any to give to the government.

CactusVPN should undergo an independent audit on its no-logs policy. This is similar to what TunnelBear and ExpressVPN have done. CactusVPN would be able to prove that it doesn’t keep logs since it is part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances.

CactusVPN adheres to a strict no logs policy. However, it is headquartered in a country in the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances. CactusVPN does not log any user data, and would not have any to hand over to the government.

CactusVPN Speed & Performance

I ran speed testing while connecting to a server in each of the 22 countries CactusVPN has servers to determine the average VPN speeds

My speeds were down by 75% on average, which isn’t bad. My country, Romania, has fast internet speeds. I asked my American colleague to run speed tests so that he could get an accurate account of CactusVPN’s speeds. His speed dropped by 43% which is quite impressive.

The fastest speeds I experienced were on a Romanian server. However, I was also able to browse and torrent in the US at good speeds. However, I experienced a noticeable slowdown when connecting to servers in Asia. I was especially concerned about Japan as websites and YouTube videos took longer time to load. I also encountered lots of buffering.

To establish a baseline for my internet connection speed, the first speed test I ran was while I was connected to my ISP.

Next, I connected manually to a VPN server located in Romania. CactusVPN does not have a quick connection feature that connects you to the fastest server in your area. However, other top VPNs like ExpressVPN and ProtonVPN have quick connect features that allow you to select the best server. CactusVPN allows you to filter servers by speed, so you can find one that is the fastest. CactusVPN also displays server load percentages on its website.

Although my download speed was slower by 68%, I was still able browse the internet and make international VoIP calls (Voice over IP), even though I wasn’t connected via VPN. Websites loaded quickly and HD videos didn’t buffer. A 40 GB file was also downloaded in 20-25 minutes. This is really impressive.

Next, I connected with a VPN server in the US. Although the speeds were 82% slower than normal, websites loaded immediately and international calls went unaffected. While watching YouTube videos, I experienced minor buffering.

Finally, I tried a server in Japan (the farthest from my location). Speed dropped by 82%. Websites took between 8-10 seconds and HD videos on YouTube took between 15-20 seconds. While playing online video games, I experienced buffering.

It’s unfair to compare my results with those of other countries, as Romania has extremely fast internet speeds. So I asked my American colleague to do a few more tests.

To establish a baseline for his internet speed, my colleague ran an initial speed test without a VPN connection.

The next step was to connect to a VPN server in New York. He experienced a 14% reduction in download speed. He was able browse the internet quickly and did not experience any freezing or glitches during Zoom calls.

My colleague then connected to an Italian server, and he saw a 24% drop in speed. The online experience was virtually the same as his New York connection — websites loaded instantly and he could play video without any lag. A 30 GB file was also downloaded in 20 minutes. That’s pretty impressive.

Finally, he connected with a server in Australia (the farthest server from his home). Although his speed dropped by 65%, my colleague was able to browse faster than me while connecting to a remote server. He was able to load websites in between 6-8 seconds and YouTube videos in 3 seconds.

CactusVPN had great speeds on both local and medium-range servers – my colleague and I were able browse the internet, make VoIP calls and download files at lightning speeds during our speed testing. However, we experienced slower speeds when connecting to distant servers. It took websites a while to load. I also experienced buffering while watching YouTube videos, but my colleague did not. Torrenting was slow.

CactusVPN Servers & IP Addresses

CactusVPN hosts 39 servers in 22 countries. These servers are located in North America and Europe.

Although CactusVPN does not have a large server network it does a good job of spreading the servers to a number of locations all over the globe. Good news: I have never encountered a server with a high server load percentage. The highest I saw was 30 percent.

CactusVPN supports P2P traffic from 12 servers across 7 countries. ExpressVPN, for instance, allows you to torrent on all 3000+ servers.

CactusVPN servers can be used as proxy servers. However, they must be manually set up. To get better speed for web browsing and torrenting, you can use proxy servers. Speed tests were conducted using all servers as proxy servers. I always got very high speeds.

CactusVPN does not have dedicated IPs, which are unique IP addresses that you are assigned. PrivateVPN provides dedicated IP addresses for free, while Private Internet Access or CyberGhost VPN charge an additional fee.

CactusVPN’s small server network should not be a problem for users to find a server that is fast and nearby. CactusVPN offers dedicated P2P servers, and all its servers can be used as proxy servers.

CactusVPN Streaming & Torrenting

CactusVPN’s Smart DNS is great for accessing streaming websites. It claims it works with over 340+ sites in 10+ countries. CactusVPN Smart DNS was tested with Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+. It also worked with Hulu, ABC, Hulu, Hulu, ABC and HBO Max.

Smart DNS is easy to use, fast and doesn’t encrypt traffic.

CactusVPN has decent P2P support. It offers P2P servers in Malaysia and the Netherlands, Spain, Germany and Latvia. In my tests, it also worked with most popular torrent clients such as qBittorrent and uTorrent. ExpressVPN, however, allows torrenting traffic on all its 3000+ servers. This is in contrast to other VPNs. CactusVPN does not allow port forwarding.

To make sure that my IP address was secure, I ran DNS leak tests.

CactusVPN Smart DNS tool for streaming is my favorite feature. CactusVPN claims it can access more than 340 streaming sites. My team and I were able watch content on popular apps such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Hulu and Disney+. CactusVPN supports torrenting using dedicated P2P servers. It also works with the most popular torrenting clients.

CactusVPN Bypassing Censorship

CactusVPN’s Obfuscation Tool doesn’t always work with internet firewalls.

CactusVPN said it couldn’t guarantee it would work in countries subject to online restrictions and censorship.

CactusVPN allows you to obfuscate Windows. You can also manually set it up for macOS and Linux.

ExpressVPN or PrivateVPN is a good choice if you are in a restricted area and need a VPN to bypass online censorship.

CactusVPN Plans & Pricing

CactusVPN offers flexible payments plans. There are a 1-month and 3-month options, as well as a 1-year and 2-year plans.

The 2-year plan costs D90,370 per month and is comparable to other top VPNs. It also offers the best value. However, I believe VPNs such as ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access offer better value than CactusVPN. They all have better security and privacy features and faster speeds.

CactusVPN accepts many payment methods including credit/debit cards and PayPal. PayPro also supports 25+ payment options such as Alipay, Trustly and iDEAL.

CactusVPN’s Terms of Service states that it will only refund you if the service does not work. CactusVPN support representatives confirmed that you could get a full refund if the service is not satisfactory.

Although there are other VPNs that offer better value than CactusVPN’s, the 2-year contract is still affordable. CactusVPN is open to all forms of payment. It also offers a 30-day money back guarantee, but it does have some restrictions.

CactusVPN Ease of Use: Mobile & Desktop Apps

CactusVPN provides apps for iOS, Android and Windows. CactusVPN has apps for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and Amazon Fire TV. I was able to install the apps in less than one minute on my Android smartphones and iPhones. On my Windows 10 computer and MacBook Pro it took 2 minutes.

Android

CactusVPN’s Android application is not my favorite.

The reason I don’t like the Android app is the lack of a kill button. Most top VPNs have a kill button on their Android apps. Although the Android app allows you to reconnect to your VPN connection if it is lost, this will not protect you against traffic leaks. CactusVPN’s Android application doesn’t include a quick connection tool, and there is no obfuscation.

CactusVPN’s Android App has an intuitive interface and maintains fast speeds. It also offers split-tunneling and WireGuard. The Android app makes it easy to manually choose a VPN server. I also like the fact that CactusVPN allows you to sort servers by speed so you can find the fastest one quickly.

The app also has a tab for P2P servers. Switching between Smart DNS and VPN takes only one tap. You won’t feel overwhelmed by the number of settings available.

There are better Android apps. The Android app does not have a kill switch, and it lacks key features such as obfuscation.

iOS

CactusVPN iOS App is better than the Android App.

It is nearly identical to that of the Android app. But the iOS includes a kill switch for WireGuard (the only available protocol on the iOS App) CactusVPN, one of few VPNs available, includes an iOS kill switch.

CactusVPN’s iOS app is simple and easy to use. It’s also great for new users of VPNs as they won’t have any trouble getting used it.

Overall I like CactusVPN’s iOS app. It has an intuitive interface, fast speed, and secure protocols.

Windows/Mac (Desktop)

CactusVPN offers some great Windows and macOS apps with a similar design as the mobile apps.

CactusVPN desktop apps do not have a quick connection feature. However, I love how CactusVPN allows me to filter servers by speed. CactusVPN lists server load percentages online, but I wish they were available in the app. CactusVPN is easy to use, and I love the Smart DNS tab. It’s located at the top right of the main window.

Although CactusVPN does not have many features listed under the Settingtab tab, I still think it would be helpful for CactusVPN to provide explanations of its features to allow users to quickly grasp each feature’s purpose. Private Internet Access, for example, provides a description of many functions when you hover your cursor on an icon next to it.

The Windows app offers multiple VPN protocols. There are WireGuard and OpenVPN options. L2TP/IPSec is also available. PPTP is not recommended as it can be insecure. I do not like the fact that the macOS app only supports the IKEv2/IPSec protocol.

Only the Windows app offers obfuscation built-in (available only with OpenVPN). CactusVPN offers a step-by–step guide to how to use Obfsproxy macOS. However, the process can be confusing for those not skilled in technology.

The kill switch is available in both the macOS and Windows apps. However, I dislike that the Windows app doesn’t offer the option to use it with WireGuard or OpenVPN.

Overall, the Windows app is better than the macOS one. Although the Windows app has better protocols and built-in obfuscation than the macOS app, both CactusVPN’s Windows and macOS apps can be used easily.

CactusVPN’s Apps: Is CactusVPN Easy to Use?

Yes. CactusVPN apps for Android, iOS and Windows are user-friendly and have a similar design. They also support Smart DNS.

Although the Windows app offers the most features (6 protocols and obfuscation), you cannot use the kill switch with WireGuard or OpenVPN. Although the Android app does not have a kill button, it has split-tunneling that allows you to filter servers according to speed and a tab to locate torrenting servers quickly. The iOS app also has an integrated kill switch that works with WireGuard as well as IKEv2/IPSec.

CactusVPN Customer Support

CactusVPN’s customer service is very good.

It contains detailed tutorials for setting-up your CactusVPN apps. There are also frequently asked questions (FAQs), Frequently Asked Question (FAQs), a Learning Center that consists of in-depth articles, live chat, as well support via email.

These tutorials show how to use CactusVPN’s apps, Smart DNS and VPN, as well as how to proxies. They’re simple to follow and provide useful screenshots. The FAQs include everything you need to know about your account, as well as troubleshooting questions. CactusVPN’s Learning Center provides in-depth articles and tutorials that will help users better understand VPNs, online security and internet privacy. I found these support sections to be extremely useful. I have rarely needed to contact customer service via email or live chat because I could find the answer I need from any of the guides.

CactusVPN offers live chat, however it is not available 24/7. However, there is an automated translator that allows you to communicate with support representatives in other languages. The live chat function was easy to use. I was connected in under 10 seconds each time I tried it. Support reps were friendly and professional and answered all my questions.

I have also sent CactusVPN several emails. I always received a reply in less than 2 hours, which is very good. It takes VPNs between 6-8 hours and even a whole day to respond to emails.

It was simple to request a refund via live chat. My request was quickly handled by the support representative, and my refund was processed in a matter of hours.

CactusVPN offers great customer service. Although it does not offer 24/7 live chat, CactusVPN offers many helpful guides and reliable and responsive email support.

Is CactusVPN one of the best VPNs in 2022 ?

CactusVPN offers excellent security and speeds. It also works with over 340+ streaming sites and allows unlimited simultaneous connections.

CactusVPN offers torrenting via dedicated P2P servers from 39 countries. It also has simple-to-use apps that work on iOS, Android, Windows and macOS.

CactusVPN’s speed tests showed that it had faster than average speeds on its local servers. This allowed me to browse, torrent, and watch YouTube videos. However, I was disappointed by CactusVPN’s performance in distant countries.

CactusVPN has industry-standard security features such as 256-bit AES encryption, 128-bit AES, a kill switch and secure protocols. It also features DNS leak protection, obfuscation and WebRTC leak prevention, perfect forward secrecy and strict no-logs policy.

CactusVPN does have some drawbacks. The Windows app does not have the kill switch for OpenVPN and WireGuard, while the Android app has the kill switch. CactusVPN’s opaqueness isn’t effective at bypassing internet firewalls. Split-tunneling can only be found on Android.

CactusVPN offers four flexible payment options and all plans come with a 30-day money back guarantee.

Does CactusVPN work in China?

CactusVPN is able to work in China. But not always. CactusVPN customer support representatives confirmed that CactusVPN’s encryption tool does not reliably bypass China’s Great Firewall.

ExpressVPN or PrivateVPN is recommended for those who live in countries that block internet access.

Can CactusVPN access Netflix?

CactusVPN utilizes Smart DNS to access streaming websites like Netflix. CactusVPN SmartDN is easy-to-use and delivers fast speeds. This allows you to view HD content without any buffering.

Is CactusVPN safe?

CactusVPN is extremely secure. CactusVPN protects your data using 256-bit AES encryption, which is used by banks and militaries, a kill switch (to prevent data loss), and secure protocols like WireGuard and OpenVPN. CactusVPN doesn’t keep logs and is based in Canada which doesn’t have any mandatory data retention laws. CactusVPN includes all the standard security features plus perfect forward secrecy, which changes your encryption key every time you start a new online session. It also offers obfuscation to hide your VPN traffic and your ISP from any third parties.

Is CactusVPN free?

CactusVPN has no free plans, but every payment plan comes with a 30-day money back guarantee. CactusVPN stated in its Terms of Service, that refunds will only be issued if the service is not working. However, CactusVPN immediately refunded me my subscription when I indicated that I was unhappy with the product.

CactusVPN provides a 1-month to 3-month, 1-year, 1-year and 2-year plans. However, the 2-year plan offers the greatest savings.

Source : #safetydetectives
Editor by : BEST Antivirus KBS Team