Browsec VPN is a free VPN browser add-on with over 3 million users using their Free Chrome extension. This is not a real VPN application which will encrypt completely your bandwidth (e.g. Bittorrent, games, FTP client).
But comes really handy if you need just hide your IP in order to unblock geo-restricted websites. Installation is fairly easy since it's just a Chrome Extension, plus the registration is not required.
Browsec Free VPN Logo
On the other hand, using free service like a Browse VPN has its cost. Your browsing data could be sold to outsiders. Another alarming thing is that there is not much to be found about Browsec LLC, besides the fact that they are most probably based in Russia.
Browsec VPN Chrome Extension
Pricing & Discounts – How much does Browsec VPN Premium Account cost?
Browsec uses so-called freemium model, which means that the service is mainly for free but some of its functions are limited. In order to get full access, Browsec offers a premium 1-year subscription for $39.99.
Browsec VPN Pricing – Premium Account
User Interface – Is Browsec VPN easy to use?
Definitely! Starting with almost 1-click installation (if you are Chrome user) and intuitive interface you are ready to start hiding your locations in less then 1 minute. In order to sing up, you don't have to register or fill in any information whatsoever.
Beside ON/OFF secure connection switcher there is not much else in the app's user interface. You can sign in your account (optional), turn on some of Smart Setting or Contact the company via email.
Browsec VPN Location List
Smart Settings allow you to have more control over Browsec, using the following features below.
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- Enable Browsec for selected websites only
- Do not use Browse for selected websites, even when it is enabled for all other websites
- Select different virtual locations for different websites
Server Locations & Countries – Where you can connect?
The free plan offers access to only 4 locations:
- Netherlands
- Singapore
- United Kingdom
- United States
Another restriction is the bandwidth speed, which is limited to 1 Mbps (at least there is no data cap). In case you decide to go for premium paid version, you will have access to following locations with bandwidth caps.
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, United States West
Does Browsec VPN Support YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, HBO GO, Amazon Prime, & BBC iPlayer?
During our testing, Browsec VPN worked well with YouTube, Google, and Facebook. Unfortunately, we have not been able to connect to Netflix and Hulu even though it's advertised on Websec website.
Browsec VPN Shield Doesn’t Work with BBC iPlayer
The same problem we had with BBC iPlayer but that wasn't a big surprise since BBC iPlayer blocks nearly all VPN services.
1 Comment
Peter,
Nice review, re: iPlayer, Hulu, Netflix, multiple geo unlock features (untested) and simple interface. So not very competitive for $5/month.
But how about smartDNS services for geo unlocking, without the VPN speed kill issues?
Are there any DIY tutorials for setting up smartDNS in a VPS? Is it true that smartDNS servers don’t handle data traffic thus saving egress data bills?