Le VPN

Le VPN greatly advocates internet freedom, participating in many anti-censorship initiatives. But that doesn’t necessarily make it one of the best VPNs. I thoroughly tested all its features to find out if it really lives up to its reputation.

Ultimately, Le VPN is a quality service but isn’t as good as the industry’s best. It has easy-to-use apps, strong security features, reliable customer support, and works well for torrenting and gaming.

However, it’s slow, and its logging policy is less than reassuring. Read on to find out why I think you should try one of our top-rated VPNs that stand out in all categories.

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Streaming — Decent but With Quality Trade-Offs

Le VPN is an okay option for streaming. Our global testing team and I could securely watch videos on different platforms, but we often faced buffering.

Streaming was noticeably smoother when I switched to WireGuard on my Android. Unfortunately, that protocol isn’t offered on desktop apps where most of our tests were performed with OpenVPN and the HybridDNS option toggled on. You can safely stream in full HD or 4K on more platforms with a VPN from this list.

While Le VPN can theoretically unblock platforms from different regions, this could cause a copyright violation. My teammates and I only connected to servers in our respective countries when testing for streaming.

Works With: Netflix, Max (HBO Max), Amazon Prime Video, Crunchyroll, BBC iPlayer, and ITV

Our international team members in the US, Canada, and the UK could safely watch their full Netflix libraries. They all reported high quality videos with minimal load times.

Although our UK tester did have one movie freeze up on them, they could watch after they refreshed their browser. Our teammate in France had Netflix detect their local VPN server, but once they refreshed they could watch Netflix Originals.

Our US correspondent could also easily watch several titles on Max in great quality with a secure Le VPN connection.

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Le VPN also supported secure streaming on BBC iPlayer. A colleague in the UK reported only a few instances of buffering when skipping around, but overall, the quality was great.

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Watching movies and shows on ITV, like Agent 203, was just as easy. However, frequent buffering marred the experience. Plus, the VPN didn’t allow my teammate in the UK to safely live-stream any programs.

Once again, our US correspondent successfully streamed Judy Justice on Amazon Prime Video with the same connection. Unfortunately, the video took a while to load.

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Peacock’s performance showed similarities to those seen in ITV and Amazon Prime Video. Videos took too long to load, and my US tester experienced intermittent buffering, even without skipping around. However, his quality on Crunchyroll wasn’t bad although not perfect.

Doesn’t Work With: Hulu and Disney+

Hulu successfully identified VPN use by our US-based tester.

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He was also unlucky with Disney+ in New York. The page simply loaded indefinitely during all of his tests.

Speed — Significantly Slowdowns

All the servers we tested caused a notable dip in our speed, something we don’t experience with top VPNs. All of our tests were done with the WireGuard protocol on Android because it was faster than OpenVPN. You can still speed-test WireGuard on Windows and Mac, but you’ll have to install a separate app.

Our speed expert in Indonesia tested servers across Le VPN’s network because it’s the only way to provide a comprehensive view of its performance. At least 10 tests were done on each server, and the subsequent average results are shown below.

While we conducted tests on global servers, we advise connecting only to local servers for streaming. As previously emphasized, we firmly oppose Le VPN’s use to breach the terms of service of any streaming platform.

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Even the local Indonesian server made our speed more than 70% slower. Such a drop can even make basic browsing a headache. For context, it’s normal to expect a 10-20% speed reduction on short-distance servers. Unfortunately, it was difficult to attribute these slowdowns to potential overcrowding since Le VPN doesn’t display server load and latency.

Interestingly, some far-off servers like France worked better than the local option. However, speeds also dropped on several long-distance locations, especially with the US and Costa Rica servers. These options decreased our tester’s speeds by 79.64% and 88.91%, respectively.

Something surprising was that some servers yielded results faster than our starting speed. This is quite an unusual observation in our experience and could suggest Le VPN helped avoid ISP throttling, although this anomaly was exclusive to the WireGuard protocol. If you want to avoid noticeable drops, even on distant servers, you can opt for one of the fastest VPNs we’ve tested from this list.

Gaming — Great Choice for Gaming on Nearby Servers

Le VPN worked well for all the online games I tested, including World of Tanks (WoT). Even though it didn’t fare well in our speed tests, I was pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable it made my gaming experience. I could easily control my tank, strategically position myself, and make well-planned ambushes, all while connected to the nearby South African server.

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However, on distant servers (with ping over 300ms), I noticed a delay between my keyboard inputs and the in-game responses. Hence, I recommend sticking to closer servers for competitive gaming. Low ping is vital in online gaming for quick data transfer, and maintaining a latency under 100ms is advisable for a smooth gaming experience.

Server Network — Limited Coverage but Offers Specialty Servers

Le VPN has 700 servers across 100 countries. I usually recommend looking for a VPN with more servers in each location. When there are fewer servers, overcrowding occurs, which can cause frustrating slowdowns.

Most servers are concentrated in Europe, but you can find servers in Africa, the Middle East, Oceania, Asia, and Central America. The interface lets you quickly filter and choose servers by country or region. Plus, the presence of city-level servers in some countries make it even easier to find one near you for the fastest speed. It took me only a few seconds to establish a connection to every server I tried.

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The VPN also offers Private DNS and RAM-based servers, both of which contribute to enhanced security. The latter minimizes the possibility of the VPN keeping records of your web history by deleting it with every reboot. I’ll elaborate on Private DNS in the security section.

Le VPN leases all its servers from carefully vetted vendors. I prefer VPNs that own all their servers to avoid privacy risks from middlemen. Unfortunately, Le VPN wasn’t transparent on whether its servers are virtual or physical in nature.

On top of that, it doesn’t offer dedicated IPs, which I used to avoid unfair blocklists and reduce the annoyance of constant CAPTCHAs, a typical problem with shared IPs. Plus, I found it inconvenient that switching to a new server required disconnecting first. Top VPNs allow seamless transitions without needing to terminate the current connection.

Overall, Le VPN doesn’t quite hit the mark in this area. You can get a better fit with an extensive network and a wider range of optimized servers on this list.

Security — Keeps Your Data Safe

Le VPN uses advanced encryption and protocols but is missing some features found in top VPNs. It doesn’t have split tunneling, a DNS Block List (ads, malware, and tracker blocker), and double VPN servers that encrypt your data twice for extra security. But overall, it’s still a secure choice.

Encryption

Le VPN uses AES 256-bit encryption. This is the same level used by banks, top VPNs, and cybersecurity firms for robust protection. It also utilizes Perfect Forward Secrecy, which frequently updates your encryption key. This means if an older key is compromised, your data stays secure with a newly generated one.

Security Protocols

Protocols offered include WireGuard, OpenVPN, L2TP, and PPTP, and the VPN switches to the best available option if your chosen one isn’t reachable.

OpenVPN is the industry standard, and it’s open-source, so it gets consistently updated. L2TP alone isn’t secure, which is why it’s usually paired with IPSec for encryption. WireGuard establishes connections faster because it uses fewer codes. It also uses ChaCha20, which provides a similar level of encryption to AES 256-bit.

WireGuard is currently available on Android and as a standalone app for Windows and Mac. Top VPNs integrate this protocol directly in its main app, so I hope Le VPN will soon do the same to streamline the user experience. You can also set up PPTP manually, but it’s an outdated protocol you probably shouldn’t worry about.

HybridVPN DNS

This one merges the encryption of the VPN with the ability to facilitate secure streaming. This is great as most DNS services lack VPN-level protection. However, as you saw in our streaming tests, we still found some incompatible platforms even while using it. You can activate the Hybrid by going to Options, then Protocols in the app.

DNS, IP, and WebRTC Leaks

None of the Le VPN servers I tested leaked my information.

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A DNS leak allows your ISP to see your internet activity. Additionally, if there was a cyberattack during an IP and WebRTC leak, your real IP address would be revealed. That means you would lose all the protection your VPN should provide, rendering it useless if security is your main concern.

Kill Switch

Turning on this feature guarantees continuous encryption while you’re online. Whenever I switched to a new server, it rapidly cut off my internet, stopping any potential data leaks. It isn’t automatically on, so make sure to enable it before using the VPN.

Unfortunately, it’s not labeled under that name, which can be confusing. In the General Settings, find and enable Block Internet connection while reconnecting for this function to work.

Private DNS Servers

These provide extra protection against DNS spoofing or phishing attacks, a common risk with public DNS servers. Le VPN ensures that all your requests go through its DNS servers each time you establish a connection. This feature is a key reason its servers passed my leak tests.

Privacy — Not as Strong as I’d Hoped

Le VPN holds onto sensitive data while you’re connected to its servers. I’m also a bit concerned about the location of its headquarters, and the lack of independent audits of its policies.

I appreciate that it supports initiatives that fight for digital freedom (it has even partnered with Telegram’s founder Pavel Durov in this endeavor), but it could do more to protect its customers’ privacy. For absolute peace of mind, check out this list to use a VPN with a proven no-logs policy.

Does Le VPN Keep Logs? Yes

Le VPN does collect identifiable logs. These include your IP address, timestamps of your connection, the amount of data transmitted, the IP of the VPN server you connect to, and the information you provide when creating an account.

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While the VPN asserts it doesn’t log the sites you visit, the stored data would be enough to trace your online movements if its infrastructure was seized. Overall, I’m not convinced by Le VPN’s no-logs policy.

Was Le VPN Audited? No

Neither its apps nor its privacy policy have ever been audited. The best services use independent third-party assessments to substantiate their claims. It’s my hope that the service will consider adopting this approach in the future.

Based in Hong Kong

Le VPN’s Hong Kong headquarters also presents a potential privacy concern. The country isn’t part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance (a group of countries sharing their citizens’ online data), so the VPN isn’t compelled to hand over user information. However, with China’s growing influence over the region, this could present a problem in the future.

Does Le VPN Work in China? Maybe

Although there are instances of successful usage in China and it has a local server in the country, there’s no guarantee that it’ll work for you while you’re there. I also appreciate that it features servers in countries with strict internet restrictions and surveillance, like Turkey, Lebanon, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.

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Although the Chinese government has banned many VPNs, there have been no publicly reported cases of them going after individual users. We don’t condone any illegal activities and advise you to read the country’s laws before deciding to use a VPN there. If you choose to proceed, I recommend you consider a reliable VPN that has been proven to work in China.

Torrenting — Good With Optimized Servers

Using Le VPN’s Czech Republic P2P servers, I downloaded a copyright-free 1.13 GB file in 15 minutes via µTorrent Web — only slightly off the 10-minute mark I achieved without a VPN. This is impressive, given the absence of dedicated torrenting servers in Africa (where I’m based). It took twice as long with a non-optimized server close to me in South Africa.

Le VPN’s strong security features also make it a good choice for P2P. However, while torrenting itself isn’t illegal in most regions, downloading copyrighted content is. My teammates and I strictly discourage any unlawful activities and recommend you only access torrents within the public domain.