TorGuard VPN Review: A Mixed Bag of Speed and Shortcomings
By Tom Spark, VPN Expert
Overall Score: 59.75/93.5 (C Tier)
Last tested: [Current Month Year]
Executive Summary:
After extensive testing of TorGuard VPN across multiple devices and use cases, I've awarded it a C-tier rating with a score of 59.75 out of 93.5. While TorGuard excels in raw performance and offers robust security fundamentals, significant GUI issues and feature gaps hold it back from reaching its full potential.
Comprehensive Overview:
TorGuard VPN is a veteran provider that's been operating since 2012. Despite its name suggesting Tor network integration, it's actually focused on torrenting ("tor" referring to torrents). The service operates 3000+ servers across 50+ countries, offering WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols alongside standard encryption options.
Speed & Performance (10/10):
This is where TorGuard truly shines. In my testing:
- WireGuard protocol:
- Download: 945 Mbps (on a 1Gbps connection)
- Upload: 890 Mbps
- Latency: 4-8ms increase from baseline
- OpenVPN:
- Download: 450-550 Mbps
- Upload: 400-480 Mbps
- Latency: 15-25ms increase
These results put TorGuard among the fastest VPNs I've tested, competing directly with industry leaders like NordVPN and ExpressVPN.
Privacy & Trust (13/16):
TorGuard maintains a strict no-logs policy and operates from the United States. While the US jurisdiction isn't ideal for privacy, the company has:
- Never had verified data breaches
- Successfully passed independent security audits
- Implemented perfect forward secrecy
- Offers anonymous payment options (cryptocurrency)
The privacy policy is straightforward and transparent, though I'd prefer to see regular third-party audits like those conducted for ExpressVPN.
Features (7.75/15):
Standard features include:
+ WireGuard protocol
+ Kill switch (application and system-level)
+ AES-256 encryption
+ DNS leak protection
Notable omissions:
- No split tunneling
- No multi-hop connections
- No dedicated IP addresses (without additional cost)
- Limited ad-blocking capabilities
GUI & User Experience (2.5/10):
This is TorGuard's greatest weakness. The interface feels dated and unintuitive:
- Cluttered settings menus
- Confusing protocol selection process
- Lack of modern design elements
- Poor mobile app experience
- No quick-connect feature
Compared to polished interfaces like ProtonVPN or ExpressVPN, TorGuard feels stuck in 2015.
Streaming Capabilities (7.5/15):
Mixed results in streaming tests:
- Netflix: Works with dedicated streaming IP (extra cost)
- BBC iPlayer: Inconsistent
- Disney+: Generally works
- Hulu: Requires streaming IP
- Amazon Prime: Variable success
The need for dedicated streaming IPs ($7.99/month extra) significantly impacts value for streaming-focused users.
Pricing & Value (6.5/10):
Standard pricing structure:
- Monthly: $9.99
- Quarterly: $19.99 ($6.66/month)
- Annual: $59.99 ($5/month)
- Streaming Bundle: +$7.99/month
While base prices are competitive, required add-ons for streaming make TorGuard less attractive compared to full-featured alternatives like Surfshark.
Technical Extras (0/2.75):
TorGuard lacks several advanced features:
- No custom DNS settings
- No port forwarding
- Limited protocol customization
- No Shadowsocks/proxy support
Ethics & Transparency (7.5/10):
The company maintains reasonable transparency:
+ Clear ownership structure
+ Regular warrant canary updates
+ Detailed technical documentation
- Limited third-party audits
- Some marketing claims need verification
Customer Support (5/5):
Surprisingly excellent support:
- 24/7 live chat
- Knowledgeable technical staff
- Comprehensive documentation
- Quick response times (average 2-3 minutes)
- Active community forums
Real-World Testing Results:
During my three-month testing period:
- Zero DNS leaks detected
- Perfect WebRTC protection
- Excellent torrent performance (45-50 MB/s)
- Reliable kill switch functionality
- Some connection drops on OpenVPN
- Occasional app crashes on Windows
Security Analysis:
TorGuard offers solid security fundamentals:
- AES-256-GCM encryption
- RSA-4096 handshake
- Multiple protocol options
- HMAC SHA-512 authentication
- Perfect forward secrecy
- Built-in DNS/IPv6 leak protection
Missing Features & Weaknesses:
1. No split tunneling
2. Dated user interface
3. Limited advanced features
4. Extra cost for streaming
5. No third-party security audits
6. Non-open source applications
7. Limited protocol customization
8. Basic ad-blocking
Who Should Use TorGuard?
Best suited for:
- Users prioritizing speed over user experience
- Technical users comfortable with complex interfaces
- Privacy-focused individuals
- Heavy torrent users
Not recommended for:
- Streaming-focused users
- VPN newcomers
- Those wanting modern features
- Users requiring split tunneling
Conclusion:
TorGuard is a paradox - blazing fast speeds and solid security fundamentals married to an outdated interface and missing modern features. While it excels in core VPN functionality, the service feels increasingly dated compared to modern competitors. The base price is attractive, but required add-ons for streaming can quickly escalate costs.
For users who prioritize raw performance and don't mind a clunky interface, TorGuard remains a viable option. However, most users would be better served by more well-rounded services like ProtonVPN or NordVPN, which offer similar performance with better features and user experience.
Alternative Recommendations:
- For better streaming: ExpressVPN
- For modern features: NordVPN
- For better value: Surfshark
- For better privacy: ProtonVPN
<p>I have been a user of TorGuard for 5 years, and I thought the product was great, however it’s gotten worse over the years. They still refuse to add features they promised, as well as going dark on consumers and affiliates.</p>
Pros
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No price increase upon subscribing
•
Good pricing with discounts
•
ios support
Cons
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Still no split tunneling after years of promising this feature
•
The PC application is incredibly buggy and slow on my end
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Lack of communication and updates
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Affiliates are no longer being paid by the service (?)
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CloudFlare verification screens get frozen while connected
It's a decent and cheap VPN that bundles 2 dedicated IP addresses with their streaming plan.
I primarily use it to watch Netflix and Amazon prime. It does a decent job unlocking geo-restricted content for me. I don't use it for torrenting but from what I've heard, they're good for that too.
What I dislike is the fact that the VPN has not been updated after 26th Feb 2024 . The application still works fine but it is not a good sign.
The main reason I'm giving it a high rating is the fact that they give a VPN subscription + 2 dedicated IP addresses for $100.99. A basic plan + 1 dedicated IP address for 2 years costs $179.52 with Nord VPN.
The desktop application's interface does not look great. It could use a touchup but it works.. so, it's not too bad.
Pros
•
Cost
•
Dedicated IP addresses
•
Customer care is decent
Cons
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Application has not been updated for at least a year.
•
Banning Tom Spark and other affiliates
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Not replying if you post asking about their affiliate program.
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Dedicated IP addresses can get marked as spammy if somebody else used another IP address in the same subnet to spam
•
Desktop application's interface does not look great
This VPN used to be one of the best VPNs out there. Then things changed: they started removing affiliates for no reason, took ages to release updates, and reintroduced old bugs that had previously been fixed. Don’t get me wrong — this VPN still performs, but it’s a shadow of what it used to be.
Features? It definitely has most of what users want. It boasts a kill switch, protocol selection (OpenVPN, WireGuard, etc.), split-tunneling (on Android), and app scripts — basically a way to automate actions like launching or closing apps, or even opening websites. It also offers DNS/IPv6/WebRTC leak protections, stealth proxy and obfuscation, dedicated IPs, and a fairly wide range of app availability/support. If you need a feature, it likely has it.
Device support is also solid — as hinted at above. The supported platforms are broad and include:
- Windows (7, 8, 10, 11)
- macOS (Intel-based and Apple Silicon)
- Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch, and more)
- Android
- iOS/iPadOS
- Chrome and Firefox extensions
- Routers (DD-WRT, Tomato, pfSense, OpenWRT, AsusWRT, GL.iNet, and MikroTik — manual configs only, last I used)
And it doesn’t stop there. There’s also TV support, including:
- Smart TVs (via VPN routers and Smart DNS)
- FireTV/Firestick
- Apple TV
- Roku
Plus gaming consoles (including the Nintendo Switch) — all usable through a VPN router or Smart DNS. You can even run it on virtual machines (like VMware or VirtualBox), Docker containers (Linux-based), and NAS devices like Synology, QNAP, using OpenVPN/WireGuard config.
Now... why does it have 2.5 out of 5 stars, and not 4 or even 5 stars, as this review may initially suggest? Well, as mentioned earlier, they’ve been removing VPN reviewers’ affiliate links for no reason, reintroducing old bugs, and taking forever to release updates. I think I aged from 25 to 60 just waiting for their GUI update — which wasn’t even that major in the end. These issues combined are what led to such a hit on their overall rating.
That said, if you want to look past these flaws, you absolutely can — and purchase this VPN based on the feedback above. Just know that it’s quite pricey if you’re not using affiliate links — and even those, which once were lifetime, now come with the caveat that they might be removed at any time, without warning or reason.
Pros
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Strong feature set
•
Wide array of device support
•
Dedicated IPs and Smart DNS options
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Strong performance and app automation support
•
VPN router and NAS compatibility
Cons
•
Poor update cycle and very slow development times
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Reintroduction of previously fixed bugs
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Affiliate removals without reason/explanation
•
Expensive without affiliate discounts
•
GUI update delays with underwhelming impact and a unreliable affiliate program that once used to be a lifetime program
For reasons that are complex and won't be expalined, I can only pay for VPN services with prepaid giftgards, like VISA, for example ergo, Torguard is the only VPN that allows that payment method, so I've had to stick with them, because the main reason I even have or want a VPN in the 1st place, is for torrenting and the occasional livestream that I'm on 0_0
Pros
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Not owned by any globalist parasite corporation
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Unlimited download size or content
•
Good info support on webpage
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Before I figured out how to research and fix many issues myself, their tech support staff worked with me for weeks before they gave up and I figured the issues out
•
Affordable for me
Cons
•
1st and foremost, I dispise the way they shitted all over Tom Spark and lesser known torguard affiliates! People can say what they want about China and Russia, but I happen to know for a fact that torguard would not have gotten away with that breach-of-contract, especially in China which gives 0 fucks about any corporation that exploits or super-exploits the working class like dat! That was some fucked-up shit yo!
•
The version of the TorGuard app I'm using is a stripped down, basic situation where the gear wheel icon is still there, only very limited in it's options and there are no proximity locations or any other feature that corresponds with that. I don't know exactly when they made that change, as I was going through a homelessness event for about 6 months, so I didn't have a care about TorGuard or anything that wasn't relevant to me during that period, but the change seems recent to me ^_^
•
For the past week or 2, the app seems to be on a timer, wherein, after about approx 8 hours or so, it just shuts down, and when that happens my internet disconnects. Following their website support page, I've changed the DNS to "Local 3" last nite, but no change as it happened to me today again. So, that already sucks the big one!
•
With torguard, I've NEVER been able to use SOCKS Proxy 5 or whatever, or split-tunneling no matter how many of your and other peoples' vidoes I've wacthed. My internet always gets shut off. Well, it's not really "my" internet so there's that.
•
Same 'ole interface that never sizes itself properly, it always looks cracked-out and I have to always grab the edges of the app and streach it out so I can see everything; that's what she said :D >__<
I understand this 4 out of 5 star rating will set off some alarms given TorGuard's negative perception here in the community, but I decided to make this review just to offer a bit of perspective and a little bit of a reminder that even poorly received services such as this may still have their use cases if the price is right. For TorGuard it's very specific and circumstantial and it also involves some tricks to get around some of my pain points with this VPN provider. I'll open up my review by highlighting its strengths that I think other VPNs cannot beat at the moment.
Value (5 out of 5)
TorGuard has by far the best value and I am making this claim because I actually want someone else to point me to a better deal. The catch is that my use case is extremely specific. I need a VPN that offers a dedicated IP address because I access some sites that require me to whitelist a VPN IP address and having this dedicated IP makes things far less complicated as I can stay connected to my VPN and not worry about accessing sites that might be a bit moody towards some shared IPs. I also noticed that dedicated IPs are generally more reliable and faster than the usual servers. I live in the Philippines and have a dedicated IP in California and barely notice any speed penalty on my 80mbps connection which is behind a CGNAT.
Going back to the value, I availed of the Streaming Bundle which is technically not a dedicated IP, but it very much functions as one. The Streaming Bundle is necessary if you want to use TorGuard for streaming Netflix in other countries. If streaming is your main use case, perhaps there are better valued VPNs out there, but if you really need that fixed IP address, the Streaming Bundle fits the bill perfectly, at least for me. Again, the overall VPN performance and reliability is just far better than the ordinary IP addresses.
So one might suggest that I use a different VPN service with a dedicated IP. But which one and how much does it cost? Because TorGuard's Streaming Bundle costs $61.98 for 6 months which sounds like a lot, but back in 2023, I availed of a Black Friday promo that dropped the price to just $24.79 which is a cool 60% off. The best part? The discount is recurring meaning I am still paying this price this year. That is just crazy, unbeatable value especially for a 6-month plan.
To me, going 6 months is the sweet spot because who knows what will happen to these services especially when it comes to TorGuard given their reportedly unprofessional treatment towards Tom and possibly other affiliates. Nobody knows if TorGuard will just suddenly shut down like WeVPN and having easy $24.79 payments every 6 months means a sudden crash won't hit as hard compared to risking a triple digit amount on a 36-month plan that may not see things through.
So to sum things up. Two fixed IPs of your choosing that you can use for streaming and have better reliability for just $24.79 every 6 months. If someone can point me to a service that offers a better deal even if it's 12 months, I'm all open ears. The downside is that you cannot torrent using these IPs, but not a problem for me since I subscribe to a seedbox. Secondly, I'm not sure if TorGuard still offers any 60% off recurring deals or if they will offer again this Black Friday.
Support (5 out of 5)
From November 2023 to early July 2025, I had no serious issues with my Streaming IPs. There were some occasions where I couldn't connect, but after a few minutes of downtime, I can connect. But a few days ago, my US Streaming IP just suddenly stopped working and the problem never fixed itself leading me to contact support. I filled up their contact form, shared my concern and set the Priority to High.
Surprisingly, support responded in just 2 hours and just offered me to replace the IP with another. They did not explain what happened to my IP but I'm glad they offered a change as I understand changing your fixed IP requires a one-time payment. Support even gave some extra details on these IPs like one was an "RCN IP" and another was a "Windstream IP".
When I replied via email, I didn't get a response after a few days. But when I used the Ticket URL and responded there, support also replied within the day and gave me my new IP address. That quick response was enough for me to score them 5 out of 5 for support.
Application (0 out of 5)
The TorGuard desktop and mobile applications are flat out bad. The interface feels sluggish and dated and haven't received any updates over the past year. Connecting to a VPN takes a bit of time and there's no split tunneling support on desktop. I find them so bad, I don't even use them, and that's why the application is not a dealbreaker for me.
Fortunately, TorGuard has a Config Generator tool that lets you generate a WireGuard configuration file for each of your fixed/Streaming IPs. I use this config file with a WireGuard client called WireSock Secure Connect which is far superior to the WireGuard app simply because it supports Split Tunneling. WireSock lets me blacklist or whitelist any executable files or allow or disallow IP blocks. I do not have to use the cumbersome WireGuard AllowedIPs Calculator to disallow IPs. Also connecting to a server works lightning fast and it even has an Windows ARM64 version. The downside is that there are no Mac, Linux, or Mobile versions. For my mobile devices. I just downloaded the OpenVPN file and load it on to my ASUS router.
I don't have much else to say on the other aspects simply because I don't mind. I still recommend taking other reviews into consideration. I didn't write this review to invalidate other reviews; I wrote it to offer a different perspective. But for my specific needs, TorGuard still has the best value and I wish other services would compete in this area. If that 60% recurring discount returns, I think the 6-month Streaming IP package is the sweet spot.
Pros
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Streaming IP bundle offers 2 fixed IPs that offer great performance even outside of streaming
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Generous recurring discounts (at least when it was offered in 2023)
•
Great customer support
Cons
•
If not discounted, other VPN options might be more appealing
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Dated app that hasn't received updates for more than a year (as of July 2025)