ITop Review – Is It Safe in 2024

Our platform, https://freevpnmentor.com/, is a dedicated resource for free VPN providers. Nowadays, virtual private networks have gained strong popularity because they can give access to content restricted to your geographical location and protect users’ confidential data from prying eyes.

The technical settlement of this remedy can appear to be hard stuff to master without a technical background. Consumers do not want to waste hours of time studying the VPN settlement instead of enjoying their lifetime or doing their primary business.

We describe the essentials of each free VPN in a clear and human-readable form, so you can spend fifteen minutes learning everything that is necessary to know about one or another provider. We hope our materials will help you find what you have come for.

Pros

• Easy Installation
• Good speed on Windows for the European server.

Cons

• The US server speed on Windows almost zero
• The US saerver on macOS can not initialize connection
• Privacy policy contains dubious provisions
• 700 Mb of daily bandwidth
• Does not work in  highly restricted countries

ITop VPN Features

The software from the current company is available for two desktop platforms: Windows and macOS. Also, the vendor has developed an app for the iOS platform, but it is paid. The security functionality immanent in each operating system implies divergent traits. The whole scope of peculiarities we are going to describe in the next sections.

Privacy and Logging

Online privacy today is an important point for consumers, seeing that the modern digital world hides threats. However, VPN providers can also collect users’ sensitive data for their own purposes. Each vendor should give its own privacy policy with determined provisions about their treatment of consumers’ private information. We explored the policy of the current provider and shared here the essential points that you need to know.

If you decide to create an account, the provider will collect your user name, email, and phone number. The username is non-sensitive information, and the email is a type of asset that we are used to sharing often during registrations or subscriptions. But the phone number is that type of information that directly leads to the user, and it has a high level of sensitivity.

The screenshot above described that the provider had just gathered some technical data. However, we do not know what iTop means under the ‘etc’ world at the end of the second sentence. Device information can also share its ID. With this information, there is a possibility of defining the user’s IP address. Hence, it is better to figure out the whole scope of the data that they collect.

It is common practice for VPN providers to partner with third-party analytical tools. These tools also have their own tracking technologies that, in most cases, conduct their activity on behalf of the VPN.

The main point that we should pay attention to is highlighted in the screenshot. The payment provider who processes iTop’s subscription payments requires a solid list of extremely sensitive private data. It appears to be a weird situation that you purchase a service in order to protect your privacy, but you are obligated to expose highly sensitive data for it.

The description on the screen shot above is written in that way, as if everything is fine and there is nothing to be worried about. Yet, anyway, we want to understand the exact scope of this data. Who can guarantee that there is no embedded personal confidential data for services provided?

The provider ensures that he takes robust actions to protect user data. However, he did not explain the exact tools, measures, and standards of how he does it, only general words. So it is an unclear description that does not inspire hard confidence in its reliability.

The second important point highlighted here is that users’s information cannot be 100% protected, even if the company provides a high-level safeguard shield.

Consumers can delete or amend any data related to them through the iTOP account. In case some information is recorded by a third party, you should contact them directly. Also, this VPN keeps their right to retain the users’ intelligence in the archive in accordance with their legitimate interests.

In theory the current service does not have an intention to deliver their services for people under thirteen years old. Nonetheless the practical implementation has not proved this approach because we have not seen even in-app notification of the age confirmation.

It is a common situation that the provision of this document can be edited. You can find information about the last update at the very top of the privacy page.

Speed Tests: How Fast is ITop VPN?

The connection speed is a very important index that determines the comfortability and efficiency of the workflow. VPN services are built in such a way that they always affect the internet service provider’s speed (ISP) because they take an intermediate place between you and the destination point. Hence, the path for data transmission is longer than without a VPN.

Various encrypted networks have their own architecture adjustments, so the influence on the initial ISP speed can vary from vendor to vendor. It is not a rule that the velocity will always downgrade its capacity; well-built services can even improve the velocity.

In this block, we will observe what iTOP speed possibilities offer you, and the main indicators that we pay attention to are:

• Download speed index shows how fast you device can receive traffic;
• Upload speed index shows how fast your device can send traffic into the network;
• Ping time response shows the latency of the server’s response. The current indicator has a special value for the live-time events like online meetings, online video or audio calls , and online gaming.

We usually conduct tests for two locations: the first is an American one and the second can be any server from the European region. When the free edition provides a limited number of servers, then we check just what we have.

PC Test

Windows

It is the speed result of the internet service provider without a connected VPN. The indexes are:

• Download speed is 85.91 mbps;
• Upload speed is 83.37 mbps;
• Ping time response is 2 ms;

The top image of the picture shows the US location results. The indexes are:

• The download speed is 2.34 mbps.
• The upload speed is 40.18 mbps.
• The ping time is 135 ms.

The download speed index deterioration is nearly 97%, the upload speed index downgrade is about 52%, and the ping time response increased from 2 ms to 135 ms.

The bottom image illustrates the connection speed of the English server. The indexes are:

• The download speed is 82.04 mbps.
• The upload speed is 87.0 mbps.
• The ping time is 46 ms.

The download speed loss is nearly 5%, the upload speed index increment is about 4%, and the ping time response increased from 2 ms to 46 ms.

The download capability of the US server is almost zero, and it is useless neither for cellular networks nor for ordinary home Wi-Fi. The upload speed also incurred a significant part of its power, but you can send content with the help of a fast internet provider. The ping time response is also too high for proceeding with real-time events.

The European region demonstrated almost ideal results: the download capacity deterioration is negligible for hindering smooth workflow, and the upload speed has better results than the initial one. The ping-time response is also suitable for real-time events.

MacOS

The indexes are:

• Download speed is 115 mbps;
• Upload speed is 174 mbps;
• Ping time response is 2 ms.

The top image of the picture shows the US location results. The American server suffered such an impressive loss that the speed checker even could not launch the speed tester.

The bottom image illustrates the connection speed of the French server. The indexes are:

• The download speed is 68.1 mbps;
• The upload speed is 65.4 mbps;
• The ping time is 61 ms.

The download speed downfall is 41%, the upload speed index loss is 62%, and the ping time response increased from 2 ms to 61 ms.

The French geo showed that it can work only on a very fast internet speed, if you try to use a mobile network most of all you will face palpable lags.

Browsers’ Extensions Test

This section is empty, seeing that the provider has not developed extensions for browsers.

Mobile Test

The provider has developed mobile software for the iOS platform, but it is paid. Our main task is to reveal the details of the free application. 

About Safety – How Secure is ITop VPN?

The security constituent consists of the primary technologies, like protocols with encryption types, and of the supplementary features that improve the user’s experience. The protocol and the encryption embedded in it create the kernel of the safeguard system. The secondary equipment generally does not depend on the encryption and protocols, but it offers some handy features that can also enhance privacy.

ITop offers three protocols for the free version:

• TCP
• Transmission Control Protocol ensures Because of its heavy structure, this technology means a slower connection. And the benefit of it is more reliable data transfer and protection. 
• UDP
• User Datagram Protocol enables the connection to be faster but less reliable from security and data delivery perspectives;
• HTTPS
• It is a simple HTTP protocol with an SSL or TLS certificate. This technology is very outdated, and it is hard to talk about it as robust security encryption because it is a common protocol that is used all over the internet.

All the protocols are considered to be outdated technologies. Nowadays, there are more secure and faster protocols like OpenVPN, WireGuard, Stealth, and IKEv2/IPsec.

It looks more like an antivirus’s settings than a VPN’s. These four items propose that you check your local device for malware and malicious digital entities. It is a handy set of options for examining your device. 

At this time iTOP offers to check browsers, recently used items, and device’s apps onto private data breaches. The idea is really good as a complementary addition. You can always check if you caught any suspicious files while surfing the web.

Microsoft’s VPN application contains three free safeguard options: 

• IPv6 Protection switcher can work up IPv6 addresses, but there can be plenty of scenarios for what exactly a provider does with this type of IP. Also, this feature is available only for internet providers that support IPv6 traffic;
• Kill Switch option cuts you off from the internet in case of a sudden VPN network disruption. Such an action prevents you from data leakage at the moment when the VPN connection is off and you are on the ISP network;
• DNS Protection feature obfuscated the domains visited by the user from outer eyes.

Windows’s app definitely possesses some valuable security features, but they do not add much value to the product without the core functionality.

Desktop Apps

The main screen of the current software is divided into two logical areas: the left sidebar with a menu and the main space on the right. The primary space includes the turn-on/off button, the location’s field, and the protocol selection that we discussed in the previous 

On the left side bar, the provider fixed the scope of servers set up for streaming platforms, social platforms, and gaming platforms. Also, on the same menu bar, there are two features related to security and privacy. The last ’IP checker’ option refers users to a page of their website, where you can receive information about the currently running IP address.

The visual design differs a little from the previous example, but the conception is the same. However, the main space does not contain the field with a protocol selection. Other things are pretty similar: in the major area, we have information about the connected server and the location’s field. There is not a connection button, you should choose a location, and the VPN will automatically be turned on.

The left sidebar also includes items where you can select a server adjusted for specific conditions and a field with secondary privacy options.

Mobile Apps

The provider has developed an application for iOS, but it is paid, and we are not going to discuss it in terms of a free VPN review platform.

Browser Extensions

This section is empty, seeing that the provider has not developed extensions for browsers.

Performance

Windows’s speed test showed very divergent results for the American and European regions. The US server can only be useful for uploading purposes with the help of a speedy ISP. The download capabilities of it are almost zero, and besides, it cannnot proceed with live-time events.

The English server on Windows’s application performed very well for either speed index or ping time.

On macOS, the US server could not even initialise a connection, and the European region showed very average results that are suitable only for a speedy internet service provider. The server has enough capacity to handle real-time events.

The application that was developed for macOS encompasses more comprehensive security functionality than Windows’ one. The VPN programme designed for the Microsoft platform does not have the option to select the protocol. However, to be honest, the protocols on macOS are deprecated and do not provide the best defence.

The volume of the accessible daily bandwidth is too small for utilising it for almost any purpose.

Work in Highly Restricted Countries

There is no information from the provider about this query on their official website or inside any app.

Server’s locations

MacOS’s application offers 14 servers in 5 countries for free and eight servers adjusted for specific platforms.

Windows’s application gives access to five servers in five countries and to eight specifically dedicated servers.

What Bonuses Does the Paid thVersion Offer, and How Much Does It Cost?

If you decided to purchase a subscription, you would obtain a lot of perks. ITop will supply premium plan users with a rich number of servers, ten times faster connection speeds, and other peculiarities that you can observe in the screenshot above.

There is no monthly subscription; the shortest period that you can try is an annual plan that costs a total of $47.99. The two-year plan price is $59.99, and it appears cheaper compared to the annual plan if you divide the sum in months.

About Support

The official website has a dedicated support page with a specific form where you can leave your message and an email address. Within the period of one or two days they promise to give a response.

ITop VPN Review: Final verdict

The current virtual private network has interesting traits, but they do not overlap existing drawbacks in speed, bandwidth limitation, deprecated primary security technologies on macOS, and an absence of protocols on Windows. In addition, their privacy policy contains dubious points that do not inspire confidence. After consuming all the facts, we cannot suggest the current free edition as a reliable helper.