NotVPN Review – Is It Safe in 2024

As you all know, using a VPN on mobile devices makes life very difficult. When it works, it causes problems with banking apps, food ordering apps or cab apps. And you have to constantly turn the connection on and off.

VPN services with split-tunnelling support help to avoid this concern. NotVPN is a mobile VPN application that allows you to redirect traffic to your favorite apps via VPN in one click.

FUM Company Ltd is a Russian company, and its NotVPN app was created to circumvent sanctions imposed on Russia and target Russian services, yet it is also quite popular among American and European users.

VPN Features

NotVPN has applications for mobile devices only. Accordingly, you can download and install NotVPN on Android and iOS devices. 

You don’t need to go through any registration to use NotVPN, but you will have to do some basic system setup. We installed the iPad app, and all we had to do was grant access to notifications and rights to use the VPN.

Figuring out how the app works will be easy too. Firstly, there are a few buttons to poke at. Secondly, at the first launch you will be offered a simple tutorial.

To activate the work of an application via VPN, you need to turn on the corresponding toggle switch in the Applications/Sites section.

On the main page of NotVPN hangs a list of the most problematic services for the average Russian user. But you can go to the full list of applications and use the search to activate VPN for the ones you need.

Unfortunately, the list is fixed, and you can’t add any other app. But you can send a proposal to the developers to add it to the list. It’s also worth noting that there are very specific items on the list. For example, to let only YouTube images through VPN.

If you want, you can turn on the Encrypt all traffic toggle switch, and then the VPN will be active for any connections.

And that’s the end of the configuration. To make everything work, you need to click the Start VPN button, and all traffic will go as usual, except for the selected applications.

Privacy and Logging

FUM Company Ltd claims that NotVPN does not keep a log of users’ online activities when using a VPN. This means that they do not store information that could link a user’s online activity to their identity. There are no records of what sites the user visited or what data was transmitted.

The company collects various information about users:

• Information provided by users: includes account information (name, email, password), billing and payment information, and identity verification information.
• Information collected when using services: includes service usage data, device information (device type, operating system, application versions), diagnostic information, and location information.

Data transfer to third parties:

• With your consent: for example, if you sign up for an account through a third party account (Google or Microsoft), information may be shared with those services.
• To affiliates and service providers: the company shares information with affiliates and trusted third parties to perform certain tasks, such as processing payments and providing analytics.
• Advertising and marketing activities: The company may use limited personal information for advertising campaigns, but does not use your VPN activity data for advertising purposes.

FUM Company Ltd does not retain logs of web activity that could identify the user and limits the transfer of data to third parties to strict limits, thus ensuring a high level of privacy and protection of its customers’ data.

Speed Tests – How Fast is VPN

As already mentioned, NotVPN has only a mobile version for both platforms – Android and iOS. We did our research and measured the traffic speed on free servers on the device

Mobile Test

Below are the results of Internet connection speed for a mobile device without using NotVPN. 

• Download speed: 91.6 Mbps
• Upload speed: 93.8 Mbps
• Ping: 13 ms
• Jitter: 8 ms
• Loss: 0.47%

These indicators characterize the high speed and stability of connection before VPN activation.

Now let’s move on to the results of internet connection speed with activated NotVPN, where the connection server is listed as Finland. Here is the speed data after activating the VPN:

• Upload speed: 71.0 Mbps
• Upload speed: 82.0 Mbps
• Ping: 14 ms
• Jitter: 18 ms

Activating the VPN resulted in a decrease in download speed and a slight increase in upload speed compared to the results without a VPN. Ping remained almost unchanged, but jitter increased, which may indicate greater variability in connection latency. Overall, the data shows that the VPN provides a fairly stable and high-speed connection, albeit with some changes in performance compared to the connection without the VPN.

About Safety – How Secure is NotVPN?

NotVPN offers solid security features, including traffic encryption and a strict policy of not logging user activity. These measures help ensure user privacy and anonymity. 

In the application settings, you can choose which DNS server to use and whether DNS traffic should be encrypted. Additionally, you can block local network connections.  NotVPN is a secure tool for bypassing blocking and protecting user activity on the network.

Mobile App

The user may select which applications to use with the VPN in the NotVPN mobile app’s UI. The app’s design is sleek and contemporary. A soothing blue color scheme complemented with white accents creates an elegant and visually appealing appearance.

A list of toggle switches is shown for the programs to enable VPN protection. Because of this, picking one option is a breeze. The app and social network icons stand out and are easy to recognize.

You may easily activate VPN for individual services using the toggle switches that are conveniently placed next to each program. From what I can tell, the app’s design and style prioritize usefulness while maintaining an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface that both newcomers and seasoned pros will love.

Performance

Users of all skill levels will appreciate the NotVPN app’s lightning-fast responsiveness and user-friendly design. Thanks to the straightforward interface and easy-to-see representation of settings, even newcomers will have no trouble navigating the essential features.

Other options for power users let them fine-tune the VPN connection and unlock extra features in the software. The ability to adjust encryption methods, optimize the connection for individual requirements and activities, and pick servers in detail are all part of these sophisticated features. For consumers concerned about both privacy and speed, this method offers the scalability and capability to make the most of their time spent online.

Work in Highly Restricted Countries

NotVPN, developed by the Russian company FUM Company Ltd, is a reliable solution for users in countries with high internet restrictions, such as Russia. The main purpose of this VPN service is to provide access to resources that may be blocked as a result of political or economic sanctions, such as banking, streaming and other web services. 

Server’s locations

In NotVPN settings, you can choose which VPN server you want to connect to. There are dozens of servers on the list. Some servers are available only after payment. 

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

The Base plan from NotVPN is perfect for casual web surfing since it has smart traffic control, quick DNS, connection speeds of up to 20 Mbps, the ability to choose a server country, and no ads.

If you need more bandwidth for things like high-definition streaming, online gaming, or big downloads, the Professional plan is a good choice; it costs $6.49 a month and has all the features of the basic plan plus speeds of up to 100 Mbps.

Fun fact: for users from Russia, the Professional plan is much cheaper. If you convert it into dollars, you get $2.25. We don’t know whether this is a mistake or a display of loyalty to its users. 

About Support

Users may send an email or use Telegram to get in touch with the NotVPN app support staff. Using these channels, you may ask questions or offer feedback on the service directly to the people who can help you out.

NotVPN Review: Final Statement 

With its user-friendly interface, robust privacy features, and VPN service, NotVPN is an excellent choice for those who need a VPN in a restricted environment.

Even though NotVPN has many great features, it does have certain limits. Users who may want VPN services across several devices may find its lack of a desktop version to be limiting. Moreover, some customers may notice a little decline in internet speed while using the VPN, even if the VPN maintains decent speeds.