VPN.ac delivers in-house security tools and Monero payments on bare-metal servers. This 2026 review examines its logging policy, protocols, pricing tiers and real-world privacy trade-offs.
VPN.ac is operated by Netsec Interactive Solutions, an IT security company established in Romania in 2009. The VPN service was developed in-house and launched at the end of 2012.
The operator brings a strong infosec focus, with experience in penetration testing, security audits, and encryption work that includes supplying FIPS 140-2 Level 3 compliant devices. Its core team has more than 20 years in the field. The company holds ISO/IEC 27001:2005 and ISO 9001:2008 certifications.
It runs dedicated bare-metal servers, primarily E3/E5 Xeons with hardware AES acceleration, in 21 countries for the VPN service. Most servers use 1 Gbps channels. The provider states it does not oversell capacity, which it says typically exceeds user needs by at least 10x. Only shared IPs are offered, and external SMTP on port 25/TCP is blocked.
VPN.ac states that it performs no activity logging or monitoring of websites visited, DNS queries, or traffic content. The only data retained consists of temporary connection logs that exist solely while a session remains active. These logs record the user’s real IP address, session start and end times, and total traffic volume.
Once the connection ends, the records are removed shortly afterward. No persistent activity data is kept beyond this brief window, which limits the accumulation of long-term metadata.
For Monero users, the policy reduces the amount of connection metadata that could potentially be linked to XMR payments or usage patterns. Because temporary logs contain only session-level details and are deleted after disconnection, the service avoids storing the kind of historical records that could be subpoenaed or correlated over extended periods.
The provider does not reference independent third-party audits of its logging practices. Users seeking minimal metadata exposure should test session behavior directly and confirm current deletion timing, as implementation details may change without prior notice.
VPN.ac offers OpenVPN, IPsec using IKEv2 or L2TP, WireGuard, and a browser addon that provides pure TLS connections. Double-hop routing sends traffic through two separate servers in sequence.
Self-hosted encrypted DNS uses private resolvers positioned outside the US and UK, with query noise generation added to each request. The kill switch blocks all traffic if the VPN tunnel drops, and it activates automatically in the client software.
Official apps exist for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. Paid subscribers receive up to twelve simultaneous connections: six allocated to OpenVPN or IPsec and six reserved for WireGuard. The limited one-week trial restricts users to three connections total.
Connections run on dedicated bare-metal servers equipped with hardware AES acceleration. The service supplies only shared IP addresses and blocks outbound SMTP on TCP port 25.
VPN.ac lists four subscription options with fixed USD pricing as of the October 2026 site data. The shortest plan costs $9 for one month. A three-month term is priced at $24, which works out to $8 per month. The one-year plan runs $58, or $4.83 monthly on average, while the two-year option is $90 total, equating to $3.75 per month.
| Plan Duration | Total Price (USD) | Monthly Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | $9 | $9 |
| 3 months | $24 | $8 |
| 1 year | $58 | $4.83 |
| 2 years | $90 | $3.75 |
A one-week trial is available for $2. It is restricted to three simultaneous connections, compared with the twelve allowed on paid plans (six OpenVPN or IPsec plus six WireGuard). A seven-day full refund window applies to all new paid subscriptions.
Stripe card processing, which also supports Apple Pay, Google Pay and select local methods, was added on 27 October 2025. The service continues to accept Monero along with other cryptocurrencies for account payments.
VPN.ac routes all traffic through shared IPs across its 21-country server network and blocks external SMTP on port 25/TCP. These choices affect Monero workflows in specific ways.
Running a Monero node over the VPN prevents peers from seeing your home IP. Connect the node only after the kill switch is active and DNS queries route through the service’s self-hosted encrypted resolvers. Clearnet node connections without the VPN expose your real address immediately.
Shared IPs reduce linkability across sessions but also mean multiple users exit from the same address. Services that throttle or flag shared residential or datacenter ranges may still flag the connection. No dedicated IP option exists.
KYC on-ramps create the strongest persistent link. Purchasing XMR on an exchange that records your identity ties the coins to you before any VPN session begins. Once coins reach a non-KYC wallet, subsequent on-chain activity remains hidden from the VPN provider because no activity, DNS, or content logs are kept.
The temporary session logs that exist only while connected record real IP and data volume. These records disappear after disconnection, yet they still represent a window an adversary could subpoena. SMTP blocks prevent direct email from the VPN IP, forcing users to rely on webmail or external relays for any transaction notifications.
Realistic limits remain: the VPN masks your IP during active use but cannot erase prior KYC records, metadata visible on the Monero network itself, or leaks from misconfigured wallets and browsers.
Paid plans support up to 12 total connections: six via OpenVPN or IPsec and six via WireGuard. The one-week trial limits users to three connections.
Most servers run on 1 Gbps channels. The operator states it avoids overselling and maintains capacity that exceeds typical user demand by at least ten times.
Official sources provide no specific success rates or benchmarks for Netflix, BBC iPlayer or similar platforms, so results depend on current server load and service countermeasures.
No third-party audit reports appear on the provider’s site or announcements as of October 2026.
Users select XMR at checkout and receive an invoice; payment is processed directly without third-party gateways, matching the site’s listed cryptocurrency options.
A one-week trial is available for $2, after which full plans start at one month or longer with a seven-day refund window on paid subscriptions.
