When was the last time you found a VPN service provider that gave you your money’s worth? Say hello to IronSocket! I’ve reviewed dozens of VPN service providers and put them through the wringer, and it was a relief to finally review a VPN service provider like IronSocket.
IronSocket has been working since 2005 and has slowly developed to reach a point where it is now one of the most reliable and well-managed VPN services online. The user-friendly VPN service is very simplistic and does not waste the users’ time and resources with unnecessary details.
Pricing Plans
The pricing is pretty simple. There is only one package and the package contains the full set of features and functions that IronSocket has to offer. There is no discrimination based on how much users are able to pay.
The package is available in three sizes (pricing plans) that are fully loaded. The three pricing plans are of 1 month, 6 month and 12 month denominations.
1 month for $6.99 per month
6 months for $35.95, coming to $5.99 per month (14% off)
12 months for $49.95, coming to $4.16 per month (40% off)
All three plans come powered with IronSocket’s encryption services and the ability to unblock Geo-Restricted content. IronSocket’s compatibility allows users to use all plans on Public WiFi HotSpots and is P2P enabled.
The best part is that IronSocket’s VPN service pricing plans package IronSocket’s VPN service with the DNS Proxy service. This gives increased power to IronSocket users.
Servers
IronSocket has 53 servers in 37 countries around the world. These include server spreads in the US, UK, Australia and Canada amongst other countries.
This means that unblocking websites will never be a problem for internet users using IronSocket. The IP addresses for these servers are available on the IronSocket website for easy access and can be accessed with a moment’s notice.
Servers in the US are located in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San José and Seattle – which is quite a nice spread. Servers in the UK are located in Gosport, London and Rugby – which is also an adequate spread.
Protocols and Encryption
If you are veteran VPN user, you know that encryption is usually standard across the board. VPN services are not differentiated by the encryption levels they provide (mainly because encryption levels are the same across protocols). Instead, they are differentiated by their reliability and consistency of service.
Some VPN services are adventurous and try to create their own encryption techniques. However, this method is very unreliable since it is much more sensible to trust tried and tested encryption methods that have a proven impenetrable record rather than to experiment.
IronSocket plays it safe and provides the standard encryption levels on all three protocols – as do all leading VPN service providers.
PPTP
IronSocket’s PPTP protocol utilizes Microsoft’s Point-to-Point encryption to provide its users with standard PPTP encryption security. Microsoft’s Point-to-Point encryption delivers 128-bit encryption.
L2TP
The L2TP protocol offered by IronSocket is secured with the standardized IPSec protocol. IronSocket uses the AES algorithm with 256 bit keys for confidentiality.
OpenVPN
OpenVPN is IronSocket’s encourage protocol and uses the OpenSSL library to provide encryption. Additional support is given to Blowfish along with 128 bit keys as well as AES algorithm with 256 bit keys on selected servers.
P2P / File Sharing
20 of IronSocket’s 53 servers support P2P – which is a great deal if you consider the fact that supporting P2P is not every VPN provider’s cup of tea. Supporting P2P requires some heavy duty server strength and network architecture. 20 P2P enabled servers is a significant credit to IronSocket’s portfolio.
Money Back Guarantee / Refunds
All IronSocket plans come covered with a 7 day money back guarantee so that first-time VPN users can try it out. I always encourage my followers to take advantage of money back guarantees in order to find the VPN service that they are most comfortable with.
I say that because some internet users look for VPN services that are loaded with functions and features, while others want a 1-click system that does everything for them. Using the money back guarantee can help you take the service for a test drive before you commit for the long haul.
IronSocket users can get a refund if they pay using Credit Card and/or PayPal since these are secure payment methods that can’t be exploited to lead somebody else to demand a refund on the users’ account.
Free Trial
IronSocket does not offer a free trial. However, there is a 7 day money back guarantee that is always available to give VPN users the margin to see if they are comfortable with IronSocket’s service and feature set.
Compatibility & Tutorials for Compatible Devices/OS
IronSocket is the king when it comes to compatibility. I loved the IronSocket ‘Setup’ page. Everything is so simple and clearly laid out. Simply select the device you want to run IronSocket on and follow the simple setup process to get rolling. I give IronSocket full points for 360 degree compatibility.
One particular thing I feel merits highlighting is that IronSocket does not offer custom software yet. This is not a drawback! This is the best way you can use a VPN. The setup instructions provided by IronSocket will allow you to configure IronSocket on your device/OS.
You will not have to download a third party application in order to use IronSocket. Just follow the detailed tutorials and let your device/OS’s built in VPN compatibility work in sync with IronSocket’s neat network architecture.
Personal Computers
IronSocket can be setup on Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP as well as on Max OSX.
Gaming Devices
IronSocket is one of the most gaming friendly VPN services. Unlike other VPN services, IronSocket gets the job done by allowing gamers to use the DNS Proxy feature to bypass internet restrictions.
IronSocket can be setup on Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Play Station 4 and PS Vita as well as on Wii, and Wii U.
IronSocket can be setup on these devices by configuring the internal settings that are present in the gaming devices. Fortunately, all modern gaming devices are equipped with VPN compatibility because gaming console developers know that gamers want more from their devices.
TV Devices
IronSocket works on a variety of TV devices. It covers almost all the popular TV devices that are used around the world. This includes the Samsung Smart TV, Apple TV, Amazon FireTV, Roku and Boxee amongst others.
Smart Devices
IronSocket can be configured on Smart phones/devices within mere minutes. This is because nearly every smart phone/device in the market these days has special VPN settings that are easy to tweak.
The smart phones/devices upon which IronSocket can be configured include iPhone, iPad, iPad and Android devices.
Routers
IronSocket has the most expansive Router support. While most VPN service providers only provide compatibility for the popular routers in the market, IronSocket can be setup on a variety of router devices that include Airport Extreme, Linksys, D-Link, NetGear, Belkin, DD-WRT, Tomato, TP-Link, and many more.
Support
IronSocket is the people’s VPN service. It is designed to ensure that the internet user is always at comfort and never alone. The IronSocket ‘Support’ page shows how wonderfully well organized IronSocket’s support system is.
FAQ Section
FAQ section is one of the first places you should visit if you have any questions about the service or if you want to know more about it before you sign up. The neatly organized FAQ section has answers to all questions that new and returning VPN users might have about the service and its features.
The FAQ section is divided into general, privacy related, technical and payment related questions for accessibility and convenience.
Support Ticket
This is a privileged service for IronSocket customers. Queries raised by IronSocket customers get priority over regular queries when the customers open out Support Tickets. Support Tickets are dealt with by the best of Iron Socket’s staff.
I noticed that Support Tickets are resolved very fast – which means that you can expect to receive a response within minutes of opening out a Support Ticket.
Email
The Support page contains a three-field form that anybody can fill out to contact IronSocket for any queries whatsoever. I tried it out and I was very pleased with the speed of the response and the completeness of the answer.
IronSocket is not like the Walmart of VPN services, which means that it isn’t bogged down with customers all the time. It is more of a friendly neighborhood curb-side store that has all the necessities and is always open.
Log and Privacy Policy
IronSocket’s privacy policy has to be the most transparent policy I have ever had the honor of going through during my tenure as a VPN reviewer and internet security blogger. The privacy policy clearly marks out IronSocket’s data collection processes and approach to data confidentiality.
In addition, IronSocket is also very upfront about the specific circumstances during which IronSocket will share the users’ information with a third party. There are no hidden clauses and fine prints tucked away in small fonts. The user is clearly a very real priority for IronSocket.
Payment Options
IronSocket seems to have put a lot of hard work in to making sure that customers always feel comfortable where payment methods are concerned. Just about every payment method ever invented is accepted!
Accepted payment methods include PayPal, Master Card, Visa, American Express, Discover, BitCoin and Gift Cards. I love the fact that IronSocket accepts gift cards. I believe that Gift Cards are the most secure way of paying for online transactions because they break the digital chain of bread crumbs and leave no evidence that can be used to trace back to the user.
Author’s Recommendations
The way I see it, IronSocket has no loopholes, and no nonsense! Just good old encryption and tunneling for internet users who want to unblock websites and protect their internet data while staying anonymous online. The prices are reasonable, the features are industry standard, the terms are clear, and the service is reliable – what more can you ask for?