Streaming Cant Bypass Most Geoblocks
MozillaVPN performed terribly in my streaming tests.
I had a hard time trying to find a US server that worked. Both its Atlanta and Chicago locations struggled to connect. After waiting 10 minutes, I tried to change server location, only to find the VPN had completely frozen. In the end, I had to reboot my whole computer to get it to work again.
This entire process is way too complicated to watch your favorite shows.
Mozilla VPN Review: Whats It Like To Use
The Mozilla VPN Windows app has a clean design thats similar, though not identical, to the Mullvad app. The main window opens with a big on/off switch, while a panel below shows the currently selected server location. Click it and a list of servers flies in from the side.
We have to say, working with this list is a bit clunky. The search box at the top is slow to respond to typing, and the list of recent servers only remembers the past two connections, with no option to pin your favourite locations for regular quick access.
Its annoying, too, that you cant just pick a country, but must always drill down and choose a specific city to connect to. For countries that only have one server location which is most of them its a pointless extra step. And when there are multiple locations to choose from theres really no way to make an informed choice, since no indication is given of comparative load or ping time.
Mozilla VPN also offers a multi-hop option, which lets you define a double-VPN route between any pair of servers. However, since, again, no information is provided about latency or performance, theres no way to tell how fast a given route will be until you try it out. Theres something to be said for the ProtonVPN approach, whose curated multi-hop routes ensure your connection doesnt grind to a halt, and always passes through at least one privacy-friendly jurisdiction.
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Does Firefox VPN Work With Streaming Services: Us Netflix Hulu Disney+ Bbc Iplayer Et Al
Yes. From my early tests, I was able to watch US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and HBO Go via Firefox VPN.
However, its important to note that Firefox VPN is positioning itself in a slightly different way to mainstream VPNs whose users primarily, er, use their products to access geo-blocked streaming services. So whether Firefox VPN refreshes its IP addresses if/when theyre blacklisted by Netflix and BBC iPlayer is yet to be seen.
Ill cover this in more detail when I write my full Firefox VPN review. In the meantime, head over to my article on Netflix not working with VPN if you want to learn more about how streaming services block VPN, and how some VPNs can beat these bans.
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Is Mozilla VPN Expensive
For some users, pricing is the most important feature. If the price doesnt fit their budget, they might immediately dismiss it, even if the VPN offers the best features in the business. In fact, some prefer not to spend money on a VPN service, opting for a free one instead. We did warn you against using these providers, though.
Unlike other VPNs weve tested, Mozilla VPN only offers one subscription plan: $4.99 per month. This affordable plan comes with a 30-day refund policy, meaning you can reclaim the money you paid within the first month of your subscription.
Mozillavpn Review 2022 Keep This In Mind Before Buying
Mozilla is well-known for being the company behind the Firefox browser, which I usually use on my laptop because of its great security. Its VPN provides servers from Mullvad, who is also renowned for security practices. I was expecting a lot, but I decided to test it to see if it lived up to my expectations.
I tested its streaming and speed performance, and took a very close look at its privacy and security features. Overall, I was disappointed. As soon as I installed it, I had endless issues with my laptop, including frozen screens and failure to use my work messaging services. Even more, countless servers failed to connect and then froze completely, meaning I had to reboot my system every time I wanted to try it again. Plus, it failed my security test.
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What Are The Disadvantages Of Mozilla VPN
The main disadvantages of using Mozilla VPN are listed below.
Does Mozillavpn Work In China Yes In Theory
Provided you already have the VPN installed before you go to China, it should work in theory. This is stated on Mozillas FAQ pages.
You must have the VPN activated before you enter China or it wont work
However, I experienced IP and DNS leaks on its servers, so I cant recommend MozillaVPN if you need to safely access the internet in China. Instead, I recommend you try one of my tried-and-tested VPNs, all of which work perfectly well in China.
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Mozilla VPN Final Verdict
Mozilla VPN is somewhat of a new service that still has a lot to do to compete in the big leagues. It doesnt offer many features and is only available in six countries. Moreover, it has a limited server network, no apps for Mac or Linux devices, and lacks a built-in switch for Android users.
However, it is on the right track to becoming a decent VPN service, featuring a no-logs policy, military-grade encryption, P2P support, and stable speeds. The name Mozilla certainly helps, as well. Therefore, we recommend you wait until Mozilla VPN steadies its feet before you subscribe to it.
Do you think Mozilla VPN will become a leading VPN service? Let us know below.
Most Common Mozilla Firefox Issues
No browser is perfect, and Mozillas offering sometimes crashes at inconvenient times. Here are some common alerts that users will eventually come across.
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Mozilla VPN Logging Policy: What Information Does Mozilla VPN Keep
Nearly all VPN providers preach a no-logging policy. In practice, however, the reverse is often the case. For instance, most VPNs temporarily keep your user logs and/or usage logs for up to 24 hours .
Only a handful of trusted VPN clientslike ExpressVPN, VyprVPN, SurfSharkhave been independently audited and confirmed to be implementing a truly zero-log policy.
What about Mozilla VPN? In an answer to a FAQ, Mozilla wrote:
We dont log, track, or share any of your network activity. We adhere strictly to Mozillas Data Privacy Principles and we only collect the data required to keep the VPN operational and improve the product over time.
Mullvad also displays a no-logging policy. And since Mozilla VPN runs on the Mullvad network, it is safe to assume that Mozilla VPN is also no-log compliant.
Whereas Mozilla VPN is upfront about collecting your data, it is unclear how long it keeps non-network activity logs, such as connection logs and traffic logs.
Pricing Subscriptions And Payment Methods
Pricing is probably the first thing any new customer checks before opting for a VPN service. Almost every VPN provider we reviewed in the past has two or more subscription plans to choose from.
This expands the options for the user, depending on his/her budget or the amount of time they wish to have the service. For example, other providers offer monthly, yearly, and 2-year plans.
When it comes to Mozilla VPN, prices start at a low $4.99 for monthly billing, and they end there, too. In other words, Mozilla VPN has no other subscription plan at the moment.
Thats not a good thing actually, but it redeems itself with the low cost it offers. Its much cheaper than some providers out there. However, if we were to calculate this monthly subscription on a yearly basis, it surely does give a high price.
With other VPNs, a yearly plan will lower the cost per month, making it a better option to choose. As for payment methods, we werent that satisfied with what Mozilla VPN had to offer.
The only available payment method allowed by Mozilla VPN is through debit/credit card. New customers cannot pay using BitCoin or PayPal payment variants. We also have to state that Mozilla VPN is still new, so this might change with time.
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When Should I Use A VPN
Connecting to a public WiFi network is at times convenient, like when youre without internet service or cant get any bars on your phone. On the other hand, connecting to public WiFi can be a risky endeavor. Its impossible to be sure that someone else isnt connecting to the same network to snoop on what youre doing. Even if your traffic is encrypted they can still see which sites you are visiting. And if youre using an app that doesnt have encryption and even today, many dont then they can see everything you are doing.
When youre at home, the risk of bad actors showing up on your home network is lower. However, your internet service provider can track and share your online activities because all the data that you access on the web is routed through your ISPs network, some of which may not be encrypted. A VPN can prevent ISPs from spying on you by encrypting your traffic to your VPN provider no matter where you are.
The Verdict It Is Not Yet Ready To Become A Preferred VPN Provider
Unlike NordVPN or ExpressVPN, the Mozilla VPN has some serious shortcomings. You can feel that everywhere from the number of platforms supported, the number of servers available, etc. It is plagued by frequent disconnections, and it is not really a strict-no-logs-policy VPN even though it claims to have that policy in place.
In short, I will tell you that if you are planning on using a VPN to access streaming services, or if you want a VPN with many features like obfuscated servers, Tor over VPN support, etc., I will suggest you go for the established options.
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About The Mozilla VPN
Mozilla VPN is a newly-released VPN service. It is currently available in the US, the UK, Singapore, New Zealand, Canada, and Malaysia. It has teamed up with Mullvad VPN and uses its server network. It offers the WireGuard VPN protocol, which is more secure and faster than both OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec protocols.
I wrote in-depth reviews of some of the most popular VPN providers in the market that include names like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, SurfShark, and CyberGhost. However, this quick review of Mozilla VPN will not be similar.
It is far from being a top-rated VPN, and there are way too many shortcomings that Mozilla needs to address before it can qualify for an in-depth review or even a comparative study. However, do not think that I will leave it by simply scratching the surface.
For the purpose of this review, in particular, I will use a different approach.
Lets start.
Does Mozilla VPN Have A Refund Policy
Every new Mozilla VPN customer is entitled to a 30-day money-back guarantee. This refund policy dictates that first-time users can get a full refund if they claim it back before the end of the first month.
Unfortunately, the 30-day money-back guarantee is only available for first-time customers. This means if you have used Mozilla VPN before and sign up for a new subscription, you wont be entitled to the money-back guarantee.
Moreover, if you purchase a subscription to Mozilla VPN via the App Store or Google Play Store, then you will have to contact these stores to claim back a refund, as the Mozilla VPN refund policy does not apply.
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Can You Use Mozilla VPN In China
The Great Firewall of China makes it extremely difficult for users living in China to access international sites and freely browse the internet.
Some VPNs can easily bypass the internet restrictions that exist in China. However, Mozilla VPN is not one of these services. On its website, Mozilla VPN explicitly states that The Mozilla VPN will not work if your connection originates in the Peoples Republic of China.
Therefore, if youre living in or planning on visiting China, you wont be able to use Mozilla VPN.
How To Set Up A VPN Desktop Client With Firefox
Installing the VPN desktop client for your particular operating system is normally easy. The only time you are likely to run into problems is if you are using one of the many Linux distros as your operating system . In this case, youll want to go right to the VPN services website and follow the instructions they provide.
Note: You can also check out our guide on how to use a VPN for Linux.
To reduce the combinatorial explosion of possibilities here, were going to assume you are going to be using a VPN with Windows 10. Here are the steps:
Thats it. As long as the VPN is running, all message traffic between your computer and the internet will be protected. But there is one thing that the desktop client cant protect you against. Thats WebRTC leaks, which are introduced by web browsers and are outside the control of the VPN desktop client.
To deal with this troublemaker, youll need to fix your browser using our WebRTC leak guide, or simply rely on ExpressVPNs Mozilla Firefox extension.
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Mozilla VPN Vs Surfshark VPN Comparison
Finally, I want to compare Surfshark VPN vs Mozilla VPN, since Surfshark is quickly becoming a popular encryption option.
Surfshark is a relatively young company, having been launched in 2018, but that still makes it an older product than Mozilla VPN.
When you compare the mobile app for Surfshark vs Mozilla VPN, youll see that while theyre unique, they offer the same home screen.
Both apps focus on giving you the ability to choose your location and then, simply to connect.
Here are how the other features compare:
| Surfshark VPN |
|---|
| $4.99/mo |
*Pricing based on purchase of an annual plan
The two biggest differences between Surfshark and Mozilla VPN are the fact that they offer unlimited devices and they have pretty much the lowest prices on the market right now.
What Mozilla VPN has going for it is the integration of WireGuard, which Surfshark has not yet implemented .
Surfshark has a number of other features not present in the Mozilla VPN app, such as auto connect, trusted WiFi, an ad blocker and Multihop. More details on these features can be found in my full review of Surfshark VPN.
Multihop is basically a double VPN that sends your connection through two VPN servers instead of just one for added privacy.
But again and I feel like a broken record here Mozilla VPN wins in the trust category. Little is known about Surfshark and what kind of funding allowed them to burst onto an already crowded scene like they did.
What Are The Deals Available With Mozilla VPN
The 3 main subscription packages are detailed below.
1. 12 month plan: The annual package is the most popular package, offering 400+ servers in over 30 countries, WireGuard encryption, DNS privacy and a 30 day money-back guarantee. The annual package costs $59.88 for the year, which equates to $4.99 per month.
2. 6 Month plan: The 6 month plan has the same features as the annual plan, including a 30 day money-back guarantee. The cost of the 6 month plan is $47.94, which equates to $7.99 per month.
3. Monthly plan: The monthly package has the same features as the annual plan, including the 30 day money-back guarantee. This deal is expensive in comparison to the other subscription options though, costsing $9.99 per month.
Pro Tip:
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Get Mozilla VPN Service
Mozillas Data Privacy Principles assures that it wont log, track, or share any of your network activity other than the most minimal data required to keep the VPN running.
To provide the VPN service, Mozilla has partnered with Mullvad, which uses the WireGuard protocol to provide their service. WireGuard is a free and open-source communication protocol that implements a simple and fast VPN that uses state-of-the-art cryptography. Not to forget, the support has been added in Linux with Kernel version 5.6.
You can either start using Mozilla VPN now or join the waitlist depending on where you live. To know more about Mozilla VPN, click the link below.
Have you used Mozilla or any other similar VPN services before? What do you think about them? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
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