Quick answer: Buffered VPN no longer exists as a separate service. In November 2019 it was merged into Encrypt.me, a VPN owned by J2 Global (now Ziff Davis), and Buffered customers were moved to Encrypt.me’s apps. Encrypt.me itself has since been folded into StrongVPN, another Ziff Davis brand, and in October 2026 buffered.com did not respond at all. Do not try to buy Buffered VPN. If you need a VPN today, choose an active provider with a published privacy policy and, ideally, an independent no-logs audit.
We first published this page as a review of Buffered VPN. We have kept it so that readers searching for the service learn what happened to it, and the original description is preserved below as history. We have not tested Buffered VPN, and nothing below should be read as a recommendation to use it.
What happened to Buffered VPN?
- Before 2019: Buffered was a small VPN provider. The original version of this article described it as based in Hungary.
- November 2019: Encrypt.me announced that it was merging with Buffered VPN. TechRadar reported on 27 November 2019 that Encrypt.me would “assimilate” the Buffered brand, and that Buffered customers would move to Encrypt.me’s apps and services without a price increase until the end of their subscription. At the time, Encrypt.me was owned by NetProtect, part of J2 Global, which also owned IPVanish, StrongVPN and SaferVPN.
- 2021: J2 Global’s digital media business, including its VPN brands, became Ziff Davis.
- Later: Encrypt.me’s website now says that “Encrypt.me is becoming StrongVPN”. Existing customers can still log in to manage their accounts, and new customers are sent to StrongVPN. The site’s footer names Cloak Holdings, LLC, “a Ziff Davis company”.
- October 2026: when we checked, buffered.com did not respond to connections.
If you were a Buffered or Encrypt.me customer
- Check your payments. Look at your card, net banking or PayPal statements for any recurring charge from Buffered, Encrypt.me or StrongVPN, and make sure you still want it.
- Manage the account where it now lives. Encrypt.me’s website still offers a login for existing customers. Cancel or change your plan there, or with your payment provider if you cannot.
- Remove old apps and settings. Uninstall any old Buffered app and delete manual VPN profiles or router settings that point to Buffered’s servers.
- Change reused passwords. If you used your Buffered password on other sites, change it there.
How to choose a replacement VPN
Look for:
- A named company and jurisdiction on the website and in the privacy policy.
- An independent no-logs audit by a recognised firm, repeated over time.
- A clear refund window and a payment method that lets you dispute charges.
- Current apps for all the devices you use, updated recently.
If you want to stay with the company that took over Buffered’s customers, see our StrongVPN review and our review of its sister brand IPVanish. Other services we checked in October 2026 include Proton VPN and Mullvad. For a wider comparison, see our list of VPN software for Windows.
What Buffered VPN offered (as described in 2020)
This is what our original review reported, kept as a record of the service before it was merged:
- Company: described as a small Hungary-based provider. The original article said Hungary had no mandatory data-retention laws for it; we have not re-checked that legal claim.
- Network: a small network, given as 37 servers in 41 locations, covering North America, Europe, Australia, parts of Asia and Latin America. P2P was allowed.
- Protocol: OpenVPN only; Buffered had dropped the older L2TP and PPTP protocols.
- Logging: Buffered said it did not log online activity, but it kept connection and performance data for 30 days, including connection times and duration, how often you used the service and how much data you transferred. The original article’s summary was “partial logging”.
- Apps: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux and Tomato routers, with up to 5 devices. The mobile apps lacked an automatic kill switch.
- Price and payment: about $4.12 a month on a long plan, with a 30-day money-back guarantee and no free trial. TechRadar put its annual plan at $79.99 in 2019. Payment was by card, PayPal or Bitcoin.
- Support: email and live chat, plus guides on its website.
- Weak points noted in 2020: few details in the privacy policy, a small network, weaker desktop apps and no browser extensions. The original article said it could not unblock US Netflix.
An earlier version of this page called Buffered “the best option” for a tight budget and said it “unblocks Netflix easily” in its pros list while saying it could not unblock US Netflix elsewhere. We have removed those contradictory and unsourced claims.
Frequently asked questions
Is Buffered VPN still available?
No. It merged into Encrypt.me in 2019, and Encrypt.me is now being folded into StrongVPN. In October 2026, buffered.com did not respond.
Who owns what was Buffered VPN?
Ziff Davis, through the Encrypt.me and StrongVPN brands. Ziff Davis also owns IPVanish.
What happened to Buffered customers?
According to TechRadar’s November 2019 report, they were moved to Encrypt.me’s apps and could keep their plans until the end of their subscription period.
Was Buffered VPN a no-logs VPN?
Not fully. It said it did not log activity, but it kept connection and usage data, such as connection times and data transferred, for 30 days.
Updated in October 2026 using TechRadar’s November 2019 report on the Buffered and Encrypt.me merger, Encrypt.me’s current website and a direct check of buffered.com. VPN legality and rules vary by country; this page is not legal advice.
