PD-Proxy FAQ

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is technology that secures and privatises data across a network, usually the Internet, by building what techies call an “encrypted tunnel”. Data passes through this tunnel protected from anyone who tries to intercept it — even if it is captured, it is scrambled and useless without the key.

You already use similar encryption when you bank or shop online and see https:// in the browser, but that protection is limited to one website. With PD-Proxy you start the encrypted tunnel from your side, so every app — browser, messaging, VoIP, e-mail, games — is protected whether a site uses https or not.

A firewall protects your computer and anti-virus protects you from malware. Neither protects your data as it travels over your local network, a Wi-Fi hotspot or through your ISP. Without a VPN that traffic can be monitored, logged or manipulated. Read why you should use a VPN for the full answer.

Glad you asked. We have run our own load-balanced network since 2009, keep prices low, never log your activity and answer every support ticket within 24 hours. See Why choose PD-Proxy.

When you press Connect, PD-Proxy builds an encrypted tunnel from your device to one of our secure gateways. All data between you and PD-Proxy is encrypted — your ISP or the hotspot owner cannot read it.

Your public IP becomes that of the server you are connected to. At the gateway we decrypt the traffic (so the destination can understand it), send it on, and encrypt the replies back to you. It takes milliseconds — you shouldn't even notice it's happening. See the VPN diagram.

A VPN encrypts all traffic from your device, while a proxy usually only relays traffic of the application configured to use it and often without encryption. Free anonymous proxies can be run by anyone — you never know who is reading your passwords. A commercial proxy from a reputable company can still be useful for specific tasks; see our Premium Proxies and the article VPN vs Proxy vs Tor.

No. PD-Proxy is a secure and private gateway to the Internet, not a remote-desktop or LAN-linking service. For team access and dedicated IPs look at Business VPN.

Always on public Wi-Fi (cafés, hotels, airports), when travelling, on networks that block VoIP or censor content, and any time you want more privacy from your ISP. Many customers simply leave it on all the time with auto-connect.

Create your free account on the sign-up page. You need to verify your e-mail before you can log in.

Free accounts connect to 3 demo server locations with a 1 GB daily data allowance and standard speed. Some high-bandwidth categories are restricted on free servers. Premium removes all limits.

Use Forgot password? in the app login screen, enter your e-mail and follow the reset link we send. If you no longer have access to that mailbox, contact support from the address you want to use.

PayPal and all major credit/debit cards (processed by PayPal). Local methods such as bank deposits and mobile wallets are available through our authorized resellers.

Choose a plan on the Premium page, log in and pay with PayPal or card. Your account is upgraded instantly — just reconnect the app to see all servers.

Yes — $4.99 per month. The 6-month ($27.99) and 12-month ($54.99) plans are cheaper per month.

Yes. We refund your first payment in full within 7 days if you have transferred less than 1 GB of data. See the Refund Policy.

No hidden fees and no limits. We're in it for the long haul: our own automation and load-balancing keep costs down, and we reinvest revenue in new servers instead of maximising profit per sale.

Apply on the Resellers page. Our partnership team reviews every application manually.

PD-Proxy is priced as an individual service. You may use up to 5 of your own devices at once with Premium, but sharing an account with other people or running it on a router for a whole network is not allowed.

First check your username and password and that your account is activated. Then try a different server and switch protocol: WireGuard → OpenVPN TCP → Stealth (TCP 443). If it still fails, e-mail [email protected] with:

1. Your operating system and app version
2. The server you tried (e.g. California 1)
3. The error message (a screenshot is best)
4. Your debug log from the app

You will receive an answer within 24 hours.

We block outbound SMTP (port 25) and a few abuse-prone ports because a small minority abused them for spam. This removes the vast majority of abuse reports and keeps our IPs clean for everyone.

Congestion anywhere on the route between you, your ISP and our server can slow a connection. Pick a server closer to you, try WireGuard, and read How to make your VPN faster. We monitor our own network 24 hours a day.

Signal strength only describes the radio link between your modem and the tower. Congestion can still occur between the cell site and your ISP's routers, especially at peak hours.

Yes — wired, Wi-Fi, 4G/5G and satellite all work. A broadband connection gives the best experience.

Yes. Install the app, log in and press Connect — no configuration files. You should be up and running within a few minutes. See Download.

Windows 10/11, macOS 12+, Linux (deb/rpm), Android 8+ and iOS/iPadOS 16+.

Any encryption adds a little overhead and distance adds latency, but with a nearby server and WireGuard most users see little practical difference. Some even get faster results when their ISP throttles certain traffic.

Yes. While connected, DNS queries go to PD-Proxy resolvers inside the tunnel, so your ISP can't see or hijack them. Test for leaks with our IP & leak test.

Our servers are load-balanced and monitored 24/7. Planned maintenance is announced in advance on the blog and usually takes only a few minutes per server.

40+ locations in 25+ countries, including the USA, UK, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Japan, Singapore and Australia. See Server Locations.

No. We never log browsing history, traffic content, DNS queries or the sites you visit. Temporary session data (connection time, server, bytes transferred) is held only while you are connected, and aggregated counters are deleted within 24 hours. Read the Privacy Policy.

No. We never sell or rent your data. Payments are processed by PayPal, which receives only what it needs to take the payment.

Simply: don't commit crimes or harm anyone using the VPN. The lawyer-approved version is our Acceptable Use Policy.

P2P is permitted only on designated servers and only for legal content. Downloading or sharing copyrighted material without permission is prohibited.

In most cases, yes. Use Stealth mode (TCP 443), which makes the VPN look like normal HTTPS traffic. Please make sure you understand your local laws.

Yes. Voice and video calling apps work well over the VPN, including in places where they are blocked on the local network.

Yes for webmail and apps using secure ports (IMAP 993, SMTP submission 465/587). Only plain port 25 is blocked.

Test thoroughly with a free account before subscribing. If you change your mind after paying, the 7-day money-back guarantee applies when less than 1 GB has been transferred.