Atlas VPN is no more.
The freemium VPN service provider will shut down on April 24, 2024. All current users will be moved to the provider's more popular sister VPN, NordVPN, for the rest of their subscription period.
It's not the worst outcome for those users, given that we rate NordVPN very highly, particularly for its bulletproof security and privacy functions.
However, it's always sad to see another VPN shutter its doors, given that the diversity of choice helps keep the industry healthy. Here's what users need to know about the shutdown and the transition to NordVPN.
Why Is Atlas VPN Shutting Down?
The Atlas VPN team's announcement cites “insurmountable challenges” including pressure from competitors and increasing tech demands. Here's the relevant paragraph from the company statement:
“Despite our best efforts and the incredible support of our users, we've encountered insurmountable challenges. These include rapidly advancing technological demands, a highly competitive market, and the escalating costs of providing top-tier services. These factors have led us to conclude that continuing to operate Atlas VPN is not sustainable in the long term.”
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In the past, Atlas VPN has made headlines for its data security research as well as for stunts including offering free premium VPNs to any journalists working in Ukraine or, in March 2020, offering free three-month subscriptions with the intent of preventing pandemic misinformation.
As costs for operating VPNs grow amid increasing cybersecurity concerns, however, it makes sense that the freemium VPN offerings would suffer the most: They must stay as cheap as possible in order to remain competitive, but a company's margins can only get so thin.
Ultimately, Atlas's just-announced shutdown might be more evidence of something we've always said at Tech.co: When it comes to VPNs, it's worth paying a little extra in order to receive the premium service.
What's Happening to Atlas VPN Users?
Here's how the transition from the sunsetting Atlas VPN to NordVPN will work for different types of Atlas users:
- Atlas Premium users will gain access to all NordVPN's premium features at no extra cost up until their current subscription expires.
- Atlas Premium users with add-onswill receive “equivalent add-ons” from NordVPN, although the company has not clarified how this equivalency will be determined.
- Google Play or Amazon app stores: Anyone who subscribed to Atlas through Google Play or Amazon will have their subscription “managed” by that store in order to switch to the respective NordVPN app.
- Apple App store: Anyone subscribed through an Apple device will be refunded for the time left on their premium subscription and will have their account terminated on April 25, 2024, with no option for a streamlined transition to NordVPN.
All paid Atlas VPN user accounts will be migrated automatically to NordVPN on April 24th. This will require some data transfer, but it will be barebones: Your subscription length and email address will be included.
Free users won't have a VPN at all – but can get discounts
One downside to the Atlas VPN sunset: Anyone on the free plan will lose their VPN service.
Atlas offers one perk to help ease that pain, however. Users will be able to get NordVPN with “attractive discounts” of up to 69% off for the first two years.
You will not be auto-renewed
Regardless of whether your Atlas VPN account was set up for autorenewal or not, your new NordVPN account will have this feature turned off by default.
This is the right move from Atlas VPN, since it makes getting a recurring subscription to NordVPN an opt-in choice rather than an opt-out one. Still, it might be annoying for some, since it means you'll have to go into the new NordVPN account in order to switch autorenewal back on again. If you forget, you might find yourself unexpectedly without any VPN protection at all when your subscription ahppens to run out.
Opting out of the NordVPN transfer
Don't want a new VPN swapped into your life? Contact the Atlas support team at support@atlasvpn.com, and they'll take it from there.
There's a deadline, however: You'll need to email prior to April 22.
Is NordVPN Worth Using?
The silver lining to Atlas's sudden disappearance might be the replacement VPN service, which has consistently sat at the top of our research team's list of the most secure tools in the VPN business.
NordVPN offers 3,600 servers in 62 countries internationally, with a killswitch feature, a Threat Protection tool, and 256-bit AES encryption. It's also among the fastest VPNs we've tested.
Still, there are other great options to consider. Here's a quick look at the top VPNs on the market today.
