Unlocator has been delivering its hybrid Smart DNS and VPN service since 2013, when it was launched by Linkwork ApS in Copenhagen. Since then, it has been offering a Smart DNS service that lets you bypass location restrictions and worldwide content blocks.
Along with this DNS service, there is now Unlocator VPN and the newer Unlocator Hybrid mode from the same company. By many, this is still seen as an unblocking tool rather than a full VPN service.
Unblock and Streaming TV and Movies
Because of this, our Unlocator VPN review dives deep to see if they offer more than people make out, or whether it is still a means of accessing streaming services under a different guise.
By the end, you will see if it can maintain your privacy, and whether this hybrid Unlocator VPN and Smart DNS service does offer something worth another look.
- Unlocator is a Smart DNS and VPN hybrid launched in 2013 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
- A 7-day free trial is available to new customers with no credit card required.
- Smart DNS works on unlimited devices, while the VPN plan allows up to 5 simultaneous connections.
- Plans start at US$2.88 per month for Smart DNS alone or US$4.96 per month for the VPN bundle (2-year terms).
- Every plan is backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, and Smart DNS covers 72+ platforms.
30-day money-back guarantee
Pros
Cons
Pricing
When you compare the pricing for Unlocator, it can become a bit confusing to begin with. You have two options. One is for the Smart DNS service alone, while the other is for the Smart DNS and VPN bundle.
The prices below are in US dollars and were verified on 17 October 2026 against the official Unlocator signup page.
| Smart DNS plan | Price per month | Total billed | Free trial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | US$6.99 | US$6.99 | 7 days for new customers |
| 6 months | US$4.83 | US$29.00 | 7 days for new customers |
| 12 months | US$4.08 | US$49.00 | 7 days for new customers |
| 24 months | US$2.88 | US$69.00 | 7 days for new customers |
Smart DNS only pricing, verified 17 October 2026 against unlocator.com.
| Smart DNS + VPN plan | Price per month | Total billed | Free trial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | US$11.99 | US$11.99 | 7 days for new customers |
| 6 months | US$8.17 | US$49.00 | 7 days for new customers |
| 12 months | US$6.58 | US$79.00 | 7 days for new customers |
| 24 months | US$4.96 | US$119.00 | 7 days for new customers |
Smart DNS + VPN pricing, verified 17 October 2026 against unlocator.com.
If you sign up for the service’s VPN portion, you do get Smart DNS free as part of the deal. This makes the higher price a bit easier to swallow.
You also have a chance to sign up for a 7-day free trial without handing over any payment details, so you can test the service before exposing yourself to the billing cycle.
When it comes to paying, you can use credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
All plans are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee. Unlocator advertises it as a full refund within 30 days of purchase, although its terms have historically reserved the right to retain a proportionate amount based on your time of usage, so it pays to read the small print before committing.
Key Features
Servers
If you compare the Unlocator network, it is tiny in comparison. Recent independent reviews put the VPN at roughly 45 servers across 39 countries, which is a fraction of what the big providers run. In reality, this can equate to one or two servers per country, and the company has historically also quoted virtual server locations that are hard to distinguish from the physical ones. A network this small is prone to congestion at peak times, and that shows up in the speed tests below.
Protocol Support
Not all of the available protocols work for all devices. The current Unlocator Windows app supports WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2, and the full protocol list also includes L2TP/IPSec. OpenVPN and IKEv2 get support on iOS and macOS, and OpenVPN is available on Android and Amazon Fire enabled devices.
The company claims it employs 256-bit “bank-grade” encryption, pointing to AES-256 encryption. This is one of the most secure encryption solutions today and in use by members of the military.
DNS Service
Unlocator does have a DNS service because the majority of their functions are based around this. For the majority, they are a DNS proxy that offers more than regular DNS servers provide. The newer Unlocator Hybrid mode pairs that DNS smarts with VPN-grade encryption for a middle ground between the two.
Platforms Supported
If you ever ask what Unlocator is good at, it is device support. It supports a wide range of platforms from desktop operating systems such as Windows, macOS, and Ubuntu (Linux).
Gaming consoles such as PlayStation 3, 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox 360 are covered. Media players like Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Nvidia Shield and Fire TV and FireStick all have support.
Smart TVs come with support for Toshiba, Samsung, Sony, LG, Panasonic, and others. The official channels page lists more than 70 supported device platforms in total, a number Unlocator quotes as 72+.
If there is a way to change the DNS settings on your device, that particular device can run Unlocator. You can even set up the VPN Smart DNS on routers.
One downside is that although there are setup guides to change DNS settings on most supported devices, it is not the same as having native client apps.
Device Support
The number of supported devices for connections varies. Unlocator offers unlimited device connections on the Smart DNS proxy, yet if you are using the Unlocator Smart DNS VPN, you are then allowed 5 simultaneous connections.
Ad-blocking
Both the Unlocator Smart DNS and the VPN lack any form of built-in ad blocking, so pair them with a separate content blocker if that matters to you.
Unblock and Streaming TV and Movies
Privacy and Security
Unlocator has to comply with GDPR legislation, making them follow strict rules on what they can and can’t do with user information.
Nevertheless, they do sit inside a nine eyes country, so their home country does take part in mass surveillance and intelligence sharing.
This can raise a couple of questions, and the first being:
Is Unlocator Legal?
The use of a VPN in Denmark is still legal, so there is nothing to prevent you from using the service. Even in other western countries, you can find no bans on VPN providers or the use of VPN services, and using a VPN or Smart DNS is perfectly legal in Australia.
Unlocator DNS won’t perform any encryption when in use. All this is any good for is spoofing your location.
When using the VPN, online privacy is taken care of because they use the same security protocols as any other service provider, including WireGuard and OpenVPN.
One of the problems with DNS services is there is a DNS leak. While this is not the provider’s fault, it is that DNS services are only there to make you appear in another location.
The DNS side of the DNS and VPN hybrid service doesn’t have any DNS leaks, so you do have full protection.
The second question often asked is to do with logging and the company privacy policy.
Is Unlocator Safe?
The logging policy of any company needs reading and needs understanding. Unlocator retains usage logs for 24 hours before the company purges them from their systems, which is what several independent reviews have also confirmed.
While delving into their supposed privacy policy, they state they keep the following information: IP address, email address, name, address, credit card information, and they use cookies and tracking technologies to personalize your Unlocator experience. That collection of personal details sits awkwardly beside the “no logs, no tracking” marketing line used on the signup page, which really refers to browsing activity rather than personal data.
While they retain all this information, if it is external threats you are worried about, the Smart VPN is safe to use.
The Unlocator Smart DNS side, not so much. Your online privacy is possibly more at risk from the company itself and how exposed you can be to your ISP or other agencies.
Ease of use
Sign-Up
- When you go to sign up for Unlocator, you have either a blue and white sign up button in the top right of the screen, or you have a large green button to “Get Free Account.”
- Either of these takes you to the same page.
- Here, you add your email address and create a password. There is also a box to tick for reading and accepting the terms of use.
- After this, you receive a confirmation email.
- You can then head over to download the apps for your device. These cover Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Amazon Fire, with all other devices requiring you to follow the setup guides.
- From here, you can log in to the dashboard.
Setup and User Interface
In the dashboard, there are hosts of things you can set for the service. You will see billing, affiliate, and user profile. Under Smart DNS, you have regions, advanced, Smart VPN, and Netflix info.
The interface is basic in the client apps and contains a large power button as many other providers do. Under this, there is the “connect to” option where you have the server location.
If you want to select a different server, you have two lists, one for all servers, and one where you saved a server as a favourite.
There are minimal options in the configuration menu, such as login, automatic connection, update search, kill switch, and Unlocator shield. There are also options to set the protocol, with WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2 available on the Windows app.
Advanced Features
The Unlocator Smart VPN comes with a limited set of features. For anything standout, you have the kill switch and Unlocator Shield. At the same time, the kill switch stops any connection if the VPN loses its connection.
The Unlocator Shield won’t allow any internet connection unless you enable the VPN Smart DNS.
When testing, you can see this service is intended for casual and average use. The same can be seen in other Unlocator VPN reviews. The most significant appeal of this service is the unblocking capabilities and some online privacy.
Browser Extensions
There are no browser extensions available. Most of the functions in Unlocator occur at the system level.
Performance and Servers
Speed Test
Unlocator makes use of its DNS servers, thus allowing users to stream content outside their home country. The company tries its best to keep the speeds as fast as possible, but in our tests, the speed tests’ performance was not very good.
Also, the virtual servers they claim to use can affect the Unlocator speed. Therefore, they may use these instead of bare metal servers. One connection to the United States saw a significant drop that could make it unusable, or at least, there would be buffering.
With so few countries supported, and a low number of servers, it’s a small network, and it’s easy to see why speeds are below average. Independent reviewers have reached a similar verdict, with VPNRanks scoring Unlocator poorly on speed and reliability.
Here are a few examples from the speed tests we carried out using the VPN.
- London Download 25 Mbps, Upload 4.2 Mbps
- Amsterdam Download 18 Mbps, Upload 6 Mbps
- New York Download 14 Mbps, Upload 2 Mbps
- Australia Download 10 Mbps, Upload 1.75 Mbps
Customer Service
One area where Unlocator redeems itself is in its customer support. At the same time, it looks like they offer live chat. This is a widget, which comes with questions that already have answers.
Aside from this, there are tons of support articles. FAQs are many, although most of these tend to relate to setting up the DNS services.
With a great troubleshooting guide, they do cover all the basics for everything they offer. Staff reply quickly to email, and issues can be resolved on the same day. The homepage also points to a 4.7 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot.
Unblock and Streaming TV and Movies
Unblocks Netflix
The best VPNs are often touting how good they are at unblocking streaming services. Unlocator supports the ability to bypass restrictions on 200+ streaming channels.
It would be nice to see in the client app how to distinguish which servers can access what. However, this isn’t possible, and in many cases, you need to select the one server they have.
On the website, you can see all the online services they unblock. To do this, you can select a country of origin, the type of service, which devices have support, and if you require a subscription. The list includes US and UK Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video, plus Australian services such as 10 Play, 7plus, 9Now, ABC iView and Binge.
In testing, we were able to gain access to US Netflix without issues, and there is a Netflix option on the web dashboard. They can access US Netflix with ease.
The speeds were sufficient, but with limited servers, this could change at times of high demand.
Other services that we could access were Amazon Prime Video and BBC iPlayer. There were no issues.
Suitable for Torrenting
If you use the DNS VPN, you may find you can download torrents. However, there is nothing from the company to say whether they allow it or not.
Taking the side of caution, it may be better to save this practice for a VPN company that doesn’t retain any logs and makes sure to keep your IP address private.
Works in China?
Unfortunately, with such a small server network, and a lack of features that can help it work in China, it is better to say it doesn’t work behind the Great Firewall of China.
Is This VPN Service for You? (Conclusion)
Unlocator is far from the best VPN on the market, and it is far from the worst. However, it does offer a weak feature set to justify the price.
You can receive the best encryption, offshore locations, and the best streaming VPN for the same kind of subscription. You have two halves of service, and even together, they don’t produce a market leader.
If you are just after IP spoofing to access restricted content, then the DNS plan may be a good option. If you need security, and you do streaming and torrenting, it is hard to recommend Unlocator.
For that kind of money, a full-featured VPN with a large server network makes more sense for Australians. NordVPN remains the more reliable alternative, while ExpressVPN and Surfshark are also worth comparing if streaming performance is your priority.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Unlocator cost?
Unlocator sells two products. The Smart DNS only plans start at US$2.88 per month billed every two years as US$69.00, while the Smart DNS plus VPN bundle starts at US$4.96 per month billed every two years as US$119.00. Month to month, the Smart DNS plan costs US$6.99 and the VPN bundle US$11.99. Prices are in US dollars and were verified on 17 October 2026 against the official Unlocator signup page.
Is Unlocator safe and legal to use in Australia?
Yes. Using a VPN or Smart DNS service is legal in Australia, and Unlocator is a legitimate provider founded in Copenhagen in 2013. The VPN side uses 256-bit AES encryption over WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols, and usage logs are purged after 24 hours. That said, Unlocator is based in a nine eyes country, and its privacy policy lists personal details such as your name, email, address and IP address as collected, so it is not a no-logs privacy service in the way the top-tier VPNs position themselves.
Does Unlocator work with Netflix, Apple TV, PlayStation and other streaming devices?
Yes. Smart DNS covers 72+ platforms including Apple TV, PlayStation 3, 4 and 5, Xbox consoles, Roku, Chromecast, Fire TV and FireStick, Nvidia Shield and most Smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, Toshiba and Panasonic. The official channels page lists more than 200 streaming services, including US and UK Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video and Australian services such as 10 Play, 7plus, 9Now, ABC iView and Binge.
What is the difference between Unlocator Smart DNS and the VPN plan?
Smart DNS only points your device’s DNS traffic through Unlocator’s servers, so streaming services see you in another country without any speed loss, and it works on unlimited devices. It does not encrypt your traffic. The VPN plan adds full 256-bit encryption through WireGuard or OpenVPN, protecting your whole connection, but it is limited to 5 simultaneous devices. Unlocator Hybrid blends the two, using Smart DNS for streaming traffic and VPN encryption for everything else.
Related reviews: NordVPN review, ExpressVPN review, Surfshark review. See how Unlocator stacks up against the best VPN for Australia.
