GoodAccess

GoodAccess is a cloud VPN designed for small businesses that need static IP addresses. It promises to provide maximum security benefits without any complications. This sounds like a dream come true for SMBs looking to mitigate the risks associated with remote working, BYOD, and distributed IT resources. But is this too good to be true? Can it really deliver on its promises?

After running extensive tests, I believe GoodAccess is a solid choice if you’re looking for affordable online security for a small business. However, it’s difficult to compare against some of the best premium VPNs, as it’s targeted specifically for managing an online team.

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Speeds — Can’t Really Be Tested

GoodAccess offers unlimited bandwidth, but it’s difficult to test with our standard methods. It uses IPV4 for its connections. In theory, IPv6 is faster, but there isn’t a substantial difference in the real world, especially if you’re sending large data packets. That said, I didn’t experience any slowdowns while using GoodAccess.

Normally, our speed expert tests all VPNs using the same connection to ensure fair results. We test for download and upload speeds while connected to several of the servers that the VPN offers.

Our typical testing process wasn’t possible for GoodAccess since you only have one default server. It doesn’t allow you to switch between several locations like premium personal VPNs do. I did a quick speed test on my Android phone however, and my speeds dropped by only 17% while using a South African static IP.

Even with these results, it’s still difficult to say whether or not GoodAccess offers fast speeds compared to premium personal VPNs. It doesn’t allow you to test multiple servers for a better analysis. Plus, if one server malfunctions, it can potentially affect your speeds and overall experience.

We prefer to test out servers all around the world at least 10 times each to create averages. These tests are also done at different times of day. You can see which VPNs are consistently the fastest in this list.

Server Network — Limited, but Well Distributed Worldwide

GoodAccess has servers in about 24 countries worldwide. While the network is very limited, it is well distributed across all continents. It has one server location in most countries, and all the servers are marked as city-level locations. I also like that it has 10+ city-level servers in the US, which means you are less likely to deal with overcrowding.

You can see a list of every location it offers below:

The information on its privacy policy mentions that they do rent some third-party virtual servers. When I contacted customer support to ask which servers are rented, the agent gave me an unhelpful answer. They also claimed it only uses physical servers, which was a strange contradiction. So, I can’t confirm for sure whether GoodAccess owns any of its servers.

Answers to most of my other questions were also vague and rushed

It offers static IP addresses, which makes sense for business purposes. Most VPNs offer rotating IPs. These are helpful for avoiding geoblocks, but they wouldn’t make as much sense when you’re trying to connect remote workers.

As I stated in the speed analysis, GoodAccess doesn’t allow you to hop from server to server like you can with a personal VPN. However, this isn’t much of a problem unless your business requires multiple IPs in different countries. If you’d rather use a traditional VPN that lets you switch between locations all around the world, check out this list of VPNs with huge server networks.

Security — Fairly Safe, but Lacks Some Key Security Features

GoodAccess has a decent suite of security features for businesses. It’s a SASE (Service Access Service Edge) solution allowing an online team to access all your cloud-based systems safely. Because of this, there are some features typical VPNs have that it lacks.

It comes with encryption, IP whitelisting, DNS Filtering, and split tunneling. However, it doesn’t offer a kill switch, which is vital to keeping you safe online in case your connection drops unexpectedly.

Encryption and Security Protocols

GoodAccess uses strong AES 256-bit protection to encrypt the tunnel between your device and the company’s network. This is the same level of military-grade encryption all the top VPNs use, so I have no complaints here.

I did most of the tests on my laptop running Windows 11

It also offers two security protocols, OpenVPN and IKEv2, which you can select from your app. IKEv2 is an older protocol that’s well-suited for mobile devices. OpenVPN is a safer option because it’s open source. This means it’s constantly being checked for vulnerabilities by people all over the world. So, I recommend sticking with OpenVPN whenever possible.

Zero-Trust Access Control

This feature verifies the identity and context of each access request, enforcing granular access controls based on factors like user authentication, device information, and location. It also continuously monitors activities and dynamically evaluates trust throughout the access session, which reduces the risk of unauthorized access to company systems.

This is a nice feature you won’t find in a typical VPN. It helps make sure you can identify anyone who shouldn’t be on your business network.

Dedicated VPN Gateway

GoodAccess’s Dedicated VPN Gateway acts as a virtual gateway between the user’s device and the internal network, ensuring encrypted and private communication. It helps protect sensitive data and resources by establishing a secure connection while offering centralized management and access control capabilities. In other words, this connects your employees to the cloud-based server.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

GoodAccess supports MFA, adding an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide multiple forms of authentication, such as passwords, biometrics, or hardware tokens, before accessing the network. This adds login security and reduces the risk of data breaches while your teams are working remotely.

DNS Filtering

This feature works pretty much like personal VPNs. It helps protect against malicious websites and online threats. It works by monitoring and filtering DNS requests, preventing access to known malicious domains, and blocking harmful content. This way, you can access company systems without the risk of running into malware infections and data breaches.

Network Access Control

GoodAccess provides granular control over user privileges, ensuring only authorized individuals can access sensitive information. It allows you to define who can access specific resources or parts of the network and systems. I also liked that managing and modifying these access controls from the dashboard is pretty straightforward. You can see who has what rights at a glance.

IP Allowlisting

You can also decide what IP addresses are permitted to access the network. Only connections originating from these specified IP addresses are granted access, while all others are denied. This helps strengthen security by restricting network access to authorized locations, reducing the risk of unauthorized entry.

Split Tunneling

The feature separates the organization’s secure VPN gateway and your normal internet connection. This option is useful if you need to browse certain websites using your normal internet connection (for example, local news) while also accessing business systems and apps through the VPN connection.

Overall, GoodAccess offers a good mix of security features for business needs. However, it lacks some features you get with your average VPN. The most important is a kill switch that halts all online traffic should the VPN connection drop unexpectedly. This is a crucial feature to prevent any data leaks. For comparison, check out this list of personal VPNs with kill switches and other security features.

Privacy — Strict No-Logs Policy but Not Audited

GoodAccess is based outside the 5/9/14-Eyes Alliances, and it doesn’t retain any information about what you and your team do while connected to its servers. However, I hope it can get its privacy policy audited soon to provide proof that everything it claims is true.

Does GoodAccess Keep Logs? No

GoodAccess doesn’t keep any logs of what you do while using the VPN. However, you do have to provide a little more information than you normally would with a standard VPN. For example, they may ask for your name, company details, and billing details. It also may request the names and email addresses of your members.

I like that it doesn’t record timestamps or details about your device

GoodAccess has a solid policy and doesn’t ask for more than is necessary to run its service. However, if you only require a VPN for personal use, you can check out a top-rated VPN with a proven privacy policy.

Was GoodAccess Audited? No

GoodAccess has not been audited. I couldn’t find any online evidence that the service has been tested and verified by a third party. When I contacted support to ask about this, the agent said that the audit was underway, and they would share a report with me as soon as it was completed.

Most of the top personal VPNs I have reviewed are frequently audited and verified, which assures me that my data will be as safe as they claim in their privacy policies. So, I hope GoodAccess has the results of its ongoing audit published soon.

Based in the Czech Republic

GoodAccess is based in the Czech Republic and is not subject to any of the 5/9//14-Eyes Alliance agreements. The 5/9/14-Eyes Alliances is a network that operates as a global surveillance system in which participating countries share data on their citizens.

This is always a good sign for me. After all, the location of a VPN service does affect my level of control over my privacy. Services located within the Alliance are obligated to share data with the authorities if requested, which can compromise the general privacy of your business.

Does GoodAccess Work in China? Yes

GoodAccess works in China. The Chinese government has banned numerous VPNs. From what I’ve seen, smaller personal VPNs usually can’t bypass these restrictions. However, I was pleasantly surprised when GoodAccess’s customer support agent assured me that many customers use it in China.

The agent assured me that GoodAccess works in other heavily censored countries too

Using VPNs in restrictive countries like China is a sensitive topic. While VPNs are banned, the government typically doesn’t target individuals for using them. However, I recommend you understand the local laws and regulations before you try to use a VPN in such countries. We do not endorse or support any illegal activities.