SeekVPN
Web and SaaS
review aggregator
SHOW HN2021
74points
64comments
#671of 2,533 in 2021
Top 27%of 2021 by points
How HN took it
RoastedHalf or more of the comments are critical
1 positive, 10 neutral or asking, 1 mixed, 27 critical, out of 39 comments about the project. Thread score -0.65.
Idea: 0 for, 12 againstExecution: 0 for, 5 againstPricing: 0 for, 4 againstDesign: 1 for, 2 againstPrivacy: 0 for, 3 against
The thread, comment by comment
Each row is a top-level comment and its replies, in HN's order. Select a cell to open that comment on HN.
positive neutral or mixed critical about another commenter or something else the maker
What HN said
What people liked
Ranking summaries help research; the site surfaces useful comments.
From 1 comment
Well, the site has caused some really insightful comments from knowledgeable people, which will definitely helpme choose a VPN. So in that sense, the site has already succeeded.…
sam_goody on HN
Objections
Reviews are affiliate-driven and astroturfed, so ranking is untrustworthy.
From 4 comments
Why would you use NLP to collect reviews that are astroturfed? Garbage in, garbage out Just go wirecutter style and actually research the products a minimal amount to give an…
VHRanger on HNAgain, garbage in, garbage out - how is rampant astroturfing and review fraud taken into account? Edit: the site highly ranks the ones I see pushed on YouTube, so I’m guessing…
dymk on HNAgreed, aggregated reviews are not helpful when you can't trust the source. For example, I just looked at the NordVPN page and all three of the highlighted YouTube reviews are…
Guest19023892 on HNHow do I pick a VPN from this website? Let's say I go with the #1 Trending VPN, it scores very well, but the Reddit threads are negative. The "Reviews by Topic" are then…
lifeisgood99 on HN
Top-ranked NordVPN has a poor security record.
From 3 comments
The #1 result NordVPN had servers hacked to root and then attempted to covered up the huge security breach rather than disclose it. [1] Not to mention their concealed…
0xy on HNThe fact that NordVPN is somehow #1 immediately discounts whatever algorithm you've designed for this. Under no circumstances would I ever consider a VPN that's been breached…
devmor on HNMarch 5, 2018: Hacker gets root access and key material on a NordVPN server. 404 days after hack, NordVPN finally discovers server is compromised 594 days after hack, a twitter…
addingnumbers on HN
Affiliate income conflicts with honest reviews.
From 2 comments
It's curious that your #1 listed VPN NordVPN has a pretty tasty affiliate program but I can't see Mullvad (no affiliate program) on your front page at all in spite of it being…
pydry on HNDo you earn affiliate fees if I sign up for something after being referred by your site? If so, I won't trust it.
criddell on HN
Email popup was intrusive, though it was removed.
From 2 comments
Just one data point, but the "No, I'm not interested in joining a fun community or a chance to win an awesome VPN" text on the solicitation for my email after ~20 seconds on the…
ortusdux on HNHaven’t been on the website for one minute and you already shoved a popup in my face asking for my email. The options are “submit” or “No, I'm not interested in joining a fun…
latexr on HN
Requests
Disclose ownership and affiliate relationships.
From 2 comments
What you'll find difficult is establishing trust. I have no reason to believe your review site is a shill for another company, but I have no reason not to believe that either. It…
jamescun on HNDo you earn affiliate fees if I sign up for something after being referred by your site? If so, I won't trust it.
criddell on HN
Show criteria-based ratings rather than aggregated reviews.
From 1 comment
I thought the general consensus was that the only VPN worth a damn was Mullvad? I'm not interested in a review aggregator. Individual reviews are the problem in the first place.…
LarryDarrell on HN
Add Mullvad and remove or warn on NordVPN and ExpressVPN.
From 2 comments
It's curious that your #1 listed VPN NordVPN has a pretty tasty affiliate program but I can't see Mullvad (no affiliate program) on your front page at all in spite of it being…
pydry on HNAvoid ExpressVPN & NordVPN because of problems with support and shady practices. I suggest you delete these two from your list and/or show prominent warnings. I currently use…
jph on HN
Questions
How are fake and paid reviews filtered?
From 2 comments
Again, garbage in, garbage out - how is rampant astroturfing and review fraud taken into account? Edit: the site highly ranks the ones I see pushed on YouTube, so I’m guessing…
dymk on HNHow do I pick a VPN from this website? Let's say I go with the #1 Trending VPN, it scores very well, but the Reddit threads are negative. The "Reviews by Topic" are then…
lifeisgood99 on HN
Who owns the listed VPN companies?
From 2 comments
Is there any info on parent companies? I don't know much about VPNs but I thought ownership was conentrated into just a few firms, and that some of them are owned by chinese…
soared on HNWhat you'll find difficult is establishing trust. I have no reason to believe your review site is a shill for another company, but I have no reason not to believe that either. It…
jamescun on HN
Alternatives named
Mullvad VPN
From 2 comments
I thought the general consensus was that the only VPN worth a damn was Mullvad? I'm not interested in a review aggregator. Individual reviews are the problem in the first place.…
LarryDarrell on HNI'll save you, and everybody else, the time, and just say that Mullvad is the best VPN currently available, and the day they get inevitably bought out will be a sad day. But…
Thorentis on HN
Privacy Guides VPN list
From 1 comment
This is what a good VPN roundup looks like. https://www.privacyguides.org/providers/vpn/ This "RT-style" looks exactly how I would expect a "machine written sourced from…
basch on HN
Wirecutter
From 1 comment
Why would you use NLP to collect reviews that are astroturfed? Garbage in, garbage out Just go wirecutter style and actually research the products a minimal amount to give an…
VHRanger on HN