Note that the way it works is via DNS, not as a VPN (it uses an on-demand VPN permission in iOS), and we have very strict privacy protections (see optimal.com/privacy-policy). Look forward to your feedback, so far people seem to love that it works well inside of the multiple browsers on their iPhones (Chrome, Safari, Twitter browser, Facebook browser, apps etc.), that you don't need to keep the app open for it to work, and that it is very easy to turn off/on instantly.
I definitely like the idea, but sadly, it's not going to be much use for me because I live in China and often have to use VPN. I don't think I can have two separate VPN profiles selected at the same time.
Just out of interest, you only have three locations to choose from. How do you plan on scaling if the app is a major success, and how do you plan on funding those scaling costs if required?
@frassmith the app is currently optimized for the US and Europe. Our team has built major services handling over 100,000 transactions per second so scaling should not be a problem (and it's a far lighter weight service to maintain than a VPN). In terms of paying for scaling costs, we are funded by investors and our business model is to give users the option (but not requirement to tip websites small amounts when they see an article they love). This is being refined to a lower starting price point, but you can see it in action as a beta now at app.optimal.com for $5.99/month.
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