Virtual private networks (VPNs) are notoriously tough to work with. Possibly you’re a distant employee who has to check in to at least one every day to entry firm providers, otherwise you tried it as soon as since you heard you may use it to entry worldwide content material, however have been met with laggy service and frequent disruptions. As we speak’s VPNs don’t have to come back with these complications. We examined 9 of the very best VPN providers obtainable now to give you our high picks, and lay out what you need to know earlier than paying for one.
We examined 9 of the most well-liked VPN providers obtainable now to give you our high picks, and lay out what you need to know earlier than paying for one. Our high decide stays ProtonVPN due to its easy-to-use interface, no-logs coverage and open-source framework, whereas different common choices like NordVPN did not fairly make the reduce. Whereas we predict ProtonVPN is the very best VPN for most individuals, we lay out different good choices you may think about, too.
Editor’s notice (5/30/25): We’re within the technique of revamping our VPN protection to supply extra in-depth, actionable data and shopping for guides. Our suggestions, and all the data on this web page, are topic to alter because the replace continues. Try our revamped ExpressVPN review to see the brand new route, or be taught extra about how we test VPNs.
Desk of contents
Greatest VPNs for 2025
Simultaneous connections: 10 | Variety of gadgets: 10 | Platforms: Home windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux | Browser extensions: Chrome, Firefox | Devoted IP addresses: Sure, for enterprise customers solely | Trial/Cash-back assure: None/30-day money-back assure
Learn our full ProtonVPN review
The VPNs we tried out ranked fairly persistently throughout all of our checks, however ProtonVPN stood out as a robust possibility due to its general safety, usability and privateness options. The Proton Applied sciences suite of providers consists of mail, calendar, drive and a VPN recognized for its end-to-end encryption. This makes it a robust contender for general safety, however its VPN particularly got here throughout as a well-rounded unbiased service.
ProtonVPN’s no-logs coverage has handed audits, and the corporate has confirmed to not adjust to legislation enforcement requests. As a result of it’s primarily based in Switzerland, there aren’t any compelled logging obligations, in keeping with the corporate, making it a safe VPN possibility. Plus, it’s primarily based on an open-source framework, and has an official vulnerability disclosure program together with clear definitions on what it does with private data.
Whereas ProtonVPN affords a free model, it’s restricted in comparison with different choices, with entry to server networks in simply three international locations. Its paid model usually begins at round $5.39 per thirty days, and consists of entry to VPN server places in additional than 65 international locations on 10 gadgets at a time. Whereas we would not think about it an affordable VPN, it is a comparatively inexpensive worth for primary safety. For devoted Proton Applied sciences customers, they’ll pay nearer to $8.63 for a month-to-month plan to entry the complete suite.
ProtonVPN handed our geoblock, streaming and gaming checks with solely a really small toll on connection speeds. It additionally comes with malware-, ad- and tracker-blocking as a further service, plus it has a kill change characteristic on macOS, Home windows, Linux, iOS and the most recent model of Android. It’s obtainable on most main working programs, routers, TV providers and extra together with Firefox, Linux and Android TV. For devoted Linux customers, ProtonVPN added a new Linux-specific app to assist its providers in August.
- Simple to make use of
- No-logs coverage
- Primarily based on open-source framework
- Kill change characteristic on macOS, Home windows, Linux, iOS and Android
Windscribe
Simultaneous connections: Limitless | Variety of gadgets: Limitless | Platforms: Home windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux | Browser extensions: Chrome, Firefox | Devoted IP addresses: No | Trial/Cash-back assure: None/None
By signing up for Windscribe’s free plan along with your electronic mail, customers can entry 10GB per thirty days of knowledge, limitless connections and entry to greater than 10 international locations. We chosen it as the very best free VPN due to its excessive safety and wide selection of server places in comparison with different free VPNs. It has over 500 servers in over 60 international locations, in keeping with the corporate, and will be configured to routers, sensible TVs and extra on high of the standard working programs.
Windscribe doesn’t have a latest unbiased safety audit, nevertheless it does publish a transparency report exhibiting that it has complied with zero requests for its information, runs a vulnerability disclosure program encouraging researchers to report flaws and affords a number of protocols for customers to attach with.
On high of that, it’s straightforward to make use of. The arrange is intuitive and it handed our geoblock, streaming and gaming checks. The paid model prices $5.75 to $9 every month, relying on the plan you select, and consists of limitless information, entry to all servers and an advert/tracker/malware blocker. Or, for $1 per location per thirty days, customers can construct a plan tailor-made to the VPNs they wish to entry. Windscribe continues to be increasing its attain, adding Japan to its listing of accessible spots.
- 10GB of knowledge per thirty days with free model
- Limitless connections with free plan
- Big selection of server places
- Simple to make use of
- Doesn’t supply devoted IP addresses
ExpressVPN
Simultaneous connections: 8 | Variety of gadgets: 8 | Platforms: Home windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux | Browser extensions: Chrome, Firefox | Devoted IP addresses: No | Trial/Cash-back assure: 3 free months/30-day money-back assure
Learn our full Express VPN review
We picked the very best VPN service for journey, gaming and streaming primarily based on which one had entry to essentially the most places with quick connections and no lag. ExpressVPN met all these standards and was some of the premium VPNs we tried, to not point out one of many quickest VPNs, too. Now, it even comes with an in-house password manager, ExpressVPN Keys, to handle and autofill logins throughout websites included with the subscription. That can make it simpler to toggle between streaming and gaming accounts whereas shopping securely.
An web pace take a look at measured sooner add and obtain pace in comparison with utilizing no VPN, virtually exceptional in comparison with the opposite VPNs examined. However being this quick is probably going a fluke because of the VPN service circumventing visitors shaping by the ISP or one other disparity as a result of even top VPNs will in some way slow down speeds. With 2,000 servers in 160 cities, in keeping with the corporate, it had one of many broadest international reaches. It additionally handed our geoblock, streaming and gaming checks, and it does regular security audits. Plus, Community Lock is its kill change characteristic, which retains your information secure even when you lose connection to the VPN. Subscription prices vary from $8.32 to $12.95 per thirty days relying on the time period of the plan, and embrace a password supervisor.
With ExpressVPN, customers can connect with as much as 5 gadgets directly, which is on the decrease aspect in comparison with different providers. That stated, it really works on a bunch of gadgets from sensible TVs to recreation consoles, not like another providers that lack assist past the standard suspects like smartphones and laptops.
- Excessive pace connections with no lag in lots of places
- Helps Community Lock kill change characteristic
- Works on a wide range of gadgets like sensible TVs and recreation consoles
CyberGhost
Simultaneous connections: 7 | Variety of gadgets: 7 | Platforms: Home windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux | Browser extensions: Chrome, Firefox | Devoted IP addresses: Sure, further buy required | Trial/Cash-back assure: 2 free months/45-day money-back assure
As a result of a number of of the very best VPN providers connect with routers, cross-platform accessibility isn’t at all times essential. By connecting a VPN to your own home router, you may truly connect with limitless gadgets in your family, so long as all of them entry the web via that router.
However when you use VPNs on the go, and throughout a number of gadgets, with the ability to connect with a variety of platforms shall be indispensable. CyberGhost affords simultaneous connectivity on as much as seven gadgets for $2.11 to $12.99 per thirty days relying on subscription time period. It helps a number of varieties of devices like routers, computer systems, sensible TVs and extra. It’s just like the assist that ExpressVPN affords, however CyberGhost offers detailed directions on arrange the cross-platform connections, making it a bit extra user-friendly for these functions. Plus, it simply expanded its community of servers from 91 to 100 international locations, including Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic to its obtainable places.
From a safety perspective, CyberGhost accomplished an independent security audit by Deloitte earlier this 12 months, runs a vulnerability disclosure program and offers entry to a transparency report explaining requests for its information. An updated version of its transparency report went reside in August. Whereas it did go all of our checks, it’s price noting that we had bother connecting to servers in the UK and needed to decide to run our gaming take a look at via an Eire-based server as an alternative.
- Works nicely throughout completely different sorts of gadgets/platforms
- Gives detailed directions for setting service up on completely different gadgets
- Devoted IP addresses come at a further price
Surfshark
Simultaneous connections: Limitless | Variety of gadgets: Limitless | Platforms: Home windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux | Browser extensions: Chrome, Firefox, Edge | Devoted IP addresses: Sure, further buy required | Trial/Cash-back assure: 1 free month/30-day money-back assure
Learn our full Surfshark VPN review
As we talked about earlier than, connecting to a router can present almost limitless entry to gadgets in a single family. However Surfshark VPN is one among few VPN providers that provide use on a limiteless variety of gadgets with out bandwidth restrictions, in keeping with the corporate. And also you get that comfort with no important improve in worth: Surfshark subscriptions price about $2.49 to $12.95 for a month-to-month subscription, and the corporate just lately performed its first independent audit. It added QR-code-enabled login throughout gadgets and expanded assist for different ID profiles since our preliminary assessment, a characteristic that a few of its opponents already had.
We bumped into some bother connecting to Surfshark’s WireGuard protocol, however examined on an IKEv2 protocol as an alternative. The VPN pace was a bit gradual and struggled to attach for our geoblock take a look at at first, however finally handed. What makes it completely different from different VPNs with limitless connection choices is that it has entry to a bigger variety of servers and is on the market on extra varieties of gadgets.
- Limitless simultaneous connections
- Giant variety of servers obtainable
- On the costly aspect
- Slower speeds than the competitors
What’s a VPN?
VPNs, or digital non-public networks, masks your IP tackle and the id of your pc or cell gadget on the community and creating an encrypted “tunnel” that forestalls your web service supplier (ISP) from accessing information about your shopping historical past. VPNs usually are not a one-size-fits-all safety resolution, although.
As a substitute, they’re only one a part of protecting your information non-public and safe. Roya Ensafi, assistant professor of pc science and engineering on the College of Michigan, informed Engadget that VPNs don’t defend towards frequent threats like phishing assaults, nor do they defend your information from being stolen. A lot of the info or data is saved with the VPN supplier as an alternative of your ISP, which implies that utilizing a poorly designed or unprotected community can nonetheless undermine your safety. However they do come in useful for on-line privateness if you’re connecting to an untrusted community someplace public as a result of they tunnel and encrypt your visitors to the following hop.
Which means sweeping claims that appear promising, like military-grade encryption or complete digital invisibility, is probably not completely correct. As a substitute, Yael Grauer, program supervisor of Client Experiences’ on-line safety information, recommends searching for security measures like open-source software program with reproducible builds, up-to-date assist for industry-standard protocols like WireGuard (CR’s most well-liked protocol) or IPsec, and the power to defend towards assault vectors like brute power.
Learn extra:
Understanding VPNs and your wants
Earlier than contemplating a VPN, be sure that your on-line safety is updated in different methods. Which means advanced passwords, multi-factor authentication strategies and locking down your information sharing preferences. Even then, you in all probability don’t have to be utilizing a VPN on a regular basis.
“Should you’re simply nervous about anyone sitting there passively and your information then a VPN is nice,” Jed Crandall, an affiliate professor at Arizona State College, informed Engadget.
That brings us to a few of the most typical makes use of instances for VPNs. Should you use public WiFi networks lots, like whereas working at a espresso store, then VPN utilization might help provide you with non-public web entry. They’re additionally useful for hiding data from different folks in your ISP when you don’t need members of your family to know what you’re as much as on-line.
Geoblocking has additionally develop into a well-liked use case because it helps you attain providers in different elements of the world. For instance, you may entry exhibits which can be solely obtainable on streaming services, like Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime, in different international locations, or play on-line video games with folks positioned all around the globe.
There are additionally a couple of frequent VPN options that you need to think about earlier than deciding if you wish to use one, and which is greatest for you:
What’s break up tunneling?
Break up tunneling lets you route some visitors via your VPN, whereas different visitors has direct entry to the web. This may come in useful if you wish to defend sure exercise on-line with out shedding entry to native community gadgets, or providers that work greatest with location sharing enabled.
What’s a double VPN?
A double VPN, in any other case often known as multi-hop VPN or a VPN chain, passes your on-line exercise via two completely different VPN servers one proper after the opposite. For VPN providers that assist this, customers are usually in a position to decide on which two servers they need their visitors to go via. As you would possibly anticipate, this offers an additional layer of safety.
Are VPNs price it?
Whether or not or not VPNs are price it relies upon how usually you may use it for the above use instances. Should you journey lots and depend on public WiFi or hotspots, want to browse outdoors of your own home nation or wish to maintain your visitors hidden out of your ISP, then investing in a VPN shall be helpful. However, needless to say even the very best VPN providers usually decelerate your web connection pace, in order that they is probably not perfect on a regular basis.
In in the present day’s world, we advocate not counting on a VPN connection as your foremost cybersecurity instrument. VPN use can present a false sense of safety, leaving you weak to assault. Plus, when you select simply any VPN, it is probably not as safe as simply relying in your ISP. That’s as a result of the VPN might be primarily based in a rustic with weaker information privateness regulation, obligated at hand data over to legislation enforcement or linked to weak person information safety insurance policies.
For VPN customers working in professions like activism or journalism that wish to actually strengthen their web safety, choices just like the Tor browser could also be a worthwhile different, in keeping with Crandall. Tor is free, and whereas it is much less user-friendly, it’s constructed for anonymity and privateness.
How we examined VPNs
To check the safety specs of various VPNs and identify our high picks, we relied on pre-existing tutorial work via Consumer Reports, VPNalyzer and different sources. We referenced privateness insurance policies, transparency stories and safety audits made obtainable to the general public. We additionally thought-about previous safety incidents like information breaches.
We checked out worth, utilization limits, results on web pace, attainable use instances, ease of use, basic performance and extra “further” VPN options like multihop. The VPNs have been examined throughout iOS, Android and Mac gadgets so we may see the state of the cell apps throughout varied platforms (Home windows gadgets are additionally supported generally). We used the “fast join” characteristic on the VPN apps to hook up with the “quickest” supplier obtainable when testing web pace, entry to IP tackle information and DNS and WebRTC leaks or when a fault within the encrypted tunnel reveals requests to an ISP.
In any other case, we performed a take a look at of geoblocking content material by accessing Canada-exclusive Netflix releases, a streaming take a look at by watching a information livestream on YouTube through a Hong Kong-based VPN and a gaming take a look at by enjoying on servers in the UK. By performing these checks on the similar time, it additionally allowed us to check claims about simultaneous gadget use. Listed below are the VPN providers we examined:
Learn extra: The best password managers for 2023
Different VPN providers our consultants examined
NordVPN
NordVPN didn’t fairly make the reduce as a result of it’s overhyped, and underwhelming. As I’ve written in our full review of NordVPN, the pricing, as much as $14.49 for a “full” subscription, appeared excessive in comparison with different providers, and its free or decrease price plans simply didn’t have the identical huge number of options as its opponents.
TunnelBear
Regardless of the lovable graphics and person friendliness, TunnelBear wasn’t a best choice. It failed quite a few primary safety checks from Client Experiences, and had restricted availability throughout platforms like Linux. It did, nevertheless, get a significant safety enhance in July when it up to date to support WireGuard protocol throughout extra of its platforms.
Bitdefender VPN
Bitdefender doesn’t supply assist for gadgets like routers, which limits its cross-platform accessibility. It additionally lacked a transparency report or third-party audit to substantiate safety specs.
Atlas VPN
Atlas ranked decrease on our pace checks in comparison with the opposite VPNs examined, with a notably slower distinction on net shopping and streaming checks. It was a very good possibility in any other case, however may simply trigger complications for these chasing excessive pace connections. Safety-wise, an Atlas VPN vulnerability leaked Linux users’ real IP addresses.
VPN FAQs
What are some issues VPNs are used for?
VPNs are historically used to guard your web visitors. Should you’re related to an untrusted community like public WiFi in a restaurant, utilizing a VPN hides what you do from the web service supplier. Then, the proprietor of the WiFi or hackers attempting to get into the system can’t see the id of your pc or your shopping historical past.
A typical non-textbook use case for VPNs has been accessing geographically restricted content material. VPNs can masks your location, so even when you’re primarily based in the US, they’ll make it seem as when you’re shopping overseas and unblock entry. That is particularly helpful for streaming content that’s usually restricted to sure international locations, like if you wish to watch Canadian Netflix from the US.
What data does a VPN cover?
A VPN doesn’t cover all your information. It solely hides data like your IP tackle, location and browser historical past. A typical false impression is that VPNs could make you completely invisible on-line. However needless to say the VPN supplier usually nonetheless has entry to all of this data, so it doesn’t grant you complete anonymity. You’re additionally nonetheless weak to phishing assaults, hacking and different cyberthreats that you ought to be aware of by implementing robust passwords and multi-factor authentication.
Are VPNs secure?
Typically, sure. VPNs are a secure and dependable option to encrypt and defend your web information. However like most on-line providers, the security specifics fluctuate from supplier to supplier. You need to use assets like third-party audits, Consumer Reports reviews, transparency stories and privateness insurance policies to know the specifics of your chosen supplier.
Are you able to get a VPN in your cellphone?
Sure, you need to use a VPN in your cellphone. Most main VPN providers have cell apps you may set up on iPhones and Android gadgets so you may join in your cellphone to guard your cell shopping.
What about Google’s One VPN?
Google One subscriptions embrace entry to the company’s VPN, which works equally to different VPNs on our listing, hiding your on-line exercise from community operators. Nevertheless, Google introduced just lately that it plans to shut down the One VPN as a result of “folks merely weren’t utilizing it.” There isn’t any particular date for the shutdown, with Google merely saying it’s going to discontinue the service someday in 2024. Pixel cellphone house owners, nevertheless, will proceed to have entry to the free VPN obtainable on their gadgets.
Latest updates
April 2025: Up to date for timeliness and to make sure our high picks are nonetheless present.
October 2024: Added a “learn extra” part with hyperlinks to further VPN content material.
June 2024: Up to date to incorporate desk of contents.
