Deciding which VPN service is best for you and your needs can be challenging. Whether you need to keep your connection private, improve your online gaming stability, or access Netflix from another country, we have the best VPN for you.
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NordVPN
Best VPN Overall
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Surfshark
Best Budget VPN
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ExpressVPN
Best VPN for Streaming
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Private Internet Access
Best Value VPN
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Windscribe
Best Free VPN
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Proton VPN
Best VPN for iPhone
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Hide.me
Best VPN for Android
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TorGuard
Best VPN for Gaming
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IVPN
Best VPN for Torrenting
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VyprVPN
Best VPN for China
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Mullvad VPN
Best VPN for Privacy
What to Look For in a VPN
A virtual private network , or VPN, is a service that allows you to connect to the internet through one of its own servers. It effectively masks your IP address , adding some anonymity to your browsing. VPNs can serve all kinds of purposes. You can circumvent censorship, access another country's Netflix library , or add an extra layer of security while browsing.
The best VPNs can do all of the above, but , as with any product, some will excel at one task more than others. Other factors to consider include usability, speed, and the number of servers a VPN service has available for connection.
Most important, though, is the question of privacy and security. As new VPN providers are springing up right and left, it can be hard to figure out which ones are legitimate services and which were brought into existence purely to steal your data—and there are plenty of untrustworthy VPNs out there.
We've researched all our picks below, checking what they can and cannot do, poring over their privacy policies with a fine-toothed comb, and doing our due diligence to see if there have been any reports about breaches of trust. These are our top picks.
Best VPN Overall: NordVPN
In a way, picking the best VPN overall is like picking the most user-friendly VPN. The operating system is so ubiquitous that the best Windows VPN is the best VPN nearly everywhere. We've chosen NordVPN for this slot because it's extremely easy to use and performs well in all areas. We go into this more in our NordVPN review :
Its main strength is its interface, which is an interactive map of the world. Click on a location on the map, and NordVPN will connect you to that location. Easy as pie.
NordVPN doesn't stand out in any particular way but does everything well. Its biggest asset is its user-friendly interface, which offers an interactive world map to select VPN servers easily. We also appreciate how it lays out all its settings, ensuring that even novice users can easily figure out what they're doing .
When it comes to general usability, NordVPN does well. It can be very fast—it strongly depends on the server you pick—and offers decent security and privacy. It also provides some special servers, most of which we recommend you avoid, as they appear to have limited utility. Double VPN servers are a particular annoyance.
NordVPN is also reasonably priced when you sign up initially. For Black Friday, you can save up to 77% on a plan, with the Basic plan now available for just $2.99/month. You even get three months for free on top of it. However, renewing this subscription will cost more than double the introductory price, so keep track of your renewal date and decide whether you want to pay the increased price when it gets close.
Best Budget VPN: Surfshark
You don't need to pay a premium for privacy and security. If you're on a budget, Surfshark is the VPN you want to go with.
For Black Friday, you can get the Surfshark Starter plan for just $1.99 per month, plus an extra three months for free. This means a total of $53.73 for 27 months of a solid VPN.
And if you're mainly looking for a VPN to bypass region blocking on streaming services, Surfshark will not disappoint. In our Surfshark review , we put the service through its paces and came out pleased:
When I tested [Surfshark], every single UK server I tried worked right away, as did the ones in the United States. In fact, it went so well that I only tried three times instead of the normal five or so. Hulu also seemed to work pretty well.
There are a few downsides, however. The main point against Surfshark is that the Dedicated IP and Alternative Number features, which can help curb spam calls and make browsing the Internet on a VPN smoother, are available at an additional fee, even on the One+ plan.
But given how well the service works otherwise, if this isn't a dealbreaker for you, then you can't go wrong with this VPN.
Best VPN for Streaming: ExpressVPN
Streaming geo-restricted content is probably the most common reason people get a VPN. With one single purchase, you can unlock Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and more libraries from anywhere in the world, provided you have subscriptions to these services.
However, as much as different VPNs loudly proclaim that they're the one service that can unlock all these streaming sites, in our estimation, there's a clear winner: ExpressVPN . During our years of using it, we've never encountered any serious issues accessing Netflix libraries in other countries or using a U.S. IP address to access Hulu.
Some other services, like NordVPN , Windscribe , and CyberGhost get close, but ExpressVPN beats them in the end. If you are locked out of Netflix, try switching to a different server in the same country, and you should be able to access it again.
The other reason binge-watchers should consider ExpressVPN is its superior speeds. Streaming requires some fast connection speeds, and thanks to the service's incredible speeds, ExpressVPN will cause the least buffering.
You can also check out our review of ExpressVPN to get a feel of what you're paying for:
ExpressVPN gets a lot right with its reassuring no-logs policy, a remote base of operations, solid apps for both desktop and mobile, and performance that (in our testing) meets expectations.
When it comes to streaming, we always use ExpressVPN. It unblocks most countries' Netflix libraries easily and is as fast as greased lightning.
Best Value VPN: Private Internet Access
If you want a VPN but don't want to pay top dollar for it, Private Internet Access —better known as PIA—is a good choice. You can get two years for $2.19/month, plus two months free. PIA occasionally runs other promotions as well.
But that said, other VPN services offer some great deals. What sets PIA apart is that a deal stays a deal. Most other providers will provide a great deal, but you have to pay the "real" price upon renewal. PIA confirmed in an email that, if you sign up, you'll pay the same price again upon renewal.
Price aside, PIA is a great VPN in general. With access to servers in 84 countries, you can bypass Netflix and other sites' geoblocking to access region-locked content. PIA notes that it has servers in every US state, too. PIA also has great speeds—for more details, you can check out the speed comparisons in our PIA review :
Besides price, the other thing that has made Private Internet Access stand out over the years are its speeds: they're usually pretty good. When I tested this time around—using speedtest.net—I wasn't disappointed, though there seem to be some issues with server load on the streaming servers.
PIA even has some servers optimized for streaming, although this is a double-edged sword. During peak times, our testing revealed that these streaming services experienced a speed decrease, presumably due to the heavy load of users trying to connect simultaneously.
This VPN offers the features you expect, including modern protocols such as OpenVPN and WireGuard , a kill switch, and a no-logs policy. However, there are a few catches. For example, unlike some other VPNs, you can't sign up anonymously. It's also headquartered in the USA, and we recommend against torrenting using US-based VPNs .
Overall, PIA is a really solid VPN and a great value.
Best Free VPN: Windscribe
If you prefer not to pay for a VPN, several decent companies offer free plans. You need to be careful with free VPNs, though, as many "free" VPN companies exist purely to steal your data and sell it to advertisers and data miners.
The problem is so severe that we recommend using only a few free VPNs: ProtonVPN , TunnelBear , and Windscribe . Of them, Windscribe is the best free VPN.
The main issue of legitimate free VPNs is bandwidth, or the amount of data that can be passed through the VPN. TunnelBear offers only 500MB of free bandwidth per month, which can be upgraded to 1GB by sharing a post about the service on Twitter.
Windscribe, on the other hand, offers 10GB per month and another 5GB by tweeting—twenty times the amount TunnelBear does. Referring friends gets you another 1GB per referral, as well. Though 15GB isn't enough to sustain a hardcore torrenting habit, it should be more than enough for most people. You may even be able to use this free bandwidth for Netflix, as we mention in our Windscribe review :
Giving your email address mainly seems to mean you'll get the occasional marketing mail, a small price to pay for a free VPN that's actually trustworthy. Interestingly enough, some of its free servers get through to Netflix, meaning that you could unblock Netflix for free with the service. 2GB of bandwidth is roughly two movies worth of viewing, and 10GB is a season binge.
The only reason to use TunnelBear over Windscribe is that the former has servers in a more countries available for free users; Windscribe only has ten. We'd take twenty times the bandwidth over country choice any day, so Windscribe gets our recommendation here.
Upgrading Windscribe to a paid version isn't too expensive and works great with Netflix, so that's another upside. Even better, you can pick and choose what to include in your plan, so you're not paying for features you won't use.
Of the three free VPNs we mentioned, Windscribe offers 10GB of bandwidth, about twenty times more than TunnelBear. This gives Windscribe an almost automatic win.
Best VPN for iPhone: Proton VPN
Due to the increasing number of attacks aimed at smartphones, protecting your privacy while using mobile devices is just as important as protecting desktop computers and laptops. Most of the VPNs on this list have mobile apps that do a fine job of protecting all your devices . However, if you're predominantly an iPhone user, you may want to consider Proton VPN .
Famous for offering the secure email service ProtonMail , there's a lot to like about Proton VPN. This VPN app is fast, secure, and committed to users' privacy. It also offers a decent pricing scheme and provides a discount if you bundle Proton VPN with ProtonMail , as we mentioned in our review of Proton VPN :
Of course, the question of the value of Proton VPN changes a little if you take Proton Unlimited into account, a plan that bundles Proton VPN, Proton Mail, Proton Drive, and the new-ish Proton Calendar. [I]t's not quite the Google Drive killer Proton seems to want it to be, but it's still a pretty good deal considering you get some nifty services on top of your VPN.
We mainly like Proton VPN for iPhone because of its interface. The app is simply a map; you click the flag of the country you want to connect to, and other buttons allow you to manipulate the options. Everything is laid out intuitively.
Proton VPN has a good UI that fits well into the screen without too many extraneous buttons. It's very secure, and you can bundle it with ProtonMail, making it an excellent overall service for the iPhone.
Best VPN for Android: Hide.me
Most VPNs will work well for Android devices, and we like ExpressVPN thanks to its one-button approach. However, ExpressVPN has a pretty hefty price tag, so for a more cost-effective solution, we recommend Hide.me .
Hide.me approaches the Android app with the same simple philosophy as ExpressVPN, with just a single button dominating the interface. Set up the server, connect to it, and then leave it alone. We appreciate it a lot when designers keep it simple.
Hide.me offers a range of features beyond its Android app, including support for a wide variety of devices that can be used with the VPN service. You can read more about them in our Hide.me review :
Hide.me offers clients for a huge number of operating systems, on par with ExpressVPN. [...] There are browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge, plus installations for routers and NAS devices.
Besides ease of use, Hide.me has a few other things going for it. It has a large server network spread out all over the globe, which is great for frequent travelers. The biggest downside is that it's not as reliable for streaming as some competitors, but that may be less of a concern if you only use it on mobile.
If you need an Android VPN, try Hide.me. This VPN is fast, secure, and, most importantly, has one of the most straightforward interfaces we've ever seen on a smartphone.
Best VPN for Gaming: TorGuard
Finding a VPN that works well for gaming online can be challenging. For gamers, one of the most important things is having low ping. Essentially, ping measures the speed at which your internet connection responds to your actions.
In online games, it determines how soon your character acts when you press the button. If your gun is slow to fire when seeing an opponent because of your ping, you're toast.
The problem is that VPNs will always slow you down and result in higher pings, as the signals have a greater distance to travel. While there's no way to avoid this, the best you can hope for is to minimize the damage. This is where TorGuard comes in—it's a solid VPN that's among the fastest on the market and keeps ping low.
When testing TorGuard , the VPN managed to keep latency at an acceptable level:
Losing only 10% of the connection's speeds when connecting to Japan is a solid result, and we like how overall ping doesn't take too much of a hit, either—TorGuard should be a great VPN for gaming.
Of course, the further you hop from your current location, the worse it will get, but if you keep distances reasonable, you should be able to game online and remain competitive.
TorGuard has plenty going for it besides ping and speeds. It features a pleasant, easy-to-use interface and can perform some tasks with Netflix. The only downside is that it's a little pricey at $10.99/month. Still, for gamers, it's worth looking into.
Best VPN for Torrenting: IVPN
Though it's not often discussed, one of the most common reasons to use a VPN is for torrenting . Copyright watchdogs come down hard on people who pirate copyrighted content, and a good way to dodge surveillance is to use a VPN. One of our favorites for torrenting is IVPN , a service that places a strong emphasis on privacy.
Although it's not the only service on this list that excels at hiding user data (Mullvad is our pick for the best VPN for privacy), what makes IVPN enticing for torrenting is that it's also extremely fast. Your downloads will have come down the pipe before you know it. Anonymity and speed make a VPN ideal for torrenting, and IVPN offers both.
IVPN allows you to sign up without using an email address, and you can pay with pseudonymous methods, such as cryptocurrency, or anonymously with cash. This means that even if IVPN is forced to hand over user records, there's nothing there except the number IVPN assigned you.
You do need to make sure you don't lose that code, however, as we mention in our IVPN review :
Your only account information is a code, there's no email or other identifiable information. This keeps things nice and anonymous but comes with the downside that you need to keep the code safe or lose access to your VPN. Since IVPN keeps no record of you other than the code, there's no way to retrieve your account if you lose it.
Given that a few VPNs have been forced to hand over user data, it's reassuring to know that IVPN does not collect any information that can be traced back to you.
IVPN is also pretty affordable. Though we won't call it cheap, you can sign up for just $6 a month and get a solid, fast, private VPN with a pretty nifty interface. You can even get a week pass for $2, if you only need IVPN's protection for a bit of time. What's not to like?
Best VPN for China: VyprVPN
Beating Chinese censorship is no mean feat: the blocks put up by the government that keep people from browsing foreign internet sites, collectively known as the Great Firewall , are formidable. Getting caught tunneling under the Firewall can land you in hot water with the police, who may want to chat about your browser history.
The Chinese authorities control internet traffic flow through several access points throughout the country. From there, they can check connections made to see if they flag sites and block them, or, it's speculated, even check whether a connection has the tell-tale signs of a VPN and block that.
VyprVPN is one of our favorite VPNs to get from the Chinese internet onto the regular internet, thanks to its specially developed Chameleon protocol, which we discuss more in our review :
When it comes to VPN protocols, VyprVPN defaults to WireGuard, which is one of the best out there. As a secondary choice, it offers OpenVPN, which is also very good, IPSec, which isn't all that great, and of course, its proprietary Chameleon protocol. This last one is interesting as it was designed as a way to punch through the Great Firewall of China by disguising your VPN connection as regular traffic.
Few other providers have anything similar, and even fewer have the track record of VyprVPN in achieving it.
Best Private VPN: Mullvad
As great a tool as VPNs are, they have some weaknesses. Services are only as good as their no-log policies , and the service you sign up with has access to your account information.
For one, they have your email address and payment information. The exception is if you paid with cryptocurrency , though it's not always available.
Mullvad avoids these issues by not requiring an email address for account creation, opting for a randomized key that serves as your user ID. You can also send the service an envelope with cash to cover the VPN's 5€/month operating costs, leaving no paper trail.
This VPN service was also exceptionally fast when we tested it :
These speeds are very, very good. It's extremely rare to see results like this. On relatively nearby servers in Israel and the United Kingdom, I lost practically no speed, while speed loss when connecting to the United States was barely noticeable. Only Japan saw a significant drop, but it's on the other side of the world and it was late afternoon there when I tested.
If you want to maximize your anonymity, then Mullvad may be the best VPN out there. Your personal organization abilities must be top-notch, as there's no password recovery without an email address.
Still, it does mean that you can sleep soundly at night, secure in the knowledge that nobody can trace your IP address.
As a VPN that requires no email address and accepts cryptocurrency and cash, Mullvad is hands down the most private VPN service. If you don't want to be tracked in any way, accept no substitute.
FAQ
What is a VPN?
VPN stands for " virtual private network ." It's a way of sending data across a public network (like the internet) as if you were connected to a private network in a different location. Consumer VPN services are often used to bypass geographical restrictions, avoid internet censorship, and boost privacy. An organization like an employer or school may have you connect to its own VPN to access resources on its network.
How does a VPN work?
When you connect to a VPN, your device creates a secure tunnel between itself and the remote VPN server. The VPN server functions as a go-between, forwarding traffic back and forth. Anyone in between—for example, your internet service provider, workplace network, or coffee shop Wi-Fi operator—can only see that you're connecting to the VPN server, not what you're connecting to. The server or service you're connecting to sees your IP address as the VPN's.
How do I get the most out of a VPN?
First, choose a solid VPN. Not all VPNs are equal. For the best service, you'll have to pay for a VPN. The good news is that solid VPNs only cost a few dollars a month. Many free VPNs violate your privacy and collect data to pay their bills. While some paid VPNs do have free plans that are more trustworthy, even their free servers will generally be slower than the paid servers. For maximum speed, connect to a nearby server (unless you must appear to be in a faraway country). If you're looking for privacy, rethink how you browse online.
How do I set up a VPN?
If you're picking a consumer VPN, setup is easy: You will just need to create an account, download an application, sign in, and press a button or two. The VPNs we recommend offer apps for platforms like Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, iPad, Chrome OS, and Linux. There are also some operating-system level features for connecting to VPNs---you may use these with a workplace or other organization's network---but we recommend using your preferred VPN service's app for ease of setup.
Can I still use streaming platforms on a VPN?
It depends on the VPN you choose and the streaming service you're trying to watch. Netflix and other streaming services play cat-and-mouse with VPNs, constantly trying to block VPNs to fulfill content licensing requirements while VPNs try to get around the blocks. We recommend choosing a high-quality, highly rated VPN to ensure the best luck with streaming services.
Can I change my IP location with a VPN?
A VPN effectively lets you change your IP address's location. That's because the VPN functions as a middleman, forwarding traffic back and forth. If you're in the U.S. and connect to a VPN in Japan, websites and other services you connect to over the VPN will see your IP address as the IP address of the VPN in Japan.
Can I be tracked using a VPN?
A VPN can make it more difficult to track you online. Rather than using a unique IP address, you're sharing a VPN's IP address with other people, and that IP address isn't tied to your physical location. There are still many ways you could be tracked: If you don't choose a trustworthy VPN, the VPN itself may track you and sell your data. If you connect to a VPN and promptly sign into Facebook with your normal Facebook account, now Facebook knows who you are—even though you're using a VPN. We recommend using Incognito Mode and VPN together for maximum privacy.
Does a VPN slow down my internet speed?
There's no way around it— a VPN will generally slow down your internet speed while you're using it. Rather than connecting directly to websites and other servers, you're adding an additional step in the middle. In some rare cases, a VPN may be faster—if your internet or network service provider is slowing down some types of traffic but not VPN traffic, for example—but you should not expect this.
What are the red flags to look out for in a VPN?
VPNs are big business, and it's important to look out for red flags. If a VPN is completely free for all its users, that's a red flag—the VPN must be making money somewhere to pay its bills, perhaps by tracking its users and selling their data. For paid VPNs, sketchy websites with typos and a lack of reviews are bad signs. You should also ensure you pick a VPN with a no-log policy , although you're trusting the VPN's word with it—unless the VPN submits to an independent audit.
