The Best VPN Services of 2024

1. NordVPN - Best VPN for Privacy

SecurityScore:

9.7 /10

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How We Review

Product Specs

Multihop	Yes
Camouflage Mode	Yes
Kill switch	Yes
Split Tunneling	Yes
Netflix	Yes
Torrenting	Yes

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Why We Picked It

For the third straight year, NordVPN earned the highest rating among all VPNs we tested because of its privacy-focused approach, overall reliability, and ease of use. Fresh off installation, it provided us with a secure channel to keep our browsing private; no extra setup required.

We loved that our NordVPN subscription included useful extras. For example, Threat Protection automatically blocked ads and potentially harmful sites. It also detected malware being downloaded into our devices, almost like antivirus software. Almost. Our second pick, Surfshark, offers actual antivirus software though, so give it a glance if you’re looking to bundle VPN and antivirus.

NordVPN Privacy – Excellent

NordVPN met all our privacy standards. We didn’t need to adjust any settings – it was a ‘no-logs’ VPN from the very start, and it had the privacy features we were looking for such as an automatic kill switch, private DNS, and double VPN (multihop). If you’re not familiar with those, they are essentially features that make your VPN connection as private as can be.

We also like that NordVPN offers add-on services. It’s a product of Nord Security after all, so if you’re willing to pay a slightly higher subscription fee, you can bundle useful services such as a NordPass password manager subscription, the NordLocker secure cloud storage, and NordProtect – Nord Security’s latest venture into identity and credit protection. Even better, you could pay as low as $7.89 per month to bundle all those extras with NordVPN, which we think is a sweet deal. They can effortlessly boost your online privacy.

NordVPN Speed – Very Good

Our NordVPN speed tests averaged 225 Mbps for downloads and 218 Mbps for uploads. Those were about 90-percent of our 250 Mbps connection. Overall, NordVPN was one of the fastest VPNs. But besides just raw speed, we commend NordVPN’s stability. We didn’t notice any abrupt speed drops throughout our tests, unlike when we tested Atlas, a sister company of NordVPN that has now stopped operations.

Just like the privacy features, we didn’t have to tinker with NordVPN’s settings to enjoy fast speeds. Almost all the servers we connected to were fast, even the more distant ones.

>> See More: Download Torrent Privately with The Top VPNs

NordVPN Security – Excellent

NordVPN is a VPN, but it has security features akin to what we see from some antivirus software. If you try to connect to a malicious website or download a file containing malware, for example, Threat Protection will block it. That’s not something we’ve seen from most VPNs.

NordVPN’s security features also work in the background, so all you need to do is turn on the VPN. It will then encrypt your online traffic using 256-bit AES or ChaCha20 (two of the top VPN encryption standards today). It will also patch you through a private DNS server, preventing IP address leakage. That’s why when we tested NordVPN for DNS leaks, we didn’t find any.

OpenVPN and NordLynx

NordVPN offers two of the fastest, most reliable, and most secure VPN protocols: OpenVPN and WireGuard in the form of NordLynx. Here’s a quick comparison, and for a more in-depth look, here’s our comparison of the top VPN protocols.

We used OpenVPN mostly for privacy-sensitive tasks because of its more robust encryption. On the other hand, we used NordLynx mostly on mobile devices. It’s more lightweight, so our phone’s battery could last a whole day while connected. It was also about five-percent faster than OpenVPN, perfect for mobile data browsing.

Good Price-to-Feature Ratio

NordVPN isn’t exactly cheap. It costs about a dollar more per month than Surfshark if we compare their best prices. However, NordVPN offers a better price-to-feature ratio because it has more features – some of which are rare in the industry like Double VPN and Onion over VPN. Some people (like us!) would gladly pay the extra buck per month for those.

Take a look at NordVPN’s pricing:

User Benefits of NordVPN

NordVPN doesn’t excel in just one particular area – it’s great all around. The speeds were fast and stable; in terms of privacy, it uses recommended encryption standards and has an ironclad privacy protocol; and for security, it has bonus features such as Threat Protection that blocks downloads with malware and malicious sites and a Dark Web Monitor to check for compromised information.

On top of all that, NordVPN performed really well. We experienced pretty fast speeds wherever we were thanks to it having over 6,000 servers in 111 countries around the globe.

>> Related: NordPass Password Manager Review

Who It’s Best For:

With its feature-set, we recommend NordVPN to users who are looking to improve their overall digital security posture. It’s not just a VPN, especially if you sign up for the mid-tier or top-tier plans. That said, even if you’re looking for just a VPN, the Basic plan is an excellent option that can give you a rich selection of security and privacy features for daily use.

2. Surfshark - Best VPN for Security

SecurityScore:

9.5 /10

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How We Review

Product Specs

Multi-hop	Yes
Camouflage Mode	Yes
Kill switch	Yes
Split Tunneling	Yes
Netflix	Yes
Torrenting	Yes

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Why We Picked It

Surfshark is a feature-rich VPN, but it’s also an all-in-one cybersecurity tool. With the Surfshark One bundle, we gained access to the Surfshark VPN, one of the top antivirus software, and additional tools like a secure search engine and webcam protection. You can add basic identity monitoring and data removal services with the top-tier Surfshark One+ plan.

Even without those extra features, Surfshark is an impressive VPN. It rivals NordVPN in terms of features while costing a dollar less per month. It also lets you connect unlimited devices at a time, making it a great option for families and teams.

>> Learn More: Surfshark One Review

Surfshark Privacy – Good

We weren’t thrilled about the fact that Surfshark records IP addresses at the beginning of sessions, even though it deletes them within 15 minutes after you disconnect. Its Netherlands location – a country with laws that can undermine VPN confidentiality – added to our doubts.

Overall, though, we still think Surfshark offers good privacy to users. It has been audited numerous times by third-party firms, including Cure53. It also has RAM-only servers that ensure all data is wiped after every server reboot. And of course, it has our recommended features such as an automatic kill switch and multihopping. We don’t think it’s the best option if you’re super-concerned about your privacy, but for protecting your data as you do your daily browsing, Surfshark is more than adequate.

Surfshark Speed – Good

Surfshark’s performance was inconsistent. While download speeds were fantastic, averaging 228 Mbps on our 250 Mbps network, upload speeds weren’t as reliable. At its lowest, the upload speed dipped to 91 Mbps, which is a third of our network’s capacity. Generally, though, it managed to average 167 Mbps for uploads. So, while Surfshark is generally fast, it has minor problems with reliability.

Surfshark Security – Excellent

Surfshark made sure to keep our VPN use covert through Camouflage Mode. It was a feature enabled automatically on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. Camouflage Mode made our encrypted traffic seem like normal traffic. That’s handy if you’re in a country like China and Russia that restricts or monitors VPN usage. A colleague traveled to China recently and used Surfshark with no issues, despite it not being a government-approved VPN. We should mention that Surfshark is one of the best VPNs that work in China because of that.

>> Learn More: Must-Have VPNs for Traveling

User-Friendly Apps

We liked Surfshark’s ease of use, even with its extensive feature set. Connecting to a VPN was straightforward. The Fastest Server option automatically found the quickest server nearby (usually in the same state as ours), while the Nearest Country option connected us to the fastest server outside your location for unblocking websites.

We also appreciated how neatly organized all the VPN features were in the settings menu, unlike the Total VPN app we recently tested. Because that app combined TotalAV’s feature-rich antivirus and VPN, the features were scattered everywhere. With Surfshark, if you need a specific feature, you’ll know where to find it.

Streaming Services

A nice little side-effect of using a VPN is gaining access to streaming content available outside your country. For instance, you can use it to unblock Hulu if you’re outside the U.S. or access Disney+ shows not available in your region. Surfshark made both our lists of the best Disney+ VPNs and best Hulu VPNs. It also worked well with other streaming services we tested, like Netflix, Max, Spotify, and even YouTube. So if you’re shopping for a VPN for any streaming service, consider taking a look at Surfshark.

User Benefits of Surfshark

Surfshark offers a long list of security features that are readily available to any user. CleanWeb blocks malicious sites and pesky ads just like NordVPN does; there’s an IP rotator feature that changes the VPN address every five to 10 minutes for extra security; you can make your device invisible to other devices in your networks (useful on public Wi-Fi); you can even override your device’s GPS location if you’re using an Android, a feature unique only to Surfshark.

If you’re willing to splurge a little more on Surfshark One, you can also get a full-featured antivirus software plus additional premium features like webcam protection and a secure search engine.

Who It’s Best For:

Surfshark is an affordable but well-stacked VPN in terms of features. We recommend it if you’re looking for a VPN to use day-to-day, but its Surfshark One subscriptions are particularly handy to those looking for a VPN and antivirus software. As an added benefit, Surfshark’s antivirus is one of our top antivirus software right now.

3. Private Internet Access VPN - Best VPN for Windows 

SecurityScore:

9.4 /10

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How We Review

Product Specs

Multihop	Yes
Camouflage Mode	No
Kill switch	Yes
Split Tunneling	Yes
Netflix	Yes
Torrenting	Yes

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Why We Picked It

Private Internet Access is a fast, reliable, and secure VPN, but it did exceptionally great in our Windows tests. That’s why it’s one of the best VPNs for Windows.

Private Internet Access’ speed on our Windows 10 laptop peaked at 236 Mbps – nearly the same as our 250 Mbps network speed when not connected to a VPN. If a fast VPN for Windows is what you’re looking for, PIA should definitely be on your short list.

We also really liked how customizable PIA’s Windows app was. It let us tinker with a lot of settings, something a lot of Windows users are fond of doing. We got to customize which protocols are used to connect to the VPN, the encryption standard, and the auto-connect function. Because of that, we got to customize our VPN for different activities like day-to-day browsing, streaming content, and online gaming.

>> Related: The Top VPNs for Online Gaming

Private Internet Access Privacy – Very Good

Private Internet Access is based in the U.S.. That’s arguably worse than Surfshark’s location in the Netherlands. The U.S. is far from privacy-friendly. Unlike Surfshark, though, PIA doesn’t log IP addresses.

We also liked that Private Internet Access doesn’t automatically log usage metrics. Most VPNs log anonymized data like device identifiers and connection timestamps to improve their services. Even NordVPN does that, and it’s our top-pick no-logs VPN.  With PIA, usage metrics are not recorded by default. You’d have to go to the settings to allow it to log that information. But our advice? Don’t. While usage metrics are usually harmless, the less data collected by the VPN, the better.

Private Internet Access Speed – Excellent

Private Internet Access’ Windows speeds were fast during our tests, averaging 236 Mbps for downloads and 223 Mbps for uploads. It’s one of the fastest VPNs for Windows. Its macOS and smartphone connections were also decent (200+ Mbps average). Overall, we’re happy with how PIA’s speed turned out. Here’s our PIA speed test results:

Expert Take

From Subbu Sthanu, Chief Commercial Officer of IPVanish

“A common issue I encounter is customers experiencing slow speeds due to suboptimal VPN settings. For instance, I had a customer who was using a server that was not only far from their location but also overloaded with traffic compared to other servers available in the same region. After examining their setup, I recommended switching to a nearby, less crowded server and adjusting their VPN protocol settings to match their connection type better. This adjustment improved their speed significantly.”

Private Internet Access Security – Very Good

Private Internet Access used MACE to help enhance our online security. It worked pretty much like NordVPN’s Threat Protection, but it was notably better at blocking ads. We’d say it’s about as good as the AdBlocker extension we use on Chrome, but it works faster because MACE is built into the PIA app. That meant our browser wasn’t using extra memory to check each URL.

Besides MACE, Private Internet Access offers an optional Secure Socket Layer (SSL) feature. Enabling it obfuscated our VPN connection, much like Surfshark’s Camouflage Mode. It’s an extra layer of security if you want to hide your VPN use from your network admin or the government.

Encryption Options

One of our favorite things about Private Internet Access was that it let us adjust our encryption. No other VPN on this list has that option. PIA let us choose between 256-bit AES encryption (the default after VPN installation) and 128-bit AES. You can find that option in the settings under the ‘General’ menu. But why would you lower your encryption standard to 128-bit AES?

128-bit AES is less secure than 256-bit AES, but it tends to be faster. According to our measurements, it’s about four-percent faster. That’s why we prefer 128-bit AES for less privacy-demanding tasks like streaming Netflix and online gaming. There’s also an option to turn off encryption altogether (proxy mode), which came in handy when we just wanted to change our IP address location to the Netherlands.

» Read More: Best Proxy Servers

Highly Efficient Apps

Private Internet Access’ app is hands-down one of the most user-friendly out there. It’s easy to learn to use. Even our office intern who was new to VPNs when he started learned to use it in no time. And the app’s ratings back up its user-friendliness.

More than that, Private Internet Access’ app provides flexibility. We got the most out of our Private Internet Access subscription because of that. Just take a look at the split tunneling feature for example. PIA offers standard split tunneling and the less common inverse split tunneling (see our split tunneling guide for a detailed explanation). We used the former to exclude apps and URLs from our VPN connection – like Zoom to improve video call quality. As for inverse split tunneling, we used it to set apps that could connect to the internet only via PIA. For this, we set apps like browsers to make sure we’re always on a secure line whenever we’re browsing.

>> Learn More: Are Private Browsers Really Private?

User Benefits of Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access’ advanced customizability was on full display during our tests. The adjustable encryption and the standard and inverse split tunneling options were the main highlights. There were other convenient features too. For example, you can automate the app. You can set it to connect to the fastest server or a specific server as soon as you turn on your desktop. You can also set it to connect to the VPN when you’re on a public or unrecognized Wi-Fi network. Minor but thoughtful features like that make PIA one of the most user-friendly VPNs.

Who It’s Best For:

We recommend Private Internet Access to folks who mostly use desktops, either for work or play. You can tailor it to how you use your desktop, especially if you’re a Windows user.

4. Hotspot Shield - Best VPN for Netflix

SecurityScore:

8.9 /10

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How We Review

Product Specs

Multi-hop	Yes
Camouflage Mode	Yes
Kill switch	Yes
Split Tunneling	Yes
Netflix	Yes, but not in all regions
Torrenting	Yes

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Why We Picked It

One of the main reasons we picked Hotspot Shield is its proprietary Hydra protocol. This is a lightweight, performance-enhanced protocol that comes in handy when you’re trying to get around the VPN blockers deployed by some modern streaming services. If you’re looking to stream Netflix in other countries, this might be the right service for you.

Of course, Hotspot Shield is more than just for entertainment. Our DNS and WebRTC leak tests proved that it’s secure. On top of security, our IP address test showed us that it can hide IP addresses well.

Hotspot Shield Privacy – Very Good

A lot of VPNs say they have a “no-logs” policy but with no data to back it up. Hotspot Shield actually has proof in the form of a transparency report. That report shows how many subpoenas and government requests Hotspot Shield receives. It received 56 in 2018, for example. The report also says how many times it released requested data. For the 56 requests in 2018, it released none. That because, again, it doesn’t log VPN usage and IP address information.

Hotspot Shield Speed – Excellent

Hotspot Shield was one of the fastest VPNs we tested with average download speeds of around 242 Mbps on our 250 Mbps network. That’s what we like to call a near loss-less VPN speed, as the drop was kept to around three-percent. That said, Hotspot Shield’s upload speed didn’t do that well. It averaged 50 Mbps, only 20-percent of our network speed. It’s great for downloads, but not so much for uploading to the web.

Hotspot Shield Security – Very Good

Hotspot Shield delivers security through a number of built-in app features. For one, it has IP leak protection that prevents DNS and WebRTC leaks by offering a private DNS. This was enabled by default. As soon as we connected to Hotspot Shield, it kept our IP address private.

The protocol also plays a big role in Hotspot Shield’s security. It offers Hydra to all platforms (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android), but it also offers WireGuard to Android users. We’d still recommend Hydra in this case though. While WireGuard is secure, it doesn’t support 256-bit AES encryption (it uses the not-as-proven ChaCha20). Hydra does.

Hydra Catapult Protocol

These days, we see a lot of proprietary VPN protocols — VPN protocols made and developed by a VPN company — from the best VPN brands. Not many of them, however, can claim to be as fast as Hotspot Shield’s Hydra Catapult VPN protocol. Thanks to Hydra, we notched record-high download speeds during our recent VPN speed testing (more on that below).

Hydra is also plenty secure. It’s based on OpenVPN, one of the most secure VPN protocols. With a few tweaks, Hotspot Shield made it into a speedy protocol without compromising security.

Super-Fast Speeds

Hotspot Shield’s speed was right up there with our fastest VPNs. We were particularly impressed by the download speed. We lost only 3.17 percent of our regular internet speed after connecting to the VPN. The upload speed was abysmal, though. It averaged just 20-percent of our network speed, so using Hotspot Shield to upload YouTube videos was a no-go.

>> Related: What Is ISP Throttling?

User Benefits of Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield provides useful security and privacy features via its apps. It has IP leak protection, auto-connect, and the Always-On feature on iOS. IP leak protection prevents IP address leakage due to DNS or WebRTC leaks. This ensures your IP address is always private when connected to the VPN. Auto-connect lets you establish rules that, when triggered, will force the VPN to connect. For example, when you connect to a public Wi-Fi or when you connect to mobile data. Lastly, the Always-On feature on iOS is one we’ve rarely seen. It prompts the VPN to reconnect automatically when disconnected unexpectedly.

Who It’s Best For:

Hotspot Shield has strong streaming potential. Plus, Hotspot Shield is affordable. It’s best for folks looking to expand their entertainment options without spending much.

5. Norton Secure VPN - Best VPN With Dynamic IP Addresses

SecurityScore:

8.4 /10

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How We Review

Product Specs

Multi-hop	Yes
Camouflage Mode	No
Kill switch	No
Split Tunneling	Android and Windows only
Netflix	Yes
Torrenting	No

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Why We Picked It

Norton is most famous for its Norton antivirus software and LifeLock. (LifeLock is one of the best identity protection services; read more in our LifeLock review). Adding the Norton Secure VPN to the mix makes it even better. It’s not just a VPN app, but an all-in-one digital security app.

We particularly liked the VPN’s dynamic shared IP addresses, which are more preferable than static IP addresses. Dynamic shared IP addresses are shared among multiple users. They also change every time you connect to the VPN. Both of those can give you more online anonymity.

» Learn more: Static vs Dynamic IP Addresses

Norton Secure VPN Privacy – Fair

We bought out Norton Secure VPN subscription as part of our Norton antivirus bundle (we also tested the Norton antivirus). We loved that we could access both products through the same app. Unfortunately, that also made it more difficult to nail down Norton Secure VPN’s privacy policy. The privacy policy within the app didn’t explain separately what the VPN logs and what the antivirus logs.

Digging deeper though, we found Norton Secure VPN’s logging policy. We found that it collects more information from users compared to other VPNs. For example, it logs mobile device data and aggregate bandwidth usage. It’s still a “no-logs” VPN. It doesn’t log IP addresses and websites, but it collects aggregate data.

Norton Secure VPN Speed – Good

Norton Secure VPN ranked 12th in our VPN speed comparison, which is still decent considering we tested over 50 VPNs. The download speed was impressive. It kept the speed loss to less than 12-percent. However, the upload speed (averaged 84 Mbps) and latency (averaged 120 ms) were abysmal. We wouldn’t recommend Norton Secure for activities that require a fast and steady upstream of data, like video conferencing and online gaming.

Norton Secure VPN Security – Very Good

Norton’s app improved our digital security in more ways than one, but we liked one nifty security feature in particular. The app automatically detects if we’re connected to a suspicious Wi-Fi network, such as password-less coffee shop Wi-Fi. It then automatically connects the VPN to the fastest available server.

We do have to point out that Norton Secure VPN doesn’t offer as many servers as other VPNs. It has servers in only 29 countries. That’s less than a third of ExpressVPN’s 105 countries and Surfshark’s 100 countries. Just something to keep in mind.

Affordable Prices

How much does the Norton Secure VPN cost? Well, that depends. The VPN comes complimentary with most Norton antivirus subscriptions. The cheapest antivirus subscription costs $49.99 for the first year, or about $4 per month. That’s one of the best VPN deals we’ve seen.

You can also buy a subscription to just the VPN, but it can be pricey. Weirdly, it costs more to buy just the VPN than to bundle it with other Norton products. One month of Norton Secure for one device costs $4.99. We strongly recommend going for the 10-device plan for one year though. It costs $59.99 in total or about $5 per month.

Strong Encryption

Norton Secure VPN encrypted our web activity and hid our IP address using 256-bit AES. But that’s nothing new. Most VPNs use that same encryption standard.

What we really loved was the fact that Norton Secure offers multi-hop – a feature only the top-tier VPNs like NordVPN and Surfshark offer. By connecting to a multi-hop server pair, Norton Secure encrypted our traffic and changed our IP addresses twice. It’s impressive that Norton Secure even has this feature, considering how small its server network is.

User Benefit of Norton Secure VPN

You get the most benefit from Norton Secure VPN if you get it as a part of Norton’s antivirus bundles. That way, you enjoy all-around digital protections. And really, that’s the only way we recommend using Norton Secure. By itself, it’s not a feature-rich VPN. It offers split tunneling and a kill switch (Windows and Android only), but not much else. If you use it through an Antivirus subscription, you can also keep your devices malware-free.

Who It’s Best For:

Norton Secure is best for those who are just starting to utilize cybersecurity tools to protect themselves online. Besides being easy to use, Norton Secure is from a brand most famous for its antivirus software.

6. IPVanish - Best Customer Support

SecurityScore:

9.3 /10

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How We Review

Product Specs

Multi-hop	No
Camouflage Mode	No
Kill switch	Yes
Split Tunneling	Yes
Netflix	Yes
Torrenting	Yes, with uTorrent

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Why We Picked It

What sets IPVanish apart from other companies is its commitment to customer service. We can’t tell you how much trouble we have sometimes getting companies to respond to our technical questions. Many VPNs don’t offer phone support, and a fair number don’t provide answers 24/7.

IPVanish has friendly customer service agents you can talk to any time, via both phone and online chat. Yet, the company doesn’t charge any more than other VPNs. A one-year subscription, for example, is just $2.99 a month.

IPVanish Privacy – Good

Back in 2016, IPVanish faced backlash after providing the U.S. government with data that helped in the arrest of a child predator. Nobody’s saying the company should have helped a criminal. We just want to be clear about that. But the data IPVanish provided showed that it was, at the time, making records of user activity.

Fortunately, IPVanish has updated its privacy policy since then. It now says that it doesn’t log IP addresses, connection timestamps, and browsing histories. IPVanish also enlisted the help of independent firms to audit and verify its privacy policy. The results have been positive.

IPVanish Speed – Excellent

IPVanish was the second fastest VPN we’ve tested overall. It had impressive upload and download speeds plus a very low latency that was kept below 80 ms. We measured a decrease of only four to five-percent in download and upload speeds. We tested IPVanish on a Windows laptop and subsequently named it one of the best Windows VPN because of its speed.

IPVanish Security – Very Good

IPVanish security doesn’t stand out in any particular way, but it’s admirable that it comes complete with all the features we’re looking for in a secure VPN. It has a kill switch, it offers several VPN protocol options, it uses 256-bit AES encryption, and it passed our DNS and WebRTC leak tests. All things considered, it’s a solid and secure VPN.

Kill Switch

All VPNs can fail at any time without warning; that’s just the reality. That’s also why we recommend looking for a VPN with a kill switch just like IPVanish. It’s not that IPVanish is unreliable. It only ever got disconnected unexpectedly once due to server maintenance. But thanks to that, we saw the kill switch in action.

Our internet stopped working right after the VPN got disconnected. That alerted us that something was wrong, so we immediately checked and reconnected IPVanish. If our internet had continued working, we wouldn’t have known we’re no longer secure.

An Audited Privacy Policy

Most VPNs have privacy policies that outline the types of data they collect, why they collect them, and how they use them. Not all VPNs, though, have been audited like IPVanish.

The Leviathan Security Group audited IPVanish’s privacy and security practices just this year. They’ve found that IPVanish’s claim that it doesn’t log browsing and usage data is true. The firm also determined that IPVanish is non-invasive to its users’ privacy, making it a solid VPN for privacy-conscious users.

User Benefits of IPVanish

IPVanish includes thoughtful features that make the app easy and convenient to use. For example, the server menu on Windows shows the speed (measured in latency) of each server location. That can make it easier to pick a fast server when you’re gaming or streaming. Speaking of streaming, you can also connect to streaming-optimized servers, like to access a different Netflix region. You won’t see a lot of features from IPVanish, but those that it does include are designed with user experience in mind.

Who It’s Best For:

IPVanish has great mobile apps and it’s also affordable. Students looking to improve their digital security and privacy and access blocked sites on their school’s network, could benefit from this VPN.

7. ExpressVPN - Best Encryption

SecurityScore:

9.1 /10

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How We Review

Product Specs

Multihop	No
Camouflage Mode	Yes
Kill switch	Yes
Split Tunneling	Yes
Netflix	Yes
Torrenting	Yes

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Why We Picked It

One thing you should know about VPN encryption is that it’s actually contingent on the VPN protocol in use. A lot of our top picks default to WireGuard (like Surfshark) or a WireGuard-based proprietary protocol (like NordVPN’s NordLynx). WireGuard is great, but it supports only the ChaCha20 encryption standard and not our recommended encryption, 256-bit AES.

With ExpressVPN, 256-bit AES was constantly in use even though we were using its proprietary protocol called Lightway. And despite 256-bit AES’ inflexible construction, ExpressVPN was able to incorporate it while keeping Lightway agile and fast. This makes ExpressVPN’s Lightway one of the most efficient implementations of the gold-standard AES encryption in VPNs.

ExpressVPN Privacy – Excellent

Privacy is ExpressVPN’s main focus. It has invested in state-of-the-art technology, like RAM-based servers that offer better privacy than traditional VPN servers. Very few VPNs offer RAM-based servers, NordVPN and Surfshark being two of them. That puts ExpressVPN in an elite group.

ExpressVPN Speed – Good

ExpressVPN was middle-of-the-pack in terms of speed. It wasn’t great, but it also wasn’t bad. It was speedy enough to let us stream movies in 4K resolution. Our download speed averaged 230 Mbps while our upload speed averaged around 210 Mbps.

ExpressVPN’s balanced upload and download speed made it a great option for video conferencing. It kept our Zoom meetings flowing smoothly, unlike Hotspot Shield, which has lightning-fast download speed but very slow upload speed.

ExpressVPN Security – Very Good

ExpressVPN combines its 256-bit AES encryption with its fast and lightweight protocol called Lightway. It’s a solid pairing. We found no IP address leaks when we did DNS and WebRTC leak tests. The Lightway protocol was also quick to establish VPN tunnels. It takes ExpressVPN less than five seconds to connect, which means you can connect to it anytime without hassle. It’s our favorite VPN to use when commuting because of its convenient quick-connect function.

Lightway Protocol

ExpressVPN is at the forefront of VPN technology. It developed a proprietary protocol that is both secure and fast, called Lightway. This VPN protocol runs on only 2,000 lines of code, much less than protocols like OpenVPN. And as a result, it’s lightweight and it provides a smooth user-experience.

Here’s how it compares to OpenVPN:

IP Leak Blocking

We’ve encountered more than a few VPNs that have an “IP leak protection” feature, and for some reason, you can turn it off. We’re not sure why that’s even an option. IP leak is something you’d want to avoid at all cost.

With ExpressVPN, though, all connections come with IP leak protection. It efficiently blocks DNS and WebRTC leaks. In fact, once you’re connected to ExpressVPN, you can go to its website to check if there are any WebRTC leaks. We did that, and found no leaks whatsoever – just the result we were hoping for.

User Benefits of ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN offers 105 server locations. That alone is a huge benefit to users. It gives you access to numerous locations, making it easier to access content from all over the world. With its impressive speed, privacy features (RAM-based servers, LightWay and OpenVPN protocols, etc.), and encryption, you can use ExpressVPN for pretty much any task. And of course, ExpressVPN is easy to use. The app works fresh off installation and you need not make any adjustments to make it secure.

Who It’s Best For:

ExpressVPN offers agile data protection, which is particularly ideal for frequent travelers. It has strong privacy features. Its lightweight proprietary VPN protocol also makes it a good travel companion, as it runs fast on most mobile devices and computers.

8. CyberGhost - Best VPN for Mac

SecurityScore:

8.9 /10

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How We Review

Product Specs

Multihop	Yes
Camouflage Mode	No
Kill switch	Yes
Split Tunneling	Yes
Netflix	Yes
Torrenting	Yes

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Why We Picked It

CyberGhost’s app excelled on Mac. It provided us easy access to top-quality features like split tunneling (Smart Rules), a kill switch, and several auto-connect options. It also features over 10,000 servers in 100 countries – one of the largest networks we’ve seen – to provide secure connections wherever you may be.

CyberGhost’s Mac speed also stands out, particularly the download speed. Our download speed on Mac remained above 230 Mbps after connecting to CyberGhost. That’s a speed loss of less than 10-percent, which is one of the best speeds we’ve seen on our Macbook.

CyberGhost Privacy – Good

In our previous tests of CyberGhost, we found that it logged IP addresses in an anonymized format. It logged IP addresses, but they weren’t tied to specific users. This raised concerns from us, but fortunately, CyberGhost adjusted its privacy policy. Last we checked, they no longer store IP addresses. They store only the country of origin of connection requests now. That’s an improvement.

CyberGhost Speed – Good

CyberGhost provided fast download speeds but significantly slower upload speeds. It’s just like Hotspot Shield and Norton in that regard. Our upload speed went down by 70-percent, which meant we only got about 75 Mbps from our 250 Mbps network. Fortunately, the download speed remained high with an average reading of 223 Mbps. Both upload and download speeds are important, but the latter usually matters for for streaming and downloading.

CyberGhost Security – Very Good

In terms of security, we liked CyberGhost’s IP address masking in particular. Normally, when trying to access sites like Netflix and Disney+ that block VPNs, they’d occasionally detect that we’re using VPNs. For example, in our X-VPN review, Netflix detected two of the 10 servers we tested. With CyberGhost, we connected to 10 different servers in different locations, and all of them worked. That was, to some degree, proof that CyberGhost was hiding our IP address well.

Discounts Available

CyberGhost offers a wide array of subscriptions to choose from, and this makes the VPN very flexible. You can sign up for a month subscription to try things out, or go all-in on a one-, two-, or three-year subscription. The best part is, you’ll get a discount depending on the length of your plan.

The highest discount is over 80-percent off, which you can get by signing a three-year subscription. All in all, you’ll pay only $56.94 every three years, which breaks down to just over $2 per month.

NoSpy Servers

CyberGhost, like most of the VPNs we review, doesn’t keep logs of its users’ browsing data. Bur CyberGhost takes things up a notch with its NoSpy servers. These data centers operated by CyberGhost itself are located in Romania, which is outside the reach of the 14 Eyes alliance.

Romania’s laws also make it VPN-friendly. It doesn’t require data retention and mass surveillance tactics used by other countries. When you connect to one of CyberGhost’s NoSpy servers, you can rest assured that your data is safe.

User Benefits of CyberGhost

CyberGhost offers several features designed to benefit users. It has RAM-based servers like ExpressVPN. It also provides NoSpy servers, as detailed above. It’s also worth noting that CyberGhost has a deep network. It has servers in 100 countries, almost the same as ExpressVPN 105 locations, but the total number of CyberGhost’s servers is over 10,000. A network that large gives CyberGhost users access to content, webpages, and services all around the globe.

Who It’s Best For:

It’s true that the longer subscriptions offer the best prices, but CyberGhost’s flexibility makes it a great-value VPN for pretty much anyone.

9. Proton VPN - Best VPN for Work

SecurityScore:

8.8 /10

View Plans

How We Review

Product Specs

Multi-hop	Yes
Camouflage Mode	Yes
Kill switch	Yes
Split Tunneling	Yes
Netflix	Yes
Torrenting	Yes

View Plans

Why We Picked It

ProtonVPN is now Proton, which seems like an ignorable change, but is actually big for the VPN company. As Proton, it now includes the entire Proton suite of cybersecurity tools. That includes ProtonMail, ProtonCalendar, ProtonDrive, and ProtonVPN. As such, Proton is a good personal VPN to use at work.

Proton VPN Privacy – Excellent

Proton is a privacy-focused company. It offers privacy tools like a secure email (that detects phishing email well) and calendar, an encrypted cloud drive, a password manager. And of course, there’s Proton VPN.

The company Proton is also based in Switzerland. It’s a privacy-friendly country with no mandatory data retention. That means Proton can legally maintain a “no-logs” policy not just for its VPN, but all its privacy tools and products.

Proton VPN Speed – Very Good

We’ve seen a fair share of VPNs with good download speed but disappointing upload speed. If you’re looking for a VPN with fast upload speeds, though, we can recommend Proton. It topped our ranking in terms of upload speed, notching just a four-percent decrease compared to our baseline speed. The average upload and download speed were both 240 Mbps. That’s why we used it a lot for Zoom meetings and other work tasks that require good upload and download speeds.

Proton VPN Security – Excellent

Though fast, Proton VPN was plenty secure as well. Notably, we discovered that it uses perfect forward secrecy encryption. VPNs use keys to decipher encrypted traffic as it passes through a server. If not secured, these keys can be stolen to decrypt subsequent traffic. With Proton VPN, it generated a different cipher key for every session. It’s unlikely, but even If a key is stolen, it can’t be used to decrypt future encrypted traffic. Another VPN that offers perfect forward secrecy is NordVPN, which as you might recall, is our top-pick for privacy.

Stealth VPN

Proton recently joined the growing number of VPNs with their proprietary VPN protocols. Proton’s VPN protocol is called Stealth, and it has one special feature: obfuscation. Basically, it encrypts your traffic, but it also makes it look like regular traffic, hiding it from network, ISP, and government filters. Obfuscation is particularly useful in countries where the use of VPNs is highly controlled or monitored.

Right now, Stealth is only available for Android, iOS, iPadOS, and macOS users. Windows support is still in the works.

Fast Upload Speeds

At work, we need fast upload speeds and low latency so our meeting software works smoothly. There’s nothing more embarrassing than when you laugh at someone’s joke but they don’t hear it until two minutes later. ProtonVPN was one of the fastest VPNs we tested on our Windows and Mac computers when it came to both upload speeds and latency.

Proton VPN Speeds

User Benefits of Proton VPN

Proton’s main advantage for users is it being an all-around privacy solution. The VPN is just one of the many privacy-focused products from Proton. It also offers ProtonMail, Proton Drive, and Proton Pass. Focusing on just the VPN, Proton offers rarely-seen features such as NetShield (ad-blocker), private DNS, and Tor over VPN. Proton is one of the only two VPNs we tested with Tor over VPN, the other being NordVPN (our #1 pick). While Proton offers only a decent 3,000+ servers in 70+ countries, it more than makes up for that with its advanced security and privacy features.

Who It’s Best For:

Digital privacy is Proton’s main priority, with a whole suite of privacy-focused online tools. So if your profession calls for extra privacy, like if you’re a journalist, you should consider Proton.

10. UltraVPN - Best for Day-to-day Use

SecurityScore:

9.2 /10

How We Review

Product Specs

Multi-hop	No
Camouflage Mode	No
Kill switch	Yes
Split Tunneling	Yes
Netflix	Yes
Torrenting	Yes

Why We Picked It

VPNs don’t always need to be as feature-rich as NordVPN and Surfshark. Sometimes, a simple option is better as long as it can do the job of protecting your privacy. That’s UltraVPN’s advantage. It’s simple and affordable, making it a great day-to-day VPN for casual users.

While it lacked the advanced features and customizations we saw from Private Internet Access, UltraVPN’s performance as a VPN was rock-solid. It gave us decent speeds, a bug-free app, and a respectable number of VPN servers to choose from (1,000 servers in 125 locations). For its price – $7.99 monthly or $1.99 per month if you sign up for two years – it’s definitely a cost-effective solution for online privacy.

UltraVPN Privacy – Very Good

UltraVPN’s privacy policy discusses how it doesn’t log data, but without third-party audits like we saw from Surfshark, there’s no way to concretely prove or disprove it. However, we noticed one thing that seems to indicate UltraVPN’s commitment to privacy. When India passed a law requiring VPNs to collect user data, UltraVPN was among the first to pull out from the country. It still offers India IP addresses last time we checked, but those are from virtual servers located in Singapore.

>> More Options: The Best VPNs for India

UltraVPN Speed – Fair

UltraVPN underdelivered in this area. It should have been fast because it uses Hydra, the proprietary VPN protocol of Hotspot Shield (#3 on this list). And as we saw earlier, Hydra is capable of nearly loss-less download speed. Unfortunately, we can’t say the same about UltraVPN. Our download speed averaged 160 Mbps. That’s nearly a 40-percent drop compared to our real network speed. It wasn’t that bad, but UltraVPN isn’t nearly as fast as Hotspot Shield.

Here’s a quick comparison:

UltraVPN Security – Very Good

Despite its poor use of Hydra’s speed, UltraVPN used the protocol well to provide online security. It checked for and blocked malware-ridden websites. It also encrypted traffic using 256-bit AES and protected us from IP address leaks. And like our top-pick NordVPN, UltraVPN let us access a private DNS server.

Even just the fact that it uses Hydra makes UltraVPN a secure option. Cyberattackers are more likely to try to target widely-used protocols like OpenVPN and WireGuard. Using a proprietary protocol used by only a handful of VPNs is a good move by UltraVPN.

Hydra Protocol

We’ve mentioned Hydra several times already, but what really is it? Hydra is a VPN protocol much like OpenVPN, but it was developed by Hotspot Shield. Hydra promises to deliver fast speeds, agile connections, and good security. It’s actually one of the best VPN protocols after OpenVPN and WireGuard.

We especially liked UltraVPN’s agility when using the Hydra protocol. It reconnected automatically and swiftly even when we changed Wi-Fi networks or switched from mobile data to Wi-Fi and vice versa on our phones. It left very little opportunity for attack. It also made day-to-day use a little bit easier as we didn’t have to check our connection as often as we did with less agile protocols like OpenVPN.

>> See Also: What Can Someone Do With My IP Address?

Flexible Pricing

UltraVPN can be quite affordable in terms of pricing. Even its monthly subscription costs only $7.99. For comparison, most VPNs cost more than $10 per month. NordVPN costs $12.99 with a monthly subscription and Surfshark costs $10.99.

If you’re looking for a VPN for long-term use, UltraVPN’s pricing gets even better. You’ll pay only $47.76 to sign up for two years. That’s an average of just $2 per month. See the pricing breakdown below.

The bottom line is, whether you’re looking for a short-term or long-term VPN, UltraVPN is a practical choice.

User Benefits of UltraVPN

Features aren’t the only benefits you can get from a VPN. A streamlined user experience is also an advantage, and it’s certainly UltraVPN’s biggest flex. The app is easy to use; it’s not feature-rich, but it’s not lacking anything critical either. It has split tunneling, a kill switch for Windows (and a makeshift kill switch for Android), and one of the best VPN protocols in Hydra. Best of all, it’s affordable. With prices starting at $2 per month and with a 30-day money-back guarantee, UltraVPN offers good value if you’re looking for something more straightforward than NordVPN and our other top picks.

Who It’s Best For:

With its affordable pricing and user-friendly apps, we recommend UltraVPN to students and casual internet users looking for a day-to-day VPN. It’s not the fastest, but it’s reliable for daily use.