We compare some of the leading VPN services and their most prominent features making it easy to find and buy one that works best for you. Additionally, you can click on the links to read a full and detailed review of each VPN service along with our personal assessment of its performance.
Every VPN service is listed in order of its overall performance, rating and features. That said we urge you to check out each software’s full suite of features to determine if it fits your needs the best before subscribing.
VPNs range in price from $0.99/month to over $30.00/month for premium providers.
But what does the extra money buy? Is it worth paying more for a better provider? In some cases, yes, especially if you take advantage of the many VPN deals available.
The most crucial factor is the features offered by each provider. The more features a provider offers, the higher the cost. Customer service is another factor that can affect the price. For example, some VPN services include 24/7 live chat support, while others have ticket systems.
Finally, a VPN's price can be affected by its servers. For example, a provider with servers in multiple countries is likely more costly than one with only ten or fifteen servers. Moreover, VPNs that offer connections on multiple devices are often not the cheapest.
However, they are necessary if you want to use the VPN on more than just one device. This is why it's so important to get a VPN that allows for multiple connections.
VPN servers are vital for many reasons. First, the more servers a provider has, the more likely you will find one nearby, improving speeds. Another benefit is that more servers mean more IP addresses, giving you more options for location and avoiding detection.
A provider with fewer servers may not be the best choice if you need a lot of IP addresses. However, having numerous servers is also essential if you use the VPN to unblock Netflix content, as you'll get more consistent and faster speeds.
If you want a fast and reliable connection, a provider with more servers is probably better. You should also make sure that the provider has servers in the countries you need.
For example, if you're looking to unblock US Netflix, you'll want a provider with servers in the US. If you want to unblock BBC iPlayer, you'll need a UK server.
Speed is one of the most crucial factors to consider when choosing a VPN provider. A fast connection is vital for streaming videos, gaming, and browsing the web. In addition, the encryption protocol is an essential factor that can affect your VPN speed.
The two most common protocols are OpenVPN and PPTP. OpenVPN is the more secure of the two, but it can be slower than PPTP. PPTP is less secure but faster. If you're looking for a fast connection, you may want to choose a VPN that uses PPTP.
If security is your main concern, go with OpenVPN. Either way, ensure to test out protocols and find the one that works best for you.
There are four things that can affect your VPN speed:
Because speed is so essential in a VPN, you need to ensure that you pick a provider with servers that can handle your needs.
So now that we know what factors influence VPN speeds, let's look at how these speeds compare between some of the top providers.
NordVPN is one of the most popular VPN providers on the market, and it offers a great selection of features for a very reasonable price. In addition, our tests have found NordVPN to provide consistent speeds, reaching the maximum ISP speeds. Unfortunately, this is rare in some other VPN providers, as they have inadequate servers to maintain the bandwidth.
ExpressVPN is one of the most reliable VPN providers out there, being in the top five. The speeds are fast, which is necessary to stream media. ExpressVPN is known as virtually the best VPN for streaming geo-restricted Netflix content. If you plan on using your VPN for media, this is the way to go. It’s also incredibly secure, ranking right up there with the best.
Surfshark is another popular provider that offers an impressive array of features for a competitive price. Surfshark also provides consistent speeds and typically fires at the same rate as the ISP speed, though not quite as consistent as NordVPN. To most users, though, this will never be noticeable and should not take away from its reliability.
It's critical to note that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all VPN. What works for one person may not work for another.
So, for example, if you need a VPN that can unblock geo-blocked sites, but the one you choose doesn't support Popcorn Time or Netflix, it's not helpful to you. This also holds true for speed and other traits of VPNs such as security or torrenting. What's most important to you?
One reason people use a VPN is for privacy. A VPN encrypts your internet connection and routes it through a remote server, making it difficult to track your online activities. That's why it's critical to pick a VPN service that doesn't log your activity.
Some VPN providers claim to keep no logs, but there are ways to verify this. First, read your VPN provider's privacy policy to ensure they don't keep logs of your activity.
A lack of or vague privacy policy is a red flag. A good privacy policy will explain what data is collected and how it is used. A VPN provider should also have a kill switch.
A kill switch disconnects you from the internet if your VPN connection fails. This protects your real IP address if the VPN connection fails. Not all VPN providers offer a kill switch, so keep that in mind when comparing services.
Nevertheless, there are reasons why free VPNs are free – and it's because they sell your data or offer very subpar service.
P2P file sharing is when people connect their computers and share files. It's a popular way to download movies, music, and other large files. But not using a VPN can be risky. Without a VPN, everyone on the P2P network can see your IP.
This means your ISP can see everything you do and anyone else on the network. And downloading copyrighted material may result in legal action.
A VPN encrypts your traffic and hides your IP address from your ISP. This means you can torrent without fear of being caught. But not all VPNs are created equal.
Others block P2P traffic altogether or have slow or unreliable connections. That's why it's critical to use a P2P-optimized VPN for torrenting.
Selecting the correct VPN might feel as though it's difficult, especially for beginners. However, all you have to do is prioritize the most essential features to you.
The security of the VPN provider is undoubtedly one of the most important factors when it comes to selecting an anonymous VPN. Make sure the provider uses strong encryption and offers a secure security system. Another essential aspect is privacy.
A good VPN will have no logs of your activities and will have a strict no-logs policy in place. Furthermore, having a fast connection is essential for streaming and gaming.
So make sure the chosen provider has high server speeds. It's also critical to look for one that offers good value for money and doesn't cut corners on features or security.
Be sure to check out our additional comparisons below to see how various VPNs stack up to one another. You'd be surprised at just how different one VPN can be from another!
