Last Update: September 27, 2023
Secure VPN - choose a good one. If you want to protect your data and privacy, as well as preserve your anonymity on the Internet, you are looking for the most secure VPN. The offer is huge, but only a few services meet all criteria. First and foremost, you must be able to trust your VPN provider. Therefore, you should not take the next best VPN provider, but a reputable provider with a good reputation. NordVPN* and CyberGhost* (price tip) are two of the best providers on the market. They are secure, support all popular operating systems as well as devices and offer many useful additional features.
The best part of finding a secure VPN is that you can usually try out reliable providers for free. Among the most secure services on the market are the following 3 services, which I'll go into a little more detail below:
Here are some important criteria that I think the most secure VPN must have:
Total Time: 10 minutes
A VPN is not allowed to store your data. If there are any requests from the authorities, there is nothing that the service provider can hand over. It's also great if a VPN operates servers that only run in RAM. As soon as the server is restarted, all data is erased. NordVPN*, CyberGhost* and PIA* do not store any logs and are classified as secure VPNs.
If a provider is convinced of itself, it offers you a money-back guarantee. CyberGhost is very generous with this guarantee - there you even get 45 days if you sign up for a long-term subscription. NordVPN and PIA offer 30 days, which is enough to test the service extensively.
If data leaks occur, the point of a virtual private network is obsolete. I tested the providers mentioned here for both IP and DNS leaks. I could not find any. My real IP address remained hidden and even my DNS queries did not give me away. Secure VPNs must keep your IP address secret and obfuscate your DNS queries.
It's great when providers offer WireGuard or a descendant like NordLynx. The protocol is fast, lean, and great for streaming. However, most providers also provide the renowned and very secure OpenVPN. It is also fast enough, but can be a bit more secure - especially when it comes to cloaking mechanisms to make your VPN traffic look like normal Internet traffic.
Transitioning from point 4 - cloaking technology helps you bypass censorship and internet blocking. Firewalls and DPI (Deep Packet Inspection) may see that you are using a VPN and block this traffic. In this context, the Great Firewall of China is notorious. Secure VPNs can beat such blocks. NordVPN (obfuscated servers) and PIA (NoBorders + cloaking servers) are excellent at this point.
Check out which devices you want to connect to a VPN. The best providers support all popular operating systems and devices. All the providers mentioned here have apps for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, as well as browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox and so on.
The last point is not necessarily a criterion that a VPN is secure. However, it is a nice bonus if the most secure VPN can beat the annoying geoblocking of various streaming platforms at the same time. It's also handy if you're abroad and want to watch the TV program of your home country.
An added bonus is an adblocker that not only blocks annoying ads, but also warns you about trackers, malware, and phishing websites.
The bottom line is that I can't completely generalize what the most secure VPN is. Before you make a choice, it's best to think about what you want the service for. Everyone has different priorities and preferences. That's why some providers may suit you more than others.
If you're new to virtual private networks, it's best to use a universal provider like NordVPN*. Not only does the provider protect your data and preserve your anonymity, but it's also one of the best for getting around geoblocking.
In addition, there is an adblocker and the provider has taken steps to make the WireGuard protocol more secure. The provider calls its variant NordLynx and relies on Double-NAT to protect your IP address in the best possible way.
Interesting at NordVPN is also the specially developed Meshnet, with which you can establish a so-called vLAN. Even if your devices are in different locations, they can communicate via Meshnet as in a LAN. If you have a small company and are looking for the most secure VPN, then this function is certainly very interesting.
But CyberGhost* also has its advantages, especially when it comes to streaming. The provider is cheap and even offers a 45-day money-back guarantee for long-term subscriptions. For this, the VPN is not so good in countries with strong VPN blocks.
PIA* is also an interesting option, especially if you have many devices or a large household. With this VPN, you are allowed to connect as many devices simultaneously as you want. PIA works well in countries with censorship. If you change the protocol to OpenVPN (TCP or UDP), your Internet traffic will be cloaked automatically. Combine that with the provider's NoBorders mode, and you should be able to beat most VPN blocking.
Secure VPN - A few quick answers to frequently asked questions.
Possibly. If you use a free version from a reputable provider, then it is usually secure. However, your data volumes and/or speeds are severely limited. However, there are many free providers on the market that collect your data and sell it to third parties. High quality and secure VPNs like NordVPN, CyberGhost and PIA are extremely cheap. I wouldn't risk my data for a few euros a month.
There are several providers on the market that can be classified as secure. If you are looking for a universal and secure provider, check out NordVPN. You don't have to buy the proverbial pig in a poke either, you can test the service risk-free. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee. If the service does not meet your expectations, you ask for a refund.
There can be many reasons. Maybe you are going on vacation and want to watch TV in your home country. Maybe you want to avoid geo-blocking from other countries. In countries with strong Internet censorship, such a service is worth its weight in gold to stay in touch with friends and family - after all, secure VPN services like WhatsApp, Skype and so on unlock. Of course, with a secure VPN you also protect yourself from snoopers, nosy authorities, and your ISP doesn't see what you're doing.
