Best VPN Service for 2024: VPNs Tested by Our Experts [CNET]
Its Lightway protocol delivers consistently fast speeds alongside post-quantum protection, cleanly blending performance and security. Using ExpressVPN’s service is a breeze, reliably unblocking streaming content and offering useful security features with its Advanced Protection suite. Whether you’re a seasoned VPN aficionado or have never used a virtual private network app before, ExpressVPN is intuitive and accessible.
![A screenshot of a VPN app connected](https://i0.wp.com/www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/e55b889bfabf858225174a478e3fe3de0812c861/hub/2024/04/25/043f67ce-c1b8-414d-a7a1-6dcf137d2dd6/expressvpn-on-windows.png?resize=768%2C1252&ssl=1)
Surfshark is a great choice for folks seeking practical privacy features on a budget. It offers connection speeds and features comparable to ExpressVPN and NordVPN but at an annual rate that’s considerably cheaper ($45 for the first year or $60 total for the first two years, then $60 a year after the promotional period for both the one- and two-year plans, versus $100 regular yearly prices for ExpressVPN and NordVPN). Surfshark also offers support for unlimited simultaneous devices, which makes it a great option for people with large families or just a lot of connected devices. There’s even an Apple TV app for easy streaming in the living room and a Linux GUI app for simplicity on Linux. However, Surfshark doesn’t quite match ExpressVPN’s commitment to privacy, which makes it less suited for people with critical privacy needs.
![Screenshots of Surfshark VPN app, showing recommended locations and a connection to a VPN.](https://i0.wp.com/www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/2d696cccb858a774bb5449de733af778c14733d5/hub/2024/04/25/211c037b-afbd-4bd3-b67e-7eef72bbe9f2/surfshark-vpn-on-windows.png?resize=800%2C541&ssl=1)
NordVPN is an excellent feature-packed VPN. NordVPN’s connection speeds were the very fastest we tested, with CNET Labs clocking a best-in-class 11.1% average internet download speed loss. It offers double VPN, as well as Onion Over VPN for extra encryption and Meshnet for secure file sharing, alongside more standard features like split tunneling to let you decide which online activities need VPN protection. Most people won’t need all of those options, but they’re nice inclusions for power users. Overall, NordVPN offers a high-performing service with excellent features for people who want advanced privacy protection.
![Screenshot of NordVPN app showing connection strength](https://i0.wp.com/www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/16ddf36046e75198088800b5df83d14fe19b8b05/hub/2024/04/25/93a1483e-7de2-435a-95fc-af6c2544eacf/nordvpn-on-windows.png?resize=800%2C649&ssl=1)
Each VPN service we recommend has excellent value for a specific use case, and we point out the ideal user for each one. The array of options available means there’s a VPN service suited to your needs, whether your privacy needs are casual or critical. Also, consider jumping on one of the best VPN deals currently available, which many of our top picks are offering.
Internet speed loss
VPNs somewhat lower your internet speed because you’re routing your traffic through an encrypted server before communicating with apps, websites and other internet services rather than a direct connection. The fastest VPNs feature an average download speed loss of 25% or less. Generally, even folks with slower connections — like satellite internet — won’t notice a marginal 25% or under dip. For bandwidth-intensive applications like gaming, 4K video streaming or uploading large files, you’ll want a VPN with minimal speed loss. Casual users with faster internet speeds should be fine with more than 25% speed loss, but we look for VPNs that keep speed loss below 50%.
In our 2024 testing, NordVPN came out on top with an impressively low 11% average internet speed loss. Mullvad, Surfshark, Proton VPN and ExpressVPN all clocked an average internet download speed loss of 25% or less.
CNET speed test data
This table shows the speeds we experienced in our testing. Your speeds will vary depending on factors like your internet service plan and connection type. The percentage of speed lost is intended as a general indicator of how much the VPN slows down your connection; lower numbers represent a faster overall connection.
Provider | Avg. VPN speed (Mbps) | Avg. non-VPN speed (Mbps) | Speed loss |
---|---|---|---|
ExpressVPN | 173 | 231 | 25% |
Surfshark | 153 | 193 | 17% |
NordVPN | 206 | 230 | 11% |
Proton VPN | 157 | 180 | 21% |
IPVanish | 205 | 367 | 44% |
PIA | 98 | 211 | 49% |
Mullvad | 319 | 369 | 13% |
Privacy
VPNs bolster your privacy by masking your IP address, which, like your physical address, indicates identifying information about your geographical location. At a minimum, we recommend a VPN with 256-bit encryption (for OpenVPN and IKEv2 VPN protocols) or ChaCha20 (with WireGuard), a strict no-logging policy and DNS leak protection. Because logging is tough to verify, look for regular third-party audits. You can and should be skeptical of your VPN provider’s zero-log claims. Still, VPN audits are important but don’t provide the full privacy picture.
Additionally, transparency reports offer peace of mind. We also suggest sticking with a VPN that includes a kill switch. More privacy-concerned users like investigative journalists or political activists will appreciate advanced features such as obfuscation (which makes it harder for ISPs to determine that you’re using a VPN), Tor over VPN (for additional encryption using the Tor network) and a double VPN (which relies on a second VPN server connection to enhance encryption). Folks with critical privacy needs should consider a VPN provider with jurisdiction outside of the Five, Nine or Fourteen Eyes intelligence-sharing communities for even stronger peace of mind.
Server network
When considering VPN server networks, look at the overall number of servers, as well as the individual country locations. For instance, one virtual private network company may have twice the total number of servers as a competitor but half the different country locations, meaning you’ve got fewer international choices. At the high end, the most comprehensive VPNs for travel offer 90-plus individual countries, but anywhere over 60 countries will work for many folks.
Outside of country locations, some VPNs allow file sharing across all servers, whereas others feature dedicated P2P (peer-to-peer) options. For purposes like torrenting, check whether your desired provider permits file sharing on all servers or select ones.
Additionally, you’ll sometimes find specialty servers, like Tor (The Onion Router) over VPN, Double VPN or obfuscated servers. Onion over VPN and Double VPN servers provide extra privacy by bolstering your encryption even further when compared with a standard VPN connection, with Tor using the Onion network while a double VPN relies on a second VPN tunnel. On the other hand, obfuscated servers make it more difficult for apps, websites or internet service providers to determine that you’re using a VPN.
Device support
Think about your devices and what you’d like to run a VPN on. Most VPN companies offer apps for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android/Android TV, iOS/iPadOS and web browsers. Apple TV apps are increasingly common, with ExpressVPN, NordVPN and IPVanish featuring TVOS applications. A graphical user interface application may be easier for Linux users than a command line interface option. Surfshark, Proton and PIA boast Linux GUI apps, making them compelling choices for Linux VPNs. You can typically install a VPN on your router for whole-home coverage and use it on devices that don’t support native VPN apps, like Xbox consoles, although this will typically void the warranty on the router.
While most VPN companies let you install an app on as many gadgets as you wish, you’re sometimes limited to simultaneous devices. ExpressVPN allows eight, while NordVPN and Proton give you 10. Surfshark, PIA and IPVanish are unlimited. Even with a provider like Express, Proton or Nord, you can still install a VPN on as many devices as you wish, but you’ll be able to have only a handful of active sessions at once. Most folks should be fine even with eight to 10 simultaneous connections, but families or hardcore power users may feel constrained.
VPN device compatibility
Wondering which VPN services work on which devices? We’ve got you covered.
IPVanish | Surfshark | PIA | ProtonVPN | ExpressVPN | NordVPN | |
Windows | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
MacOS | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Linux | ✔️ | ✔️ (with GUI) | ✔️ (with GUI) | ✔️ (with GUI) | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Android/AndroidTV | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
iOS/iPadOS | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Fire TV | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Smart TV* | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Apple TV | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Router | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Browser plugin** | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Simultaneous connections | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | 10 | 8 | 10 |
Streaming capabilities
While VPNs can be great for privacy, they’re also helpful for unblocking region-restricted entertainment content. You can use a VPN to watch streaming services like Peacock (for streaming the Olympics or Law & Order re-runs), Max or Hulu from your home country when traveling abroad. On the flip side, VPNs unlock access to foreign Netflix (so you can watch Beverly Hills Cop Axel F), Disney Plus (so you can stream The Acolyte all you like) and Amazon Prime Video (where you can currently find The Beekeeper in the US) libraries.
Cost
With most VPNs, you can sign up for a monthly, bi-annual, annual or multi-year VPN subscription. Although multi-year deals typically net you the most savings, we usually recommend sticking with an annual plan for the best savings with the lowest risk. The virtual private network you sign up for may initially be fast, private and great for geo-unblocking, but may become slower, suffer a data breach or stop allowing access to foreign Netflix libraries over a year.
On the high end, VPNs such as Express cost around $100 per year, with value-packed providers like Surfshark and PIA offering year-long prices from $40 to $60. Some companies include price hikes: NordVPN normally charges $60 annually for your first year, then your plan renews at $100 per 12 months. Similarly, Surfshark goes for $45 a year upfront, then renews at $60 annually. Make a budget, then find a VPN provider that fits the bill while being mindful of price hikes. Notably, you can renew while avoiding raised renewal rates by taking advantage of seasonal discounts like Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals.
Additional VPN factors to consider
Don’t use free VPN providers: Except for Proton, you’ll find only paid VPN options on this list above because they’re the only ones we recommend.
Look for a no-logs VPN but understand the caveats: The best VPNs keep as few logs as possible and make them as anonymous as possible, so there’s little data to provide should authorities come knocking. Even “no-logs” VPNs aren’t 100% anonymous.
There are limits to the privacy VPNs currently provide to iOS users: Recent independent research has surfaced suggesting iPhones and iPads running iOS 14 or later may be vulnerable to device-only VPN leaks, regardless of which VPN is used. Apple users concerned with potential leaks can take extra precautions by installing their VPN on a home router to ensure their entire Wi-Fi network is encrypted. Some iOS users may potentially reduce the likelihood of leaks while outside of a home network by enabling their VPN’s kill switch and selecting OpenVPN protocols. You can also try closing all apps, activating your VPN and then enabling and disabling Airplane Mode before using your device normally. Apple advises users to activate their device’s Always On VPN profile for additional protection.
VPN transparency is important, but warrant canaries are only the beginning: Many services use “warrant canaries” to passively note to the public whether or not they’ve been subpoenaed by a government entity. This is because many investigations from national security agencies can’t be actively disclosed by law. Like the no-logging issue, warrant canaries aren’t always as straightforward as they seem. You should spend more time investigating whether your prospective VPN has cooperated with authorities in the past, and how and when it’s disclosed that fact.
Think twice about using a US-based VPN: The Patriot Act is still the law of the land in the US, and that means US-based VPNs have little recourse if and when the feds show up with subpoenas or national security letters in hand demanding access to servers, VPN user accounts or other data. Yes, they may have little data to access if the service has a strong no-logs policy, but why not just choose a service that’s based outside Uncle Sam’s jurisdiction? (If this is a concern for you, you’ll also want to avoid countries with which the US has intelligence-sharing agreements.)
A VPN, or virtual private network, is an online service available as a mobile app, desktop app, browser extension or other software that encrypts your internet traffic to boost your privacy online. A VPN also prevents your internet service provider from tracking which websites or apps you’re using and stops most of those websites and apps from seeing your actual geographic location, allowing you to bypass content blocks in some countries to access critical news and educational information. Additionally, VPNs are great for unblocking geo-protected content like accessing foreign Netflix libraries. We strongly recommend using a good VPN for everyday use as well as for work, particularly if your work involves handling sensitive information.
The best VPNs deliver a strong level of privacy protection without compromising on performance, particularly internet speeds. At CNET, we rigorously test each VPN across major platforms to find the ones that provide exceptional privacy, reliability, speed and value. This list is constantly being updated as we actively test VPNs and look at the latest research, so expect this guide to change throughout the year as we put each VPN through its paces. We’ve recently retested Surfshark, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Private Internet Access, Proton, IPVanish, CyberGhost, Mullvad and PrivadoVPN from the ground up.
ExpressVPN | Surfshark | NordVPN | ProtonVPN | PIA | IPVanish | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Price | $13 per month, $60 for six months or $100 for a year | $15 per month, $45 the first year or $60 for the first two years (one- and two-year plans renew at $60 per year) | $13 per month, $60 for a year or $82 for two years (one- and two-year plans auto-renew at $140 a year) | $10 per month, $60 for a year or $108 for two years (one- and two-year plans auto-renew at $80 a year) | $12 per month, $40 for a year or $79 for three years | $13 per month, $34 for a year or $52 for two years |
Server network | 3,000-plus servers in 105 countries | 3,200-plus servers in 100 countries | 6,400-plus servers in 111 countries | 6,400-plus servers in 100 countries | 35,000-plus servers in 91 countries | 2,400-plus servers in 56 countries |
Average internet speed loss | 25% | 17% | 11% | 21% | 49% | 44% |
Simultaneous connections | 8 | Unlimited | 10 | 10 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Supported platforms | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, Android TV, iOS, iPadOS, Apple TV, Fire TV, Web browsers, Routers | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, Android TV, iOS, iPadOS, Apple TV, Fire TV, Web browsers, Routers | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, Android TV, iOS, iPadOS, Apple TV, Fire TV, Web browsers, Routers | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, Android TV, iOS, iPadOS, Fire TV, Web browsers, Routers | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, Android TV, iOS, iPadOS, Apple TV, Fire TV, Web browsers, Routers | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, Android TV, iOS, iPadOS, Apple TV, Fire TV, Web browsers, Routers |
Our hands-on testing and review process is designed to cut through that hype. When we look at each VPN service, we’re not just examining them for their technical weaknesses, but we’re also scrutinizing their individual performance strengths. We want to know what each service does best. We test each VPN across over 20 factors, and we continually improve our methodology as we learn more. Our rigorous testing process involves running over 250 internet speed tests across multiple worldwide servers to determine accurate internet speed loss averages.
We test VPNs for browsing and streaming speed in multiple countries, as well as their connection stability and even the smallest potential privacy leaks. By testing across multiple devices and platforms, we’re able to assess which VPNs are best for gaming versus those best for streaming, torrenting or sharing sensitive information. Most importantly, we focus on doing the deep-dive research necessary to vet each VPN’s historical credibility and its ownership in a notoriously murky market.
The VPNs on this list earn our recommendation for more than just boosting their digital privacy strengths — they enable easy streaming to overcome geo-blocked media, have torrenting-friendly servers and are fast enough to support gaming globally. Based on those continued evaluations, you’ll see a few bullet points on each entry in our list, highlighting each VPN’s strengths and the uses we recommend it for most. Because we strive to keep on top of a fast-changing market, you’ll notice that the rank of each VPN service changes as we learn more and retest.
Picking a VPN requires knowing two basic things to start with: What you want to use it for, and what you’re willing to pay. The range of VPN offerings is vast, but those two things will help you find a VPN that has the right blend of speed, security and cost.
Below, you’ll find specific FAQ sections on picking a VPN based on the most common needs: gaming, streaming media, working from home and privacy-critical professions. In general, you’ll want a VPN that provides sufficient encryption, doesn’t log your activity, offers essential security features like DNS leak protection and a kill switch, has server locations where you need them and can give you fast connection speeds. Our top five VPNs have all these features, although connection speeds will vary based on your internet provider and the server you connect to.
For a deeper dive, check our detailed walk-through of how we evaluate and review VPNs. If you’re looking for some quick pointers, here are universally applicable advice guides for beginners:
Other VPNs we’ve tested
Not every VPN can be a favorite. These are the ones we reviewed, but they’re not full-throated recommendations for one reason or another, including limited features and concerns over adequately hiding your identity.
IPVanish is a decent beginner-friendly VPN for folks seeking basic privacy. It does a good job unblocking geographically protected streaming content on multiple services, such as providing access to foreign Netflix libraries. We liked its intuitive VPN apps which, while easy to use even for novices, weren’t quite as streamlined as apps from NordVPN or ExpressVPN. While you get privacy fundamentals from IPVanish, its US jurisdiction makes it unsuitable for people with critical privacy needs, like political activists, investigative journalists or asylum-seekers.
Its comparatively slow speeds — we measured a 44% average internet speed loss — severely lagged behind NordVPN (11%), Surfshark (17%), Proton VPN (21%) and ExpressVPN (25%). Likewise, its relatively small server network of 56 countries is head and shoulders below Nord (111 countries), ExpressVPN (105) countries, Surfshark (100 countries), Proton (112 countries) and PIA (91 countries). IPVanish sets you back $13 per month, $40 for your first year or $52 for two years combined — but the one- and two-year plans jump to $90 annually after your introductory pricing period. For the price, you can get a VPN with faster internet speed maintenance and a much larger web of servers.
Quick Take
- Servers: 2,400-plus
- Number of countries: 56
- Country/jurisdiction: US
- Platforms: Windows, MacOS, Linux (CLI), Chrome OS, Android, Android TV, iOS, iPadOS, Fire TV, Apple TV
- Price: $13 per month, $40 for the first year (then $90 annually) or $52 for the first two years combined (then $90 annually)
Hotspot Shield VPN’s TLS-based Hydra Catapult protocol, US jurisdiction and large percentage of virtual servers might strip away our trust in its ability to provide more privacy protections than its competitors. Those are all key components to its ability to achieve the blazing speeds it delivered during its most recent speed tests.
It effortlessly delivers smooth-streaming media and can dance between server connections without missing a beat, no matter how many interruptions you throw at it. A 26% speed loss puts it in second place, falling behind Surfshark (which lost just 16.9% of its speed the last time I tested it) and knocking Express down to third place with a 51.8% speed loss at the last measurement. Speed losses on UK connections were under 8%. When it comes to gaming, torrenting, browsing and streaming, these speed-dependent services won’t be slowed down for Hotspot Shield users.
We’re not excited about Hotspot’s privacy and security. Since the services use a closed-source proprietary Catapult Hydra protocol, instead of the more transparent open-source OpenVPN protocol, we’d like to see Hotspot give the public more third-party audits, which is a necessary step to bring Hotspot up to speed with routinely audited VPNs like TunnelBear. As recently as April 2021, review site VPNMentor discovered a DNS leak in Hotspot Shield’s plug-in for Google Chrome. Hotspot acknowledged the issue at the time and aimed to improve the product.
We’re also not thrilled about the amount of user data Hotspot collects and its privacy policy. With its premium product, it gathers and retains much more information about users than most other VPNs. If you’re using the free version of its product, it shares that information — along with even more finite data, including your MAC address and specific phone identifier — with advertising companies.
While its interface is user-friendly and its speeds are thrilling, spending time with Hotspot is going to leave your wallet a little lighter than you might prefer. Its current price is higher than its nearest competitors, its speeds slightly slower and its privacy more questionable. If you’re looking for a VPN purely on the grounds of speed, we still recommend passing on Hotspot until it improves.
Quick Take
- Number of servers: 1,800-plus
- Number of countries: 80-plus
- Country/Jurisdiction: US (Five Eyes member)
- Platforms: Windows, Android, MacOS, iOS, iPadOS, Android TV, Linux, Amazon Fire TV, routers, web browsers
- Price: $13 per month or $96 billed annually
TunnelBear has gotten a lot of hype in the last couple of years. When we looked under its hood and compared it with its VPN competitors, our excitement waned.
TunnelBear’s speeds are reasonable. We lost nearly 63% of internet speed overall when we used it, which is about average for a VPN. TunnelBear’s speeds have steadily improved over the years as measured by other review and testing sites, and the US scores we recorded saw a speed loss of only 54%.
On the plus side, TunnelBear is holding its own in the transparency competition among VPNs by publishing the results of its independent security audits and annual transparency reports. No IP address, DNS or other potentially user-identifying data leaks were detected during our testing, but in the past TunnelBear was observed to have been leaking WebRTC information. TunnelBear’s VPN encryption is standard AES-256 and it supports Perfect Forward Secrecy.
It’s also a Canadian business owned by US-based McAfee, so if you’re looking for subpoena-proof international online privacy, you’re playing with fire. It holds a paltry 23 server locations from which you can’t manually choose your VPN server or even a city. It doesn’t offer Tor-over-VPN, it offers split tunneling only on Android and it can’t even unblock Netflix.
On a per-month breakdown, the least expensive TunnelBear plan is its $120, three-year plan. You can also go month to month for $10 or pay $60 upfront for a single year. Either way, TunnelBear accepts payment via credit card and Bitcoin. Unlike other VPNs, it doesn’t take PayPal, plus it doesn’t support Amazon Fire Stick or Android TV.
Quick Take
- Number of servers: 5,000-plus
- Number of countries: 47-plus
- Jurisdiction: Canada, with US parent company
- Platforms: Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, iPadOS, web browsers
- Price: $3.33 per month, or $120, for a 3-year plan
If you need a VPN with a massive number of servers in tons of different locations, or if you’re a streaming enthusiast who likes to stream a wide variety of streaming content, then CyberGhost is a serviceable choice for casual use-cases. However, if you’re a journalist, activist, dissident, physician, attorney or anyone else with critical privacy needs looking for a solid privacy-focused VPN, you won’t find it in CyberGhost.
While we like that CyberGhost publishes extremely detailed quarterly transparency reports (far outdoing all other VPNs in terms of detail and frequency) and operates a RAM-only server infrastructure, the company’s overall approach to user privacy needs some major attention. CyberGhost’s privacy policy outlines some questionable data-sharing practices, and we were perplexed by how the VPN’s website and onboarding process reinforces the dangerous falsehood that VPNs can make you totally anonymous online. We were also disappointed to see how CyberGhost attempts to trick users into agreeing to share additional data with the company through its apps.
Besides CyberGhost’s dubious approach to user privacy, the VPN’s apps are a mess. Throughout our testing process, we ran into numerous bugs and choppy performance on nearly all of CyberGhost’s apps across platforms we tested. In our testing, all of CyberGhost’s apps consistently took an abnormally long time to connect to a server. At times, the apps would become entirely unresponsive, requiring an app restart and sometimes even a full system restart. CyberGhost’s apps also don’t offer much in the way of helpful bonus features like many others, including Surfshark and NordVPN do. And if you need a fast VPN, you’ll probably be disappointed by CyberGhost’s mediocre speed performance (30% speed lost in CNET’s testing).
Overall, CyberGhost is a sub-par VPN provider with buggy apps, middling speed performance and questionable privacy practices. It costs $13 per month, $42 every six months or $57 for the first 24 months (then $57 annually). For a similar price or even cheaper, you can choose several VPNs that are far superior to CyberGhost.
Quick Take
- Number of servers: 11,500-plus
- Number of countries: 100
- Jurisdiction: Romania, with UK parent company
- Platforms: Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, iPadOS, Android, Android TV, Fire TV
- $13 per month, $42 every six months, $57 for the first two years (then $57 annually)
Norton LifeLock, long known for excellence in security products, has a relatively limited offering in its VPN product. Norton Secure VPN does not support P2P or BitTorrent, Linux, routers or set-top boxes. It’s Netflix and streaming compatibility is somewhat limited. Even worse, during testing, we experienced privacy-compromising data leaks.
During CNET’s testing, Norton Secure VPN speeds were comparable to other mid-tier VPNs but not particularly competitive. Although its VPN is only available on four platforms — Mac, iOS, Windows and Android — Norton gets points for its 24/7 live customer service phone support and 60-day money-back guarantee.
Norton Secure VPN costs $40 for the first year, rising to $80 upon renewal. For that price, you get protection for five devices, which is well below ExpressVPN’s eight simultaneous devices, Nord and Proton’s 10 or Surshark and PIA’s unlimited. However, while most VPN providers let you install a VPN on as many devices as you like but limit your simultaneous usage, Norton restricts how many total devices you can download a VPN on. This stingy device allowance is well under the competition. If you need more, you can always upgrade to Norton’s Ultra VPN Plus with its 10 device policy. Norton Secure VPN Plus and Ultra VPN Plus bundle antivirus software, so if you need a VPN with antivirus, it’s a consideration.
Quick Take
- Number of servers: 1,500
- Number of countries: 30-plus
- Country/jurisdiction: US
- Platforms: Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, iPadOS
- Price: $40 for the first year for 5 devices (renews at $80) or $60 for the first year for 10 devices (renews at $130)
In today’s hyper-connected world, online privacy and security are increasingly critical. From online banking to communicating remotely with colleagues, we’re transferring more data on our computers and smartphones than ever before. Much of that data is confidential information that we need to keep safe from hackers and snoops, so VPN use is on the rise as people take steps to secure their digital lives.
Do I need a VPN?
Anyone who accesses the internet from a computer, tablet or smartphone can benefit from using a VPN. You don’t have to be an activist, government dissident or journalist to need a VPN; the rise of third-party data brokers, cross-site advertising trackers, IP address collection and mobile geo-targeting have all combined to create an online browsing environment that poses significant threats to everyday users’ basic privacy. Because a VPN encrypts your connection, your browsing data is protected from your internet service provider (and any government entities who request your ISP data), and your network administrator in most cases. A VPN can also shield your private information — like passwords, usernames and bank or shopping details — from anyone snooping on your network.
What is the best free VPN?
Proton VPN’s free tier is the only free VPN we’ve come across so far that’s worth using. It costs a lot of money to operate a VPN, and free VPN services usually make up for the lack of subscription revenue by selling user data. In addition to being limited in usability and light on security, many free VPNs are fronts for malware distribution, which is why it’s generally best to avoid them. Proton VPN’s unlimited free tier is fast and secure and can be used for most online activities, including streaming Netflix. If you’re on a budget and want access to a premium VPN solution, you can also take a look at our picks for the best cheap VPNs.
What is a mobile VPN?
A mobile VPN is simply a VPN you can use on your mobile device like your iPhone or Android phone. All of the providers we recommend have mobile versions of their desktop clients. You can use a mobile-focused VPN app to ensure greater data privacy designed for your whole device. Mobile VPNs also generally have a smaller memory footprint and require less processing power than desktop VPNs, so they tend to yield faster connection speeds and don’t eat up your battery as quickly. Keep in mind that most mobile VPN clients will use a lighter form of encryption than a desktop client to achieve those smartphone speeds. Be sure to check your VPN apps’ settings to ensure you’re using the apps’ strongest encryption if your privacy needs are heightened. Our top three VPN picks all have excellent, easy-to-use mobile VPN app options for their services. Some VPNs will only work with one type of mobile platform — like iOS or Android — and some are universally compatible. To find the right mobile VPN for you, check out our mobile-specific VPN guides below. We routinely update them with our retesting information, so check back often.
Are VPNs legal?
VPNs are perfectly legal to use in most countries. There’s nothing wrong with taking steps to protect your privacy online, and you shouldn’t have to worry that using a VPN as part of that process will get you in any kind of legal trouble.
There are countries where VPNs are either banned or outright illegal. If you’re using a VPN in a country like China, Iran, Oman, Russia, Turkmenistan, UAE or Belarus, you may find yourself in legal trouble. The irony here is that these are the countries where internet censorship and surveillance are most common. In those countries, you’ll need to make sure you use a VPN that provides strong obfuscation so your VPN traffic is disguised as ordinary HTTPS traffic, meaning government entities won’t even know you’re using a VPN in the first place.
You won’t run into any trouble with the law for using a VPN across most of the world. One important reminder: VPNs are legal in most places, but engaging in illegal activity online is still illegal regardless of whether you’re using a VPN.
How do I use a VPN for Netflix?
If you live in a country that censors its media or are traveling to one, geo-restricted content is a pain. You can use a VPN to circumvent censorship or access your home country’s normal media content for an online streaming service like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video or Disney Plus. Pick a VPN that lets you manually select which country you want to connect through and has something called obfuscation. (Our top three picks offer this.) You don’t always need to use the obfuscation feature to unblock Netflix, but since streaming services actively try to block VPN connections, obfuscation can help because it disguises your VPN traffic as regular internet traffic.
If you’re looking to try out other VPNs, choose one with a large number of IP addresses, preferably 10,000 or more. This is because one of the ways Netflix and others block VPNs is by blacklisting known VPN IPs, and if your VPN has tens of thousands of IPs, there’s a better chance that you’ll be able to connect to an IP address that Netflix hasn’t flagged.
Once you have your VPN installed, connect to the country whose content you wish to view, restart your browser and go to the streaming site. If your VPN is working, the site should treat you as a resident of your selected country and serve you content assigned to that audience. If you’re still having trouble, you can try using incognito mode on your browser or try clearing your cookies and cache.
How do I know if my VPN is working?
Your first and most apparent indication that your VPN is working is that your IP address will change and your location will be registered as that of the VPN server you’re connecting through. You can check this on a site like whatismyipaddress.com.
You’ll also want to make sure your VPN is protecting your privacy and not leaking any of your data outside of the VPN tunnel, thus exposing it to your ISP and other entities that may be monitoring your online activity. You can check for leaks by going to a site like dnsleaktest.com or ipleak.net. If your location is registered as the VPN server location and your leak tests turn up negative, then you know your VPN is working to protect your privacy.
What is a remote-access VPN?
A remote-access VPN uses public infrastructure like the internet to provide remote users secure access to their network. This is particularly important for organizations and their corporate networks. It’s crucial when employees connect to a public hotspot and use the internet for sending work-related emails. A VPN client on the user’s computer or mobile device connects to a VPN gateway on the company’s network. This gateway will typically require the device to authenticate its identity. It will then create a network link back to the device that allows it to reach internal network resources such as file servers, printers and intranets as if it were on the same local network.
What is a site-to-site VPN?
This is when the VPN technology uses a gateway device to connect the entire network in one location to a network in another location. The majority of site-to-site VPNs that connect over the internet use IPsec. IPsec-based encryption protocols are often considered by VPN specialists to be less secure against modern surveillance. Rather than using the public internet, it is also normal to use multiprotocol label-switching clouds as the main transport for site-to-site VPNs.
VPNs are often defined between specific computers, and in most cases, they are servers in separate data centers. New hybrid-access situations have now transformed the VPN gateway in the cloud, typically with a secure link from the cloud service provider into the internal network.
What’s the best VPN?
The best VPN for you depends on your needs when using a VPN.
VPNs for crucial privacy and security
If you’re a journalist, a lawyer or a professional in any other privacy-sensitive field, forget about speed and price when choosing a VPN. Focus, instead, entirely on security. Your VPN may be somewhat slower but, for both VPNs and presidential motorcades, speed is always the trade-off for privacy. Avoid free VPNs and browser-based VPNs. If you’re concerned with government monitoring in your current country, choose a VPN headquartered outside of the country you’re currently in, and avoid choosing a VPN with a jurisdiction in an allied country. For example, US journalists should avoid VPNs with a jurisdiction in the US or other Five Eyes countries. Keep an eye on encryption: Your VPN should offer a protocol called OpenVPN TCP (for its mobile apps, IKEv2 is fine). Right now, the VPN we recommend most for critical privacy is ExpressVPN.
VPNs for working from home
If you’re working from home, you may be sharing your internet connection with multiple devices and family members or roommates. That’s a lot of simultaneous connections to a VPN and a lot of drag on a network. Pick a VPN that lets you use one subscription on as many devices as possible and has excellent speeds so your Wi-Fi isn’t bogged down. If your job involves handling sensitive information like financial or medical records, your priority VPN criteria is security. Our top three VPN picks are the most secure we’ve found, and each has a different number of connections they’ll allow for a base-level subscription. Depending on your budget and home office requirements, ExpressVPN, Surfshark and NordVPN are all great options for working from home. There are a few other factors worth considering for a home office VPN, so check out our guide to picking the right VPN for working at home.
VPNs for gaming
Most VPNs are chosen based on having a good balance of speed, security and cost. If you want a VPN specifically to connect to game servers in another country, speed is everything. Free VPNs won’t be fast enough; fortunately, high-end security won’t be a cost driver, which gives you more options at modest prices. Since all VPNs reduce speed — many by half or more — that means picking one from the set that performed best in our speed tests. In our latest tests, NordVPN took the lead as the fastest VPN, though you can get excellent speeds through Surfshark via the WireGuard protocol and with ExpressVPN. If you’re focused on VPNs for game consoles, look at our best VPNs for Xbox and our primer on installing them. Before choosing the one right for your needs, visit the VPN’s official website to see whether they offer servers specifically aimed at gaming in the countries where you most want to connect to other players.