The Best VPN Services of 2024 – Top Picks From Our Experts
Updated:08-15-2024
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) can unblock different sites, allow you to torrent safely, or help you stay anonymous online. At VPNOverview, we find the best VPNs on the market through frequent and rigorous testing.
Our experts constantly analyze all the top VPN options available and test their performance.
The Best VPN in 2024
The VPNs listed below will hide your data, unblock international content, and keep you safe online. In addition, they offer the best encryption protocols and have apps for all major operating systems.
More importantly, all the VPNs below offer unparalleled value for particular use cases, like streaming content from different parts of the world, downloading torrents safely, or sticking to your budget.
We have tested more than 70 VPNs extensively by hands-on testing of every VPN app and detailed research into the corporate policies. We have thoroughly tested the speed, security, privacy and user-friendliness of each VPN. We have selected providers with excellent speed, top-notch security, strict no-log policies and many unblocking possibilities.
1. NordVPN: The best VPN overall
Why we chose NordVPN as the best VPN
NordVPN is a renowned premium VPN provider with an extensive global server network (6441 servers in 111 countries), military-grade encryption (AES 256), and competitive pricing.
With NordVPN, you will get anything you could wish for from dark web monitoring to P2P-optimized servers. NordVPN consistently goes above and beyond to improve itself. Not to mention, it’s been our top-ranking VPN for two years now. Whenever we test the best VPNs on the market, NordVPN always ends up on top of our list.
Is NordVPN suitable for streaming and downloading torrents?
We were always able to unblock Netflix US, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Crunchyroll, and many other services. With NordVPN’s SmartPlay feature, you get the combined benefits of a VPN and Smart DNS. It hides your IP, encrypts your connection, and automatically routes your DNS queries as needed.
NordVPN also allows you to torrent anonymously through dedicated P2P servers. Thanks to its excellent speeds, you’ll get your favorite content in no time. We were able to download 50+ GB files without worrying about ISP throttling.
What operating systems and devices are compatible with NordVPN?
One NordVPN account allows you to secure up to ten devices at the same time. NordVPN offers native apps for Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, and Linux.
You can also use NordVPN with your Android TV, gaming consoles, Amazon Fire Stick, Kindle Fire, Raspberry Pi, VPN routers, and many other devices. The NordVPN extensions are also available on popular browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.
Safety and privacy
NordVPN recently passed its latest security audit via Deloitte, one of the top independent auditors in the world, to back up its no-logs claim. As expected, your data is completely safe with NordVPN!
Some of NordVPN’s advanced security features include:
Threat Protection: Blocks ads, trackers, and malware
Dark Web Monitoring: Scans the dark web for leaks associated with your email address
Double VPN: Routes your traffic through two VPN servers and encrypts it twice
Advanced kill switch: The kill switch lets you specify which apps to block if your VPN connection drops
Besides the standard VPN protocols, NordVPN also offers a proprietary protocol built on WireGuard, known as NordLynx, which is faster and more secure than OpenVPN.
During our privacy testing, we didn’t notice any WebRTC or DNS leaks from our VPN connection. All in all, NordVPN is a fantastic choice if you want to remain anonymous when browsing online and are looking for a secure VPN.
Customer support
As NordVPN is one of the best VPN providers, it also offers fantastic customer support. They have a responsive live chat option, and you can also reach them via email if it’s not an urgent concern.
When reaching out with a request, the NordVPN support team was quick to respond. Our queries were answered promptly, and we found their agents quite knowledgeable.
NordVPN also has a very useful Help Center that includes a dedicated FAQ section, answers to general questions, and sections for billing and connectivity. If you have a query, it’s best to take a look in the Help Center first since it’s pretty extensive.
Pros
6441 servers in 111 countries
10 simultaneous connections
Threat Protection and Dark Web Monitor
30-day money-back-guarantee
Strict no-logs policy
Unblocks Netflix and other streaming providers
Cons
For signing in, you are redirected to the browser
Our final score for NordVPN
NordVPN
9.3
Our experts all agree: NordVPN is the best VPN service for 2024 and continues to consolidate its position at the top of the ranking. It’s a world-class VPN with bulletproof software suited to beginners and experts alike.
You won’t have any issues setting up this top VPN since it’s extremely easy to install. It works right out of the box and doesn’t require any technical know-how to set up. NordVPN also offers some great discounts to new subscribers.
2. Surfshark: The VPN with the best bang for your buck
Why we picked Surfshark
Surfshark is a great and affordable VPN that quickly went from being a newcomer to one of the best VPN services out there. It’s also one of the fastest VPNs, based on our in-house testing, maintaining up to 95% of regular connection speeds.
Despite its low price, the Surfshark VPN app offers a robust set of features, including military-grade encryption, a respectable global server network, and excellent security tools. One Surfshark account supports unlimited simultaneous connections.
Is Surfshark suitable for streaming and downloading torrents?
Surfshark works great with Netflix and other streaming services. It gave us access to over 30 regional Netflix libraries, including Netflix US.
If you can’t imagine a day without firing up your uTorrent client, Surfshark is a great choice! It allows P2P traffic over your VPN app connection without sacrificing your security and anonymity. Whenever we used it to download torrents, we didn’t encounter speed or throttling problems.
Like NordVPN, it has specialized P2P servers, but Surfshark will automatically connect you to one of them when it notices you’re torrenting. This is a nifty feature in case you forget to switch servers.
What operating systems and devices are compatible with Surfshark?
As a top VPN provider, Surfshark works on all major operating systems. They have native apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux and offer browser extensions for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.
You can also install Surfshark on gaming consoles and smart TVs. In our experience, that can be a bit harder since you need to install Surfshark on your router. But it’s possible and worth the effort.
Safety and privacy
Surfshark uses AES 256-bit encryption, just like NordVPN. It also supports numerous protocols, including OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard, making it a very secure VPN.
The MultiHop feature in Surfshark lets you route your traffic through two VPN servers instead of one, offering another layer of protection. If you want to browse the web anonymously, this is as good as it gets.
Plus, with its CleanWeb suite, you can block ads, pop-ups, and malware in your browser or any other app.
Customer support
Surfshark has a dedicated support section featuring VPN guides and answers to various questions that you may have. We contacted their customer support team via email and live chat and were happy to receive a prompt response.
Pros
Thousands servers in 100 countries
Unlimited simultaneous connections
Ad and malware blocker
No-logs policy to protect your privacy
30-day money-back-guarantee
Unblocks all major streaming services
Cons
Based in The Netherlands, which is part of the 14 Eyes Alliance
Our final score for Surfshark
Surfshark
9.0
Surfshark’s virtual private network offers great value for money. If you’re looking for one of the best VPN providers that is affordable and helps you unblock streaming services while offering great security features, you can’t go wrong here.
You can use Surfshark’s 30-day money-back-guarantee to test the VPN app for yourself. If you’re not happy with the service, you’ll be refunded in full. It’s a great way to try out Surfshark without committing to a long-term plan.
3. ExpressVPN: The best VPN service when money isn’t an issue
Why we picked ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is one of the largest and most popular VPN providers in the world. It’s renowned for its commitment to privacy and security, offering beginner-friendly VPN apps for all major platforms and even helping you install it on routers with custom firmware.
You’ll have access to a vast VPN server network in 105 countries. It’s one of the fastest VPNs right now and has been through multiple independent audits, so there are no privacy concerns you need to worry about.
Is ExpressVPN suitable for streaming and downloading torrents?
ExpressVPN allows anonymous torrent downloads over your VPN connection. We tested this with uTorrent and BitTorrent, and found that it always worked very well, with no speed throttling detected at all.
In addition, you can access all kinds of streaming services worldwide with ExpressVPN. This means you’ll be able to enjoy American Netflix as well as other streaming services, such as Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu, outside of the US. We’ve been using ExpressVPN for years to unblock streaming platforms and never had issues that their customer support couldn’t solve quickly.
What operating systems and devices are compatible with ExpressVPN?
You can use your ExpressVPN subscription on up to eight different devices at the same time. It offers simple and well-functioning applications for Android, Windows, iPhone, Mac, and Linux. Besides, we liked how easy it is to install on routers, thanks to ExpressVPN’s dedicated firmware.
Moreover, if English isn’t your first language, ExpressVPN also offers its app in 17 other languages.
Safety and privacy
ExpressVPN is a secure VPN offering a choice of different protocols, including OpenVPN, IKEv2, and its proprietary Lightway protocol. Like all the top VPNs, it also uses AES 256-bit encryption.
Moreover, ExpressVPN uses “diskless servers,” which means that even the provider itself cannot see your browsing history. For these reasons, this VPN service has built a good reputation over the years.
ExpressVPN also has a robust ad blocker and content-filtering features. For example, they recently launched a porn blocker to limit access to adult content websites.
Customer support
ExpressVPN customer service has a 24/7 live chat function, which we tested. We also tested their email support and got a response in under 12 hours. For more information, there’s a comprehensive support section on their site, including FAQs and guides to help users set up and get the best out of their VPN.
Room for improvement
Even though ExpressVPN is one of the best VPN providers, it is relatively expensive compared to other providers on this list. Many people end up with NordVPN or Surfshark because they are similar in quality (or better) but cheaper.
Pros
thousands of servers in 105 countries
Eight simultaneous connections
Great for torrenting and streaming
No-logs policy to protect your privacy
30-day money-back-guarantee
Dedicated Lightway protocol
Cons
Most expensive VPN on this list
Our final score for ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN
8.8
ExpressVPN is an easy-to-use VPN app with many useful options and functions. This VPN service is perfect for people who want to surf, download, and stream without restrictions.
One of its main downsides is its high price tag, especially with a monthly subscription. However, you can get a discount with ExpressVPN with our exclusive link:
Every subscription comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, which offers a way to try ExpressVPN risk-free.
Do you want to know more about this provider? Check out our ExpressVPN review.
4. CyberGhost: Good VPN with the most extensive money-back-guarantee
Why we picked CyberGhost VPN
We picked CyberGhost as one of the best VPNs because it’s a good,cheap,beginner-friendly, and secure VPN. This provider has a wide range of VPN servers (with over 11700+ servers in 100 countries).
Moreover, CyberGhost offers a slew of excellent features: dedicated gaming servers, unlimited bandwidth, a kill switch, and split tunneling, to name a few. It also works well if you want to unblock Netflix!
Is CyberGhost suitable for streaming and downloading torrents?
CyberGhost is one of the top VPN providers for streaming. Apart from Netflix, it gives you worldwide access to streaming services such as Hulu, HBO Max, Paramount+, and BBC iPlayer, among many others.
CyberGhost offers special streaming servers that are optimized for all these streaming platforms. A major plus for movie and TV show enthusiasts! We’ve used these servers plenty of times to unblock streaming platforms, and we were always successful.
When it comes to torrenting, CyberGhost’s special P2P servers support downloading with BitTorrent and uTorrent, as well as other P2P tools.
What operating systems and devices are compatible with CyberGhost?
You can connect to CyberGhost servers with up to seven different devices at the same time using just one account, which is more than enough for all your devices. It’s even possible to request a dedicated IP address.
CyberGhost offers dedicated apps for Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android, and Linux. You can protect all your devices in just a few clicks.
Safety and privacy
CyberGhost also uses AES 256-bit encryption and offers a choice of different protocols, including OpenVPN,IKEv2, and WireGuard. It’s a certified no-logs VPN, so it doesn’t keep any user data.
However, the provider does keep some anonymized logs about how you use the CyberGhost VPN app. This is only for improving the VPN software experience, and no identifiable logs are stored.
Customer support
CyberGhost’s customer service is easy to reach through their 24/7 live chat. Their website also has an extended database of guides and FAQs if you’d rather go look for an answer yourself. This definitely makes it one of the best VPN providers on the market.
Room for improvement
We noticed that this premium VPN service is sometimes inconsistent, with speeds often dipping now and then. Even when they didn’t dip, they still weren’t at the same level as NordVPN or Surfshark.
Moreover, we did note that live chat agents are sometimes unable to answer some queries, often just pasting generic answers that were already available on their support page.
Pros
11700+ servers in 100 countries
Seven simultaneous connections
DNS & IP leak protection
Works with Netflix and other streaming services
45-day money-back-guarantee
Dedicated gaming serveres
Cons
Speed is sometimes inconsistent
Live chat agents aren't always available
Our final score for CyberGhost
CyberGhost
8.8
CyberGhost is a high-quality VPN service offered at a competitive price. All this makes CyberGhost an excellent VPN for torrenting and Netflix. It’s also one of the best VPN providers for complete beginners.
They have a large server network spread all over the world. While the extensive features of other providers landed CyberGhost in fourth place, this service remains an excellent option.
More importantly, it offers a 45-day money-back guarantee and some great discounts for new subscribers. You can try it out by clicking the link below.
5. Private Internet Access: Great VPN with the largest server network
Why we picked Private Internet Access VPN
Private Internet Access (PIA) is an excellent premium VPN app that has continued to grow since its founding in 2010. If you choose PIA, you can count on solid security and a large global network of VPN servers.
In 2019, PIA was acquired by the company that also owns CyberGhost and ExpressVPN, which led to further infrastructure improvements. If you’re looking for a secure VPN, there are few better options.
And despite its affordable price, Private Internet Access is considered one of the best VPNs because it offers everything that you’d expect from the top VPN providers, including full transparency (you can inspect the source code), a global server network, excellent encryption protocols, and a zero-logs policy.
Is PIA suitable for streaming and downloading torrents?
While PIA is known for being a secure VPN, it’s a great option for streaming and downloading torrents as well. We were able to unlock access to Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and different Netflix libraries with PIA VPN.
We were also able to download torrents safely and anonymously with PIA VPN. Other VPNs might be slightly faster or more optimized, but PIA will provide you with a secure torrenting experience.
What operating systems and devices are compatible with Private Internet Access?
PIA VPN has native apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. Moreover, they offer browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera.
PIA supports unlimited simultaneous connections on a single account, so you don’t have to worry about multiple subscriptions. Always a plus!
Safety and privacy
As mentioned earlier, PIA is a secure VPN. It supports different protocols, including OpenVPN and WireGuard. Furthermore, PIA has a strict no-logs policy, which means they won’t store any information about how you use the VPN service.
PIA prevents potential data leaks with an automatic kill switch. Moreover, it can help you block ads, trackers, and malware with its PIA MACE function, which we found especially useful. These features are mostly available only by the best VPN providers in the industry.
Customer support
PIA has an extensive knowledge base, offering detailed guides and support on a wide range of questions. There’s also a form that you can fill out if you have a specific query and submit a ticket. We reached out to PIA’s support team, and they were very helpful.
They also offer a live chat option, so you can get immediate assistance in case you have an urgent query.
Room for improvement
There are some things that PIA can do better. Despite offering a massive server network, we’ve noticed that speeds are often inconsistent and dip sharply when you connect to distant networks in countries like Australia and Japan.
The VPN apps can also do with better design since the look is a bit dated. The user interface could also be improved: we’d like to see easier access to key features and settings.
Pros
Offers 35000 servers in 91 countries
Unlimited simultaneous connections
Dedicated IPs available
No-logs VPN
Open-source transparency
30-day money-back-guarantee
Cons
Inconsistent speeds
Dated interface
Our final score for Private Internet Access (PIA)
PIA
8.5
We like a bit of competition in the VPN market. It would worry us if all major VPN providers were owned by the same company. But even though CyberGhost, ExpressVPN, and PIA are now a part of the same company, they each deserve a spot in our best VPN overview.
Private Internet Access has been around for a long time and has built a good reputation. Hopefully, they will continue to innovate in the coming years.
Hands-on testing: Every VPN app is put through a rigorous series of tests and awarded a rating.
Detailed research: A deep-dive into data breaches, corporate policies regarding user privacy, independent audits, relevant legislation, and more.
Decades of expertise: All test results are interpreted and rated by our team of 40+ cybersecurity experts.
Here are some of the most important ranking factors we use to identify the best of the best VPN providers.
Speed
VPN encryption causes your connection speed to drop to an extent. However, top VPNs will keep speed drops well under 20%. Moreover, the best VPN services we recommend here are so fast that they run in the background without you even realizing it.
This means you’ll enjoy quick downloads and lag-free streams while staying completely anonymous. At the moment, NordVPN is the fastest VPN, according to our tests. When trying its servers, NordVPN maintained as much as 96% of our connection speed.
These are the most recent speed test results of our top three VPNs:
VPN
NordVPN
Surfshark
ExpressVPN
No VPN (Mbps)
202.36
202.36
202.36
Fastest server (Netherlands) (Mbps)
194.18
192.66
192.04
Faraway server (New York) (Mbps)
181.91
173.13
173.36
Security and reliability
Here are the most important indicators of a secure VPN:
Good VPN protocols: We want to see reliable protocols like OpenVPN (the most secure) and WireGuard (the fastest).
Unbreakable encryption: The AES 256 cipher has become the industry standard.
Zero data leaks: Leaking our real IP address or DNS requests means instant disqualification from our list.
Automatic kill switch: If a VPN app malfunctions, the kill switch has to cut your connection to prevent leaks.
These are just the essential must-haves. We give extra points for double encryption, malware protection, dark web monitoring, and similar security features.
Privacy and logging
Ideally, VPN services should adopt a strict no-logging policy. This means preventing any record of your data. Specifically, we are talking about:
Connection logs: Your IP address, connection timestamps, protocols, connection frequency
Activity logs: Your search history, downloads, and the sites you visit
If you care about your online privacy, getting the best no-log VPN is key. The type of data we mention can be used to identify you, monitor your online traffic, or even mount a hack attack against you. Using a zero-log service will protect you from these privacy breaches.
Important Note:
VPNs can record harmless data like anonymous statistics, device info, and app settings without jeopardizing your privacy. As long as this data can’t be used to determine who you are and what you’re dong online, we’re talking about no-log VPNs.
On the privacy front, we also pay attention to the location of your VPN and its governing legislation. Unfavorable VPN locations include the 14 Eyes countries and states with mandatory data retention.
Price
For VPNs, higher prices don’t necessarily translate to better quality or the best VPN software; ExpressVPN is pricier than our top-rated NordVPN but doesn’t offer enough to justify the difference.
VPNs move up in our ranking if they have a generous refund period. This gives new users time to test the service risk-free. Thirty days is a standard money-back guarantee, and we believe companies shouldn’t go lower than that.
How to save money when buying a VPN:
Longer VPN subscriptions are always cheaper than their shorter counterparts. So, when you find the best VPN provider for you, we recommend saving money by committing to a longer subscription period.
Best VPN discount deals (August 2024)
VPN services regularly offer special promotions. Each month, we look at the most attractive discounts among the best VPNs. This month, we picked these can’t-miss NordVPN and Surfshark deals.
Almost all VPN apps we’ve tested offer support for multiple simultaneous connections. This means you can secure all the devices in your household with just one VPN subscription. Providers like Surfshark or PIA even support VPN use on unlimited devices.
Compatibilities are also an important factor to keep in mind. In other words, you want your VPN to work on all your devices, from your computer to your smart TV. Extra points to VPNs with high-quality native apps.
Server network
With high-quality servers, you’ll get better speeds and better chances of unblocking geo-restricted services like Netflix. These are our points of interest regarding VPN server networks:
Number of servers
Reach: how many countries and server locations
Quality of the servers (owned, rented, physical or virtual)
Obfuscation or stealth (whether VPNs can mask your VPN traffic to look like regular browsing)
RAM-only servers (servers without a hard drive that can’t store user data)
Private DNS service (bypasses your ISP’s public DNS servers to prevent activity logs, DNS highjacking, and DNS blocking)
We also gave extra points for niche features that help with geo-unblocking or increase your internet connection speed, such as Surfshark’s NoBorders Mode.
Here’s a quick overview of our ranking factors applied to the best VPN services.
VPN
NordVPN
Surfshark
ExpressVPN
CyberGhost
PIA
Number of servers
6441
3200+
thousands of
11700+
35000
Number of countries
111
100
105
100
91
Obfuscation (stealth mode)
✔
✔
✔
✖
✔
RAM-only servers
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
Private DNS
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
User-friendliness and customer support
Even experienced VPN users hit a roadblock with their VPN once in a while. When it comes to ease of use, a good VPN gets points for the following criteria:
An informative website that’s easy to navigate
Generous FAQ and support sections on the site
Easy access to 24/7 customer support (live chat)
Tech-savvy support team
Quick and easy set-up
Intuitive app design
Our top VPNs all have very informative websites and strong customer support. Having said that, ExpressVPN’s support team has not been as knowledgeable as we’d expect.
Ability to unblock Netflix and download torrents
Many VPN users purchase a premium VPN app to access the best streaming catalogs. A VPN can help you access Netflix US outside of the United States or watch BBC iPlayer from outside of the UK, for example.
With that in mind, we tested dozens of VPNs with all major streaming services, and here are the results of our best VPN services.
Streaming service
Can NordVPN unblock it?
Can Surfshark unblock it?
Can ExpressVPN unblock it?
Can CyberGhost unblock it?
Can PIA unblock it?
Netflix
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
Disney Plus
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
HBO Max
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
BBC iPlayer
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
Prime Video
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
Since streaming services have started pushing back against VPN use, occasionally, you might encounter a server with a blacklisted IP. This will be flagged as a proxy, and you’ll get an error. Just change the server or enable obfuscation, and the problem should be fixed. With our best VPN providers above, like NordVPN, we rarely come across this issue.
If you enjoy torrenting, you’ll likely want to stay anonymous. P2P file-sharing reveals your IP address to other peers by default. A VPN can hide it for you.
The Best VPNs in 2024 – Comparison
Let’s take another look at the best VPNs in 2024 and their features. The table below sums up everything the 5 best VPNs have to offer.
We tested a lot of premium VPNs besides the top five listed above. Here are some short VPN reviews of good VPNs that we liked but that didn’t quite make our list.
FastestVPN
FastestVPN is a budget-friendly VPN app located in the Cayman Islands. Our FastestVPN review revealed that this VPN provider offers an excellent price-to-value ratio and is an ideal gateway service for VPN beginners. Right now, you can get off the lifetime deal and pay only $40!
Why it didn’t make our list: We did not choose FastestVPN as one of the providers in our best VPN list as it has a small server network, and it can sometimes perform poorly on faraway servers.
IPVanish
During our IPVanish testing, we discovered that even though it is not one of the best VPNs, it is a good VPN service that supports unlimited connections. It was launched by the company that also owns StrongVPN, Mashable, and PCMag.
IPVanish has 2200+ servers across 51 countries. This VPN unblocks Netflix (and similar geo-restricted platforms) and allows torrenting.
Why it didn’t make our list: IPVanish logs some of your data and doesn’t accept crypto payments.
MullvadVPN
Mullvad VPN has a strong focus on privacy, making it a secure VPN service. It’s also very fast, and its customer support team has always helped solve our problems. By all means, it’s a decent choice. If you want to find out more about the tool, read our MullvadVPN review.
Why it didn’t make our list: It’s pricey for a VPN app that can’t unblock Netflix. Hence, we did not include it in our best VPN list.
Intego Privacy Protection VPN
Intego Privacy Protection VPN has a user-friendly interface and dedication to not logging user data. It also supports torrenting, and it can unblock Netflix, so it’s a decent all-around choice. For the full details, read our Intego Privacy Protection VPN review.
Why it didn’t make our list: Intego doesn’t offer dedicated IP addresses, which can hinder your ability to unblock sites. Its privacy policy can also be vague at times.
Private VPN
Private VPN is a secure VPN service that focuses on online privacy, featuring excellent encryption, a no-logs privacy policy, and multiple payment methods, including cryptocurrency. Unfortunately, during our Private VPN review, we felt it was a bit flat on all other fronts, so we do not consider it the best VPN.
Why it didn’t make our list: Private VPN has a small server network, which will impact your connection speeds, ability to unblock geo-restricted sites, and more.
TorGuard
Despite what the name implies, TorGuard isn’t connected to the Tor Project in any way. Rather, it’s a good VPN app for torrenting, with servers that allow P2P file sharing and impressive download speeds, as we discovered during our TorGuard review.
It also has a vast server network and dedicated IP addresses, and it accepts payment via cryptocurrency.
Why it didn’t make our list: TorGuard is hard to set up for beginners, and it’s pretty expensive at $ 4.99 per month. You’re better off with cheaper but better options like NordVPN or Surfshark.
VyprVPN
VyprVPN tries to innovate in the security sector of the VPN industry. For example, they have their own encryption protocol, Chameleon. Besides that, when testing VyprVPN, we observed that it allows P2P file-sharing, can unblock Netflix, and offers a smooth interface.
Why it didn’t make our list: VyprVPN’s connection can be shoddy at times. You also can’t buy it anonymously, and it has an annoying freemium business model. Not to mention, the paid subscriptions are more expensive than staple options like NordVPN.
The 3 Best Free VPN Services
In addition to our best VPN services mentioned above, there are also some decent free VPN providers. Of course, these free VPNs come with some restrictions, but they are decent for temporary or limited use.
Our three best VPNs that are free are Proton VPN, hide.me, and TunnelBear. You can also check our best free VPNs roundup to see what they offer in more detail.
1. PrivadoVPN (Free)
Looking for a free VPN? We recommend PrivadoVPN as the very best free VPN of this moment. When it comes to features, abilities, and options, PrivadoVPN’s free version comes closest to the quality of a paid VPN.
We liked how user-friendly it was. It offers free servers in the most popular locations, including the US and the UK. As an extra bonus, the links on our website allow you to unblock Netflix US with PrivadoVPN!
PrivadoVPN keeps your data safe with a strict no-log policy and military grade encryption. The only downside is the 10GB monthly datalimit.
PrivadoVPN also has a good paid VPN app that gives you unlimited data along with other perks. Want to know more about that? Check out our detailed PrivadoVPN review.
2. Proton VPN (Free)
Proton VPN is currently one of the most widely used free VPN providers in the world. In our view, Proton VPN offers some amazing features that make it deserving of a place among our best free VPNs.
Proton VPN does not have a datalimit, which is a big plus for a free VPN. Moreover, Proton offers a no-log VPN with strong encryption and decent security features such as a kill switch.
You can’t select a server location with Proton Free. For security that’s no problem, but it does mean Proton VPN isn’t the best choice for unblocking international streaming services.
To see Proton’s potential, we also did a comprehensive Proton VPN review. The premium VPN version performs significantly better.
3. Hide.me (Free)
Hide.me is another secure free VPN app that has been around for a long time. During our tests, we discovered that it offers great speeds for everyday use. It’s suited for casual internet use, safe online banking and even streaming is possible.
With the free version, you will get access to servers in 8 countries. Torrenting is allowed and safe since Hide.me also offers a kill switch. Don’t expect to be able to download a lot, since Hide.me has a 10 GB monthly data limit.
Are you interested in Hide.me premium? Check out our Hide.me review.
Free VPNs vs. Paid VPNs: Keep This in Mind
Don’t want to spend any money on a VPN? While it’s tempting to get a free VPN, keep in mind that not every free VPN service keeps you safe online. More often than not, a free VPN is not always a secure VPN, and it can harm your device.
That’s why the free VPNs we recommend in this list meet the following criteria:
They hide your true identity (by masking your real IP)
They let you access streaming sites
They encrypt your online activity
Even then, free VPNs never lived up to the same level as premium VPNs in our tests. If you don’t want to struggle with slow speeds or crowded servers, invest in something like NordVPN or Surfshark instead.
Dangerous free VPNs
Not every VPN is safe. Watch out for providers such as Hola VPN, which logs all your data, and Hoxx VPN, which you can’t install on Windows or Mac.
Free VPNs can be a gateway to malicious activities, including:
Cryptojacking: Using your computing power to secretly mine crypto. This will overheat your device(s) and cause its components to fail.
Data theft: Stealing your information and selling it on the dark web.
Malware: Around 35% of all free VPNs will infect your system with malware.
Expert Tip:
If your budget allows, it’s always better to go with a renowned premium VPN provider. There are plenty of great cheap VPNs out there that can keep you safe while unblocking the internet for you.
What is a Virtual Private Network?
A VPN is a piece of software that lets you access the internet through an encrypted tunnel. As soon as you connect to a VPN server, your IP address will change. Your ISP (internet service provider) can see that you’re using a VPN but not what you’re doing online.
This extra layer of security is essential to keep your data safe on public Wi-Fi networks. Additionally, your changed IP address allows you to unblock international websites and apps.
How do VPNs work?
A VPN uses an encryption cipher (often AES 256-bit) to scramble your data. This will hide your online activity from your ISP, websites, and other institutions.
By connecting your device to a VPN server in a different location, your virtual location will change. Connect to a VPN server in the United States, and you’ll get a US IP address.
Why would you need a VPN?
There’s no shortage of reasons to get a VPN:
Enhanced online security: VPNs encrypt your traffic, preventing anyone from spying on you, including your internet service provider, hackers, and even the government.
Online anonymity: A VPN can hide or change your IP address and replace it with that of the VPN server you’re connected to. This means no one can use your real IP address to locate you.
Bypassing geo-restrictions: With a VPN, you can unblock international apps and websites. By connecting to a foreign VPN server, your virtual location will change to that location. This lets you access different streaming libraries, gaming servers, local news, and more.
Dealing with online censorship: By changing your IP address, you can bypass restrictive firewalls employed by certain regimes. If you’re traveling and want access to apps that are blocked in your country of destination, a VPN can help you out.
The Best VPNs Right Now
After testing dozens of popular VPN services, we’ve ranked our top five best VPN providers. Which of these five is the best choice for you depends on your personal needs and preferences. But rest assured that all five are as effective and secure as can be.
Using a reliable VPN service improves your online privacy and security. The VPN providers in our overview are compatible with almost all devices and operating systems: Mac, Windows, Android, iOS (iPhone), and even Linux.
NordVPN, our #1 VPN, is currently on offer with a 72% discount! Have a look for yourself, and soon, you’ll never want to be online without a VPN.
NordVPN
Our choice
Deal
Save big with up to 72% off a two-year subscription!
NordVPN is at the top of its game. It outperforms competitors with ultra-fast speeds, a huge server network, top-notch security features, and phenomenal streaming and torrenting capabilities. Definitely a must-have if you’re looking for a top VPN service.
Lauren Mak
VPN Expert
Best VPN Providers of 2024: Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have a question about the best VPN providers of this moment? Are you looking for a quick solution to a problem? Have a look at our FAQ down below and click a question to see the answer!
Can I use a free VPN instead of a paid one?
Free VPNs can be useful, but they aren’t the best services around. They’re often slow and come with limitations on your speed and data use. Some even sell your personal data or misuse your connection.
Fortunately, even some of the top VPNs are very cheap these days. Therefore, we recommend you use a cheap VPN instead of a free one to get the best experience.
What is the best VPN provider for 2024?
There are a couple of excellent VPN providers out there. Which is the best for you, depends on your wishes. NordVPN will prove to be the best choice for many due to its fast connections, large server network, Netflix support, and strong privacy options.
What is the best free VPN?
The top free VPN of this moment is Proton VPN Free. Proton VPN is known for its high quality and secure connections, and its free version gives you access to three different server locations.
The best part is that Proton VPN Free allows you to use its service without any speed or data limits. The one downside is that the speed of your connection might still be affected, because many people tend to use the same Proton VPN Free servers.
What is the best VPN for streaming?
NordVPN currently is one of the top VPNs for streaming. Whether you want to watch Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, or Max, NordVPN will make it work. With this VPN, you’ll be able to stream content you wouldn’t normally have access to. In addition, a NordVPN subscription won’t cost you all that much.
What is the best cheap VPN of 2024?
Protecting your online life shouldn’t be expensive. Surfshark is, without a doubt, the very best cheap VPN right now. It offers fast connections, gives access to many international versions of Netflix, and works with strong encryption methods to keep you safe.
What is the best VPN for iPhone?
We recommend getting NordVPN for your iPhone or iPad. This VPN is the fastest one we’ve tested and it works especially well with Apple products. Apart from speed, it ranks high on security and other features too.
What is the best VPN for Android?
The best VPN to use on Android phones like Samsung Galaxy, OnePlus, Google Pixel, and others, is Surfshark. This VPN is really cheap, offers servers with excellent speeds, and has a user-friendly app that’s easy to use.
What is the best VPN for torrenting?
NordVPN is a top choice for torrenting, because of the high speeds it offers combined with robust security features. It can help you to quickly download torrent files while staying safe.
No, but depending on which VPN subscription you have, you can easily download it for your iPhone, too, without paying extra. With NordVPN, for example, you only have to download the NordVPN app from the App Store, log in, and connect. You can find detailed instructions on how to set up a VPN on iPhone here.
I have had a major problem when trialing two vpn’s. In both cases (one of them is on your top 5 list) I was not able to send or receive emails on the windows and iOS platforms. The one provider did have a support person spend well over 3 hours trying to get this issue resolved but at the end, after rebooting the system having changed a number of settings, the internet interface needed to be reconfigured and my service provider (ISP) needed to be involved.
I need a vpn that is simple and doesn’t expect my skill level with acronyms and UPPER CASE LETTERS to be at anything more than at a plug and play level.
Any suggestions other than a cheat sheet that translates the letters to reality or a beginners computer course?
I like your reviews but am looking for simplified solutions with thanks.
Hi Bill! We're sorry to hear you haven't had a great experience with VPNs so far. It's true that some email providers don't work well with VPNs. One way to solve that, is to use a dedicated IP address. You can read more about this in our full article about dedicated IPs, but the gist is that your VPN IP is much less likely to get blocked, since you're the only one using it. NordVPN offers dedicated IPs that work well for this purpose. It does cost you a bit extra, unfortunately, but it seems like a good, easy solution for this issue!
I've wanted to learn which VPN is best for me for a few years, and now I have the most comprehensive information I could ever hope to read. Thank you VERY much.
Hey Graham. Bitdefender is not a bad VPN, but it didn't make our list. Check out our guide on the best VPNs for the dark web for our go-to recommendations:
https://vpnoverview.com/privacy/dark-web/dark-web-vpn/
hi again. i forgot to ask. does autofill work with a vpn provider. when i use incognito window it doesn't work. a pain when you can't remember your password.
what is good practise in the number of passwords you have on your pc/laptop? i have over a 100 passwords but want to shrink that down to no more than ten across all my saved websites, is that agood or bad idea?
thanks again mark.
Yes, autofill works when you have a VPN connection running (although not when you're using the incognito tab). In terms of passwords, it's important to have a different, strong password for each account you use, so if you have 100 accounts, you'd have 100 different passwords. To help you out, you can use a secure password manager (with an autofill option) to remember all these passwords for you. Generally, this is a lot safer than the autofill option provided by your browser. If you'd like, you can have a look at our list of best password managers for mor information. Some of them have nice free versions that can be just as useful!
just reading nordvpn cookies policy. bit confused. are the cookies that are collected or used by the vpn suppliers all necessary and normal. it just seems a way to collect info that a non vpn provider would collect when you use a search engine ie google or firefox.
a paid service seems a better way to use a vpn so any comments you give me will be looked at favourably by me. thanks mark.
Yes, NordVPN does collect some information when you're using their website, notable your IP address and some device info, which they use to prevent fraude, DDoS attacks, and so on. This is quite a normal policy to have for a website (and a minimal one when it comes to collecting data). The good thing is that you won't need NordVPN's website on a daily basis: once you have the software, Nord has a strict no-logging policy in your using the service. You can read more in our detailed NordVPN review.
if my laptop has a vpn is my I phone also protected also ?
No, but depending on which VPN subscription you have, you can easily download it for your iPhone, too, without paying extra. With NordVPN, for example, you only have to download the NordVPN app from the App Store, log in, and connect. You can find detailed instructions on how to set up a VPN on iPhone here.
I have had a major problem when trialing two vpn’s. In both cases (one of them is on your top 5 list) I was not able to send or receive emails on the windows and iOS platforms. The one provider did have a support person spend well over 3 hours trying to get this issue resolved but at the end, after rebooting the system having changed a number of settings, the internet interface needed to be reconfigured and my service provider (ISP) needed to be involved.
I need a vpn that is simple and doesn’t expect my skill level with acronyms and UPPER CASE LETTERS to be at anything more than at a plug and play level.
Any suggestions other than a cheat sheet that translates the letters to reality or a beginners computer course?
I like your reviews but am looking for simplified solutions with thanks.
Hi Bill! We're sorry to hear you haven't had a great experience with VPNs so far. It's true that some email providers don't work well with VPNs. One way to solve that, is to use a dedicated IP address. You can read more about this in our full article about dedicated IPs, but the gist is that your VPN IP is much less likely to get blocked, since you're the only one using it. NordVPN offers dedicated IPs that work well for this purpose. It does cost you a bit extra, unfortunately, but it seems like a good, easy solution for this issue!
I've wanted to learn which VPN is best for me for a few years, and now I have the most comprehensive information I could ever hope to read. Thank you VERY much.
We're glad we could help!
Is Bitdefender VPN safe for browsing the Dark Web
Hey Graham. Bitdefender is not a bad VPN, but it didn't make our list. Check out our guide on the best VPNs for the dark web for our go-to recommendations:
https://vpnoverview.com/privacy/dark-web/dark-web-vpn/
hi again. i forgot to ask. does autofill work with a vpn provider. when i use incognito window it doesn't work. a pain when you can't remember your password.
what is good practise in the number of passwords you have on your pc/laptop? i have over a 100 passwords but want to shrink that down to no more than ten across all my saved websites, is that agood or bad idea?
thanks again mark.
Yes, autofill works when you have a VPN connection running (although not when you're using the incognito tab). In terms of passwords, it's important to have a different, strong password for each account you use, so if you have 100 accounts, you'd have 100 different passwords. To help you out, you can use a secure password manager (with an autofill option) to remember all these passwords for you. Generally, this is a lot safer than the autofill option provided by your browser. If you'd like, you can have a look at our list of best password managers for mor information. Some of them have nice free versions that can be just as useful!
just reading nordvpn cookies policy. bit confused. are the cookies that are collected or used by the vpn suppliers all necessary and normal. it just seems a way to collect info that a non vpn provider would collect when you use a search engine ie google or firefox.
a paid service seems a better way to use a vpn so any comments you give me will be looked at favourably by me. thanks mark.
Yes, NordVPN does collect some information when you're using their website, notable your IP address and some device info, which they use to prevent fraude, DDoS attacks, and so on. This is quite a normal policy to have for a website (and a minimal one when it comes to collecting data). The good thing is that you won't need NordVPN's website on a daily basis: once you have the software, Nord has a strict no-logging policy in your using the service. You can read more in our detailed NordVPN review.