Best VPN services in 2023

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a security tool that adds an extra layer of security online by encrypting your data – it ensures your privacy is protected from prying eyes, as it masks your IP address for anonymity. Additionally, a reliable VPN doesn’t collect your data, secures your Internet connection, and unblocks regionally-blocked sites.

However, only the best VPN can offer all those features and great value for money. With so many VPNs out there, choosing the best one is no easy task.

We regularly perform comprehensive research and real-world testing to find the ideal VPN providers. That’s why by comparing VPN services we strive to find out which ones are reliable and get the nomination for the best VPN service in 2023. To get into the top list, a VPN needs to match the market standard. Let’s take a look which providers made it to our best VPNs list.

Best VPNs of 2023

1. NordVPN – the best VPN overall in 2023
2. Surfshark VPN – best VPN for unlimited number of devices
3. Atlas VPN – excellent everyday freemium VPN
4. IPVanish – best VPN for inexpensive for all-around protection
5. PureVPN – top VPN for security and privacy
6. ExpressVPN – versatile premium VPN
7. CyberGhost – secure VPN with a variety of features
8. PrivateVPN – excellent streaming VPN

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How to choose the best VPN

The process of choosing the best VPN may differ for different users. That’s because while some people want a VPN primarily for security and privacy reasons, others just want to access global content libraries. No matter the reason, there are a few main criteria you should consider when looking for the best VPN solution.

• Security and privacy. The most secure VPNs have to have strong data encryption and a reliable kill switch that would help avoid accidental data leaks. Another must is a strict no-logs policy so you’d be guaranteed that data is only present for your eyes only.
• Performance and speeds. If you need a VPN for streaming or torrenting, you’ll have to look at the VPNs with fast speeds and their performance. Make sure you look through VPN speed tests before making any long-term commitments.
• Streaming. For all the movie buffs – read reviews and check whether the service you’re getting is a streaming VPN and can access most popular streaming platforms.
• Torrenting. Torrenters should look for VPNs that are P2P optimized. A provider must have specialized servers and offer some of the best connection speeds.
• Great value for money. Last but not least, always keep in mind that the best VPNs aren’t necessarily the most expensive ones. Make sure you’re getting your money’s worth.

Top 10 VPNs for 2023 – our detailed list:

The following list of the best VPNs of 2023 is constantly evolving and changing. But one thing is always true – top VPN services need to be 100% secure and reliable. With that in mind, let’s take a look at what we have.

1. NordVPN – the best VPN available today

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NordVPN is our best VPN of 2023. The reason behind this is simple: it is one of the top VPNs on the market that balances speed, security, and even entertainment. But let’s take a look at everything one step at a time.

Security and privacy: NordVPN wins as the top privacy VPN out there. Its security measures don’t disappoint – it uses AES-256 encryption, has a reliable kill switch, RAM-only servers (meaning that your data gets wiped off every time a server gets restarted), Dark Web Monitoring, Threat Protection, and more. In terms of privacy, it boasts an audited no-logs policy.

Performance: During our tests, NordVPN managed to result in an exceptional performance. To ensure your best experience, NordVPN offers NordLynx tunneling protocol, which is a variation of the well-known WireGuard. It allows you to experience super fast speeds worldwide without sacrificing your security.

Data period: 01.19 - 02.02

	Download	Upload
United States	424 Mbit/s	359 Mbit/s
Canada	481 Mbit/s	446 Mbit/s
United Kingdom	603 Mbit/s	570 Mbit/s

See live VPN provider data on our VPN speed test tool

Features: This VPN blocks annoying ads and infected sites, offers all kinds of server types (like obfuscated servers), and includes SOCKS5 proxies for easy torrenting. Also, NordVPN provides next-gen functionalities, such as Meshnet, which lets you access devices over encrypted private tunnels – from anywhere in the world.

Streaming: With this VPN you will be able to unblock virtually any streaming service including Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and HBO Max. You can even use the VPN connection with devices that don’t support native VPN apps thanks to the SmartDNS technology.

Compatibility: NordVPN supports all the major platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. There are also apps for Android TV, Raspberry Pi, Fire Stick, and more. All the applications are extremely easy to use, and tailored to a specific product's interface – so you won’t have any problems, even if it’s your first time using a VPN. We particularly enjoy the map-based interface, which is super convenient and intuitive for both desktop and mobile users. Also, NordVPN supports up to 6 simultaneous connections.

The prices of NordVPN start at $3.49/month. And if you don’t fully enjoy the service or just want to try it out, you have a 30-day money-back guarantee and 7-day free trial options.

To learn more, check our NordVPN review.

2. Surfshark – best feature-to-price ratio VPN

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Surfshark is our second best VPN on this list because of the value it provides for the (little) money you pay. However, price isn’t everything – let’s look at what this VPN has to offer.

Security and privacy: When it comes to security, Surfshark has everything a reputable security tool must offer. It implements the unbreakable AES-256 encryption, and has an audited no-logs policy. Also, Surfshark offers RAM-only servers, Camouflage mode, NoBorders mode, CleanWeb, Multihop, and the most recent one – Nexus network that can give you extra layers of protection while using the VPN.

Performance: You can pick from lots of secure tunneling protocols like WireGuard and OpenVPN. Our testing resulted in fast connections and no noticeable speed drops. Surfshark has delivered excellent results all around the world. So, if you’d use Surfshark for gaming or streaming, you wouldn’t encounter any lag or buffer.

Data period: 01.19 - 02.02

	Download	Upload
United States	411 Mbit/s	353 Mbit/s
Canada	475 Mbit/s	440 Mbit/s
United Kingdom	601 Mbit/s	566 Mbit/s

See live VPN provider data on our VPN speed test tool

Features: Plenty of Surfshark servers support P2P connections, which is really convenient for those who torrent a lot. Next, the service offers server obfuscation and the double VPN feature. You also get a malware blocker, split tunneling, and GPS spoofing on Android. Additionally, features like whitelisting (granting the access to your trusted IP addresses, software, or emails) can also benefit you in different ways.

Streaming: This VPN unlocks lots of different streaming platforms. We tested it ourselves and managed to unblock not only the usual services like Netflix or YouTube – you’ll also be able to enjoy HBO Max, Apple TV, and more.

Compatibility: No matter which operating system you use, Surfshark has an app to offer. It covers Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS, as well as browser extensions for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. You can also download apps for streaming devices, like smart TVs or Amazon Fire Stick, or set Surfshark up to work on your gaming console or router. Compared to other market providers, Surfshark excels in mobile apps and has an excellent interface, as well as functionality.

Surfshark VPN price starts at $2.30/month. Considering the fact that you get unlimited simultaneous connections and a great set of features, this is the best option in the market for all devices you own. And just in case, you can use the 30-day money-back guarantee for a refund or try it out with a 7-day free trial.

Check out our full review of Surfshark VPN.

3. Atlas VPN – excellent value freemium VPN

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Atlas VPN is one of the best providers in the business – and it's one of the few, offering a completely free plan. Here's what this VPN has to offer:

Security and privacy: Atlas VPN ensures next-gen security – together with a strict privacy policy, the market-standard AES 256-bit encryption ensures top-quality data protection. Not to mention the kill switch, it offers that helps prevent data leaks.

Performance: As for speed, the implementation of the WireGuard protocol accelerated the performance of Atlas VPN. It is now one of the fastest VPNs on the market – ideal choice for gaming, streaming, and other activities.

Features: You get to enjoy a malware-free experience – Atlas VPN SafeBrowse feature will simply block malicious websites. To ensure protection at all times, the SafeSwap feature will keep automatically rotating your IP address.

Streaming: With Atlas VPN, you’ll be able to Netflix and chill with shows from all over the world. And if you’re more of a YouTube or BBC iPlayer fan, Atlas VPN won’t disappoint you either.

Compatibility: While the best apps of most VPNs are desktop ones, Atlas VPN is more mobile-focused. Although the Windows and macOS apps are great, the Android and iOS apps run even smoother.

Starting from $2.05/month for unlimited simultaneous connections, Atlas VPN is definitely on the cheaper scale. If you’d like to try out AtlasVPN or use a limited suite – you can get a free version. If you’d like to try the premium version and it doesn’t live up to your expectations, you can always make use of their 30-day money-back guarantee.

To learn more, check out our Altas VPN review.

4. IPVanish – affordable, feature-packed VPN option

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IPVanish is another best VPN option due to its versatility – protection, torrenting, and streaming. If none of the previous best VPNs scratched your itch the right way, then maybe IPVanish will be the VPN of your dreams.

Security and privacy: Like all the other best VPN services, IPVanish uses the military-grade AES-256 encryption with SHA-512 hash functions. There’s also an audited no-logs policy and a functional kill switch.

Performance: This VPN provider supports multiple tunneling protocols – WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. IPVanish will also provide you with high download speeds and a vast server selection.

Features: IPVanish offers split tunneling to decide which applications use the VPN tunnel. You also get a free SOCKS5 proxy for fast torrenting. Just like Surfshark and NordVPN, IPVanish offers obfuscated servers that will allow you to connect to their servers, in countries where VPNs are usually blocked.

Streaming: IPVanish works perfectly fine when unblocking Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and YouTube. However, it may struggle with other streaming services, so keep this in mind if you want a VPN for the sole purpose of unblocking movies and shows.

Compatibility: For different device coverage IPVanish has you covered. The application works with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS operating systems.

When it comes to price, you can pay as little as $3.33/month if you get a long-term subscription. And, as all good VPNs should, IPVanish has a 30-day money-back guarantee for its long-term plans in case it doesn’t fit your needs.

To read more about IPVanish, visit our full review.

5. PureVPN – constantly audited for security

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If security is your main reason for investing in a VPN, PureVPN may catch your eye. Not only does it offer comprehensive security features, it’s also the first VPN on the market that has the always-on audit.

Security and privacy: PureVPN uses the AES-256 encryption, ensuring top-notch security. Additionally, it has a reliable kill switch that will guarantee no accidental data leaks.

Performance: While some time ago, PureVPN didn’t have impressive speeds, the implementation of the WireGuard protocol changed the game. The provider now offers solid speeds and doesn’t limit your browsing experience.

Features: Android users get to enjoy the split tunneling feature, it’s a great solution when you want only certain apps to go through a VPN connection. There’s also the port forwarding feature, useful for remote device access or setting up gaming servers. Plus, you can get the password manager to securely store your credentials and autofill them online.

Streaming: Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu – you name it, PureVPN can unblock it. You can access different global libraries of these platforms, which is a big plus for a VPN provider.

Compatibility: PureVPN has apps for all of the famous platforms – Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. And everything is organized, clean, and ready to use.

In terms of pricing, you won’t have to break a bank. With prices starting from $2.08/month, PureVPN is a wallet-friendly solution. And since there’s a 31-day money-back guarantee, you can try the service out without instant long-term commitment.

Learn more in our PureVPN review.

6. ExpressVPN – premium VPN with a large server fleet

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ExpressVPN falls into the list of the most popular VPN services in the market. It comes with great speeds, the ability to unblock numerous streaming services, and multiple additional features.

Security and privacy: ExpressVPN uses the market standard encryption (AES-256) but if you select the ExpressVPN’s Lightway protocol, the protocol used is ChaCha20/Poly1305. Also, this provider states that it doesn’t collect any logs or activity, so it’s only visible to you.

Performance: This provider offers a proprietary Lightway protocol that provides quite fast speeds. It also supports IKEv2 and OpenVPN protocols. Generally, the performance is pretty good and is suitable for browsing, streaming, or gaming.

Features: Even though ExpressVPN doesn’t stand out in terms of the feature suite, it offers split tunneling, MediaStreamer, stealth servers, Threat Manager, its own router app, and more.

Streaming: This is one of the strongest functionalities of ExpressVPN. With it, you can unblock almost anything online and bypass geo-restrictions to stream your favorite content. During our tests, it managed to unblock streaming services, such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV, and more.

Compatibility: With ExpressVPN you can cover the devices that run on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, browser extensions.

ExpressVPN plans are pretty expensive compared to other top providers. With the VPN purchase, you get a 5 simultaneous connections cap. Unfortunately, Express VPN doesn’t offer a free version nor trial. However, you can use their 30-day money-back guarantee if you’d like to try out the service.

To learn more, check out our ExpressVPN review.

7. CyberGhost – secure VPN with optimized servers for gaming, streaming, and torrenting

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CyberGhost is another popular and secure VPN provider on our list. This VPN is great for streaming, torrenting, and gaming, and offers reliable security features to protect your data while browsing online.

Security and privacy: Like any other top-rated VPN, ChyberGhosts uses AES-256 encryption to hide your data, has an independently audited no-logs policy, and is based in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction. So, you can be certain that your data is secure and protected.

Performance: CyberGhosts works with the market-standard WireGuard tunneling protocol and offers reliable connection speeds and a lag-free browsing experience. You can also choose from other protocols, like IKEv2 and OpenVPN.

Features: CyberGhost has specialized servers for streaming, torrenting, and gaming, and there’s an automated kill switch to prevent data leaks. Also, you can get a dedicated IP, an ad blocker, customize smart rules that work like split tunneling, and others.

Streaming: This is a really reliable streaming VPN. During our tests, this VPN unblocked popular streaming sites like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and others. In addition, with the streaming-optimized servers, the streaming quality was great and we experienced no lags or buffering.

Compatibility: CyberGhost offers apps for all popular OS, like Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. There are also capabilities to set up a browser extension on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, and Opera.

CyberGhost is not that of a pricey provider, you can get a subscription for $2.19/month and cover up to 7 devices. In addition, while there’s no free trial, you get an extra long 45-day money-back guarantee.

For more information, head over to our CyberGhost review.

8. PrivateVPN – superb VPN for streaming

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Even though PrivateVPN isn’t as popular as our previously mentioned best VPNs, it’s actually a really good privacy tool that more people should know about.

Security and privacy: PrivateVPN implements the revered AES-256 encryption, which is the security standard in the VPN world. It also lets you configure the encryption according to your needs. You can pick the more lightweight AES-128 and even choose between the CBC and GCM modes. There’s also a high-quality kill switch that passed all our tests.

Performance: Speed is not PrivateVPN’s shining star. Instead of the WireGuard protocol, PrivateVPN offers OpenVPN as the alternative. It isn’t as fast, but if the speed isn’t too big of an issue for you, you won’t even notice the drop too much.

Features: As far as the features go, PrivateVPN has a few aces up its sleeve. Namely, HTTP and SOCKS5 proxies, as well as the support for port forwarding for a faster online connection.

Streaming: This VPN flawlessly works with Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, and more. However, PrivateVPN doesn’t offer the SmartDNS feature that allows you to stream unblocked content on devices that don’t support VPN connections.

Compatibility: With this VPN provider you can safely cover devices that run on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS operating systems.

You can buy PrivateVPN for as low as $2.00/month, much lower than most major VPN providers. There’s a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Also, you get 10 simultaneous connections.

Here is our full PrivateVPN review.

9. Ivacy VPN – safe VPN with anonymous payment options

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Ivacy VPN offers a massive array of worldwide servers, as well as fully anonymous payment options, top security features, and good streaming functionality. All of that – for a very good price.

Security and privacy: A simple and intuitive split tunneling function, AES-256 encryption, and no logs – something we’ve grown to expect from all premium VPNs by now.

Performance: Ivacy doesn’t offer the WireGuard protocol, which delivers faster speeds and additional security. However, it still does a solid job with OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols – the VPN offers above-average performance.

Features: The Ivacy’s Secure Download feature monitors your downloads for potentially harmful data. This additional layer of security separates this VPN from many others on the list. Plus, with cryptocurrency payments, privacy-conscious users can also purchase this VPN without giving away any of their private details.

Streaming: Ivacy offers specialized streaming servers, and they work really well on Netflix, YouTube, BBC iPlayer, and more.

Compatibility: The VPN offers applications for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. Plus, there are multiple additional solutions for browser extensions, streaming devices, smart TVs, routers, and more.

With Ivacy VPN you can cover 10 devices simultaneously. Sign up for a massive 5-year plan for just $1.00/month – and you’ll get a solid password manager app thrown in for free. As usual, there’s a money-back guarantee in case you’re not happy with your purchase.

Here’s our Ivacy VPN review for more information.

10. Proton VPN – best freemium VPN

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A great free version, strict no-logs policy, and robust security features – Proton VPN is a great catch. It’s a versatile service suitable for both complete novices and tech masters.

Security and privacy: Like many first-class VPN services, Proton VPN uses the so-called unbreakable AES encryption. And in case your VPN connection drops, the provider’s kill switch is going to keep your data safe.

Performance: In the speed department, Proton VPN is pretty fast. Although at times, there can be some speed inconsistencies, the overall performance is great. Thanks to WireGuard, and Proton’s own VPN Accelerator feature, this provider can compete with the speediest VPN providers.

Features: There’s split tunneling, and the double VPN feature that basically lets you use 2 VPN servers at once. For additional privacy, Tor over VPN and alternate routing will help you browse peacefully in countries with restricted internet freedom.

Streaming: And if you’re in need of a VPN for streaming, Proton VPN will definitely do the trick. There’s Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and more streaming services to enjoy.

Compatibility: While Windows users will experience the best version of Proton VPN, others, including macOS, Linux, and mobile users, won’t be disappointed either. The apps are very minimalistic, dark, and simple to navigate.

Proton VPN’s prices start from $4.99/month for 10 simultaneous connections. There’s also a limited free version. And if this provider turns out to be not your cup of tea, there’s a month-long money-back guarantee.

For more details, head over to the Proton VPN review.

How we test and rank these VPNs

Ranking VPN services is no easy feat. You have to consider a lot of factors, from the number of features to compatibility with various devices.

So what should you know before buying a Virtual Private Network? There’s more than a few things to check if you want to choose the best option for you.

Below is the VPN buying guide for 2023 with crucial points we considered in making this list:

1. Security. We tested and analyzed VPN providers to check it ensures the top-notch security and privacy. We prioritized the services with specialized servers, threat protection, IP leak protection, strict no-logs policy, which would be audited, service ran on RAM-only servers, and more of the features that make a VPN secure and private.
2. Speed. Unless your ISP is using bandwidth throttling, your connection with a VPN will be slower because of encryption, distance to the server, and other factors. That being said, it doesn’t have to be slow. If fast speed is a priority, search for a service that offers the WireGuard protocol and is often mentioned on fastest VPN lists.
3. Server list. Check if the VPN has enough servers around your location. Some concentrate their resources in North America and Europe, but others have a solid presence in Asia as well. Also, make sure there are servers in the countries to which you’re planning to connect to. Finally, look for a VPN that has only physical servers with RAM-only storage.
4. VPN jurisdiction. You have to be a really bad girl or a bad boy to get noticed by the intelligence agencies. Nevertheless, it’s still better when your VPN is in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction, such as Switzerland, and not in one of the 14-Eyes countries (US, UK, Australia, etc.) or, even worse, a country like China.
5. Streaming and torrenting. Some VPNs are unable to unblock Netflix and other streaming platforms, while others prohibit P2P traffic. If that’s what you need, make sure you’ll be able to do both.
6. Simultaneous connections. You might want to use a VPN on several devices at the same time. Pick a VPN which offers at least 5 simultaneous connections. We tested and chose the best VPNs that support 5 or more connections. There are plenty of VPNs which don't limit these connections at all.
7. Apps and supported devices. Most VPNs support the major OS types, but if you’re a fan of Linux, the list narrows down. Furthermore, you would want to protect all of your devices, so make sure your provider supports your router, game console, and smart TV.
8. Customer support. Don’t settle for a VPN that doesn’t offer a 24/7 live chat. It’s an industry standard, not some premium feature. We made sure to pick out as many VPNs that offer around-the-clock customer support that's ready to help you in case something goes wrong.
9. Bang-for-the-buck. Finally, make sure you’re not overpaying. There are many VPNs with similar features and contrasting prices. Also, don’t forget to exercise your money-back guarantee – most providers give one month to test things out. Some of the VPNs we chose will offer limited versions of their products for you to try. But you can also pick up a premium plan and see the full experience by using the money-back option.

Comparison of the best VPNs

	NordVPN	Surfshark	AtlasVPN	IPVanish	PureVPN	ExpressVPN	CyberGhost	PrivateVPN	Ivacy VPN	Proton VPN
Brand
Review	NordVPN review	Surfshark VPN review	Atlas VPN review	IPVanish review	PureVPN review	ExpressVPN review	CyberGhost review	PrivateVPN review	Ivacy VPN review	Proton VPN review
Free trial	Yes, 7-day	Yes, 7-day	Yes, unlimited	Yes, 7-day	Yes, 7-day	Yes, 7-day	Yes, 1-day on a desktop, 3-day on Android, and 7-day on iOS	Yes, 7-day	Yes, 1-day	Yes, unlimited
Price (lowest price per month)	$3.49/month	$2.30/month	$2.05/month	$3.33/month	$2.08/month	$6.67/month	$2.19/month	$2.00/month	$1.00/month	$4.99/month
Streaming	Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and more	Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and more	Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube	Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube	Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube	Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and more	Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and more	Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Video, and more	Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Youtube	Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, HBO Max, Disney+
Logging	No logs, independently audited twice by PwC	No logs, independently audited by Deloitte	No logs, not audited	No logs, independently audited by Leviathan	No logs, always-on audit by KPMG	No logs, independently audited by Cure53	No logs, independently audited by Deloitte	No logs, not audited	No logs, not audited	No logs, independently audited by Securitum
Servers	5500+ servers in 60 countries	3200+ servers in 100 countries	750+ servers in 38 countries	2000+ servers in 50 countries	6500+ servers in 78 countries	3000+ servers in 94 countries	9700+ servers in 91 countries	200+ servers in 63 countries	5700+ servers, 68 countries	1800+ servers in 66 countries
Simultaneous connections	6	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	10	5	7	10	10	10
Country	Panama	The Netherlands (part of 9-Eyes)	United States (part of 5-Eyes)	United States (part of 5-Eyes)	British Virgin Islands	British Virgin Islands	Romania	Sweden (Part of 14-Eyes)	Singapore	Switzerland
Best for	Streaming, torrenting, security	Streaming, torrenting, security	Streaming, torrenting, security	Streaming, torrenting, security	Streaming, security	Streaming, browsing, security	Streaming, torrenting, security	Torrenting, security	Security	Torrenting, security

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The best VPN deals: how to get them?

Right now is the best time to save. Here are some of the best VPN deals for the top products in the industry.

• See the best NordVPN deals, and get the biggest discounts.
• Get the latest seasonal discounts on our Surfshark coupons page.
• Protect yourself and save with the latest exclusive discounts on our IPVanish coupon page.

What is a VPN?

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a service that secures your connection over the Internet. It encrypts your IP address and hides your activity from third parties – hackers, the government, or your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

The best VPN providers include a big array of servers all across the world. In order to change your IP to a different one anywhere, a VPN makes it as simple as clicking a button. Then, all of your traffic gets routed through an encrypted tunnel. As a result, anyone who tries to look into your traffic will only be able to see that you are connected through an encrypted tunnel – without being able to take a peek at what is inside that tunnel.

This is an excellent feature for several types of people: many use VPN to avoid spying and hacking that can happen when connected to an unsafe wireless connection. Journalists use it when working with sensitive information or accessing various online resources. Others need this functionality to access geo-restricted websites and see the content that is banned in their countries, either by copyright agreements or government censorship.

Reasons why you need a VPN

There are several reasons why you could need a VPN: let’s talk about some of the main ones in detail.

• Protection against cyberthreats. Your digital footprints are scattered all around the web. Your browsing activity can be tracked and used against you. A VPN masks your IP, helping avoid certain cyber threats.
• Securing your online privacy. Your passwords, banking details, and other personal information can leak through an unsafe online connection – a secure VPN can help protect it.
• Improving connection speed. Your ISP might be throttling your connection to specific services, like streaming or torrenting. With a VPN, it can’t tell what connections you’re using: letting you hit full speed.
• Bypassing streaming geo-restrictions. What we see online is merely a fraction of what’s there. Streaming services have loads of geo-blocked content. By using a VPN, you can change your IP address and access it all.
• Getting around censorship. Some countries that are privacy-unfriendly (like China) tend to censor political or other types of topics. A strong VPN helps you bypass censorship and hide the fact that you’re using a VPN.
• Secure torrenting. A VPN for torrenting helps you do it anonymously and safely without compromising performance.
• Avoid regional price discrimination. Some companies, for instance airlines, sometimes put different prices in different countries. Using a VPN can help avoid that and find the cheapest deals.

How does a VPN work?

Generally, when you're connecting to some website, your device sends a query to your ISPs DNS server asking for its IP address. Then, your ISP routes your request to the website's server. When your device crunches the data, it displays a website with videos and pictures once it fully loads. This is fast, but it leaves a lot of traces of what you were doing online. So, over time, ISPs can harness quite a lot of information about their users.

When you subscribe to a VPN service, you're entering an agreement to borrow their infrastructure. Such services own a large volume of servers, so even though your traffic is still routed through your ISP, it's encrypted. The VPN uses a tunneling protocol to connect to your selected remote server. However, this time you're not connecting directly.

The end website receives a different IP address than your own, and your ISP can only tell that you're using a VPN, but it doesn't know what you're doing. That way, your privacy becomes protected by a veil of shadow.

Are VPNs legal to use?

Yes, VPN usage is legal in most countries. However, some of the places that prohibit or restrict VPN usage are China, North Korea, Iraq, Belarus, UAE, Egypt, Turkey, and Russia. In such locations, you should check whether VPNs are legal (or only restricted) beforehand, and what are the consequences of using one.

In other parts of the world, whether you want a VPN for streaming or keeping your data private from prying eyes, it’s perfectly safe to use it. That said, illegal activities don’t become legal with a VPN. This means that pirating copyrighted content, hacking, or cyberbullying don’t suddenly become acceptable just because your data is encrypted.

What are the limitations of a VPN?

Although VPN is a good tool to make your connection safer, this doesn't protect you from all possible dangers. Your connection will indeed be much safer with them, but if you enter your personal information on some sketchy website, your data will still end up in someone's hands.

You can still download malware when using a VPN, as they aren't intended to check your files. So it still matters to exercise proper cyber-hygiene when visiting websites, even when using a VPN.

Be mindful of your browser if you're using an outdated app that has Javascript vulnerabilities. This could also be used to inject malicious code into your system, which is also a cause for concern. Keeping your daily applications and installing important security updates is paramount.

How do I get a VPN?

If you prefer a DIY approach, you can rent a server somewhere far away and then self-host a VPN for yourself. You'd need a cloud hosting provider and some technical know-how.

For everyone else, there are VPN service providers. These are businesses that are lending their server fleet for a monthly fee. Here’s how to get a VPN:

1. Choose a VPN service provider and purchase a subscription. NordVPN now offers a 63% discount.
2. Download, install the client, and log in.
3. Establish a connection by picking any VPN server of your choice.
4. Now, you have a VPN installed and active on your device.

You can minimize the VPN to the background so it doesn't interfere with your browsing. However, if you head online to check your IP address, it would display a different one as if you actually were teleported to a foreign country.

Video review: Best VPN services in 2023

Can I use a VPN on mobile devices?

Yes, you not only can but you should always use a VPN on mobile devices. Since we often use them to access the Internet, it poses similar risks as laptops or other devices that aren’t connected to a VPN.

For instance, we connect our phones to public wifi. In such cases, data encryption can help prevent malware distribution or personal data theft. It can also secure your financial data and audio (or video) conversations from third-party peeks.

The best VPN providers for mobile devices offer comprehensive security of your personal information. Yet, it’s worth noting that mobile VPN apps are slightly different from desktop ones. What was initially promised on desktop might not be present on the mobile app. So you should always check before purchase.

Can VPN services be trusted?

All VPN providers claim to have no-logs policies, but this isn't often the truth. There are many reports of a no-logs VPN service which leaked its users' private information after a major data breach. So, even if you're not paranoid, it may be a bit hard to trust such claims.

Users expect increased privacy and complete peace of mind when choosing a VPN. However, we discovered data from several mobile VPNs leaked online during our research. Some of the most popular Android VPNs, such as SuperVPN, GeckoVPN, and ChatVPN, have been discovered to log massive amounts of user information. Usernames, email addresses, payment-related data, password strings, and more were all logged.

There are plenty of safe and trustworthy VPN services, but it's essential to choose wisely and not go for an untested option: using unreliable VPNs can do you more harm than good.

Here's what you should look for in a reliable VPN service:

• Independent audits. If a service had its no-logs policy audited, it's a good chance that a VPN is trustworthy. Agencies like PwC are multi-million dollar industries that are outside the scope of bribery. So, if they're saying that a VPN adheres to privacy policy claims, you should probably take note.
• Court cases. There's no better method to prove its privacy policy claims than their response to the law requests. If a VPN service collaborates with law enforcement and shows up in court with a list of logs, don't think that it would be different in your case.
• Ownership. You should always take into account the owners of a VPN service. Chances are they manage several other products and look into how they are managed. Were there any data breaches or privacy scandals? This may also help to form a perspective on how your data will be treated.
• Privacy policies. You should carefully review what the policy includes and what information it collects. The less data it gathers, the more privacy you're ensured.
• Privacy-friendly headquarters. Some countries belong to the 5-Eyes, 9-Eyes, or 14-Eyes alliances. They are known to share personal data of their citizens and even attempt to force tech companies to provide them encryption backdoors.

Free vs. Paid VPNs: which is the best for you?

In general, paid VPNs are better than the free ones. The latter have to rely on ads and selling your data (which is not always anonymized), unless they are offered by a premium VPN provider. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t find a good free VPN – it’s just that they will have one or more limitations that often are a deal-breaker. Let’s check how free vs paid VPNs differ and find out the most common free VPN limitations:

• Speed. Most free services are slower than paid ones. While you might be able to stream in full HD using some VPNs, expect a serious drop-off in speeds.
• Servers. Free VPNs usually offer only a few servers in the US, the Netherlands, and some other countries. Also, those servers tend to be overloaded and have high latency, which is bad for gaming and VoIP calls.
• Data limit. Freemium VPN services will often give you a certain amount of GBs per month or MBs per day. Therefore, downloading large files or streaming high quality videos will soon leave you blocked until next month.
• Number of devices. Expect to get only one connection per account. This means that you won’t be able to use a free VPN on both your computer and your smartphone.
• Geo-blocking and P2P. You won’t be able to access worldwide content from Netflix or other streaming platforms with most free VPNs. What’s more, some of them also prohibit torrenting, especially if they don’t have a data limit.

If you choose a solid paid VPN, you won’t have to deal with the issues listed above. You won’t see any ads either, and your data won’t be sold to third parties. Also, you can expect priority customer support which will solve most of the problems right away.

Best VPN server locations for different countries

While it’s essential to know how to correctly use a VPN, knowing which VPN country or location to connect to, can also benefit you, whether you’d be gaming, streaming, browsing, or using a VPN for other uses.

Here are some of the main countries and VPNs combos:

• Best VPNs for Spain
• Best VPNs for UK
• Best VPNs for United States

We’ve done comprehensive research and testing to decide which countries are the ideal ones to use the VPN in. The aspects we took into consideration – privacy laws, belonging to 14-Eyes alliance, regulations regarding torrenting, betting, streaming, gaming, infrastructure, and more.

Overall, the ideal country and VPN combination mostly depends on your needs and use. However, the best VPNs turned out to be NordVPN, Surfshark, and PureVPN.

To learn more, read our article about the best VPN countries.

What's the fastest VPN?

When we're talking about the VPN speeds, we're actually factoring in several different things.

• The distance from your location to a VPN server to your device
• The used tunneling protocol
• The VPN server's load
• Your baseline Internet speed

Even time of the day could also be an important factor. All of this makes the evaluation for the fastest VPN that much more challenging.

We usually calculate the drop-off speeds in our reviews and comparisons compared to the baseline speed test results. So the faster VPN is the one that reduces your baseline speed less.

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Bottom line

VPN is a valuable addition to your online security and privacy. A VPN encrypts your device’s data while rerouting it through a separate server and hides your personal data while online. It can also benefit you by giving you access to various geo-blocked platforms for streaming, gaming, torrenting, or browsing.

Choosing a reliable VPN service might be challenging, so we provided you with a comprehensive guide of the best VPN services, as well as our research and testing results. With NordVPN and Surfshark conquering the best VPN list, we always strive to offer more compatibility and provide multiple options to suit different needs.

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