Best VPNs for the USA in 2023

If you’re American, a US VPN can help you encrypt your data and make it inaccessible for ISP surveillance. It’s especially important since the US is a part of the Five Eyes international digital information agreement, making it difficult for you to stay anonymous online.

On top of that, a US VPN might be very useful while traveling in Taiwan, Vietnam, and other countries. You can use it to access your regular streaming library and watch your favorite shows, such as Better Call Saul, or sports events like MLB, NBA, and NFL from anywhere.

Keep in mind that it’s also just as useful for non-Americans that wish to access US sites. US Netflix, HBO, and Disney+ include a lot of shows and movies that are simply not available in some other countries, including Italy or Austria.

For these reasons, we’ve tested multiple VPN service providers in terms of their server fleet (including US server selection), speed, unblocking capabilities, as well as privacy and security features. Read on to find the best VPN for the USA.

Top 5 best VPNs for the USA

1. NordVPN – best VPN for the USA overall
2. Surfshark – inexpensive VPN to use for multiple users
3. IPVanish – feature-loaded VPN for USA
4. ExpressVPN – premium USA VPN with top features
5. CyberGhost VPN – reliable all-around USA VPN

How to choose the best USA VPN

Choosing the best USA VPN depends on a user’s personal needs. Those who prioritize security will need advanced protection features, while those who want a VPN for entertainment may pay attention to streaming capabilities.

Whatever the case, here are a few factors to consider when picking the best VPN for USA:

• Security. Make sure that the VPN you choose offers the unbreakable AES encryption and has advanced security features. Be it a kill switch or threat protection – a VPN should have at least some additionalities.
• Privacy policy. Before investing into a service, read its no-logging policy to make sure the service doesn’t keep any logs.
• Ability to unblock geo-restricted content. If you’re in it for the streaming benefits, you should do some prior research to make sure the VPN you pick can bypass geo-restrictions on the streaming sites you’ve purchased.
• Performance. Whatever you want a VPN for, you shouldn’t have to compromise device speeds for it. That’s why you should only invest in the fastest VPNs.

Which VPN is best for streaming in the US?

American libraries of popular streaming sites have great shows, movies, and TV series that are unavailable outside the country. So when searching and comparing VPNs for the US, we’ve also looked at their unblocking capabilities.

Here’s what best VPNs for streaming in the US can help you access from anywhere in the world:

Start streaming with NordVPN

NordVPN is our best VPN for streaming in the US as it showed the greatest performance during our tests. We’ve easily unblocked popular streaming sites and managed to watch movies without any buffering.

The best US VPNs in February – our detailed list:

You’ll need a handful of important features ticked off to get the most out of a VPN for the USA. Let’s have a look at each of these providers in detail and see how well they perform.

• Baseline testing speed: 300 Mbps download/300 Mbps upload

1. NordVPN – best VPN for USA overall

Visit NordVPN

NordVPN is our top choice for the best VPN for the USA. It has over 1970+ servers in 15 American cities and offers reliable and fast performance not only in the US but all over the world.

In total, NordVPN has around 5500 servers in 60 countries. But it’s not just quantity – there’s quality, too. According to Asian and European users, NordVPN is an excellent streaming VPN, easily unblocking all the main US streaming content, like Netflix, Youtube, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO Now, and Disney+.

And you’ll be able to stream all that in the highest quality possible, as NordLynx, its cutting-edge tunneling protocol, gets average download speeds of around 273 Mbps.

Useful features include SmartDNS, which unblocks streaming sites without even needing to connect the VPN. Split tunneling enables you to connect specific apps to the VPN and keep others on your regular connection.

NordVPN is based in Panama (a fantastic location for privacy), and its security features are first-rate. You can count on it to stay anonymous and safe, even if the Five Eyes come calling.

With such excellent service, you’d expect NordVPN to be expensive, but you can sign up for just $3.49 a month with a 30-day money-back guarantee included in the deal.

To find out more, check out our full NordVPN review.

2. Surfshark – USA VPN for your whole family

Visit Surfshark

If you’re looking for a USA VPN not only for yourself but for multiple users – Surfshark is a great pick. It allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices to one account and provides you with over 600+ servers in 25 US cities.

In terms of security, Surfshark also includes an upgraded and more secure AES-256-GCM version of the 256-bit AES encryption. Features like DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leak protection, a kill switch, Camouflage mode, Clean Web, and many more are included.

Now in terms of servers, there are over 3200 total connections in 100 countries. Server speed is excellent, too. With WireGuard, one of the best tunneling protocols available, Surfshark gets average download speeds of 246 Mbps.

And that speed won’t go to waste. Surfshark can easily unblock Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YoutTube, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO Now, and Disney+ without any error messages popping up.

For the cherry on top, Surfshark is also very affordable, with subscriptions starting as low as $2.30 a month with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

To find out more, take a look at our in-depth Surshark VPN review.

3. IPVanish – cheap US VPN

Visit IPVanish

IPVanish is a feature-rich USA VPN that provides you with 1254 servers in 17 US locations and guarantees online privacy for a relatively inexpensive price.

The provider is based in the USA, which does belong to the Five Eyes alliance. However, IPVanish has a strict no-logs policy. While it does not log your online activities, information like your email address and payment method is stored.

Talking about other security and privacy measures, it includes a customizable kill switch as well as the use of a secure 256-bit AES encryption. Also, there’s an On-Demand feature which you can use to automatically connect to the VPN in specific scenarios – like working in a cafe on public wifi.

Overall, IPVanish offers over 2000 servers in 50 countries around the world – it's excellent at unblocking American Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+. It’s suitable for P2P connections, and it’s also really fast – with the WireGuard tunneling protocol we’ve monitored a speed of around 283 Mbps.

IPVanish is also relatively affordable, and subscriptions start at just $3.33 a month. Additionally, the provider also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

For more information, read our in-depth IPVanish review.

4. ExpressVPN – solid premium VPN for USA

Visit ExpressVPN

Offering plenty of American server locations and many additional features, ExpressVPN is an excellent premium VPN for USA. With a total of 3000 servers in 94 countries, it's an excellent option for anyone and anything.

Based in the British Virgin Islands, ExpressVPN is not affected by US surveillance laws or security alliances. Plus, its strong no-log policy is audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers, ensuring no information about you is retained anywhere. This approach to data security is amplified even more by this VPN's RAM-only servers. This means that all the data in the servers is routinely purged.

For additional security, keep Threat Manager on, as it will block tracking and malicious activity from third parties, making your browsing safer and more anonymous than ever.

Fast proprietary Lightway servers are really fast: making ExpressVPN an excellent option for streaming. You can easily access US and international libraries of Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, and more. With a MediaStreamer feature, you'll also be able to stream international libraries on devices that don't support VPN natively.

You can also download ExpressVPN to your router with a simple and intuitive app and connect everything you own to a VPN-secured network.

ExpressVPN is a premium option at $6.67/month – but you can always use a foolproof 30-day money-back guarantee and test this VPN with no risk.

To find out more, check out our ExpressVPN review.

5. CyberGhost – good USA VPN with exciting features

Visit CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost has over 1,400 servers in the USA, spread between 11 cities in 10 states. With specialized servers for torrenting, streaming, and gaming, it's an excellent choice for you to access all of your favorite media.

Based in Romania, CyberGhost is not affected by the Fourteen Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance and several other data retention laws. Plus, AES 256-bit encryption and a no-log policy independently audited by Deloitte guarantees that no information about your browsing is retained by the provider.

Security is improved even more by special Romanian NoSpy servers, offering improved performance, full P2P connection support, and additional privacy measures. With Smart Rules, you will also be able to specify servers for the VPN to connect you and even automatically start apps once the connection is created.

CyberGhost VPN easily unblocks various streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, and more. You can go even further and pick up a dedicated IP – both in the USA and abroad. This is an excellent option for accessing media: an IP used only by you will make the experience significantly smoother.

At a fairly low price of $2.19/month, CyberGhost is a very solid USA VPN, both in the States themselves and abroad. Give it a shot – if you won't like it, there's an extended 45-day money-back guarantee available.

To find out more, check out our CyberGhost VPN review.

6. Atlas VPN – good VPN for USA

Visit Atlas VPN

Atlas VPN is yet another USA-based VPN that also takes security and privacy seriously. For starters, it offers servers in 7 American locations.

Firstly, VerSprite has completed an independent penetration testing of its iOS app and found no major risks that could compromise privacy. Secondly, Atlas VPN operates under a strict no-log policy, meaning that it doesn’t collect any personally identifiable information.

Furthermore, some of the VPN’s security features include SafeBrowse (a malicious website blocker), SafeSwap (IP address rotation), data hack detection, AES encryption, and a kill switch.

More so, Atlas VPN is great at unblocking all the major streaming platforms – Netflix, Youtube, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO, and Disney+. You can pick a server located in the US or any other country – in total, the service offers 750 servers across 38 countries.

Additionally, Atlas VPN is able to reach some really good speeds since it supports the fastest and most secure tunneling protocol – WireGuard.

With low subscription rates starting at $2.05/month, AtlasVPN certainly makes a case as an attractive VPN option. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee and unlimited simultaneous connections to add to that.

For more information, read our Atlas VPN review.

7. Ivacy VPN – inexpensive VPN for USA users

Visit Ivacy VPN

Ivacy VPN is a highly versatile VPN which makes it a good VPN choice for the USA. With 1900+ servers in 13 different US cities, you can rely on it to keep you anonymous online.

For one, it has a no-logs policy, implements AES-256 encryption, and provides DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leak protection. Additionally, it’s headquartered in Singapore which is outside the Five-Eyes region.

Furthermore, with a total of 5700 server options in 68 countries around the world, Ivacy VPN can unblock lots of different streaming platforms like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Youtube.

Another plus point for Ivacy VPN is its split tunneling feature. Unlike many other VPNs that only have it on Android applications, Ivacy VPN also implemented this feature on its Windows application.

Ivacy VPN is also extremely cheap – starting from $1.00/month for 10 simultaneous connections. There’s also the possibility to try out the service for free for one day and use the 30-day money-back guarantee if needed.

Find out more about this provider in our Ivacy VPN review.

Comparison of the best VPNs for the USA

	NordVPN	Surfshark	IPVanish			Atlas VPN	Ivacy VPN
Brand
Rating	4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★	4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★	4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★	4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆	4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆	4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★	4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Streaming services	Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and more	Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and more	Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube	Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and more	Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and more	Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube	Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Youtube
Logging	No logs, independently audited twice by PwC	No logs, independently audited by Cure 53	No logs, independently audited by Leviathan	No logs, independently audited by PwC	No logs, independently audited by Deloitte	No logs, independently audited by VerSprite (iOS penetration testing)	No logs, not audited
Servers	5500+ servers in 60 countries	3200+ servers in 100 countries	2000+ servers in 50 countries	3000+ servers in 94 countries	9700+ servers in 91 countries	750+ servers in 38 countries	5700+ servers, 68 countries
Simultaneous connections	6	Unlimited	Unlimited	5	7	Unlimited	10
Price	3.49/month	2.30/month	3.33/month	$6.67/month	$2.19/month	$2.05/month	1.00/month
Review	NordVPN review	Surfshark review	IPVanish review	ExpressVPN review	CyberGhost VPN review	Atlas VPN review	Ivacy VPN review

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How we tested and selected the best US VPNs

In order to provide you with the list of only the best VPNs for the US, we’ve completed an in-depth research of available providers on the market. Here’s the criteria used for selecting the best services:

• Number of US servers. It’s essential that you’d have plenty of VPN servers in the US to choose from. This way, you can always find the best one with a consistent and stable connection. Thus, we’ve thoroughly researched each provider’s offerings and selected VPNs with large US server fleets.
• Security & privacy. For a VPN to do its job properly, it needs to offer robust security. That means features like a no-logs policy, strong encryption, and location in a country that favors privacy, like Panama. To shortlist only highly secure VPNs, we’ve examined whether the providers collect any sort of logs and what kind of encryption they offer.
• Speed. Fast speeds are essential for optimal streaming. You don’t want that crisp HD steam to start buffering. To offer you some of the fastest VPNs in the market, we tested their speed by torrenting a file of around 2-3GB with different protocols and examining how fast it was.
• Good for streaming. The more streaming sites you can access, the more excellent entertainment you have to watch. So we tested how well our top VPNs can get around geo-restrictions of all the biggest streaming sites. Therefore, our list contains only the ones that managed to unlock the most libraries worldwide. So, wherever you may be in the world, you can always watch the best US content.
• Customer support. We all need tech support from time to time. We’ve made a point of recommending VPNs that offer detailed guides and 24/7 live chat so you always have helpful resources at hand.
• Price. If the price isn’t right, the VPN isn’t either. The VPNs on this list all represent great value for money with regards to the features and level of service they offer.
• Reputation. Only top-class VPNs have established a flawless reputation regarding their security practices. Thus, any providers that have participated in security incidents, like ExpressVPN, were not included in the list.

How to get a US IP address?

1. Get a reliable VPN for the USA. We recommend NordVPN, now 63% OFF!
2. Create an account, download the app, and follow the installation instructions.
3. Once you log in, find the USA in the country list, click on it to connect, and that’s it!

Get a US IP address with NordVPN

Why do I need a US VPN?

Getting a VPN in the USA is the best way to guarantee yourself privacy from surveillance from governments and your internet service provider – giving you full peace of mind.

Here are the main reasons why you should use a VPN in the US explained:

• Maintain your privacy. The United States is a member of the Five-Eyes alliance. This means that it shares intelligence and data with the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. A VPN encrypts your traffic, making it untraceable. So if either of these countries requests your ISP to provide your browsing data for any reason, it won’t be accessible.
• Prevent ISP tracking. American ISPs can also be a pain. Recently, they’ve been known to sell user data to advertisers, which then use the data for targeted advertising. Luckily, you can block ISP tracking by rerouting your traffic through a VPN server.
• Stop bandwidth throttling. Since ISPs are also monitoring activities related to P2P file sharing, they can throttle your service if you use too much bandwidth. A VPN can help to stop ISP throttling and improve speeds as well.
• Unblock global streaming content. If you’re interested to see what people around the world are watching or are traveling, you can also use a VPN to change Netflix region or access other streaming platforms and unblock content that is unavailable in the US.

Video review

Which VPN is fastest in the US?

Speed is a vital feature to look for in a VPN. If you’re watching HD content, you’re going to want a smooth stream that isn’t stopping every few minutes with buffer issues.

As we researched this guide, we tested out all our recommended VPNs based on their speed and found NordVPN and Surfshark to be the fastest in the US. You can see the results with the WireGuard tunneling protocol from the past 14 days in the table below.

Data period: 01.20 - 02.03

United States
Download	424 Mbit/s	409 Mbit/s
Upload	359 Mbit/s	352 Mbit/s

See live VPN provider data on our VPN speed test tool

Keep in mind that VPN speeds can come down to a few factors, such as your location and your internet connection. So your results might slightly differ.

Also, VPNs on our list support other tunneling protocols, like OpenVPN that can affect the speed as well. So, it’s best you choose WireGuard for the fastest speeds as OpenVPN is more oriented towards stability. You can learn more about this in our WireGuard vs OpenVPN comparison.

Are there any good US-based VPNs?

Yes, several excellent VPNs are based in the US, such as IPVanish and Atlas VPN on our list. However, the worry with US-based VPNs is that your data is more susceptible to being collected by government and intelligence agencies.

For this reason we’ve researched these providers and found that they operate under strict no-log policies. Meaning that they don’t collect, store, or monitor your browsing activities.

For example, IPVanish is even externally audited by Leviathan to ensure compliance with the policy. Similarly, the iOS app of Atlas VPN has been independently examined by VerSprite in 2021. The application penetration testing showed medium-to-low risk issues that cannot be used to compromise privacy.

Therefore, our recommended US-based VPNs are truly great options to ensure you receive anonymity when using the services.

Can I use a free VPN in the USA?

Yes, you certainly can use a free VPN in the US, but you should be aware of potential privacy and security risks. Additionally, free VPN servers are often blacklisted by major streaming platforms. Thus, there’s a low chance that you’d be able to access multiple Netflix libraries.

Keep in mind that free VPNs come in two forms, those that are completely free, or those that are free versions of paid VPNs (aka freemium versions):

• Completely free VPNs are a risk. You may not have to pay for the services, but that means they’ll be generating income through other means, such as stuffing their apps with adverts and even selling your data to third parties. Also, free VPNs lack features, good servers, speed, and practically everything else that makes a VPN worth paying for. In the worst-case scenario, they can even carry malware.
• Freemium VPNs come with limited services. You only get a few server locations, restrictions on certain features, and data caps. However, freemium services are not as much of a risk since they usually come from reputable VPN providers. Our top choices are Atlas VPN and Proton VPN.

Overall, you absolutely can use a free VPN in the USA – but it’s going to be a less reliable and less safe solution. Instead, we recommend trying premium VPN services in the US that offer free trials and 30-day money-back guarantees.

Conclusion

Online presence in the United States might be concerning for privacy-focused users since data protection laws are not as rigorous as in other countries. So we recommend getting the best VPN for the USA to stay private and secure online.

Our top pick for the US is NordVPN. It uses advanced encryption, RAM-only servers, and an independently audited no-log policy so that your data would be completely protected from your ISP and the Five-Eyes alliance.

On top of that, it can also circumvent geo-restrictions by changing your IP address. This way, you can unblock popular streaming services with the US content libraries from anywhere in the world.

Have you tried NordVPN or another provider already? Share your experience in the comments below!

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