VPN services
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a crucial tool for safeguarding your online privacy and accessing content that is restricted—whether in your country or on the network you’re using. With hundreds of VPNs to choose from, finding a reliable VPN can be tough. In this guide, we’ve done the hard work for you by pinpointing the best VPNs currently available.
Our recommendations were expertly selected using carefully chosen criteria to ensure they effectively prevent online tracking by ISPs, governments, local WiFi networks, and websites. These VPNs effectively bypass censorship, region locks, and even website blocks at work or on campus. These VPNs also excel at accessing international streaming services like Netflix.
While many VPNs are mediocre, and some even compromise your security by selling your data to third parties, this guide highlights reputable providers that cater to diverse needs. Some VPNs excel in speed and security, while others are particularly effective at bypassing region-locked streams. You can choose the VPN that best suits your needs and preferences.
In this guide, you’ll learn how we tested and analyzed dozens of leading VPN providers to find the very best. We prioritized data security above all else but also identified VPNs ideal for torrenting, streaming, bypassing censorship to use VoIP, and accessing home services while on vacation. Keep reading to discover a VPN that meets all of your needs!
The best VPN services of 2024:
NordVPN: The best VPN service in 2024. A highly secure VPN that has been independently audited. Runs on a network of diskless servers and provides unique features like Tor over VPN and MultiHop. Works to unblock nearly every streaming service. Risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
Surfshark: Best budget VPN. Impressive speed and security, with the option to connect to an unlimited number of devices. Works with popular streaming services and includes ad blocking and malware filtering.
ExpressVPN: Quick, versatile, and easy to use, with a network spanning 105+ countries. Includes a custom app for routers, parallel connection technology for faster speeds, and reliable access in China.
IPVanish: Has lots of security tools, a verified no-logs policy, and industry-leading speeds. Allows unlimited connections meaning you can share your account with friends and family.
CyberGhost VPN: A fast and secure VPN that is easy to use, ideal for streaming content, and provides a lengthy 45-day money-back guarantee. Superb value for money.
Proton VPN: Great for torrenting thanks to its port forwarding feature. Offers a free plan with no bandwidth limits.
Mullvad: Fast, privacy-first VPN with a fixed price no matter how long you subscribe. Better for techy users who understand a slightly more confusing app.
Summary Table
Selecting VPNs is no small feat, especially when there are literally thousands of providers out there. However, we were able to significantly narrow the field by being ruthless with our inclusion criteria. Here are some of the non-negotiable characteristics we looked for:
Has minimal impact on connection speed
Offers (at minimum) 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and leak protection
Refuses to log any personally identifiable information and preferably keeps no logs at all
Gives users a good choice of locations to choose from
Can securely access popular streaming services
Provides a high standard of customer support at no additional cost
Works with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS
In order to qualify for one of the top three positions, the VPN provider must operate a 100% diskless server network and have had its infrastructure audited by a reputable third party
What is a VPN?
A VPN is a service that protects your internet connection and privacy online. Normally, when you access a website or any other online service, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) receives your request and redirects you to your destination. A VPN reroutes all your internet traffic to a server that belongs to the VPN provider before sending it over to your destination. Importantly, it also encrypts your data before sending it to the VPN server. This stops local network administrators, your ISP, and government agencies from monitoring your web visits and your communications metadata.
You might be thinking: "But wait, I thought HTTPS encrypted my traffic, so why do I need a VPN?" It's a good question... both HTTPS and VPNs encrypt your data, but HTTPS only encrypts what is sent via a browser to a server and only if it’s enabled on the site you visit (most respectable sites do use HTTPS now). A VPN will encrypt all forms of internet traffic.
VPN connections also provide a host of other benefits. One of the most obvious is preventing websites and services from seeing your IP address. This is because your IP is replaced with the IP belonging to the VPN's remote server. This removes a significant layer of tracking when you surf the web, which helps to prevent profiling, and IP-based results, such as targeted adverts or region-specific pricing.
Another benefit of being able to connect to an IP address in a remote location is that you can change your geographical location. For example, you can connect to a server abroad to watch foreign TV channels or connect to a VPN in a country of your choosing to access regional services.
A VPN can also help you bypass censorship in countries like China, where many Western services such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google are blocked. The same is true in countries like the UAE, where many websites and VoIP services are blocked.
A VPN also provides much more robust protection on public Wi-Fi hotspots. While HTTPS goes a long way to mitigating the risks of public hotspots, you are still vulnerable to certain types of attacks, such as DNS spoofing and Punnycode attacks. VPNs provide an additional layer of security.
Best VPNs FAQs
Do I really need a VPN?
After years of crypto, NFTs, and Web 3.0 shilling, it's only right that some people are skeptical of VPNs, especially since they're tools you pay for on a monthly basis. The reality is that if you only ever use the internet at home, never access sensitive files remotely, aren't worried about digital privacy, and don't travel abroad often, you may not need a VPN.
On the other hand, hundreds of millions of people do find VPNs valuable. In a world where our personal data is the biggest commodity going, they add a layer of privacy. Many people use VPNs for specific situations – working remotely, traveling internationally, safely using public WiFi, or avoiding governmental censorship. There's really nothing to lose by trying a VPN – most decent providers come with a money-back guarantee, and some offer free basic plans.
Can I be tracked while using a VPN?
VPNs are helpful for shielding your online activities from hotspot owners, network administrators, and anyone trying to perform a Man-in-the-Middle attack. However, while many of these services limit the type of information websites can collect about you in addition to encrypting your traffic, they will not make you completely untraceable. Here are just a few ways you can be identified despite using a VPN:
You post personally-identifiable information online.
Your VPN keeps activity and/or connection logs, which can be leaked or handed over.
You sign in somewhere with two-factor authentication.
A website logs details of your computer hardware. This isn't conclusive proof but can strongly imply you visited it since few people will have the exact same PC as you.
You register for a website that requires photo ID.
You purchase something using a credit card or bank account with your name on it.
If you're looking to browse the web anonymously, you'll have to think carefully about what and where you post, how your data might be used by the sites you visit, and how you can limit this type of collection in the first place. A VPN is a great starting point, but ultimately, they're just one part of a more mindful approach to digital privacy.
Will I get into trouble for using a VPN?
A handful of countries have restrictions on VPN usage. For instance, if you're in China, Iran, or Russia, you're only permitted to use government-approved providers. However, elsewhere in the world, there are minimal restrictions on VPN usage, provided you don't use them to commit crimes. Geo-restricted services may ask you to disable the VPN before allowing you access, but that's usually as far as the consequences go.
Are VPNs capable of stopping ISP throttling?
Some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) limit customers' speeds in a bid to discourage excessive bandwidth usage. Of course, it's up to each provider to determine what constitutes “excessive”, and some are overzealous to the point of simply throttling anyone who streams or torrents semi-regularly.
ISPs are able to do this because when you're streaming, your internet traffic fits certain patterns. Depending on how the data looks, it's easy to tell if you're seeding a torrent, watching Netflix, or scrolling through YouTube.
When you connect to a VPN, however, all of your data is encrypted. This prevents your ISP from analyzing its contents without the use of more advanced technologies like Deep Packet Inspection (DPI). While this won't outright prevent your ISP from throttling your connection, it does make it less likely that your speeds will be automatically reduced.
Can I get a free VPN?
Some of the VPNs recommended in this guide offer a basic free plan, allowing you to access their security and privacy features without any cost. This is useful if you need a reliable VPN to bypass restrictions imposed by your ISP or local WiFi networks, although the free plan has limitations.
The good news is that the VPNs recommended in this guide with free plans maintain a no-logging policy for both free and paid users. In addition, the free plan includes all the essential security features, such as a kill switch, a choice of protocols, AES encryption, and DNS leak protection, ensuring that your online activities remain protected. This makes them safe to use to gain privacy from your ISP or to gain security on public WiFi.
However, it's crucial to understand that the free plans offered by these VPNs have significant limitations. They only provide access to a few server locations and do not work for accessing streaming services like Netflix. The free plans also tend to have slower speeds, which can impact data-intensive tasks like torrenting or streaming. AtlasVPN, in particular, imposes a monthly download limit of 10 GB, meaning you may need to upgrade to a paid subscription for regular VPN use.
While there are many free VPNs available online, it's important to exercise caution. Most of those services have questionable privacy policies, inadequate security, vulnerabilities in their apps and servers, and may even contain hidden spyware. Using these free VPNs poses a significant risk to your device's health and your online privacy.
For these reasons, we strongly advise against randomly selecting a free VPN from an app store. Stick to our recommendations instead, to get a reliable VPN that provides strong security for your data.
Can I access home streaming services using a VPN?
Yes, you can access your home streaming services and TV broadcasts abroad using a VPN. A VPN enables you to change your virtual location by connecting to a server in a different region or country. This allows you to access streaming platforms as if you were physically present in the location of your choice, including your home region.
A VPN can even allow you to access streaming services in work or at school, with complete privacy - by making you appear to be outside of the local network.
Here's how it works: When you connect to a VPN server, your internet traffic is routed through that server, and your IP address is temporarily replaced with the server's IP address. Streaming services often use geolocation to determine where their users are accessing content from. By using a VPN server located in the same region as your home, you can effectively bypass geographical restrictions and access home streaming services while traveling.
VPNs also provide an extra layer of security and privacy. They encrypt your internet connection, making it challenging for your ISP or other third parties to monitor your online activities. This is particularly beneficial when accessing streaming services at work because it prevents your employer from finding out!
However, it's important to be aware that not all streaming services are VPN-friendly. Some platforms actively block VPN traffic, so it's crucial to choose a VPN provider that can reliably bypass these restrictions. We have guides for specific streaming platforms, but the VPNs in this guide are all world-class services that should work with most international streams.
Author: James Milin-Ashmore is a Herts-based writer and journalist who spends too much time watching football and collecting sports cards. He has an interest in ethics and online privacy, and has covered security and, in particular, VPNs since the mid-2010s. His work on digital privacy has been featured in a range of publications, including the Activist Handbook and Reader's Digest. He's written extensively for publications and services including VPN Mentor, Secure Thoughts, Liquid VPN, and AlwaysVPN.
