Finding a good VPN service is a task that sometimes seems very difficult. Some VPNs are good for streaming but don't provide enough protection. Other VPN services are exceptionally secure, but slow down the connection so much that even just browsing regular websites becomes a task, not for the wish of heart. Then again, there are dozens of untrustworthy VPNs that will track your online activities or fail to encrypt your traffic properly.
To save you time and effort, our team tested to find the best ones. These VPNs are great at bypassing geo-blocks and protecting connections (and not slowing them down in the process), as well as allowing you to work online privately. Some are so advanced that they can even work in difficult countries like China.
NordVPN
NordVPN is most often recognized as the best for online anonymity and security. No logging is done. Offers the most powerful encryption algorithms: military-grade encryption, CyberSec to protect against web threats, double encryption via Double VPN, technology with Tor - Onion Over VPN.
Provides not the highest speed, but the connection is stable, breaks are rare, and the user is absolutely protected from disclosure of his data. A wide range of versatile settings for advanced users, automatic configuration for beginners. 3200+ servers are available in 60 countries on all continents except Antarctica.
If you pay for an annual subscription, you can access the service for only $4.99 per month. A standard subscription will cost $11.99 for one month.
Pros:
- Highest security and anonymity;
- Money-back guarantee: 30 days;
- Complete absence of logs;
- Six devices can be connected at the same time.
Cons:
- You cannot specify a specific server of a specific city;
- Some servers are very slow;
- Sometimes slows down during peak hours in the US.
Atlas VPN
Most free VPN services impose data volume limits, which means your VPN use will be limited. This is what sets Atlas VPN apart - even with the free version of the app, you can use it as much as you want. It's incredibly convenient for both streaming and using torrent apps.
Both the free and premium versions of the app allow you to stream Netflix: it opens up access to Netflix libraries for the UK and the Netherlands. This is impressive for a new and completely free VPN.
In the future, Atlas VPN plans to continue supporting Netflix and expand the availability of other streaming platforms. Either way, Atlas VPN is a great service for streaming, especially if you don't want to overspend.
The premium version of Atlas VPN will only cost $1.39 per month.
Pros:
- Decent speeds during daily use;
- Premium version works with Netflix ;
- Money-back guarantee: 30 days.
Cons:
- Small server network;
- Fewer features and options on the desktop.
Surfshark
Surfshark is a VPN service launched in 2018. The provider attracts users with a 2-year subscription price ($59.76), an unlimited number of connections to one account, and a built-in adblocker.
The Surfshark network consists of 3,200+ servers located in 65 countries. Every server has got private DNS and access to the file exchange via P2P network. AES algorithm with 256-bit key encrypts user traffic.
Surfshark offers 3 rates:
- 1 month for $12.95;
- 6 months for $38.94 ($6.49 a month);
- 24 months for $59.76 ($2.49 per month).
Pros:
- Strong security features;
- Unblocks most streaming platforms;
- 7-day free trial;
- Accepts cryptocurrencies.
Cons:
- Apple product apps are slightly weaker.
VPN Unlimited
The service itself is a fairly simple VPN. Frankly, for KeepSolid, this VPN service is just one of its fairly wide range of products. The company also promotes RoadMap Planner, a secure browser for mobile devices, and its eSignature service.
VPN Unlimited has more than 400 fast servers located in more than 70 countries around the world. One of the newest features of this service is Optimal Protocol, with its help it is possible to achieve an optimal balance between security and speed. Over the last few years, this service has opened many new servers.
If the 7-day free trial period doesn't impress you, the service is prepared to offer you a 7-day money-back guarantee. The rates here, we should say, are for all tastes and lifestyles:
- 1 month for $7.99;
- 1 year for $4.00 a month ($47.99);
- Lifetime for $159.99.
Pros:
- Easy access to streaming sites;
- Easy set-up on all major platforms;
- Connect to 50 countries;
- Lifetime subscription available.
Cons:
- Collects too much information;
- Money-back guarantee.
Express VPN
ExpressVPN has over 3,000+ high-speed servers in 160 regions around the world. It's also one of the fastest VPNs we've tested. We've run many different speed tests to confirm this, and we've also included test results on UK servers, which you can see below in the review.
As expected, we got the best results when connecting to the closest servers. But we were also impressed with the results for connecting to the US and Australian servers: the speeds only dropped by 22% and 35% respectively. This is great news for all users who often watch videos online and share torrent files.
ExpressVPN can cost twice as much as the other VPNs on our list:
- 1 month for $12.95 per month;
- 6 months for $9.99 per month ($59.95);
- 12 months for $8,32 per month ($99.84).
Pros:
- Anonymous DNS servers;
- Works with torrents;
- Money-Back Guarantee: 30 days.
Cons:
- No.
PureVPN
PureVpn is a fairly reliable service in terms of security, it uses only its own servers and channels, so that information can not get to third parties. Perfectly implemented the split-tunneling function, you can easily choose which traffic goes through a VPN, and which bypasses so that the data sites are loaded faster.
Quite good connection speeds, unlimited channels, and traffic. Comes with a NAT Firewall add-on, protects against hacking and intruders on the network. 2000 + servers in 140 countries, perhaps the widest choice on the market. There are applications for all platforms.
Pricing:
- 1 month for $10.95 per month;
- 12 months for $3.24 per month ($38,88);
- 27 months for $1.99 per month ($53.95).
Pros:
- Choice of servers based on network activity;
- Good speed;
- Lots of useful features.
Cons:
- Some user data is still stored
- Can slow down weak devices;
- Protection against DNS and IP leaks sometimes fails.
TunnelBear
TunnelBear is a provider that has been around since 2011. The service offers a free plan with unlimited traffic, a paid subscription for regular users and corporate teams.
The company does not disclose the exact number of servers available in 34 countries. The data is encrypted using a 256-bit AES algorithm.
Price:
- 1 month for $9.99;
- 1 year for $4.99 per month ($59.88);
- 2 years for $4,17 per month ($99,99).
Pros:
- Free plan;
- Owns its DNS servers;
- Supports all major platforms.
Cons:
- Unstable speeds;
- Only 500 Mb per month for free;
- Limited functionality on iOS.
Why do you need a VPN?
Online threats jeopardize your freedom of choice and anonymity:
- Cybercriminals are constantly looking for new ways to get their hands on your sensitive data to steal your money or even your identity, all the while using advanced tools;
- Companies track your online activities, setting a different price for each as they use dynamic pricing tactics and hide the underlying cheap prices;
- ISPs slow down their users' Internet connections when they decide to use torrent exchanges;
- Governments are censoring your ability to surf the Internet.
A VPN is a valuable tool to protect your data and freedom online. With it, you can:
- Gain access to the full library of Netflix and other streaming services and thereby bypass the restricted content policies for different regions to take full advantage of your subscription;
- Protect your sensitive data so it doesn't fall into the hands of hackers, marketers, and other third parties;
- Maintain complete anonymity with every internet session, whether you're browsing a news feed, sharing torrent files, shopping, or researching a topic;
- Increase your Internet connection speeds, especially if your ISP is deliberately undercutting them right now.
