The best VPN is one that keeps as few logs as possible and avoids government data sharing requirements. Look for open-source apps, a simple payment system that obfuscates your identity, and a no-logs policy that has been tested in court.
NordVPN is one such example. It’s easy to use and offers great privacy with a low price point ($5 per month when billed annually). The service also supports six devices at once.
Privacy
A VPN routes your internet traffic through an encrypted server, which obscures your online activity from prying eyes. It’s particularly useful in places where government surveillance is common. It’s also a must for people who work remotely, gamers or those who engage in privacy-critical activities like journalism.
PIA, which has been around for over a decade, continues to outlast the competition with its strong track record and extensive feature set that appeals to power users. It’s one of the few services that goes beyond standard transparency reports by making its software open-source and commissioning regular third-party audits.
It’s also an excellent choice for people who have multiple devices that they want to connect to the VPN simultaneously. Unlike some competitors, it doesn’t have a limit on simultaneous connections. In addition, all plans come with a password manager and secure cloud storage. New subscribers can claim three months free if they’re Tom’s Guide readers. All plans also come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Security
The best VPNs encrypt your data and make it indecipherable to anyone without the key. They also typically have a kill switch that shuts off your internet connection if the VPN disconnects, obfuscate user IDs by using random-assigned numbers rather than email addresses and have a strong privacy policy.
IVPN is a great choice for users who value privacy as it uses an anonymized payment system and doesn’t require an email address to create an account. It’s also the cheapest premium service we’ve tested, costing just $3.09 per month when billed annually.
PIA is another excellent pick for privacy-conscious users. It doesn’t impose a data cap, offers unlimited simultaneous connections and has a solid privacy suite that includes a kill switch, split tunneling and 256-bit encryption. It’s also one of the few VPN services to support Linux and has a user-friendly mobile app. It’s not as fast as our top performers, but it performs well enough for most casual users.
Reliability
While every VPN claims to care about privacy, Mullvad takes it a step further than many. It offers an account that requires no personal info, and you can pay by crypto or even post a cash-stuffed envelope to ensure the company never gets your data. It also scores points for transparency, putting its entire infrastructure—apps, servers, websites and more—through comprehensive security audits that it promises to repeat regularly.
Private Internet Access has a solid feature set and reliable speed, and its graphical user interface is easy to use. It’s also one of the few to offer split-tunneling, which routes specific apps through the best ssr vpn for extra privacy protection. Power users will appreciate the ability to tweak settings like IP addresses and DNS requests, too.
AVG Secure VPN isn’t as polished or powerful as other top picks, but it has a simple interface that makes it easy to use. It’s cheap, too, and comes with an impressive suite of features including email breach monitoring, password manager, cloud storage and cyber insurance.
Pricing
In addition to having a large number of servers in a wide range of countries, some VPNs also offer extra features. For example, Private Internet Access (PIA) offers split-tunneling, which enables users to designate apps to run through the VPN and which is ideal for streaming. It also boasts a fun and configurable interface, although it isn’t the fastest VPN in our tests.
Another notable feature is its wide device support, with an app for Windows and a browser extension to work in tandem with its native software. It also supports Apple TV, and it recently added a smart DNS feature for set-top boxes and consoles.
For those who care about privacy, Mullvad is a good choice. It lets users sign up without giving identifying information and accepts untraceable payment methods like crypto. IVPN, meanwhile, is another good option for privacy buffs. It offers an anonymized payment system and further obfuscates user IDs with randomly assigned account numbers.