Internet speed
A VPN slows down your internet somewhat because you route your traffic through an encrypted server before communicating with apps, websites, and other online services. The fastest VPNs have an average download speed loss of 20% or less. Generally speaking, even people with slower connections (such as satellite) won’t notice the 20% marginal drop. For bandwidth-intensive applications such as gaming, 4K video streaming, or uploading large files, you need a VPN with minimal speed penalty. Casual users with faster internet speeds should be fine with a speed loss of more than 20%, but we’re looking for VPNs that keep the speed loss to less than 50%.
privacy
A VPN protects your privacy by blocking your IP address, which, like your physical address, indicates identifying information about your geographic location. At a minimum, we recommend using a VPN with 256-bit encryption, a strict no-logging policy, and DNS leak protection. Because logging is difficult to verify, conduct regular third-party audits. (You can go with should Be skeptical of VPN providers’ zero-logging claims).
Plus, transparency reporting gives you peace of mind. We also recommend sticking with a VPN that includes a kill switch. More privacy-focused users, such as investigative journalists or political activists, will appreciate advanced features such as obfuscation (which makes it harder for ISPs to determine that you are using a VPN), Tor over VPN (which uses the Tor network for extra encryption), and double VPN (Relies on a second VPN server connection for enhanced encryption). People with critical privacy needs should consider a VPN provider with jurisdiction outside of the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, or Fourteen Eyes intelligence sharing community for a more secure experience.
Server network
When considering a VPN server network, look at the total number of servers and their location in each country. For example, a VPN company might have twice the total number of servers as a competitor, but half the country locations, meaning you have fewer international options. At the high end, the most comprehensive travel VPNs offer service in over 90 countries, but any number of countries in over 60 will suit many people.
Outside of the country, some VPNs allow file sharing across all servers, while others have dedicated P2P (peer-to-peer) options. For purposes such as torrenting, check whether your desired provider allows file sharing on all servers or selected servers.
Additionally, you sometimes find special servers such as TPN-based Tor (The Onion Router), Double VPN, or obfuscated servers. Onion over VPN and Double VPN servers provide additional privacy by further enhancing encryption compared to standard VPN connections. Tor uses the Onion network, while Double VPN relies on a second VPN tunnel. Obfuscated servers, on the other hand, make it more difficult for an app, website, or ISP to determine that you’re using a VPN.
Device support
Think about your device and the device you want to VPN on. Most VPN companies offer apps for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android/Android TV, iOS/iPadOS, and web browsers. Apple TV apps are becoming increasingly common, and ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and IPVanish all use TVOS apps. For Linux users, GUI applications may be easier than the command line interface option. Surfshark, Proton, and PIA all have Linux GUI applications, which makes them great choices for Linux VPNs. You can usually install a VPN on a router to achieve whole-home coverage and use it on devices that don’t support the native VPN app (such as an Xbox console), although this usually voids the router’s warranty.
While most VPN companies allow you to install the app on any number of devices, sometimes you can only use multiple devices at the same time. ExpressVPN allows 8, while NordVPN and Proton allow 10. Even with providers like Express, Proton, or Nord, you can still install the VPN on any number of devices, but you can only have a small number of active sessions at a time. Most people should be fine with even 8 to 10 simultaneous connections, but home or hardcore power users may feel limited.
Streaming capabilities
While VPNs are great for protecting privacy, they can also help unlock region-restricted entertainment content. When traveling abroad, you can use a VPN to watch streaming services like Max or Hulu from your own country. A VPN, on the other hand, can unlock access to foreign Netflix, Disney Plus, and Amazon Prime Video libraries.
cost
You can sign up for a monthly, bi-annual, annual or multi-year VPN subscription. While multi-year deals often give you the most savings, we generally recommend sticking to an annual plan to get the best savings with the lowest risk. The VPN you sign up for may initially be fast, private, and great for geo-unlocking, but may become slower, suffer data breaches, or stop allowing access to foreign Netflix libraries within a year.
On the high end, VPNs like Express cost $100 per year, while value providers like Surfshark and PIA offer year-round prices ranging from $40 to $60. Some companies increase their prices: NordVPN typically charges $60 per year for the first year, and then your plan renews for $100 every 12 months. Likewise, Surfshark costs $48 per year upfront and $60 per year to renew. Set a budget and find a VPN provider that meets your requirements, while keeping an eye out for price increases. It’s worth noting that you can take advantage of seasonal discounts like Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals to renew while avoiding rising renewal fees.
Other VPN factors to consider
Don’t use free VPN providers: Apart from Proton, you will only find paid VPN options in the list above, as they are the only ones we can recommend.
Look for a no-logs VPN, but know the caveats: The best VPNs will keep as few logs as possible and be as anonymous as possible, so there will be little to offer if the authorities come knocking. Even “no logs” VPNs are not 100% anonymous.
There are limitations to the privacy VPNs currently available to iOS users: Recent independent research suggests that iPhones and iPads running iOS 14 or later may be vulnerable to device-only VPN leaks, regardless of which VPN is used. Apple users concerned about potential breaches can take extra precautions by installing a VPN on their home router to ensure the entire Wi-Fi network is encrypted. Some iOS users may reduce the possibility of leaks outside their home network by enabling the VPN’s kill switch and selecting the OpenVPN protocol. You can also try closing all apps, enabling the VPN, and enabling and disabling airplane mode before using the device normally. Apple recommends users activate their device’s Always On VPN profile for additional protection.
VPN transparency is important, but warrant canaries are just the beginning: Many services use “warrant canaries” to passively indicate to the public whether they have been subpoenaed by a government entity. This is because many investigations by national security agencies cannot be proactively uncovered under the law. As with barring issues, warrant canaries are not always as simple as they seem. You should spend more time investigating whether your potential VPN has cooperated with authorities in the past, and how and when it disclosed this fact.
Think twice before using a US VPN: The Patriot Act is still the law of the United States, which means that if the FBI comes with a subpoena or national security letter requesting it, a US VPN has little recourse to access servers, VPN user accounts, or Other data. Yes, if the service has a strict no-logs policy, they may have little data to access, but why not choose a service that’s located outside of Uncle Sam’s jurisdiction? (If you’re concerned about this, you’ll also want to avoid countries with which the United States has intelligence-sharing agreements.)
