These VPNs Can Help Improve Your Online Privacy

Loss of internet speed

VPNs slow your internet speed slightly because they route your traffic through an encrypted server before communicating with apps, websites, and other internet services instead of a direct connection. The fastest VPNs have an average download speed loss of 25% or less. In general, even people on slower connections, like satellite internet, won’t notice a marginal drop of 25% or less. For bandwidth-intensive applications like gaming, streaming 4K video, or uploading large files, you’ll want a VPN with minimal speed loss. Casual users with faster internet speeds should be fine with more than a 25% speed loss, but we look for VPNs that keep speed loss to under 50%.

In our 2024 tests, NordVPN came out on top with an impressively low average internet speed loss of 11%. Mullvad, Surfshark, Proton VPN, and ExpressVPN all recorded average internet download speed losses of 25% or less.

Privacy

VPNs enhance your privacy by masking your IP address, which, like your physical address, provides identifying information about your geographic location. At a minimum, we recommend a VPN with 256-bit encryption (for OpenVPN and IKEv2 VPN protocols) or ChaCha20 (with WireGuard), a strict no-logging policy, and DNS leak protection. Because logging is difficult to verify, look for regular third-party audits. You can and should Be skeptical of your VPN provider’s zero-log claims. Still, VPN audits are important, but they don’t provide the full privacy picture.

Additionally, transparency reports provide peace of mind. We also recommend using a VPN that includes a kill switch. More privacy-concerned users like investigative journalists or political activists will appreciate advanced features like obfuscation (which makes it harder for ISPs to determine that you’re using a VPN), Tor over VPN (for additional encryption using the Tor network), and Double VPN (which relies on a second VPN server connection to enhance encryption). Those with critical privacy needs should consider a VPN provider with jurisdiction outside the Five, Nine, or Fourteen Eyes intelligence-sharing communities for even greater peace of mind.

Server network

When considering VPN server networks, look at the total number of servers and the individual country locations. For example, a virtual private network company might have twice as many servers as a competitor, but half as many different country locations, meaning you’ll have fewer international choices. At the high end, the most comprehensive travel VPNs offer over 90 individual countries, but anything over 60 countries will work for many people.

Outside of your country, some VPNs allow file sharing on all servers, while others have special P2P (peer-to-peer) options. For purposes such as torrenting, check to see if your preferred provider allows file sharing on all servers or select a few.

Additionally, you will sometimes find specialty servers, such as Tor (The Onion Router) over TPN, Double VPN, or obfuscated servers. Onion over VPN and Double VPN servers offer additional privacy by further strengthening your encryption compared to a standard VPN connection, where Tor uses the Onion network while a Double VPN relies on a second VPN tunnel. On the other hand, obfuscated servers make it harder for apps, websites, or ISPs to determine that you are using a VPN.

Device Support

Consider your devices and what you want to run a 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, with ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and IPVanish all offering TVOS apps. A GUI app may be easier for Linux users than a command line option. Surfshark, Proton, and PIA have Linux GUI apps, making them attractive choices for Linux VPNs. You can typically install a VPN on your router for whole-home coverage and use it on devices that don’t support native VPN apps, such as Xbox consoles, though this will typically void the router’s warranty.

While most VPN companies let you install an app on as many gadgets as you like, some limit you to simultaneous devices. ExpressVPN allows eight, while NordVPN and Proton give you 10. Surfshark, PIA, and IPVanish are unlimited. Even with a provider like Express, Proton, or Nord, you can still install a VPN on as many devices as you like, but you can only have a handful of active sessions at a time. Most people should be fine with eight to ten simultaneous connections, but families or hardcore power users may feel limited.

Streaming options

While VPNs can be great for privacy, they’re also useful for unblocking region-restricted entertainment content. You can use a VPN to watch streaming services like Peacock (for streaming the Olympics or Law & Order reruns), Max, or Hulu from your home country when you’re abroad. VPNs, on the other hand, unlock access to foreign Netflix (so you can get your Bridgerton fix or binge-watch Beverly Hills Cop Axel F), Disney Plus (so you can stream as much as you want The Acolyte), and Amazon Prime Video (where you can currently find The Beekeeper in the US) libraries.

Cost

You can sign up for a monthly, semi-annual, annual, or multi-year VPN subscription. While multi-year deals typically give you the most savings, we generally recommend sticking with an annual plan for the best savings with the lowest risk. The virtual private network you sign up for might initially be fast, private, and great for geo-unblocking, but it could slow down, suffer a data breach, or stop providing access to foreign Netflix libraries after a year.

At the top end, VPNs like Express will cost you $100 per year, with value providers like Surfshark and PIA offering year-round pricing between $40 and $60. Some companies have price increases: NordVPN typically charges $60 per year for your first year, then renews at $100 every 12 months. Surfshark costs $45 per year upfront and then renews annually at $60. Create a budget and then find a VPN provider that fits the bill while accounting for price increases. Notably, you can renew without incurring a renewal fee by taking advantage of seasonal discounts like Black Friday/Cyber ​​Monday deals.

Additional VPN Factors to Consider

Don’t use free VPN providers: Besides Proton, you’ll only find paid VPN options in the list above, as these are the only ones we can recommend.

Look for a no-logs VPN, but understand the caveats: The best VPNs keep as few logs as possible and make them as anonymous as possible, so there’s little data to provide if the authorities come knocking. Even “no-logs” VPNs aren’t 100% anonymous.

There are limits to the privacy that VPNs currently offer iOS users: Recent independent research has come to light suggest that iPhones and iPads running iOS 14 or later may be vulnerable to VPN leaks on devices, regardless of which VPN is used. Apple users concerned about potential leaks can take extra precautions by installing their VPN on a home router to ensure that their entire Wi-Fi network is encrypted. Some iOS users may be able to reduce the chance of leaks outside of a home network by enabling their VPN’s kill switch and selecting OpenVPN protocols. You can also try closing all apps, activating your VPN, and then toggling Airplane Mode on and off before using your device normally. Apple advises users to Always on VPN profile for extra protection.

VPN transparency is important, but warrant canaries are just the beginning: many services use “warrant canaries” to passively report to the public whether or not they’ve been subpoenaed by a government agency. This is because many national security investigations cannot legally be actively made public. Like the issue of no-logging, warrant canaries aren’t always as simple as they seem. You should spend more time investigating whether your prospective VPN has a history of cooperating with authorities, and how and when it disclosed that fact.

Think twice before using a VPN based in the US: The Patriot Act is still the law of the land in the US, and that means that VPNs based in the US have little recourse if and when the federal government comes calling with subpoenas or national security letters in the hand demanding access to servers, VPN user accounts, or other data. Yes, they may have little data to gain access to if the service has a strong no-logs policy, but why not just choose a service that’s based outside of Uncle Sam’s jurisdiction? (If this is a concern for you, you’ll also want to avoid countries with which the U.S. has intelligence sharing agreements.)