The Breaker Times

You rely on the internet to stay connected to friends, family, and coworkers, monitor the news, shop, pay bills, and more. That makes privacy and security more important than ever, and a virtual private network (VPN) is one of the easiest, cheapest, and most effective ways to hide your location and safeguard your online activities from unwanted network intruders.

But if you’re having trouble choosing the right VPN service for your budget and security needs, don’t worry: We can help. Below, you’ll find a list of the best VPNs around. Our comprehensive guide to the best VPN services covers pricing, features, and all the information you need to make an informed decision.

Surfshark

Best for unlimited devices

• Country of registration: The Netherlands
• Cost: $15 per month; $45 for the first year (plus three free months); $59 for the first two years (plus three free months)
• Number of servers & locations: 3,200 across 100 countries
• Clients supported: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, AndroidTV, tvOS, Kindle, VPN routers
• Number of simultaneous connections: Unlimited
• Special features: Double VPN hop, 7-day free trial

When it comes to price, Surfshark is hard to beat, and it’s a great option for those looking to protect their privacy while minimizing costs. Surfshark is available for as cheaply as $59 for the two-year plan, and to sweeten the deal even more, that includes an unlimited number of simultaneous connections.

Surfshark has a no-nonsense interface, intuitive setup, and simple operation could easily be selling points if you explicitly don’t want to fuss with unnecessary complications. It supports a host of different devices, and it’s one of our top picks for the best Apple TV VPN, too.

That’s not to say it’s completely bare-bones, though; you get multiple encryption protocols to choose from (OpenVPN UDP or TCP, IKEv2/IPsec, and WireGuard) and a double VPN hop that lets you route your connection through two remote servers instead of one, adding an extra layer of security when desired.

Surfshark also works quite well with streaming services, although its speeds aren’t quite as good as other top VPN services like NordVPN and ExpressVPN. All in all, though, it’s the best VPN of 2024 for those on a budget, and especially for larger local networks such as family homes and offices.

Surfshark

Best for unlimited devices

Proton VPN

Best fast and free VPN

• Country of registration: Switzerland
• Cost: $10 per month; $60 per year; $108 for two years
• Clients supported: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, tvOS, Kindle, VPN routers
• Number of servers & locations: 8,210 across 112 countries
• Number of simultaneous connections: Up to 10
• Special features: Split tunneling, great free app

Proton VPN has impressive performance and top security, even for the free version. You get unlimited data transfers with no ads. Of course, upgrading to Proton VPN Plus unlocks more servers and advanced features.

You’ll enjoy great download speeds, even with distant servers. Overall performance is reliable and suitable for streaming. The user-friendly design and helpful live chat support make the apps and browser extensions simple to use.

Proton VPN’s commitment to security and privacy stands out. Founded by former CERN scientists, the company prioritizes end-to-end encryption and has a strict no-logging policy. It’s based in Switzerland, which is known to have a strong commitment to privacy.

Proton VPN Plus is a fast, reliable, and secure VPN with affordable pricing, robust features, and a strong focus on privacy make it an excellent choice. For more cybersecurity services, check out the Proton Unlimited bundle, which includes Proton Mail, Proton Pass, Proton Drive, and more.

Proton VPN

Best fast and free VPN

NordVPN

Best for security and features

• Country of registration: Panama
• Cost: $13 per month; $60 for the first year; $81 for the first two years
• Clients supported: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, tvOS, Kindle, VPN routers
• Number of servers & locations: 6,400 across 111 countries
• Number of simultaneous connections: Up to 10
• Special features: Split tunneling

NordVPN isn’t free, but with three different encryption protocols (IKEv2/IPsec, OpenVPN, and NordLynx), it’s easy to see that this provider values your privacy. The company has also worked hard to build up its server network to include more than 6,400 servers in 11countries around the world.

One stand-out feature that makes NordVPN a strong contender for the best VPN service out there is split tunneling. If you’re not familiar, split tunneling is the ability to whitelist some activities (such as gaming or streaming) to bypass the VPN and use the regular “clearnet” for better performance.

From protected DNS queries to a kill switch feature that automatically disables your connection when you lose sync with the VPN server, NordVPN wants you to know that your information won’t fall into the wrong hands. It’s also one of the most open VPNs about exactly what servers it offers in what countries, and provides 24/7 live chat support for questions.

The company has recently improved its platform support, adding dedicated apps for iOS and Android and thus overcoming its one weakness. You can also use it on six devices simultaneously. The NordVPN client provided one of the most attractive interfaces, and connecting to a server is straightforward and very quick, so much so it’s one of our top picks for the best Chrome VPN extension.

It’s also available for a host of devices and made our list for the best Fire TV Stick VPN. NordVPN can be installed in a VPN router as well, which expands the list of supported devices to include Chromecast, Raspberry Pi, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and Fire TV (in other words, anything connected to your VPN router). During our testing, we also found it to be the fastest VPN in our NordVPN vs ExpressVPN comparison, so if it’s speed you’re after, look no further.

NordVPN

Best for security and features

Windscribe

Best for low-cost build-a-plan

• Country of registration: Canada
• Cost: $9 per month; $69 for the first year; $81 for the first two years
• Clients supported: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, FireTV, Kindle, VPN routers
• Number of servers & locations: 500 across 69 countries
• Number of simultaneous connections: Unlimited
• Special features: Split tunneling

If you’re looking for a VPN that fits your specific needs and budget, Windscribe’s “Build a Plan” option is definitely worth exploring. For just $3 per month, you can create a customized plan that includes access to just the locations you need. This flexible pricing model is perfect for those who only require VPN access occasionally or for specific tasks.

Build a Plan lets you choose from a servers around the world, adding as many locations as you’d like. You get 10GB of data per month for each. The minimum is three, and it’s $1 more for each added location. You can add malware blocking for $1 more. You only pay for what you need, so this is a cost-effective solution for occasional VPN use.

If you need continuous VPN protection, you’ll want to upgrade to Windscribe Pro at $9 per month or $69 annually. Speeds are good, and privacy is excellent. Windscribe shares statistics about requests for data, and since 2018 “exactly zero requests were complied with due to lack of relevant data.”

The Windows app is compact, yet easy to navigate, with helpful warnings about app conflicts. While there’s no live chat, the AI chatbot Garry is advanced enough to help with most issues. With its unique pricing model and impressive features, Windscribe is definitely worth considering for VPN needs.

Windscribe

Best for low-cost build-a-plan

CyberGhost

Best for user-friendly interface

• Country of registration: Romania
• Cost: $13 per month; $42 for six months; $57 for two years (plus three free months)
• Number of servers & locations: 10,000 across 100 countries
• Clients supported: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Kindle, VPN routers
• Number of simultaneous connections: Up to seven
• Special features: P2P support, 45-day money-back guarantee, free trial

With more than ten million active users and over 10,000 servers spread across the globe, CyberGhost is a giant in the VPN space. It’s also one of the most versatile virtual private networks out there, both in terms of supported devices/platforms as well as what activities it’s useful for.

CyberGhost VPN is compatible with computers, mobile devices, smart TVs, and routers, and one great feature of the VPN is that it will automatically connect you to the best server for whatever you’re doing at the moment. That’s a vital consideration for bandwidth-heavy activities like gaming and streaming.

Another feather in the CyberGhost cap is that it supports peer-to-peer file transfers (read: It’s good to go for torrenting, and as we mentioned, it’ll select the best server for it so you get the fastest upload/download times). The interface is great, too, particularly on the computer. It gives you complete control and lots of configuration options including preferred server setups for your most-used programs and apps.

For encryption protocols, CyberGhost supports OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard, wrapping your connection in AES 256-bit encryption to keep your data and IP address hidden. CyberGhost is based in Romania and has a no-logs policy, and while this should keep you safe from certain prying eyes, this hasn’t been independently audited.

If that’s not a deal-breaker, CyberGhost is a strong contender for the best VPN of 2024 (take a look at our NordVPN vs CyberGhost comparison for more information on how it stacks up to the best) if you’re looking for the sweet spot between versatility and price. A limited-time introductory offer lets new subscribers grab their first two years of service for $57, which averages to just over $2 per month.

CyberGhost

Best for user-friendly interface

PrivadoVPN

Best deal on strong privacy

• Country of registration: Switzerland
• Cost: $11 per month; $24 per year; $36 for two years
• Number of servers & locations: 500 servers across 49 countries
• Clients supported: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, tvOS, Kindle, VPN routers
• Number of simultaneous connections: Up to 10
• Special features: P2P transfers, SOCKS5 proxy support, free data-capped basic plan

With VPNs, it’s all about location, location, location. PrivadoVPN is a Swiss company and is thus free from the laws of the U.S. and the European Union. Switzerland has pretty robust privacy laws, as well. It’s also not a member of the “fourteen eyes surveillance network,” so user traffic isn’t logged and passes through privacy-friendly countries. That means you needn’t worry about your true IP address being revealed.

Interestingly, PrivadoVPN operates one of the smaller server networks of all the providers on our list, measuring in at more than 500 servers spread between 49 physical locations in 47 countries, but that doesn’t preclude it from being a contender for the best VPN of 2024. That’s because it only offers physical server locations not virtual ones because it is not willing to compromise the quality of its service so it can promote a higher number.

If routing around region-based content restrictions and other geographical hassles is your priority, you might be better served with a VPN that has a wider global server spread, such as ExpressVPN. Although, having said that, PrivadoVPN is a fraction of the cost and covers a large chunk of countries, so if the one you’re wanting to virtually jump to is on its list, then we’d recommend taking it for a spin.

PrivadoVPN has it where it counts, though, with several encryption protocols to choose from: OpenVPN, IKEv2, and SOCKS5. The addition of SOCKS5 proxy support is noteworthy, as it allows for fast and seamless peer-to-peer transferring of large files, which is something many VPNs shy away from. This makes PrivadoVPN perhaps the best VPN service for peer-to-peer file transfers if that’s your primary use case for one of these services.

It’s not the cheapest VPN on our list, although that’s offset by the fact that you can use the VPN on up to ten devices simultaneously. There’s also a free app-based package that gives you 10GB of bandwidth per month.

ExpressVPN

Best for speed and reliability

• Country of registration: British Virgin Islands
• Cost: $13 per month; $60 for six months; $80 per year (plus three free months)
• Number of servers & locations: 3,000 across 105 countries
• Clients supported: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, tvOS, Kindle, VPN routers
• Number of simultaneous connections: Up to eight
• Special features: Split tunneling

ExpressVPN’s “#1 Trusted Leader in VPN” claim may be a bit difficult to prove, but the service offers a compelling list of features nonetheless. It also constantly tries to make regular improvements in speed and simultaneous streaming capabilities, and with support for all major platforms (Windows, macOS, Android, etc.), you won’t need to worry about compatibility. ExpressVPN shows up on a number of best VPN lists, including our list of the best VPN for Linux and the best VPN for Windows, so its relatively high prices seem justified.

The more than 3,000 servers are all well-placed throughout common travel destinations and urban centers. Any package will land you high-speed unlimited bandwidth and 24-hour customer service. With so many features, including bypassing ISP throttling, built-in threat protection, and split tunneling, it’s no wonder this vendor is considered the best VPN by many users — although you should note that ExpressVPN only supports up to eight simultaneous connections with a single subscription, which is the lowest number of the services on our list.

But they also provide a workaround of sorts for that: If you install ExpressVPN on your router, your router can protect all of your devices (as the router itself only counts as one device towards your subscription), regardless of how many other devices are connected to that network hub. This way, you can have well more than five devices protected at once.

Setting up ExpressVPN and connecting to a VPN server was easy enough. Netflix complained about a proxy in use when we used the automatic configuration option, but it worked fine when we manually selected a local U.S. server, so it’s a working Netflix VPN. Amazon Prime Video played just fine, and our other internet tests were completed without issue.

ExpressVPN

Best for speed and reliability

TorGuard

Best for flexibility on a budget

• Country of registration: United States
• Cost: $10 per month; $30 per year
• Number of servers & locations: 3,000 across 50 countries
• Clients supported: Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, Android, Kindle
• Number of simultaneous connections: Up to eight
• Special features: Port forwarding

Starting at $10 per month for unlimited speeds, unlimited bandwidth, and port forwarding access for up to 8 simultaneous connections, TorGuard’s anonymous VPN is another great option. You’ll have access to over 3,000 servers across more than 50 countries, with internal encrypted DNS, excellent compatibility, and much more.

One of the neat things about TorGuard is they also offer a proprietary travel VPN router, sold separately, which you can use when you move around the country, or world. Basically, it keeps your connection encrypted and safe anywhere.

As for the VPN itself, you can upgrade to other tiers, including a $13 per month tier which boosts your simultaneous connections to 12 total — a great option if you have a big family or group of users in your home, like roommates. Either way, the strong connections, no logs policy, and private email options will keep you browsing anonymously.

TorGuard

Best for flexibility on a budget

PureVPN

Best for long-term savings

• Country of registration: British Virgin Islands
• Cost: $13 per month; $48 per year; $51 for two years (plus three free months); $130 for five years
• Number of servers & locations: 6,000 across 65 countries
• Clients supported: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, tvOS, Kindle, VPN routers
• Number of simultaneous connections: Up to 10
• Special features: P2P support, split tunneling, premium add-on features

With a name like PureVPN, this virtual private network had better offer some viable protection — and it does. The software’s hallmarks lie in its ability to connect to a mélange of services for different activities, with wide compatibility with various devices and software interfaces.

The average cost is as low as $2 per month with a two- or five-year plan, making PureVPN another one of the best cheap VPNs on our roundup. That subscription includes port forwarding, multiple encryption protocols (PPTP, SSTP, L2TP/IPSec, IKEv2, and OpenVPN UDP/TCP), malware blocking, P2P support, and an audited no-log policy. You can also get some premium add-ons like encrypted file transfers and a password manager at extra cost.

As with any good virtual private network service, PureVPN will prevent websites from viewing your personal IP address, thus preventing others from identifying you or your geographic location. And with more than 6,500 servers on six continents, you won’t be at a loss for worldwide connection points to choose from.

Like NordVPN, PureVPN features split tunneling that allows you to whitelist certain activities you don’t need or want to go through the VPN, allowing you to use online services and browse the web through the VPN and on the clearnet simultaneously. PureVPN also offers you a personal IP address for you to use with certain sites and services — a good idea for those that require logins.

PureVPN

Best for long-term savings

IPVanish

Best for 24/7 support

• Country of registration: United States
• Cost: $13 per month, $40 for the first year, $53 for the first two years
• Number of servers & locations: 2,400 across 90 countries
• Clients supported: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, tvOS, Kindle, VPN routers
• Number of simultaneous connections: Unlimited
• Special features: Independently audited no-logs policy

IPVanish offers all the key features you could need from a VPN at a great price. With regular sales being part of the IPVanish experience, you can commit for a year at a very low cost, enjoying the protection that comes from a choice of more than 2,000 VPN servers across more than 90 different locations.

Besides offering extensive protection whether you’re browsing from home or using a public Wi-Fi hotspot, IPVanish also makes it simpler to avoid Deep Packet Inspection — a method used by ISPs to limit your internet speed at times. The VPN offers unmetered data transfer caps and there’s no limit on how many devices you can use it with so it’s incredibly flexible for high-volume users and larger local networks.

No logs are kept, plus there’s a choice of multiple connection protocols which is useful if you want to get more involved in your VPN settings. 24/7 customer support means the VPN is always on hand to help you out, too. Not that you should need it too often thanks to simple-to-use apps for all major platforms. It’s a great service and it’ll even help you avoid geo-restrictions on many of your favorite streaming apps.

IPVanish

Best for 24/7 support

Frequently Asked Questions