The Best VPNs on the Market

A top VPN service right now is, in our opinion, NordVPN. Our experts have found that Surfshark VPN offers the best combination of product quality and price.

If you are still in doubt, we have handpicked our own top 5 favorite VPN providers. Each of them excels in different areas, and all five are excellent all-around VPN providers with great privacy and security features.

Our general advice is to choose a well-established VPN provider with a significant footprint and feedback from real users.

Don’t pick a small, shady VPN provider nobody has ever heard off!

And a final tip: Take a close look at the user feedback on our VPN reviews. Read the comments and feedback on the individual VPN review pages and join the discussion on which is the winner of this VPN comparison.

We strive to keep this list as accurate and updated as possible. If you know of a great VPN provider worth mentioning on this list of VPN providers, or if you have positive or negative experiences with any of the providers listed, please contact us

1) NordVPN

Our list of the top VPN providers would remain incomplete without NordVPN. Based in Panama, NordVPN is one of the safest VPN to use since its country of origin has no specific laws for data retention.

NordVPN started off in 2008 and gradually took over the whole world owing to its quality VPN services.

The Fastest VPN on the market!

Diverse OS Compatibility

NordVPN has gained a vast customer base from around the world owing to its fantastic performances when used with various operating systems. It is compatible with Windows, Android, iOS, Mac OS and Linux, many browsers and some routers.

No Saved Logs Or Data Retention

NordVPN adequately takes care of its customers’ privacy by providing them with a highly secure browsing experience.

At first, its location (Panama) suffices to make one relax from the data retention point-of-view since Panama is an independent country having no particular laws in this connection.

Secondly, NordVPN had declared a clear No logs policy in its detailed privacy policy proclaimed on the site. This no log features certainly gives an edge to NordVPN over others.

Works Well For Torrenting and Netflix

NordVPN has several diversified servers, which empower it to work efficiently for Torrenting. With this feature, it works best for all other procedures bypassing location restrictions on various websites including Netflix.

Pricing Plans

For some users, NordVPN may appear a bit expensive, with a monthly package offered for $11.95 per month.

However, its yearly plans seem rather cheap, particularly its 3-year plan which is available for $2.75 per month for 3 years.

2) ExpressVPN

Another popular VPN, which you may usually find in many reviews available online, is ExpressVPN. Though it may appear a bit more expensive than the average VPN, it is packing a lot of power with its amazing performances, commitment towards privacy and ease of use.

ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands and has multiple servers across 87 countries.

Though the exact number of servers is not officially disclosed, its representatives are confident to claim that the servers can easily handle the bulk of the users.

It means that they have a large set up to cater the needs of a vast clientele base.

Secure and Private Browsing

At first glance, the location of this VPN, that is, the tax-free zone of British Virgin Islands, and the lack of detailed information available the internet, may create an ambiance of skepticism.

However, you should not confuse their concealment as their incompetency to protect you.

ExpressVPN now declares openly about it on its official website. (Earlier, there was not much information available on their site.)

It also has stated a clear no logging policy – clearly, a feature of some top VPNs. Thus, you may use their services with full confidence about your security and anonymity.

Efficient Performance Across All Platforms

Like any other quality VPN provider, ExpressVPN also exhibits impressive performance across all major operating systems like Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux.

Plus, it also works well for different web browsers as well as routers.

Subscription Packages

A quick look at the pricing plans of ExpressVPN might scare you for a while.

But, if you take into account all the great features it offers, you will realize it doesn’t cost you a fortune.

Presently, it provides its yearly subscription at the rate of $8.32 per month. Whereas, if you opt for a monthly subscription, you will have to pay $12.95 each month.

3) Surfshark

Surfshark VPN is a fast VPN service that offers various great features. First launched in 2007, PureVPN has gradually improvised over the time to turn out to be the preferred choice for a large customer base globally.

Compatibility with Different OS

It is seamlessly compatible Windows and works well for iOS as well with fantastic speed. However, for Android, its speed is a bit variable.

Security

Since Surfshark VPN is based in Hong Kong, you can stay relaxed about your privacy. Hong Kong presently has no particular laws for retaining customers’ information.

That is why Surfshark VPN never stores your private and personal details, the browsing behavior.

Moreover, Surfshark VPN, unlike other VPNs, never floods its customers with ads. So, you will have an overall peaceful experience while browsing through this VPN.

Besides, it also offers remarkable security to its customers while browsing.

Pricing Plans

Using Surfshark VPN is not at all expensive, unlike most VPN services. Its yearly subscription package begins with as low as $1.94 per month.

Whereas, the monthly package can be subscribed for merely $ 10.95 per month. Each of its pricing plans offers you 7-days money back guarantee.

What else would anyone expect from a VPN packed with such great features!

Best VPN All-Round

• NordVPN (Panama)
• ExpressVPN (British Virgin Islands)

Nord VPN offers the best bang for your buck according to us in 2019. This VPN offers a great combination of performance, security and affordability which is why we recommend it to our visitors.

ExpressVPN is a VPN service that is often being recommended by VPN users and experts alike. This VPN that is based in the British Virgin Islands offers one of the most stable VPN services in market today. ExpressVPN is also praised for its extremely effective customer service and super fast servers that are strategically located around the globe.

Although they offer slightly pricier VPN rates than their competitors, they also have the most gracious money back guarantee offer in place so users can cancel their subscriptions if they are not satisfied with the service. You can purchase a VPN plan from ExpressVPN for $12.95 per month. You can check our ExpressVPN review to learn more about what this VPN has to offer.

Best VPN for Privacy (Non-US based)

• NordVPN (Panama)

NordVPN is a Panama-based VPN service that was established in 2012. NordVPN is one of the few VPNs out there that actually prioritizes privacy. The VPN company provides users with military-grade protection online. Panama also does not have any mandatory data retention laws at the moment.

Best VPN for Torrenting

• ExpressVPN (British Virgin Islands)
• NordVPN (Panama)

ExpressVPN is the ideal VPN to use when you need to download torrents or share P2P files. The VPN service is slightly pricier compared to its competition but you’ll get bang for your buck because it only provides quality VPN services specially when it involves torrenting activities. ExpressVPN does not record traffic logs and offers some of the best speeds for downloads.

NordVPN offers lightning-fast P2P servers to provide users all over the world with fast, stable and throttle-free torrent downloads. NordVPN is an excellent tool for unblocking torrenting from any location. The Panama-based VPN service allow torrenting on certain servers only namely Romania, Russia, Sweden and Netherlands.

Best VPN for Unblocking Netflix and YouTube

• NordVPN
• ExpressVPN
• Surfshark

ExpressVPN is also an industry leader in unblocking video streaming services like Netflix. The most recommended VPN service has servers in more than 78 countries.

NordVPN is another great VPN for streaming which allows users to unlock almost any kind of streaming platform available on the planet!

Surfshark allows users to unlock a wide range of Netflix servers and libraries, thanks to their network of servers covering more than 100 countries!

Best VPN for Unblocking BBC (iPlayer)

• ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is a VPN service that provides high speed, super secure and easy to use VPN application. In order to unblock BBC iPlayer, simply connect to an ExpressVPN server that is located in the UK – thereby tricking the streaming channel that you are in currently in the UK.

Best VPN for iPhone/iPad

• ExpressVPN
• NordVPN

ExpressVPN offers a great iOS dedicated client app to help users have secure connections on the go. The iOS app will work with Wi-Fi, LTE, 3G and on any mobile data carrier.

Private Internet Access has a VPN app for iOS devices that can be downloaded via the App Store. Users will be able to access public Wi-Fi without worrying about getting hacked or spied on.

Best VPN for Android

• NordVPN
• ExpressVPN

NordVPN is the fastest VPN on the market and the one that allows for the most configuration options. Their Android client will suit both beginners as well as advanced users!

ExpressVPN users can secure their data on their Android device by downloading the free app at Google Play Store. Not yet an ExpressVPN subscriber? You can try the ExpressVPN Android app for 24hours with no charge!

Best VPN for Bypassing The Chinese Firewall

• Astrill VPN
• ExpressVPN

Astrill VPN has been the best VPN for China for years now! With an infrastructure built for performance in Asian countries and the recent addition of the Wireguard protocol, Astrill is your best bet to bypass online censorship and get around the Great Chinese Firewall. Unlike other VPN, you do not need to go through a complex installation process and works consistently in China.

ExpressVPN effectively bypasses China’s internet censorship. ExpressVPN even has its website translated into Mandarin to ease China-based users from purchasing a VPN plan. ExpressVPN offers servers in Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Taiwan to allow for fast and reliable connections for users in China. With the Chinese government actively working against VPN providers, we highly recommend you be patient and try different servers as some could be banned!

Best VPN for Dedicated IP Addresses

• NordVPN

NordVPN is an advanced VPN service that provides dedicated IP addresses. NordVPN’s basic plans don’t offer dedicated IPs though. Users will have to contact customer support to request for their own dedicated IP that will cost an additional charge. Getting a dedicated IP address is a great way to maintain stealth mode while browsing the web. NordVPN’s rate starts at $8/month. A dedicated US IP will cost you an additional $50/year.

How to choose a VPN provider

New VPN companies are springing up around us all the time. Various established names in the industry are finding it hard to compete with these new entrants, and this is because new companies now come with attractive features and VPN offerings at affordable prices.

It is only a matter of time before VPN becomes mainstream, especially due to the interference from Government agencies in the form of spying and unlawful surveillance.

During the early days, it was sufficient to understand the underlying popularity of a VPN company before signing up. And HideMyAss Pro VPN was always a priority and the first choice of VPN for almost all VPN users.

Now things have changed, and recent revelations about different VPN service providers and their data logging policies have put the users at risk.

There are various considerations on how to choose a VPN, and in this VPN guide, we attempt to understand the necessary requirements of a VPN user.

When you are comparing VPN providers, these are the factors to consider: Price, network, protocols, features, and ratings. Let’s go through each factor, one by one.

VPN Provider

Our general advice is to choose a well-established VPN provider with a significant footprint and feedback from real users. Don’t choose a small, shady VPN provider nobody has ever heard of. Take a close look at the customer ratings in our list above. Read the comments and feedback on the individual VPN review pages. If you have particular requirements to the VPN provider, take a look at our curated VPN award pages.

Jurisdiction & Data Logging Policies

Typically, we used to consider the cost to features aspect of a VPN before signing up, but not anymore.

The first and foremost consideration before choosing a VPN is, of course, the jurisdiction of the VPN company, their data logging policies, and the response of the company to any and all legal notices.

But still, when we utilize a VPN service, we are paying for the anonymity of the service and the security it provides through their encryption protocols.

An important point here is that all VPN providers operate as a regular business and as such have to follow rules of law and respond to governmental inquiries.

Additionally, it’s naïve to think a simple VPN subscription is a free pass to conduct illegal activities. It’s not.

Contrary to popular belief, US is a great jurisdiction, since there aren’t any proper data retention laws, unlike the EU, but if the servers are installed in the US, the Government can access data.

Therefore, it is recommended to choose a company that operates out of the US, but hosts servers in different countries. Countries like Panama, Russia, and the Netherlands also offer greater privacy and security.

But most important of all, always choose a VPN provider that can offer 100% guarantee against data logging and retention. It is the only available safest bet against modern surveillance technologies.

Protocols and encryption technologies

Data retention policies alone are insufficient for securing your online data. You need proper encryption between your computer and the VPN server, or the ISP or interfering Government bots can decipher your online conversations. It is recommended to have at least 256-bit encryption over OpenVPN, PPTP or L2TP/IPSec VPN protocols.

Most modern VPN companies that work with massive resources usually offer more than 256-bit encryption and all of the modern VPN protocols to ensure that their users enjoy greater online security.

The most common VPN encryption protocols include OpenVPN, PPTP, SSTP, and L2TP. PPTP is widespread, but a bit outdated. OpenVPN is an open source protocol that is performing quite well. Make sure the VPN provider you choose has at least a few VPN protocol options and offers some alternatives to standard PPTP.

Price

In essence, you get what you pay for. To maintain a high performance VPN infrastructure requires resources and manpower. Expect to pay between $5.00-12.00 per month for a high quality VPN service, anything higher and you should expect some special features. Usually you can get a better deal by signing up for a year at a time. Don’t get fooled by “free VPN”? because there will always be a catch.

Network

Make sure the VPN provider has proprietary VPN servers in your own country. The longer the distance to the server, the more latency in your connection. Depending on what you need the VPN for, specific server locations may be of priority. But as a minimum, the VPN provider should offer servers close to your own location as well as servers in United States. To learn more about VPN networks, read our guide on better VPN performance.

Speed and Compatibility

This is also something to consider since not all VPN services support all types of devices. There are VPN services that only allow access from a PC and not from mobile phones or other portable devices. And there are those that allow both or vice versa. The operating system, the speed and bandwidth should also be considered. Again, the more servers the more stable your internet connection would be. A good quality VPN service provider should offer support for all major desktop as well as mobile operating systems. We are looking at compatibility for at least Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android.

Features

Does the VPN provider log user activity? Does it offer mobile apps, unlimited download speed? Which features are included in the subscription? You may also want to choose a VPN provider that accepts Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies as payment option? Privacy is one of the biggest selling points for a VPN. If the provider keeps logs, that will defeat the purpose. Secondly, Bitcoin and other digital currencies will allow you an extra layer of anonymity in your purchasing.

Customer Service

We give priority to customer service, as we believe that a company that is dedicated to their customers will always listen to their customers. A good customer service is generally indicative of the capabilities of the company. Only a VPN company confident of their services will be able to take criticisms and complaints positively.

Money back guarantee policy

This is a feature that is not offered by all VPN hosts. There are only a few VPN companies that provide a standard 30-day refund if the product is not working or has encountered technical issues. There are even companies that only give 3 days or less for a refund. Be sure to choose the company that can give you what you deserve.

Rating

The ratings on this page are based solely on our readers feedback and are not moderated. In the top of the VPN list you will find the most popular providers based on the ratings they have received by our readers. You can contribute to this VPN list and help the community by submitting your review together with your ratings of a particular VPN provider.

What is Virtual Private Network

It’s time to protect your internet activities and a good way to do that, is with the help of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service. What is Virtual Private Network you may ask. A VPN is simply the secured connection between your computer and the internet through a private network called a central organizational network. With a VPN technology installed on your computer, you can be assured of secured internet surfing (by cloaking your IP address) without having to disclose your real identity to the rest of the cyberworld.

Understanding What is Virtual Private Network and its Benefits

Still confused about the whole VPN thing? Here’s one certainty, you will definitely benefit from a VPN technology. Most VPN services include internet-anonymity features, privileges of accessing blocked or restricted websites; if you are into casinos, you can safely access online gambling sites and bet with real money.

You can indulge yourself in all the adult sites and social networks with the VPN technology. Protect all your important information with this kind of technology, chat and send files to your friends without the risks of getting hacked.

Anyone can use VPN services

No matter where you are, or what country you resides in, you can use a VPN service. Once you have a VPN in your computer already, you can then enjoy ‘internet freedom’ without any unnecessary threats such as online theft, spying and so on.

Take advantage of all the good things the internet has to offer. With a VPN service, you can now enjoy the internet to the fullest.

How secured are you when you are using the internet?

If you don’t have any VPN services, you are of course more exposed to cyber threats. On the other hand, if you have a VPN service, you can be assured that you are protected 100%. No matter where you are or how you are connected to the internet, a VPN service will make sure that your data stays private and secured.

What are the restrictions of VPN connections?

If you consider getting a VPN service, see to it that you completely know what you’re looking for, understand the different services that various VPN companies offer. VPN services differ in speed connections and bandwidth allocations. There are companies that offer “money back guarantee”, there are those that imposes a strict “no refund no exchange” policy. Choose the VPN service that can provide the solutions that suit all your internet needs. Read numerous VPN reviews online to find out what’s the greatest VPN to get.

What makes VPN technology so interesting?

There are many interesting features a Virtual Private Network service can provide internet users. VPN is simply a network within a network.

Users can connect to a secure network providing a worry-free internet surfing. You can enjoy the entire internet without being monitored or detected by unauthorized parties whose only interest is to spy on you, hack your private data, steal your financial information as well as your identity or restrict you from viewing certain websites.

How can you benefit from a VPN technology?

There is more to VPN than accessing blocked and restricted websites. One of the main benefits of using a VPN technology is internet-anonymity. Your actual location won’t be revealed by cloaking your real IP address so that you can be protected from any online monitoring or spying.

Whether you are an average citizen or an expert when it comes to programming whatsoever, you can use VPN. Use is for personal purposes and most especially for business transactions. The VPN software is the security everybody deserves.

Internet surfing becomes limitless with VPN

You can definitely access any website you like with the VPN. The only difference is the exceptional security features it has. Browse your favorite websites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, gambling websites, adult websites and so on.

Some may prefer watching movies or TV shows online, but due to geographical differences, not everyone can watch online. But with the VPN technology, you will be able to access all the movies and shows all you want. What is does is it hides your real IP address (which determines your exact location) and cloaks it with a different one and represent an IP address say from the U.S or U.K. With the VPN technology, harmless internet surfing is now possible.

You wouldn’t have to worry about being tracked or monitored by unauthorized parties such as government agencies, hackers and even your own ISP.

Wrapping it Up

Here we reach the end of our comprehensive list of the best VPN providers for 2019. We have carefully picked up the top 5 VPNs that clearly fulfil the requirements that should necessarily be present in an ideal VPN.

You may undoubtedly find online some other VPN service providers as well. However, the top 5 listed here are all distinct from the others owing to their remarkable features. We hope this page will help you select the perfect VPN for you, finally!