best vpn for pc

What Is A VPN? A virtual private network, or VPN, is just what it sounds like—a private network that exists in cyberspace. You can use one to create a secure connection from your computer to another computer, typically somewhere else in the world.

The idea of using a VPN may be scary or confusing at first, but once you get past the idea of it and actually begin using one, you’ll wonder how you ever got along without it. If you travel or connect to public Wi-Fi frequently, then you definitely need to be using one.

Top 9 vpn

VPNs have exploded in popularity over recent years. Whether you need a VPN to stay safe on public Wi-Fi or are looking to reduce your international data plan while traveling abroad, they’re now an essential part of digital life.

But with so many options available and different best lists seeming to contradict each other, it can be difficult to know which VPN is best for you. So we've done some digging and come up with five of our favorites!

Read on as we break down exactly what sets these VPNs apart from their competitors, how much they cost, and more—and then check out our top list of VPNs here!

If you want to use a VPN but don’t know which one is best, it may help to look at a few different factors. In order to get an idea of what constitutes good value in terms of price and performance, consider some common questions that users ask about VPNs:

1) What platform do I need? (Windows, Mac OS X, Android, or iOS?) 2) What protocols are offered? (PPTP?, L2TP/IPSec?) 3) Which server locations do they offer?

1. Surfshark

When it comes to torrenting, many people prefer to use a VPN. We don’t recommend doing so in most cases because of privacy concerns, but Surfshark has a convenient Port Forwarding feature which makes torrenting very easy.

You won’t even need to set up an account with Surfshark as it connects through your browser rather than using its native app. To make sure you stay safe when using Surfshark, be sure to download and install its official secure extension.

If you don’t like that idea, you can also consider alternative apps like TunnelBear or Hotspot Shield (read our full review). This is great if all you need is a basic VPN while traveling on vacation or working remotely.

Looking to get around government censorship filters, international content locks, or geoblocks? Look no further than Surfshark. It’s one of several virtual private networks (VPNs).

That promise to keep your information private and secure while you surf—and it’s rated by experts as a top VPN overall. Reviewers particularly love Surfshark’s fast servers and interface. Keep reading to see why we rated it first among its competitors!

Having servers in over 50 countries and providing unlimited bandwidth, Surfshark is a good VPN for privacy. It’s also well-regarded among users thanks to its fast speeds, ease of use, and intuitive interface.

2. IPVanish

This VPN provider is best suited for users in China, Turkey, or Iran. Despite being based in America, IPVanish says it does not log any traffic or session data and keeps no personally identifiable information.

It also has strong encryption (AES-256) and doesn’t keep any user logs — making it very secure. It can also unblock Hulu and Netflix among other streaming sites. IPVanish also boasts a zero-logging policy that they stick to with extreme diligence:

The company says it has never logged user activity. And with more than 700 servers worldwide (excluding China), you should have no problem finding one near you to test out your connection speeds!

Run by security guru, Robert Knapp, IPVanish is a no-logs VPN provider based in Europe. It features a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and server selection across more than 60 countries.

There are plenty of VPN providers to choose from but most will keep logs if not anonymized properly. With well over 1,000 servers in 60 countries covering everything from Tor to PPTP and L2TP/IPSec connections.

If you’re looking to stay safe on public Wi-Fi, IPVanish has your back. This VPN keeps no logs of your traffic, and it’s got a kill switch feature in case anything happens to your connection.

3. ExpressVPN

This provider is based in Hong Kong, a city that has no data retention laws and makes it easy to protect customer privacy. It boasts a fast network with more than 2,000 servers in 180 countries, solid 256-bit encryption, and 24/7 live chat support.

It's popular among media workers and ex-pats living overseas who want to watch streaming services like Netflix or BBC iPlayer while they travel.

VPNs are blocked in China but ExpressVPN's parent company uses a technique called dynamic routing to reroute traffic from affected areas to its servers.

One of our top VPNs for Netflix, ExpressVPN lets you watch U.S. Netflix in any country, on up to 3 devices simultaneously. It's easy to use and has an intuitive user interface (even on mobile), with reliable customer support when you need it.

No one can access your location and identity through traffic sniffing. Even if you connect to a public Wi-Fi hotspot, there are still encrypted connections. 

ExpressVPN has a kill switch that will kill all internet connections if in any case, you lose your Internet access. This is because of their own dedicated VPN servers.

You don’t have to worry about proxy issues when you use ExpressVPN services. It’s completely stable, safe, and secure with no restrictions or censorship issues.

4. NordVPN

If you live in a country where VPNs are blocked, consider using NordVPN. With NordVPN, you can connect to over 500+ servers in 62 countries. Their VPN is fast and very secure. You can even use it on up to 6 devices at one time!

After downloading their client, just open it and select a server. It’s that easy! They also have an app for your Android or iOS device so that you can use NordVPN everywhere.

This VPN is perfect for novice users and small businesses. The software comes at a very competitive price, while still providing all the necessary features to give you peace of mind regarding security. 

Security and privacy are provided through 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection, kill switch, and double data encryption. Plus, you have more than 1200 servers in 62 countries to choose from. To top it off, NordVPN also offers 24/7 customer support.

The best VPN I've ever used, had no issues with it whatsoever. Easy to install and use, just plug and play. Not much more to say about it, never had any problems from using them in the past year of owning them.

Must have for anyone who cares about privacy and security online at all times (which should be everyone). Not much technical knowledge is required to get set up on their website. Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy! Still don't know what that means?

5. CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost is well known for being a comprehensive VPN service with a good reputation and a solid offering of features. You can connect up to five devices simultaneously with unlimited bandwidth and speeds are fast enough to stream HD video without buffering. 

With no logging or third-party involvement, it's also one of the most private options available on our list. The only caveat is that its interface is not as easy to use as those of some other services. 

Otherwise, there's really no downside here! It may be a little pricey, but you have access to all of your favorite streaming sites so what's there to lose? Best of all: it has servers in China!

One of our favorites, CyberGhost VPN is great for beginners. It has a simple interface that’s easy to understand and has a free trial if you want to test it out before committing. The price of their monthly plan is also nice.

You can get going with CyberGhost VPN on your home computer, gaming console, or mobile device and they don’t keep logs so your information is safe from any kind of prying eyes – and yes that includes their own staff!

It's easy to set up and use, has lots of server locations, and lets you try it free with some limitations. It's a good bet if you're looking for an easy VPN.

6. VPNArea

A VPN service is a digital private network or a secure tunnel between two or more devices. It makes an encrypted connection over any public or shared network to provide privacy and data security. 

Once connected, all your traffic is securely routed through your new connection in a private tunnel without letting anyone know what sites you are accessing. When done right, using a VPN service will change how you use WiFi forever:

Your device connects to your VPN provider before connecting to whatever website or app you’re trying to access, so your traffic first goes through their secure servers—shielding it from online snoopers like hackers and advertisers who could otherwise see what sites you visit.

With over 40,000 servers in 180 countries, there’s no denying that VPNArea is one of the leading VPN providers on the market. On top of a high-quality network.

They offer strong protection and user privacy. They also accept cryptocurrency payment methods and offer unlimited server switching.

VPN Provider With a Warrant Canary, Offers Bitcoin Payment Option VPNArea is a relatively new VPN provider that has been making waves in the industry due to its strict no-logs policy and affordable pricing.

Read on as we show you how well it performs in our extensive review. For those interested in privacy, security, and online freedom, virtual private networks (VPNs) are often essential tools.

They anonymize your web traffic by routing it through one of their servers and hiding your IP address from potential snoopers.

7. Private Internet Access (PIA)

Based in Arizona, PIA is a VPN service that protects your online identity and keeps your Internet traffic safe from prying eyes. They guarantee access to the entire unrestricted Internet with their data encryption and leak protection technologies.

PIA boasts an anonymous IP address policy which means no one will be able to track you as you browse on their servers. The company also has more than 3,000 servers across 31 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, and South America. On top of that, they offer unlimited bandwidth and speed with each account.

PIA is one of my favorite VPNs. It’s extremely affordable and reliable. The best part about PIA is that it works with Netflix, which is an added bonus if you’re a big subscriber.

If you need a VPN to use with Netflix, then I suggest giving PIA a try. It’s also great at unblocking streaming sites like Hulu and BBC iPlayer, as well as torrenting anonymously (which we all know is crucial).

A VPN is a way to encrypt and route your internet connection over a third-party server. PIA is one of the most popular, fastest, and cheapest ways to do it—and it’s worth every penny. The best part? There are no ads in their software.

Ever. If you want to protect yourself on public Wi-Fi or want to keep prying eyes out of your web browsing data while using sketchy open networks, PIA is worth every penny at $39.95/year.

8. AirVPN

Fast, easy to use, and rock-solid stable OpenVPN, AirVPN is one of our favorites. They provide client software for Windows and Mac, Linux, and Android devices.

Setting up VPN connections on iOS devices is a bit more tricky because you'll need to set it up via OpenVPN's site; however, they provide step-by-step instructions. If you're using an Android phone or tablet, be sure to choose Set Up VPN as your Wi-Fi network type when prompted.

The company has a unique take on VPNs and seems to have pulled it off well. It bills itself as a neutral Switzerland of sorts, with servers in multiple countries around Europe.

You’ll also find open-source code on its website that you can use or modify at will. AirVPN has no bandwidth limits, IP address leak protection, and DNS leak protection built into its applications. Finally, AirVPN is available on both Android and iOS operating systems.

One of our favorite VPNs, AirVPN is based in Italy and has a strict no-logging policy. It’s very fast and will work with any device or operating system.

However, you don’t get much in terms of features here, but it’s perfect if you just want a VPN to use on a single device—that is, if you aren’t concerned about backing up your data from that device. (The software can be a little buggy.)

9. Hideman VPN

Hideman is a great VPN service, but it doesn’t work with certain applications and games that you may want to use. For example, if you plan on playing online multiplayer games using your VPN connection (like Fortnite).

Hideman isn’t going to do you much good—the connection will simply disconnect. Instead, take a look at Hola Free VPN or VyprVPN: Both are easy to set up and offer a decent amount of server locations (though VyprVPN has more than Hola) and both can unblock streaming sites like Netflix US.

Hideman is a free VPN app that protects your privacy and allows you to bypass government censorship, unblock websites and hide your IP address. It provides a stable Internet connection and lets you watch free movies and TV shows in HD.

Hideman guarantees 100% anonymity – no activity logs are saved. Thousands of servers worldwide provide a fast and secure Internet connection. You can connect from any country in South America, Europe, Asia, or Africa.

A VPN connection, or virtual private network, allows you to connect securely to a remote network over an encrypted Internet connection. 

All data sent over a VPN is protected with 256-bit encryption by default. This encryption is so strong that it’s practically impossible to crack and makes any information sent via a VPN completely secure.