Last Updated on January 18, 2022 by Content Team
In 2019, Virtual Private Networks or VPNs are continuing to grow in popularity among savvy web users and are slowly breaking in to the average home user market. When you browse the web on your regular internet service provider you can be tracked through the IP address your router is assigned. If you are concerned about your privacy or are worried about identity theft then subscribing to a VPN will help put your mind at rest. A VPN masks your web presence by routing your browsing experience through its own IPs.
It is perfectly legal in the States to use a VPN to keep you invisible online but you need to be aware that VPN providers will stipulate that you can’t use their service for illegal activities. It is also perfectly legal to download torrents or use P2P providing that you aren’t infringing copyright laws.
Good VPNs will also encrypt your data so even if you use a public WiFi hotspot for banking or credit card transactions your details will be safe. If the VPN has servers spread around the globe then there is an added benefit of removing geo-restrictions so you can stream content like Netflix, Hulu or the BBC’s iPlayer with ease.
Kill switches are becoming more prevalent but you still need to be mindful of whether your chosen VPN offers this facility. VPNs can be prone to dropping connection which means your connection will default back to your own ISP and in doing so reveal your presence, losing your anonymity and encryption. A kill switch cuts your internet connection completely should the VPN fail, so protecting you from sudden exposure.
Routing your surfing experience through a VPN always comes with an understandable transfer rate hit. The best VPNs keep this performance reduction to a minimum but it’s important to look for upload and download rates to give you the full picture.
In this article we will look at the best VPNs available today and weigh up the pros and cons for each. Things to look out for are the number of countries where the servers are located, the total number of servers, security, costs and their overall value. Most of these have excellent mobile support too but we will only mention specifics on these in passing. For your peace of mind every VPN we cover offers a 30 day money back guarantee if you’re not satisfied.
PureVPN
Going strong and fresh into their 11th anniversary, PureVPN is one of the best VPN providers around. Well-regarded, their service is among the best in the world. They offer three subscription rates and currently have a special anniversary rate on their two-year package. PureVPN is endorsed by The New York Times, Mashable and CNET. The PureVPN skinny is that its level of encryption and number of servers are the big pluses and well worth your attention when considering your VPN purchase.
Pros
Globally, PureVPN has excellent coverage with 583 optimized servers: 150 in North America, 34 in Central and South America, 80 in Asia, 36 in Africa, 34 in Oceania and an impressive 249 across Europe. They are set up for HD streaming, P2P and gaming particularly for heavy use but can equally well be put to general browsing or internet use.
Whether you chosen devices run iOS, Android or are Windows, Mac or other internet-powered gadgets, PureVPN has you covered with their proprietary apps. They develop their software in-house to keep total control over their products and ensure your privacy online.
With one account you can have up to five devices connected at any one time which is awesome if you run several simultaneously or if you have friends or family members that want to connect when you’re online too. Regardless of who’s using the account you can benefit from unlimited server switching at no extra cost. So you can change server from country to country to avoid peak times or to benefit from location-specific content such as the UK’s BBC iPlayer or Asia’s YouTube Red.
Speed throttling is still an issue with many ISPs and even if you use a VPN, your ISP may limit your speed if you use a lot of bandwidth. But this VPN is one of those services that can mask your usage and helps you avoid penalties from your ISP! For anonymity, PureVPN has over 88,000 IP addresses to date and counting.
If you are going to choose your VPN by their security protocols or even if you aren’t tech savvy but appreciate seeing the extra information then PureVPN’s protocols include PPTP, L2TP, SSTP, IKEv2, OpenVPN and the revolutionary Stealth protocol. You also get IPV6 and DNS leakage protection as standard. PureVPN features the essential Internet Kill Switch that cuts your entire connection to the internet should you have a sudden service drop; your privacy and anonymity will not be compromised in the slightest. You also get Wi-Fi security even if you use public Wi-Fi hotspots or if you connect to a new network.
Logging is something to bear in mind if you are using a VPN to hide your internet activities rather than secure your privacy. PureVPN is based in Hong Kong and outside the jurisdiction of the US government and isn’t obliged to keep any logs. PureVPN’s logging policy states, “We Do Not monitor user activity nor do we keep any logs. We therefore have no record of your activities such as which software you used, which websites you visited, what content you downloaded, which apps you used, etc. after you connected to any of our servers.” That’s pretty comprehensive.
PureVPN’s payment options are among the most varied of any provider and include credit cards and PayPal as you might expect but also Alipay, BlueSnap, PaymentWall, Cashu and even gift cards.
PureVPN has a few extra bells and whistles that set it aside from the competition. P2P file sharing is available on over 200 of its servers and it also features split tunneling. As we’ve already mentioned, using a VPN shaves a few percent off your ISP’s upload and download speeds. Split tunneling allows you to choose which traffic you route through the VPN. In practice this allows you to keep sensitive functions under maximum security but any functions that require less security but need more bandwidth can be set to bypass the VPN and benefit from your ISP’s topline speed.
Customer service and support is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing any product. Happily, PureVPN doesn’t disappoint here either. They operate 24/7 Live Chat 365 days a year. You can submit tickets for more complex issues but their VPN is really easy to use even if you don’t have much – or any – experience. The site has a plethora of guides and articles to help you get the most out of the service. So, say you want assistance on setting up your VPN on Linux, needing to get your Synology or QNAP Network Attached Storage (NAS) running, or download a browser extension then their easy-to-follow support guides are there to help. Oh and did we mention that you can access Amazon Fire and Kodi services too? You can use PureVPN from within the ‘Great Firewall’ of China as well by simply selecting different connection protocols.
Cons
If you feel you want – or need – access to even more than 583 servers there are a handful of rivals out there to choose from. If you class yourself as a power user then there are alternatives that have even higher P2P functionality mainly in terms of reduced congestion. However for the vast majority of users PureVPN has more than enough capacity and flexibility for your needs.
PureVPN Pricing
PureVPN has three clear pricing structures for its subscriptions. Each is supported by a 7-day money back guarantee which gives you a good assurance that you can pull out if you’re not totally satisfied. The basic monthly subscription starts off at $10.95 per month but if you go for a one year or two year package the savings really begin rolling in. On a one year package you make a 62% saving and pay only $4.15 a month. If you opt for the two year package (and why wouldn’t you?) you save a whopping 77% and pay only $2.49 per month!
So there you have it, a selection of the best and most well-specced VPNs available today. While you can get away with a free option it is a lot more limited then the paid services. We have one further bit of wallet or purse friendly advice too: once you decide on which VPN is for you, visit the vendor’s site and check out any special offers that they have going. You can make quite a saving on any of the headline subscription prices by being a smart shopper.
CyberGhost VPN
With its playful logo and cute name you may be thinking that this VPN is only for the less demanding user but that couldn’t be further from the truth. CyberGhost VPN is packed with all the usual refinements and good stuff that even power users will appreciate. This VPN gives you access to over 1,300 servers in 60 countries.
Pros
CyberGhost has the essential kill switch which runs automatically. Not all VPNs that possess this feature have it activated by default. Its security is military grade AES 256-bit encryption with DNS and IP leak protection, a sort of belt-and-braces approach to keeping your privacy sacrosanct. There is a comprehensive no-logging policy and that incorporates browsing, search terms, duration, access time and data content. For support there is a plethora of guides and tools to cover nearly every eventuality! CyberGhost can bypass China’s ‘Great Firewall’ too so if you are travelling or working there you can be sure of still accessing your favorite content. If the idea of a 30-day money back guarantee isn’t enough to convince you to give it a try then why not take advantage of CyberGhost’s free ‘try-before-you-buy’ seven-day trial? Seven simultaneous connections are permitted on one account. It’s aimed at users who do a lot of streaming and it happily supports HD and UHD feeds on Netflix, Hulu and BBC iPlayer.
Cons
The support team works fixed hours but this is a minor gripe as they usually respond to any queries within 24 hours.
Pricing
On a 3-year plan the subscription is $2.75 per month, a 1-year plan will set you back $5.99 per month and the monthly plan costs $11.99 monthly.
View Cyber Ghost Deals
NordVPN
Tackling the technical specifications first, Nord VPN doesn’t disappoint with its 2,200 IP addresses and 4,000 servers across 60 countries. In practice this gives you fast downloads, reliable streaming and access through geo-restrictions. NordVPN is constantly upgrading its services and over the last year doubled its server count. This is a solid VPN that ticks all of the main boxes and has a range of attractive pricings and customizability.
Pros
The CyberSec feature is exclusive to NordVPN; it’s a security tool comprising an ad-blocker and malware detector. Although it can give false positives it is the only VPN that currently has such a useful ability. The ‘double VPN’ mechanics means that your data are encrypted twice and should one service suddenly drop the second acts as another layer of defense keeping you secure.
The VPN gateways are tuned for streaming media and can access Netflix without holdups and timeouts. In addition NordVPN has a no-logging policy and 2048-bit SSL encryption. NordVPN boasts six simultaneous connections, so you and your family can all benefit at the same time.
The subscription prices don’t affect the quality of service you receive – their monthly plan has all of the same features as the plan that ties you in for three years.
Cons
There are only a few minor cons to using NordVPN and mentioning them does the VPN a disservice. But in the interest of full disclosure their Chrome plugin doesn’t operate as a full VPN, rather like a corollary of Opera’s VPN. Downloading and uploading speed takes a hit when connecting to a server in a country during their peak time but this is a common issue affecting all VPNs.
Prices
There are three price brackets for NordVPN subscriptions. On a 3-year plan the monthly rate is $2.75, the 1-year plan is $5.75 per month and the monthly plan is $11.95 per month.
PrivateVPN
A constantly developing VPN service, PrivateVPN has grown in capacity and services to tackle the bigger boys head on. For those seriously worried about being tracked on the internet this service even allows you to pay by Bitcoin for extra anonymity. With over 80 servers in nearly 60 countries you have a decent service behind you to satisfy your web needs.
Pros
PrivateVPN’s security is AES 256-bit military grade with 2048-bit encryption. It features six simultaneous connections and unlimited bandwidth. You get an impressive transfer speed whether you are uploading or downloading, it only shaves a few percentage points off a non-VPN connection.
Customer service features as a pro and a con! It has Live Support which is excellent and can solve most of your issues really quickly.
Cons
Customer service can be a let-down when the Live Support service is offline as the e-mail support speed really isn’t competitive in this crowded marketplace. To use in China you need to connect through L2TP VPN.
Pricing
The $2.88 monthly fee for the 15 month contract is very good value for a relatively short period. $4.50 per month is for three months while $6.57 per month on a month-by-month basis are the other two options. No matter which you opt for you will receive the same level of features.
If you are looking for just some proxies, try our guide to buying cheap proxies!
ExpressVPN
You can’t discuss the best VPNs without a shout-out to ExpressVPN, a company that has fast made its name a byword for VPN excellence. 25,000 IP addresses available across a whopping 1,700 servers over 94 countries guarantees a premium experience. For your money you get a three device license which seems a little mean compared to its rivals but there is a trade-off to keep the product cost from becoming too excessive. Payment can be made through the usual channels or by the more anonymous Bitcoin for example.
Pros
Near parity with a non-VPN connection gives you unbeatable upload and download speeds. Streaming UHD/4K media is glitch free and you can view content from Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu et al with no problems. Oh and it sails through China’s restrictions unhindered. Unlike most other VPN providers, ExpressVPN gives you an unprecedented level of control over its settings. One of the most useful of these is the ability to choose which country’s servers you want to use at any given time – very handy to keep you on the fastest speeds during peak times. Reliability is extraordinary and is well-matched by friendly and knowledgeable customer service. Should you have any questions (and you might, considering how feature-rich this product is should you wish to delve under the hood) then support is through 24/7 Live Chat. This support makes it quick and painless to find out what you would like to know or get help with. This is backed up by an extensive library of useful guides too. It’s an awesome performer on mobile too with all apps having a kill switch, split tunneling and a double VPN set up that all but promises to keep you 100% safe and secure online. You get DNS and IPv6 leak protection on top of that too. Encryption is provided by military-grade AES 256-CBC and supports all the protocols you would expect! Rounding this off is that all of ExpressVPN’s servers support P2P torrenting and work with the TOR Network. Very handy indeed.
Cons
None to speak of, but perhaps it is too feature packed for casual users.
Pricing
You might be thinking that all this VPN-goodness comes with a premium price tag to match. Well you may be pleasantly surprised, the cheapest tariff is $6.67 per month for 12 months which isn’t too bad all. On a 6-month contract you would expect to pay $9.99 a month and $12.95 on the one-month plan.
So there you have it, a selection of the best and most well-specced VPNs available today. While you can get away with a free option it is a lot more limited then the paid services. We have one further bit of wallet or purse friendly advice too: once you decide on which VPN is for you, visit the vendor’s site and check out any special offers that they have going. You can make quite a saving on any of the headline subscription prices by being a smart shopper.
Opera VPN (Now disccontinued)
Opera is one of the popular, non-mainstream, web browsers which features a simple on/off toggle to activate its built-in VPN. The software is designed by the Canadian company SurfEasy. The browser and VPN are totally free and you might be wondering if this sounds like a viable option for you. After all, getting something for free is always nice but we always have in the back of our mind the adage about getting what you pay for.
Pros
First big plus is that there is no charge and no subscription process. Just install the browser and toggle the VPN to ‘on’. It’s simple to use and you also get a blue notification icon in the address bar to confirm your VPN status. It has toggles for blocking ads and trackers. On test, the download speed pre and post VPN use drops by less than 15% which is remarkable for a free service.
Cons
Opera’s VPN is not strictly a true VPN – while your web browsing is hidden it doesn’t protect your email or any other web service that doesn’t directly go through the browser. Unlike its competitors, Opera’s servers are only in five countries (the States, Canada, Singapore, Netherlands and Germany) which limit your options for avoiding geo-restrictions. There is no kill switch function that terminates your internet connection should the VPN fail but the blue icon turns orange if this happens so at least you get some notification. The upload speed is significantly reduced, it drops by almost 45% so if you have large files you wish to share or stream then Opera may not be for you. Opera, today, has no mobile apps with VPN access.
Most VPNs boast that they don’t log your activity but Opera’s terms and conditions state ‘we may share anonymized and/or aggregated sets of data with our partners and other trusted third parties’. So your activity will be recorded to some degree.
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