Top 5 VPN Services (2024): For Routers, PCs, iPhone, Android, and More

In my testing, TunnelBear’s speeds were competitive with the other options listed here. One of my favorite parts of TunnelBear is the free trial option, which makes it easy to test it out and see your speeds without committing. TunnelBear has fewer geographic server locations than some of our other options, but unless you’re traveling abroad or need to bypass certain geo-restrictions, that shouldn’t matter to most users.

TunnelBear costs $3.33 per month if you purchase one year in advance.

---

Fastest VPN

NordVPN has been in our guide for years, although after some bad customer service incidents, we pulled it for a retest. After testing NordVPN for the past six months, and repeatedly asking customer service to resolve the issues, which they did, I’m adding it back to our list of recommendations.

In 2020, Nord Security integrated with Surfshark VPN (recommended above). Both services continue to operate independently, but there is significant overlap in the services provided. Nord’s parent company is based in Panama, and is outside of the 14-Eyes alliance, meaning nothing forces NordVPN to collect user data.

NordVPN has a lot to recommend it, and perhaps its biggest selling point is speed, especially when it comes to upload speeds, making it a popular choice for torrenting. I like the ad and tracking blocker built into the mobile app, and NordVPN is great for unblocking entertainment sites like Netflix, Hulu, and Max. NordVPN’s apps offer a kill switch that automatically stops your traffic if your VPN connection fails, and they also support multi-hop VPN connections. NordVPN supports a good variety of protocols, including OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec for mobile, and what the company calls NordLynx, which is based on WireGuard.

NordVPN’s track record on privacy is also good. In October 2024, in connection with a criminal investigation, NordVPN received a binding order from the Panamanian government to provide user data. The company says, “The only information we were able to provide was data related to payment and confirmation of the existence of the account associated with the email address provided to us by the authorities.”

Best for high-risk use cases

If you are in a situation where personal security is of the utmost importance, do not rely on a VPN. Use Tor (preferably through Tails) instead of. Using Tor accomplishes some of the same things as a VPN, but different. Tor provides anonymity, which means no one can know your identity, but not necessarily privacy. People may still be able to see what you’re doing, and they won’t know you’re doing it. (VPNs provide privacy because no one can see what you’re doing while you’re out of the VPN tunnel, but you can’t hide your identity because the VPN provider knows who you are.)

Tor is easy to set up. All you have to do is Download Tor Browser It will connect you to the Internet. Once you connect to the Tor network, you can browse the web normally. Except everything will be slower. When using Tor, your request for a website travels through the Tor network, hopping between servers, before appearing and connecting to the site you want to visit. This makes Tor slow, sometimes incredibly slow, but this is necessary to protect your identity. And yes, you can integrate a VPN with Tor, although that’s somewhat beyond the scope of this guide.

---

Other VPNs we’ve tried

• ExpressVPN: We also used to recommend ExpressVPN, but we no longer do that because they have a new parent company and we couldn’t verify anything about them.
• Google One VPN: Google One VPN was part of Google One But it is scheduled to be closed. We’ve never recommended it, and let’s not forget that Google has been caught repeatedly Collecting data she said she didn’t collectThis is not what you want to hear from a VPN provider. We also don’t recommend the VPN that comes with Google Fi or the one available on Pixel phones. If you don’t pay for your VPN, two things will happen: either it will be shut down, or you will be the thing being sold. Most of the VPNs we recommend cost around $5 per month; True privacy is worth $5 a month.

There are a lot of VPNs available, but most of them are not worth your money. If all you want to do is circumvent some of Netflix’s geo-restrictions, almost any of them will work (we still suggest sticking with the recommended options, but if you can’t be stopped, go ahead). For anything more serious, like actually protecting your privacy and data, learn how to use Tor. Yes, it’s a bit technical, but trust me, it pays to learn how to react if your life, family, and job are on the line.

---

Best free VPN

As mentioned above, ProtonVPN Has a free version. It’s limited to one device and there are only three servers to connect to which means it can be slow. There are no logs, no ads and no other limits. In my testing, it was slower than the paid account, but it works. Many other VPNs offer 30-day money-back guarantees, here you go Details about NordVPN’s refund policy.

Otherwise, it’s helpful to keep in mind the old saying, “If you don’t pay for it, you’re the product.” Don’t trust a VPN that doesn’t take your money (and don’t trust a lot of them, either). The good news is that all of the above selections offer free trials, which allows you to evaluate how well each VPN works in your unique situation and needs.