- Fast & secure servers in USA, UK & over 90 more countries
- Change your IP address & use the internet privately & securely
- Verified to work with popular platforms, apps & services
- Discover the best VPN deals & VPN free trials
- Fast & secure servers in USA, UK & over 90 more countries
- Change your IP address & use the internet privately & securely
- Verified to work with popular platforms, apps & services
- Discover the best VPN deals & VPN free trials
- Updated 24 September 2023
Features
Score
The best all-round VPN. Extremely fast, reliable & secure. Perfect for high bandwidth activity. 24/7 live chat support. Outstanding!
- Works with popular platforms & services
- Try it for free for 30 days
- Optimized for private & secure downloads
- Chrome, Firefox & Edge extensions
- No web logs & no IP/DNS address leaks
- 3,000 servers in 94 countries
- Over 9,000 people have picked ExpressVPN today
9.9
- GPS protection on Android
- 30-day refund promise
- Chrome & Firefox extensions
- No web logs & no IP/DNS leaks
- Servers in 100 countries
9.3
- Highly customizable settings
- Try it for free for 30 days
- Chrome & Firefox extensions
- No web logs & no IP/DNS leaks
- Servers in 84 countries
9.5
- Automatic Wi-Fi protection
- Try it for free for 45 days
- Chrome & Firefox extensions
- No web logs & no IP/DNS leaks
- Servers in 90 countries
9.4
- Effective stealth VPN protocol
- 30-day refund promise
- Aimed at beginners
- No web logs & no IP/DNS leaks
- Servers in 63 countries
8.4
- Fast and reliable server network
- Strict no-logs policy
- Support for up to 10 devices
- Strong AES 256-bit encryption
8.8
- Advanced encryption technology
- Public Wi-Fi extra protection
- Supports all popular platforms
- Wide global coverage
8.9
- Optimised for high-speed browsing
- Over 5000 servers worldwide
- Military-grade encryption
- Strong no-logs policy
8.0
- Public Wi-Fi Protection
- Fast Connections
- High-Speed Downloading
- 700+ Server Locations
7.9
- DNS Leak Prevention
- Connect up to 10 devices
- Strong Encryption with AES-256
- VPN Kill Switch
7.5
How Fast Are VPN Services in USA?
More About VPN Speeds
Essential Tips for Choosing the Best VPN
A VPN is a clever piece of software that creates a secure (encrypted) internet connection – also known as a “VPN tunnel” – between your device and the website or app you are trying to access.
When you use a VPN, your standard internet connection is redirected via a secure VPN server before connecting to the wider Internet.
When you connect to a VPN server, your IP address changes and your connection is encrypted, typically using the AES-256 cipher and secure protocols like OpenVPN or WireGuard. As a result, your internet privacy and security is considerably stronger.
You can read more about this in our dedicated explainer guide.
There are many benefits to using a VPN service. The two main benefits are:
1. Increased Privacy
A VPN is a great tool for your online privacy. When you connect to a VPN server, your web traffic firstly travels through it, and then onto a website or web application.
2. Enhanced Security
A VPN adds a layer of strong encryption to your Internet connection, making it safer and more secure.
If you need to send or receive sensitive information over the Internet, particularly if you’re using public WiFi, a VPN is essential.
There are hundreds of VPNs available on the market, of which many are free.
The problem is that most free VPNs come with severe limitations such as tiny data allowances, small server networks, and slow connection speeds.
There are also serious risks in using a free VPN. We’ve carried out several investigations of very popular free VPN apps and found that over 85% had security and privacy flaws.
We always recommend using top (paid) VPN services, which offer the below advantages:
➢ Much faster and stable speeds around the world
➢ Larger and more secure server infrastructures
➢ Stronger encryption, with better choice of VPN protocols
➢ Advanced privacy and security settings
➢ Compatibility with a wider range of devices
➢ Professional live customer support (often 24/7)
#1. Choose VPNs With Free Trials
Before fully committing to a VPN service, it’s always a good idea to test its features and assess its performance. Many reputable VPN providers offer free trials, allowing potential users to evaluate the service’s speed, server locations, and security protocols.
These trials are often designed to give you an understanding of what you’d get with a premium subscription. It’s a way for users to ensure compatibility with their devices, check the VPN’s impact on Internet speed, and confirm the ease of use of the interface.
#2. Watch Out For Poor Encryption
The VPN works by sending your data encrypted through a virtual tunnel and decrypting it on the server side. Using a strong encryption protocol and a long encryption key is essential for keeping your data secure while it travels through the Internet.
Although AES encryption with 256-bit key or more should be standard for any VPN, there are still many services that provide only 128-bit keys. Other strong VPN ciphers to look for are Twofish or Camellia. Look out for Perfect Forward Secrecy as well; not many VPN services provide this essential security feature
#3. Beware Of Snitching
VPN services encrypt your data while it travels through the Internet, but it is still technically possible for the service provider to access it as it is being decrypted on the VPN server.
Most, if not all, VPN companies claim they do not keep logs or track the user activity, but the news often reveals otherwise. Many small VPN services have been known to help law enforcement agencies by providing such logs on user data.
Choosing a VPN service audited by an independent third-party organization ensures that your browsing activity remains secure and untracked.
VPN Service Recommendation Principles
We know how difficult it is to choose between different VPN service
There are countless technical features to compare, security and privacy matters to analyze, and more than 100 brands on the market.
One of the most important aspects of your research should be related to whose advice to trust. The sad truth is that most VPN portals have never installed or thoroughly reviewed any of the products they recommend.
Trying to put our users’ interests first, we have decided to stick to three principles when recommending VPN services:
