Best 10 VPN Providers Of 2025

NordVPN takes the crown as the best option for home and business use. NordVPN’s performance is off the charts, making it ideal for streaming and one of the best VPNs for gaming. Security and privacy are also exceptional as NordVPN operates under the jurisdiction of Panama, meaning it’s outside of Five Eyes, Nine Eyes and Fourteen Eyes government surveillance and sharing programs. Additionally, NordVPN subjects itself to regular third-party audits, has a no-logs policy and has more than 7,000 servers in 118 countries.

NordVPN’s interface is bland but functional.

NordVPN also offers Meshnet, which lets you create a private encrypted network, malware, phishing, ad and tracker blockers, a dark web monitor that alerts you about your leaked information, dedicated IPs and support for every major operating system. You’ll also find split tunneling, a kill switch, double VPN (multihop), streaming support and the strongest protocols, including OpenVPN, WireGuard (NordLynx), NordWhisper and IKEv2/IPSec. The downside is that NordVPN starts at $12.99 monthly, however, heavy discounts exist for long-term plans.

Learn more: Read our full NordVPN review.

NordVPN’s settings are easy to configure, thanks to well-designed menus.

I have not come across another VPN that puts up performance numbers like NordVPN. With no VPN, my home connection speed was 481.31 Mbps at the time of testing, and with NordVPN connected to the closest server, it only dropped to 401.63 Mbps, which is outstanding. Even speeds when connected to distant servers were blazing fast. I noticed no domain name system (DNS) leaks when using ipleak.net and all data remained encrypted when using Wireshark. NordVPN’s user interface could use a touch-up, but you’ve got nothing to worry about in terms of performance.

Based in the British Virgin Islands, which is outside the scope of the Five, Nine and Fourteen Eyes alliances, PureVPN is a rock-solid VPN that not only encrypts your data and hides your online presence but also keeps you safe by offering a robust dark web monitoring tool. While PureVPN isn’t the only one to offer these tools, I will say PureVPN’s is the best I have used. If your accounts, Social Security number, phone number, credit cards or email addresses are compromised, you get alerted immediately. There’s also a handy password manager, too.

PureVPN’s clean menus make access to the dark web monitor and password manager quick and easy.

In terms of features, PureVPN provides access to over 6,000 servers in more than 65 countries, some of which are dedicated to streaming, and offers split tunneling, obfuscated servers, a kill switch, AES-256-bit encryption and supports WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec protocols. Unfortunately, PureVPN does charge extra for features such as dedicated IPs, port forwarding and shareable static IPs with dedicated servers. PureVPN’s pricing starts at $12.95 per month, but offers significant discounts on one, two and five-year plans.

Learn more: Read our full PureVPN review.

PureVPN passed the DNS leak test on ipleak.net.

PureVPN is a user-friendly VPN that everyone from VPN newcomers to old hats will have no trouble using. Configuring the software is a piece of cake thanks to well-designed menus, and using advanced features, such as the dark web monitor, is straightforward. In terms of speeds, while not the fastest, PureVPN is no slouch, with download speeds hitting 144.61 Mbps when connected to the fastest server with OpenVPN. PureVPN also passed a DNS leak test on ipleak.net, and all data packets remained encrypted during a test on Wireshark.

Online gamers will be quick to tell you the dangers of DDoS attacks and sniping; however, with a VPN, you can hide your online identity and protect yourself. In my opinion, Surfshark is one of the best VPNs for gaming due to its RAM-only server count (over 3,200), low latency and high speeds. When you add robust VPN protocols (WireGuard, IKEv2 and OpenVPN) and ChaCha20 and AES-256-bit encryption methods, you have a fast, secure VPN that lets you focus on high scores and not whether your bitter opponent can trace your IP.

Surfshark’s interface is highly polished.

As you’d expect from a top-tier VPN, Surfshark has a no-logs policy and offers a large arsenal of tools to keep you safe, including a kill switch, split tunneling, obfuscated servers, which hides the fact that you’re using a VPN, multihop (double VPN), static and dedicated IP addresses and a NoBorders tool, which helps you bypass restricted networks. The biggest downside to Surfshark is the monthly price of $15.45, which is significantly higher than most VPNs. As with other providers, you can lower costs by choosing a long-term plan, but that’s not always ideal.

Learn more: Read our full Surfshark VPN review.

Surfshark makes it easy to configure advanced features such as multihop.

I have used Surfshark to stream on platforms such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer and have always made it through geoblocks. All of Surfshark’s servers are 10 Gbps, meaning connection speeds, even at a distance, are fast. When connecting to a local server, I hit 243.56 Mbps, which is very respectable. I found latency (ping) to be fine, with my average hitting 67ms. I used ipleak.net to test for DNS leaks and didn’t find any, and Wireshark showed that all data packets were encrypted. My only complaint is that the mobile apps are fussy and hard to navigate.

If you have no budget for a VPN but need online protection, Hide.me is one of the best free VPN options. The free plan supports one device, unlimited data, eight selectable server locations, offers a kill switch and doesn’t require you to sign up. It also takes advantage of Hide.me’s zero-logs policy. Jump into the paid plans and you’ll get access to over 2,600 servers in more than 91 locations, streaming support, split tunneling, port forwarding, the SmartGuard ad blocker and multihop functionality so you can route data through multiple servers.

Well-designed menus make navigating Hide.me straightforward.

Device and OS support is also strong. You’ll find clients for Windows, Linux and macOS, as well as extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge, plus support for Apple TV, Android and Fire TV and router installation. I appreciate that Hide.me publishes independent audits and offers multiple ways to pay, including PayPal, credit card, Amazon Pay, Google Pay, bitcoin and kucoin. While the monthly plan costs $9.95, Hide.me’s steep discounts make it one of the best cheap VPNs. The one-year plan costs $4.49 monthly, while the 27-month plan drops to $2.39 per month.

Learn more: Read our full hide.me review.

My VPN connection dropped, forcing Hide.me’s kill switch into action.

During testing, I was pleasantly surprised by Hide.me. While the interface is nothing to write home about, I found it easy to connect and disconnect from the service, dive into the settings menus, choose various protocols and switch servers. Download and upload speeds were always high, making it easy to stream shows and play games without issue. While testing encryption (which passed), my connection dropped, forcing the kill switch to activate. It was good to see this in action in real time. I have no qualms about recommending Hide.me.

If you have a household with a range of devices, including gaming handhelds, mobile phones and tablets, Private Internet Access, with its support for unlimited device connections, could be for you. Not only will you find applications for iOS and Android devices, but you can also install PIA on your router, which will automatically cover every connected device. PIA’s suitability to be used on multiple mobile devices helped it secure a place in our roundup of the best mobile VPNs. Of course, PIA can also be used on desktops (Linux, macOS, Windows) and smart TVs.

PIA’s desktop interface shows a wealth of information, showing that it’s ideal for use on desktop and laptop computers as well as mobile devices.

PIA has a no-logs policy, provides access to 10 Gbps RAM-only servers in 91 countries and offers split tunneling, multihop, port-forwarding, dedicated IPs, a kill switch and multiple protocols. There’s support for P2P networks for torrenting and obfuscated servers. There are also ad, tracker and malware blockers. PIA does not offer a free plan, but you can try it for free for 30 days. Paid plans start at $11.95 per month. If you choose an annual plan, it costs $3.33 per month, and $2.03 per month for the three-year plan.

Learn more: Read our full Private Internet Access review.

Switching between protocols is straightforward on PIA’s desktop and mobile apps.

You won’t have many complaints about PIA’s user experience. Choosing and connecting to servers on desktop and mobile is straightforward, as is picking which protocol to use. I found data speeds on close servers to be fast, good enough for gaming and streaming, while speeds dropped significantly when connected to servers in Asia. PIA passed Wireshark encryption tests and did not leak my DNS when connected to ipleak.net. The biggest downer is that PIA is located in Denver—the U.S. is a country that participates in Five Eyes.

ProtonVPN has a huge global network of close to 13,000 servers in over 110 countries, and offers 116 servers in privacy-friendly countries such as Switzerland and Iceland. ProtonVPN’s wide server network makes it one of the best VPNs for streaming. It enables you to bypass geoblocks so you can watch your favorite shows from anywhere. Plus, it offers clients for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome and Firefox, and supports Apple TV, Android TV and Fire TV. It can be installed on routers, meaning you can watch your favorite shows on any device.

ProtonVPN’s interface is clean and can be adjusted in size on the desktop.

Along with an ad blocker, a kill switch, Tor Over VPN and protocols which include OpenVPN, WireGuard and IKEv2, ProtonVPN boasts a no-logs policy, provides access to third-party audits, and is located in Switzerland, meaning it is bound by some of the world’s strongest privacy laws. It’s also outside the scope of Eyes alliances (government surveillance and sharing programs). Regarding pricing, there’s a free plan with access to a few servers. The monthly plan costs $9.99, but you can save 50% and 70% when you commit to one or two years of service.

Learn more: Read our full ProtonVPN review.

Wireshark proves that data through ProtonVPN is always encrypted.

In my years of using ProtonVPN in my own home, I can say that I have never experienced any issues while using the service. Setup is quick and easy, choosing server locations is straightforward and bypassing geoblocks to watch content on platforms such as Netflix, Disney+ and others is a piece of cake. I have a 1GB internet connection and routinely see speeds over 300 Mbps when connecting to ProtonVPN’s local servers. I also do not worry about encryption. ProtonVPN passed Wireshark’s tests with ease and aced my ipleak.net DNS tests.

While Mullvad won’t blow you away with the fastest speeds, features such as password managers or ad blockers or flashy applications, its focus on security and commitment to keeping you anonymous will. Mullvad has a strict no-logs policy, requires no email address to sign up, accepts multiple forms of payment, including cash, for completely off-the-books transactions; and uses the strongest encryption (AES-256-bit) and protocols (OpenVPN and WireGuard).

Mullvad’s interface is small, but despite its size, it is easy to use.

To help keep you safe online, Mullvad offers tools for multihopping, a kill switch to sever your connection immediately, split tunneling and quantum-resistant tunnels for macOS, Linux and Windows machines that even quantum computers cannot decrypt. Mullvad also proudly shares its third-party audits so you can have peace of mind. While Mullvad doesn’t offer a free plan, its plan is affordable and simple. You pay just 5 Euros ($5.69 at the time of writing) per month. Mullvad’s low price of just 5 Euros hasn’t changed since 2009, which is a huge win in my book.

Learn more: Read our full Mullvad VPN review.

Mullvad’s application labels settings clearly.

The Mullvad user experience is a good one. You pick a server, a protocol, whether or not you want to use split tunneling and you hit connect. Just like that, you’re protected online. The applications aren’t flashy and are easy to navigate. Regarding speeds, I kept roughly 85% of my base connection speed when connected to servers in the U.S., which is excellent. However, jumping to another continent proved to be challenging, with Mullvad delivering inconsistent speeds and high latency. Still, it passed ipleak.net and Wireshark tests with flying colors.

One of the biggest hurdles travelers to China have to overcome is bypassing the country’s strict censorship of the internet. While you can use local VPNs, many have backdoors that allow China’s government to spy on you. Many VPN’s listed here have been blocked from working in China, however, Astril VPN is capable of breaking through China’s Great Firewall. So, if you’re a casual visitor or the owner of an SMB who visits China, this is the VPN for you. Astril VPN has a network of physical servers in Asia as well, so you can get the fastest speeds while visiting.

As you can see, against the backdrop of forbesadvisor.com, Astril VPN’s user interface is tiny.

Astril VPN offers what’s necessary. You’ll find OpenWeb, StealthVPN, WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols, plus support for multihopping (routing traffic through two servers), private (dedicated) IPs, VPN sharing, split tunneling and support for DD-WRT router installation. You’ll also find a kill switch, port forwarding and dedicated IPs. Astril VPN provides mobile applications and has a strong no-logs policy. Price will be the biggest deterrent to many. With monthly plans costing $30, Astril VPN may prove to be cost-prohibitive for many.

My connection speeds while using Astril VPN were some of the fastest I have seen.

I have no complaints about Astril VPN’s performance. No matter what server I connected to, national and international, my speeds were fast enough to browse and stream content. Overall, Astril VPN is simple. Finding settings is as easy as hitting a hamburger button, scrolling through the list and toggling options on and off. The biggest issue I have is the size of the interface; it’s tiny and cannot be resized. While some may appreciate this, others will find it frustrating. If you can look past this, you’ll appreciate what Astril VPN offers, especially if you travel to Asia often.

If you have many personal devices that you need to protect, Windscribe may just be the VPN for you, due to its ability to support unlimited simultaneous connections. SMBs need to look elsewhere, though, as Windscribe’s policy clearly states the benefit is for personal devices only, and if anything looks off, your account will be banned. With that warning out of the way, we move on to features, which include physical RAM-disk servers in 69 countries, though Windscribe refuses to list its actual server count as they fluctuate.

Windscribe’s interface is pleasant to use and navigating menus is hassle-free.

Dig into Windscribe and you’ll find a firewall instead of a kill switch, port forwarding, support for split tunneling, static IPs, multiple VPN protocols, which include WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2; an ad and tracker blocker and multiple platform and router installation support. You can also use double hop to connect to two Windscribe server locations. Windscribe openly discusses its third-party audits, transparency and zero-logs policies. Windscribe’s free plan offers 10GB of monthly data and every tool. Its paid plans start at $9 per month.

Learn more: Read our full Windscribe review.

Speeds on Windscribe are slower than most but still fast enough for streaming.

Windscribe offers a pleasant enough experience when in use. It’s easy to choose servers to connect to, and switching between protocols is simple. One area that could use improvement is Garry, the AI bot. When you ask a question, the answers received are often not about the subject you asked about. In use, speeds were just average. I hit 72.72 Mbps down and 30.29 Mbps up when using a 1GB connection to the fastest available server. It’s more than good enough for streaming and gaming. Windscribe also passed Wireshark’s encryption test, and I did not see any DNS leakage when using ipleak.net. In all, Windscribe performs well.

TunnelBear doesn’t get as much love as others in this list, but it deserves its place in this roundup thanks to its easy-to-navigate interface and solid feature set. You’ll find VigilantBear (a kill switch), SplitBear (split tunneling), which allows you to choose what data is encrypted, P2P support, more than 8,000 physical servers in 45 countries, multiple protocols, which include WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2; and support for unlimited connections on paid plans.

TunnelBear’s interface is simple and easy to navigate.

TunnelBear also happens to be one of the best free VPNs. You can use the free plan through its Windows, macOS, Android and iOS applications. So, if you have a limited budget, you can rely on TunnelBear to protect 2GB of data each month free of charge. You can also get a free seven-day trial of TunnelBear’s paid plans if you want to try all of its features. Regarding pricing, TunnelBear costs $9.99 per month. You can save a significant amount of money (between 50% and 67%) if you opt to sign up for a one or two-year plan.

Learn more: Read our full TunnelBear review.

In the bottom-right corner, you can see that all data packets sent while connected to TunnelBear were encrypted.

I don’t think you can find an easier-to-use VPN than TunnelBear. The interface is delightful. From the moment you sign in with TunnelBear’s mascot watching you, to navigating and enabling the VPN, it’s plain sailing. I found speeds (339.01MB on a 1GB connection) to be more than sufficient for everything from streaming geoblocked content to gaming. As you can see in the image of Wireshark above, TunnelBear’s encryption is also rock solid. If you only need to secure a limited amount of data each month for free, TunnelBear is for you.