The best VPNs for private streaming, gaming and trending rated by our expert staff.
What’s the best VPN in 2023?
- Express VPN We rate VPNs according on how well they perform overall in three key areas: speed, security, and cost. Express isn’t the cheapest option, but it is one of the fastest and, as of now, the safest.
- Surfshark of our selections, close second. Due to its affordable first-year price and compatibility for unlimited devices, it also received the CNET Editors’ Choice Award in 2022 for being our VPN value option.
- Nord VPN The final option we have is a real hefty hitter. It boasts a vast network that is always becoming faster and more secure, costs more than Surfshark but less than Express, and is undoubtedly the most dependable service we’ve tried.
Numerous VPN companies have flooded the market in recent years, which has both advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, the variety of reasonably priced VPN solutions now available means that, regardless of how urgent or minimal your privacy demands are, a VPN service is suitable for your needs. However, it also means that users would have to sift through more hyped-up VPN advertising.
How we test VPNs
Our practical testing and assessment procedure is meant to dispel that hype. When we examine each VPN service, we don’t simply seek for technological flaws; we also carefully consider each provider’s unique performance strengths. We’re curious about the strengths of each service. We evaluate each VPN according to over 20 different criteria, and we’re always tweaking our process as we gain more knowledge.
We assess VPNs’ streaming and browsing speeds across different nations, as well as the consistency of their connections and even the tiniest potential privacy leaks. We can determine which VPNs are ideal for gaming versus those that are best for streaming, trending, or sharing sensitive information by testing them across a variety of platforms and devices. Most importantly, we put a lot of effort into conducting the in-depth analysis required to examine each VPN’s past reliability and ownership in a notoriously opaque business.
The VPNs on our list deserve our recommendation for more reasons than just enhancing digital privacy; they also make it simple to stream content to bypass geo-restricted content, have servers that are conducive to trending, and are quick enough to support online gaming everywhere. You’ll notice a few bullet points on each VPN item in our list, outlining its advantages and the applications we suggest it for most frequently, based on those ongoing analyses. You’ll also see that the rankings of each VPN service fluctuate as we gain more knowledge and conduct new tests since we work hard to stay on top of a market that is rapidly evolving.
Best VPN services in 2023
Let’s take a closer look at each of our VPN providers listed below. Expect this list to alter throughout the year as we put each VPN through its paces as we continually update it based on our active testing of VPNs and our examination of the most recent research. In the upcoming months, we’ll update our speed testing with information from 2023.
We’ve compiled a list of our top picks for 2023 so far. When a certain quality makes for a superior choice in a more focused review, we’ll point it out.
Express VPN
The fastest VPN we’ve tested right now is Express VPN, which reduced our internet speeds by less than 2%. Its iOS and Android apps are made with a minimalist design that aims to connect users quickly and painlessly. On its main page, there is only one button that instructs you to connect quickly, and the only other choice is a drop-down server location selection that has your fastest neighboring city already picked by default.
The other of Express VPN’s features, including its account and settings options, security and privacy tools, and support page, are all conveniently hidden under a standard three-bar icon in the top left corner of the screen. They are also worth looking into. A password generator, two leak testers, and an IP address checker are all built into Express VPN.
In the previous year, Express VPN raised the number of independent third-party audits, revealed information on the deployment of its Trusted Server, joined the i2Coalition to demand enhanced ethics in the VPN sector, and launched an open source Light way encryption protocol.
All of our top-rated VPNs are very compatible with a variety of devices and operating systems, but Express VPN has a distinct advantage over the competition thanks to its setup manuals, comprehensive FAQs, and troubleshooting articles. Additionally, it offers a 30-day, no-questions-asked money return guarantee and 24-hour customer service.
Since its founding in 2009, Express VPN has grown to have a sizable network of over 3,000 RAM-only servers dispersed across 160 sites in 94 countries. For $100 a year, Express VPN’s top subscription provides five simultaneous connections (which includes three extra months, for a limited-time deal totaling 15 months of service). Additionally, you have the choice of a $13 monthly plan or a $60 six-month payment. Read our review of Express VPN.
Surfshark
Surfshark has a robust set of privacy and security protections, a vast global network, limitless simultaneous connections, and an intuitive user interface. And it’s still far less expensive than the majority of its rivals. Surfshark received CNET’s Editors’ Choice for Best Value VPN in 2022 as a result of this.
Some of the more significant Surfshark features include split-tunneling, No Borders mode, camouflage mode (which masks the fact that you’re using a VPN), and multiloop VPN connections. These capabilities are in addition to traditional VPN features like a kill switch and DNS leak prevention. Additionally, you’ll have access to Surf shark’s Clean Web technology, which guards against phishing scams and prevents advertisements and viruses.
The Nexus network, which joins the VPN’s whole network of servers and lets you select different servers to route your connection via, is one advancement we’re eager to see Surfshark introduce over the course of the upcoming year. Although Tor’s functionality is fairly comparable, Surfshark claims to be faster. The Nexus network can provide you with a few more layers of security when you use the VPN thanks to its Dynamic MultiHop, IP Randomizer, and IP Rotator functionalities. This can be very useful for users with important privacy requirements.
According to Surfshark, no user activity is logged. Despite the fact that it is nearly difficult to show with absolute confidence that no data is logged, German cybersecurity company Cure53 rated Surf shark’s security as “solid” in its 2021 VPN security audit. By the end of this year, a fresh audit, according to Surfshark, will be released.
Although Teosinte, the parent company of both Surfshark and Nord VPN as of February 2022, is the same corporate entity, Surfshark asserted that it is legally obligated not to transfer any information between the parties that would contravene its privacy statement or terms of service. No wording that would suggest Surfshark has any responsibility to share user information with its parent firm or any of its siblings, which includes Nord VPN, could be found in either document.
One of the fastest VPNs on the market is routinely rated as Surfshark. Therefore, we were taken aback when one of the few problems we encountered with Surfshark occurred during our speed test. With a 19% reduction in internet speed, it remains one of the fastest VPNs we’ve tested, but we were dissatisfied with the variable performance results we received in some areas. Rates to Singapore and Europe fluctuated (dipping as low as 9 Mbps), while New York speeds were slower than those to the UK and even Australia. Surfhark now offers more than 3,200 servers across 100 countries, but is actively working to greatly expand its server network. The ongoing growth of its server network could possibly assist in bringing certain more stability in the speeds of the VPN.
In our tests, Surfshark was able to unblock Netflix and Amazon Prime Video material without any issues, although we experienced some difficulty using Disney Plus. We tried several servers in the US and other countries where Disney Plus is accessible before connecting to a server in Boston, where we were able to access the content. Before using Surfshark to access Disney Plus material, you might need to try a few servers yourself.
Initiation prices at Surfshark are lower but increase after the first billing cycle. Nevertheless, Surfshark keeps its costs lower than the majority of other VPNs, which helped it win CNET’s Editors’ Choice for Best Value. The annual plan initially costs $48; but, after the first year, it increases to $60. If you choose the two-year plan, you will pay an upfront fee of $53 for the first two years plus two free months, followed by an annual fee of $60 for any further years. The monthly rate for Surfshark remains $13 per month. Surfshark offers a 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re not happy with the service for any reason. Read our review of Surfshark VPN.
Nord VPN
One of the most well-known names in the VPN industry is Nord VPN. In contrast to practically all other providers, it provides six simultaneous connections across its network, which is a generous simultaneous connection count. For those seeking a stronger VPN connection, Nord VPN additionally provides a dedicated IP option and the option to connect over Tor. The majority of Nord’s 5,000+ servers are set up for peer-to-peer sharing, however the company has restricted trending in 14 nations.
In our most recent testing, we found a few glitches in Nord’s kill switch when using its iOS app, which tormenters might find troublesome. On its website, Nord does, however, offer a sideloaded iOS that it suggests consumers use. In our most recent speed testing, Nord VPN’s performance improved from average speed scores of 2021 and soared back into the list of the fastest VPNs we’ve tested, with just a 13% loss in base internet speeds.
Although Nord VPN does not accept PayPal, you can subscribe with any significant credit or debit card, Amazon Pay, Google Pay, or ACH transfer. You can use a number of cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, and Dogecoin, to make an anonymous payment. Additionally, Nord VPN has partnered with a few physical retailers, including Staples, BestBuy, and Walmart, where you can even pay cash for your VPN. Check out our Nord VPN review.
Proton VPN
Proton VPN is a good option for VPN power users and anyone with a serious need for security, but it’s also great for casual VPN users who only want to increase their online privacy or view stuff that’s blocked in their area. It can unblock streaming services like Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime Video and is quick and simple to use across all platforms.
Although Proton VPN hasn’t been around as long as some of its competitors, like as Express VPN and Nord VPN, it has built a solid reputation for security and openness in just a few short years. A large portion of that reputation was created thanks to Proton Mail’s existing strong track record as a secure email solution, but since its 2017 introduction, Proton VPN has developed into a reliable product on its own merits.
Proton VPN is the only provider in our top five whose software’s source code is openly available for anybody to examine, and all of its apps across platforms are totally open-source. Third-party cybersecurity experts who regularly analyze the applications confirmed that “no serious security concerns were detected” in their most recent evaluation.
A kill switch, DNS leak protection, and AES 256-bit encryption are just a few of the usual security features that Proton VPN has to offer. Additionally, the service provider offers extra security safeguards including an ad/malware blocker, Tor over VPN, and a stealth protocol to assist in hiding your VPN connection and getting through firewalls.
The fleet of Secure Core servers at Proton VPN, however, is the security suite’s crowning achievement. Proton’s Secure Core servers are fully owned by the company, equipped with hard disc encryption, and located in secure data centers in an abandoned military base in Iceland, as well as in underground bunkers in Switzerland and Sweden. In essence, these servers function in the same way as other VPN providers’ multi-hop functionality does. Before leaving through a separate VPN server in a different country, route your traffic through Proton’s Secure Core servers first to offer a strong layer of physical and technical protection.
Furthermore, Proton VPN is the only free VPN we’ve seen that’s actually worthwhile to use, with an unlimited free tier that is truly outstanding. Proton VPN’s free tier is safe and doesn’t impose restrictions on speed, data, or usage time like most other free VPNs do, albeit it lacks trending compatibility and doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the commercial tiers. Free users can connect one device at a time and have access to servers in the US, Netherlands, and Japan.
The commercial options from Proton VPN are $72 per year or $10 per month, and they come with 10 simultaneous connections support and access to servers in 67 different locations. Additionally, paid programmed come with a 30-day, money-back guarantee. Read our review of Proton VPN. Read our review of Proton VPN.
VPN FAQ
The importance of online privacy and security is rising in today’s hyperconnected world. We’re exchanging more data on our computers and smartphones than ever before, whether it’s for online banking or talking with coworkers remotely. The use of VPNs is increasing as people take precautions to secure their digital life since a large portion of that data is sensitive information that we need to keep safe from hackers and snoops.
What is a VPN?
By building an encrypted tunnel between your computer and the internet, a commercial virtual private network is a piece of technology that enables you to establish a private connection across a less private network. On your computer or smartphone, you can install a VPN in the same way that you would any other app or programmed. With a VPN, you may bypass local restrictions and access geo-restricted media content from other nations. Additionally, it stops your internet service provider from violating your privacy by monitoring your web browsing. VPNs help you appear to be connecting from a different area or nation to achieve this.
Anyone accessing public, unprotected Wi-Fi, such as that provided at airports, pubs, or coffee shops, benefits greatly from using a VPN. Your VPN prevents bad actors who scour public Wi-Fi networks from viewing your sensitive information, which includes everything from your work projects to the login credentials for your bank account. When you use a VPN to access the internet, your computer communicates with websites via an encrypted connection provided by the VPN. The VPN will then use its encrypted connection to send both your request to the website and the website’s response to you.
In this glossary of all the VPN phrases you need to know, we’ve decoded some of the jargon to provide more beginner-focused VPN guidance.
How do I choose the right VPN for me?
To choose a VPN, you must first decide what you want to use it for and how much you are ready to pay. These two factors will help you pick a VPN that has the ideal balance of speed, security, and pricing despite the wide variety of VPN solutions available.
You can choose a VPN based on your needs in the areas below that are dedicated to gaming, streaming video, working from home, and vocations where anonymity is important. However, in general, you’ll want a VPN that offers strong encryption, doesn’t keep track of your online behavior, has server locations where you need them, has key security features like DNS leak protection and a kill switch, and can deliver quick connection speeds. All of these capabilities are present in our top five VPNs, however connection speeds will change depending on your internet provider and the server you connect to.
Check out our thorough explanation of how we rate and review VPNs for a deeper look. Here are some general advise guides for beginners if you’re seeking for some fast pointers:
- VPN Red Flags to Be Aware Of
- How to Spot a Quality VPN
Should I be worried about consolidation in the VPN industry?
The current trend of industry consolidation in VPNs is still going strong. When Nord VPN and Surfshark announced their merger in February, it served as the most recent illustration of this tendency. Many of the largest VPN providers, including some of CNET’s top recommendations included in this guide, are currently under the ownership of just three businesses.
Regarding VPN consolidation, there are a number of valid worries. First, consumers often suffer from the overall lack of transparency in VPN ownership arrangements. Ownership transparency is essential in the VPN market, where privacy and security are of utmost importance. When you use a VPN and put your trust in it to preserve your privacy online, you should be aware of who exactly controls the service, whether and how your data is shared and secured within the bigger company, and the country in which your data is kept. The picture isn’t always as clear as it ought to be. Additionally, industry competitiveness is weakened by consolidation, which raises consumer prices and deters businesses from enhancing their offerings.
The VPN providers involved in these mergers and acquisitions assert that they will all run separately and refrain from sharing user information with other businesses. The door may still be open for future data sharing, though, as Surf shark’s head of communications suggested in a statement to CNET that the company had no plans to share information “without telling our clients in advance.” It’s too soon to say what the long-term ramifications will be in this case, but we’re closely monitoring the way the sector is growing and will update our reviews as necessary.
In the meanwhile, it’s still safe to utilize our top recommendations, but it’s also a good idea to find out what other goods or services are offered by the same parent firm. The more you are aware, the more power you have over your online privacy.
Do I need a VPN?
A VPN can be useful for anyone who uses a computer, tablet, or smartphone to access the internet. The rise of third-party data brokers, cross-site advertising trackers, IP address collection, and mobile geo-targeting have all combined to create an online browsing environment that poses serious threats to the fundamental privacy of everyday users, so you don’t have to be an activist, political dissident, or journalist to need a VPN. Your surfing data is typically shielded from your network administrator, internet service provider, and any governmental bodies that seek your ISP data because a VPN encrypts your connection. A VPN can also prevent network snoopers from accessing your sensitive data, such as passwords, usernames, and financial or shopping information.
What’s the best free VPN?
Neither of them. Seriously. VPNs are regretfully not one of the many great free security and privacy tools available online, despite the fact that CNET is constantly looking for the finest freebies. Safe and dependable VPNs cost businesses a lot of money to manage and secure since they necessitate substantial physical infrastructure and hardware. Free VPNs are therefore nearly always malware-filled data snoops. The exceptions are VPNs like Proton VPN that offer free service tiers in addition to their paid ones (sometimes with speed restrictions). The alternative we suggest for those who require internet anonymity but are unable to pay a VPN is to briefly test-drive our safe recommendations and benefit from their cancellation policies and money-back guarantees. The VPN market is expanding, but there is good news: it is quite competitive Currently, even the finest VPNs frequently have monthly costs of less than $15, and some offer annual discounts of around $40. To select a VPN that fits within your budget, look through our concise list of cost-effective VPNs.
Does everything I use need a VPN?
You need a VPN on any device you are using if your goal is to shield your private information from prying eyes. To safeguard your phone, Xbox, smart TV, laptop, MacBook, and other devices, you must use a VPN.
You need a VPN on the device you are using to access such streaming services if your goal is to use a VPN to access streaming services that have been blocked in your country for whatever reason. This might be as easy as setting up a VPN for your Amazon Fire TV Stick or your Chrome browser.
It’s usually a good idea to have a VPN configured and ready to use on as many of your web-connected devices as you can, regardless of the reason you need one.
What is a mobile VPN?
Simply said, a mobile VPN is a VPN that can be used on a mobile device, such as an iPhone or Android phone. The desktop clients of all the companies we suggest have mobile counterparts. To secure greater data privacy for your entire device, you can utilize a VPN app specifically intended for mobile devices. Additionally, mobile VPNs typically have a lower memory footprint and use less processing power than desktop VPNs, which results in faster connection speeds and less battery use. To attain those smartphone speeds, keep in mind that the majority of mobile VPN clients will employ a weaker level of encryption than a desktop client. Check your VPN apps’ settings to make sure you’re utilizing the highest encryption available if you have increased privacy needs. Excellent, user-friendly mobile VPN app alternatives are available for all three of our top-rated VPN providers. Some VPNs are only compatible with specific mobile operating systems, such as iOS or Android, while others are cross-platform. Check out the mobile-specific VPN guides in the section below to pick the best mobile VPN for you. Check back frequently because we regularly update them with information from our retesting.
Are VPNs legal?
In the majority of nations, using a VPN is completely legal. There is nothing wrong with taking precautions to safeguard your privacy online, and you shouldn’t have to worry that doing so may result in legal issues if you use a VPN.
However, several nations have explicit bans or restrictions on VPN use. You could get into legal difficulties if you use a VPN in China, Iran, Oman, Russia, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, or Belarus. Ironically, these are the nations with the highest rates of internet control and surveillance. You must select a VPN that offers strong obfuscation in certain nations so that your VPN traffic seems to be regular HTTPS communication, preventing government agencies from ever discovering that you are using a VPN.
But in most of the world, utilizing a VPN will not get you in trouble with the law. However, it’s crucial to remember that while VPNs are generally lawful, it is still prohibited to use the internet for illegal purposes.
What’s the best VPN for working from home?
If you work from home, it’s possible that other people’s gadgets, family members, or roommates share your internet connection. That significantly slows down a network and results in many concurrent connections to a VPN. Choose a VPN that provides top speeds so your Wi-Fi isn’t slowed down and allows you utilize one subscription on as many devices as feasible. However, if your job requires you to handle private data like financial or medical records, security should be your top concern while choosing a VPN. Our top three VPN choices are the safest we’ve found, and each has a varied cap on the connections a basic subscription would allow. However, there are a few additional elements to take into account for a home office VPN, so read our instructions on choosing the best VPN for home work.
What’s the best VPN for gaming?
Most VPNs are selected because they strike a decent balance between speed, security, and price. However, speed is crucial if you want a VPN expressly to connect to game servers in another nation. Free VPNs won’t be quick enough, but thankfully, premium security won’t be prohibitively expensive, giving you more options at reasonable costs. Choosing a VPN requires looking at the ones that fared the best in our speed testing, as all VPNs degrade performance—the majority by 50% or more. In tests, Surfshark came out on top in our speed competition while also remaining one of the most affordable VPNs we’ve observed. If you’re interested in VPNs for gaming consoles, check out our list of the top Xbox VPNs and our installation guide. Before selecting Visit the VPN’s official website to see if it has servers specifically designed for gaming in the nations where you wish to connect to other players the most.
What’s the most secure VPN for privacy?
Forget about speed and cost when selecting a VPN if you’re a writer, lawyer, or professional in any other industry where privacy is a concern. Instead, completely concentrate on security. Your VPN might be a little slower, but speed is always a privacy trade-off, whether it be for VPNs or presidential motorcades. Avoid browser-based and free VPNs. Choose a VPN with headquarters outside of the nation you’re in right now if you’re worried about government surveillance there. Avoid VPNs with jurisdiction in an allying nation. For instance, US journalists should stay away from VPNs with US or other Five Eyes jurisdictions. Watch out for encryption Your VPN should support the OpenVPN TCP protocol (IKEv2 is supported for its mobile apps fine). Our overview of VPN evaluations may be helpful to you. Our top three VPNs were chosen by seasoned journalists, scrutinized and reviewed with complete editorial independence, with the most privacy-sensitive professions in mind. Although speed does factor into our rankings, our top three VPNs were all chosen with the most privacy-sensitive professions in mind.
How do I use a VPN for Netflix?
Derestricted content is annoying if you reside in or are visiting a nation that restricts its media. With a VPN, you can get around censorship and utilize Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, or Disney Plus to access the typical media in your native country. Select a VPN that has obfuscation and allows you to manually choose the nation you want to connect through. (This is provided by our top three choices.) Although you don’t necessarily need to utilize the obfuscation option to unblock Netflix, it might be useful because it masks your VPN traffic as regular internet traffic because streaming providers actively work to restrict VPN connections.
If you want to test out other VPNs, pick one with a lot of IP addresses—10,000 or more is ideal. This is due to the fact that one method used by Netflix and others to restrict VPNs is by adding known VPN IPs to a blacklist. If your VPN has tens of thousands of IPs, you have a better chance of connecting to an IP address that Netflix hasn’t blocked.
After setting up your VPN and connecting to the nation whose material you want to access, restart your browser, then navigate to the streaming website. If your VPN is functioning, the website should treat you as a citizen of the nation of your choice and show you content meant for that audience. You can try using your browser’s incognito mode or deleting your cookies and cache if you’re still having issues.
How do I know if my VPN is working?
Your IP address changing and your location being registered as that of the VPN server you’re connecting through is the first and most obvious sign that your VPN is functioning. On a website like whatismyipaddress.com, you can check this.
Additionally, you should ensure that your VPN is safeguarding your privacy and not disclosing any of your information outside of the VPN tunnel to your ISP or other organizations that may be keeping an eye on your online behavior. Visit a website like dnsleaktest.com or ipleak.net to search for leaks. Your VPN is protecting your privacy if your location is listed as the location of the VPN server and your leak tests come back clean.
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