If not sure, we understand. Choosing among hundreds of VPN providers is quite a challenge.
We did our very best to find the best VPN programs for 2021 for you. We paid attention to a reliable connection, speed, security, and additional features.
With each of these VPNs, you connect securely via a VPN server and then to the websites you want to visit. For example, VPN Tunnel enables anonymous surfing on the internet and ensures the safety of your data. The same is true for several other VPNs. Plus, with the best VPN providers, you can bypass geo-blocking and censorship with ease!
The best VPN 2021 solutions for you, as listed below, are definitely one of our favorites. But, hold for a second. Before we spill the beans on our top picks, let’s talk about the viability of VPNs and how popular they have become all through these years.
The above data is more than enough to make you understand the worth and significance of a VPN in today’s world. So, if you haven’t started using it until now, do it today. Here are the best recommendations for you.
| Quick Overview: VPN Test Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Number of tested VPNs: | 41 |
| Period of time we tested VPNs: | 5 months |
| Highest monthly cost: | $12 |
| Available contract lengths: | 1 month, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 5 years |
With ExpressVPN, subscribers have to dig a little deeper into their pockets than the competition, but this VPN best provider is way ahead in terms of speed.
More than 3,000 super-fast servers in 160 countries worldwide ensure that any online activity with ExpressVPN speeds up like a race car. Therefore, the provider is unrivaled, especially for streaming fans.
With the integrated MediaStreamer function, even Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video and some game consoles can be used with this best vpn for gaming. Additionally, the fast VPN can handle the use of torrents easily.
Another unique feature of this best VPN for PC is split tunneling, where you can choose which applications you want to connect via the VPN and which via the regular internet connection.
Best Features of ExpressVPN
CyberGhost is a well-known and popular VPN from Romania, which is particularly popular with first-time VPN users because of its intuitive usability. It leaves nothing to be desired regarding the scope of services.
CyberGhost has around 6,000 servers in 90 countries, where you can always find a suitable location for your purposes. Special servers are offered for streaming platforms (such as Cpasbien) and torrents, making it the best VPN for torrenting. The VPN is activated with one click. And its connection is stable and satisfactory in speed. A kill switch ensures that data will not leak if the VPN fails. The VPN is compatible with most common operating systems on the computer as a mobile app and browser add-on. In the settings, you can choose between the standard settings or advanced options for experienced VPN users.
Best Features of CyberGhost
VeePN is a pretty new VPN, but it can convince with a few plus points, including the already extensive server network, the low costs, and the encryption. When it comes to usability, this VPN doesn’t need to hide!
Like all reputable VPN providers, VeePN doesn’t have any logs or other data storage. Even if a server were confiscated, your data would be safe. The secure 256-bit encryption and the selection of solid VPN protocols contribute to this. A kill switch is also part of the equipment, as is a “stealth mode” with which you can bypass VPN blocks when you are in countries where access to certain content is subject to censorship. There are special servers for unlimited streaming. You can download torrents from all servers – the speed is convincing in all cases.
Best Features of VeePN
NordVPN often takes first place in VPN tests. The Panama-based VPN owes this to the many services that are offered at reasonable costs.
NordVPN is the best choice for you if you value security. Because the provider scores with its encryption technology and the protocols used, as well as the fact that you can use integrated ad blockers and malware protection at NordVPN. The vast network of more than 5,400 servers in 60 countries ensures a steady connection with excellent data transfer rates. When streaming, you can enjoy it without sacrificing speed with this best VPN for streaming. Separate servers for P2P and Tor browser ensure a convincing execution.
Best Features of NordVPN
Private Internet Access is a VPN from the US with around 2,600 servers. The VPN service can compete with NordVPN in many areas.
PIA allows you access to popular streaming platforms and enables you to bypass country blocks. The VPN offers unlimited bandwidth for unlimited media enjoyment and is compatible with most operating systems and browsers. Its mobile app for phone users makes it the best VPN for Android and iOS.
Best Features of PIA
Surfshark is also a reasonably new VPN, and it deserves attention simply because you are not subject to any connection restrictions with a subscription. This makes the provider the ideal VPN for the whole family!
Unlimited connections for all devices in your household or company – with Surfshark, you can enable your family or employees flat-rate access to the VPN. This best VPN for Firestick service is compatible with the most critical operating systems and Amazon Fire TV. The security is exemplary thanks to the built-in kill switch, ad-, and malware protection, without the speed suffering. This makes Surfshark ideal for streaming as well.
Best Features of SurfShark
The VPN is one of the “longest-serving” providers and is valued for its ease of use. Hide.me can be used in a free trial version with limited functions as your best VPN free option temporarily and as a premium VPN later on.
Hide.me combines an intuitive interface and powerful functionality. The connection is established with one click, numerous server locations can be selected manually, and the VPN tunnel proves to be stable in the test. In terms of speed, nothing is left to be desired. The security precautions with this VPN are excellent, so that the service effectively disguises its data. When streaming, on the other hand, the joy is not unclouded. Hide.me usually cannot access the offers on Netflix.
Best Features of Hide.me VPN
This VPN service is one of the best in 2021 due to the excellent coverage by over 1,400 servers in 75 countries that deliver more than satisfactory speeds.
The security at IPVanish is indeed impeccable. This is ensured by the kill switch, the encryption, and the selection of the protocols offered. Besides, you can use the advanced IP configuration to protect your IP in a particular way. SOCKS5 proxies are offered for P2P connections, which accelerate the torrent download. Additionally, one of the strong advantages of this VPN is the up to 10 connections at the same time. Streaming in HD is also convincing.
Best Features of IPVanish
With a VPN, you can hide or change your IP address so that your actual IP address won’t be shown. Instead, your VPN provider’s IP address appears. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) can’t track your online activities. The only one who knows your real IP is the VPN provider. Therefore, you must choose a provider who follows a strict no-log policy and, thus, doesn’t save the data and pass it on to third parties.
With a VPN, you can bypass country restrictions by logging into one of your VPN provider’s servers in a country of your choice. For example, if you want to watch Netflix or Hulu in the US, you need to connect there.
If you live in a country with government restrictions, you can bypass them with a VPN and access censored content. However, pay attention to whether a VPN is possibly illegal in the country you are located in. This is only the case in very few countries.
When shopping online, you can find cheaper offers using an IP from another country. For example, many retailers offer their goods in Euros and USD, depending on the country. Often the prices in USD are lower, and you can save on your purchases.
Other options include access to local business networks from abroad, hiding your Internet traffic from hackers, network administrators, ISP, or protecting yourself when using a torrent.
TOR uses an arbitrary sequence of relays and encrypts the network several times, but not all the data passing through. Unfortunately, this means that the ISP cannot see the user’s online activity, but the data traffic may be traceable to the egress node. Unfortunately, this technology also makes surfing with TOR very slow.
A proxy acts as a gateway between the user and the Internet. Before VPNs existed, it was the preferred method of hiding the IP address. However, the proxy service providers can display your IP address and thus offer little privacy protection. In addition, the number of available proxy servers is minimal, so the selection is relatively small.
You answer the question “which VPN is the best” by the demands you have. If you travel a lot, including restrictive countries, your VPN has to protect your privacy effectively in Germany, China, Russia, Turkey, or France. If you want to stream brand-new movies and TV shows before they show in the USA, it’s another case. Then you need the best VPN for Netflix and Co. at convincing speeds. Another consideration is the cost. If all of your family want to surf as low cost and securely as possible, budget VPNs or the best cheap VPN are particularly attractive for you. You can also consider whether the VPN access should be established via a PC and laptop only or a router such as the Fritzbox.
To pass the VPN test, a provider must be able to convince in various areas. This includes the following criteria:
Security: Does the VPN completely anonymize your data? Are no log files created? Is there a kill switch that switches off data transfers as soon as the connection to the VPN server is lost? Which strong VPN protocols, such as OpenVPN, can be used, and is the encryption convincing? Speed: The data transmission should be without delay. The best providers with a dense server network guarantee excellent transmission even when streaming. The VPN should, under no circumstances, slow you down. On the contrary, outstanding services can increase your connection speed even further. Streaming, torrents, geo-blocking: The best VPNs are those that open up a variety of streaming offers that allow torrenting (e.g., Pirate Bay) and also work in countries that strive for strict censorship of the Internet. Compatibility: The best VPN is compatible with all common platforms and can also be the best Android VPN app and the best VPN app for iOS on the mobile phone or tablet. The best VPN software runs on the most essential operating systems and a browser extension under Chrome or Firefox. You can find a suitable VPN by searching for the best VPN for Chrome, best VPN for iPhone, best VPN for Windows, or best VPN for Mac.Proxy and VPN may seem the same from the surface. However, in reality, they are two different things. The purpose of both these tools is to protect the user identity.
A proxy server acts as a bridge between the website an end-user is trying to visit and the device using it for browsing. The internet traffic passes through a virtual machine used to connect the end-user with a host server.
Using a proxy server, one can hide the IP address as a proxy server’s IP address is revealed. But, they won’t prevent browsing detail logging. Also, it works only on one application level. Traffic is also not encrypted.
A VPN, as quoted above, is a high-end tool that reroutes all the internet traffic to other servers and lets you hide the location and IP address. It may seem exactly like a proxy server.
But, it means more than this. It can encrypt the data, prevent logging the browsing details, and have advanced security features like auto kill switch, DNS leak, and the like. So, it is way better and advanced than a proxy server.
Practically speaking, we all need the best VPN if we are using the internet because it adds double security. However, its usage becomes necessary when someone is using a public internet connection, some who are traveling internationally and need to get access to the private network for another location, and when surpassing geo-restrictions on content, website, or some applications is the need of the hour. In addition, VPN is quite popular amongst journalists, activities, and whistleblowers who need to keep a low profile while browsing the internet.
Just like anything else, VPN apps also come with certain pros and cons. Pros are already made clear above. Speaking of its cons or limitations, we must say that one is bound to experience slow upload/download speed if the best VPN app is not used. The increased latency is also very common.
VPN service providers who belong to Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, or 14 Eyes countries are legally bound to hand over your crucial internet information if probed by the government. So, keep in mind that you don’t get the license to do anything without being watched. There is no such thing as total invisibility.
As you can see, all the VPN providers introduced a charge for their services if you want to use the full range of functions. You can test some of them, as all of them come with a money-back guarantee.
Of course, there are also free VPN providers, i.e., the ones claiming to be the best free VPN for Android. But if you consider the effort a reliable provider spends, it’s evident that a free VPN has to cover its costs in other ways. Therefore, it’s not surprising that even the best free VPNs by no means obscure their users’ data; on the contrary, they tap and sell the data traffic.
For example, the best free VPN for torrenting will not keep you secure during the process, while the best free VPN for PC might not have safe mobile & desktop VPN features.
You have to accept limitations in speed, server selection, and capped monthly data volume with free solutions.
For an outstanding VPN software, the service provided must be worthwhile. With a more extended subscription, the costs are usually acceptable. In return, you get security in Internet traffic, anonymity, and unlimited access to the content you want. So, instead of looking for the best free VPN for iPhone, look for a reliable one on your budget.
Our best VPN services for 2021 can convince everyone in terms of the scope of services. If you ask, “What is the best VPN” – there is no such thing as the best VPN solution because every provider has its unique selling points you can use to make your choice. Regardless of whether your focus is on streaming, torrenting, gaming, or generally the security of your computer, data, and privacy at home and when traveling, with all the VPNs presented, you get excellent performance at manageable costs – especially with long-term subscriptions.
Using a VPN is legal in the USA, but in some countries such as China, Iran, Russia, Iraq, Belarus, North Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela, it’s not. However, how you use it might be illegal in some countries, depending on what you do.
In the USA, for example, it’s illegal to offer or download free content without a license. Likewise, of course, it is illegal in all countries to use a VPN for criminal activities.