The best VPNs in security and privacy protection
The best VPNs are increasingly present products on the computers of people around the world.
And although we are now trying to return to some “normalcy” after the Covid-19 pandemic, the world has changed, and remote working, smart working, and agile working seem to be increasingly part of this renewed normalcy.
But then, why choose one of the best VPNs? More importantly, what is a VPN? And do I need to have one? This guide tries to answer these questions best, starting with the definition.
VPNs, from the English “virtual private network,” are the most popular services for surfing online anonymously, defending one’s data through encryption, and changing one’s IP address so that a device appears in a different geographical area than where it is.
Consequently, by choosing one of the best VPNs, you can expand the possibilities of using your laptops, PCs, and mobile devices, not to mention consoles and media HUBs.
However, choosing one of the best VPNs on the market can be complicated among the many offerings and brands available. Let’s shed some light on the best solutions based on your needs and budget.
One of the main reasons a VPN is used today is to protect privacy. Secure connections guaranteed by encryption protect against hacker attacks, an increasingly valuable feature considering the growing number of people working or studying remotely. Other users, however, use VPNs to use torrent programs safely without revealing their IP addresses. Or to avoid interference by government authorities in some countries.
Because the best VPNs allow an IP address to appear different from the real one, their use is much more extensive and flexible. For example, if you are in places with heavy censorship on certain apps or websites, VPNs will allow you to use the Internet, circumventing any censorship. These services, for example, can come in very handy for those who watch streaming video content by allowing access to versions of platforms such as Netflix from other countries. And this is just a quick overview of what these services can do.
In this article, we want to show you the list of the best VPNs available on the market. After that, we will give you many tips and suggestions on how to use these kinds of services.
The best VPNs of 2022
- NordVPN – the best VPN
Probably the most recognizable name in the VPN industry, with ten years of experience behind it, NordVPN has a particular reputation, which it fully confirms. It excels in all the essential aspects and deserves the top list.
Servers, connections, and apps: Nord surpasses, for example, ExpressVPN in the number of servers, which comes to more than 5,000 (in 60 countries), with an additional six machines connecting simultaneously.
Security and privacy: the levels of protection offered by NordVPN are impressive. First of all, we have AES-256 encryption as standard, plus it is possible to turn on Double VPN to double the cryptographic encryption of Internet traffic. This is extremely useful if achieving complete anonymity is your primary goal when connecting from public Wi-Fi or downloading torrents.
We also admire Nord’s dedication to leaving behind the old breach stores. Now, the company relies on PricewaterhouseCoopers annually for security and privacy audits.
Performance: the provider’s custom NordLynx protocol is one of the most exciting aspects of the company’s last year. It has helped make Nord’s connection speeds among the highest and most reliable on the market, even from quite distant servers.
Usability: NordVPN is super easy to set up and use. However, we are sorry not to see destination cities in alphabetical order or the ability to search for specific features in the menus. These are minor flaws and probably relate more to personal taste than anything else. We would like to see these improvements, especially in the mobile apps, which are still very good.
Streaming: NordVPN has always been one of the best VPNs for accessing geographically restricted streaming apps and services, including WhatsApp, YouTube, Disney+, HBO Max, BBC iPlayer, and more. After a few months of uncertainty, Netflix is also back among the unblockable services.
- ExpressVPN
A VPN that excels in speed, privacy, and overcoming territorial blocks
ExpressVPN has been at the top of our list of best VPNs for some time now, and there is nothing to suggest that anything will change any time soon.
ExpressVPN has long been in our top 3 for pretty obvious reasons. It shines with connection speeds, choice of servers, and super-high security, not to mention effective unblocking of streaming services and a steady stream of innovation, features, and extra content.
Servers, connections, and apps: ExpressVPN offers more than 3,000 servers in 160 destinations and 94 countries. Most users will find the five simultaneous connections provided more than sufficient (although other services do better), not to mention the excellent apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux (as well as dedicated extensions for Chrome and Firefox). In addition, the service is very user-friendly on various devices, such as Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, smart TV, PlayStation, and Xbox.
Security and privacy: in addition to industry-standard encryption and DNS with 256-bit encryption, ExpressVPN offers the open-source Lightway protocol on all apps, with even better speed and reliability than before. Alternatively, you can always choose OpenVPN, although support for IKEv2 and L2TP/IPsec has been dropped.
Usability: net of numbers and specifications, it is in the real world that ExpressVPN really stands out. First, we love its extreme ease of use. It might seem obvious, but not all VPN providers strive to make their tools intuitive, regardless of the device in use. From desktop and mobile to TV streaming devices and browser extensions, ExpressVPN always remains super easy to set up and use for both experienced and novice users.
Performance: ExpressVPN is very fast, with excellent connections across various servers and countries. This is also true for the default OpenVPN protocol, as we have seen in tests, sometimes even with higher speeds thanks to the Lightway option we mentioned a few lines above, with peaks of 630 Mbps, a figure more than enough for most people.
Streaming: for many interested in VPNs, a crucial aspect is an ability to unblock geolocated services, including streaming services. We tested with Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+: ExpressVPN unblocked all services without any problem, even unblocking Netflix, which has long been giving VPNs a run their money.
- Surfshark
One of the best value-for-money VPNs
Surfshark succeeds in attracting attention because of a rather aggressive and competitive pricing policy, as well as a steadily growing service, both in terms of service, performance, and functionality. So, Surfshark manages to make itself well-liked not only for the affordability of the plans but also for a product of substance.
Servers, connections, and apps: Net of the competitive pricing, one of the most attractive factors of Surfshark is the offer of unlimited connections with a single subscription. So, you can use the VPN on various devices, such as Windows, Mac, and Linux computers, tablets, Android and iOS smartphones, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and more. All this, with the possibility of sharing the account with friends and family.
Security and privacy: speaking of protecting users and identities online, Surfshark is serious. And now, it has added the new WireGuard protocol to its other connectivity options, which include OpenVPN and IKEv2. In addition, Surfshark boasts private DNS and an extra layer of security with double VPN hops. However, there are still some strange problems with the kill switch-nothing irreparable, but we do not reach the levels of perfection of the two top services.
Performance: in the past, Surfshark’s speeds were not screaming for a miracle, but the provider has put a lot of effort into this front, and now speeds in WireGuard go as high as 790 Mbps. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same about OpenVPN. With only 150 Mbps speeds, we lag behind the competition.
Usability: By accessing the official site for the first time, Surfshark’s joyful and relaxed style tells us a lot about the company, which wanted to focus a lot on the accessibility and ease of use of its application.
So if you tend to be easily discouraged by complicated menus and myriad options, you will be pleased to know that Surfshark, just like ExpressVPN, may be the perfect VPN. The interface is basic and uncomplicated. You will see options for quick connection and viewing all locations, with an icon for settings. Nothing else. It’s up to you to decide whether this (all too) basic setting is really for you.
Streaming: even in unblocking geolocated content, Surfshark is showing its teeth, so much so that it allows access to Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, etc., effortlessly. In recent weeks, Surfshark has reached Nord’s level of effectiveness in unblocking various international Netflix catalogs, including the US.
- Private Internet Access
An excellent VPN in all respects at a good price
Choosing a VPN based on price alone may not be ideal, especially since cheaper services make several compromises to stay within budget. However, Private Internet Access (PIA for short) is a rare exception. It sometimes offers really attractive prices, but without having to scale back a premium, feature-rich service.
Servers, connections, and apps: PIA is more than satisfactory in the networking arena, with 10 thousand high-speed servers, well distributed among 84 countries. Platform support is more basic (Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux), but the Chrome extension shines its light with cookie blocking and other great privacy tools. Regardless of your platform, the generous 10-device limit allows you to connect multiple devices to PIA simultaneously.
Security and privacy: PIA protects your privacy through its high-security OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols, while the MACE feature best counteracts advertisements, trackers, and malware. The company has also made its apps open source, allowing anyone interested to verify the code and confirm its use as promised.
The Android app has been certified by the most Alliance, confirming its compliance with industry best practices. At present, no broader audit has been performed on the service, but it appears that this will change soon…
Performance: in our experience, speed is PIA’s weak point, averaging 320 Mbps download, less than half that of the top 3 brands. While this could be a problem in gaming, in downloads, and with apps that rely mostly on speed for browsing and streaming, PIA is more than sufficient. However, one must be realistic.
Usability: the PIA apps offer many functions, but the interface may look a bit chaotic. Fortunately, you can configure it to highlight your favorite functions (something quite unusual) and hide everything else. PIA, therefore, pleases a little bit of everyone: experts will have more control over configurations, but for anyone who wants more simplicity, you can always reduce everything to the connect button and a little more.
Streaming: PIA is not exactly the market leader in terms of unblocking streaming content, yet it achieves its goals in most cases. Indeed, the service accesses Netflix USA (but not many other international catalogs), Amazon Prime Video, and Disney Plus. Unfortunately, however, it cannot overcome the defenses of BBC iPlayer.
- ProtonVPN
A functional VPN with a great free version to try out
Today, the best VPNs don’t just offer excellent service; they are constantly working to improve features and introduce new ones. This is the perfect description of Proton VPN, which has made great strides in all areas: network, apps, streaming scores, performance, support, and more.
Servers, connections, and apps: the Proton VPN network has expanded considerably in recent years, from a few hundred servers in 14 countries to more than 1,750 machines in 63 countries. Servers are accessed through various apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, Android TV, and Chromebooks. The limit of 10 devices is also quite generous, allowing you to connect all your hardware simultaneously.
Security and privacy: trust is at the heart of choosing a provider, and Proton VPN does more than promise you privacy protection. In fact, you can pay anonymously via Bitcoin. Proton VPN’s apps are open source so that anyone can analyze the code, plus the company has submitted to independent audits.
Security and privacy features start with robust encryption and the best protocols (WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2). Through MultiHop VPN technology, traffic passes through several VPN servers for added security, while the extraordinarily effective and well-established kill switch protects your identity in case the VPN connection drops.
Performance: Proton VPN is constantly working to optimize performance through support for the fast WireGuard protocol, with speed not at extreme levels but enough to satisfy most users. In addition, OpenVPN guarantees above-average speeds of up to 440 Mbps.
Usability: the Proton VPN apps show location on a well-designed map, where you can move around, zoom in, and click or tap on a destination to connect. The list of places could be better organized, while many features might confuse newbies; in any case, one settles in easily within a few minutes.
Streaming: Proton VPN focuses on privacy, but it remembers entertainment. In our recent tests, we could enjoy the Netflix catalogs of the US, UK, Australia, and Canada, and we unblocked Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, and even BBC iPlayer without any problems. Of course, all the streaming part is left exclusively to the paid Plus plan.