Best VPNs for 2024

NordVPN holds VPN Best Choice Editors’ Choice Award for best overall VPN. It’s a tight race between our top three choices, but NordVPN’s service excels when it comes to privacy and usability, making it the best of the best with an 8.8/10 rating. NordVPN’s connection speeds were the very fastest we tested, with a best-in-class 11.1% average internet download speed loss. It offers double VPN as well as Onion Over VPN for extra encryption and Meshnet for secure file sharing, alongside more standard features like split tunneling to let you decide which online activities need VPN protection and which don’t. Most people won’t need all of those features, but they’re a nice inclusion for power users. Overall, NordVPN offers a high-performing service with excellent features for power users.

Surfshark is a great choice for folks seeking good features on a budget. It offers connection speeds and features comparable to ExpressVPN and NordVPN at an annual rate that’s considerably cheaper ($42 for the first year or $59 total for the first two years, then $60 a year after the promotional period versus $90-100 regularly prices for ExpressVPN and NordVPN). Surfshark also offers support on unlimited devices, which makes it a great option for people with large families or just a lot of connected devices. There’s even an Apple TV app for easy streaming in the living room. It doesn’t quite match ExpressVPN’s commitment to privacy, which makes it less suited for people with critical privacy needs.

Besides NordVPN and Surfshark, PureVPN has been carving out its own niche in the VPN market for over a decade. To help you figure out if it’s the best fit for your business, we thoroughly tested PureVPN to make sure it was up to snuff. It has plenty going for it, thanks to its over 6,500 servers, solid business add-ons, such as Dedicated IP, and relatively affordable pricing.

A VPN app encrypts your data while you’re online. It sends the masked data to your ISP to establish a connection and get you online. The VPN then decrypts your data so it works wherever you’re sending it.

Think of it as a decoding ring. You write a message in code (encrypted by the VPN) and then send that message to someone (a website) who has the decoding ring (decrypted by the VPN). If someone intercepts that message (your checking account login information, for example), they’ll just see it as gibberish because they can’t crack the code.

The same goes for data sent back to you – the VPN encrypts it before sending it.

Without a VPN, when you connect to the internet, your device sends a request to your ISP or Wi-Fi network. The data traveling between you and your destination is unencrypted. This makes your information invisible to anyone who wants to see your online activity. Your IP could be traced, exposing your identity.

Using a VPN at home can protect your data from those who want to use it for targeted advertising. On your mobile device, a VPN can protect your login details and other data you send when you connect to public Wi-Fi. It’s especially useful for businesses that need to protect proprietary information. Here are some of the most common uses for VPNs:

1. Keep Your Data Private From Your ISP

Because of the relationship between you and your ISP, it can track your behavior online (such as the websites you visit, how long you browse, etc.). Depending on the terms of service and what you agree to, your ISP may even sell your personal data to advertisers. That being said, according to most Internet providers, the data you store is confidential.

In the United States, ISPs are required to keep 90 days of browsing history. If the government requests your internet history, the ISP must comply. In fact, in cases involving national security, the government doesn’t even need a warrant to access your internet data. With a warrant, local law enforcement could theoretically use your data to help convict a crime.

Even if you’re a law-abiding citizen, you don’t want your ISP to log every URL you visit. If you use a VPN, you can cover your tracks. At the very least, it can give you peace of mind.

2. Use Public Wi-Fi Safely With a VPN

Whether you’re waiting for your flight at the airport and checking your email, or reading the news on your phone at a local restaurant, you may want to use public Wi-Fi. It seems safe enough, right? Airports or businesses offer free internet connections, and they mean well.

The good news is that online browsing has become much safer in recent years, as most people have adopted HTTPS instead of HTTP. The “S” is a security protocol from Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates, which help protect the internet data you share with websites. This makes it safer for you to pay for products and services online, for example.

However, most public Wi-Fi connections are open and not password protected, so you could be at risk of having your connection intercepted by hackers roaming the Wi-Fi network.

You can connect to public Wi-Fi anonymously and remain hidden on the network if you log in to a VPN service first. A VPN hides your identity on an open internet connection and encrypts your active data, so you’ll be safe even if cybercriminals are on the same network.

3. Protect Your Personal Data From Businesses

Many retailers offer apps and free Wi-Fi for shoppers, which makes it hard not to use these services. First, if you download the retailer’s app, you may get exclusive coupons and deals, which is tempting. In addition, many physical stores block cell service because of the metal in the building.

Businesses offer these benefits for free or encourage users to use their apps and Wi-Fi in order to collect your data, which is very valuable to them. This is another good reason to use a VPN if you want to protect your personal data. Plus, you can still safely access your apps and use free Wi-Fi while shopping at a mall or store.

4. Protect Proprietary Info

Recently, many companies have adopted remote or hybrid work policies, which is convenient for many employees. However, there are security concerns about having remote workers log into company servers from home because you don’t know how secure the employee’s connection is. They may be working from home or a coffee shop. If the connection is intercepted, there is a concern that activity data could get from the employee to the hacker instead of the Wi-Fi the employee was trying to use.

Providing remote access and VPN to all employees will help ensure the security of company files and projects.

5. Access Blocked Content

Not only does a VPN protect your data, it also unlocks your access to media that you can’t access now. This is beneficial for a few different reasons.

Citizens of some countries with strict governments may not be able to access websites that hold opposing views to their politicians. A VPN can make it appear as if you are in a different location so that you can access websites or media that would otherwise be blocked. And your connection to a VPN can hide your actual location and IP, so your location can’t be determined.

Another benefit of using a VPN is that you can use it to find media that you wouldn’t be able to get to otherwise. For example, Netflix and Hulu offer different types of shows in each location. If you are in the United States, you may not be able to watch content that is available on Netflix in the UK. A VPN can make it appear as if you are in another country, unlocking exclusive content.

These are just a few examples of how a VPN can help protect you or help you access blocked information. There are many other reasons why everyone should use a VPN.

VPNs work by effectively routing your devices’ entire internet connection through a private server instead of directly through your internet service provider. Because your data is going through this “tunnel,” your personal information (like your personalized internet protocol, or IP, address) does not show up to third parties. In most cases, they will only see the information related to the VPN’s address.

Most VPNs are very easy to use these days. Once you’ve created an account with a provider, you can simply download the VPN app on your computer or smartphone. Once you’ve signed in with your account, you’ll usually be able to choose from a list of remote servers located around the world. Click on the server you want, and you’ll be automatically connected. Once you’ve confirmed you’re connected, you can use your device as you normally would, without the VPN. You can disconnect or change servers from the app’s home screen.