The best VPN service in 2025

The best VPN services can help you to stay private online, allow you to watch TV shows on sites like Netflix from around the world, and bring access to content that's blocked in your country. We review the top 30 VPN services twice a year, and those are the areas which we focus on most in our testing – along with speed and usability.

Right now, we consider NordVPN to be the best VPN overall – it ticks all of those boxes. However, bargain service Surfshark performs well, and is a great choice if you're looking to save money. Premium provider ExpressVPN is a little more expensive, but it's a good option for beginners with its simple apps and easy user experience.

This guide pulls together the results of our expert testing to bring you a ranked list of the best VPNs available. For more analysis, read our detailed reviews of every VPN provider we've featured.

The 3 best VPNs at a glance

1. NordVPN: our top choice as best VPN
NordVPN is the best combination of privacy, price, and ease of use. There are apps for tons of common devices, from Windows and Mac to smartphones and Fire Sticks, and they're all easy to use. Speeds are great. NordVPN unblocked every streaming site in our tests, and, at $3.39 per month on the 2-year plan ($81 all-in), it's good value. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee too, so you can try before you commit.

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2. Surfshark: our top cheap VPN choice
Surfshark is quite similar to NordVPN – in fact, it's owned by the same company – but it focuses more on value for money and simplicity than tons of features. It has a similar level of privacy and delivers great streaming performance. It's a bargain best VPN alternative at $2.19 per month on the 2-year plan ($59 all-in). Again, there's a 30-day refund period so you can make sure you like it.

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3. ExpressVPN: the simplest VPN available
If you're worried about VPNs being too complicated, ExpressVPN is the right choice for you. The apps are attractive and super simple, but still offer excellent privacy features and reliable streaming unblocking. It's a little more expensive at $4.99 per month on the 2-year plan ($139 all-in), but that also includes plenty of extras like a personal data removal tool and ID theft insurance. You'll get a 30-day money-back guarantee here, too.

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The 5 best VPNs overall

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What we like:

NordVPN covers all the bases and has excellent privacy credentials. The no-logs policy was recently audited for the fifth time, which confirms that NordVPN does not collect any of your activity. NordVPN uses industry-standard encryption that is effectively unbreakable. That means that no one can see what you're doing online – not even the government or your internet provider.

NordVPN is good value considering the amount of features you get. Longer plans work out much cheaper. The cheapest is the 2-year plan which costs $3.39 per month ($81 all-in). That's a little more expensive than Surfshark – the best choice if you're on a strict budget – but cheaper than arch-rival ExpressVPN.

Day-to-day, you'll notice that NordVPN is very fast. We test on a 1 Gbps connection, and NordVPN almost maxed it out at 950+ Mbps. Considering 4K Netflix only needs 25 Mbps to run smoothly, you won't be left buffering. This goes hand in hand with NordVPN's class-leading streaming power. In our VPN testing, it accessed every global Netflix library – making it the best VPN for Netflix – as well as Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and regional services like BBC iPlayer.

What could improve:

There's not a lot to complain about here, but if you're not techy at all and want the simplest experience possible, NordVPN's plethora of features might put you off. If you just want to see an on/off button, choose ExpressVPN instead.

Our only real gripe with NordVPN is the massive price hike you'll see after your initial subscription runs out. If you allow your subscription to auto-renew, your 2-year plan that you paid $81 for will turn into a 1-year rolling plan that costs $139. That works out at about $11.60 per month. Our advice? Don't let that happen. Cancel, and resubscribe at a reasonable rate.

🔒 Read our in-depth NordVPN review for all the details.

Buy NordVPN if:

✅ You want lots of extra features. Alongside the core VPN, NordVPN offers malware protection with Threat Protection Pro, Meshnet, a dark web monitor, and more.

✅ You love streaming. NordVPN unblocked every streaming site we tested it with – and it keeps you safe while you watch.

✅ You want the best of the best. From our testing, NordVPN is the most well-rounded VPN available. You can't do better than that.

Don't buy NordVPN if:

❌ You're on a shoestring budget. There are a few cheaper VPNs that give NordVPN a good run for its money – Surfshark and Private Internet Access are two cheap standouts.

❌ You're a technophobe. NordVPN isn't too difficult to use, but ExpressVPN is a better choice if you want a simpler alternative.

What we like:

Surfshark is the best cheap VPN – and unlike some other bargain providers, few sacrifices have been made. Pricing starts at $2.19 per month ($59 all-in), which is significantly cheaper than NordVPN ($3.39 per month) and ExpressVPN ($4.99 per month). It's a quality VPN at surprisingly low price.

Surfshark is owned by Nord Security, the parent company of NordVPN, so you can trust that it follows the same high standards when it comes to privacy. Everything was in order in our testing. Its privacy policies are fully audited.

On higher price plans you get extras like antivirus, Alternative ID, Alternative Number, and a personal data removal tool with Incogni, but it's speed and streaming that are the real name of Surfshark's game.

Surfshark was the fastest VPN overall in our last round of testing, and, although it can fluctuate, Surfshark is never sluggish. It's speedy even when using the older OpenVPN protocol. So whatever you need, you won't be held up.

In terms of streaming, Surfshark is on a par with NordVPN. In other words, you won't have trouble watching whatever you want, wherever you are.

What could improve:

Just as with NordVPN, Surfshark's prices skyrocket if you allow it to auto-renew. It jumps to $79 for 1 year, to be exact, which works out at about $6.60 per month. We dislike this practise, but almost every VPN does it. Don't let it happen to you.

If you're an expert, you may want a more customizable VPN like Private Internet Access or Proton VPN. Surfshark is aimed towards more casual users, which makes it easy to use, but a little simplistic for power users.

🔒 Read our in-depth Surfshark review for all the details.

Buy Surfshark if:

✅ You love a bargain. Surfshark offers the best value of any VPN service we've reviewed.

✅ You have very fast internet. As the fastest provider in our last round of speed testing, Surfshark will protect you without slowing you down.

✅ You're a big streamer. Just like NordVPN, Surfshark performed a clean sweep in our last round of streaming tests.

Don't buy Surfshark if:

❌ You're an advanced user. A focus on being beginner-friendly means Surfshark has left out some more technical settings.

❌ You want to rely on the built-in malware blocking tech. Surfshark's CleanWeb tool just isn't as effective as NordVPN's Threat Protection or ExpressVPN's Threat Manager.

What we like:

ExpressVPN is well known for being at the forefront of VPN privacy. It was one of the first providers to introduce post-quantum encryption, and it has even built its own protocol, Lightway, to address the flaws in existing options. The apps have all the essential features like a kill switch and split tunneling. They've been audited many times and, in general, they feel very well-built.

ExpressVPN is fast – although not quite as fast as Surfshark – and it's great for streaming, too. However, ExpressVPN's real trump card is the fact it combines all of this in the simplest possible way. Open the app, and you'll just see an on-off button. That's it. For most people, that's all that's necessary, and tucking the extras away brings a clarity to the experience.

Speaking of which, it has extras in spades. While most competitors offer tiers of subscription and put a price on every extra tool, ExpressVPN gives you almost everything right away. Identity Defender is included, which comprises personal data removal, ID theft insurance and a credit scanner. You'll also get a password manager and an ad and malware blocker. It's a real one-stop shop for online privacy.

What could improve:

All of those extras come at a price. Although ExpressVPN has recently dropped its prices slightly to $4.99 per month ($139 all-in), it's still on the pricier side. If you'll use everything that comes with it, it's far better value than NordVPN, but if you just want the VPN and nothing else, there are cheaper options.

Just like Surfshark, ExpressVPN focuses on simplicity. This means there's not a huge amount of changes you can make to how the VPN works. Don't expect many techy extras like port forwarding.

🔒 Read our in-depth ExpressVPN review for the details.

Buy ExpressVPN if:

✅ You'll use all the bonus features. ExpressVPN comes bundled with a password manager, an ad, tracker and malware blocker, personal data leak monitoring, ID theft insurance, and data broker removal.

✅ You're looking for the simplest VPN. ExpressVPN makes staying protected online incredibly easy.

✅ You want cutting-edge privacy. ExpressVPN is consistently one of the first VPNs to address the "next big thing" in privacy.

Don't buy ExpressVPN if:

❌ You just want a VPN. ExpressVPN's plethora of extras justifies its price, but if you won't use them, you're spending over the odds.

❌ You love to tinker. Just like Surfshark, ExpressVPN doesn't afford many customization options.

What we like:

Proton VPN is a well-known and largely trusted VPN, and part of a wider suite of privacy-focused products from Switzerland-based company Proton. Its stablemates include Proton Mail, Proton Pass, Proton Drive, and Proton Calendar. Overall, it's a capable VPN, and those who prioritze privacy will appreciate unique features like Secure Core and Alternative Routing – the latter of which is designed to evade censorship in repressive countries.

For more casual users, Proton VPN is also excellent for streaming. It unblocked everything we tried in our testing. It's also quick. It delivers speeds equal to NordVPN and Surfshark when using the nearest server.

The biggest draw of Proton VPN is the aforementioned ecosystem of related products – and these are available at a discount if you subscribe to the "Unlimited" plan. This comes in at $9.99 per month on the 2-year plan ($240 all-in), and is a hefty saving compared to the VPN-only price of $4.99 per month. Tom's Guide readers can get an extra discount on the VPN, bringing this down to $3.59 per month ($86 all-in).

What could improve:

In a vacuum, Proton VPN is a very good product, but for most people there isn't much that makes it a better choice than the competition further up this page. Speeds are good, but on long-distance connections it's not as fast as NordVPN or Surfshark. Streaming is much the same – it's capable, but no better than cheaper alternatives.

It's also notable that while many top-tier providers are often adding new features, Proton VPN hasn't updated what it offers for a considerable amount of time. It could be argued that it has all it needs, but there's no denying other VPNs offer more for less.

🔒 Read our in-depth Proton VPN review for the details.

Buy Proton VPN if:

✅ You live in a country with strict censorship. Proton VPN has made a name for itself as an advocate for a free internet for all, and is very effective at evading censorship measures.

✅ You use other Proton products. Unsurprisingly, Proton VPN integrates well with all the other Proton apps.

✅ You value privacy over everything. Proton VPN's unique privacy features like Secure Core are great if you're looking to stay as private as possible.

Don't buy Proton VPN if:

❌ You like shiny new features. Proton VPN isn't underpowered by any means, but it rarely gets new toys for you to play with.

❌ You're looking for a bargain. Proton VPN is priced similarly to ExpressVPN, making it one of the more expensive options on this page (although Tom's Guide readers do get a discount).

What we like

Private Internet Access is unashamedly made for the the more experienced VPN user. Compared to the other four providers here, PIA offers far more customization, with port forwarding, custom MTU, custom DNS, adjustable encryption, connection automation and tons more. If none of that made sense, it's likely PIA isn't the right VPN for you – but if it did, it's the only top-quality VPN that offers this depth of experience.

Streaming is also a strong point – it unblocked every side we tested it with – and we rate it as the best torrenting VPN thanks to the host of features mentioned above. The apps, while somewhat complex, are fairly accessible. There's dedicated PIA software for most common devices.

Surprisingly, PIA is also very cheap, coming in at $2.19 per month ($57 all-in), which is remarkable considering how much you get. Even better is the fact that your plan will auto-renew at a similar price. So, there's no need to worry about getting caught out.

What could improve:

It's clear that PIA won't suit most people. It's simply too technical. While the apps do a fine job of making it usable, they're nowhere near as polished as NordVPN or ExpressVPN. The extra features are likely to intimidate less experienced people, and there are much better choices for them further up this page.

Connection speeds aren't too impressive, either. While every other VPN on this page hit at least 900 Mbps in our testing, PIA maxed out at 436 Mbps. That's still much faster than most people's base internet connection, but if you pay for gigabit Wi-Fi, PIA won't be able to keep up.

🔒 Read our in-depth Private Internet Access review for the details.

Buy PIA if:

✅ You know what you're doing. Private Internet Access has the most customizable features of any VPN featured here.

✅ You torrent often. Features like port forwarding allow you to tailor your torrenting experience.

✅ You want to automate your VPN. PIA allows you to set up automation rules, meaning it turns on whenever you open a certain app.

Don't buy PIA if:

❌ You want a simple VPN. Customization comes at a cost, and PIA is more complex than many other VPNs.

❌ You have superfast internet. PIA can't keep up in terms of connection speeds compared to the other VPNs on this page.

Which VPNs are best for privacy?

1. NordVPN – the best all-round privacy package
2. Proton VPN – advanced features for those at risk
3. ExpressVPN – excellent privacy that's easy to use

Read more in our guide to the most private VPNs.

When we review VPNs, most of our time is spent testing their privacy. Selecting the most private VPN from the providers on this page is tricky, because we would never recommend a VPN that doesn't offer excellent protection. That said, there are a few standouts.

NordVPN has a good history of protecting its users. The only black mark is a server hack way back in 2018. However, no user data was compromised, and, if anything, this set NordVPN on the path to never having something similar happen again.

Almost every app and part of its infrastructure has been audited and verified by an independent third party, and the encryption used is top-class. It has also introduced quantum encryption – learn more in our quantum encryption explainer – and the censorship-busting NordWhisper protocol.

Proton VPN is also strong in this area, and has a number of unique privacy tools. The Secure Core system is the most interesting. Proton runs ultra-secure servers in three locations: Iceland, Switzerland, and Sweden. When using Secure Core, you'll head through one of these first before connecting to the server location of your choice. This ensures that, even if the end server is compromised – unlikely, but possible – your real IP address will only be seen by the Secure Core server.

Finally, ExpressVPN may be pricey, but that money is invested back into the product. Although it has a lower server count of around 3,000, every one of these servers is of high quality, and objectively better than several lower-quality servers. It has also undertaken the most external audits of any VPN we've tested, with glowing results in each.

Which VPNs are best for streaming?

1. NordVPN – the best streaming VPN overall
2. Surfshark – the best cheap streaming VPN
3. ExpressVPN – the simplest streaming VPN

Read more in our guide to the best VPNs for streaming.

In our streaming VPN testing, every VPN on this page was able to unblock every streaming service we tested. However, there's a little nuance to these results.

In a couple of tests, Netflix detected that we were using ExpressVPN. This meant we couldn't stream what we wanted, and had to switch server. So, although ExpressVPN is still capable of unblocking the same sites, NordVPN and Surfshark are slightly more reliable.

However, we'd still recommend ExpressVPN over Private Internet Access and Proton VPN. This is down to the fact PIA can't match the speeds of ExpressVPN, NordVPN and Surfshark, and Proton VPN simply hasn't got the same history of prioritizing streaming. In Proton VPN's case, this rating may well change if we see these excellent streaming results maintained over the next year or so.

Which VPNs are best for avoiding censorship?

1. Proton VPN – a long history of protecting again censorship
2. Astrill VPN – tailor-made for unblocking the web in China
3. ExpressVPN – a top all-purpose option for accessing the free web

Read more in our guides to the best China VPNs and the most secure VPNs.

Testing out how effective VPNs are at avoiding censorship can be difficult, because Tom's Guide does not have offices in any countries that regularly limit what its citizens can access. However, from discussion with contacts around the world, and an understanding of how censorship works, we can give useful advice.

ExpressVPN and Proton VPN are considered to be the most effective of the "big" VPNs for getting around government restrictions. This is due to the fact that they have both invested heavily in anti-VPN-blocking technology. ExpressVPN's Lightway protocol has been built to always be obfuscated, and Proton VPN's Stealth protocol is similarly tailor-made to avoid being blocked.

Proton VPN arguably has the edge here, though, thanks to its free VPN plan. This allows anyone to download and get protected without paying anything, and although it's restricted, it's a great tool. It also provides data for Proton's VPN Observatory, which can act as a bellwether for societal change and incoming censorship around the world.

However, in some countries – notably China – mainstream VPNs sometimes aren't enough. If you find this to be the case, Astrill VPN is a well-respected service that sees a lot of use for getting around the Great Firewall. We don't generally recommend it as a good all-purpose choice because it's expensive and poor for streaming. But, in our Astrill VPN review, we found it perfectly usable. It's one of the best VPNs for China.

Which VPN is the fastest?

1. Surfshark – the fastest VPN we've tested
2. Proton VPN – great WireGuard and OpenVPN speeds
3. NordVPN – has been reliably fast for many years

Read more in our guide to the fastest VPN services.

Testing the speed of VPNs is a tricky business, and will always be a snapshot in time rather than a to-the-second measurement. However, our VPN speed testing is comprehensive, and we regularly test each provider to make sure we're not recommending a VPN thanks to an outlying result.

We test on a 1 Gbps line (1,000 Mbps). For reference, Speedtest.net reports that the average broadband connection in the US is around 274 Mbps, and the average US mobile internet connection is around 164 Mbps.

All the providers on this page delivered peaks above this – and bearing in mind only 25 Mbps is required to stream 4K Netflix, none will slow you down much at all. However, if you pay for a very fast connection, you may notice a decrease in speeds if you use Private Internet Access.

Which VPNs are best for gaming?

1. NordVPN – class-leading privacy and great speeds
2. Surfshark – super-fast, with reliable connections
3. ExpressVPN – quick and easy to get up and running

Read more in our guide to the best VPNs for gaming.

Gaming VPNs have to be well-rounded – speed is essential, but so is absolute reliability and good privacy to protect against DDoS attacks.

Because of this, our recommendations are much the same as our overall ranking on this page – NordVPN is the gold standard, Surfshark is a great cheap alternative, and ExpressVPN is the best no-fuss option.

What is a VPN?

For the full explanation, check out our full what is a VPN article. We'll give you the short version here.

A VPN encrypts your internet traffic before it leaves your device, and routes it through one of its own servers before sending it on to the website you're visiting. This is called a "tunnel," and stops anyone from seeing what you're doing or where you're going.

A neat analogy is a secret tunnel between you and a shop. Instead of leaving your house and driving to the shop in plain view, you can travel through the tunnel without anyone seeing what you're doing.

By routing you through one of its own servers, using a VPN also changes your IP address to one of its own. Your IP address is one of key things that identify you online, and by changing it your activity cannot be linked to your physical location. This – along with changing your DNS – is how VPNs can make you appear to be in a different country.

Encryption (making your information unreadable to anyone looking in) and changing your IP address (masking your real location) are the two core parts of how a VPN protects you online, and helps break the link between your true identity and your online activity.

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Why do you need a VPN?

There are a huge number of VPN uses and, if you're on this page, you've probably got a reason in mind.

VPNs are not a silver bullet for staying private online – there are many ways your activity can be linked back to you without having your real IP address – but they are the best starting point.

They're essential if you ever download from torrents – everyone downloading the same torrent as you can see your IP address. They also offer peace of mind when making private searches you'd rather your internet provider didn't see.

It's not all about privacy, though. VPNs can allow you to access websites that are blocked in certain countries, stream more content with your Netflix subscription, and even stop your internet provider slowing down your connection if you're using too much bandwidth.

Of course, not everyone will need a VPN. Many people aren't that concerned about online privacy, and don't feel the need to watch everything they possibly can online. However, it's estimated that over 1.6 billion people regularly use a VPN, so it's fairly likely that, at some point, you may want one too.

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How to choose the right VPN

Choosing the right VPN for you is very important – if you don't like your VPN, you're less likely to actually use it when you need it.

Honestly evaluate your technical experience and interest in the techy side of VPNs. If your answer to both of those is "high," a provider that offers lots of customization like Private Internet Access is good choice. If not, you'll almost certainly benefit from something a little simpler.

Then, consider what you need from your VPN. If you need access to a particular country, make sure the VPNs on your shortlist have at least one server there.

Budget is always important, so weigh up how much you're willing to spend and what you get in each VPN's overall package. Some providers cost more but give you tons of tools – like ExpressVPN – while others have a lower starting price but require you to pay extra for additional features – like NordVPN.

If you're getting a VPN to access more streaming content, make sure that your choice has been fully tested with the services you watch, and can reliably access them. All the providers on this page came through with full marks in this respect. Although we can't test every streaming service with every VPN, success with other streaming services generally indicates reliability across the board.

If privacy is your primary concern, ensure that your VPN of choice offers all the features you need on the devices you use. Some VPNs don't offer every feature on every platform. Independent audits aren't a guarantee on quality, but they do go a long way in building trust. Find these audits and read them.

For most general users, one of NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN will do the job perfectly – but make sure the one you pick has all the features you need.

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How we test the best VPN services

We have a full explainer on how we test VPNs, but, in short, it goes something like this.

Firstly, we test the sign-up process. How easy is it to pay, and what options are there? From there, we install the VPN on a number of devices, make notes on the simplicity of the process, and whether there are any extra steps that introduce complexity.

Then comes the fun part. We use all the features, running tests to detect any problems like DNS leaks or faulty kill switches. We'll dive into the code if it's available, and see if there are any anomalies we think you might be interested in reading about.

We test the speed – 120 individual tests, daytime and evening – and connect to various servers to get a good idea of how robust the server network is, and what speeds you can expect to get in normal usage.

Streaming comes next. We test a wide range of global and regional streaming services to see how well each VPN can unblock content.

Customer support is also very important. So, if we have any queries along the way, we'll follow the avenues provided to see how well-prepared the support team is. This includes live chat, email, and ticketed systems.

Once we've done all of this, we'll have a good feel for the apps and will have found out if there are any usability quirks, or unique features that we really like.

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The legalities of using a VPN

In most countries, using a VPN is perfectly legal – although in North Korea, Belarus, Oman, Iraq, and Turkmenistan, VPN use is criminalized.

However, using a VPN does not make illegal activity legal. Using a VPN to download copyrighted content, access illicit material, or evade detection for any other crime is still a crime. If you are found out, you will be prosecuted in the same way as anyone else.

It goes without saying that we in no way condone using a VPN to break the law.

However, any attempt to restrict VPN use by implying a desire for privacy equates to illegal activity should be decried as the abuse of power it is. Personal privacy is a human right, and we believe this extends to our online lives.

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The limitations of VPNs

As we mentioned before, VPNs are not a silver bullet. Despite being a great starting point for protecting your online privacy, they cannot entirely protect you from every privacy violation online.

For example, cookies collect data about what you search for and what sites you visit, and are stored directly on your device. This means that even if you change your IP address with a VPN, the cookie can still collect information about what you do, and share it with its partners. This is one reason why platforms like Facebook and Instagram can target you with uncannily accurate ads.

On the topic of social media, VPNs can't stop you from inadvertently giving away information to the public. Public profiles can be seen by anyone, and if you choose to share sensitive information on yours, it's there for the world to see.

In short, VPNs work best when paired with an active approach to privacy and a generous helping of common sense.

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The experts that test VPNs at Tom's Guide

Mo Harber-Lamond

Mo has written about VPNs for Tom's Guide, day-in, day-out, for five years. He's an expert when it comes to what makes a VPN truly usable, and loves it when a VPN makes staying safe online as easy as possible. He is also a contributor to TechRadar, T3, and What Hi-Fi?.

Anthony Spadafora

Anthony Spadafora is the Senior Security and Networking Editor at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and malware to password managers. He also undertakes VPN testing for Tom's Guide and TechRadar, which includes running all of our US-based speed tests.