43% of Americans use VPNs – should you?

Research has found that nearly half of adults in the U.S. use, or have attempted to use, a VPN. A majority use VPNs to protect their IP addresses and usage is highest among Gen Z and millennials.

As cybersecurity threats have increased, many people have turned to the best VPNs as a way of safeguarding their online privacy. Accessing banned or restricted content and attempting to save money on services are popular uses. VPNs also act as a lifeline for those suffering from internet censorship and government restrictions.

Experts expect America's 43% figure to rise and VPN usage to become more important than ever. But what exactly are people using VPNs for and should you get in on the act too?

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2 in 5 adults are safeguarding their privacy online

A survey from CNET has found that 2 in 5 (43%) of American adults have used, or do use, VPNs.

Their motivations for using a VPN vary, but over half (52%) use one to protect their IP address and 47% want to keep their online activity private – masking your IP address and encrypting your internet traffic is a vital feature of the most secure VPNs.

The best streaming VPNs allow you to access content not available in your country and 15% of respondents said this was the primary reason for their VPN use. Playing or streaming video games was also the reason for VPN usage for 15% of Americans.

Using one of the best gaming VPNs may not have occurred to you but with one you can protect yourself from DDoS attacks and access easier lobbies – all without compromising speed.

The recent TikTok ban saw many Americans try to access the app via a VPN. This was ultimately unsuccessful, however 12% of people said they use VPNs for accessing banned apps.

VPNs can be used to save money as they help bypass high prices based on location or price surveillance, and 23% of Americans use a VPN for this reason. Saving money on streaming sports services (9%), streaming music services (8%), and travel (9%) were all listed as examples of uses.

Protection for all your devices

All the leading VPN providers offer a range of apps, for all devices. If you're one of the 51% who use a VPN on their phone, then make sure you're using one of the best iPhone VPNs or best Android VPNs. These apps are often very easy to use and don't affect the performance of your phone.

50% of people use a VPN on their computer or laptop. These versions of VPN apps often come with the widest range of features as they're not limited by a phone's size and performance. NordVPN tops both our best Mac VPN and best Windows VPN lists, but if you're looking for one of the best Linux VPNs, then Private Internet Access (PIA) might be more suitable.

Like 17% of those surveyed, you can protect your smart TV or streaming device with a VPN and the best Fire Stick VPNs and best Apple TV VPNs are great options. If you have a load of devices to protect then Surfshark boasts an unlimited connections policy – it's also the fastest VPN we've tested so great for TV and streaming.

There is also the option to protect your devices at source, with a router VPN. This is where you install a VPN directly onto your Wi-Fi router, allowing you to protect any device that connects to the internet. This is especially good for smart devices which may not have a native VPN available.

Installing a router VPN isn't the easiest, but ExpressVPN does offer its own Aircove router. It comes preloaded with ExpressVPN software, can be installed in a matter of minutes, and thanks to a new update, its speeds have doubled.

Who is using VPNs?

Interestingly, U.S. VPN usage does appear to be more popular with men. Half of men surveyed use one, compared to 36% of women. Gen Z and millennials are the largest adopters of VPNs, with 50% of each group using one.

The length of time individuals have used VPNs varies – 19% have used one for more than two years, 10% have used one for one to two years, and 15% have used one for less than a year.

VPNs work out cheaper per month for the longer plans. Two year plans tend to be the most common, but one year and three year plans can be found alongside monthly deals. Many leading VPNs come with 30-day (or more) money-back guarantees and you can also explore the best VPN free trials.

Why should you use a VPN?

While it's great that 43% of Americans are using VPNs, there is still 57% that isn't so sure. So if you're in this group, read on as we share some of the main reasons you should be using a VPN.

Online protection, wherever you are

VPNs route your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel, protecting you from hackers and third parties. Your IP address is masked and your browsing is hidden. Many VPNs have no and zero-logs policies, which mean they do not collect, store, or pass on your personal information.

This is perfect for connecting to public Wi-Fi networks and protecting yourself from any networks that may have been compromised by hackers. If you're travelling abroad, then a VPN allows you to connect to the internet as if you were at home, whilst also protecting your data in unfamiliar environments.

While you do have to pay for the best VPNs, free VPNs are also available. Don't fall victim to fake free VPNs and look for one of the best free VPNs. They won't come with a heap of extra features or a wide fleet of servers, but they do the basics well and are a great alternative if you want to get protected for free.

Super fast streaming

As mentioned earlier, streaming your favorite shows is a very popular VPN use. Has your comfort show left Netflix? Don't worry, simply connect to a VPN server in a country that still has access to it and you can carry on binging.

You can stream content on public transport, in hotels, or in cafes knowing your data is safely encrypted. What's more, your streaming won't suffer thanks to the super fast speeds of many VPNs.

Combat scams, malware, and phishing

Online scams and cyber attacks are becoming more sophisticated and VPNs are a useful defence against them. More premium VPN plans come with threat protection features such as NordVPN's Threat Protection Pro, ProtonVPN's NetShield, or Surfshark's Antivirus.

These features can flag any suspicious looking websites or messages, warning you they might be scams. Most also feature a form of ad-blocker or one of the best password managers – allowing you to secure your accounts with strong, unique passwords.

ExpressVPN's Identity Defender and NordVPN's NordProtect offer protection against identity theft and cybercrime. They both provide up to $1 million in cyber insurance as well as ID monitoring. Identity Defender includes a data removal service and NordProtect includes up to $100,000 of cyber extortion protection.

Bypass censorship

VPNs are a lifeline for people living with internet restrictions and censorship. 4.8 billion people were affected by internet censorship in 2024 and Venezuela, Pakistan, and Myanmar all saw attacks on VPNs.

We have a right to access a free and open internet and VPN providers all champion this message and will always take steps to protect the digital rights of their users.

Government overreach is increasing. Elon Musk's DOGE is facing a massive backlash for attempting to access the sensitive data of millions of Americans and in December 2024, Russia disrupted the internet in several regions in a rumoured test of its "sovereign internet" structure.

So, whether it's to protect your personal information, stream your favorite content, or access a free and open internet, a VPN can be super useful. You might want to give one a go.