Black Friday's not just for TVs – it's for VPNs too

Woman holding tablet looking at Black Friday deals
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Black Friday is here, and there's a host of great deals on all sorts of tech. Speakers, headphones, and TVs are Black Friday staples – but did you know VPNs are discounted as well?

Many of the best VPNs feature in our Black Friday VPN deals guide, and if you're looking to protect yourself online, stay safe from hackers, or unblock your favourite streaming content, this is the best time to find a bargain.

Why you might want a VPN

VPNs have a number of uses, and protecting your online privacy is the most important. When connected to a VPN, your internet traffic is passed through an encrypted tunnel, protecting it from hackers and third-party trackers. Your IP is changed so your browsing data can't be linked back to you, and your location can also be changed.

With a VPN, you can connect to servers across the world in a variety of countries and locations. This allows you to trick sites into thinking you're somewhere you're not, and this is what makes them very useful for accessing global streaming content.

All the top VPN providers can unblock services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer. This means you can still watch your favourite shows when you're abroad or get more for your money by unblocking streaming libraries not available in your country.

If you're someone who connects to a lot of free Wi-Fi – maybe in your local coffee shop or on train journeys – then a VPN is very useful. Whilst not every public hotspot is dangerous, hackers can impersonate them with the purpose of monitoring your activity and stealing your information. With a VPN, your data is encrypted and unreadable, even if intercepted by a hacker.

So, what's the best VPN for your needs? Below we'll list the best VPN deal overall this Black Friday, the best for streaming, the best for beginners, and the cheapest VPN deal this Black Friday.

The best Black Friday VPN deal

Surfshark | 2 years + 4 months FREE | $1.99 per month

Surfshark | 2 years + 4 months FREE | $1.99 per month

Save 87%: The best VPN deal this Black Friday comes from Surfshark and offers an unbeatable combination of performance and value. It's the fastest VPN we've tested, has a wide variety of servers, and offers unlimited device protection. $1.99 per month ($55.72 upfront) is an amazing price and you can see if it's right for you with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

The best overall VPN deal this Black Friday comes from Surfshark. The 2-year plan is a whopping 87% off, working out at just $1.99 per month.

Surfshark is one of the top-rated VPNs, sitting at number two in our overall VPN rankings, and it's also the best cheap VPN on the market. As well as being one of the cheapest, it's also the fastest VPN we've tested and boasts speeds of over 950 Mbps (if your base connection is fast enough).

It's easy to use, there's no shortage of features, and Surfshark offers protection for an unlimited number of devices. No matter how many devices you have in your home, Surfshark has you covered – all on one plan.

As well as this, Surfshark has great location coverage, with over 3,000 servers in over 100 countries. It offers cybersecurity protection with Alternative ID and Alternative Number, and more premium plans include the data removal service Incogni.

The best VPN for streaming

NordVPN | 2 years + 3 months FREE | $2.99 per month

NordVPN | 2 years + 3 months FREE | $2.99 per month

Save 74%: You can get our top-rated VPN for $2.99 per month ($80.73 upfront) this Black Friday. It offers loads of features and the best all round service. It's the best for streaming, boasts over 6,000 servers, and quality privacy credentials. With a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can try it out before committing.

If it's streaming you're after, then you'll want NordVPN. It's the best streaming VPN, as well as being the number one VPN overall.

NordVPN is 74% off this Black Friday, with the 2-year plan working out at $2.99 per month, and for that price, you get 3 extra months included for free.

NordVPN is super fast and unblocks all your favourite streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer. In our testing, it unblocked everything we put in front of it.

There are servers in 111 countries and over 6,000 servers worldwide, so you'll be covered in all major locations. There are apps for all major devices and you also get malware and phishing protection with Threat Protection Lite. On more premium plans this is upgraded to Threat Protection Pro and even cyber insurance.

The best VPN for beginners

The best VPN for beginners

ExpressVPN | 2 years + 6 months free | $4.99 per month

ExpressVPN | 2 years + 6 months free | $4.99 per month

Save 62%: This Black Friday is the first time ever ExpressVPN has been discounted. At $4.99 per month ($149.70 upfront) it isn't the cheapest, but you get a lot of bang for your buck. ExpressVPN has introduced a heap of new features, all available at no extra cost. It is the best VPN for beginners and you can try it out with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

If you're just taking your first steps into the world of VPNs, then you may be looking at the best beginner VPNs and it's ExpressVPN that's our top choice here.

ExpressVPN is offering a discount for the first time ever. This Black Friday ExpressVPN's 2-year plan is 62% off, working out at $4.99 per month.

It's not the cheapest product on this list, but ExpressVPN packs a punch and offers a huge array of features. The 2-year plan now includes Identity Defender, a tool which protects you from cybercrime through ID Alerts, ID Theft Insurance, and Data Removal.

It offers over 3,000 servers and excellent speeds, and has rock-solid privacy. The app and interface is really easy to use and set up, meaning if you're a beginner, you'll have no problem with ExpressVPN.

The cheapest Black Friday VPN deal

FastestVPN | Lifetime plan | $23 with code BFCM24

FastestVPN | Lifetime plan | $23 with code BFCM24

Save 93%: Pay once for a lifetime of protection with this FastestVPN deal. Using the code BFCM24 you can get FastestVPN's Lifetime plan for just $23. It's not the best product out there, but for the price, you get decent speeds, protection for 15 devices, and free year of a password manager. There are no risks here with a 31-day money-back guarantee.

If cost is the main driving factor for you this Black Friday, then FastestVPN could be the VPN for you.

You can save 93% on FastestVPN's Lifetime Plan, which is $23 all-in when you use the code BFCM24. Yes, you read that right – a lifetime plan for $23. Pay once and protect yourself online for a lifetime.

FastestVPN isn't the best product out there, but it offers a decent amount of protection and you can't argue with the price. You can protect up to 15 devices, and it's pretty quick, averaging speeds of 730 Mbps in our testing.

It doesn't offer as many servers as other providers, with 800, but has expanded its country coverage to over 100. The privacy levels are good and FastestVPN has had its no-logs policy independently audited, meaning none of your identifying information is stored.

Disclaimer

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

George Phillips
Staff Writer

George is a Staff Writer at Tom's Guide, covering VPN, privacy, and cybersecurity news. He is especially interested in digital rights, censorship, data, and the interplay between cybersecurity and politics. Outside of work, George is passionate about music, Star Wars, and Karate.