The Best VPNs for Linux 2024

Linux users may have a hard time finding a virtual private network (VPN) that's compatible with Linux operating systems while meeting their needs for privacy, security, and fast speeds. We recognized this demand, so we decided to show Linux users some love by testing several VPN services and found NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN to be our top three contenders. Here’s a bonus: they all offer a GUI.

We’ll go into detail about why NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN made it as the best VPNs for Linux, as well as share our answers to commonly asked questions about VPNs for Linux.

The best VPNs for Linux 2024

• NordVPN: Best for privacy and security fanatics
• Surfshark: Best for Linux enthusiasts on a budget
• ExpressVPN: Best for seamless streaming

Top 3 VPN services for Linux compared

VPN	Best Overall
Starting price	Starts at $2.99/mo (billed every two years)	Starts at $1.99/mo (billed every two years)	Starts at $6.25/mo (billed annually)
Server count	6,800+ servers in 111 countries	3,200+ servers in 100 countries	Unlisted in 105 countries
Linux compatibility	All Linux distros except TailOS and TempleOS	Debian 11, Ubuntu 20.4, Mint 20 or higher	Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, Arch, Raspberry Pi (armhf), Mint
VPN protocol	NordLynx (WireGuard), OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec	WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2	Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2
No-logs policy	No logs	No logs	No logs
Headquarters	Panama	The Netherlands	British Virgin Islands
Learn more	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review	Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review

NordVPN: Best for privacy and security fanatics

Who it’s best for

We selected NordVPN as our top pick as the best VPN for Linux users seeking a fast and dependable VPN that prioritizes privacy and security. With Nord, you can mask your IP address behind an encrypted connection or hide your online activity from your internet service provider (ISP) to prevent bandwidth throttling.

NordVPN has the most extensive support for nearly all Linux distros except three, making it the best choice for Linux enthusiasts. Due to its high number of servers spread throughout 111 countries, it’s also a great choice for users worldwide who want to bypass any geo-restrictions.

What we liked

We liked that NordVPN prioritizes privacy and security by offering next-generation encryption while using secure protocols such as OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec2, and its proprietary NordLynx built on top of WireGuard. Its powerful features include a kill switch, double VPN servers, smart and private DNS, Onion over VPN for torrenting, ad and malware blocking, and more. It is also headquartered in Panama and holds a true no-logs policy.

NordVPN Linux users will be impressed that nearly all Linux distros are supported. NordVPN provides .deb and .rpm packages for all Linux distros except for TailOS and TempleOS.

It supports Ubuntu and is compatible with many other Linux distros, such as Debian, Fedora, Elementary OS, Mint, RHEL, CentOS, openSUSE, and especially Qubes OS. Qubes OS primarily focuses on security, so we think NordVPN is the perfect choice for security-conscious Linux users.

Lastly, but still importantly, NordVPN is one of the fastest VPNs we’ve tested. It also offers a user-friendly interface that makes it quick and easy to connect to the fastest available server.

What we didn’t like

We experienced connectivity issues with NordVPN when we tried to run it from the command-line interface in our Ubuntu distro. Sometimes, it would connect to the VPN server successfully; other times, it would give us an error.

We found it a bit glitchy and were unable to test it on all Linux distros to make a detailed comparison of their connectivity performance. Needless to say, it’s still a solid VPN, and with its 30-day money-back guarantee, it’s worth a shot.

NordVPN specs

Price range	$2.99–$17.99/mo
Server count	6,800+ servers in 111 countries
Linux compatibility	Ubuntu Debian Fedora Elementary OS Mint RHEL CentOS QubesOS openSUSE
VPN protocol	NordLynx (WireGuard), OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec
No-logs policy	No logs; verified and last audited by Deloitte on Dec. 13, 2023
Headquarters	Panama
Unblocks Netflix?	Yes
Learn more	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review

Surfshark: Best for unlimited connections

Who it’s best for

Surfshark is the VPN of choice for Linux enthusiasts who want an affordable, secure VPN that lets them browse the internet anonymously with unlimited simultaneous connections.

With its large list of 3,200+ servers in 100 countries to choose from worldwide, it’s also great for those who want to bypass geo-restricted content on the web securely and anonymously. 

What we liked

We liked that Surfshark packs a punch with its security protocols and encryption, along with the additional features it offers, making it better than free VPNs for budget users. Surfshark uses military-grade AES-256-GCM encryption with secure protocols such as WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. All of this can be used simultaneously on as many devices as you choose.

Surfshark also supports the more modern, fast, and secure WireGuard protocol on Linux. It even has additional features most of us would ask for in a VPN, such as a static and rotating IP, private DNS, ad blocking, and more. Moreover, Surfshark's unlimited simultaneous connections are a great bonus for its low price, which is rarely offered, even among more expensive VPNs.

What we didn’t like

Although Surfshark has many benefits for Linux users, there are a few downsides worth noting. First, it currently doesn’t support the IPv6 protocol. Therefore, it’s recommended that you disable IPv6 to prevent connectivity issues.

Second, Surfshark’s GUI app for Linux only supports the following Linux distros: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS and newer, Debian 11 and newer, and Mint 20 and newer versions. Lastly, we found that Surfshark doesn’t let you do port forwarding or port mapping properly on Linux.

Surfshark specs

Price range	$1.99–$17.95/mo
Server count	3,200+ servers in 100 countries
Linux compatibility	Debian 11, Ubuntu 20.4, Mint 20 or higher
VPN protocol	WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2
No-logs policy	No logs; verified and last audited by Deloitte on Dec. 14, 2022
Headquarters	Netherlands
Unblocks Netflix?	Yes
Learn more	Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review

ExpressVPN: Best for seamless streaming

Who it’s best for

Couch potatoes and movie buffs who enjoy watching Netflix for their favorite films and TV shows will love ExpressVPN.

What made ExpressVPN stand out were its seamless streaming capabilities and great compatibility with Linux operating systems. Although ExpressVPN may be more expensive than other VPNs, its speed and reliability make it an excellent choice for Linux users. (And as the saying goes, "You get what you pay for.")

What we liked

We liked that ExpressVPN is a fast, reliable, and secure VPN client. With its lightning-fast speeds, it's excellent for streaming content from various streaming platforms.

It also offers a wide range of support for popular Linux distros, such as Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch, Raspberry Pi (armhf), and Mint.^[1] Plus, it’s easy to install from a command-line interface, and we appreciated that ExpressVPN has a graphical user interface (GUI) for most 64-bit and 32-bit versions of most Linux distros.

ExpressVPN also offers a wide range of security features, such as a tracker blocker, smart DNS, and secure VPN protocols, including OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec. It also has its own proprietary tunneling protocol, Lightway.

Lightway is one of the fastest and most secure tunneling protocols in the modern world. It was built on top of a lightweight SSL/TLS library called WolfSSL to improve connection times and speed. Like WireGuard, it aims to improve upon the de facto standard VPN protocol, OpenVPN.

What we didn’t like

Although ExpressVPN’s Linux app has many great features, we didn’t like that it only supports a maximum of 8 devices simultaneously and is still pricey compared with other VPNs that support an unlimited number of devices. Additionally, we wish it offered support for more Linux distros like NordVPN does.

ExpressVPN specs

Price range	$4.99–$12.95/mo
Server count	Unlisted in 105 countries
Linux compatibility	Ubuntu: 20.04 and above Debian: 10 and above Fedora: 37 and above Arch: Latest rolling release[2] Raspberry Pi (armhf): Pi OS 10 and above Mint: Linux Mint 20 and above
VPN protocol	Lightway (runs on wolfSSL), OpenVPN, IKEv2
No-logs policy	No-logs policy; verified and last audited by KPMG on Sep. 1, 2022
Headquarters	British Virgin Islands
Unblocks Netflix?	Yes
Learn more	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review

Honorable mentions

NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark were our top picks as the best VPNs for Linux. However, we did test a few other VPN providers with Linux if you're still looking at alternatives:

• CyberGhost: CyberGhost is one of the cheapest VPNs available, and its vast server network makes it especially valuable. It offers servers optimized for streaming, gaming, and torrenting.

  Get CyberGhost | Read Our CyberGhost Review

• Private Internet Access: PIA was a close runner-up. It uses strong encryption, secure VPN protocols, and relatively fast speeds. Similar to Surfshark, it also offers unlimited simultaneous connections, making it a great value.

  Get Private Internet Access | Read Our Private Internet Access Review

• Proton VPN: We liked that Proton VPN is based in Switzerland, offers support for Linux, and has features such as split tunneling (on Windows and Android), Tor over VPN, and ad-blocker and malware protection, to name a few. It also offers a free plan, so you can test it out risk-free.

  Read Our Proton VPN Review

How to choose the best VPN for Linux

Because VPN services may have limited support for Linux, we suggest you research VPNs that support Linux distros of your choosing, which is a crucial first step.

Second, we believe your VPN service should provide robust privacy and security features, such as military-grade encryption like AES-256 and secure protocols like WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2/IPSec.

Third, server speeds and reliable connectivity should be highly considered because it can be frustrating when you try to stream content that gets interrupted by buffering. Lastly, check for advanced VPN features, great troubleshooting support and guides for Linux users, and a price that makes sense to you.

Best VPN services for Linux FAQs

Bottom line: The best Linux VPNs

We tested several VPNs for Linux and narrowed our list to the top three contenders that stood out regarding Linux compatibility, strong privacy and security features, great performance, and fast speeds.

NordVPN and Surfshark all offer excellent Linux support, strong encryption, and advanced features for Linux users who want to enhance their privacy and security.

With that said, NordVPN is our top choice for Linux enthusiasts who prioritize privacy and security; Surfshark is the most affordable option for unlimited connections, and ExpressVPN is perfect for seamless streaming.

After all, Linux is safer to use than Windows, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enhance your online security with additional protection like a VPN.