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Small businesses have unique needs for a virtual private network (VPN). They may need to securely connect remote employees to company servers or protect their company data from hacking attempts. But small businesses still need a VPN that doesn’t slow down internet speeds and rings up at an economical price.
We've tested over 50 VPNs and think NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN meet a variety of needs for small businesses. NordVPN offers additional security to help protect your entire network, Surfshark is affordable without sacrificing privacy, and ExpressVPN can protect most of the devices in your house, including your home office.
NordVPN: Best for premium security
Surfshark: Best for affordable privacy
ExpressVPN: Best for home-based businesses
Business vs. home VPNs
FAQs
Bottom line: The best small business VPNs
The best small business VPNs
- NordVPN: Best for premium security
- Surfshark: Best for affordable privacy
- ExpressVPN: Best for home-based businesses
Top 3 VPN services for small businesses compared
VPN | ![]() |
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Starting price | Custom pricing, but standard pricing starts at $3.09/mo (billed every two years) for 1 user | Custom pricing, but standard pricing starts at $1.99/mo (billed every two years) for 1 user | Custom pricing, but standard pricing starts at $6.67/mo (billed annually) for 1 user |
Server count | 7,400+ servers in 118 countries | 3,200+ servers in 100 countries | Unlisted in 105 countries |
Encryption | xChaCha20x or AES-256 | AES-256-GCM | AES-256 bit |
Split tunneling | |||
Single sign-on | |||
Remote access | |||
Learn more | Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review |
Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review |
Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review |
How we tested the best VPNs for small business
There are several key features and qualities we considered when reviewing VPNs for small businesses. Here is what we considered:
- Affordability: Price is always a concern for small businesses. Unfortunately, not all VPN providers are transparent about the costs of a business VPN. We evaluated standard pricing to determine if the VPN was worth the cost and if it offered some type of bulk discount based on the number of users.
- Scalability: Your business may grow or change, and you'll need a security plan to adapt to these changes. We chose VPNs that base their price on the number of users.
- Remote access: If your employees need to access your company's servers, you'll need to choose a VPN that offers remote access. While not all organizations will need this feature, it may be important if you have remote workers.
- Premium security features: All of our best VPNs for small businesses have essential security features, such as AES 256-bit encryption, DNS leak protection, and top-grade protocols like OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2. We also sought out more advanced security features that distinguish them from their competitors and safeguard your sensitive business data.
NordVPN: Best for premium security
NordVPN is ideal for small businesses that require more than just a reliable VPN. Businesses can bundle NordVPN with NordLayer to gain additional security features that protect their network and help them comply with data regulations. But as a standalone VPN provider, NordVPN is best-in-class based on proven performance.
What we liked
NordVPN offers several security features that can protect a company's network and its remote workers. Some of the notable features available on all plans include:
- Always-on VPN
- Auto-connect
- Single-Sign On (SSO) through the NordAccount platform
- Threat Protection, which blocks malicious websites
- Kill switch
- Meshnet
- Double VPN
- Onion over Tor
- 24/7 email support
- Device posture monitoring (through NordLayer)
What we didn’t like
You'll need to pay an additional fee to obtain a dedicated server with a fixed IP address.
NordVPN recommends using NordLayer for small businesses because it's designed for scalability and includes more network management features. However, NordVPN can be an excellent solution for scrappy businesses that don't have a ton of employees.
NordVPN specs
Feature | ![]() |
Starting price | Custom pricing, but standard pricing starts at $3.09/mo (billed every two years) for 1 user |
Server count | 7,400+ servers in 118 countries |
No-logs policy | No logs |
Encryption | xChaCha20x |
Split tunneling | |
Single sign-on | Yes, through the NordAccount platform |
Remote access | |
Priority customer support | Yes (Advanced and Custom plans only) |
Learn more | Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review |
Surfshark: Best for affordable privacy
Organizations seeking a high-quality VPN at an affordable price may find this software useful. Surfshark is reliable and fast, and it comes with most of the VPN features you expect.
What we liked
Surfshark has a business VPN that creates an encrypted tunnel between your employees and your online resources. It comes with features such as military-grade encryption, a kill switch, and an audited no-logs policy.
We also appreciate Surfshark’s extensive network of server locations. With 3,200+ servers, you and your employees will find it easier to find a high-speed connection.
Surfshark is also one of the most affordable VPNs on the market, making it an ideal option for small businesses with limited budgets. Pricing for its consumer VPN service starts at about $2 a month for a two-year plan, and we expect the custom pricing for its business VPN to be similarly affordable. It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to try it out and determine if it meets your business needs.
What we didn’t like
Surfshark doesn't provide a clear indication of how much its business VPN costs, making it difficult to determine its affordability. However, since its standard pricing is one of the most affordable VPN options, and the base VPN includes unlimited simultaneous connections, the business VPN is likely to be cost-effective.
Feature-wise, there is no SSO option, and it also lacks priority customer support for business accounts.
Surfshark specs
Feature | ![]() |
Starting price | Custom pricing, but standard pricing starts at $1.99/mo (billed every two years) for 1 user |
Server count | 3,200+ servers in 100 countries |
No-logs policy | No logs |
Encryption | AES-256-GCM |
Split tunneling | |
Single sign-on | |
Remote access | |
Priority customer support | |
Learn more | Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review |
ExpressVPN: Best for home-based businesses
ExpressVPN is a great option for freelancers and small businesses based at home. The Aircove router ensures all Wi-Fi-connected devices are using a VPN and are protected.
What we liked
The easiest way to ensure all devices are connected is to install a VPN on a router. But it may be a hassle to install for those who aren't tech-savvy. That's why the Aircove router is the ideal choice. It comes pre-installed with ExpressVPN and can be set up in just minutes. Then you can connect dozens of devices to ExpressVPN.
You can customize your home router to separate your work and home devices into different groups. It means your work devices can connect to the fastest local servers or turn off VPN usage for certain home devices.
If the ExpressVPN router is out of your budget, it may still be an ideal VPN solution for your home business. ExpressVPN offers apps for multiple platforms, including Linux, Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.
Alternatively, you can also request volume licensing to have ExpressVPN cover multiple users. While pricing isn't shared, it might be more expensive compared to Surfshark based on their standard pricing for a VPN.
What we didn’t like
ExpressVPN is one of the most expensive VPNs on the market. Combine that with the initial cost of the Aircove router ($189 on Amazon), and it can be pricey to protect your home-based business with a VPN. However, this may still be ideal for small offices with a limited budget for security.
But if you are comfortable installing a VPN on a router, then you may find other VPN services that are more affordable.
Another potential drawback to using ExpressVPN to secure your office network is its limited support for multiple devices simultaneously. While some VPN apps, like Surfshark and IPVanish, offer unlimited secure connections, ExpressVPN is limited to 8 devices.
ExpressVPN specs
Feature | ![]() |
Starting price | Custom pricing, but standard pricing starts at $6.67/mo (billed annually) for 1 user |
Server count | Unlisted in 105 countries |
No-logs policy | No logs |
Encryption | AES-256 bit |
Split tunneling | |
Single sign-on | |
Remote access | |
Priority customer support | |
Learn more | Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review |
Business vs home VPNs
There are several differences between VPN usage in a small business and at home. This is for a good reason, and you shouldn't expect to be able to use a home VPN in a business setting. Here are a few of those differences you can expect:
- User limit — For a business VPN, it's expected that multiple users will use the VPN on various devices. In comparison, a home VPN is typically used by a single user. This means that VPNs in a small business are more likely to be set up to manage multiple user accounts.
- Pricing — A business VPN, even one meant for a small business, will have a higher price than a home VPN. This is to support the additional security features that home VPNs often lack, such as user management and secure logins.
- Intended use — Home VPNs are primarily intended to conceal the user's IP address or provide access to geo-blocked content. While a business VPN will still have a strong focus on data security, there's also the added factor of establishing a secure connection between devices on the same network.
FAQs
Is a VPN good for a small business?
A VPN is beneficial for small businesses that want to protect their data by establishing an encrypted tunnel. VPNs are a legal way to keep sensitive information private from prying eyes or hackers. Cybersecurity should be taken seriously by every organization, even if you think you are too small to become a target of a cyberattack.
How much is a VPN for a small business?
VPN costs for a small business will vary depending on the provider, the number of users, and any additional features. During our research, prices for a business VPN ranged from $2.50 to $16 per user per month. If you're a small business on a budget, consider installing a VPN on your router to secure dozens of devices. To make the setup easier, you could consider the Aircove router with ExpressVPN pre-installed.
What’s the best VPN for a startup?
The best VPN for a startup covers all of your connected devices and provides all the necessary security features to protect your network. You'll also want to prioritize a VPN that grows with you as you scale. NordVPN may be the best option for startups looking for network security.
Bottom line: The best small business VPNs
If you need advanced security to protect your network, consider NordVPN. It's the #1 rated VPN provider on the market, demonstrated proven performance, and comes at a good price.
Surfshark is a great budget solution that boasts unlimited simultaneous connections and comes bundled with antivirus and browser protection software. Home-based businesses typically don't require such robust security features, so consider an option like ExpressVPN, which offers an easy-to-set-up router to protect all connected devices.
If those VPN providers don't match your needs, you can always look into these other companies as well as our picks for the top VPN services.
3 best VPNs for business owners
Starting price | Best for | Learn more | |
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Custom pricing, but standard pricing starts at $3.09/mo (billed every two years) for 1 user | Best for premium security | Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review |
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Custom pricing, but standard pricing starts at $1.99/mo (billed every two years) for 1 user | Best for affordable privacy | Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review |
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Custom pricing, but standard pricing starts at $6.67/mo (billed annually) for 1 user | Best for home-based businesses | Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review |
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