Best Overall

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On NordVPN's website

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• Loads of servers for more connection options
• Works with popular streaming services, including Netflix

• Too many confusing plans

Best for Fast Speeds

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On Proton VPN's website

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• Easy to use
• A strict no-logs policy that’s been tested in court

• More expensive than NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost

Best for Affordable Privacy

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On Private Internet Access's website

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• Fast internet speeds and strict no-logs policy
• Unblocks Netflix and other streaming services

• Antivirus and dedicated IP address cost extra

Best for Unlimited Devices

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On Surfshark's website

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• Unlimited simultaneous connections
• Works with Netflix and other streaming services

• Headquarters in Nine Eyes Alliance

Best Device Compatibility

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On ExpressVPN's website

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• Strict no-logs policy with independent audit
• In-house Lightway protocol for more speed and security

• More expensive than NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost

Based on our testing, experience, and research, we recommend NordVPN as the best virtual private network (VPN). It’s a reliable and fast service that supports streaming and torrenting. It’s also easy to use and offers high levels of encryption and privacy.

We picked Proton VPN, Private Internet Access (PIA), Surfshark, and ExpressVPN as our second- through fifth-ranked providers. We tested these and other VPNs and ranked them according to their price, speeds, no-logs policies, privacy, and other features.

Let’s see why these are the five best VPNs.

The best VPNs 2023

• NordVPN: Best overall and most reliable
• Proton VPN: Best for internet speeds and free plan
• Private Internet Access: Best for affordable privacy
• Surfshark: Best for unlimited devices
• ExpressVPN: Best for device compatibility

Top 5 VPN services compared

VPN	NordVPN Best Overall	Proton VPN	Private Internet Access	Surfshark	ExpressVPN
Starting price	$3.99/mo	Starts at Free	Starts at $2.03/mo	Starts at $2.30/mo	Starts at $6.67/mo
Number of devices	6	10	Unlimited	Unlimited	5
Server count	5,000+ in 60 countries	1,900+ in 67 countries	84 countries + 50 U.S. states	3,200+ in 100 countries	134 server locations in 94 countries
Streaming support
Torrenting support
Learn more	See NordVPN Pricing	See Proton VPN Pricing	See PIA Pricing	See Surfshark Pricing	See ExpressVPN Pricing

NordVPN: Best overall and most reliable

NordVPN Is Reliable, Fast, and Budget-Friendly

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On NordVPN's website

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• Loads of servers for more connection options
• Works with popular streaming services, including Netflix

• Too many confusing plans

Who it’s best for

NordVPN is best for people who want a VPN that does just about everything right. This includes unblocking different streaming services, providing fast speeds, and having an easy-to-use interface that even beginners can feel comfortable with — and that’s all at a reasonable price starting at $4.19 per month.

What we liked

You can watch Netflix with NordVPN, as well as other streaming services, including Disney+, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. Nord is also extremely easy to use, as we found out when using its Windows app on our PC. Simply boot it up, quickly connect to a VPN server, and that’s going to be about it for most users — no need to do anything fancy or complicated to make it work.

We didn’t find any glaring issues with NordVPN while testing its speeds and security features. Everything simply worked as intended, which is exactly what you want from a VPN service.

Nord provides fast VPN speeds, has a strict no-logs policy with multiple independent audits, and offers a specialty server network to suit your internet connection needs. This includes P2P, double VPN, and obfuscated servers.

What we didn’t like

The price for NordVPN ($3.99/mo) is a bit above some of its competitors, including Private Internet Access ($3.33/mo) and Surfshark ($2.30/mo).

That’s still well within the affordable range of under $5 per month, but it’s not the most budget VPN out there. Especially if you consider Nord’s highest-priced plan that starts at $15.69 per month.

We also think Nord has too many plans to choose from. It’s common to have at least two or three subscription options, but you actually have nine with NordVPN. Choices can sometimes be nice, but they can also make things confusing.

NordVPN specs

Get NordVPN | Read Our NordVPN Review

Proton VPN: Best for internet speeds and free plan

Proton VPN's Free Plan Encrypts Your Data In a Pinch

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On Proton VPN's website

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• Easy to use
• A strict no-logs policy that’s been tested in court

• More expensive than NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost

Who it’s best for

People who want a high-quality VPN that’s easy to use, has a free subscription plan, and unblocks different streaming services. Proton VPN was also one of the fastest VPNs from our speed tests, finishing with some of the best results among the VPNs we tested.

What we liked

Proton VPN was a top contender for best speed test results among the VPNs we tested. It also generally had no issues with unblocking different streaming services, including Netflix and BBC iPlayer. Proton advertises that its VPN offers much more streaming support for services including Disney+, HBO Max, Peacock, and more.

We like that Proton VPN encrypts at a high level with AES-256 encryption and sticks to its no-logs policy. Fun fact: The Proton VPN no-logs policy was tested in a Swiss court in 2019 when data was requested from a foreign country. Proton couldn’t comply with the request because there wasn’t any information to give due to its no-logs policy.

What we didn’t like

The free plan is obviously not as good as the paid options, considering you potentially get slower connection speeds, you’re limited to servers in three countries, and only paid subscribers get access to a live chat support feature. You can also only connect one device at a time and there’s no torrenting or streaming support on free plans.

So depending on your needs, the Proton VPN Free option might not work for you at all. Proton VPN paid options are also a bit costlier than many other VPN providers. Starting at Free, you’re skirting the edge of being affordable.

Additionally, Proton provides access to around 1,900 servers, which is below the average server count for popular VPNs. For example, NordVPN has more than 5,000 servers and Surfshark has over 3,200 servers.

More servers is typically better because it supports more users and their bandwidth consumption. More users on a server could lower the overall performance (i.e., slow down the internet speed) of everyone that’s connected to the server.

Proton VPN specs

Get Proton VPN | Read Our Proton VPN Review

Private Internet Access: Best for affordable privacy

PIA Offers Affordable Wi-Fi Security

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On Private Internet Access's website

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• Fast internet speeds and strict no-logs policy
• Unblocks Netflix and other streaming services

• Antivirus and dedicated IP address cost extra

Who it’s best for

People who want an affordable VPN that doesn’t skimp on online privacy, security, or streaming support. Private Internet Access (PIA) provides fast speeds, has highly rated mobile phone VPN apps, and has a starting price of $3.33/mo that’s hard to beat.

What we liked

None of the other VPNs on this list cost less than $2.03/mo, with Surfshark coming closest at $2.30/mo, which is also cheap for a VPN. But PIA is one of the cheapest VPNs around.

Add to that the fact that PIA is an excellent service for the price point, having passed our streaming and speed tests with flying colors, and you’ve got quite the product on your hands.

This includes unblocking Netflix in multiple regions and giving us some of our best speed results for the different VPNs we tested. Throw in a strict no-logs policy with an independent audit plus support for unlimited device connections and you’re looking at a secure, fast, and affordable service.

What we didn’t like

PIA is based in the U.S., which has its fair share of privacy concerns and issues. This might not mean anything to you as long as PIA sticks to its no-logs policy and protects users’ anonymity.

On a separate note, we’ve had a few chats with PIA customer support about different things. We like how the service is 24/7, but the chats haven’t been overly helpful.

Private Internet Access specs

Get Private Internet Access | Read Our Private Internet Access Review

Surfshark: Best for unlimited devices

Connect Unlimited Devices With Surfshark

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On Surfshark's website

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• Unlimited simultaneous connections
• Works with Netflix and other streaming services

• Headquarters in Nine Eyes Alliance

Who it’s best for

People who want an affordable VPN to use with lots of different devices. This could be for connecting a large number of devices in your household or even sharing an account with friends and family.

What we liked

Of the providers on this list, Surfshark is one of only two VPNs that offer access to unlimited simultaneous VPN connections. That’s an important feature depending on your situation, which could include using a VPN on a phone, laptop, tablet, and desktop computer.

And if you’re sharing a VPN with other people, the device count quickly adds up. This could be an issue with any other VPN on this list, especially ExpressVPN (five-device limit) and NordVPN (six-device limit).

We also like how we had no issues with speeds or using Surfshark with Netflix. And the fact that Surfshark has servers in 100 countries, which is more than NordVPN (60), Proton VPN (67), Private Internet Access (84), and ExpressVPN (94).

What we didn’t like

Surfshark is based in the Netherlands, which is associated with the Five Eyes Alliance. Countries within the Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes alliances are known to share global surveillance information with each other, including surveillance on their own citizens.

VPNs are legal in these countries and there are likely no issues with privacy concerns as long as Surfshark and other providers stick to their no-logs policies.

Surfshark specs

Get Surfshark VPN | Read Our Surfshark VPN Review

ExpressVPN: Best for device compatibility

ExpressVPN Works With Almost Any Device

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On ExpressVPN's website

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• Strict no-logs policy with independent audit
• In-house Lightway protocol for more speed and security

• More expensive than NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost

Who it’s best for

People who want a fast and reliable service that’s compatible with loads of devices, operating systems, and browser extensions. ExpressVPN is one of the most popular VPNs, which makes it easy to use with just about any applicable device.

Compatible devices include:

• Windows
• macOS
• Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch, Raspberry Pi, and Linux Mint
• iOS (iPhone, iPad)
• Android
• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Microsoft Edge
• Chromebook
• Fire TV
• Kindle Fire
• Apple TV
• Android TV
• Xbox
• Playstation
• Home or office router
• Other smart home devices

What we liked

If there’s a popular device out there that can connect to the internet, chances are it has some sort of ExpressVPN functionality. Whether that’s directly through an app, with a router, or through the MediaStreamer (smart DNS) feature that works with lots of different smart devices.

Overall, ExpressVPN is popular for a reason. It passed our speed and streaming tests and provides a strict no-logs policy backed up by an independent audit. You can also contact a live chat representative 24/7 with any questions.

What we didn’t like

ExpressVPN is expensive, starting at $6.67/mo. That’s more than four times the price of Private Internet Access ($3.33/mo) and twice the cost of NordVPN ($3.99/mo).

The cost is our main gripe with ExpressVPN, other than the fact it doesn’t officially publish a server count. We know that server counts can change frequently, but there’s got to be at least a rough estimate.

ExpressVPN specs

Get ExpressVPN | Read Our ExpressVPN Review

FAQs

Bottom line: The best VPNs tested by our experts

NordVPN is the best VPN according to our testing, research, and personal experience. Nord provides fast speeds, unblocks popular streaming services, and prioritizes user security and privacy. Following Nord, we have Proton VPN, Private Internet Access, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN rounding out our top five list, in that order.

We also considered other VPNs for this list that were close runners-up but didn’t quite make the cut, including:

• CyberGhost
• IPVanish
• TunnelBear
• Hotspot Shield

5 best VPNs 2023

	Starting price	Best for	Learn more
NordVPN	$3.99/mo	Best overall	See NordVPN Pricing Read NordVPN Review
Proton VPN	Starts at Free	Best internet speeds and free option	See Proton VPN Pricing Read Proton VPN Review
Private Internet Access	Starts at $2.03/mo	Best for affordable privacy	See Private Internet Access Pricing Read Private Internet Access VPN Review
Surfshark	Starts at $2.30/mo	Best for unlimited devices	See Surfshark Pricing Read Surfshark VPN Review
ExpressVPN	Starts at $6.67/mo	Best device compatibility	See ExpressVPN Pricing Read ExpressVPN Review

How we tested the best VPNs

We chose the five best VPNs in this article by comparing features we think are important to consider when choosing a VPN provider. We looked at and/or tested a variety of features and factors, including:

• Price: Our top VPNs (other than ExpressVPN) cost around $5 or less per month.
• Internet speeds: All five VPNs provided fast speeds during our tests.
• Streaming support: We had no issues unblocking different streaming services with each VPN.
• Leaks: There were no DNS or WebRTC leaks when we performed these tests with each VPN.
• Additional features: These VPNs provide features such as split tunneling and kill switches.

How to choose the best VPN

Consider these questions to choose the best VPN for you:

• How much does it cost? Look for a VPN that costs around $5 or as a good starting point for an affordable service.
• Does it keep logs of your data? Make sure a VPN has a strict no-logs policy you can review online and that an independent audit by a trusted company has been conducted.
• Does it offer a large number of servers? Check to see if there are enough servers to support loads of users. Around 2,000 or more in at least 50 countries is roughly the average.
• How secure is it? Verify if a VPN uses AES-256 or equivalent encryption and secure VPN protocols, such as WireGuard, OpenVPN, or something similar.
• Does it slow down your internet speed? Run speed tests during free trials or if you have a 30-day money-back guarantee. A small drop in speed is expected with VPNs, but anything that might affect your everyday online activities is likely too much. Keep in mind that more distant servers typically slow down your speeds more.

Author Details

Ben Walker

About the Author

Ben Walker is a writer at All About Cookies with a passion for all things internet and technology, whether it's using VPNs while away from home or organizing his life with password managers.