Not being concerned about your privacy on the Internet is simply a mistake you cannot afford to make. Fortunately, there are plenty of Virtual Private Network services available that can protect you from being hacked and spied upon when using the web. voip.review has previously discussed what a VPN is, and why do you need it, and in this article we have selected the top 10 VPNs from the hundreds that are available to be found online.

Here is a list of our handpicked VPNs (in no particular order), with detailed descriptions of their services and specifications.

Nord VPN

With close to 5,000 optimized servers in 62 countries, Nord VPN claims to provide the fastest VPN connection. Nord VPN includes 2048-bit encryption, support for PPTP, L2TP and OpenVPN protocols, optional dedicated IP addresses, encrypted proxy extensions for Chrome and Firefox browsers, and a strict “no logs” policy.

A generous number of up to six Windows, macOS, Android and iOS devices can be connected at the same time and are easily managed via a flexible client app. Nord VPN also includes a double VPN encryption feature for those who require the highest level of security, and they now offer their CyberSec suite that blocks ads and malware and can be turned off and on anytime. In addition, Nord VPN has the usual “kill switch” feature for the rare cases when the VPN connection drops. To add to this list, their SmartPlay feature is included in all NordVPN apps by default, and requires no additional configuration for users to bypass geographical restrictions and enjoy access to any censored or otherwise restricted streaming services.

Nord VPN’s exclusive 3-year deal is now available for $2.75 a month ($99.00 billed once every 3 years), while other options are a 1-year plan for $6.99 per month, a 6-month plan for $9.00 per month, or a monthly plan for $11.95. A 30-day money back guarantee is offered in case the Nord VPN is not exactly what you are looking for.

Private Internet Access

The number one VPN for torrents, Private Internet Access (PIA) supports PPTP, IPSEC/L2TP and OpenVPN protocols. With 3,382 servers in 33 countries, PIA ranks above average in terms of network size, and ensures high speed connectivity. Their key features include blocking for ads, trackers and malware, P2P support, unlimited bandwidth, a clear “no logs” policy, DNS leak protection and a “kill switch”.

The PIA user interface is one of the simplest to use and is minimalistic, a very handy feature for VPN novices. Users may run up to 5 VPN simultaneous sessions on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android or iOS devices.

PIA is an excellent choice for home users who want a secure, simple and quick connection. However, since the company is based in the US, PIA may be subject to requests from governmental institutions, which might make the use of their VPN unsuitable for those with special privacy requirements.

Private Internet Access’ 2-year plan costs $2.91 per month for a total cost of $69.95, while their 1-year plan is available for $3.33 per month. A monthly plan is comparatively cheap at $6.95. To ensure satisfaction, PIA backs their service with a 7-day money back guarantee.

CyberGhost

CyberGhost is one of the few VPN providers that combine the best of both worlds, offering a simple and easy-to-use interface with impressive configurability. This fully-featured product includes ad trackers and malware blocks, P2P support, unlimited bandwidth, a “no logs” policy, DNS and IP leak protection and a “kill switch”. CyberGhost supports the key protocols OpenVPN, L2TP and IPSec, and is served by a growing network of 2,600 servers in over 60 countries around the world.

The CyberGhost subscription allows up to 7 Windows, macOS, Linux, Android or iOS devices to be connected to the VPN at the same time, which is an attractive feature for a large household or a small business. Their 3-year plan is available for $2.75 per month (for a total of $99), a 1-year plan is available for $4.99 per month, with a total cost of $59.88 for the year, and a monthly plan is available for $11.99. Services include a 30-day money back guarantee.

ExpressVPN

With a variety of protocols supported, including OpenVPN (with TCP and UDP), L2TP, IPSec and PPTP, ExpressVPN stands out as a service that offers a wide range of apps for different platforms – Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and BlackBerry. ExpressVPN provides access to their services through more than 2,000 servers, spread over 94 countries. They also offer browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Safari, DNS content unblocking for streaming, VPN split tunneling, a “no logs” policy, a “kill switch” and many other features that a user might need. In addition, ExpressVPN maintains an active blog with useful articles, along with how-to guides on Internet privacy that are available on their website.

ExpressVPN only supports up to 3 devices connected to a VPN at the same time, and this might be problematic for households with multiple devices. However, this limitation can easily be overcome by downloading their VPN application for routers.

As for the pricing, ExpressVPN might not be the cheapest option, with their 12-month plan costing $8.32 per month (a total of $99.95 a year), a 6-month plan for $9.99 per month, and a monthly plan for $12.95. All plans include a 30-day money back guarantee.

PureVPN

PureVPN stands out amongst their competitors, offering a large variety of features and broad compatibility with all popular platforms. PureVPN has clients for Linux, macOS, and Windows, as well as mobile clients for Android, iOS and Blackberry. In addition, it is compatible with Consoles, SmartTV, Roku, Amazon fire, Chromecast, Routers, Laptops, Desktops and Smart devices among others. PureVPN’s extensive feature set includes unlimited bandwidth, split tunneling, support for multiple protocols (OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, PPTP, SSTP and IKEv2), dedicated IPs, a “kill switch”, NAT firewall, P2P file sharing and more. They have more than 2,000 servers in over 140 countries, guaranteeing a fast VPN connection for up to 5 devices at the same time using a single account.

With the favorable pricing of $2.48 per month for a 2-year plan, this is an excellent choice for budget-conscious consumers. PureVPN also offer a 1-year plan for $4.14 per month, and a monthly plan for $10.95, all backed up by a 31-day money back guarantee.

HideMyAss

HideMyAss (HMS) VPN might look gimmicky and amateurish, but do not let their name fool you, as they are one of the most popular VPN providers. Their network covers the largest number of countries out of all VPN providers, offering access to over 900 servers spread across an impressive number of more than 190 countries. They make their platform very easy to use by employing a “single click” approach to their interfaces, and the VPN is available for all major operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.

The HMS VPN consists of a basic feature set, including unlimited bandwidth, a “kill switch”, compatibility with OpenVPN (UDP and TCP) protocols, and support for up to 5 connections at the same time using a single account.

The best HMS deal is a 12-month plan for $6.99 per month (a total of $83.88 a year), followed by a 6-month plan for $7.99 per month, and a monthly plan for $11.99. All plans include a 30-day money back guarantee for unsatisfied users. Additionally, HMS offer a 7-day free trial, before you commit to purchasing their services.

IPVanish

While IPVanish seems to be another VPN for novices that includes easy installation, a start-up tutorial and even a “Simple mode”, this product also offers a variety of powerful features suitable for an experienced user. The feature set includes 40,000+ shared IPs, 1,000+ VPN servers in 60+ countries, unlimited bandwidth, a “no logs” policy, unlimited P2P traffic, torrenting, SOCKS5 web proxy, support for OpenVPN and L2TP/IPsec VPN protocols, and, importantly, up to 10 simultaneous VPN connections on multiple devices using a single account. IPVanish offers clients for Windows, Windows Phone, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chromebook and even routers.

The IPVanish pricing plans include a 7-day money back guarantee, and options are a “best value” 1-year plan for $4.87 per month (with a total payment of $58.48 for 12 months), a 3-month plan for $6.75 per month, and a monthly plan for $7.50. It is important to note that price increases may apply to additional billing cycles.

TunnelBear

Simplicity of use is one of the main features that make the TunnelBear VPN so attractive, offering clients for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android devices, as well as extensions for Chrome and Opera browsers and a tracking blocker for Chrome.

The TunnelBear coverage is not as extensive as other providers, but includes more that 1,000 servers in about 20 countries across the globe. This VPN offers a solid set of key features, including an alert for insecure WiFi connectivity, a “kill switch”, an anti-censorship and restriction function, a “no logs” policy, a trusted networks list, and the ability to connect up to 5 devices with a single account.

What distinguishes TunnelBear from other VPN providers is their free 500MB per month data plan, which can satisfy a moderate user or may be used for testing the VPN service. TunnelBear also offers an affordable 12-month pricing plan for $5.00 per month (for a total payment of $59.99 for 12 months), or a monthly plan for $9.99, both including unlimited data.

TorGuard

Their fast connection speeds and strong encryption are the key reasons for TorGuard VPN’s popularity. The company offers easy-to-use VPN apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, and Wifi Routers, with an impressive network of more than 3,000 servers across 55 countries.

TorGuard’s extensive list of features includes DNS/IPV6/WebRTC leak blocking, a “kill switch”, no blocking for P2P traffic and torrenting, OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP and IPSec protocol support, a “no logs” policy and more. Claiming to be the “fastest VPN protocol on the net”, TorGuard allows up to 5 simultaneous connections on different devices with a single account.

In terms of pricing, TorGuard offers a monthly option for $9.99, a 3-month option for $19.99, a 6-month option for $29.99, and a 12-month option for $59.99, which is effectively $5.00 per month. A 7-day money back guarantee is included with TorGuard services.

Mullvad

If there is one VPN where the emphasis falls on user privacy, it is definitely Mullvad. Unlike many other VPN providers, subscribers do not need to provide their email, name or password to use their service, and users are only provided with a numbered account. To further secure privacy and anonymity, Mullvad employs an extremely strict “no logs” policy.

Mullvad can be used on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and most other devices supporting OpenVPN and Wireguard protocols. Other features include DNS leak protection, IPv6 tunneling as well as IPv6 blocking and leak protection, and no blocking for P2P traffic and torrenting. Mullvad has limited geographic coverage with only 198 servers in 31 countries. Like most VPN providers, Mullvad allows up to 5 simultaneous connections using a single account.

A distinguishing feature of this VPN provider is their simplified pricing, and they only offer a monthly payment plan at €5 per month. As for the payment methods, Mullvad accepts traditional credit cards, PayPal, bank wire transfers or payments via the Swedish mobile-phone payment system Swish. For enhanced privacy, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash or even real cash may be used as payment.