9 Best VPN Providers

There are plenty of VPN providers to choose from, and we’re here to help you choose which is right for you based on features and price.

RELATED: What Is A VPN And Do I Need One?

9 VPN Providers to Help You Stay Private Online

 

VPN Definition: A virtual private network you can use to hide your IP address from prying eyes to prevent them from tracking you. The network can also be used to encrypt your communications to keep your privacy.

Why Do You Need a VPN?

Surveillance and other attempts to gather your data, such as which sites you view or what you buy, can be hidden from parties who wish to sell it to other third parties. Some VPNs can also unblock region-specific content to allow you to see it from anywhere in the world.

With that in mind here are our top picks for the best VPN providers.

1. Express VPN

This VPN is considered by many as the top VPN provider because it offers fast speeds and excellent customer service. They have over 2000 servers housed in 148 different locations in 94 countries. Offering 30,000 IP addresses, you can be sure that your privacy is secure.

Express VPN services a diverse amount of systems such as Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android. Routers with custom fireware and VPN browser extensions are also part of the package making it a solid choice.

The service also offers a variety of simple web tutorials to help you set up and if that doesn’t work customer service is there to help. Express VPN can only support three connections at the same time.

The plans are as follows, with a 30-day money back guarantee:

• 12 months — $8.32 a month or $99.95
• 6 months — $9.99 a month or $59.95
• 1 month — $12.95 a month

2. NordVPN

NordVPN has over 5000 servers scattered in over 60 locations all over the world. One of its greatest advantages is its ability to support six devices at once with 2048-bit encryption.

Its features include:

• Killswitch
• DNS leak protection
• Dedicated IP method
• Cryptocurrency payment method
• Fast speeds

Here are the plans NordVPN currently has on offer:

• Three years — $2.99 monthly (for only 35.88 for one year)
• Two years — for $3.99 monthly (for only $47.88 for one year)
• One year — for $6.99 monthly ($83.88 for one year)
• Monthly — $11.95/month

3. CyberGhost

With over 10 million users, CyberGhost is a favorite among VPN users because of its awesome features. One of its standout features is the ability to kick off the VPN when specific applications are launched.

There is a free version available, but compared to the paid version, it has slower speeds, ads, and can support only one device. It can be used with Apple, Windows, Android, Linux, and iOS.

Here are the rates for its paid version:

• 2 years — $4.13 monthly (for only $49.56 for one year)
• 1 year — $5.25 monthly (for a total of $63)
• 1 month — $12.99

4. IP Vanish VPN

This VPN’s claim to fame is the fast speeds they offer that come in handy for downloads. They have over 40,000 shared IPs and over a thousand servers spread across 60 different countries.

They also offer unlimited P2P traffic and can support up to 10 devices. It’s a great choice because it offers excellent speeds at a modest price.

These are the plans they offer:

• 1 year — $77.99 or $6.49 monthly
• 1 month — for $10.00

RELATED: How To Protect Yourself | 31 Tips To Stay Safe Online

5. Windscribe

If you’re on a budget, look no further because Windscribe might just be the VPN service for you. This network may only have 348 servers in over 50 locations, but it charges lower than other VPN providers. However, be prepared for slower connection times and its inability to play some region-specific streaming services.

While their customer service isn’t available 24/7, they have a dedicated in-house team that is very knowledgeable about the product. Windscribe may not have the other fancy features other VPNs offer, but it’s an affordable option for those who don’t want to spend to much on a VPN service.

Here are the plans they have available at the moment:

• 12 months — for only $ 4.08 a month
• Monthly — for $9 a month

6. Hide My Ass

Hide My Ass has one of the most creative and witty names for a VPN service provider. It has over 3,000 IP addresses and over 800 servers scattered in 280 locations to ensure the privacy of its users.

The service covers a wide variety of protocols, a strong network, and supports various devices, even gaming consoles. Bitcoin support is available and their money back guarantee is hassle free.

Some of its downsides include logging connection data and fairly higher prices compared to other VPN providers. However, with its premium price, you can enjoy up to five connections at the same time.

Here are their rates:

• Yearly —  $83.88
• Monthly — $11.99/month

7. VyprVPN

This Swiss-based VPN has over 700 servers scattered in 73 locations and over 200,000 IP addresses to protect users’ data.

The company owns a zero-knowledge DNS technology called Chameleon that allows it to work even in VPN-blocking countries such as Iran and China. This service is compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, iOS apps and routers like Blackphone, Android TV, QNAP, among others.

Download speeds are usually fast, with the slowest hitting around 8 to 10 MB, which is still enough for most tasks. The VPN has a policy against downloading illegal torrents, and the service may terminate your account if you’re caught doing this.

The prices for its plans are as follows:

• Basic — $9.95 monthly or $3.75 per month billed annually
• Premium — $12.95 monthly or $5.00 per month billed annually

8. Hotspot Shield

While Hotspot Shield has a free option, we recommend going for the paid version because of its extra features. For just $2.99 a month for the two-year plan, you get access to:

• Unlimited bandwidth
• 2500 servers in 25 different countries
• 24/7 support
• No ads
• Up to five devices connected at the same time
• Fast speeds

One of the downsides of Hotspot Shield is it doesn’t support the standards of open VPN and can’t be set up manually on whichever platform you wish to use. It only works on Windows, iOs apps, Android, and Mac, and there is also no Bitcoin support

Here are the prices for the plans they offer:

• 24 months — $2.99 monthly
• One month — $12.99

9. Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access is one of the fastest because it offers the option to downgrade security encryption from AES-256 to AES-128. If you’re on a safe network, you can lower the encryption to increase speed.

The service has over 3000 servers scattered across 28 countries to keep your privacy. Up to five devices can be connected at once, and the VPN covers most major operating systems like Mac, Windows, Linux, iOs, and Android.

Here are the plans they currently have on offer:

• Two Years — $2.91/month (for only $34.92 for one year)
• One Year — $3.33/month (for a total of $39.95)
• Monthly — $6.95/month

 

What is VPN and how does it work in this video from vpnMentor:

These days, with the surveillance and tracking protocols on the internet, using a VPN service becomes a necessity to protect your privacy. Whatever your needs and considerations are, there are plenty of awesome VPN providers that come with their own pros and cons and prices. Do your research thoroughly to find which of the many VPN providers suits your needs and preferences.

Which VPN provider on our list caught your eye? Tell us why in the comments section below!

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