The Best VPN Services (2019)

 

There are approximately 300+ VPN services (free and paid) that come and go.

Each one looking the same, sounding the same, offering the same features and promising to keep your connection completely secure and anonymous.

But how do you find the best VPN?

With so many biased VPN reviews filling the web, it can be difficult to discern fact from profit-driven fiction.

At the TheBestVPN.com we’ve been testing and reviewing more than 70 popular VPN services to date. Each review contains background information on the VPN, in-depth look, speed test, and cons/pros.

Here are the most important factors of a VPN that we’ve compared:

• Download speed
• Privacy and security features/flaws
• Jurisdiction and logging policy
• Torrenting and Netflix availability
• Usability and support
• Cost

Find the detailed review process here.

Best VPNs for Online Privacy and Security

The best VPNs don’t keep any record of the websites you visit or the files you download. They mask your IP address at a budget-friendly price. And they offer tons of restriction-free servers across the globe so you can stream Netflix content or use torrenting freely.

Without further ado, here are the 10 best VPNs in 2019:

1. NordVPN – The Best “All-Round” VPN ($2.99/mo)

Ranks #1 out of 78 VPNs

NordVPN is based out of Panama, and it is one of the most secure VPN systems you could ever hope to encounter. That’s why it has consistently been our top rated service.

NordVPN’s server count is positively massive, with more than  5,800 servers all spread out over 60 different countries. That’s the most complete server list we’ve seen among our VPN providers. NordVPN takes security seriously. They have a service they call “Double VPN.” This feature takes two different servers and combines them into one for twice the encryption and an ultra-secure connection.

Their user-friendly VPN apps come fully loaded with a kill switch to protect your data from dropping into the wrongs hands.

The company is located in Panama City. Believe it or not, location is important when it comes to your choice of VPN. Different areas have different privacy laws, and Panama City just happens to fall in a privacy-friendly territory. Some VPN providers have been known to hold on to logs of your activity (like IP addresses or timestamps). NordVPN doesn’t. Government agencies can use this information to track your activity, so it’s a big deal that our number one VPN service is anonymous.

They also excelled in our series of hands-on tests.

It’s safe to say that the connection is rock-solid as zero leaks (no IP/DNS/WebRTC) were found. The service also works well with torrenting and bypassing the geo-restrictions of certain sites like Netflix. Five out of the six servers that we tested were successful in unblocking Netflix.

You can connect up to six devices simultaneously on almost any platform imaginable, including Android, ChromeOS, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, or even your router. A long-term commitment will even bring the cost down from $11.95/month to only $2.99.

Only downside? The discounts only work with longer subscriptions. Luckily, they have the 30-day “no questions asked” money-back guarantee.

Visit NordVPN.com
…or read our NordVPN review

 

2. Surfshark – Best “Cheap” VPN ($1.99/mo)

Ranks #2 out of 78 VPNs

Surfshark features more than 800 servers in 50 different countries. On top of that, Surfshark provides some of the most top-of-the-line encryption and protocol options available today. It features AES-256-GCM across OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPSec.

Surfshark is one of the go-to VPNS for unblocking Netflix. We tested six different servers to see how they worked with the world’s premiere streaming service and every single one of them worked perfectly. Its apps come equipped with privacy friendly perks, like a kill switch to protect your true IP from leaking as well as Multihop.

They also feature a service called Whitelister. This allows you to select a number of websites that will be able to bypass the VPN tunnel and work from your normal IP. If you tried to access your banking information while connected to a server halfway around the world, your financial institution would likely flag the activity and lock you out of your account. With Whitelister, you can prevent these issues and access your sensitive data without having to disconnect from the VPN service.

Surfshark is also one of the few providers we’ve seen that offer unlimited device connections. That means there aren’t any artificial caps that would force you to purchase more than one account.

Torrenting and P2P are fully allowed. The app is very light-weight and simple to use.

The service is available for nearly every device that’s used today. You can use it on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android. We ran Surfshark through six different leak tests and we didn’t find any leaks.

Surfshark’s “Camouflage Mode” feature also makes them unique compared to other VPNs. When turned on, Camouflage Mode makes your use of a VPN so stealthy that even your ISP won’t be able to tell that you are using a VPN.

Finally, the price that you’re paying for a two-year plan is the cheapest we’ve found. With a 24-month commitment, you’re only paying $1.99 per month. That’s unheard of levels of affordability.

However, no VPN service is 100% perfect. Speeds were inconsistent during our tests, plus their service network is significantly smaller compared to many competitors.

Visit Surfshark.com
…or read our Surfshark review

 

3. ExpressVPN – Best Streaming Performance ($6.67/mo)

Ranks #3 out of 78 VPNs

Founded as recently as 2009 and located in the British Virgin Islands, ExpressVPN is a massively popular VPN service, and for good reason. It consistently challenges NordVPN for the number one VPN slot.

An ExpressVPN subscription gets you access to more than 3,000 fast servers located throughout 160 different cities in 94 countries.

This VPN provides a plethora of protocols (OpenVPN, IPSec & IKEv2, among others) all equipped with the latest-and-greatest encryption standards (AES-256). That makes ExpressVPN perfect for almost any device. Each city that features an ExpressVPN server provides you with various options as it comes to security standards. There are six different standards to choose from, but not all of them are available in every city.

We couldn’t find any IP, DNS or WebRTC leaks, and their installation files were clean from malware or viruses.

ExpressVPN’s app is not only easy-to-use, it comes with a built in kill switch which automatically ends your session if there is any kind of security breach. Their log-free policy truly means no logging. Plus, their British Virgin Islands location puts them outside any intelligence-sharing agreements.

Both torrenting and Netflix works smoothly, without sacrificing performance or speed. In fact, they are one of the fastest VPNs we’ve reviewed to date.

The only downside? It’s a little on the pricey side. The monthly plans offered by ExpressVPN start between $6.67 and $12.95 per month. The price of $6.67 requires a 15-month subscription, and comes with three free months. This is a small price to pay for excellent performance in almost every category.

Visit ExpressVPN.com
…or read our ExpressVPN review

 

4. PerfectPrivacy – Unlimited Connections ($10.00/mo)

Ranks #4 out of 78 VPNs

You know exactly what you’re getting from a product called “Perfect-Privacy.”

Their logging policy is legit: None of your personal data is monitored or stored.

Perfect-Privacy also offers a leak-free connection with best-in-class AES-256 encryption and protocol options that include OpenVPN, IPSec, and SSH.

But the best part?

Unlimited connections.

Most other competitors will only allow a small handful, like three to five device connections at any given time. This means you can connect anything that runs on Windows, Linux, Mac, iOS, Android, IPTV, or even routers. That could make it perfect for teams or organizations, too. Torrenting is allowed on most servers. There are a number of servers that block P2P access. Use of Tor is also permitted when using Perfect-Privacy. Netflix worked on one out of five servers we tried (A UK one).

There were a few drawbacks, though. Speeds were average, not as fast as some of our other options. They are under Switzerland jurisdiction which is generally good for privacy (and logs). However, they are known to cooperate with countries under the five eyes jurisdiction. Last but not least, their server list is not very impressive. Perfect-Privacy only features a handful of servers in just 26 countries. That’s very low compared to most of our top VPNs.

Another drawback to this service is the pricing. While most of its major competitors keep their prices relatively low, the $9.99 – $12.99 monthly cost for Perfect-Privacy is on the higher end of the spectrum. (Although, it does look a lot better when you can connect dozens of devices.) There has been some positive movement in this regard. Monthly subscriptions cost $14.75 at one time and were recently lowered to $12.99.

Visit Perfect-Privacy.com
…or read our Perfect Privacy review

 

5. IPVanish – Secure & Fast, US-Based, No Live Support ($6.49/mo)

Ranks #5 out of 78 VPNs

With IPVanish, customers have access to more than 1,300 servers located in in 75 different countries around the world.

All of the major security protocols are supported through this VPN. They use bank-grade AES-256 encryption which ensures that no one will be able to track you. IPVanish can be used on up to five Windows, Mac, iOS, or Android devices at a time. They also offer up to 10 simultaneous connections. There are no limits imposed on server connections or bandwidth.

Netflix worked on one of the four servers we tested. While they tout themselves as the fastest VPN in the world on their website, we clocked them at the 26th position overall on our speed list. That’s out of over 78 reviews so far. That’s still an excellent speed, outpacing more than 50 other services.

Here are a few of the biggest cons we noticed.

IPVanish’s pricing comes in slightly high for some of their long-term plans as compared to other services of the same size. They range from $4.87 – $7.50 per month. Their prices used to go above $10 per month with no commitment period, so we’re happy to see that they are moving in the right direction.

They don’t support Tor and discourage torrenting, so don’t count on either. Their customer service was unreliable during our tests.

They’re also located in a Five Eyes-friendly jurisdiction, meaning authorities can demand your personal information and share it among the U.S., U.K., Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

Visit IPVanish.com
…or read our IPVanish review

 

6. Mullvad – Most Anonymous Signup Process ($5.69/mo)

Ranks #6 out of 78 VPNs

Mullvad offers log-free website browsing for any Windows, Mac, or Linux device (up to five simultaneous connections).

Their AES-256 encryption with OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols were also IP & DNS leak-free across each of our six tests.

Mullvad’s server speeds even locked down our 10th spot, outpacing more than 70 other VPNs. That’s particularly impressive when you consider that their VPN software will only set you back $5.69 per month.

This app used to be confusing to use, but recent updates have made it both simple and effective. It is one of those VPNs that anyone can use, regardless of skill level.

One of the defining features of Mullvad is its Swiss Bank-like method of connecting you to their service. You don’t need any kind of identifying information to sign up for Mullvad. You don’t even need an email address. You simply sign up and Mullvad gives you a randomly generated account number.

When it comes to streaming, we tested several Mullvad US based servers and they all came up blocked for Netflix. However, we had success unblocking a server in the UK, so it is possible to overcome Netflix’s VPN ban using Mullvad.

Unfortunately, Mullvad features no live chat customer support, so it’s hard to get fast answers for your questions.

Their server park is made up of 377+ servers in 31+ countries, which is a little on the low side. The server park appears to be growing. Currently, 316 servers operate on OpenVPN with 61 working through WireGuard.

Their Swedish home base puts them under the extended 14 Eyes intelligence community. However, with absolutely no personal information required for sign up and the option to pay for the service using untraceable cryptocurrency, it’s not as big of a deal as it might be for some other services.

Visit Mullvad.net
…or read our Mullvad review

 

7. CyberGhost – Great Features, Average Speed ($2.75/mo)

Ranks #7 out of 78 VPNs

CyberGhost has an impressive number of servers, offering 3,999+ servers across 60 different countries. While that’s not as huge as some of the others we’ve reviewed, it’s definitely up there.

If privacy is your chief concern, Cyberghost has you covered with a winning combination of Romanian jurisdiction coupled with a strict ‘no logging’ policy. Your privacy will remain intact, no mater what. On top of that there were no DNS or WebRTC leaks, whatsoever. We should know, we tested it six different times to be sure.

Cyberghost also includes a kill switch, that will shut your session down immediately if any leak springs in your VPN tunnel. This is a perfect Plan B in case you have any concerns about your connection.

As of last year, CyberGhost was sold to Kape Technologies, formerly knows as Crossrider Plc – which is infamous for creating and distributing malware.

Downloading one of their apps on your Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, Linux, or router only takes seconds.

On the plus side, they’re fully Tor compatible. But on the downside, not all servers are torrenting friendly. It’s easy to find torrenting servers, though. Cyberghost’s new user interface features a search function that allows you to limit your results to only show torrenting servers. 

We tested four different servers from all over the world to see if CyberGhost can unblock Netflix, as it claims. They even have specific servers that are marked as Netflix safe. When we tested four of those, only one was able to stream Netflix content successfully.

CyberGhost supports most major VPN protocols, including OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP, and IPSec.

The $2.75 to $12.99 average monthly cost means you can land a great deal by committing to a longer term.

The only other drawbacks we noticed were average server speeds (tested on two chosen at random). Customer service was also a little spotty.

Visit CyberGhost.com
…or read our CyberGhost review

 

8. Trust.Zone – Fast VPN w/ Small Server Network ($2.88/mo)

Ranks #8 out of 78 VPNs

Trust.Zone’s pricing is one of its best features. While it’s not the cheapest option we’ve seen, it’s pretty darn close. Their costs range from $2.88 – $8.88 per month. That makes it one of the lowest ranges we’ve seen. This is particularly true when you compare it to some of its other top competitors on this list.

The old adage that you get what you pay for is also proven wrong where Trust.Zone is concerned. Their performance in no way indicates the spotty service traditionally associated with low-priced VPNs. 

Trust.Zone server speeds were similar to NordVPN (#1 on our list) in 15th place overall.

This VPN’s parent company is based in Seychelles. On top of being a stunningly beautiful paradise, it is the privacy-haven of the world. That means Trust.Zone is in no way obligated to hand over your data to the US, UK Australia, or any other country that might want it.

Their app compatibility ranges from iOS to Android, Linux, Windows, Mac, and even routers. Each native app also comes fully loaded with a kill switch.

Their servers offer restriction-free torrenting, which is great news for anyone looking for a P2P connection. It was also able to unblock Netflix with some success. We tested five of their 170 servers and two of them worked with the service.

Trust.Zone also offers a host of encryption standards, including AES-256-CBC cipher, SHA256 authentication, RSA-2048 handshake.

If we had to gripe about a few things, it would be the slow-ish customer service (no live chat support). The server count is pretty low, as well (170+ in 30+ countries) – especially compared to the first few behemoths on this list. They also allow only three simultaneous connections.

Visit Trust.Zone
…or read our Trust.Zone review

 

9. ibVPN – VPN, Proxy & Smart DNS All In One ($4.84/mo)

Ranks #9 out of 78 VPNs

ibVPN’s zero logging and Romanian location mean your privacy remains double secured.

Their easy-to-use app is compatible with a MASSIVE list of devices.

Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Kindle Fire, Boxee Box, Chromecast, Apple TV, LG Smart TV, Samsung Smart TV, LG WebOS Smart TV, PS4, Playstation 3, PS Vita, Xbox 360, DD-WRT VPN, and Tomato USB routers.

You can connect up to five devices simultaneously across those platforms.

Their servers are locked-down with AES-256 encryption. And they offer protocols that will work on most devices and networks, including OpenVPN, L2TP, PPTP, IPSec, SSTP.

Our customer service experience was excellent.

Monthly pricing plans for ibVPN range from $4.95 – $10.95 per month. As is the case with most of the VPNs we’ve reviewed, if you want to commit to a longer service period, the price per month drops substantially.

Now, for the cons.

Their combined server speeds were only good enough for 46th place (out of 78 reviews). Firmly middle of the park. Torrenting is limited to only a few servers. So it’s not ideal if downloading massive files is a priority. Their 180+ server network in 57 countries is relatively low, too.

Visit ibVPN.com
…or read our ibVPN review

 

10. Private Internet Access – Fast, US-Based, But Limited Streaming ($3.49/mo)

Ranks #10 out of 78 VPNs

Private Internet Access (or PIA for short) came in as the fourth fastest VPN overall.

Their combined server score was actually the fastest out of all the other competitors ranking here in our top 10.

One of the reasons PIA is able to offer such good speeds is because they give you the option to purposefully downgrade the security encryption from AES-256 to AES-128. So if you know you’re on a safe network and want to emphasize speed, you can easily push the limit.

That’s awesome news for people who want to use P2P file sharing, because torrenting is also unlimited.

Ten different devices can be connected to PIA through some of the best VPN tunneling protocols in existence. These include: OpenVPN, IPSec/L2TP, PPTP, or Socks5 proxy protocols. Device compatibility covers all the big bases, like Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux (+ a Chrome extension).

PIA is affordable. In fact, it’s one of the most affordable products on this list. Depending on the commitment period that you sign up for, monthly price ranges vary from $3.49 up to $9.95. They also give you the option to get your money back after seven days if you are not satisfied with the service they offer.

It’s too bad they only offer live chat customer support for paid subscribers. We were pleased with their high number of servers.  There are more than 3300, however, they’re only spread across 32 countries.

That’s great if you’re in one of those countries – you’ll have plenty of options. But if you’re not, you might have trouble getting access to those same stellar server speeds.

Visit PrivateInternetAccess.com
…or read our Private Internet Access review

78 VPNs We’ve Tested + Reviews

Here’s the full link to our testing spreadsheet:

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are The Benefits of Using a VPN?

Hides your IP address, encrypts your traffic and allows you to remain anonymous.

You might know that a VPN delivers privacy and anonymity. But how, exactly, does it do that?

First, it masks your IP address to conceal where you’re sitting. That’s no small feat, considering many VPNs leak your DNS or IP address.

Appearing like you’re somewhere else allows you to bypass geo-blocked content or uncensor websites. It also helps journalists and privacy activists under authoritarian regimes escape backlash, jail time, or worse.

VPN’s create a secure tunnel around your entire internet connection (mostly using OpenVPN tunneling protocol), protecting not just your browser, but also your app activity, too. Most VPNs use 256-bit AES encryption that makes it virtually impossible for your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to track which websites you’re visiting.

But it also means your personal data stays protected.

Further reading: What is a VPN? (Beginner’s Guide)

Is a VPN Fully Legal?

Yes, in 97% of countries.

Using a VPN is completely fine in most countries around the world.

However, we fact-checked 196 VPN country laws to confirm that some countries control VPN use, while others ban them outright.

Only “Government Approved” VPNs are supposed to be used in:

• China
• Iran
• Oman
• Russia
• Turkey
• United Arab Emirates

Getting caught using one that’s not sponsored could mean fines, jail time, or both.

Beware when in these countries, though. Because you can pretty much assume that “government approved” means they share some (if not all) data with each government when called upon.

Can You Use VPN to Stream or Watch Netflix?

Yes, you can…

Every VPN we reviewed says their service will work with Netflix. But not every VPN actually does work.

We found that roughly 70% of the VPNs we tested will fly under Netflix’s geo-blocking radar, including our two favorites: NordVPN and Surfshark.

Those numbers are pretty good, considering Netflix has aggressively gone after VPN connections and proxy servers in the last few years.

Their licensing restrictions are under extreme pressure, so they’re doing anything necessary to prevent people in the U.K. from streaming U.S. content (and vice versa).

The fact that our tests revealed both Surfshark and NordVPN work flawlessly on multiple servers was amazing.

It means they’re proactively avoiding detection from Netflix. And it means you can count on them working successfully in the future, too.

Besides Netflix, people also use VPNs to bypass geo-restrictions, watch sports channels or even HULU.

Further reading: Best (Working) VPNs for Netflix (2019)

Are VPNs Safe for Torrenting?

Yes, they’ll keep your P2P activity anonymous.

The only problem is that not all VPNs will allow torrenting on their servers.

We’ve compiled the best VPNs for torrenting and found that most fall in one of four categories:

1. Allow unlimited, unrestricted torrenting
2. Allow limited torrenting only on specific servers
3. Allow but don’t encourage and don’t
4. Don’t allow

Torrenting connects you to peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing to download massive files at lightning speeds. Without a VPN, you leave yourself exposed from the other people on that same connection.

The problem is that torrenting is most well known for bypassing copyright laws to illegally download content.

And many VPN companies shy away from the potential blowback from authorities.

Do VPN Providers Keep Log Files?

Same VPN services collect and store your log files.

After going through 118, we found that 26 will collect three or more important log files that would easily reveal your personal actions.

They all say they “don’t log.” But pretty much all of them do. The trick is to dig into their privacy policies and terms of service to see what, exactly, they’re logging.

For example, pretty much all of them will track aggregate bandwidth usage so they can monitor their own server performance. That stuff is no problem.

It starts to get a little tricky when they track when you log in or out of their service. And you’ll want to run for the hills when they track individual websites you visit.

To make matters worse, a lot of them use overly-complicated legal mumbo-jumbo to confuse the issues.

They’ll word it in such a way that makes it sound innocent. It doesn’t seem like they’ll track the files you download.

Further reading: 15 free VPN services that can sell your data to 3rd parties

Can You Set Up a VPN on a Router, SmartTV, Game Consoles?

Yes, you can.

IF the VPN supports those devices. OR if they offer a workaround (like through manual OpenVPN setup).

Ideally, go with a VPN that natively supports the platform you have in mind.

Let’s say that’s a router. Setting up a VPN connection at your Internet source means you can lock-down your entire connection. But it also means you can effectively add as many devices to a secure network as you’d like, too.

If you do need to do a little more manual labor, click here to read our full guide on setting up a router VPN.

Win-win.

Additionally, setting it up on your Smart TV will help you more easily stream geo-blocked content on Netflix, Hulu, and others.

You can change server locations right from the device itself and simply cycle through the best options to finally access whatever content you desire.

What About FREE VPNs?

We never recommend free VPNs, here’s why:

You know what they say about “free” services…

YOU are the product.

Shady free VPNs will commonly track your data and sell it to the highest third-party bidder.

Many have even been caught doing far worse, like injecting ads or referring affiliate traffic to boost profits on your behalf.

Check out this one example from CSIRO research and FTC complaint against Betternet.

Scary, right?

So be sure to do your homework.

Does VPN Impact Speed?

A little, expect a 30% drop…

But it depends a lot on the VPN.

Think about it:

Sure, they’re adding another layer of security. However, that also means they’re adding more hoops for your traffic to jump through.

Those additional speed bumps mean you can always expect a slowdown of some sort.

The key is to find a VPN that doesn’t completely derail your traffic, either.

We repeat the same speed test for each VPN we review.

First, we get the benchmark reading without a VPN so we can compare.

Then, we connect to a few different servers to try and compile an unbiased, combined rating.

Throughout this process, we’ve seen some that might only dock your connection a few percentage points. Chances are, you wouldn’t even notice it.

But we’ve also seen some awful ones, too.

Some of the providers we’ve reviewed have slowed our connection down by over 100%!

That would make streaming content virtually impossible. Even answering emails would be a struggle.

We’ve ranked each VPN from first to the last place. So reference the ranking on each if you’re concerned.

How Much Is The Average Cost For a VPN?

A good VPN might set you back somewhere between $3 – $8/month…

Pretty affordable, right?

Usually, month-to-month options will cost you the most. We’ve seen some as high as $18 bucks per month.

But if you’re willing to prepay for a year (or even longer), you can expect to find something in the $3-7 range.

I’d recommend the following:

See if the VPN you’re interested in offers a free trial. Many do.

If not, go ahead and sign up for the month-to-month option. Almost every (good) VPN we’ve reviewed will give you somewhere between seven and 30 days to get your money back if you’re unhappy.

In fact, if you seek around, you’ll find out that we also offer a NordVPN coupon.

Then, once you’ve been able to try it out for a few weeks, commit to the long-term option to lock-in an awesome rate.

Can a VPN Help With My IPS Throttling?

Usually, yes…

Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) will ‘throttle’ your connection to intentionally slow it down.

Crazy. Shouldn’t be legal. But it is.

If you’re using a ton of bandwidth, streaming HBO or Netflix, they might purposefully slow down your connection to indirectly force you to stop.

Using these services mean two things:

1. Fewer resources are available for their other customers, and
2. You’re not watching their own services or shows

Many times, they’ll use sophisticated methods like ‘peering’ to basically spy on your traffic data. The problem is that it’s not always possible to escape throttling.

A VPN can help, though. It will encrypt your device, and help hide it from these peering-type activities.

It’s not foolproof. But it can help obfuscate your data packets buried below the surface that would identify you as you.

Are There Any Risks of Using a VPN?

Only when you are doing something very illegal…

VPNs are mostly safe. Using them is mostly legal.

So you shouldn’t run into any problems or risks.

Unless…

You’re doing one of a few things:

• Using a non-government sponsored VPN in a country that requires one
• Downloading copyrighted information through a VPN and torrenting
• Performing other illegal activities while under a VPN connection.

Obviously, any of those questionable details can land you in hot water no matter what type of connection you’re running.

But for everyone else, you’re mostly risking time and money.

You’re wasting money on a VPN with terrible performance, for instance. So it might take forever to stream something until you eventually abandon it and can’t get your money back.

We’ve already highlighted some of the ‘spying’ and malware risks with free VPNs, too.

Fortunately, these are pretty rare. But it definitely does happen. So we’ll let you know if we found any potential red flags in each of our reviews on this site.