Best VPN 2023: Review of 27 VPN Providers

Whether at a restaurant, airport, or grocery store: Free WiFi is available almost everywhere. However, as soon as you connect, you're vulnerable to attack by others on the same network. The good news is that you can protect your data traffic, and do much more, with a virtual private network (VPN).

Think of a VPN as a tunnel between your device and the network you're on. It conceals your data, hides your location, and masks your IP address. This allows you to access the 'regular' Internet in countries where websites and services are blocked, or to stream video content from abroad as if you were actually there.

Thanks to all of their advantages, VPNs have gone mainstream. However, this growing popularity has also seen an explosion in the number of providers, each of which promises to be the latest and greatest. As a result, choosing the right VPN is more challenging now than ever before.

To help you find the best VPN provider, we reviewed 27 popular services. Below, we'll introduce you to our Top 10.

NordVPN took the top spot in our evaluation. Not only is it user-friendly, reliable, and safe, but you can also get it for a very competitive price, especially in comparison to ExpressVPN, the second-best service from our sample.

The platform's client is built around an intuitive and elegantly designed user interface. Although you'll only find the most important features here, several extras, such as an ad and malware blocker, are integrated. Split tunneling is also included, making it easy to choose which programs use your VPN tunnel.

Since NordVPN regularly undergoes external security audits and markets a highly affordable two-year subscription, it meets most, if not all of our expectations.

What we like

NordVPN does everything slightly better than its competitors, offering, what we think, is the best overall package on the market. Its app is user-friendly, the service performs excellently, plenty of features are included, the server network is impressive, its security standards are robust, and the price-performance ratio is first-rate.

Who is NordVPN for?

NordVPN is a good choice for anyone interested in an affordable VPN all-arounder that offers excellent speeds and is capable of streaming content from abroad or shielding your data traffic while on public WiFi.

How is NordVPN different from other providers?

In our EXPERTE.com Speed Test, NordVPN secured first place, beating out all of its competitors. Beyond that, NordVPN did extremely well in each individual area we examined: There's basically nothing to fault it for.

What we don't like

NordVPN has lots of servers, however, these could be spread more evenly around the world. While some of its competitors have a presence in upwards of 100 countries, you'll only find NordVPN servers in 60.

ExpressVPN was one of our sample's over-achievers. Although excellent in nearly every category, the service's price tag reflects this. Thanks to its intuitive user interface, navigating both its desktop client and mobile app is easy, while true to its name, ExpressVPN was one of the fastest we examined.

In terms of server coverage, the provider does well. With 3,000 servers across 160 locations in 94 countries, ExpressVPN has a truly global presence. Like most VPNs, ExpressVPN offers a desktop client, mobile app, and browser extension.

What we like

ExpressVPN excels across the board: Its apps are among the best out there, performance is consistently strong, and with servers in 94 countries, there are few places you won't be able to virtually connect to. We also applaud ExpressVPN's commitment to undergoing regular security audits to reinforce its data privacy guarantees.

Who is ExpressVPN for?

If cost isn't a factor and you want a user-friendly, reliable, and powerful VPN, ExpressVPN could be just what you're looking for.

How is ExpressVPN different from other providers?

The service's Chrome and Firefox extensions are some of the best that we reviewed. They don't just connect to a proxy server like most browser-based VPNs but establish a secure OpenVPN connection.

What we don't like

The biggest argument against ExpressVPN is its price, which is considerably above average. ExpressVPN markets itself as a premium product and subscribers pay accordingly. In many cases, you can spend half as much for a VPN, or even nothing, if using a freemium one.

Besides the cost factor, there are also some data privacy issues with ExpressVPN's parent company. In the past, they were accused of spreading malware and adware.

Although Surfshark is fairly new to the VPN market, you wouldn't know it: With its large server network and first-rate performance, the service is hot on NordVPN's heels, taking an impressive second place in our speed test.

But that's not all: Its apps are intuitive, support is fast, and users have access to plenty of features. These include split tunneling and MultiHop, the latter of which allows you to improve your VPN's efficiency by using more than one VPN tunnel at the same time.

What we like

Our price-performance choice might be easy on your wallet, but that doesn't mean it cuts any corners. Security is top-notch, you're given plenty of features, and there's a 24/7 live chat in case you run into any issues. On top of that, the VPN can be used on as many devices as you'd like, and it also cuts a fine figure for streaming.

Who is Surfshark for?

Surfshark's 2-year subscription is a great option for bargain hunters searching for a VPN that's priced right but doesn't make any compromises in terms of quality.

How is Surfshark different from other providers?

The VPN impressed us with its wide variety of features, surpassing other, more well-established, and expensive services. Alongside split tunneling, there's MultiHop, and the ability to purchase a static IP address.

What we don't like

Apple devices get the short end of the stick, as things like split tunneling aren't offered.

Further, the service's affordability is also only an advantage if you're thinking about signing on for a long-term contract; month-to-month subscriptions are as expensive as with ExpressVPN.

ProtonVPN has been on our radars for quite a while and we're impressed with the open-source, Swiss VPN's constant growth and improvement. Today, it can rightfully claim to have one of the most user-friendly VPN clients out there, also offering split tunneling and other interesting features.

One of these would be its SecureCore servers: These forward your regular VPN traffic through a secure server in a country with strict privacy laws. An adblocker, BitTorrent support, and Tor features are also part of the mix.

What we like

ProtonVPN shows that VPNs can offer both security and user-friendliness without compromising either. Because it's open-source, offers high encryption standards, and extra security features, ProtonVPN should appeal to anyone concerned about privacy and data protection. At the same time, its intuitive apps and streaming capabilities make it equally well-suited for casual users.

Who is ProtonVPN for?

ProtonVPN is ideal for anyone who values transparency and enhanced security features. Its generous free version also makes ProtonVPN an excellent choice if you're considering a free VPN. It's definitely one of the best free VPNs out there.

How is ProtonVPN different from other providers?

In order to underline its commitment to its users' security and privacy, ProtonVPN went open source in 2020, allowing anyone to access its software's source code and probe it for weaknesses. The provider also regularly undergoes external security audits.

Even among free VPNs, the Swiss service stands out, offering unlimited data and not throttling connection speeds. You will only be able to use the VPN on one device and connect to three server locations, however.

What we don't like

Support is something of a weakness for ProtonVPN. In addition, if you need a VPN for your trip to China, it's not a good choice: During testing, we weren't able to establish a connection from the country.

HideMyAss impresses when it comes to numbers. Its server network has truly global coverage, with a presence in more than 210 countries, even in locations where its competitors aren't active. We should point out that some of these are virtual servers.

HMA also has been doing its homework, clearing up a few issues we had noted in the past. Its no-log policy is now backed up by an independent audit. On top of that, the service offers practical features that its competitors rarely include, like automatic IP changing.

What we like

HIdeMyAss's server infrastructure is unparalleled, also offering good speeds and performing reliably. During testing, we didn't have to deal with any connectivity issues or fill out captchas, an annoying side effect of VPN usage. Even though HMA isn't among the market leaders in each category we assessed VPNs on, there's no doubt that it's a solid VPN.

You can look forward to a few nifty extras that you'll seldom find elsewhere, like automatic IP changing. When this is enabled, you'll be able to specify how often your IP address should be changed, even during a session.

Who is HideMyAss for?

With nice speeds, practical features like automatic IP changing, and a huge server network, HMA is a great choice for VPN globetrotters, so long as you don't intend to use it for your next trip to China.

How is HMA different from other providers?

HideMyAss's biggest advantage is its server network, which claims to cover more countries than are represented at the United Nations. Even though many of these are virtual servers, the geographic spread is still impressive.

What we don't like

HMA didn't do particularly well during our streaming test: We were able to fool Disney+ and the BBC iPlayer, however, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video wouldn't let us access content from outside of our region.

In addition, HMA's client is a bit too cluttered for our taste. Unless you're using the VPN on your Android device, you'll also have to make do without split tunneling.

Hide.me is a VPN service that markets itself as the "fastest around". We weren't able to confirm this during testing, with the Malaysian service finishing in the bottom half of our speed ranking. But we won't hold that against it, as the provider earned good to very good scores in each of our assessment categories. Rounding things out, its free version is very generous, offering a lot of data at no charge.

What we like

The Malaysian VPN is beginner-friendly, but also allows more advanced users to configure extra settings and features in order to customize their VPN experience. The selection of features available really impressed us and includes things like split tunneling and Stealth Guard, which don't come by default with other VPNs.

Who is hide.me for?

Since hide.me offers a nice blend of features and user-friendliness, it's great for casual users as well as VPN veterans who want to customize their connection settings.

How is hide.me different from other providers?

With 10 GB of free data per month, hide.me has one of the most generous free VPNs on the market, only losing out to ProtonVPN (which offers unlimited data).

And, if full anonymity is important to you, hide.me accepts cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin or Litecoin, for paying subscription fees.

What we don't like

Despite its marketing, hide.me's performance is only decent. In addition, the provider hasn't undergone an independent security audit for quite a while, despite being one of the first VPNs to do so.

Private Internet Access (PIA) hails from the US. Since 2019, it's been part of Kape Technologies (formerly Crossrider), a somewhat controversial company that owns several other VPNs, like ExpressVPN, Zenmate, and CyberGhost. PIA offers apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, along with browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera.

What we like

The VPN impressed us with its unique app, which can be configured to your liking by adding (or removing) different modules. For other kinds of software, this wouldn't be anything special, but among VPNs, it's rare.

Beyond that, PIA also scored owing to its huge number of servers and no-log policy, which was confirmed by an independent security audit in 2022.

Who is Private Internet Access for?

If other VPN apps are too rigid for your tastes, you'll probably enjoy the ability to customize PIA's interface.

How is Private Internet Access different from other providers?

Apart from its modular client, PIA also stands out owing to the massive number of servers it operates, exceeding 35,000 around the world. PIA is simply the market leader, offering five times as many servers as its nearest competitor.

What we don't like

PIA performed decently during testing, even if its speeds weren't good enough for the top positions in our ranking.

In addition, its connection to Kape Technologies raises a few red flags so far as data privacy is concerned.

CyberGhost is a Romanian VPN that promises Internet freedom. Just like ExpressVPN, PIA, and a few other VPNs, it's owned by Kape Technologies. Apps are available for most common operating systems, as well as Android TV, Apple TV, and devices, like smart TVs.

What we like

With more than 8,000 servers, CyberGhost is second only to Private Internet Access in terms of numbers. And you don't have to worry about being ghosted in other areas thanks to its powerful support (featuring a live chat), user-friendly apps, and good streaming performance (except on Disney+).

Who is CyberGhost for?

CyberGhost offers lots of features at a very competitive price (in its 2-year subscription), making it an attractive option for anyone on a budget. Since up to seven devices can be connected simultaneously, it's also ideal for large families or households.

How is CyberGhost different from other providers?

With CyberGhost, you'll be given access to some features that other VPNs don't offer: Smart Rules, for example, allows you to specify what the app should do in certain situations, such as when you launch a program.

We also liked how CyberGhost categorized its streaming servers, informing users directly which ones work with certain services (such as "Netflix Japan" or BBC iPlayer UK).

What we don't like

Like ExpressVPN and PIA, CyberGhost is owned by Kape Technologies, a company with a sketchy data privacy record. Although it may seem like we're overemphasizing this, discretion and anonymity are two huge reasons why people use VPNs in the first place.

We also have to report that we encountered occasional connection issues during testing. Sometimes, it wasn't possible to establish a connection at all, while at other times, our speeds were very slow.

Hong Kong's PureVPN has been on the market since 2007, making it an oldie. Apps are available for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux, and setting up the service on smart TVs, routers, or gaming consoles is a piece of cake. Chrome, Firefox, and Edge browser extensions are also offered.

What we like

PureVPN is a relatively affordable VPN offering robust performance and an extensive server network, all packaged within intuitive apps. Its basic version includes a number of features that can be enhanced through practical add-ons. Should you need even more components, it's possible to purchase a dedicated IP address, DDoS protection, or port forwarding.

Who is PureVPN for?

Supposing that you're in the market for an affordable VPN with a relatively large number of servers in 'exotic' countries (like Afghanistan, Angola, or Brunei), PureVPN is worth checking out.

How is PureVPN different from other providers?

Global coverage is one area where PureVPN distinguishes itself from its competitors. Unlike most VPNs, it operates servers all over South America, Africa, and Asia, in countries that its competitors rarely do. Another argument in favor of the Hong Kong-based service is its numerous add-ons.

What we don't like

PureVPN made headlines for all the wrong reasons when it was revealed that they had cooperated with the FBI in order to prosecute a serious case of cyber-stalking. Of course, this is a noble cause, but data privacy purists saw the provider as tarnished.

Even though PureVPN's performance was solid during our review, it finished in the bottom half of our speed test. Making matters worse, video streaming was only possible with some services during testing.

Finishing off our Top 10 is Windscribe, a VPN from Canada. Like ProtonVPN, it offers a very generous free version, while also impressing with its premium subscriptions. In addition to desktop apps for Windows, macOS, and Linux, Windscribe can be used on Android and iOS smartphones, as well as Blackberry devices. Browser extensions, as well as the ability to use the service on devices like routers and smart TVs round out the package.

What we like

Windscribe's sleek user interface is packed with practical features, many of which aren't offered by its competitors. Along with split tunneling, you'll get Double Hop, which, like Surfshark's MultiHop or NordVPN's Double VPN, routes your VPN connection through two servers.

Who is Windscribe for?

Owing to their flexibility, the service's premium subscriptions are a great option for users of more modest means. With these, you can pay for access to a specific server location. In addition, Windscribe's generous free version is highly practical for casual users, offering up to 10 GB of free data per month.

How is Windscribe different from other providers?

Especially in the freemium VPN market segment, Windscribe does well owing to the considerable amount of data users get at no cost. We also think that its flexible subscription model is innovative: Pay for the server location(s) you need, and none that you don't.

What we don't like

Unfortunately, Windscribe's speeds were only good enough for a place near the bottom of our ranking.

Even though there was only space for the 10 best providers on our list, many of the VPNs we looked at did just as well. The ranking below gives an overview of how each VPN provider from our sample performed: