The best VPN service 2024

5 BEST VPNS: QUICK OVERVIEW\

If you're looking for quick answers, we've put together this brief overview of our top five VPN picks. You'll find in-depth analysis of each one directly below.

1. NordVPN - from $3.39 per month

The best VPN for most people

NordVPN is our top recommendation as the best VPN for most people. With easy-to-use apps, bullet-proof security, loads of features and some of the fastest speeds available, it covers all the bases – and it also unblocks pretty much any streaming service you care to try. Nord also offers fantastic value for money at $3.39 per month if you're happy to sign up for two years, making it significantly cheaper than its nearest competitor ExpressVPN (see below). Alternatively, you can try it out risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee if you're not ready to commit. 

2. Express VPN - from $6.67 per month

The best VPN for beginners

ExpressVPN excels in simplicity and ease of use. It does everything for you, so it's perfect for anyone who's worried that VPNs might be a bit complicated to use. However, that extra slick simplicity comes at a price: it's double the cost of NordVPN, starting at $6.67 per month on the 12-month plan. As with Nord and Surfshark, though, you can take advantage of a 30-day money-back guarantee to give it a demo.  

3. Surfshark - from $2.19 per month

The best cheap (and fastest) VPN

If you want a VPN that's as budget-friendly as it is high-quality, Surfshark is your ideal option and we highly recommend it. It's consistently been the fastest service out there over the last 12 months, and it unblocks every leading streaming service we reviewed. It's also extremely user-friendly and, crucially, it's available from just $2.19 per month on the two-year plan. The cheap price doesn't shed any of the security either, making it a no-brainer if you want something budget-friendly and easy but also reliable. And like the options above, Surfshark offers a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try before you buy. 

4. PIA - from $2.03 per month

The best VPN for Linux

PIA is one of the oldest and most respected names in VPN and we recommend it as the best option for certain, specific circumstances. If you're a Linux user, PIA comes with a dedicated GUI for most distros, making it the best option if you don't want to use a command-line interface with the options above. PIA is also excellent at torrenting and P2P sharing, and is packed full of features to make that stuff super easy. It's available for $2.03 per month but to get that price you do have to sign up for two years. 

5. PrivadoVPN - paid version from $1.48 per month

The best free VPN

We don't recommend that most people opt for a free VPN, mainly because there are so many drawbacks. For a start, they don't reliably unblock streaming services, there are fewer server locations to choose from and they usually only allow one device to connect at a time. They also have strict data limits, and are almost always less secure and trustworthy with your data. However, if you're only planning to use a VPN sparingly, or one time for something trivial, Privado is the best of the free options.

                                                                             Nord VPN

Nord VPN tops our VPN rankings by offering an unmatched blend of features, speed, unblocking, and value for money. Not only is it half the price of ExpressVPN, it also has more features compared to Surfshark. They're its two nearest rivals, making Nord a no-brainer for most people. 

Features

Nord VPN offers all the industry-standard features you'd expect from a modern, top-tier VPN service. Log into the app, select a location, and you can connect to servers all over the world instantly – encrypting all your web traffic and changing your IP address in the simple click of a button. It's easy to use, even for beginners, and has all the advanced features you'd expect if you're more experienced.

With a kill switch and an auto-connect function, you'll automatically connect to a VPN server when you boot it up, and if the connection drops, Nord will automatically quarantine your internet traffic. That's essential if you don't want your location or identity leaking out by accident.

You can even choose what you don't want going through the VPN, thanks to split tunneling. For example, in our testing, we found that it's great for using Android Auto and Apple Car Play without having to turn your VPN off.