Best VPN Providers of August 2023 | Our Top 5

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Summary: Top 5 Best VPN Providers of 2023

After extensive testing of dozens of popular VPN services, our top five VPNs are:

1. NordVPN: The best VPN overall
2. Surfshark: The VPN with the best bang for your buck
3. ExpressVPN: The best VPN when money isn’t an issue
4. CyberGhost: Good VPN with the most extensive money-back-guarantee
5. Private Internet Access: Great VPN with the largest server network

These services are compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, iOS (iPhone), and Linux. This allows you to secure all your internet traffic with just one VPN subscription.

However, the best VPN for you depends on your needs. Of course, our top five offer the best features for almost any user. With these VPNs, you can:

• Browse anonymously using secure servers
• Stream Netflix and other content from almost anywhere in the world
• Download torrents with high speed
• Protect your personal data

If you prefer a free VPN, our top recommendations are Proton VPN, Hide.me, and TunnelBear. However, free VPNs have limits in terms of features and security. We advise you invest in your security with a premium VPN, like NordVPN.

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Read our full article below for everything you need to know about the best VPN providers and how to choose the right one for you.

At VPNOverview, our team of experts regularly tests VPNs to determine the best ones. Our list of the best VPN providers is selected after rigorous testing, and in order to be featured, each VPN must excel in the following categories:

• Security & reliability
• Privacy & logging
• Number of servers
• Cost
• Speed
• User-friendliness
• Customer support

Since 2014, we have been testing VPNs and other cybersecurity software to help our readers choose the best VPN. As more providers enter the market, selecting the right one is becoming increasingly difficult.

Now more than ever, using a VPN is extremely important if you want to protect your data. A good VPN hides your information and helps you overcome geo-restrictions.

All the VPNs in our top 5 list work with Netflix, allow torrenting or P2P traffic, support the safest encryption protocols, are compatible with all major operating systems, and have headquarters in countries that have beneficial privacy regulations.

Want to learn more about these specific providers and other VPNs we’ve tested? Check out our VPN review page.

Best VPN Discount Deals (August 2023)

Several of our best VPN picks offer heavy discounts that readers can benefit from. If you’re looking for an excellent VPN at a great price (with a money-back guarantee, of course), you can’t go wrong with our top two providers.

1. NordVPN discount: 68% off

The best deal this month is for NordVPN. You can try out NordVPN with 68% off for just $3.19 per month and get three months free. It’s our top-ranking VPN!

You can connect to 5,700 servers+ in 60 countries to unblock Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and more. NordVPN also lets you torrent and use the internet in high-censorship areas safely.

This fantastic deal will give you the best VPN at a very affordable price. Grab the discount below, or keep reading about NordVPN.

2. Surfshark discount: 82% off

Surfshark also has a sharp offer. You can try SurfShark for just $2.30 per month for two years, plus two months free, making it one of the cheapest premium VPNs around.

It’s discounted by up to 82%, so claim this discount today by clicking below. With 3,200 servers in over 100 countries and a malware blocker, you can get top-notch security for only a couple of dollars per month.

Click the button to grab Surfshark at a discount, or keep reading about Surfshark.

Best VPN Services: The Best VPNs Compared

Looking for a quick overview of how our top 5 VPNs stack up against one another? Explore their essential features in the table below. Keep scrolling down for an in-depth comparison of these VPN providers.

Feature	NordVPN	Surfshark	ExpressVPN	CyberGhost	PIA
Score	9.3 / 10	9.0 / 10	8.9 / 10	8.8 / 10	8.6 / 10
Servers	5,400+ servers across 60 countries	3,200+ servers across 100 countries	3,000+ servers across 94 countries	9,000+ servers across 91 countries	33,000+ servers across 84 countries
Torrents / P2P allowed?	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Works with Netflix USA?	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Simultaneous connections	6	Unlimited	5	7	10
Works with	Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux	Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux	Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux	Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux	Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux
VPN protocols	OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, NordLynx (WireGuard)	OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard	OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP/IPsec, Lightway	OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard	OpenVPN, WireGuard, L2TP/IPSec, PPTP
Logging policy	No logs	No logs	No logs	No logs	No logs
Price	From $3.19 per month	From $2.30 per month	From $6.67 per month	From $2.19 per month	From $2.19 per month
Money-back guarantee	30 days	30 days	30 days	45 days	30 days
Website	Save on NordVPN	Get Surfshark	Get ExpressVPN	Buy CyberGhost	Signup for PIA

What is the Best VPN in 2023?

1. NordVPN: The best VPN overall
2. Surfshark: The VPN with the best bang for your buck
3. ExpressVPN: The best VPN when money isn’t an issue
4. CyberGhost: Good VPN with the most extensive money-back-guarantee
5. Private Internet Access: Great VPN with the largest server network

The best VPN right now is NordVPN. Other services that deserve a place among our top 5 best VPN providers are Surfshark, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and PIA.

Each VPN has its own unique advantages, such as specialized servers or high levels of encryption. We’ll shortly explain why each of these VPNs performed so well in our vigorous tests.

1. NordVPN: The best VPN overall

NordVPN is the best VPN of 2023 and provides the best security a VPN can offer at a very reasonable price.

• 5,400+ servers in 60 countries
• Online safety for up to six devices at once
• Threat Protection and Dark Web Monitor
• 30-day money-back guarantee on all subscriptions
• Strict no-logs policy
• Unblocks Netflix and other streaming providers

Why we chose NordVPN as the best VPN

NordVPN is a renowned VPN provider with an extensive global server network (5,600+ servers in 60+ countries), military-grade encryption (AES-256), and competitive pricing. It’s no wonder that Google Trends has listed it as the most-used VPN in the world.

As noted in our NordVPN review, it has dedicated P2P servers and even supports Onion over VPN if you want to connect to Tor.

Is NordVPN suitable for streaming?

During our streaming test, we were able to unblock Netflix US, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Crunchyroll, and many other services. With NordVPN, you can watch anything these platforms have to offer. It’s also our top Netflix VPN, especially if you want to unblock the US Netflix library.

NordVPN also allows you to torrent anonymously through dedicated P2P servers. These provide excellent speeds, so you’ll get your favorite content in no time. We were able to download 10+ GB files quickly without any interruptions.

NordVPN’s SmartPlay feature combines the benefits of a VPN and Smart DNS. As such, it hides your IP, encrypts your connection, and automatically routes your DNS queries as needed.

What operating systems and devices are compatible with NordVPN?

One NordVPN account allows you to secure up to six devices at the same time. NordVPN offers native apps for Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, and Linux.

You can also use NordVPN with your Android TV, gaming consoles, Amazon Firestick, Kindle Fire, Raspberry Pi, VPN routers, and many other devices. Lastly, NordVPN extensions are also available on popular browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.

Safety and privacy

Our review experts evaluate security very carefully when testing a VPN. NordVPN recently conducted its latest security audit via Deloitte, one of the top independent auditors in the world to back up its no-logs claim, and passed regularly.

They also offer a proprietary protocol built on WireGuard, known as NordLynx, which is faster and more secure than OpenVPN.

NordVPN doesn’t record any logs and keeps a regularly updated warrant canary. According to this statement, the company has received zero National Security letters, gag orders, and warrants from the government.

Some of NordVPN’s advanced security features include:

• Threat Protection: Blocks ads, trackers, and malware
• Dark Web Monitoring: Scans the dark web for leaks associated with your email address
• Double VPN: Routes your traffic through two VPN servers and encrypts it twice
• Advanced kill switch: NordVPN’s kill switch lets you specify which apps to block if your connection drops.

During our privacy testing, we didn’t notice any WebRTC or DNS leaks. All in all, NordVPN is a fantastic choice if you want to remain anonymous when browsing online.

Customer support

NordVPN offers fantastic customer support. They have a responsive live chat option, and you can also reach them via email if it’s not an urgent concern.

Based on our experiences, the NordVPN support team was quick to respond. Our queries were answered promptly, and we found their agents quite knowledgeable.

NordVPN also has a fantastic Help Center that includes a dedicated FAQ section, answers to general questions, and sections for billing and connectivity. If you have a query, it’s best to take a look in the Help Center first, since it’s pretty extensive.

Our final score for NordVPN: 9.3

Our experts all agree: NordVPN is the best VPN provider in 2023 and continues to consolidate its position at the top. It’s currently the largest VPN provider in the world.

The company has invested heavily to prove that user safety is guaranteed. It’s a top-notch VPN with bulletproof software, which offers a lot of customization options.

It’s extremely easy to install as well. It works right out of the box, and doesn’t require any technical know-how to set up.

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2. Surfshark: The VPN with the best bang for your buck

Surfshark is a lightning-fast VPN with an excellent price-to-value ratio.

• 3,200 servers in 100 countries
• Unlimited simultaneous connections
• Ad & malware blocker
• No-logs VPN
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• Unblocks all major streaming services

Why we picked Surfshark

Surfshark is a great and affordable VPN that quickly went from a newcomer to one of the best VPNs out there. It’s also one of the fastest VPNs out there, according to our in-house tests.

Despite its low price, Surfshark offers a robust set of features, including military-grade encryption, a respectable global server network, and support for virtually all platforms.

One Surfshark account supports unlimited simultaneous connections. It also comes with dedicated ad, malware, and cookie popup blockers. They also offer 24/7 support in case you run into issues.

Is Surfshark suitable for streaming and downloading torrents?

Surfshark works great with Netflix and other streaming services. In fact, it gave us access to over 30 regional Netflix libraries, including Netflix US. The VPN servers work flawlessly through the Surfshark VPN client (just connect to a server!).

Even if you run into an issue and Netflix won’t give you access, you can simply fire up the free Surfshark browser extension and use that instead to access streaming services through your browser.

If you can’t imagine a day without firing up your uTorrent client, Surfshark allows P2P traffic without sacrificing your security and anonymity. Like NordVPN, it has specialized P2P servers, but Surfshark will automatically connect you to one of them when it notices you’re torrenting. This is a nifty feature in case you forget to switch servers.

What operating systems and devices are compatible with Surfshark?

Surfshark is the only provider in our top 5 that doesn’t impose any limits on the number of devices you can use it on. It supports unlimited connections on a single account.

What’s more, Surfshark works on all major operating systems. They have native apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux and offer browser extensions for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.

Safety and privacy

Surfshark uses AES 256-bit encryption, just like NordVPN. It also supports numerous protocols, including OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard.

The MultiHop feature in Surfshark lets you route your traffic through two VPN servers instead of one, offering another layer of protection. If you want to browse the web anonymously, this is as good as it gets.

Customer support

Surfshark has a dedicated support section, featuring VPN guides and answers to various questions that you may have. As part of our Surfshark review, our team of experts also contacted their customer support via email and live chat and received a prompt response.

Our final score for Surfshark: 9.0

Surfshark offers great value for the money. It’s a recognized name in the industry now, and if you’re looking for an affordable VPN that helps you unblock streaming services and offers great security features, you can’t go wrong with it.

If you’d like to, you can use their money-back guarantee and use it as a free Surfshark trial. It’s a great way to try out Surfshark first without committing to a long-term plan.

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3. ExpressVPN: The best VPN when money isn’t an issue

One of the best VPNs when money isn’t an issue. This premium VPN service is beginner-friendly, fast, and secure.

• 3,000 servers in 94 countries
• Five simultaneous connections
• Automatic kill switch and split tunneling
• No-logs VPN
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• Dedicated Lightway protocol

Why we picked ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is one of the largest and most popular VPN providers in the world. It’s renowned for its commitment to privacy and security, offering VPN apps for all major platforms, and even letting you configure the VPN on your router.

You’ll have access to a vast VPN server network of 3,000+ stable servers in 90+ countries. It’s one of the fastest VPNs right now and has been through multiple independent audits, so there are no privacy concerns you need to worry about.

Is ExpressVPN suitable for streaming and downloading torrents?

ExpressVPN allows anonymous downloads via torrent networks. We tested this with different free torrent clients, like uTorrent and BitTorrent, and found that it always worked very well, with no speed throttling detected at all.

In addition, you can access all kinds of streaming services worldwide with ExpressVPN. This means you’ll be able to enjoy American Netflix as well as other streaming services, such as Disney Plus and Hulu outside of the US.

What operating systems and devices are compatible with ExpressVPN?

You can use your ExpressVPN subscription on up to five different devices at the same time. It offers simple and well-functioning applications for Android, Windows, iPhone, Mac, and Linux.

Moreover, if English isn’t your first language, ExpressVPN also offers its app in ten other languages.

Safety and privacy

ExpressVPN is incredibly safe to use, offering a choice of different protocols, including OpenVPN, IKEv2, and its proprietary Lightway protocol. It also uses AES 256-bit encryption like all the top VPNs.

This VPN uses “diskless servers,” which means that even the provider itself cannot see your browsing history. For these reasons, this VPN service has built a good reputation over the years.

Customer support

ExpressVPN customer service has a 24/7 live chat function which we tested as part of our ExpressVPN review, and got a prompt response. We also tested their email support and got a response in under 12 hours.

There’s also a comprehensive support section on their site, including FAQs and guides to help users set up and get the best out of their VPN.

Room for improvement

ExpressVPN is relatively expensive compared to other providers on this list. Many people end up with NordVPN or Surfshark because they are similar in quality (or better) but cheaper.

A small problem you’ll encounter when using ExpressVPN on your smartphone is that the kill switch sometimes kicks in when you change networks. You don’t receive any notifications, which means your connection is lost without you knowing why.

You may stop receiving notifications from incoming emails, WhatsApp chats, and other social media, which can be quite annoying.

Our final score for ExpressVPN: 8.9

ExpressVPN is an easy-to-use VPN with many useful options and functions. This VPN service is perfect for people who want to surf, download, and stream anonymously (including Netflix).

One of its main downsides is its higher price tag, especially with a monthly subscription. The support team members are also out of their depth when it comes to resolving complicated technical issues.

Every subscription comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee that can be used as a trial period, so you can try ExpressVPN 100% risk-free.

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4. CyberGhost: Good VPN with the most extensive money-back-guarantee

An excellent choice for your first VPN that includes a longer money-back guarantee.

• 7,000+ servers in 90 countries
• 7 simultaneous connections
• DNS & IP leak protection
• Works with Netflix and other streaming services
• 45-day money-back guarantee
• Dedicated gaming services

Why we picked CyberGhost VPN

Are you looking for a good, cheap, and beginner-friendly VPN with a large server network? Then CyberGhost is the right VPN service for you. This provider has a wide range of VPN servers (with over 9000+ servers in 90+ countries) and offers a slew of excellent features.

CyberGhost features dedicated gaming servers, unlimited bandwidth, a kill switch, and split tunnelling. There are dedicated VPN clients available for Windows, macOS, and both Android and iOS platforms. And, it also works really well if you want to unblock Netflix!

Is CyberGhost suitable for streaming and downloading torrents?

CyberGhost is a great VPN for all your streaming purposes. Apart from Netflix, it gives you worldwide access to streaming services such as Hulu, HBO Max, Crunchyroll, and BBC iPlayer, among many others.

In fact, CyberGhost offers special streaming servers that are optimized for all these streaming platforms. This is very handy and a major plus for movie and tv-show enthusiasts.

Aside from that, CyberGhost’s special P2P servers support downloading with BitTorrent and uTorrent, as well as other P2P tools. All in all, CyberGhost is a great VPN that’s more than suitable for streaming and for downloading torrents.

What operating systems and devices are compatible with CyberGhost?

You can connect to CyberGhost servers with up to seven different devices at the same time using just one account. This is especially useful when you’re looking for a VPN to use for all your devices. It’s even possible to request a dedicated IP address. This can help you avoid blacklisting by services like Netflix.

CyberGhost offers dedicated apps for Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android, and Linux. This means you can use it to protect all your devices in just a few clicks.

Safety and privacy

CyberGhost also uses AES 256-bit encryption and offers a choice of different protocols, including OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard. It’s a certified no-logs VPN, so it doesn’t keep any user data.

However, they do keep some anonymized logs about how you use their app. This is only for improving the software experience, and no identifiable logs are stored.

Customer support

CyberGhost’s customer service is easy to reach through their 24/7 live chat. Their customer support is available in English, French, and German.

Their website also has an extended database of guides and FAQs, if you’d rather go look for an answer yourself.

Room for improvement

During our thorough CyberGhost review, we noticed that the service is sometimes inconsistent, with speeds often dipping now and then.

However, our review experts did note that their live chat agents were unable to answer some queries, often just pasting generic answers that were already available on their support page.

Our final score for CyberGhost: 8.8

CyberGhost is a high-quality VPN service offered at a competitive price. All this makes CyberGhost an excellent VPN for torrenting and Netflix. It’s also the best VPN for complete beginners.

They have a large server network spread all over the world. While the extensive features of other providers landed CyberGhost in fourth place, this service remains an excellent option.

More importantly, it offers a 45-day money-back guarantee. You can try it out by clicking the link below.

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5. Private Internet Access: Great VPN with the largest server network

PIA offers great security, competitive pricing, and the largest server network.

• 33,000 servers in 84 countries
• 10 simultaneous connections
• Dedicated IPs available
• No-logs VPN
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• Open-source transparency

Why we picked PIA VPN

Private Internet Access (PIA) is an excellent VPN that has continued to grow in 2023. This provider focuses mainly on security and privacy. If you choose PIA, you can count on solid security and a large global network of VPN servers.

In 2019, PIA was acquired by the company that also owns CyberGhost and ExpressVPN, which led to further infrastructure improvements.

And despite its affordable price, Private Internet Access offers everything that you’d expect from the best VPN providers, including full transparency (you can inspect the source code), a global server network, excellent encryption protocols, and a zero-logs policy.

Is PIA suitable for streaming and downloading torrents?

While PIA primarily focuses on privacy and security, it’s a great option for streaming and downloading torrents as well. We were able to unlock access to Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and different Netflix libraries with PIA VPN.

However, our testing has shown that Netflix won’t always work as consistently with PIA as with other VPNs on this list. It may take a few tries to work properly. Once you connect and start streaming, you shouldn’t have any issues.

Our review experts were also able to download torrents safely and anonymously with PIA VPN. Other VPNs might be slightly faster or more optimized, but PIA will ensure a secure torrenting experience.

What operating systems and devices are compatible with PIA?

The PIA VPN has native apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. Moreover, they offer browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera. PIA doesn’t work on Chromebooks, since it officially doesn’t support ChromeOS. However, you can try other Chromebook VPNs if you want.

PIA supports unlimited simultaneous connections on a single account, so you don’t have to worry about multiple subscriptions.

Safety and privacy

As mentioned earlier, PIA puts great emphasis on online security and privacy. PIA supports different protocols, including OpenVPN and the new WireGuard. Furthermore, PIA has a strict no-logs policy, which means they won’t store any information about how you use the VPN.

PIA prevents potential data leaks with an automatic kill switch. Moreover, it can help you block ads, trackers, and malware with its PIA MACE function, so you don’t need to pay extra for the best adblockers.

Customer support

PIA has an extensive knowledge base, offering detailed guides and support on a wide range of questions. There’s also a form that you can fill out if you have a specific query and submit a ticket.

They also offer a live chat option (introduced in 2020), so you can get immediate assistance in case you have an urgent query. As noted in our PIA VPN review, their support is generally quite reliable.

Room for improvement

There are lots of things that PIA can do better. Despite offering a massive server network, we’ve noticed that speeds are often inconsistent, and dip sharply when you connect to distant networks.

The VPN apps can also do with better design since the current one looks a bit dated. The user interface could be improved, and we’d like to see easy access to key features and settings.

Our final score for Private Internet Access (PIA): 8.5

We like a bit of competition in the VPN market. It would worry us if all major VPN providers were owned by the same company. But even though CyberGhost, ExpressVPN, and PIA are now a part of the same company, they all still deserve a spot in our best VPN overview.

Private Internet Access has been around for a long time and has built a good reputation. Hopefully, they will continue to innovate in the coming years.

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Honorable Mentions: Other VPN Services We Tested in 2023

You can view these VPN services as honorable mentions since they didn’t make it into our top 5 VPN ranking but are still excellent high-end tools. Here are another three providers you can trust to keep you safe and anonymous online:

Atlas VPN

Atlas is an affordable freemium VPN that supports all major platforms. The free version gives you 5 GB per day and access to three server locations. If you go premium, you get unlimited data and 44 VPN server locations. AtlasVPN also features servers optimized for streaming.

The clients support WireGuard and IKEv2 and we didn’t see any data leaks during our testing. Atlas VPN doesn’t keep any dangerous logs and comes with an automatic kills witch. It’s also reasonably fast with just a few slower locations (France, for example). Torrenting is allowed and you can pay for your subscription anonymously with crypto.

Atlas VPN can unblock Netflix US and other streaming platforms. The apps are intuitive and easy to use, but we had to troubleshoot the Windows client during our testing.

If you’d like to try Atlas VPN for yourself, simply click on the button below to visit their website. If you don’t like the premium service, you are protected by the company’s 30-day money-back guarantee.

IPVanish

IPVanish is a user-friendly VPN service that supports unlimited simultaneous connections. It was launched by the company that also owns StrongVPN, Mashable, and PCMag. It operates 2,000+ servers across 50+ countries and provides pretty good speeds.

IPVanish apps support OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2 protocols, which is an excellent combination. It doesn’t keep any harmful logs and comes with a permanent kill switch. We also saw zero data leaks during our tests. Unfortunately, IPVanish doesn’t support crypto payments at the moment.

You can use IPVanish to unblock Netflix US and similar geo-restricted platforms. Torrenting is allowed and you can even access specialized proxy servers for SOCKS5.

You can purchase your IPVanish subscription right now by clicking on the button below. Every purchase comes with a full 30-day money-back guarantee.

FastestVPN

FastestVPN is a budget-friendly VPN service located in the Cayman Islands. It offers an excellent price-to-value ratio and is an ideal gateway service for VPN beginners.

It operates servers in 30+ countries and dishes out good speeds on nearby servers. It starts to struggle a bit as you move away from your location.

FastestVPN supports OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, IKEv2, and PPTP. We don’t recommend using PPTP, however, since it’s considered cracked and obsolete at this point. Other privacy/security features include an automatic kill switch, an ad blocker, and a NAT firewall. It has a secure logging policy and doesn’t leak any data.

You can use FastestVPN on up to 10 devices and the clients have no problems accessing Netflix US and other streaming sites. Torrenting is allowed on all servers, but we recommend using the ones closest to you.

Purchase your FastestVPN subscription by clicking the link below. The company offers a 15-day money-back guarantee, which is modest but still enough to give it a proper test.

The 3 Best Free VPN Services

In addition to the premium VPNs mentioned above, there are also some decent free VPN providers. Of course, these free VPNs come with some restrictions, but these options are still more than decent for temporary or limited use.

Our three favorite free VPN providers of the moment are ProtonVPN, Hide.me, and TunnelBear. You can also view our complete overview of the best free VPNs and what they offer.

1. Proton VPN (Free)

Proton VPN is currently one of the most widely used free VPN services in the world. In our view, Proton VPN is the best free VPN in 2023. The biggest advantage of Proton VPN is that there are no data limits. However, the number of servers for free users is very limited.

That means that when there are a lot of Proton VPN users online at the same time, speeds will suffer. The result is that speeds may drop suddenly. This can cause problems with streaming, gaming, and even browsing.

Fortunately, for a free VPN service, Proton VPN is a great choice, as it offers many excellent features. The Proton VPN app is very intuitive and user-friendly.

Besides the speed drops, we have few complaints about the free version of Proton VPN. We also tested the paid version of Proton VPN, which obviously performs significantly better. Check out the free version of Proton VPN below.

2. Hide.me (Free)

Hide.me is another good free VPN that has been around for a long time. It offers great speeds for everyday use. However, the biggest downside to their free version is the 10 GB data limit. While Hide.me is fine for checking your email or safe online banking, know that torrents are blocked with the free version.

If you want to check out the benefits that a VPN offers, Hide.me is a great place to start. However, be aware that streaming is difficult due to the data limit.

When you visit the Hide.me site, make sure to click “Pricing” in the menu. The free plan is listed as one of the options.

3. TunnelBear (Free)

TunnelBear has a very user-friendly application with a nice interface. When you get started with TunnelBear, it’s all very intuitive. In addition to the user-friendliness, the free version has good server availability.

Sadly, the free version of TunnelBear has a strict data limit, and downloading torrents and streaming Netflix isn’t possible. But for those who want to unlock more options, TunnelBear also has a decent paid VPN.

Free VPNs vs. Paid VPNs – Important Things to Know

We can split all free VPNs into two categories:

• Limited free versions of trusted VPNs that can keep you safe online
• Dangerous “VPNs” that exploit you while offering little to no protection

The free versions of the premium VPNs we listed above are limited but still provide legitimate VPN service. In other words, they’ll allow you to:

• Hide your true identity (by masking your real IP)
• Access the best streaming catalogs (by changing your IP)
• Hide your online activities from prying eyes (by keeping your traffic behind a wall of heavy encryption)

Companies usually support their free services by showing in-app ads and marketing pop-ups. If you don’t want to deal with ads, limited servers, or bandwidth caps, you can always go premium at your convenience.

You can also use these free versions to test a VPN cost-free before you commit to a paid subscription.

Dangerous free VPNs

Expert tip:

If your budget allows, it’s always better to go with a renowned premium VPN provider. There are plenty of great cheap VPNs out there that can keep you safe while unblocking the internet for you.

Alternatively, you should try one of our recommended free VPNs. In any case, we recommend steering clear of malicious pseudo-VPNs that will do you more harm than good.

On the other hand, we have VPNs that promise a completely free service without any limitations. That’s risky, because running a VPN service costs money, and many free VPNs have been known for malicious activities.

The usual methods are quite nefarious and include:

• Cryptojacking: Using your computing power to secretly mine crypto. This will overheat your device(s) and cause its components to fail.
• Data theft: Stealing your information and selling it on the dark web (increasing the risk of identity theft).
• Malware: Around 35% of all free VPNs will infect your system with malware.

Furthermore, these tools are usually VPNs in name only. So, they’re actively putting you in harm’s way while offering zero protection against malicious third parties.

Some of them are extremely fast, which is not hard to do when there’s no encryption to speak of. BeetVPN and Hola VPN are perfect examples of this.

How We Choose the Best VPN Providers

The extensive VPN testing circuit created by our cybersecurity experts relies on:

• Hands-on testing: We examine the essential aspects of any given VPN and rate them accordingly.
• Detailed research: We study relevant facts like data breaches, corporate policies regarding user privacy, independent audits, relevant legislation, and more.
• Decades of expertise: All test results are interpreted and rated by 40+ experts at VPNOverview.

In other words, the VPNs we tested had to tick a lot of checkboxes to rank highly on our list. Our top picks did exactly that, solidifying their position as the best VPN services for this year.

Here are some of the most important ranking factors we used to identify the best of the best.

Speed

VPN encryption will always drop your connection speed to an extent. However, top VPNs will keep the speed drops well under 20%. Having extra security means very little if you can’t open a simple website.

The VPNs on this list are very fast and you won’t even know they’re there on faster networks. This means you’ll enjoy quick downloads and lag-free streams while staying completely anonymous.

If your connection is extremely slow, we recommend going with Surfshark or NordVPN since they’re the fastest services out there.

Here’s how the three best VPNs performed during the tests from our office in the Netherlands:

VPN	NordVPN	Surfshark	ExpressVPN	CyberGhost	PIA
No VPN	203.93	203.73	201	204	204.22
Fastest server (Netherlands)	194.9	194.89	109.51	191.6	194.03
Faraway server (New York)	178.21	181.49	102.82	180.81	167.16

Note that free VPNs will usually throttle your connection speed. If they allowed unlimited bandwidth, the costs would become unbearable extremely quickly. This is yet another reason why premium VPNs are superior.

Security and reliability

We were looking for airtight security setups paired with as many advanced features as possible. We then cross-referenced this with our speed tests and gave extra points for good speed/security balance.

Here are the most important indicators of solid security:

• Good VPN protocols: We wanted to see reliable VPN protocols like OpenVPN (the most secure) and WireGuard (the fastest).
• Unbreakable encryption: The AES-256 cipher has become the industry standard known as “military-grade” encryption.
• Zero data leaks: Leaking our real IP address or DNS requests meant instant disqualification from our list.
• Automatic kill switch: If a VPN malfunctions, the kill switch has to cut your connection before your IP address and other data leak out.

These are just the essential must-haves. We also gave extra points for double encryption, malware protection, dark web monitoring, and similar security features.

Privacy and logging

Ideally, VPN services should adopt a strict no-logging policy. This means avoiding data records that could harm you in any way. Specifically, we are talking about:

• Connection logs: Your IP address, connection timestamps, protocols, connection frequency…
• Activity logs: You search history, downloads, the sites you visit…

Getting a reliable no-log VPN is essential for your online privacy. The records we just mentioned can be used to identify you, monitor your online traffic, or even mount a hack attack against you. Using a zero-log service will protect you from all these privacy breaches.

Important note:

VPNs can record harmless data like anonymous statistics, device info, and app settings without jeopardizing your privacy. As long as this data can’t be used to determine who you are and what you’re dong online, we’re talking about no-log VPNs.

We also have to worry about the location of your VPN and the governing legislation. Unfavorable VPN locations include the 14 Eyes countries and states with mandatory data retention.

So, we only included services headquartered in VPN-friendly countries. They’re not obligated to record any harmful data and if they get a court order, they’ll have nothing to hand over.

Price

VPNs are generally not that expensive but we still have to get enough value for the price. Higher prices don’t necessarily translate to better quality so finding the best deal is not as easy as it might seem at first. For example, ExpressVPN is pricier than NordVPN but it doesn’t offer enough to justify that difference.

We also want to see a generous refund period. This will give you enough time to test the service and see if it works for you. 30 days is a standard money-back guarantee and we believe companies shouldn’t go lower than that.

How to save money when buying a VPN?

Longer VPN subscriptions are always cheaper than their shorter counterparts. So, when you find the best VPN for you, we recommend saving money by committing to a longer subscription period.

Best VPN Discount Deals (August 2023)

VPN providers regularly offer special promotions. Each month, we look at the most attractive discounts among the best VPNs. This month, we picked these can’t-miss NordVPN and Surfshark deals.

VPN	NordVPN	Surfshark
Discount	66%	82%
Subscription period	24 months	26 months
Price per month	$3.49	$2.30
Claim your discount	Get NordVPN for 66% off	Get Surfshark for 82% off

Device compatibility

Almost all VPN services we’ve tested offer support for multiple simultaneous connections. This means you can secure all the devices in your household with just one VPN subscription. If you need even more device slots, you can save money with Surfshark, PIA, or IPVanish, which support unlimited connections.

Compatibilities are also an important factor to keep in mind. In other words, you want your VPN to work on all your devices, from your computer and phone to your smart TV.

That’s why we gave extra points to VPNs with more high-quality native apps. Having said that, we didn’t even consider services that don’t support Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS at the very least.

Server network

With high-quality VPN servers, you’ll get much better speeds and better chances of unblocking geo-restricted services like Netflix. Using servers around the globe will also help you access websites that might be blocked in your country.

With that in mind, these were our points of interest regarding VPN server networks:

• The number of servers
• The overall coverage of the network (how many countries and server locations)
• The quality of the servers (owned, rented, physical or virtual)
• Obfuscation or stealth (whether VPNs can mask your VPN traffic to look like regular browsing)
• RAM-only servers (servers without a hard drive that can’t store user data)
• Private DNS service (Bypasses your ISP’s public DNS servers to prevent activity logs, DNS highjacking, and DNS blocking)

We also gave extra points for niche features that help with geo-unblocking or increase your connection speed. Surfshark’s NoBorders mode and Proton’s VPN Accelerator are perfect examples.

Here’s a quick overview of our ranking factors applied to the best VPNs.

VPN	NordVPN	Surfshark	ExpressVPN	CyberGhost	PIA
Number of servers	5,600+	3,200+	3,000+	9,000+	33,000+
Number of countries	60+	100	90+	90+	80+
Obfuscation (stealth mode)	✔	✔	✔	✖	✔
RAM-only servers	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Private DNS	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔

While testing our top VPNs, we enjoyed stable connections, excellent geo-unblocking capabilities, and short connection times (usually just a couple of seconds). We didn’t experience any server failures or sudden disconnects. In other words, the VPNs on this list will provide reliable connections with excellent speeds and zero lag.

User-friendliness and customer support

Even experienced VPN users hit a roadblock with their VPN once in a while. This is more common with VPN beginners who might feel overwhelmed by countless functions and options. That’s why user-friendliness is so important. It allows you to get the most out of your VPN without spending months on tedious research.

We consider a VPN to be user-friendly if it has these qualities:

• An informative website that’s easy to navigate
• Generous FAQ and support sections on the site
• Easy access to 24/7 customer support
• Tech-savvy support team
• Easy-to-install apps
• Intuitive app design with a forgiving learning curve

During our testing, we were impressed with the support structure offered by our top picks. Their websites are packed with FAQs, instruction manuals, troubleshooting guides, and everything else you’ll ever need. They also provide a live chat feature, which makes everything much faster, especially if you have additional questions.

Having said that, ExpressVPN’s support team is not as knowledgeable as we’d expect. We had a lot of questions about their obfuscation and how to activate it and we did get our answers but it took much more time than it should have.

Ability to unblock Netflix and torrents

Many VPN users purchase them to access the best streaming catalogs that might be blocked in their countries. For example, you can access Netflix US with a VPN outside of the United States.

Most of them also want to stay anonymous while torrenting. P2P filesharing reveals your IP address to other peers by default and a VPN can hide it for you.

With that in mind, we tested dozens of VPNs with all major streaming services, and here are the results of our top picks.

Streaming service	Can NordVPN unblock it?	Can Surfshark unblock it?	Can ExpressVPN unblock it?	Can CyberGhost unblock it?	Can PIA unblock it?
Netflix	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Disney Plus	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Hulu	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
BBC iPlayer	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Prime Video	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔

Note that not all servers might be able to unblock these websites at all times. Occasionally, you’ll encounter a server with a blacklisted IP that will be flagged as a proxy (you’ll get a proxy error).

In these cases, you can simply change the server or enable obfuscation for the ultimate geo-unblocking performance.

What is a Virtual Private Network?

A VPN is a network of servers that lets you bypass the servers of your ISP and go online through a secure encrypted tunnel. When doing so, your ISP can see that you’re using a VPN but can’t know what you’re doing online. This extra layer of security is essential on public Wi-Fi networks everyone can spy on.

If need be, you can also hide your VPN usage by enabling obfuscation. This is only recommended if you need to bypass censorship in China and other restrictive countries. Occasionally, you can use stealth to unblock streaming services but we don’t recommend it since double encryption causes significant speed drops.

How do VPNs work?

A VPN works by encrypting all traffic, often relying on AES-256 encryption. This is virtually impenetrable, and can be used to hide your activity from your ISP and any other third parties that could see your browsing data.

It uses a tunneling protocol like OpenVPN or WireGuard and switches your server to another location, making it seem as if you’re accessing the internet from another country or server.

You can access this virtual private network through the VPN client on your device. You can install it like any other app, pick a server location, and click “Connect.” The client will establish a secure tunnel in seconds and your online activities will be hidden from any prying eyes.

Why would you need a VPN?

There’s no shortage of reasons why VPNs are an absolute must for modern internet users. Some of the most important ones include:

• Enhanced online security: VPNs encrypt your traffic, preventing anyone from spying on you. You can enjoy your online sessions knowing that your ISP, hackers, and even the government can’t see what you’re doing online. This is especially important for staying safe on public Wi-Fi networks. If your VPN fails, the kill switch will block your internet, preventing potential data leaks.
• Complete online anonymity: VPNs will mask your real IP and provide a fake origin point for your traffic. If someone tries to trace your activity back to you, they’ll only hit a VPN server and not your device. As such, you as an individual can never be linked with your online actions. Also, your real IP will remain hidden and no one can use it to geo-locate you or mount an attack against you. This is also ideal for getting around IP bans on social media and gaming platforms.
• Bypassing geo-restrictions: Having access to servers around the world allows you to geo-spoof services blocked in your country. For example, when you connect to a server in the UK, BBC iPlayer will “think” that you’re actually in the UK. The same goes for other streaming services, gaming servers, geo-restricted videos on YouTube, and much more.
• Dealing with online censorship: Changing your IP address and using obfuscation will also help you bypass restrictive firewalls employed by certain regimes. For example, China actively blocks 70+ services, social media platforms, browsers, and news outlets. With one of the VPNs from our list, you can access them all.

In short, VPNs will grant you safer unlimited internet access. They’ll also keep you anonymous and prevent third parties from tampering with your online traffic.

In Conclusion: The Best VPNs of 2023

We have tested dozens of popular VPN services and eventually arrived at our top 5 best VPN providers of 2023. Which of these five is the best choice for you depends on your personal needs and preferences. Even so, rest assured that, whichever one you choose, all five are as reliable and secure as can be.

Using a reliable VPN service will protect your online privacy and security. The VPN services in our overview are compatible with almost all devices and operating systems: Mac, Windows, Android, iOS (iPhone), and even Linux. This allows you to secure all your internet traffic with one account.

Best VPN Providers of 2023: Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have a question about the best VPN providers of this moment? Are you looking for a quick solution to a problem? Have a look at our FAQ down below and click a question to see the answer!

Can I use a free VPN instead of a paid one?

Free VPNs can be useful, but they aren’t the best services around. They’re often slow and come with limitations on your speed and data use. Some even sell your personal data or misuse your connection. Fortunately, even some of the best VPNs are very cheap these days. Therefore, we recommend you use a cheap VPN instead of a free one to get the best experience.

What is the best VPN provider of 2023?

There are a couple of excellent VPN providers out there. Which is the best for you, depends on your wishes. NordVPN will prove to be the best choice for many due to its fast connections, large server network, Netflix support, and strong privacy options. Have a look at a top 5 VPN list to find out what each of the five best VPNs of 2023 has to offer and find out which VPN fits your needs.

What is the best free VPN?

The best free VPN of this moment is ProtonVPN Free. ProtonVPN is known for its high quality and secure connections, and its free version gives you access to three different server locations. The best part is that ProtonVPN Free allows you to use its service without any speed or data limits. The one downside is that the speed of your connection might still be affected, because many people tend to use the same ProtonVPN Free servers.

What is the best VPN for streaming?

NordVPN currently is one of the best VPNs for streaming. Whether you want to watch Netflix, Hulu, Fox, or Kodi, NordVPN will make it work. With this VPN, you’ll be able to stream content you wouldn’t normally have access to. In addition, a NordVPN subscription won’t cost you all that much.

What is the best cheap VPN of 2023?

Protecting your online life shouldn’t be expensive. Surfshark is, without a doubt, the very best cheap VPN of 2023. It offers fast connections, gives access to many international versions of Netflix, and works with strong encryption methods to keep you safe. If you want to know which other cheap VPNs are out there, you can have a look at our top list.

What is the best VPN for iPhone?

We recommend getting ExpressVPN for your iPhone or iPad. This VPN is the fastest one we’ve tested and it works especially well with Apple products. Apart from speed, it ranks high on security and other features too. You can read more about ExpressVPN in this extensive review.

What is the best VPN for Android?

The best VPN to use on Android phones like Samsung Galaxy, OnePlus, Google Pixel, and others, is Surfshark. This VPN is really cheap, offers servers with excellent speeds, and has a user-friendly app that’s easy to use. For more information about Surfshark, check out our detailed review.

What is the best VPN for torrenting?

NordVPN is a top choice for torrenting, because of the high speeds it offers combined with robust security features. It can help you quickly download torrent files while staying safe. Read our full NordVPN review for all the details.

By: Tove Marks