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If you've ever considered signing up to a VPN – or you're currently subscribed to one – you'll know how difficult it is to work out which one deserves your money. Every review site has a different top recommendation, and some websites don't even make it clear how they test the apps.
As someone who was baffled by VPNs when I first encountered them over a decade ago, but now has over five years testing, reviewing, and writing about them, I'm perfectly placed to help guide you towards the right VPN for you. In honor of Data Privacy Day – January 28 – I thought I'd do just that.
How to pick the right VPN
The most important thing to consider when choosing a VPN is the reason why you want one in the first place. Privacy and streaming are often the two biggest deciding factors, but many people have different used for VPNs, including torrenting, gaming, and even just for fun.
Then, be honest with yourself and identify how comfortable you are with new software. Although VPNs have become much more accessible in the last 10 years, some can still be a little tricky to get used to. If you want an easy life, don't be ashamed to go with the simplest option.
Finally, read as many reviews as you can. In the sections below, I've linked to our review every time I've discussed a particular VPN. If it sounds like a good fit, dive into the review to make sure.
So, read on to find my top picks for each use-case.
All-purpose, everyday VPN
Most people will use their VPN for a wide range of purposes. That means that most people need an all-purpose VPN that can handle just about every task you throw at it.
Unsurprisingly, the VPN that tops my guide to the best VPNs is my top pick if you want a do-it-all VPN that's fairly easy to use. NordVPN is the only near-household name in the VPN world, but behind the huge marketing budgets and slick YouTube sponsorships, it's a very solid product that covers all the bases.
Notably, it's not the absolute best in a few categories – some rivals are marginally faster, and a fair few are easier to use – but in my NordVPN review, it proved to be the most well-rounded package I've tested.
If you haven't got any specific uses lined up for your VPN, I'd say that NordVPN is your best choice thanks to its solid privacy, good apps, and very effective streaming unblocking tech. If you've got some specific concerns, though, keep reading.
Super simple VPN for beginners
If you're new to VPNs, you're not going to care about port forwarding or setting up multi-server routing. You probably just want a simple, effective VPN that offers great privacy and can unblock global streaming services – alongside reasonable pricing. If that's you, I have a couple of perfect suggestions.
ExpressVPN has long been hailed as the perfect VPN for rookies, and there's a reason why. Its apps are super simple – potentially too simple for those looking for customization – and in my experience the customer support it offers is second to none. If you want to install it on multiple devices, the apps all share a similar interface and layout, so there's no learning curve whether you're using it on an Android smartphone or your Apple TV.
It has recently reduced its prices considerably, and is now available for $2.79 per month – great value considering it cost $4.99 per month just a year ago. ExpressVPN currently sits at third in my round-up of the best VPNs, and you can read our ExpressVPN review for our full testing notes.
Rival Surfshark is slightly more feature-packed, but everything is presented in a very accessible way. Beyond the VPN, there are some really useful extras, too. One of my favorites is Alternative ID, which is a super simple tool that allows you to set up a disposable email address that forwards mail to your real email address. This is great for signing up for things like newsletters for discounts without giving away your real email. When you're done, you can just ditch the fake email address.
I also rate Surfshark as the best cheap VPN. With plans starting at $1.99 per month, it's a good choice if you want to dip your toe into the VPN world, but don't want to invest too much money. Surfshark sits at second in my guide to the best VPNs, and you can read our comprehensive Surfshark review for all the info.
You're a big streamer
Streaming is one of the most popular reasons to use a VPN. This is because by virtually changing your location, you can access content only available in certain countries. This includes Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and other regional services.
Naturally, as my top recommended VPN, NordVPN excels here. However, if you're just looking for a VPN to unblock streaming sites, you'll be paying a lot of tech you may never use. Instead, PrivadoVPN is a great choice. It's cheap, simple, safe to use, and importantly unblocked almost every streaming site and location we tested it with.
Because PrivadoVPN is so simple, it doesn't feature in my guide to the best VPNs – but the PrivadoVPN Free version does sit at the top of my guide to the best free VPNs. The premium plan starts at just $1.11 – working out at just $30 for two years of VPN cover – and you can find all the details in my PrivadoVPN review.
Privacy is your top priority
Although using a VPN to stream content from around the world has skyrocketed in popularity, privacy is still the first and foremost reason to use the software. If streaming isn't a priority, you can get some excellent specialized VPNs – but the very best can still do both. Be aware that I never recommend any VPNs that have poor privacy credentials. The VPNs below simply have more specialized features, or take outstanding precautions to protect their customers.
Proton VPN not only excels when it comes to privacy, but it also does the day-to-day jobs very well, too. With tough encryption, rock-solid apps that stood up to our rigorous testing procedures, and specialized features like Secure Core servers, it's a solid choice if you're looking for a privacy-first VPN. Notably, it's one of the few truly privacy-focused VPNs that's also great for streaming. In both my personal testing and in the lab, it was able to unblock every streaming service it faced. Very impressive.
Among the privacy-focused VPNs, Proton VPN is also fairly easy to use. It's nowhere near ExpressVPN and Surfshark in terms of simplicity, but recent app updates have streamlined the interface, and most people should be able to get used to it fairly quickly. Proton VPN sits fourth in my guide to the best VPNs, and you can look over our in-depth testing in our Proton VPN review.
Mullvad is a name that crops up a lot online, and it's favored by real privacy obsessives. The VPN itself is very private, with great results in our testing, but it's the way the company does business that turns heads. To set up an account, there's no need to use an email address, and you can even pay in cash sent in the post. Unlike most VPN services, there are options so that none of your personal information – email, bank details, name, address – is ever linked with your account.
Unfortunately, Mullvad is very poor for streaming, and I've never been able to unblock any major streaming sites while using it. It's a niche VPN, but if you're looking for absolute privacy, it's a great choice. Mullvad doesn't feature on my guide to the best VPNs due to its shortcomings, but it's still a strong pick if it offers what you need. It costs around $5 per month, and you can find all the details in our Mullvad review.
Torrenting is a priority
To be clear, Tom's Guide does not condone illegally downloading copyrighted material. However, there are tons of reasons to use torrents that are perfectly legal – and they carry many of the same risks as illegal torrenting. Using a VPN is highly recommended, no matter what you're downloading.
Private Internet Access (PIA) has long been one of the best VPNs for torrenting, and that's down to its huge range of features, settings, and customizable tools. For example, along with Proton VPN, it's one of the few VPNs that offers port forwarding. This is a setting used to help torrents get through firewalls and help download poorly seeded files, as well as speeding up torrenting overall.
PIA has also had its no-logs policy proven in court – it was taken to court to provide evidence against one of its subscribers, but since it had collected no data, there was no evidence. This is excellent proof that PIA can be trusted with the most sensitive of tasks. PIA sits at fifth in my guide to the best VPNs, and prices start at $2.19 per month. Find out more about the VPN in our Private Internet Access review.
You want full-on customization
You might think that more complex VPNs with tons of customizable settings are the preserve of hardcore networking obsessives – but there are plenty of more in-depth apps available that are still very accessible. If you're new to VPNs but generally comfortable with tech in general, choosing a more flexible option is likely to work out better in the long-term.
Proton VPN is a fine example of this. The apps across all devices are easy to get to grips with, but there are also tons of settings available within just a couple of clicks. One of my favorites is the Profiles feature. If you use Proton VPN for several different reasons – perhaps general privacy while browsing, streaming content from the UK from the US, and super-sensitive research – you can set up a Profile for each. Each Profile allows you to pick your exact server, the VPN protocol used, whether you use Secure Core or not, and a number of other settings. Once set up, you can connect to each in a single click.
NordVPN also has an ever-growing list of individual features – there's Double VPN, Meshnet, Threat Protection Pro, and more – but it's not as flexible for those who want to really customize how the VPN works. That said, if you want more features, it's still an excellent all-round choice.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
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