If you search online, you will find hundreds of VPNs that claim to be the best. But does it make sense that they are all the best, fastest, safest, and most suitable for your budget? Here's what most of these service providers cannot tell you: Not all VPN services keep their promises.
To get a conclusive (and neutral) answer, my team and I conducted extensive tests on 157 VPN software over a period of 3 months, until we shortlisted the 10 best VPN software on the market, putting each program through rigorous rounds of real-world testing based on the following criteria:
High speeds and a global network of servers
Immune security and privacy features, including policies that prevent user records from being kept, and strong encryption that can bypass firewalls and blocking
Ability to unblock popular websites like Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, BBC iPlayer, and others
Anonymous torrenting and P2P support
Provides dedicated software for the most important devices and operating systems (Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, Amazon Fire Stick, etc.)
I was disappointed to discover that most VPNs offer very little of what they claim in their ads, and some even do not deserve to advertise themselves as a VPN program in the first place. On the one hand, I was pleased to discover that NordVPN was named the # 1 best VPN program on the list. Despite its low price, I was impressed by its high speeds, advanced security measures and easy-to-use software. Which is why I put it on top as the best VPN software in 2020.
1. NordVPN : The first-ranked VPN program, with its excellent speeds and strong security system for Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac and other operating systems
The speed is excellent - streaming in high definition, fast torrenting speeds and enjoying games without lag or downloading
Advanced Security - Military-grade encryption, kill switch, leak protection, ad and malware blocking, dedicated servers (for P2P, Tor, dual VPN, blackout servers)
Privacy is strict - it is headquartered in Panama (outside the borders of the Five, Nine and Fourteen Eyes Union), and has a policy that prohibits recording user data
Provides apps for all major devices - Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, Android TV, Amazon Fire Stick and Amazon Fire TV
Proven to unblock all major streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Kodi, Sling TV, fuboTV, YouTube TV, DAZN, ESPN +, CBS All Access, Showtime, Vudu, etc.
Torrent download supported - Thousands of P2P-ready servers
Customer service has a 24/7 fast response through live text chat, the form available on their website, and email
Maximum number of devices that can be played on simultaneously 6
30-day money-back guarantee
Minor negatives :
Does not accept PayPal
2. ExpressVPN - Best in terms of privacy and security, and offers a robust set of protections
The speed is excellent - High speeds for streaming, torrenting, and gaming without a limit to the download capacity
Advanced Security - 256-bit AES encryption, TrustedServer, automatic kill switch, split tunneling, and IP leak protection
Privacy is tight - it is based in the British Virgin Islands, outside the boundaries of the Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes Federation, and has an established policy against recording user data
Provides apps for all major devices - Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Stick, Kindle Fire, Nook, and routers
Proven to unblock all major streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Kodi, Sling TV, fuboTV, YouTube TV, DAZN, ESPN +, Showtime, etc.
Torrent download supported - a network of 3000+ servers around the world, all supporting P2P technology
Customer service has a quick response 24/7 through live text chat, the form available on their official website, and email
Maximum number of devices that can be played on simultaneously 5
30-day money-back guarantee
Minor negatives
Its iOS app does not have an automatic kill switch
A bit more expensive than NordVPN
3. Surfshark - The best VPN for any budget, which can run on any number of devices at the same time, for only $ 2.49 / month
The speed is good - high speeds for browsing, streaming, and torrenting
Advanced Security - Military-grade encryption, automatic kill switch, split tunneling, anti-leak protection, and dual VPN protection
Privacy is strict - it is located in the British Virgin Islands (outside the boundaries of the Five, Nine and Fourteen Eyes Union) and follows a policy that prohibits registration of user data
Provides native apps for all major devices - Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac, Linux, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Stick and Android TV
Proven to unblock all major streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Kodi, Sling TV, fuboTV, CBS All Access, ESPN +, Eurosport, among others.
Torrent Download Supported - Automatically connect you to the best P2P servers
Customer service has a quick response 24/7 through live text chat, the form available on their official website, and email
The maximum number of devices that can be played on at the same time is unlimited
30-day money-back guarantee
Minor Negatives
The built-in Fastest Server connection feature is ineffective
Split tunneling is only available on Windows and Android versions of the program
4. CyberGhost - Best for high speed streaming and for secure torrenting with dedicated servers
The speed is good - the equipped servers allow streaming at high definition and uploading and uploading torrent files at high speeds
Advanced Security - 256-bit AES encryption, kill switch, data leak protection and built-in ad blocking
Privacy is strict - it is based in Romania (outside the borders of the Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes Union), and has a policy that prohibits recording user data
Provides native apps for every major device - Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac, Linux, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Fire Stick
Proven to unblock all major streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Kodi, Sling TV, fuboTV, YouTube TV, Showtime, and more.
Torrent Downloads Supported - Servers equipped for secure P2P activities
Customer service has a quick response 24/7 through live text chat, the form available on their official website, and email
Maximum number of devices that can be played on simultaneously 7
45-day money-back guarantee
Minor negatives
The iOS version does not include an ad blocker or split tunneling
The app version on iOS and Android does not have P2P servers
5. Private Internet Access (PIA) - Best choice for tech-savvy users, with security settings that can be modified
Medium Speed - Varying speeds depending on server location
Advanced Security - Military-grade encryption, automatic kill switch, leak protection, split tunneling, ad blocker, trackers, and malware
Privacy Tight - is based in the United States (within the boundaries of the Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes Association), and has a proven commitment to a policy that prohibits recording user data
It provides native apps for most major devices - Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac and Linux
Proven to unblock all major streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Sling TV, fuboTV, CBS All Access, and more.
Torrent download is supported - It has more than 2,900 servers, all of which support P2P technology
Customer service has a quick response 24/7 through live text chat, the form available on their official website, and email
Maximum number of devices that can be played on simultaneously 10
30-day money-back guarantee
Minor negatives
Not all servers are able to unblock US Netflix or Hulu
It does not include an ad blocker nor the OpenVPN protocol on iOS
6. PrivateVPN - Simple VPN software with highly efficient servers able to bypass blocking global content (even in China)
The speed is good - speeds suitable for browsing, streaming, and torrenting
Advanced Security - Military-grade encryption, automatic kill switch, and leakage protection
Privacy is tight - its center is located in Sweden (within the borders of the Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes Union), and has a policy that prohibits recording user data
Provides native apps for every major device platform - Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac, Linux, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Fire Stic
Proven to unblock all major streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Sling TV, CBS All Access, and more.
Torrent downloading is supported - all of its servers support P2P activities
Customer service slow response through direct text chat, form available on their official website, and email
Maximum number of devices that can be played on simultaneously 6
30-day money-back guarantee
Minor negatives
Its iOS app does not have an automatic kill switch
It does not provide add-ons for browsers
Sometimes live text chats are not available
7. HMA - Fast VPN software with innovative internal features and a small set of outfitted servers
The speed is good - it allows streaming to play in HD and download and upload torrent files quickly
Advanced Security - Military grade encryption, automatic kill switch, split tunneling technology, and leakage protection
Privacy Privacy - is based in the United Kingdom (within the boundaries of the Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes Union) and maintains part of the contact records
Provides native apps for all major devices - Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac, Linux, routers and Android TV
Proven to unblock all major streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Sling TV, and more
Torrenting supported - You can choose from 8 P2P-enabled servers
Customer service has a quick response 24/7 through live text chat, the form available on their official website, and email
Maximum number of devices that can be played on simultaneously 5
30-day money-back guarantee
Minor negatives
Its app on iOS doesn't have an automatic kill switch or IP Shuffle feature
Electronic currencies are not accepted
8. VyprVPN - VPN software has a tested policy preventing user data logging and adheres to the highest standards of privacy
Medium speed - Low speeds when connecting to remote servers
Advanced Security - AES-256-bit encryption, kill switch, and leak protection
Privacy is tight - it's headquartered in Switzerland (outside the borders of the Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes Union), and has a proven policy against logging user data
Provides native apps for all major devices - Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac, Blackphone, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Fire Stick
Proven to unblock most major streaming platforms, such as Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, and more.
Torrent downloading is supported - all servers support torrenting
Customer Service Fast response 24/7 through live text and email chats
Maximum number of devices that can be played on simultaneously 5
30-day money-back guarantee
Minor negatives
It doesn't have a native Linux app
Electronic currencies are not accepted
Its iOS version, routers, Amazon Fire Stick, Amazon Fire TV and Smart TVs does not have an automatic kill switch
9. IPVanish - Powerful security features, and torrenting with the free SOCKS5 proxy
For good speed - Fast speeds for torrenting and normal browsing
Advanced Security - 256-bit AES encryption, kill switch, and leakage protection
Privacy Tight - is based in the United States (within the boundaries of the Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes Association), and has a policy that prohibits recording user data
Provides native apps for systems Provides native apps for systems - Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac, Linux, Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Fire Stick
Proven to unblock most major streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and others
Torrent downloading is supported - All servers support torrenting, and also offer a SOCKS5 proxy for free
Customer service fast response 24/7 through live text chat, phone, email, and the form available on their official website
Maximum number of devices that can be played on simultaneously 10
30-day money-back guarantee
Minor negatives
Does not accept e-currency payments
Cannot get past Netflix blocking efficiently
It does not contain a tool to block ads, malware, or trackers
10. ZenMate - Inexpensive VPN software that offers basic protection features for browsing, streaming, and torrenting
Medium speed - Unstable speeds with some download and lag
Advanced Security - 256-bit AES encryption, kill switch, and leakage protection
Privacy is medium - is based in Germany (within the boundaries of the Federation of Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes) and maintains part of the contact records
It provides native apps for most major devices - Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac and Linux
Proven to unblock most major streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Fox Sport and others
Torrenting Supported - P2P torrent servers for file sharing
Customer service has a quick response 24/7 through live text chat, the form available on their official website, and email
The maximum number of devices that can be played on them at the same time is unlimited
30-day money-back guarantee
Minor negatives
Shares users' personal data with parent company
Contains no built-in ad blocker
You cannot receive a refund if you paid in Bitcoin, PaysafeCard or Ukash
I use NordVPN, it's a great app