Category Notes Installation and UI Connections happen quickly and features are easy to use on all platforms UI sometimes gets in the way; map screens can be clunky and apps come with unnecessary notifications Surprisingly, the best UI may be in the browser extension Speed Extremely fast download speeds with only a 6.4-percent average drop Good latencies on nearby servers, but farther ones have some lag Fast upload speeds, but losses spiked in a few locations Security Uses acceptable protocols with uncracked encryption NordWhisper obfuscated protocol recently implemented on Windows, Android and Linux No DNS, WebRTC or IPv6 leaks on five test servers Pricing Best plan is the 2-year Basic for $81.36, or $3.39 per month Basic gives you the complete VPN If you get a multi-year plan, be sure to manually renew in order to keep the promotional rates Bundles Plus tier adds advanced malware protection and NordPass password manager Complete plan adds NordLocker cloud storage Prime tier adds ID theft protection and insurance features Privacy policy NordVPN does not log user activity on the VPN, a policy backed up by several third-party audits However, it does log potentially identifiable device information unless you opt out in settings Some concerning liberties taken in the overall Nord policy, but no documented malfeasance Virtual location change Four out of five test servers unblocked Netflix three times running, including virtual India location Location in Nigeria got into Netflix, but didn't change available titles Server network 153 server locations in 117 countries and territories Server network is about 40 percent virtual, including all locations in Africa Features Extra servers grant additional privacy (double VPN, Onion over VPN, obfuscation) or specific optimizations (P2P, dedicated IP) Threat Protection blocks dangerous domains and the Pro upgrade has some antivirus capability Dark Web Monitor reports to you when any sensitive information has appeared on clandestine leak sites Presets let you activate several settings with one click Post-quantum encryption is nice, but not necessary yet Kill switch is a useful safety feature on all apps Split tunneling by app on Windows and Android, and by URL on browser extensions Customer support Written FAQs, live chat and email support Live chat connected to an expert human within a minute FAQs are poorly organized and contain some conflicts, but well-written on average Background check NordVPN is headquartered in Panama, while its parent company Nord Security is based in the Netherlands 2018 theft of public keys was a mistake, but NordVPN did almost everything right in response Claims of law enforcement collaboration are overblown NordVPN will comply with requests, but that doesn't mean they'll have information to provide Installing, configuring and using NordVPN NordVPN's biggest strengths are its speeds and the range of options it puts at your fingertips. User experience is important, but it's not quite as front-and-center as it is with ExpressVPN and Proton VPN

Proton VPN is offering a steep discount on its Proton VPN Plus subscription, with the two-year plan currently priced at $2.99 per month

For now, though, none of these VPN bans have passed into law. Some have been defeated by the coordinated efforts of activists, including one Swiss proposal that would have forced Proton VPN to relocate

The numbers below are for subscribing to one month at a time, excluding any discounts and special deals. Proton VPN: $9.99 ExpressVPN: $12.99 Surfshark: $15.45 NordVPN: $12.99 CyberGhost: $12.99 Mullvad: $5.98 (depends on dollar/euro exchange rate) hide.me : $11.99 Average: $11.77 As you can see, $12.99 is a normal price for one month of a VPN but the average price is somewhat lower, as several providers sell monthly plans for less

Proton VPN is running a solid deal right now, dropping its two-year Proton VPN Plus plan to $2.99 per month

The question "Are VPNs really safe?" can also mean something else "Is using a VPN enough to keep me safe online?" I'll get into that too, but to spoil the ending: VPNs are important security tools, but they aren't enough to protect against all digital threats by themselves. Also, to be clear, I'm talking here about commercial VPNs like Proton VPN and ExpressVPN, not commercial VPNs like NordLayer or Cisco AnyConnect

Even with all those caveats, there are some great bargains on the table. Many of the best VPNs including our top pick, Proton VPN have deals that save you anywhere from 70 to 87 percent on annual subscriptions

In a world of VPNs that look great but run clunkily, Windscribe has built one that looks terrible but runs great. I can't complain about how well it works, but is it too much to ask for a provider that does both? (Oh, wait, that's Proton VPN .) Mac Windscribe's macOS app is almost identical to its Windows app

Proton has released a set of updates for both its Linux GUI and Linux CLI VPN apps

Each VPN designs its apps differently, but common signs include the color green, the word Connected and information on what server location you're connected to. The main UI for Proton VPN, with the connection button visible at top-left and the server location menu below it

While the internet has been restored in Uganda, access to social media and messaging platforms remains restricted. Proton VPN confirms that usage has now hit "an all-time high."

If you manually configure your VPN on a router or legacy device, you have just weeks to update your credentials. Proton VPN is retiring older manual OpenVPN configs to enforce stronger encryption standards, though it promises to keep the protocol alive across its servers

Best CyberGhost alternatives After you've cancelled and/or deleted CyberGhost out of your life, you still need a VPN; the benefits of masking your IP address and changing your virtual location don't go anywhere. You can check out my best list (linked at the top) or best free VPN roundup for ideas, or check out the review for my favorite service, Proton VPN

Every time, it showed me the proper video library for the location I chose and never once got caught by Netflix's firewalls. It's the best result I've seen in this section since I tested Proton VPN , and that's high praise if you know me

A court in France has served its third blocking order against NordVPN, Surfshark, Proton VPN, ExpressVPN, and CyberGhost since May 2025, as the fight against online piracy heats up

After an initial spike in sign-ups, Proton VPN confirms its products have stopped working in Uganda as internet connectivity drastically dropped

Despite the blocked access to the public internet, people in Uganda seem to be using VPNs to stay connected. Proton VPN confirmed a 8,000% increase in signups on Tuesday, and usage keeps rising

Discord appears to be the latest app to face restrictions in Egypt, despite authorities not confirming the ban yet

On almost any VPN, this is a simple matter of opening the app or desktop client and choosing the server location from a list. On Proton VPN, for example, you can switch locations by clicking the name of any country in the list on the left

You should also use an IP address checker to make sure it isn't leaking; to confirm this, just check your phone's IP address before and after connecting to the VPN and make sure it's different the second time. To keep things simple, my top recommendation for all platforms is Proton VPN