The Best VPN Services for 2024

Why We Picked It

Proton VPN does it all. It includes multi-hop connections and access to the Tor network via VPN, in addition to the usual VPN capabilities. It also sports a reimagined app interface for a pleasant user experience. While the core paid VPN service has a dead-on average price, it also has the best free VPN subscription we've yet seen. 

The company behind Proton VPN recently revamped its entire product line. Now, an account with Proton VPN will also grant you access to other products in the Proton, including Proton Mail and Proton Drive. This includes free accounts. It's an excellent value-add. We are also impressed by its recently released Stealth feature, which is designed to provide additional security to particularly endangered users in countries like Iran and Russia. Proton VPN receives a rare 5-star rating.

Who It's For

Proton VPN is truly a strong overall option. Experienced users will find the features they're looking for, and first timers will find a straightforward experience. It has a great free option, and its paid subscriptions are still an excellent value despite a recent price increase.

Why We Picked It

NordVPN has long taken a "kitchen sink" approach to its VPN and includes a little bit of everything. From the start, it has included features such as multi-hop connections and access to Tor over VPN, both of which are still rare among competitors. In the still-newish world of VPNs, NordVPN has also managed to set itself up as an established player that now buys other companies and adds entirely new products in addition to improving its VPN.

NordVPN has always been a solid product to use and has kept up a consistent and modern design across all its platforms. It's not afraid to change, however, being one of the first VPN companies to fully embrace the new WireGuard VPN protocol and RAM-only servers. All this comes at a price, though, as NordVPN charges quite a bit above the average monthly price we've seen across the industry.

Who It's For

NordVPN's greatest strength is that it has something to offer everyone. Privacy wonks appreciate its set of rare tools. People looking to access an otherwise blocked streaming service are empowered by NordVPN's large selection of servers and the ability to select server locations and even specific servers. First-time users should have no trouble getting started, and they may also be intrigued by NordVPN's growing list of additional services—including storage protected by encryption and a password manager.

Why We Picked It

Surfshark is a relative newcomer, but it hit the ground running with a slick product that has iterated quickly. While it doesn't have all the features of its competitors, it does offer multi-hop connections and supports WireGuard. More interesting, though, are the innovative things Surfshark is doing behind the scenes, such as transforming its server fleet into a single network called Surfshark Nexus. This allows you to jump to a new VPN server without completely disconnecting. This, in turn, enables another cool feature, IP Rotator, which assigns you a new IP address periodically without ever breaking your connection.

Surfshark's blue color scheme and higher-than-average monthly cost invites comparison to another blue VPN: NordVPN. That company recently purchased Surfshark VPN, but both continue to operate independently. Surfshark VPN has also expanded and now offers antivirus protection at an additional cost.

Who It's For

Surfshark is a good all-around VPN, with its unlimited device protection, appealing app, and rich collection of privacy tools. But it will be especially interesting to those who are looking for cutting-edge features, not only for the privacy and flexibility they deliver but also because they are just plain cool.

Why We Picked It

It's easy to dismiss TunnelBear VPN with its funny bear-themed app, bright colors, and limited feature set. It lacks much of the muscle found amongst our top choices. But that does TunnelBear VPN a grave disservice. This VPN is extremely easy to use and features a limited free subscription option, making it an excellent choice for anyone unfamiliar with VPNs. TunnelBear VPN also has one of the most transparent audit processes in the industry, making it a name you really can trust.

Who It's For

TunnelBear VPN is a great choice for anyone new to VPNs, thanks to its simple and friendly interface. It's also a strong option for anyone who just needs a general purpose VPN and isn't going to fuss with network settings.

Why We Picked It

CyberGhost is a pricey but extremely capable VPN service with an enormous collection of servers. It worked well in testing and offers a generous seven simultaneous connections, antivirus protection, and an ad blocker, among other bonus features. We also like that Cyberghost has completed a third-party audit.

Who It's For

CyberGhost's large and widespread network of servers makes it a top choice for users who travel a lot. No matter where you find yourself in the world, there's a good chance there's a local server you can connect to, and local servers mean better average speeds and reduced latency.

Why We Picked It

ExpressVPN's interface is particularly attractive, but that's not the only reason we like it. ExpressVPN also has a large presence in 94 countries, and thankfully very few of them are virtual servers. Instead of WireGuard, it offers its own Lightway VPN protocol, which uses the open-source wolfSSL cryptography library and has been subjected to a third-party audit.

Who It's For

With numerous server locations, ExpressVPN is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to spoof their location, whether it's to hide your IP address or to consume region-locked content (to watch your regular video-streaming accounts while traveling, to see Netflix shows that aren't available in your area, or to access to the BBC iPlayer outside the UK).

Why We Picked It

Given that the average VPN protects five devices per subscription, VPNs like IPVanish that put no cap on the number of devices protected provide an invaluable service. Furthermore, IPVanish is among the top ten fastest VPNs we've tested, has impressive global server coverage, a good number of added features, and broad platform support.

Who It's For

Anyone predominately concerned about device count limits should have IPVanish near the top of their list. While its actual count of available servers could be higher and its price lower, IPVanish checks all the right boxes for those searching for a widely available VPN that protects all their devices.

(Note: IPVanish is owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag.com's parent company. For more, see the ethics policy in our Editorial Mission Statement.)

Why We Picked It

PureVPN has a lot to love inside its snazzy, beautifully designed package. It's fast, has a ton of servers around the world, plenty of add-ons, a transparent privacy policy, and excellent results unblocking Netflix, all of which make it an appealing, well-rounded VPN.

Who It's For

PureVPN's global Netflix compatibility, massive list of servers to choose from, and excellent scores in our speed tests make it an ideal choice for privacy-conscious users who stream a lot of video. Its pricing structure is a bit convoluted, but once you've paid, you'll find this VPN a pleasure to use.

Why We Picked It

As we said above: Mullvad VPN and IVPN share two unique features: a privacy-protecting account system and the ability to purchase the service with anonymous cash payments. Mullvad VPN goes further than IVPN, however. Mullvad VPN no longer accepts recurring payments, meaning that they know nothing about their customers. Mullvad VPN is also radically transparent, giving customers an enormous amount of information about how their service works. Best of, Mullvad VPN is flat rate and extremely affordable—just 5 Euro ($5.09 at time of writing) per month.

Who It's For

Mullvad VPN's service is all about knowing as little about its customers as possible, and that does come with some drawbacks. It also doesn't have the best interface we've seen. But it's a great price for an excellent service that packs all the features of the best VPNs on the market.

Why We Picked It

IVPN has a few important privacy-related features that we find impressive. First, it uses a privacy-protecting account number system that requires very little personal information. Second, it accepts untraceable cash payments sent directly to its HQ. Mullvad is one of the few VPNs that can match it thus far. IVPN goes beyond the competition, however, with its strong stance on transparency, releasing the results of audits and presenting as much information as possible about how customer information is handled and how the company works to protect its users' privacy.

Who It's For

IVPN will appeal to people who are keen to reveal as little about themselves as possible and want a VPN company that is firmly dedicated to doing the same. Furthermore, some of IVPN's advanced features—such as its multi-hop connectivity and use of the new WireGuard protocol—are sure to appeal to anyone who wants tight control of their network security.

Why We Picked It

Hide.me VPN is a bit of an all-rounder, offering a compelling price alongside a user-friendly client and server distribution that would make lesser services blush. Plus, if you're new to VPNs, the free Hide.me client is on par with some of the better for-pay options we've reviewed.

Who It's For

If you're on a tight budget, tepid about VPNs, or unsure if using one will protect you in the way you need on your network, Hide.me is an excellent choice. By not requiring a credit card to sign up or use the service, all you need is an email address, and you can encrypt your connection for up to 2GB per month. If you decide you like the service and want to get more VPN protection than the free tier offers, Hide.me's premium plan still costs less than average, at $9.95 per month.