The Best VPN Service of 2026

Since our review, NordVPN and Surfhark announced a merger. However, they still plan to operate independently. Future updates will address any changes in service.

When it came to upload speeds in both the U.S. and the U.K., NordVPN outpaced most of the competition, bested only by SurfShark in U.S. uploads. Unfortunately, our torrenting speeds were some of the lowest in the bunch. As internet traffic varies, we were mindful that our speed tests could depend on the time of day and, therefore, performed them on multiple devices at different times.

While not as sexy and dynamic as ExpressVPN, NordVPN gets a lot of points for providing ad blocking and extra malware protection. They also offer the ability to customize your DNS settings and kill switches. These can prevent DNS leaks (where other companies spy on what websites you’re visiting) and can warn you if your protection stops.

Like Express, NordVPN unblocks the big streaming services with no hitches. If you have problems, they offer 24/7 customer support via chat.

NordVPN probably has the most name recognition in the roundup. It was also the victim of a hacking in March of 2018. No usernames or passwords were compromised, but their clients’ browsing data was reportedly accessed.

This gives us pause, since it’s exactly the thing that VPNs are intended to prevent. Still, companies can learn valuable lessons from experience, and NordVPN seems to have learned theirs. They’ve created a bug bounty program and conducted multiple audits to try and win back customer trust.

NordVPN is registered in Panama and boasts a massive network of some 5,400 VPN servers spread over 55 countries.

The most intriguing feature unique to NordVPN is the Emergency VPN Assistance Program available to those facing oppressive “online censorship, targeted surveillance, or the threat of violence.” Anyone meeting these guidelines is encouraged to request immediate free emergency VPN service.

Pricing is currently on par with ExpressVPN with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

There’s a lot to like about CyberGhost, especially the lightning-fast download speeds we achieved – the fastest in the roundup. Torrenting speeds were consistently above average, as Cyberghost uses torrenting servers specifically designed for P2P sharing at high speed. It features auto kill switches, ad and malware blocking, and military-grade encryption.

CyberGhost sells itself as the ultimate VPN for streaming all forms of entertainment via a dropdown menu of dedicated servers. Indeed, it is by far the most varied of all the services, featuring Eurosport, ESPN+, and Globo should you fancy either kind of football.

We had no problems watching crystal-clear, commercial-free episodes of “Killing Eve” via the BBC iPlayer on our Microsoft Surface though connecting to U.K. Netflix gave us fits. The only devices that worked were iPhones. Though we experienced little to no buffering or lag time, we would’ve liked to have enjoyed “Monty Python” on a bigger screen.

Large families or device hoarders will appreciate a generous simultaneous connection plan: You can use seven screens at once. They also offer the ability to program your wireless router to encrypt all devices pinging that network.

We like the optimal data compression feature, which could save a bundle on your device’s data usage. For those seeking extra privacy, CyberGhost allows users to pay with gift cards, like Starbucks or Best Buy.

Again, NordVPN and Surfhark announced that they were merging since our review took place. However, they still plan to operate independently. Future updates will address any changes in service.

SurfShark made a strong case for itself on features, but fell a bit short on speed. In addition to great functionality and security, it offers a money-back guarantee. SurfShark is also the only VPN in this roundup to allow for unlimited devices.

SurfShark achieved some of the fastest download speeds, except when it came to torrenting, where it took nearly double the time as ExpressVPN and NordVPN.

SurfShark worked well streaming U.K. Netflix and BBC iPlayer. We even watched HGTV dubbed in Italian, which is a great way to simultaneously learn a new language and how to install a toilet.

SurfShark offers 256-bit encryption. The kill switch is automatic, and it also features double protection in “MultiHop” mode, pinging two servers at once to add an additional layer of protection. It boasts 1,040+ servers in 61 countries and offers browser extensions for Chrome and Foxfire that we found useful, especially on our Microsoft Surface.

That said, only the browser extensions have been audited by a third party, unlike the more thorough audits of ExpressVPN and NordVPN.

A 24/7-support chat line makes SurfShark the best cheap VPN of 2020. Add-ons like HackLock will alert you of would-be hackers in real time for an additional $1 per month, which is cheap peace of mind for the uber-paranoid.

HMA is a robust and quality VPN maintaining 1,000+ servers in 190+ countries. It boasted the fastest torrenting speeds in the roundup and skirted geo roadblocks set up by the streaming services. We connected to several streaming services, though there was a little effort involved.

We found HMA’s encryption methods and security features top-notch. The user interface is one of the easiest to use and we chuckled at the donkey animation going stealth every time.

It is reasonably priced, and plenty of available coupons can save even more on this VPN, which is already worth it at the full price. You can try it for 7 days for free, and a 30-day money-back guarantee gives you even more peace of mind.

HMA offers a month-to month plan, as well as 12 and 36 month subscriptions. HMA limits its single-license users to 5 devices at a time. However, if you sign up for a family plan, they bump you up to 10 devices.

HMA is based in the UK, which has poor data privacy protections. However, as of August 2020, HMA has been audited by a third-party as a "no-logs" VPN. That should alleviate some concerns.

TunnelBear VPN is beloved by so many for its ease of use and, no doubt, its adorable hibernating mascot. In addition to the approachable aesthetic, TunnelBear also offers a free version of the plan for up to 500MB per month. You'll hit that data cap quickly if you're doing any serious video streaming or torrenting, but it's the only free VPN option we can currently get behind. The price for the paid version is on par with its competitors, and you have 30 days to test it out.

TunnelBear boasts a respectable 4,000 servers in 20 different locations and features 256-bit AES encryption, the same as the big dogs in this roundup. The security is routinely audited by 3rd parties, making it a good choice for sensitive communications in countries with intrusive surveillance policies.

Some environments and networks have measures in place to throttle or thwart VPN traffic. In response to that, TunnelBear offers GhostBear mode, which spoofs VPN traffic to appear as normal traffic and elude deep packet inspection. It’s not necessary by default, but in certain circumstances it can be very useful. There’s also a kill switch, called VigilantBear.

Both of these modes are not automatic and must be downloaded via a browser extension. Call us lazy, but we’d rather see that as a built-in. Every time the connection is dropped, which for us was fairly often, TunnelBear roars (literally) and alerts you that you are reconnected. Unfortunately, that leaves you wondering how long you were unprotected.

As a general use VPN service, TunnelBear comes up short for a number of reasons. It won’t work with Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Pandora, or a host of other streaming services. There's no live chat for troubleshooting. TunnelBear also has a strict no refund policy, putting it at odds with ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and others.

Also, it did not work with our older iPad, and specifically states that it has limited support for Linux. Unless you have an up-to-date Windows, Mac, Android, or iOS device, make sure you try the free version to check for compatibility before committing to a contract you can't get out of.