The best VPN services in 2020
What is a VPN?
A virtual private network is a network that allows you to send and receive data while at the same time remaining anonymous and secure online. A VPN can extend a private network across a public network thus enabling its users to send and receive data across a public network as if their devices were directly connected to the private network. It is critical to make sure that our internet privacy is protected from hackers as we are continuously transferring data online while using the likes of online banking and virtual communication almost daily. Virtual Private Networks have become extremely popular due to these reasons as they allow you to create secure connections between your PC and the Internet. Using the services of a VPN guarantees a certain level of safety and allows you PC to act as if it were on the same network as the VPN. The PC can behave as if it were on that network while allowing you to gain access to various local network resources. When you browse the internet on a VPN your computer contacts the website through an encrypted and secure connection. A VPN is a highly effective and easy to use tool and is extremely beneficial in helping you to secure your internet journeys safety.
How to Choose the Best VPN for you
- Decide why you need a VPN.
- Research the VPN’s qualities.
- See what devices are compatible with the VPN.
- Make sure that important locations are covered.
- Choose a VPN with a user-friendly interface.
- Choose a payment plan that best suits your individual needs.
- Look for a VPN provider that offers a money-back guarantee.
- Make sure that the VPN provider is reliable and offers good customer service.
Do you need a VPN?
Most people care about their online freedom and privacy and a Virtual private network offers you exactly that. If you want to remain anonymous online with no real location visible, prevent spying or cyber attacks and freely browse the internet without worry then a Virtual Private Network is for you!
How to Choose the Best VPN for your specific needs
You need to decide on why you want to obtain a VPN and then choose the best VPN to cater for what you are looking for. Here is a list of specifications that you may or may not be looking for in different types of VPN networks:
- The ability to unblock global content.
- Privacy on public networks.
- Torrenting safety.
- To bypass censorship.
- Changing of location.
How to set up a VPN using an Android device
- Open the Settings menu on your phone.
- Choose Wi-Fi& Internet or Wireless & networks.
- Tap on VPN.
- You will see a plus sign in the top right-hand corner. Tap on it.
- Enter the server address, username and password.
User friendly VPNs
Most VPN networks are very user friendly and a new user would not need much technical knowledge to get set up. The following is a list of the most user-friendly Virtual Private Networks:
This VPN offers extremely fast speeds and a simple setup.
This is a user-friendly VPN with a one click connection to thousands of high-speed servers.
Connect to torrent and stream in HD with ease by connecting to dedicated servers. Unfortunately, speeds can be slower when the server is busy.
This is the most affordable VPN but offers less server options than most other VPN services.
This is a simple app for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices; however, speeds are inconsistent due to a small network of servers.
The Best VPNs Per Category
ExpresVPN – Privacy. Streaming. Speed.
Surfshark – Ideal for torrent. Good security. Packed with features.
Features and Prices of Various VPN’S
| NordVPN | · Fast secure and extremely easy to use even for beginners.
· Excellent encryption to make sure your privacy is protected. · Extremely fast network that provides excellent security and can bypass content blocks with ease. · A reliable and secure network. · One of the most recognised VPN providers in the world. · NordVPN Offers an excellent simultaneous connection count. · Six simultaneous connections at a time through its network. · Dedicated IP Option. · Kill switch feature offered. · No privacy leaks. · Reliable and fast speeds.
IP addresses: 5,000 Servers: 5,200-plus servers Server locations: 62 Country/jurisdiction: Panama Found in 62 countries worldwide
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One-year subscription plan : $7 a month. ($84 billed at once).
Two-year subscription plan: $4.99 a month ($119.76 billed at once).
Three-year subscription plan: $3.49 per month. ($125.64 total at once).
30-day full refund policy.
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| ExpressVPN
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· One of the fastest VPN networks in the world.
· Committed to privacy for its users and has a strong track record of privacy. · Quality set-ups and guides to help assist new users. · Detailed FAQ information for users to peruse. · Kill switch feature to prevent data from leaking outside if a VPN connection fails. · Started in 2009 and has a big network spread across 94 counties. · Offers a 30-day money back guarantee with all of it plans. · Excellent value for money. · Customer service always available. · Fast streaming and torrenting. · Easy access to blocked content. · Quick set-up on most devices without any prior user knowledge. · Excellent security.
IP addresses: 30,000 Servers: 3,000-plus Server locations: 160 Number of simultaneous connections: 5 Country/jurisdiction: British Virgin Islands 94-plus countries
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Billed $99.95 first 15 months OR
OR less than $7 a month for an annual package, that includes three months for free
The packages have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
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| Surfshark
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· Access to Netflix US, Disney+, Hulu, HBO, and many more.
· Excellent speeds and high-quality video. · Unlimited simultaneous connections. · Easy-to-use apps for all types of desktop and mobile devices · Budget friendly. · 30-day money back guarantee. · Less offering than some other networks. · Great features for what is offered. · Unlimited device support. · Antimalware, ad blocking and tracker blocking. · Chrome and Firefox extensions. · Runs on Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Fire TV and routers. · Additional devices such as game consoles can be configured for Surfshark via DNS settings. · Compatible with the new Raspberry Pi 4. · Whitelist feature which allows you to whitelist certain apps and websites automatically. · Three special modes offered: Camouflage mode, Multihop mode and No Borders mode. · No DNS or IP address leaks.
Number of servers: 1,000 Number of server locations: 60 Country/jurisdiction: British Virgin Islands
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Year plan – $72 for the first year thereafter $143 after your first year is up.
Month-by-month plans are $12.
Its best offer is $2 a month, for its 24-month plan (you pay $48 up front).
30-day trial offer
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| CyberGhost
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· Dedicated high-speed servers for HD/4K streaming and torrenting
· Up to 7 simultaneous connections from any device · CyberGhost is excellent for torrenting, with special P2P servers and a strict no-logs policy to keep you anonymous when you are online. · Faster than Norton Secure VPN. · Offers split tunnelling in its Windows client. · Neatly organised and user-friendly servers. · No data caps and allows for unlimited server switching. · Many competitive features. · Excellent security offered with a full suite of privacy tools. · One of the cheapest VPN networks to date.
Servers: Over 7,100 worldwide in 90-plus countries Server locations: 112 Jurisdiction: Romania, with UK parent company Simultaneous connections: 5
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$2.75 a month for a 3-year plan OR $3.69 a month for 2-year plan
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Private Internet Access
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· Up to 10 simultaneous connections.
· Excellent privacy and security features. · Provides an adblocker feature. · Kill switch feature. · Excellent security protocols and powerful security-based features. · Continuously working to improve its offerings. · Netflix unblocking. · Great choice for experts as well as beginners. · Private Internet Access has a 24/7 live chat. · Super-fast connection speeds.
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3 Months free with one year
$2.69 per month for Two-year plan $3.33 per month for Yearly plan
$9.95 per month for the monthly plan
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PrivateVPN
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· A simple VPN with a user-friendly interface.
· Good for beginners to start with and get to know. · User-friendly applications for both desktop and mobile devices. · Affordable prices and value for money. · Excellent security offerings. · Netflix accessibility. · No-logs policy.
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The 1 Month Plan
$8.21/month. 1. The 1 Year Plan plus 1 Month Free $54.00/annual billing. 2. The 3 Month Plan – $16.88 for 3 months. 3. 4. All PrivateVPN plans allows the user access to all the service’s features and can be used simultaneously on up to 6 devices. PrivateVPN offers a free trial period
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VyprVPN
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· This VPN offers advanced security features and high-end encryption.
· Excellent proprietary technology for safety. · High Quality VPN that is fast and secure. · Many applications that are user-friendly, secure and reliable. · There is a live chat available which is helpful for users in need of assistance.
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VyprVPN costs $9.95 per month or $60 per year.
Premium Plan $12.95 per month or $80 per year.
Both of these tiers offer a three-day free trial.
VyprVPN Free is a VyprVPN account which is available via the iOS and Android VyprVPN apps.
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| IP Vanish | · A good choice for beginners to try.
· Fun and flexible to use. · Multiplatform flexibility. · This is a Netflix friendly VPN. · Supports Kodi which is an open source media streaming app.
IP addresses: 40,000-plus Servers: 1,300 Server locations: 60 Number of simultaneous connections: 10 Country/jurisdiction: US
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$3.99 a month or $48 a year.
Allows a seven-day trial. Full money-back guarantee. |
Norton Secure VPN
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· Limited Netflix and streaming compatibility.
· Excellent privacy and security. · Moderate speed. · Available on Mac, iOS, Windows and Android. · 24/7 live customer phone support. · 60-day money back guarantee.
Number of countries: 29 Number of servers: 1,500 (1,200 virtual) Number of server locations: 200 in 73 cities Country/jurisdiction: US
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1 device $49-99 per annum
5 devices $79-99 per annum 10 devices $99-99 per annum
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| Pure VPN | · Supports Bitcoin payments to extend anonymous browsing.
· Kodi and Chromebook compatible. · Fully implemented GDPR. · Reliable security protocols. · No-logs policy. · High speed connection. · Use Pure VPN to torrent, stream and browse. · Offers a dedicated torrenting profile and specialized servers to ensure that your P2P connection is as fast and secure as possible.
Number of servers: 2000 Number of server locations: 180 Country/jurisdiction: Hong Kong
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$3.33 a month for a 1-year plan, $1.65 a month for a 5-year plan
30 day refund policy |
| Strong VPN | · Excellent infrastructure.
· Good prices and value for money. · Strong VPN that has a no-logging policy. · Excellent protection of privacy. · Large base of IP addresses. · Good collection of servers and worldwide locations. · Offers the client a dedicated IP address and assist with setting it up. · Strong VPN owns its entire network infrastructure. · No externally dictated bandwidth limits.
Number of IP addresses: 59,500 Number of servers: 650-plus Number of server locations: 26 countries and 46 cities
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Monthly price of $10 OR yearly price of $70 |
Private Internet Access
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· Massive server count.
· Private Internet Access does not release how many IP addresses are available to the public. · Extremely secure and confidential platform. · Company was started in 2010. · No log-in policy. · Offers five simultaneous connections. · Has a kill switch feature. · Excellent online resource and documentation to assist with security guidance. · 7-day refund policy.
Number of IP addresses: N/A Number of servers: 3,252 Number of server locations: 37 Country/jurisdiction: US
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Two-year plan for $83.87.
One-year plan for $71.88. |
Hotspot Shield
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· Offers a 45-day money back guarantee.
· Supports Linux, Windows, Mac, IOs and Android. · Supports plugins for Chrome and Firefox. · Supports all routers and media players. · Has a connection kill switch feature. · Hotspot shield does not support P2P or BitTorrent.
Number of IP addresses: 50,000 Number of servers: 3,200 Number of server countries: 80-plus
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$2.99 a month for a 3-year plan
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Goose VPN
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· The Goose VPN offers excellent security protocols.
· An unlimited number of simultaneous connections or devices. · Supplies iOS, Android, Mac and Windows. · Added support for routers, Android TV and Linux. · Kill switch features. · 24/7 ticket-based customer support. · Allows for unlimited connections. · Low yearly price. and adds support for routers, Android TV and Linux. It is working on a kill switch feature, which may even be up and running by the time you read this review. The company also offers 24/7 ticket-based support.
Number of IP addresses: 200,000-plus Number of servers: 700-plus Number of server locations: 70-plus Country/jurisdiction: Switzerland
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50GB or less per month $2.99 a month.
Unlimited bandwidth $12.99 a month or $59.88 for a year’s service
30-day money back guarantee
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VyprVPN
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· This is a relatively new company and was founded in 2013.
· Largest bank of IP addresses than any of the other service providers. · It offers a wide range of VPN protocols. · Has its own high-performance Chameleon connection protocol. · Offers a kill switch feature. · Option to get a dedicated IP address. · Excellent privacy settings. · VyprVPN has an unlimited bandwidth offering. · Several simultaneous sessions can happen at the same time. · Excellent customer support.
Number of IP addresses: 11,000 Number of servers: 800 Number of server locations: 46 Country/jurisdiction: Gibraltar
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Two years for $60
One year for $45 Monthly at $12.95 |
What is a remote-access VPN?
A remote-access VPN uses public infrastructure much like the internet and is used to provide remote users with secure access to their networks. This is very important for many organizations and their networks and is crucial to have when employees connect to a public hotspot or use the internet. A VPN client on the user’s device is what allows computers or mobile devices to connect to the VPN gateway of the company’s network. This gateway usually requires the device to authenticate its identity and will then create a network link back to the device to allow it to reach various internal network resources. This is all done as if it was on the same local network. Remote-access VPN normally relies on Internet Protocol Security or a Secure Sockets layer in order to secure your internet connection, but SSL VPN’s can also be used to supply safe and secure access to one application instead of an entire internal network.
What is a site-to-site VPN?
A site-to-site VPN is when certain technology uses a gateway device to connect to the entire network in one location to a network in another location. Instead of using the public internet it uses the career multiprotocol label switching clouds as the main transport for site-to-site VPNs. New hybrid-access situations have totally transformed the VPN gateway in the cloud with a secure link from the cloud service provider to the internal network.
What is a mobile VPN?
When a traditional VPN is applied to a wireless device a user’s experience can be affected. A mobile VPN is a great way to try and avoid slower speeds and data loss while at the same time offering the user a high level of security that is needed when using wireless communications. A mobile VPN can provide mobile devices with secure access to all network resources as well as software applications on their wireless networks. It is an excellent tool to use when the user is facing gaps in coverage, internetwork roaming, battery issues and limited bandwidth. A mobile VPN also generally has a much smaller memory footprint which allows it to require less processing power than the traditional VPN. It also enables your applications to run faster while at the same time making your battery pack last longer. Mobile VPN increase user satisfaction, privacy and productivity as well as its ability to reduce unforeseen issues that can be caused by wireless connectivity problems. People worldwide are starting to use mobile devices and wireless connectivity at an ever increasing rate, so it is important to ensure that all data is being transferred by the securest network possible while allowing you access to the internet and at the same time protect your information.
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