Best VPN 2026 Comparison 7 services

Surfshark is our pick for households and friend groups who want a single VPN across every device they own. Owned by Nord Security (the same parent as NordVPN), it shares the top-tier infrastructure but lands at a noticeably lower price. Headline feature: unlimited simultaneous connections on one subscription.

Security has passed 4 independent audits (Cure53, Deloitte), and every server runs RAM-only with AES-256 encryption. 4,500+ servers across 100 countries reliably unblock Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and Peacock. Extras include CleanWeb 2.0 for ad and malware blocking, plus MultiHop for chaining traffic through two servers. The two-year plan offers the best price-to-feature ratio in our ranking, with a 7-day mobile free trial and 30-day money-back guarantee. If you need to cover five tablets, three phones, and two laptops at once, this is the best-value choice on the market.

ExpressVPN is our premium pick for users who value trust and speed over price. It holds the industry record with 23 independent audits by KPMG, PwC, and Cure53. No other provider comes close. The British Virgin Islands jurisdiction also bars courts from compelling data.

In our tests it scored 9.6/10 for speed thanks to Lightway, the brand’s own protocol that runs faster than OpenVPN and includes built-in obfuscation. 3,000+ servers across 105 countries reliably unblock Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and Peacock. It also works reliably in China, which most competitors do not. Bonus: TrustedServer RAM-only infrastructure since 2019, plus Network Lock as a kill switch. The Pro tier subscription comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you want maximum trust, speed, and global coverage, this is the safe bet.

CyberGhost is our pick for beginners and anyone who wants streaming without technical setup. The apps come with dedicated streaming presets, where one click on a server optimized for Netflix US, Disney+, or BBC iPlayer is enough to start playback. Romania jurisdiction sits outside the 14 Eyes alliance.

The network spans the largest count in our ranking, with 12,000+ servers across 100 countries, covering even specific regions reliably. Security runs on AES-256 encryption and 2 independent audits by Deloitte. All servers operate RAM-only. For US and UK viewers, expect smooth unblocking of Hulu, Peacock, and BBC iPlayer. Bonus: Content Blocker against ads and malware, plus ID Guard for personal data leak monitoring. The two-year plan with two bonus months comes with a 45-day money-back guarantee, the longest in the industry. Ideal for families and anyone who wants streaming without compromises.

PIA is our pick for privacy purists and users who want maximum control over configuration. The no-logs policy isn’t just a promise: it has been court-tested in the United States across three separate cases (2016, 2017, 2018), where the company demonstrably had nothing to hand over. The app source code is also fully open.

The network is the largest in the industry, with 35,000+ servers across 91 countries plus unlimited simultaneous connections per account. Security runs on AES-256 encryption, 3 independent audits, and RAM-only servers. For US and UK viewers, expect smooth unblocking of Netflix US, Hulu, Peacock, and BBC iPlayer. Bonus: built-in MACE ad and malware blocker, Shadowsocks for traffic obfuscation, and one of the best Linux clients on the market. The three-year plan with a 30-day money-back guarantee delivers the lowest monthly price in our ranking. Built for power users and anyone who wants privacy proven in practice, not just on paper.

IPVanish is our pick for torrenting, P2P, and users who prefer owned infrastructure over third-party rented servers. Operating from Indianapolis since 2012, the brand remains one of the most reliable US providers. Headline draws: unlimited simultaneous connections and built-in SOCKS5 proxy support.

The 3,200+-server network across 91 countries covers all main streaming and torrenting routes, runs RAM-only, and uses AES-256 encryption. The no-logs policy has passed 2 independent audits. Streaming-wise it unblocks Netflix US, Hulu, Peacock, and BBC iPlayer. Bonus: Threat Protection blocks ads and malware, Scramble masks VPN traffic, and WireGuard keeps speeds steady for 4K. The yearly plan ships with a 7-day free trial and 30-day money-back guarantee. Built for the torrent community, developers, and households with many devices.

ProtonVPN is our pick for privacy-first users and anyone who wants a complete encrypted-communication ecosystem. Switzerland jurisdiction sits under the strictest European data protection laws. The apps are also fully open-source and community-auditable. Bonus: a free tier with no data caps, the only one in our ranking.

The network spans 20,050+ servers across 145 countries and has passed 6 independent audits by Securitum, with full Linux apps including a CLI client. Secure Core routes traffic through a double-VPN tunnel via hardened servers in privacy-friendly countries. Streaming-wise it unblocks Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and Peacock. Bonus: NetShield blocks ads and malware, port forwarding boosts torrent speeds, and anonymous payment via Bitcoin or cash is supported. The two-year plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Built for Proton Mail users, journalists, activists, and anyone who treats privacy as a philosophy, not marketing.