Find the Best VPN Services & Enjoy Internet Freedom

A VPN (or Virtual Private Network) is a piece of software that, once installed and running, creates a secure and private connection between two or more devices.

A standard internet connection typically routes traffic from your device via your ISP (internet service provider) and on to a website or app, however a VPN uses your ISP’s connection to route traffic to a secure server in a location of your choice, and then on to your desired website or app.

When you use a VPN your ISP can no longer see and monitor your internet activity, and your internet connection is far more secure.

A good VPN service will therefore allow you to use the internet privately and securely, and it will also unblock restricted online content.

You can install and run a VPN on most popular devices, from iPhones to Macs to Amazon Fire TV Sticks.

For more information, read our ‘What is a VPN?’ guide.

Here are the main benefits of using a VPN:

1. Keep your internet activity private from Internet providers (ISPs), governments and any other snoopers

Most countries monitor their citizens’ online activity. For example, the UK, US and Australia have very aggressive mass surveillance laws, forcing ISPs to track customers’ activity and hand over all data.

In the US, sensitive personal data can also be sold to advertisers without your explicit consent.

The only way to stop this is by using a VPN.

When you connect via a VPN server, your ISP is unable to see your data – as it’s encrypted. Nor can it track what websites you visit past that initial connection to the server, keeping your internet activity private.

If your ISP can’t log your activity then there’s nothing to snoop through beyond the fact that you connected to various VPN servers.

2. Unlock online content that is restricted where you are

Not all websites and apps will be accessible from your current location. If this frustrates you then a VPN is exactly what you need.

When you use a VPN, your real IP address is replaced with the IP address of the VPN server, which can be located anywhere in the world. To the websites and apps you are visiting, you are just another visitor from that same country.

3. Protect yourself from hackers on public WiFi

Public WiFi networks are highly vulnerable to hackers. WiFi in restaurants, coffee shops, department stores and on public transport are all very risky.

A VPN encrypts your connection, making it very hard for anyone to intercept your data as it’s transmitted over the network.

If you’re connected to a VPN, it’s much harder for a hacker to carry out a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack on your device.

4. Evading censorship by the government, your ISP, your workplace or school

Online censorship works by the owner of the network blocking specific websites and apps. This can be at the very top level by governments forcing ISPs to block certain websites, or on local networks like schools or workplaces.

A VPN is an extremely effective way to beat internet blocks.

Yes, VPNs are very safe as long as you use a trusted VPN provider. Every time you connect to one of its servers, you are trusting them with your data.

You must use VPN services with privacy-focused logging policies that put your privacy first. Every VPN provider claims to do so, but their Terms of Service, Privacy and Logging Policies – and how they respond to data/information requests from authorities – will prove whether that’s actually the case.

In every one of our VPN reviews we help you make sense of a VPN service’s logging policies and how it responds to data/information requests. We also let you know if a VPN has been found to be lying.

The short answer is yes – VPNs are 100% legal and fine to use in almost every country.

There are, however, a handful of exceptions. VPN services are currently banned in: Belarus, Iraq, Turkmenistan and North Korea.

There are six more countries where you may only use ‘government approved’ VPN providers: China, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Use a non-authorized VPN in these nations at your own risk.

You can read more about the countries that have banned or restricted VPN services by heading to our guide: Are VPNs Legal?

A VPN keeps you very private online, but it does not make you 100% anonymous.

When you log into an online account, like Google, Twitter or Facebook, they will be able to see what you do online (and keep records of it), even if you’re using a VPN.

If you’re looking for a VPN that gives you the highest level of privacy, consider these four factors:

1. What does its Privacy Policy say?

2. What is its Logging Policy? Does it log data?

3. Where is it based (what jurisdiction is it governed by)?

4. Does it accept cryptocurrencies?

To achieve close to full anonymity, you must use a VPN service that collects zero identifiable data and is based in countries not subject to intrusive laws.

Here are ways you can inadvertently expose yourself when using a VPN:

1. DNS, IP and other leaks (hint: change VPN if yours is leaking)

2. Location services enabled on mobile devices

3. If you’re logged into a website or app (for example Gmail)

4. If you haven’t cleared the cookies in your browser

It’s also vital to choose a VPN with a kill switch, which will completely disconnect you from the internet should your VPN connection fail for any reason.

We make the search for a VPN service simple for you.

Perhaps you want to unlock your favorite streaming services – like Netflix or BBC iPlayer – from any country?

Maybe you want to be able to torrent privately and securely?

Or you could be looking to use public WiFi more securely, or even bypass online censorship in countries like China.

No matter your needs, we have expert recommendations to help you find your ideal VPN or you can go straight to the overall best VPN services.

Free VPNs are very popular but the reality is that many free VPN apps that are not safe to use.

Some free VPN services simply won’t keep your data secure or your IP address hidden, while the worst free VPNs will spy on what you do online or sell your personal data to third parties.

We recently tested the top 150 free VPN Android apps which revealed many had security flaws, performance issues, and over 85% had questionable permissions.

We also looked into the companies operating the top free VPN apps, and some of our findings were disturbing.

Choosing the wrong VPN service can therefore be worse than not using one at all. While there are a few good free VPN providers out there – like Windscribe and ProtonVPN – they are limited in their use and simply can’t compare to a good paid VPN.

If you can’t afford or aren’t willing to pay for a VPN, we’ve selected the best free VPNs for you.