If you are looking for the best VPN for privacy, look no further. We have reviewed the top VPNs on the market- Express VPN, Nord VPN, PureVPN and SurfShark VPN for privacy-oriented (no logs) tools, so you don’t have to.
We found Express VPN to be the best app on the market for ensuring privacy on the internet.
A VPN app can protect you from prying eyes and provide better privacy than an average browser. You can use it to access dating sites, adults and to stay safe on public WiFi. The app can also provide DNS leak protection.
You can choose the VPN for privacy that suits your needs the best for as low as $6.67/month.
Read this article till the end to find out how the top 4 VPN services compare to each other.
Best VPNs for Privacy and Anonymity
#1. ExpressVPN - No activity logs VPN, all-access pass to global content. 30-day money-back guarantee. 3 Months Special Deal (save up to 49%)
#2. NordVPN - NordVPN is ideal in terms of security and privacy. Consider using the Double VPN or Onion Over VPN as it protects your data and personal information with the strongest security protocols.
#3. PureVPN - AES-256 encryption, 6500+ servers in 140+ Countries, 7-day VPN trial. Browsers Extensions available. 31 Days Money-Back Guarantee
#4. Surfshark - Deal of the Day: 59$ for 24 months. Tested on Windows PC - Android - macOS. Split tunneling, Free Trial available
#5. CyberGhost - Ultra Fast Servers, up to 7 devices, no Logs Policy, Special streaming servers, 45-day money back (Incorporated in USA)
Prevention of DNS and IP Leaks
All secure VPN services offer their subscribers wide range of precautionary measures which help to ensure their privacy and spoof their IP address even in some unpredictable situations.
Among such features, we can name kill switch (it protects your privacy when the connection drops out.Also, reliable VPN providers offer protection from DNS leaks (when operating system continues to use your real DNS record even while VPN is enabled) and IP leaks (when your real IP address is not getting spoofed. It happens mainly due to the vulnerability of browser).
VPN service is a real lifesaver in this situation because it can offer a wide spectrum of digital protection: data safety, secure Wi-Fi connection and many other important ones. It is necessary to consider these basic features that gives such online service.
- Support up to 5 devices under one license
- Lock emergency shutdown
- Network-Zero traffic registration
- Individual audit and real tests passed
What VPN Protocols Are Being Used?
All VPN providers usually inform what protocols they are using. On their sites, you may find such abbreviations like
- PPTP,
- OpenVPN,
- L2TP/IPsec,
- SSTP,
- IKEv2.
Here are the explanations of them.
PPTP was invented by Microsoft in the mid 1990-th and now it is as outdated as Windows 98. This protocol provides only the illusion of encryption and safety. If your current VPN provider offers only this VPN protocol – run as quickly as possible.
OpenVPN
The most popular VPN protocol is OpenVPN. It is completely open source and uses OpenSSL encryption library and such protocols as SSLv3/TLSv1.
OpenVPN has become a quality standard for VPN protocols. It offers a wide variety of encryption protocols which even used by the USA government. But any of these encryption protocols doesn’t slow down your connection greatly. Now the most private VPN providers offer this protocol for their subscribers.
L2TP/IPsec
L2TP/IPsec is a combination of the tunnel for transferring data and the solution for encrypting it. So it may be slower that “all-in-one” protocols. For now, L2TP/IPsec is considered as quite reliable and simple solution to use.
SSTP is a proprietary Microsoft solution which was developed for Windows. It uses strong encryption protocols and integrated into Windows. So it perfectly functions within the frames of this operation system but is not so reliable for other OS.
IKEv2
IKEv2, this VPN protocol is the product of collaboration between Cisco and Microsoft. It works well for mobile devices as offer high speed and the possibility of reestablishing automatically your connection.
Encryption
The industry standard for a reliable VPN provider is the usage of 256-bit AES encryption. It has almost no weak spots and can’t be decrypted (brute force attack will take millions of years before reaching any success). Also, some VPN providers (like NordVPN) offer double VPN encryption when your traffic goes via two VPN servers and is encrypted on both.
Our Top Product Picks
- Support up to 5 devices under one license
- Lock emergency shutdown
- Network-Zero traffic registration
- Individual audit and real tests passed
- TOR over VPN, Double VPN, traffic masking
- Automatic Kill Switch for Windows, Mac, iOS, & Android
- Performed an independent security audit
- Starts as low as $3.71 per month
- Up to 256-bit encryption
- Breaks Chinese firewall
- IPS Leak protection
- Internet kill switch
- HackLock protection
- MultiHop mode with an extra layer of encryption
- BlindSearch for private and ad-free
- Camouflage Mode
- Country: Romania
- Founded: 2011
- Connections: 5
- Refund policy: 30 days
1. ExpressVPN
Price Range: $6.67 - $12.95. Special offer: $99.95 for 15 months
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Money-Back: 30-day free trial |
Devices: up to 5 |
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Devices: Apple TV, Fire TV, PlayStation, Xbox, Routers |
Platforms: Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, Linux |
The best Express VPN servers for privacy don't slow down your connection in any way, even if you download large files or watch Netflix in high quality. Install ExpressVPN on any of your devices, and your online activities remain entirely anonymous. ExpressVPN is a go-to choice for countries with some of the most strict Internet censorship mandates.
Try ExpressVPN now and get our special offer!
2. NordVPN
Price Range: $3.49 - $11.95. Special offer: 2-year deal with 68% off
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Money-Back: 30-day free trial |
Devices:6 |
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Devices: Firestick, Xbox, Playstation, Nintendo Switch, Raspberry Pi, Chromebook, Chromecast |
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS |
According to the editors and many expert reviews, it is NordVPN that perfectly meets all the requirements for maintaining privacy. Up to 6 devices can be supported simultaneously while the service has repeatedly proved 100% absence of logs, reliability, and safety. At the same time, the price in long-term packages is hard to beat.
3. PureVPN
Price Range: $1.32 - $10.95. Special offer: 7-day trial for only $0.99
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Money-Back: 31-day free trial |
Devices: 10 |
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Devices: Routers, Android TV, Amazon FireStick, Microsoft Surface |
Platforms: Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Chrome, Firefox |
If you like accessing streaming platforms from different counties, then PureVPN is the right choice for you. Though this app is not the fastest among its peers, it could easily stream Hulu, Netflix, HBO GO, and BBC iPlayer in HD. The encryption protocol of the service is also not as strong as its peers, and the customer service is not as good as others. However, it is a relatively cheap option with plans starting at $1.99 per month.
Increasing your encryption will be detrimental to your speed. However, when it comes to streaming, PureVPN works well because of its specialized servers for popular websites. You can select a specialized server for a specific website from the app. The Hong Kong-based firm focuses extensively on privacy protection and lies outside the 14-Eyes jurisdiction. It also claims to have a strict no-logs policy for the users. It can also break the Chinese internet firewall.
Now work, binge & stay secure online with PureVPN
4. Surfshark
Price Range: $1.99 - $11.95. Special offer: Get 81% discount
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Money-Back: 30-day free trial |
Devices:Unlimited |
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Devices:Android TV, FireTV |
Platforms: Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, Linux, Chrome |
SurfShark is another reliable and high-speed VPN service provider. It is also one of the cheapest products on the market. If you are unhappy with a free VPN but don’t want to spend a fortune on a paid VPN product, then SurfShark should be the app of your choice. It provides you high-speed servers that allow you to stream in high definition. It also comes with a CleanWeb adblocker, which helps people in avoiding midroll ads in video streaming platforms like YouTube.
It comes with high-speed connections as well, which can go up to 14.52 Mbps upload and 40.92 Mbps download. SurfShark provides P2P sharing, which makes torrenting very speedy. It has industry-standard 256-bit encryption as well and follows a strict no-logs policy. It also provides IP and DNS leak protection. It also works well with P2P clients. It also provides you double VPN protection, which keeps your browsing data safe.
5. CyberGhost
Price Range: $2.75- $12.99. Special offer: 3 extra months for FREE
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Money-Back: 45-day free trial |
Devices: 7 |
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Devices: Amazon Fire TV & Fire Stick, Android TV, Routers |
Platforms: Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, Linux |
CyberGhost is a reliable provider with strong encryption and extra features that come with a fair price.It allows access to popular social networks and streaming services even in the countries with active censorship. Technical documentation is quite helpful, and the first line support is responsive and friendly. Overall, CyberGhost is a good choice for beginner and intermediate users.
Enjoy a fast and reliable VPN
How to Define the Best VPN for Privacy
Ok, so what to pay attention to while searching for the safest VPN service? Here are some points to analyze.
Protect your ID
First of all using VPN you can be literary anonymous while surfing the Internet. It means that visiting any websites is free and safe since you have VPN account. It is useful not just for those of user who want to have an access to a foreign source of information but also for those who need to stay unnoticed dealing with important documents and data. VPN simply hides IP addressee of your device so now you can have a lot of online opportunities.
Public Wi-Fi
It seems to be the most common reason to start using VPN service if you deal with public Wi-Fi connections, because it can actually protect your identity online. Plenty of people use Wi-Fi outside their homes and don’t even think how dangerous it could be for their personal data. While you open important pages or accessing your own accounts your passwords, locations, routing and the other information can be stolen or just become visual for somebody who uses the same network. To prevent this violation of privacy VPN encrypts all of your data before actually send it out in to the Internet.
If somebody tries to intrude your internet privacy VPN connector that you use will immediately send you a warning message so you be aware, but even though you can be sure as a user that everything private will stay this way due to protected encoding VPN service provides. The only thing that a hacker can see is an encrypted data but not the actual IP addresse, username, password or whatever else that belongs to you.
Cyber-crime security
As well as safety of user's networking online VPN service offers another type of important protection which is all about you making your business online. Cyber fraud is a problem that everybody who works with money on the Internet should be concern of. VPN raises your awareness by offering efficient measures of protection from online thieves.
You may pay online or just use your credit card number or password with no risk to be a victim of hackers interested in your identity. VPN hides all of your numbers so now business online is no longer risky.
Anti-virus
One more benefit of finally connecting to a cheap VPN service is virus security. Working on the Internet means opening, uploading and downloading different files and document from time to time. It is not hard to believe that people try to stay away from dangerous materials and don't copy any suspicious information on their devices by buying anti-virus programs. Another words VPN online service provides you with the same protection as if you just use your anti-virus. While you, all of a sudden, start downloading an unpleasant file without even knowing VPN stops it automatically. The virus which, by the way is the main reason of private information leakage, will be deleted before it gets your device. Basically, with VPN you have a full package of Internet security.
FAQ
- Does VPN offer full encryption of my data?
Actually, not. It encrypts it only on the way from your device to destination VPN server. From destination VPN server data proceeds without encryption. Of course, the most reliable VPN providers use shared IP addresses so your data will be masked in data of other users of this service. If you want to transfer some data in the totally safe mode it is better to use encryption for your e-mail provider too. And encrypt this data using TrueCrypt or similar program.
- Does VPN guarantee my full anonymity in the web?
VPN offers privacy and security, but not the full anonymity because your VPN provider knows your real IP address. If you need full anonymity you may use Onion over secure VPN service (which is offered by NordVPN) or OpenVPN protocol over Tor (which already offers Vyprvpn (Read review) ).
- What is the best VPN for security if I often connect my device to Wi-Fi networks?
You can choose any VPN provider from the table above. But it is better to check whether this service have a proper solution for your device (for example, not all VPN providers have solutions for BlackBerry devices). Also, it is better to choose a provider which allow multiple simultaneous connections so you may use it for all your mobile devices, for example Express VPN offers 5 simultaneous connections.
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Written by: Stefany Anderson
Technical Writer, Visit My WebSite Techno-copywriter, Privacy, Internet Security