Virtual networks open unlimited access to any content. Auser has the opportunity to hide the IP address in order to protect their data from third party attacks. A VPN allows you to watch content that is not available in your country, but is allowed in others.
Pros and Cons of the Top 5 Paid VPNs in 2023
#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 - The Most Stable VPN. Protects all your devices, private DNS on every server. Best value deal: save 59% (2 year-Deal)
#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)
What Is The Difference Between A Paid Private Virtual Network (VPN) And A Free One?
There are two types of private virtual networks:
- Paid vpn;
- Free vpn.
The free network is located on unsecured and weak servers. They are actively used by most of the world's users. Therefore, a person will have to face network congestion. That means a decrease in the speed of web surfing. Sometimes the companies that provide free VPN services for use severely limit traffic or connection time due to the constant load on the servers.
The low speed of a free VPN will not allow you to enjoy uninterrupted viewing of your favorite series or movie. Frequent connection failures expose your private data to your ISP and others.
The third problem for the user when connecting to a free VPN is ads that can get extremely annoying. But this problem loses the status of a real danger compared to insecure third-party DNS servers through which DNS queries pass. Third party services may collect personal data that identifies the customer.
Free private virtual networks use outdated algorithms to hide IP addresses. They create serious security holes for the user's privacy. Information received about the user can also be exposed, such as contacts and photos. This information can be sold or simply merged into the network. Old encryption protocols hardly bypass modern site blocking.
Therefore, advanced users choose a paid VPN.
Its advantages are as follows:
- Traffic without restrictions;
- Servers owned by the company that maintains the network. This gives complete anonymity on the World Wide Web;
- Traffic blocking in case of an emergency disconnection;
- Lack of user identification and minimal collection of technical data about a person who logged in through a paid VPN;
- Strong encryption using the AES 256 algorithm. This encryption hides the IP address and protects against traffic interception, and also blocks unauthorized access to the PC;
- Round-the-clock help of technical support, if something does not connect or the connection breaks;
- Support for OPENVPN protocols. The user gets free access to any site or video resource blocked by the state.
Thanks to paid VPN services, user information remains unidentified. No one will know about their location, from which IP address they comes in, and what they does on the network. The user gets access to blocked content that remains invisible when using the free virtual network. They have the ability to upload files to the network anonymously.
Our Top Product Picks
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Fastest streaming speeds
- Unblocks China geoblocks
- IP leak protection
- Over 5,400 servers worldwide
- Automatic kill switch
- DNS/IPS leak protection
- Unblocks Netflix
- 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
Refunds For Paid VPN
Almost all services that offer a virtual private network provide an opportunity to return money in the first month if the user does not like the functionality, the cost of rent or the service completely disappoints him.
The refund procedure is as follows:
- You enter the service under your account.
- Click on the icon next to "Change plan".
- Confirm the cancellation of automatic payments for a subscription by clicking on the button of the same name. This means that debiting money from your card will be blocked, but you will be able to use the subscription until the end of the month.
Many users may think that a refund will begin immediately, but this is not the case. To return the spent dollars, you need to perform one more procedure.
- Go to the online chat or use the mail form to request a refund. You can process a refund faster through chat, but you will need to answer ten questions from the robot before a person contacts you. Thus, the system tries to understand what you did not like so that the developers can fix the problem in the future.
- After explaining the situation to the service operator, the support representative will send a request to the department to return the money to you. He will also explain how many days to wait before the dollars return to the card.
An example of a VPN refund procedure is described using NordVPN as an example. For other virtual networks, the process steps may be slightly different, but the principle is the same.
Do I Need A Vpn On All Devices?
Experts advise installing a VPN on all devices. But for this, you do not need to buy it for each separately. The top subscription to one Express, SurfShark VPN covers all user's devices. The user does not need to pay every time he buys a mobile smartphone or laptop and puts an application on it to enter the world wide web through a virtual private network.
The following table shows which OS supports the program and which does not:
| VPN | Windows | Android | Mac | iOS | Linux |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Express | + | + | + | + | + |
| Nord | + | + | + | + | + |
| SurfShark | + | + | + | + | + |
| Pure | + | + | + | + | + |
| Ivacy | + | + | + | + | + |
Payment Methods For Vpn Services
| Payment methods | ExpressVPN | NordVPN | SurfShark | PureVPN | Ivacy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visa MasterCard |
+ | + | + | + | + |
| Yoomoney | — | — | — | — | — |
| Paypal | + | + | + | + | + |
| WebMoney | + | + | + | + | + |
| Bitcoin | + | + | + | + | + |
| QiWi wallet | + | + | + | + | + |
| Google Pay | + | + | + | + | + |
Information That Vpn Servers Request
The table shows what information the VPN services request from the user.
| VPN services | Full name (when paying by card) | Phone (number, software and OS version, phone model)* | Residential address and zip code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ExpressVPN | + | + | — | + |
| NordVPN | + | + | — | + |
| SurfShark | + | + | — | + |
| PureVPN | + | + | — | + |
| CyberGhost | + | + | — | + |
| Ivacy | + | + | — | + |
* phone, software version, model are collected by all servers, but are not stored or transmitted to anyone.
Which VPN Plan is Worth Buying: For a Month or a Year
If you want to buy a VPN service for the first time, then experts advise buying it for 1 month. In 30 days, you will be able to see the service in operation, whether it gives you benefits, and whether it is convenient for you to work in this network.
If everything suits you, then you can then buy a VPN rental for 1 year. This is ideal because network representatives provide a discount to those who buy at once for several months or years. Therefore, it makes sense to save on costs.
| VPN | 30-day USD | 12-month USD | 2-year USD | Percentage discount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ExpressVPN | 12,95 | 6,67 | no | 49 |
| NordVPN | 11,95 | 4,92 | 3,71 | 68 |
| SurfShark | 12,95 | no | 2,49 | 81 |
| PureVPN | 10,95 | 5,83 | no | 47 |
| CyberGhost | 11,95 | 4,99 | 3,79 | 77 |
| Ivacy | 8.99 | 3.25 | no | 60 |
Now, let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of each separately.
1. ExpressVPN
Price Range: $6.67 - $12.95. Special offer: $99.95 for 15 months
|
Money-Back: 30-day free trial |
Devices: up to 5 |
|
Devices: Apple TV, Fire TV, PlayStation, Xbox, Routers |
Platforms: Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, Linux |
Express is the de facto leader in the VPN app sector. It has over 3000 servers spread across 94 countries, providing you truly global coverage. The customer support at Express is better than its counterparts. It can stream Amazon Prime, Netflix, BBC iPlayer and provide you the fastest browsing speeds among its peers. It is easy to use, and download and installation take less than 4 minutes. It breaks the toughest geoblocks, including China, with ease and provides quick browsing, streaming, and downloading as well.
It is based in a privacy-friendly location and has a strict no-logs policy that keeps your browsing data and history safe from prying eyes. The VPN works best for global streaming services and makes torrenting speeds faster. It provides DNS on each server and follows 256-bit AES encryption as well. Combined with an AES 256-bit cipher that comes with SHA-512 HMAC authentication and 4096-bit RSA key. Plans start at $6.67 per month.
The vendor creates the best experience for users of the world to surf the web and watch TV shows online.
Advantages:
- High speed
- VPN works in China
- Technical support works 24/7
- There is a refund within 1 month if the user does not like something
Disadvantages:
- High cost
- Slow connection through OpenVPN
Try ExpressVPN now and get our special offer!
2. NordVPN
Price Range: $3.49 - $11.95. Special offer: 2-year deal with 68% off
|
Money-Back: 30-day free trial |
Devices:6 |
|
Devices: Firestick, Xbox, Playstation, Nintendo Switch, Raspberry Pi, Chromebook, Chromecast |
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS |
NordVPN is one of the most popular VPNs on the market. You can get this free VPN on your Android, iPhone, and desktop. It has 5,400 servers across the world and comes with the best in class security features as well. It provides an automatic kill switch that shuts your access to the internet as soon as the VPN shield is down. The Panama-based firm keeps you away from prying eyes and helps you get great streaming and download speeds. It bypasses IP throttling and provides access to Netflix and Amazon Prime from almost any country of your choice.
It follows a no-logs policy which provides you better security than a free VPN. It has dedicated P2P servers providing better security and privacy. It allows you to get extra protection with double IP and Onion over a VPN. It can support six devices at once and provides a 30-day money-back guarantee as well. Plans start at $3.39 per month.
Advantages:
- Military-grade encryption. CyberSec and DoubleVPN are used
- The ability to connect to one network up to six devices
There are no downsides to this service.
3. PureVPN
Price Range: $1.32 - $10.95. Special offer: 7-day trial for only $0.99
|
Money-Back: 31-day free trial |
Devices: 10 |
|
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.
Advantages:
- The ability to fine-tune the network
- Availability of company's own servers
- Split tunneling to separate traffic
Of the minuses of this network, they note the lack of access to the Tor browser via VPN. Also, 256-bit encryption is not supported.
Now work, binge & stay secure online with PureVPN
4. Surfshark
Price Range: $1.99 - $11.95. Special offer: Get 81% discount
|
Money-Back: 30-day free trial |
Devices:Unlimited |
|
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.
Advantages:
- Uses MultiHop. This feature allows you to access the Internet through three servers
- Built-in antivirus and ad blocker
- When subscribing for two years, the user saves 81 percent of their money
- Ability to connect up to 100 devices
Among the shortcomings, experts note the high cost of payment for one month. Many users sometimes connect one or another network for testing.
5. CyberGhost
Price Range: $2.75- $12.99. Special offer: 3 extra months for FREE
|
Money-Back: 45-day free trial |
Devices: 7 |
|
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.
Advantages:
- 24/7 support;
- The ability to use peer-to-peer P2P torrents
- High degree of privacy
- Connect up to 5 devices at the same time
Users did not note any shortcomings in the CyberGhost service. Since it is less popular, there is no server overload.
Enjoy a fast and reliable VPN
Comparison Table
| VPN services | KillSwitch | No log Policy | Number of WW Servers | Protocols | Subscription |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ExpressVPN | + | + | 3000+ | Lightway, IKEv2/IPSec, OpenVPN UDP/TCP, L2TP/IPSec | 12 months |
| NordVPN | + | + | 4833+ | PPTP, SSL, P2P, L2TP /IPSec | 27 months |
| SurfShark | + | + | 1700+ | PPTP, SSL, P2P, UDP/TCP, L2TP/IPSec, WireGuard | 27 months |
| PureVPN | + | + | 2000+ | PPTP, SSL, P2P, L2TP/IPSec | 60 months |
| CyberGhost | + | + | 7000+ | OpenVPN, IKEv2 , WireGuard | 12 months |
| Ivacy | + | + | 3200+ | PPTP, SSL, P2P, UDP/TCP, L2TP/IPSec | 60 months |
Conclusion
As you can see, choosing a proper VPN has a number of advantages associated with it. Choose one of the services from the list and feel free to boldly surf the Internet with lessened security risk.
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Written by: Stefany Anderson
Technical Writer, Visit My WebSite Techno-copywriter, Privacy, Internet Security