Nowadays, we spend a large part of our lives on the internet. But despite all the wonderful things you can do online, the internet can also be an unpleasant place. It presents many growing threats, from internet detection to cybercrime. However, there is one way to overcome these issues: installing a virtual private network. A VPN will not only hide your Internet Protocol address, but also encrypt your Wi-Fi connection. You can then access the Internet anonymously, protect your data with end-to-end encryption, and ensure that cybercriminals cannot compromise your Wi-Fi network.
However, VPNs can do much more than just keep you safe online. By connecting to global VPN servers, it is possible to bypass cumbersome geographic constraints and block online content around the world. These services can also prevent ISPs from speeding up your internet speed, which improves streaming and gaming performance.
The simple fact is that you can do many more things online by downloading a VPN service to your smartphone, tablet, computer and other connected devices. But since there are hundreds of VPNs today, you may find it difficult. To help you make the right decision, we have ranked the best VPNs of 2021.
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Best VPN overall: ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is at the top of our list of the best VPNs in 2021 because of its simplicity, wide range of features, excellent performance, large server network and much more. Simply put, the British Virgin Islands has all the necessities of a top quality VPN service.
With ExpressVPN, you have more than 3,000 servers in 160 locations worldwide at your fingertips. By connecting to one of ExpressVPN’s speed servers, you can block Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, YouTube, and many other streaming services in all parts of the world.
What’s more, ExpressVPN is available on all popular operating systems. You can get the official app on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux and other platforms. The user interface is very easy to navigate, so you can connect to the best available VPN server or browse a list of global VPN servers.
There are many other excellent features that ExpressVPN offers, including a no-login policy, 256-bit encryption, a built-in dead switch, VPN split tunneling, TrustedServer technology, private DNS, a speed test, manuals, 24 / 7 support, and more. But something to remember is that ExpressVPN has a somewhat strict limit for 5 devices.
If you are looking for the best common VPN, look no further than Express. It offers many excellent features, excellent performance, a large global server network, access to top streaming sites and much more.
Best Affordable VPN: Surfshark
VPNs can do some amazing things, whether it’s making public WiFi networks safer or blocking restricted online content. And you can automatically assume that these tools are going to be expensive. But Surfshark is an excellent example of a VPN service that can do all this amazing stuff (and more) at a bargain price.
For less than $ 3 a month, Surfshark offers many impressive features. For example, it operates a network of more than 3,200 servers in 65 countries. Each of these servers is not only fast but also protected by private DNA and a strict non-login policy. Surfshark claims that its servers are also ‘P2P friendly’.
If you connect to one of Surfhark’s fast VPN servers, you can access worldwide streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Hulu and many more. Surfshark is also quite unique in that it allows you to connect as many devices from one account. This is definitely useful if you want to stream content on different devices. At this point, Surfshark has apps for Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux and many other platforms.
But Surfshark is not just an excellent streaming VPN; it is also excellent for all your security and privacy needs. In fact, it will stop malware, phishing, web crawlers and spam ads in their tracks. Furthermore, there is a policy for non-login, a dead switch, private DNA and leak protection, a camouflage mode, a no-edge mode, strong 256-bit encryption and secure protocols.
For anyone who wants a cheap yet effective VPN, Surfshark is the best option. It costs less than $ 3 per month and offers an excellent range of features, easy-to-use programs and impressive performance.
Most Famous VPN: NordVPN
If you are looking for an established and reliable VPN service to try out in 2021, you should check out NordVPN. In fact, you may have seen NordVPN appear in a television commercial at some point; it has poured a lot of money into marketing and advertising over the past few years.
NordVPN definitely lives up to its reputation and offers a large network of more than 5,500 servers in 59 countries worldwide. You can unblock Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Disney Plus, Dazn and more by connecting to one of Nord’s fast and reliable VPN servers.
Like Surfshark, NordVPN has a useful cyber security feature that allows you to block malicious websites and annoying ads. Another impressive security feature is Dual VPN, which directs your online traffic through two VPN servers. NordVPN says it encrypts personal data twice. In addition to these unique security features, NordVPN also offers a kill switch, a DNA leak test, Onion Over VPN and a non-login policy.
If you decide to sign up for NordVPN, you can download the official app on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux and other types of devices. The shortcut button is very handy so you can quickly connect to the best VPN server. But you can only use the NordVPN app on up to 6 devices with one subscription.
NordVPN may be known for its flashy TV commercials, but it certainly lives up to its reputation by offering a massive server network, useful security features and more.
Best Free VPN: Hotspot Shield
For anyone who does not have the money to spend on a premium VPN app and instead is looking for a top quality VPN service that will not cost a single cent, beyond Hotspot Shield. The free version of Hotspot Shield offers impressive features including military grade encryption, a kill switch, multiple VPN protocols and 500 MB of data to use every day.
Unfortunately, you can only connect to one server (located in the United States) and use one device with a free Hotspot Shield account. But it should be good if there is a specific website you want to unblock, or if you want to try Hotspot Shield before signing up for a paid subscription. Premium subscriptions start at $ 7.99, which is quite expensive.
But Hotspot Shield is also one of the fastest VPN services on the market, claiming to be twice as fast as its competitors. In terms of other features, Hotspot Shield offers unlimited bandwidth, the patented Hydra protocol, apps for different operating systems, 24/7 support and a great payback period of 45 days.
Not everyone can afford to pay for a premium VPN service, but Hotspot Shield offers one of the best free VPN services on the market. It offers so much free, from a dead switch to 500 MB of daily data.
Best VPN with many servers: private internet access
When it comes to choosing a VPN service, the number of servers it offers is one of the most important things to consider. Overall, the best VPN services offer large server networks, and private Internet access provides 24,364 servers in 77 countries.
Thanks to such a large variety of global servers, it is very easy to block restricted websites and streaming services around the world. In fact, private internet access works with Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and many other streaming platforms.
By installing private internet access on your devices, you can protect yourself from malware, web trackers and unwanted ads. You also have a wide range of VPN protocols, including WireGuard, PPTP, OpenVPN and L2TP / IPSec.
Other excellent features offered by private internet access include P2P support, the ability to use up to ten devices under one entry, unlimited bandwidth, a traffic registration policy, instant setup, a SOCKS5 proxy and a wide range programs. Premium subscriptions are also reasonable, with the two-year plan only $ 2.69 per month.
There’s a lot you can do with a large VPN server network, and Private Internet Access offers a whopping 24,000 servers around the world.
Alternative option: IPVanish
Another VPN service that you want to consider is IPVanish, which offers very good features at a reasonably affordable price. While IPVanish has a smaller 1600 server network than the other VPN services mentioned in this list, its servers are very reliable and offer them access to popular online services like Netflix, YouTube, Kodi, Facebook, WhatsApp, Google and Spotify in any part of the world.
But it is worth mentioning that many people have reported problems accessing Amazon Prime Video and BBC iPlayer with IPVanish. So you will obviously need another VPN service if you want to unblock the websites. Despite this, IPVanish proves that it is still a capable VPN service, thanks to features like strong encryption, unmeasured connections, zero data transfer covers, shared IP addresses, a traffic registration policy, a proxy web server, various connection protocols, 24 / 7 support, software for more platforms, and more.
IPVanish is another highly respected VPN service that you should consider and offers a decent server network and many different features.
As you can see, there is a VPN service available for all users, needs and budgets. Regardless of the provider, a VPN service will ensure that you are always safe while browsing the internet and providing access to even more great online content. But if we had to choose one provider, it would definitely be ExpressVPN thanks to the wide range of international servers, easy to use applications, fantastic performance and an impressive range of comprehensive features.