Best VPN software
19 products compared on who they suit and what to pick instead. Facts checked November 4, 2026.
Proton VPN is the best place for most people to start: its free plan has no data cap, and VPN Plus covers 10 devices in over 140 countries. Pick NordVPN for a 7-day free trial and bundle extras, Surfshark for unlimited devices on a small budget, and Mullvad if you want privacy without giving an email address. Private Internet Access suits torrenting, with port forwarding and renewals at the same price.
Our top picks
All VPN software
- Astrill VPN A VPN for expats and travelers, with its own disguised protocols for networks that block ordinary VPNs. Best for expats and travelers who need a VPN that keeps connecting on censored networks
- Astrill VPN A VPN with its own stealth protocols, made for expats and travelers on networks that block ordinary VPNs. Best for expats and frequent travelers who need a VPN that still connects on censored networks
- CyberGhost VPN A Romanian VPN with servers in 100 countries, one-click apps and room for 7 devices on one account. Best for first-time VPN users who want one-click apps and a long refund window Free trial
- ExpressVPN A VPN with its own post-quantum protocol, RAM-only servers in 113 countries and apps for nearly every device. Best for people who want a polished, audited VPN on 10 to 14 devices and a 30-day refund window to try it Free trial
- HMA VPN A VPN for Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android and Android TV, with servers in 65+ countries and a family plan. Best for households that want one-click apps, a 7-day trial and a 10-device family plan Free trial
- HMA VPN An easy VPN for Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android and Android TV that finds the fastest server in one click. Best for beginners who want a simple VPN on a few personal devices Free trial
- Hotspot Shield A VPN built on its own Hydra protocol, with simple apps for phones, computers, Android TV and Fire TV. Best for people who want an easy VPN for streaming and public Wi-Fi on up to 10 devices, with a free tier to try first Free plan
- IPVanish A US-based VPN for households, with unlimited devices, apps for most TV boxes and audited no-logs servers. Best for households that want every phone, laptop and streaming stick on one VPN account, with apps for Fire TV, Apple TV and most other TV boxes Free trial
- Mullvad A Swedish privacy VPN that gives you a random account number instead of asking for your email or name. Best for people who want their VPN provider to know as little about them as possible
- NordVPN A VPN for up to 10 devices that also blocks malware, ads and scam sites, with apps for Linux and Apple TV. Best for people who want one VPN app on up to 10 devices that also scans downloads and warns about scam sites Free trial
- Private Internet Access A US-based VPN with open-source apps, unlimited devices and audited no-logs servers in 113 countries. Best for households and tinkerers who want one cheap VPN plan on every device, with settings they can adjust
- Proton VPN A Swiss VPN with audited no-logs servers and a Stealth protocol for networks that block VPNs. Best for people who want a free VPN with no data cap, or a paid one from a Swiss company with audited no-logs servers Free plan
- StrongVPN A long-running VPN with WireGuard, 12 connections and a Smart DNS service for TVs, consoles and routers. Best for households that want 12 connections plus Smart DNS for TVs and consoles on one annual plan
- Surfshark VPN A low-cost VPN with no device limit, for households that want one account to cover every phone, laptop and TV. Best for households and families who want one cheap VPN account on every device they own Free trial
- Trust.Zone A Seychelles VPN with a daily warrant canary, crypto checkout and protocols for networks that block VPNs. Best for privacy-minded users on a budget who want to sign up with only an email address and pay in crypto Free trial
- TunnelBear A beginner-friendly VPN for Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android, with yearly published security audits. Best for beginners who want an easy VPN for public Wi-Fi on every device they own Free plan
- Unlocator Smart DNS for smart TVs, consoles and streaming boxes, with an optional VPN for phones and computers. Best for watching region-locked streaming services on TVs and consoles that cannot run a VPN app Free trial
- VyprVPN A VPN with its own Chameleon protocol for blocked networks, apps for TVs and up to 10 devices at once. Best for people on networks that block or throttle VPNs who want Chameleon alongside WireGuard in mainstream apps Free trial
- Windscribe VPN A Toronto-based VPN with unlimited devices, a built-in ad and malware blocker, and pay-per-country plans. Best for a free VPN with a real monthly allowance, or paying only for the few countries you use Free plan
