What is the Best VPN Software?

Want to know what the best VPN software is?

We’ve all done it before: waiting in line for coffee and checking our emails, and jumping on the library’s Wi-Fi to catch up on work.

However, using public Wi-Fi networks to browse the web is not the most secure practice in terms of digital security. It really makes it much simpler for hackers to get into your device, which may result in the theft of some of your most personal information, such as usernames, passwords, and bank account information.

VPNs, on the other hand, encrypt your online traffic and mask your IP address, making it secure to connect to public Wi-Fi networks.

We evaluated hundreds of VPNs for speed and security and have compiled a list of our best choices.

Without any further ado, let’s get started.

The Three Best VPN Software

Don’t overthink it. There are so many good VPN services to choose from. And if you are not careful, you can easily get confused.

Thus, if you want to save yourself some time and brainpower, just pick any of the three VPNs listed below. They’re the top three out there.

It doesn’t really matter which one of these three you choose. They are all amazing.

• NordVPN Software: Best Overall VPN software
• Surfshark VPN Software: Best for Streaming and Torenting
• Express VPN: Best for Speed

However, if you still want to dig deeper, below are a list of the best VPN Software that will help protect you as you surf the web.

01. NordVPN

We were eager to try NordVPN since it has over eight million users worldwide, making it one of the most popular and best VPN software. Overall, it worked great as we used it to pirate films and stream TV on Netflix with very minor hiccups.

Additionally, we like NordVPN’s location in Panama, which is not a member of the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, or 14 Eyes. Due to the fact that businesses can not be compelled to give over data under any circumstances, NordVPN is an excellent option for individuals worried about their privacy.

What We Appreciate about NordVPN

• Non-members of the Five Eyes, the Nine Eyes, or the Fourteen Eyes?
• Access to Netflix
• Strictly enforced logging policy
• Excellent app ratings

What We Do Not Enjoy about NordVPN

• IP addresses that remain static
• Customer service is difficult to contact.
• The kill switch in the iOS app does not terminate all apps.

Since the availability of TV programs varies by country, using NordVPN we enjoyed viewing Netflix from various countries. It enabled us to view movies on machines running Linux, Mac, or Windows.

Access to Netflix with NordVPN

Alternatively, if you want to watch on the move as we did, you can do so through Android or iOS smartphones; it also works on smart TVs and other connected devices.

However, since Netflix is only available on servers located in the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, or Japan, it may not be available to all users.

Two-Factor Encryption with NordVPN

In our comprehensive NordVPN review, we go into the company’s encryption techniques in detail. One of the features we loved most about NordVPN is its usage of double-VPN, which encrypts our online traffic twice through several servers. This is perfect for anybody who is very worried about their privacy; activists, bloggers, journalists, and anyone else who works in an environment rife with monitoring and censorship. This is for you!

The Low Cost of NordVPN

When we were testing NordVPN, we purchased a month’s subscription for $11.95. However, had we joined up for a longer period of time, we might have unlocked some incredible savings. Monthly prices would have been reduced to $6.99 or $3.99 if we had signed up for a year or two years. That’s up to a 75% discount! In summary, it pays to make long-term commitments.

02. Surfshark

Surfshark facilitated our torrenting and downloading of movies and television programs without fear of punishment.

With unlimited devices per subscription, this VPN gave us a new IP address each time we connected, which makes tracking considerably more difficult. However, we could also choose to use the same IP address. Additionally, Surfshark is headquartered in a nation that is not a member of the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, or 14 Eyes, and it supports Netflix as well as torrenting.

What We Appreciate about Surfshark

• Based in the Virgin Islands and not affiliated with any surveillance alliances
• Each membership includes an unlimited number of devices.
• Low-cost memberships of one or two years
• Trial duration of 30 days

What We Do Not Enjoy about Surfshark

• There is no telephone assistance.
• On Windows, you must manually configure the kill switch.
• IP addresses that remain static
• Not the quickest

Surfshark is Based in Virgin Islands

Surfshark’s headquarters are in the Virgin Islands, which are not members of the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, or 14 Eyes. Although they are a British colony, the Virgin Islands are self-governing and have their own set of laws. Additionally, they lack their own data retention rules, and monitoring is illegal, even when conducted by the government. In our humble view, it seems like the ideal location for establishing a VPN business!

Surfshark has Servers from Other Countries

While we connected to Surfshark from the good ol’ United States of America, they provide services in more than 60 countries, ranging from Vietnam to Albania. In the United States, there are servers in over 20 cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, and Boston. Because the closer we were to the server, the better our connection would be, we were more than pleased with Surfshark’s server placement.

Surfshark has a lot of Services for Streaming

It’s no secret that we like streaming, and what’s great about streaming is that we don’t have to experiment with a variety of different servers in order to broadcast across many devices. Allow us to illustrate. We were drooling over the prospect of seeing National Treasure on Disney+, for obvious Nick Cage-related reasons. Normally, we’d have to connect to a few different servers before finding one that isn’t prohibited by the streaming service, but Surfshark took care of that for us, automatically identifying the appropriate server for the right streaming service. Apart from Disney+, we streamed content from Netflix, HBO Go, HULU, and Youtube, but the VPN is compatible with a broader range of services.

03. ExpressVPN

It’s unsurprising that the majority of our digital security expert team members use iPhones; we’re young and reside in Brooklyn, where we’re frequently connected to public Wi-Fi networks. ExpressVPN connected us quickly, and with a kill switch, we were still secured if our connection was lost. Apart from our iPhones, ExpressVPN performed well on our Mac and Windows PCs, and best of all, it let us connect to both public and private networks concurrently, which came in handy when we were multi-tasking, which was pretty much all the time.

What We Appreciate About ExpressVPN

• There are no data retention laws.
• Excellent app ratings
• Access to Netflix
• Windows has lightning-fast performance.

What We Do Not Enjoy About Express VPN

• There is no telephone assistance.
• The performance of the Mac is extremely slow.
• Five concurrent connections are permitted per subscription.
• There is no Internet Explorer extension available.

Express VPN offers an OpenVPN protocol option

When it comes to the best VPN software, OpenVPN is the gold standard; it is a community-driven project that is continuously updated to prevent monitoring. ExpressVPN, by default, uses OpenVPN, which necessitates the installation of third-party software. ExpressVPN is correct when they state that it is the “perfect combination of speed, security, and performance”!

Strict Policy Regarding Logging

Naturally, ExpressVPN did not log our online traffic or activity, which is the very minimum we expect from VPNs that claim to provide us with anonymity. However, they did not retain much more information on us than was absolutely required; they just knew which program and version we used, when we used it, the server to which we were connected, and the quantity of data we transmitted in megabytes. Thankfully, our traffic, metadata, and DNS requests were not recorded.

Tunneling in Sections

When we are working, we require access to both a private and a public network. With most VPNs, this meant disconnecting when we needed to access files on a public network, but not with ExpressVPN. That is because they use split tunneling, which enables us to connect to both networks concurrently. Some of our data were routed through ExpressVPN’s encrypted tunnel, while others were routed directly to the Internet. We adored the simplicity of split tunneling, which eliminated the need for excessive toggling.

04. Private Internet Access

If you have a Windows PC, Private Internet Access is a must-have. We saw lightning-fast speeds when testing it on our Vivobook, but it also offers excellent iOS and Android applications. Additionally, we were pleased with their stringent privacy policy. A business has never been requested to give up user data, and even if they were, they would have none to send over. According to the creator, “we do not log anything at all.” However, the business is headquartered in Denver, which is worth noting given the United States’ membership in the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and 14 Eyes.

What We Appreciate about Private Internet Access

• Strict logging policy Windows-friendly
• Excellent app reviews
• Access to Netflix

What We Do Not Enjoy about Private Internet Access

• Based in the United States of America
• Customer service is adequate.
• There will be no split tunneling.
• On a Mac, performance is slow.

PIA VPN Gives Options for Encryption

While most VPNs limit our options for encryption techniques, authentication modes, and handshakes, Private Internet Access allowed us to completely configure how their VPN functioned. We had four options: the default, suggested protection, a speed-oriented option, a security-oriented option, and a no-authentication option. While we chose the suggested choice, we could see the other alternatives being helpful if speed or security were not an issue.

Hass IP Addresses That Change

Each time we connected to Private Internet Access, we received a fresh IP address, which is certainly preferable to having static IP addresses. This makes us more difficult to track, preserving our online anonymity. Consider wearing a mask; if you wore the same mask again, people would ultimately learn your identity. We received a different mask each time we signed up for Private Internet Access, which kept any prospective hackers guessing.

05. StrongVPN

In general, I believe StrongVPN is very feature-rich. It’s safe, fast, and enables you to watch Netflix and pirate movies. My only requests are for additional servers and for it not to be located in one of the Five Eyes nations. However, that is just my opinion. Let’s determine whether or not StrongVPN is the perfect VPN for you.

If the following characteristics are essential to you, you may like StrongVPN:

• Absence of logging: StrongVPN will never store any of your online traffic, and the data they do retain is only for the purpose of billing you for your subscription.
• Twelve concurrent devices per subscription: This is a very high number of devices for a relatively low fee.
• Speed: The VPN did not significantly slow down my PC, but I was dissatisfied with the level of latency.
• Phone customer care: If you’re more of a traditionalist when it comes to assistance, you’ll appreciate the ability to speak with a live person through StrongVPN’s phone service.
• Cloud storage is completely free: SugarSync cloud storage costs $9.99 a month on its own, so having it bundled with StrongVPN might save you money. Continue reading to learn more about StrongVPN’s prices.

On the other hand, you may wish to avoid StrongVPN if the following factors are critical to you:

• StrongVPN is located in the United States, which means the business may be legally obliged to give over your identity, credit card information, and other personal information.
• Split tunneling is limited: StrongVPN allows you to connect to both public and private networks concurrently on Android devices, but not on Mac, Windows, or iOS devices.
• Customer service evaluations are mixed: almost a quarter of their Amazon reviews are one star, while the lone customer service comment was favorable.

06. HotSpotShield

When it came to Netflix viewing parties, Hotspot Shield had us covered with its lightning-fast speeds on both our Mac and Windows machines. Additionally, we did not see any delays or lags while using Netflix on our Android devices, which came in handy during our commutes. Additionally, Hotspot Shield offers a free alternative for people who do not want to pay for a VPN. However, you will be restricted to a daily data limitation of 500 MB, which may make viewing movies and TV programs on Netflix and other streaming services a little challenging. We chose the monthly plan, which costs $12.99 per month, but we might have gotten a better deal if we had signed up for one or two years.

Money Saver: Sign up for longer-term subscriptions to get savings; usually, one or two-year subscriptions are less expensive than monthly ones.

What We Appreciate about HotSpotShield

• Rapid accelerations
• Optional gratuity
• Access to Netflix
• Access to torrents

What We Do Not Enjoy about HotSpotShield

• Five concurrent connections
• Based in the United States
• Customer service is unresponsive.
• Retains an IP address

They Maintain Transparency Reports on a Regular Basis

Clearly, we disapprove of Hotspot Shield’s US-based headquarters. However, we were pleased that they maintain yearly transparency reports demonstrating that they do not provide consumer data to other parties, even when requested. In 2019, for example, they were requested to give over user data 56 times and declined each time. Clearly, Hotspot Shield is committed to user privacy protection, as shown by their transparency reports.

HotSpotShield has a VPN for Android

While they say there is no such thing as a free lunch, there is a free alternative for Android users with Hotspot Shield. It has a daily bandwidth cap of 500 MB, which means it’s not perfect for streaming Netflix or torrenting files, but it’s great for fast Internet searches for many people. However, keep in mind that there will be advertisements, but in our view, they are a minor price to pay for a free VPN.

HotSpotShield is an Extremely Fast VPN

On both Windows and Mac systems, Hotspot Shield was one of the fastest VPNs we tested. On the Mac and Windows, download speeds dropped by 30% and 18%, respectively, while upload speeds decreased by 0.2 percent and 26%. Although the latency was a little higher than we’d like, Hotspot Shield is an excellent choice for torrenting or streaming Netflix.

07. IPVanish

IPVanish performed well on our Android devices, with robust encryption, fast download speeds, and split tunneling, which came in handy while we worked from home. Plus, unlike many other VPN providers, IPVanish offers really exceptional customer service, which is accessible 24/7 through email, phone, or live chat. This is unusual since the majority of VPNs only provide email assistance for a restricted number of hours each week.

What We Appreciate about IPVanish

• Rapid downloads
• Torrenting
• Tunneling is divided into two sections.
• Up to ten concurrent connections

What We Do Not Enjoy about IPVanish

• Customer logs have been shared in the past.
• Based in the United States of America
• Not all servers are compatible with Netflix.
• Windows’ performance is sluggish.

IPVanish Offers the Switch to Kill feature

While a kill switch may not seem nice, it is a necessary component of a VPN. At the library, we utilized IPVanish one day, and when the VPN connection failed, all of our Web browser windows were immediately closed, ensuring that our IP address and web activity were not revealed. This was much superior to the alternative, even if we had to reopen the “killed” windows. However, while we were downloading big files and did not want to be stopped regardless of whether the VPN connection failed, we simply disabled the kill switch.

Customer service is excellent with IPVanish.

IPVanish also excels in resolving customer issues. Not only do they provide a 24/7 live chat and an extensive FAQ area, but they also have a phone number, which is very uncommon for VPN providers. We received answers within five minutes, and other buyers, according to Amazon and Trustpilot ratings, had a similar experience.

IPVanish has a very User-Friendly iOS Application

Because our iPhones are frequently connected to public Wi-Fi networks, we enjoyed connecting to IPVanish through their iOS app. Connecting was very simple and straightforward, and we had no problems or difficulties. Other IPVanish iPhone customers seemed to concur since the app now has a 4.5 rating based on over 42,000 reviews.,

08. PureVPN

With over 6,500 servers in over 180 countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates, PureVPN is one of the best VPNs for travel. This enabled us to travel without connecting to suspected Wi-Fi networks or falling afoul of internet restrictions. PureVPN masks our surfing activity and IP address, allowing us to be more anonymous online.

What We Appreciate about PureVPN

• Encryption AES-256
• Protocol OpenVPN
• More than 6,500 servers in over 180 countries
• Based in Hong Kong, this non-member of the Five Eyes

What We Do Not Enjoy about PureVPN

• Torrenting is not always effective.
• IP addresses that remain static
• On Windows and Mac computers, there is no latency.
• There is no free trial period.
• Massive Global Network

PureVPN has one of the world’s biggest server networks and is accessible in over 180 countries. Specifically, the VPN has servers in the following locations:

PureVPN Servers and locations by country

• 147 in Manchester, 18 in Gosport, 399 in London, and 3 in Maidenhead, United Kingdom.
• 128 in Sydney, 79 in Melbourne, 76 in Perth, and 77 in Brisbane.
• France twenty-four in Paris, eighteen in Roubaix
• Germany Frankfurt has 63, Munich has 54, Nuremberg has 12, Berlin has 54, and Hessen has 18.
• 316 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• In Madrid, Spain celebrated its 90th anniversary.
• 110 people were killed in Tokyo, Japan.
• Korea 14 was held in Seoul.
• Mexico City celebrates its 20th anniversary.
• Singapore 142
• UAE 33 in Dubai

No surprise, PureVPN is one of the top VPNs for Australia, France, and Germany, among others.

PureVPN has Strict Policy Regarding Logging

While we traveled the world and connected to foreign PureVPN servers, PureVPN concealed our IP address and browser history. Indeed, the VPN gathered just the following information:

• Names and email addresses of individuals
• Payment details
• Consumption of all bandwidth.

On the other hand, whatever we did online was ours to keep. Furthermore, since PureVPN is headquartered in Hong Kong, a non-member of the Five Eyes, the business can not be legally compelled to provide any of its own information to the government. When combined with AES-256 encryption, the industry’s highest level, PureVPN is unquestionably trustworthy when it comes to privacy.

Available Dedicated IP Addresses

We received the same IP address each time we connected to PureVPN, which was shared with thousands of other PureVPN customers. For certain websites that recognize shared IP addresses, this was a problem, and we were banned, which is why we were so relieved to discover that PureVPN provides dedicated IP addresses for just $0.99. This ensured that we were the only ones using this IP address, making it simpler for websites to remember who we are while concealing our device’s true IP address.

09. TorGuard VPN

Torguard VPN is an extremely robust solution that incorporates many security features. For instance, it includes the WireGuard tunneling technology, guards against IPv6 leaks, and even includes a Stealth proxy. Additionally, it is suitable for torrenting and may even operate in highly restricted countries such as China.

In this TorGuard VPN review, I’ll attempt to go further into the program’s features. When reviewing this Virtual Private Network, my primary concerns will be security, features, speed, price, and streaming.

TorGuard’s advantages and disadvantages

TorGuard Pros

• The security features are extremely strong.
• Preventing IPv6 leaks
• Tunneling protocol WireGuard
• Numerous DNS options
• Possibility of script execution
• Excellent for torrenting
• Proxy incognito
• There is a trial version available for download.
• Excellent speeds

TorGuard Cons

• Split tunneling for Android-only
• Susceptible to freezing
• Could have trouble connecting
•  Incomprehensible user interface
•  It does not allow Netflix to be unblocked.
•  To understand more about TorGuard’s features, please visit their website.

Torguard’s performance in terms of speed: Is it quick?

Using a VPN inevitably reduces your internet speed. This is inevitable, since using a VPN requires an additional set of procedures for your connection. Fortunately, with certain VPNs, you won’t even notice the difference if your internet connection is already very fast.

TorGuard offers adequate performance in this respect, particularly when utilizing the WireGuard tunneling technology. However, for optimum effectiveness, you should also choose a neighboring nation.

1 ms/300 Mbps download/300 Mbps upload as a baseline

The Swiss server was the quickest, as it reduced my download speed by just 2.6 percent, exceeding the performance of the majority of other VPNs on the market. During the same test, the Japanese server saw the greatest decrease in download speed (49 percent), despite its distant location from the nation.

However, I had some difficulties connecting to the TorGuard VPN, particularly when utilizing tunneling protocols other than WireGuard. For a while, the VPN was unable to connect at all, prompting me to examine my firewall settings. I’ve never seen this issue with other VPNs, and this annoyance detracts from TorGuard VPN’s overall score.

If there were no connection problems, I’d rank TorGuard as one of the quickest VPNs. However, some connections were just not dependable. This puts this VPN in a difficult position: you can receive fast connections, but you must be selective about which nation you connect to.

TorGuard’s streaming performance: Does it work with Netflix?

Many VPN users get entangled in the never-ending battle between VPNs and streaming sites, as Netflix and other similar services continually ban VPNs, while the latter look for loopholes to circumvent geo-restrictions.

Status of the Platform

Netflix It did not work when I attempted to unlock a US library. The BBC iPlayer was unavailable. The Hulu Wasn’t Working. YouTube was operational. DAZN Was Ineffective.

As a consequence, you’re unlikely to have any luck using the TorGuard VPN with Netflix. When I attempted to connect to the US server, the VPN was unable to unlock the American content (although the website itself displayed no problems).

Additionally, TorGuard did not unblock DAZN, BBC iPlayer, or Disney+. On the other hand, it was able to access Youtube’s geo-restricted materials.

If you’re determined to use TorGuard for streaming, you may get a dedicated IP address, which has a greater chance of circumventing limitations. They will have dedicated IP addresses that are suitable for streaming but have not yet been banned.

TorGuard has the following features:

TorGuard VPN is one of the most feature-rich VPNs I’ve come across, with plenty of sophisticated user settings. Naturally, it includes typical functions such as auto-login and auto-connect. However, its strength is seen in the rarest specimens.

Tunneling in Sections

TorGuard-encrypted applications:

Split tunneling is a feature accessible only through the Android app and is referred to as Restricted Apps. You may find it helpful if you don’t want all of your phone’s programs to connect to the internet through the VPN, such as banking apps.

Simply launch the feature and you’ll be presented with a list of all the apps that are currently installed on your smartphone. Mark the ones you wish to exclude from the VPN connection with a checkbox.

Scripts for TorGuard VPN

All TorGuard VPN applications have a feature called scripts. While it may seem daunting to a novice, an experienced user will find it very helpful.

In a nutshell, the Scripts tab enables you to completely configure your VPN connection. You may create your own scripts (or use the ones provided on TorGuard’s website) and have the program execute them before, after, during, or after connecting to the VPN.

For instance, you may configure the app to launch a certain webpage, stop an application, or map a network drive automatically.

TorGuard VPN DNS configuration options

You may modify your DNS settings under the Network tab. This functionality may be useful if a website bans your VPN provider’s DNS. In such a scenario, you may use a different DNS server to circumvent these limitations. You have a variety of choices, including Level3, Google, OpenDNS, and perhaps Cloudflare, which works in China.

10. VPN.AC

On the surface, VPN.AC seems to meet all of the criteria for a respectable VPN. It provides adequate speeds around the world, unblocks the majority of geoblocked materials, and even has some intriguing features, such as split tunneling on mobile phones.

However, a closer examination uncovers a number of flaws in the façade that prevent VPN.AC from entering our list of the top VPNs. Although split tunneling is an excellent feature that we have praised in previous Cloudwards.net articles (for example, our ExpressVPN review), VPN.AC only provides it on mobile phones. On the desktop client, it is completely gone.

Much worse, VPN.AC admits to logging IP addresses. We’ll discuss what this implies in more detail later in our VPN.AC review, but in summary, it’s a strong indication that you should reconsider signing up for a VPN. AC.

VPN.AC Strengths:

• Consistent pace throughout the board
• Access to the vast majority of streaming materials
• On a mobile phone, how do you tunnel between two people?

VPN.AC Weaknesses:

• IP tracking
• Signing up is a hassle.
• On the desktop, there is no support for split tunneling.
• Discretionary server network

Features of VPN.AC

65 percent – Reasonable

VPN.AC’s feature set has several strange additions and obvious omissions. The desktop client’s settings are divided into two tabs. The first, titled “preferences,” is where you input your VPN password and username. Additionally, here is where you’ll discover choices for automatically starting and connecting to the VPN when your system boots.

VPNAC-Preferences

Additionally, at the bottom of this page, you may choose between a dark theme, which is the default, and a bright theme. The most intriguing settings are found in the second option on the tab labeled “advanced.”

To begin, there is a kill switch, which we require any VPN to have in order for customers to retain security if their connection is severed suddenly.

VPN.AC-Advanced

Below the kill switch is an option labeled “I am in China or another censored country,” which when enabled provides an “alternative server list” suited for China. This is not completely accurate, since some servers are displayed in the standard server list, rendering this option obsolete.

VPN.AC-Servers

In principle, these specialized servers should assist you in circumventing Chinese censorship. As we’ll see later, VPN.AC does not have the greatest track record for user privacy, which means it won’t be appearing on our list of the top VPN services for China anytime soon.

Apart from this, the “advanced” tab’s options contain such details as a smaller MTU and a more comprehensive debug report. These are minor details that the majority of people would overlook, and those that like tinkering would be better suited to a VPN like AirVPN, which we discussed in our AirVPN review.

As a whole, VPN.AC focuses on simplicity of use, which means that many functions are missing. The most obvious and perplexing omission is split tunneling on the desktop client.

What makes this omission so perplexing is that the mobile app does support split tunneling. Additionally, it’s a little buried, and you’ll need to go to the “excluded applications” option under the “Advanced settings” page to locate it.

11. CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost boasts over 5,500 servers in 90 different countries, so even though we tested it in the United States, you should have no problem connecting regardless of where you are on the globe. CyberGhost is located in Romania and is not a part of any of the worldwide monitoring networks we’ve mentioned. Furthermore, Romania, as a country, has virtually no data retention regulations, making it an excellent choice for privacy.

FYI: CyberGhost does not support split tunneling, which means that once connected, you will be able to access only private networks, not public ones.

What We Appreciate about CyberGhost VPN

• Non-members of the Five Eyes, the Nine Eyes, or the Fourteen Eyes?
• Excellent client service
• Cost-effectiveness
• Thousands of servers are distributed across the globe.

What We Do Not Enjoy about CyberGhost VPN

• Policy about logging
• There will be no split tunneling.
• IP addresses that remain static
• Windows performance is slow.

Encryption of Military-Grade

CyberGhost utilizes AES-256 encryption, which is the industry standard at the moment. We received an anonymous IP address whenever we joined, which we shared with other CyberGhost users on the same server. When utilized in conjunction with encryption, we were sure that our identities were concealed when browsing the Internet using CyberGhost.

There Are Discounts Available with CyberGhost VPN

We’re constantly on the lookout for a good bargain, which is why CyberGhost piqued our interest. While we paid $12.99 for a month, which is quite normal in comparison to other VPNs, we could have paid for one, two, or three years. Our monthly prices would have been reduced to $5.99, $3.69, or $2.75, respectively, which is really amazing. Each membership entitles us to an unlimited data connection on seven devices. Not bad at all!

CyberGhost VPN has an Outstanding Customer Support

To be quite candid, the majority of VPN providers severely underinvest in customer service, with limited choices and inattentive employees. CyberGhost, on the other hand, deviates from the norm in that regard. We received responses in a matter of seconds through their 24/7 live chat. That is, if we couldn’t locate what I was searching for in their comprehensive blog and FAQs.

12. Tunnelbear

Tunnelbear’s free membership plan provided us with 500 MB of data across five devices. While this was insufficient data to watch TV or listen to music, it was sufficient for basic web surfing, and there were cheap monthly and annual subscriptions available. We could have received an unlimited quantity of bandwidth across five devices for just $59.88 per year, or $4.99 per month if we paid monthly. Additionally, we appreciate that a third party evaluated Tunnelbear, since this demonstrates their commitment to their no-logging policy.

What We Appreciate about Tunnelbear

• There is a free version available.
• Excellent iOS and Android applications
• A dependable logging policy
• Independent third-party audited

What We Do Not Enjoy about Tunnelbear

• Canada-based
• Customer service is unsatisfactory.
• No access to Netflix
• Torrenting is currently only accessible on Android-based smartphones.

Fast Speeds On the Mac

While we test our VPNs on both Mac and Windows machines, we operate nearly entirely on Macs. That is why we are lovers of TunnelBear; when we were not connected to the VPN, we observed a 45 percent drop in download speeds and a 15% decrease in upload speeds, which is better than normal. While every VPN delayed our Internet connection somewhat, Tunnelbear worked better than the majority on our Macbook Pro.

Personal and Business Use Plans

While the majority of VPN subscriptions are aimed at individuals, Tunnelbear also offers a team plan with reduced per-user pricing. In comparison to the monthly plan’s price per user, the team plan’s price per user is just $5.75 per month, down from $9.99. If you pay annually, the price per user drops to $69, making Tunnelbear an excellent choice for companies and even families. All premium plans offer unlimited data on up to five devices per user, which was enough for us.

Methods of Secure Encryption

We don’t want to bore you with technical details, but when we looked into TunnelBear from the back-end, we were impressed with its AES-256 encryption and SHA256 data authentication. Additionally, Tunnelbear makes use of what is known as the Diffie-Hellman Exchange, or DH, which is a technique for transmitting cryptographic keys across a public network. This option worked on our Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android computers, but it was most secure on our Android phone.

FAQs

What is a VPN Software?

VPN is an abbreviation that stands for the virtual private network that protect users which visit the internet by hiding their internet protocol address, which is commonly referred to as the IP address.

In the most basic terms, a VPN software links your computer, tablet or smart phone to another computer on the web (referred to as a server) and allows you to browse the internet utilizing that computer’s internet connection. As a result, if the server is located in another country, it will certainly seem as if you are from that country, and you will have the ability to gain access to resources that you would not typically have access to.

Why do you need a VPN Software

Exactly how does using VPN software benefit you? That is an interesting question!

The quick answer to this question is that VPN software help to protect your sensitive information as you browse the internet.

You may also make use of a VPN software to do the following:

• Bypass geographic restrictions on internet sites, audio, and video streaming services.
• View streaming media services such as Netflix and Hulu.
• Stay clear of being sleuthed on by unreliable Wi-Fi hotspots.
• By concealing your real location online, you may achieve some privacy.
• Avoid getting logged when torrenting.

How Does VPN Software work?

When you link your smart device (Computer, smartphone, or Table) to a VPN, the device acts as if it were attached to the VPN’s neighborhood network. Your entire network traffic is directed through the VPN via a secure link. Since your smart device behaves as if it is connected to a network, you may securely access local network resources even if you are located on the other side of the globe. 

In addition, you’ll be able to surf the Web as if you were physically at the VPN’s location, which has a lot of advantages whether you’re utilizing public Wi-Fi or intend to gain access to geo-restricted sites.

When you browse the internet through a VPN connection, your device communicates with the website through the hidden VPN link. The VPN sends out the request to the website on your behalf and returns the solution from the website via a safe and secure connection. If you utilize a VPN located in the USA to access Netflix, they will see your connection as originating from inside the USA.

How We Chose the Best VPN Software

We chose the best VPN software by thoroughly researching and reviewing more than 20 different options. We then chose the top 12 based on factors including their VPN features, functions, how easy they are to use for non-techies, and price. 

All of our top picks require minimal technical experience, provide affordable, reasonable features that does a great job in keeping you safe online and supports multiple devices.