{"id":11565,"date":"2025-07-29T23:17:05","date_gmt":"2025-07-29T14:17:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565"},"modified":"2025-07-29T23:17:06","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T14:17:06","slug":"the-quickest-vpns-for-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565","title":{"rendered":"The Quickest VPNs for 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/picks\/the-best-vpn-services\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>VPN<\/u><\/a> is a privateness instrument that anonymizes sure facets of your knowledge by encrypting it, however including this further step to your connection slows it down. We have been testing VPNs for greater than 10 years, and a part of that course of consists of velocity exams. Our outcomes under are ranked by velocity, however remember your web connection\u2019s efficiency can differ primarily based on native visitors, time of day, and regional infrastructure. A VPN provides one more variable to the equation, and irrespective of which VPN you utilize, it&#8217;s going to impression your latency and speeds. In our newest spherical of exams, Surfshark got here out on high of obtain velocity outcomes, trailed intently by Nord. Scroll all the way down to see all the quickest VPNs we have reviewed, adopted by in-depth testing particulars.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p>\n                    Deeper Dive: Our Prime Examined Picks\n                <\/p>\n<section class=\"roundup-product-card mx-auto !mb-16 max-w-3xl rounded-md p-6 shadow-box sm:!mb-32 sm:p-8\" id=\"fastest-overall\" data-parent-group=\"roundup-product-card\" aria-label=\"Fastest Overall\" x-data=\"{ intersectItem: $refs.intersectItem }\" x-ref=\"intersectItem\" x-intersect.once=\"window.trackGAImpressionEvents('Best_Product_Card', 'Surfshark VPN', intersectItem)\">\n<div class=\"mb-8 flex flex-col md:flex-row\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"order-last aspect-video w-full border border-gray-300 object-contain md:order-first md:w-1\/2\" src=\"https:\/\/i.pcmag.com\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-52.fit_lim.size_320x180.v1620413332.png\" data-lazy-sized=\"\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 180\" fill=\"%23f7f7f7\" alt=\"surfshark logo\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"order-first flex w-full items-center pb-6 md:order-last md:ml-8 md:w-1\/2 md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"w-full md:leading-normal\">\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_53 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\" role=\"button\"><label for=\"item-6a28f44db0630\" ><span class=\"\"><span style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input aria-label=\"Toggle\" aria-label=\"item-6a28f44db0630\"  type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item-6a28f44db0630\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Quickest_General\" title=\"Quickest General\">Quickest General<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Surfshark_VPN\" title=\"\n                                                    Surfshark VPN \n                                            \">\n                                                    Surfshark VPN \n                                            <\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Professionals_Cons\" title=\"Professionals &amp; Cons\">Professionals &amp; Cons<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Why_We_Picked_It\" title=\"Why We Picked It\u00a0\">Why We Picked It\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Who_It_is_For\" title=\"Who It is For\">Who It is For<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Specs_Configurations\" title=\"Specs &amp; Configurations\">Specs &amp; Configurations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Professionals_Cons-2\" title=\"Professionals &amp; Cons\">Professionals &amp; Cons<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Why_We_Picked_It-2\" title=\"Why We Picked It\u00a0\">Why We Picked It\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Who_It_is_For-2\" title=\"Who It is For\">Who It is For<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Specs_Configurations-2\" title=\"Specs &amp; Configurations\">Specs &amp; Configurations<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Finest_for_Privateness\" title=\"Finest for Privateness\">Finest for Privateness<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Windscribe_VPN\" title=\"\n                                                    Windscribe VPN \n                                            \">\n                                                    Windscribe VPN \n                                            <\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Professionals_Cons-3\" title=\"Professionals &amp; Cons\">Professionals &amp; Cons<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Why_We_Picked_It-3\" title=\"Why We Picked It\">Why We Picked It<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Who_It_is_For-3\" title=\"Who It is For\">Who It is For<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Specs_Configurations-3\" title=\"Specs &amp; Configurations\">Specs &amp; Configurations<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Finest_for_Streaming\" title=\"Finest for Streaming\">Finest for Streaming<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Concealme_VPN\" title=\"\n                                                    Conceal.me VPN \n                                            \">\n                                                    Conceal.me VPN \n                                            <\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Professionals_Cons-4\" title=\"Professionals &amp; Cons\">Professionals &amp; Cons<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Why_We_Picked_It-4\" title=\"Why We Picked It\">Why We Picked It<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Who_It_is_For-4\" title=\"Who It is For\">Who It is For<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Specs_Configurations-4\" title=\"Specs &amp; Configurations\">Specs &amp; Configurations<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Finest_for_World_Protection\" title=\"Finest for World Protection\">Finest for World Protection<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#CyberGhost_VPN\" title=\"\n                                                    CyberGhost VPN \n                                            \">\n                                                    CyberGhost VPN \n                                            <\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Professionals_Cons-5\" title=\"Professionals &amp; Cons\">Professionals &amp; Cons<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-26\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Why_We_Picked_It-5\" title=\"Why We Picked It\">Why We Picked It<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-27\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Who_It_is_For-5\" title=\"Who It is For\">Who It is For<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-28\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Specs_Configurations-5\" title=\"Specs &amp; Configurations\">Specs &amp; Configurations<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-29\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Finest_Variety_of_Servers\" title=\"Finest Variety of Servers\">Finest Variety of Servers<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-30\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#ExpressVPN\" title=\"\n                                                    ExpressVPN \n                                            \">\n                                                    ExpressVPN \n                                            <\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-31\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Professionals_Cons-6\" title=\"Professionals &amp; Cons\">Professionals &amp; Cons<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-32\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Why_We_Picked_It-6\" title=\"Why We Picked It\">Why We Picked It<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-33\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Who_It_is_For-6\" title=\"Who It is For\">Who It is For<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-34\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Specs_Configurations-6\" title=\"Specs &amp; Configurations\">Specs &amp; Configurations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-35\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#All_of_the_Newest_Tech_Examined_by_Our_Specialists\" title=\"\n                                    All of the Newest Tech, Examined by Our Specialists \n                            \">\n                                    All of the Newest Tech, Examined by Our Specialists \n                            <\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-36\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#The_Quickest_VPNs_for_2025_Examine_Specs\" title=\"\n            The Quickest VPNs for 2025 \n            Examine Specs \n        \">\n            The Quickest VPNs for 2025 \n            Examine Specs \n        <\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-37\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#What_is_the_Quickest_VPN\" title=\"What is the Quickest VPN?\">What is the Quickest VPN?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-38\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#How_We_Check_VPNs_for_Velocity\" title=\"How We Check VPNs for Velocity\">How We Check VPNs for Velocity<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-39\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Easy_methods_to_Make_Your_VPN_Sooner\" title=\"Easy methods to Make Your VPN Sooner\">Easy methods to Make Your VPN Sooner<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-40\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Really_useful_by_Our_Editors\" title=\"Really useful by Our Editors\">Really useful by Our Editors<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-41\" href=\"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/?p=11565\/#Is_Velocity_the_Most_Necessary_A_part_of_a_VPN\" title=\"Is Velocity the Most Necessary A part of a VPN?\">Is Velocity the Most Necessary A part of a VPN?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"font-stretch-condensed text-lg font-semibold leading-compact text-red-400\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Quickest_General\"><\/span>Quickest General<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"font-stretch-condensed my-2 text-2xl font-semibold leading-compact md:text-3xl md:leading-tight\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Surfshark_VPN\"><\/span>\n                                                    Surfshark VPN<br \/>\n                                            <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  true  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Professionals_Cons\"><\/span>Professionals &amp; Cons<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 gap-x-8 gap-y-6 sm:flex-row\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<ul class=\"!my-0 flex-1 space-y-3 !px-0 text-base font-semibold [&amp;&gt;li]:leading-normal\">\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Glorious server protection and efficiency&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Spectacular suite of security measures&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Properly-defined privateness coverage&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Quarterly transparency studies&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Inexpensive long-term plans<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"!my-0 flex-1 space-y-3 !px-0 text-base font-semibold [&amp;&gt;li]:leading-normal\">\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-red-400 shrink-0 size-4\" width=\"14\" height=\"2\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 2\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M13.6666 0.333313V1.66665H0.333252V0.333313H13.6666Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Excessive month-to-month price&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-red-400 shrink-0 size-4\" width=\"14\" height=\"2\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 2\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M13.6666 0.333313V1.66665H0.333252V0.333313H13.6666Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Common server community dimension<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  false  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_We_Picked_It\"><\/span>Why We Picked It\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 rich-text !mb-0\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<p>In our newest spherical of exams, Surfshark takes the highest spot, lowering obtain speeds by simply 3.25%. Add speeds went down by 6.07%, and latency elevated by 83.92%. It had the perfect efficiency out of each VPN we examined in each add and obtain speeds. Whereas a handful of different choices dealt with latency higher, Surfshark provides the perfect speeds total. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  false  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_It_is_For\"><\/span>Who It is For<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 rich-text !mb-0\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<p>Alongside wonderful velocity scores, Surfshark has terrific world server protection and a staunch stance on privateness. It is costly, but it surely justifies the value with an array of bundled safety instruments past what most opponents provide. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  false  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Specs_Configurations\"><\/span>Specs &amp; Configurations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 divide-y-1 divide-gray-300\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<p>\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Simultaneous VPN Connections<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            Limitless<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/p>\n<p>\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Server Places<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            100 Nations<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/p>\n<div class=\"flex justify-between gap-x-8 text-base leading-normal pt-4 pb-4\">\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Geographically Various Servers<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"inline-block size-4 text-green-400\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-prefix=\"fal\" data-icon=\"check\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M413.505 91.951 133.49 371.966l-98.995-98.995c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L6.211 284.284c-4.686 4.686-4.686 12.284 0 16.971l118.794 118.794c4.686 4.686 12.284 4.686 16.971 0l299.813-299.813c4.686-4.686 4.686-12.284 0-16.971l-11.314-11.314c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.97 0z\"\/><\/svg>                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/div>\n<p>\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Free Model Knowledge Restrict<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            No Free Model<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"mx-auto mb-4 text-center md:mb-8\">\n<p>Be taught Extra<\/p>\n<p>                <a class=\"mt-2 inline-block font-semibold leading-normal text-red-400 underline md:leading-loose\" data-module=\"Best_Product_Card\" data-element=\"Surfshark VPN\" data-item=\"Surfshark VPN\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/reviews\/surfshark-vpn\" aria-label=\"{ $item-&gt;product_name }} Review\" x-track-ga-click=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Surfshark VPN Assessment<\/a>\n            <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"roundup-product-card mx-auto !mb-16 max-w-3xl rounded-md p-6 shadow-box sm:!mb-32 sm:p-8\" id=\"lowest-latency\" data-parent-group=\"roundup-product-card\" aria-label=\"Lowest Latency\" x-data=\"{ intersectItem: $refs.intersectItem }\" x-ref=\"intersectItem\" x-intersect.once=\"window.trackGAImpressionEvents('Best_Product_Card', 'NordVPN', intersectItem)\">\n<div class=\"mb-8 flex flex-col md:flex-row\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"order-last aspect-video w-full border border-gray-300 object-contain md:order-first md:w-1\/2\" src=\"https:\/\/i.pcmag.com\/imagery\/reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-31.fit_lim.size_320x180.v1602257660.png\" data-lazy-sized=\"\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 180\" fill=\"%23f7f7f7\" alt=\"NordVPN logo\"\/><\/p><\/div>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  true  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Professionals_Cons-2\"><\/span>Professionals &amp; Cons<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 gap-x-8 gap-y-6 sm:flex-row\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<ul class=\"!my-0 flex-1 space-y-3 !px-0 text-base font-semibold [&amp;&gt;li]:leading-normal\">\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Assist for multi-hop, cut up tunneling, and Tor connections&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Bevy of accessible options and add-ons&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Good velocity outcomes&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Constructed-in antivirus instruments&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Glorious design&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Pleasant onboarding wizard<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"!my-0 flex-1 space-y-3 !px-0 text-base font-semibold [&amp;&gt;li]:leading-normal\">\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-red-400 shrink-0 size-4\" width=\"14\" height=\"2\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 2\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M13.6666 0.333313V1.66665H0.333252V0.333313H13.6666Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Costly&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-red-400 shrink-0 size-4\" width=\"14\" height=\"2\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 2\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M13.6666 0.333313V1.66665H0.333252V0.333313H13.6666Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Menace Safety Professional lacks full antivirus capabilities&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-red-400 shrink-0 size-4\" width=\"14\" height=\"2\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 2\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M13.6666 0.333313V1.66665H0.333252V0.333313H13.6666Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Misleading annual renewal pricing<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  false  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_We_Picked_It-2\"><\/span>Why We Picked It\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 rich-text !mb-0\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<p>In our newest spherical of testing, NordVPN got here in second with a obtain velocity lower of simply 5.20%. Add speeds had been comparable, with a 5.78% lower. Latency was the perfect of all VPNs examined, with a slight improve of 58.14%. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  false  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_It_is_For-2\"><\/span>Who It is For<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 rich-text !mb-0\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<p>NordVPN has practically all of the options each novices and VPN specialists would ever need from a top-tier VPN, together with wonderful velocity scores. It is a longtime favourite, with a deft mixture of highly effective instruments and easy design throughout all platforms. The corporate has additionally expanded to incorporate a number of different privateness and safety merchandise like Nord Menace Safety Professional.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  false  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Specs_Configurations-2\"><\/span>Specs &amp; Configurations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 divide-y-1 divide-gray-300\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<p>\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Simultaneous VPN Connections<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            6<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/p>\n<p>\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Server Places<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            118 nations<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/p>\n<div class=\"flex justify-between gap-x-8 text-base leading-normal pt-4 pb-4\">\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Geographically Various Servers<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"inline-block size-4 text-green-400\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-prefix=\"fal\" data-icon=\"check\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M413.505 91.951 133.49 371.966l-98.995-98.995c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L6.211 284.284c-4.686 4.686-4.686 12.284 0 16.971l118.794 118.794c4.686 4.686 12.284 4.686 16.971 0l299.813-299.813c4.686-4.686 4.686-12.284 0-16.971l-11.314-11.314c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.97 0z\"\/><\/svg>                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/div>\n<p>\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Free Model Knowledge Restrict<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            No Free Model<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"mx-auto mb-4 text-center md:mb-8\">\n<p>Be taught Extra<\/p>\n<p>                <a class=\"mt-2 inline-block font-semibold leading-normal text-red-400 underline md:leading-loose\" data-module=\"Best_Product_Card\" data-element=\"NordVPN\" data-item=\"NordVPN\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/reviews\/nordvpn\" aria-label=\"{ $item-&gt;product_name }} Review\" x-track-ga-click=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NordVPN Assessment<\/a>\n            <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"roundup-product-card mx-auto !mb-16 max-w-3xl rounded-md p-6 shadow-box sm:!mb-32 sm:p-8\" id=\"best-for-privacy\" data-parent-group=\"roundup-product-card\" aria-label=\"Best for Privacy\" x-data=\"{ intersectItem: $refs.intersectItem }\" x-ref=\"intersectItem\" x-intersect.once=\"window.trackGAImpressionEvents('Best_Product_Card', 'Windscribe VPN', intersectItem)\">\n<div class=\"mb-8 flex flex-col md:flex-row\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"order-last aspect-video w-full border border-gray-300 object-contain md:order-first md:w-1\/2\" src=\"https:\/\/i.pcmag.com\/imagery\/reviews\/04nsFjYxgdcYmKbESqG7dSM-9.fit_lim.size_320x180.v1718650718.jpg\" data-lazy-sized=\"\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 180\" fill=\"%23f7f7f7\" alt=\"Windscribe logo: A W in an octagon and the word &quot;windscribe&quot; in black on a white background\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"order-first flex w-full items-center pb-6 md:order-last md:ml-8 md:w-1\/2 md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"w-full md:leading-normal\">\n<h2 class=\"font-stretch-condensed text-lg font-semibold leading-compact text-red-400\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Finest_for_Privateness\"><\/span>Finest for Privateness<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"font-stretch-condensed my-2 text-2xl font-semibold leading-compact md:text-3xl md:leading-tight\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Windscribe_VPN\"><\/span>\n                                                    Windscribe VPN<br \/>\n                                            <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  true  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Professionals_Cons-3\"><\/span>Professionals &amp; Cons<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 gap-x-8 gap-y-6 sm:flex-row\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<ul class=\"!my-0 flex-1 space-y-3 !px-0 text-base font-semibold [&amp;&gt;li]:leading-normal\">\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Business-leading firm transparency and communication&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Giant variety of fee choices&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Finest free plan of any VPN we have examined&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Useful AI assist bot&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Open Netflix entry in all areas benchmarked&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Limitless variety of simultaneous connections and units&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Nameless signup allowed<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  false  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_We_Picked_It-3\"><\/span>Why We Picked It<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 rich-text !mb-0\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<p>Windscribe landed in third place with a ten.66% lower in obtain speeds, a 7.95% discount in add speeds, and a 67.01% improve in latency. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  false  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_It_is_For-3\"><\/span>Who It is For<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 rich-text !mb-0\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<p>Windscribe leads the pack in privateness and firm transparency. The service takes a no-nonsense method to all facets of its enterprise with clear and clear phrases, nameless fee choices, and among the finest free trials among the many VPNs we have examined. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  false  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Specs_Configurations-3\"><\/span>Specs &amp; Configurations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 divide-y-1 divide-gray-300\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<p>\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Simultaneous VPN Connections<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            Limitless<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/p>\n<p>\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Server Places<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            69 Nations<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/p>\n<div class=\"flex justify-between gap-x-8 text-base leading-normal pt-4 pb-4\">\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Geographically Various Servers<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"inline-block size-4 text-green-400\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-prefix=\"fal\" data-icon=\"check\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M413.505 91.951 133.49 371.966l-98.995-98.995c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L6.211 284.284c-4.686 4.686-4.686 12.284 0 16.971l118.794 118.794c4.686 4.686 12.284 4.686 16.971 0l299.813-299.813c4.686-4.686 4.686-12.284 0-16.971l-11.314-11.314c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.97 0z\"\/><\/svg>                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/div>\n<p>\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Free Model Knowledge Restrict<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            10GB Per Month<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"mx-auto mb-4 text-center md:mb-8\">\n<p>Be taught Extra<\/p>\n<p>                <a class=\"mt-2 inline-block font-semibold leading-normal text-red-400 underline md:leading-loose\" data-module=\"Best_Product_Card\" data-element=\"Windscribe VPN\" data-item=\"Windscribe VPN\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/reviews\/windscribe-vpn\" aria-label=\"{ $item-&gt;product_name }} Review\" x-track-ga-click=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Windscribe VPN Assessment<\/a>\n            <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"roundup-product-card mx-auto !mb-16 max-w-3xl rounded-md p-6 shadow-box sm:!mb-32 sm:p-8\" id=\"best-for-streaming\" data-parent-group=\"roundup-product-card\" aria-label=\"Best for Streaming\" x-data=\"{ intersectItem: $refs.intersectItem }\" x-ref=\"intersectItem\" x-intersect.once=\"window.trackGAImpressionEvents('Best_Product_Card', 'Hide.me VPN', intersectItem)\">\n<div class=\"mb-8 flex flex-col md:flex-row\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"order-last aspect-video w-full border border-gray-300 object-contain md:order-first md:w-1\/2\" src=\"https:\/\/i.pcmag.com\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-49.fit_lim.size_320x180.v1750950300.png\" data-lazy-sized=\"\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 180\" fill=\"%23f7f7f7\" alt=\"Hide.me logo\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"order-first flex w-full items-center pb-6 md:order-last md:ml-8 md:w-1\/2 md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"w-full md:leading-normal\">\n<h2 class=\"font-stretch-condensed text-lg font-semibold leading-compact text-red-400\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Finest_for_Streaming\"><\/span>Finest for Streaming<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"font-stretch-condensed my-2 text-2xl font-semibold leading-compact md:text-3xl md:leading-tight\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Concealme_VPN\"><\/span>\n                                                    Conceal.me VPN<br \/>\n                                            <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  true  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Professionals_Cons-4\"><\/span>Professionals &amp; Cons<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 gap-x-8 gap-y-6 sm:flex-row\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<ul class=\"!my-0 flex-1 space-y-3 !px-0 text-base font-semibold [&amp;&gt;li]:leading-normal\">\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Ten simultaneous connections&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Dependable Netflix entry&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Privateness-first insurance policies&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Inexpensive&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Full-featured free plan<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  false  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_We_Picked_It-4\"><\/span>Why We Picked It<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 rich-text !mb-0\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<p>Conceal.me supplied wonderful efficiency. It decreased obtain speeds by 5.93%, add speeds by 22.72%, and elevated latency by 92.11%. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  false  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_It_is_For-4\"><\/span>Who It is For<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 rich-text !mb-0\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<p>Conceal.me reliably accessed regional Netflix catalogs, making it a quick and dependable service for streaming geo-restricted content material. With a completely featured five-day premium trial, you can provide Conceal.me a shot and see how its speeds are earlier than you pay for a subscription. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  false  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Specs_Configurations-4\"><\/span>Specs &amp; Configurations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 divide-y-1 divide-gray-300\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<p>\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Simultaneous VPN Connections<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            10<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/p>\n<p>\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Server Places<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            89<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/p>\n<div class=\"flex justify-between gap-x-8 text-base leading-normal pt-4 pb-4\">\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Geographically Various Servers<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"inline-block size-4 text-green-400\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-prefix=\"fal\" data-icon=\"check\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M413.505 91.951 133.49 371.966l-98.995-98.995c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L6.211 284.284c-4.686 4.686-4.686 12.284 0 16.971l118.794 118.794c4.686 4.686 12.284 4.686 16.971 0l299.813-299.813c4.686-4.686 4.686-12.284 0-16.971l-11.314-11.314c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.97 0z\"\/><\/svg>                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/div>\n<p>\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Free Model Knowledge Restrict<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            10GB Per Month<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"mx-auto mb-4 text-center md:mb-8\">\n<p>Be taught Extra<\/p>\n<p>                <a class=\"mt-2 inline-block font-semibold leading-normal text-red-400 underline md:leading-loose\" data-module=\"Best_Product_Card\" data-element=\"Hide.me VPN\" data-item=\"Hide.me VPN\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/reviews\/hideme-vpn\" aria-label=\"{ $item-&gt;product_name }} Review\" x-track-ga-click=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Conceal.me VPN Assessment<\/a>\n            <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"roundup-product-card mx-auto !mb-16 max-w-3xl rounded-md p-6 shadow-box sm:!mb-32 sm:p-8\" id=\"best-for-global-coverage\" data-parent-group=\"roundup-product-card\" aria-label=\"Best for Global Coverage\" x-data=\"{ intersectItem: $refs.intersectItem }\" x-ref=\"intersectItem\" x-intersect.once=\"window.trackGAImpressionEvents('Best_Product_Card', 'CyberGhost VPN', intersectItem)\">\n<div class=\"mb-8 flex flex-col md:flex-row\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"order-last aspect-video w-full border border-gray-300 object-contain md:order-first md:w-1\/2\" src=\"https:\/\/i.pcmag.com\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-15.fit_lim.size_320x180.v1569473409.png\" data-lazy-sized=\"\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 180\" fill=\"%23f7f7f7\" alt=\"CyberGhost VPN\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"order-first flex w-full items-center pb-6 md:order-last md:ml-8 md:w-1\/2 md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"w-full md:leading-normal\">\n<h2 class=\"font-stretch-condensed text-lg font-semibold leading-compact text-red-400\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Finest_for_World_Protection\"><\/span>Finest for World Protection<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"font-stretch-condensed my-2 text-2xl font-semibold leading-compact md:text-3xl md:leading-tight\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CyberGhost_VPN\"><\/span>\n                                                    CyberGhost VPN<br \/>\n                                            <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  true  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Professionals_Cons-5\"><\/span>Professionals &amp; Cons<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 gap-x-8 gap-y-6 sm:flex-row\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<ul class=\"!my-0 flex-1 space-y-3 !px-0 text-base font-semibold [&amp;&gt;li]:leading-normal\">\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>In depth server community&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Process-specific servers &#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Quarterly transparency studies&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Spectacular in-app privateness instruments&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Inexpensive long-term subscriptions<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"!my-0 flex-1 space-y-3 !px-0 text-base font-semibold [&amp;&gt;li]:leading-normal\">\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-red-400 shrink-0 size-4\" width=\"14\" height=\"2\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 2\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M13.6666 0.333313V1.66665H0.333252V0.333313H13.6666Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>No multi-hop connections&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-red-400 shrink-0 size-4\" width=\"14\" height=\"2\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 2\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M13.6666 0.333313V1.66665H0.333252V0.333313H13.6666Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Restricted add-ons&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-red-400 shrink-0 size-4\" width=\"14\" height=\"2\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 2\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M13.6666 0.333313V1.66665H0.333252V0.333313H13.6666Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Excessive month-to-month worth<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  false  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_We_Picked_It-5\"><\/span>Why We Picked It<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 rich-text !mb-0\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<p>CyberGhost has lengthy centered on server depend somewhat than having top-of-the-line speeds. Even so, obtain speeds had been decreased by 13.96%, add speeds decreased by 4.46%, and latency elevated by 92.46%, that are all ok to land it a spot on this listing.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  false  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_It_is_For-5\"><\/span>Who It is For<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 rich-text !mb-0\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<p>CyberGhost has some of the expansive networks of any VPN we have now examined. Nonetheless, most of the areas are digital servers, that means you might not get stellar efficiency on all connections. It&#8217;s a nice decide in case you want an area IP tackle in underserved areas. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  false  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Specs_Configurations-5\"><\/span>Specs &amp; Configurations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 divide-y-1 divide-gray-300\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<p>\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Simultaneous VPN Connections<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            7<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/p>\n<p>\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Server Places<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            90 Nations<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/p>\n<div class=\"flex justify-between gap-x-8 text-base leading-normal pt-4 pb-4\">\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Geographically Various Servers<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"inline-block size-4 text-green-400\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-prefix=\"fal\" data-icon=\"check\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M413.505 91.951 133.49 371.966l-98.995-98.995c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L6.211 284.284c-4.686 4.686-4.686 12.284 0 16.971l118.794 118.794c4.686 4.686 12.284 4.686 16.971 0l299.813-299.813c4.686-4.686 4.686-12.284 0-16.971l-11.314-11.314c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.97 0z\"\/><\/svg>                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/div>\n<p>\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Free Model Knowledge Restrict<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            No Free Model<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"mx-auto mb-4 text-center md:mb-8\">\n<p>Be taught Extra<\/p>\n<p>                <a class=\"mt-2 inline-block font-semibold leading-normal text-red-400 underline md:leading-loose\" data-module=\"Best_Product_Card\" data-element=\"CyberGhost VPN\" data-item=\"CyberGhost VPN\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/reviews\/cyberghost-vpn\" aria-label=\"{ $item-&gt;product_name }} Review\" x-track-ga-click=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CyberGhost VPN Assessment<\/a>\n            <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"roundup-product-card mx-auto !mb-16 max-w-3xl rounded-md p-6 shadow-box sm:!mb-32 sm:p-8\" id=\"best-diversity-of-servers\" data-parent-group=\"roundup-product-card\" aria-label=\"Best Diversity of Servers\" x-data=\"{ intersectItem: $refs.intersectItem }\" x-ref=\"intersectItem\" x-intersect.once=\"window.trackGAImpressionEvents('Best_Product_Card', 'ExpressVPN', intersectItem)\">\n<div class=\"mb-8 flex flex-col md:flex-row\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"order-last aspect-video w-full border border-gray-300 object-contain md:order-first md:w-1\/2\" src=\"https:\/\/i.pcmag.com\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-46.fit_lim.size_320x180.v1701449178.png\" data-lazy-sized=\"\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 180\" fill=\"%23f7f7f7\" alt=\"expressvpn logo\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"order-first flex w-full items-center pb-6 md:order-last md:ml-8 md:w-1\/2 md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"w-full md:leading-normal\">\n<h2 class=\"font-stretch-condensed text-lg font-semibold leading-compact text-red-400\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Finest_Variety_of_Servers\"><\/span>Finest Variety of Servers<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"font-stretch-condensed my-2 text-2xl font-semibold leading-compact md:text-3xl md:leading-tight\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ExpressVPN\"><\/span>\n                                                    ExpressVPN<br \/>\n                                            <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  true  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Professionals_Cons-6\"><\/span>Professionals &amp; Cons<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 gap-x-8 gap-y-6 sm:flex-row\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<ul class=\"!my-0 flex-1 space-y-3 !px-0 text-base font-semibold [&amp;&gt;li]:leading-normal\">\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Giant, various, extensively distributed fleet of servers&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Quick velocity take a look at outcomes&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Robust privateness and safety practices&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-green-400 shrink-0 size-5\" width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.66659 6.33331H13.6666V7.66665H7.66659V13.6666H6.33325V7.66665H0.333252V6.33331H6.33325V0.333313H7.66659V6.33331Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Assist for post-quantum encryption protocols<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"!my-0 flex-1 space-y-3 !px-0 text-base font-semibold [&amp;&gt;li]:leading-normal\">\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-red-400 shrink-0 size-4\" width=\"14\" height=\"2\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 2\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M13.6666 0.333313V1.66665H0.333252V0.333313H13.6666Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Costly month-to-month and annual plans&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-red-400 shrink-0 size-4\" width=\"14\" height=\"2\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 2\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M13.6666 0.333313V1.66665H0.333252V0.333313H13.6666Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>No multi-hop connections&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-red-400 shrink-0 size-4\" width=\"14\" height=\"2\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 2\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M13.6666 0.333313V1.66665H0.333252V0.333313H13.6666Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Advert blocking is spotty&#13;<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"flex items-baseline gap-x-3\">\n                                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"pt-1 text-red-400 shrink-0 size-4\" width=\"14\" height=\"2\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 2\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M13.6666 0.333313V1.66665H0.333252V0.333313H13.6666Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>                                <span>Possession with a sketchy previous<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  false  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_We_Picked_It-6\"><\/span>Why We Picked It<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 rich-text !mb-0\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<p>ExpressVPN has all the time been a frontrunner in velocity due to fixed funding within the firm&#8217;s community. In testing, it dropped obtain speeds by 18.55%, uploads by 7.45%, and latency elevated by 95.62%. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  false  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_It_is_For-6\"><\/span>Who It is For<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 rich-text !mb-0\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<p>Because the VPN on this listing with some of the geographically various networks of servers, the probability of discovering a blazing-fast server close to you will increase each time Categorical proclaims one other infrastructure improve (which is usually). The nearer the server, the upper the possibility you will get faster speeds, making Categorical the proper decide for far-flung and well-traveled customers.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"border-b-1 border-t-1 border-gray-300 [&amp;+section]:border-t-0\" x-data=\"{ drawerOpen:  false  }\">\n        <button class=\"rich-text my-4 flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-x-4 text-left md:my-6 [&amp;&gt;*]:!m-0 [&amp;&gt;*]:w-fit [&amp;&gt;h3&gt;strong]:font-semibold\" aria-label=\"Pros &amp; Cons\" aria-controls=\"pros-cons\" :aria-expanded=\"drawerOpen\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Specs_Configurations-6\"><\/span>Specs &amp; Configurations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>        <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col mb-8 divide-y-1 divide-gray-300\" x-collapse=\"\" x-cloak=\"\" x-show=\"drawerOpen\">\n<p>\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Simultaneous VPN Connections<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            8<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/p>\n<p>\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Server Places<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            105 Nations<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/p>\n<div class=\"flex justify-between gap-x-8 text-base leading-normal pt-4 pb-4\">\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Geographically Various Servers<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"inline-block size-4 text-green-400\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-prefix=\"fal\" data-icon=\"check\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M413.505 91.951 133.49 371.966l-98.995-98.995c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L6.211 284.284c-4.686 4.686-4.686 12.284 0 16.971l118.794 118.794c4.686 4.686 12.284 4.686 16.971 0l299.813-299.813c4.686-4.686 4.686-12.284 0-16.971l-11.314-11.314c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.97 0z\"\/><\/svg>                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/div>\n<p>\n                        <span class=\"hyphens flex-1 break-words px-4 font-semibold sm:px-8\">Free Model Knowledge Restrict<\/span><br \/>\n                        <span class=\"flex-1 sm:flex-[2]\"><br \/>\n                                                            No Free Model<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span>\n                    <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"mx-auto mb-4 text-center md:mb-8\">\n<p>Be taught Extra<\/p>\n<p>                <a class=\"mt-2 inline-block font-semibold leading-normal text-red-400 underline md:leading-loose\" data-module=\"Best_Product_Card\" data-element=\"ExpressVPN\" data-item=\"ExpressVPN\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/reviews\/expressvpn\" aria-label=\"{ $item-&gt;product_name }} Review\" x-track-ga-click=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ExpressVPN Assessment<\/a>\n            <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ziff-component relative m-auto my-12 border-b border-t border-black bg-white py-4 md:my-16 md:p-6 md:px-4\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"Newsletter Sign-Up\" x-data=\"window.newsletters()\" x-init=\"initNewsletter({&quot;id&quot;:3,&quot;list_id&quot;:17709142,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;Published&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Lab Report&quot;,&quot;deck&quot;:&quot;The latest product testing, buying advice, and tech tips from the PCMag Reviews team.&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;lab-report&quot;,&quot;courier_list&quot;:&quot;PCMag Lab Report&quot;,&quot;image&quot;:{&quot;path&quot;:&quot;newsletters\/17709142.jpg&quot;,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;lab report&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;unknown&quot;}},&quot;preview_link&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/secure.campaigner.com\/csb\/Public\/show\/g6xi-2w5j29--190xym-k637fcv9&quot;,&quot;contextual_title&quot;:&quot;All the Latest Tech, Tested by Our Experts&quot;,&quot;contextual_tagline&quot;:null,&quot;contextual_image&quot;:{&quot;path&quot;:&quot;newsletters\/17709142-contextual.png&quot;,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Lab Report Newsletter Image&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag&quot;}},&quot;contextual_deck&quot;:&quot;Sign up for the Lab Report newsletter to receive PCMag's latest product reviews, buying advice, and insights.&quot;,&quot;contextual_body&quot;:[],&quot;first_published_at&quot;:&quot;2021-09-30T21:24:30.000000Z&quot;,&quot;published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-07-18T00:51:03.000000Z&quot;,&quot;last_published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-07-15T21:13:47.000000Z&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:null,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-07-18T00:51:03.000000Z&quot;})\" x-show=\"showEmailSignUp()\" x-intersect.once=\"window.trackGAImpressionEvents(&quot;pcmag-on-site-newsletter-block&quot;, &quot;Lab Report&quot;, $el)\">\n        <!-- Envelope image absolute top right for desktop --><br \/>\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"opacity-20 absolute right-0 top-0 z-0 hidden md:block\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/images\/newsletter-envelope.svg\" alt=\"Newsletter Icon\" style=\"max-width:220px; max-height:140px; pointer-events:none;\"\/><br \/>\n        <!-- Envelope image absolute top right for mobile --><\/p>\n<div class=\"absolute right-0 top-0 h-[134px] w-[134px] overflow-hidden md:hidden\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"opacity-20 h-full w-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/images\/newsletter-envelope.svg\" alt=\"Newsletter Icon\"\/>\n        <\/div>\n<p>        <!-- Tagline --><\/p>\n<p>\n            <span class=\"roboto-flex font-stretch-condensed text-[16px] font-bold text-black\">Get Our Finest Tales!<\/span>\n        <\/p>\n<div x-show=\"!isSuccess\">\n            <!-- Title text --><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"relative z-10 mb-5 font-barlow-condensed text-3xl font-medium leading-[36px] text-red-400 md:text-4xl md:text-[36px] md:leading-compact\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"All_of_the_Newest_Tech_Examined_by_Our_Specialists\"><\/span>\n                                    All of the Newest Tech, Examined by Our Specialists<br \/>\n                            <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>            <!-- Main content --><\/p>\n<div class=\"md:flex md:flex-row md:gap-6\">\n                <!-- Top section with image and context - flex row on mobile --><\/p>\n<div class=\"mb-5 flex flex-row gap-3 md:mb-0 md:mb-4 md:block md:w-1\/3\">\n                    <!-- Title section with envelope background --><\/p>\n<div class=\"relative w-1\/3 md:w-auto\">\n<p>                        <!-- Image --><br \/>\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"h-auto w-full rounded-md object-cover md:rounded-l-md\" src=\"https:\/\/i.pcmag.com\/imagery\/newsletters\/17709142-contextual.fit_lpad.size_250x140.v1752614027.png\" alt=\"Lab Report Newsletter Image\"\/>\n                                            <\/div>\n<p>                    <!-- Contextual body\/deck on MOBILE - next to image --><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-2\/3 md:hidden\">\n<div class=\"font-barlow-semi-condensed text-sm font-normal leading-tight md:ml-1\">\n<p>Join the <strong>Lab Report<\/strong> to obtain PCMag&#8217;s newest product evaluations, shopping for recommendation, and insights.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>                <!-- Form section --><\/p>\n<div class=\"md:mt-0 md:w-[532px]\" x-ref=\"emailForm\" x-on:form-onsuccess.window=\"isSuccess = $event.detail.value\" tracking-source=\"roundup-page\">\n                    <!-- Contextual body\/deck for DESKTOP ONLY --><\/p>\n<div class=\"hidden md:block\">\n<div class=\"mb-4 ml-1 font-barlow-semi-condensed text-sm font-normal leading-tight\">\n<p>Join the <strong>Lab Report<\/strong> to obtain PCMag&#8217;s newest product evaluations, shopping for recommendation, and insights.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"roboto-flex mt-2 text-xs font-normal leading-tight text-black md:whitespace-nowrap\">\n                        By clicking Signal Me Up, you affirm you might be 16+ and conform to our <a class=\"underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/terms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Phrases of Use<\/a> and <a class=\"underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/privacy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Privateness Coverage<\/a>.\n                    <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"py-4 text-center\" x-show=\"isSuccess\" x-cloak=\"\">\n            <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"w-12 h-12 text-green-400 mx-auto\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-prefix=\"far\" data-icon=\"check-circle\" viewbox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M256 8C119.033 8 8 119.033 8 256s111.033 248 248 248 248-111.033 248-248S392.967 8 256 8zm0 48c110.532 0 200 89.451 200 200 0 110.532-89.451 200-200 200-110.532 0-200-89.451-200-200 0-110.532 89.451-200 200-200m140.204 130.267-22.536-22.718c-4.667-4.705-12.265-4.736-16.97-.068L215.346 303.697l-59.792-60.277c-4.667-4.705-12.265-4.736-16.97-.069l-22.719 22.536c-4.705 4.667-4.736 12.265-.068 16.971l90.781 91.516c4.667 4.705 12.265 4.736 16.97.068l172.589-171.204c4.704-4.668 4.734-12.266.067-16.971z\"\/><\/svg>            <\/p>\n<p class=\"text-green-500 mt-2 text-xl font-bold\">Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n<p class=\"mt-2\">Your subscription has been confirmed. Regulate your inbox!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<section class=\"my-16 flex flex-col gap-8 py-6\" data-parent-group=\"roundup-compare-chart\" aria-label=\"Roundup Compare Chart\" x-data=\"{&#10;        options: [],&#10;        specNames: [],&#10;        specLength: 0,&#10;        specLengthVisible: 0,&#10;        selectionCount: 0,&#10;        selections: {&#10;            selection_1: '',&#10;            selection_2: '',&#10;            selection_3: '',&#10;            selection_4: ''&#10;        },&#10;        scrollable: false,&#10;        scrollEnd: false,&#10;        gridHeightStyle: '',&#10;        gridRowStyle: '',&#10;        init() {&#10;            $nextTick(() =&gt; {&#10;                this.setSelections()&#10;                window.onresize = (() =&gt; {&#10;                    this.setSelections()&#10;                    this.gridHeightStyle = this.calculateGridHeight()&#10;                })&#10;                if (this.scrollable) {&#10;                    $refs.specs.addEventListener('scroll', () =&gt; this.scrollEnd = $refs.specs.scrollTop + $refs.specs.clientHeight &gt;= $refs.specs.scrollHeight)&#10;                }&#10;            })&#10;    &#10;            $watch('selections', () =&gt; { this.gridHeightStyle = this.calculateGridHeight() })&#10;    &#10;            this.options = [{&quot;id&quot;:3990,&quot;legacy_id&quot;:368559,&quot;luna_user_id&quot;:null,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;Published&quot;,&quot;product_uuid&quot;:&quot;04q3oaGMO76XaZT56tVsqUn&quot;,&quot;spec_sheet_uuid&quot;:&quot;06lWQ6LeMwOhpO7nWLcJo30&quot;,&quot;roundup_id&quot;:315,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Surfshark VPN&quot;,&quot;heading&quot;:&quot;Surfshark VPN: A Feature-Packed Service With Top-Notch Performance&quot;,&quot;page_title&quot;:&quot;Surfshark VPN Review: A Feature-Packed Service With Top-Notch Performance&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;surfshark-vpn&quot;,&quot;canonical_url&quot;:null,&quot;deck&quot;:&quot;Surfshark offers top-of-the-line performance, unlimited simultaneous device connections, and affordable long-term plans. However, Surfsharku2019s monthly subscription price is the highest out of the VPNs we have reviewed.&quot;,&quot;seo_description&quot;:null,&quot;focus_keyword&quot;:null,&quot;no_link_injection&quot;:0,&quot;seo_noindex&quot;:0,&quot;is_editors_choice&quot;:false,&quot;use_hero_image_gallery&quot;:false,&quot;is_preview&quot;:false,&quot;show_specs&quot;:true,&quot;score&quot;:&quot;4.0&quot;,&quot;people_involved&quot;:null,&quot;hours_spent&quot;:null,&quot;hours_researched&quot;:null,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;One of the first things I look at when &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-vpn-services&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;315&quot;&gt;reviewing a VPN&lt;\/a&gt; is what kind of value it offers, particularly how many devices you can use with a given service and at what price. Surfshark takes the unusual move of placing no limits on the number of devices that can use a single account, making it an excellent value&amp;mdash;even if the asking price is a bit high. Surfshark also offers rarely seen advanced features, and bundles it all in an excellent app.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;What Is a VPN?&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;When you switch on a VPN, it creates an encrypted tunnel between your computer and a server operated by the VPN company. By piping all of your web traffic through this tunnel, it effectively hides your IP address and makes it appear as if your traffic is coming from the VPN server rather than your computer. This makes it much harder for spies, advertisers, and your ISP to track your activities online. That last one is important, as ISPs can now sell your anonymized data for a profit.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;While VPNs are powerful tools, they can't solve all your privacy and security problems. If you require total anonymity, you'll need more powerful solutions, such as the Tor network.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Pricing and Features&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;As with most VPN companies, Surshark offers different subscription tiers of varying price and duration. The longer the subscription, the bigger the discount. Surfshark currently costs $11.95 per month, $71.88 every year, or $47.76 every two years. That's a very steep discount, but that's not too unusual in the VPN market. I recommend starting with the shortest possible subscription, to make sure it works for you, and then increasing to longer subscription terms if you decide you like the service.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;I compare only the full monthly fees in my reviews&amp;mdash;it's really the only way to get apples-to-apples comparisons&amp;mdash;and Surfshark is on the high side. The average price of one of PCMag's top-rated VPNs is $10.28 per month. At $11.95 per month, Surfshark costs the same per month as NordVPN (which is on the expensive side), and is far beyond the $6.95 per month asked for by &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/private-internet-access-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;4067&quot;&gt;Private Internet Access&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;If that's too rich for your blood, there are numerous cheap VPNs and even &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-free-vpns&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;216&quot;&gt;a few worthy free VPNs&lt;\/a&gt; to consider. ProtonVPN fits into both categories, and is especially notable because it is the only free VPN I've yet reviewed that imposes no data limit.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;iframe width=&quot;300&quot; height=&quot;150&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%; height: 100%;&quot; src=&quot;https:\/\/mashable.com\/videos\/blueprint:1On8Y6WYlB\/embed\/?player=pcmag&amp;amp;autoplay=true&amp;amp;mute=true&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allowfullscreen=&quot;allowfullscreen&quot;&gt;&lt;\/iframe&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;While a bit pricey, Surfshark does offer excellent value for that money. For one thing, it lets you use an unlimited number of devices on one account, whereas most companies cut you off after just five simultaneous connections. &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/cyberghost-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;2456&quot;&gt;CyberGhost&lt;\/a&gt; notably offers seven connections out of the box and ExpressVPN an even more generous 10, but you can't beat unlimited.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Surfshark allows P2P and &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/picks\/the-best-vpns-for-bittorrent&quot;&gt;BitTorrent via VPN&lt;\/a&gt; on certain servers, and the CleanWeb tool provides ad-blocking as well, but its real strengths are the rarely seen features it provides. One such feature is Whitelister, a split-tunneling tool lets you route certain apps or websites outside the VPN tunnel. The other unusual feature is Multihop, which creates a VPN connection to a server and then bounces your traffic to a second VPN server for even greater security. These are really powerful tools, and while you might not use them every day (or ever), they help justify Surfshark's high price. More on these features below.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;One rare feature Surfshark currently does &lt;em&gt;not&lt;\/em&gt; offer is access to Tor via VPN, which is available through &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/nordvpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;2777&quot;&gt;NordVPN&lt;\/a&gt; and ProtonVPN. Notably, ProtonVPN also offers multihop VPN connections.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-9.v_1569469941.png', 'Surfshark VPN', 'Surfshark VPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='Surfshark VPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 810 456'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-1.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469941.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-1.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='Surfshark VPN' width='810' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-1.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469941.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-1.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Many VPN companies allow you to purchase add-ons to your base subscription. &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/torguard-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;2758&quot;&gt;TorGuard&lt;\/a&gt;, for instance, has an &lt;em&gt;&amp;agrave; la carte&lt;\/em&gt; option for the number of simultaneous connections you'd like. NordVPN and others offer static IP addresses, which are useful anytime you find your VPN connection blocked. Surfshark already provides an unlimited number of connections, so there's no problems there, and a company representative says it will start offering static IP addresses in the near future.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;VPN Protocols&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;There are many different ways to create a VPN connection. My preferred option is OpenVPN, which has a reputation for speed and reliability. More importantly, it's an open-source option, meaning that its code is available to be examined for potential vulnerabilities.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Surfshark uses the IKEv2 protocol by default on all its apps, which is another strong option. OpenVPN is available for Android, Linux, and Windows, but you have to select it manually. Surfshark tells me that its iOS and macOS apps will support OpenVPN soon.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Servers and Server Locations&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Two important metrics for VPN services are the number of servers the company offers, and the geographic distribution of those servers. In both categories, Surfshark does fairly well.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The company currently offers 800 total servers, putting its server fleet on the high end of mid-range. NordVPN, for instance, maintains over 5,200 servers while Private Internet Access, CyberGhost, ExpressVPN, and TorGuard have over 3,000 apiece. On the other end of the spectrum, Golden Frog VyprVPN has around 700 servers and ProtonVPN only 347. It's important to keep in mind that more servers does not always translate into better performance, and that total server count is partly a function of how many subscribers a company, well, serves.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-10.v_1569469941.png', 'Surfshark VPN', 'Surfshark VPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='Surfshark VPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 810 456'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-2.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469941.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-2.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='Surfshark VPN' width='810' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-2.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469941.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-2.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Geographic distribution matters because a nearby server may offer better service than one further afield. Lots of locations across the globe means you're more likely to find one close by at home or when traveling, and it provides lots of options for spoofing your location. Surfshark covers 53 countries with its servers, which is quite good compared with the competition. NordVPN covers only slightly more at 62 countries, while &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/expressvpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;7874&quot;&gt;ExpressVPN&lt;\/a&gt; leads the pack with a whopping 94 countries.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Surfshark notably provides above-average coverage to South America, an area often ignored by other companies. That said, its single server offering in Africa could stand to be expanded. Surfshark also offers servers in &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/news\/why-im-not-choosing-the-best-vpn-for-china&quot;&gt;countries with repressive internet policies, including China&lt;\/a&gt;, Russia, Turkey, and Vietnam.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Some VPNs make use of so-called virtual servers. These are software-defined servers, meaning that a single hardware server could host numerous virtual servers. The technology allows companies to quickly add servers to meet demand, or configure a server to appear in a country where the company cannot guarantee the safety of its hardware while really being hosted in a safer locale. In general, I don't have a problem with virtual servers, but I do believe that companies need to be transparent about which servers are virtual and provide the true location of the server. That's not an issue with Surfshark, as the company currently only has physical servers in its fleet.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Your Privacy With Surfshark&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Using a VPN requires a great amount of trust. If a VPN provider wanted to spy on your traffic, monetize your activity, or turn over your personal information to law enforcement, it very easily could. That's why it's important to understand the company's privacy policy and the legal framework the company operates under.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Surfshark actually has two documents that pertain to your privacy. Its &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/surfshark.com\/privacy-policy&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;privacy policy&lt;\/a&gt; is fairly readable, and extensive, while a &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/surfshark.com\/features\/no-logs&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;more understandable version&lt;\/a&gt; is also available. I looked at both for this review.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;In its policy documents, Surfshark stresses that it does not log IP addresses, browsing history, amount of bandwidth used, network traffic, or even connection timestamps. That's exactly what you want to hear from a VPN company. I suspect the company is able to provide that level of anonymity in part because it places no limits on the number of devices or connections, so it does not need to police its users as carefully.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;n&lt;!-- ZIFFHTML START 3993 --&gt;n&lt;A HREF=&quot;http:\/\/securitywatch.pcmag.com\/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;img alt='SecurityWatch' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 95 85'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-3.fit_lim.size_95x85.v_1569469941.jpg&quot;}' align=&quot;left&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-3.jpg'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='SecurityWatch' width='95' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-3.fit_lim.size_95x85.v_1569469941.jpg' align=&quot;left&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-3.jpg'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/A&gt;n&lt;!-- ZIFFHTML END 3993 --&gt;nThe company does collect &lt;em&gt;some&lt;\/em&gt; information, including aggregate &quot;performance data,&quot; frequency of use, and unsuccessful connection attempts. None of that sounds particularly suspicious, but it would be helpful if Surfshark better explained what these are and how the information is used. The company also notes that it receives advertising IDs from third parties, citing Google Play as an example. These are identifiers that you can reset yourself, and are used in place of unchangeable IDs like your phone's IMEI. Again, this isn't unusual, but Surfshark could better serve its customers by explaining how this information is used.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;When I asked if the company generates revenue from sources other than VPN subscriptions, a company representative said no. That's good. It means that Surfshark is more interested in acquiring and keeping customers than mining them for data.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-11.v_1569469941.png', 'Surfshark VPN', 'Surfshark VPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='Surfshark VPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 810 456'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-4.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469941.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-4.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='Surfshark VPN' width='810' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-4.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469941.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-4.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 8pt;&quot;&gt;Surfshark VPN includes split-tunneling.&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/em&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Surfshark is owned by Surfshark LTD., and operates under the legal jurisdiction of the British Virgin Islands. That has some benefit for the privacy of its customers, which I'll outline below. However, the company representative I spoke with declined to say where the company has its offices. The representative explained: &quot;as we have invested a lot of time and effort to break through the Great Firewall of China as well as other oppressive regimes, we choose to exercise our right to privacy and remain undisclosed.&quot;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;While I can respect the right of an individual to not want to draw the ire of any government, Surfshark's decision to remain silent on this point is distressingly evasive. Most companies in the security industry have to contend with issues of personal and corporate safety, but are still willing to provide some sense of where they are located. It would be better if Surfshark was more transparent to its customers on this point.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The company says that, to date, it has received no requests for information from British Virgin Island authorities. Other VPNs in the British Virgin Islands have told me that all warrants from other countries must be approved by local courts, which is good for users. A Surfshark representative told me that if the company was ever served a legal warrant, &quot;we would truthfully respond that we are unable to identify any user as we keep no logs whatsoever.&quot;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The company has a &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/surfshark.com\/warrant-canary&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;live Warrant Canary&lt;\/a&gt; on its site, for additional assurance. This is a single line that says the that the company has not been issued a &lt;a href=&quot;\/news\/yahoo-publishes-national-security-letter-details&quot; data-link-type=&quot;article&quot; data-link-id=&quot;21645&quot;&gt;National Security Letter&lt;\/a&gt;, which would prevent Surfshark from disclosing the existence of the letter. Like the proverbial canary in the coal mine, if Surfshark removes the page, something bad is going on.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Many VPN companies have begun commissioning third-party audits to verify company statements about customer privacy and security. Surfshark has commissioned one such audit of its Firefox and Chrome browser plug-ins, which earned a &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/surfshark.com\/blog\/blog-surfshark-browser-extensions-stand-out-for-their-robust-security-independent-investigation-revealed&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;glowing review from auditors at Cure53&lt;\/a&gt;. I'm heartened to see Surfshark commission and release this report, and I hope that it will go further in the future. While an examination of the plug-ins is certainly valuable, I do not feel that it goes far enough to evaluate the company's privacy practices nor the security and efficacy of its core VPN product. Hopefully, future audits will provide that assurance.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;As of this writing, Surfshark has not responded to the &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/cdt.org\/insight\/unedited-answers-signals-of-trustworthy-vpns\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Center for Democracy and Technology's VPN survey&lt;\/a&gt;. The company has, however, given me much of the same information found in the survey.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Hands On With Surfshark&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;In this review, I tested Surfshark on a Lenovo ThinkPad T460s laptop running Windows 10. On Windows, Surfshark offers a small, stylish app with flat colors and smart design that expands and contracts to show more or less information. Unlike many other VPN clients, Surfshark has a resizable window, and a &quot;mini&quot; mode. It's not quite as friendly as &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/tunnelbear-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;7387&quot;&gt;TunnelBear&lt;\/a&gt;, but it's very clean in the way that the best mobile apps are. In fact, it looks quite a bit like a mobile app, floating on a Windows desktop.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Surfshark strikes a good balance between complexity and usability. It has some surprisingly robust features, which I outline below, but never seems daunting or overwhelming. I especially like that it has a clear, obvious way to immediately get online, and that it lets you select specific servers, and not just entire countries.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-12.v_1569469941.png', 'Surfshark VPN', 'Surfshark VPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='Surfshark VPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 810 456'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-5.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469941.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-5.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='Surfshark VPN' width='810' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-5.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469941.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-5.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Surfshark offers a surprising number of advanced features, such as split-tunneling, which it calls Whitelister, as mentioned above. This tool lets you determine which sites and applications should be routed &lt;i&gt;outside&lt;\/i&gt; the VPN tunnel by adding URLs or applications to a list. Anything on the whitelist won't be slowed down by the VPN, or be blocked if the site or service blocks VPN users. It also won't be encrypted. It's a handy tool if you have low-security tasks that need bandwidth, such as video streaming, or critical sites that block VPN usage, such as some banks.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;A sort of opposite of Whitelister is Multihop, which does exactly what it says on the tin. You can have your VPN connection go through multiple VPN servers instead of just one. This further obscures your online activities, even to parts of Surfshark's infrastructure, a bit like a very simplified Tor Network. The downside is that you'll experience even more latency and reduced upload and download speeds. &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/protonvpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;9135&quot;&gt;ProtonVPN&lt;\/a&gt; also offers multihop connections, and like Surfshark is limited to predefined multihop connections. You can't arbitrarily choose two locations, unfortunately. Despite that, it's a rare feature that I am glad to see included in the app.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-13.v_1569469941.png', 'Surfshark VPN', 'Surfshark VPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='Surfshark VPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 810 456'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-6.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469941.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-6.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='Surfshark VPN' width='810' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-6.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469941.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-6.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 8pt;&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Surfshark VPN multihop, in action.&lt;\/em&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Also of note is Camouflage Mode, which disguises your VPN traffic as normal HTTPS web traffic. Other VPNs include this feature under different names (TunnelBear calls it GhostBear, for instance), and it's especially useful if you're in a region that blocks the use of VPNs.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;A concern with VPNs is that they may &lt;a href=&quot;\/how-to\/is-your-vpn-leaking&quot; data-link-type=&quot;article&quot; data-link-id=&quot;13135&quot;&gt;leak your DNS information or IP address&lt;\/a&gt;. In my testing, I found that Surfshark successfully hid my true IP and ISP information. Using the &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.dnsleaktest.com\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;DNS Leak Test&lt;\/a&gt; tool, I confirmed that Surfshark did not leak my DNS requests to my ISP.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Surfshark and Netflix&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Depending on where you live, streaming services such as Netflix might serve you different content. If you're traveling abroad, you might find that you're unable to continue watching a show that you started at home. With a VPN, you can spoof your location back home to keep watching a show or movie, or jump to a distant VPN location to access content not available at home. For this very reason, &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-vpns-for-netflix&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;152&quot;&gt;Netflix aggressively blocks the use of VPNs&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Fortunately, that shouldn't be an issue with Surfshark. I had no trouble streaming from Netflix while connected to a US VPN server. Keep in mind, however, that Netflix is locked in a cat-and-mouse game with VPN companies. A service that works today may not work tomorrow.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Beyond VPN&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;In order to stand out in an increasingly crowded market, several VPN companies have begun adding additional features to their products beyond the scope of VPN protection. Surfshark has one such feature: an ad-blocker branded as CleanWeb. Like many such tools, it blocks ads at the DNS level, so ads never reach your browser.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Other companies go further. TunnelBear, for instance, has a stand-alone &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/picks\/the-best-password-managers&quot;&gt;password manager&lt;\/a&gt; called Remembear and a bear themed ad-blocking browser plug-in.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;In the coming months, Surfshark plans to release two new features: a privacy-focused search engine and an identity theft detection tool. The latter of these appears to be similar to Firefox Monitor or HaveIBeenPwned, and will be branded as HackLock. If your email or passwords show up in a data breach, you'll get an alert. The company will be branding its search engine as BlindSearch, which will not save a search history, present no ads, and display &quot;purely organic&quot; search results&amp;mdash;meaning a relevance ranking, rather than paid placement. I'll be taking a look at these features as they become available and will update this review accordingly.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Speed and Performance&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;When you switch on a VPN, you're adding more machines and physical distance to your internet connection, resulting in degraded performance. To get a sense of that degradation, I calculate a percent change between batches of tests run with a VPN and those without, using the Ookla Speedtest tool. To read the nitty-gritty about how we test VPNs, be sure to read the aptly titled feature How We Test VPNs.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;img alt='Related Story' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 35 26'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-7.fit_lim.size_35x26.v_1569469941.jpg&quot;}' align=&quot;left&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-7.jpg'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='Related Story' width='35' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-7.fit_lim.size_35x26.v_1569469941.jpg' align=&quot;left&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-7.jpg'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/span&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;\/about\/how-we-test-vpns&quot; data-link-type=&quot;article&quot; data-link-id=&quot;5963&quot;&gt;See How We Test VPNs&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;(Editors' Note: Ookla Speedtest is owned by j2 Global, the parent company of PCMag's publisher, Ziff Davis.)&lt;\/i&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;In my tests, I found that Surfshark increased latency by 166 percent over baseline, which is above (that is, worse than) the median result for this test. The service performed remarkably poorly in the upload test, where it decreased upload speeds by 96.9 percent&amp;mdash;the second-worst result I've yet recorded and far below the median score. Surprisingly, Surfshark reduced download speeds by only 84.4 percent, slightly better than the median result for this score.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;You can see in the chart below how Surfshark compares with the top ten performers among the more than 30 services we tested.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-14.v_1569469941.png', 'Fastest VPN 2019 Feb 21 2', 'Fastest VPN 2019', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='Fastest VPN 2019' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1250 590'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-8.fit_lim.size_1250x590.v_1569469941.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-8.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='Fastest VPN 2019' width='1250' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-8.fit_lim.size_1250x590.v_1569469941.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-8.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Keep in mind that my results came from using this VPN at a particular time of day and at a particular place. Your results will surely differ, but this method does allow me to make a comparison between services while controlling for variables. My testing has shown that, for now, HideIPVPN is the fastest VPN service out there. That said, speed alone should never be the main concern when shopping for a VPN.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Surfshark on Other Platforms&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Surfshark has &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/picks\/the-best-android-vpns&quot;&gt;Android VPN&lt;\/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/picks\/the-best-iphone-vpns&quot;&gt;iOS VPN&lt;\/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/picks\/the-best-mac-vpns&quot;&gt;macOS VPN&lt;\/a&gt;, and Windows VPN client apps. The company also offers an app for FireTV, which is a bit of a rarity. I highly recommend that you use a VPN app wherever possible, since the apps give you access to all the features the VPN service provides (and that you are paying for) and takes all the trouble out of configuring your connections.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Additionally, Surfshark has plug-ins for the Chrome and Firefox browsers. Note that VPN browser plug-ins do spoof your location, but typically encrypt your traffic via TLS instead of a VPN protocol like OpenVPN.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The company offers its custom DNS resolver for Xbox and PlayStation, but does not offer apps for those platforms. It also offers instructions for using Surfshark on Linux and for configuring routers to use Surfshark.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Safe Surfing&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;It is a pleasure to see a new VPN service come across my desk that gets so much right. Surfshark has a generous unlimited devices policy, letting you hook up as many devices as you like. In addition to the VPN protection provided by its excellent desktop applications, it also provides rarely seen features such as split-tunneling and multihop VPN. Overall, it's an excellent product.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Surfshark does have drawbacks. It's expensive, and its speed test scores are mediocre overall. More concerning is the company's lack of clarity and transparency on some points of its privacy policy. I'd like to see its audits become more encompassing, going beyond browser plug-ins.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Given all its plusses and minuses, Surfshark earns a good score with the hope of an even better one in the future. We continue to recommend our Editors' Choice winners: NordVPN for its features and large server fleet, Private Internet Access for its affordable pricing, TunnelBear for its friendly demeanor, and ProtonVPN for its combination of affordability and excellent features.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;body_content_blocks&quot;:[],&quot;images&quot;:{&quot;autoincrement&quot;:79,&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;index&quot;:52,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-52.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1028,&quot;height&quot;:578,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;a20120f84e23cf6a859ad001d2d11791&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1620413332,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;surfshark logo&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Surfshark&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:61,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-61.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:4036,&quot;height&quot;:2270,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;da823b3a6b7701e33b7fc76ab3312fd1&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1659113958,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Surfshark VPN on iOS&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Surfshark VPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:53,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-53.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:3738,&quot;height&quot;:2102,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;422fb327945b9590527bcbf2b4d0049a&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1620676652,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Surfshark's macOS VPN interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Surfshark VPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:54,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-54.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1066,&quot;height&quot;:600,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;559650d0ce42709b7ed8b2116ef1b6dd&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1652905144,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;The desktop of Ubuntu 22.04 showing the Surfshark VPN app an its toolbar menu&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Surfshark VPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:62,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-62.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:640,&quot;height&quot;:360,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;f14d4736c360c668b06cf7d6301a9645&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1664397607,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Surfshark VPN's Android interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Surfshark VPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:63,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-63.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;bd018dfc0e37ad049fc903bd8311b3c2&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1679685239,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Surfshark VPN app on Windows 11, the app indicates that it is connected to the VPN&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Surfshark VPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:64,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-64.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;8b0a21314fb6f2fff0e4ea824e1399c5&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1679685239,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;The Surfshark VPN Windows app displaying information about Surfshark One.&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Surfshark\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:65,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-65.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;c0fbb7a6904c6b82080e714d8f03b65e&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1679685239,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;The Surfshark VPN Windows app displaying a popover that explains the function of the IP Rotator&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Surfshark VPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:66,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-66.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;7d09ce1e882409e7c84f30e9d557bfc4&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1679685239,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;The Surfshark VPN app on Windows 11 displaying connection stats&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Surfshark\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:67,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-67.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;7ea3f711533e2e8545faf97da5e3b75d&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1679685239,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;The Surfshark VPN Windows app while disconnected&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Surfshark\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:68,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-68.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;a5812fa227c87967d9b44d2272f50337&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1679685239,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;The Surfshark VPN Windows app showing the settings for the Bypasser feature&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Surfshark\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:69,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-69.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;bf6762b3a2fbe1681d45e820b31d4b96&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1679685239,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;The Surfshark VPN Windows app showing the IP Rotator countdown&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Surfshark\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:70,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-70.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:768,&quot;height&quot;:432,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;1e8c96c8483c52930931d686d6d73d62&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1724885416,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;surfshark vpn mobile&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Surfshark\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:71,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-71.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;01302c82fc9e83217d01c6c33e68a317&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1748535462,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Prices for the monthly Surfshark plans&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/Surfshark&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:72,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-72.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;6385d8aea9cb7f84be28033a73a41d4a&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1748535462,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Prices for the two-year Surfshark plans&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/Surfshark&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:73,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-73.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;73c686b40b712212b4c28bd31d6045eb&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1748535462,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Surfshark's Windows server list&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/Surfshark&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:74,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-74.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;6e4b07bef5e4f2f2f1953cf3a7359a56&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1748535462,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Surfshark Windows interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/Surfshark&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:75,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-75.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;5b7a4ef601aa3d4f9fde1047ac369340&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1748535462,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Surfshark iOS interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/Surfshark&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:76,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-76.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;0918cc59cc10baca9b4db3ed58484f9e&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1748535462,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Surfshark macOS interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/Surfshark&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:77,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-77.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;f07f8b2d1ea33964f69f91044b776fe4&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1748535462,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Surfshark support chat windows&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/Surfshark&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:78,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04S1wwi1deiGuN21Ixcjcxv-78.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;d99e3ed8b0ff59a2b6155b9504c0a3a7&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1750876895,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Surfshark Android Interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/Surfshark&quot;}}],&quot;metadata&quot;:[]},&quot;hero_image_gallery&quot;:{&quot;autoincrement&quot;:1,&quot;images&quot;:[],&quot;metadata&quot;:[]},&quot;editors_note&quot;:[],&quot;final_thoughts_body&quot;:[],&quot;final_thoughts_image&quot;:null,&quot;should_i_upgrade_body&quot;:[],&quot;pros&quot;:&quot;Excellent server coverage and performancernImpressive suite of security featuresrnWell-defined privacy policyrnQuarterly transparency reportsrnAffordable long-term plans&quot;,&quot;cons&quot;:&quot;High monthly costrnAverage server network size&quot;,&quot;bottom_line&quot;:&quot;Surfshark is a top-tier VPN with unlimited device connections, compelling server performance, and a rock-solid privacy policy.&quot;,&quot;best_for&quot;:&quot;Fastest Overall&quot;,&quot;hero_caption&quot;:null,&quot;first_published_at&quot;:&quot;2019-05-29T09:50:58.000000Z&quot;,&quot;published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-25T20:37:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;last_published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-25T20:35:53.000000Z&quot;,&quot;scheduled_at&quot;:null,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2019-05-23T17:08:16.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-25T20:37:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;product_title&quot;:&quot;Surfshark VPN&quot;,&quot;roundup_product_id&quot;:21270,&quot;isReview&quot;:true,&quot;newSpecs&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:16242,&quot;product_id&quot;:27880,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Blocks Ads&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:0,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-01T22:52:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-10-29T16:59:36.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:16238,&quot;product_id&quot;:27880,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Simultaneous VPN Connections&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;Unlimited&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:1,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-01T22:52:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:37:10.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:16237,&quot;product_id&quot;:27880,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;500+ Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:2,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-01T22:52:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-10-29T16:59:37.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:16243,&quot;product_id&quot;:27880,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Server Locations&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;100 Countries&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:3,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-01T22:52:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:37:10.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:16244,&quot;product_id&quot;:27880,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Geographically Diverse Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:4,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-01T22:52:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-10-29T16:59:37.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:16236,&quot;product_id&quot;:27880,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:false,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:5,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-01T22:52:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-10-29T16:59:37.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:16245,&quot;product_id&quot;:27880,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version Data Limit&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;No Free Version&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:6,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-01T22:52:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:37:10.000000Z&quot;}],&quot;product&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:27880,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;04q3oaGMO76XaZT56tVsqUn&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;ACTIVE&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Surfshark VPN&quot;,&quot;tiered_pricing&quot;:true,&quot;msrp_currency&quot;:&quot;USD&quot;,&quot;msrp_amount&quot;:&quot;15.45&quot;,&quot;msrp_label&quot;:&quot;Per Month, Starts at&quot;,&quot;image&quot;:null,&quot;source_updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-10-29T16:58:44.000000Z&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-01T22:52:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-10-29T16:59:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;specs&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:16242,&quot;product_id&quot;:27880,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Blocks Ads&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:0,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-01T22:52:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-10-29T16:59:36.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:16238,&quot;product_id&quot;:27880,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Simultaneous VPN Connections&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;Unlimited&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:1,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-01T22:52:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:37:10.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:16237,&quot;product_id&quot;:27880,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;500+ Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:2,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-01T22:52:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-10-29T16:59:37.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:16243,&quot;product_id&quot;:27880,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Server Locations&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;100 Countries&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:3,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-01T22:52:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:37:10.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:16244,&quot;product_id&quot;:27880,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Geographically Diverse Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:4,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-01T22:52:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-10-29T16:59:37.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:16236,&quot;product_id&quot;:27880,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:false,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:5,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-01T22:52:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-10-29T16:59:37.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:16245,&quot;product_id&quot;:27880,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version Data Limit&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;No Free Version&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:6,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-01T22:52:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:37:10.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:16239,&quot;product_id&quot;:27880,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Supported Protocols on Android&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:7,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-01T22:52:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:37:10.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:16240,&quot;product_id&quot;:27880,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Supported Protocols on macOS&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;WireGuard, IKEv2&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:8,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-01T22:52:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:37:10.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:16241,&quot;product_id&quot;:27880,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Supported Protocols on iOS&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:9,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-01T22:52:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:37:10.000000Z&quot;}]},&quot;authors&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:509,&quot;legacy_id&quot;:null,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;01oXdQFB122D8N1SANiXoWC&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;Published&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Editorial Author&quot;,&quot;luna_user_id&quot;:null,&quot;is_active&quot;:true,&quot;show_expertise&quot;:1,&quot;show_expertise_filters&quot;:0,&quot;seo_noindex&quot;:0,&quot;first_name&quot;:&quot;Justyn&quot;,&quot;last_name&quot;:&quot;Newman&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;justyn-newman&quot;,&quot;canonical_url&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Senior Writer, Security&quot;,&quot;bio_summary&quot;:[],&quot;bio_content_blocks&quot;:[],&quot;expertise&quot;:[],&quot;email&quot;:&quot;justyn.newman@ziffdavis.com&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:null,&quot;bluesky&quot;:&quot;justynnewman.bsky.social&quot;,&quot;threads&quot;:null,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;justyn-newman-655395143&quot;,&quot;image&quot;:{&quot;path&quot;:&quot;authors\/01oXdQFB122D8N1SANiXoWC.png&quot;,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Justyn Newman&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Justyn Newman&quot;}},&quot;seo_title&quot;:null,&quot;seo_description&quot;:null,&quot;first_published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-18T14:53:05.000000Z&quot;,&quot;published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-07-28T22:52:21.000000Z&quot;,&quot;last_published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-07-28T22:52:16.000000Z&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-18T14:53:00.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-07-28T22:52:21.000000Z&quot;,&quot;pivot&quot;:{&quot;authorable_id&quot;:3990,&quot;author_id&quot;:509,&quot;authorable_type&quot;:&quot;review&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2025-05-29T16:17:43.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-25T20:37:36.000000Z&quot;}}],&quot;brands&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:2777,&quot;legacy_id&quot;:333293,&quot;luna_user_id&quot;:null,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;Published&quot;,&quot;product_uuid&quot;:&quot;036agv40SCXcyS0CC0d4np6&quot;,&quot;spec_sheet_uuid&quot;:&quot;06lWQ6LeMwOhpO7nWLcJo30&quot;,&quot;roundup_id&quot;:315,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;NordVPN&quot;,&quot;heading&quot;:null,&quot;page_title&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;nordvpn&quot;,&quot;canonical_url&quot;:null,&quot;deck&quot;:&quot;An expensive but powerful service that's more than just a VPN&quot;,&quot;seo_description&quot;:null,&quot;focus_keyword&quot;:null,&quot;no_link_injection&quot;:0,&quot;seo_noindex&quot;:0,&quot;is_editors_choice&quot;:true,&quot;use_hero_image_gallery&quot;:false,&quot;is_preview&quot;:false,&quot;show_specs&quot;:true,&quot;score&quot;:&quot;4.5&quot;,&quot;people_involved&quot;:null,&quot;hours_spent&quot;:null,&quot;hours_researched&quot;:null,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;On paper it's hard to beat a &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-vpn-services&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;315&quot;&gt;VPN service&lt;\/a&gt; like NordVPN. It has a large and diverse collection of servers, an impressive arsenal of rarely seen tools, strong privacy and security practices, and approachable clients for every major platform. After a &lt;a href=&quot;\/news\/nordvpn-beefs-up-security-with-audit-bug-bounty-program&quot; data-link-type=&quot;article&quot; data-link-id=&quot;37478&quot;&gt;data breach&lt;\/a&gt;, the company says it stepped up its security game, putting it in a good position for the future. Its challenge now is rebuilding trust, which takes longer than setting up new servers. Still, it's an excellent service, and one that performed well in our testing.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;What Is a VPN?&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;When you switch on a VPN, it creates an encrypted tunnel between your computer and a server controlled by the VPN service. All your web traffic is routed through this tunnel, meaning that no one&amp;mdash;not even someone on the same network as you&amp;mdash;can sneak a peek at your data. It also prevents malicious network operators from intercepting your information or using DNS poisoning techniques to trick you into visiting phishing pages. A VPN even protects your web traffic from being monitored by your ISP, which is critically important now that &lt;a href=&quot;\/news\/trump-officially-hands-control-of-your-data-to-isps&quot; data-link-type=&quot;article&quot; data-link-id=&quot;10844&quot;&gt;ISPs can sell anonymized user data&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;iframe width=&quot;300&quot; height=&quot;150&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%; height: 100%;&quot; src=&quot;https:\/\/mashable.com\/videos\/blueprint:1On8Y6WYlB\/embed\/?player=pcmag&amp;amp;autoplay=true&amp;amp;mute=true&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allowfullscreen=&quot;allowfullscreen&quot;&gt;&lt;\/iframe&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;NordVPN Pricing and Features&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;NordVPN offers four pricing tiers: $11.95 per month, $83.88 annually, $119.76 every two years, or $125.64 every three years. The company accepts credit cards, various anonymous cryptocurrencies, and PayPal, as well as other online payment methods.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;As of this writing, the average price for a VPN service is about $10.10 per month and $73.05 per year, putting a NordVPN subscription well above most other VPN services. Some VPNs cost significantly less. &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/kaspersky-secure-connection-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;4963&quot;&gt;Kaspersky Secure Connection&lt;\/a&gt;, for instance, is just $4.99 per month. Windscribe VPN, alternatively, lets you build your own plan to fit your budget.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;If that's still too pricey, a few free VPNs are worth considering, with &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/protonvpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;9135&quot;&gt;ProtonVPN&lt;\/a&gt; being foremost among them. While all free VPNs have some kind of limitation, ProtonVPN is the only one I've tested that doesn't limit the amount of data free subscribers can use. &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/news\/nordvpn-ends-free-trial-due-to-scammer-abuse&quot;&gt;NordVPN has discontinued its free trial offering&lt;\/a&gt;, stating that scammers were taking advantage of it. Instead, the company offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-25.v_1583780584.png', 'NordVPN 2020', 'NordVPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='NordVPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1280 720'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-19.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1583780584.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-19.png' width='1280' height='720'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='NordVPN' width='1280' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-19.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1583780584.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-19.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;You can use up to six devices simultaneously on NordVPN, though there are some limitations concerning connecting multiple devices to the same server at the same time. Most VPN services limit you to five simultaneous connections, but that's starting to change. Avira Phantom VPN, Encrypt.me VPN, Surfshark VPN, and Windscribe VPN allow an unlimited number of devices. Most services let you add more device slots to your subscription for a fee, but NordVPN does not give you that option.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;One of the perks of using a VPN is that your actual IP address is hidden from the outside world. Some people may also want a static IP address, which NordVPN can provide for $5.83 per month ($69.96 per year). NordVPN offers dedicated IP addresses in France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;VPN Protocols&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;There are several ways to establish a VPN connection, and my preference is for services that use the OpenVPN protocol, which is open source and therefore has been thoroughly examined for potential problems. NordVPN supports OpenVPN and my second-best choice, IKEv2\/IPSec, on all platforms.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The new hotness in the world of VPN protocols is WireGuard. This technology is still under development, but NordVPN is already tinkering with the technology. I've done some limited testing of &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/opinions\/the-vpn-industry-is-on-the-cusp-of-a-major-breakthrough&quot;&gt;NordVPN's Linux implementation&lt;\/a&gt; of WireGuard and the results were, frankly, astounding. A company representative informs me that WireGuard is now available in the company's iPhone app, too.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;VPN Servers and Server Locations&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Part of what you're paying for when you buy a VPN subscription is access the company's network of VPN servers. The best services offer lots of server locations, giving you many options for spoofing your location and improving the odds that there will be a server near your actual, physical location. That's important, because the closer you are to the VPN server you're using, the better performance you're likely to experience.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;NordVPN lets you select one from a list of &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/nordvpn.com\/servers\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;59 countries&lt;\/a&gt;. The bulk of NordVPN's servers are in the US and the UK, which is not unusual for VPN companies. However, NordVPN also has a good mix of servers the world over, covering several locations across Asia, Central and South America, Central and Eastern Europe, and a handful in India and the Middle East. The company currently offers one location in Africa (South Africa), a region ignored by most other VPN services.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;NordVPN provides good geographic diversity with its servers, but other VPN companies outshine it. &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/expressvpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;7874&quot;&gt;ExpressVPN&lt;\/a&gt;, for example, covers 94 countries.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;One notable feature of NordVPN is that it has around 5,300 servers available. That's second only to &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/cyberghost-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;2456&quot;&gt;CyberGhost's&lt;\/a&gt; network of 5,900 servers. VPN services spin up new servers on an as-needed basis, so the total number of servers is partly a reflection of how popular a service is. Ideally, a large pool of servers ensures that no one server becomes overcrowded. You can't correlate performance directly to server count, but the sheer size of NordVPN's network suggests that you're unlikely to encounter an overburdened server.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-26.v_1583780584.png', 'NordVPN 2020', 'NordVPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='NordVPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1280 720'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-20.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1583780584.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-20.png' width='1280' height='720'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='NordVPN' width='1280' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-20.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1583780584.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-20.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;While most of us think of a server as a physical box with computer guts inside, it's also possible to create multiple &lt;i&gt;virtual servers&lt;\/i&gt; hosted on a single, physical machine. Many VPNs use virtual servers to keep up with demand, but some VPNs configure their virtual servers to appear in a different country than the physical machine that hosts them. Virtual servers aren't necessarily a bad thing, but it should be clear to users where exactly their data is headed.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;A NordVPN representative told me that all of its servers are dedicated, and none are virtual servers. That means that the servers are physically located where they claim to be. Other services approach virtual servers differently. ExpressVPN has three percent of its servers in locations other than where they are listed, and offers a list of those servers' true locations. HMA VPN, on the other hand, claims to have servers in 190 countries, but only has physical hardware in 56 sites.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;VPNs are sometimes used to bypass government censorship by connecting to a VPN server in another country. We don't make a specific recommendation for a &lt;a href=&quot;\/news\/why-im-not-choosing-the-best-vpn-for-china&quot; data-link-type=&quot;article&quot; data-link-id=&quot;19553&quot;&gt;VPN to bypass government censorship&lt;\/a&gt;, because the stakes of getting it wrong are simply too high. NordVPN does provide obfuscated servers designed to be accessible from within China.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Notably, NordVPN offers servers in Hong Kong, Turkey, and Vietnam, all of which have restrictive internet policies. Connecting to one of these servers will &lt;i&gt;not&lt;\/i&gt; bypass censorship, but it could provide a modicum of privacy when browsing the web within those countries.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Beyond VPN&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;NordVPN's best feature is the variety of additional tools it provides for improving your privacy. It and ProtonVPN are the only two VPN companies that provide direct access to the Tor anonymization network. This makes it even harder to trace your connection, and it lets you access hidden websites, though at greatly reduced speeds.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;If Tor isn't already overkill (and in many cases, it is) NordVPN also offers multihop connections, which it calls Double VPN. This way, if one leg of the connection is somehow compromised, you can be assured that your connection is still secure. IVPN, Mullvad VPN, ProtonVPN, Surfshark VPN, and VPNArea all offer this feature. ProtonVPN is notable for the extreme lengths it goes to secure its multihop connections, in some cases storing secure servers in an old NATO bunker. Whether that's safer than the average server farm is open to discussion.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-27.v_1583780584.png', 'NordVPN 2020', 'NordVPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='NordVPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1280 720'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-21.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1583780584.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-21.png' width='1280' height='720'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='NordVPN' width='1280' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-21.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1583780584.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-21.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;In addition to its network protections, NordVPN offers malicious site protection with the CyberSec tool. We don't test the efficacy of malicious site blocking, but it's nice to see. It is not, however, a replacement for standalone antivirus or a dedicated tracker blocker. NordVPN also offers standalone products: an &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/picks\/the-best-encryption-software&quot;&gt;encrypted file vault&lt;\/a&gt; called NordLocker and the NordPass &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/picks\/the-best-password-managers&quot;&gt;password manager&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;2018 Server Breach&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;In October 2019, a Tweet storm surfaced alleging that NordVPN and TorGuard VPN servers had been breached in 2018. NordVPN confirmed that its VPN server in Finland had a remote access feature that the company was not aware of, which was used by an attacker to access this one server. The upshot is that the attacker could potentially have observed the traffic moving through that server, and used the &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Transport_Layer_Security&quot;&gt;TLS keys&lt;\/a&gt; to launch a man-in-the-middle attack. NordVPN says there is no evidence that either event occurred, and would have been prohibitively difficult.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;In this era, it's unfair to judge a company too harshly for security incidents because attacks are a frequent occurrence. It's better to judge a company on how it handles a security issue, rather than hold them to the impossible standard of perfection. And it's in that way that NordVPN fell short. The company took over a year to disclose the incident, and the only after being called out on social media. While a company representative tells me that NordVPN has learned its lesson about disclosing security events, it will take some time to rebuild its damaged reputation.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Since the breach was disclosed, NordVPN has taken several steps to improve its security and win back the trust of the public. In addition to the privacy practices outlined below, NordVPN has launched a bug bounty program with HackerOne, to reward people who disclose potential vulnerabilities.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The company has also made moves to harden its infrastructure. A company representative tells me that NordVPN is in the final stages of auditing the datacenters it contracts with and terminating relationships with vendors it deems unsafe. NordVPN is also building a network of collocated servers exclusively under the company's control. Additionally, NordVPN has pledged to undergo an audit of its infrastructure which, I am told, includes &quot;the audit of infrastructure hardware, VPN software, backend architecture, backend source code, and internal procedures.&quot; In a similar vein, the company is switching to diskless servers, which are run only on RAM. That way, if a server is disconnected, there's nothing left to examine. This effort, I am told, is ongoing and rolling out &quot;slowly.&quot;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Finally, NordVPN joined with several other VPN companies to form a trade group called the VPN Trust Initiative. Its aim, among other things, is to set standards for the industry, perhaps bringing some clarity to this rather opaque world.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;These are all excellent improvements, and NordVPN will a better company for them. While all of these show a good-faith effort from NordVPN, most of these initiatives have yet to be completed.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;For a much deeper dive into the breaches, please read &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/opinions\/nordvpn-and-torguard-vpn-breaches-what-you-need-to-know&quot;&gt;NordVPN and TorGuardVPN Breaches: What You Need to Know&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Your Privacy With NordVPN&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;When you use a VPN, it has as much insight into your online activities as your ISP does. If it desired, it could examine every bit of information passing through its system. It also can potentially identify you to another party (read: law enforcement), making it possible to track you online. That's why it's important that before you buy a VPN subscription, you understand and are comfortable with the steps the company takes to safeguard your privacy.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;In general, I'm satisfied with NordVPN's stance on privacy and the efforts it makes to protect customers. It is difficult, however, to fully endorse the privacy practices of any given VPN company. To do so would require deep access to the company's code and hardware, as well as the technical expertise to interpret it all. As always, however, you as the consumer should ask yourself whether or not you are comfortable with trusting any given company with your personal information.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;NordVPN operates under the legal jurisdiction of Panama, where there are no laws requiring the company to retain data for any period of time. The company says that were it to be subpoenaed, it would only respond to a court order or subpoena issued by a Panamanian court. Furthermore, the company says it holds no information on user activity.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The NordVPN privacy policy states that the company does not log &quot;connection time stamps, session information, used bandwidth, traffic logs, IP addresses or other data.&quot; Instead, NordVPN retains the username and time of the last session, but only for 15 minutes after you disconnect from the VPN. That's good. All of this information is available in the company's &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/nordvpn.com\/privacy-policy\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;privacy policy&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;A representative from NordVPN assured me that the company does not profit from the sale of user data. The company does not generate revenue from sources other than customer subscriptions.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;In November of 2018, NordVPN announced that it had &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/nordvpn.com\/blog\/nordvpn-audit\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;passed a third-party audit of its no-log policy&lt;\/a&gt; by PricewaterhouseCoopers, with a second audit. NordVPN has said it intends to do such audits annually. In October, 2019, the company also&lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/nordvpn.com\/blog\/nordvpn-completes-app-security-audit\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt; underwent an audit of its apps by VerSprite&lt;\/a&gt;. Penetration testing revealed several vulnerabilities the company patched. NordVPN joins several VPN companies, including TunnelBear VPN, that are undertaking similar audits. We appreciate these efforts at improved security and transparency, though it's worth noting that &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/news\/what-does-a-vpn-security-audit-really-prove&quot;&gt;not all audits are created equal&lt;\/a&gt;. Still, NordVPN's continued efforts are laudable.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;NordVPN also does not make it easy to find the name of its parent company, or information on corporate leadership, on its website. A company representative told me that it is owned by Tefincom S.A., however. NordVPN does not issue transparency reports about requests for informations by law enforcement, but does maintain a &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Warrant_canary&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;warrant canary&lt;\/a&gt; that indicates it has not received any National Security letters, gag orders, or government-issued warrants. A company representative told me it has not received any government or law enforcement requests for information.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;NordVPN says that its policy is to disclose any security incident &quot;that involves the data of our customers immediately after the vulnerability is patched.&quot;&lt;br \/&gt;&lt;br \/&gt; Security is really an issue of trust. Even if a company does everything right, it doesn't matter much if you, the customer, don't trust them. We recommend that consumers consider this information, and choose a service based on which company they feel they can trust.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Hands On With NordVPN&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;While you can always opt to &lt;a href=&quot;\/how-to\/how-to-set-up-and-use-a-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;article&quot; data-link-id=&quot;21706&quot;&gt;manually set up your VPN&lt;\/a&gt;, I highly recommend using apps provided by the VPN company. These are not only easier to use, they do all the hard work of staying up to date, and they let you access features beyond VPN protection that you simply can't get at via a manual installation. I used a &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/intel-nuc-kit-nuc8i7beh-bean-canyon&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;10220&quot;&gt;Intel NUC Kit NUC8i7BEH (Bean Canyon)&lt;\/a&gt; laptop running the latest version of Windows 10.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;NordVPN has always offered an excellent user experience with its apps, regardless of the platform you use. The Windows client shares a lot of design features with the NordVPN mobile apps, with a monochrome blue map as its focus. It's a bit whimsical, with submarines and ships on the cartoon seas, but it's an easy way to select the server you want.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Clicking the Quick Connect option at the top of the screen or the System Tray connects you to the VPN server that NordVPN thinks is best (generally, the closest). That's a great option for people unfamiliar with VPN services. You can change servers by clicking a location on the map, or with the search bar at the top of the screen if your geography skills are lacking. NordVPN's specialized servers are at the top of the list, putting them within easy reach. I like that NordVPN gives you the option to drill down to specific cities and servers, and that it shows the current load on those servers.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-28.v_1583780584.png', 'NordVPN 2020', 'NordVPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='NordVPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1280 720'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-22.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1583780584.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-22.png' width='1280' height='720'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='NordVPN' width='1280' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-22.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1583780584.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-22.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;NordVPN does not support split tunneling, which lets you designate which apps send their traffic through the VPN tunnel and which do not. It's useful for apps that require a more robust connection but don't need additional security, such as video games. &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/tunnelbear-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;7387&quot;&gt;TunnelBear&lt;span data-commerce-link=&quot;07gTbd8huAzu6dL77AgI3Nt&quot;&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/a&gt; and ExpressVPN include this feature. The client also includes a Kill Switch that shuts off access to the internet for specific applications, should your computer become disconnected from the VPN.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-29.v_1583780584.png', 'NordVPN 2020', 'NordVPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='NordVPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1280 720'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-23.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1583780584.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-23.png' width='1280' height='720'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='NordVPN' width='1280' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-23.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1583780584.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-23.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;One concern is that &lt;a href=&quot;\/how-to\/is-your-vpn-leaking&quot; data-link-type=&quot;article&quot; data-link-id=&quot;13135&quot;&gt;your VPN may be leaking your true IP address or DNS information&lt;\/a&gt;. In my testing, NordVPN successfully changed my IP address and hid my ISP information. The DNS leak test tool indicated that the server I was connected to did not leak my DNS information.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;NordVPN and Netflix&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;I am pleasantly surprised that Netflix did not block me from streaming content while I was connected to a US-based NordVPN server when I tested it. That's great, because Netflix blocks VPNs aggressively. Previously, I was &lt;a href=&quot;\/news\/how-to-unblock-netflix-with-a-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;article&quot; data-link-id=&quot;15585&quot;&gt;able to stream content&lt;\/a&gt; from Netflix while connected to NordVPN servers in Australia, Canada, Japan, and the UK. In the past, it has been the most compatible with Netflix, but that could change at any point as Netflix often manages to block services that previously worked well.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Speed and Performance&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;When you use a VPN, it &lt;i&gt;will&lt;\/i&gt; have an effect on your web browsing performance. To get a sense how great an impact a VPN has, we conduct a series of speed tests using the Ookla speedtest tool. (Note that Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, which also owns PCMag.) We explain our speed testing methodology in depth in our piece on &lt;a href=&quot;\/about\/how-we-test-vpns&quot; data-link-type=&quot;article&quot; data-link-id=&quot;5963&quot;&gt;How We Test VPNs&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;In my testing, NordVPN performed very well while connected to a local server. It's in the top ten &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/picks\/the-fastest-vpns&quot;&gt;fastest VPNs&lt;\/a&gt;. It reduced download speed test results by 63 percent and upload speed test results by 57.3 percent. My tests showed that NordVPN increased latency by 67.5 percent. NordVPN beats the median result in all categories, though it was very close in some cases.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;You can see how NordVPN compares in the chart below with the top performers among the over 40 services we tested. Note that these are ranked by download results, in descending order.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-30.v_1583780584.png', 'Fastest VPN 2020 Better', 'Fastest VPN 2020', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='Fastest VPN 2020' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1280 676'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-24.fit_lim.size_1280x676.v_1583780584.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-24.png' width='1280' height='676'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='Fastest VPN 2020' width='1280' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-24.fit_lim.size_1280x676.v_1583780584.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-24.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;My tests showed that Hotspot Shield VPN is the fastest VPN, having the smallest impact on both download speeds and latency. &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/surfshark-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;3990&quot;&gt;Surfshark VPN&lt;\/a&gt;, notably, snuck in excellent upload speed test results. That said, speed alone shouldn't be the only criteria you use to choose a VPN. Value, ease of use, and a commitment to privacy are far more important factors.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;NordVPN on Other Platforms&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;NordVPN supports Android, Chrome, Firefox, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows. Notably, its iOS client supports WireGuard. NordVPN's mobile clients both allow you to purchase full subscriptions through their respective app stores. Alternatively, you can configure some routers to connect via NordVPN. Doing so supplies coverage for all the devices on your network, including smart home devices that can't run a VPN on their own.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;NordVPN also offers plugins for Firefox and Chrome. Note that, like all proxy browser plugins, the NordVPN plug-ins only secure the traffic of those respective browsers.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;An Excellent VPN&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;NordVPN has long been at the top of PCMag's ranking of VPNs, and it's easy to see why. It commands an enormous fleet of servers across the globe, and takes a kitchen sink approach to security features. It does all that while not ignoring the user experience, featuring simple, approachable apps that anyone can get the hang of in a few seconds. The company is also looking forward, incorporating new technology like WireGuard into its core products.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Historically, the only drawback to NordVPN has been its price, which is still significantly higher than the average. That all changed in 2019, when the details of a server breach from the previous year emerged. The threat to users from the breach is debatable, and the steps that the company has since taken to secure its infrastructure may mean that the company is on firmer footing for security and privacy than ever, but the enormous delay in disclosing the incident is far more concerning. Every product or company is going to have some kind of security failure eventually, what matters is how the failure is handled. NordVPN initially fell short in its response, and while it remains an excellent product, it now has to follow through on the fence-mending work of rebuilding trust.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;style&gt;&lt;\/style&gt;&quot;,&quot;body_content_blocks&quot;:[],&quot;images&quot;:{&quot;autoincrement&quot;:103,&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;index&quot;:31,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-31.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:719,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;9055711472a1502b9a2fa95a28b52c9d&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1602257660,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;hero&quot;:true,&quot;logo&quot;:true,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;NordVPN&quot;,&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;NordVPN logo&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;legacy_id&quot;:&quot;608357&quot;,&quot;thumbnail&quot;:true,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;legacy_size&quot;:&quot;large&quot;,&quot;photo_credit&quot;:null,&quot;hero_position&quot;:1,&quot;load_image_bits&quot;:false,&quot;legacy_updated_at&quot;:&quot;2018-12-03 12:30:15.623&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:57,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-57.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:2880,&quot;height&quot;:1800,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;d04c0928d9724c4ec79330f8e2a1c0a0&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1615562154,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;NordVPN interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;,&quot;content-blocks-editor-uploaded-image&quot;:&quot;content-blocks-editor-uploaded-image-35084&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:58,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-58.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:2880,&quot;height&quot;:1800,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;d04c0928d9724c4ec79330f8e2a1c0a0&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1615562154,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;NordVPN on MacOS&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:61,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-61.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:640,&quot;height&quot;:360,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;9ade5aa31af21b825b15f45980cb0486&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1619705445,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;NordVPN's interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:62,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-62.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:3868,&quot;height&quot;:2175,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;6dc503f85b6ce471768859cc66ec11dd&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1619708351,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;NordVPN interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;,&quot;content-blocks-editor-uploaded-image&quot;:&quot;content-blocks-editor-uploaded-image-43900&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:63,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-63.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:3868,&quot;height&quot;:2175,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;806fbcca8247425236e64d59023c0923&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1619708351,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;NordVPN's interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:65,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-65.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1200,&quot;height&quot;:675,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;a3d37cec19cfd2e607be68e376f41bf0&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1658176800,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;NordVPN interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:66,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-66.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1214,&quot;height&quot;:683,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;d15346008ec0b603de0a8bfc7709b119&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1658176800,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;NordVPN interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:67,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-67.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1240,&quot;height&quot;:697,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;5551c3b9bc7620f1473facff7c9d3cc4&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1658176800,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;NordVPN interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:68,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-68.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1234,&quot;height&quot;:694,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;8abbed684f39b741bab860062ed1559a&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1658176800,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;NordVPN interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:69,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-69.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1244,&quot;height&quot;:700,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;1392a85f67c19eaac716cacf12a422b9&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1658176800,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;NordVPN interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:70,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-70.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1202,&quot;height&quot;:676,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;f84a652e25175f39921d53319c54bbcc&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1658176800,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;NordVPN interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:71,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-71.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1406,&quot;height&quot;:791,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;383499240af2685b6842d44bcf898935&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1658176800,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;NordVPN interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:74,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-74.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:3902,&quot;height&quot;:2195,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;2d2200cdea36b1b947730a6daa93df36&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1660242932,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Two screenshots showing NordVPN's iOS interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:75,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-75.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:640,&quot;height&quot;:360,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;6beb4d2b1a24bb9c14d2899cfdb9704d&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1664569870,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;NordVPN's interface on Android&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:76,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-76.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;1bbb8a620f45485f99fc0fa9fd6e80c8&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1677617968,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Screenshot of the Windows NordVPN app showing the list of available servers&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:78,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-78.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;dd84f8187bffa680b744e0f5a4a934bf&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1677617968,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Screenshot of the NordVPN Windows app showing the split tunneling controls&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:79,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-79.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;a3a773ffb21ac47673f33ca540f3f2b4&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1677617968,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Screenshot of the NordVPN app on Windows showing the Kill Switch settings&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:80,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-80.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;2f128bb87e97dc118c7d3e6125e60c1e&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1677617968,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Screenshot of the NordVPN app on Windows zoomed in to show the different times for the Pause button&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:81,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-81.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;4ccd31bb43bbdd562623895acf0b478f&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1677617968,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Screenshot of the NordVPN Windows app showing the Threat Protection settings&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:82,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-82.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;58710a1c7714696a8f68ad16f7b97907&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1677617968,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Screenshot of the NordVPN app on Windows showing the Threat Protection settings with icons&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:83,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-83.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;827448b544b87e16634563bfbd9b8167&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1677617968,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Screenshot of the NordVPN Windows app showing the different types of servers available&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:84,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-84.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;6e9896b80c98c9777f9218a4ba694bd9&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1677617968,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Screenshot of the NordVPN app on Windows&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:85,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-85.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;00416b94393b80f04d5a05b300177477&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1677617968,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Screenshot of the NordVPN setup Wizard on Windows &quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:86,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-86.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;d63968273421d3da9efad7b8b7276f80&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1679338876,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Screenshots from the NordVPN Android app showing traffic routing between devices&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:87,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-87.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;d465056f21b2508f12ee9a99e8a2c0f0&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1679338876,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Alert in the NordVPN Windows app showing that a file has been successfully transfered via Meshnet&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:88,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-88.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;934076ac4a157a24202d05884d9b0216&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1679338876,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Control settings for Meshnet in the NordVPN Windows app&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;,&quot;content-blocks-editor-uploaded-image&quot;:&quot;image-67725&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:89,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-89.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1320,&quot;height&quot;:922,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;481e95b5a56ddc0bb178b451dd56c2bb&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1723831906,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;nordvpn pricing&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:90,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-90.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1070,&quot;height&quot;:863,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;20dce82c0d033bb0f4452e9154874af1&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1723831906,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;nordvpn main window&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:91,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-91.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:997,&quot;height&quot;:442,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;b4aa12a396327d248cae8a5dcd660a4f&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1723831906,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;nordvpn server selector&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:92,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-92.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1001,&quot;height&quot;:806,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;fbfac6adf159f5cb8f9cc871c494c0a5&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1723831906,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;nordvpn server map&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:93,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-93.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1861,&quot;height&quot;:924,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;756a459f2a73b3023fad7203b00f3a35&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1723845098,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;nordvpn mobile screenshots&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:94,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-94.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1067,&quot;height&quot;:858,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;756db418c3c783383f5381d4b3f18f85&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1723846139,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;nordvpn windows main map&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:95,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-95.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:946,&quot;height&quot;:775,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;e9e8f225f897f1d5838ad82f781e899c&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1724709477,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;nord tpp main screen&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:96,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-96.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:946,&quot;height&quot;:775,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;e9e8f225f897f1d5838ad82f781e899c&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1724709477,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;content-blocks-editor-uploaded-image&quot;:&quot;content-blocks-editor-uploaded-image-14443&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:97,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-97.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;96268f3d40c3c438803b0cd7d28a64a7&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1724709477,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;nord tpp protection results&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:98,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-98.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1085,&quot;height&quot;:753,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;1a185e7e5fc65ed2e76937727f53a440&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1724709477,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;nord tpp protection page&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:99,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-99.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:946,&quot;height&quot;:775,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;ad24662f2292ec406297a305a67badaa&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1724709477,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;nord tpp vulnerability detection&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:100,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-100.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1085,&quot;height&quot;:694,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;23de4fce852ee67528cea8b4ab48f50f&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1724709477,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;nord tpp suspiscious scam&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:101,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-101.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:946,&quot;height&quot;:775,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;db23a57808582bf34e58e9ba9121cfda&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1724709477,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;nord tpp web protection settings&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:102,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04yO1RQQQj7e5kEow66iE52-102.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:972,&quot;height&quot;:678,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;2d6b858d66c5ad83d63446505b0f37de&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1724709477,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;NordVPN Threat Protection Search Results Markup&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: NordVPN\/PCMag&quot;}}],&quot;metadata&quot;:[]},&quot;hero_image_gallery&quot;:{&quot;autoincrement&quot;:1,&quot;images&quot;:[],&quot;metadata&quot;:[]},&quot;editors_note&quot;:[],&quot;final_thoughts_body&quot;:[],&quot;final_thoughts_image&quot;:null,&quot;should_i_upgrade_body&quot;:[],&quot;pros&quot;:&quot;Support for multi-hop, split tunneling, and Tor connectionsrnBevy of available features and add-onsrnGood speed resultsrnBuilt-in antivirus toolsrnExcellent designrnFriendly onboarding wizard&quot;,&quot;cons&quot;:&quot;ExpensivernThreat Protection Pro lacks full antivirus capabilitiesrnDeceptive annual renewal pricing&quot;,&quot;bottom_line&quot;:&quot;NordVPN packs numerous privacy features into a slick client that has grown beyond just VPN protection into a privacy juggernaut, offering antivirus and unique tools at a premium price.&quot;,&quot;best_for&quot;:&quot;Lowest Latency&quot;,&quot;hero_caption&quot;:null,&quot;first_published_at&quot;:&quot;2015-03-31T17:44:13.000000Z&quot;,&quot;published_at&quot;:&quot;2024-09-04T19:10:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;last_published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-05-19T15:37:21.000000Z&quot;,&quot;scheduled_at&quot;:null,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2015-03-30T14:10:31.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-05-19T15:37:25.000000Z&quot;,&quot;product_title&quot;:&quot;NordVPN&quot;,&quot;roundup_product_id&quot;:9570,&quot;isReview&quot;:true,&quot;newSpecs&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:101942,&quot;product_id&quot;:95686,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Blocks Ads&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:0,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:25:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-08T19:55:03.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:101938,&quot;product_id&quot;:95686,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Simultaneous VPN Connections&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;6&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:1,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:25:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:54.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:101937,&quot;product_id&quot;:95686,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;500+ Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:2,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:25:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-08T19:55:03.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:101943,&quot;product_id&quot;:95686,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Server Locations&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;118 countries&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:3,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:25:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-08T19:55:03.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:101944,&quot;product_id&quot;:95686,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Geographically Diverse Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:4,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:25:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-08T19:55:03.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:101936,&quot;product_id&quot;:95686,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:false,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:5,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:25:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-08T19:55:03.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:101945,&quot;product_id&quot;:95686,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version Data Limit&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;No Free Version&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:6,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:25:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:55.000000Z&quot;}],&quot;product&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:95686,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;036agv40SCXcyS0CC0d4np6&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;ACTIVE&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;NordVPN&quot;,&quot;tiered_pricing&quot;:true,&quot;msrp_currency&quot;:&quot;USD&quot;,&quot;msrp_amount&quot;:&quot;12.99&quot;,&quot;msrp_label&quot;:&quot;Per Month, Starts at&quot;,&quot;image&quot;:null,&quot;source_updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-08T19:54:50.000000Z&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:25:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-08T19:55:03.000000Z&quot;,&quot;specs&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:101942,&quot;product_id&quot;:95686,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Blocks Ads&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:0,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:25:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-08T19:55:03.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:101938,&quot;product_id&quot;:95686,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Simultaneous VPN Connections&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;6&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:1,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:25:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:54.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:101937,&quot;product_id&quot;:95686,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;500+ Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:2,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:25:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-08T19:55:03.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:101943,&quot;product_id&quot;:95686,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Server Locations&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;118 countries&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:3,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:25:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-08T19:55:03.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:101944,&quot;product_id&quot;:95686,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Geographically Diverse Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:4,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:25:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-08T19:55:03.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:101936,&quot;product_id&quot;:95686,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:false,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:5,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:25:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-08T19:55:03.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:101945,&quot;product_id&quot;:95686,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version Data Limit&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;No Free Version&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:6,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:25:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:55.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:101939,&quot;product_id&quot;:95686,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Supported Protocols on Android&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;NordLynx (WireGuard), OpenVPN&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:7,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:25:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:55.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:101940,&quot;product_id&quot;:95686,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Supported Protocols on macOS&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;NordLynx (based on WireGuard), OpenVPN, IKEv2&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:8,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:25:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:55.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:101941,&quot;product_id&quot;:95686,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Supported Protocols on iOS&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;NordLynx (WireGuard), OpenVPN, IKEv2\/IPSec&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:9,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:25:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:55.000000Z&quot;}]},&quot;authors&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:28,&quot;legacy_id&quot;:184,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;05KCrAjPLMgB30jl5fmp5eF&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;Published&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Editorial Author&quot;,&quot;luna_user_id&quot;:null,&quot;is_active&quot;:true,&quot;show_expertise&quot;:1,&quot;show_expertise_filters&quot;:1,&quot;seo_noindex&quot;:0,&quot;first_name&quot;:&quot;Neil J.&quot;,&quot;last_name&quot;:&quot;Rubenking&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;neil-j-rubenking&quot;,&quot;canonical_url&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Principal Writer, Security&quot;,&quot;bio_summary&quot;:[],&quot;bio_content_blocks&quot;:[],&quot;expertise&quot;:[],&quot;email&quot;:&quot;neil_rubenking@pcmag.com&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:null,&quot;bluesky&quot;:&quot;varzilthegood.bsky.social&quot;,&quot;threads&quot;:null,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;neiljrubenking&quot;,&quot;image&quot;:{&quot;path&quot;:&quot;authors\/05KCrAjPLMgB30jl5fmp5eF.png&quot;,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;A headshot of Neil J. Rubenking&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;unknown&quot;}},&quot;seo_title&quot;:null,&quot;seo_description&quot;:null,&quot;first_published_at&quot;:&quot;2020-01-13T20:11:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-07-28T22:51:54.000000Z&quot;,&quot;last_published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-07-28T22:51:50.000000Z&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2019-06-11T02:52:11.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-07-28T22:51:54.000000Z&quot;,&quot;pivot&quot;:{&quot;authorable_id&quot;:2777,&quot;author_id&quot;:28,&quot;authorable_type&quot;:&quot;review&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-09-04T18:44:30.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-05-19T15:37:25.000000Z&quot;}},{&quot;id&quot;:178,&quot;legacy_id&quot;:7224,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;050v6fPGx9K08chnKWledz6&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;Published&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Editorial Author&quot;,&quot;luna_user_id&quot;:62,&quot;is_active&quot;:true,&quot;show_expertise&quot;:0,&quot;show_expertise_filters&quot;:0,&quot;seo_noindex&quot;:0,&quot;first_name&quot;:&quot;Chris&quot;,&quot;last_name&quot;:&quot;Stobing&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;chris-stobing&quot;,&quot;canonical_url&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Senior Analyst, Security&quot;,&quot;bio_summary&quot;:[],&quot;bio_content_blocks&quot;:[],&quot;expertise&quot;:[],&quot;email&quot;:&quot;chris_stobing@ziffdavis.com&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:null,&quot;bluesky&quot;:null,&quot;threads&quot;:null,&quot;linkedin&quot;:null,&quot;image&quot;:{&quot;path&quot;:&quot;authors\/050v6fPGx9K08chnKWledz6.png&quot;,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Chris Stobing headshot&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;PCMag&quot;}},&quot;seo_title&quot;:null,&quot;seo_description&quot;:null,&quot;first_published_at&quot;:&quot;2020-02-06T22:08:16.000000Z&quot;,&quot;published_at&quot;:&quot;2024-08-15T16:18:31.000000Z&quot;,&quot;last_published_at&quot;:&quot;2024-08-15T16:18:24.000000Z&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2019-06-11T02:52:42.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-08-15T16:18:31.000000Z&quot;,&quot;pivot&quot;:{&quot;authorable_id&quot;:2777,&quot;author_id&quot;:178,&quot;authorable_type&quot;:&quot;review&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-03-26T21:01:54.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-05-19T15:37:25.000000Z&quot;}}],&quot;brands&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:4203,&quot;legacy_id&quot;:6250,&quot;luna_user_id&quot;:null,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;021MWY0W3chQ8tdlwbxRQyv&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;Published&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;NordVPN&quot;,&quot;seo_title&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;nordvpn&quot;,&quot;canonical_url&quot;:null,&quot;seo_noindex&quot;:0,&quot;deck&quot;:null,&quot;seo_description&quot;:null,&quot;first_published_at&quot;:&quot;2020-01-08T11:26:00.000000Z&quot;,&quot;published_at&quot;:&quot;2020-01-08T11:26:00.000000Z&quot;,&quot;last_published_at&quot;:&quot;2020-01-08T11:26:00.000000Z&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2019-06-11T02:54:52.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2020-01-08T11:26:00.000000Z&quot;,&quot;pivot&quot;:{&quot;brandable_id&quot;:2777,&quot;brand_id&quot;:4203,&quot;brandable_type&quot;:&quot;review&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2020-01-12T00:07:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-05-19T15:37:25.000000Z&quot;}}]},{&quot;id&quot;:17544,&quot;legacy_id&quot;:null,&quot;luna_user_id&quot;:null,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;04nsFjYxgdcYmKbESqG7dSM&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;Published&quot;,&quot;product_uuid&quot;:&quot;01ocdj7pQCIRzviciWNNwsX&quot;,&quot;spec_sheet_uuid&quot;:&quot;06lWQ6LeMwOhpO7nWLcJo30&quot;,&quot;roundup_id&quot;:315,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Windscribe VPN&quot;,&quot;heading&quot;:null,&quot;page_title&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;windscribe-vpn&quot;,&quot;canonical_url&quot;:null,&quot;deck&quot;:&quot;An exceptional VPN built on trust&quot;,&quot;seo_description&quot;:null,&quot;focus_keyword&quot;:&quot;windscribe VPN review&quot;,&quot;no_link_injection&quot;:0,&quot;seo_noindex&quot;:0,&quot;is_editors_choice&quot;:true,&quot;use_hero_image_gallery&quot;:false,&quot;is_preview&quot;:false,&quot;show_specs&quot;:true,&quot;score&quot;:&quot;4.5&quot;,&quot;people_involved&quot;:null,&quot;hours_spent&quot;:null,&quot;hours_researched&quot;:null,&quot;body&quot;:null,&quot;body_content_blocks&quot;:[],&quot;images&quot;:{&quot;autoincrement&quot;:10,&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;index&quot;:9,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04nsFjYxgdcYmKbESqG7dSM-9.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:2500,&quot;height&quot;:1250,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;c233d592ee22c81a6b28020b360c4bdc&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1718650718,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Windscribe logo: A W in an octagon and the word &quot;windscribe&quot; in black on a white background&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Windscribe&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:8,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04nsFjYxgdcYmKbESqG7dSM-8.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:421,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;fb9801a23b7a093dbb1567b9e1f80b39&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1718642009,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;windscribe logo 1&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Windscribe&quot;,&quot;content-blocks-editor-uploaded-image&quot;:&quot;content-blocks-editor-uploaded-image-59594&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:4,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04nsFjYxgdcYmKbESqG7dSM-4.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:400,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;e80aada9a1b23bf6831dddebaf04452c&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1717809862,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;windscribe logo&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Windscribe&quot;,&quot;content-blocks-editor-uploaded-image&quot;:&quot;content-blocks-editor-uploaded-image-60819&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:1,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04nsFjYxgdcYmKbESqG7dSM-1.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:803,&quot;height&quot;:574,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;077bb8be43ccd0c35421b345a21aa0f4&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1717786324,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;windscribe main&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Windscribe\/PCMag&quot;,&quot;content-blocks-editor-uploaded-image&quot;:&quot;content-blocks-editor-uploaded-image-45103&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:2,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04nsFjYxgdcYmKbESqG7dSM-2.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:805,&quot;height&quot;:575,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;13a52b6b5bac41da747fbcc67b69bce9&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1717789597,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;windscribe vpn settings&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Windscribe\/PCMag&quot;,&quot;content-blocks-editor-uploaded-image&quot;:&quot;content-blocks-editor-uploaded-image-33615&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:3,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04nsFjYxgdcYmKbESqG7dSM-3.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:803,&quot;height&quot;:574,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;e660a96d7d6563d0bda80b41aff5ea3d&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1717789597,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;windscribe proxy settings&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Windscribe\/PCMag&quot;,&quot;content-blocks-editor-uploaded-image&quot;:&quot;content-blocks-editor-uploaded-image-69539&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:5,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04nsFjYxgdcYmKbESqG7dSM-5.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1204,&quot;height&quot;:577,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;bae82dc9f6973d6d88c28b0e755b5d55&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1717809862,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;windscribe pricing&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Windscribe\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:6,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04nsFjYxgdcYmKbESqG7dSM-6.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1181,&quot;height&quot;:546,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;a9d41d476f5a9d6e6e61f6be6cf83565&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1717809862,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;windscribe robert&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Windscribe\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:7,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/04nsFjYxgdcYmKbESqG7dSM-7.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1843,&quot;height&quot;:984,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;b3674d2134592893aa3af01ce697ad51&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1718042305,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;windscrivbe mobile&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Windscribe\/PCMag&quot;}}],&quot;metadata&quot;:[]},&quot;hero_image_gallery&quot;:{&quot;autoincrement&quot;:1,&quot;images&quot;:[],&quot;metadata&quot;:[]},&quot;editors_note&quot;:[],&quot;final_thoughts_body&quot;:[],&quot;final_thoughts_image&quot;:null,&quot;should_i_upgrade_body&quot;:[],&quot;pros&quot;:&quot;Industry-leading company transparency and communicationrnLarge number of payment optionsrnBest free plan of any VPN we've testedrnHelpful AI support botrnOpen Netflix access in all regions benchmarkedrnUnlimited number of simultaneous connections and devicesrnAnonymous signup allowed&quot;,&quot;cons&quot;:&quot;Middling speed results&quot;,&quot;bottom_line&quot;:&quot;From its deep set of features to its class-leading transparency, Windscribe offers an excellent, refreshingly clear-cut VPN experience.&quot;,&quot;best_for&quot;:&quot;Best for Privacy&quot;,&quot;hero_caption&quot;:null,&quot;first_published_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-17T19:47:23.000000Z&quot;,&quot;published_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-17T19:47:23.000000Z&quot;,&quot;last_published_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-18T16:33:07.000000Z&quot;,&quot;scheduled_at&quot;:null,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-06T21:51:24.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-18T16:33:12.000000Z&quot;,&quot;product_title&quot;:&quot;Windscribe VPN&quot;,&quot;roundup_product_id&quot;:21272,&quot;isReview&quot;:true,&quot;newSpecs&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:141512,&quot;product_id&quot;:129968,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Blocks Ads&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:0,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-12T13:56:29.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:141513,&quot;product_id&quot;:129968,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Simultaneous VPN Connections&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;Unlimited&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:1,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:141514,&quot;product_id&quot;:129968,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;500+ Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:2,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-12T13:56:29.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:141515,&quot;product_id&quot;:129968,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Server Locations&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;69 Countries&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:3,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:141516,&quot;product_id&quot;:129968,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Geographically Diverse Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:4,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-12T13:56:29.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:141517,&quot;product_id&quot;:129968,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:5,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-12T13:56:29.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:141518,&quot;product_id&quot;:129968,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version Data Limit&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;10GB Per Month&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:6,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;}],&quot;product&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:129968,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;01ocdj7pQCIRzviciWNNwsX&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;ACTIVE&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Windscribe&quot;,&quot;tiered_pricing&quot;:false,&quot;msrp_currency&quot;:&quot;USD&quot;,&quot;msrp_amount&quot;:&quot;9.00&quot;,&quot;msrp_label&quot;:&quot;MSRP&quot;,&quot;image&quot;:null,&quot;source_updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-12T13:55:32.000000Z&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-12T13:56:29.000000Z&quot;,&quot;specs&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:141512,&quot;product_id&quot;:129968,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Blocks Ads&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:0,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-12T13:56:29.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:141513,&quot;product_id&quot;:129968,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Simultaneous VPN Connections&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;Unlimited&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:1,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:141514,&quot;product_id&quot;:129968,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;500+ Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:2,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-12T13:56:29.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:141515,&quot;product_id&quot;:129968,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Server Locations&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;69 Countries&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:3,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:141516,&quot;product_id&quot;:129968,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Geographically Diverse Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:4,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-12T13:56:29.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:141517,&quot;product_id&quot;:129968,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:5,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-12T13:56:29.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:141518,&quot;product_id&quot;:129968,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version Data Limit&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;10GB Per Month&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:6,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-07T20:01:14.000000Z&quot;}]},&quot;authors&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:178,&quot;legacy_id&quot;:7224,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;050v6fPGx9K08chnKWledz6&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;Published&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Editorial Author&quot;,&quot;luna_user_id&quot;:62,&quot;is_active&quot;:true,&quot;show_expertise&quot;:0,&quot;show_expertise_filters&quot;:0,&quot;seo_noindex&quot;:0,&quot;first_name&quot;:&quot;Chris&quot;,&quot;last_name&quot;:&quot;Stobing&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;chris-stobing&quot;,&quot;canonical_url&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Senior Analyst, Security&quot;,&quot;bio_summary&quot;:[],&quot;bio_content_blocks&quot;:[],&quot;expertise&quot;:[],&quot;email&quot;:&quot;chris_stobing@ziffdavis.com&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:null,&quot;bluesky&quot;:null,&quot;threads&quot;:null,&quot;linkedin&quot;:null,&quot;image&quot;:{&quot;path&quot;:&quot;authors\/050v6fPGx9K08chnKWledz6.png&quot;,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Chris Stobing headshot&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;PCMag&quot;}},&quot;seo_title&quot;:null,&quot;seo_description&quot;:null,&quot;first_published_at&quot;:&quot;2020-02-06T22:08:16.000000Z&quot;,&quot;published_at&quot;:&quot;2024-08-15T16:18:31.000000Z&quot;,&quot;last_published_at&quot;:&quot;2024-08-15T16:18:24.000000Z&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2019-06-11T02:52:42.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-08-15T16:18:31.000000Z&quot;,&quot;pivot&quot;:{&quot;authorable_id&quot;:17544,&quot;author_id&quot;:178,&quot;authorable_type&quot;:&quot;review&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-06T21:51:26.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-06-18T16:33:15.000000Z&quot;}}],&quot;brands&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:3060,&quot;legacy_id&quot;:362405,&quot;luna_user_id&quot;:null,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;Published&quot;,&quot;product_uuid&quot;:&quot;02nwS0rA4I77JXf1DTxQf3f&quot;,&quot;spec_sheet_uuid&quot;:&quot;06lWQ6LeMwOhpO7nWLcJo30&quot;,&quot;roundup_id&quot;:315,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Hide.me VPN&quot;,&quot;heading&quot;:&quot;Hide.me VPN Review: An Affordable, Highly Customizable Service&quot;,&quot;page_title&quot;:&quot;Hide.me VPN Review: An Affordable, Highly Customizable Service&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;hideme-vpn&quot;,&quot;canonical_url&quot;:null,&quot;deck&quot;:&quot;An Affordable, Highly-Customizable Service&quot;,&quot;seo_description&quot;:null,&quot;focus_keyword&quot;:null,&quot;no_link_injection&quot;:0,&quot;seo_noindex&quot;:0,&quot;is_editors_choice&quot;:true,&quot;use_hero_image_gallery&quot;:false,&quot;is_preview&quot;:false,&quot;show_specs&quot;:true,&quot;score&quot;:&quot;4.0&quot;,&quot;people_involved&quot;:null,&quot;hours_spent&quot;:null,&quot;hours_researched&quot;:null,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;When testing a &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-vpn-services&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;315&quot;&gt;virtual private network, or VPN&lt;\/a&gt;, we always consider the service's price, privacy, and technology. Hide.me does well in all of most of those areas, and is especially notable for its advanced features like Split Tunneling. It is, however, expensive compared to the competition, and, if you don't need those advanced features, the price is hard to justify.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;What Is a VPN?&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;When you switch on a VPN, it creates an encrypted tunnel between your computer and a server operated by the VPN company. All of your web traffic is routed through this tunnel, using encryption to keep your activities hidden from the prying eyes of the world. From the VPN server, your traffic then exits onto the internet as normal. When you use a VPN, anyone watching your traffic will see the VPN server's IP address instead of your own. That's handy, since an IP address will probably be fairly close to your actual location.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;n&lt;!-- ZIFFHTML START 3993 --&gt;n&lt;A HREF=&quot;http:\/\/securitywatch.pcmag.com\/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;img alt='SecurityWatch' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 95 85'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-1.fit_lim.size_95x85.v_1569469935.jpg&quot;}' align=&quot;left&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-1.jpg'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='SecurityWatch' width='95' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-1.fit_lim.size_95x85.v_1569469935.jpg' align=&quot;left&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-1.jpg'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/A&gt;n&lt;!-- ZIFFHTML END 3993 --&gt;nCriminals aren't the only ones keeping tabs on you. Your ISP has permission from Congress to &lt;a href=&quot;\/news\/trump-officially-hands-control-of-your-data-to-isps&quot; data-link-type=&quot;article&quot; data-link-id=&quot;10844&quot;&gt;sell anonymized user data&lt;\/a&gt;, but it can't peer inside a VPN tunnel. A VPN can also curb (but probably not entirely stop) efforts by advertisers to track you across the web. Since the NSA's spooks already have the ability to spy on the activities of just about anyone on the internet, using a VPN is a great way to keep their noses out of your business.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;iframe width=&quot;300&quot; height=&quot;150&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%; height: 100%;&quot; src=&quot;https:\/\/mashable.com\/videos\/blueprint:1On8Y6WYlB\/embed\/?player=pcmag&amp;amp;autoplay=true&amp;amp;mute=true&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allowfullscreen=&quot;allowfullscreen&quot;&gt;&lt;\/iframe&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Pricing and Features&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Unlike most other VPN services, Hide.me has a full-fledged free tier. For the low, low price of nothing (not even your credit card information!), you can access five Hide.me VPN server locations on one device at a time. You are, however, limited to 2GB of data per month.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;There are other &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-free-vpns&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;216&quot;&gt;free VPNs&lt;\/a&gt; available if you don't like the offer Hide.me makes. TunnelBear's free version offers less data per month, at just 500MB. &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/protonvpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;9135&quot;&gt;ProtonVPN &lt;span data-commerce-link=&quot;07MzChxv6c3GEopWVEsNLtg&quot;&gt;&lt;\/span&gt; &lt;\/a&gt; doesn't limit your data usage, but limits the devices and servers available to free users.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-18.v_1570635440.png', 'Hide.me Update', 'Hide.me VPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='Hide.me VPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1280 720'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-11.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1570635440.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-11.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='Hide.me VPN' width='1280' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-11.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1570635440.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-11.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Hide.me's paid tier is called Premium, which costs $14.95 per month and is what I have tested here. That's significantly more than the current industry average of $10.80 per month. Notably, all of PCMag's highest-rated VPNs are less expensive than Hide.me. &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/norton-secure-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;8100&quot;&gt;Norton Secure VPN&lt;\/a&gt;, for instance, is only $7.99 per month, and ProtonVPN's multi-tier system means you can get an excellent, full-featured VPN for as little as $5.00 per month. Note that Hide.me, like most other VPN companies, frequently offers discounts on its subscriptions. You may see a lower price when you visit the site, but $14.95 is the base listed price.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The Premium tier removes the data cap from the free tier, grants access to all 57 VPN locations Hide.me offers, and raises the device limit to 10. That's twice the industry average for simultaneous connections. Avira Phantom VPN, Surfshark VPN, and Windscribe VPN place no limit on the number of devices you can use.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;As with most VPN companies, Hide.me offers longer subscriptions at a discount. A one-year plan with Hide.me will run you $59.95, and a two-year plan costs $99.95. NordVPN costs a mere $83.88 per year, ProtonVPN's Plus tier costs $96.00 per year, and &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/tunnelbear-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;7387&quot;&gt;TunnelBear's &lt;span data-commerce-link=&quot;07gTbd8huAzu6dL77AgI3Nt&quot;&gt;&lt;\/span&gt; &lt;\/a&gt; excellent service costs slightly less at $59.88 per year. In general, I advise customers to purchase short-term plans first, then try out the VPN service for a while before committing to a long-term plan. That way, you can be sure the VPN will work for all the services you use most frequently.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;You can purchase an account from the Hide.me website using major credit cards, PayPal, and several anonymous cryptocoin options like BitCoin and Ethereum. That's particularly handy if you want a fully anonymous experience when purchasing a VPN. Some VPN companies, such as TorGuard VPN, let you purchase an account using prepaid gift cards from major retailers, like Subway sandwiches. I did, however, notice that the Privacy Badger tracker blocker made the Hide.me purchase page unusable. This is the first time I have encountered this issue in more than two dozen VPN reviews.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Avid BitTorrent users should note that Hide.me does allow file sharing on its network, but only on certain servers. That's true for nearly every VPN I've reviewed thus far. That said, simply allowing it doesn't mean it's the &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-vpns-for-bittorrent&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;91&quot;&gt;best VPN for BitTorrent&lt;\/a&gt;. TorGuard, for example, offers a slew of specialty offerings designed to protect and support the use of BitTorrent.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;One thing Hide.me doesn't offer is specialized servers. Many VPN companies have servers marked for specific situations, like trying to watch Netflix in the US. NordVPN has many specialized servers, including one that provides double encryption and another that routes your traffic through the &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/tor-browser&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;2455&quot;&gt;Tor&lt;\/a&gt; anonymization network via VPN.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;VPN Protocols&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;VPNs have been around for a long time, so people have figured out several different ways to create an encrypted tunnel. My preferred method is by using the OpenVPN protocol. OpenVPN has the advantage of being newer technology, and it's open-source. That means its code has been thoroughly examined by many users for potential vulnerabilities.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-19.v_1570635440.png', 'Hide.me Update', 'Hide.me VPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='Hide.me VPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1280 720'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-12.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1570635440.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-12.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='Hide.me VPN' width='1280' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-12.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1570635440.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-12.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The Hide.me Windows app that I tested for this review uses OpenVPN, which is a point in its favor. It also supports the IKEv2 protocol, which is new and secure. The service also provides legacy support for L2TP\/IPSec, as well as the older SSTP and PPTP protocols. I would advise against using these last two, but they can be handy for legacy support.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Additionally, Hide.me includes support for the &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SoftEther_VPN&quot;&gt;SoftEther VPN protocol&lt;\/a&gt;. It's the first service I'm aware of that uses this particular technology, which the company says is designed to be hard to detect and block. Other VPNs offer similar features that seek to disguise VPN traffic in order to circumvent VPN blocking. TunnelBear, for instance, calls this feature GhostBear. &lt;a href=&quot;\/opinions\/the-vpn-industry-is-on-the-cusp-of-a-major-breakthrough&quot; data-link-type=&quot;article&quot; data-link-id=&quot;3541&quot;&gt;WireGuard&lt;\/a&gt; is the heir-apparent to OpenVPN, promising unrivaled speeds and the latest security. It's still a protocol under development and Hide.me doesn't currently provide support for WireGuard in its Windows app.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Servers and Server Locations&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The number of servers and the location of a VPN company's servers can have a noticeable impact on performance. Companies with only a handful of servers must funnel more customers into crowded servers, reducing the sliver of the bandwidth pie available to each person. Similarly, if a company only has a few locations for its servers, it can mean connecting to an entirely different continent just to get online. For that reason, we pay careful attention to how many servers are offered, and whether there's a good degree of geographic diversity in those servers' placement.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Hide.me has a reasonably sized pool of servers, with 1,400 servers in 56 different locations across 35 countries. For comparison, NordVPN has over 5,200 servers and &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/cyberghost-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;2456&quot;&gt;CyberGhost&lt;\/a&gt; offers in excess of 5,600 servers. Private Internet Access, ExpressVPN, and TorGuard all have over 3,000 servers, respectively. Keep in mind that companies will purchase as many servers as necessary to meet demand, so it's not a strict measurement of quality.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;As for the geographic diversity of Hide.me's servers, the company has done a fairly good job covering the Earth. Many VPN companies ignore South America, India, and all of Africa, but Hide.me has a few locations in these regions. It also has servers in China and Turkey, regions known to censor the web. Hide.me does not offer any servers in Russia, but NordVPN and others do. &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/expressvpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;7874&quot;&gt;ExpressVPN&lt;\/a&gt; and CyberGhost lead the pack, offering servers in more than 90 countries.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-20.v_1570635440.png', 'Hide.me Update', 'Hide.me VPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='Hide.me VPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1280 720'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-13.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1570635440.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-13.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='Hide.me VPN' width='1280' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-13.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1570635440.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-13.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Potential customers may have concerns about VPNs using virtual servers. That's when a single, physical server plays host to multiple virtual machines. Those virtual servers can, in turn, be configured to appear as if they are in a different country than the machine hosting them. If you're very concerned about precisely where your data is headed, that can be an issue. On the other hand, companies use virtual servers to compensate for sudden demand, and can also protect your data by using a physical server in a safe location to offer service to a less-safe location nearby.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;A representative of Hide.me told me that the company only uses dedicated servers located in the designated country. That's excellent from a data transparency perspective.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Your Privacy With Hide.me&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;A big reason to use a VPN is to protect your privacy online, which is why it's important to know if the VPN itself is violating your privacy. While I cannot peer within the hearts of company employees or their servers, I can ask questions of company representatives and read through a VPN company's privacy policy.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Hide.me's privacy policy is very thorough and very long, especially compared with &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/torguard-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;2758&quot;&gt;TorGuard's&lt;\/a&gt; impressively brief policy. It does, however, lay out what data the company gathers, how it goes about gathering it, and what that data is used for. The effort is laudable, but I would like to see a bit more plain English.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The gist of the policy is that Hide.me collects as little information as possible. In fact, the only information it seems to store for any length of time is user email addresses. The policy reads, &quot;We do not request or store your name, IP address or physical addresses or any other personal information.&quot;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The company does not monitor what sites you access, log your true IP address, or even timestamp your connection. The company does track the amount of traffic for users, since two of Hide.me's plans have data caps. It also keeps some troubleshooting information, including &quot;customer's randomly generated username and internally assigned (non-public) IP address,&quot; but it deletes that information every few hours. Hide.me could stand to improve in this area, as other VPN services now strive to gather as little information as possible and keep it for as short a time as possible.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Part of why you don't want a VPN storing a lot of information about you and your activities is that the company could be compelled to hand over that information to law enforcement. Hide.me explains the company's stance this way: &quot;If a court order is received from a recognized legal authority with jurisdiction over hide.me then the company shall comply with that order. However, the company cannot be compelled to hand over information which it does not have.&quot;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;If you're particularly concerned about receiving a DMCA notice for, say, &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/how-to\/how-to-use-bittorrent&quot;&gt;downloading copyrighted content&lt;\/a&gt;, Hide.me has a ready response: &quot;Since we store no connection logs, we cannot associate the notice with a customer identity even if legally compelled to do so.&quot;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;In addition to understanding a company's privacy policy, it's also good to know where that company is located and under what legal jurisdiction it operates. Hide.me is clear on this point: the company is based in Malaysia and operates under local law. Hide.me even includes its mailing address, if you're curious.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Hide.me has been &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/hide.me\/en\/blog\/leon-juranic-certifies-hide-me-as-one-of-the-most-anonymous-vpn-provider\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;audited by DefenseCode&lt;\/a&gt;, a step several VPN companies have taken to demonstrate their privacy and security &lt;em&gt;bona fides&lt;\/em&gt; to customers. TunnelBear notably has undergone multiple audits and has pledged to be audited annually. Hide.me does issue an &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/hide.me\/en\/blog\/annual-transparency-report-for-2018\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;annual transparency report&lt;\/a&gt;, a step I appreciate. The company has not participated in the &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/cdt.org\/insight\/unedited-answers-signals-of-trustworthy-vpns\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;CDT's VPN questionnaire&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Hands On With Hide.me&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;I had no trouble installing the Hide.me app on my Lenovo ThinkPad T460s laptop running Windows 10. You can opt to forgo the app entirely and &lt;a href=&quot;\/how-to\/how-to-set-up-a-vpn-in-windows-10&quot; data-link-type=&quot;article&quot; data-link-id=&quot;18654&quot;&gt;manually configure a Windows 10 computer&lt;\/a&gt; to connect via VPN, but it's a bit of a pain.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The Hide.me app is very simple, offering just a blue window with a big button to connect the VPN. I appreciate apps that cut to the chase like this. It's much more straightforward than PureVPN, which has some useful scenario-based connection presets, but lacks a fast and easy way to get online.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The Hide.me app is simple, but it's not exactly friendly. I much prefer NordVPN's app, which uses maps and large buttons to make even complex tools approachable. TunnelBear does something similar with brightly colored bears.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;One quirk I did notice in testing was that when the &quot;Best Location&quot; option was selected, the Hide.me app sometimes connected me to a VPN server in the Netherlands. Now, I have nothing against the Netherlands, but most VPNs will connect you to the nearest server to your actual location by default. That's because the closer you are to the VPN server, the better performance you're likely to see. Also disappointing is how the client tried and failed several times to connect me with a US-based VPN server. I'm surprised that after all the work Hide.me has done to improve its client, this behavior persists.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;While Hide.me does make it obvious which servers allow BitTorrent, it doesn't include server stats like overall load or ping time. It does, however, let you drill down to see specific servers in the app's location list. That's handy, because you might find that one server works better for you than another. You can then add that useful server to your Favorites, for easy access later on.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The Settings panel does provide some surprisingly advanced features, however. Hide.me even lets you trigger custom scripts for when the VPN fails, which I have never seen before. An Advanced tab lets you mess around with ports and such, if that's your thing. The client also includes a rare feature called Split Tunneling, which lets you designate which apps send traffic through the VPN and which do not. This is handy for negotiating tricky scenarios, like streaming to local media devices or accessing specific services that block VPN traffic.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-21.v_1570635440.png', 'Hide.me Update', 'Hide.me VPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='Hide.me VPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1280 720'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-14.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1570635440.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-14.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='Hide.me VPN' width='1280' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-14.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1570635440.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-14.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;You can select the VPN protocol you want Hide.me to use, and OpenVPN is an option. By default, Hide.me uses IKEv2, so changing this might be worthwhile. You can also set up a Fallback configuration. If the VPN can't connect with your first choice of protocols, it will try again with the protocols you select.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-22.v_1570635440.png', 'Hide.me Update', 'Hide.me VPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='Hide.me VPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1280 720'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-15.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1570635440.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-15.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='Hide.me VPN' width='1280' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-15.fit_lim.size_1280x720.v_1570635440.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-15.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;When you use a VPN, it should secure all your data and &lt;a href=&quot;\/how-to\/is-your-vpn-leaking&quot; data-link-type=&quot;article&quot; data-link-id=&quot;13135&quot;&gt;not leak anything that could identify you&lt;\/a&gt;&amp;mdash;such as your DNS request information, or your real IP address. Using the &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.dnsleaktest.com\/&quot;&gt;DNSLeakTest.com&lt;\/a&gt; tool, I confirmed that my DNS requests were being protected and that my IP address was changed successfully when using Hide.me.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Hide.me and Netflix&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Many &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-video-streaming-services&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;106&quot;&gt;streaming video services&lt;\/a&gt; block the use of VPNs because you can use them to spoof your location and access content licensed for specific regions. BBC's free streaming iPlayer, for instance, is intended only for UK citizens. But if you hop onto a VPN server in London, you may as well be a local resident. In particular, &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-vpns-for-netflix&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;152&quot;&gt;Netflix blocks VPNs very aggressively&lt;\/a&gt;, as mentioned above.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;During my testing, I wasn't able to access Netflix when connected to a domestic Hide.me server. Your mileage may vary, but keep in mind that a VPN service that works with Netflix today might not tomorrow.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Beyond VPN&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;With an ever-increasing crowd of competitors, many VPN companies have begun adding features outside of network protection. These can range from simple ad-blocking to TunnelBear's standalone &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/picks\/the-best-password-managers&quot;&gt;password manager&lt;\/a&gt; called Remembear. A representative from Hide.me tells me that the company doesn't currently offer additional security features, and made the case that ad- and malware-blocking actually further diminishes speeds.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;TorGuard, on the other hand, has a lengthy menu of optional extras. In addition to its slider for adding devices to your account, you can also purchase dedicated IP addresses in 50 different countries, or level up to a 10Gbit network connection. Hide.me also offers dedicated IP addresses, but only for those at the highest subscription tier. These are included in the price of the Premium account, but are not enabled by default.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Speed and Performance&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;A major concern among PCMag's readers is the impact using a VPN will have on their internet speeds. That's a valid concern, because using a VPN forces your web traffic to jump through more hoops and travel farther than usual. To get a sense of the impact from each service, I use the &lt;a href=&quot;\/news\/how-fast-is-your-internet-connectionreally&quot; data-link-type=&quot;article&quot; data-link-id=&quot;26682&quot;&gt;Ookla internet speed test tool&lt;\/a&gt; to compare test results with and without the VPN. &lt;em&gt;(Note that Ookla and Encrypt.me are owned by Ziff Davis, which also owns PCMag.)&lt;\/em&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;img alt='Related Story' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 35 26'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-16.fit_lim.size_35x26.v_1570635440.jpg&quot;}' align=&quot;left&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-16.jpg'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='Related Story' width='35' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-16.fit_lim.size_35x26.v_1570635440.jpg' align=&quot;left&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-16.jpg'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/span&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;\/about\/how-we-test-vpns&quot; data-link-type=&quot;article&quot; data-link-id=&quot;5963&quot;&gt;See How We Test VPNs&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;In my most recent testing, I found that Hide.me had no appreciable effect on latency. That's excellent. It did, however, reduce upload test results by 68.4 percent and download test results by 75.8 percent. That's a significant drop, but also one of the top five best speed test results I recorded.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;You can see how Hide.me compares in the chart below with the top 10 performers from among the more than 30 services we tested.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-23.v_1570635440.png', 'Fastest VPN Spet 2019 Encrypt.me', 'PCMag', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='PCMag' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1264 617'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-17.fit_lim.size_1264x617.v_1570635440.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-17.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='PCMag' width='1264' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-17.fit_lim.size_1264x617.v_1570635440.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-17.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;In fairness, this testing is more of a snapshot in time than an overall evaluation of a VPN's speed performance. There are many variables that can affect the outcomes, from the configuration of the VPN servers to physical damage of network infrastructure. Moreover, I don't believe that speed should be the single criteria anyone uses to choose a VPN. All that being said, I currently view Encrypt.me as the &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-fastest-vpns&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;258&quot;&gt;fastest VPN&lt;\/a&gt; yet tested.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Hide.me on Other Platforms&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Hide,me offers apps for Android, iPhone, macOS, and Windows devices. It also provides apps for Amazon Fire devices, which is surprisingly rare. Additionally, you can opt to install Hide.me's proxy plug-ins for Chrome and Firefox. These change the IP address and apparent location of your browser traffic, and only your browser traffic, but do not use the same means to encrypt your traffic as the normal VPN app.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Alternatively, you can follow Hide.me's instructions on how to run a VPN from your router, or purchase a Vilfo router configured to run with Hide.me. While an interesting setup, I don't think that using a VPN through a router is a viable use case.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;The Last Mile&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Hide.me has some enviable strengths. Its privacy policy is remarkably thorough and transparent, if long. It supports the best VPN technology, provices 10 simultaneous connections, and has a good distribution of servers across the globe. Hide.me also offers a fairly generous free option, which is something of a rarity. Most importantly, it packs in several advanced features often ignored by the competition, but packages them in a simple app most people will understand how to use. Hide.me's main drawback is that it charges well above the industry average per month&amp;mdash;enough to significantly reduce the value of this otherwise impressive service. While Hide.me is especially useful to seasoned security wonks and those looking for a free alternative to other VPNs, our Editors' Choice winners NordVPN, Private Internet Access, ProtonVPN, and TunnelBear are excellent.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;body_content_blocks&quot;:[],&quot;images&quot;:{&quot;autoincrement&quot;:50,&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;index&quot;:49,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-49.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;f68b5beac4f8b7a2a24b3ba32710b706&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1750950300,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Hide.me logo&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Hide.me&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:25,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-25.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:848,&quot;height&quot;:608,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;f84009a255d3c6aa347bfdbad9ce3000&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1703697486,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;hide.me protocols&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Hide.me\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:26,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-26.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1218,&quot;height&quot;:449,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;29319d260418fe94a7ca9760f2f532b9&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1703697486,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;hide.me pricing&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Hide.me\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:27,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-27.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1301,&quot;height&quot;:733,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;0047afb9256c126e88072d2e21723247&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1703702662,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;hide.me locations&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Hide.me\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:28,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-28.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:846,&quot;height&quot;:604,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;f6290bea3d3b2e66678d25c63cf2b0ef&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1703796523,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;hide.me 2024 interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Hide.me&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:29,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-29.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:843,&quot;height&quot;:605,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;da364bf79e9e458b9b74eab78d885c9b&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1703796691,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;hide.me features&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Hide.me\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:31,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-31.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:845,&quot;height&quot;:604,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;32d626bd48455a647aedf1a65bed515d&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1705684386,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;hide.me bolt proxy&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Hide.me\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:33,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-33.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;48190afba66fcabf22e2cb31d27ef986&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1711124921,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Hide.me's app on an iPhone&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Hide.me\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:34,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-34.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1188,&quot;height&quot;:1138,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;ec09c58e576a655524f4c1c868c64fc7&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1711124921,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Hide.me's StealthGuard feature on macOS&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: Hide.me\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:36,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-36.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;6ccf61c1a42a081ecf60562ba4f007e5&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1750863003,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Hide.me's premium plans&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/Hide.me&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:37,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-37.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;c23154ee49a5ee4c3962de376aa5ec63&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1750863003,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Hide.me's SmartGuard menu in the Windows App&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/Hide.me&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:38,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-38.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;4e170662f71000ff0012fe6d903f8579&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1750863003,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;A list of Hide.me's protocols offered in the Windows App&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/Hide.me&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:39,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-39.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;cd5f719e22dc00a60df643fe8796d50b&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1750863004,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Hide.me's in-app server list&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/Hide.me&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:40,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-40.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;38f72115dd80eef669420116a66ad0fb&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1750863004,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Hide.me's Windows dashboard&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/Hide.me&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:41,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-41.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;798d2f7bbe2d211d6d0b61fafe035de4&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1750863004,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Hide.me's macOS design&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/Hide.me&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:42,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-42.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;7321d595bebb325e9c91373032bdfa75&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1750863004,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Hide.me's iOS interface design&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/Hide.me&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:43,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/05LPlniWsYSaFvNFu6P9tUf-43.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;07185f24430735d20ba0ab3c71daf754&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1750863004,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Hide.me's Android interface design&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/Hide.me&quot;}}],&quot;metadata&quot;:[]},&quot;hero_image_gallery&quot;:{&quot;autoincrement&quot;:1,&quot;images&quot;:[],&quot;metadata&quot;:[]},&quot;editors_note&quot;:[],&quot;final_thoughts_body&quot;:[],&quot;final_thoughts_image&quot;:null,&quot;should_i_upgrade_body&quot;:[],&quot;pros&quot;:&quot;Ten simultaneous connectionsrnReliable Netflix accessrnPrivacy-first policiesrnAffordablernFull-featured free plan&quot;,&quot;cons&quot;:&quot;Average server numbers&quot;,&quot;bottom_line&quot;:&quot;Hide.me VPN offers truly unlimited free trials, great performance, and tons of security options to protect your data. Even better, its pricing plans are simple, easy to understand, and affordable.&quot;,&quot;best_for&quot;:&quot;Best for Streaming&quot;,&quot;hero_caption&quot;:null,&quot;first_published_at&quot;:&quot;2018-07-17T12:09:12.000000Z&quot;,&quot;published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:59:40.000000Z&quot;,&quot;last_published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T15:41:30.000000Z&quot;,&quot;scheduled_at&quot;:null,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2018-07-11T15:37:08.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T15:43:52.000000Z&quot;,&quot;product_title&quot;:&quot;Hide.me VPN&quot;,&quot;roundup_product_id&quot;:21271,&quot;isReview&quot;:true,&quot;newSpecs&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:122165,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Blocks Ads&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:0,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:44:31.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:139497,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Simultaneous VPN Connections&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;10&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:1,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-04-23T20:19:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-04-23T20:19:10.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:122166,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;500+ Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:2,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:44:31.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:122167,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Server Locations&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;89&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:3,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-04-23T20:19:10.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:122168,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Geographically Diverse Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:4,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:44:31.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:122169,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:5,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:44:31.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:122157,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version Data Limit&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;10GB Per Month&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:6,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-04-23T20:19:10.000000Z&quot;}],&quot;product&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:102746,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;02nwS0rA4I77JXf1DTxQf3f&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;ACTIVE&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Hide.me VPN&quot;,&quot;tiered_pricing&quot;:false,&quot;msrp_currency&quot;:&quot;USD&quot;,&quot;msrp_amount&quot;:&quot;9.95&quot;,&quot;msrp_label&quot;:&quot;Per Month, Starts at&quot;,&quot;image&quot;:null,&quot;source_updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:43:34.000000Z&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:44:31.000000Z&quot;,&quot;specs&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:122165,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Blocks Ads&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:0,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:44:31.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:139497,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Simultaneous VPN Connections&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;10&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:1,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2024-04-23T20:19:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-04-23T20:19:10.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:122166,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;500+ Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:2,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:44:31.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:122167,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Server Locations&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;89&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:3,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-04-23T20:19:10.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:122168,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Geographically Diverse Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:4,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:44:31.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:122169,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:5,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:44:31.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:122157,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version Data Limit&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;10GB Per Month&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:6,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-04-23T20:19:10.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:122158,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version  Server Limit&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;Five Locations&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:7,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-04-23T20:19:10.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:122159,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version Simultaneous Connection Limit&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:8,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-04-23T20:19:10.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:122160,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Can Manually Select Server In Free Version&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:9,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:44:31.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:122161,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Are All Features Available In Free Version?&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:10,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:44:31.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:122162,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Connection Speeds Limited&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;No&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:11,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-04-23T20:19:10.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:122163,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;No Ads In Free Version?&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;Yes&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:12,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-04-23T20:19:10.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:122164,&quot;product_id&quot;:102746,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Public Third-Party Audit&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:13,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:56:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:44:31.000000Z&quot;}]},&quot;authors&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:509,&quot;legacy_id&quot;:null,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;01oXdQFB122D8N1SANiXoWC&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;Published&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Editorial Author&quot;,&quot;luna_user_id&quot;:null,&quot;is_active&quot;:true,&quot;show_expertise&quot;:1,&quot;show_expertise_filters&quot;:0,&quot;seo_noindex&quot;:0,&quot;first_name&quot;:&quot;Justyn&quot;,&quot;last_name&quot;:&quot;Newman&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;justyn-newman&quot;,&quot;canonical_url&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Senior Writer, Security&quot;,&quot;bio_summary&quot;:[],&quot;bio_content_blocks&quot;:[],&quot;expertise&quot;:[],&quot;email&quot;:&quot;justyn.newman@ziffdavis.com&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:null,&quot;bluesky&quot;:&quot;justynnewman.bsky.social&quot;,&quot;threads&quot;:null,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;justyn-newman-655395143&quot;,&quot;image&quot;:{&quot;path&quot;:&quot;authors\/01oXdQFB122D8N1SANiXoWC.png&quot;,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Justyn Newman&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Justyn Newman&quot;}},&quot;seo_title&quot;:null,&quot;seo_description&quot;:null,&quot;first_published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-18T14:53:05.000000Z&quot;,&quot;published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-07-28T22:52:21.000000Z&quot;,&quot;last_published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-07-28T22:52:16.000000Z&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-18T14:53:00.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-07-28T22:52:21.000000Z&quot;,&quot;pivot&quot;:{&quot;authorable_id&quot;:3060,&quot;author_id&quot;:509,&quot;authorable_type&quot;:&quot;review&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-25T14:50:04.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T15:43:52.000000Z&quot;}}],&quot;brands&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:7372,&quot;legacy_id&quot;:null,&quot;luna_user_id&quot;:null,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;02obWYk2O6MpJRii31TSdV1&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;Published&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Hide.me&quot;,&quot;seo_title&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;hideme&quot;,&quot;canonical_url&quot;:null,&quot;seo_noindex&quot;:0,&quot;deck&quot;:null,&quot;seo_description&quot;:null,&quot;first_published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:14:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:14:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;last_published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:14:38.000000Z&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:14:38.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:14:46.000000Z&quot;,&quot;pivot&quot;:{&quot;brandable_id&quot;:3060,&quot;brand_id&quot;:7372,&quot;brandable_type&quot;:&quot;review&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T14:15:00.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T15:43:52.000000Z&quot;}}]},{&quot;id&quot;:2456,&quot;legacy_id&quot;:318372,&quot;luna_user_id&quot;:null,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;Published&quot;,&quot;product_uuid&quot;:&quot;05H6UvB7LM8zW5WiU9FfvNt&quot;,&quot;spec_sheet_uuid&quot;:&quot;06lWQ6LeMwOhpO7nWLcJo30&quot;,&quot;roundup_id&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;CyberGhost VPN&quot;,&quot;heading&quot;:&quot;CyberGhost VPN Review: A Well-Rounded, Privacy-Focused Service&quot;,&quot;page_title&quot;:&quot;CyberGhost VPN Review: A Well-Rounded, Privacy-Focused Service&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;cyberghost-vpn&quot;,&quot;canonical_url&quot;:null,&quot;deck&quot;:&quot;CyberGhostu2019s vast network of task-specific servers makes it a good VPN for streaming, torrenting, and location spoofing, while quarterly transparency reports demonstrate its commitment to privacy.&quot;,&quot;seo_description&quot;:null,&quot;focus_keyword&quot;:null,&quot;no_link_injection&quot;:0,&quot;seo_noindex&quot;:0,&quot;is_editors_choice&quot;:false,&quot;use_hero_image_gallery&quot;:false,&quot;is_preview&quot;:false,&quot;show_specs&quot;:true,&quot;score&quot;:&quot;4.0&quot;,&quot;people_involved&quot;:null,&quot;hours_spent&quot;:null,&quot;hours_researched&quot;:null,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;A VPN is an enormously powerful tool for securing your online life, and CyberGhost is one of the &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-vpn-services&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;315&quot;&gt;best VPNs&lt;\/a&gt; on the market. It makes a smart emphasis on video streaming, but backs that with a simple app and a strong feature set. It costs more than other excellent VPNs, though, and its design is not the most intuititve.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;What Is a VPN?&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;n&lt;!-- ZIFFHTML START 3993 --&gt;n&lt;A HREF=&quot;http:\/\/securitywatch.pcmag.com\/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;img alt='SecurityWatch' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 95 85'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-1.fit_lim.size_95x85.v_1569469931.jpg&quot;}' align=&quot;left&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-1.jpg'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='SecurityWatch' width='95' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-1.fit_lim.size_95x85.v_1569469931.jpg' align=&quot;left&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-1.jpg'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/A&gt;n&lt;!-- ZIFFHTML END 3993 --&gt;nWhen you switch on a VPN, all your web traffic is routed through an encrypted tunnel to a server operated by the VPN company. This prevents anyone, even someone on the same network as you, from being able to intercept your data. It also helps hide your identity, by having your network traffic exit from a location other than your computer. Because your traffic appears to come from the VPN server, anyone watching it will see the IP address of the VPN server and not your actual IP address. This same ability can also be used to spoof your location by connecting to a VPN server that's a long way from where you are. Using a VPN also prevents your not-so-friendly neighborhood ISP from intercepting your data and selling anonymized versions of it.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;CyberGhost Pricing and Features&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;A one-month plan with CyberGhost costs $12.99. That's quite a bit higher than the current industry average of $10.38 per month, even more than NordVPN's $11.99 monthly plan and far more than a $6.95 monthly subscripton to Private Internet Access or TunnelBear's $9.99 monthly plan.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Like most VPN services, CyberGhost offers the same slate of features billed at different intervals. You pay more up front for a longer interval, but save more overall for doing so. An annual plan with CyberGhost costs $63.00, a two-year plan comes in at $88.56, and the three-year plan nets the largest savings at $89.99. While those savings can be tempting, I always recommend starting with a monthly VPN plan so you can see how well the service works for you.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;iframe width=&quot;300&quot; height=&quot;150&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%; height: 100%;&quot; src=&quot;https:\/\/mashable.com\/videos\/blueprint:1On8Y6WYlB\/embed\/?player=pcmag&amp;amp;autoplay=true&amp;amp;mute=true&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allowfullscreen=&quot;allowfullscreen&quot;&gt;&lt;\/iframe&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Cost doesn't have to be a hurdle when it comes to security, as there are many serviceable &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-free-vpns&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;216&quot;&gt;free VPNs&lt;\/a&gt; available. TunnelBear has a free offering that restricts the amount of data to 500MB per month, and AnchorFree Hotspot Shield limits you to 500MB per &lt;i&gt;day&lt;\/i&gt;. ProtonVPN supplies my favorite free subscription, limiting you to only a few servers but without a data cap.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-9.v_1569469931.png', 'CyberGhost 2019 Connected', 'CyberGhost VPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='CyberGhost VPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 810 456'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-2.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469931.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-2.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='CyberGhost VPN' width='810' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-2.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469931.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-2.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;You can easily purchase a CyberGhost plan with traditional payment methods such as credit card or PayPal, but you can also pay anonymously with Bitcoin. Other VPN services also offer the option to use prepaid gift cards, such as those from BestBuy or Starbucks, as anonymous options.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;A subscription to CyberGhost lets you use seven devices simultaneously, making it a good value for a household with lots of devices. The industry average for VPN companies is five devices; but &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/nordvpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;2777&quot;&gt;NordVPN &lt;span data-commerce-link=&quot;036agv40SCXcyS0CC0d4np6&quot;&gt;&lt;\/span&gt; &lt;\/a&gt; offers six connections, and IPVanish offers 10. Avira Phantom VPN and Windscribe, by comparison, place no limit on the number of simultaneous connections.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The company also offers instructions on how to configure a router to use the CyberGhost service. That's handy, since placing VPN protection on your router secures all the traffic for all the devices on your network&amp;mdash;even smart devices that can't be configured individually. Some services, such as TorGuard, sell routers and streaming devices preconfigured to work with their respective services. That's useful if you're not interested in tackling a digital DIY project.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;If you're a fan of BitTorrent, you'll be glad to know that CyberGhost &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-vpns-for-bittorrent&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;91&quot;&gt;allows BitTorrent and P2P file sharing via VPN&lt;\/a&gt;. Some companies require that you limit this activity to certain servers, while others consider such activities as a breach of service. In the case of CyberGhost, the servers that allow torrenting are marked in the app.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;In addition to BitTorrent-friendly servers, CyberGhost also has servers specially made for streaming. That's great, and I'd like to see more VPN companies work to ensure users can access their favorite &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-video-streaming-services&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;106&quot;&gt;video streaming services&lt;\/a&gt; without having to switch off VPN protection. In my testing, I found that CyberGhost was the only VPN service that let me use the BBC iPlayer from outside the UK.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;CyberGhost also offers double encryption, in which the authentication connection is encrypted as well as the VPN connection, for added security. This is a default feature for all subscribers. NordVPN similarly lets you connect to Tor via VPN and &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/protonvpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;9135&quot;&gt;ProtonVPN &lt;span data-commerce-link=&quot;07MzChxv6c3GEopWVEsNLtg&quot;&gt;&lt;\/span&gt; &lt;\/a&gt; offers multi-hop VPN connections via a set of super-secure servers so you can ensure no one has hijacked a VPN server to spy on your traffic.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;VPN Protocols&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;There are many ways to create a VPN connection. My preferred method is OpenVPN, which is known for its speed and reliability. It's also open-source software, meaning that its code has been scrutinized for vulnerabilities.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;CyberGhost does support OpenVPN with its Android, macOS, and Windows apps. Notably, the Windows app uses IKEv2&amp;mdash;my next favorite protocol&amp;mdash;by default. The older L2TP is also supported by the Windows app, but I recommend avoiding this particular protocol unless absolutely necessary. The CyberGhost iOS app uses the IPSec VPN protocol, but that's not unusual. Apple places additional requirements on apps that use OpenVPN, so VPN companies tend to not use it in their iOS apps.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Servers and Server Locations&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The number of VPN servers maintained by a given company is usually an indicator of how many subscribers that company has. More subscribers equals more servers. That said, more is almost always better, and more servers means users can be more evenly distributed, giving you more options for finding an unburdened server.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;CyberGhost is among the heaviest hitters when it comes to servers, offering an impressive 3,000. It's matched by TorGuard and ExpressVPN, and beaten by &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/private-internet-access-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;4067&quot;&gt;Private Internet Access &lt;span data-commerce-link=&quot;04yRzYyvPGG2GqKDbEMlT9V&quot;&gt;&lt;\/span&gt; &lt;\/a&gt;, which has a few hundred more servers. NordVPN is on top of the heap, with an unmatched 5,293 servers at its disposal.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The location of VPN servers is also important. The more varied the distribution, the more choices you have when looking to spoof your location and the better odds of finding a server close to wherever you happen to be.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-10.v_1569469931.png', 'CyberGhost 2019 Servers', 'CyberGhost VPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='CyberGhost VPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 810 456'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-3.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469931.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-3.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='CyberGhost VPN' width='810' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-3.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469931.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-3.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;CyberGhost has 80 server locations available, across approximately 60 countries. It's a good mix, with a better-than-average showing for Africa, a continent almost completely ignored by VPN companies. CyberGhost does offer servers in Hong Kong, but it does not have servers in Turkey or Russia, which are regions with repressive internet policies. Other companies go further. NordVPN covers about 62 countries, and &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/expressvpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;7874&quot;&gt;ExpressVPN&lt;\/a&gt; has servers in 160 locations across 94 countries.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-11.v_1569469931.png', 'CyberGhost 2019 Stats', 'CyberGhost VPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='CyberGhost VPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 310 550'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-4.fit_lim.size_310x550.v_1569469931.png&quot;}' align=&quot;left&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-4.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='CyberGhost VPN' width='310' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-4.fit_lim.size_310x550.v_1569469931.png' align=&quot;left&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-4.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;Some readers have written to me with concerns about VPN companies using virtual servers, which are software-defined servers. A single physical server can play host to many virtual ones, and virtual servers can be configured to appear as if they are in a different location than their host, meaning that a single piece of server hardware can run several virtual servers. Virtual servers are not bad &lt;em&gt;per se&lt;\/em&gt;, but they make some people nervous either out of concern for where their data travels or a sense of being deceived by the VPN company.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;CyberGhost tells me that the company rents servers in every location in which it offers VPN access. It does have some virtualization on 340 of those servers, but the location of the virtual servers is the same as the location of the actual physical servers. That seems reasonable to me. Hide My Ass goes in exactly the opposite direction, supporting 220 server locations but the bulk of its servers being virtual and not co-located with their hosts. Other companies are more stringent. &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/ipvanish-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;7693&quot;&gt;IPVanish&lt;\/a&gt;, Mullvad, ProtonVPN, NordVPN, and Private Internet Access are among the companies that tell me they eschew virtual servers altogether.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Your Privacy With CyberGhost&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Using any security or privacy software requires you trust that the product does what it says on the tin, and trust that using the product will not expose you to other dangers in doing so. This is particularly important for VPNs, because when a VPN is in use the company could have as much insight as your ISP into your online activities, and protecting those activities is one of the key reasons to use a VPN in the first place.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The information CyberGhost collects, its use, and what information it does not collect, are all laid out in its &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.cyberghostvpn.com\/en_US\/privacypolicy&quot;&gt;privacy policy&lt;\/a&gt;. (It's easy to miss, hidden behind a cookie agreement at the bottom of the page.) While very thorough, the policy is also dense and difficult to read. CyberGhost should follow TunnelBear's lead, and produce a simplified and educational policy for its customers.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;A company representative told me that the CyberGhost not only does not log user activity, it also does not know the identity of the customers connected to a given server. The company does monitor server CPU load, available memory, the amount of server bandwidth used, and other metadata. That's excellent. The representative also answered an emphatic, &quot;No!&quot; when I asked if CyberGhost generates revenue from any sources beyond customer subscriptions. That's what I want to hear, as a VPN should protect your information, not monetize it.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The company's full name is CyberGhost SA, and is owned by the parent company Kape technologies PLC.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Issues involving law enforcement and VPN companies can be tricky, which is why it's important to know what country the VPN company is headquartered in and under what legal jurisdiction it operates. For its part, CyberGhost has offices in Germany, Manila, and Tel Aviv, but is headquartered out of Bucharest, Romania, and operates under Romanian law. &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.eff.org\/issues\/mandatory-data-retention\/romania&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation&lt;\/a&gt;, the Romanian government and courts have rejected legislation that would have required companies to keep electronic records on its customers. A company representative told me that because the company has no personal user data, it has no way to comply with legal requests for information. This is backed up by the company's &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.cyberghostvpn.com\/en_US\/transparency-report&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;annual transparency report&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;CyberGhost has not undergone a third-party audit, as TunnelBear has. Neither have its policies been audited, as is the case for NordVPN. CyberGhost has also not responded to the &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/cdt.org\/insight\/unedited-answers-signals-of-trustworthy-vpns\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Center for Democracy and Technology's VPN questionnaire&lt;\/a&gt;. I hope to see CyberGhost and other VPN companies find new ways to demonstrate their good behavior to the public.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Hands On With CyberGhost&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;I had no trouble downloading and installing the CyberGhost windows app on my Lenovo ThinkPad T460s laptop running the latest version of Windows 10. Note that if you lose your login information, you'll be prompted for a special key sent in your activation email. If you've lost that, too, you'll have to restore your account through CleverBridge, the payment processor used by CyberGhost.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-12.v_1569469931.png', 'CyberGhost 2019 small servers', 'CyberGhost VPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='CyberGhost VPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 810 456'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-5.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469931.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-5.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='CyberGhost VPN' width='810' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-5.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469931.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-5.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The old version of the CyberGhost app took a page from Hide My Ass and included several preset options for different scenarios. It's an interesting idea, but I prefer the current design. The app is now simple, slick, and responsive, with a quick connect button prominently displayed on the grey window. You can change VPN location from the pulldown menu beneath the connection button. Tap the graph icon and you can see some real-time analytics about your connection. The app doesn't have the distinctiveness of NordVPN or &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/tunnelbear-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;7387&quot;&gt;TunnelBear&lt;\/a&gt;, but it's easy to understand and I appreciate that.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Clicking the yellow tab on the lower left of the window expands the Settings panel. Here you can see the available server locations, server load, and the precise number of users connected. You can drill down and actually see each specific server in a given location, which I really like, and add the ones you prefer to a list of favorites. The app provides additional lists for streaming servers and torrenting servers.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-13.v_1569469931.png', 'CyberGhost 2019 site exceptions', 'CyberGhost VPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='CyberGhost VPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 810 456'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-6.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469931.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-6.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='CyberGhost VPN' width='810' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-6.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469931.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-6.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;You'll also find settings for ad blocking, tracker blocking, and malicious site blocking. There's also an option to enable data compression and the option to exempt specific websites from being tunneled via VPN. That's useful for streaming from Netflix, or any activity that might block access via VPN. It's not the same as split tunneling, which lets you route the traffic from specific apps outside the VPN tunnel.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;A deeper settings menu has a collection of surprisingly advanced security features. You can, for example, have CyberGhost connect via a random port, change the VPN protocol used by the app, and block IPv6 connections, to name a few. Most of these you won't need to touch, but I like that they're there.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;CyberGhost and Netflix&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Oppressive governments aren't the only ones that block the use of VPNs. Streaming services often block VPN traffic to prevent people from spoofing their location to access region-locked content. Someone in the US could, for example, make it appear as if they were in Canada to stream episodes of &lt;i&gt;Star Trek: Discovery&lt;\/i&gt;, which is on Netflix outside the US but requires a &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/reviews\/cbs-all-access&quot;&gt;CBS All Access&lt;\/a&gt; subscription to view domestically.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Netflix is perhaps the most aggressive when it comes to blocking VPNs, but fortunately that isn't an issue for CyberGhost. When I tested the service in December 2018, I had no trouble streaming while connected to a specialized Netflix streaming VPN server. That said, blocking VPNs is a bit of a cat-and-mouse game, so a &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-vpns-for-netflix&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;152&quot;&gt;VPN that works with Netflix&lt;\/a&gt; today might be blocked tomorrow.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Beyond VPN&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;While the protection afforded by a VPN is important in its own right, some VPN companies include add-ons and sweeteners to seem even more attractive. &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/torguard-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;2758&quot;&gt;TorGuard&lt;\/a&gt;, for example, has the most comprehensive menu of options, letting you purchase additional simultaneous connections, static IP addresses, and access to a 10GB network for monthly fees.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;For its part, CyberGhost provides ad blocking through its VPN connection, as well as malware and tracker blocking. It also has the option to enforce the use of HTTPS, which I particularly like. That said, I don't think it's wise to rely on any VPN as your sole &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-antivirus-protection&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;148&quot;&gt;antivirus solution&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Notably, TunnelBear also provides ad blocking but does it through a stand-alone browser plug-in, which provides more options for users than unseen blocking. CyberGhost also offers No-Spy servers, which are located on-site with the company and are intended for users who are extremely concerned about who might be able to access the VPN servers. No-Spy servers aren't available to the general public but are offered, the company says, to &quot;exclusive partners.&quot;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;NordVPN goes even further, offering specialized servers for increased anonymity and improved video streaming. You can, for example, use NordVPN to connect to the &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/tor-browser&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;2455&quot;&gt;Tor&lt;\/a&gt; anonymization network, which will bounce your traffic around even more, making it far more difficult to intercept and track.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Speed and Performance&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The number one concern I hear from people about VPNs is that using one will bring their web browsing to a crawl. That's an understandable concern, because you will likely experience an increase in latency and a decrease in upload and download speeds when you use a VPN. I try to get a sense of the impact those extra steps cause by running a series of comparative tests with Ookla's &lt;a href=&quot;http:\/\/pcmag.speedtestcustom.com\/&quot;&gt;internet speed test&lt;\/a&gt; tool. (Note that Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, which also owns PCMag.) Read our feature on how we test VPNs for more on our methodology and the limits of our testing.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;img alt='Related Story' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 35 26'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-7.fit_lim.size_35x26.v_1569469931.jpg&quot;}' align=&quot;left&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-7.jpg'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='Related Story' width='35' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-7.fit_lim.size_35x26.v_1569469931.jpg' align=&quot;left&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-7.jpg'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/span&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;\/about\/how-we-test-vpns&quot; data-link-type=&quot;article&quot; data-link-id=&quot;5963&quot;&gt;See How We Test VPNs&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;CyberGhost performed better than average in latency and upload tests, but it fell short in the download tests. It increased latency by 66.7 percent, reduced upload speed test results by 59.2 percent, and reduced download speed test results by 77 percent. &lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;You can see how CyberGhost compares in the chart below with the top ten performers among the over 30 services we tested.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-14.v_1569469931.png', 'Fastest VPN 2019 Feb 21 2', 'Fastest VPN 2019', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='Fastest VPN 2019' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1250 590'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-8.fit_lim.size_1250x590.v_1569469931.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-8.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='Fastest VPN 2019' width='1250' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-8.fit_lim.size_1250x590.v_1569469931.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-8.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;According to my tests, &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/reviews\/hideipvpn&quot;&gt;HideIPVPN&lt;\/a&gt; is the fastest VPN, in that it has the smallest impact on performance. But I discourage anyone from deciding on a VPN based on speed alone. Cost and the overall value provided by the service's features are far more important.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;CyberGhost VPN on Other Platforms&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Cyberghost offers apps for &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/cyberghost-vpn-for-android&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;153&quot;&gt;Android&lt;\/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/cyberghost-vpn-for-iphone&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;4056&quot;&gt;iOS&lt;\/a&gt;, macOS, and Windows, with support for Linux, too. CyberGhost has done well in our reviews on other platforms, particularly its iOS app, which earned four stars. CyberGhost notably supplies apps for Android TV and the Amazon FireStick, too.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The company also offers a Chrome proxy extension, which disguises your IP address (and therefore, your location) but secures your browser traffic differently than the CyberGhost app. Note that the Chrome extension only secures your browser traffic.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;A Solid Choice&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;There's a lot to like in CyberGhost. The company has a large network of servers and a robust set of security features backed by a strong stance on privacy. Its new app is easy to use, and the company offers a generous seven simultaneous connections. The company also smartly emphasizes the importance of video streaming. The one catch is that It does all at an above-average cost.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;If you find CyberGhost fits your needs, you're not in the wrong to use this excellent service. But we continue to recommend our top performers and Editors' Choice winners NordVPN, Private Internet Access, ProtonVPN, and TunnelBear. These services are each excellent in their own right: NordVPN leads with its robust global network, Private Internet Access offers an affordable solution, TunnelBear is friendly and approachable, and ProtonVPN fuses flexibility with technical savvy.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;body_content_blocks&quot;:[],&quot;images&quot;:{&quot;autoincrement&quot;:46,&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;index&quot;:16,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-15.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:810,&quot;height&quot;:456,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;e0d0c1a77d761306e6c66a0bcb2de7b2&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1569473409,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;hero&quot;:true,&quot;logo&quot;:true,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;CyberGhost Logo&quot;,&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;CyberGhost VPN&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;legacy_id&quot;:&quot;571175&quot;,&quot;thumbnail&quot;:true,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: CyberGhost&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;legacy_size&quot;:&quot;large&quot;,&quot;photo_credit&quot;:null,&quot;hero_position&quot;:1,&quot;load_image_bits&quot;:false,&quot;legacy_updated_at&quot;:&quot;2018-04-25 14:44:03.707&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:29,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-29.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1210,&quot;height&quot;:680,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;84acfa1d6b12093a0ce37f3044b5be03&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1620243437,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Client connected to VPN server&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: CyberGhost&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:30,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-30.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1467,&quot;height&quot;:825,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;a5883ae4001b3f981e4fa64ba8d1d40b&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1620243437,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;CyberGhost website listing the devices we'd used&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: CyberGhost&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:31,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-31.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1321,&quot;height&quot;:743,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;23ce9e46f3dba92d094b129354d9f03a&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1620243437,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Protocol selection screen in the app&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: CyberGhost&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:32,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-32.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1343,&quot;height&quot;:755,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;7999f593451db994fa8f0df56fd369b6&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1620243437,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;List of servers by country&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: CyberGhost&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:33,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-33.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1178,&quot;height&quot;:663,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;83957e0062c37c3b971c5d9a1b0218e2&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1620243437,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Client app in the smaller configuration showing a list of available servers&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: CyberGhost&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:34,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-34.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1331,&quot;height&quot;:749,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;63b6c2ee56f4abb5cef2beb6b66df441&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1620243437,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Settings for App Rules&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: CyberGhost&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:35,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-35.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1346,&quot;height&quot;:757,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;989c024c46bffa9ab303583651b4c1a4&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1620243437,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Setting to exempt URLs from the VPN connection&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: CyberGhost&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:36,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-36.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:3708,&quot;height&quot;:2085,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;37f1afc12a46bdbb6e9c37a36d1abeb2&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1621523976,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;CyberGhost's iPhone interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: CyberGhost&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:37,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-37.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:640,&quot;height&quot;:360,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;f8770e10853578b6f7132bd686626593&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1622556260,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;CyberGhost's Android interface &quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: CyberGhost&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:38,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-38.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:2114,&quot;height&quot;:1190,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;e358b280fba50b9932523b47c6097595&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1623703231,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;CyberGhost interface on macOS&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: CyberGhost&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:39,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-39.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;4b858173dadb7315a0686e5b68e234a9&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1748542913,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Cyberghost's pricing page&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/CyberGhost&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:40,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-40.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;479050cdff459845201037a0921707f4&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1748542913,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;CyberGhost's server list in the app&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/CyberGhost&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:41,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-41.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;1306fb4d71b7364d81c78da7a885df3f&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1748542913,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;CyberGhost's Privacy Guard interface on Windows&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/CyberGhost&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:42,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-42.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;546f54dce71c07d0052fdadf7d5a2418&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1748542913,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;CyberGhost's iOS mobile interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/CyberGhost&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:43,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-43.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;41f7b80cf2746679ff99a5da99771adc&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1748542913,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;CyberGhost's macOS interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/CyberGhost&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:44,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-44.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;619d2bb0b2a25bd35c1da2febaf8b0e7&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1748542913,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;CyberGhost's support chat logs&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/CyberGhost&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:45,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/01TmxQLjTF4WLPW7b3zwqTv-45.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;2c0c855d7fd098c003160b32b60d5c1a&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1750866952,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;CyberGhost's Android interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/CyberGhost&quot;}}],&quot;metadata&quot;:[]},&quot;hero_image_gallery&quot;:{&quot;autoincrement&quot;:1,&quot;images&quot;:[],&quot;metadata&quot;:[]},&quot;editors_note&quot;:[],&quot;final_thoughts_body&quot;:[],&quot;final_thoughts_image&quot;:null,&quot;should_i_upgrade_body&quot;:[],&quot;pros&quot;:&quot;Extensive server networkrnTask-specific servers rnQuarterly transparency reportsrnImpressive in-app privacy toolsrnAffordable long-term subscriptions&quot;,&quot;cons&quot;:&quot;No multi-hop connectionsrnLimited add-onsrnHigh monthly price&quot;,&quot;bottom_line&quot;:&quot;CyberGhostu2019s vast network of task-specific servers makes it a good VPN for streaming, torrenting, and location spoofing, while quarterly transparency reports give you regular insight into requests from law enforcement.&quot;,&quot;best_for&quot;:&quot;Best for Global Coverage&quot;,&quot;hero_caption&quot;:null,&quot;first_published_at&quot;:&quot;2013-11-26T15:52:16.000000Z&quot;,&quot;published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-25T20:37:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;last_published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-25T20:34:43.000000Z&quot;,&quot;scheduled_at&quot;:null,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2013-11-26T18:25:29.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-25T20:37:10.000000Z&quot;,&quot;product_title&quot;:&quot;CyberGhost VPN&quot;,&quot;roundup_product_id&quot;:21273,&quot;isReview&quot;:true,&quot;newSpecs&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:86427,&quot;product_id&quot;:89370,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Blocks Ads&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:0,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:09:01.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-10T19:34:49.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:86423,&quot;product_id&quot;:89370,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Simultaneous VPN Connections&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;7&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:1,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:09:01.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:52.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:86422,&quot;product_id&quot;:89370,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;500+ Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:2,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:09:01.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-10T19:34:49.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:86428,&quot;product_id&quot;:89370,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Server Locations&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;90 Countries&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:3,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:09:01.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:52.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:86429,&quot;product_id&quot;:89370,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Geographically Diverse Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:4,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:09:01.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-10T19:34:49.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:86421,&quot;product_id&quot;:89370,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:false,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:5,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:09:01.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-10T19:34:49.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:86430,&quot;product_id&quot;:89370,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version Data Limit&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;No Free Version&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:6,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:09:01.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:52.000000Z&quot;}],&quot;product&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:89370,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;05H6UvB7LM8zW5WiU9FfvNt&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;ACTIVE&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;CyberGhost VPN&quot;,&quot;tiered_pricing&quot;:true,&quot;msrp_currency&quot;:&quot;USD&quot;,&quot;msrp_amount&quot;:&quot;12.99&quot;,&quot;msrp_label&quot;:&quot;Per Month, Starts at&quot;,&quot;image&quot;:null,&quot;source_updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-10T19:33:48.000000Z&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:09:01.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-10T19:34:49.000000Z&quot;,&quot;specs&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:86427,&quot;product_id&quot;:89370,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Blocks Ads&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:0,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:09:01.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-10T19:34:49.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:86423,&quot;product_id&quot;:89370,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Simultaneous VPN Connections&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;7&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:1,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:09:01.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:52.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:86422,&quot;product_id&quot;:89370,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;500+ Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:2,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:09:01.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-10T19:34:49.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:86428,&quot;product_id&quot;:89370,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Server Locations&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;90 Countries&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:3,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:09:01.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:52.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:86429,&quot;product_id&quot;:89370,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Geographically Diverse Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:4,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:09:01.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-10T19:34:49.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:86421,&quot;product_id&quot;:89370,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:false,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:5,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:09:01.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-10T19:34:49.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:86430,&quot;product_id&quot;:89370,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version Data Limit&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;No Free Version&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:6,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:09:01.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:52.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:86424,&quot;product_id&quot;:89370,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Supported Protocols on Android&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:7,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:09:01.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:52.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:86425,&quot;product_id&quot;:89370,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Supported Protocols on macOS&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;WireGuard, IKEv2&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:8,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:09:01.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:52.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:86426,&quot;product_id&quot;:89370,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Supported Protocols on iOS&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;WireGuard, IKEv2&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:9,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T03:09:01.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:52.000000Z&quot;}]},&quot;authors&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:509,&quot;legacy_id&quot;:null,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;01oXdQFB122D8N1SANiXoWC&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;Published&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Editorial Author&quot;,&quot;luna_user_id&quot;:null,&quot;is_active&quot;:true,&quot;show_expertise&quot;:1,&quot;show_expertise_filters&quot;:0,&quot;seo_noindex&quot;:0,&quot;first_name&quot;:&quot;Justyn&quot;,&quot;last_name&quot;:&quot;Newman&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;justyn-newman&quot;,&quot;canonical_url&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Senior Writer, Security&quot;,&quot;bio_summary&quot;:[],&quot;bio_content_blocks&quot;:[],&quot;expertise&quot;:[],&quot;email&quot;:&quot;justyn.newman@ziffdavis.com&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:null,&quot;bluesky&quot;:&quot;justynnewman.bsky.social&quot;,&quot;threads&quot;:null,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;justyn-newman-655395143&quot;,&quot;image&quot;:{&quot;path&quot;:&quot;authors\/01oXdQFB122D8N1SANiXoWC.png&quot;,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Justyn Newman&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Justyn Newman&quot;}},&quot;seo_title&quot;:null,&quot;seo_description&quot;:null,&quot;first_published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-18T14:53:05.000000Z&quot;,&quot;published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-07-28T22:52:21.000000Z&quot;,&quot;last_published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-07-28T22:52:16.000000Z&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-18T14:53:00.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-07-28T22:52:21.000000Z&quot;,&quot;pivot&quot;:{&quot;authorable_id&quot;:2456,&quot;author_id&quot;:509,&quot;authorable_type&quot;:&quot;review&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2025-05-29T18:21:54.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-25T20:37:10.000000Z&quot;}}],&quot;brands&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:1439,&quot;legacy_id&quot;:5634,&quot;luna_user_id&quot;:null,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;03A2yit0XxFRRjCFup2WZlR&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;Published&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;CyberGhost&quot;,&quot;seo_title&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;cyberghost&quot;,&quot;canonical_url&quot;:null,&quot;seo_noindex&quot;:0,&quot;deck&quot;:null,&quot;seo_description&quot;:null,&quot;first_published_at&quot;:&quot;2020-01-08T11:26:00.000000Z&quot;,&quot;published_at&quot;:&quot;2020-01-08T11:26:00.000000Z&quot;,&quot;last_published_at&quot;:&quot;2020-01-08T11:26:00.000000Z&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2019-06-11T02:54:00.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2020-01-08T11:26:00.000000Z&quot;,&quot;pivot&quot;:{&quot;brandable_id&quot;:2456,&quot;brand_id&quot;:1439,&quot;brandable_type&quot;:&quot;review&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2020-01-12T00:07:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-25T20:37:10.000000Z&quot;}}]},{&quot;id&quot;:7874,&quot;legacy_id&quot;:346223,&quot;luna_user_id&quot;:null,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;Published&quot;,&quot;product_uuid&quot;:&quot;0720gpTQE8mDYRSQhBsNKme&quot;,&quot;spec_sheet_uuid&quot;:&quot;06lWQ6LeMwOhpO7nWLcJo30&quot;,&quot;roundup_id&quot;:315,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN&quot;,&quot;heading&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN Review: A Global Juggernaut With Impressive Technology&quot;,&quot;page_title&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;expressvpn&quot;,&quot;canonical_url&quot;:null,&quot;deck&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN&quot;,&quot;seo_description&quot;:null,&quot;focus_keyword&quot;:null,&quot;no_link_injection&quot;:0,&quot;seo_noindex&quot;:0,&quot;is_editors_choice&quot;:true,&quot;use_hero_image_gallery&quot;:false,&quot;is_preview&quot;:false,&quot;show_specs&quot;:true,&quot;score&quot;:&quot;4.0&quot;,&quot;people_involved&quot;:null,&quot;hours_spent&quot;:null,&quot;hours_researched&quot;:null,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;You never know who might be virtually looking over your shoulder, so it pays to use a &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-vpn-services&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;315&quot;&gt;virtual private network&lt;\/a&gt; (VPN), like ExpressVPN, to secure your web browsing against scammers, three-letter agencies, and, well, everyone else. ExpressVPN has a wide distribution of servers and includes rare features like split-tunneling. It's expensive, however, and it only provides three connections per license.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;What Is a VPN?&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;When you connect to an unsecured Wi-Fi network at the local coffee shop, you're not safe. An unscrupulous person could snoop on your web traffic, or perhaps the free Wi-Fi is phony and designed expressly to steal information from anyone who connects to it. Even out on the web, governments and advertisers are keen to get your data.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;n&lt;!-- ZIFFHTML START 3993 --&gt;n&lt;A HREF=&quot;http:\/\/securitywatch.pcmag.com\/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;img alt='SecurityWatch' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 95 85'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-1.fit_lim.size_95x85.v_1569469965.jpg&quot;}' align=&quot;left&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-1.jpg'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='SecurityWatch' width='95' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-1.fit_lim.size_95x85.v_1569469965.jpg' align=&quot;left&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-1.jpg'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/A&gt;n&lt;!-- ZIFFHTML END 3993 --&gt;nWhen you're connected to one of these services, your data travels through an encrypted tunnel to a server operated by the VPN company. From here, it exits onto the web. While in transit it can't be intercepted, stopping sleazes at the coffee shop from snooping on you. Out on the open internet, your real IP address can't be discerned because your traffic appears to be coming from the VPN server. Routing your traffic through the VPN's server also effectively spoofs your location.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Pricing and Features&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;ExpressVPN has three pricing tiers: $12.95 billed each month, $59.95 billed every six months, and $99.95 billed annually. Like most services, the only difference is for how long you commit. The company accepts payment by all major credit cards, PayPal, and other services such as Alipay and WebMoney. ExpressVPN subscriptions can also be purchased with Bitcoin. There is no free trial, but there is a 30-day money back guarantee.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The current monthly price of a top-rated VPN service is around $10.30, which is quite a bit below ExpressVPN's asking price. Private Internet Access costs a mere $6.94, while TunnelBear is slightly more at $9.99. Even &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/nordvpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;2777&quot;&gt;NordVPN &lt;span data-commerce-link=&quot;036agv40SCXcyS0CC0d4np6&quot;&gt;&lt;\/span&gt; &lt;\/a&gt;, the most expensive Editors' Choice-winning VPN, is a full dollar a month cheaper.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The only thing cheaper than cheap is free, and ExpressVPN does not offer a &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-free-vpns&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;216&quot;&gt;free VPN subscription&lt;\/a&gt;. TunnelBear VPN does offer a free trial which limits you to 500MB of data month, while Anchorfree HotSpot Shield's free subscription cuts you off at 500MB per day. &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/protonvpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;9135&quot;&gt;ProtonVPN &lt;span data-commerce-link=&quot;07MzChxv6c3GEopWVEsNLtg&quot;&gt;&lt;\/span&gt; &lt;\/a&gt;, on the other hand, places no data restrictions on its free subscription and has a flexible pricing structure that can get you started for $5.00 per month.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;iframe width=&quot;300&quot; height=&quot;150&quot; style=&quot;width: 100%; height: 100%;&quot; src=&quot;https:\/\/mashable.com\/videos\/blueprint:1On8Y6WYlB\/embed\/?player=pcmag&amp;amp;autoplay=true&amp;amp;mute=true&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allowfullscreen=&quot;allowfullscreen&quot;&gt;&lt;\/iframe&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Given ExpressVPN's price tag, its service is surprisingly stingy. ExpressVPN limits you to three simultaneous connections from different devices, while the industry standard is five simultaneous connections. NordVPN offers six connections, and CyberGhost seven, while TorGuard VPN lets you choose how many connections you'd like with a simple slider that goes from five to 205. Windscribe and Avira Phantom VPN are even simpler: they place no limit on the number of devices you can connect simultaneously.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Alternatively, you can spring for a router preloaded with ExpressVPN software, thanks to a partnership between ExpressVPN and FlashRouters. Or you can follow ExpressVPN's instructions and install the software on a router yourself. The advantage of a VPN-enabled router is that it protects every device on your network, including those that can't run VPNs on their own, and effectively lets you connect an infinite number of devices. ExpressVPN notably provides apps or installation instructions on a dizzying number of platforms, so you're sure to find something that meets your needs.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-9.v_1569469965.png', 'ExpressVPN Connected', 'ExpressVPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='ExpressVPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 810 456'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-2.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469965.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-2.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='ExpressVPN' width='810' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-2.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469965.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-2.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;VPN Protocols&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;VPNs are a very mature technology and as such there are a lot of different ways to create a VPN connection. I prefer OpenVPN. This VPN protocol is known for its speed and reliability, but most importantly is an open-source project, meaning its code has been picked over for vulnerabilities. ExpressVPN, happily, supports OpenVPN UDP\/TCP on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows. It also supports configuring routers to use OpenVPN.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;ExpressVPN also supports the older L2TP protocol on macOS and Windows, and the much less secure PPTP on Windows only. I don't recommend using either, unless you absolutely have to for some obscure legacy reason.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-10.v_1569469965.png', 'ExpressVPN Protocols', 'ExpressVPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='ExpressVPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 810 456'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-3.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469965.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-3.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='ExpressVPN' width='810' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-3.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469965.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-3.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;It's notable that ExpressVPN supports OpenVPN in its iOS app. That's because Apple makes app developers that wish to use OpenVPN jump through additional hoops, and many developers decline to do so. ExpressVPN also supports the IKEv1\/2 protocols on iOS, which is my next-best choice of VPN protocol after OpenVPN.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Servers and Server Locations&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Part of what you are paying for with a VPN subscription is access to the company's fleet of VPN servers. These are the machines you'll be connecting with, and from which your web traffic will appear to originate. Generally speaking, it's good to have a diverse distribution of servers, since this will ensure that you'll be able to find one close by, no matter where you travel, and likely get better service because of that closeness. It also gives you more options for spoofing your location.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;ExpressVPN offers 160 &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.expressvpn.com\/vpn-server&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;server locations&lt;\/a&gt; across 94 countries. Among my top-rated VPNs, ExpressVPN offers the most choices for server locations. My top choice, NordVPN, supports only 62 countries and &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/cyberghost-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;2456&quot;&gt;CyberGhost&lt;\/a&gt; only 80. It also excels in geographic diversity, with four of its locations in Africa and excellent coverage across South America&amp;mdash;two continents often underserved or completely ignored by other VPN companies. ExpressVPN also maintains servers for some countries with repressive internet policies, including Russia, Turkey, and Vietnam.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-11.v_1569469965.png', 'ExpressVPN Locations', 'ExpressVPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='ExpressVPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 810 456'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-4.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469965.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-4.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='ExpressVPN' width='810' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-4.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469965.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-4.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Some readers have expressed concern about virtual servers. These are software-defined servers, meaning that one piece of hardware can host multiple virtual servers. Virtual servers can also be configured to appear as if they are in a country other than where that physical hardware is located. Virtual servers aren't necessarily bad, but the idea that your data may be heading to some country other than where you want it to go can be unnerving.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Most VPN companies will spin up servers as needed (virtual or otherwise) to meet demand. As such, the overall number of servers is influenced by how many subscribers a company can boast. But a large server fleet also means it's more likely to find an uncrowded server, potentially getting you better performance. ExpressVPN has over 3,000 servers at its disposal, placing it among the largest collection of servers we've seen. CyberGhost, Private Internet Access, and &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/torguard-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;2758&quot;&gt;TorGuard&lt;\/a&gt; all have over 3,000 servers but NordVPN is at the top of the heap with well over 5,200 servers.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;ExpressVPN is very &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.expressvpn.com\/support\/troubleshooting\/virtual-server-locations\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;transparent about its use of virtual servers&lt;\/a&gt;. An explanatory page says that less than three percent of servers are not physically located where they appear to be, and lists their true location. A company spokesperson confirmed this information. ExpressVPN explains that part of why it uses virtual servers is to provide better performance, but also for improved security. You wouldn't necessarily want a VPN server within a dangerous country, as it could be tampered with, potentially revealing private information about its users. ExpressVPN's Russia, Turkey, Venezuela, and Vietnam servers, for example, are all virtual. This sounds reasonable.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Your Privacy With ExpressVPN&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;When you use a VPN, you're entrusting it with access to your web traffic. If the VPN were lacking in morals, it could easily monetize your personal information much the same way an ISP can. The VPN might also be targeted by law enforcement to hand over information relating to its customers. This is why it's important to read and understand a VPN's privacy policy. Don't worry, I've read the fine print for you. To its credit, &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.expressvpn.com\/privacy-policy&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;ExpressVPN's privacy policy&lt;\/a&gt; is a reasonable length and fairly easy to understand.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;ExpressVPN does collect information on activity in order to run its business, but is clear about the limits of that gathering: &quot;These statistics never include anything about what the user did with the VPN: no data about the contents or destinations of VPN traffic, no DNS queries, and no IP addresses.&quot; The policy goes on to explain that it cannot match users to IP addresses or other activity. That's what you want to hear from a VPN company.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;ExpressVPN has its headquarters in the British Virgin Islands, which has no data retention laws. The company points out that any request for user information would have to be issued from a local court, and would only be honored if the crime under investigation would be punishable by at least a year in prison in the British Virgin Islands.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Better still, ExpressVPN makes it clear in its policy (and verified to me) that it only generates revenue through the sale of VPN subscriptions. The company does not sell user data.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;The company does, however, collect information on the aggregate amount of data transferred, the day a successful connection has been made, and to which VPN location&amp;mdash;but not a specific public-facing IP address. ExpressVPN stresses that this information is not sufficient to identify a specific individual, since it would be identical to many other users. A company representative proudly pointed out that when Turkish authorities seized an ExpressVPN server, investigators, &quot;could not find any server logs that would enable investigators to link activity to a user or even determine which users, or whether a specific user, were connected at a given time.&quot;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Some VPN companies have begun releasing the results of third-party audits in order to validate the security of their services. NordVPN commissioned an audit of its no-log policy, and &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/tunnelbear-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;7387&quot;&gt;TunnelBear &lt;span data-commerce-link=&quot;07gTbd8huAzu6dL77AgI3Nt&quot;&gt;&lt;\/span&gt; &lt;\/a&gt; has committed to releasing annual audits of its entire process. An ExpressVPN representative tells me that the company carries out regular audits and penetration tests, but has not yet shared any publicly.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;One contribution that ExpressVPN has made to the larger security community is an open-source leak-testing tool. It has also responded to the &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/cdt.org\/insight\/unedited-answers-signals-of-trustworthy-vpns\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Center for Democracy and Technology's VPN questionnaire&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Hands On With ExpressVPN&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;I had no trouble downloading and installing the software on my &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/lenovo-thinkpad-t460s&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;8493&quot;&gt;Lenovo Thinkpad T460s&lt;\/a&gt; running Windows 10. Installation and setup were a breeze in my testing, and I was quickly using ExpressVPN's lovely, minimal interface. The simple main window lets you connect and disconnect quickly, with a large, clearly marked button. One interesting twist is that I didn't have to log in to the ExpressVPN client. Instead, I just entered an activation code from the ExpressVPN site. It's nearly seamless.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-12.v_1569469965.png', 'ExpressVPN Setup', 'ExpressVPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='ExpressVPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 810 456'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-5.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469965.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-5.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='ExpressVPN' width='810' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-5.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469965.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-5.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Additional windows let you sort and save preferred servers but I wish the app showed more information about each server, such as overall usage. I especially like the speed test window, which performs a quick test across all ExpressVPN's available servers to help you pick the best one.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;ExpressVPN eschews specialized servers and upsell features, opting to instead offer a rock solid product out of the box. Everything you'd expect is here, like a kill switch to prevents apps from connecting to the Internet if the VPN is disconnected. ExpressVPN has a unique feature called split tunneling. When active, this lets you designate which applications send their data through the VPN's tunnel or travel outside the tunnel, without encryption. If you have certain activities that are blocked when you use a VPN or are affected negatively by poor network performance, split tunneling is a useful workaround.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Note that ExpressVPN offers its own DNS service. That's handy, since clever attackers can monitor DNS requests to try and track you across the web. The company also allows P2P file sharing and &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-vpns-for-bittorrent&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;91&quot;&gt;BitTorrent&lt;\/ZIFFARITCLE&gt; on all servers.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;If a VPN is configured incorrectly, it can &lt;ZIFFARTICLE id=&quot;354450&quot;&gt;potentially leak&lt;\/a&gt; your real IP address, your ISP, or your DNS requests. I confirmed that my IP address were hidden and my ISP obscured. Using the &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.dnsleaktest.com\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;DNS Leak Test&lt;\/a&gt;, I found that ExpressVPN redirected all of my requests to the right spot, without leaking any information.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;ExpressVPN and Netflix&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-video-streaming-services&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;106&quot;&gt;Streaming media&lt;\/a&gt; is incredibly important for consumers, but streaming services like &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-best-vpns-for-netflix&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;152&quot;&gt;Netflix will sometimes block&lt;\/a&gt; your access when you use a VPN. This is often in order to protect distribution agreements for streaming companies.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, I was unable to connect to Netflix while ExpressVPN was in use. That's disappointing, but not too surprising. VPNs and Netflix are in an ongoing arms race over access.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Beyond VPN&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Some VPN companies include additional features to help differentiate them from competitors. For example, NordVPN attempts to block advertising at the network level. Other companies attempt to block malicious URLs, or provide static public IP addresses. ExpressVPN does not offer these extras.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Speed and Performance&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;A perennial concern with VPNs is that using one will slow your internet connection to a crawl. While it is true that using a VPN will increase latency and reduce upload and download speeds, it's usually a bearable experience. To get a sense of the impact a VPN has on your internet experience, we run a series of tests using the Ookla speedtest tool. (Note that Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, which also owns PCMag.) I run through the nitty-gritty of our testing elsewhere, so be sure to read that if you're curious about &lt;a href=&quot;\/about\/how-we-test-vpns&quot; data-link-type=&quot;article&quot; data-link-id=&quot;5963&quot;&gt;my methodologies&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-13.v_1569469965.png', 'ExpressVPN Speed', 'ExpressVPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='ExpressVPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 810 456'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-6.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469965.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-6.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='ExpressVPN' width='810' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-6.fit_lim.size_810x456.v_1569469965.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-6.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;Keep in mind that network connections are mercurial things, and your individual experience will probably differ from mine. Think of these results as more of a snapshot for comparison, rather than a final verdict on performance.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;When I initially tested ExpressVPN, the results weren't spectacular. It greatly increased latency, in my case by 1,266.7 percent. I found that ExpressVPN reduced upload speeds by 85.7 percent and download speeds by 95.3 percent. When ExpressVPN released the current version of its software, company representatives said it had been rejiggered to produce better speed test results. I was skeptical, but the test results speak for themselves: ExpressVPN now reduces latency by only 25 percent, upload speeds by 76.3 percent, and download speeds by 85 percent. That's an across-the-board improvement. &lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;You can see how ExpressVPN compares in the chart below with the top ten performers among the over 30 services we tested.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-14.v_1569469965.png', 'ExpressVPN Speedtest Improvements', 'ExpressVPN', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='ExpressVPN' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1072 637'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-7.fit_lim.size_1072x637.v_1569469965.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-7.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='ExpressVPN' width='1072' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-7.fit_lim.size_1072x637.v_1569469965.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-7.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;According to my testing, HideIPVPN is the &lt;a href=&quot;\/picks\/the-fastest-vpns&quot; data-link-type=&quot;roundup&quot; data-link-id=&quot;258&quot;&gt;fastest VPN&lt;\/a&gt; based on its comparatively small impact on upload and download speeds. ExpressVPN, however, has improved by leaps and bounds. It's a very close runner up for the top 10 fastest VPNs (in fact, it came in at 11th). That said, I believe that features and overall value are far more important than speed, and discourage readers from judging a VPN solely off these results.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;You can see how ExpressVPN compares in the chart below.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#&quot; class=&quot;no-underline&quot; onclick=&quot;return popImage('\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-15.v_1569469965.png', 'Fastest VPN 2019 Feb 21 2', 'Fastest VPN 2019', '');&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt='Fastest VPN 2019' src=&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1250 590'%3E%3Crect fill='%23f7f7f7' \/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot; v-image-loader='{ imageSrc: &quot;\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-8.fit_lim.size_1250x590.v_1569469965.png&quot;}' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-8.png'&gt;&lt;noscript inline-template&gt;&lt;img alt='Fastest VPN 2019' width='1250' src='\/imagery\/reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-8.fit_lim.size_1250x590.v_1569469965.png' align=&quot;center&quot; data-image-path='reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-8.png'&gt;&lt;\/noscript&gt;&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;ExpressVPN on Other Platforms&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;ExpressVPN offers apps for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. I highly recommend that people use an app with a VPN, since it is easier to use, requires no manual configuration, and grants access to additional features. ExpressVPN also supports Linux users with a command line tool.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;ExpressVPN also has plug-ins available for browsers, including Safari, Firefox, and Chrome. Note that browser plug-ins function as proxies, letting you change the apparent location of only your browser traffic, and doesn't apply the encryption found with VPN protocols.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;ExpressVPN also provides a Fire TV and Kindle Fire app, and instructions for using the service on Apple TV, PlayStation, and Xbox devices.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;h2&gt;Tough Competition&lt;\/h2&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;ExpressVPN has a lot going for it. Its geographic distribution is excellent, and its use of virtual servers seems smart&amp;mdash;not sketchy. It also boasts over 3,000 servers, which is quite robust. While it covers all the basics, ExpressVPN goes further by including rarely seen features like split tunneling. What holds ExpressVPN back from being an Editors' Choice is the value proposition it offers: Three simultaneous connections at a comparably high monthly price.&lt;\/p&gt;rnrn&lt;p&gt;ExpressVPN is a very good service, but our Editors' Choice winners have better all-around offerings at lower prices: NordVPN offers more for less, &lt;a href=&quot;\/reviews\/private-internet-access-vpn&quot; data-link-type=&quot;review&quot; data-link-id=&quot;4067&quot;&gt;Private Internet Access&lt;\/a&gt; undercuts ExpressVPN by almost half the price, TunnelBear has unbeatable friendliness, and ProtonVPN provides excellent security with flexible pricing.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;body_content_blocks&quot;:[],&quot;images&quot;:{&quot;autoincrement&quot;:57,&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;index&quot;:46,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-46.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:2000,&quot;height&quot;:1176,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;7b01f84233ced24cca11bc2b830b48d6&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1701449178,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;expressvpn logo&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: ExpressVPN&quot;,&quot;content-blocks-editor-uploaded-image&quot;:&quot;content-blocks-editor-uploaded-image-47325&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:28,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-28.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1114,&quot;height&quot;:626,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;828953861dd137d2a4ef9a096bc110b1&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1623257405,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN app connected to VPN&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: ExpressVPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:29,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-29.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1247,&quot;height&quot;:702,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;dafab1cc170e95a02943f67018e7be74&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1623257405,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Three windows of the ExpressVPN app with the protocol selector on the far right&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: ExpressVPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:30,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-30.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1123,&quot;height&quot;:631,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;75f2798a3bad8d9e7af8044d41faf368&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1623257405,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Window showing available VPN server locations&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: ExpressVPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:31,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-31.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1115,&quot;height&quot;:627,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;a89df354c983931913071ce7b036de37&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1623257406,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Panel showing advanced settings&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: ExpressVPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:32,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-32.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1594,&quot;height&quot;:897,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;7de9515818e5cb0756cdf86945aed63c&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1623257406,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;The app is reddish when disconnected and notifications appear&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: ExpressVPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:33,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-33.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1082,&quot;height&quot;:608,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;6a1770b57f53bf182a5154fff3177766&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1623257406,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;The split tunneling settings window&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: ExpressVPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:34,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-34.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:640,&quot;height&quot;:360,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;c0436406cccf51703d67c646d5cbd6f6&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1624557947,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN's Android interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: ExpressVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:35,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-35.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:2194,&quot;height&quot;:1234,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;7611d79c1b50c1a603f110dc05cf0ee9&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1624889077,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN macOS VPN interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: ExpressVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:37,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-37.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;10c2fdb844d5a1bd5475518a50c0f1a0&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1626117355,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN's iPhone interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: ExpressVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:38,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-38.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;df8a255cedccc2c6933c470bf2a69dce&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1692301398,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;The ExpressVPN Windows app while connected &quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: ExpressVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:39,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-39.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;0977a5331a7e0257ed180b2f573388a0&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1692301398,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;The ExpresVPN Windows app displaying the protocol selector&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: ExpressVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:40,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-40.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;4b6a49c07661a5f40730bc659e70a255&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1692301398,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;The ExpressVPN Windows app showing the server location selector window&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: ExpressVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:42,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-42.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;34ed04f260c82e0ae5e00bc5871b61a5&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1692301399,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;The ExpressVPN Windows app while disconnected&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: ExpressVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:43,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-43.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;f350c15b0731cdf968fcd69de15d39e5&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1692301399,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Three windows from the ExpressVPN Windows app, the topmost one showing which apps are sending traffic outside the VPN&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: ExpressVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:44,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-44.jpg&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;jpg&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;0a6cd6a40c0303f9985825d81f846011&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1692301399,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;The ExpressVPN Windows app displaying controls for the shortcuts feature&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: ExpressVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:47,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-47.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1832,&quot;height&quot;:982,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;17e935cedced3d1ffbdf7beaf0ad49e7&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1729808835,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;expressvpn ios&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: ExpressVPN\/PCMag&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:48,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-48.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;c024ece55404135a9c0742d0e302b23c&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1749749653,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN's pricing page&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/ExpressVPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:49,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-49.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;eb8552be7568937131e28bbf362aeb5e&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1749749653,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN's Windows connection screen&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/ExpressVPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:50,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-50.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;c35d1883cdd2cfc515c2962350806ac5&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1749749653,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN's threat manager menu on Windows&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/ExpressVPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:51,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-51.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;ab0715735f637c0e5aba4e54c08b3469&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1749750547,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN's Windows protocol options&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/ExpressVPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:52,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-52.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;c424984a01a496ea081894c0e396f2ec&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1749750547,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN's Windows server menu&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/ExpressVPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:53,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-53.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;1fe9fe74c14dea2872f13e8b2e796139&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1749751363,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN's Windows client menus&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/ExpressVPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:54,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-54.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;d1bfaf395931808b34f7fd033e802860&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1749751363,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN's macOS interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/ExpressVPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:55,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-55.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;0b0e23aab41426420e94b9d328547c99&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1749751363,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN iOS interface and menus&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/ExpressVPN&quot;}},{&quot;index&quot;:56,&quot;path&quot;:&quot;reviews\/017J2F0SqocSaCiuU25mVZe-56.png&quot;,&quot;extension&quot;:&quot;png&quot;,&quot;animated&quot;:false,&quot;width&quot;:1920,&quot;height&quot;:1080,&quot;hash&quot;:&quot;53abae7c52f22d3dbb8951eb8a927b6c&quot;,&quot;timestamp&quot;:1750882057,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN's Android interface&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Credit: PCMag\/ExpressVPN&quot;}}],&quot;metadata&quot;:[]},&quot;hero_image_gallery&quot;:{&quot;autoincrement&quot;:1,&quot;images&quot;:[],&quot;metadata&quot;:[]},&quot;editors_note&quot;:[],&quot;final_thoughts_body&quot;:[],&quot;final_thoughts_image&quot;:null,&quot;should_i_upgrade_body&quot;:[],&quot;pros&quot;:&quot;Large, diverse, widely distributed fleet of serversrnFast speed test resultsrnStrong privacy and security practicesrnSupport for post-quantum encryption protocols&quot;,&quot;cons&quot;:&quot;Expensive monthly and annual plansrnNo multi-hop connectionsrnAd blocking is spottyrnOwnership with a sketchy past&quot;,&quot;bottom_line&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN's dedication to privacy is impressive, as is its far-flung fleet of servers, though its price is steep for those who don't need worldwide access.&quot;,&quot;best_for&quot;:&quot;Best Diversity of Servers&quot;,&quot;hero_caption&quot;:null,&quot;first_published_at&quot;:&quot;2016-07-22T09:33:36.000000Z&quot;,&quot;published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-25T20:43:24.000000Z&quot;,&quot;last_published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-25T20:43:19.000000Z&quot;,&quot;scheduled_at&quot;:null,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2016-07-18T21:18:01.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-25T20:43:24.000000Z&quot;,&quot;product_title&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN&quot;,&quot;roundup_product_id&quot;:19483,&quot;isReview&quot;:true,&quot;newSpecs&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:54771,&quot;product_id&quot;:72669,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Blocks Ads&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:0,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T02:02:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-02-13T18:15:53.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:54767,&quot;product_id&quot;:72669,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Simultaneous VPN Connections&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;8&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:1,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T02:02:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-10-25T00:04:53.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:54766,&quot;product_id&quot;:72669,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;500+ Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:2,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T02:02:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-02-13T18:15:53.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:54772,&quot;product_id&quot;:72669,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Server Locations&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;105 Countries&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:3,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T02:02:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:56.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:54773,&quot;product_id&quot;:72669,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Geographically Diverse Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:4,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T02:02:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-02-13T18:15:53.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:54765,&quot;product_id&quot;:72669,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:false,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:5,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T02:02:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-02-13T18:15:53.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:54774,&quot;product_id&quot;:72669,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version Data Limit&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;No Free Version&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:6,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T02:02:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:56.000000Z&quot;}],&quot;product&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:72669,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;0720gpTQE8mDYRSQhBsNKme&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;ACTIVE&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN&quot;,&quot;tiered_pricing&quot;:true,&quot;msrp_currency&quot;:&quot;USD&quot;,&quot;msrp_amount&quot;:&quot;12.95&quot;,&quot;msrp_label&quot;:&quot;Per Month, Starts at&quot;,&quot;image&quot;:null,&quot;source_updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-02-13T18:14:53.000000Z&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T02:02:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-02-13T18:15:53.000000Z&quot;,&quot;specs&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:54771,&quot;product_id&quot;:72669,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Blocks Ads&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:0,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T02:02:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-02-13T18:15:53.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:54767,&quot;product_id&quot;:72669,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Simultaneous VPN Connections&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;8&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:1,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T02:02:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2024-10-25T00:04:53.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:54766,&quot;product_id&quot;:72669,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;500+ Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:2,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T02:02:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-02-13T18:15:53.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:54772,&quot;product_id&quot;:72669,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Server Locations&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;105 Countries&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:3,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T02:02:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:56.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:54773,&quot;product_id&quot;:72669,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Geographically Diverse Servers&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:true,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:4,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T02:02:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-02-13T18:15:53.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:54765,&quot;product_id&quot;:72669,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;boolean&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:false,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:5,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T02:02:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-02-13T18:15:53.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:54774,&quot;product_id&quot;:72669,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Free Version Data Limit&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;No Free Version&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:6,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T02:02:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:56.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:54768,&quot;product_id&quot;:72669,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Supported Protocols on Android&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;Lightway&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:7,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T02:02:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:56.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:54769,&quot;product_id&quot;:72669,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Supported Protocols on macOS&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;Lightway, OpenVPN, L2TP&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:8,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T02:02:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:56.000000Z&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:54770,&quot;product_id&quot;:72669,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Supported Protocols on iOS&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;text&quot;,&quot;value&quot;:&quot;OpenVPN, IKEv2&quot;,&quot;unit&quot;:null,&quot;rank&quot;:9,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2023-03-02T02:02:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2023-11-10T14:36:56.000000Z&quot;}]},&quot;authors&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:509,&quot;legacy_id&quot;:null,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;01oXdQFB122D8N1SANiXoWC&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;Published&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Editorial Author&quot;,&quot;luna_user_id&quot;:null,&quot;is_active&quot;:true,&quot;show_expertise&quot;:1,&quot;show_expertise_filters&quot;:0,&quot;seo_noindex&quot;:0,&quot;first_name&quot;:&quot;Justyn&quot;,&quot;last_name&quot;:&quot;Newman&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;justyn-newman&quot;,&quot;canonical_url&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Senior Writer, Security&quot;,&quot;bio_summary&quot;:[],&quot;bio_content_blocks&quot;:[],&quot;expertise&quot;:[],&quot;email&quot;:&quot;justyn.newman@ziffdavis.com&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:null,&quot;bluesky&quot;:&quot;justynnewman.bsky.social&quot;,&quot;threads&quot;:null,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;justyn-newman-655395143&quot;,&quot;image&quot;:{&quot;path&quot;:&quot;authors\/01oXdQFB122D8N1SANiXoWC.png&quot;,&quot;metadata&quot;:{&quot;altText&quot;:&quot;Justyn Newman&quot;,&quot;attribution&quot;:&quot;Justyn Newman&quot;}},&quot;seo_title&quot;:null,&quot;seo_description&quot;:null,&quot;first_published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-18T14:53:05.000000Z&quot;,&quot;published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-07-28T22:52:21.000000Z&quot;,&quot;last_published_at&quot;:&quot;2025-07-28T22:52:16.000000Z&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2025-04-18T14:53:00.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-07-28T22:52:21.000000Z&quot;,&quot;pivot&quot;:{&quot;authorable_id&quot;:7874,&quot;author_id&quot;:509,&quot;authorable_type&quot;:&quot;review&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-12T17:34:13.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-25T20:43:24.000000Z&quot;}}],&quot;brands&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:2022,&quot;legacy_id&quot;:6933,&quot;luna_user_id&quot;:null,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;01gF4RGG9auLdAIs1lUkB91&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;Published&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;ExpressVPN&quot;,&quot;seo_title&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;expressvpn&quot;,&quot;canonical_url&quot;:null,&quot;seo_noindex&quot;:0,&quot;deck&quot;:null,&quot;seo_description&quot;:null,&quot;first_published_at&quot;:&quot;2020-01-08T11:26:00.000000Z&quot;,&quot;published_at&quot;:&quot;2020-01-08T11:26:00.000000Z&quot;,&quot;last_published_at&quot;:&quot;2020-01-08T11:26:00.000000Z&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2019-06-11T02:54:11.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2020-01-08T11:26:00.000000Z&quot;,&quot;pivot&quot;:{&quot;brandable_id&quot;:7874,&quot;brand_id&quot;:2022,&quot;brandable_type&quot;:&quot;review&quot;,&quot;created_at&quot;:&quot;2020-01-12T00:07:18.000000Z&quot;,&quot;updated_at&quot;:&quot;2025-06-25T20:43:24.000000Z&quot;}}]}]&#10;            this.specNames = [&quot;Rating&quot;,&quot;Best For&quot;,&quot;Blocks Ads&quot;,&quot;Simultaneous VPN Connections&quot;,&quot;500+ Servers&quot;,&quot;Server Locations&quot;,&quot;Geographically Diverse Servers&quot;,&quot;Free Version&quot;,&quot;Free Version Data Limit&quot;]&#10;            this.specLength = Object.keys(this.specNames).length;&#10;            this.gridRowStyle = `grid-row: span ${this.specLength } \/ span ${this.specLength }`&#10;        },&#10;        show(key, id) { return this.selections[`selection_${key}`] === this.options[id]?.uuid },&#10;        select(key, val) { this.selections[`selection_${key}`] = this.options.find(option =&gt; option.uuid === val)?.uuid ?? '' },&#10;        setSelections() {&#10;            const width = window.innerWidth&#10;            const dropdownCount = width &gt;= 1024 ? 3 : 2&#10;            this.selectionCount = dropdownCount&#10;            this.specLengthVisible = width &gt;= 768 &amp;&amp; this.specLength &gt;= 6 ? 6 : this.specLength &gt;= 4 ? 4 : this.specLength&#10;            this.scrollable = this.specLength &gt; this.specLengthVisible&#10;            Object.keys(this.selections).forEach((key, index) =&gt;  availableOption.uuid : '')&#10;            )&#10;        },&#10;        calculateGridHeight() {&#10;            const node = [...$refs.specs.children].find(child =&gt; child.offsetHeight)&#10;            const childNodes = [...node.children].filter(child =&gt; child.offsetHeight).slice(0, this.specLength &lt; this.specLengthVisible ? this.specLength : this.specLengthVisible)&#10;            const height = Math.round(childNodes.reduce((sum, child) =&gt; sum + child.offsetHeight, 0))&#10;            return `height: ${height}px`;&#10;        }&#10;    }\">\n<h2 class=\"font-stretch-ultra-condensed flex flex-col gap-y-2 leading-compact\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Quickest_VPNs_for_2025_Examine_Specs\"><\/span>\n            <span class=\"text-base font-bold uppercase not-italic tracking-widest text-red-400\">The Quickest VPNs for 2025<\/span><br \/>\n            <span class=\"text-3xl font-semibold tracking-wide\">Examine Specs<\/span><br \/>\n        <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<p>Shopping for Information: The Quickest VPNs for 2025<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<h2 id=\"whats-the-fastest-vpn\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_Quickest_VPN\"><\/span>What is the Quickest VPN?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The quickest VPN for me seemingly received\u2019t be the quickest one for you. It\u2019s unlucky, but it surely\u2019s merely the character of networks. The efficiency I expertise goes to be completely different from my neighbor&#8217;s, not to mention in contrast with another person midway world wide. That variance is the explanation we deemphasize velocity exams in our evaluations. That stated, we nonetheless take a look at efficiency to get a basic concept of what to anticipate. <\/p>\n<div class=\"video-parent flex flex-col gap-4\">\n<div id=\"video-container-1On8Y6WYlB\" class=\"!h-full\">\n<div class=\"relative\">\n                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"absolute size-16 block inset-1\/2 translate-center text-black z-20 cursor-pointer sm:w-24 sm:h-24\" viewbox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"m371.7 238-176-107c-15.8-8.8-35.7 2.5-35.7 21v208c0 18.4 19.8 29.8 35.7 21l176-101c16.4-9.1 16.4-32.8 0-42zM504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256s111 248 248 248 248-111 248-248zm-448 0c0-110.5 89.5-200 200-200s200 89.5 200 200-89.5 200-200 200S56 366.5 56 256z\"\/><\/svg>                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"w-full\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ex.co\/transformations\/production\/b627881f-ce14-4696-873f-e94f5223a21c\/thumbnail-480.webp\" alt=\"How a VPN Works\"\/>\n            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col gap-3\">\n<div class=\"text-lg gap-4 font-bold mb-0 flex items-center leading-tight\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"max-w-[2.5rem] md:min-w-12 md:max-w-12\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/images\/pcmag.svg\" alt=\"PCMag Logo\"\/><\/p>\n<p>How a VPN Works<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>I conduct all of my exams on an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/reviews\/intel-nuc-12-enthusiast-kit-serpent-canyon\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Intel NUC 12 \u201cSerpent Canyon\u201d<\/u><\/a> working the most recent model of Home windows 11 from my residence workplace in Portland, Oregon. My base connection is thru CenturyLink fiber with baseline speeds of 1Gbps up and down. Nonetheless, I don\u2019t go by marketed speeds from my ISP. As a substitute, I run ten velocity exams proper earlier than I take a look at a VPN to determine my baseline velocity for that point. If I take a look at one other service on that very same day, I run the baseline exams once more since speeds can differ hourly.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Click on on the column headers to type by a specific variable within the desk. The outcomes we take a look at for embrace obtain speeds, add speeds, and latency jitter:<\/p>\n<p>Whereas it didn&#8217;t happen in my most up-to-date batch of exams, it&#8217;s doable to get what look like improved speeds when related to a VPN. The almost definitely trigger is native congestion. Throughout peak hours, your ISP\u2019s servers are closely trafficked, which may end up in slowdowns. One other key issue is distance. Identical to a VPN, your ISP makes use of servers to ship a steady connection. You may be in a area the place your ISP\u2019s server is additional away from you than a VPN\u2019s server. Nonetheless, even when your obtain and add speeds enhance, you\u2019re nonetheless going to see a bounce in latency due to the additional hop your connection has to make via the service\u2019s encrypted tunnel. It\u2019s additionally price noting that any efficiency boons shall be short-term and marginal. A VPN isn\u2019t a magical instrument that may vastly enhance your efficiency if you&#8217;re working with a gradual community already.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<h2 id=\"how-we-test-vpns-for-speed\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_We_Check_VPNs_for_Velocity\"><\/span>How We Check VPNs for Velocity<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>I take advantage of a customized instrument offered by Ookla to carry out my velocity exams. It makes use of the identical know-how as <a href=\"http:\/\/Speedtest.net\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"(Opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Speedtest.internet<\/u><\/a>, but it surely does so with out requiring browser entry. (Be aware: Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag.com&#8217;s dad or mum firm. For extra, see the ethics coverage in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/about\/pcmagcom-mission-statement\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Editorial Mission Assertion<\/u><\/a>.) As famous above, I first set up my baseline speeds for the given take a look at. I collate my outcomes right into a <em>median<\/em> to check towards. I then conduct ten extra velocity exams whereas related to the VPN\u2019s quickest recommended server. That is often decided through the use of the Finest or Quickest setting on the server choice menu. In lieu of that possibility, I decide the server that&#8217;s bodily closest to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As soon as I&#8217;ve each median scores, I calculate the proportion change between them to get a way of the impression the service had on my connection. A big shift in proportion signifies that the VPN had a larger impact on my speeds. Variations in add and obtain speeds are expressed as a proportion lower, whereas latency slowdowns are proven as a proportion improve. This course of is repeated for each VPN that I take a look at.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Obtain and add speeds measure the quantity of information moved over your community connection in a second. Measured in megabits per second (Mbps), this velocity equates to how rapidly you may entry websites, stream content material, and obtain\/add information. Latency measures the time your pc takes to ship and obtain a response. Latency (additionally known as ping) is measured in milliseconds. A slight delay in response time may not appear essential, however it will possibly make an enormous distinction when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/picks\/the-best-vpns-for-gaming\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>gaming on a VPN<\/u><\/a>. Just a few milliseconds may imply the distinction between successful and shedding a aggressive match.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I conduct these exams in as repeatable a fashion as doable. Nonetheless, there are all the time going to be variables that affect my outcomes. You could have servers which can be nearer or additional away than I do. You could have kind of person congestion. If the identical exams had been carried out on a 1Gbps line in a special a part of the nation or at a special time of day, I\u2019d virtually definitely get different outcomes. You may learn much more about how our workforce exams VPNs and, importantly, how our testing has modified over time in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/article\/359811\/how-we-test-vpns\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>how we take a look at VPNs<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<h2 id=\"how-to-make-your-vpn-faster\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Easy_methods_to_Make_Your_VPN_Sooner\"><\/span>Easy methods to Make Your VPN Sooner<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There isn\u2019t a lot you are able to do to make your VPN sooner than it already is. You may need luck altering servers. Preserve an eye fixed out for an exercise indicator subsequent to the situation. Some apps allow you to see the server load. If a specific possibility appears to be like crowded, then it is best to maneuver to another. Additionally, search for velocity indicators or particular menus. Generally you\u2019ll discover the perfect servers tucked away beneath a special menu.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The most effective factor that you are able to do is make an knowledgeable resolution when selecting your subsequent service. You need to check out the place a supplier\u2019s servers are bodily situated. The nearer to you, the higher. Many VPNs inflate their server depend with digital servers that may very well be 1000&#8217;s of miles away from you. You could discover that the dozen or so areas close to you might be, the truth is, not near you in any respect. Whereas digital servers offer you an area IP tackle, your knowledge nonetheless has to go to wherever that digital server is being run. That journey equates to efficiency loss in all facets. So, it&#8217;s best to decide on a VPN that&#8217;s clear about the place its bodily servers are situated, or you may choose for an organization that doesn\u2019t use digital servers in anyway, like Windscribe.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The protocol the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/picks\/the-best-vpn-services\" data-element=\"link-injector\" x-track-ga-click=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">VPN service<\/a> makes use of can be essential. OpenVPN and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/explainers\/what-is-wireguard-and-do-you-need-it-for-your-vpn\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>WireGuard<\/u><\/a> have turn out to be the usual for the most recent and best in VPN know-how, and every provides a lot leaner and sooner experiences than its predecessors. If velocity is your important concern, select a type of as a substitute of growing old, less-secure options like SSTP\/PPTP, IKEv2, or Open UDP.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"py-4\" data-parent-group=\"related-stories\">\n<div class=\"mx-0 border border-b border-l-0 border-r-0 border-t border-gray-300 py-4 md:ml-8 md:mr-24\">\n<h3 class=\"font-stretch-ultra-condensed mb-2 text-lg font-semibold uppercase\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Really_useful_by_Our_Editors\"><\/span>Really useful by Our Editors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Break up-tunneling is an effective possibility in case you don\u2019t want the sport or utility to be protected by your VPN. This function enables you to outline which apps ship knowledge via the VPN tunnel and which ship knowledge exterior the tunnel. You may separate extra delicate actions, like internet looking or on-line banking, from higher-bandwidth actions, like streaming music or taking part in video video games.<\/p>\n<p>Be aware that some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/picks\/the-best-free-vpns\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>VPN corporations provide free variations<\/u><\/a> that restrict the variety of servers out there. Usually, anticipate these servers out there to free customers to be crowded and, subsequently, slower. Proton VPN, for instance, limits the variety of servers out there to free customers however notably doesn&#8217;t restrict the quantity of information a free subscriber can use. This makes them a well-liked decide, however the extra well-liked a free VPN is, the much less bandwidth there&#8217;s for every particular person utilizing it.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<h2 id=\"is-speed-the-most-important-part-of-a-vpn\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_Velocity_the_Most_Necessary_A_part_of_a_VPN\"><\/span>Is Velocity the Most Necessary A part of a VPN?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>No, it shouldn\u2019t be a high consideration. You\u2019ll virtually definitely expertise a dip in efficiency even in case you\u2019re utilizing the perfect VPNs. There are too many variables at play that may impression your total efficiency. A service that was quick at the moment may very well be sluggish tomorrow.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why our evaluations are inclined to concentrate on privateness, options, and worth. Velocity is a pleasant bonus, however I\u2019d a lot somewhat my knowledge be non-public than get a couple of further Mbps again on my obtain speeds. I choose VPN providers with  geographic distribution of servers and clear privateness insurance policies. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/article\/359499\/how-to-set-up-and-use-a-vpn\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>VPNs which can be straightforward to arrange and use<\/u><\/a> for first-timers and embrace a well-made native shopper filled with extras additionally go a good distance towards getting constructive marks. A service additionally has a greater probability of scoring nicely if it provides  worth proposition. We consider each VPN&#8217;s worth, and you&#8217;ll view the price breakdown within the chart under:<\/p>\n<p>It is essential to keep in mind that whereas VPNs are a simple manner to enhance your privateness, they don&#8217;t defend towards each on-line risk. I like to recommend putting in a standalone <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/picks\/best-ad-blockers\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>tracker blocker<\/u><\/a> and utilizing the superior privateness instruments out there in most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/picks\/chrome-edge-firefox-opera-or-safari-which-browser-is-best\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>browsers<\/u><\/a>. I additionally encourage utilizing a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/picks\/the-best-password-managers\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>password supervisor<\/u><\/a> to create distinctive and complicated passwords for each login, enabling <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/how-to\/two-factor-authentication-who-has-it-and-how-to-set-it-up\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>multi-factor authentication<\/u><\/a> wherever out there, and putting in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/picks\/the-best-antivirus-protection\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>antivirus software program<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script>\n    var facebookPixelLoaded = false;\n    window.addEventListener('load', function() {\n        document.addEventListener('scroll', facebookPixelScript);\n        document.addEventListener('mousemove', facebookPixelScript);\n    });\n    function facebookPixelScript() {\n        if (!facebookPixelLoaded) {\n            facebookPixelLoaded = true;\n            document.removeEventListener('scroll', facebookPixelScript);\n            document.removeEventListener('mousemove', facebookPixelScript);\n            window.zdconsent.cmd.push(function() {\n                ! function(f, b, e, v, n, t, s) {\n                    if (f.fbq) return;\n                    n = f.fbq = function() {\n                        n.callMethod ? n.callMethod.apply(n, arguments) : n.queue.push(arguments)\n                    };\n                    if (!f._fbq) f._fbq = n;\n                    n.push = n;\n                    n.loaded = !0;\n                    n.version = '2.0';\n                    n.queue = [];\n                    t = b.createElement(e);\n                    t.async = !0;\n                    t.src = v;\n                    s = b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n                    s.parentNode.insertBefore(t, s)\n                }(window, document, 'script', '\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n                fbq('init', '454758778052139');\n                fbq('track', \"PageView\");\n            });\n        }\n    }\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A VPN is a privateness instrument that anonymizes sure facets of your knowledge by encrypting it, however including this further step to your connection slows it down. We have been testing VPNs for greater than 10 years, and a part of that course of consists of velocity exams. Our outcomes under are ranked by velocity, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11567,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11565","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-input-devices"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11565","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11565"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11565\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11566,"href":"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11565\/revisions\/11566"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/11567"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11565"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11565"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aireviewirush.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11565"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}