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Title: The best VPN service for 2025

Date: Fri, 30 May 2025 21:01:26 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/be...

Virtual private networks (VPNs) are notoriously difficult to work with. Maybe
youΓÇÖre a remote worker who has to sign in to one each day to access company
services, or you tried it once because you heard you could use it to access
international content, but were met with laggy service and frequent
disruptions. TodayΓÇÖs VPNs donΓÇÖt have to come with those headaches. We
tested nine of the best VPN services available now to come up with our top
picks, and lay out what you should know before paying for one.

We tested nine of the most popular VPN services available now to come up with
our top picks, and lay out what you should know before paying for one. Our
top pick remains ProtonVPN thanks to its easy-to-use interface, no-logs
policy and open-source framework, while other popular options like NordVPN
didn't quite make the cut. While we think ProtonVPN is the best VPN for most
people, we lay out other good options you can consider, too.

Editor's note (5/30/25): We're in the process of revamping our VPN coverage
to provide more in-depth, actionable information and buying guides. Our
recommendations, and all the info on this page, are subject to change as the
update continues. Check out our revamped ExpressVPN review to see the new
direction, or learn more about how we test VPNs.

Table of contents

Best VPNs of 2025

What is a VPN?

Are VPNs worth it?

How we tested VPNs

Other VPN services our experts tested

VPN FAQs

Best VPNs for 2025

What is a VPN?

VPNs, or virtual private networks, mask your IP address and the identity of
your computer or mobile device on the network and creating an encrypted
"tunnel" that prevents your internet service provider (ISP) from accessing
data about your browsing history. VPNs are not a one-size-fits-all security
solution, though.

Instead, theyΓÇÖre just one part of keeping your data private and secure.
Roya Ensafi, assistant professor of computer science and engineering at the
University of Michigan, told Engadget that VPNs donΓÇÖt protect against
common threats like phishing attacks, nor do they protect your data from
being stolen. Much of the data or information is stored with the VPN provider
instead of your ISP, which means that using a poorly designed or unprotected
network can still undermine your security. But they do come in handy for
online privacy when youΓÇÖre connecting to an untrusted network somewhere
public because they tunnel and encrypt your traffic to the next hop.

That means sweeping claims that seem promising, like military-grade
encryption or total digital invisibility, may not be totally accurate.
Instead, Yael Grauer, program manager of Consumer ReportsΓÇÖ online security
guide, recommends looking for security features like open-source software
with reproducible builds, up-to-date support for industry-standard protocols
like WireGuard (CR's preferred protocol) or IPsec, and the ability to defend
against attack vectors like brute force.

Read more:

How to use a VPN on your iPhone

How to stream video to your TV using a VPN

How to stream using a VPN on your Google TV or Chromecast

How to stream via a VPN on Roku

Understanding VPNs and your needs

Before considering a VPN, make sure your online security is up to date in
other ways. That means complex passwords, multi-factor authentication methods
and locking down your data sharing preferences. Even then, you probably
donΓÇÖt need to be using a VPN all the time.

ΓÇ£If you're just worried about somebody sitting there passively and looking
at your data then a VPN is great,ΓÇ¥ Jed Crandall, an associate professor at
Arizona State University, told Engadget.

That brings us to some of the most common uses cases for VPNs. If you use
public WiFi networks a lot, like while working at a coffee shop, then VPN
usage can help give you private internet access. TheyΓÇÖre also helpful for
hiding information from other people on your ISP if you donΓÇÖt want members
of your household to know what youΓÇÖre up to online.

Geoblocking has also become a popular use case as it helps you reach services
in other parts of the world. For example, you can access shows that are only
available on streaming services, like Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime, in other
countries, or play online games with people located all over the globe.

There are also a few common VPN features that you should consider before
deciding if you want to use one, and which is best for you:

What is split tunneling?

Split tunneling allows you to route some traffic through your VPN, while
other traffic has direct access to the internet. This can come in handy when
you want to protect certain activity online without losing access to local
network devices, or services that work best with location sharing enabled.

What is a double VPN?

A double VPN, otherwise known as multi-hop VPN or a VPN chain, passes your
online activity through two different VPN servers one right after the other.
For VPN services that support this, users are typically able to choose which
two servers they want their traffic to pass through. As you might expect,
this provides an extra layer of security.

Are VPNs worth it?

Whether or not VPNs are worth it depends how often you could use it for the
above use cases. If you travel a lot and rely on public WiFi or hotspots, are
looking to browse outside of your home country or want to keep your traffic
hidden from your ISP, then investing in a VPN will be useful. But, keep in
mind that even the best VPN services often slow down your internet connection
speed, so they may not be ideal all the time.

In today's world, we recommend not relying on a VPN connection as your main
cybersecurity tool. VPN use can provide a false sense of security, leaving
you vulnerable to attack. Plus, if you choose just any VPN, it may not be as
secure as just relying on your ISP. ThatΓÇÖs because the VPN could be based
in a country with weaker data privacy regulation, obligated to hand
information over to law enforcement or linked to weak user data protection
policies.

For VPN users working in professions like activism or journalism that want to
really strengthen their internet security, options like the Tor browser may
be a worthwhile alternative, according to Crandall. Tor is free, and while
it's less user-friendly, itΓÇÖs built for anonymity and privacy.

How we tested VPNs

To test the security specs of different VPNs and name our top picks, we
relied on pre-existing academic work through Consumer Reports, VPNalyzer and
other sources. We referenced privacy policies, transparency reports and
security audits made available to the public. We also considered past
security incidents like data breaches.

We looked at price, usage limits, effects on internet speed, possible use
cases, ease of use, general functionality and additional ΓÇ£extraΓÇ¥ VPN
features like multihop. The VPNs were tested across iOS, Android and Mac
devices so we could see the state of the mobile apps across various platforms
(Windows devices are also supported in most cases). We used the ΓÇ£quick
connectΓÇ¥ feature on the VPN apps to connect to the ΓÇ£fastestΓÇ¥ provider
available when testing internet speed, access to IP address data and DNS and
WebRTC leaks or when a fault in the encrypted tunnel reveals requests to an
ISP.

Otherwise, we conducted a test of geoblocking content by accessing Canada-
exclusive Netflix releases, a streaming test by watching a news livestream on
YouTube via a Hong Kong-based VPN and a gaming test by playing on servers in
the United Kingdom. By performing these tests at the same time, it also
allowed us to test claims about simultaneous device use. Here are the VPN
services we tested:

ExpressVPN

NordVPN

Surfshark

Proton VPN

TunnelBear

Bitdefender VPN

CyberGhost

Windscribe

Atlas VPN

Read more: The best password managers for 2023

Other VPN services our experts tested NordVPN

NordVPN didnΓÇÖt quite make the cut because itΓÇÖs overhyped, and
underwhelming. As I've written in our full review of NordVPN, the pricing, up
to $14.49 for a ΓÇ£completeΓÇ¥ subscription, seemed high compared to other
services, and its free or lower cost plans just didnΓÇÖt have the same wide
variety of features as its competitors.

TunnelBear

Despite the cute graphics and user friendliness, TunnelBear wasnΓÇÖt a top
choice. It failed numerous basic security tests from Consumer Reports, and
had limited availability across platforms like Linux. It did, however, get a
major security boost in July when it updated to support WireGuard protocol
across more of its platforms.

Bitdefender VPN

Bitdefender doesnΓÇÖt offer support for devices like routers, which limits
its cross-platform accessibility. It also lacked a transparency report or
third-party audit to confirm security specs.

Atlas VPN

Atlas ranked lower on our speed tests compared to the other VPNs tested, with
a notably slower difference on web browsing and streaming tests. It was a
good option otherwise, but could easily cause headaches for those chasing
high speed connections. Security-wise, an Atlas VPN vulnerability leaked
Linux usersΓÇÖ real IP addresses.

VPN FAQs What are some things VPNs are used for?

VPNs are traditionally used to protect your internet traffic. If youΓÇÖre
connected to an untrusted network like public WiFi in a cafe, using a VPN
hides what you do from the internet service provider. Then, the owner of the
WiFi or hackers trying to get into the system canΓÇÖt see the identity of
your computer or your browsing history.

A common non-textbook use case for VPNs has been accessing geographically
restricted content. VPNs can mask your location, so even if youΓÇÖre based in
the United States, they can make it appear as if youΓÇÖre browsing abroad and
unblock access. This is especially useful for streaming content thatΓÇÖs
often limited to certain countries, like if you want to watch Canadian
Netflix from the US.

What information does a VPN hide?

A VPN doesnΓÇÖt hide all of your data. It only hides information like your IP
address, location and browser history. A common misconception is that VPNs
can make you totally invisible online. But keep in mind that the VPN provider
often still has access to all of this information, so it doesnΓÇÖt grant you
total anonymity. YouΓÇÖre also still vulnerable to phishing attacks, hacking
and other cyberthreats that you should be mindful of by implementing strong
passwords and multi-factor authentication.

Are VPNs safe?

Generally, yes. VPNs are a safe and reliable way to encrypt and protect your
internet data. But like most online services, the safety specifics vary from
provider to provider. You can use resources like third-party audits, Consumer
Reports reviews, transparency reports and privacy policies to understand the
specifics of your chosen provider.

Can you get a VPN on your phone?

Yes, you can use a VPN on your phone. Most major VPN services have mobile
apps you can install on iPhones and Android devices so you can connect on
your phone to protect your mobile browsing.

What about GoogleΓÇÖs One VPN?

Google One subscriptions include access to the companyΓÇÖs VPN, which works
similarly to other VPNs on our list, hiding your online activity from network
operators. However, Google announced recently that it plans to shut down the
One VPN because "people simply werenΓÇÖt using it." There's no specific date
for the shutdown, with Google simply saying it will discontinue the service
sometime in 2024. Pixel phone owners, however, will continue to have access
to the free VPN available on their devices.

Recent updates

April 2025: Updated for timeliness and to ensure our top picks are still
current.

October 2024: Added a "read more" section with links to additional VPN
content.

June 2024: Updated to include table of contents.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/be...

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