Top 5 Best VPN Services

Maybe you already have a subscription that is about to expire and want to switch, or maybe you’re completely new to the VPN world. Either way, it’s hard to choose.

There are currently more than 300 VPN providers that are doing their utmost to acquire new customers. The king below, NordVPN, is no exception.

Online anonymity is more of a necessity than a luxury these days

Either way, you’ve come to the right place! This page is dedicated to our Top 5 Best VPN Services. There is something for everyone, from the budget candidates to the bourgeoisie among VPN users. Just wait and see!

The 5 Best VPN Services:

1. NordVPN – The best VPN service for all-around use.
2. ExpressVPN – The best VPN for speed enthusiasts.
3. CyberGhost – Top VPN provider to use with Netflix.
4. Private Internet Access (PIA) – Good VPN service for a custom experience.
5. Windscribe – Best Cheap VPN Service.

What is a VPN?

The abbreviation ‘VPN’ stands for Virtual Private Network. Simply put, a VPN connects your PC, smartphone, or tablet to another computer – a remote server – somewhere on the internet. For example, the VPN allows you to surf the internet via the internet connection of that server.

So if that server is in another country, it seems that your own connection is also from that country. This gives you access to content that you normally wouldn’t be able to view.

The so-called VPN tunnel through which your internet connection is routed is also encrypted. This makes your data inaccessible and unreadable for external parties.

How does a VPN help?

That is a good and certainly not unimportant question! Some of the ways a VPN can help you are:

• Bypassing geo-restrictions on websites or streaming audio and video
• Watching streaming media like Netflix and BBC iPlayer
• Protect yourself from spying on unreliable WiFi hotspots
• Gaining at least some anonymity online by hiding your true location
• Protect yourself from logging in while downloading torrents and the like.

How does a VPN work?

When you connect your computer (or other devices, such as a smartphone or tablet) to a VPN, it appears to be on the same local network as the VPN service. All your network traffic is sent to the VPN via a secure connection – the aforementioned tunnel.

Because your computer behaves as if it were on the network, this way you can securely access local network resources, even if you’re on the other side of the world.

You will also be able to use the internet as if you were at the location of the VPN, which has a number of advantages when using public WiFi routers or geo-blocked websites.

The Best VPN Services of 2022:

#1 NordVPN

The best VPN service for all-round use

• Location: Panama
• Protocols: OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec
• Zero-logs policy: Yes
• P2P friendly: Yes
• Kill switch: Yes
• Encryption: 256-bit AES

NordVPN is a great VPN service partly because of the variety of security measures.

Your connection to one of the 5000+ servers spread across 59 countries (at the time of writing this article) is governed by a VPN protocol of your choice: OpenVPN or IKEv2/IPSec.

On top of that, an armor of military-level security is placed by the 256-bit AES encryption. Try to break that! Add to that the fact that the Panama – based company adheres to a zero-logs policy, offers built-in DNS leak protection and a kill switch, and you’ve found a top contender in terms of privacy and security.

However, the fun doesn’t end there: the speeds are also worth a compliment. Where many VPN services quickly lose their momentum completely, NordVPN is holding up well. It’s not the fastest shift, but it’s certainly not slow.

Another reason why Wifi js chose NordVPN as its #1 is its versatility. Besides the fact that you can of course go to NordVPN for all your standard security needs, you can also use it together with, for example, the Tor browser via Onion over VPN.

In addition, all servers are P2P-friendly and you can easily stream foreign Netflix content. I myself have only experienced a few times that an American server would not let us play the content. That’s almost unique, though: many VPN services often require multiple attempts to successfully display the series or movie you want to watch.

Finally, there is the user-friendliness of the NordVPN clients. In our view, these are also perfectly fine and very intuitive to use, albeit somewhat uninteresting in appearance. However, the whole thing functions properly on mobile devices as well as on PCs and routers. That is very handy if you want to use all 6 connections that you can make with the service!

Want to know what this costs? You can take out a two-year subscription for $3.29 per month. Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it?!

#2 ExpressVPN

Best VPN for Speed ​​Fans

• Location: British Virgin Islands
• Protocols: OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec, PPTP
• Zero-logs policy: Yes
• P2P friendly: Yes
• Kill switch: Yes
• Encryption: 256-bit AES

British Virgin Islands-based ExpressVPN is a very worthy competitor to the throne that NordVPN now sits on. If we could hand out a tie for first place, we would have done it here! Unfortunately, you pay more than double with this VPN service: the lowest monthly rate comes down to $7.72.

Is it worth this price tag? That depends on whether you think the little bit of extra speed is actually worth more than $70 per year (versus NordVPN’s ± $35).

To start with, you get access to 3000+ servers spread over 94 countries that you can connect to with 5 devices. This is not just any connection either; this is the fastest connection to a VPN service I’ve seen so far.

You can also rest assured that these connections are extremely secure. ExpressVPN not only adheres to a strict zero-logs policy but has also implemented TrustedServer Technology and participated in independent audits.

In addition, the company lets you use various VPN protocols, which are then dressed with 256-bit AES encryption.

With this, you can also safely participate in P2P traffic, because ExpressVPN also allows that! ExpressVPN has also been able to circumvent the Netflix block on several occasions.

Of course, our brief summary of the functionalities of this service does not end here. It is also worth mentioning that you get a kill switch and your own anonymous DNS and you can use split tunneling.

All in all, I am very pleased with ExpressVPN. A single comment I would like to add to this service is that virtual servers are also used. However, these makeup less than 3% of the total, so this is not a real cause for concern! In addition, ExpressVPN has a list that shows where the virtual servers are located.

#3 Cyber ​​Ghost

Top VPN for Netflix

• Location: Romania
• Protocols: OpenVPN, IPSec, L2TP, PPTP
• Zero-logs policy: Yes
• P2P friendly: Yes
• Kill switch: Yes
• Encryption: 256-bit AES

With its youthful, modern approach, CyberGhost is already a good VPN in general, but we mainly prefer to unblock the American Netflix offer and other foreign content. The Romania – based company currently has 6,200+ servers in 90 countries. This includes specific P2P servers and streaming servers.

You can make 7 active connections with the VPN. For a price of $2.25 per month, there is certainly nothing to complain about!

Although CyberGhost is not the fastest VPN service on the market, it is incredibly reliable and rich in extra functionalities. Think of a kill switch, DNS leak prevention, ad-blocking, and more. For an additional charge of $5.66,- you also get a dedicated IP address.

Besides the fact that the service is well equipped, it is also extremely safe. The company adheres to a zero-logs policy. This is actually possible because the Romanian government has rejected a law on user data retention.

In addition, you have access to various VPN protocols and your data is encrypted with the gold standard in the VPN industry: 256-bit AES encryption.

The clients also function extremely well. In addition to the – in my opinion – nice and unique appearance of the various apps and extensions, we also get a total package that simply functions well.

You get access to advanced settings like in many other VPN clients, but you can also filter by server type (all servers, torrenting servers, and streaming servers). What else do you want?!

#4 Private Internet Access (PIA)

Good VPN service for a custom experience

• Location: United States
• Protocols: OpenVPN, IPSec, IKEv2, L2TP/IPSec, PPTP
• Zero-logs policy: Yes
• P2P friendly: Yes
• Kill switch: Yes
• Encryption: 256-bit AES

Private Internet Access is a US-based service. Don’t worry though: it also adheres to a strict zero-logs policy. Stack on top of that a few optimal layers of security such as configurable encryption levels (including 256-bit AES encryption), multiple VPN protocols, and IP and DNS leak prevention, and you’ve got yourself a delicious VPN lasagna!

Of course, a VPN experience goes beyond just its security. This also gives you access to 12000+ servers in 74 countries. This allows you to make more than 10 simultaneous connections.

These connections are further enhanced by all kinds of features, such as a kill switch, port forwarding, ad-malware, and track-blocking.

All this can be configured in the Private Internet Access clients. The color scheme of this is even configurable; you choose between dark mode and light mode. In addition, you can use the PC programs in combination with Tor. This way you can add an extra layer of security and privacy to your VPN experience.

However, it is also not entirely unimportant that the service also does well at anonymizing and spoofing your location. Fortunately, we can be brief about this: Private Internet Access is also extremely suitable for these purposes.

Every time I was unable to unblock the American Netflix offer in one go. It sometimes took more than 3 attempts, but it worked in the end. It gets even better though: Private Internet Access is also very P2P friendly. They make no big secret of that: you can route your P2P traffic through just about any server.

So handy that the connection speed with Private Internet Access is also perfectly fine. We managed to achieve speeds very close to ExpressVPN’s. All this for a monthly price of €1.94 per month with a three-year subscription.

#5 Windscribe

Best Cheap VPN

• Location: Canada
• Protocols: OpenVPN, IKEv2
• Zero-logs policy: Yes
• P2P friendly: Yes
• Kill switch: Yes
• Encryption: 256-bit AES

And now the chosen one for budget users: Windscribe. Let’s immediately name the biggest selling point: at Windscribe you can take out a free subscription.

There are also several options for paid subscriptions. You can put together one yourself or go for a standard Pro subscription or group subscription (ScribeForce).

Anyway, with the free plan, you get 10 GB bandwidth as a registered user as standard. You have access to servers in 10 countries. Of course, you get access to more functionalities as a paid user, but anyway, there are also a number of basic functions available for free users.

These include a kill switch, firewall, ad malware, track blocking, and as many connections as you want. Incidentally, as an internet resident, it might also be nice to know that you will be provided with a nice dose of memes via their website and social media.

But back to the point: Like all VPN services that should be taken seriously, WindScribe also adheres to a zero-logs policy – ​​even though the company is based in Canada. Given that Canada has no binding laws regarding the retention of user data, this is completely feasible.

In addition, the company gives you a choice of two VPN protocols and a proxy protocol. Its security is handled by the well-known 256-bit AES encryption. IP and DNS leak prevention also ensure that your IP address and DNS requests are not leaked.

And now to how the total package functions: well, it is. The upload and download speeds are OK, although they sometimes drop considerably once the service is enabled. A paid subscription gives you access to more servers, so you do not automatically end up on the busiest servers (full of free and paying users).

However, all this does not grant you access to American Netflix with a free subscription. You can only unblock American content as a paying user – with the so-called Windflix servers. However, as a free user, you can participate in P2P traffic. This will eat up your 10 GB bandwidth fairly quickly, but at least the option is there!

Finally, we are also reasonably pleased with the clients. They are a lot less flat and minimalist than many of the previous options, which in itself appeals to me! In addition to aesthetic qualities, it is of course also not entirely unimportant that everything functions and is accessible.

Fortunately, that is the case: you will see some basic information about your connection as soon as the Windscribe window opens. The settings in the client could have been more elaborate, but in general the user experience is absolutely fine.

Buying guide

It may be a bit difficult to make a choice now that you have some good options in front of you. That’s why we want to give you one last boost by sharing our buying guide with you! Here we are going to talk about a few key points to keep in mind before making your choice.

Your budget

Cost is the starting point for many people’s considerations. What will such a service cost? What should it actually cost? It should be clear by now that there is something for everyone on the budget spectrum.

How and what are savings made with a free VPN?

• Limited bandwidth
• No access to all servers
• Limited Speeds
• Limited use (e.g. no P2P traffic)
• Limited extra functionalities
• Ads

Now that you have a better idea of ​​what you’re giving up when using a free VPN, it’s easier to make an informed choice. Of course, the above limitations and/or ancillary matters do not all applications simultaneously. That would destroy the allure of free service!

There are also mutual differences between the free subscriptions of various services. Windscribe offers – as mentioned – for example, 10 GB of free bandwidth, where you can connect to servers in 10 countries. ProtonVPN, on the other hand, offers limitless bandwidth with somewhat limited speeds, although you can connect to only 3 countries.

In any case, read carefully about how the VPN works with a free subscription if you want to go the real budget route.

Still, it’s also worth noting that paid VPN services don’t have to be expensive either. Long-term subscriptions from 2 to 3 years, in particular, are often very cheap in the long term. However, the disadvantage is that although the monthly price of this is very attractive, you often have to pay the price in one go in advance. That doesn’t suit everyone.

However, if you can cough up $85 to $100, I definitely recommend it. It is often useful to keep an eye on cyber deals and sales. Many VPN services – such as NordVPN and CyberGhost – often hand out high discounts.

Server Locations

If you want access to specific geo-blocked content, the server locations are also not unimportant. Servers in areas with strict internet regulation laws are especially hard to find.

Especially with free subscriptions, you have to take a good look at which servers you can access. Also, consider the functions of these servers. For example, with a free subscription you may get a connection to American servers, but not to the specific streaming or Netflix servers with which American content is unblocked.

Available functionalities

This brings us to functionalities. What are some absolute musts on your list? Do you really want a functional kill switch, separate P2P servers, and/or configurable encryption levels? Although a kill switch is now offered by almost every provider, this does not apply to other functions.

So make sure you have a clear idea of ​​what the most important VPN functionalities are for you. Then do a Google search to find out which services offer your desired features. Think ” best Netflix VPN “ or “safest VPN service”.

Available clients and usability

In addition to clients for PCs and smartphones, there are often clients for other devices as well. Think of routers, smart TVs, gaming consoles, and even lesser-used hardware such as Raspberry Pis, Kindles, and BlackBerrys.

As we just said, using a VPN service through a router is optimal if you want to connect to many devices. Keep in mind that this often has a negative impact on your upload and download speeds.

In addition to the availability of the various clients, the user-friendliness of this is also very important. Some give you more freedom to play with advanced settings than others; others look more attractive and are intuitive to operate.

Either way, it’s a matter of personal preference. So don’t let that stop you from going for the nicer-looking client if you don’t plan to adjust the settings much.

VPN protocols and encryption methods​

Many providers offer (at least partly) the same VPN protocols and encryption methods. OpenVPN and IKeV2 are good protocols to start with; these are both fast and secure. You may also encounter SSTP and the older PPTP, as well as specific protocol options (TCP or UDP for OpenVPN).

In addition, 256-bit AES encryption is the gold standard within the VPN industry. However, companies such as Private Internet Access allow you to determine the encryption level yourself. This way you may be able to improve your speeds somewhat or opt for extra-strong encryption.

You don’t really need to understand the details of this, but the extra choice can help the service make faster and/or more reliable connections.

There are also services that, for example, take extra security measures on top of the encryption. For example, ExpressVPN has implemented TrustedServer technology that makes all servers run on RAM.

Are VPN services legal in the Netherlands?

The use of a VPN service is legal in the Netherlands. However, if you live in China or Russia, for example – even if only temporarily – you should be a little more careful. In these countries, you are only allowed to use VPN services that are approved by the government.

In addition, you are probably already familiar with copyright laws and how it often relates to P2P traffic. Torrenting often results in a violation of these laws.

A VPN service largely anonymizes your download traffic, making it very difficult for the cyber watchdogs to trace downloads back to you. Still, it’s not a bad idea to keep in mind that torrenting always carries some degree of risk, however small.

Jargon, but simpler

On request, I will clarify a number of terms that regularly appear in texts about VPN services. Is there something not listed that you would like more information about? Then let us know in some feedback!

• Kill switch: A mechanism that immediately cuts your internet connection as soon as your connection to the VPN servers is lost in order to preserve your anonymity.
• Encryption or encryption: The process by which your data is ‘hidden away’ so that only authorized persons and/or websites can read it. This requires an encryption key.
  • • AES: This stands for Advanced Encryption Standard. This is a well-known, frequently tested encryption method that even the US government trusts.
• DNS: This stands for Domain Name System that maps domain names and IP addresses. Based on this, internet traffic is often censored and monitored.
  • • DNS leak or DNS leak: Here your VPN leaks your DNS information to the websites you visit so that your connection can still be monitored and even censored.
    • IP leak or IP leak: Here your public/external IP address is leaked to the websites you visit, even though a VPN service has to hide it.
• Client: Programs that run on certain devices and/or operating systems. For example, NordVPN has a Windows client, an iOS client, and so on.
• Geoblocking: The process of blocking a website’s content based on your location (such as US Netflix content that is not visible to people outside the United States without a VPN).
  • • Spoofing: The process by which someone hides or falsifies his or her location by, for example, connecting to a foreign VPN server.
• P2P: This stands for Peer to Peer. End users communicate directly with each other instead of via commercial servers. This includes torrenting, in which in many cases (illegal) content, such as movies, is shared with other end users.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a VPN?

The abbreviation “VPN” stands for Virtual Private Network. It is programming that creates a secure, encrypted connection over a less secure network, such as the public Internet. A VPN uses tunneling protocols to encrypt data on the sending side and decrypt on the receiving side.

When is a VPN necessary?

There are different usage scenarios for VPNs. This is especially useful if you are surfing on a public WiFi network, if you work or study remotely and need access to location-based content, if you are a political dissident (e.g. a whistleblower) or if you simply want more privacy.

Which VPN is the best?

The best VPN services is provided by NordVPN, it excels in general use: it is fast, easy to set up, and is based in Panama. ExpressVPN offers a similar experience at a slightly higher price, but you get more speed in return.

Conclusion

With our top 5 best VPN services and the buying guide in your pocket, I’m sure you will make a good choice! From free to paid plans, from an emphasis on security to an emphasis on location spoofing – there’s something for everyone!