Best VPNs for Hackers

Ethical hackers understand just how crucial it is that their activities remain private. Whether you’re performing penetration testing, trying to protect against online threats, or just looking to prevent unauthorized access to your internet traffic, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is an excellent tool to have.

VPNs encrypt your data and route it through a remote server elsewhere in the world. This hides your real IP address, making you appear to be in another country entirely, and stops snoopers like the government, network administrators, or your ISP from seeing what you get up to online. With a VPN that doesn’t store any logs, it becomes difficult for snoopers to identify you or trace certain activities back to you.

Note: This article does not discuss VPNs for performing malicious hacks, such as launching a DoS attack. There is no VPN that’s ideal for such tasks, and Comparitech does not encourage or support malicious hacking. In this guide, we explore only the best VPNs for ethical hackers.

If you’re short on time and want to find out which VPNs are best for hacking, check out our list below.

The best VPNs for hackers:

1. NordVPN: Our top VPN for hackers! Boasts outstanding speeds, lots of advanced functionality, and a strict no-log policy. Works in high-censorship countries and includes a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
   TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for ethical hacking.
2. Surfshark: The best budget option for ethical hackers. Great set of privacy tools and no simultaneous connection limit. Faster than most other VPN services and won’t be stopped by most VPN-detection systems.
3. ExpressVPN: A streamlined service boasting automatic obfuscation, high speeds, and a fantastic reputation on privacy. Extensive audit history, 24/7 support, and servers in 105 countries.
4. ProtonVPN: This quick, security-first service boasts a huge network and the ability to sidestep all kinds of online restrictions. Refuses to keep any logs and can secure up to 10 devices simultaneously.
5. PureVPN: Quick, reliable, and ready for anything. PureVPN has powerful security tools and a proven no-logs policy, plus it can beat the world’s strictest online censorship.
6. Private Internet Access: A great choice for hackers thanks to its extensive customization options, steady speeds, and large network. Doesn’t log any of your activities and accepts crypto payments, so you can sign up anonymously.
   

How we select the top VPNs for hackers

With so many VPNs to choose from on the market, it can be hard to know which provider to trust. Our team personally tested dozens of services, identifying the best hacking VPNs by only selecting those that met all of the following criteria:

• Offers plenty of servers to choose from
• Permits multiple simultaneous connections
• Must be an established provider with years of industry experience
• Provides fast enough speeds for any day-to-day task
• Can go undetected by popular geo-blocked websites
• Keeps you safe with uncrackable encryption and various other security features
• Works with all of the most common operating systems

This is just an overview, but you can read more about how we test and rank the VPNs we recommend in the methodology section below. First, let’s take a closer look at the VPNs we recommend.

The best VPNs for hacking: at a glance

We’ve compared the most important features of the top VPNs here. Prefer to read the in-depth reviews? Start with NordVPN – our #1 choice for ethical hackers.

The best VPNs for ethical hackers

Here’s our list of the best VPNs for hackers:

1. NordVPN

Apr 2025

NordVPN is our top VPN recommendation for ethical hackers. It is a veteran provider with a stellar track record as the best at securing your privacy. It offers access to over 7,000 RAM-only servers in 100+ countries and doesn’t keep any logs at all. The apps include a wide range of security features, including a customizable kill switch. This disables your internet connection should your VPN connection drop. NordVPN also has obfuscated servers and a special protocol (NordWhisper) capable of keeping you anonymous online, even in places like China.

The speed of your connection is extremely important. Too slow, and you could find yourself disconnected from the VPN without warning. That’s in addition to causing pages to take longer to load. We decided to test NordVPN’s US servers at multiple times of day to see how quick and consistent its performance is. Here are the results:

This provider had an average speed of 205.27 Mbps on our 250 Mbps connection. That’s extremely fast, and unless you’re used to particularly high speeds already, you likely won’t even notice any impact. Further, there was just 9 Mbps of impact throughout the day, so it’s one of the most consistent options on the market.

This service offers unlimited bandwidth, plus you can pay in Bitcoin for even greater anonymity. NordVPN is compatible with a range of operating systems, including Android, Windows, macOS, iOS, Amazon Fire TV, and Linux. It can also be manually configured to run on most routers. 24/7 live chat is available in case you run into any issues.

BEST VPN FOR HACKERS:NordVPN is our top pick for secure hacking. Super fast NordLynx protocol is ideal for streaming, using VoIP apps, and torrenting. Advanced privacy and security features, including a kill switch and obfuscation. Robust AES-256 encryption. Zero logs policy. Includes a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full NordVPN review to find out more.

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2. Surfshark

Surfshark is the best low-cost option. Despite its affordable price, it allows you to connect all of your devices, making it great for sharing with family members and friends. With servers in over 100 countries and no connection limit, it’s a fantastic choice for ethical hackers. Surfshark works with a ton of region-locked services and boasts 24/7 live chat support, so you can ask questions and get help anytime.

When it comes to speed, Surfshark has historically been one of the better options out there. That’s a little surprising given its low price point, but we’re not about to complain! We tested its American servers three times on a 250 Mbps connection (since that’s the average household broadband speed in the US). Here are the results:

This provider delivered an average speed of 197.33 Mbps, which makes it the second-fastest provider in this list. That’s more than you’ll need for streaming, torrenting, and most day-to-day tasks. There was just 12 Mbps of variance over the course of the day, with the slowest speeds coming in the evening, which is fairly typical.

Your internet traffic is secured with 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and leak protection. However, there are a few more unusual privacy features too. For instance, you can change your IP addresses periodically, block trackers, and activate the NoBorders mode to beat even the most stubborn online restrictions. Surfshark is based in the Netherlands, so it isn’t required to keep logs. It’s recently been audited too, so you don’t have to take its privacy claims at face value.

Apps are available for all popular platforms, though you’ll have to manually install it on supported routers.

BEST BUDGET VPN FOR HACKERS:Surfshark delivers fantastic value for money. Allows unlimited devices to be connected at once, and is highly secure. Works with many popular streaming services, including Netflix. 30-day money-back guarantee included.

To discover more, check out our full Surfshark review.

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3. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN has secure servers in 100+ countries, making it ideal for getting an IP address from a less-common location like Bhutan. One of the great things about this service is how seamless it is; there aren’t task-specific servers because they all work equally well for streaming, torrenting, and gaming. This VPN permits up to eight simultaneous connections and offers 24/7 support over live chat.

That’s a great start, but it doesn’t mean much if ExpressVPN can’t deliver the speeds you require. That’s why we performed three tests, one in the morning, one at noon, and one in the afternoon. This approach lets us see not just how quick it is at its peak, but also to measure how consistent these speeds are. Take a look:

Straight away, you’ll notice that this VPN is extremely reliable, with a negligible 9 Mbps of difference between its highest and lowest results. ExpressVPN averaged 126.85 Mbps, meaning it’s well-equipped to handle anything you throw at it. For context, this is enough to download a 1 GB file in about a minute.

One of the best things about this service is that it takes care of security for you. Essential features like high-level encryption, leak protection, and a kill switch are enabled by default, and obfuscation kicks in automatically as and when it’s needed. There’s even a Threat Manager that blocks trackers and shady websites in the background. ExpressVPN follows a zero-logs policy and has proven it with multiple independent audits.

ExpressVPN provides Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux apps. You’ll also find apps for Amazon Fire TV and Android TV and browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. Custom firmware is offered for routers.

RELIABLE CHOICE:ExpressVPN has servers in 100+ countries. High-speed servers and unlimited bandwidth. Secures data with uncrackable encryption and provides excellent 24-hour live chat support. Has a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full ExpressVPN review to learn more.

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4. ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN offers access to more than 12,000 servers in 110+ countries. That alone would make it a strong choice, but when you factor in this VPN’s ability to bypass most VPN-detection and regional restriction systems, its value to ethical hackers becomes even greater. There’s a 10-device limit and 24/7 customer support just in case you need it.

So can this VPN deliver fast enough speeds to be worth your time? To find out, our experts tested its US servers several times throughout the day. You’ll find the results in the chart below. Just note that if your connection is slower than ours (250 Mbps), your actual speeds will be too.

Once all testing was complete, ProtonVPN had an average speed of 130.79 Mbps. It’s on the speedier end of the spectrum, though there are definately services that can outperform it. Still, if you’re just planning on streaming, browsing the web, or torrenting, this level of performance will be more than enough.

When it comes to security, ProtonVPN has a lot to offer. For starters, it has 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, and protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks. There’s also automatic ad and tracker-blocking, plus a Stealth protocol designed to help you bypass particularly stringent censorship measures. There’s also a proven no-logs policy, meaning you don’t have to worry about having your activities revealed.

ProtonVPN offers apps for iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS, and Linux. Routers are supported too, though you’ll have to configure these manually.

PRIVACY FIRST:ProtonVPN has a stellar reputation on privacy thanks to its advanced customization, unbreakable encryption, and its length of time in the industry. Ideal for bypassing VPN-blocking systems and ethically hacking without being detected. All plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full ProtonVPN review.

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5. PureVPN

PureVPN has a network of 6,000+ servers in 65 countries, so if you’re looking to change your IP address and location, it gives you plenty of options. This service handily unblocks most major streaming platforms and even works in places like China, so it’s great at flying under the radar too. Users can connect a maximum of 10 devices at once and speak directly with support staff using the 24/7 live chat service.

Let’s talk a little bit about speed. Your VPN’s performance governs how long websites take to load, what quality you can stream in, and even whether you’re able to stay connected. To ensure we only recommend services capable of meeting your needs, we tested PureVPN’s American servers three times. You’ll find the results below:

This VPN maintained a high level of speed throughout the day, though it did suffer a bit in the afternoon when more users were connected. Still, with an average speed of 130.22 Mbps, it should be able to handle any day-to-day task without any noticeable performance issues.

From a security perspective, PureVPN is extremely solid. It keeps you safe using a combination of 256-bit encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a kill switch. Further, it’s capable of blocking ads and trackers automatically, and its split tunneling feature means that you can permit certain apps to pass through unencrypted. PureVPN follows a strict no-logs policy, something that it has proven via multiple independent audits.

PureVPN apps are available for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. If you want to install this VPN on your router, you’ll have to follow manual setup instructions.

SLICK AND SECURE:PureVPN boasts an easy-to-use app and plenty of features to keep experienced users happy. It prioritizes your privacy, offers steady speeds, and includes a 31-day money-back guarantee with every subscription.

Read our full review of PureVPN.

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6. Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access has one of the largest networks of any provider, with over 35,000 servers in 90+ countries. It’s adept at beating online restrictions, making it perfect for ethical hackers, people who like to torrent, or travelers hoping to stream their favorite shows abroad. This VPN recently removed its connection limit, meaning it’s better value than ever before. Live chat is available 24/7 just in case you need it.

So far, so good. How fast is Private Internet Access, though? To find out, our team ran speed tests at three times of day on its servers in the US. Let’s take a look at the results:

There’s definite room for improvement here, but overall, we’re satisfied with PIA’s performance. It averaged 74.04 Mbps, which is well above what’s required for uninterrupted streaming, video calling, or browsing. We would like it to be a bit more stable too, since there was quite a steep drop in speed between our noon and afternoon tests.

PIA is a powerhouse where security is concerned. In addition to unbreakable encryption, it has a kill switch, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and automatic ad and tracker-blocking. There’s even a Shadowsocks proxy in case you have to get around particularly strict VPN-detection systems. This VPN refuses to keep any logs of your activities and has been independently audited to prove it.

PIA has its own apps for iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Linux. Most routers are supported, too, but have to be configured manually.

SECURITY YOUR WAY:Private Internet Access is flexible enough to satisfy even the most experienced users. It puts your privacy above all else and does a great job at accessing geo-blocked services. 24/7 support and no connection limit. All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Private Internet Access review.

How to set up a VPN for ethical hacking

Fortunately, all the VPNs on our list are fairly easy to use. Just follow the simple steps we’ve highlighted, and you’ll be up and running in no time.

Here’s how to set up a VPN for ethical hacking:

1. Start by signing up for one of the VPNs on our list (we recommend NordVPN).
2. Install your VPN app on whichever device you use for hacking. If you have multiple devices, that’s okay since most providers at least five connections at a time.
3. Log in and select one of the servers in your desired location. This hides your real IP address, allowing you to browse anonymously and access sites as though you were somewhere else.
4. You should now be able to hack without any fear of being identified. To be sure, use our IP address checking service.

Note: a VPN only hides your IP address. You can still be identified through other means, such as cookies, fingerprinting, logging into a site or app, or revealing personal information. We recommend you combine your VPN with your web browser’s incognito mode or the Tor browser.

Methodology: How we chose the best VPNs for hackers

Not every Virtual Private Network is suitable for hacking. Some are simply too slow, while others provide the thinnest layer of security possible. To ensure we only chose the best VPNs for hackers, we conducted an in-depth analysis of each contender, focusing on each of the following areas:

Speed

Speed isn’t the only thing you should consider when shopping for a VPN but it is up there. After all, this is what governs how quickly webpages (and their various elements, such as videos) load. Too slow, and you’ll find content breaks or that your VPN sporadically disconnects, leaving your activities visible to any network administrator who cares to look.

So how do we accurately test VPNs in a way that gives you an idea of the speeds you can realistically expect at home? To begin with, we use a 250 Mbps connection since that’s the average US broadband speed. Then, we perform three tests on each VPN’s US servers and average the results. The averages are the normalized, giving us a score out of 10 for each provider. See for yourself:

NordVPN was the quickest provider we tested and therefore earned full marks in this category. Surfshark wasn’t too far behind, though, which is impressive given it’s our budget pick. Realistically, all of the VPNs in this list are fast enough for hacking, it just comes down to how much you value getting the highest possible speeds.

Hacking suitability

Next, we tried to determine how suitable each VPN is for ethical hackers. In short, this boiled down to checking how many countries each supported, whether they were based in a Five Eyes or Nine Eyes country, and whether they offered a Linux app. Let’s see how each of our providers held up:

ProtonVPN delivered a near-perfect score of 9.9 in this category. This was largely due to its expansive network, the fact that it’s based in Switzerland (a country known for its pro-privacy laws), and its Linux app that maintains all the functionality of the Windows and macOS apps.

Security and privacy

The primary goal of any VPN is to ensure your online traffic is shielded from anyone who might be watching. Any provider that can’t meet this most basic of thresholds just isn’t worth your time.

To ensure that we only recommend the best, all of our top services must offer uncrackable encryption, a kill switch, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, plus a no-logs policy. Altogether, we consider some 16 criteria when assigning security scores:

As you can see, NordVPN and Surfshark each scored 9.5 points, meaning they share the top spot. We’d like to see NordVPN improve its authentication a tad, and Surfshark would have scored higher had it not been based in a Nine Eyes country. Overall though, all of our recommended providers do a great job of protecting their users, as evidenced by the fact that the lowest score we recorded was 8.7.

Ease of use

We strongly prefer VPNs that simplify day-to-day operation. That doesn’t mean they have to be simplistic; they just have to offer streamlined apps and adequately explain what each feature does. We also consider things like how many simultaneous connections they allow, whether it’s easy to contact customer support, and whether there are task-specific servers. You’ll find a full list of the criteria we use to score providers in the table below:

NordVPN and Private Internet Access each scored an impressive 9.6 in this category. The reason is simple: both of these VPNs provide specially-optimized servers, work reliably with most major streaming platforms, and offer 24/7 support. They also have huge networks, which is only ever a good thing.

Streaming ability

Even if your goal is to anonymize yourself when ethically hacking, having a VPN that’s able to bypass detection systems and access popular streaming platforms is always an advantage. For a start, if a service works with stubborn apps like Netflix, it’s highly unlikely it’ll be noticed by, for instance, an office’s network admin. To determine each provider’s ability in this regard, we tested them against a wide range of streaming services and noted down whether it sometimes took multiple attempts to find a server that worked.

NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN all earned 9.2 points in this category. During our testing, they were able to access every platform we tried them with for the first time, despite none of these VPNs having servers specifically optimized for streaming. ProtonVPN had the lowest result but still worked well in most cases — it’s just that it struggled with a few less popular platforms.

Interested in learning more about how we choose the best VPNs? Check out our full VPN testing methodology post.

Best VPNs for hackers: FAQS