Best VPNs for Privacy & Security in 2024

VPNs protect your privacy in two key ways:

• The encryption prevents third parties on your network from seeing your online activity. They include your internet service provider (ISP) and hackers who might be lurking to intercept you on open Wi-Fi hotspots.
• Routing your connection through the VPN server hides your IP address from apps, websites, streaming services, and other destinations on the internet. This prevents them from tracking your device and its location.

But not all VPNs are equal when it comes to protecting privacy. We’ll get into what makes a truly private VPN, but if you just want a quick recommendation, here’s a summary of the best VPNs for privacy.

Best VPNs for Privacy:

1. NordVPN: Our top recommendation for privacy. An excellent option with a zero-logs policy, strong encryption, and leak-proof apps. Plus, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for Privacy.
2. Surfshark: Our favorite budget-friendly VPN that protects users’ privacy. Strong security protocols allow you to connect all your devices at once.
3. IPVanish: No-logs provider built with privacy in mind. No connection limits. Popular with Kodi users and torrenters.
4. ExpressVPN: Doesn’t log any identifiable information about users or their online activity, uses strong encryption, and offers best-in-class data leak protection.
5. CyberGhost: Easy-to-use VPN that meets all of our privacy requirements and is excellent for Beginners. Vast network of global servers in 100+ countries.
6. ProtonVPN: Strong security offering with high-end encryption and Double VPN servers. Strict no-logs service which lets you pay anonymously in cash.
7. Mullvad: No email address required for signup and accepts cash. Genuine no-logs policy and has MultiHop servers. Also offers ad and tracker blocking.

How we found the top privacy & security VPNs

There are so many VPNs on the market, but they don’t all provide the same levels of privacy and security. In order to find the best VPNs for privacy, we looked for them to meet the below criteria, this ensures users can safely access the web, torrent, and stream without being spied on by third parties.

• Collects no identifying logs
• Uses strong encryption
• DNS leak protection is built-in
• Apps have kill switches
• Comes with a money-back guarantee

This is just an overview, but you can read more about how we test and rank the VPNs we recommend in our detailed methodology article. For now, let’s take a look at the ones that made the cut.

Best VPNs for security & privacy: 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 security and privacy.

The best VPNs for security & privacy

Here’s our list of the top VPNs for privacy:

1. NordVPN

Nov 2024

NordVPN is our number one choice VPN for privacy. Users get 256-bit AES encryption, protection against DNS and WebRTC leaks, and a kill switch to prevent unencrypted data from being sent if the VPN connection drops. The kill switch can be customized to cut off internet access to specific apps, such as a torrent client. Automatic wi-fi protection lets you set it and forget it when on the go, so you don’t have to remember to connect to the VPN each time you connect to an unsecured network.

NordVPN adheres to a strict zero-logs policy and has proved it over the years. Authorities have seized NordVPN servers in the past to no avail; they don’t contain any identifying information.

NordVPN is the fastest VPN we’ve tested so far, proving that security doesn’t come at the cost of speed. It unblocks most streaming services from abroad and has more than 6,500 servers in 100+ countries.

BEST VPN FOR PRIVACY:NordVPN is our #1 choice. A great all-round VPN with excellent privacy protection strong encryption and a proven no logs policy. It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out risk-free.

Read our full NordVPN review.

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2. Surfshark

Surfshark is a great-value VPN that offers excellent privacy protection on a budget.  It keeps no traffic or connection logs about its users. It ensures no data ever leaves your device unencrypted thanks to DNS and WebRTC leak protection and a built-in kill switch. Surfshark uses 256-bit AES encryption. Perfect forward secrecy means past sessions can’t be decrypted even if the current session is somehow compromised. Automatic Wi-Fi protection can be enabled to ensure you never connect to the web without a VPN on unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots.

Surfshark offers decent speeds and unblocks a wide range of streaming services. You can connect to over 3,200 servers in 100 different countries.

Surfshark allows unlimited connections, making it a solid option for a family or group of housemates. It’s available for iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS, and Linux.

GREAT VALUE PRIVACY:Surfshark is a budget-friendly option with automatic wi-fi protection, strong encryption and unlimited connections. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Surfshark review.

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3. IPVanish

IPVanish is a no-logs provider with a few extra features that boost users’ privacy. IPVanish checks all the necessary boxes to be considered in our list: leak protection, strong encryption, and a kill switch. It also includes a “scramble” feature that makes VPN traffic look like normal, unencrypted traffic. You can also set your IP address to change at regular intervals to help cover your tracks.

IPVanish unblocks popular streaming services and boasts decent speeds.

IPVanish lets users connect as many devices as they want at the same time on a single plan. It’s available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire TV.

UNLIMITED DEVICES:IPVanish lets you protect every device in your house with a single subscription, backed up by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full IPVanish review.

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4. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN goes to great lengths to ensure its users’ privacy. The company is incorporated in the British Virgin Islands beyond the jurisdiction of major spying powers. Connections are protected with 256-bit AES encryption. DNS leaks, WebRTC leaks, and IPv6 leaks are all prevented, even if your connection is somehow disrupted. An optional network lock ensures that if your VPN connection drops, no data is sent over an unencrypted connection.

ExpressVPN server software runs entirely in RAM instead of hard drives, which ensures no trace of data is left behind even if one of its servers is raided. In one such instance, Turkish authorities seized an ExpressVPN server but found no identifiable information about its users, so the company has proven that it lives up to its no-logs policy.

ExpressVPN doesn’t log your internet activity, IP address, or any other identifying information. It does collect some non-identifying diagnostic information. In addition, ExpressVPN boasts good speeds, servers in 100+ countries, and the ability to unblock a wide range of streaming services from abroad.

STRONG AND RELIABLE:ExpressVPN protects its users privacy with strong encryption and an array of security features. It also comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full ExpressVPN review.

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5. CyberGhost

CyberGhost is ideal for novice users. It lets you choose a server based on how you want to use it. Among the options are its NoSpy servers, which are owned and operated directly by CyberGhost on company premises. That means, unlike most other VPNs, users don’t have to rely on servers rented out from third-party providers.

CyberGhost uses 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, leak protection, and perfect forward secrecy to protect every connection. The company doesn’t store any identifying logs about its users or their online activity.

CyberGhost allows up to seven simultaneous connections. Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, and Linux.

EASY PRIVACY:CyberGhost apps are novice-friendly and users can opt for special NoSpy servers that are owned and operated directly by the company. It comes with a 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full CyberGhost review.

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6. ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN offers all of the essential security features you need to browse securely. This includes 256-bit AES encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a highly reliable kill switch. If that isn’t enough, you can get an extra layer of encryption by connecting to one of ProtonVPN’s SecureCore (Double VPN) servers. It’s one of the few VPNs that accepts cash and has a true no-logs policy with no connection logs.

Headquartered in Switzerland, a country with strong privacy laws, ProtonVPN has secure servers located in 112 countries at the time of writing. It has a Stealth VPN protocol for bypassing censorship and also blocks ads, trackers, and malicious websites. You can expect very good server speeds thanks to ProtonVPN’s use of the WireGuard protocol and the fact that ProtonVPN doesn’t throttle your bandwidth.

You’ll find ProtonVPN apps for the following: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, and Amazon Fire TV. Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Brave extensions are also offered. Manual setup is required for use with compatible wifi routers.

HEADQUARTERED IN SWITZERLAND:ProtonVPN operates out of Switzerland which has no mandatory data retention laws. A very strict no-logs policy, strong encryption, and option to pay anonymously in cash. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full ProtonVPN review.

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7. Mullvad

Mullvad may be a smaller VPN with fewer servers for you to choose from but it’s one of the best VPNs when it comes to privacy. Indeed, its possible to sign up anonymously because Mullvad doesn’t ask for an email address. It also offers cash as an anonymous payment option. This is a VPN that operates a very strict no-logs policy. It doesn’t even have the connection logs of many other VPN providers.

When it comes to security, Mullvad ticks every box with its 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection, and kill switch. It passed our leak tests while its kill switch also performed as it should. You’ll also benefit from ad and tracker blocking and, if you do need extra protection, you can use its Bridge (MultiHop) feature which routes your connection via two locations for an extra layer of encryption.

Mullvad provides apps for desktop (Windows, Mac, and Linux) and mobile (Android and iOS). You can also find a browser extension for Firefox. Mullvad provides detailed setup guides for supported routers.

ANONYMOUS SIGNUP:Mullvad doesn't ask for your email address and lets you pay in cash for anonymous signup. It has a strict no-logs policy and provides high-end encryption, an ad blocker, and MultiHop servers. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Mullvad review.

Best VPNs for privacy: FAQs