Best VPNs for connecting multiple devices securely with ease in 2024

If you need a VPN to connect multiple devices simultaneously, you’ve come to the right place. Whether it’s for your family, housemates, a small office, or if you own numerous gadgets, we understand your challenges.

Our team has invested extensive time and effort into researching and testing various VPN providers, all to ensure that you get the best VPN for multiple devices. Gone are the days of disconnecting one device to accommodate another or purchasing separate subscriptions for each user.

Picture this: streaming Hulu or Netflix on one device while your partner connects to the VPN on another, or everyone in your office staying securely connected without the hassle of individual subscriptions. This article is your go-to resource for everything you need to know about VPNs offering multiple simultaneous connections.

Stay tuned as we unveil the top VPN services that have passed our rigorous testing process, enabling you to enjoy seamless connections for all your devices anytime and anywhere. Let’s dive into the world of multiple-device VPNs and find the perfect fit for your needs!

Don’t want to read the whole thing? Here’s a quick summary of the best VPNs for connecting multiple devices at the same time:

1. NordVPN: The best VPN connecting multiple devices at the same time. Up to six simultaneous connections. Fast speeds, specialty servers, and 24/7 support. You can also get a 30-day money-back guarantee.
   TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for Multiple devices.
2. Surfshark: Best value VPN. Connect all of your devices at once. Works with 30+ Netflix libraries. Very good speeds and MultiHop servers for extra security.
3. IPVanish: Unlimited simultaneous connections. Improved speeds after upgrading to WireGuard protocol. Security includes encryption and a kill switch. The cheapest monthly subscription of any provider on our list.
4. CyberGhost: Up to seven devices per account. Fastest speeds we’ve tested. Offers extra features including a Windows antivirus and password manager.
5. ExpressVPN: Secure eight devices at the same time. Unlimited bandwidth for seamless streaming. Uses high-end encryption. No identifying logs of users.
6. ProtonVPN: High-speed service with a strong privacy focus. Permits up to 10 simultaneous connections and delivers better-than-average speeds.
7. PureVPN: A low-cost, beginner-friendly VPN capable of securing 10 devices at once. Exceptional speeds, streaming abilities, and router support.
8. PrivateVPN: Can be used on six devices at once. Strong unblocking with high-speed connections. Privacy protection thanks to a strict no-logs policy.

How to use a VPN with multiple devices

If this is your first time setting up a VPN you’ll be happy to know it’s a very simple process. Just follow our steps below and you’ll have all your devices connected through a VPN in no time.

Here’s how to use a VPN on multiple devices:

1. First, sign up for a suitable VPN (we recommend NordVPN).
2. Next, download and install the app, making sure to get the correct version for your device.
3. Repeat this step with all of your devices (or share your details with members of your household). The number of devices will vary depending on your chosen VPN provider.
4. Decide which server you want to connect to. For streaming locked content you may want to choose a specific country (for example to unlock American Hulu you’ll need a US server). However, for security purposes, you can choose any.
5. You should now have secure internet access on all of your devices
   If you’re trying to access content from abroad and still having problems, try clearing your cookies and refreshing the page.

Best VPNs for connecting multiple devices – Our hands-on review

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

Criteria for the best multiple device VPNs

We look at a number of different things when assessing which VPNs are best for connecting multiple devices. You can find out more about our full testing methodology later in this article, but here’s a breakdown of some of the key criteria:

• The number of simultaneous device connections supported
• The ability to bypass geo-blocks on streaming platforms
• The security and privacy features
• The value for money a subscription provides
• The compatibility with devices and platforms

Below we’ve curated a list of the best VPNs for multiple simultaneous connections. For each provider, we’ve divided the cost of the subscription by the number of connections so you can get an idea of how much you’ll be paying per month, per device.

The best VPNs for connecting multiple devices

Here’s our list of the best VPNs for connecting multiple devices at the same time:

1. NordVPN

Dec 2024

• 6 simultaneous connections

NordVPN is our favorite VPN that you can use on multiple devices. Its standard plan nets you a whopping 10 simultaneous devices. When you combine this with its cheap subscriptions, the price drops to around 50 cents per month per device with a one-year plan.

NordVPN delivers extremely high speeds, in no small part to its well-optimized network and custom NordLynx protocol. After two days of testing, we recorded an average speed of 213.16 Mbps, which is more than you’ll ever need for streaming, making video calls, or gaming. Amazingly, there was just 11 Mbps between the highest and lowest results, which points to a truly surprising level of consistency. Below, you’ll find a chart breaking down how well this provider performed using different servers at different times of day:

NordVPN apps are available for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, iOS, and Android. Those apps come packed with features and allow users to connect to servers in over 100 countries. In addition to being blazing fast, the VPN works with Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and many others.

NordVPN’s security is extremely strong, and It is a zero-logs provider. It has also had a full third-party audit and runs on a network of diskless servers for added security. Torrenting is also allowed throughout its network.

NordVPN also comes with a unique Meshnet feature, which allows you to establish a remote connection with any other device running Meshnet. This is ideal if you want to access files on your computer remotely or want to share something on your computer with a friend or family member. You can also host a virtual LAN party.

Impressively, Meshnet lets you link up to 60 devices together, and if a VPN is running on one of those devices, you can share the VPN connection with all the other devices. This theoretically allows you to share your VPN connection with up to 60 different devices at no extra cost.

An impressive VPN that you can try risk-free using its 30-day money-back guarantee.

BEST VPN FOR MULTIPLE DEVICE CONNECTIONS:NordVPN is our top choice. Great performer for fast streaming and torrenting. Strong privacy and security features. Hard to beat. Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee for a risk-free deal.

Read our full NordVPN review here.

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2. Surfshark

• Unlimited connections

Surfshark is a low-cost provider that offers stellar all-around VPN coverage. One of the standout features of this service is that it doesn’t limit the number of connections, so you can connect as many devices as you like under one subscription.

This was the second-fastest service we tested, meaning it’s an ideal VPN for torrenting or watching 4K video. In fact, with an average speed of 212.73 Mbps, it’s just a hair slower than NordVPN. For context, this means you can download a 1 GB file in about 37 seconds and shouldn’t experience any noticeable slowdown when lots of people in your home are using the internet at the same time. Let’s take a closer look at Surfshark’s speed test results:

Apps are available for Windows, Linux, MacOS, iOS, and Android. Surfshark has around 3,000 servers in over 60 countries. It’s known for its range of security extras, strict no-logs policy, and excellent unblocking ability.

BEST BUDGET VPN:Surfshark offers great value for money. It has decent speeds and a strong suite of security features, and unblocks restricted content with ease. Plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Surfshark review here.

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3. IPVanish

• Unlimited connections

IPVanish offers a very competitively priced plan and boasts a huge array of servers. If you want a true zero-logs service that can also change your IP address at a specified interval, this is the VPN for you.

IPVanish has focused on improving its performance over the last few years, and it shows. It was the fourth-fastest provider we tested this time, with average speeds of 172.82 Mbps. Depending on the time of day, there wasn’t a ton of variation in speed, though we did record a fair degree of degradation the further away your chosen server is. Even then, though, this VPN remains quick enough to handle anything you throw at it. Here’s a more detailed look at IPVanish’s performance over two days:

Apps are available for Windows, Mac OSX, iOS, and Android.

FAST AND RELIABLE:IPVanish has a large network of servers. Uncongested network achieves good speeds. Strong security and privacy features. Could do with having live customer support. 7-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of IPVanish here.

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4. CyberGhost

• 7 simultaneous connections

CyberGhost’s standard subscription allows up to seven simultaneous connections. You’ll find easy-to-use apps for Windows, Linux, MacOS, iOS, and Android. CyberGhost operates over 9,000 servers, and you can choose which is best for you based on either location or how you use the VPN, such as securing privacy with Netflix. CyberGhost uses strong encryption and adheres to a no-logs policy.

This VPN has long been known for its strong performance, and it’s easy to see why. After six speed tests, our experts recorded an average speed of 190.88 Mbps. This puts CyberGhost squarely among the fastest providers available. Now, there was a decent amount of slowdown when using more-distant servers, and speeds varied quite a bit at different times of day. However, the lowest result we saw was 123.77 Mbps, which is still quicker than many of its rivals. Take a look at the full test results below:

GREAT VALUE:CyberGhost is a great budget choice. Strong on privacy, fast speeds and reliable buffer-free connections. We found it easy to set up and use. Works well with most streaming sites. 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full CyberGhost review.

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5. ExpressVPN

• 8 simultaneous connections

ExpressVPN used to cap its device limit at three, but it now allows you to connect up to five devices at a time. This provider offers beginner-friendly VPN apps for Windows, Linux, MacOS, iOS, and Android. It operates a large network of more than 3,000 in 94 countries. ExpressVPN bypasses blocks, uses strong encryption, and doesn’t log user-identifying data.

ExpressVPN might not be the fastest service on the market but it is quick enough for just about any task. Overall, it averaged 119.36 Mbps, which should be plenty, even if your whole family tends to browse the internet at the same time. Further, we tested this VPN six times and noticed significantly more consistent results than with any other provider in this list, with only 20 Mbps between its highest and lowest speeds. Here’s a chart showing the results of our testing:

GREAT ALL-ROUNDER:ExpressVPN is a solid choice for many tasks. It takes user security seriously, can unblock a range of content, and allows up to five simultaneous connections. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full ExpressVPN review.

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6. ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN is a freemium service but you’ll have to pay if you’d like to secure multiple devices. Paid subscriptions come with a 10-connection limit, allow you to unblock your favorite streaming sites while abroad, and grant access to the full network (3,800 servers in over 85 countries). Additionally, your speeds won’t be limited – that’s great news, considering ProtonVPN averages well over 300 Mbps. The help section of its website offers setup guides for most routers, and if you’re struggling, you can just send staff a support request using the 24/7 live chat feature.

Subscribing to ProtonVPN’s premium plan gives you access to quicker servers, and we thought it’d only be fair to show you what you’re paying for. Our comprehensive testing resulted in an average speed of 170.55 Mbps, with a high of 212.13 Mbps and a low of 135.01 Mbps. Farther away servers were understandably a little slower, but you should still be able to stream, play online games, or make video calls without any issues. The chart below shows the results of all six tests:

One of the great things about this VPN is that it comes with built-in ad and tracker blocking. This even works if you’re running it on a router. On certain platforms, there’s also split tunneling and port forwarding functionality and an accelerator tool designed to provide even higher speeds. ProtonVPN doesn’t keep any logs that could be used to identify you and has been independently audited to prove it. Further, it’s possible to sign up anonymously by paying with Bitcoin or cash.

ProtonVPN has its own Android, iOS, Firestick, Windows, MacOS, and Linux apps. It also supports most popular types of router firmware, but you’ll have to configure these manually.

SECURITY-FIRST PROVIDER:ProtonVPN offers a huge degree of flexibility but also offers a high level of security straight out of the box. It’s ultra-fast, doesn’t keep any logs, and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans.

For more information, read our exhaustive review of ProtonVPN.

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7. PureVPN

PureVPN has around 6,000 servers in 65 countries and allows you to protect up to 10 devices at a time. Not only that, it’s an extremely fast VPN, delivering average speeds of almost 400 Mbps in our latest tests. With apps for all major platforms and the ability to access just about any streaming site, it’s a fantastic choice for anyone looking to secure their entire household. Best of all, this VPN offers extensive documentation guiding you through installing it on a router.

User traffic is kept hidden from snoopers using 256-bit AES encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a kill switch that stops sending data the moment your connection to the VPN drops. Most importantly, PureVPN follows a strict no-logging policy. How do we know? Because it’s verified this fact with four successive audits. Unlike most of its competitors, PureVPN even works in places like China. However, we’d like to see tracker-blocking included as standard, rather than only being available with the Plus or Max subscriptions.

This service has a reputation for being pretty quick. Our team ran multiple speed tests over two days and found that it averaged a respectable 142.46 Mbps – more than enough for whatever you have in mind. That said, it did return one significantly lower result, and without this, the average speed would have been closer to 155 Mbps. On the plus side, there was virtually no difference in performance between the British and American servers. Take a look at the full breakdown below:

PureVPN offers apps for MacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire TV. Its website’s help section provides step-by-step setup guides for more than two dozen routers.

COMPREHENSIVE PROTECTION:PureVPN supports all major platforms and works almost anywhere in the world. Not only that, but it has repeatedly proven that it doesn’t keep logs. New customers can take advantage of its 31-day money-back guarantee to try it before they commit.

Still have questions? Find answers in our full PureVPN review.

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8. PrivateVPN

• 10 simultaneous connections

PrivateVPN lets you connect six devices at one time on a single account. This relatively young VPN provider uses top-notch encryption and doesn’t store any logs. It’s great for unblocking pretty much everything including Hulu, and BBC iPlayer. The server network is smaller than its rivals, but you should have no problem finding a fast connection. Apps are available for Windows, Linux, MacOS, iOS, and Android.

Let’s begin by addressing the elephant in the room: PrivateVPN is the slowest provider in this list. However, it’s far from unusable. In fact, with an average speed of 77.05, it’s capable of handling virtually any task, from live streaming to downloading large files. Its infrastructure could definitely be better-optimized, however, given that there was a larger than expected degree of difference between the UK and US servers. You’ll find the full test results in the chart below:

GREAT SPEED:PrivateVPN is consistently reliable. Good for general purpose use and HD Streaming. Could do with having more servers to chose from. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full PrivateVPN review.

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Methodology: Finding the best VPNs for securing multiple devices

There are so many VPNs on the market that, counterintuitively, it can be tricky to find one that’s right for you. Our experts have personally tested more than 70 of the industry’s biggest providers to see whether they’re really able to provide the level of service they claim. Below, we’ve broken down our testing into five distinct categories, assigning scores for each based on what each provider has to offer. We’ll also explain why these categories matter,  what we looked for in each, and how we determined a VPN’s overall score.

Performance

VPNs have come a long way in terms of speed. These days, there’s no excuse for a service that dramatically reduces your performance. After all, if they’re too low, you’ll notice webpages take forever to load and may even be disconnected randomly. However, testing a VPN’s speed is trickier than you might think due to the randomness of the internet and the number of things that can impact performance (distance from your chosen server, for instance).

With this in mind, we constructed a testing method designed to eliminate as many variables as possible. First off, we used a 246 Mbps connection since this is roughly the average household broadband speed in the US. Then, our team performed six speed tests for each provider (three on British servers, three on American), with two tests each in the morning, at noon, and in the afternoon. We then averaged these results to get a better idea of the speeds you can expect. Finally, these scores were weighted and normalized relative to one another, allowing you to more easily see which VPNs were the fastest. You’ll find the results below:

NordVPN was our top performer here, earning it a perfect score. In fairness, Surfshark wasn’t far behind, and CyberGhost followed shortly after. PrivateVPN returned the lowest result of the eight, with a still impressive 77.05 Mbps. However, as providers are ranked relative to one another, this meant it earned just four points. It’s still worth using, just slightly slower than its competition.

Connectivity

If you’re looking to protect multiple devices, then naturally, we have to consider each VPN’s connection limit. After all, the industry average is only about five devices and some providers only allow one. That’s just the beginning of our testing, though. Our experts also take into account whether services offer apps for all major operating systems, whether they work on less powerful devices like Amazon Fire TV, and whether they can be installed on a home router. Additional features like Smart DNS services or the ability to reroute traffic from other devices are greatly appreciated too.

Once again, NordVPN delivered the highest result (9.5 out of 10). It lost points for not completely removing connection limits, but we were impressed by its sheer range of apps and loved that its Meshnet feature lets you use the same IP address on your PC and Firestick, for instance. On the other hand, CyberGhost scored lowest, with 7.4 points. This is largely due to its lower than average connection limit and slightly smaller selection of apps.

Security and privacy

First and foremost, VPNs are privacy tools. Even if a service offers the highest speeds and can access any region-locked site, it’s not worth using unless it can also keep you safe. Here at Comparitech, we separate the best from the rest by checking what each provider offers in 15 distinct security-related areas. This includes making sure their encryption is up to scratch and checking to see what kind of information they log about your online activities.

Next, we assigned points using a comprehensive feature matrix. These were then weighted and normalized to give each provider a score out of 10, as shown below:

As you can see, we have a two-way tie for first place between NordVPN and Surfshark. Both of these VPNs use first-class encryption and have been regularly audited to prove they don’t keep logs. Further, they offer advanced security tools like obfuscation and IP address rotation. Meanwhile, PrivateVPN delivered a score of 8.6. It has fewer advanced features than some of its rivals and is the only provider in this list that hasn’t yet been professionally-audited.

Ease of use

A common issue users face is finding out after they’ve already paid that their chosen service is a nuisance to use. Maybe it hides important settings deep in the menus or requires you to try multiple servers to find one that works for streaming. Perhaps it’s just poorly-designed! Our team puts huge emphasis on ease of use, noting down any features or characteristics that make the VPN more welcoming to newcomers or make everyday tasks as straightforward as possible. Here’s a full list of everything we look for when assigning scores in the ease of use category:

Our top provider was NordVPN, with an overall score of 9.6. We particularly liked how simple it was to control even the more advanced tools and the fact that virtually every feature was available on both mobile and desktop. In fairness, no VPN scored poorly in this category. PrivateVPN did take last place again but its score of 8.6 just highlights how stiff the competition was. With the addition of simple extras like ad-blocking and a little more consistency when streaming, it could easily rank very highly.

Value for money

Many people make the mistake of just using whichever service is cheapest (or worse still, using a free VPN). The truth is that while you’re unlikely to get a reputable service for nothing, you don’t have to break the bank. We begin by making sure that each VPN we recommend is fairly-priced for what it offers, then look into how far you can reduce the base price. This may be by taking advantage of a flash sale or student discount, or simply saving by choosing a longer subscription. Our one red line is that every provider in this list must offer a money-back guarantee. This way, you can try them out risk-free and claim a refund if you’re not impressed.

As always, we weighted and normalized our scoring to provide a maximum of 10 points. Surfshark came very close, scoring 9.7, with NordVPN right behind at 9.6. Conversely, ProtonVPN delivered our lowest result (7.4). This is because it costs a little more than its rivals, even with a long-term discount applied and doesn’t offer discounted rates for students. It does, however, have a free trial you can use indefinitely (though you can only connect a single device and can’t choose a specific server location).

Connect unlimited devices to a VPN with a wifi router

While all of the above VPN providers let you connect multiple devices at the same time, there are times when you may need even more. If that’s the case, consider setting up a VPN on your home or office wifi router instead of on individual devices.

Configuring a VPN on a wifi router only uses one of your available connections, but routes the traffic of all the devices connected to it through the VPN. This works with as many devices as your router and internet bandwidth can handle, including ones that don’t support VPN apps. Just make sure you pick a fast VPN server!

The exact process varies depending on your router’s firmware and your VPN provider’s specifications. Check your provider’s website for tutorials on how to configure your VPN on your firmware version. If you can’t find the firmware listed, consider flashing new firmware on the router to replace the built-in one.

Alternatively, you can also turn most laptops into virtual routers and connect devices to that. After setting up the virtual router and connecting through a normal VPN app, all the devices connected to your new laptop wifi hotspot will be routed through the VPN. We have instructions for how to set up virtual routers on Mac OSX and on Windows PC (scroll down to second subtitle).

Best VPN for multiple devices FAQs