CyberGhost has been on the VPN scene since 2011 and, as you'd expect from a veteran, has built a solid service with a reliable roster of core VPN tools. Despite this, however, you won't find CyberGhost listed in our shortlist of the best VPNs overall – despite its impressive speed testing results and unblocking performance.
So, where does it fall short? Throughout our testing, we found that CyberGhost just isn't as proactive as the big dogs. There's a lack of new, innovative features, and its ad-blocking tool has plenty of room for improvement. Keep reading, and we'll dig into the good, the bad, and the ugly to see where CyberGhost stands amongst today's competition.
Features
CyberGhost won't be taking home any awards for new and novel VPN features, but the tools it does offer are all solid and secure.
Kicking off with the basics, we were glad to see that CyberGhost has its very own kill switch, which will cut the existing internet connection if the VPN drops out. This prevents IP leaks – and the kill switch works well in tandem with the DNS leak protection as a safety net, running in the background to catch mishaps before they happen. Unfortunately, unlike NordVPN’s, this kill switch is not configurable, which may disappoint power users looking to tailor their VPN experience.
We think that the Wi-Fi protection feature pairs up nicely with this set, too. It's a simple on/off toggle to activate and, once enabled, it'll let you know about changes to the internet connection and warn you if you're not currently connected to a VPN server.
You can tell the VPN what to do depending on the security status of the new network you connect to, too. For instance, prompting CyberGhost to ask before connecting to a server if the network is secure, or always joining a server if it's unsecure. This is pretty nifty, as it'll ensure that you don't accidentally expose identifiable details when switching from your home network to public Wi-Fi.
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CyberGhost has its very own split tunnelling functionality called Exceptions. Here, you're able to list the sites that don't use the VPN's encrypted tunnel. They'll be routed through your original internet connection instead – and you may want to add your online banking to this list, for example, or streaming services you use to keep up with local sports.
Another VPN staple is the connect-on-launch tool. There's some limited customizability, here, too, as we were able to select the server that the VPN automatically connects to and even nominate an app that'll launch, too. It's a nice time-saver that worked like a charm when we tested it, connecting to a US server and launching the Netflix app in one fell swoop.
The built-in ad, malware, and tracker blocking tool was surprisingly effective when we tried it out in real time. We found that it blocked 83% of ads – which is pretty impressive for a VPN tool, but it's not as powerful as a full-blooded ad-blocking solution. Ultimately, we don't recommend using it in place of one of today's best ad-blockers.
We attempted to access 156 common trackers with the tool, too, and saw that the app blocked 149, which is seriously impressive. These results put CyberGhost on par with Windscribe and Private Internet Access.
CyberGhost's malware blocking results weren't quite as rosy, as it only managed to block 55% of a set of 412 malicious URLs. Still, it's enough to be useful in a day-to-day context.
While it's encouraging to see that CyberGhost has stepped into the ad, malware, and tracker blocking, the VPN has fallen behind in other cybersecurity arenas. ExpressVPN, for example, boasts its own password manager, ExpressVPN Keys; NordVPN has an identity theft protection service; and Surfshark'sAlternative ID tool can generate an entirely new online persona for you before you can sneeze, to reduce the risk of becoming embroiled in scams and data breaches.
CyberGhost, by comparison, doesn't bring any features of this calibre to the table. This won't be a deal-breaker for everyone, but when other providers are making such notable strides, it's a shame to see CyberGhost at the back of the field.
Features score: 5/10
Server network
CyberGhost has an impressive network of more than 11,500 VPN servers in 100 countries. This puts it squarely at the top end of the pack when it comes to coverage. NordVPN may only have 7,000 servers in total, but it serves a wider variety of 118 countries. Still, there's not much in it, and CyberGhost certainly isn't lacking global coverage.
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As is the case with most VPNs, the European region takes the lion's share of servers, though CyberGhost does its best to cover Central and South America, Asia, and Africa, too. We were pleasantly surprised to see servers in famously neglected regions, too, including Kenya, Bolivia, and Costa Rica. The fact that CyberGhost boasts server coverage in the high-censorship regions of China and Russia is especially noteworthy.
Finally, we think it's pretty cool that CyberGhost takes server requests. So, if you live somewhere that doesn't have a local CyberGhost server, it's worth asking for one. We can't confirm whether these requests are taken seriously or responded to, but the squeaky wheel gets the oil, right?
Server network score: 9/10
Apps
CyberGhost's apps straddle a fine line between sleek and somewhat threadbare. The VPN is compatible with pretty much every platform out there – Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, smart TV, and consoles included. Unfortunately, the Linux edition of the CyberGhost app is command-line only, and there's no indication of whether a GUI upgrade is in the cards. If that's a deal-breaker, you'll want to invest in Surfshark or PIA’s Linux VPN, instead.
As is the case with most of today's top VPNs, CyberGhost has its own browser extensions. Folks using the Chrome and Firefox browsers can add the tools in a few clicks, though it's worth remembering that the extensions only encrypt browser traffic and not the traffic of other apps you might be using on your device. Sadly, there's no extension for Microsoft Edge.
CyberGhost's apps have a distinct visual flair. We think that the black and gold looks awesome, and the Windows edition of the app looks like it could even be native to the platform. There's an emphasis on readability and open space that we find refreshing, and the screen isn't jammed with statistics, social media links, or flags. There's room to breathe, making CyberGhost a pretty solid VPN for beginners.
The desktop offering is intuitive and easy to navigate. Basic tools and settings are clearly labelled, and there are only three extra features to take note of – the ad blocker, DNS leak protection, and kill switch.
The mobile VPN apps look even better in our opinion, especially when using them in the portrait orientation. They're just as easy to navigate as their desktop counterparts, too, with simple tabs to tap on, though they are somewhat on the small side.
Unfortunately, the iOS and Android apps are light on features, especially compared to NordVPN and PIA's feature-rich and customizable offerings.
We were particularly irked by CyberGhost's device limit. Unlike ExpressVPN, CyberGhost doesn't issue a certain number of simultaneous connections, and instead limits the number of devices, total, that you can install the service on. Users have 7 device slots, and installing the VPN on a device consumes a slot. If you reach the 7-device limit, you'll need to unlink a device before you can install it on another, which is an extra bit of legwork that the majority of the competition just don't make you do.
Apps score: 6/10
Ease of use
CyberGhost's apps might not be full to bursting with a cavalcade of tools, but they're nice and easy to use. For some folks, this will be more important, and we had no trouble getting the VPN set up on our Windows 11 test machine and iPhone 13 mobile.
We found that it was easier to create a CyberGhost account and select a plan as the first step in the process, then download the corresponding app for the device you're using after logging in to the My Account page on the CyberGhost site.
Initially, the Windows installer failed to initialize, though it worked like a charm upon the second attempt. The installation process itself was quick and painless after accepting the usual terms and conditions.
Once we'd logged into the app, which is compact and stylish, we were greeted by a big one-click connect button, which is exactly what we like to see. A lot of VPN users won't need to explore any further than this homepage, as hitting the button will pair you with a speedy local server, allowing you to go about your day-to-day browsing with increased peace of mind.
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On the other hand, we found that it was easy to dictate which server CyberGhost connects to when clicking the connect button, and the full server list expands into a larger window with a single click. From here, we were able to favorite locations and check out the full roster of specialized streaming, torrenting, and gaming servers.
Our sole quibble with the CyberGhost Windows UI is that the settings are split into three discreet menus, each with a different icon in a different part of the app. We believe that it'd be better to merge these options into a single tab, reducing the amount of clicking around required to find specific tools and configurations.
We're happy to report that CyberGhost is a straightforward and sleek iOS VPN, too. Downloading the app from the App Store is a breeze, and we were prompted to log in, as usual, before seeing the home page and quick connect button.
The iOS and Android apps have access to dedicated IPs, protocols, and a mobile-exclusive connection checker. This is a nifty little extra that ensures that your network connection is stable and configured correctly, and it was responsive when we put it to the test - which is something to keep in mind if you run into issues and need a place to begin your troubleshooting.
Ease of use score: 8/10
Speed and performance
CyberGhost blew us away during our most recent round of speed testing, achieving a blistering 950+ Mbps when using the WireGuard protocol.
This effectively maxed out our 1 Gbs connection, and means CyberGhost is one of the fastest VPNs in the business, on par with the likes of Surfshark. We were also pleased to see that speeds didn't waver massively depending on the server we connected to – regardless of whether the location was near or far in relation to our UK home base, CyberGhost's performance remained stable and steady.
How we perform speed tests
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We test from two different virtual PCs, one in the UK and one in the US. We’re expecting big things out of NordVPN, as both of these servers have a 1 Gbs connection. You can find out more in our VPN testing methodology.
Its OpenVPN performance wasn't quite as red hot, coming in at 460 Mbps, but this is par for the course. OpenVPN isn't as lightweight as WireGuard, consisting of more lines of code, and is usually favored by folks who want to prioritize security over speed.
Still, CyberGhost's result breezes past NordVPN's OpenVPN 173 Mbps performance, which is something to keep in mind if you know you'll be relying on the protocol most of the time.
As a final cherry on top, we found that CyberGhost's connection times are brisk, clocking in at about one second. That's a great result – who wants to spend time tapping their fingers and waiting for a VPN to connect, after all?
Speed and performance score: 10/10
Unblocking
We put VPNs through the wringer when it comes to unblocking streaming services, and part of that testing involves determining whether the VPN in question can access various Netflix libraries in the US, UK, Japan, Canada, and Australia, Disney+, Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, 10Play, 9Now, and Channel 4. It's a tall order – but CyberGhost achieved a perfect score.
We didn't encounter a single obstacle when investigating these streaming platforms. Netflix loaded instantly, every time, and we were able to catch up on multiple WWE replays without a single buffering hiccup or drop out. This kind of reliability is seriously impressive, and makes CyberGhost a solid VPN for Netflix.
As we mentioned earlier, CyberGhost is a certified speed demon, too, and the content we access loaded in crisp HD, every time. After all, Netflix itself says that 4K streaming only requires a 25 Mbps connection – and CyberGhost brings 950+ Mbps to the table.
We're also glad to see that CyberGhost has its own Smart DNS service. This allows folks with consoles and smart TVs to enjoy the VPN's unblocking power, too, though it's worth noting that the Smart DNS tool won't encrypt your traffic like a full-blooded VPN.
CyberGhost is a decent torrenting VPN, but not at the top of our recommendations. The provider doesn't make a big song and dance about it, but it does offer P2P-optimized servers, listed under the "For downloading" tab in the server menu. These servers span 80 countries, which is plenty to choose from, and should help you find a nearby connection point to help maximize performance. Unfortunately, unlike PIA, CyberGhost doesn't come with port forwarding, which reduces the number of seeders you can connect with.
Unblocking score: 10/10
Privacy and Security
CyberGhost users have three VPN protocols to choose from – OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2.
As we touched on earlier, OpenVPN is your go-to if you value security over speed, whereas the speedy WireGuard protocol is a favorite of gamers and avid streamers. IKEv2, on the other hand, is ideal for mobile users, as it can handle changes in network connections without disrupting the VPN connection. Of course, if you can't make up your mind, you can always let CyberGhost choose a protocol on your behalf.
In addition to DNS and IP leak protection, which help keep your identifiable details out of the hands of third-party snoopers, CyberGhost lets you choose a random port. This makes it easier to use the VPN in airports and hotels, for example, as they usually restrict traffic to HTTPS.
CyberGhost is headquartered in Romania, which will register as an immediate green flag for privacy purists, as the country has no mandatory data retention laws and isn't a part of the notorious Five Eyes Alliance.
Because Romanian law doesn't force CyberGhost to record or store user data, it means that, if pressed by the authorities to hand that data over, the VPN couldn't, as it wouldn't have any data to fork over in the first place.
CyberGhost doubles down on its commitment to user privacy with a solid no-logs policy that ensures that no records are stored that could link users to their network activity. We investigated the policy and found that it was refreshingly easy to follow. It's not stuffed with techno-babble, and it takes the time to explain each term in plain, parsable language. Sure, it's on the lengthy side, but we'd take a long, simple policy over a short and impossibly dense one.
The provider even invited cybersecurity firm Deloitte to comb through this no-logs policy back in January 2024. Deloitte gave CyberGhost a big thumbs up, confirming that the VPN doesn't have an appetite for identifiable details and logs. Ideally, CyberGhost will repeat the audit at some point this year, and make the report accessible to everyone.
Privacy and security score: 7/10
Track record
In addition to the 2024 Deloitte audit, CyberGhost claims to be the very first VPN to publish a quarterly transparency report way back in 2011. These reports are published in the spirit of transparency and detail how many DMCA complaints the VPN has received, as well as the number of police requests for user information.
The reports can be difficult to find, but CyberGhost does an excellent job of cutting through the statistics for the layperson, highlighting figures that have risen or fallen in the period between reports.
CyberGhost's owner, formerly known as Crossrider, has raised concerns over the years. The company acquired CyberGhost in 2011 and was previously associated with malware distribution – essentially the antithesis of a VPN service.
Crossrider rebranded as Kape Technologies in 2017 and has since brought PIA and ExpressVPN into the fold. This murky past has deterred more than a handful of users but, since then, Kape Technologies has taken steps to promote transparency and trust with its continued transparency reports and independent audits.
Finally, on a brighter note, we love to see that CyberGhost launched a bug bounty program in 2022. Any expert who sniffs out a vulnerability in the service can earn up to $1,250 for their trouble.
Track record score: 7/10
Customer support
Right off the bat, we were glad to see that CyberGhost offers 24/7 live chat support. This means that, if you do encounter a hiccup here and there, you won't have to wait until business hours to begin troubleshooting the issue with in-house experts. Alternatively, there's the option to raise an email ticket via the support page.
You'll need to choose the right keywords to find what you're looking for in CyberGhost's knowledgebase (Image credit: CyberGhost)
If you prefer doing your own problem-solving, you'll be glad to see that CyberGhost has a well-stocked library of guides, tutorials, and articles. The setup guides are some of the best we've come across. They're illustrated with up-to-date screenshots, have simple and easy-to-follow steps, and cover most platforms – though Surfshark's guides are slightly more detail-rich, and are supplemented with handy YouTube tutorials.
Customer support score: 7/10
Pricing and plans
CyberGhost is a budget-friendly provider and, in fact, with prices on par with Surfshark, one of the best cheap VPNs on the block. Of course, you'll bag the biggest bargain by picking up a multi-year plan and paying upfront.
A 2-year CyberGhost subscription comes in at $2.19 – identical to Surfshark – and includes an extra 2 months of coverage for free. You'll be billed $56.94 for 2 years, then yearly from then on out.
NordVPN pricing
- 1-month plan: $12.99/month
- 6-month plans: $6.99/month
- 24-month plans: $2.19/month
If you're looking for a shorter-term commitment, you can opt for the 6-month plan at $6.99 ($12.99 upfront), or a one-month plan at $12.99. All CyberGhost subscriptions are covered by an especially generous 45-day money-back guarantee, giving you over a month to put the provider through its paces to see whether it's the right service for you.
You can pay for your CyberGhost plan using PayPal, Bitcoin or credit card, and more (Image credit: CyberGhost)
Oh, and if you fancy adding a dedicated IP to your plan, it's a simple add-on of $2.50.
We're impressed by the number of trials CyberGhost serves up, too. In fact, it has some of our favorite VPN free trials. Windows users can enjoy a 24-hour trial, Android users get a 3-day free trial, and iOS loyalists win big with a 7-day free trial. Better yet, none of these trials demand that you hand over any financial details.
Pricing and plans score: 9/10
Should you use NordVPN?
There are plenty of good things about CyberGhost. It's wickedly fast, unblocks every streaming platform you can think of, and is one of the cheapest providers in today's market. So, if you're an avid streamer, or spend a log of time plugged into online games, CyberGhost could be your holy grail – if you don't mind dealing with the pesky 7 device limit.
However, if you're looking for a VPN that's on the cutting edge of cybersecurity ingenuity, then CyberGhost won't cut it. Its basics are in order, but its functionality doesn't extend far beyond basic, and it doesn't seem like that's going to change any time soon.
NordVPN and Proton VPN, on the other hand, continue to innovate and release new tools and features, and may be better alternatives for true advocates of internet privacy.
Overall score 78/100
CyberGhost alternatives
1. NordVPN – from $3.39 per month The best VPN overall NordVPN is, frankly, the total VPN package. It's stacked with privacy-boosting features that reach beyond the bread-and-butter basics, and its Threat Protection suite effectively shooes away ads, trackers, and malware. NordVPN knows how to have fun, too, with a reliably quick performance and flawless access across all streaming platforms. It's hard to pinpoint an area where NordVPN falls flat – though CyberGhost's apps are arguably easier to navigate. Want to see for yourself? Make good use of the 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal
2. Surfshark – from $2.19 per month The best cheap VPN (and also the fastest) Surfshark goes toe-to-toe with CyberGhost when it comes to rock-bottom prices, but stuffs a ton of tools into the offering that CyberGhost can't match. The Alternative ID feature spins up an entirely new persona you can use in place of your real details, and subscribers get unlimited simultaneous connections they can use to protect all of their gadgets – or share the love with family and friends. Check out Surfshark's blistering speeds and minimalist apps with a handy 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal
3.ExpressVPN – from $4.99 per month The best VPN for beginners and the most secure ExpressVPN is our go-to recommendation for VPN newbies, and boasts a foolproof installation and setup process. This intuitive experience extends through its apps, too, regardless of which platform you're using. While CyberGhost has ExpressVPN beat in terms of speed and price, ExpressVPN's offering is polished and places emphasis on security, with rock-solid encryption. Take the service for a risk-free test drive with a 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal
US-based IPVanish is an appealing VPN provider with a long list of features, including several that you won't often see elsewhere.
IPVanish has a decent-sized network with 40,000+ shared IPs, and 2,000+ servers in 75+ locations.
The company says all servers are P2P-friendly (with a SOCKS5 proxy to boost speeds), and sure enough, we were able to download torrents from all five of our test locations.
You get a reasonably good-sized network of servers with IPVanish (Image credit: IPVanish)
There are apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and even Amazon Fire TV. Plus, a host of setup guides for routers, Linux, Chromebooks, and other platforms.
You can install, configure, and set up as many devices as you like – IPVanish has no fixed limits on the number of simultaneous connections you can make. We guess the company might get in touch if you reach 50 and are still going, but that's still a major benefit over the 5-device limit you'll get with some providers.
Protocol support includes turbocharged WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. If you're trying to get online via a network or country which blocks VPNs, an OpenVPN Scramble feature conceals your traffic and might help you connect.
The company has been busy since our last review. Changes since then include a redesigned home screen on the desktop apps, enhanced streaming support (Netflix Japan in particular), several new payment types (Google Pay, Amazon Pay, S€PA, and Apple Pay), and a free 7-day trial for first-time mobile users.
If you need help without waiting, it's good to know that 24/7 live chat is available, and even here, IPVanish delivers a little more than we expected. There's phone support during the working week (Monday to Friday, 9 am – 5 pm CT, that's UTC -6), with numbers in the US, UK, Australia, Mexico, Spain, and Brazil.
IPVanish accepts both credit cards and PayPal (Image credit: IPVanish)
The annual plan looks fair value at $4.50 per month. But beware, this is a special introductory deal. Prices jump to $7.50 on renewal.
The two-year plan is a bargain at $3.33 a month for the first term. But it renews at the same $7.50 a month as the annual deal (no discount for the longer term.)
These are reasonable prices for what you're getting. They're a little cheaper than NordVPN and ExpressVPN, but still more expensive than other options. While IPVanish costs $89.99 a year after the first term, the Private Internet Access 3-year plan gives you 39 months of protection for an upfront cost of $79. Plus, there's no built-in price hike at the time of renewal.
If you decide to sign up, IPVanish accepts payments via card and PayPal. There's support for paying via Google Pay, Amazon Pay, S€PA, and Apple Pay, but Bitcoin still isn't available.
IPVanish offers a 30-day money-back guarantee but be sure to check the small print as it's for yearly plans only. Monthly-billed plans aren't eligible.
IPVanish protects your privacy with encryption and secure protocols (Image credit: IPVanish)
Privacy
Most IPVanish apps come with a range of privacy-protecting tools. The Windows build includes a kill switch, DNS, and even IPv6 leak protection to reduce the chance that your traffic or identity is exposed online.
Privacy pluses elsewhere include the iOS app's ability to automatically connect when you access public Wi-Fi networks but ignore others that you feel are safe (home, work, whatever they might be). You can then mostly leave the VPN to turn itself on and off as required, maintaining your privacy at all times.
All of the DNS leak tests we performed showed that IPVanish didn't leak any of our information (Image credit: IPVanish)
To confirm that the service really does preserve your anonymity, we used IP and DNS leak tests and a number of leak-detecting sites. None of the tests revealed any issues. The apps always protected our identity and traffic.
A useful indicator of a provider's attitude to privacy is the trackers used on its website. We pointed the Blacklight privacy inspector at IPVanish's site, and it reported five trackers and ten tracking cookies (mostly Google, Facebook, and Microsoft.) There's nothing out of the ordinary, but IPVanish does use more than most. A few providers including Hide.me, Mullvad, and Proton VPN use no trackers at all.
IPVanish keeps zero logs on its users, and that's backed up by an independent audit (Image credit: IPVanish)
Logging
IPVanish's privacy policy begins with a clear and reassuring statement: 'IPVanish is a zero-logs VPN service provider, which means that we do not keep a record of any connection, traffic, or activity data in regards to our Services.'
The document lists the data IPVanish collects via the website, its registration and payment procedures. There's nothing harmful or out of the ordinary, and we only saw the details we expected: cookies, website analytics, email address and so on.
IPVanish doesn't just have reassuring words, either. In April 2022 it backed them up with a blog post announcing that Leviathan Security Group had 'audited our technology and independently verified that our no-log VPN service complies with our Privacy Policy. '
The audit was unusually detailed, and included interviews with staff, a range of technical tests, and examination of a production server, documentation, system configurations and more. (The full report is linked from IPVanish blog post, if you're interested.)
It's great to see a provider with the courage to put itself through this level of scrutiny, and we hope it'll encourage other providers to do the same.
We still have one minor but long-standing IPVanish privacy issue. Like many providers, the apps collect and send back anonymous usage data. There’s no reason to believe this contains anything harmful, but our concern is that IPVanish has previously done this by default, and without explaining it to users. (We much prefer ExpressVPN’s approach, where the apps don’t send this data at all unless users specifically allow it).
The good news is this may be changing, at last. The iOS app now opts users out of data collection by default, and it’s up to you if you’d like to opt in. That’s the most privacy-focused approach, and we hope to see the same change on other platforms soon.
We used a number of speed testing services to determine the performance of IPVanish (Image credit: nPerf)
Performance
We measure VPN performance by running several benchmarking services including SpeedTest's website and command line app, Cloudflare, and Measurement Lab. We run the tests from both a UK data center and a US residential location. Both locations have 1Gbps connections. We run each test five times with OpenVPN, five times using WireGuard, and we do it all over again several hours later (that's a minimum of 120 tests), then analyze the data to see what's going on.
Most providers reach 100-200 Mbps with OpenVPN, and IPVanish managed an average of 180-190 Mbps. That's far behind the 280-480 Mbps OpenVPN speeds we saw from Mullvad, but still above average and fine for browsing and even the highest resolution streams.
We managed to play with the settings and get even better results. IPVanish apps use WireGuard by default. After we switched protocols, we saw speeds soar to 950Mbps+. Your experience may be very different as you probably don't have data center levels of connectivity, but it does suggest IPVanish's servers aren't overloaded.
IPVanish unblocked US Netflix in our testing (Image credit: Netflix)
Netflix and streaming
IPVanish claims to offer "secure access to all of your favorite streaming sites." That's not always been our experience in previous reviews, but we were keen to see how the service performed this time around.
The VPN provider scored well with US Netflix, getting us access to US-exclusive Netflix content from all three of our test locations.
It was a mixed bag with other libraries. IPVanish unblocked Netflix in the UK and Japan but failed in Australia, and we couldn't even access the Netflix Canada site.
We found a similar uncertain picture in the US, as the service got us access to Amazon Prime Video but couldn't unblock Disney Plus.
IPVanish ended on a relatively high note with our country-level tests. Sure, it failed with Australia's 10Play, but it made up for that by unblocking 9Now, and managed to bypass the VPN defenses for the UK's BBC iPlayer, ITV, and Channel 4.
Eight out of twelve platform tests passed is a decent score. It could be that IPVanish can access all the platforms you care about, but if not, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Private Internet Access, ProtonVPN, PureVPN, and Surfshark all unblocked every one of our test sites in their most recent reviews.
This is the user interface of IPVanish's Windows client (Image credit: IPVanish)
Windows app
IPVanish's revamped Windows app opens with a feature-packed new home screen. There's the current location, a Connect/ Disconnect button, a panel listing assorted details about your connection (IP, protocol, data uploaded and downloaded, more), a zoomable world map including pins for all IPVanish locations, and a sidebar with buttons pointing to other areas of the app.
If you think that sounds cluttered, you'd be right, but there is a partial fix. You can opt to hide either the Connection Details panel, or the map, and that does make a difference. We chose to keep the map, simplifying the screen and leaving the app looking much like the previous edition.
Connecting to the nearest location is as easy as hitting the large green Connect button. Alternately, you can pan around the map just like any other (left-click, hold and drag to pan, or spin the mouse wheel to zoom), and double-click any location pin to launch a connection.
You can also view IPVanish's locations as a country list (Image credit: IPVanish)
The app has an excellent location list. It's crammed with every feature and detail you can imagine. You're able to choose locations by country, city, or even individual servers. Every location displays its ping time and server load, helping you make the best choice. Start typing a city or country name into the search box and the list immediately updates with any hits, or you can use the Favorites system to group commonly-used servers for speedy reconnections later.
You can easily change VPN protocols from within the settings of IPVanish's Windows client (Image credit: IPVanish)
Settings
The Settings box has a decent bunch of options. You can switch protocols between WireGuard, IKEv2, and OpenVPN TCP and UDP. You're also able to choose port 1194 or 443 for OpenVPN, which might help you bypass small-scale VPN blocking. We're talking about local Wi-Fi hotspots rather than China. You can define which server IPVanish uses when the client starts, repair the IPVanish OpenVPN driver if it's affected by another VPN, and view the OpenVPN logs within the interface to troubleshoot problems. There's also both DNS and IPv6 leak protection.
Auto-connect settings can make your app connect when it launches, or when you connect to an untrusted network. By default, the app trusts ethernet and cellular networks but you can turn that off if you're the cautious type, and auto-connect by default almost everywhere.
The client's kill switch isn't enabled by default, so we turned it on and ran a few tests. The results were excellent in every area. Whatever tricks we pulled to break the connection on whatever protocol we used, the client warned us immediately with a desktop notification and reconnected if we'd enabled that option in Settings, without ever revealing our real IP.
There is one catch, though – this is the absolute kind of kill switch, where once you've turned it on, you can't access the internet at all unless you're connected to the VPN. This is certainly secure, but it's not always convenient.
IPVanish has tried to address this by adding a Kill Switch button to the app home screen. If the VPN won't connect or you really need to use your regular connection, you can disable the kill switch with a click, just temporarily, and restore it when you're done.
While we could live with this as a compromise, we'd like the option to have a kill switch that doesn't cut off the internet when you disconnect from the VPN
The IPVanish Mac app is visually appealing, and a solid effort overall (Image credit: IPVanish)
Mac app
The IPVanish Mac app is due to get the same dual-pane 'map plus connection details' home screen as the Windows edition. This wasn't completed at the time of review; however, we did get the chance to use the beta version. The beta had exactly the same issues as the Windows App. It's a little too cluttered, but the option to hide one pane or the other makes it a little better.
The current, soon-to-be-replaced, Mac app has a decent set of core features including support for WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, IPSec, and L2TP, the ability to automatically connect or disconnect when you access untrusted Wi-Fi and Ethernet networks, and a kill switch just in case it all goes horribly wrong.
There are plenty of quirks too. The Mac map looks and works very differently compared with the Windows version and some stuff isn't where you'd expect it to be.
Hopefully, the design issues will be addressed in the upcoming release. Still, right now, this is a capable app. Fast and with way more functionality than some of the Mac competition.
IPVanish's Android app offers plenty of settings and options (Image credit: IPVanish)
Android app
The IPVanish Android app opens with the current location highlighted on a very stylish map and provides a Connect button to speedily get you online. We love the gorgeous 'Connecting...' animation too, an all-electric green light rippling across the globe.
The navigation bar can't compete for visual appeal, but it's functional and allows you to switch directly to the Locations, Settings, or Help screens.
The mobile app doesn't support choosing locations from the map, but a tap on the Locations button takes you to a straightforward server list. By default, this shows countries but you can switch to cities with a tap. There are no latency figures to help you choose, unlike the desktop app, but you are able to save your most commonly-used locations as Favorites for easy recall later.
Connection times are fast at around a couple of seconds. The latest app only displays your new IP address and the time since you connected. It’s the bare minimum but that's enough, and on balance, we prefer the simpler look.
If you ever need a bit of help, you're now able to open a live chat support session directly from the Help screen.
The app has more settings and options than most of the competition and supports WireGuard, IKEv2, and OpenVPN connections. You can opt for OpenVPN UDP or TCP connections to choose between speed and reliability. There's also the choice to use port 8443 for connecting to servers.
Android users also get a choice of light and dark modes (Image credit: IPVanish)
A Scramble option makes it more difficult for VPN connections to be detected and Split Tunneling allows you to select apps for which you don't want to use IPVanish. This is great news if some don't work with VPNs. Although the app doesn't have a kill switch of its own, there is help for setting up the system-level kill switch on Android.
There are some omissions. While the IPVanish Mac and iOS apps (and apps from many other providers) can automatically connect whenever you access an insecure Wi-Fi network, IPVanish doesn't offer that ability on Android. The app more than covers the basics, and overall, it works reasonably well.
IPVanish's iOS client is quite similar to its Android app (Image credit: IPVanish)
iOS app
The redesigned IPVanish iOS app looks almost identical to its Android cousin. It sports a straightforward interface and stylish map screen, and you can connect to your nearest server with a tap, or browse for another with the very configurable location list.
The only significant differences are in the Settings pane. There's no OpenVPN support, which is a little disappointing (although you do get WireGuard, IKEv2, and IPSec), and none of the low-level tweaks Android offers such as a choice of ports, UDP/TCP, or the Scramble feature.
The iOS app has an amazing On Demand option. This protects you by connecting automatically whenever you access an untrusted network. You can also configure allow-lists and deny-lists, so IPVanish knows which connections to protect, and which are safe. You can even compile a list of domains that you'd like IPVanish to automatically protect. For example, you can have the VPN kick in whenever you visit Netflix's website.
The IPVanish iOS app may not have quite as many low-level tweaks as some, but it scores in the areas that matter most; ease of use, a flexible location list, and it is smart enough to know when it should connect (very handy if you forget). Well worth a try.
IPVanish offers a good level of support should you get stuck with either its desktop or mobile apps (Image credit: IPVanish)
Support
If the VPN isn't working as it should be, the IPVanish Help Center aims to point you in the right direction. A System Status area warns you of any big company-wide problems, support articles are intelligently organized into key categories (Setup, Troubleshooting, Billing, more), and you can search the web knowledgebase for specific keywords.
Although at first, it looks like there are lots of articles, many are saying more or less the same thing. IPVanish has 80 How to guides, for instance, but 14 are basically the same ‘How to use Split Tunneling to view'. The only differences between the articles are the services or platforms involved. Eight are ‘How to find diagnostics' on various platforms. The articles you get aren't quite as polished or detailed as you'll typically see with NordVPN or ExpressVPN, and we noticed they didn't all use screenshots from the latest apps, which may be confusing.
Still, there's plenty of useful content to explore. For example, you don't just get one or two generic setup guides. There are tutorials for Windows, Android, iOS, macOS, and Linux, as well as guidance on using the system with Chrome OS and various routers. There’s also advice for Roku, Chromecast, and Kodi.
If you can't find an answer in the knowledgebase, live chat is available on the website.
We posted a test question, asking which of IPVanish's supported protocols we should use. A friendly agent replied within a couple of minutes, got straight to the point (no messing around requesting account details or anything else), asked relevant questions, and provided useful and accurate information very quickly.
That's a great performance and a significant improvement on the 'send an email and wait' approach of some other services. If you'd rather wait for a response and send an email, IPVanish supports that too.
IPVanish boasts superior WireGuard performance, highly configurable apps, and speedy live chat support to help keep everything running smoothly. However, issues with usability and a scattering of smaller glitches mean IPVanish can't quite match the best VPN providers.
Windscribe is one of the best all-rounders in the VPN market. It's got some handy privacy-boosting tools, the speeds you need to enjoy HD streaming, and apps for pretty much every platform out there. So, even though it can't quite match up to today's best VPNs, it's still worth checking out if you're on the hunt for something new.
During our hands-on testing, we were impressed by Windscribe's core features and unblocking power, but we did run into issues with its UI. We evaluated its privacy tools, server network, performance, and overall value for money to determine how it compares to VPNs on the market. Keep reading, and we'll dig in.
Features
Windscribe's server network covers 69 countries (and 134 cities) in total. This is a decent spread that should allow all users to find a nearby connection point, but it's almost half the selection offered by NordVPN, and its network of servers in 126 countries.
Windscribe apps are widely available for all popular platforms, too, including Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux. We're glad to see that feature and UI parity are consistent across all of these apps. Plus, if you want a lightweight option and not a full-blown app, Windscribe's browser extensions are available for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.
Users have a choice of VPN protocols, too, with WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 all on the table. WireGuard employs industry-standard AES-256 encryption, which ensures that your web traffic is kept safe from third-party snoopers and cybercriminals. To further enhance your online security, Windscribe has built-in stealth technology designed to conceal your VPN usage entirely, so you can avoid VPN bans enforced by schools, workplaces, and oppressive governments.
ROBERT is Windscribe's DNS-backed tool to help users block ads, malware, trackers and more (Image credit: Windscribe)
The powerful apps look great and are easy to use for beginners.
In September 2025, Windscribe rolled out a major app revamp, focused on improving the overall usability and adding more customization options. The refresh introduced a new home screen, redesigned settings menu, and the ability to rename server locations. These updates aren't particularly groundbreaking, but they are valuable quality-of-life improvements that highlight the provider's dedication to its userbase.
It's important to note that these apps also include many advanced features including split tunneling (on the desktop as well as mobile devices), MAC address spoofing (a clever way to reduce the chance of being tracked), versatile auto-connect rules, full IPv6 support, and even a command line interface to automate the VPN from scripts.
ROBERT is Windscribe's DNS-based tool for blocking ads, malware, trackers, and various internet content types like gambling, porn, fake news, clickbait, and so on. How effective is it? We'll take a look later.
There's no 24/7 support but Windscribe does have a decent web knowledge base and a helpful support chatbot. You can raise a ticket if you need more advice, and in our experience, replies are detailed and helpful.
New features include Encrypted Client Hello (ECH) that can bypass SNI filtering so others can't try to view or maybe block the domains you're trying to access.
While many VPNs offer no control over DNS at all, Windscribe allows you to define which DNS to use when the VPN is connected or disconnected. The latest addition includes support for DNS-over-HTTPS, and as Windscribe also runs Control D (a very configurable DNS service, with a free plan) we expect to see more related features appear over time.
The Android app has a new ‘Decoy Mode’ which is an interesting privacy feature (Image credit: Windscribe)
In addition to paid plans, Windscribe also offers a very generous free plan (Image credit: Windscribe)
Windscribe pricing
Windscribe's free plan offers a generous 10GB of data transfer a month if you register with your email address, and 2GB if you don't. You're limited to 11 countries – North America, across Europe, and Hong Kong – but that's still far better than some (Hotspot Shield and a few others don't give you any choice of locations at all).
Upgrading to a commercial plan gets you unlimited data and access to all 110 locations.
One of our favorite things about Windscribe is the fact that it gives users unlimited simultaneous connections to play with. So, if you have a lot of devices you need to protect, or want to share your account with friends and family, you only need to pick up a single subscription. It's great value for money that you don't see everywhere.
Prices are fair. Monthly billing is only $9 – many VPNs charge $10-$13. Pay for a year upfront and the price falls to an equivalent $5.75. That's not cheap but it's within the range we expect for a premium VPN, and it's still far lower than some. ExpressVPN and Hide.me both ask $8.32 a month on the annual plan, NordVPN charges $8.29 from the second year.
If low prices are top of your priority list, though, there's money to be saved elsewhere. As we write this, Private Internet Access has a three-year plan that's only $2.03 a month for the first term, while Ivacy's five-year offering is only $1 a month. Sure, we don't like long-term contracts either, but look at the totals. Hand over $69 to Windscribe and you get one year of protection. Give Ivacy $60 and you're covered for five.
Windscribe does offer a 'Build a Plan' scheme that cuts costs by allowing you to buy only the locations you need for $1 each. Each location adds 10GB to your free bandwidth allowance, and your plan must have a minimum of two locations.
For example, providing your email address gets you 10GB of data a month. Add the US and UK locations, and you'll get 30GB of data for $2 a month. You can upgrade to unlimited data for another $1, or a total of just $3 a month, and that's billed monthly. No need to sign up for years.
If you only use a VPN for occasional short trips, say, that looks like a great deal. Surfshark's monthly-billed plan is more than four times as expensive at $13, for instance – okay, that's the full service with all the locations, but if you don't need them, who cares?
Another option, ScribeForce, enables signing up a group of users (a business, a family) with the same account. There's a five-user minimum, but you'll pay just $3 each, billed monthly, for access to the full and unrestricted service.
Unusual add-ons include static IP addresses. Adding a US or Canadian residential IP costs $8 a month (data center IPs are $2) and could greatly improve your chances of accessing any blocked sites, and enable connecting to IP-restricted business and other networks. Once you have a static IP, you can also enable port forwarding in the Windscribe web console.
Whatever your preference, Windscribe supports payments via card, PayPal, Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies via CoinPayments.net, along with gift cards and assorted other options via Paymentwall.
Windscribe doesn't have the lowest headline prices, then, but it's fairly priced for the features on offer, and there are huge savings to be made if you're covering multiple users.
There is a small catch in Windscribe's money-back guarantee, which only covers you for three days and if you've used less than 10GB of traffic. So, if you think that might be an issue, download and try the free version before you buy to make sure it delivers what you need.
Windscribe protects your privacy with AES-256 encryption and doesn't keep logs (Image credit: Windscribe)
Privacy and logging
Windscribe's privacy features include strong AES-256 encryption, SHA512 authentication, a 4096-bit RSA key, and support for perfect forward secrecy (keys aren't re-used, so even if a snooper gets hold of a private key, it will only allow them to view data within one session).
The apps use multiple techniques to reduce the chance of data leaks, including redirecting DNS requests through the tunnel to be handled by the VPN server, and optionally using a firewall to block all internet access if the connection drops.
We checked Windscribe's performance on a Windows 10 system using the websites IPLeak, DNSLeakTest, and DoILeak and found no DNS or other leaks.
Windscribe claims its ROBERT DNS filter can protect your privacy by blocking trackers, but how well does it work? We connected to our nearest server, then tried accessing 156 common trackers, and ROBERT blocked 147. That's one of the best results we've seen. ROBERT did even better at keeping us away from malicious sites, and the ad blocker scored an excellent 93% (most VPN ad blockers managed 40-90%.)
We enabled the Windows app's firewall (similar to a kill switch) and began using various tricks to forcibly close the VPN connection and see what happened.
We found the app didn't display a notification to warn that we'd been disconnected. If it wasn't able to reconnect immediately, that might leave the user with no internet, and no idea why.
This situation probably won't last long, though, as the app tries to reconnect as soon as it spots the problem, and we were typically online again within a few seconds. This may be a small usability issue, but in privacy terms, the client worked perfectly, handling every oddball situation we threw at it and always protecting our traffic.
Windscribe's stance on logging is covered in a clearly written and refreshingly short privacy policy which explains what the company does and doesn't collect.
There's a tiny amount of very minimal long-term logging, but it's limited to the total bandwidth you've used in a month (essential to manage usage on the free plan), and a timestamp of your last activity on the service to allow identifying inactive accounts.
The system collects some connection details – username, VPN server connected to, time of connection, bandwidth used during the session, number of devices connected – but these are held in the VPN server's RAM only, and are lost when the session closes.
Other than that, there is no logging of connections, IPs, timestamps or browsing history. Or as the privacy policy puts it, 'we do not store any logs on who used what IP address, so we cannot tie user activity to any single user.'
Here is some of the data from Windscribe's transparency report (Image credit: Windscribe)
As there is no data on your activities, Windscribe points out that there's nothing to share. This is backed up by a transparency report which covers the numbers of DMCA and Law Enforcement data requests over the year, and in both cases states that: 'Exactly zero requests were complied with due to lack of relevant data.'
This is all good, but we would like to see Windscribe go further. Many VPNs have had their systems publicly audited to check for logging or other privacy issues, and that gives far more reassurance to potential customers than comforting words on a website. We hope that Windscribe (and all other VPN providers for that matter) will soon do the same.
In June 2023, Windscribe's Co-Founder and CEO, Yegor Sak, was hit with a lawsuit in connection with alleged offences committed by an unknown user. Fast forward to April 2025, and the case was dismissed in court due to a lack of evidence, becoming a landmark victory for no-log VPNs as law enforcement bodies increasingly pressure VPNs to keep lawfully accessible records of user records.
In the meantime, it's worth remembering that Windscribe gives you 2GB of data per month, for free, without requiring an email address or any other personal data. If you're just looking to protect email and basic browsing, and can live with the data limit, this automatically gets you more guaranteed anonymity than you'll have with almost everyone else.
Speed testing is an important part of any VPN review (Image credit: Speedtest.net)
Performance
We put Windscribe's performance to the test using a 10 GB line and a local UK-based server. We then measured download speeds using benchmarking services including SpeedTest (both the website and command line app), Cloudflare, Measurement Lab, and more. We ran each test using at least two protocols and in both morning and evening sessions.
Windscribe's WireGuard speeds are, in a word, awesome. The VPN clocked in at 840 Mbps - making it one of the fastest providers in our most recent round of testing, beating the likes of PIA and ExpressVPN (using the Lightway protocol).
OpenVPN speeds tend to be a little slower than their WireGuard counterparts, primarily because the protocol isn't as streamlined and efficient. It's made up of more lines of code, too.
So, it wasn't a huge surprise when we saw Windscribe clock in at 368 Mbps using OpenVPN. It's not a chart-topping performance, as ExpressVPN and Surfshark were both faster, but you'll still have no trouble checking out HD streams or enjoying stable torrenting.
We can only measure the speeds for our test locations, of course, and you may see different results. If performance is a top priority for you, using the free version gives you the chance to check local speeds (from the 11 free locations) without as much as handing over your email address.
Alternatively, Windscribe's 'Build A Plan' option could give you a month of unlimited traffic to a couple of locations for only $3, a low-priced way to run all the intensive speed testing you need.
Windscribe was able to unblock Netflix for all but one of the regions we tried (Image credit: Netflix)
Netflix and streaming
Plenty of today's biggest and best streaming platforms geo-restrict their content - meaning the shows you love won't be available if you head overseas on vacation or for work. Luckily, VPNs like Windscribe can help you regain access by geo-spoofing your location. All you need to do is connect to a server back home.
However, some platforms are cracking down on VPN usage, blocking IP addresses known to belong to VPN services. It's why only the best VPNs, and the ones that frequently refresh their IP address pool, actually work as streaming VPNs.
To put Windscribe's unblocking powers to the test, we first threw it at a selection of Netflix libraries, including the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan libraries. We're happy to report that it worked like a charm every time.
The good news continued. We had no trouble tuning into Disney+, BBC iPlayer, Channel 5, and Australian services 9Now and 10 Play.
The only hiccup we encountered happened when we attempted to check out Prime Video. The site sniffed out our VPN usage and refused to display any streaming content until we relented and switched Windscribe off. This isn't a deal-breaker in our books, but it is something to keep in mind if a lot of the content you love is exclusive to the platform.
Failing only one of our test sites is a very impressive result. If only a 100% track record will do, though, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Private Internet Access, ProtonVPN, PureVPN, and Surfshark all unblocked every one of our test services in their last review.
Windscribe fully supports P2P and torrenting (Image credit: BitTorrent)
Torrents
VPN providers generally don't boast about their torrent support, and it can be a challenge to figure out what you're allowed to do. TunnelBear was so quiet about its P2P policy that we had to email tech support to ask.
Windscribe is much more open and transparent. Just point your browser at the company's Status page and you'll see its full list of locations, which of them support P2P (most) and which of them don't (India, Lithuania, Russia, and South Africa, at the time of writing).
Your options are just as clear in the Windscribe apps. Locations where torrents aren't allowed are marked with the same crossed-out 'P2P', but select anything else and you can download whatever and whenever you like.
We don't like to take a provider's website promises for granted, even when they're from a VPN we trust, so we tried downloading torrents from three P2P-approved servers. Everything ran smoothly, and our downloads completed with no connection or performance issues at all.
Factor in Windscribe's free plan and various anonymous payment options (cryptocurrencies, gift cards), along with its decent performance levels, and the company makes a great torrenting choice.
Windscribe offers clients for most major platforms (Image credit: Windscribe)
Client setup
Tapping the 'Get Started' button on the Windscribe site took us to the Download page. The website detected and highlighted the best choice for our laptop – the Windows client and Chrome extension – but there were also links to downloads for Mac, Android, and iOS, extensions for Firefox and Edge. Plus guides to cover setup on routers, Linux, Kodi, Amazon Fire TV, and other devices.
Still not enough? No problem. Paying customers get tools to build custom configuration files for OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2. These can be used to manually set up connections with third-party apps, routers, and more.
Installing the Windows app is easy. You're able to create an account just by entering a username and password, which gets you 2GB of data a month. Hand over your email, too, and you get 10GB. Tweet about Windscribe, just once, and you get an excellent 15GB a month forever (not just a one-off.)
To put all that in perspective, TunnelBear's generosity stops with a 2GB monthly data allowance, and Avira Phantom VPN's free package gives you a tiny 500MB.
Windscribe's Windows app features a smartly designed interface (Image credit: Windscribe)
Windows app
Windscribe's Windows app has real visual panache, with rounded corners and classy flag backgrounds (check the screenshot above) to highlight your current location.
It's more cluttered than most, with plenty of text, icons, and buttons crammed into a very small space, but there's also been real thought put into the design and overall it works well. Hover your mouse over an icon, for instance, and a tooltip explains what it's about.
Windscribe's full location list shows you countries to begin with, which can be expanded to view available servers (Image credit: Windscribe)
The app displays your current protocol and port, always helpful, but it's not just a static label. Click it and you can change the protocol and settings to whatever you need. The app even offers to set the protocol as a default for that network. So, if you have to use one protocol to get online at the library and another at the coffee shop, you don't have to change them manually. Once you've connected, allow the app to save your settings for that network, and it'll automatically connect next time.
Tapping Locations displays the full location list. This opens with a list of countries and you can expand any of these to view its available servers. Each server has a latency indicator to help you find the fastest option. You can also mark countries as Favorites, displaying them at the top of the list for zero-scroll reconnections later.
The Windows client has lots of useful expert-level settings (Image credit: Windscribe)
The interface is very configurable. You can order locations by alphabet, latency, or location. You can even display latency as bars or figures, have the interface docked or a free-floating window, display notifications for events or hide them, and the list goes on.
There are many interesting connectivity features, and these are often as tweakable as the UI.
Windscribe gives you plenty of choices when it comes to VPN protocols (Image credit: Windscribe)
Supported protocols include WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, Stealth, and WStunnel, connection times were speedy at 1-2 seconds, and the app uses helpful notifications to tell you when you're connected, and when you're not.
OpenVPN is securely configured with AES-256-GCM encryption and SHA512 authentication. We couldn't find any issues with Windscribe's WireGuard setup, and it's good to see IKEv2 connections that don't store your credentials and are configured to use maximum-strength encryption so that they're not vulnerable to theft.
Split tunneling allows you to decide which traffic is routed through the VPN, and which bypasses it. Unlike most VPNs, this isn't just for apps, you can set up rules for specific IP addresses and host names, too.
Unusual extras include the ability to set up your device as a Wi-Fi hotspot (if your OS and network adapter supports it), or as a proxy gateway for use by TVs, gaming consoles, or anything else that can work with a proxy server.
One surprising feature is that Windscribe's desktop clients can import custom OpenVPN and WireGuard configuration files from other providers, and then display those servers alongside their own. If you use another VPN but its app is underpowered, you might be able to use Windscribe's instead. You don't need a subscription.
There's a lot to like here, especially for advanced users who like to tweak every aspect of their VPN. If you can find the settings you need, that is. We got lost several times scrolling up and down, clicking various icons, opening drop-down lists, and generally trying to figure out what's what.
If you're happy with the basics, the good news is you won't even see most of the complexities unless you go looking. As long as you can choose a country from a list and click a Connect button, Windscribe's apps will work just fine.
Windscribe's Mac app is an impressive piece of work (Image credit: Windscribe)
Mac app
If you're a Mac user then you'll doubtless be very familiar with VPN providers largely ignoring all your needs, saving their best features for Windows and leaving you with the bare minimum. But here's some good news: Windscribe hates that approach just as much as you do, and its Mac app is as close a match to the Windows edition as anyone could expect.
Take the interface, for instance. There are no pointless variations, no 'do it this way on Windows, but that way on Mac' rules to remember. It's the same stylish look, the same icons, the same main menus, and almost the same options, all in the same order.
Mac VPN apps generally don't have as many advanced features as Windows, mostly because Apple's security model doesn't give them as much control over your device. Seems like no-one told Windscribe this, though, because its Mac app has all the key features we saw on Windows: WireGuard support, the firewall (kill switch), custom DNS settings, MAC spoofing, split tunneling, port and protocol options, network allow-listing, proxy support and more.
If your VPN needs are simple, or you're just not interested in the low-level tech, all this power might sound intimidating. No need to worry, though: unless you click the Menu icon and go exploring, you'll never even know these options are there.
Whether you fine-tune every setting or ignore them entirely, the Mac app is generally very easy to use. Tap the On/Off button and you're speedily connected to your nearest server, then tap again to disconnect, and there's a list of other locations if you need them.
The app still looks a little more complex than some of the competition, just because it has more icons, buttons and status information. But, generally, it's a well-designed mix of functionality and ease of use, and a must-see for any Mac user looking for a little extra power.
The mobile apps are good, too (Image credit: Windscribe)
Mobile apps
Windscribe's Android app follows a similar design to the Windows version, with the same gorgeous background flags, the big On/Off button, and details on your new IP and preferred protocol.
A list of countries (expandable to city level) makes it easy to find the server you want. You can switch to list Favorites and specialist Streaming locations. There's also a Custom Config list that might enable using other VPN servers with Windscribe's interface and features.
A comprehensive Preferences screen comes absolutely stuffed with features. The Connection panel alone enables choosing between WireGuard, OpenVPN UDP, TCP, IKEv2 or Stealth, and selecting your preferred port, as well as choosing which apps use the VPN, and which don't (split tunneling). It also provides integration with Android's Always-On feature to let you set up a system-wide kill switch, or enable GPS spoofing, define a packet size, allow or block local network traffic, and more.
A Network Whitelisting tool enables automatically connecting to Windscribe whenever untrusted networks are accessed while ignoring others. So, for instance, you can configure the service to automatically connect when you access Wi-Fi on the train, but stay offline when you're at home or work.
Windscribe's iOS app earned bonus points immediately for an unusual privacy plus. The app detects your external IP and network but can blur them, ensuring you won't give away clues to your identity if you share a screenshot.
Although the app can't match the Windows edition for power, it still has wide protocol support, kill switch, and ad, malware, and content blocking. That's already outperforming most iOS apps, but it's Windscribe's more unusual options that really help it stand out from the crowd. Most VPN apps can't access servers from another provider, for instance, or allow you to set a preferred protocol depending on the network you connect to.
Windscribe even offers browser extensions for most popular web browsers (Image credit: Windscribe)
Browser extensions
Windscribe's Chrome, Edge, and Firefox extensions provide a quick and easy way to connect to the VPN from your browser. This has its limitations – they're simple proxies and only protect your browser traffic – but if you only need the VPN for basic browsing tasks, they're your most convenient and straightforward option.
The extensions make an immediate positive impression, courtesy of a stylish interface along the lines of the desktop and mobile apps. The basic operations work much as you'd expect. Autopilot mode enables connecting to the best location with a click, you're able to choose countries or individual cities from a list, and set your most commonly used cities as Favorites.
There are some nifty privacy features with the extensions (Image credit: Windscribe)
Need more? The extension can block WebRTC leaks, fake your GPS location, time zone, and language to match your chosen Windscribe server, keep switching your browser user agent to make you more difficult to track, stop websites begging you to let them show notifications, and even delete first or third-party cookies when you close the tab.
The browser extensions support Windscribe's ad and malware-blocking tool ROBERT, even for free users. Known malicious and phishing sites, bandwidth-sapping ads, trackers, social media widgets, and other nasties can all be exterminated in a click or two.
The sheer volume of options can make the extensions look complicated but Windscribe does a lot to help. A small start-up tutorial explains which buttons do what, and a useful additional introduction is that the many settings each have a sentence or two describing what they're all about.
Put it all together and this is a very capable extension that delivers far more than you'll get with other VPN providers, and even many standalone Chrome privacy extensions. Don't just take our word for it – the excellent 4.7 rating on the Chrome store suggests most users agree.
Windscribe has a knowledgebase but it's rather lacking (Image credit: Windscribe)
Support
If you have any technical troubles, Windscribe's support site is a good place to begin looking for answers. Resources start with collections of articles on common topics, including 'getting started' guides, technical troubleshooting, billing questions, and some general FAQs.
These tutorials don't always have the range and depth we'd like, but they more than cover the basics. The Android setup guide doesn't just say ‘go install the app at Google Play', for instance, as we often see with lesser providers. It quickly explains what a VPN is for, gives a link to the Play Store, an alternative direct APK download if you need it, and covers the setup and usage basics, complete with helpful screenshots.
If your problem isn't covered by the website, you can always contact support directly via a ticket system (there's no live chat). In our experience, replies can sometimes take around a day to arrive. When they do, they're friendly, accurate, and complete. We think they're generally well worth the wait.
Windscribe review: Final verdict
Windscribe is a likable VPN, with good-looking and powerful apps, expert-level features, and one of the most generous free VPN plans around. The array of advanced options and settings means this probably isn't the best choice for newcomers or anyone only looking for the VPN basics. If you're unsure about Winscribe, there's an easy and risk-free way to find out for sure. Just install the free version and see how it works for you.
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Only NordVPN beats Proton VPN for servers. It has a huge number of locations, with a good global spread, and high-end server technology. Read more ▼
Read all of Proton VPN's review scores ▼
Privacy
10 / 10
Based in Switzerland, with bags of no-log audits to back its privacy claims, Proton goes above and beyond to ensure its VPN gives no reason to doubt that you're browsing privately. Read more ▼
Security
9 / 10
Proton puts every measure in place to ensure your security is absolute while you're browsing. It doesn't yet have post-quantum encryption but it's more than secure than most VPNs in the present day. Read more ▼
Speed
8 / 10
Proton VPN is among the very fastest VPNs we've tested. It's more than capable of handling any home environment. Read more ▼
Unblocking streams
8 / 10
Despite some hiccups, Proton performed well for the majority of our streaming tests. Read more ▼
P2P & Torrenting
5 / 5
Port forwarding support, P2P optimized servers almost anywhere, and a bunch of guidance for beginners all make Proton VPN perfect for torrenting no matter your experience. Read more ▼
Apps & Compatibility
4 / 5
Proton VPN has apps everywhere, with near-perfect feature-parity between platforms. Plus they look great. But, the web extension does deserve some love sometime soon. Read more ▼
Usability
4 / 5
Easy to look at, explained continuously, and offering intuitive access to everything you need, there are few flaws to Proton's apps. Read more ▼
Accessibility
3 / 5
Despite its wealth of language support, Proton's screen reader is too limiting for those who are visually impaired. Read more ▼
Customer support
4 / 5
Proton VPN has detailed guides on a wealth of topics, and easy access to support agents even if they're not the best we've encountered. Read more ▼
Track record
4 / 5
Proton VPN has a faultless record. While an incident with Proton Mail left some users concerned, years of back-to-back no-logs audits, Swiss privacy assurances, and some major infrastructure investments all make Proton VPN among the most trustworthy VPNs. Read more ▼
Proton VPN price plans
Proton has a single VPN plan, from $2.99 per month.
Lower auto-renewal price increases than almost any other VPN.
Proton Unlimited bundles other Proton products with the VPN.
1-month
1-year
2-year
Proton VPN
$9.99
$3.99/month
$2.99/month
Proton VPN Unlimited
$12.99
$9.99/month
$7.99/month
Unlike many top VPNs, Proton VPN doesn’t offer tiered pricing. Instead, there is a single paid plan (alongside the Proton VPN Free product). This plan is offered in three lengths: 1-month, 1-year, and 2-year. The price of the plan drops as the length increases. All of these plans do, however, come with a 10-device limit, much like NordVPN.
We always recommend picking up the two-year plan, since it is the cheapest overall. As with all VPNs, you pay the full cost upfront. Just make sure you turn off auto-renewals, so you’re not stung by unwanted price rises. That said, Proton’s price rises are almost non-existent.
Read more about Proton VPN's price plans ▼
Right now, picking up a 2-year plan costs $2.99/month, paid as $71.76 upfront, and renews at $79.95 every 12 months (or $159.90 over two years). By comparison, NordVPN Basic costs $80.73 for the first two years, then auto-renews at $312.93 for the next two years – and that’s including far fewer features than you’d get with Proton.
NordVPN also charges VAT on top of these costs, making the overall price rise even further both on initial sign-up and at renewal. By comparison, Proton’s price is all you pay; tax is included in the advertised cost, barely a renewal increase, little to worry about.
What's more, it's important to remember that Proton Plus is compared here to all of the other entry-level plans of our other recommended VPNs. It comes with features that aren't available with other VPNs unless you go up a price tier. So, Proton VPN is, in fact, far better value than it appears.
Total cost of cheapest 2-year plan
All prices (from December 2025) are before tax
Total price
NordVPN Basic
80.73
Surfshark Starter
53.73
ExpressVPN Basic
97.72
Proton VPN Plus
71.76
0255075100
USD
Total price Data
Product
Value (USD)
NordVPN Basic
80.73
Surfshark Starter
53.73
ExpressVPN Basic
97.72
Proton VPN Plus
71.76
One option you do have with Proton is to upgrade to its Proton Unlimited plan. This plan gives you Proton VPN, and all its features, but also Proton Mail, Pass, Calendar, and Drive. So, if you want added security for your emails, photo storage, or personal events, you can get it all bundled into one package.
Proton Unlimited costs only a fraction more than NordVPN’s super-premium Prime Plan. That's $191.76 for two years compared to $186.03. What’s more, you’re not stung with the huge price increase you’d face with NordVPN, and you can access a whole suite of products.
What's quite astounding is that a single, on-off month of Proton Unlimited is actually cheaper than a one-month plan from any other of the best VPNs. For only $12.99, you get the full Proton experience, including all its apps and features.
For comparison, 1 month of NordVPN Basic (which gives just the VPN and basic Threat Protection) is the same price, while one month of Surfshark Starter is even more at $15.45.
So, for one month of security, Proton will struggle to be beaten. If you don’t need the additional Drive, Pass, Mail, and Calendar apps, Proton VPN for 1 month is only $9.99 with all features included too, so you’re always going to save compared to even its biggest rivals.
All of this sits Proton VPN somewhere in the middle for value. At regular two-year pricing it's in the same ballpark as NordVPN and ExpressVPN. It's only Surfshark that is significantly cheaper out of our top choices.
Score: 8/10
Features: What can Proton VPN do?
Ad blocking and browsing protection from NetShield is excellent.
Profiles are a very handy feature.
Fewer tangible features than other top VPNs.
Proton’s one-price-gives-all approach means you get the full suite of VPN features straight away. That said, it doesn’t offer a great deal in terms of add-ons. Though what it does have works, and works well, which is a huge plus.
NetShield is the primary example of this. As Proton VPN’s biggest additional feature, NetShield blocks your device from ads, trackers, malware sites, and phishing sites. It works at a system level, meaning no additional installs for browsers or apps; they’re all automatically protected.
Testing it across Windows, Android, and iOS, we never saw it impact our battery life, nor did we encounter issues with most apps or websites despite the warnings Proton gives that problems may occur.
NetShield is easy to set up, available on all devices, and super effective at ad blocking (Image credit: Future)
Read more about Proton VPN's features ▼
The only sites that struggled were streaming sites. VPN ad-blockers and streaming sites are known enemies, especially when the streaming site is regional and relies on ads to run – for example, Peacock in the US or Channel 4 in the UK, though we’ll cover this in the unblocking section later.
Profiles are another key tool in Proton’s arsenal. While some VPNs have functionality to auto-connect on using specific apps or WiFi connections, Profiles goes a step further.
Proton’s solution allows users to create multiple, uniquely tailored settings combinations, 'profiles', for when using the VPN in specific situations. The profiles can be tailored to according to:
Server type (Standard, Secure Core, P2P)
Country selection
Whether NetShield is turned on or off
Whether port forwarding is turned on or off
What protocol you use (WireGuard, Stealth, OpenVPN)
What NAT type
It’s also got what Proton calls ‘Connect and Go’, which allows you to pick an app or website that loads automatically when you turn on your profile.
In testing, we set up a ‘US Streaming’ profile. It used WireGuard UDP (since you can choose either TCP or UDP on either WireGuard or OpenVPN) turned NetShield off, to avoid ad-blocker issues, and auto-loaded Peacock so we could get straight to watching shows. It worked flawlessly every time.
Usefully, the profiles you create also appear on Proton’s mobile widgets if you’ve connected to them recently. That means you don’t even need to enter the app to get streaming if you’re on the go and want to save time.
On desktop, you can also pin any profile you create to the top of your recents list.
I really like Proton VPN's profiles. They're easily accessible, work flawlessly, and supremely helpful, top marks!
Profiles is super-customizable, easily accessed, and never failed to connect exactly how we wanted it (Image credit: Future)
The final unique aspect of Proton VPN’s experience is VPN Accelerator. It's less of a feature and more of a toggle, and it supposedly increases performance by up to 400%.
We’ll get into the results of that later, but it works by splitting the processing needed to handle VPN traffic across multiple processors rather than just one.
This reduces the risk of overload to the processor, which would impact performance and result in reduced speeds for a user. It's on automatically for paid Proton VPN users, since it’s unavailable for those on the free plan. We recommend leaving it that way to ensure the best speeds.
That's it for Proton's features, and, while it's not a lot, as I say, it functions well, and there are plenty of 'added value' features on other VPNs that don't.
I'd like to see Proton offer a little more with its VPN going forward but, if all you need is a VPN, then you shouldn't have any complaints.
Score: 7/10
Server network and locations
Second-most countries and locations offered of any tested VPN
The most locations of any tested VPN in Asia and Africa.
Fewer locations in the Americas and Oceania.
Proton VPN offers the second-largest number of total locations of any VPN we tested (164), and the second-most countries covered also (126). Only ExpressVPN’s 187 locations and NordVPN’s 127 countries offer more.
While the number of locations and countries can be a good indicator of a provider’s spread, it’s never perfect. Often the global spread of these servers can be more telling.
Of all the VPNs we test, Proton VPN has the most locations in Asia (44) and Africa (26). By comparison, NordVPN only offers 38 Asian locations and 17 African ones.
However, Proton scores low in North America (32), South America (7), and Oceania (6). Its 49 European locations put Proton slightly below average here too – with the likes of NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN offering 53, 54, and 58 locations in the region, respectively.
VPN server locations – compared
Proton VPN
NordVPN
Surfshark
ExpressVPN
PIA
North America
32
39
32
40
60
South America
7
10
10
9
9
Europe
49
53
54
58
46
Asia
44
35
32
36
25
Oceania
6
8
6
8
7
Africa
26
11
6
8
5
Read more about Proton VPN's server network ▼
It's important to put that in context, though. Proton company mission is to provide private and secure internet access to all, and that's very much reflected in the server spread of its VPN network.
While it might not have have as bigger concentration in certain areas – mainly North American and Europe – Proton makes sure its product is available to as may parts of the globe as possible. Part of that reason is so that it can open up those servers for free access in times of trouble for local people.
That's a unique and laudable pillar of Proton VPN identity. It's a great reason to choose Proton if you live in these areas of the world or your likely to travel to them for work. These are also areas where internet restrictions can be toughest, and present a very immediate need for privacy software.
It's also important to realise that Proton has a large number of servers in its network and that makes it good for handling the ebbs and flows of capacity needs.
Proton’s total number of servers currently sits at 15,370. This is not only a huge jump from the 5,000 Proton claimed to have back in June 2024, but also puts the VPN provider far in advance of almost any other. For example, Surfshark offers over 4,500, and, while NordVPN no longer publishes its total server count, our research would suggest it's only around 8,000.
The more servers a provider has in total, the less likely your connection is to be impacted by excessive server load which, in turn, can lead to reduced download speeds and increased latency or jitter. Those are both things to be avoided if you're looking for a gaming VPN or streaming VPN with consistent, high-speed connections the ideal.
Among Proton’s many locations are some virtual locations. Using virtual servers is common among even the top VPNs, but it’s refreshing to see Proton’s level of transparency surrounding the matter.
There’s a full explainer available explaining how Smart Routing, Proton’s name for virtual servers, works; it’s frequently mentioned on the website, and you can even clearly identify Smart Routed servers in its apps.
Global VPN server spread
Continental split of server network resources
Proton VPN
Data for Proton VPN
Attribute
Value (number of server locations)
Percentage
Asia
44
26.8%
North America
32
19.5%
South America
7
4.3%
Europe
49
29.9%
Oceania
6
3.7%
Africa
26
15.9%
Data for NordVPN
Attribute
Value (number of server locations)
Percentage
Asia
38
23.0%
North America
39
23.6%
South America
10
6.1%
Europe
53
32.1%
Oceania
8
4.8%
Africa
17
10.3%
Data for ExpressVPN
Attribute
Value (number of server locations)
Percentage
Asia
36
19.1%
North America
70
37.2%
South America
9
4.8%
Europe
59
31.4%
Oceania
8
4.3%
Africa
6
3.2%
Data for Surfshark
Attribute
Value (number of server locations)
Percentage
Asia
31
22.0%
North America
34
24.1%
South America
10
7.1%
Europe
54
38.3%
Oceania
6
4.3%
Africa
6
4.3%
1 of 4
That said, it’s not perfect. In our testing, it was quickly apparent that while the app does tell you which servers are Smart Routed, it’s not always simple to find out.
You have to click into the specific city locations to see the servers available before you find out they’re Smart Routed rather than physically located there. That's particularly fiddly on mobile
What’s more, we found that not all of these virtual locations appear to connect from where Proton VPN says they do.
In our testing, Angola, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, and Togo all showed up as connecting from a different location than the app or website claimed. However, most often, the app claimed that the connection was from either France or London, and our results would go on to prove the opposite.
It's most likely that the server lists are out of date, rather than anything nefarious.
The real diversion from the norm for Proton's server network, though, is that it doesn't use RAM-only servers. Proton believes the security benefits of such servers are minimal and consequently not worthwhile, which they explain in a blog post.
Instead, Proton runs full disk encryption on their servers. This means that even if a server were to be taken away, it would not be possible to access the server certificates that might allow bad actors to create an attack, or attempt to track customers.
Alongside these servers are Proton’s own Secure Core servers. These servers are owned and run by Proton itself, stored in high-security locations, including a former military base and an underground data center, and form the basis of Proton’s multi-hop offering.
Based in Sweden, Switzerland, and Iceland, these servers are deliberately in physically hardened locations with strong privacy laws, reducing the ability of other countries to file legal challenges for data. Plus, the servers are connected to the internet by a dedicated network Proton owns, with IP addresses owned and operated by its own Local Internet Registry.
The average user won’t see a huge difference in performance but any multihop connection does reduce download speeds and increases latency owing to the added VPN server connection. However, those extra measures mean you’re far more protected when using Secure Core than you would with any other VPN multi-hop system. If that doesn't add peace of mind, then we don't know what will.
Overall, then, a great spread of locations, backed by strong, secure infrastructure. There's little you need to worry about when it comes to where to connect with Proton VPN.
Score: 10/10
Privacy
Based in Switzerland – giving users protection from strict data privacy laws.
Proton is as a privacy-first company. Its VPN product is no different – and doesn’t disappoint!
We should first address the fact that it is a Swiss company. Being based in Switzerland means the company is protected by some VPN customer-friendly data privacy laws. Switzerland isn’t part of any intelligence-sharing agreements, and sees such importance in privacy that rarely will a Swiss court grant any data request it receives from another country.
The same is true for its no-logs policy. It covers everything we’d expect, including linking out to explainers surrounding the technology Proton has in place to secure your data, such as full-disk encryption and bare-metal servers, both of which we’ll cover later.
These audits have regularly confirmed there is nothing to worry about, even emphasizing the lengths Proton goes to internally to ensure security.
This includes monitoring server configurations and raising alerts if there is an unauthorized change. It also has a change management system which means an employee cannot change any configurations without another employee’s approval.
If that wasn’t enough, Proton’s no logs policy was tested in 2019 when a Swiss court approved a request to hand over customer information. However, since Proton’s no logs policy was watertight and well enforced, there was no information to hand over.
If you’re interested in how many requests Proton receives over a year, you can look over its transparency report. This report is updated whenever a new request is received, even if, as is most common, the request is declined due to Swiss privacy laws.
Proton’s quest for privacy superiority doesn’t just stop with the legalities, though; its Stealth protocol is a staple part of its infrastructure and offers a stellar solution to remaining secure when you need to hide that you’re using a VPN to connect.
Stealth is a protocol based on traditional WireGuard over TCP. By tunneling WireGuard over TCP, having already encapsulated your traffic in TLS, your connection appears as any normal online traffic would.
This is because TCP runs your traffic through the same port that normal HTTPS traffic goes through, port 443. By disguising your traffic in this way, you’re much less likely to be picked up by VPN detection technologies, allowing you greater success when bypassing censorship restrictions, VPN bans, and the like.
All this protective technology does mean that Stealth is by no means the quickest protocol, though that doesn’t mean you’re short of options if you need speed.
Alongside Stealth, you can also pick from either OpenVPN or WireGuard connection types, both of which are available in TCP or UDP configurations.
Picking TCP gives a more reliable connection, while UDP is more speed-focused. So, if you’re after a secure, reliable connection, OpenVPN on TCP is the pick, while if you want speed, WireGuard over UDP is ideal, especially with VPN Accelerator enabled.
Proton offers huge amounts of customizability of its protocols (Image credit: Future)
We’ve mentioned already how Proton avoids using RAM-only servers in favor of full-disk-encrypted servers instead, but it’s also worth mentioning its commitment to physical locations in regions of high risk.
In ‘unfriendly jurisdictions’, as Proton describes them, Proton uses third-party, physical servers to ensure that it’s not subject to local laws and remains a Swiss company, since the infrastructure is owned by a third-party, and it has full control of the server all the way to the base operating level.
Using physical servers, rather than virtual, ensures the hardware is solely dedicated to Proton VPN, allowing for greater security and control when navigating the difficulties faced in these regions.
In terms of privacy features in-app, there are several that are particularly handy.
We’ve already mentioned Proton’s version of multi-hop, Secure Core. This is a super-secure solution to a two-VPN connection, though the added security does mean it sacrifices country availability. Every connection must go through one of Proton’s Swiss, Icelandic, or Swedish Secure Core bases, and the connection can then only exit in 64 of Proton’s usual 126 countries.
While this may seem like a sacrifice initially, 64 is far more than the 12 multi-hop locations NordVPN offers. Only Surfshark’s Nexus network offers more since it allows a multihop connection between any two Surfshark locations without limitation.
Much like NordVPN, you also get Tor over VPN connectivity should you wish to access .onion sites. Again, Proton comfortably beats NordVPN for locations in this respect, with six to Nord’s three.
As with any Tor over VPN connection, performance does take a hefty hit. Our tests showed a maximum download speed of only 1.89 Mbps, though this is more than double NordVPN’s result, which barely scraped over 700 Kbps.
It’s unlikely that, if using the Tor network, you’re doing anything requiring a huge amount of bandwidth, but beware that you’re never going to get the same speeds you would with a different protocol. If you’re unsure how to safely use Tor over VPN, Proton does offer a handy guide you can access from within the app.
Score: 10/10
Security
Excellent current encryption standards but no post-quantum yet.
Excellent kill switch but can't be used while split-tunneling.
Poor recent malware site blocking result.
Proton does the necessary security steps well. AES-256-GCM and ChaCha20 encryption using Diffie-Hellman key exchanges are standard practices, and Proton only uses protocols that support perfect forward secrecy. This means not only are you secure, but even if a session were to be compromised, none of your older or later sessions are at risk since they’ll use unique encryption keys.
On the topic of encryption keys, Proton uses 4096-bit RSA keys, a step above VPN providers such as Surfshark, which only use 2048-bit, though you won’t notice the difference day-to-day. 2048-bit encryption keys are extremely safe, which is why top VPNs still use them, but 4096-bit keys add additional security through the increase in key length – why the likes of Proton and NordVPN now use these instead.
Proton’s VPN encryption hasn’t yet spread to post-quantum encryption. In October 2023, the provider released a blog post explaining its position and assured that post-quantum encryption would be in place by the time quantum computing is a threat to consumers. That said, lacking it currently does put the Proton VPN behind the likes of NordVPN and ExpressVPN, who are already offering solutions to users.
Read more about Proton VPN's security features ▼
It's not an issue right now, so don’t worry. What’s more, Proton has plenty of features to keep users secure.
Auto-connect is an option right out of the gates. It’s not the most flexible auto-connect we’ve seen, especially when compared to NordVPN. You can only set your desktop to auto-connect to your default connection on launch. What’s more, there’s no auto-connect at all on mobile.
This lack of any customisation is surprising. The likes of NordVPN or Surfshark allow you options such as creating a trusted network list or enabling auto-connect under specific connection circumstances. Without this Proton is a distance behind.
The home screen offers quick access to everything from auto-connect settings to profiles and specialist servers (Image credit: Future)
Next comes split tunelling. Proton’s split tunelling is advanced, but with one particularly curious drawback – Windows users can’t split tunnel with the kill switch enabled. Trying to activate both, either toggling the kill switch or split tunnel first, prompts a message that the other feature will be disabled.
Realistically, given that both are popular, important, security features, this may turn out to be a dealbreaker should you often use both to ensure the apps you want a connection with are secured to the max.
Its not all bad, though. Proton does have several advanced features for split-tunneling. You can choose to split-tunnel both apps and IP addresses on both desktop and mobile platforms, plus you can decide whether your tunnel excludes or includes what’s selected from the VPN connection.
Proton’s app detection on desktop is very good. Any .exe file we had was found and properly thumbnailed on our list – a list which usefully retains any app you add permanently, should you wish to amend your list in future.
On mobile, Proton did a great job finding any app we’d installed (including those installed via Chrome), and could even identify and isolate specific system apps. That said, it did take a few seconds to collate the full list of apps, and didn’t give options for specific Chrome ‘apps’ we’d set up on our Android device to quickly access specific websites.
That won’t impact many but it does mean you’re left split-tunneling Chrome as a whole instead of having specific, unencrypted access to sites where VPNs cause issues, including financial sites.
Proton's settings menu is well laid out and offers superb explanations of even its most complex options (Image credit: Future)
Finally, we should mention Proton’s kill switch. Should you choose a kill switch over split tunneling on desktop you get two options: Standard, and Advanced.
Standard VPN works as you’d expect. You turn it on, and your internet connection drops if your connection to Proton VPN is interrupted.
Advanced adds another layer to this. It only allows internet access when connected to Proton VPN, and it remains active even after restarting your device.
Testing the kill switch over Stealth, WireGuard, and OpenVPN, Proton foiled all of our tricks to forcibly drop the VPN. We were disconnected instantly and saw no signs of leaks, and that's exactly what you want.
iOS and Mac users get the equivalent of Windows’ Standard kill switch, which is more than good enough. Android users use the Android-native kill switch, which is essentially the Windows Advanced option. While it would be great to see consistency across the board, none of our testing suggests any reason to worry about Proton’s kill switch no matter the platform.
Diving into Proton’s advanced settings offers several other ways to improve your security too.
On desktop, one interesting option is that you get control of alternative routing. It attempts to use different connection routing methods if Proton’s services are blocked.
That means using non-Proton server network methods to ensure online access to Proton users in crisis situation.
You can also choose to allow LAN connections while still connected to the VPN, set up custom DNS servers, choose your specific NAT type and OpenVPN network driver, and enable IPv6 support and leak protection.
This is extensive customization for any VPN. What’s also great to see is that mobile users get almost all of these functions, losing only IPv6 leak protection and OpenVPN network driver choices from the otherwise extensive list.
The final tool in Proton VPN’s security arsenal is NetShield. This is Proton’s ad, tracker and malware blocking tool. It works at a system level, meaning there’s no need for separate installs for at-risk programs such as your browser. It instead protects all of your apps instantly.
We put NetShield to the test against 50 brand-new malware and phishing sites and attempted to access them. We also ran it through an ad-blocking tester. These are our most recent VPN lab results.
Phishing Sites Blocked
Malware Sites Blocked
Ads blocked
NordVPN (Threat Protection Pro)
91%
86%
54%
Proton VPN
88%
0%
88%
ExpressVPN
76%
0%
86%
Surfshark
34%
16%
49%
Proton’s results raise a number of discussion points. Its 88% phishing sites blocked score is second to only NordVPN among VPNs we’ve tested, which is great to see. Blocking 88% of ads, too, means Proton is actually top here, achieving nearly 40% more successful blocks than Surfshark or NordVPN.
Its 0% of malware sites blocked score is concerning, of course. Though curiously, we also found this with ExpressVPN – and both scored well in our previous test.
As with speed testing, these ad and site blocker tests are only a snapshot in time, and are relative to the latest threats of that particular day. In other words, it might have just been a bad day at the office for ExpressVPN and Proton VPN.
The takeaway message is that, while Proton VPN won’t block all malware sites, it’ll definitely block more than none of them!
Score: 9/10
Speed
Very fast WireGuard speeds over long and short distance connections.
OpenVPN speeds a long way behind the competition.
High levels of jitter recorded on recent tests.
Proton shot to second place in our most recent VPN lab speed tests. That's likely thanks in part to its VPN Accelerator technology.
We recently broadened our testing parameters, adding more data points to our testing and increasing our maximum speed capacity to 10 Gbps. This allows for more precise, comparable testing across all VPNs to discern even the smallest differences.
WireGuard/fastest VPN protocol
Download speed (local)
Surfshark (WireGuard)
1615
NordVPN (NordLynx)
1256
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
1479
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
694
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
1521
05001,0001,5002,000
Mbps
Download speed (local) Data
Product
Value (Mbps)
Surfshark (WireGuard)
1615
NordVPN (NordLynx)
1256
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
1479
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
694
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
1521
Surfshark (WireGuard)
355
NordVPN (NordLynx)
857
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
1374
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
523
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
1242
03757501,1251,500
Mbps
Download speed (long distance) Data
Product
Value (Mbps)
Surfshark (WireGuard)
355
NordVPN (NordLynx)
857
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
1374
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
523
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
1242
Surfshark (WireGuard)
2.3
NordVPN (NordLynx)
2.4
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
5.3
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
2.4
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
5.2
01.534.56
ms
Jitter (local) Data
Product
Value (ms)
Surfshark (WireGuard)
2.3
NordVPN (NordLynx)
2.4
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
5.3
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
2.4
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
5.2
Surfshark (WireGuard)
27.5
NordVPN (NordLynx)
4.7
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
5.7
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
2.3
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
28.3
07.51522.530
ms
Jitter (long distance) Data
Product
Value (ms)
Surfshark (WireGuard)
27.5
NordVPN (NordLynx)
4.7
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
5.7
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
2.3
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
28.3
Surfshark (WireGuard)
21.7
NordVPN (NordLynx)
17.2
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
14.8
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
13.6
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
21.7
07.51522.530
ms
Latency (local) Data
Product
Value (ms)
Surfshark (WireGuard)
21.7
NordVPN (NordLynx)
17.2
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
14.8
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
13.6
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
21.7
Surfshark (WireGuard)
171
NordVPN (NordLynx)
83
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
75
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
72.1
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
90.6
050100150200
ms
Latency (long distance) Data
Product
Value (ms)
Surfshark (WireGuard)
171
NordVPN (NordLynx)
83
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
75
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
72.1
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
90.6
1 of 6
Having previously recorded only 871 Mbps, Proton now hits over 1500 Mbps download speeds using WireGuard over a short distance connection.
What’s more, when connecting to the US from the UK (i.e. over long distance) using WireGuard, Proton VPN's download speeds have leapt from 436 Mbps to 1242 Mbps this time round, second only to ExpressVPN's Lightway Turbo (a Windows-only protocol).
Read more about Proton VPN's performance ▼
Both of these results are more than fast enough for any household looking to protect a Netflix binge, gaming session, or just their emails. Among top VPNs, Proton is second for outright speed to Surfshark (1615 Mbps) but Surfshark is nothing like as quick as Proton VPN over long distance (355 Mbps UK to US).
That said, Proton recorded some of the worst jitter in our most recent test (5.2ms and 28.3ms). While for most these figures won't mean much, gamers should take note, since jitter can contribute to inconsistent online gaming. Fortunately Proton VPN's latency recordings were comparable with the other best VPNs.
OpenVPN performance
Average download speeds, latency and jitter rates on local and long distance server connections.
OpenVPN speed (local)
Surfshark
978
NordVPN
974
ExpressVPN
1038
Proton VPN
240
03757501,1251,500
Mbps
OpenVPN speed (local) Data
Product
Value (Mbps)
Surfshark
978
NordVPN
974
ExpressVPN
1038
Proton VPN
240
Surfshark
430
NordVPN
857
ExpressVPN
808
Proton VPN
173
02505007501,000
Mbps
OpenVPN speed (long distance) Data
Product
Value (Mbps)
Surfshark
430
NordVPN
857
ExpressVPN
808
Proton VPN
173
Surfshark
33.4
NordVPN
14.6
ExpressVPN
15.5
Proton VPN
14.7
010203040
ms
OpenVPN latency (local) Data
Product
Value (ms)
Surfshark
33.4
NordVPN
14.6
ExpressVPN
15.5
Proton VPN
14.7
Surfshark
174
NordVPN
83
ExpressVPN
73.5
Proton VPN
73.8
050100150200
ms
OpenVPN latency (long distance) Data
Product
Value (ms)
Surfshark
174
NordVPN
83
ExpressVPN
73.5
Proton VPN
73.8
Surfshark
9.8
NordVPN
4.2
ExpressVPN
6.8
Proton VPN
7.3
02.557.510
ms
OpenVPN jitter (local) Data
Product
Value (ms)
Surfshark
9.8
NordVPN
4.2
ExpressVPN
6.8
Proton VPN
7.3
Surfshark
15.9
NordVPN
4.7
ExpressVPN
11.5
Proton VPN
8.1
05101520
ms
OpenVPN jitter (long distance) Data
Product
Value (ms)
Surfshark
15.9
NordVPN
4.7
ExpressVPN
11.5
Proton VPN
8.1
1 of 6
The main area we'd like to see improvements is with Proton VPN’s OpenVPN performance. It's better than it was but, at just 240 Mbps download speeds over even a local connection, it's a long way back Surfshark (978 Mbps), NordVPN (974 Mbps) and ExpressVPN (1038 Mbps).
OpenVPN is commonly considered more secure and stable than WireGuard. If you’re using Proton for security, you’ll likely find yourself using its Stealth Protocol, instead though, given it's far more security-focused.
In most other circumstances, WireGuard is more than up to the job, though maybe look elsewhere for router VPN options, since many solely use OpenVPN configurations.
Score: 8/10
Unblocking streaming services
Successfully unblocks Netflix libraries all round the world.
Was able to unblock both Disney+ and YouTube in the US.
Needed NetShield switching off to unblock some ad-funded services.
Proton VPN has a good track record in successfully unblocking streaming service all around the world but it's by no means the best streaming VPN. The accolade goes to NordVPN.
We lab test VPNs for their unblocking capabilities with Netflix libraries in the US, UK, Japan, Australia, and Canada, as well as Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and YouTube. To check its regional capacity, we also put them against BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, ITV, 7plus, 9Now, 10Play, and TVNZ+.
Proton handled every Netflix Library with ease, just the same as al of our top VPN choices. It also had no difficulties with Prime Video where only ExpressVPN came up short.
It also comfortably dealt with the likes of iPlayer, 7plus, 9Now, and 10Play, but issues did crop up elsewhere.
Read more about Proton VPN's unblocking capabilities ▼
Trying to access Disney+ in the US from a UK location saw us blocked when trying to connect from Proton’s New York server; luckily, though, switching to Jersey saw these issues quickly dissipate.
Similarly, US YouTube wouldn’t work via New Jersey servers, but connecting to California was a quick fix. This is actually a pretty big win give than none of our other best VPNs, including NordVPN, were able to unlock US YouTube from abroad. Interestingly, CyberGhost was the only other major VPN that could do it.
It was the local ad-funded streaming services where Proton VPN struggled. ITVX wouldn’t work connected to London, but Manchester proved to be a successful alternative, for example.
This isn’t just isolated to one region, either. In the past, we’ve had issues with services such as Peacock in the US or, in this instance, Channel 4 in the UK.
Proton’s UK servers proved incapable of accessing the streaming platform unless we turned off our ad-blocker. That's still better than some VPN providers – Surfshark has similar issues with its CleanWeb ad-blocker – but both ExpressVPN and NordVPN managed just fine, regardless of whether their ad blockers were activated or not.
Fortunately, all of Proton's server network is optimized for streaming. So, when faced with a situation where a streaming platform struggled to connect or blocked us entirely, as happened with Disney+ in this instance, for example, we were simply able to click a different server in the same country (or even location) and try again.
A streaming-optimized network also allows a greater spread of server load, reduces performance impact, and even allows you to pick servers with better latency to ensure a high-quality experience.
So, while we can't claim that Proton is the tip-top for streaming, it's certainly up there with most of the contenders.
Score: 8/10
P2P and torrenting
P2P supported in almost all Proton VPN server locations.
Proton VPN supports port forwarding.
Loads of helpful guides and how-tos on torrenting for beginners.
P2P is supported in all but two of its countries (sorry Myanmar and North Macedonia users). You can filter into the P2P-optimized servers at the click of a button. I downloaded several test torrents, and had no issues at any point in the process.
Proton VPN supports port forwarding which helps to get the best torrenting speeds. All of the other top VPNs lack this support owing to the known security risks it brings. That's understandable to a degree, but not only does Proton VPN have features to help people using P2P networks, it's also one of the few VPNs to have a wealth of information in its user base on how to actually do it with guides such as how to torrent safely with a VPN.
You can port forward across Proton VPN’s Windows, Linux, and Mac apps – the last of which was finally added in summer 2025.
If you’re confused or need guidance, Proton has more in-depth posts outlining the risks of port forwarding, how to set it up on its apps, how to manually set it up, and even how to manually set it up on the likes of qBittorrent and uTorrent.
This level of guidance is something we’d rarely expect, let alone the level of support on its apps.
If you want to use a VPN for torrenting, then given all this, and Proton's speeds and server network spread, then you really have to have it on your P2P shortlist.
Score: 5/5
Compatibility
Apps for almost every platform.
Lots of capability iOS and Mac users.
No OpenVPN support on Apple devices, though.
Proton VPN does a remarkable job of not only offering a strong spread of apps, but also ensuring there aren’t huge gaps in features from one app to another.
You can use Proton VPN on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android as expected – plus it has a GUI client for Linux users. Android smart TVs also get an app, as well as Fire TV Sticks and Apple TV boxes.
The Proton VPN browser extension is available on Chrome or Firefox. As with ExpressVPN, PIA, and CyberGhost, you need to download the Chrome Web Store extension onto Edge to get Proton VPN on Microsoft's browser.
In terms of parity across platforms, Proton VPN is near-perfect nowadays, unlike VPN providers such as NordVPN.
The anomalies for Proton to speak of are that mobile apps don’t have auto-connect, which is unfortunate but by no means fatal, and iOS and Mac users don’t get OpenVPN. The latter of these issues is, admittedly, a strange one, since it makes Proton the only top VPN we test to omit the protocol from these platforms.
Proton removed OpenVPN, as well as IKEv2, on iOS and Mac owing to security concerns surrounding Apple’s native IKEv2 implementations. These concerns ranged from DNS queries being sent outside the VPN connection to existing connections not closing on connecting to the VPN (as they should) and thus remaining unencrypted despite the VPN being turned on.
Should you wish to use OpenVPN on either Mac or iOS, Proton does, however, offer in-depth guides to manually setting up both connections.
Prior to summer 2025, Proton users on Mac were also short of both port forwarding and split tunneling capabilities. These features have since both been introduced, leaving little for Proton users to complain about in regards to missing out on features from device to device.
Score: 4/5
Usability
Apps well designed and consistent across platforms.
Advanced features are explained well and easy to access.
The browser extension could be better.
Set up
After signing up for Proton VPN, you have two main ways to get your app downloaded.
First off, if you click the ‘Download’ tab at the top of your screen, you’re quickly presented with every app Proton has, including its extensions, mobile apps, and Smart TV apps – though I highly doubt you’ll be downloading Proton to your Smart TV via the website! If you’re on a smaller screen, the download tab is hidden in the hamburger (three-line) menu in the top right corner.
Alternatively, from the website, if you go into your Proton account (found in the top-right corner of your screen), you can access some more specific application types.
The Proton VPN website is a simple access point to downloading all of its apps and web extensions (Image credit: Future)
Read more about Proton VPN's usability ▼
In the downloads section, you can quickly access APK, GitHub, and F-Droid versions of its Android, Android TV, and Chromebook apps. You’ll also find here your configuration settings to manually set up OpenVPN or WireGuard on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, or a router.
Once you click the download button, you’re on your own, in the app, at least. The download client gives you the option to install Proton Drive, Proton Mail, and Proton Pass, alongside the VPN, and then, once Proton VPN is loaded, you log in, click ‘Get Started’, and go.
User Experience
Once you’re in, Proton’s hues of reddish purple and black could leave a beginner wondering quite how complex an experience they’re in for; luckily, all of Proton’s apps are simple.
This visual identity is consistent across all of Proton’s platforms, as is the simplicity. The key differentiator between Proton VPN on desktop and Proton VPN across other platforms is the map aspect of its interface. On Windows and Mac, the map can be used to identify and connect to a server.
On mobile, this map isn’t navigable, though it shows the country you're connected to from the list. On smart TVs, there isn't a map at all.
In reality, I rarely find myself using the map as a connection location tool with any VPN I use. A search field and list proves quicker in my experience.
No matter the platform you’re on, you’re directed towards everything you’d need straight away.
Smart TVs understandably have the fewest quick action options, but everything other than server location is found under settings, so you’re not left trawling a bunch of submenus using a TV remote – even though Android TVs have to go to the bottom of the locations menu to find the settings panel.
Finding the server you’re after couldn’t be simpler, either. The app doesn’t hide its Tor, Secure Core, or P2P servers entirely. Instead, it offers dedicated tabs across desktop and mobile, and shows each country’s server types in their server lists on Smart TVs. You can even search by individual server code if you know the one you want.
One area Proton falls short in is its browser extension. Compared to every other platform it offers the least customization, though it does retain Proton’s server-specific searching, but you can only access either standard or Secure Core servers.
What’s more, the browser extension settings menu is mainly about sharing usage data – a space you’d think would instead focus on actual VPN settings.
Improving something as usual as a VPN browser extension feels like an easy win for Proton.
I’d also like to see Proton make more efficient use of space in its desktop apps. The Proton’s map interface takes up an extraordinary amount of space for fairly limited use – one reason why NordVPN got rid of it in 2025.
Meanwhile, key features such as protocol selection and auto-connect aren’t front and center where they could be instead.
Proton VPN's mobile and smart TV apps do a much better job of managing space. They prioritize quick access to server locations and connection types, with the map present only once connected.
Quibbles aside, I'm really impressed with the Proton VPN apps. Using features is simple thanks to high-quality explainers under each option, plus links out to some key guides when the setting is more advanced, such as port forwarding.
You can also tell what features are active by whether they’re greyed out or in full color, and on desktop platforms, you’re given a bunch of keyboard shortcuts to make accessing sections of the app quicker than it already is.
You also get full customization of your security options, should you wish, but equally, beginners won't feel pushed into making changes they're not ready for, and they won't get bombarded with complex terms.
Of course, the most prominent feature of any VPN app should be the big Connect button, and that's nice and clear with Proton. There's no fuss, no confusion, just simple security on every platform.
Score: 4/5
Accessibility
Excellent language support.
Great keyboard-only experience.
Proton VPN's website scored fairly low for screen reader accessibility.
Proton VPN’s accessibility audit scored 35% overall, far behind the likes of NordVPN (83%) and Mullvad (89%), but in a similar ballpark to providers such as Surfshark (41%) and PureVPN (35%).
Diving into the report, the site's issues primarily surround screen reader testing. 7 of 10 critical issues found related to this area, including issues with header semantics, link texts, and ARIA parent elements, roles, and attributes.
In relation to the industry as a whole, Proton’s score isn’t terrible. Only five VPN providers score over 40% among those we’ve tested. Accessibility is something needing greater focus across the entire industry.
Outside of this, Proton VPN does a great job of accommodating people's needs.
Ditching our mouse still meant we rarely struggle using the desktop app with the keyboard alone. On a few instances, we were jumped to unintended areas of the app, and sometimes our selection rectangle just disappeared entirely, but never often enough to stop us from connecting successfully. We also never struggled to search servers specifically, nor did adjusting settings prove difficult.
From our experiences, you’ll likely only find a better keyboard experience using either PIA or ExpressVPN. ExpressVPN has long focused on simplicity in its apps, so success in this regard is no surprise. Proton VPN did a better job in this regard than NordVPN, though.
Proton also knocks any other VPN out of the water for its language support. It offers 31 languages. That makes Proton VPN’s language total more than NordVPN and Surfshark combined – since both support just 13.
So, while, in terms of visibility needs, Proton could do better, it's very accessible in other areas.
Score: 3/5
Customer support
Good depth of support guides
Speedy support agents
Agents began to struggle once diving deeper into issues
Accessing support for Proton VPN is simple. First off, you can use its FAQs, guides, and resources hub to access guides on almost any topic.
Testing the depth of its guides using ‘DNS’ as a search, it was great to see guides on everything from DNS leaks, to flushing DNS caches, and how you can use custom DNS.
It even filed in instances where DNS was a related topic and highlighted the relevant text in the snippet below. For example, it pulled in Proton’s streaming troubleshooter guide since DNS over HTTPS can contribute.
These guides are easily accessible, too. Whether it’s via a couple of clicks in the Windows app or two taps on mobile, you can quickly enter the Proton Support Center, report issues with your service, or access debug logs to help support assistants troubleshoot your problem.
The Proton support hub offers reams of depth, with explainers, how-to's and troubleshooting guides for even complex issues. (Image credit: Future)
Read more about Proton VPN's customer support ▼
Next, we tested the skills of Proton’s support agents. We raised the question “what do we do if we can’t access .onion websites while connected to Tor over VPN?” and got a reply in around five minutes!
What was more impressive was that our response wasn’t even just an acknowledgment; we got some sensible suggestions around trying servers, browsers, and disabling NetShield right off the bat. We were also then asked for more details to further pinpoint the issue.
At this stage, though, the standard slipped a bit. Our agent became confused around the nature of the issue, thinking it was related to our browser, and the response times then jumped from five minutes to around three hours. What we received at the end of that wait was nowhere near as detailed as we’d expect for the amount of information we’d provided by this point.
By comparison, we’ve put the same question to NordVPN in the past, and, while the initial response was definitely slower, we received a much more in-depth set of questions to define the issue, and had an all-around more reassuring experience.
Proton’s speedy results do deserve some credit, though. Plus, our previous experiences with support over our time using Proton has generally been excellent more often than not.
Score: 4/5
User reviews
While not perfect by any means, review sites often prove a good initial gauge of how trustworthy a VPN is, how well it performs, and what issues it’s had in the past.
Proton VPN’s mobile apps are among the best, so its ratings of 4.6 and 4.6 on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store are a fair reflection of its capabilities and put the VPN provider very much on a par with our other recommended services.
Google Play
App Store
Trustpilot
NordVPN
4.6
4.7
4.2
Windscribe
4.6
4.6
4.7
Surfshark
4.6
4.7
4.4
Proton VPN
4.6
4.6
2.0
ExpressVPN
4.7
4.7
4.0
On the flip side, we know its Chrome Extension isn’t the best, so its 2.9/5 rating suggests it hasn’t been filled with bot reviews to mask its evident flaws. This does, however, leave it comfortably last among top VPNs in this area.
Proton’s Trustpilot reviews offer food for thought, since scoring only 2.0 out of 5 is pretty terrible. There isn’t a single trending theme throughout either, unlike, for example, NordVPN’s auto-renewal policy. What's more Proton has only 721 reviews in total, while the likes of ExpressVPN and Surfshark have over 25,000.
Most of Proton's reviews center around anything from service issues and speeds, to support issues and renewal concerns, all of which are common for any VPN, nothing is necessarily Proton-specific.
It's also strange that none of this is reflected in the mobile app store reviews.
The fact that a whopping 58% of Proton VPN’s Trustpilot reviews are 1-star is hard to ignore, though. It's actually gone up from 55% since our last review, but the reality of the product, and our long term experience of it, does not tally with this stat.
Track record: can you trust Proton VPN?
All Proton VPN apps are open source.
Annual no-logs audits since 2022.
Proton Mail privacy requests raise concerns for some users.
Proton has a strong track record of proving its commitment to privacy. Since 2022, the VPN provider has undergone yearly no-logs audits. The latest was published in September 2025, but its history of audits goes back long before this.
What’s more, all of Proton VPN’s apps are open source. This means that anyone can look at, and judge, the code found in each app. If you’re unsure of the benefit of this, by going open source, anyone can check and confirm that Proton’s apps work properly, and do everything they’re supposed to safely – and that there's not anything in there going on that the company hasn't told you about.
All of this is excellent, but there was one incident in 2020 that plays on the minds of Proton users and privacy advocates alike.
Proton handed over the recovery email address of a Proton Mail user to the US government, a move which led to anger among users who’d thought Proton would never comply with such requests. The same thing happened to a Catalan activist in May, 2024 which led to their arrest.
Read more about Proton VPN's track record ▼
What many didn’t realize is that Proton didn’t directly hand this data to the US. The US applied to the Swiss courts, which then ordered Proton’s compliance – and a Swiss company can’t ignore a Swiss court order.
No encrypted emails or IP addresses were disclosed; merely the recovery email address was handed over.
It also needs remembering that this was a case surrounding Proton Mail, not Proton VPN, and these products are handled differently in Swiss law.
Proton’s privacy policy does a good job explaining this, saying that VPN providers don’t have to log, but “This notably differs from Swiss regulations for other online services such as email, which is generally not no-logs and can require IP disclosure in the event of a Swiss criminal investigation. That’s why if your threat model requires hiding your IP from Swiss authorities when using Proton Mail, we recommend using a VPN or Tor.”
The other sensible move for people using Proton Mail is not to register a recovery email address in the first place, although that comes with the obvious risk of losing access to your account.
While it's understandable why this case shook the trust of some Proton users, it doesn’t say enough to warrant concern about the VPN, and, to Proton’s credit, it goes to great lengths to explain the privacy policies of each of its products.
Score: 4/5
Final verdict
(Image credit: Future / Gemini)
Proton VPN is, without doubt, a top VPN. It offers a huge array of locations, superb speeds, and rock-solid security. It's surprisingly good value too, when you compare it to the equivalently-featured tiers of other VPNs.
Proton VPN's track record and high levels of privacy are what it should be most proud of, though. Of all the VPNs we recommend, it's the one we'd bet our lives on if we really had to.
It’s also a highly customizable VPN with stunning apps. Its whole ecosystem of Big Tech alternative software if well worth using if you like them.
Who should use Proton VPN?
✅ Torrenters: Proton’s breadth of P2P support, and, more importantly, port forwarding support, make it perfect for torrenting. Plus, it offers a wealth of knowledge guides to help you stay safe and effective.
✅Those wanting to move away from Google: Picking up a Proton Unlimited plan opens the door to more than just Proton VPN, you can use its secure storage, email.
Right now, you can get Proton VPN for only $2.99/month on a 2-year deal. It’s got sleek, customizable apps, servers in 126 countries, and doesn’t struggle to unblock your favorite streaming services thanks to its full streaming optimization and high download speeds.
What’s more, unlike many top VPNs, it has port forwarding support, and guides to equip you to use this and all of its other tools to the maximum. Try risk-free with Proton’s 30-day money-back guarantee. View Deal
Who should try a different VPN instead?
❌ Streamers: While Proton VPN can definitely unblock streaming services, it struggles more than some may like. You can likely find stronger streaming performance for a similar or cheaper price if this is a priority.
Also consider
NordVPN – The best VPN overall ($3.39 $2.99) While Proton VPN offers much to please privacy purists, our tests have found no better VPN than NordVPN right now. Like Proton, NordVPN has a 10-device limit, but it offers faster speeds, improved streaming performance, and unique tools such as Threat Protection Pro and Meshnet. You can try NordVPN risk-free with its 30-day money-back guarantee. View Deal
Proton VPN FAQs
Where is Proton VPN based?
Proton VPN is based in Switzerland. This is because the country has strong privacy laws, and isn’t part of any intelligence-sharing agreements. This means it’s highly unlikely that any request from a country to access Proton’s data will be approved.
Does Proton VPN support port forwarding?
Yes. Unlike many of the top VPNs, Proton VPN offers full port forwarding capabilities. While the provider is aware of the risks, it offers in-depth guides to explain what those risks are and how to go about port forwarding safely.
Is Proton VPN blocked by Netflix?
No, our testing showed that Proton VPN has no issues accessing Netflix. We tested the provider with Netflix’s UK, US, Canadian, Australian, and Japanese libraries and saw no issues throughout.
Proton VPN testing methodology
Alongside the features that I've tested on my own devices, I'll also refer to what "we" have tested in this review. When I talk about "we", I'm referring to anything found during our lab testing. This testing is conducted by VPN Technical Editor, Mike Williams. Mike has been lab testing VPNs for over 11 years.
Each VPN is tested every six months. We measure speed, ad-blocking, anti-phishing and malware, streaming service unblocking, local IP address leaks, and more. Each server network is spot-checked to confirm that the VPN server locations are accurate. We also confirm a provider's security credentials, privacy policy, and executable files are secure and safe.
To find the full details of our VPN review processes, you can take a look at our VPN testing methodology.
This review has been fact-checked by the TechRadar VPN team, as well as with information provided by Proton. We update this review regularly to include any new features or information about the product. That means that this review is always up to date and as you would find the product if you downloaded and used it today.
If you notice anything in your experience of using Proton VPN that doesn't match what you read on this page, please let us know in the comments or by emailing us.
We will then do our best to offer product support information or include corrections and warnings to other users, depending on which is appropriate.
Private Internet Access (PIA) is a fifteen-year veteran of the VPN industry, and a great choice for anyone looking for a security-focused service that nails the basics. Power users, on the other hand, will appreciate just how customizable PIA's fleet of apps is.
Admittedly, PIA isn't as feature-rich as its closest competitors, and can't keep up with the likes of NordVPN and Surfshark when it comes to releasing new, innovative tools. It's still one of the cheaper VPNs on the market, though, with a 3-year plan coming in at just $2.03 per month.
Keep reading, and I'll dig into PIA's spread of features, speed testing results, and unblocking power. How does it stack up against today's top contenders? Let's find out.
Features
If you compare PIA against other providers, like NordVPN, solely on the basis of the number of features on offer, you might think that PIA falls short. However, we think that it makes up for the lack of quantity with sheer quality - especially the high level of customization.
Its split-tunnel feature lets you differentiate between apps, IPs, and whether VMs are covered by the tunnel, alongside separate options for forcing DNS requests through PIA’s in-house encrypted DNS servers even if you’re not using the VPN tunnel.
PIA gives you access to some automation rules that you can use to force the VPN to activate (or deactivate) when you’re connecting to certain networks, making it just that little bit easier to work PIA into your daily routine.
Plus, it also uses its own encrypted DNS servers, which keep your browser requests hidden from your ISP. This also allows it to offer Mace, which is a built-in ad, tracker, and malware blocker. By blocking requests to known malicious URLs using their DNS server, Mace keeps unwanted content from being sent to your machine. It’s a good idea, but our testing suggests it shouldn’t be your only defense against ads.
There are some pretty strong obfuscation settings on offer from PIA too, giving you the choice between Shadowsocks and a SOCKS 5 proxy. Both will wrap your VPN connection inside a separate TLS tunnel, making it appear to anyone monitoring your data as though you’re just sending normal encrypted browsing traffic. While Shadowsocks is a little outdated compared to the obfuscation ExpressVPN offers, it’s still one of the best solutions if you’re being blocked from creating VPN connections by a network administrator.
Features score: 8/10
Server network
PIA's server network covers 91 countries with 152 locations, including servers in all 50 US states. Although some of these are virtually hosted, this makes it one of the few VPNs available with comprehensive US coverage. Only NordVPN even comes close in terms of North American locations, but with only 17 locations to choose from in the US, it still doesn’t hold a candle to PIA.
Unfortunately, the server network is less impressive on an international scale. PIA lacks coverage across Asia, in particular, lagging behind our other top-rated VPNs. The same can be said for Africa, the Middle East, and Oceania, but this is a rather grim constant across the industry.
If you're looking for a rock-solid choice for America, with plenty of Stateside coverage, PIA is a stellar choice. If you have your eye on more far-flung corners of the globe, however, the provider just doesn't have the same reach as the likes of NordVPN.
Server network score: 7/10
Apps
PIA boasts a range of well-designed apps for pretty much every platform you can imagine. This includes Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux. We're also glad to see that feature parity is consistent across all of PIA's desktop apps in terms of features and UI. This is a nice change from the norm – a lot of VPNs leave their Mac and Linux users underfed, after all.
Overall, the desktop experience is straightforward, but checking under the hood will reveal a selection of handy tools. The quick-connect bar holds several different locations and is split between your favorites and the last VPNs you’ve connected to. It’s pretty handy if you’re swapping back and forth between the same VPN several times.
(Image credit: Future)
There are two different ways to set up the client dashboard. The first is a basic interface that just gives you the connect button, the location selector, and a reminder of what your home IP and VPN IP are. It’s everything the average user needs to see at a glance, but if you’re interested in all of the techy stuff you can hit the dropdown button and you’ll be presented with a wealth of information, including in-depth details on your connection performance, session statistics, and all the choices you’ve made about how your VPN protocol is set up. It’s all very efficient in how it’s presented, wasting minimal space in the app window.
There’s also a VPN snooze timer that lets you turn the connection off for a few minutes. It’s rare that I’m turning off my VPN regularly enough to remember that there’s a feature to turn it off for a few minutes at a time, but it works and it’s convenient.
While the Android app used to look fairly outdated compared to the rest of the PIA line, a recent update brings the Android app in line with its desktop counterparts as well as the iOS version. The update hasn’t just given it a slick new UI, as you’ve also got access to a new dark mode and some advanced configuration options that let you get the most out of the multi-hop, DNS, and automation features you’ll be familiar with from the desktop version.
Apps score: 9/10
Ease of use
PIA is a great choice for VPN newbies and anyone else who wants a sleek experience. However, we do think it's possible to get lost in the weeds if you toggle over to the "detailed" view of the app. This customizability is one of PIA's biggest selling points, though, and power users will relish the chance to tweak the provider down to the last detail.
The simplified app lets users hit the big "Connect" button and, after a moment, enjoy rock-solid VPN protection. This minimalist approach to a VPN gives PIA serious crowd-appeal, and we like that the options in the settings menu are all explained with a handy tooltip, too. Despite its reputation, PIA doesn't require you to have a degree in cybersecurity to make the most of its functionality.
Ease of use score: 8/10
Speed and performance
How we perform speed tests
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
We have two virtual computers: one in the UK, and one in the US. We test the service's speeds across OpenVPN and WireGuard multiple times per day over multiple speed test sites, giving us an idea of the average speeds. If you have any questions, you can find out more about our VPN testing methodology.
Testing VPN speeds is a key part of our review process, and we use a freshly upgraded 10 GB line and a local UK-based server in our process.
Private Internet Access isn't a certified speed demon. When we connected to a nearby Dublin server and put its WireGuard protocol to the test, we saw speeds of 621 Mbps. It marks a decent improvement over our last test result of 436 Mbps, though, even if NordVPN and Surfshark blow this performance out of the water with results of 1,256 Mbps and 1,615 Mbps, respectively.
Still, we've never experienced any major slowdown or sluggishness when using PIA in our day-to-day browsing. These average speeds are also more than quick enough to keep up with traditionally bandwidth-intensive activities, too, like HD streaming, online gaming, and torrenting.
Switching to OpenVPN, we recorded results of 244 Mbps. OpenVPN speeds tend to be slower than their WireGuard-based equivalents, because it's just not as well optimized for speed, and these results are par for the course - but not particularly impressive. ExpressVPN, for example, achieved 898 Mbps in our testing, making it a better pick for folks who want to stick with OpenVPN but enjoy a WireGuard-worthy performance.
It's also worth noting that we observed consistent speeds throughout the day, with average latency and noticeably less jitter than the other services we’ve tested, making PIA ideal for gaming.
Speed and performance score: 6/10
Unblocking
One of the biggest, most thorough tests we put today's top VPNs through determines how well they can access popular streaming platforms from around the world. After all, these services regularly geo-restrict their content libraries and often detect VPN usage, demanding that you switch your VPN off to enjoy your favorite shows or sports.
They do this by blocking IP addresses known to belong to VPNs, and it means that only the VPNs that invest in their IP pools, and frequently refresh them, can reliably access streaming content.
We're happy to report that PIA's unblocking power is fantastic. We tested it with Netflix in a variety of regional choices (UK, US, Canada, Japan, and Australia) to see how it does. It worked, and the same goes for Disney+ and Amazon Prime, as well as regional services such as BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, ITV, 10 Now, and 9Play. No real issues with lag, and no need to change servers, everything just worked, which is a big positive for PIA.
PIA is also a capable torrenting VPN. Its speeds aren't chart-topping, but it does offer port forwarding – whereas plenty of its competitors don't.
Port forwarding allows you allows you to accept incoming connections to your VPN’s IP address, so you can communicate with more peers in a P2P network.
Unblocking score: 10/10
Privacy and security
Private Internet Access has built a sturdy reputation as one of the most security-focused services on the market – and it delivers, for the most part.
Browsing traffic is protected by industry-standard AES-256 encryption and today's two most popular VPN protocols: OpenVPN and WireGuard. Both are widely accepted as secure, reliable technology, though you'll want to stick with OpenVPN if airtight privacy is your main goal, whereas WireGuard is more suitable for day-to-day browsing, or times when you want to balance security with speed.
Admittedly, PIA lacks the extra features offered by the likes of NordVPN and Surfshark, but it does boast all of the core tools a VPN needs.
There’s a kill switch on all its apps, which automatically blocks internet traffic if the VPN connection drops, ensuring that your data remains secure at all times. There are no DNS leaks here either. PIA’s own encrypted DNS servers route all of your domain requests, which prevents your DNS queries from being exposed to your ISP or a third party on the network.
PIA is committed to a strict no-logs policy. This has been independently verified by Deloitte in two separate audits, the most recent of which was conducted in April 2024. According to the audit, PIA’s systems are not configured to log user activity, and there is no way to trace online actions back to specific individuals. However, the full report of this audit is only available to PIA customers. While it’s good to see that PIA has undergone independent verification, making these reports publicly accessible, as ExpressVPN does, would bolster trust even further.
Despite providing very strong protection, our testing picked up some areas where PIA could improve. We tried running Mace through a gauntlet of phishing URLs to see which ones it’d block. So, with 100 brand new malicious URLs from anti-phishing experts OpenPhish, PIA managed to block… two of them. We think this is because Mace is pulling from a blocklist of known suspicious links, and most of the URLs we’re testing are fresh threat intelligence. Still, it’s notably weak, far below what we’d expect from a top-tier VPN.
Privacy and security score: 8/10
Track record
Private Internet Access has a strong track record of maintaining user privacy and delivering reliable service over the years. The only black mark against it is the acquisition by Kape Technologies in 2019, which caused some serious concern. Before their pivot to providing VPN brands, Kape’s primary output was browser add-ons which injected adverts and monetized their browsing data. Although consumer trust in PIA plummeted after this revelation, it's done a lot of work to win back that trust with regular no-logs audits that demonstrate it's not following in Kape’s footsteps.
In fact, PIA has dealt with several court cases where it was legally obliged to turn over user information. It responded by asserting it had nothing to turn over, which is pretty impressive. PIA has also demonstrated a commitment to transparency by regularly releasing Transparency Reports, which detail the number of legal requests the company receives and how it handles them.
Track record score: 7/10
Customer support
PIA's customer support has room for improvement. As you might expect, there's a 24/7 live chat channel and email ticketing system, but we found responses could be sluggish across both of these avenues. Naturally, that's not ideal if you have a more pressing problem.
On the other hand, if you prefer doing your own troubleshooting, you'll be glad to learn that PIA has its very own customer forum and knowledgebase. The forums are active and packed with experienced users who are (typically) happy to help squash any issues, and the knowledgebase is well organized and easy to navigate.
The one quibble we have with the knowledgebase, however, is that a lot of the support articles are outdated. The basic information remains solid, but we'd like to see these pages receive an update that adds extra depth and detail.
Customer support score: 7/10
Pricing and plans
Private Internet Access is one of the most budget-friendly VPNs on the market today. In terms of pure value for money, however, it lags behind NordVPN and Surfshark by a heel.
The monthly plan starts at $11.95, which is just a little bit over what you’d expect to pay for a top-tier VPN. Once you start getting into the long-term plans, however, the price drops through the floor. The annual plan only costs $3.33 a month, which is already cheaper than most plans offered by other top VPNs. It gets even better though, as the three-year plan costs as little as $2.03 per month, which also includes three additional months free.
The service includes all core features in its base price, without any hidden costs or paywalled features. The only extra you’d be expected to pay for is the dedicated IP option, which costs another $5 a month. This is understandable, as providing dedicated IPs is inherently expensive for a VPN provider because of the worldwide shortage of IPv4 addresses. Surfshark’s dedicated IPs are a little less costly at $3.75 a month, but if you opt in for a two-year plan PIA’s dedicated IPs drop down to $2.50 making it one of the cheapest around.
PIA also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, giving you ample time to test the service risk-free.
Pricing and plans score: 9/10
Should you use PIA?
PIA is an excellent VPN for the cost. It might not be as fast as Surfshark, offer as many features as NordVPN, or give you as many locations to connect to as ExpressVPN, but if you need a VPN that absolutely nails all of the core things you need to do and don’t want to spend too much, PIA is perfect. It’s also a VPN you can absolutely trust when it comes to privacy and security, and it’s one of the few providers out there that offers a Linux client that’s just as good as the Windows or MacOS client.
Out of everything that PIA could do better, speeds are at the top of the list. That’s not to say it’s a laggy VPN. It’s still lightyears ahead of most VPNs you could pick, but it’s just outclassed by alternatives like Proton VPN or Surfshark. It’s also starting to lag behind in innovation compared to the likes of NordVPN.
Total score: 79/100
3.Private Internet Access – from $2.03 per month Packed with features and advanced tools Private Internet Access (PIA) is a battle-tested provider with its very own built-in ad-blocker—and one that'll handle trackers and malware, too. PIA is jam-packed with customizable features that advanced users will love and unlimited simultaneous connections. So, you can cover all of your gadgets with one plan, and enjoy a 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal
PIA alternatives
Not sure if PIA is the right fit for you? Here are our top alternatives you can currently pick up, all of which you can test with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
1. NordVPN – from $2.99 per month The best VPN overall NordVPN sits at the top of our rankings with a virtually unbeatable spread of features and some of the quickest, most reliable speeds we've ever tested. All of its apps, across platforms, are sleek and clutter-free, and you can even add built-in ad and tracker blocking to your plan. Plus, NordVPN is one of our favorite VPNs for streaming, thanks to its ability to access platforms from all corners of the globe. Interested? See how NordVPN compares to Surfshark with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal
2. Surfshark – from $1.99 per month The best cheap VPN (and also the fastest) Surfshark is a budget-friendly option that doesn't pull punches when it comes to speed, security, or simplicity. It always aces our testing, especially when it comes to unblocking streaming content from all over the world, and its blistering performance means that you won't be slowed to a crawl when checking out HD movies or going about your day-to-day social media scrolling. Plus, with unlimited simultaneous connections to play with, you can protect all of the gadgets in your home with just one plan. Take Surfshark for a test drive today with a 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal
3. ExpressVPN – from $5.32 per month The best VPN for beginners ExpressVPN might not rule at the top of our overall rankings anymore, but it's still our top recommendation to anyone on the hunt for a beginner VPN. Its apps are nice and easy to set up and use, regardless of your skill level, and it's jam-packed with security-boosting tools designed to keep snoopers at bay. While ExpressVPN is on the pricey side, you can sweeten the pot with a nifty 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal
Frequently asked questions
Does PIA log user activity?
No, Private Internet Access has a strict no-logs policy, which has been independently verified by Deloitte through multiple audits. This means that PIA does not track or store any data related to your online activities while using the VPN.
Can PIA unblock Netflix and other streaming services?
PIA is more than capable of accessing in-demand streaming platforms – Netflix included. During our testing, we found that PIA had no trouble unblocking content libraries in the US, UK, and Japan. Plus, it works like a charm with other sites, like Prime Video, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer.
Is PIA suitable for torrenting?
Yes, PIA is a stand-out choice for torrenting and P2P activity. All of its servers support P2P traffic and there aren't any bandwidth caps to worry about. Plus, PIA is one of only a handful of reliable services to offer port forwarding.
There are two parts to our Surfshark review testing: lab testing and real world user experience. We do this to combine objectivity and subjectivity in our VPN reviews.
When I say that “I” did something in this review, I’m referring to me, Dan Sung, Editor in Chief of VPN at TechRadar, and I’m offering real world examples and insights from what I’ve learned using this product over many months.
Below is a breakdown of our Surfshark review scores for each category of testing. Click on the links in the Comments column for a deeper read on our thoughts.
Category
Score
Comments
Total
85 / 100
Excellent value with plenty of feature choice. One of the best value VPNs available. Read more ▼
Price plans & value
10 / 10
Surfshark is the best cheap VPN available. Choose the Surfshark One tier, which includes a full antivirus product, for the best value price plan. Read more ▼
Features
10 / 10
Surfshark’s Alternative ID fake profile feature is one of many useful in-app products in this very well put together VPN. Read more ▼
Server network
9 / 10
Surfshark is slightly lower on server locations than some but its global reach is excellent and the Nexus infrastructure brings huge network benefits. Read more ▼
Read all of Surfshark's review scores ▼
Privacy
9 / 10
Surfshark has very high standards of privacy and extensive privacy features. This is only slightly tarnished by its choice of jurisdiction. Read more ▼
Security
9 / 10
Surfshark scores well for security thanks to its built-in antivirus and its near-flawless kill switch. Its PQE could be more developed though. Read more ▼
Speed
8 / 10
Still the fastest VPN at full tilt but the connection is less consistent than others, and speeds are more average using distant servers. Read more ▼
Unblocking streams
7 / 10
Surfshark unblocks Netflix libraries, Disney Plus, Prime Video and BBC iPlayer but it struggles with some niche streaming services where rival VPNs don't. Read more ▼
P2P & Torrenting
4 / 5
Torrenting is solid and seamless with Surfshark but there's no help from the company itself on how to do it. There's no port forwarding either. Read more ▼
Apps & Compatibility
5 / 5
Surfshark has excellent apps covering all modern platforms. Its iOS app is uncommonly good; iPhone users should definitely consider Surfshark. Read more ▼
Usability
4 / 5
Surfshark is easy on the eye and a pleasure to use. Any quibbles we have on the kill switch toggle are really very minor. Read more ▼
Accessibility
2 / 5
Surfshark is a reasonable choice for partially sighted users but there are better VPNs for accessibility. Language support is average and keyboard-only access is poor. Read more ▼
Customer support
4 / 5
Surfshark has excellent customer service. Its support site is one of the best out there its live chat and email channels bring timely solutions. Read more ▼
Track record
4 / 5
Surfshark has a clean record for data breaches. It passed a no-logs audit in 2025 but that ought to be repeated annually, and we'd like apps and infrastructure audits, too. Read more ▼
Surfshark price plans
Surfshark starts at $1.99 per month and is the best cheap VPN.
Surfshark One is the best value of the three plans.
Surfshark starts at $1.99 per month, which is an excellent price for a top VPN, but there are actually three different Surfshark plans to choose from – Starter, One and One+.
You can sign up for just 1 month, 1 year or 2 years. Obviously, the longer you commit to, the cheaper the price you can get.
Whichever you choose, you get unlimited device connections, i.e. you can install a Surfshark app on as many different devices as you like on a single Surfshark account. There is a fair usage policy you can read on this but you'll be fine with 10-15, or even more devices, unless they’re all on, constantly, and downloading all the time.
Total cost of cheapest 2-year plan
All prices (from December 2025) are before tax
Total price
NordVPN Basic
80.73
Surfshark Starter
53.73
ExpressVPN Basic
97.72
Proton VPN Plus
71.76
0255075100
USD
Total price Data
Product
Value (USD)
NordVPN Basic
80.73
Surfshark Starter
53.73
ExpressVPN Basic
97.72
Proton VPN Plus
71.76
Read more about Surfshark's price plans ▼
Even so, this unlimited connections policy is rare among the top VPNs and, for many, a good reason to choose it if you find the 10 device connections of NordVPN, ExpressVPN and Proton VPN, for example, not enough for your needs.
Like all VPNs, though, you do have to pay the total price for the entire length of and Surfshark plan upfront. The graph below is a good comparison of the total cost of each of the best VPN services we recommend at TechRadar.
Do be warned that unlike all other VPN companies (apart from NordVPN) Surfshark adds local tax to its advertised prices at checkout. So, if you’re in the UK, for example, you’ll have to pay VAT on top. And, of course, remember that these prices will fluctuate over the year.
Surfshark is considerably cheaper than its biggest rivals. NordVPN’s cheapest 2-year plan is about 50% more expensive than Surfshark's. ExpressVPN Basic is nearly twice the price!
The table above shows the total prices for each Surfshark tier and plan length.
What sticks out to us from these totals are two things. First is that the 1-month prices are terrible. Given Surfshark has a 7-day free trial, we’d advise you to sign up for a week instead and decide in that time if you want to commit for longer. Then either go for the one or two-year plan.
The second, and more obvious, point on value is that the two-year plans are pretty tempting. You get the second year of Surfshark Starter, for example, for less than $10. That’s pretty compelling at that band but, arguably, it’s not quite as good for Surfshark One with the extra year only effectively half-price.
In other words, there's little point in going for 1-year Starter plan when the 2-year version isn't much more, but there's a decent argument for only shelling out for 12 months of Surfshark One.
If you’re looking for a real value proposition, though, it’s in the difference between Surfshark Starter and Surfshark One on the 1-year contract – just a couple of bucks, really which feels like a real no-brainer. There’s no point in going for the 1-year Starter when you can pick up Surfshark’s antivirus and ID breach alerts with the One plan instead.
Above is a table of the price per month for each Surfshark plan which is a slightly easier way to appreciate the value offer of each one.
There are cheaper VPNs out there – PrivadoVPN ($1.11) is a good option – but Surshark is an undeniable pound-for-pound sweet spot for price and features.
Score: 10/10
Features: What can Surfshark do?
Alternative ID is a superb email and postal address protection tool.
Surfshark is one of very few VPNs with a full antivirus included.
ID breach alerts didn't spot my leaked credit card information.
Don’t be fooled by the price. Surfshark Starter is a very well stocked bundle.
Alongside the VPN product itself, the most significant feature is CleanWeb. It’s a catch-all name for Surfshark’s advert and cookie consent pop-up blocking system which aims to allow you to surf the web in relative peace.
Margarito Philip Leland – my Surfshark Alternative ID profile. Easy to edit. Ready to copy and paste. Available on all Surfshark plans. (Image credit: Future Publishing)
Alternative ID is an important feature to pay attention to. Other VPN providers, such as Proton VPN, offer fake email addresses that will front for your own while still allowing emails to get through.
Read more about Surfshark's features ▼
You get a randomly generated email address – to use to fill out online forms, or give to people you don’t like, or whatever your need – and it automatically forwards any mail it receives to your real email address. You then cut it off and generate another email alias when you’re done with receiving whatever marketing mail it’s now attracted.
Proton offers this too but Surfshark takes it further.
Alternative ID is, in fact, a broader ID. It’s a name, postal address, email and even phone number (US only) to plug in online and stop scammers, spammers, and everyone else seeing your real details.
Right now, for example, I’m Margarito Philip Leland of 21 North 28th Ave East, Duluth, Minnesota, DOB 07/26/2005. Don’t bother trying to contact me because I’ll have ditched this ID by the time you're reading this article.
I had a go at manually editing my Alternative ID persona. There are 10 email domains to choose from with options from the US, France, South Korea and Armenia, but I found I could write anything I wanted as the first part of the address.
For postal mail, the options I got were Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Germany Portugal and the US. Name and DOB can both be anything you want.
It's a great feature for signing up to services, giving to online stores and registering with news websites without having to worry about the spam. There's a handy quick-copy area on the homepage of the Surfshark app too which made filling in online forms all the faster. There's really very little not to love about it.
The only sad part is that the Alt number part is only in beta right now. It’s also only available in the States and you can’t use it to receive SMS verification codes, sadly, either. Still, I look forward to testing it out once it arrives in Europe.
Surfshark One
If you’re after antivirus too, then it’s time to step up to Surfshark One. PIA is the only other VPN we recommend to have a full antivirus built-in along with the VPN. (Although there are recognise AV brands, like Norton and Bitdefender, that also have separate VPN products.)
NordVPN's Threat Protection Pro does have some AV features but it won't scan any apps and files you download, install and use in real-time – and put a halt to any funny business before it’s too late – like Surfshark will.
The Surfshark antivirus ran daily scans of my entire device when I enabled it, and you can set to have it done at any time of day of your choosing. For obvious reasons, I opted for the dead of night.
You can toggle off either of these scans and you can even opt out of scans of your storage drives too.
None of these put our mobile battery life under any particular noticeable stress. With the real-time protection only kicking in when we installed apps and our daily scan set to night time when the phone was plugged in anyway, the extra processes were never a burden.
The clean look and feel of Surfshark Search – no sponsored links, no ads, just the search results you're looking for. Available with Surfshark One and One+. (Image credit: Future Publishing)
You can select to exclude certain apps if they keep pulling up false positives but it wasn't something I found I needed to do.
Surfshark One allows you to take the CleanWeb theme a little further with the Web Content Blocker tool, launched in October 2025. Still in beta, it still worked like a charm when I tried it.
It's very similar to Windscribe's content blocker. You choose from a list of eight different kinds of questionable content and decide what you don't want to be accessible through your browser. That includes adult sites, gambling, tobacco and vaping, hate and profanity, and others, as well as sites hosting phishing, scams, and malware.
What's really nice is that I was able to use it as a way of blocking access to these sites on my kids' phones without having to get involved with the often expensive and generally not particularly parental control apps.
That works because Web Content Blocker can be set up differently for each device you have and because you get unlimited devices connected to a single Surfshark account. I also really like that you don't have to have the VPN on to have Web Content Blocker activated, because I don't want the VPN masking my kids' browsing habits from me either.
The menu of content you can prevent access to with Surfshark's new web content blocker tool. (Image credit: Future Publishing)
Lastly, and definitely not least, is Surfshark’s own private search engine. It's a super-clean, advert and sponsored results-free experience. Apart from the fact that it didn’t rank TechRadar very high for the term ‘Surfshark review’, I loved using it.
you can search without seeing a single ad, with no cookies or trackers, and Surfshark promises that it won't store anything about your search habits
You can choose any search location you like from a list of about 40 different countries without seeing a single ad, with no cookies or trackers, and Surfshark promises that it won't store anything about your search habits. ‘The real incognito mode’ is how it describes itself. I found it useful for comparing prices of clothing between the US and UK.
It’s actually quite refreshing and a bit of a reminder of what search looked like back in the day. It’s pretty amazing to realise what all of Google’s small changes have done to its experience over time, in comparison, but that’s a discussion for another place.
Honestly, it would take a bit of a push for me to use Surfshark's search all the time – it's hard to break the habit of the last 25 years – but with tabs for Web, Images and Videos only and gloriously uncluttered results, I'll certainly make the effort every now and then.
ID breach alerts
Alerts is a section unto itself in the Surfshark app. It's available in Surfshark One and One+ but I wanted to draw special attention to it because of something that happened while I was writing this review. More on that in a moment
Alerts (or 'ID breach alerts' as you'll find it called in the literature) scans the internet for any data breaches featuring your email addresses, credit card numbers and ID numbers too. It felt a bit strange handing over my info to Surfshark so that it could run those checks but the company promises that it doesn’t retain it.
Now, here's the interesting thing: chance had it that I was the victim of an attempted scam as I was writing this very section. I got a phone call from someone very convincingly pretending to be my credit card provider. They knew my card details, my name, my home address and clearly my phone number too.
They knew my card details, my name, my home address and clearly my phone number too.
They claimed to be from the fraud department and were questioning two transactions apparently made on my card in the UAE for around 27,000 Dirhams, and was I aware of them? Clearly I was not. So, the well spoken operator said they would then refund the amount to my account.
He asked me to open the app where I'd see a request for the refund. I opened the app. There was a request. But it was not for a refund. It was to make a payment of 27,000 Dirhams, about £5000.
"Press Confirm," they said.
"This is asking me to confirm a payment," I replied.
"No, this is the refund. Press confirm."
"No. It says 'payment'. I don't trust you."
They hung up.
I froze my card. I contacted my issuer and, I'm still shaking a bit at how close I just came to being defrauded. With stories about different UK retail stores getting hacked popping up every week, perhaps it's of little surprise.
My compromised credit card showing as 'no leaks found' according to the Surfshark Alert credit card monitoring system. Not a feature that's worked for me. Available with Surfshark One and One+. (Image credit: Future Publishing)
I'm also a little bit scared about my details too, and I'm pretty glad I'm writing reviews about products like Surfshark and that I've got the tools to help deal with this.
So, with that in mind, I put this particular bank card's details into Surfshark's credit card monitoring system. Sadly, Surfshark Alerts said No Leaks Found after scanning for a breach of this information. Hopefully, it will register it as exposed in the coming months but it's been a few weeks and I've seen no change yet.
It doesn't mean that Alerts doesn't work. It's very possible that my information was hacked and not exposed on the internet. It's just a pity that Alerts wasn't able to help in this instance.
If you're looking for a VPN for a very complete set of privacy and security features, then Surfshark is a great option
Alerts did a lot better with my email address. When I put in my general junky email, used for online forms and shops and such – where was Alternative ID when I needed it years ago – I was unsurprised to see 25 leak alerts. Thanks Adobe, DuoLingo, Last.fm, Houzz, Kickstarter MyFitnessPal and a bunch of other sites and services that are lucky I don’t have time to name and shame.
Surfshark detailed what was leaked of mine in each breach and then makes recommendations of what to do next. Probably a good idea to do what it says but, quite honestly, with 25 breaches do deal with, there just isn't enough time in the day. Hopefully, I'll be able to lower that number with every update of this page.
Surfshark One+
Top of the Surfshark price plan tree is Surfshark One+ which adds the Incogni which is designed to prevent the misuse of your personal data online.
If Alerts is your data health examination, then Incogni aims to be the cure. It's a data removal service which is currently only available in the US, UK, Canada, EU and Switzerland because of legal reasons. Those reasons are that, in those regions, data brokers are legally required to remove your details from their records when asked. And that’s what Incogni does on your behalf.
I’ve definitely noticed getting less spam in that time
I’ve actually been lucky enough to use Incogni on a long-term test now for over two years and apart from the odd email report, there’s not much visible that actually happens. I’ve definitely noticed getting less spam in that time but part of that has also been down to being more careful what I sign up for and whether I’m using my real ID or not.
Ultimately, it’s really difficult to evaluate and I wish I could give better advice here given that it's over 60% extra on top of the Surfshark One price.
While the effectiveness of all of Surfshark's tools is not crystal clear, it's obvious by looking at the VPN feature comparison table that customers get lots of them to use – more so than most other VPN service providers.
If you're looking for a VPN for a very complete set of privacy and security features, then Surfshark is a great option, and at an excellent price point too.
Score: 10/10
Server network and locations
99 countries with servers, 141 server locations, over 4,500 total servers.
Very few servers in Africa but that's similar to other VPNs.
FastTrack technology to bring higher network speeds in coming months.
Surfshark doesn’t cover quite as many countries (99) and locations (141) as the server network market leader NordVPN (127 countries and 165 locations) but it still gets top marks in this department.
That’s because its global spread is well chosen. It largely keeps up with just as many server countries in the traditionally less well covered continents of Asia, South America and Oceania as most of its rival VPNs.
In fact, the European sever network is as robust as the rest of the pack too. It’s only Africa and the Middle East were, like ExpressVPN, it's noticeably shorter than NordVPN and Proton VPN.
Server list on the Surfshark Windows app. Plenty of US server locations available. (Image credit: Future)
Surfshark's 34 North America server locations are competitive. If you are looking for coverage in every single State, though, you should try ExpressVPN or PIA instead.
Read more about Surfshark's server network ▼
Surfshark states on its server list that some of the locations are virtual, and that’s refreshing given that other VPNs hide that. We spot checked the actual likely location of 25 servers on Surfshark’s list. It was accurate in all but one case where the company had accidentally marked Peru down as a virtual server when it really is based in Lima. If there are to be mistakes, then we’re certainly glad that they’re false positive ones.
Sever networks are about more than just quantity, though. Surfshark uses RAM-only servers which brings important benefits that we discuss in the Privacy section.
That's more or less a VPN industry standard but where Surfshark elevates itself is with how it connects those servers together. It's developed a holistic use of all of those pathways in what it calls its Nexus network infrastructure. It connects users to the entire network rather than the single VPN server they're choosing.
Through that system Surfshark can offer a fair few benefits, not least of which is FastTrack smart routing technology which aims to speed up connection by choosing the most time efficient pathways through the network.
Server Network Comparison
Subhead to describe the test and what's being measured and why
Total countries
NordVPN
127
Surfshark
99
ExpressVPN
108
Proton VPN
126
Total countries Data
Product
Value (Number)
NordVPN
127
Surfshark
99
ExpressVPN
108
Proton VPN
126
NordVPN
17
Surfshark
6
ExpressVPN
6
Proton VPN
26
Africa Data
Product
Value (Number of server locations)
NordVPN
17
Surfshark
6
ExpressVPN
6
Proton VPN
26
NordVPN
38
Surfshark
31
ExpressVPN
36
Proton VPN
44
Asia Data
Product
Value (Number of server locations)
NordVPN
38
Surfshark
31
ExpressVPN
36
Proton VPN
44
NordVPN
53
Surfshark
54
ExpressVPN
59
Proton VPN
49
Europe Data
Product
Value (number of server locations)
NordVPN
53
Surfshark
54
ExpressVPN
59
Proton VPN
49
NordVPN
10
Surfshark
5
ExpressVPN
5
Proton VPN
14
Middle East Data
Product
Value (number of server locations)
NordVPN
10
Surfshark
5
ExpressVPN
5
Proton VPN
14
NordVPN
39
Surfshark
34
ExpressVPN
70
Proton VPN
32
North America Data
Product
Value (number of server locations)
NordVPN
39
Surfshark
34
ExpressVPN
70
Proton VPN
32
NordVPN
8
Surfshark
6
ExpressVPN
8
Proton VPN
6
Oceania Data
Product
Value (number of server locations)
NordVPN
8
Surfshark
6
ExpressVPN
8
Proton VPN
6
NordVPN
10
Surfshark
10
ExpressVPN
9
Proton VPN
7
South America Data
Product
Value (number of server locations)
NordVPN
10
Surfshark
10
ExpressVPN
9
Proton VPN
7
1 of 8
It uses globally distributed probes which monitor the Surfshark network in real-time. They keep track of capacity and performance. That way the FastTrack system can figure out how to route VPN traffic to ensure that users get the fastest possible connections while still taking them to the end-point server that they've selected, and with an appropriate IP address.
FastTrack launched in August, 2025. Right now, it's only available on macOS and only when connecting to the Seattle, Vancouver or Sydney servers but Surfshark claims it's made up to 70% speed improvements for customers. We look forward to the company rolling it out across the board soon.
Something a little closer to home for those in Europe is the arrival of Surfshark's first 100 Gbps servers as unveiled in Amsterdam in October 2025. That's a 10 times improvement in server bandwidth designed to cope for the modern demands of 4K streaming, gaming, VR, and remote work.
It's certainly a good headline but, cynicism aside, it's an excellent sign. Surfshark has been a market leader when it comes to investing in the future of its server network in 2025.
Global VPN server spread
Subhead to describe the test and what's being measured and why
Surfshark
Data for Surfshark
Attribute
Value (number of server locations)
Percentage
Africa
6
4.3%
Asia
31
22.0%
South America
10
7.1%
North America
34
24.1%
Europe
54
38.3%
Oceania
6
4.3%
Data for NordVPN
Attribute
Value (number of server locations)
Percentage
Africa
17
10.3%
Asia
38
23.0%
South America
10
6.1%
North America
39
23.6%
Europe
53
32.1%
Oceania
8
4.8%
Data for ExpressVPN
Attribute
Value (number of server locations)
Percentage
Africa
6
3.2%
Asia
36
19.1%
South America
9
4.8%
North America
70
37.2%
Europe
59
31.4%
Oceania
8
4.3%
Data for Proton VPN
Attribute
Value (number of server locations)
Percentage
Africa
26
15.9%
Asia
44
26.8%
South America
7
4.3%
North America
32
19.5%
Europe
49
29.9%
Oceania
6
3.7%
1 of 4
Everlink, released in June, 2025, is another network quality boost from Surfshark. It's a patented backup system for your VPN connection. The idea is that if the VPN drops, your app doesn’t disconnect immediately. Instead, Everlink automatically connects you to a new and working server.
It might take a few seconds and, if you happen to be browsing at the time, it’s possible you’ll find a web page that doesn't download properly. But, for the most part, Surfshark says you won’t even notice anything.
We don’t have a test for Everlink yet, but it sounds promising. Dropped connections aren’t just a usability hassle, they also risk data and IP leaks. If Everlink can reduce unexpected disconnections then that’s very good privacy news.
The other big benefits of Nexus, and its flexible, multi-server pathways, are Surfshark's rotating IP tech and its excellent MultiHop system. You can read more about those in the Privacy section.
For now, suffice to say that Surfshark's server network is cutting edge and, from everything we've seen, we're only expecting improvements over the next 12 months.
Score: 9/10
Privacy
Super clear, user-friendly privacy policy; no-logs system.
Top privacy features: Camouflage Mode, MultiHop & Rotating IP.
Subject to possible 'Nine Eyes' international information sharing agreement.
Surfshark operates using a no-logs system. Its servers do record some information to check user access (encrypted credentials, timestamps and billing information) but it’s lost around 15 minutes after each user session. It never stores anything to do with traffic data such as destination IPs, DNS queries, data transferred, downloaded files or browsing history.
This is exactly how a secure VPN should operate and, having read through Surfshark’s privacy policy, we’re satisfied that there’s nothing else amiss here either. Surfshark uses standard good practice all the way.
As privacy policies go, it’s actually incredibly user friendly and worth taking a look at for yourself. It’s organised into a set of easily digestible questions and answers rather than swathes of contract-style legalese.
Surfshark doesn’t have its own, proprietary obfuscation technology like Proton VPN’s Stealth protocol. So, if it’s vital that you’re not spotted using a VPN, Surfshark probably isn’t the best option.
Read more about Surfshark's privacy credentials ▼
Nonetheless, it still offers ‘Camouflage Mode’ which kicks into action whenever you choose OpenVPN. The company says that it hides your traffic to bypass content filters. OpenVPN also means you’ll be on Surfshark’s dedicated Obfuscated Servers which are designed to make it particularly hard for your ISP to see that you’re connected to a VPN.
You can use the OpenVPN protocol in both UDP and TCP form. The former is better when high speeds are important (streaming, gaming or VoIP) and TCP is good for the kind of reliability you need when web browsing, emailing or during P2P file transfer.
If you’d rather err on the side of speed, then just stick with Surfshark's default option of WireGuard. IKEv2 is also a choice on Android, Mac and iOS but not Windows.
Like most of the best VPNs, Surfshark uses RAM-only servers with no hard drives or SSDs where it could store data. That makes it both faster and safer, from the user's point of view.
Any time RAM-only servers are switched off, any data stored on them temporarily is lost. So, if those servers are seized, then the parties taking ownership of them get nothing but the hardware in their hands. Equally, changes from a malicious software attacks could be undone by Surfshark simply turning the servers off and on again – an IT help centre’s dream.
The effect here is that no user data is logged or kept in any way, so you can rest assure that your online activities are kept utterly private by Surfshark.
Surfshark received a number of user complaints when it changed its legal jurisdiction from the British Virgin Islands to the Netherlands, given that the Dutch are part of the Nine Eyes international information sharing agreement but given there are no logs to share, it's hard to see that there’s any real disadvantage here. Don't let it put you off unless you really feel like you need that double layer of protection.
no user data is logged or kept in any way, so you can rest assure that your online activities are kept utterly private by Surfshark
Surfshark has some interesting options for the privacy-conscious when it comes to server connection. Normally, you connect to a server and it assigns you a random IP address until you disconnect and then a different one next time. But you can choose to maintain a static IP instead. This means that it remains the same throughout your session.
Now, in terms of privacy that’s maybe not great. It leaves more browsing behaviour connected to a single IP that a third party could trace from start to finish and therefore have a clearer picture about what a single user is doing. Keep up that browsing behaviour pattern long enough and they might even be able to figure out who you are.
At the same time, a static IP can be useful. There are web services that work by white listing IP addresses. A static IP that’s known and accepted is going to make it easier to access them wherever you are. It might remove a layer of authentication each time you access.
In general, though, static IPs aren’t a great idea for VPN traffic because it makes it easier to track you. So, we’d recommend enable the Rotating IP option, even if that makes for more CAPTCHAs.
That said, if you do often get blocked trying to access a certain site, and then find a Surfshark server that works, you might want add that location as a favourite and use it as a static IP.
Rotating IPs makes it harder for a website or web service to track you in its logs. In a single, long session, you’ll appear as multiple visitors. So, this is a definite boost to Surfshark’s privacy credentials. Only ExpressVPN offers something similar with its ShuffleIP.
Multihop (available on all Surfshark plans) is fully customisable. Create a connection to travel through any pair of Surfshark servers to help maximize privacy. (Image credit: Future Publishing)
Quite the opposite to a static IP, then, the system automatically connects you via a different IP address after 2-10 minutes – and all without the real world experience of a disconnection. (Streaming was a little more glitchy when using IP rotation, though, so do consider switching it off if you run into problems.)
You get a little status message letting you know when your next IP rotation will be and what address you’re assigned, although, actually, in practice, the timing was often quicker than stated. And, when we checked with WhatIsMyIPAddress.com, the address reported by Surfshark was accurate every single time.
So, how does Surfshark manage to switch your IP without dropping the connection? That's down to its Nexus network infrastructure (see Server Network section) ensuring that there's always a server somewhere on the pathway to provide online access while the IP on the destination server is switched.
The joined up nature of the Nexus-powered servers means that, unlike other VPNs, you can create your own double jump server pathways between almost any locations available, instead of the small handful of pre-programmed routing options that most other VPN providers offer.
That allows users to design custom, faster MultiHop connections, with start and end point servers which aren’t too far away from you and from one another.
In fact, you can even choose Fastest Location or Nearest Country within the MultiHop menu for the Nexus system to make the best suggestion for you. We particularly like that you can see latency speeds next to the options on the list so that you can really aim for maximal performance.
We checked to see the kind of effect you can expect when using two servers per connection like this. Using a pathway of two servers nearby (in our case, two different Ireland server locations) produced speeds very similar a single hop transatlantic connection which we benchmarked at 391Mbps. It was only once we started picking huge journeys, around the word for the first hop and then back all the way for the second, that we noticed speeds dipping.
Of course, there’s no need to sacrifice speed on all your apps and services if you use Surfshark’s split-tunnel feature, Bypasser. It works on all four major platforms and allowed us to pick both individual apps and websites to either specifically exclude or include from the VPN tunnel.
This is a great way of working if you want to use Surfshark for something specific like torrenting, or if you want to watch your local streaming service without confusing it into thinking that you’re trying to tune in from somewhere else.
The only real privacy feature absent from the Surfshark roster is Tor Over VPN. We could still use the Tor browser manually after connecting to Surfshark on our Windows laptop but it’s not built into the app. If Tor's added layer of online anonymity is a feature you need, then you’ll want to use Proton VPN or NordVPN instead.
Unlike other VPNs, you can create your own double jump server pathways between almost any locations
Surfshark’s CleanWeb function takes care of your search by stripping out as many trackers and ads as possible. There’s a bit of a slow down when it comes to page load time but the results are well worth it.
It took all of the cookie consent requests out of our browsing as we read the football pages of the UK and European news sites. And the grey blocks where adverts used to be were certainly less distracting than all the sticky videos and other images that usually get in the way.
If you want to go the whole hog, though, try Surfshark’s very own in-app private search, available on Surfshark One and One+ plans. More details on that in the Features section above.
Score: 9/10
Security
Excellent kill switch available on all major platforms.
Strong phishing and malware protection boosted by browser extension .
Yet to embrace post-quantum encryption with much meaningful tech.
Surfshark's choice of VPN encryption, and it's platter of security features, give us plenty of reasons for confidence. It doesn't hit the same heights as the other top VPNs in all of our results below but then it's a fraction of the price of most of them and our tests are pretty exacting.
The company uses 2048-bit RSA encryption keys which is easily enough safeguarding. Proton VPN takes things a little further with 4096-bit keys just in case you have extreme security demands.
Kill switch warning on the Surfshark Windows app explaining how kill switches work. (Image credit: Future)
A more pressing for issue for Surfshark is its post-quantum encryption (PQE) credentials. It deserves increasing attention as quantum computers, and their extreme number crunching powers, arrive on the scene.
Read more about Surfshark's security credentials ▼
Other than that, the company told Technadu, in May 2025, that it was “working on launching cutting-edge post-quantum protection for our VPN”, so we expect to hear something more about it in the coming months.
This is nothing out of the ordinary currently. PQE technology in VPNs is still very much in the embryonic stage.
Only ExpressVPN has gone further in its 1200-word blog post about its implementation of PQE in its Lightway protocol. We can’t imagine that Surfshark will be comfortable with appearing to be behind the curve for long.
We can’t imagine that Surfshark will be comfortable with appearing to be behind the curve for long.
Until then, there’s still plenty to keep you safe with Surfshark.
Auto-connect is a solid feature for anyone looking to stop any accidental leaks of their actual IP address. We like Surfshark’s very much.
Once activated, it automatically connected using the VPN on any network that I specifically didn't marked as Trusted. I didn't want it to auto-connect on my home Wi-Fi, for example, where I want to choose what my ISP does and doesn't see depending on what apps and services I'm accessing.
What I really like is that I can also choose which VPN server I want Surfshark to auto-connect to. I set it to auto-connect the 'Fastest connection' preset no matter what.
Auto-connect looks and works the same across iOS, Windows and Mac. The only exception is on Android which also allows you to use it on mobile networks too – great for privacy on the go.
The gold standard for IP leak safety, though, is the VPN kill switch and Surfshark’s got full marks in our tests. There’s a kill switch on all platforms, as we would expect.
It comes in two forms: Soft Mode, which blocks your internet access if the VPN unexpectedly drops; and Strict Mode which simply blocks any internet access unless the VPN is connected in the first place.
Strict Mode is certainly the more secure but I found it slowed down speeds a little and seemed to dig up a few more CAPTCHAs and blocked websites, and problems with apps which weren’t compatible with the VPN. Ultimately, Soft Mode feels like the better option on balance, particularly as the kill switch itself performs very well.
Surfshark is one of the only VPNs with a full antivirus built in. This is the desktop version. It's available on Surfshark One and One+. (Image credit: Future Publishing)
We tried breaking the VPN connection in a few different ways – turning the router on and off, walking out of range of a Wi-Fi hotspot, stopping services, closing processes and more – and Surfshark blocked the internet every time.
The only difference between Surfshark and the very best in this department, NordVPN, is that Surfshark didn’t always manage to recover the application and reconnect every time. NordVPN’s activated the switch, spotted the precise problem, resolved it, and then got us up and running again without us really noticing that anything had happened.
Surfshark still performed far better than most VPNs, and correctly blocked our internet in every test, though, and that’s what most matters for security.
Surfshark’s CleanWeb feature helps out for security, as well as its ad blocking and cookie consent pop-up blocking features we mentioned in the Privacy section. It cuts out phishing and malware websites too.
We tested CleanWeb with 50 up-to-date URLs for each, from the very newest phishing and malware sites sourced on the day of testing itself.
You can see by the bar chart below that its effectiveness for blocking sites that host phishing attacks is a little sub-par. It's around half as effective as ExpressVPN and Proton VPN and a long way behind NordVPN.
It's comparatively better for ad blocking and if you use the Surfshark browser extension (available on FireFox, Chrome and Edge) alongside your platform app, you'll maximize its chances of succeeding.
Surprisingly, ExpressVPN and Proton VPN didn't manage to detect and block access to any of the latest malware hosting sites in our last lab test. So, the fact that Surfshark score 68% is actually a pretty strong result.
What's more, CleanWeb is available with all Surfshark plans which start as low as $1.99 per month. NordVPN's high scores come courtesy with Threat Protection Pro technology which is not included in its entry level tier. To get the benefits of Threat Protection Pro, you'd need to pay a minimum of $3.89 per month – nearly double the price.
Phishing, malware and ad blocking
Surfshark CleanWeb compared to similar tools from other VPNs
Phishing sites blocked (%)
Performance data for Phishing sites blocked (%)
Item
Series
Value
NordVPN
Phishing sites blocked
91
Surfshark
Phishing sites blocked
38
ExpressVPN
Phishing sites blocked
76
Proton VPN
Phishing sites blocked
88
Surfshark browser ext.
Phishing sites blocked
8
NordVPN
91
Surfshark
38
ExpressVPN
76
Proton VPN
88
Surfshark browser ext.
8
023466891
Percentage
Performance data for Malware sites blocked (Percentage)
Item
Series
Value
NordVPN
Malware sites blocked
86
Surfshark
Malware sites blocked
68
ExpressVPN
Malware sites blocked
0
Proton VPN
Malware sites blocked
0
Surfshark browser ext.
Malware sites blocked
8
NordVPN
86
Surfshark
68
ExpressVPN
0
Proton VPN
0
Surfshark browser ext.
8
022436586
Percentage
Performance data for Ads blocked (Percentage)
Item
Series
Value
NordVPN
Ads blocked
54
Surfshark
Ads blocked
50
ExpressVPN
Ads blocked
86
Proton VPN
Ads blocked
88
Surfshark browser ext.
Ads blocked
66
NordVPN
54
Surfshark
50
ExpressVPN
86
Proton VPN
88
Surfshark browser ext.
66
022446688
Percentage
Also, bear in mind that the bar we set for the test above is a high one. The figures above would be considerably higher if we tested CleanWeb, and the others, against threats that were even just two days old. Nonetheless, the biggest names in antivirus, such as Norton, Bitdefender, and Avira deliver results to the same tests that are up above 90%.
So, is Surfshark’s CleanWeb a replacement for the very best dedicated AV? Not quite, but it’s well worth using and, like most of Surfshark's features, a bargain. More to the point, it will protect users against most of the nasties out there. So, do switch it on if you have it.
Score: 9/10
Speed
Surfshark clocked the fastest WireGuard speed to local servers.
OpenVPN speeds are good too but long distance performance is poor.
Surfshark has considerably higher latency and jitter than other top VPNs.
Previously rated as the fastest VPN available, Surfshark has taken a bit of a dip in our latest round of speed testing but still has a strong claim to that title.
What’s more, we still think Surfshark is a good performer in the gran scheme of things.. Anyone looking for a fast VPN should not be put off.
We’ve recently broadened our VPN lab speed testing process. We take even more data points than before and have increased our maximum speed capacity from 1 Gbps up to 10 Gbps.
WireGuard/fastest VPN protocol
Download speed (local)
Surfshark (WireGuard)
1615
NordVPN (NordLynx)
1256
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
1479
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
694
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
1521
05001,0001,5002,000
Mbps
Download speed (local) Data
Product
Value (Mbps)
Surfshark (WireGuard)
1615
NordVPN (NordLynx)
1256
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
1479
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
694
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
1521
Surfshark (WireGuard)
355
NordVPN (NordLynx)
857
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
1374
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
523
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
1242
03757501,1251,500
Mbps
Download speed (long distance) Data
Product
Value (Mbps)
Surfshark (WireGuard)
355
NordVPN (NordLynx)
857
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
1374
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
523
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
1242
Surfshark (WireGuard)
2.3
NordVPN (NordLynx)
2.4
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
5.3
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
2.4
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
5.2
01.534.56
ms
Jitter (local) Data
Product
Value (ms)
Surfshark (WireGuard)
2.3
NordVPN (NordLynx)
2.4
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
5.3
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
2.4
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
5.2
Surfshark (WireGuard)
27.5
NordVPN (NordLynx)
4.7
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
5.7
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
2.3
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
28.3
07.51522.530
ms
Jitter (long distance) Data
Product
Value (ms)
Surfshark (WireGuard)
27.5
NordVPN (NordLynx)
4.7
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
5.7
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
2.3
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
28.3
Surfshark (WireGuard)
21.7
NordVPN (NordLynx)
17.2
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
14.8
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
13.6
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
21.7
07.51522.530
ms
Latency (local) Data
Product
Value (ms)
Surfshark (WireGuard)
21.7
NordVPN (NordLynx)
17.2
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
14.8
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
13.6
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
21.7
Surfshark (WireGuard)
171
NordVPN (NordLynx)
83
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
75
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
72.1
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
90.6
050100150200
ms
Latency (long distance) Data
Product
Value (ms)
Surfshark (WireGuard)
171
NordVPN (NordLynx)
83
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
75
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
72.1
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
90.6
1 of 6
We therefore expected ExpressVPN’s Lightway Turbo protocol to blow most of the competition out of the water – it’s important to remember that Lightway Turbo is only available on ExpressVPN’s Windows app – but that wasn't quite the case.
Read more about Surfshark's speed ▼
As it turns out, it's Surfshark's fastest protocol, WireGuard – available on all Surfshark apps – that clocked the top download speed when we connected to the nearest server to our lab's speed rig. At a median average of 1615 Mbps, it bested Lightway Turbo's 1479 Mbps.
Over long distance (Europe to the US) Surfshark didn't look so great, though. Its 355 Mbps score is considerably lower than the competition. That's something to consider if you're set to be accessing far flung servers on a regular basis.
We were pleased to see download speeds are good with the more privacy-focused OpenVPN protocol on Surfshark but, again, it dropped to about half that of NordVPN and ExpressVPN over long distance.
And Surfshark's speed claims start to look pretty thin when you consider overall performance. For almost all distances and protocols, we recorded latency and jitter rates than were pretty much twice as bad as the other top VPNs.
OpenVPN performance
Average download speeds, latency and jitter rates on local and long distance server connections.
OpenVPN speed (local)
Surfshark
978
NordVPN
974
ExpressVPN
1038
Proton VPN
240
03757501,1251,500
Mbps
OpenVPN speed (local) Data
Product
Value (Mbps)
Surfshark
978
NordVPN
974
ExpressVPN
1038
Proton VPN
240
Surfshark
430
NordVPN
857
ExpressVPN
808
Proton VPN
173
02505007501,000
Mbps
OpenVPN speed (long distance) Data
Product
Value (Mbps)
Surfshark
430
NordVPN
857
ExpressVPN
808
Proton VPN
173
Surfshark
33.4
NordVPN
14.6
ExpressVPN
15.5
Proton VPN
14.7
010203040
ms
OpenVPN latency (local) Data
Product
Value (ms)
Surfshark
33.4
NordVPN
14.6
ExpressVPN
15.5
Proton VPN
14.7
Surfshark
174
NordVPN
83
ExpressVPN
73.5
Proton VPN
73.8
050100150200
ms
OpenVPN latency (long distance) Data
Product
Value (ms)
Surfshark
174
NordVPN
83
ExpressVPN
73.5
Proton VPN
73.8
Surfshark
9.8
NordVPN
4.2
ExpressVPN
6.8
Proton VPN
7.3
02.557.510
ms
OpenVPN jitter (local) Data
Product
Value (ms)
Surfshark
9.8
NordVPN
4.2
ExpressVPN
6.8
Proton VPN
7.3
Surfshark
15.9
NordVPN
4.7
ExpressVPN
11.5
Proton VPN
8.1
05101520
ms
OpenVPN jitter (long distance) Data
Product
Value (ms)
Surfshark
15.9
NordVPN
4.7
ExpressVPN
11.5
Proton VPN
8.1
1 of 6
In real terms, that means we would expect higher levels of lag than usual when gaming and more buffering than most when streaming, the latter of which was certainly true in my home streaming experience. (More on that in the Streaming section just below.)
High jitter can lead to poor quality real-time applications, although I didn't notice any problems when I used Surfshark during WhatsApp voice calls or when video conferencing on Google Meet for work.
All in all, though, it's a mixed picture and not quite what we were hoping for.
A VPN engineer once said to me that, beyond certain speeds, it's really latency that's more important when considering VPN performance. If that's true, then Surfshark's fast download data feels a bit hollow.
Of course, speed testing is only ever a snapshot of a moment, with little regard for comparative server network conditions. All the same, despite the headline figures, we'd hope for a better show from Surfshark next time.
Score: 8/10
Unblocking streaming services
Surfshark unblocks Netflix libraries, and other services, all over the world.
Struggles to unblock US-only YouTube content from other countries.
CleanWeb needs disabling to stream ad-funded streaming services.
Surfshark isn’t quite in the same league as NordVPN when it comes to unblocking streaming services but it’s mostly a good choice on this front.
Like NordVPN, and most of the best VPN services, all of Surfshark’s servers are optimzed for streaming. I didn’t need to waste any time trying to find lists of streaming servers. I just found the country I wanted and connected to any server on the list.
We tested Surfshark to see if it could unblock Netflix in five different locations and it did so without hitch, the same as all the other top VPN providers. It’s behind the rest, though, when it comes to certain US streaming services.
Amazon US/UK
Disney+ US/UK
YouTube US
NordVPN Plus
✅
✅
❌
Surfshark
❌
❌
❌
ExpressVPN
❌
✅
❌
Proton VPN
✅
❌
❌
Surfshark is able to unblock Disney Plus in the US and UK but we did have to try a few different servers to get it to work. We've marked it down as a 'no' in the streaming table below for this reason which makes Surfshark look worse than it is, but many users will not have the patience or knowledge to try more than one server location before giving up.
Read more about Surfshark's streaming service unblocking ▼
We also found that Surfshark servers couldn't be used to unblock Amazon Prime Video in the US or UK, no matter how we tried. This is a change from our last test when Surfshark saw success with this service.
YouTube US is one that none of our VPN services managed to unblock this time. We choose a licensed US-geo-locked test video and we weren't able to stream it from the UK with Surfshark or any of the others. This is worth considering if you tend to watch YouTube more than any other platform, although most videos tend not to be geo-specific.
Surfshark proved useful at unblocking all of the free streaming services we tried in the UK and Australia, though. It has a cross next to ITV in the table below because Surfshark didn't manage to unblock it at the first attempt but, again, it did succeed after a server switch.
Surfshark had previously had similar issues when trying to access 10Play in Australia but there were no troubles in this round of tests.
BBC iPlayer
ITV
Channel 4
TVNZ Plus
NordVPN Plus
✅
✅
✅
✅
Surfshark
✅
❌
✅
✅
ExpressVPN
✅
✅
✅
✅
Proton VPN
✅
❌
❌
❌
It's worth noting that you may need to disable CleanWeb when trying to watch shows on ad-funded streaming services such as Channel 4 and ITV. CleanWeb's built-in ad-blocker, and the streamer's need to serve reels of ads before and between the programming, don't work well together and cause things to grind to a halt.
The only downside, of course, is that it does leave you without web-based malware blocking for a time. So, make sure you're watching a trusted service. And make sure to turn CleanWeb back on after.
When we tested Proton VPN we found the same problem but the significant difference there is that we could turn off just the ad-blocking of NetShield while leaving the malware protection running. We also didn’t have to disconnect and reconnect to change the setting, unlike with CleanWeb.
Ultimately, if you're not prepared to tinker – and why should you – then NordVPN is the best streaming VPN but let Surfshark's results in this department put you off. It's still good for unblocking streams.
Score: 7/10
P2P and torrenting
Torrenting supported at all of Surfsharks server locations.
Search for P2P optimized servers for best performance.
No port forwarding.
Surfshark works well for torrenting thanks to its high download speeds and reliable privacy.
I opted for the OpenVPN protocol using TCP to be doubly sure my ISP wouldn't be able to see what I was up to. Sure enough, I've had no nasty letters through the post.
Using uTorrent, I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary as I chose a selection of different file sizes to download. Knowing that Surfshark performs significantly better over short connection distances (see Speed section) I made sure to choose the closest server possible.
All of Surfshark’s locations support torrenting but only some are optimised for P2P use and they’re not so easy to find as with Proton VPN or NordVPN, both which have P2P filters on their server choice lists in the apps.
We figured out that you can type ‘P2P’ into the search field of the server location list with Surfshark and the system will narrow to include only the torrenting optimized servers, but even then it’s very hard to tell that that’s what you’re looking at. There’s nothing in the knowledge base or help sections about it. How most people are supposed to discover this is a bit of a mystery.
The actual torrenting experience, though, once connected, is very similar to any of the top VPNs. My connection speed was limited more by the number and quality of peers for the file I tried to download.
Like many VPNs these days, Surfshark does not support port forwarding for reasons of security – understandable given that’s a VPN’s prime function. You can read Surfshark’s take on it here.
The article even suggests a way you can set up port forwarding manually but, if that’s really something you want that much, then you’re best off choosing Proton VPN which supports the feature directly in its apps.
Score: 4/5
Compatibility
Surfshark is compatible with all modern platforms.
Exceptionally large feature set available for iPhone users.
Use browser extensions for maximum privacy.
Surfshark does a good job of keeping consistency in look, feel, and functionality across its suite of apps. In fact, it scores better than most top VPN vendors with almost all of its features supported on mobile as well as desktop.
iPhone users should take particular notice. Surfshark’s iOS app is exceptionally well stocked compared to the normally underpowered versions peddled by most VPN companies. Split tunneling, auto connect, and use of all three of Surfshark’s VPN protocols are present and correct on both major mobile operating systems.
Like all the very top VPNs, Surfshark is compatible with every modern platform you’d care to mention. There are apps for the likes of Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Linux as well as the usual big four of Windows, Mac, Android and iOS.
Features available on iPhone
Surfshark
NordVPN
ExpressVPN
Proton VPN
Kill switch
✅
✅ (automatic)
✅
✅
Autoconnect
✅
✅
❌
❌
Split tunneling
✅ (websites only)
❌
❌
❌
Protocols
WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2
NordLynx, OpenVPN
Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2
WireGuard, Stealth
Malware blocking
✅
❌
✅
✅
GPS spoofing
❌
❌
❌
❌
Custom DNS
❌
❌
❌
❌
Read more about Surfshark's compatibility ▼
There are also Chrome, Edge and Firefox browser extensions and these are more important than you might think.
We’d recommend using Surfshark from within your browser to get the most out of the CleanWeb phishing, advert and malware blocking abilities of your VPN, for example. It’ll keep you a little safer online even if the VPN itself is turned off. See the Security section for more details.
But, there's more. Surfshark's browser extensions can mask your real location better than using just using your device's VPN app alone. That's because some websites can ask your browser its country-level location. That’s not something that’s related to your IP address.
We found we got fewer CAPTCHAs when we tried it. Searching Google for VPN-related terms often digs up request for bicycles, buses and road crossing identifications but it was a rare event with Surfshark's Chrome extension on.
We’d recommend using Surfshark from within your browser to get the most out of the CleanWeb phishing, advert and malware blocking abilities of your VPN
The browser extension doubles down on protecting your real location with its ‘Block WebRTC’ feature too. WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communications) is another internet technology which can be used by websites to find your real IP address. Surfshark’s browser extension should stop any red flags by making sure WebRTC doesn’t run on your device.
Surfshark does a good job of maintaining all of its apps with regular updates to many of them throughout the year.
We took a look at the number of updates that the big VPN providers made to their iOS apps between January and December 2025 for an indicator of how well they support their software. iOS apps are often the least well maintained.
iOS app updates in 2025
This is the number of updates the iOS apps of each of these VPNs has had in 2025
iOS app updates
NordVPN
23
Surfshark
21
ExpressVPN
25
Proton VPN
22
PureVPN
18
Mullvad
9
IPVanish
10
Windscribe
11
CyberGhost
0
Private Internet Access
3
iOS app updates Data
Product
Value (number)
NordVPN
23
Surfshark
21
ExpressVPN
25
Proton VPN
22
PureVPN
18
Mullvad
9
IPVanish
10
Windscribe
11
CyberGhost
0
Private Internet Access
3
Looking at the table above, Surfshark is certainly one of the better companies for this with it pretty much on a par with other top VPNs Proton VPN, NordVPN and ExpressVPN.
The overall story for us here is that Surfshark has done a really good job, and we’re confident that it will continue to do so on whatever platform you wish to use.
Score: 5/5
Usability
Make sure to disable the auto-renew function on set-up.
Clear and consistent UX across all major Surfshark apps.
Kill switch mode should be clearer on the UI.
After signing up for a Surshark account (don’t forget to take advantage of the Surfshark 7-day free trial while it’s here), the Surfshark online dashboard is a good place to start.
There’s a handy set-up guide to make sure you get the best of all the features – connecting to the VPN, setting up Antivirus, data leak alerts, Surfshark’s search and how to use Alternative ID. All well worth your time.
It’s also a good place to download your apps and extensions. The Download apps panel is surprisingly complete. There are QR codes to scan and buttons both of which offer direct links to the relevant app stores for smart TVs, browser extensions and Linux as well as the big four laptop, phone and tablet apps. You can even pick up the Android APK for any side-loading you might need to do.
Read more about Surfshark's usability ▼
The only thing to watch out for is that we got a little confused by the Windows app installer. It said “Welcome to Surshark One Security Suite Setup Wizard”, when we’d only purchased Surfsharker Starter originally. Sadly, it wasn’t a free upgrade. Ignore it. That’s how the standard installer lookers.
You can access the help center, view the length left of your subscription and, of course, upgrade to a dedicated IP address and an Alternative ID phone number while you're there, should you wish.
Switch off auto-renew and avoid a nasty price hike
Our top tip of all, though, is to head immediately to the Payments tab in the Your Subscriptions section of the My Account menu where you can switch off auto-renew and avoid a nasty price hike once the term of your original subscription ends. Ignore this at your peril, or face paying about twice what you did originally per month on a 12-month contract.
If you do get stung by Surfshark’s auto-renewal, though, don’t panic. The company cares about its reputation and its customers. A little sweet talk to the customer support within a week and you’re highly likely to get a refund.
User Experience
The Surfshark user experience is pretty much identical across the range. There are differences – Android has a home tab, Windows and iOS don’t, for example – but the look and feel is consistent and all the features and settings are in very similar places.
Like all good VPN apps, there are short explainers next to most of the settings and that’s important because it’s by far and away the easiest way to learn about the product. Only Proton VPN stands out as superior on this front with an info button that opens up some really clear pop-up explainers, that are as easy to understand as they are to dismiss.
There’s no map on any Surfshark app. All server locations are listed in alphabetical order and that’s perfectly sensible and easy to navigate. There’s also a search bar to stop you having to scroll to the bottom for UK, US and everything else that’s useful down there.
You can even search for the kind of server you want, instead of the location. Type in ‘P2P’ if you want one for torrenting, for example. We typed in ‘Frank’ and got not only the main Frankfurt server but also a list of those with static IPs as well as the preset MultiHop route of Frankfurt via the GB-London server.
Surfshark home page running on Android. It's a very clear interface easy access to VPN server selection and connection. There is tabbed access to the settings and product features at the bottom. (Image credit: Future Publishing)
If that’s not fast enough for you, there are connection shortcuts with buttons for your recently used servers, your fastest available connection and your nearest country too. There are also stars next to each server in the list so that you can favourite ones that you like or use most often.
We prefer the tabbed layout on the Windows app compared to the mobile versions but then that’s not a huge surprise given that there’s more space to play with on a laptop screen. The tabs make a bit more sense on a computer (VPN, Alternative ID, Alerts, Antivirus, Search and Settings). It’s quick access to pretty much everything you need right there.
Compare that to the four tabs on Android – Home, Products, News, Settings. News doesn’t really offer much but head to Products and you’ll find a list of the same tabbed sections as on the Windows app. In other words, access to the same areas is one step removed. It’s not a big deal and it still works fine.
The desktop apps are still actually quite small – more than the budget mobile port look and feel of cheaper VPNs like Hide.me,Windscribe and PrivadoVPN but nothing like the luxury of space you get with NordVPN, Proton VPN or ExpressVPN.
We don’t really mind that. It’s still attractive, tidy and maybe a massive VPN software windows is exactly the kind of getting-in-the-way that VPNs shouldn’t do. It’s also kind of fitting of Surfshark’s more reasonable price point.
Surfshark's desktop application is not a full screen desktop experience but I don't have a problem with that. It's neat, tidy, easy to use and doesn't get in the way of your other apps and files. (Image credit: Future Publishing)
It’s also a misnomer to think that its size means less complexity. The Surfshark Windows app has 23 buttons, icons and other areas where you can click something. NordVPN’s Windows app also has 23. Proton VPN comes in at a similar 19.
If you want something really stripped back but still nicely put together, then go for ExpressVPN with its 8 – but then that does mean fewer functions at your fingertips. It depends what you’d rather trade off.
Probably the only part of the Windows UX that we find a bit odd is the VPN home page itself, or, more specifically, the information that’s on there. There’s data on connection time, VPN IP address, up and download data so far, what protocol you’re using and whether or not CleanWeb is on.
It’ll also tell you when the kill switch is enabled, but, the strange part is that it says nothing about the kill switch at all when it’s off – and that’s exactly when you need to know about the kill switch: when it’s not protecting you!
Oddly, Android users can tell if it’s off because it’s displayed as a toggle rather than the word On or Off.
Is it a problem? Well, potentially but you can avoid it by making sure your kill switch is activated by default. Otherwise, it would be a concern if your real IP was leaking and you didn’t know about it.
That aside, we really have no complaints to make about how Surshark has put its apps together. They’re easy on the eye and generally a pleasure to use.
Score: 4/5
Accessibility
Middling accessibility score for the Surfshark website.
Average language support.
Extremely poor for keyboard-only use.
Surfshark's accessibility credentials are so-so, at best with both the website and number of languages available in-app about average. Keyboard support is really quite but Siri voice commands for VPN functionality save the day for iOS users.
We used AccessibilityChecker to scan Surfshark’s home page and it came out with a score of 41%. It’s only a single page but it’s a good indicator of what to expect across its website.
That’s a long way behind the likes of Mullvad (89%) and NordVPN (83%), but it still outperformed big names like Proton VPN (35%), ExpressVPN (21%) and Private Internet Access (10%).
The audit report showed that Surfshark’s website passed all navigation tests. It was deemed to have excellent support for screen readers although it didn’t fully support them everywhere.
Read more about Surfshark's accessibility ▼
Equally, the site uses an appropriate color scheme, and text with strong contrast, even though it didn’t match color contrast standards across a few elements.
VPN Accessibility
Accessibility score for the website home page of each VPN
Accessibility score (%)
NordVPN
83
Surfshark
41
ExpressVPN
23
Proton VPN
35
PureVPN
35
Mullvad
89
IPVanish
71
CyberGhost
17
AdGuard VPN
17
PrivadoVPN
10
Hotspot Shield
23
TunnelBear
74
Accessibility score (%) Data
Product
Value (Percentage %)
NordVPN
83
Surfshark
41
ExpressVPN
23
Proton VPN
35
PureVPN
35
Mullvad
89
IPVanish
71
CyberGhost
17
AdGuard VPN
17
PrivadoVPN
10
Hotspot Shield
23
TunnelBear
74
There’s clearly room for improvement here, but this isn’t a bad score. If you’re partially sighted, then, there are better options out there than Surfshark.
Looking at Surfshark’s desktop apps, we found that the Windows application supports 13 languages including common options such as English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional.)
There are 13 languages supported on Surfshark. Not as many as other VPNs and a few key options missing. (Image credit: Future Publishing)
But it’s missing others – Arabic, Norwegian, Swedish, Turkish – and many VPNs provide more. Norton VPN supports 26 languages, for instance, and Proton VPN has 28. So, if you would rather have a VPN that talks your native tongue, you might find more luck elsewhere.
Next we tried ditching our mouse. If a user can’t operate a mouse, they should be able to access every feature of the app from the keyboard. Sadly, Surfshark has extremely poor keyboard support.
Pressing Tab allowed us to move around the window, but in many cases the app didn’t highlight the current element (the button, the list, or whatever else we were accessing), leaving us with no idea where we were.
Language support
Language options available in the Windows apps of each of these VPNs.
no. of languages available
NordVPN
13
Surfshark
13
ExpressVPN
17
Proton VPN
31
PureVPN
12
Mullvad
20
IPVanish
8
Windscribe
20
CyberGhost
12
Private Internet Access
18
010203040
number
no. of languages available Data
Product
Value (number)
NordVPN
13
Surfshark
13
ExpressVPN
17
Proton VPN
31
PureVPN
12
Mullvad
20
IPVanish
8
Windscribe
20
CyberGhost
12
Private Internet Access
18
Even when we could see we had reached an important element, like the location list, it turned out not to be optimized for keyboard use.
For example, PIA’s Windows app allowed us to scroll up and down to highlight a country, and connected as soon as we hit Enter. That’s easy and intuitive, we figured it out right away.
With Surfshark, we could browse up and down the location list with the keyboard, but hitting Enter did nothing. Experimenting, hitting Tab and then Enter allowed us to connect some of the time, but we regularly got lost and had to use our mouse to start again.
Overall, if you need keyboard support then Surfshark’s Windows app isn’t a good choice. Check out PIA instead.
Score: 2/5
Customer support
Surfshark has 24/7 live chat, email and site customer support.
Handy and easy to use on-site knowledge base.
Email support will reply with a solution within 24-hours.
Surfshark offers customer support via a support site, live chat (24/7) and email (24/7).
We test VPN support sites by searching for common technical terms and issues, and exploring what comes up. Surfshark’s support site scores well for its vast number of articles.
When we searched for ‘DNS’, for instance, the site gave us 120 results including plenty of useful guides. That compares to 60 for ExpressVPN, and only 5 for Hotspot Shield (and only one of those was useful for setup or troubleshooting).
The only subject area almost completely absent was P2P and torrenting but perhaps for obvious thorny legal reasons.
Read more about Surfshark customer support ▼
All the help articles we read were well written, clear, nicely laid-out and very, very non-threatening.
Most Surfshark support users won't need the search, though, because the site is very well organised.
It displays links to its most important articles on the front page, grouped into topics such as ‘Getting Started’, ‘Fixing Issues’, ‘Billing’ and ‘Account’. It’s likely that many visitors will find the article they need in a couple of clicks.
We noticed that some of the support articles were a little out-of-date. Screenshots didn’t always match the latest version of the app, for instance. But that’s not unusual with VPNs that have a large number of articles, and we didn’t spot any guides where this genuinely had a significant negative result, like telling us to take an action which was no longer possible, for instance.
More to the point, all the articles we read were well written, clear, nicely laid-out and very, very non-threatening. Most people will feel confident of following the advice of this resource and rightly so.
Surfshark’s live chat appears to be well staffed. We were able to talk to helpful agents within a couple of minutes of opening a session. Getting some information about how to set the VPN up for P2P seemed like a good idea and the online agent did not let us down.
Surfshark’s live chat appears to be well staffed, and we were able to talk to helpful agents within a couple of minutes.
They said that all of their servers were fit to use for P2P, they suggested OpenVPN, with UDP for better speeds, and to make sure we had the kill switch on. All pretty sage stuff. And the whole chat took less than 5 minutes once we’d gone through a couple of layers of AI bot automation.
Email support isn’t as speedy. Proton VPN replied to a test question in minutes during its last review; Surfshark says it will reply in 24 hours, and our 21-hour wait suggests that’s about right.
Our reply was short, but friendly, accurate, and with an invitation to keep asking if we needed more help, and that earns a thumbs up from us.
Score: 4/5
User reviews
Like all user reviews, you should take Surfshark's scores on the Trustpilot and the mobile app stores with a pinch of salt, but they do paint the picture of a VPN that you can trust.
Across Google Play and the Apple App Store, it holds ratings on par with the very top VPNs. It's 4.4/5 Trustpilot rating is based on over 27,000 reviews. Around 9% of those are 1-star reviews.
Read them and you'll most find that they're complaints over the auto-renewal system that most VPNs use, and it's easy to make sure that you don't become one of those statistics. You can turn auto-renew off from any point after signing up. Please do it.
Google Play
App Store
Trustpilot
NordVPN
4.6
4.7
4.2
Windscribe
4.6
4.6
4.7
Surfshark
4.6
4.7
4.4
Proton VPN
4.6
4.6
2.0
ExpressVPN
4.7
4.7
4.0
Track record: can you trust Surfshark?
Surfshark has never suffered any hacks or data leaks.
Apps, logging policy and server infrastructure has all been audited.
We'd like to see audits undertaken on an annual basis.
Surfshark has not had to suffer the ignominy of any major hacks or bugs that have gone public, and the NIST Vulnerability Database doesn’t have a single item with the keyword 'Surfshark'. That’s quite unusual.
Proton VPN has three old bugs in the database; ExpressVPN has three; NordVPN also has three old vulnerabilities (all from 2018.) Surfshark does have the advantage of being the youngest of all of these VPNs, though, launched, as it was, in 2018. For the record, Proton VPN is only one year older.
It’s a positive sign that hackers and security researchers haven’t found any major issues in Surfshark’s apps.
The biggest uproar was when the company decided to switch its legal HQ from the British Virgin Islands to the Netherlands.
Surfshark did cause controversy when it added a ‘fake news detector’ feature to its browser extension. The idea was to highlight sources of misinformation, but the feature falsely flagged too many legitimate sites. It also raised a few eyebrows for privacy issues with the idea that this automated feature would decide, on its own, whether a particular source was trustworthy or not. Surfshark removed the feature in 2022 and the company hasn’t tried anything similar since.
Read more about Surfshark's track record▼
For sure, the biggest uproar, though, was when the company decided to switch its legal HQ from the British Virgin Islands to the Netherlands, as we mentioned in the Privacy section of this review.
Audited, but not as well or regularly as Proton VPN
Surfshark has had all the significant parts of its processes and infrastructure audited by third parties over the years but it could do with ramping up the frequency.
Surfshark had its no-logs policy reviewed by Deloitte in 2022. The report was released in January 2023 and agreed that Surfshark’s claims matched its real-life user data procedures. More recently its no-logs claims were audited in June, 2025, and, again, everything was found to be ship shape. (The full report is available to Surfshark users.)
It’s good to see any VPN provider have the courage to put itself through a public audit, but we'd like to see Surfshark do this a little more regularly.
Proton VPN has a no-logs audit every year, and Surfshark needs to do something similar. We’d like to see regular audits of the apps, too.
✅ Anyone looking for cheap VPN: You can get two years of service for less than $70 total and there's a 7-day free trial which means you can try it out for nothing.
✅People who want an antivirus product with their VPN: Surfshark is one of the few VPNs with a full antivirus system. None of NordVPN, Proton VPN nor ExpressVPN offer this. Make sure to sign up to Surfshark One or One+ for antivirus.
✅P2P users looking for a good torrenting VPN: Surfshark gave us fast speeds when torrenting and is very easy to use.
❌ Streamers: Surfshark can certainly unblock most streaming services from abroad but it can be a little fiddly for some important ones like Disney Plus and ITV. NordVPN is better for streaming.
1. NordVPN – from $2.99 per month The best VPN overall and best for streaming If watching geo-blocked streaming services is the main reason you want a VPN, then NordVPN is a better choice than Surfshark. It's our #1 rated VPN overall and unblocked every streaming service in our tests at the first attempt. It's easy to use and excellent at everything else too. The only downside is that it's more expensive than Surfshark but you get what you pay for. Try it for yourself with a 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal
Surfshark FAQs
Does Surfshark have a free trial?
Yes, a free 7-day trial is available to new users signing up to 1 and 2-year contracts for any of Surfshark's plans.
Is Surfshark VPN owned by China?
No. Surfshark was founded in 2018 by Vytautas Kaziukonis. It has offices in Lithuania and Poland, where the company remains today. Surfshark was registered in the British Virgin Islands until 2021 when its legal home was switched to the Netherlands.
Surfshark merged with NordVPN in 2022. The company offices are on the same campus in Vilnius, Lithuania, but remain separate from one another.
Is Surfshark VPN trusted?
Yes. Surfshark operates according to secure and trustworthy VPN practices. It uses a RAM-only server network and has an audited no-logs policy to prove that it does not collect of store user data. Surfshark has never had a hack or data leak. You can read more about this in the Track Record section of this review.
Is Surfshark blocked by Netflix?
No. We were able to access five different global Netflix libraries. These were Japan, USA, Canada, UK and Australia. Surfshark was able to unblock Netflix in these locations at the first time of trying – so without switching to any different servers and without changing any settings. (Read more about it in the Streaming section of this review.) We recommend Surfshark as a good VPN for watching Netflix wherever you go.
What are the downsides of Surfshark?
Even though Surfshark is excellent for unblocking Netflix streams, it's not quite as great for streaming as some other VPNs, such as NordVPN and ExpressVPN.
Is Surfshark legal in the US?
Yes. Surfshark is legal to use in the US and in all other locations where VPN use is not banned. VPN bans exist in countries such as Russia, China, Iran, Turkey, India, Saudi Arabia and a few other places. Find out more about where VPNs are banned.
Surfshark testing methodology
I’ve tested and written about VPNs for over five years. I’ve had Surfshark installed on my Windows PC and my mobile phone during that time along with nine other VPNs. Of those, Surfshark is my go-to VPN for my phone even when I'm not reviewing it.
I like the Android app and I particularly like having my Alternative ID at hand to copy into registration fields when I’m signing up for new sites and services. You can read my thoughts on Alternative ID in the Features section.
I use Surfshark most days and I update this review with my thoughts on the service and new Surfshark features each month. The latest this time is the Web Content Blocker tool which you can read about in the Features section too.
Our VPN test lab is where we put all VPNs through the same battery of tests to ensure a level playing field. Mike has been lab testing VPNs for over 11 years and has developed TechRadar’s VPN testing methodology over that time.
Read more our Surfshark testing methodology ▼
Each VPN is put through full lab testing every six months. As with all the VPNs, Surfshark has been tested for speed, ad-blocking, anti-phasing and malware, streaming service unblocking, local IP address leaks and the server network has been spot-checked to confirm that the VPN server locations are accurate.
As well as this, Surfshark’s privacy and security credentials have been checked in-lab by reading through the company’s privacy policy in detail and by looking through VPN configuration files and monitoring connection logs to ensure that each VPN protocol will operate appropriately.
Surfshark is my go-to VPN for my mobile phone even when I'm not reviewing it.
I have subjectively user tested the rest of Surfshark’s in-app privacy and security features on my own devices in real-world situations – on my mobile connection, on public Wi-Fi and on my home network too. These include Search, Autoconnect, Alert, and Alternative ID. You can read our findings in the Privacy and Security sections.
As with all of our VPN lab tests, Surfshark’s speed testing took place on our cloud PC set-up over a 10 Gbps line. We took 10 measurements from two different server locations (Dublin and Los Angeles) and recorded both local and transatlantic VPN connection speeds. We did this on both WireGuard (for a measure of the fastest speeds) and on OpenVPN (for those who wish to use a more secure connection).
Surfshark apps running on the four major operating systems in the TechRadar VPN lab. (Image credit: Future)
Our final scores are a median average of each set of 10 to avoid any skew from outlier data points. As with all VPN speed testing, it only provides a snapshot in time but, in our experience, it’s representative of average performance.
I’ve added my real-world user experience of Surfshark's speed performance to Mike’s results. You can read about both in the Speed section of this review
Mike tested Surfshark’s CleanWeb tool (anti-phishing and anti-malware) by exposing it to the 100 latest phishing and malware websites and seeing what percentage of these it could detect and block. You can see results in the Security section where I’ve added my thoughts on what it’s like to browse websites using CleanWeb, whether it makes a difference to the number of ads seen on pages, and whether it was able to reduce cookie consent pop-ups.
To test streaming service unblocking, Mike built a tool to sequentially run through a series of streaming platforms, as accessed from a different set of global locations. These include Netflix access to content libraries in Japan, the US, UK, Australia and Canada, access to Prime Video, Disney Plus, and local free streaming services such as BBC iPlayer, ITV, Channel 4, 10Play, 9Now and more.
The streaming tool checks whether or not Surfshark is able to access these services from abroad. If it fails, we try to access these services using different servers or by making tweaks to Surfshark’s set-up. For us, there’s a big difference in usability between a VPN that we need to tweak and one which will offer access first time.
Surfshark has been tested for speed, ad-blocking, anti-phasing and malware, streaming service unblocking, local IP address leaks and the server network has been spot-checked
I do a lot of streaming from abroad using VPNs – particularly with services such as Peacock, Sling and FuboTV. I regularly use Surfshark on my Windows PC for this. You can read my thoughts about Surfshark’s streaming quality and consistency, as well as Mike’s lab results, in the Streaming section of this review.
Finally, and certainly not least for the lab testing, is kill switches. This is arguably the most important feature we test in the lab. Mike sets up software to record the reported IP address of his test devices and switches on the VPN. He then performs a series of ways to break the VPN’s operation and checks that the kill switch kicks in without registering any leaks of the lab’s actual IP address.
The last port of call in our Surfshark testing was to test out its customer support. Mike puts his VPN knowledge to some pretty fiendish use and approaches live chat and email support with a complicated but not impossible technical query. You can see how Surfshark did in our Customer Support section.
This review has been fact checked across the VPN team, as well as with information provided by Surfshark. We update this review each month to include any new Surfshark features, or information about the product, to make sure that what you’re reading is 100% up to date and as you would find the product if you downloaded and used it today.
If you notice anything in your experience of using Surfshark that does not tally with what you read on this page, please let us know in the comments, or by emailing us direct, and we will endeavour to provide you with product support information or include corrections and warnings to other users, depending on which is appropriate.
Top notch features, watertight security, and the best streaming performance out there by a distance all solidify NordVPN as the best VPN available right now. Read more ▼
Price plans & value
8 / 10
Despite its hefty price rises, NordVPN's array of plans and features give you more than enough value no matter your choice. Read more ▼
Features
10 / 10
NordVPN is set apart by some of its unique features. Meshnet is something offered by no other VPN, Threat Protection Pro is the best of any similar product offered, and NordPass is the best password manager out there. Plus, there's a whole bunch more Read more ▼
Server network
10 / 10
NordVPN's server network is unmatched. While some providers offer more locations in specific regions, no-one is as well spread as NordVPN is. Read more ▼
Privacy
10 / 10
Based in Panama, with an airtight, audited no-logs policy, secure, proprietary protocols, and a host of privacy-focused settings, you can't dislike NordVPN in this regard. Read more ▼
Read all of NordVPN's review scores ▼
Security
10 / 10
NordVPN scores top marks here thanks to its commitments both now and in the future. Threat Protection Pro is top notch, post-quantum encryption is already in place, and it has top-grade encryption for the current generation too. Read more ▼
Speed
9 / 10
Good speeds, superb latency and jitter, a top performer all-around for whatever your needs are. Read more ▼
Unblocking streams
10 / 10
NordVPN performed flawlessly in our unblocking tests. Zero issues, zero blocks, on every service, top marks! Read more ▼
P2P & Torrenting
4 / 5
Despite not offering port-forwarding, NordVPN offers near complete P2P optimization coverage on its servers and offers a suite of guides to help users get going if they need them, Read more ▼
Apps & Compatibility
4 / 5
NordVPN has apps for every platform, which all look great and work flawlessly no matter your device. Its only limitation is its feature imparity across platforms which, while improved in recent years, still has room for improvement. Read more ▼
Usability
5 / 5
Dropping the interactive map and honing in on quick access to tools has made NordVPNs apps easy to use no matter your VPN experience, plus the experience is near identical everywhere. Read more ▼
Accessibility
2 / 5
NordVPN's accessibility is good enough but by no means perfect. It has an average spread of languages, some amount of keyboard support, and some contrast issues. But, for the most part it comfortably among the most accessible VPNs. Read more ▼
Customer support
4 / 5
NordVPN's customer support is among the best available. Several options to find a solution, responsive live chat, and well considered conversations with email agents all help a user greatly. Its only area for improvement is usability in terms of its FAQ navigation. Read more ▼
Track record
4 / 5
NordVPN for the most part has a shiny clean track record to be admired. However a breach in 2019 and its ongoing legal battles surround auto-renewals leaves a level of doubt available for some. Read more ▼
NordVPN price plans
Prices start from $2.99 per month with NordVPN Basic.
NordVPN Plus offers the best value balance of features and price.
Auto-renew fees are eye-watering – remember to opt-out, please.
NordVPN is a relatively expensive product – pricier than the like Surfshark and PIA, but similar to ExpressVPN and Proton VPN – but it's very much worth the extra spend.
NordVPN’s price plan structure varies depending on the country you reside in. Most countries get 3 or 4 plans to choose from. Basic and Plus are standard across all nations; it’s the upper-tier plan options that differ.
Read more about NordVPN's price plans ▼
In the US, for example, you can also choose either Complete or Prime. Canadians have the choice of Complete and Ultra. Folks in the UK only get Ultimate, and Australia only gets Complete. It can be quite confusing.
What isn't confusing, however, is the device limit. NordVPN offers 10 simultaneous connections, much like Proton VPN and ExpressVPN, regardless of which region you pick up a plan from.
Thankfully, no matter your region, you can only choose between three plan lengths: 1-month, 12 months, and 24 months. What’s more, no matter the plan, you pay for the total duration upfront, as with any VPN. This means that while NordVPN’s price per month starts from $2.99 a month, you’d pay around $80.73 upfront rather than a traditional monthly fee.
Something you should consider with NordVPN’s pricing is that, unlike many other VPN companies, NordVPN adds local tax to the advertised pricing. So, it can come off a little more expensive than you think once you get to checkout.
It's also worth noting that NordVPN's pricing will fluctuate throughout the year. NordVPN Basic, for example, can be anywhere between $2.99 – $3.39 per month. Black Friday is usually the best time to buy.
The total prices you face emphasize the importance of choosing a plan you'll make the most of. The $50-plus jump between the Complete and Prime 2-year plans is a big one. The only difference between the two is the NordProtect cyber-insurance service. So, make sure that's something you really need if you're going for Prime.
The $25 jump from Basic to Plus, however, is arguably among the best value choices available. Basic doesn't offer much beyond the VPN product itself, as we'll cover in the features section, whereas Plus provides some of the most useful additional features of NordVPN such as the excellent Threat Protection Pro.
And if you really do want that 1 TB of encrypted storage, then an extra $27 for NordVPN Complete is a good idea.
Do beware, though, and we cannot stress this enough, that NordVPN enforces some big price hikes after your two-year plan discount runs out. You can avoid it by remembering to cancel your subscription or by resubscribing. Just don't let it automatically renew. It's very easily done given customers are opted-in by default.
If these prices prove anything, it's that the first thing you should do after signing up is turn off auto renewals.
Score: 8/10
Features: What can NordVPN do?
NordVPN Basic and Plus plans are the same across the world.
Full NordProtect cyber-insurance only available in the US.
NordPass password manager included with all plans apart from Basic.
NordVPN Basic
The Basic plan from NordVPN does exactly what the name suggests. The main feature is the VPN product itself and not too much more. It's the same full VPN software as available on all NordVPN plans.
Threat Protection on NordVPN Basic plans works by filtering your online traffic through NordVPN’s DNS servers to block ads and malicious sites.
It’s nowhere near as effective at blocking malicious sites as Threat Protection Pro, though you get a respectable level of ad-blocking capability no matter which version you have.
All of the best features available with NordVPN can be swiftly accessed via its redesigned home screen. (Image credit: Future)
NordVPN Plus
Read more about NordVPN features ▼
The Plus plan is my favorite NordVPN plan. Available in any region, it strikes a good balance between value and power by incorporating what I think are NordVPN’s most essential tools and features.
Most notably, you’re given Threat Protection Pro. This takes the Basic plan’s Threat Protection package up a notch by adding malware protection via file scanning, improving ad-blocking capabilities (including the addition of tracker blocking), and introducing further measures to protect against phishing and other malicious websites.
Threat Protection Pro is an effective protective solution, even if you can only access it on desktop at the time of writing. (Image credit: Future)
Unfortunately, these improvements can only be seen on NordVPN’s desktop apps, which is great if your home PC is the device you’re most concerned about, but leaves you short-changed across all of your mobile devices.
This is especially unfortunate since Surfshark, for example, offers its complete protective toolkit for mobile too – including antivirus on Android, which NordVPN doesn’t have whatsoever.
Something included across almost any device, however, is NordPass. We rate NordPass as the best password manager available right now, so getting it thrown in alongside your VPN package is some serious value.
It’s compatible across all major desktop operating systems, as well as popular web browsers such as Chrome, Brave, Firefox, Edge, and Opera, and of course, iOS and Android mobile devices.
NordPass encrypts your passwords using XChaCha20 but also secures password generation, passkey support, and easy synchronization of data between platforms, so you’re never stuck without the details you need.
What's more, you can use NordPass' data breach scanning – which is traditionally kept for premium NordPass plans. That said, we found it only worked through the NordVPN app, which could be confusing if you're using it alongside NordPass.
NordVPN Complete
Entering the upper echelons of NordVPN is where things get complex since, as mentioned, no one country gets the same premium plans. For the moment, we’ll stick with what the US gets.
NordVPN Complete adds one feature to the spread offered by a Plus Plan: 1 TB of end-to-end encrypted storage. For an extra dollar a month, that may initially seem to be a great deal, but first, consider whether the added storage is actually going to be used.
If, like me, you’ve already pushed the limits of your free storage allowances on systems like Google and iCloud, then maybe it will, but will the added storage outweigh the convenience these services offer? The value for money for that 1 TB of storage is good, but, if you won’t use it, why pay more?
In terms of the value, it’s definitely worth mentioning that among the top VPN providers, only Proton VPN currently offers encrypted storage with any of its packages.
Though to get 500 GB of storage with Proton, you pay $3 per month more than you’d pay for a NordVPN Complete plan. And that makes NordVPN Complete comparatively better value if storage with your VPN is a priority.
NordVPN Prime
Much like Complete, Prime only brings one new thing to the party, though this time it’s a biggie – NordProtect.
NordProtect is an all-in-one package aimed at protecting your identity at all costs. Firstly, Dark Web Monitoring searches for your social security number, phone number, and email on the dark web 24/7, with immediate notifications should anything be found.
Your credit card also gets similar protection. 1-Bureau credit monitoring notifies you about changes, including inquiries into your credit file, new accounts, and unauthorized use. You can also make use of VantageScore credit scoring, should you wish for insights into how to improve your credit.
TransUnion, the company behind VantageScore, also provides credit freeze assistance as part of NordProtect. This not only helps to prevent credit card fraud, but also ensures your credit score isn’t impacted if you fall victim to it.
If that wasn’t enough, you’re also provided with identity theft insurance up to $1M in coverage, and cyber extortion insurance up to $100K in coverage.
All this protection does come at a hefty cost, however, as Prime Plans start from $6.99 per month on the two-year plan.
That takes your total payment to $50 more than Complete, and your cost on renewal rises to around $340 before tax. So, make sure you really need NordProtect before signing up.
A surprising omission from almost all NordVPN plans worldwide is Incogni. Developed by Nord Security, NordVPN and Surfshark’s parent company, Incogni is a data removal tool that removes your personal information from company databases and people search sites, helping reduce the risk of scams, fraud, and identity theft.
Only Canada’s Ultra plan includes Incogni. Though, much like the US Prime plan, you’ll be forking out a fair sum for it, with prices starting from CA$8.19 per month.
If there’s one constant piece of advice we can give about picking a NordVPN plan, it’s this: know what you want. They all offer value, but only if you actually use the features you're buying.
Score: 10/10
Server network and locations
Most countries covered of any tested VPN (127).
Second most locations overall (after ExpressVPN) with 165.
Approximately 8,000-strong network of RAM-only servers.
NordVPN offers the largest selection of server locations of any VPN we test. While ExpressVPN's 187 locations beat NordVPN's 165, no one beats NordVPN’s 127 countries.
The spread of these locations also earns it top marks. 39 locations in North America is only beaten by PIA (60) and ExpressVPN (70), 53 locations in Europe is only usurped by ExpressVPN (58) and Surfshark (54), and 17 locations in Africa is only topped by Proton’s 26.
NordVPN is top or among the top two VPNs in South America, Asia, and Oceania, with 10, 38, and 8 locations, respectively.
Much like other top VPNs, NordVPN’s network runs on RAM-only servers. This is now reasonably standard practice, since RAM-only servers not only ensure no user data is accidentally stored (since they wipe on reboot) but they are also more efficient in terms of speed, latency, and power consumption.
Read more about NordVPN's server network ▼
This ensures the servers are capable of handling NordVPN’s various server uses, be that P2P, multi-hop, or Meshnet, without noticeable drops in performance.
Earlier in 2025, NordVPN threw a challenge to the VPN industry, claiming that the exact number of servers across its locations isn’t important. This means we no longer have a precise figure to use to compare NordVPN with its competitors.
NordVPN
Surfshark
ExpressVPN
PIA
North America
39
32
40
60
South America
10
10
9
9
Europe
53
54
58
46
Asia
38
32
36
25
Oceania
8
6
8
7
Africa
17
6
8
5
Surfshark, a VPN also owned by Nord Security, uses around 4,500 servers currently, while Proton VPN uses over 15,000. Our latest research suggests NordVPN's figure is somewhere over 8,000 servers, which is above average, but by no means the most.
Realistically, however, we rarely see VPN servers reach absolute maximum load, and, frankly, with the spread of locations NordVPN has, you'll never be short of another place to connect to. There's really nothing we can complain about here, loads of locations, RAM-only servers, top marks!
Score: 10/10
Privacy
Strong, privacy-focused protocol choices – NordLynx and NordWhisper
Double VPN and Onion over VPN boost privacy and anonymity
Tapjacking protection is a handy bonus for Android users
That depth doesn't make for good casual reading but it does successfully cover every important topic, and in enough detail that we’re comfortable with saying that nothing is amiss.
The closest NordVPN comes to recording data is its enforcement of the 10 device limit. As it explains, username and timestamp information is “used to limit the amount of concurrent active user sessions and is automatically deleted within 15 minutes after a session is terminated”.
Introduced in January 2025, the protocol is based on the Tor Project’s WebTunnel technology. It wraps your encrypted VPN traffic in a standard HTTPS connection to hide it from detection. This disguises it as standard web traffic and makes NordWhisper especially effective in regions of high internet censorship and places where people found to be using VPNs can be punished.
For everyday connectivity, you’re not short of options either. OpenVPN is available in both its TCP and UDP forms. The former provides a more stable, reliable connection for emailing, browsing, and the like. The latter is more focused towards speed for gaming, streaming, or similar.
Alongside this, you also get NordVPN’s other proprietary protocol, NordLynx. NordLynx uses a ‘double NAT’ system to remove privacy vulnerabilities you’d be at risk of by using traditional WireGuard.
By combining double NAT technology and WireGuard, NordLynx allows you to experience the speed benefits of WireGuard, without any identifiable information being stored, even temporarily, in a server.
NordVPN's privacy and no-logs policies can be easily accessed via the NordVPN website. (Image credit: Future)
NordLynx is also NordVPN’s first post-quantum encrypted VPN protocol. It ensures that your data remains secure even once quantum computing arrives with its enormous boost in code-cracking, number crunching power.
NordVPN has chosen to use ML-KEM, an approved quantum-resistant cryptographic standard, with NordLynx.
NordVPN’s use of RAM-only servers helps too. Since RAM-only servers don’t store any data permanently. That means you’re never at risk of being personally identifiable should Nord’s servers be seized, since there’s no data to be found.
Connecting to NordVPN offers several privacy-centric options. Double VPN works as the name suggests, routing your connection through two VPN servers rather than one. In other words, your data is encrypted twice.
That makes your connection twice as difficult for cybercriminals to crack, your IP address is further protected (since the second server doesn’t have any information about it), and your ISP knows nothing about where you end up on the web.
This makes Double VPN perfect for those needing greater protection in regions where governments attempt to intercept messages or surveil online activities.
NordVPN currently offers 12 Double VPN locations, including 2 locations in the US and Canada. This is far fewer than the likes of Proton VPN and Surfshark.
Proton VPN offers 64 locations that utilize its Secure Core technology, while Surfshark’s Nexus network allows you to make any two server connections you want from its entire server network.
NordVPN's selection of server types can be quickly accessed whether you're on mobile or desktop. (Image credit: Future)
Another option for concealing your VPN connection is NordVPN’s obfuscated servers. These servers differ from NordVPN’s NordWhisper protocol as they obfuscate your connection via more traditional means – for example, hiding certain data packets using additional SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption.
It makes your internet connection faster, due to the simpler obfuscation methods being used, but you are more likely to be detected by anti-VPN technologies than if using NordWhisper.
If you’re looking to access the darker corners of the web securely, NordVPN also offers Onion Over VPN connections. Available via its Amsterdam, Stockholm, and Zurich server locations. This connection routes your traffic through both a VPN server and the Tor Network.
As a result, since the Tor Network’s servers are volunteer-operated, you are secured by a VPN before entering it in case a bad actor has planted servers intent on tracking your online activity and stealing your data. This added security when using Tor is something only offered by a few top VPNs, the most notable of which are NordVPN and Proton VPN.
Depending on the platform you’re using, NordVPN also offers several handy privacy settings you can use to further affirm your privacy. Android users get arguably the biggest spread. Notably, NordVPN’s ‘Tapjacking protection’ is something you won’t find on any other NordVPN platform, or offered by any other VPN for that matter.
The system aims to protect users against malicious overlays and is as simple to use as toggling on and forgetting about it. Having had the protection turned on for a matter of months now, I can comfortably say I've never found an instance where an overlay has slipped through the net, and I've never noticed it adding unwanted strain to my phone’s performance either.
Score: 10/10
Security
Strong encryption and post-quantum encryption standards already live.
Threat Protection Pro performs well against malware and phishing sites
Lots of options for granular security customization.
NordVPN’s security is top-notch.
We tested its claims of strong AES-256-GCM encryption on OpenVPN using a 4096-bit Diffie-Hellman key, and we saw exactly that. Our tests registered AES-256-GCM-SHA384 encryption with 4096-bit certification using TLS 1.3. This makes NordVPN’s OpenVPN protocol as secure as possible, ensuring you needn’t worry about your connection, no matter your location.
On NordLynx, you’re similarly protected. Since the protocol is based on WireGuard, it uses the same ChaCha20 encryption you’d expect to see, using Poly1305 for authentication. This means you’re using the latest and greatest encryption capabilities across both of NordVPN’s primary protocols.
Post-quantum encryption has also already reached NordVPN. While providers such as Proton VPN and Surfshark are yet to implement it or are in the early stages, NordLynx is already post-quantum ready, with the future-proof encryption method available at the switch of a toggle.
OpenVPN and NordWhisper aren’t post-quantum-equipped quite yet. It's worth knowing that if you turn on post-quantum encryption, it'll turn itself off if your automatically selected protocol isn't NordLynx. This can be fixed in a matter of clicks by turning automatic protocol choosing off, instead selecting to always use NordLynx
You also won’t be post-quantum-protected when using Meshnet or NordVPN’s obfuscated server connection; the same goes if you add a dedicated IP to your plan.
If you’ve turned on post-quantum encryption before using Meshnet, beware that this automatically turns Meshnet off, making you choose between your secure local network and a super-secure VPN connection.
Meshnet is a superb, unique NordVPN feature, though it doesn't benefit from post-quantum encryption as yet. (Image credit: Future)
NordVPN also, of course, a more standard suite or security options in place.
Auto-connect jumps straight to mind, since you can fully customize exactly when and how NordVPN auto-connects you to a server.
It covers both the server type, and the instances in which it connects. This includes options for Double VPN, Obfuscated, Onion-Over, and P2P servers, and connecting when on Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or mobile networks. You can even create lists of trusted networks that are excluded from auto-connect parameters.
I use this kind of customization to make sure that I'm always protected and I particularly like it to my ensure my connection on-the-go.
If you want to continue the granular levels of security tailoring, you can also control the DNS server address you connect to, your visibility over LAN, and, on desktops, whether your computer can still be accessed remotely when connected. It’s worth noting, with LAN invisibility especially, toggling these settings can impact performance.
For example, with LAN invisibility turned on, iPhone, iPad, and Mac users won’t be able to use AirDrop. You may also experience significant performance impacts due to how Apple integrates the relevant API parameters in its hardware. If you want to know more, NordVPN released a complete breakdown you can read here.
Something that continues to impress is NordVPN’s kill switch. It's often the downfall of less secure VPN providers. In our security testing, a kill switch is key to ensuring your connection is never inadvertently exposed to bad actors, governments and the like.
We tried to break NordVPN’s kill switch in various ways, including uninstalling NordVPN’s network adapter driver while connected. Not only did NordVPN disconnect us successfully without any IP leaks, but it recognized the issue, reinstalled and activated the driver, and reconnected us, all within seconds.
NordVPN has an array of effective security settings, which can all be found in one place whether you're on desktop or mobile. (Image credit: Future)
If we could wish for one thing to improve NordVPN’s kill switch, it would be moving away from the native kill switch system on Android devices.
Across all platforms aside from Android, you can turn the kill switch on and off as you please. On Android, the native kill switch forces you to use the VPN at all times and disconnects you completely from the internet should the connection fail.
While this is super-secure, it’s frustrating should you only require a VPN connection in certain situations.
Something we’ll cover in more depth in the compatibility section is NordVPN’s feature parity across platforms. Split tunneling, another of NordVPN’s security capabilities, is a notable victim of some of NordVPN’s variations by device.
Windows users can create either a list of apps that must use the VPN or a list of apps that must not. Android users can only choose which apps won't use the VPN, and Mac and iOS users don’t get split tunneling at all – though this is reasonably common among VPNs owing to the security systems in place on Apple devices.
Our testing showed no reason to doubt NordVPN’s split tunneling capabilities, though it would be great to see its Android apps gain the same capabilities as Windows. Lacking the choice in this way puts NordVPN behind the likes of Surfshark and Proton VPN, which offer both choices on their Android apps.
We’ve mentioned NordWhisper already, but NordVPN also offers traditional obfuscated servers too. This is helpful since, at the time of writing, NordWhisper isn’t quite available on all platforms as yet – though Windows, Android, Linux, Mac, and iOS all have it already.
These servers, however, have one big problem: accessibility. Not only does NordVPN only offer obfuscated servers in 16 of its 127 countries, but also, depending on the app and protocol you’re using, you may not even see the option. NordVPN’s obfuscated servers only work over OpenVPN, which is understandable given the added security it brings, even if at a huge speed deficit, but if you’ve not manually selected OpenVPN as your protocol choice, your app may not show them.
Our testing on Apple devices showed the option simply doesn’t exist in the app unless you go into your settings and change to OpenVPN.
Windows and Android users don’t face the same issue. The option appears in the ‘Specialty Server’ section, no matter the protocol chosen, which makes much more sense and begs the question of why it isn’t this simple across all devices.
What’s more, the lack of locations means those in regions distant from a server will face even greater performance drops than you’d expect anyway from obfuscated servers.
Another feature lacking in locations is NordVPN’s Onion-over VPN capabilities, though in this instance, this is less of a problem since many providers don’t offer this at all. Onion-over VPN allows you to connect to sites on the Tor Network while secured by a VPN connection, something only offered by Proton VPN among other top VPN providers. In NordVPN’s case, it offers three countries to connect to: the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland.
By comparison, Proton’s six locations include Sweden and Switzerland, but the additions of France, Germany, Hong Kong, and the US give the VPN provider not only wider EU coverage but broader coverage worldwide.
As with any VPN connection, reduced locations often mean worse speeds, either due to distance to the server or the load the server is under, and NordVPN’s Onion-over VPN servers prove no different.
Onion-over VPN connections (otherwise called Tor-over VPN) always require greater processing. That makes a dent on performance straight away, no matter the location, but the 741 Kbps download speeds we saw in testing demonstrate just how limited you can be, yes, that was Kbps by the way!
Finally, Double VPN. This is NordVPN’s version of a multi-hop connection, though its simpler than some competitor alternatives. This is because NordVPN doesn’t allow you to choose your entry and exit server, unlike Surfshark.
Even Proton, whose Secure Core Technology limits the choices you have, gives users a few choices. We won’t directly compare NordVPN and Surfshark here, since Surfshark’s Nexus technology gives users complete freedom to multi-hop between every Surfshark server, something no other VPN provider offers.
Outside of the VPN itself, NordVPN also offers Threat Protection and Threat Protection Pro. As mentioned already, Threat Protection only works at a DNS level to filter out ads and malicious websites.
This means it doesn’t offer much from a security standpoint, though we can’t fault it as a nice addition to the Basic plan, especially given the popularity of effective ad-blocking.
Threat Protection Pro works at a deeper level, protecting your desktop devices from phishing and malicious URLs, as well as ads and trackers. It can even scan for and block malicious downloads.
While this is nice, there are several downsides. Firstly, Threat Protection Pro isn’t actually an antivirus. It can’t scan files already on your computer for malware, nor can it remove them. Secondly, the full Threat Protection Pro suite is only available on desktop devices, while mobile users only get Threat Protection.
That limitation puts NordVPN behind Surfshark here. Surfshark includes a full antivirus with its Surfshark One plan – and it works on mobile as well as desktop.
That said, you can’t fault Threat Protection Pro’s results.
Phishing Sites Blocked
Malware Sites Blocked
Ads blocked
NordVPN (Threat Protection Pro)
91%
86%
54%
Proton VPN
88%
0%
88%
ExpressVPN
76%
0%
86%
Surfshark
38%
68%
50%
We tested Threat Protection Pro against 50 brand-new malware-hosting and phishing pages, and it was the top-performing software of anything similar we tested among VPNs. It blocked 91% of phishing sites and 86% of malware sites.
By comparison, Surfshark Antivirus achieved only 38% and 68% in these same tests, putting a stretch ahead.
While these results do impress when compared to VPNs, a dedicated antivirus software performs far better than even Threat Protection Pro.
The likes of Avast, McAfee, and Kaspersky achieved over90% success in phishing protection tests carried out by AV-Comparatives in 2024. This is why we normally recommend picking up one of the best antivirus software in addition to your VPN of choice.
Score: 10/10
Speed
NordVPN is still among the fastest VPNs using WireGuard.
Minimal latency and jitter make the best VPN for gamers.
Struggled over OpenVPN in latest speed tests.
We recently widened our testing parameters to involve more data points and a 10 Gbps maximum speed capacity on our VPN test lab.
Despite its speeds over NordLynx jumping from 901 Mbps to 1256 Mbps this time round, these speeds still put NordVPN fourth on our list – beaten by Proton VPN and Surfshark using WireGuard and ExpressVPN’s Lightway Turbo protocol.
Which VPN is the fastest?
We've compared the fastest speeds achieved by every VPN – these are the best
Fastest VPN protocol speed
NordVPN (NordLynx)
1256
Surfshark (WireGuard)
1615
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
1521
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
1479
05001,0001,5002,000
Mbps
Fastest VPN protocol speed Data
Product
Value (Mbps)
NordVPN (NordLynx)
1256
Surfshark (WireGuard)
1615
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
1521
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
1479
Take ExpressVPN’s results with a pinch of salt, though, since Lightway Turbo is only available on its Windows app, and ExpressVPN has warned that it might cause issues with some websites and games.
None of that is true for NordLynx and, although Lightway Turbo’s 1479 Mbps speeds put it a margin ahead of NordLynx on paper, most users won’t see this difference in day-to-day usage.
Instead, you’ll likely benefit more from the added compatibility of NordLynx.
Read more about NordVPN's performance ▼
NordLynx’s results do, however, put it among the best VPN protocols for gamers, since in our testing, it recorded only 7.2ms latency and 2.4ms jitter when connected to our nearest server.
High latency results in laggy gameplay, and high jitter can lead to unstable gameplay and stuttering, so recording latency and jitter at low result is key when choosing the best gaming VPN.
NordVPN is bested for latency only by ExpressVPN's Lightway Turbo, and, along with Surfshark, it's the best for jitter among the top VPNs. Across the board, it's NordVPN that we recommend for gamers.
Gaming VPNs comparison
Latency and jitter are two key measures when considering VPNs for gaming. Here's how the very best VPNs stack up right now
Latency comparison
NordVPN (NordLynx)
17.2
Surfshark (WireGuard)
21.7
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
21.7
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
14.8
07.51522.530
ms
Latency comparison Data
Product
Value (ms)
NordVPN (NordLynx)
17.2
Surfshark (WireGuard)
21.7
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
21.7
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
14.8
NordVPN (NordLynx)
2.4
Surfshark (WireGuard)
2.3
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
5.2
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
5.3
01.534.56
ms
Jitter comparison Data
Product
Value (ms)
NordVPN (NordLynx)
2.4
Surfshark (WireGuard)
2.3
Proton VPN (WireGuard)
5.2
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
5.3
1 of 2
Connecting to US NordVPN servers from the UK proved less effective. NordLynx achieved only 857 Mbps when connecting across the Pond. This makes it around 400 Mbps slower than Proton VPN in this scenario (which achieved 1242 Mbps), and over 500 Mbps slower than ExpressVPN’s Lightway Turbo, which managed 1374 Mbps. Only Surfshark proved slower with lowly 355 Mbps.
NordVPN did still hold up well for latency and jitter over long distance, proving, again, that it's a great gaming VPN choice – perfect, in this instance for avoiding unwanted lag while connecting to servers abroad for gaming, streaming, or other high-intensity tasks.
It was also great to see NordLynx's results become far more consistent, having been notably irregular last time round.
The figurehead speeds we mention in our reviews come from a series of tests taken in the morning and evening that we then take an average of, and this time round, these results bore far more similarities to each other than previously.
Our last round of testing saw NordLynx drop around 500 Mbps of average speed from morning to evening. This time around, our results ranged only by 200 Mbps – a big improvement in the consistency you can expect. The same was true for our US testing, where the variation dropped to only around 80 Mbps.
And the improvements don't stop there. NordVPN's OpenVPN performance had previously been cause for concern, but has now risen to become a top performer. Registering 974 Mbps in our latest testing, only Surfshark (978 Mbps) and ExpressVPN (1038 Mbps) beat it. Proton saw the big drop this time around, with only 240 Mbps.
This improvement is key if you're after OpenVPN for its greater stability over NordLynx, or its router VPN capabilities (since many work best using OpenVPN).
Again, though, while Surfshark and ExpressVPN are fractionally quicker in this sense, in real world scenarios you may rarely notice this difference.
Score: 9/10
Unblocking streaming services
The only VPN to unblock every streaming service we tested first time.
Never encountered unwanted CAPTCHAs, VPN detection, or dropouts.
All servers are streaming optimized.
NordVPN was the clear winner in our latest unblocking testing. It was the only VPN that successfully unblock every streaming service we tested.
We test Netflix, across the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan, Prime Video, Disney+, and YouTube. We also tested NordVPN at unblocking local free streaming services, including BBC iPlayer, ITVX, C4, 9Now, and 10Play.
All of these services proved no trouble. We never encountered VPN detection, unwanted CAPTCHAs during login, or any dreadful lag, buffering or connection dropouts to ruin our streaming experience with NordVPN. This was the same whether we were attempting to watch something live or catching up on demand.
Read more about NordVPN's unblocking capabilities ▼
For comparison, both Surfshark and ExpressVPN suffered issues accessing US YouTube. The former was completely unsuccessful, even after some tinkering.
Proton VPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark all struggled with 10 Play. Proton was completely unsuccessful. Channel 4 also proved tricky for both Surfshark and Proton VPN, though both resolved the issues after some settings changes.
What was even more impressive was the lack of impact of NordVPN's Threat Protection Pro ad-blocker. Normally, we find that the ad-blockers of VPN services disrupted the streaming capabilities of local, ad-based services like Channel 4 and ITV, but we saw no such issues with NordVPN. The same cannot be said of Proton VPM and Surfshark.
NordVPN never found itself unable to load services due to their advert reel requirements, even when connecting to ad-based services abroad, such as Peacock. Top marks.
Something certainly playing into this success is that all of NordVPN’s servers are streaming-optimized. This move not only means you never have to scroll through to find those with the correct optimization, but it also means you’re never short of another server to connect to if one struggles to connect to the streaming service you’re trying to access.
Score: 10/10
P2P and torrenting
Most servers are P2P optimized.
Lots of guides to help beginners get started.
No port forwarding support.
Nothing summarizes NordVPN’s torrenting capabilities more than the fact that all but four of its countries offer P2P-optimized servers – sorry to those looking to torrent connected to Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, and North Macedonia!
What’s more, finding the server you need is super simple. NordVPN’s P2P-optimized locations can be found in its Specialized Servers section on any app, and you even get the option to quickly connect to the fastest server if you’re not after somewhere specific and would rather sheer performance.
Thankfully, NordVPN’s speed capabilities mean your torrenting experience is likely to be more limited by your peers than your VPN. What’s more, its security measures meant we never found ourselves receiving warnings from our ISP when testing its capabilities with uTorrent, no matter if we were using NordLynx or OpenVPN.
As is standard among top VPNs, NordVPN doesn’t support port forwarding due to the security risks posed. A full blog article outlines their reasons for this, which you can read here.
If you’re new to torrenting, it’s also great to see NordVPN has a whole variety of guides for setting up proxies with popular torrenting services, including BitTorrent, uTorrent, and qBittorrent. They’re easy to digest and come with all the information you need packed in, too.
Score: 4/5
Compatibility
Apps for every platform – including Linux GUI and routers.
A similar look across almost every app.
No Threat Protection Pro on mobile.
NordVPN has apps across every platform out there, including a GUI Linux VPN and router VPN capabilities, alongside the expected web extensions and smart TV apps.
The majority of NordVPN's apps share a similar feel and consequently enough regularity that the features you can access will be found where you’d expect them. Smart TVs are, as expected with most VPNs, the platform with the most differentiation in layout, but that change brings added simplicity and makes it easy to use.
Windows
Mac
iOS
Android
Protocols
NordLynx, NordWhisper, OpenVPN (TCP and UDP)
NordLynx, NordWhisper, OpenVPN (TCP and UDP)
NordLynx, NordWhisper, OpenVPN (TCP and UDP)
NordLynx, NordWhisper, OpenVPN (TCP and UDP)
Kill switch
3-mode kill switch including VPN and application specific settings
Application-level kill switch
VPN connection failure killswitch
Android-native kill switch only
Split tunnelling
Disable or Enable based split tunnelling
❌
❌
Disable only
Auto-connect
WiFi, ethernet, or mobile network settings. Plus custom or fastest location choice
Can be set to auto connect when using untrusted WiFi networks. Plus location choice
Can be set up for all networks, no networks, or WiFi only. Plus location choice
All networks, Wifi, or mobile networks settings. Plus location choice
Threat Protection Pro
✅
✅
Basic Threat Protection only
Basic Threat Protection only
Read more about NordVPN's compatibility ▼
I mentioned already that NordVPN isn’t stellar in terms of its feature-parity across platforms, but for the most part, NordVPN’s compatibility is nothing to be concerned about.
As you can see, in the table below, like most VPNs, Windows gets everything, and iOS users get the least. In amongst this, though, are several key differentiators.
NordVPN users on iOS and Mac don't get to enjoy split tunneling. In the past, that proved difficult for all VPN providers on iOS and Mac due to Apple's security infrastructure, but now the likes of IPVanish and Surfshark are beginning to roll the feature out. NordVPN users have no such luck.
It’s not often that we see Android users facing big feature shortfalls as well but, most frustrating, of the absentees is that there's no Threat Protection Pro on any mobile devices. That's a real loss.
Threat Protection Pro is the best-performing VPN security add-on we've tested, and is a notable step up from the results we saw basic Threat Protection, which mobile users do get.
By comparison, Surfshark's full antivirus capabilities are available across any platform, including the regular file scanning feature – something not offered by NordVPN.
Score: 4/5
Usability
Simple set up – but ensure you disable auto-renewals.
Similar user experience across most apps.
Reducing the use of the map has improved functionality hugely.
Set up
Setting up NordVPN is simple enough. Once you’re signed up, you can download the VPN directly from the website (unless you’ve signed up within the iOS or Android app, in which case you’ll have already installed it to do so). From there, you’re almost on your own.
Loading the installer gives you the option of also adding NordPass and the NordVPN browser extension to your device. Both are great tools and super handy to have – and then you’re straight into the NordVPN app.
Something we recommend doing as soon as you’re in is stopping your auto-renewals. This will stop you getting a nasty and very expensive surprise when your initial NordVPN agreement runs out.
Stop auto-renewal by heading to the Account section of your Settings menu. It takes almost no time at all.
Read more about NordVPN's usability ▼
You can find the quickest ways to download each of NordVPN's apps via its website, including web extensions. (Image credit: Future)
User Experience
NordVPN is as close to identical as it can be across the majority of its apps nowadays, which is only a good thing for sure.
The only times you’ll see anything especially different is on smart TVs, as is expected with most VPNs, and streaming devices such as Fire TV Sticks.
Older Fire TV Sticks, especially, will be in for a shock, as, depending on your device generation, you can be hit with a much older-appearing UI than anywhere else.
Even NordVPN's Chrome extension shares a similar feel. While you can't use it to access VPN protocols or specialist servers, you're never left wondering where anything is.
What's more, you're still equipped with everything from the kill switch, auto-connect, and split tunneling, to otherwise hidden features such as location spoofing, which is only available via the web extension and sets your browser to the location and time zone of your VPN server. It's by no means perfect, but you have all the essential tools in a familiar package.
One of NordVPN’s quirky inclusions in its desktop and mobile apps used to be an interactive map interface you could use to select your server. While this did look rather pleasing, we’ve never found ourselves using it in all the years it’s been there, nor did it ever do anything to make the connection process quicker. So, we’re glad to see it getting phased out on desktop devices in favor of more screen space for features such as Threat Protection Pro.
This change makes it supremely quick and easy access to almost every tool, whether on mobile or desktop.
The home screen brings quick access to every VPN country available, each of NordVPN’s specialty server types, Meshnet, Dark Web Monitoring, and the three key aspects of Threat Protection Pro – anti-malware, advanced browser protection, and ad and tracker blocking.
Accessing these features in more detail is as simple as clicking the corresponding icon on the side-nav, and once you’re where you want to be, you’re greeted by explainer after explainer giving you everything you need to know to understand the tool and how it’ll benefit either your VPN connection or your online security.
I do have two gripes with the desktop version however:
Firstly, the search bar isn’t the most advanced. While some VPN providers will allow you to search for a location and choose between its specific capabilities, for example, P2P or obfuscated, Nord’s shows you the location as though you were connecting normally.
If you’re after, say, a P2P server, you’d have to search P2P, and then choose a server from the icon that appears – a method slower than simply choosing P2P in the specialty servers section you’re greeted with on the home screen.
Secondly, the desktop app no longer offers both choices of pausing your connection or disconnecting entirely. Instead, you now get a pause button which, once clicked, becomes a dropdown with a series of pause durations alongside a disconnect button.
While I understand adding steps to the disconnection process reduces the chance someone will, thus improving their security, for those of us who know when we do and don’t want to be connected, it’s an unnecessary added step. Still, it's a pretty minor beef.
Mobile users get a similarly efficient experience, which we love. While it retains the interactive map, you can access every country, Meshnet, and all of Nord’s Specialty Servers from your home screen – though, understandably given screen restraints, there’s no room for Threat Protection or Dark Web Monitoring this time round.
You still get the same detailed explanations of each feature and setting throughout the app, though you’re still stuck with the same limited search capabilities and pause button that the desktop app uses.
Oddly, something omitted from the main screen across desktop and mobile is any reference to key features, such as protocols or the kill switch. To set up or change these, you need to head into the settings instead. What’s more, while on desktop you can click one button to set the server you’re connected to as your auto-connect, you’re given no such convenience on mobile – though for many this won’t be so useful.
Aside from the minor gripes, NordVPN’s apps are the best they’ve been in years – efficient, clean to look at, and easy for beginners.
The few issues we’ve found, and their minor impact show just how much thought has gone into NordVPN's usability across the board.
Score: 5/5
Accessibility
NordVPN's website is among the most accessible VPN websites.
Not a huge amount of language support.
Keyboard-only navigation could be better.
We put NordVPN.com through an AccessibilityChecker audit, and its score of 83% puts it among the most accessible VPN websites out there. It scores higher than Proton VPN (35%), Surfshark (41%), and ExpressVPN (21%) and PIA (10%). This makes it the most accessible VPN website of all our best VPNs.
Website Accessibility Scores
AccessibilityChecker audit of the home pages of each VPN website
Accessibility score
NordVPN
83
Surfshark
41
ExpressVPN
23
Proton VPN
35
PureVPN
35
Mullvad
89
IPVanish
71
CyberGhost
17
AdGuard VPN
17
PrivadoVPN
10
Hotspot Shield
23
TunnelBear
74
Accessibility score Data
Product
Value (Percent)
NordVPN
83
Surfshark
41
ExpressVPN
23
Proton VPN
35
PureVPN
35
Mullvad
89
IPVanish
71
CyberGhost
17
AdGuard VPN
17
PrivadoVPN
10
Hotspot Shield
23
TunnelBear
74
The site passed all interaction and navigational checks. One element failed a screenreader test due to a prohibited ARIA attribute, and 36 elements failed visual and structural accessibility tests because of poor contrast between foreground and background.
Read more about NordVPN's accessibility ▼
On investigating the contrast issue, it turned out it referred to text that became clearer when scrolled over.
Looking at NordVPN on desktop, we found it supports 13 languages, including options including English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional.)
However, much like Surfshark, it lacked others, including Arabic, Turkish, and Swedish. This seems a simple enough area both NordVPN and Surfshark can improve on, especially since providers such as Norton VPN and Proton VPN have 26 and 28 languages supported, respectively.
Keyboard support on NordVPN is also not the best. Disconnecting our mouse for a second, it quickly became apparent that doing anything other than actually connecting to a VPN server wasn't easy enough.
Unless you’d happened to connect to where you wanted to recently – so it’d appear in your ‘Recent Connections’ list – it was nearly impossible to get a connection going. Using Meshnet, Threat Protection Pro, or anything else, however, was simple.
An easy comparison to make here is with PIA, whose app allows you to scroll its country list, highlight a country, and connect within a few taps of the keyboard – it really should be this simple.
Score: 2/5
Customer support
24/7 live chat and email support available alongside a support site
Easy access to support via the apps
Excellent online user guides.
NordVPN offers several customer support options, including a support site, 24/7 live chat, and a 24/7 email ticketing system.
Usefully, the app gives you easy access to raising a ticket or accessing the support site if you need help.
We found running diagnostic testing from within the app when you encounter a problem helps speed up the support process, as it reduces the number of additional questions agents need to ask. You can even include a list of apps installed on the impacted device in case any of them may be a contributing factor that the support agent can identify.
Putting its Live Chat service to the test, we found it sufficiently responsive, with an agent responding typically after 2-3 minutes. Its email service wasn’t so hasty. We had to wait around 18 hours before receiving a response to our test question.
Despite its sluggishness, the email system was effective. Our agent solved our test issue by asking a selection of relevant questions at once, collecting our responses, and using them to diagnose the problems.
Read more about NordVPN's customer support ▼
It was also refreshing to avoid the typical customer support responses of “have you reinstalled the app?” or “have you cleared your cookies?” since the questions we were asked required detailed enough responses that there was no need. This also reduced the amount of back-and-forth required to resolve our test issues.
NordVPN’s customer support page is also very helpful. It doesn't bombarded the reader with category options to click between straight away, as is expected nowadays. Instead, you’re greeted by five overarching categories, one of which is about exploring other Nord Security products. So, in reality, four categories, and a search bar.
There is a trade-off for usability, though. For example, entering any of the categories removes the search bar from your screen, forcing you instead to use the breadcrumb trail at the top of the page to return to the main screen and search from there.
This leaves you doing a lot of unnecessary navigation if you’re merely looking for a quick fix, especially if you’ve clicked through several options in the categories already to try and find your answers that way.
To NordVPN's credit, once you find the article you need, it's usually extremely helpful.
For example, Nord’s proxy setup guide for uTorrent not only gives you the super-clear steps you need, but it also tells you how to then check that what you’ve done is working.
This is great for any kind of VPN user and typically of how strong NordVPN is on customer support.
Score: 4/5
User reviews
Although all review sites should be approached with a level of skepticism, they do offer a good enough gauge of how trustworthy a VPN is and how well it performs if you’re looking at a quick glance.
Across Google Play and the App Store, NordVPN has ratings equal to the very top VPNs. Its rating on TrustPilot is lower than most at only 4.2 out of 5, with 12% of the 44,000+ reviews being 1-star too.
Google Play
App Store
Trustpilot
NordVPN
4.6
4.7
4.2
Windscribe
4.6
4.6
4.7
Surfshark
4.5
4.7
4.5
PIA
4.6
4.7
4.3
ExpressVPN
4.4
4.7
4.2
The majority of negative reviews on Trustpilot surround NordVPN’s auto-renewals, which, should you be worried about it, can be turned off in a matter of clicks. We recommend doing this early on in your subscription to ensure you’re not stung down the line.
Track record: can you trust NordVPN?
Reasonably spotless reputation throughout its history.
2018 breach is only notable blot on its record.
Currently facing some lawsuits around its auto-renewal practices.
NordVPN’s history is, for the most part, positive, though 2018 proved to be a tricky year.
A breach in March 2018 saw NordVPN’s reputation tarnished, in part due to the obvious security concerns, but mainly since it didn’t admit to the breach for another 18 months, with the announcement coming only in October 2019.
The breach was only to one VPN server in Finland, and NordVPN explained in the belated announcement that none of NordVPN’s own servers were compromised, claiming the breach “was made possible by poor configuration on a third-party data center’s part”.
NordVPN was supposedly only made aware of the issue in April 2019, prompting a review and the consequent delay in announcing the breach to customers.
It’s not thought that any identifiable data was stolen in the breach, due to its small scale and the fact that it didn’t breach Nord’s central infrastructure, and all 5,000 servers NordVPN used at the time were audited on the breach’s discovery to remove further vulnerabilities.
Read more about NordVPN's track record ▼
NIST’s vulnerability database also has three weaknesses on record from that same year, though thankfully, none in the seven years since, suggesting that there’s little to worry about now.
In 2019, NordVPN would become one of the founding members of the VPN Trust Initiative (VTI), an industry-led consortium focused on “improving digital safety for consumers by building understanding, strengthening trust, and mitigating risk for VPN users”.
This consortium also consists of ExpressVPN, StrongVPN, Surfshark, and encrypt.me, and aims to improve public trust in VPNs and help users make informed decisions.
While this bears no direct impact on its reputation, it’s a clear sign of good intent from NordVPN that has shown little reason to be doubted since.
NordVPN would go on to experience around five years with its reputation out of the spotlight, but a lawsuit against its auto-renewal practices would abruptly end this.
Wittels McInturff Palikovic (WMP) filed a $100m lawsuit against the VPN provider, alleging that it "uses deceptive and illegal auto-renewal practices" in August 2024. In May 2025, a second action was filed on similar grounds.
While this case remains ongoing, the topic of auto-renewals remains on the lips of almost all VPN users, with many of the best VPNs adopting similar practices.
This has lead to similar instances across the industry of users facing unexpected payments for subscriptions and getting pretty upset about it.
If you’re concerned about getting stung, we recommend turning off auto-renewal once you’re logged into NordVPN. You can do that as soon as you've installed it in a matter of a few clicks.
Score: 4/5
Final verdict
(Image credit: Future / Gemini)
NordVPN is the best VPN for most people. While it’s more expensive than Surfshark, it has superior streaming performance, comparable speeds, and a suite of features, including the best password manager available, depending on the plan you choose.
We recommend a NordVPN Plus plan over its other alternatives. It provides tools, including premium password management and ad and tracker protection, as well as malware blocking and data breach alerts, all alongside its full VPN capabilities.
Who should use NordVPN?
✅ Those looking for top streaming performance: NordVPN performed flawlessly across our streaming tests. It had no issue unblocking any provider we threw at it. It never struggling with buffering or unexpected dropouts. Plus, it has apps for almost any platform you might wish to stream on.
✅ Those wanting a top password manager alongside the VPN: Included in Plus plans and above, NordPass ranks as our top password manager right now. It offers passkey support, features including secure password sharing and strength detection, and is compatible with almost any platform.
✅ Those wanting effective ad and malware blocking: NordVPN Threat Protection Pro performed the best in our latest testing for protection against malware and blocking ads.
If you’re looking for the best value NordVPN plan, you should pick up a Plus plan. Available in every region you can find NordVPN, the Plus plan gives you a strong mix of security features in addition to the VPN. These include NordPass, Threat Protection Pro, and data breach alerts. All NordVPN plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you don't like it. We've tried the guarantee for ourselves and it works.View Deal
Who should try a different VPN instead?
❌ Those wanting full antivirus protection included: While Threat Protection Pro offers solid security capabilities, it is by no means a fully-fledged antivirus. Providers such as Surfshark offer true antivirus protection in their more premium plans, alongside features included with NordVPN such as ad and malware protection.
Surfshark: from $1.99 per month The best cheap VPN Surfshark is the second-best VPN we’ve tested overall, offers P2P optimization on all its servers, and even offers full antivirus protection on its One and One+ plans. What’s more, it’s over $1/month cheaper than NordVPN, and comes with unique features including Alternative ID, which enables you to spoof your name, address, and email – you can even spoof your phone number if you’re located in the US!View Deal
NordVPN FAQs
Does NordVPN have a free trial?
NordVPN does offer a free trial; however, it’s only available on its Android and iOS apps. Signing up to NordVPN from anywhere other than Apple’s App Store or the Google Play Store will only give you access to NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee.
Does NordVPN work in China?
Yes, our latest testing indicates that NordVPN not only works in China, but is also among the best VPNs for China.
Is NordVPN blocked by Netflix?
No, our testing indicates that NordVPN works perfectly with Netflix. In fact, we rate it among the best VPNs for Netflix
NordVPN testing methodology
Throughout this review, I'll refer to things either 'I' or 'we' have seen. Whenever I say 'I' have seen something, this means it is something I, Rob Dunne, and I've seen it in hands-on testing of NordVPN.
When talking about things that 'we' have seen, this refers to anything uncovered during our technical lab testing. This is performed by VPN Technical Editor, Mike Williams.
We test each VPN every six months. These tests cover speed, ad-blocking, anti-phishing and malware, streaming service unblocking, and local IP address leaks. Plus, the server networks are spot-checked to confirm that the VPN server locations are accurate. We also check through each VPN provider's security credentials, privacy policy, and executable files.
You can take a look at our VPN testing methodology to see the full measures we put each VPN through.
The TechRadar VPN team fact-checks every VPN review we write, using our own research and knowledge alongside information provided by NordVPN. We update this review regularly to include any new features or information about the product, ensuring that what you’re reading is 100% up to date and as you would find the product if you downloaded and used it today.
If you notice anything while using NordVPN that doesn't match what you read on this page, please let us know in the comments or by emailing us. We will then do our best to offer product support information or include corrections and warnings to other users, depending on which is appropriate.
Commissioning Editor, River Hart, wrote this ExpressVPN review. I have five years of experience researching and writing about VPNs, including ExpressVPN.
I have ExpressVPN installed on my iPhone and Android mobile devices, a Windows (Lenovo) laptop, and on my Chrome browser. I use it to broaden my streaming horizons and unblock US-based streaming services, like HBO Max and Hulu, and monitor ExpressVPN's streaming capabilities.
I primarily use ExpressVPN while connected to public Wi-Fi hotspots – particularly during lengthy train commutes. I keep Advanced Protection on when I'm using ExpressVPN on my phone, too, so display ads and pop-ups don't eat away at my mobile data. I also use ExpressVPN Keys to identify and regenerate weak passwords, and rely on it to store my updated credentials.
We've included a breakdown of our ExpressVPN review scores below, sorted by testing category. For more information, click the links in the Comments section.
Category
Score
Comments
Total
82 / 100
Easy to use and built around a core of robust privacy (with a proven track record), ExpressVPN is well worth investing in. Read more ▼
Price plans & value
7 / 10
The new pricing structure makes ExpressVPN more affordable, but it's still pricier than the other top-rated VPNs. The premium 'Pro' plan offers little value but Basic and Advanced are solid. Read more ▼
Features
7 / 10
ExpressVPN's basic features are solid, but it lacks the diversity offered by other top-rated VPNs. Read more ▼
Server network
9 / 10
ExpressVPN has a broad global network of servers with a focus of coverage in the US and Europe. For the most part, it correctly labels all of its virtual servers and their actual location. Read more ▼
Read all of ExpressVPN's review scores ▼
Privacy
9 / 10
ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, and isn't required to collect or store user logs by law. TrustedServer technology also ensures that user data well protected. Read more ▼
Security
9 / 10
ExpressVPN's encryption is solid, and its early adoption of PQE is highly commendable. The kill switch could do more to warn users that the internet has been cut. Read more ▼
Speed
8 / 10
Lightway Turbo is one of the quickest protocols we've tested, but only works with Windows. The original Lightway protocol sits in the middle of the pack owing to recent performance dips. Read more ▼
Unblocking streams
9 / 10
ExpressVPN works well with most streaming platforms and accesses content on the first time of asking. It can unblock Netflix, iPlayer and most global services. We did have to retry using different servers when accessing some smaller region-specific sites. Read more ▼
P2P & Torrenting
4 / 5
All servers support torrenting. ExpressVPN's solid download speeds mean that the P2P experience is generally smooth. However, there is no support for port forwarding. Read more ▼
Apps & Compatibility
5 / 5
Apps are available for all platforms, including Linux, smart TVs, consoles, and browsers. The iOS version is missing a few features, but nothing significant. Read more ▼
Usability
5 / 5
ExpressVPN's stripped-back approach to UI means that its apps are intuitive, even to users who have no prior experience with VPNs. Read more ▼
Accessibility
3 / 5
Although ExpressVPN's home page scored low in our accessibility tests, its apps are available in a dozen languages, and keyboard support is excellent. Read more ▼
Customer support
4 / 5
24/7 live chat, email, and on-site support are available to help troubleshoot issues. Agents are knowledgeable and friendly, and not afraid to tackle techy questions. Read more ▼
Track record
3 / 5
ExpressVPN has drawn concern in the past because of its ties to Crossrider and Kape Technology, but its rapid approach to solving a recent DNS leak issue is encouraging. Read more ▼
ExpressVPN price plans
ExpressVPN price plans start at $3.49 per month.
ExpressVPN Advanced is the best value – little significant in value to Pro.
A free 7-day trial is available to Android and iOS users.
You can pick up an ExpressVPN subscription for prices starting at $3.49 per month.
ExpressVPN offers three plan types: Basic, Advanced, and Pro. Users can choose between a 1-month, 1-year, and 2-year subscription length, too.
Pick a long-term commitment and you'll save more money in the end. This is why we generally recommend opting for the 2-year plan. Below, we've compared all of ExpressVPN's plans and prices, so you can see where the value is.
Total cost of cheapest 2-year plan
All prices (from December 2025) are before tax
Total price
NordVPN Basic
80.73
Surfshark Starter
53.73
ExpressVPN Basic
97.72
Proton VPN Plus
71.76
0255075100
USD
Total price Data
Product
Value (USD)
NordVPN Basic
80.73
Surfshark Starter
53.73
ExpressVPN Basic
97.72
Proton VPN Plus
71.76
If you really want to get your money's worth from ExpressVPN, it's well worth considering the jump from a Basic two-year plan to an Advanced two-year plan. For one dollar more each month, you get an increased allowance of simultaneous connections (from 10 to 12), access to the built-in password manager, ExpressVPN Keys, and expanded usage of Advanced Protection, ExpressVPN's suite of advanced privacy tools.
ExpressVPN's cheapest two-year Basic plan (at $3.49) is almost twice as expensive as the Surfshark equivalent ($1.99), for example. It's also more expensive than NordVPN's two-year plan, NordVPN Basic ($2.99).
ExpressVPN is a good and polished service but you should carefully consider whether it's the right VPN for your needs given the bigger price tag.
Keep in mind that these prices will vary throughout the year (especially during the Black Friday/holiday season).
We've added a table that breaks down the monthly fee each ExpressVPN subscription incurs, so you get a better idea of how subscribing for longer works out cheaper.
As you can see, ExpressVPN's 1-month-only prices are steep. This is par for the course across all of our best VPNs. The only real benefit of signing up for a month is that you won't be tied into a long-term commitment. That's useful if you're just trialling ExpressVPN, but it's a costly way to do it.
If you can, we'd recommend checking ExpressVPN out via its iOS or Android 7-day VPN free trial, then upgrading to a one or two-year plan if you want to continue using it.
The two-year ExpressVPN plans offer the biggest potential for savings and throw in an additional four months of coverage for free. Remember that you'll need to pay for the entire subscription up front, though.
Score: 7/10
Features: What can ExpressVPN do?
ExpressVPN's main VPN features are secure and reliable.
Advanced and Pro plans get the best version of Advanced Protection toolkit.
Top tier adds dedicated IP – but not much else of extra value.
ExpressVPN Basic is exactly that – basic. There aren't a lot of features and tools included in this subscription tier, so you're really just paying for the core VPN product and a handful of straightforward extras, and that's fine. Luckily, the "VPN" part of ExpressVPN is secure and reliable (as we'll expand on later in our Security section).
However, a Basic plan does grant users access to the proprietary Lightway VPN protocol and ExpressVPN's implementation of post-quantum protection. This ensures that your data and browsing sessions are kept safe from attacks by regular and quantum computers (which are capable of cracking ordinary, non-quantum encryption).
(Image credit: ExpressVPN )
Included in the Basic plan is a "Lite" version of ExpressVPN's Advanced Protection toolkit. It's a bit barebones, but we certainly appreciate that even a stripped-back version is available at this price point.
Read more about ExpressVPN's features ▼
Advanced Protection Lite won't block trackers or adult sites (you'll need to upgrade to an Advanced or Pro plan for that), but it will block ads and malicious sites, so you don't have to worry about annoying pop-ups or accidentally landing on an untrustworthy site while you do your day-to-day browsing.
The Advanced Protection features are currently available for Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and Linux. Apple TV users can check out the Threat Manager tracker blocker and ad blocker. Also, anyone with an Aircove VPN router will be glad to hear that Advanced Protection features are readily available and applied automatically to any device that connects to the router (smart TVs and appliances included).
Advanced Protection is similar to NordVPN's Threat Protection and Proton VPN's NetShield tool, and we'll dig into the full-fat version of Advanced Protection in the Privacy section later on.
If you want to get the most out of ExpressVPN's Advanced Protection, an Advanced (or Pro) plan is the way to go. In addition to blocking ads and malicious sites, the enhanced version of this toolkit will also block trackers. This prevents sites and services from keeping tabs on (and potentially sharing) your online activity, and can block adult sites, too.
This expanded utility is useful, especially if you're looking for a VPN with some form of parental controls, but NordVPN and Surfshark both offer a little extra with built-in antivirus features. In fact, a Surfshark One plan gives users access to a full-blown AV tool, and is the only VPN we recommend that offers as much.
Before enabling Advanced Protection, it is worth noting that you'll only be able to use the feature when connected to ExpressVPN via the Lightway protocol.
This won't be a problem for most users – after all, Lightway is based on the speedy, secure WireGuard protocol, which serves as a reliable everyday option for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
For anyone who prefers OpenVPN (thanks to its long-standing reputation for privacy), you'll need to switch protocols when you want to use the Advanced Protection suite.
Next up is ExpressVPN's very own password manager: ExpressVPN Keys. It's included in all Advanced and Pro plans, and built directly into the Android and iOS apps. On a computer, it's available as a Chrome extension.
(Image credit: ExpressVPN )
Keys is equipped with a good amount of core password manager features. It can import existing passwords from other browsers and password managers, it'll let you know if any of your current passwords aren't as secure as they could be (which is your cue to swap them out for stronger ones), and it can save and sync passwords across all of your devices.
Keys generates new passwords on demand via a simple pop-up that appears during the password creation phase of sign-up. It's a simple bit of UI where you can regenerate passwords as many times as you want, use a sliding bar to adjust the complexity of the password (which affects how long it'd take a bad actor to crack it), and add capitals, numbers, and symbols into the mix. Keys can also fill in login forms automatically when you revisit a site you've logged into previously.
Much like the overall ExpressVPN product itself, Keys nails the basics, but offers relatively little in the way of extras. For starters, it doesn't support passkeys, doesn't support secure password sharing, and isn't as configurable as other password managers.
One of the biggest and most consistent gripes about Keys is its autofill inconsistency. Users on Reddit have raised issues about the autofill not working at all. The problem seems especially prevalent on the Safari browser. We put it to the test on iOS to see if we could recreate the issue.
As on desktop, generating and storing passwords was easy enough, and the autofill feature worked like a charm for the most part. When tapping into the password field on a login page, we saw an option at the bottom of the screen, above the keyboard, for Keys to autofill the field. We used this to log into our Netflix, X, Instagram, and Amazon accounts without any hiccups.
While we had a stress-free experience, it's possible that, with continued use, we'd run into the same autofill issues other users have reported. It's certainly something we'll be monitoring as we continue to use the tool.
Collate these issues, and, sadly, you'll begin to understand why Keys has a rating of 2.3 on the Chrome Web Store.
It's not all doom and gloom, though, and we did notice a few unusual positives when putting Keys through its paces.
Much like the overall ExpressVPN product itself, Keys nails the basics, but offers relatively little in the way of extras.
Firstly, ExpressVPN had the Keys app audited back in 2022 by Cure53, underscoring a commitment to transparency that we can only commend, and confirming the app's trustworthiness. We're also glad to see that you can continue using Keys for free even if you cancel your ExpressVPN subscription.
All in all, we're glad that Keys is included as part of the ExpressVPN Advanced and Pro plans. Plus, it's nice and easy to use, which is great news for folks who want to take their first steps with a relatively straightforward password manager that does exactly what it says on the tin (generates, manages, and safely stores your login credentials).
If you've got more experience with password managers, or want something that offers more customizability and extra features, you'll be better off with a specialist product, like Dashlane.
Finally, ExpressVPN Advanced users get an eSIM (embedded SIM) that allows them to connect to a cellular network without needing a physical SIM card.
eSims connect to local carriers when you travel abroad, which generally means better network quality and lower rates. Advanced users get 3 days of unlimited daily data included in their plan – but you'll need to make sure that your device is compatible with eSims before you plan to rely on it during your next vacation.
ExpressVPN Pro
The leap from Advanced to Pro plan isn't all that wide. If you do shell out for ExpressVPN's most premium subscription, you'll have access to everything included in the Basic and Advanced plans. This includes the full version of Advanced Protection and the Keys password manager – though Pro users don't get any extra functionality.
Pro users do get 5 days of unlimited daily data included in their free eSim bundle, however, as well as a dedicated IP address.
Dedicated IP addresses are unique to the user. It's not assigned to anyone else – unlike the dynamic IP addresses we use more regularly, which can be shared by multiple devices at once. The dedicated IP address is the same, stays the same each time you connect to it, and is tied to a VPN location in one of 22 countries.
With a dedicated IP, you won't be held responsible for what other people get up to when sharing a dynamic IP. If you're using a shared IP address, and someone else using that IP address goes on to send spam or get up to something illegal, the address could be blocked by pages, sites, and apps as a result – restricting your access, too, even though you weren't party to any mischief.
The benefits of a Pro plan will probably only appeal to a select group of users, and that's not a bad thing.
So, with a dedicated IP address that's yours alone and influenced solely by your browsing habits, it means less chance of encountering blocks, bans, and even CAPTCHAs.
The benefits of a Pro plan will probably only appeal to a select group of users, and that's not a bad thing. The new ExpressVPN pricing structure is similar to NordVPN's, and we appreciate that both VPNs give users the option to pay for the tools that they'll actually use.
Score: 7/10
Server network and locations
ExpressVPN has servers in 108 countries – not bad but behind the best.
ExpressVPN's server locations are heavily focused on Europe and the US.
Virtual servers are (mostly) labelled correctly.
ExpressVPN's server coverage is broad, although its some way behind the very best VPNs.
While ExpressVPN has servers in 108 countries compared to NordVPN's 127 countries, it beats NordVPN in terms of total locations, with servers in 187 locations compared to NordVPN's coverage in 165. Going toe-to-toe with the market leader like this is a very solid marker.
As is often the case with today's leading VPNs, ExpressVPN's server coverage is strongest in Europe, with 58 locations in total. This is more than NordVPN's 53, and ExpressVPN is one of only two top-rated VPNs that have servers in all 50 United States (the other is Private Internet Access).
Global server locations
Total number of countries covered by each VPN
Global server locations
NordVPN
165
Surfshark
141
ExpressVPN
187
Proton VPN
164
050100150200
number of server locations
Global server locations Data
Product
Value (number of server locations)
NordVPN
165
Surfshark
141
ExpressVPN
187
Proton VPN
164
NordVPN
17
Surfshark
6
ExpressVPN
6
Proton VPN
26
07.51522.530
number of server locations
Africa Data
Product
Value (number of server locations)
NordVPN
17
Surfshark
6
ExpressVPN
6
Proton VPN
26
NordVPN
38
Surfshark
31
ExpressVPN
36
Proton VPN
44
015304560
number of server locations
Asia Data
Product
Value (number of server locations)
NordVPN
38
Surfshark
31
ExpressVPN
36
Proton VPN
44
NordVPN
53
Surfshark
54
ExpressVPN
59
Proton VPN
49
015304560
number of server locations
Europe Data
Product
Value (number of server locations)
NordVPN
53
Surfshark
54
ExpressVPN
59
Proton VPN
49
NordVPN
10
Surfshark
5
ExpressVPN
5
Proton VPN
14
03.757.511.2515
number of server locations
Middle East Data
Product
Value (number of server locations)
NordVPN
10
Surfshark
5
ExpressVPN
5
Proton VPN
14
NordVPN
39
Surfshark
34
ExpressVPN
70
Proton VPN
32
020406080
number of server locations
North America Data
Product
Value (number of server locations)
NordVPN
39
Surfshark
34
ExpressVPN
70
Proton VPN
32
NordVPN
8
Surfshark
6
ExpressVPN
8
Proton VPN
6
02468
number of server locations
Oceania Data
Product
Value (number of server locations)
NordVPN
8
Surfshark
6
ExpressVPN
8
Proton VPN
6
NordVPN
10
Surfshark
10
ExpressVPN
9
Proton VPN
7
02.557.510
number of server locations
South America Data
Product
Value (number of server locations)
NordVPN
10
Surfshark
10
ExpressVPN
9
Proton VPN
7
1 of 8
It is worth noting, however, that while a total of 157 servers is impressive, a lot of these servers are located very close together (especially in Europe and North America).
Take the Netherlands, for example. ExpressVPN has a server in Rotterdam, and its location in The Hague is less than 25 km away. The Amsterdam location is only 75 km away.
Read more about ExpressVPN's server network ▼
Of course, the Netherlands is not a big country but the point is that you're not actually getting quite as large a global spread as you might think for a VPN that boasts 157 locations.
Capacity is the main benefit of tightly-packed servers, other than perhaps, getting to claim that ExpressVPN covers multiple Dutch locations.
We find that Proton VPN's approach to server coverage is better.
Proton VPN doesn't focus on Europe and the US, and instead adds more server locations in traditionally underserved areas of the world. This includes Africa, where Proton VPN's 26 locations blow away ExpressVPN's 6.
Global VPN server spread
Continental split of server network resources
ExpressVPN
Data for ExpressVPN
Attribute
Value (number of server locations)
Percentage
Asia
36
19.1%
North America
70
37.2%
South America
9
4.8%
Europe
59
31.4%
Oceania
8
4.3%
Africa
6
3.2%
Data for NordVPN
Attribute
Value (number of server locations)
Percentage
Asia
38
23.0%
North America
39
23.6%
South America
10
6.1%
Europe
53
32.1%
Oceania
8
4.8%
Africa
17
10.3%
Data for Surfshark
Attribute
Value (number of server locations)
Percentage
Asia
31
22.0%
North America
34
24.1%
South America
10
7.1%
Europe
54
38.3%
Oceania
6
4.3%
Africa
6
4.3%
Data for Proton VPN
Attribute
Value (number of server locations)
Percentage
Asia
44
26.8%
North America
32
19.5%
South America
7
4.3%
Europe
49
29.9%
Oceania
6
3.7%
Africa
26
15.9%
1 of 4
ExpressVPN hasn't declared how many servers it has in total. This might seem like a glaring omission but, as NordVPN once claimed, the overall number of servers shouldn't be more important than the reliability, speed, and bandwidth of those servers. After all, a huge pool of servers isn't any good if they all slow your browsing to a crawl.
Back in 2019, ExpressVPN unveiled TrustedServer, the system by which it runs and manages its server network. TrustedServer allows this network to run entirely in RAM with no hard drive. This means that, if some misconfiguration occurred that meant sensitive information was left on a file in local storage, it'll be lost as soon as the server is rebooted (which happens at least daily).
Nothing is even written to a hard drive and left vulnerable to third-party attacks (like hacks and backdoors), minimizing the risk to your (potentially sensitive) data.
ExpressVPN does use virtual servers, stating that while the majority of physical servers and their registered IP addresses are based in the same country, it's not the case for a small number of countries.
ExpressVPN claims that this is because it's sometimes "impossible" to find servers in those areas that meet their exacting standards – hence the need for virtual servers.
(Image credit: ExpressVPN )
These virtual servers are labelled. ExpressVPN tells you that its Kenya servers aren't based in Kenya, for instance, and also tells you the country where they're actually hosted (Germany, in this case).
We decided to see for ourselves whether ExpressVPN's information was correct. We tested a sample of 25 virtual locations to see if the country where ExpressVPN claimed these servers were actually hosted was the truth.
The good news is that the majority of our results matched ExpressVPN's assertions. The virtual India server that ExpressVPN claims to be hosted in Singapore, for example, really does seem to be located in Singapore.
The only issue we spotted during our testing was ExpressVPN's use of Dallas as a general data centre for various island nations.
We like to see virtual servers hosted as close as possible to their advertised locations, and it's hard to see why ExpressVPN would default to using Dallas for locations that are sometimes 1,100+ miles away in actuality.
Score: 9/10
Privacy
Solid no-logs policy.
Lightway Turbo protocol only available on Windows.
No multi-hop and no support for the Tor network available.
This means that the ExpressVPN servers only log a small amount of information about your sessions – including the dates (but not the exact times) of your connections, the location of the server you connected to (but not the server IP), and the total amount of data transferred during the session. ExpressVPN also makes a note of the apps you've activated and their versions.
ExpressVPN claims that this information is recorded to troubleshoot technical issues, provide technical support, and identify users abusing the VPN.
So, for example, if one individual is pushing more traffic than thousands of other users combined, subsequently affecting the quality of the service for everyone else, ExpressVPN might get in touch with that individual (and ask for an explanation).
This isn't all that unusual in the world of VPNs, though, and most services have a clause in the small print that states that they can and will do the same thing.
Take NordVPN, for example. Its terms state that users must not "take any action that imposes or may impose an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on our infrastructure".
Read more about ExpressVPN's privacy credentials ▼
ExpressVPN doesn't log your source IP, the time you connected to a server, the specific server you chose, your DNS queries, browsing history, or network traffic. This is exactly what we like to see, and this limited session logging can't link you to any of the actions you take online.
If you want to learn more about the data that ExpressVPN does (and doesn't) collect, you'll want to head on over to the privacy policy. It's not light reading by any means, but after we combed through it, we're confident that there are no glaring red flags or areas of concern.
The ExpressVPN team has done its best to make the technical jargon as digestible as possible, and it's certainly one of the more parsable policies we've come across. Navigating through it is pretty simple, too, thanks to the table of contents at the top of the page.
Unlike Proton VPN, which has its very own proprietary obfuscation technology in the form of its Stealth protocol, ExpressVPN has no equivalent. This means that if you'd rather your VPN traffic/usage wasn't discoverable, you'll want to choose another VPN.
Lightway isn't used by default, so you'll need to remember to switch over to it when you need an extra layer of security.
However, ExpressVPN does claim that its proprietary Lightway protocol is the only VPN protocol built from the ground up to support obfuscation, though it's not the protocol's primary use case.
Also, Lightway isn't used by default, so you'll need to remember to switch over to it when you need an extra layer of security (like in countries with digital censorship and/or VPN bans).
The Lightway protocol was released back in 2020 and was "inspired" by WireGuard, with the aim of creating something even faster and more capable. It's safe to say that ExpressVPN succeeded.
Lightway is wickedly fast, in its Turbo form, at least and we'll dig into that in our Speed section). It also offers post-quantum encryption, and is the only significant custom protocol created by a VPN that's open source.
Lightway is available in UDP and TCP forms, with the former generally considered to be the quicker option – and the one you'll want to pick for streaming and gaming. TCP tends to be more reliable, however, and a good everyday option for anyone who doesn't need to maximize their online performance.
Just like ExpressVPN's general privacy policy, you can peruse Lightway's code yourself (on GitHub). The same can't be said for NordVPN's proprietary protocol, NordLynx, which is closed-source, meaning that nobody outside the company can comb through its code.
(Image credit: ExpressVPN)
The newest iteration of Lightway is Lightway Turbo – an enhanced version of Lightway UDP. It's currently only available on the ExpressVPN Windows app and uses the app to open and send traffic through multiple channels. This means ExpressVPN can use more of the device's CPU cores, improving performance, making it significantly faster than the regular version of Lightway.
In addition to Lightway and Lightway Turbo, WireGuard is available, enhanced by ExpressVPN's post-quantum protection. Users can opt for OpenVPN, in both TCP and UDP forms, too, as well as IKEv2 (though it's only accessible to Mac and iOS devices).
ExpressVPN's TrustedServerserver network management system (described in the Server Network section) has considerable bonuses for privacy too.
You might've heard other VPNs, like NordVPN, Surfshark, and Mullvad, talking about their own RAM-only servers, but TrustedServer goes a step further. It ensures that every server in the ExpressVPN fleet is running the same software with the same configuration, and this solves multiple problems.
For a start, all ExpressVPN servers automatically get software updates and security patches at the same time. So, if a hacker did manage to compromise a server and install some of their own code, the next server reboot would replace it with the standard ExpressVPN server setup within a few hours.
ExpressVPN is registered in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). As far as VPN jurisdictions go, this is pretty positive, as there are no data retention laws in the BVI. This means that ExpressVPN is not required by law to log any user data.
You might've heard other VPNs, like NordVPN, Surfshark, and Mullvad, talking about their own RAM-only servers, but TrustedServer goes a step further.
ExpressVPN next standout privacy feature is ShuffleIP. When you connect to a VPN, you'll usually be assigned a random IP address until you disconnect from the server, and a different IP address the next time you connect. ShuffleIP does things differently – it changes your IP address each time you access a new website.
The benefit of this frequent switching means that it's much harder for third parties to track you across an internet session or connect your activity to a specific VPN server. After all, you'll look like you're connecting to the internet from a totally different place each time you load a new site.
ShuffleIP is enabled automatically, so there's no need to toggle it on or off. We're happy to report that, during our hands-on testing, ShuffleIP worked as intended. Our IP address changed completely between checking our email account and opening X to check our DMs, with no impact on the overall performance.
However, there are a few limitations to keep in mind. ShuffleIP isn't compatible with all ExpressVPN servers, and there's currently no way to tell which servers do or don't support the tool. This isn't ideal, and we'd like to see ExpressVPN implement some sort of UI that indicates the server locations that are ShuffleIP-compatible.
Unlike NordVPN, Surfshark, and Proton VPN, ExpressVPN has no multi-hop or double VPN feature. Multi-hop works like a regular VPN connection, but instead of routing your traffic through just one VPN server, it's routed through two or more, with each connection adding another layer of encryption.
ExpressVPN has actively chosen not to offer this feature. It claims that this is because it doesn't want to add extra complexity to user connections, or slow them down, and that each ExpressVPN server is engineered to offer the same kind of security that you'd expect from a multihop connection, thanks to a combination of its TrustedServer technology, no-logs policy, and ShuffleIP.
One classic VPN feature that ExpressVPN does offer, however, is split-tunnelling.
(Image credit: ExpressVPN )
We were able to build two types of lists – one with the apps that don't use the VPN tunnel, and one with the apps that do use the tunnel. That way, you can choose which apps benefit from VPN encryption and geo-spoofing, and which ones you can access via your regular internet connection.
This comes in handy if you want to check out local streaming services without a VPN server making it seem like you're halfway around the world. You could also use split tunnelling to take advantage of the Lightway protocol, by only routing the apps that require a high performance through the VPN tunnel.
However, because split tunnelling isn't compatible with Lightway Turbo, you might see slower speeds anyway, as you'll have to use the regular Lightway iteration.
Split tunnelling is available on Windows and Android, as well as older versions of macOS, but it's not compatible with iOS at all. This is par for the course, unfortunately, as other top-rated VPNs, like NordVPN, similarly lack split tunnelling on iOS.
Another feature that ExpressVPN is lacking is support for Tor over VPN. In fact, ExpressVPN has no integrated support for Tor at all, unlike NordVPN and Surfshark.
This might disappoint users looking to really supercharge their online security and anonymity.
Tor over VPN conceals the fact that the user is using the Tor network at all, as their ISP will only see that they're connected to a VPN server, and similarly hides the original IP from Tor entry nodes, further boosting anonymity. And, of course, when using Tor over VPN, the user has access to the Tor network (even if a school or work network administrator has blocked it).
It is still possible to use the regular Tor browser once you've connected to an ExpressVPN server, though.
Score: 9/10
Security
Excellent AES-256-GCM and ChaCha20 encryption.
Early adopter of post-quantum protection.
Advanced Protection blocker is short on malware and phishing sites.
ExpressVPN uses AES-256-GCM and ChaCha20 encryption, which is as strong a setup as we've seen from any provider.
We're also glad to see 4096-bit RSA key and SHA-512 HMAC authentication. This is a step up from Surfshark's 2048-bit RSA encryption keys, and should appease even the most security-conscious users.
Some VPNs promise the world when it comes to security, though, and don't actually deliver. To find out if ExpressVPN's encryption setup is really as solid as it claims, we connected to a server using OpenVPN and saw that our Windows app connected using AES-256-GCM – just as promised.
Read more about ExpressVPN's security credentials ▼
One of the biggest threats to VPN encryption is Q Day – a day in the future when quantum computers will be able to crack our current best-in-class encryption standards.
ExpressVPN isn't waiting for this to happen, though. Like other VPNs (including NordVPN and Mullvad), it has implemented post-quantum encryption, and was actually one of the first providers to do so back in October 2023.
This post-quantum encryption is offered by default and implemented in the Lightway protocol. A lengthy blog post goes into more detail, explaining that the post-quantum support was initially added by using the Kyber encryption standard, recommended by NIST.
This was only step one of the post-quantum project, however, as ExpressVPN continues to keep up with encryption developments. When NIST announced a new gold standard, ML-KEM, ExpressVPN implemented that, too.
To put this into perspective, while most VPNs haven't added any post-quantum protection to their products, ExpressVPN has now implemented protection and announced a big update – and all in a relatively short timeframe.
ExpressVPN's auto-connect feature is more basic, however, and the Windows and Mac editions are pretty barebones. Still, it did the job it is intended to do by automatically connecting us to the last VPN server we joined when we launched our devices.
(Image credit: ExpressVPN)
The Android version of auto-connect has an extra feature. It connected us to the last location on launch, and also automatically joined the server whenever we connected to an internet network that wasn't marked as trusted.
This is an especially useful tool to have on a mobile device, especially if you regularly rely on public Wi-Fi hotspots (which can be hotbeds of cybercriminal activity thanks to their unsecured nature).
Sadly, like split tunnelling, auto-connect is not available on iOS devices.
ExpressVPN's kill switch is available on all platforms, though, but some of the associated terminology is confusing.
ExpressVPN's website says that the Windows and Mac apps have a kill switch feature called Network Lock, whereas the Android and iOS apps have a similar feature called Network Protection. By using this kind of terminology, some users might not be aware that the Network Lock/Protection tool is a kill switch.
(Image credit: ExpressVPN )
Furthermore, when we opened up the iOS app to play with the kill switch, we didn't find a Network Protection or a Network Lock setting – it's just called a kill switch.
It's a minor concern, though, and ExpressVPN deserves a lot of credit for providing a kill switch on every platform. We just think it'd make more sense to call it a kill switch everywhere, or at least stick to a single term.
The most important thing to note is that the ExpressVPN kill switch delivered excellent results during our hands-on testing.
We used various methods to do this: turning our router on and off, leaving the range of a Wi-Fi hotspot, and even force-closing processes on our devices. Then, we watched our internet access and the app to see what happened.
The kill switch activated, blocked our internet, and prevented IP address leaks in every instance. We couldn't trip it up or get it to fail at any point, which is fantastic. This means that users can rest assured that their traffic won't ever be routed without protection.
Our one concern is that the apps didn't always do a great job of telling us that the kill switch had kicked in or that our internet access had been cut or restored. Not being notified about the kill switch activating can get confusing, quick, as it could leave users wondering why their internet suddenly appears to be down with no warning.
We also encountered a situation where the ExpressVPN app didn't reconnect after the kill switch cut and subsequently restored internet access. Resolving this was simple enough, as we just connected to a server manually, but a kill switch feature should handle this by itself.
The kill switch activated, blocked our internet, and prevented IP address leaks in every instance.
Bear in mind, however, that our testing methods are pretty extreme, and the ExpressVPN apps likely aren't written to recognize the kinds of failures we were throwing at it.
We can't imagine that you'll encounter these problems in your real-life usage. We still consider the ExpressVPN kill switch to be one of the best we've ever tested, because it delivers where it matters, blocking your internet access when the VPN tunnel fails.
As mentioned in the Features section, part of ExpressVPN's Advanced Protection is an ad-blocker, which effectively removes display ads from our browsing session.
When we tested the ad-blocker, it did an excellent job, removing 86% of ads, which is only a fraction behind Proton VPN at 88%.
That's not all, though. Advanced Protection also blocks trackers, malicious sites, and phishing attempts.
We put the last of theses to the test after collecting 50 brand-new malware-hosting and phishing pages, then attempted to access them on a system protected by ExpressVPN's Advanced Protection suite.
As outlined in the table below, ExpressVPN sits in the middle of the pack in terms of effectiveness. It blocked 76% of phishing sites, which is decent, but also a massive jump from the 44% protection rate we saw the last time we tested it.
Phishing, malware and ad blocking
ExpressVPN Advanced Protection compared to similar tools from other VPNs
Ads blocked
ExpressVPN
86
NordVPN
54
Surfshark
50
Proton VPN
88
Surfshark browser ext.
66
0255075100
Percentage
Ads blocked Data
Product
Value (Percentage)
ExpressVPN
86
NordVPN
54
Surfshark
50
Proton VPN
88
Surfshark browser ext.
66
ExpressVPN
0
NordVPN
86
Surfshark
68
Proton VPN
0
Surfshark browser ext.
8
0255075100
Percentage
Malware sites blocked Data
Product
Value (Percentage)
ExpressVPN
0
NordVPN
86
Surfshark
68
Proton VPN
0
Surfshark browser ext.
8
ExpressVPN
76
NordVPN
91
Surfshark
38
Proton VPN
88
Surfshark browser ext.
8
0255075100
Percentage
Phishing sites blocked Data
Product
Value (Percentage)
ExpressVPN
76
NordVPN
91
Surfshark
38
Proton VPN
88
Surfshark browser ext.
8
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The malware results are more disappointing. ExpressVPN failed to block one single malware-hosting link out of the 50 we threw at it. Still, as it only blocked 10% last time, it isn't a major drop.
All in all, ExpressVPN's results are an important reminder that a VPN can't match specialist antivirus apps. These standalone apps often beat 90% in our malware and phishing tests, after all, so they're a safer bet for reliable protection.
Score: 9/10
Speed
Lightway Turbo speeds are excellent – but it's only for Windows users.
Regular Lightway continues to perform below par.
Chart-topping OpenVPN results.
ExpressVPN is a very fast VPN service, but not all the time, and not to everyone.
Its Lightway Turbo VPN protocol performs exceptionally well. Our most recent round of VPN lab speed testing clocked it in with download speeds at 1479 Mbps when connecting between our Dublin lab location and the nearest ExpressVPN server.
Where Lightway Turbo really excels, though, is over long distance connections. Download speeds hardly dropped at all when we connected from Dublin to a server in the US and saw 1374 Mbps downloads. Only Proton VPN (1242 Mbps) could keep up, with Surfshark dropping right down to 355 Mbps.
WireGuard/fastest VPN protocol
Download speeds to our VPN test lab when connected to the nearest server
WireGuard/Fastest protocol speed
Surfshark
1615
NordVPN
1256
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
1479
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
694
Proton VPN
1521
05001,0001,5002,000
Mbps
WireGuard/Fastest protocol speed Data
Product
Value (Mbps)
Surfshark
1615
NordVPN
1256
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
1479
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
694
Proton VPN
1521
Surfshark
21.7
NordVPN
17.2
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
14.8
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
13.6
Proton VPN
21.7
07.51522.530
ms
WireGuard/Fastest protocol latency Data
Product
Value (ms)
Surfshark
21.7
NordVPN
17.2
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
14.8
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
13.6
Proton VPN
21.7
Surfshark
2.3
NordVPN
2.4
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
5.3
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
2.4
Proton VPN
5.2
01.534.56
ms
WireGuard/Fastest protocol jitter Data
Product
Value (ms)
Surfshark
2.3
NordVPN
2.4
ExpressVPN (Lightway Turbo)
5.3
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)
2.4
Proton VPN
5.2
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That's a terrific overall performance for ExpressVPN but there are two significant caveats to keep in mind: Lightway Turbo is only available on the ExpressVPN Windows app, and it won't work with every website, app, and game. We also found that, despite its overall speeds, it was slow to actually connect to a server.
For those reasons, we don't name ExpressVPN as the fastest VPN on the market. Right now, that title belongs to Surfshark.
Read more about ExpressVPN's speed ▼
Surfshark has its super-fast download speeds available to all users on its WireGuard protocol, and it averaged the very top download speeds of all, even if it was only over a local connection.
As for non-Windows users on ExpressVPN, they're stuck with the regular Lightway protocol, WireGuard or OpenVPN. Lightway is not as quick as the Turbo version, nor even as speedy as the last time we tested it.
In fact, in the main, Lightway gave the lowest performance of our top VPNs in our most recent speed tests with just 489 Mbps over a local connection and 323 Mbps to the US.
In fact, according to our results, non-Windows ExpressVPN users would be better off with WireGuard for download speeds.
OpenVPN speeds
Download speeds to our VPN test lab when connected to a local server
OpenVPN speed (local)
ExpressVPN
1038
NordVPN
974
Surfshark
978
Proton VPN
240
03757501,1251,500
Mbps
OpenVPN speed (local) Data
Product
Value (Mbps)
ExpressVPN
1038
NordVPN
974
Surfshark
978
Proton VPN
240
ExpressVPN
808
NordVPN
857
Surfshark
430
Proton VPN
173
02505007501,000
Mbps
OpenVPN speed (long distance) Data
Product
Value (Mbps)
ExpressVPN
808
NordVPN
857
Surfshark
430
Proton VPN
173
ExpressVPN
15.5
NordVPN
14.6
Surfshark
33.4
Proton VPN
14.7
010203040
ms
OpenVPN latency (local) Data
Product
Value (ms)
ExpressVPN
15.5
NordVPN
14.6
Surfshark
33.4
Proton VPN
14.7
ExpressVPN
73.5
NordVPN
83
Surfshark
174
Proton VPN
73.8
050100150200
ms
OpenVPN latency (long distance) Data
Product
Value (ms)
ExpressVPN
73.5
NordVPN
83
Surfshark
174
Proton VPN
73.8
ExpressVPN
6.8
NordVPN
4.2
Surfshark
9.8
Proton VPN
7.3
02.557.510
ms
OpenVPN jitter (local) Data
Product
Value (ms)
ExpressVPN
6.8
NordVPN
4.2
Surfshark
9.8
Proton VPN
7.3
ExpressVPN
11.5
NordVPN
4.7
Surfshark
15.9
Proton VPN
8.1
05101520
ms
OpenVPN jitter (long distance) Data
Product
Value (ms)
ExpressVPN
11.5
NordVPN
4.7
Surfshark
15.9
Proton VPN
8.1
1 of 6
Thankfully, it's not all bad news away from Windows. ExpressVPN offers some of the best OpenVPN performance around and that's important for people looking for a privacy-first protocol as their daily workhorse.
ExpressVPN and NordVPN were pretty much neck and neck as the top performers over OpenVPN in our most recent tests. In fact, ExpressVPN's OpenVPN speeds averaged significantly better than both of its Lightway and WireGuard protocols over long and short distance connections. If you're not on Windows, OpenVPN seems the most sensible choice right now.
It's also important to praise ExpressVPN for its low latency and jitter rates in general, particularly compared to Surfshark, and that bodes well for activities that require a consistently quick connection – like gaming and streaming.
The overall picture for ExpressVPN's speed is something of a mixed bag, then, and it really depends on your set-up as to whether it's going to be a fast VPN for you or not.
We'd certainly encourage Windows users to choose ExpressVPN, as well as anyone who insists on working with OpenVPN. Outside of those use cases, one of NordVPN, Surfshark or Proton VPN is probably a better choice.
Score: 8/10
Unblocking streaming services
ExpressVPN unblocks all regional Netflix libraries.
Excellent for local free streaming services around the world.
Some struggles with US streaming services, such as YouTube and Prime.
ExpressVPN is, and has always been a very good VPN for unblocking streaming services. It has a near-flawless track record and was only beaten by NordVPN, which we name as the best VPN for streaming, in our most recent streaming test.
ExpressVPN, like NordVPN and Surfshark, doesn't have optimized servers for streaming. Instead, all of its servers can handle HD and 4K content, which means you'll spend less time looking for a small set of dedicated servers and can instead just connect to any server in the location of your choice.
First, we tested ExpressVPN with Netflix to see whether it could unblock the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan versions of the site. ExpressVPN passed the test without any hiccups – just like the other VPNs in our overall top rankings.
We did encounter some roadblocks when pitting ExpressVPN against some of the tougher US streaming services to unblock. You can see the results compared to the other top streaming VPNs in the table below.
Amazon US/UK
Disney+ US/UK
YouTube US
NordVPN Plus
✅
✅
❌
Surfshark
❌
❌
❌
ExpressVPN
❌
✅
❌
Proton VPN
✅
❌
❌
While it had no trouble with Disney+, it was no dice for Amazon Prime Video and we initially struggled to access US YouTube and the specific geo-locked American test video we use across all of our reviews.
Read more about ExpressVPN's streaming service unblocking ▼
We tried to access the video while connected to servers in New Jersey and Atlanta with no luck, and in the end, it took a third switch to a Dallas server for us to see any success. It was a bit of a fiddly process, which is why it's marked down as a fail.
It's important to point out, though, that Surfshark couldn't unblock the video at all. Only NordVPN and Proton VPN loaded up US YouTube content on the first time of asking.
When it comes to the free local streaming services in the UK and Australia, though, ExpressVPN worked like a charm first time, every time. It had no problems with BBC iPlayer, ITV, C4, 9Now, or 10Play at all. Only NordVPN can match that.
BBC iPlayer
ITV
Channel 4
TVNZ Plus
NordVPN Plus
✅
✅
✅
✅
Surfshark
✅
❌
✅
✅
ExpressVPN
✅
✅
✅
✅
Proton VPN
✅
❌
❌
❌
The significant takeaway, then is that ExpressVPN is a reliable streaming VPN –particularly when trying to unblock some of the free platforms around the world – but you might need to do some server hopping to access some of the tougher streaming service out there.
Do remember that customer service is a good option to shortcut solutions like this. Stream unblocking is something of a moveable feast and they tend to know the best servers to use ay any particular moment.
Score: 9/10
P2P and torrenting
All servers support P2P activity but no port forwarding avaialble.
Lightway Turbo protocol ensures quick downloads where available.
Almost no online help or advice around torrenting.
ExpressVPN supports torrenting on all of its servers. That means users can choose the server closest to them to maximize the performance of their P2P traffic rather than picking from just a handful of torrenting-friendly locations in a tiny list.
ExpressVPN doesn't make a big fuss about its torrenting compatibility – though few VPNs do. Besides a brief mention of protecting IP addresses when using P2P on the home page, we couldn't find a single support article that even mentions P2P or torrenting, let alone anything that delves into more detail about server support or troubleshooting advice.
It's a shame, really, because ExpressVPN is an excellent torrenting VPN. The experience was just as smooth as the other top VPNs we tested, and ExpressVPN played nicely with our uTorrent client without causing issues.
Plus, thanks to Lightway Turbo, we didn't have any problem with sluggish downloads – though it is worth remembering that your P2P connection speeds are more likely to be impacted by peer quality.
ExpressVPN doesn't support port forwarding, claiming that it poses too many security risks. Other VPNs, like NordVPN and Surfshark, echo this sentiment, and you'll need to look elsewhere for a VPN that does implement the feature (like PIA and Proton VPN).
If you'd rather stick with ExpressVPN, there's a detailed 5,000-word blog post that'll walk you through the benefits and risks of port forwarding, as well as how you can set it up on common router types.
Score: 4/5
Compatibility
Apps for all major platforms, smart TVs, consoles, etc.
Great feature parity across apps.
Powerful Chrome browser extension is more than a proxy.
ExpressVPN apps have a recognisable look and feel across all platforms. We think they do a great job of balancing readability, simplicity, and a little creative flair thanks to a splash of color.
This consistency applies to ExpressVPN's functionality, too. Almost all of its features are present across its apps, although the iOS app has a few significant omissions: split tunnelling and auto-connect.
Features available on iOS app
ExpressVPN
NordVPN
Surfshark
Proton VPN
Kill switch
✅
✅
✅
✅
Autoconnect
✅
✅
✅
❌
Split tunneling
✅
✅
✅
✅
Protocols
Lightway, Lightway Turbo, OpenVPN, WireGuard
NordLynx, NordWhipser, OpenVPN
WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2
WireGuard, OpenVPN
Malware blocking
✅
✅
✅
✅
GPS spoofing
❌
❌
✅
❌
Custom DNS
❌
✅
❌
✅
Read more about ExpressVPN's compatibility ▼
ExpressVPN has apps for all modern platforms you can imagine – which is exactly what we expect from one of today's leading VPNs. This includes apps for the usual suspects, like Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, as well as Linux support with a full GUI.
ExpressVPN is also compatible with Android TV, Samsung TV, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch, and there are plenty of setup guides and tutorials that can walk you through the installation process.
When it comes to browser extensions, ExpressVPN supports Chrome and Firefox, though the Chrome version gets the lion's share of features.
Throughout our testing, we noticed that ExpressVPN's browser extensions are unlike the others we've vetted. A browser extension usually works as a stand-alone product that uses proxies to change the user's IP address.
You tap on the VPN icon by the address bar, select a server, and connect to it. It seems to work just like connecting to a VPN app, but the protection only applies to your browser. Traffic from other apps and from your system itself is unaffected.
We were also glad to see that ExpressVPN's browser extension has a "Spoof your location" feature.
ExpressVPN's browser extensions is different, though. Instead, it works as a remote control for the regular app (which already needs to be installed on the device).
We get the same icon by the address bar, and it's the same process of picking and connecting to a VPN server, but something different happens behind the scenes. The browser extension sends a message to the full VPN app telling it to connect to the location we choose.
The benefit of ExpressVPN's way of doing things is that it's easier to use the VPN from within a browser. If you find yourself locked out of content because you're in the "wrong" country, for example, you don't have to find and launch the main VPN app and choose a new location from there. Instead, you control the VPN from inside the browser.
Plus, the method of using proxies to connect just isn't as secure as ExpressVPN's approach. Proxies offer less protection compared to a full VPN, and their protection is limited to what happens within the browser. It's the kind of thing you'd always need to be aware of. With ExpressVPN, you have more peace of mind (and privacy).
We were also glad to see that ExpressVPN's browser extension has a "Spoof your location" feature. Websites can ask your browser for your country-level location, and because this isn't related to your IP address, your browser can often give your real location away.
The spoofing feature ensures that, if your browser is asked to provide your location, ExpressVPN will return the location of the server you've connected to. The website will see that the IP address and browser location match, which can result in fewer CAPTCHAs and other hassles.
The easiest (but potentially most costly) way to use ExpressVPN on a router is to purchase one of its very own Aircove routers
A similar tool is the "Block WebRTC" feature. WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communications) can also be used by sites to determine your real IP address. If the site sees that the WebRTC address doesn't match the IP address, it can block your access. ExpressVPN's Block WebRTC feature blocks this backdoor access to prevent this eventuality.
There are three ways to get ExpressVPN working on a router. The first is to install it yourself, manually, and configure it to support the VPN. This is the only type of router support offered by most VPNs, and ExpressVPN has listed examples of the process here.
Alternatively, you can replace the firmware of the router (the code that controls the screens and features) with ExpressVPN's custom firmware. Most routers treat VPNs as a minor extra feature that is tucked away in a menu, but ExpressVPN’s firmware is built from the ground up with VPNs in mind, making them as easy to use as possible.
Finally, the easiest (but potentially most costly) way to use ExpressVPN on a router is to purchase one of its very own Aircove routers – and there are home and travel versions available via Amazon. Prices range from $145 to $190, depending on the router model and where you live, so it's a significant investment. However, if you'd rather not tackle manual configuration, it could be worth it.
We investigated how many updates big VPN providers made to their iOS apps between January and December 2025. This gives us a clearer picture of how well they support their software, as iOS apps often receive the least amount of updates.
iOS app updates in 2025
The number of updates the iOS apps of each of these VPNs had in 2025
iOS app updates
NordVPN
23
Surfshark
21
ExpressVPN
25
Proton VPN
22
PureVPN
18
Mullvad
9
IPVanish
10
Windscribe
11
CyberGhost
0
Private Internet Access
3
iOS app updates Data
Product
Value (number)
NordVPN
23
Surfshark
21
ExpressVPN
25
Proton VPN
22
PureVPN
18
Mullvad
9
IPVanish
10
Windscribe
11
CyberGhost
0
Private Internet Access
3
ExpressVPN sits at the head of the crowd in the table above, with 25 updates. That's very much in keeping with our other recommended VPNs and well beyond the chasing pack.
Considering ExpressVPN's proactive approach to auditing and implementing new features, this level of iOS TLC isn't surprising, but it's still great to see.
Score: 5/5
Usability
Apps (and extra products) can be downloaded from the account dashboard.
Installation takes a few clicks – and an activation code.
Simple and clean app UI.
Once you've picked and paid for an ExpressVPN plan, you'll want to head to the account dashboard. Pop in your credentials when prompted, and you're almost good to go. The next step is to input the verification code that was emailed to you.
Once you have access to the dashboard, you can download the VPN for whichever device you're using. They're all contained in a handy UI panel, front and center, and this is also where you'll find the VPN activation code you'll need later.
From the dashboard, you can also reach out to support via live chat, and there's a handy indication of wait times. There's also a link to the support center, where you'll find setup guides and tutorials that are well worth exploring if you're having trouble.
Finally, access to the Keys password manager and Identity Defender is also found on the dashboard.
Read more about ExpressVPN's usability ▼
While you're here, it's also worth visiting the Subscription tab to see whether automatic renewal is enabled. Following the spate of legal actions levelled at major VPN providers (including ExpressVPN), alleging that their auto-renewal practices are unlawful, it's well worth checking, as VPNs have historically not made auto-renewal that obvious.
Once you're done with the dashboard, don't close it, because you'll need the activation code we mentioned earlier after you install the VPN app on your device and log in.
After you've punched in your credentials, you'll be asked for the code, so be sure to copy and paste it before exiting out of the dashboard. Alternatively, you can sign in via an email sign-in link.
User experience
ExpressVPN's design is clean and stripped back. The interface isn't as powerful as other top competitors, but it is easier to learn and use.
The apps look and feel the same across all platforms – and that's a good thing. There's a core idea here of being the VPN that "just works", and when apps are similar, buttons are (more or less) in the same place, features have the same name, and you don't have to master each platform separately. Learn one, and you've learned them all.
We found ExpressVPN's mobile apps to be slightly different, though not in a way that'll confuse users. Unlike the desktop version, they displays status information about your connection once you join a server, including your IP address, a map of your location, the current session length, and how long you've used the service in that week.
Where ExpressVPN stands out is in its simplicity. The NordVPN Windows app dashboard has 23 buttons, icons, and other clickable elements. Surfshark has 23, and Proton VPN has 19. ExpressVPN, on the other hand, has 8. This perfectly encapsulates ExpressVPN's "less-is-more" approach to its UI.
(Image credit: ExpressVPN)
Better yet, when you launch the app, it focuses on the basics. There's a simple connect button and three locations ExpressVPN thinks are most relevant: the last location you joined, the "Smart Location" (the fastest or nearest location), and the location that's currently selected via the server list. There are no other elements, menus, or buttons to get in your way.
Compare this to NordVPN's dashboard, and it seems almost maximalist in comparison, with a map and a graph that displays when you used the VPN in the last week. If you don’t want this clutter, you can't do much better than ExpressVPN.
This does mean that you get virtually no information about the current connection unless you’re using a mobile app.
Surfshark's Windows app shows the server location, new IP address, protocol, and the amount of data that has been uploaded and downloaded. ExpressVPN shows you your new location, nothing else.
The location list itself can be hidden away, which keeps the app looking neat and compact, but it does mean that you'll have to click/tap an extra time or two if you want to switch VPN servers.
There are also no server ping times or load figures displayed in the list, and no icons to provide extra context about each location, like whether it's virtual or specialized.
On mobile, you get a little bit more insight without having to tap anything, including an indication of the speed of the fastest nearby servers (excellent, good, etc), and the number of endpoints in each server location.
There's a core idea of being the VPN that "just works", and when apps are similar, you don't have to master each platform separately.
On that note, ExpressVPN doesn't have any specialized servers at all, so there are no tabs for P2P activity, Tor over VPN, or streaming picks.
The few tabs that are present do a good job of funnelling users towards the best server. Under "Recommended", you'll see a Smart Location picked out for you, based on speed and proximity, your three most recent connection points, and other recommended locations that the VPN thinks you might use.
Unlike NordVPN, there's also a Favorites system. We just clicked the star next to the server in the list and added it to its own Favorites tab. We used this system to build a custom list of the five servers we kept coming back to. This meant that we didn’t have to scroll through a long list or use the search bar to find specific locations. Otherwise, tap on the "All" tab to browse servers by continent.
The simplicity continues into ExpressVPN's settings. Tap or click the three-line icon to open it up, and you'll find options contained under their own submenus. For instance, if you want to switch your protocol, it's as simple as tapping the submenu and selecting the box next to your protocol of choice.
Most of the ExpressVPN options are formatted this way – with drop-down menus and simple checkboxes. Even the Advanced Protection submenu is as basic as can be. We simply ticked off the elements that we wanted to banish from our browsing sessions; trackers, ads, malicious sites, etc.
The settings menu is also where you can customize the shortcuts that show up on the main ExpressVPN panel. It includes links to Chrome, Outlook, and Wikipedia by default, but you can add links to any site by clicking the plus button under the list.
Alternatively, if you don't need or use these shortcuts, just untick the box to remove them from the home panel altogether.
(Image credit: ExpressVPN )
Things are a little different on the mobile apps. You'll find a row of icons at the bottom of the screen that don't directly correlate to the settings in the desktop version. Advanced Protection is contained under add-ons, for example, as well as access to the password manager and ID alerts.
More traditional settings are listed under "Profile", too, which is another example of ExpressVPN using different terms for the same things, though they're easy enough to sift through.
All in all, the desktop version of the app was our favorite, as it has more room to breathe on a larger screen. The Android and iOS versions mimic the sleek panel-based layout well enough, even if navigating through them isn’t as seamless.
Score: 5/5
Accessibility
ExpressVPN homepage scores poorly for screen reader support.
Command-line tool allows voice commands.
Excellent keyboard-only navigation support.
We used Accessibility Check to scan the ExpressVPN home page and point out accessibility issues. It scored 23%, which is pretty disappointing, and far lower than the likes of Mullvad (89%) and NordVPN (83%). However, it did outperform CyberGhost (17%) and PrivadoVPN (10%).
ExpressVPN passed AccessibilityChecker’s visual and navigation tests, but scored poorly for screen reader support.
Still, this is a tough test that very few VPNs score well in, and we only tested a single page to get a general feel for its accessibility credentials.
Read more about ExpressVPN's accessibility ▼
ExpressVPN doesn't have any specialist accessibility features, and the desktop apps are missing a common automation feature that'd allow users to automatically connect whenever there's access to public Wi-Fi.
VPN Accessibility
Accessibility score for the website home page of each VPN
Accessibility score (%)
NordVPN
83
Surfshark
41
ExpressVPN
23
Proton VPN
35
PureVPN
35
Mullvad
89
IPVanish
71
CyberGhost
17
AdGuard VPN
17
PrivadoVPN
10
Hotspot Shield
23
TunnelBear
74
0255075100
%
Accessibility score (%) Data
Product
Value (%)
NordVPN
83
Surfshark
41
ExpressVPN
23
Proton VPN
35
PureVPN
35
Mullvad
89
IPVanish
71
CyberGhost
17
AdGuard VPN
17
PrivadoVPN
10
Hotspot Shield
23
TunnelBear
74
However, the ExpressVPN Windows app does have one excellent bonus feature: a command-line tool called ExpressVPN.CLI.exe.
The app is extremely smart, and can be used to connect to any location, disconnect, change your protocol, and other key settings.
It takes a little command line knowledge to set this up, but even if you’re a total newbie, you can still learn everything you need in an hour or so.
When you’re ready, you can set up scripts to connect to ExpressVPN, disconnect, automatically launch or close apps, and then run those scripts via Windows voice access or whatever other app launcher you prefer.
(Image credit: ExpressVPN)
The Windows ExpressVPN app supports 17 languages, which is decent. Proton VPN has it pegged, offering 28, but most providers have around 10 to 20. ExpressVPN still outperforms NordVPN (13 languages), CyberGhost (12), and IPVanish (8).
ExpressVPN offers common options, like English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Spanish. Some are missing from the list, though, most notably Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) and Arabic.
We then put ExpressVPN's keyboard support to the test. It's a key element of any deep dive into accessibility. After all, if a user can't operate a mouse, they should still be able to access every feature of the app via the keyboard.
Using standard Windows keypresses like Tab, Enter, and keypress, we try and move around the app, browse lists, select buttons, and otherwise play around.
Language support
Language options available in the Windows apps of each VPN.
Number of languages supported
NordVPN
13
Surfshark
13
ExpressVPN
17
Proton VPN
31
PureVPN
12
Mullvad
20
IPVanish
8
Windscribe
20
CyberGhost
12
Private Internet Access
18
010203040
number
Number of languages supported Data
Product
Value (number)
NordVPN
13
Surfshark
13
ExpressVPN
17
Proton VPN
31
PureVPN
12
Mullvad
20
IPVanish
8
Windscribe
20
CyberGhost
12
Private Internet Access
18
Our ExpressVPN testing began well. We pressed Tab repeatedly, and the app moved a focus rectangle from the menu icon to the Connect button and the location list, so we always knew where we were. Hitting Enter clicked like a click, just as we expected, connecting us to our selected location, disconnecting, opening the location list or displaying the app menu.
We navigated the location list in the same way, chose a new country, and connected to it. And it was the same story in the Options page, where we changed protocols using only standard Windows keypresses.
Overall, ExpressVPN's keyboard support is excellent. Only Private Internet Access scored as well, though we're confident that if you need a VPN you can use with keyboard alone, ExpressVPN won't let you down.
Score: 3/5
Customer support
24/7 live chat and chatbot support, as well as email and on-site channels.
Live chat agents respond promptly with tailored advice.
Support articles are well-written and easy to follow.
You can reach out to ExpressVPN customer support via the site, 24/7 live chat, or email.
We also put customer support to the test by running different searches in the Support section of a VPN provider's site, and seeing the articles it returns.
ExpressVPN has a huge number of articles covering all sorts of issues. When we searched for "DNS", for example, the support site returned 64 articles covering DNS leaks, router setup guides, operating system setup tutorials, and more.
Read more about ExpressVPN's customer support ▼
Although that's only roughly half of the amount we found on Surfshark's support site, at 120. ExpressVPN, though, does far better than the 5 articles we discovered when plugging "DNS" into Hotspot Shield's site. Plus, only one of these contained any useful troubleshooting advice.
ExpressVPN has a distinct lack of articles covering torrenting and P2P, however, though this isn't all that surprising. It's a minefield of a topic – legally speaking.
The support site is well organized and easy to navigate. Popular topics are listed at the top of the page, so you can jump right into a setup guide or troubleshoot common issues, and popular articles are listed right underneath. These link directly to useful pages like how to find the ExpressVPN activation code and how to cancel a subscription.
The articles themselves are easy to read and follow. Set up guides make liberal use of annotated screenshots and use short, simple instructions to guide users through everything from installation to setting ExpressVPN up on a router.
Some of the setup pages can be rather long, however, so it'd be great to see more navigation elements on the page.
Some of the setup pages can be rather long, however, so it'd be great to see more navigation elements on the page. There is a contents table at the top, but scrolling all the way up to find is a minor annoyance.
When we explored ExpressVPN's live chat, we were first greeted by a chatbot and the usual generic questions. It's capable of guiding customers through the initial troubleshooting process and providing simple solutions.
When we told it that our VPN was slow, for instance, it asked us if we were using Wi-Fi. When we said yes, it suggested that we use Ethernet instead. It won't work for everyone, but it's a possibility that some customers won't have thought to try.
The chatbot is loaded with a surprising amount of information and gave intelligent advice during our "conversation". So, even if you have no plans to chat with it yourself, it's good to know that your first port of call when contacting support isn't a totally useless barrier between you and a real person. Plus, the more people the chatbot can help, the more time real human support agents have to troubleshoot issues.
If you've exhausted the chatbot's advice, or want to skip straight to an agent, you don't have to endure a complicated process to do so. Just clicking the "Transfer to an agent" button does exactly that – and when we tried it for ourselves, we only waited a few minutes before a connection was established.
Unlike other support teams, where it can feel as though they're just waiting to pounce on keywords and funnel you towards generic solutions, ExpressVPN agents took the time to listen to us.
We had a great experience with our agent. Unlike other provider support teams, where it can feel as though they're just waiting to pounce on keywords and funnel you towards generic solutions ("have you turned it on and off again?"), ExpressVPN agents clearly took the time to listen to our queries.
We asked our agent how to set up the VPN in order to play online games with friends in the US. The agent suggested that, if we didn't know where the game server was physically located, our best bet was to join a server close to our home base, unless we needed a US IP address ourselves.
The entire conversation took just under 10 minutes, the agent was friendly and clearly knowledgeable about the product, and we were happy with the exchange overall.
Score: 4/5
User reviews
Trustpilot reviews have dropped slightly.
Complaints mostly stem from billing and support problems.
Android rating has soared, possibly down to removing bot reviews.
While user reviews on Trustpilot and mobile app stores can provide a valuable insight into the reputation of a VPN amongst its users, it's important to remember that they're not totally infallible.
ExpressVPN currently holds a Trustpilot rating of 4.0, which marks a slight decrease from the 4.2 we saw when we last checked in on the service. It's only a small drop, but ExpressVPN still lags behind Surfshark (4.4) and NordVPN (4.2).
Around 7% of ExpressVPN's 26,131 reviews are one-star reviews, often focusing on billing and support problems. We suspect that some of these may not reflect real issues.
Read more about ExpressVPN's user reviews ▼
A few users claimed that there were long gaps between support agent replies, for example, which could mean that ExpressVPN's agents are expected to cover a lot of customers at any one time, and one review rated ExpressVPN poorly because they couldn't connect in China.
ExpressVPN is bound to receive some targeted criticism because of its prominent position in the VPN market, but we've seen a big drop in investment in Kape VPNs, with relatively few development or new features. This could be causing hiccups with long support times and unsatisfied customers.
On the other hand, ExpressVPN's Android app has rocketed up from a 4.4 rating to a 4.7 since May 2025. This alone moved ExpressVPN from the bottom of our table to the top.
We're not certain what has prompted this surge. The percentage of one-star ratings dropped from 10% to 5%. If this happened naturally, it would require ExpressVPN to have doubled its number of ratings in the last five months, without a single one being a one-star review.
It's possible that ExpressVPN was targeted by bots, and that these bots were eventually detected and removed by Google. Since most of the bot reviews were one-star, this caused ExpressVPN’s rating to soar, but this is only conjecture.
Whatever the truth is, we don't believe that it changes much, and the real story here is that today's top providers are as close to "neck and neck" as it gets.
Google Play
App Store
Trustpilot
ExpressVPN
4.7
4.7
4.0
NordVPN
4.6
4.7
4.2
Surfshark
4.6
4.7
4.4
Proton
4.7
4.6
2.1
Windscribe
4.6
4.6
4.7
Track record: can you trust ExpressVPN?
Owner, Kape Technologies, has distanced itself from Crossrider
A major DNS leak was discovered in 2024, active since 2022
The leak was resolved quickly with a fix that was later audited
We've often seen articles that claim ExpressVPN's owner, Kape Technologies, was responsible for creating malware under its previous name, Crossrider. The reality is more complicated.
Some bad actors used the platform to create adware and other malicious applications. They were low-level, though, as Crossrider just wasn't capable of creating ransomware or anything truly destructive.
Still, there is discussion about whether Crossrider could have done more to stop the bad actors.
We're not sure. Crossrider did have ethical issues, like including features that allowed extensions to inject ads into web pages, but that's still not malware. Crossrider changed its name and direction years ago, too, leaving the brand behind.
This meant that DNS requests sent from the user device weren't directed through the tunnel and instead used the regular connection. Because of this, the user's ISP, or whoever ran the network they used, may have been able to log the websites they accessed.
It was bad news, and not just because it invalidated one of the primary reasons to invest in a VPN in the first place (to conceal your browsing history from third parties). The leak had also been happening for years without anyone noticing.
ExpressVPN did point out mitigating factors. The issue only affected Windows machines, for instance, when split tunnelling was enabled.
ExpressVPN also responded quickly when it became aware of the DNS leak
ExpressVPN also responded quickly when it became aware of the issue. It removed split tunnelling from the Windows apps to ensure users couldn't be affected and, within six days, the larger problem was troubleshooted and a fix had been developed. Split tunnelling also returned in short order.
ExpressVPN commissioned an independent audit to confirm its success, reporting mostly positive results (another issue was found and fixed) in an April blog post.
Another controversy arose when former US military intelligence officer Daniel Gericke joined ExpressVPN as its CIO.
In 2021, the US Justice Department revealed that Gericke previously worked for a company that provided hacking services for the UAE.
This included creating "zero-click exploits to illegally obtain and use access credentials for online accounts issued by U.S. companies, and to obtain unauthorized access to computers, like mobile phones, around the world, including in the United States".
Gericke and two others later signed a Deferred Prosecution Agreement which ‘restricts their future activities and employment and requires the payment of $1,685,000 in penalties’.
Audits
ExpressVPN (and its various technologies) has undergone a huge number of audits.
The most recent of these took place in June 2025, by KPMG, and combed through ExpressVPN's no-logs policy. The audit confirmed that ExpressVPN abides by the claims in its privacy policy, and doesn't log or store identifiable data.
If a VPN invites an audit at all, it's usually just to verify the no-logs policy. It's a good place to start, and ExpressVPN does these too, but it consistently goes further.
It has separate audits for its Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux apps, its browser extension, Aircove router, Keys password manager, and more. In fact, ExpressVPN's custom Lightway protocol has been the subject of four separate audits.
Unlike some providers, ExpressVPN doesn't congratulate itself with a "we did great" blog post that contains just a few cherry-picked lines from the auditor's conclusion. ExpressVPN always makes the full report available online for anyone who is interested.
Score: 3/5
Final verdict
ExpressVPN is a great VPN and ranks third in our shortlist of the best VPNs overall. We also consider it the best VPN for beginners.
The ExpressVPN Basic plan offers the best value for money, at $3.49 per month. The 2-year ExpressVPN Pro plan ($7.49 per month) comes with extras, including 5 days of unlimited eSIM data and a dedicated IP. A 7-day free trial is available for iOS and Android via the App Store or Google Play Store.
Who should use ExpressVPN?
✅ Anyone new to VPNs: Thanks to an intuitive UI (that spans all platforms/gadgets) and a simple installation process, ExpressVPN is an ideal choice for anyone's first VPN.
✅People who prioritize their digital privacy: ExpressVPN has an extensive and successful auditing history, covering its logging policy, apps, and even its proprietary Lightway protocol.
✅Streamers and gamers: ExpressVPN's speedy Lightway protocol ensured a smooth and buffer-free experience for us when testing streaming platforms and online games.
We think that ExpressVPN's Advanced plan is the best overall package, and it's only a dollar more expensive than the Basic subscription. Users get:
✅ Advanced Protection (tracker and ad blocking) ✅ ExpressVPN Keys password manager ✅ 3 days of unlimited eSIM data
There's even a 7-day free trial for iOS and Android, as well as a standard 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal
Who should try a different VPN instead?
❌ Bargain hunters: ExpressVPN recently restructured its pricing model, introducing new tiers, but monthly prices are still more expensive than competitors like Surfshark and NordVPN.
NordVPN – from $2.99 per month The best VPN overall and best for streaming If you want a VPN and an all-in-one security suite, NordVPN has more to offer than ExpressVPN. Its Threat Protection Pro toolkit is designed to block ads, trackers, phishing attempts, and malicious URLs – and is included in all Plus and Ultimate plans. A more basic version, Threat Protection, comes with Basic plans. NordVPN also excelled at streaming, partially thanks to its excellent speeds, and is nice and easy to use. See how NordVPN compares to ExpressVPN with a 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal
ExpressVPN FAQs
Does ExpressVPN have a free trial?
Yes, ExpressVPN has a 7-day free trial available for iOS and Android, accessible through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
ExpressVPN testing methodology
In this review, whenever I say that “I” did something or had a specific opinion, I’m drawing on my firsthand experience with the product.
On the other hand, when I say “we”, it refers to the TechRadar VPN team and how ExpressVPN held up in our lab testing. This testing was performed by Mike Williams, Technical Editor, who has built his own VPN testing software and methodology over a span of 11 years in the VPN industry.
Mike subjected ExpressVPN to the same lab conditions that we apply to all of the VPNs we stress test and review at TechRadar. The testing process involves standardized speed testing in conditions that are optimal for VPN performance, ensuring that the kill switch isn’t causing IP address leaks, and manually checking the VPN protocols. For more information about Mike’s process, head on over to our lab testing methodology explainer.
You can also take a look at our author biographies to get a better idea of our experience in the VPN field.
The TechRadar VPN team has fact-checked this ExpressVPN review, which also contains information from the provider itself, and we update the review each month.
We add feature news, audit results, and other new information, and ensure that our ExpressVPN review is always as up-to-date as possible, so there’s no discrepancy between our coverage and the product you download.
If your experience with ExpressVPN differs from ours, or if we’ve missed anything, you can reach out in the comments section or email us direct. We’ll do our best to provide product support, correct any mistakes, or warn other users and readers.
[Update January 31, 2023: The Kobo Clara 2E has had a small price rise to $139.99 in the US (still the same price in both the UK and Australia). We've updated the price and availability section to reflect this.]
As the environmentally-conscious sequel to the Kobo Clara HD, the Kobo Clara 2E comes packed with a bunch of features that were noticeably absent from its predecessor. It’s now waterproof with an IPX8 certification, has audiobook support thanks to the addition of Bluetooth connectivity and double the storage capacity at 16GB. It’s also the first Kobo ereader to be made of 85% recycled plastic.
The Kobo Clara 2E’s 6-inch display makes the upgrade to the latest E Ink Carta 1200 screen, which makes text look really nice, and it responds well too. The crisp display and good contrast help details to stand out well on the smaller screen.
In keeping with its open ecosystem, Kobo’s latest ereader still offers wide format support that makes it easy to sideload your existing collection of ebooks and documents. It also brings over the same crisp and clean user interface that we’ve been big fans of since the beginning. The interface is something Kobo has really nailed, and navigating around the device is incredibly simple even for first-time users. It makes finding your library, the Kobo Store, settings or OverDrive (to borrow library books) really easy.
Like the newer Kobo ereaders, the Clara 2E also features Bluetooth support, so you can listen to audiobooks (albeit only those purchased from the Kobo Store). That said, you will need to pair a set of headphones or a Bluetooth speaker to it to enjoy them, as the device itself doesn’t have built-in speakers (like some Onyx and PocketBook models). Interestingly, its Bluetooth connectivity holds up well and has a decent range, as we found out when leaving the Clara 2E on the kitchen counter while we were cleaning the living room.
Overall, Kobo’s latest Clara model features some sweet upgrades for a relatively small markup. That’s right – the Clara 2E’s starting price is higher than the Clara HD. However, it does slip in cheaper than its competitor – Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite – but only in the Australian market.
The Kobo Clara 2E has an abundance of new features including audiobook support. (Image credit: Future)
Kobo Clara 2E: price & availability
$139.99 / £129.99 / AU$229.95
Released late September 2022
Available to buy now
Announced in September 2022, the Kobo Clara 2E was available for $129.99 / £129.99 / AU$229.95 on release. Given the stack of upgrades from its predecessor, a price rise of only $10 / £10 / AU$40 isn’t too bad.
Since then, the price for the Kobo Clara 2E has gone up to $139.99 in the US, matching the price for the 8GB Kindle Paperwhite in that region, the same as over in the UK (£129.99). Australia's pricing for the Kobo Clara 2E still remains at AU$229.95, coming in at AU$10 cheaper than the 8GB Kindle Paperwhite (AU$239.99).
Compared to Amazon's 6-inch Kindle (2022), the Kobo Clara 2E is a bit more expensive. The Kindle (2022) comes in at $99.99 / £84.99 for an ad-supported model, while over in Australia it'll set you back AU$179 for the device with no ads. Both devices give you16GB of storage, audiobook support and a 6-inch display, but the Kobo Clara 2E won't lock you into Amazon's ecosystem and has a waterproof rating of IPX8, something the 6-inch Kindle (2022) is noticeably missing. In this regard, the Kindle Paperwhite is a better comparison to the Clara 2E feature-wise.
Value score: 4.5/5
There might be a bunch of new features, but the Kobo Clara 2E sticks to a similar design as other ereaders in this price range. (Image credit: Future)
Kobo Clara 2E review: design & display
85% recycled plastic
E Ink Carta 1200 screen tech
6-inch display with basic design
Key specs
Screen size: 6 inches
Display type: E Ink Carta 1200
File formats: 15 file formats & Kobo Audiobooks
Storage: 16GB
Connectivity: Wi-Fi + Bluetooth
Weight: 171g
At first glance, the Kobo Clara 2E looks just like the Clara HD – the same tablet-like plastic chassis with a 6-inch display – however when flipping the ereader around you can distinctly see the difference. The back panel is navy in color with a wavy pattern on the back for some texture. It’s a nice and subtle touch, perhaps alluding to the fact that 85% of the plastic used to make its body is now recycled material, a lot of which was destined to end up in the ocean. Unfortunately, the rear panel doesn’t really give the device any additional grip, and tends to pick up a bit of dust and dirt – something to keep in mind if you don’t plan on popping it in a case.
There’s only one button and one port on this device. The power button has moved to the back of the device, rather than on the bottom bezel like the Clara HD. This change makes the edges of the device look sleek and neat from the front. The USB-C port replaces the micro USB slot on the bottom of the device.
The power button on the Kobo Clara 2E is on the navy-coloured back panel that also has a wavy texture embedded into it. (Image credit: Future)
Like its predecessor, the Clara 2E is light and compact. It’s super easy to slip into a backpack or small purse, and we even managed to fit it into a pocket on a pair of cargo pants. The small size of the device made it easy to hold in one hand, meaning even while standing on crowded public transport we were still able to enjoy reading a novel while holding onto an overhead handle.
The E Ink Carta 1200 screen is a crisp display with a 300ppi resolution, and sufficiently avoids glare in the brightest of days. It’s also got a snappy response that makes selecting text, typing in your Wi-Fi password and page turns an absolute breeze.
Speaking of page turns – because the bezels aren’t flush to the screen, this is comfortable to do even while being held in just one hand as they provide ample space for a decent grip on the device.
Design score: 4/5
It's easy to grip the Kobo Clara 2E thanks to the raised bezels around the screen. (Image credit: Future)
Kobo Clara 2E: user experience
Audiobook support
Clean and easy-to-navigate interface
Great reading and listening experience
Reading on the device is a pleasant experience. We found it super convenient to whip out on a packed bus, or to have in a bag playing an audiobook with headphones on. We used the books that came preloaded with the review device that was sent to us, but you’re also able to sideload digital books and documents in 15 different formats from your computer.
Not only that, the fact that you can access ebooks from a public library is a big selling point – this, however, is contingent on the fact that your library of choice has OverDrive support (which many do in several countries). This is simple to use and all you need is your library card number to set up, then head to the OverDrive feature easily found on the device’s home screen.
Kobo’s own store is also easy to access directly from the home screen. While Kobo will pop up a few recommendations based on your collection, you also have the option for signing up to Kobo Plus, which is the Japanese-Canadian company’s answer to Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited.
You can find the Kobo Store straight from the Kobo Clara 2E's home page. (Image credit: Future)
You also get a massive 16GB of space on the Clara 2E. That’s double the space of both the Clara HD and the Kindle Paperwhite that's closer in price, however there is an option for a 16GB Kindle Paperwhite for $149.99 / £149.99 / AU$259. While you can access the books you’re currently reading directly off the home screen, you can easily find your entire collection under My Books on the bottom navigation bar, and they can all be organized into Collections or sorted by authors and a whole load more.
This makes it super easy to find your next story, with a variety of filters and different subheadings available to narrow down your search. The library shows the front cover of each title, and also gives you some information on how much you’ve read of each book and an estimate on how long you have left to finish your current reads.
Navigating through the library is simple on the Kobo Clara 2E. You can filter, sort and switch between categories to find what you're after. (Image credit: Future)
Not only does the Kobo Clara 2E’s clean interface make using the device a breeze, but reading on the device is also a delightful experience. You can customize the font by type and size, plus adjust the brightness of the screen to your liking. There’s also a feature that adjusts the light temperature of the screen when you’re getting close to bed, yellowing the display at the time you set to reduce sleep-disrupting blue light. We found the contrast on each page to be great.
Listening to audiobooks is also a great experience. As with most mainstream ereaders, there’s no built-in speaker here, but Bluetooth connectivity lets you pair a set of wireless headphones or a portable speaker. We found that connecting headphones was a breeze, and the range was good enough for us to leave the ereader in one room and move into another while still listening to a narration. You can purchase audiobooks directly on your ereader from the Kobo Store.
You'll need to pair a device through Bluetooth with the Kobo Clara 2E to listen to audiobooks. (Image credit: Future)
You can also see how you’re tracking in each book and total reading hours under the Activity section in the settings menu. While this may not interest everyone, it’s a great little ego booster for some avid readers. Kobo also has this neat little awards section that earns you badges for various achievements, but note that both the Activity stats and awards work only for titles purchased via the Kobo Store and not for sideloaded ones.
User experience score: 4.5/5
You can check out your reading stats on the Kobo Clara 2E to track your progress on ebooks purchased from the Kobo Store. (Image credit: Future)
Kobo Clara 2E: battery life
1,500mAh battery
USB-C charging
When it comes to battery life, the Kobo Clara 2E was a little erratic during our testing period. The brand-new device had 74% battery life right out of the box and it took us two weeks of reading one to two hours every day to bring it down to 1%. This is with the screen brightness at 25%, page refreshes set to each chapter, and with a mix of reading and listening.
The first time top-up took 3.5 hours to go to 100% when plugged into a computer. After that, though, the battery drained down to 0% in five days with the same settings and same amount of time spent with the device. In a weird twist, plugging it in for a charge showed there was still 35% left. We’re really not sure what happened there, but we didn’t encounter this issue again (thankfully).
Over the next few weeks, the battery issues seemed to smooth over. Used for just over an hour each work day, both listening and reading, we got it down to 48% after about two weeks, indicating that the battery could just be settling down after initial hiccups.
We’ll need a little more time with the ereader to fully assess its battery life and we’ll update this review as necessary, but we can currently estimate that you’d get up to four weeks when using it for about an hour each day on the default settings (screen brightness at 25%, page refresh rate set to each chapter and both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on).
Compared to the Libra 2 which also has a 1,500mAh battery, that gave us about 7 weeks per charge when used an hour each day during our testing, it’s a little lackluster. That said, this might get better with use, or Kobo could roll out a firmware update to sort battery issues if this is more widespread.
To increase the Kobo Clara 2E's battery longevity, there are a bunch of settings you can adjust. (Image credit: Future)
While the battery appears to be sufficient for a reader who likes to read in short bursts, it’s potentially not great for someone who reads for multiple hours a day and wants a device that can last for weeks without charging. There are battery saving settings and ways to maximize battery life, so you can adjust these to help support longer usage if need be. We also noted that topping up the battery was quicker when using a wall socket rather than plugging the device into a laptop’s USB port which, of course, shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Despite the lackluster battery performance, the USB-C charging port is a welcome upgrade from the Kobo Clara HD’s micro USB, and you get a USB A to C cord included with the device.
Here at TechRadar, we hold ourselves to a high standard when it comes to reviewing and testing products. Not only do they undergo an initial thorough review, but if it’s still on the market, we’ll update and maintain our reviews to ensure they still maintain correct information.
A global proxy provider for individual and business use established in 2020, IPRoyal has grown to offer infrastructure to over 10,000 businesses around the world. What started out as an IPv4 and IPv6 address leasing business is now a full-fledged proxy service provider for a wide array of clientele, ranging from individual developers to startups to data teams to enterprises.
Currently, the platform bestows access to residential, mobile, and datacenter proxies, with locations in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, Australia, and more. It includes more than 650 tools and software integrations, and has so far provided over 98,000 petabytes (PB) of data traffic for its clients.
IPRoyal: Plans and Pricing
IPRoyal offers different proxy types and pricing plans. Users can choose among residential proxies, ISP providers, datacenter proxies, and mobile proxies, each with their own particular characteristics and perks.
You can purchase residential proxies either on a pay-as-you-go basis or as a subscription (with a 5% discount in this case). Pricing is based on the amount of traffic you want, which begins at 2 GB and costs $6.25 per GB. The more GBs you take, the lower the price goes per GB, so 10,000 GB is priced at $1.84 per GB.
The pricing for ISP proxies (previously called static residential proxies) is based on the plan duration and the number of proxy locations you require, whereas the traffic is unlimited. For instance, 24 hours of one proxy will set you back by $2, while adding another location brings the price up to $4.60, and three months of one address cost $3.60/month ($2.70/month/address if more than one).
Datacenter proxies have 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day subscriptions, and a one-month access to one proxy is $1.80. As is the case with ISP plans, this offering also includes better discounts with lengthier plans and more numerous proxy addresses. There are also bundle-based plans with their own specifics and discounted prices, but the traffic is unlimited, whichever you choose.
Finally, mobile proxies (supporting 5G, 4G, 3G, and LTE), arranged by the location and provider (e.g., T-Mobile and Verizon for the U.S., Orange for Spain, and so on) and rotating automatically every six minutes, are also priced according to the plan duration and the number of locations. Bandwidth and sessions are unrestricted.
Although IPRoyal doesn’t offer a free trial, it does give access to its trial proxies so you can test its features before deciding. If unsatisfied after paying, you can request a refund or a replacement, but this has to happen within a short 24-hour window, which is a lot shorter compared to some of the competition.
IPRoyal supports payment using credit cards, over 25 cryptocurrencies, PayPal, Google Pay, and Alipay.
IPRoyal: Features
Accessing IPRoyal’s features starts with creating an account. You can sign up with your email address or use an existing Google or LinkedIn account. You’ll be redirected to your dashboard after registration, where you can access these features:
Residential IPs
Residential proxies are sourced from real devices across the globe. Every internet-connected device has a unique IP address, and people agree to contribute their IP addresses to IPRoyal’s network for a benefit, e.g., a VPN subscription. As an IPRoyal user, you can then use one of these IP addresses to surf the web and bypass geographical restrictions.
IPRoyal offers roughly 34 million IPs, of which residential proxies constitute the majority (32 million). The countries with the largest available residential IPs are the U.S. (1.4 million), the U.K. (422,000), and Germany (439,000). You can choose an IP address by country, state, and city, making it easy to protect your anonymity and bypass geographical and IP restrictions.
Suppose you run a flight deals website that frequently scrapes prices from airlines’ websites. Many airlines don’t like external data scraping, so they use geographical and IP restrictions to block it. For example, website admins identify IP addresses used by scraping bots and block them from further access. In that case, IPRoyal’s residential proxies let you circumvent this block.
You can choose an endless list of proxies to scrape data from external websites. If one gets blocked, choose another and continue your scraping activity. Residential proxies also hide your online identity and prevent third-party tracking. As far as a website is concerned, your device is browsing from whichever IP proxy you use and not the actual location. You could be in the U.S. and surf the web with a German IP address.
During our test, IPRoyal’s residential proxies provided a reliable and fast internet connection. We noticed no slowdown compared to browsing without a proxy IP address. The dashboard provided detailed insights on our proxy usage, including bandwidth and speed.
ISP proxies
IPRoyal now also offers a wide selection of ISP proxies across over 30 countries, with 100% dedicated IPs, unlimited traffic, HTTPS and SOCKS5 support, speeds of up to 10 Gbps, and highly customizable plans. Users can select a specific number of proxies starting from a single IP.
After funding your account, you can select the exact number of proxies you need for the offered duration - 1, 30, 60, and 90 days - in your user dashboard on the IPRoyal website. Besides selecting the duration, number of proxies, and their location, you have the option to list extra requirements for an additional fee.
Once set up, you’ll be able to see your ISP proxies’ orders and their status in your online dashboard, filter them for easier navigation, or search through them based on the notes you left. Clicking the Details button for a specific confirmed order will take you to the configuration page for those particular proxies.
Upon testing, there were some problems with erroneous rerouting of certain proxies to wrong locations (like choosing a Portugal IP address and getting a UK one). Thankfully, the IPRoyal staff was helpful and quick to act, so we got the correct location not long after contacting them. That said, some users have reported not getting proper assistance with similar issues.
(Image credit: IPRoyal)
Mobile Proxies
IPRoyal offers a network of 2.5 million+ IP addresses from real mobile devices. These IPs mask your IP address for data scraping, ad verification, social media management, and many other use cases.
Mobile proxies work like typical residential IPs on IPRoyal. You can choose proxies from a specific country, state, or city, a specific mobile carrier (Vodafone, Orange, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc.) and a network type (3G, 4G, or 5G). You can auto-rotate mobile proxies or do that manually by clicking a button.
The mobile proxies were notably fast during our test, with up to 100 Mbps download speeds. Your monthly IPRoyal mobile slot subscription grants access to the entire pool of 2.5 million+ IPs with unlimited rotation.
Mobile proxies are particularly useful for social media management and research. Most social networks like Facebook and Instagram have strict limitations on the number of accounts users can create on a single device. You can bypass these limitations with IPRoyal's massive pool of mobile proxies. Your device's real location stays hidden, and the social media platform assumes it's another device because of its proxy IP address. Hence, it doesn't flag your accounts.
You can manage as many social media accounts as possible with mobile proxies. You can also create many social accounts for research purposes, e.g., an academic study, without being flagged.
Datacenter Proxies
IPRoyal runs a network of IPv4 and IPv6 proxy servers that provide unlimited bandwidth for end users. These datacenter proxies are sourced from secondary corporations rather than internet service providers (ISPs). They provide much higher browsing speeds than residential and mobile proxies. The drawback is that they’re easier for websites to detect. But even if that happens, you can spin up a new one and continue your online activities.
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(Image credit: IPRoyal)
On IPRoyal, you have access to datacenter proxies in roughly 40 countries, unlike residential IPs available in 195 countries. Datacenter proxies cost more for IPRoyal to obtain, so their limited availability is understandable.
You can connect to IPRoyal’s proxy servers via the HTTP/HTTPS and SOCKS5 protocols. During our test, they offered first-rate speed and performance with no downtime. IPRoyal places no bandwidth or session limits on proxy IPs, making them ideal for bandwidth-intensive use cases like data scraping, online streaming, content downloads, and app testing.
Browser extension
IPRoyal offers a browser extension that makes deploying and managing proxies easier. Instead of frequently logging into your dashboard to choose new proxies, you can use the extension to switch with a click. The proxy add-on is available on Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.
IPRoyal has an intuitive, user-friendly dashboard (Image credit: IPRoyal)
These browser extensions offer all-in-one proxy management. You can create distinct profiles for different proxies and switch between them with a single click. Each profile can have a single proxy or use different proxy IPs for specific traffic types (HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP). You can assign a backup proxy to ensure your internet access remains secure if your current proxy fails.
The browser extension doesn’t only work with IPRoyal’s proxy IPs. You can use it to manage IP addresses from other proxy providers your organization uses.
We’ve talked much about IPRoyal’s features, but there’s a crucial feature it lacks: web scraping APIs. Many proxy providers offer APIs that let users automate data scraping tasks. Users set a target website and the type of data they want to scrape. Then, the API scrapes the data to present in a tabular format. Unfortunately, you won’t find web scraping APIs on IPRoyal, so you’ll need an external platform for automated data scraping.
IPRoyal: Ease of Use
One of IPRoyal’s strengths is its high level of user-friendliness. Users get an intuitive dashboard to manage their proxies and other complementary tools. All features are neatly arranged in the left-hand menu, whereas on the right, you can gain access to the main menu. The interface is visually pleasing and easy to navigate, and you can select between light theme, dark theme, or the automatic theme that matches your browser settings.
IPRoyal has an intuitive, user-friendly dashboard (Image credit: IPRoyal)
IPRoyal’s browser extension (for Chrome and Firefox) also contributes to its ease of use. It lets you manage proxies regardless of the web page you’re currently on. Usually, you’ll need to open your IPRoyal dashboard to do this, but the extension removes this requirement. That said, you must first set up proxies on your IPRoyal dashboard before you can manage them via the browser extension.
IPRoyal: Customer Support
IPRoyal offers direct email and live chat support. You can open a chat support ticket from your dashboard or send a support email and expect a response within 24 hours. IPRoyal’s support staff was reliable during our test and answered our inquiries speedily. The drawback is that IPRoyal does not offer a telephone support option.
Users can access complementary support resources, including a FAQ page, user guides, and extensive technical documentation. The website’s “Docs” section provides detailed information about all features, making it the ideal first place to consult when facing challenges. If you don’t find a solution in the documentation or FAQ section, you can seek direct help.
IPRoyal: The Competition
The proxy software market is very competitive. IPRoyal has numerous competitors, and we’d like to highlight Webshare, Oxylabs, and Bright Data. These platforms have pros and cons compared to IPRoyal.
Webshare offers a network of 30 million+ residential and datacenter proxy IPs, slightly less than IPRoyal’s 34 million. Residential IPs constitute the majority of Webshare’s network, just like IPRoyal. Users have an intuitive dashboard and a browser extension to manage their proxies, just like IPRoyal. Webshare differentiates itself by being more affordable than IPRoyal and offering a free-forever 10-proxy plan.
Oxylabs has a massive network of 100 million proxy IPs, nearly triple that of IPRoyal. This broader network provides users with more redundancy and reliability. Oxylabs provides web scraping APIs and ready-made datasets, two features lacking in IPRoyal. We consider it a much better proxy provider than IPRoyal, albeit a more expensive one.
Bright Data has a robust network of 72 million+ IPs, more than double IPRoyal’s network. It offers a broader selection of residential, ISP, mobile, and datacenter proxies for data scraping. Bright Data also offers APIs for automated data scraping and pre-built datasets, which IPRoyal doesn’t have. Overall, we consider Bright Data a better proxy provider for enterprises, but IPRoyal is a more affordable solution we’d recommend for individuals and small businesses.
IPRoyal: Final verdict
IPRoyal has a reputation as a reliable proxy provider for individual and business use, and for a few very good reasons. It not only provides a robust and plentiful proxy network, but also friendly and capable customer support, as well as affordable and customizable pricing plans.
While it may lack some features you’ll see in rival platforms, such as a more extensive network and web scraping APIs, its proxies have low block rates, and some of them rotate automatically. This makes web scraping almost equally easy as if you were using an API.
Its user-friendliness and low entry cost make IPRoyal an ideal platform for individuals and small businesses seeking an affordable, reliable, and easy-to-use proxy provider with premium customer support available at all times.
