We tested more VPN services than we care to count. This means you don’t have to test all of them to find the one that is best suited for your PC.
With a VPN app running on your PC, you will be able to hide your online activity, stream Netflix from virtually anywhere, download files via BitTorrent anonymously, encrypt and protect private data from cybercriminals, bypass censorship rules, and much more. So yes, you should sign-up for a VPN service and get your privacy back.
Out of many, many VPN services we’ve tried – we came with the following list of best VPN services for PC users:
Pros
Cons
- 5,000+ servers in the network
- Easy to use - install it and forget it
- One license is good for up to 6 devices
- Strict zero-logs policy
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Chrome extension is just a proxy
Summary
Its network includes more than 6,200 servers spread across 111 countries, which directly translates into faster speeds. NordVPN is also very secure, relying on the strong 256-bit encryption combined with secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2/IPSec). But as a user, you get a seamless experience with all this technology "doing its thing" in the background.
NordVPN is well suited to pretty much every task you throw at it — whether it's accessing a banned site from some country that filters out the internet, torrenting, accessing streaming services, or just wanting to keep a low profile on the web. It also doesn't keep any logs.
We highly recommend NordVPN to anyone looking for reliable service.
Pros
Cons
- Feature-rich yet easy to use
- One of the best VPNs around
- Strong no-logging policy
- Reliable support you can reach 24/7
- Limited number of servers in Africa and the Middle East
- Kinda pricey
Summary
ExpressVPN has great desktop apps for Windows and Mac, mobile apps and browser extensions. Also, it is well suited for video streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and others.
However, what makes it stand out is its ease of use. We can't emphasize this enough. One could tell a lot of time has been spent making sure even the advanced features are easily accessible. And we love it for that. Plus, let's not forget ExpressVPN's speed which tends to leave other services in the dust.
Pros
Cons
- It's super fast!
- Works with Netflix, BBC and others
- Easy to use apps, browser extensions
- You can try it for free!
- Some advanced features are not configurable
- Not the best for high-censorship countries
Summary
Furthermore, thanks to the availability of browser extensions - Hotspot Shield is also one of our top choices for Chrome and Firefox VPNs.
Your privacy is equally well protected, with the software only collecting some anonymized that help continually improve its service.
There is one caveat though - it won't work in high-censorship countries like China. If you don't need that in the first place, we highly recommend Hotspot Shield.
As that's typically the case with most VPN services out there, the longer you commit - the better deal you get. However, what makes Hotspot Shield even better is the fact that it offers a 7-day free trial of its service. A few other top VPN providers do the same. Plus, its money-back guarantee lasts for 45 days, making for a risk-free purchase. Cause, you can always get your money back. Sweet and just the way we like it.
Pros
Cons
- Reliable download and upload speeds
- Works with Netflix and BBC iPlayer
- Strict zero-logs policy
- Lets you use it on unlimited number of devices
- Low number of servers in Africa and Australia
Summary
You can rely on it for streaming and torrenting, with included extra features like CleanWeb and MultiHop, delivering a that much better — and more secure — experience.
Surfshark, the company, is based in the British Virgin Islands and with its zero-logs policy makes for a powerful combo to anyone looking to keep its web whereabouts under the radar.
The service is easy to use and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Pros
Cons
- One the best VPNs for torrenting
- Works well with Netflix
- Simple setup on all popular devices
- Strict zero-logs policy
- Doesn't work with BBC iPlayer
- Doesn't work in China
Summary
Its desktop apps are not among the prettiest ones, but they get the job done. The important thing is that installation is easy and straightforward, and that no logs are kept by the company.
When it comes to pricing, IPVanish is somewhere in the middle — it's not the most affordable option but also not the most expensive one. As noted, it will be most appreciated by heavy BitTorrent users, and — related — Kodi fans.
What makes the best VPN for your PC?
The best VPNs for PC get the job done in different uses cases. No matter what you want to accomplish with a VPN, these services have you covered. We’re talking about things such as:
Torrenting
Best VPNs for PC handle torrenting with easy. We pose the following questions when selecting the best services: Does a VPN offer servers dedicated to peer-to-peer (P2P) traffic or are all servers in the network up for the task? Both approaches work as far as we can tell, it’s just that in the first case – we like to see P2P-dedicated servers clearly marked on the list (of servers/locations).
Streaming
The best VPNs let you access movies and TV shows on all popular services. The questions we ask are: Can you get a buffer-free experience from a variety of locations? Can a streaming service detect that you’re using a VPN and won’t let you “in” as a result? Are there servers dedicated to popular streaming services like Netflix?
Unlimited access
You’ll want a VPN to bypass your ISP’s restrictions, among other things. The questions we ask include: Can you use a VPN to connect to the Internet from a university campus? Can it get the job done without IT admins knowing what you’re doing online? You don’t want a VPN that can’t handle the relatively simple school or workplace firewall, right? (except if you work for the FBI, for instance).
Bypassing censorship
Related to the previous point – the best VPNs for a PC can be used in high-censorship countries like China, North Korea, UAE, Iran, Saudi Arabia, etc. The infamous Great Firewall of China is arguably the most challenging to overcome, but the best VPNs can do that – and we love ’em for that.
Good for everything
Not all VPNs are best for all uses cases outlined above, but we did want to come up with a good list. So we decided to select VPNs that are generally good for all kinds of tasks. To put it differently, the best VPNs let you access social media and streaming services from all across the world while offering zero-logs privacy – which is preferably confirmed by a reputable third-party.
Speed & reliability
Last but not the least, we had to test the speeds of each of the VPNs. If the experience was too slow, you wouldn’t be accessing YouTube despite that being possible. In a similar vein, we wanted to see whether a VPN delivers reliable and consistent download and upload speeds every single time. We tend to think that reliability is more important than speed for most users.
What about free VPNs?
Sure enough, there are free VPNs out there, but we can hardly suggest them. You see, it takes a lot of money to build a large server network which is directly related to the VPN service’s reliability. Needless to say, this is something free solutions can’t do except in the case they sell your data. And then – what’s the point of getting a VPN if your data won’t be private?
Instead, you should get a VPN with a proven track record to work from all around the world. And that’s what this list of Best VPNs for PC is all about.
For what it matters — and it’s a big deal — most VPNs offer money-back guarantees, meaning that you can ask for your hard-earned cash back if you determine that the service doesn’t work for you. We even entice everyone to extensively use their VPN during the money-back period to see whether it fits their needs. There is no need to throw away money for something you can’t rely on — especially when you know there are other great VPNs out there.
Get a VPN for your PC that works for everything!
You (all of us, really) need a VPN for many things. In that sense, a good VPN will:
- Protect your privacy from the government and big corporations
- Bypass restrictions imposed by the government or various organizations
- Change your IP address so you get unrestricted access to Netflix, Disney+, iPlayer, HULU, and other video streaming services
- Encrypt and protect private data from cybercriminals
- Download files with BitTorrent anonymously
The top contenders that check all these boxes include the following: