This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.
If you're totally unfamiliar with virtual private networks, or VPNs, this is probably a good time to get to know the increasingly popular cybersecurity services.
There are a number of reasons why you might want to use a VPN, including but not limited to masking all of your internet traffic or accessing services that may be blocked in a particular location.?If you want to get the most out of the internet these days, a VPN is absolutely essential.
What is a VPN?
VPNs provide protection for your data and identity when you're online. They offer this online privacy and anonymity by creating a private network that hides your real IP address, meaning that all of your activity is untraceable and secure.
VPNs act like encrypted tunnels through which all of your online traffic passes through. Nobody can see into the tunnel, and everything inside the tunnel is protected against online threats like viruses, hackers, and malware.
Should you use free VPNs?
There are plenty of free versions of popular VPNs, plus free trials of VPNs with full access to everything you get with a premium plan. However, as with most things in life, you get what you pay for with VPNs.
There tends to always be a catch with free versions, and it's normally in the form of limited data usage. If you're just an occasional user, these plans will work fine. But if you're going to be streaming or downloading, this isn't going to work. Free trials are a little bit different: they come with everything you get in a paid plan, but obviously they don't tend to last very long. Trials are great for testing out a service before committing, but this isn't a long-term solution.
The best option for streaming securely and accessing the online world without restrictions is with a paid subscription to a VPN. To gain access to advanced security features without limitations on usage, you need to pay up.
What is the best VPN for privacy and anonymity?
Deciding that you need a VPN is the easy part, but which VPN should you pick, and which ones can you trust? Search for a VPN online and dozens of results appear, so choosing the best service can be tricky. It requires a lot of research, and you should absolutely do your homework before committing to anything.
The good news is that we have done a lot of the hard work to help you in your search for a VPN, and tracked down examples of great services that secure your data, hide your activity, and bypass online restrictions. You can pick from leading services like PureVPN, NordVPN, TunnelBear, and more.
These are the best VPNs for online privacy in 2024.
NordVPN
Best premium VPN
- NordVPN Basic: $12.99/month, $68.85/year, or $96.93/2 years
- NordVPN Complete: $14.99/month, $97.35/year, or $148.23/2 years
- NordVPN Plus: $13.99/month, $82.35/year, or $121.23/2 years
- NordVPN Prime: $17.99/month, $142.35/year, or $229.23/2 years
Read Mashable's full review of NordVPN.
Who it's for:
It's overkill for VPN newbies and casual users, but NordVPN is the primo paid choice for power users who want the freedom to mess around with lots of settings and servers. If you opt for a long-term plan, it can also be reasonably priced.
Why we picked this:
Nord Security's well-established VPN has a clean and highly customizable app, which presents its server network in the form of a list and a minimal map. That network is the most geographically diverse server network out of all the VPNs I've tested thus far, with locations in 111 countries worldwide. It also includes specialty servers for multi-hop connections ("Double VPN"), Tor connections ("Onion Over VPN"), P2P connections, and obfuscated servers; the latter make it so no one can tell you're using a VPN. The app could be quite slow to initially connect in testing, but it ran well once I got on a server and consistently unblocked international streaming sites. Split tunneling is available on its Windows, Android, and Android TV apps.
One NordVPN subscription gets you support for up to ten simultaneous connections and access to a unique feature called MeshNet, which lets you steer traffic through other devices running the NordVPN app (essentially creating your own private network). Users can upgrade its Basic, VPN-only plan to other tiers with extras like an anti-malware/tracker tool, a dark web monitor, a password manager, file encryption, and NordProtect, an all-new identity theft protection service. These won't make the actual VPN any better or stronger, but they're convenient add-ons if you're trying to flesh out a digital security suite. Its plans can be a decent value if you pick one of the discounted yearly options.
Users should be aware of a transparency blunder in NordVPN's past, but may find peace of mind from the network upgrades, boosted security standards, and bug bounty program it launched in its wake. These all supplement regular third-party audits of its no-logs policy and its monthly transparency reports, which recently replaced a Private Internet Access is probably not your best option for streaming sport, but if your priority is online security and data protection, it should be something to consider. Private Internet Access keeps things very simple with strong encryption, decent connection speeds, and an absolutely massive server network. Subscribers can also connect 10 devices simultaneously, which is great for large households. It's straightforward and focused on security, but Private Internet Access is a powerful service that belongs in this list.Private Internet Access
Best For Server Network
PureVPN
Best For Beginners
- Monthly: ?8.37/month
- One-year plan: ?2.86/month
- Two-year plan: ?1.75/month
Read our full review of PureVPN.?
PureVPN users get apps for every operating system, enterprise-grade security, 10-multi logins, and access to over 6,000 secure servers in 140 countries. PureVPN also has a strong record for good customer support.
TunnelBear
Best free VPN
- Data limit: Up to 2GB per month (does not roll over)
Read Mashable's full review of TunnelBear.
Who it's for:
TunnelBear is a charming and uncomplicated VPN with good privacy practices and a free tier geared at casual users who only need a VPN for occasional private browsing (i.e., you don't have it running 24/7). It's decidedly not for those who need a VPN to access geo-restricted content; it couldn't unblock regional streaming libraries in my testing.
Why we picked this:
TunnelBear eschews intricate settings and intimidating jargon for cute and simple apps. Its lack of multi-hop connections and small server network won't impress power users, but VPN newbies will find it refreshingly approachable. Tunnelbear conducts regular annual security audits and occasional transparency reports, and its privacy policy lays out the kind of data it does (and doesn't) collect in plain language.
I asked TunnelBear about their business model over email, and a company rep (under the alias "CubCake Bear") told me flat-out that the company doesn't make money off its free users, nor does it track or sell their data. "Our business is driven solely by our paid subscribers, who help off-set the cost to maintain our servers and operate our infrastructure," they explained, adding that TunnelBear's free tier "serves as a method to try before you buy, or if your need is minimal on a monthly basis." Good stuff.
The free version of TunnelBear caps you at 2GB of data per month, which does not roll over and resets on the monthly anniversary of when you created your account. It includes support for one simultaneous connection for use on Windows, Mac, Android, or iOS. Users can pick from servers in different countries in a list or on a cartoon-y map. (Unlimited simultaneous connections and city-level server options are reserved for paid subscribers.) There's a kill switch called "VigilantBear," which you'll have to enable automatically, and a split tunneling tool called "SplitBear," which varies from platform to platform: You can exempt websites and apps on Windows. but only apps on Android and websites on Mac and iOS.
Finally, and crucially, you don't have to enter any credit card information to use Tu
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