The Internet is a gigantic cobweb with billions of devices connected to each other. In such a huge infrastructure, there are issues of privacy, security and geographical lockdown. To solve these issues, VPN or Virtual Private Network came into being. VPN essentially means a private network created virtually just for your internet activity which is encrypted with no metadata left behind. It may seem a bit technical but I will explain it after a while. So now you must be wondering, which is the best VPN available in the market right now? You do not have to worry, I went through a score of VPNs and chose top 8 free and paid VPNs. So without wasting any time, let us dive in.
Here’s the List of Best Paid VPN-
First of all, you’re going to look at the premium ones. VPNs have lots of features which are mostly available in the paid ones. If you want to safeguard your privacy and want to browse the web anonymously, paid VPNs should be the way to go. Here are some of the excellent VPN providers in terms of safety, privacy, server location, and customer service. You’ll also look whether the VPNs work well with routers.
1. NordVPN
NordVPN is the best VPN you can get among all the premium ones. It provides something called double encryption to all the data packets so that your internet activity does not get exposed on the web. Interestingly, NordVPN does not throttle the bandwidth which is absolutely great. VPNs tend to slow down data speed because of insufficient servers. However, NordVPN has more than 4000 servers across 60 countries which makes it the best when it comes to performance.
To safeguard privacy, it does not log internet activity on its server. Additionally, it provides thousands of IP addresses so that you can surf the web anonymously. NordVPN supports all major platforms including Windows, Android, MacOS, iOS, Linux and Blackberry. Also, you can use it on six devices at the same time.
2. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is usually called an all-around VPN. It has all the latest features in security and provides stringent no-log policy. Express VPN has AES-256 security protocol in place which is the most complex encryption to date. It has servers in more than 90 countries with excellent response time. For your information, ExpressVPN has open-source OpenVPN protocol in place so that there is no question of any data leaking.
The best part of ExpressVPN is that it has support for Netflix and Torrents. If you don’t know, not many VPNs allow torrenting, as it is costly and puts a lot of stress on the servers. So it is great that ExpressVPN allows torrents download. It is also compatible with all kinds of routers and can improve your web experience significantly. Clearly, ExpressVPN stands out with its long list of features and is the best VPN.
3. PIA (Private Internet Access)
PIA or Private Internet Access is one of the oldest VPNs around. It has been consistently providing great performance with rich speed and no data throttling at all. While its servers are available in only 28 countries, it provides high-speed performance because of portability of the security protocol. PIA has AES-256 encryption, but if you want better performance you can change it to AES-128 which will significantly improve the speed.
Additionally, it supports all major platforms and has torrent seeding as well. There is a native firewall which acts as a kill switch. It helps in resolving DNS leaks and disconnects the device before any data leak. By far, this is the best VPN for router in terms of affordability.
4. CyberGhost
CyberGhost is another VPN which believes in the unfiltered internet. It has all the standard security features to protect your privacy as well as provides great performance. You can access blocked websites without any geographical limitation. It has more than 3000 servers across 15 locations worldwide.
Like other VPN client router, it also supports the highest security protocol AES-256 and OpenVPN protocols. CyberGhost also has something called WeRTC which helps in preventing data leaks on the web. You can use Torrent through this VPN without any performance loss.
Also, Know the Best Unpaid VPN-
Under the Free VPN section, I have tried to enlist VPNs which provide maximum privacy and great performance. This is a definitive list which you can choose according to your specific requirement. So let us have a look at the unpaid VPNs. Also, does it make sense to use a free version? Let us find out.
1. TunnelBear
TunnelBear is the best, all-around VPN if you don’t want to invest your money into VPNs. Unlike other free ones, TunnelBear has support for all paid features. So you must be wondering what is the catch? Well, it provides 500MB of monthly free data. Past that, you will have to pay. But if you need VPN for light use for checking emails or browsing a few websites, then TunnelBear is best for you without paying anything.
It is an incredibly simple application where you can choose the server location and you will be connected with encryption enabled. Privacy is at the heart of TunnelBear, so you will never have to worry about data logging. It has its server in 15 countries and can provide more than decent data speed.
2. Windscribe
Windscribe is the newest entrants in the free VPN category and it’s one of the best, free VPNs out there. If you want something like TunnelBear but with more data allowance then, Windscribe is best suited for you. It provides 10GB of monthly data which is quite helpful.
You get all the standard security features like encryption, no data logging, no IP stamp, and no targeted advertising. There is also an inbuilt ad-blocker which works surprisingly well. This is the best VPN you can get in the free tier.
3. Hotspot Shield Free
Hotspot Shield is another free VPN which mostly works well. If you want something on the fly, this is a great alternative. The free version is served by ads, so if you are okay with it, then it can work well for you. Hotspot Shield has servers in more than 25 countries offering both, paid and unpaid services.
You can choose to use the free version though. The data speed is decent and you won’t face data latency much. Apart from that, Hotspot Shield claims they do not log or store any data which is great since it’s free. Also, you will not be targeted by ads based on your search query.
4. Speedify
Speedify is a great alternative to other traditional VPN Client Router. It is a bit different in terms of deploying technology and improving the data speed. It provides 4 GB of data free for the first month and then drops to 1GB from subsequent months. Speedify also has some robust technology under the hood which takes 2-3 connections and streamlines into a single, powerful internet source. All this while maintaining privacy and preventing data leaks.
If you want something which is lite, boosts speed, and protects privacy, this one is undoubtedly for you.
Conclusion
This is a definitive list of VPNs, both paid and unpaid in the market right now. You can choose anyone based on your need. I have tried to cover all sets of features with some essential tips baked in. I hope this guide provided you the information in finding the best VPN.
