We’ve lined up a selection of the best VPNs to help you stay secure online, including popular services like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and CyberGhost VPN.
How can you best protect your identity and data when online? The simple answer is with a virtual private network, or VPN. That’s the easy part covered, but how do you select a VPN that works for you?
We know the decision process can be tough, so we’ve tried to help you out. Based on customer reviews, we have compared the best VPNs (both paid and free) to help you find something that ticks all of your boxes.
But first, we should talk about what these services actually offer, and why you should consider signing up.
What is a VPN?
A VPN is a connection method used to add security and privacy to private and public networks. VPNs are becoming increasingly popular as cybersecurity becomes a priority. A VPN improves online privacy because the user’s IP address is replaced with one from the VPN provider. Those subscribed to a VPN can obtain an IP address from any gateway location the VPN service provides.
If this all sounds a little complicated, try thinking about a VPN as an encrypted tunnel 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
Why should you subscribe to a VPN?
Why do you need a VPN in your life? Well, without one you are basically cruising the online world naked, baring all to the world. A VPN keeps you covered up by hiding/changing your IP address, hiding your location, and encrypting your data transfers.
VPNs are primarily designed to provide online security, but that’s not all. Millions of people use these services to stream more content from around the world. By hiding your IP address and connecting you to a server in another location, you can trick leading streaming services into thinking that you are based in a different country. This means you can bypass content restrictions to watch all extra shows and movies from global libraries.
Do you need to pay for a VPN?
The final question that’s important to consider is whether you really need to pay for a VPN. The answer depends on your priorities. A free VPN is generally going to lack the most advanced features. A paid VPN will often be faster, offer servers in more locations, and provide better customer support (but not always). If anonymity is top of your list of priorities however, then a free VPN may be the better option as a free VPN provider won’t usually ask you to sign up to use its service.
It’s important to carefully research the wide selection of free and paid VPNs before making any decision. Whether you need to pay for a service or go with the free option comes down to what you need from your VPN. Data limits are another stumbling block when it comes to a free service, so if this doesn’t bother you, go right ahead. If you do however need more data, more locations, and more servers from your VPN, then a paid service is the solution.
It’s also worth noting that pretty much all of the best VPNs offer money-back guarantees, so if you’re sneaky, you can work this system and use these services for a limited amount of time without fully committing with your cash. We don’t recommend this tactic, but you can use the best VPNs for free if you cancel your subscription before the guarantee period comes to an end.
What is the best free VPN?
Before making your selection, you should think carefully about what you want from a VPN and which aspect of the service you want to prioritise. Once you’ve given that some thought, we recommend checking out the options we have lined up, including popular services like NordVPN, CyberGhost VPN, and ExpressVPN.
There is something for everyone and every budget in this list. All of these VPNs offer free trials or money-back guarantees, but we’ve also highlighted the cost of subscribing in case you’re tempted to commit.
These are the best free VPNs in 2021.
ExpressVPN
Strong distribution of servers and a slick interface make up for higher price.-
Monthly:
£10.18/month -
6 month plan:
£7.85/month -
15 month plan:
£5.24/month
ExpressVPN has over 1,000 servers in 145 locations, covering 94 countries. This list includes China, Russia, and Turkey, three countries that have notably repressive control over the internet. So that’s a pretty impressive feather in their hat.
It’s not all good news, though; ExpressVPN does limit you to three simultaneous connections from different devices. Other services generally offer slightly more than this. However, three connections is probably plenty for one user. If you are using a VPN for a household, though, then another service may be better suited.
ExpressVPN has all the essentials covered. This service includes multi-device support, a lot of servers, good geographic distribution, BitTorrent support, and a nice interface. It is however a little more expensive than some, at around £10 a month (or around £5 if you commit to 15 months), and it doesn’t offer nearly as many simultaneous connections as cheaper alternatives. It’s a strong VPN, so the extra cost may be worthwhile.
There is no free trial available, but there is a 30-day money back guarantee. So once again, you are protected against disappointment.
ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN has a very strict privacy policy and offers a free version without a time limit.-
Monthly:
£8.63/month -
1 year plan:
£6.90/month -
2 year plan:
£5.72/month
ProtonVPN is a dependable VPN even if connection speeds are not quite as fast as other top names. There’s still room for typical features, such as AES-256 encryption, an automatic kill-switch, and DNS leak protection.
ProtonVPN also offers a free service without a time limit. You do get other types of limitations, but it still gives you a chance to sample the service without spending a penny.
CyberGhost VPN
CyberGhost combines usability with unique tools and powerful features.-
Monthly:
£10.29/month -
1 year plan:
£4.59/month -
2 year plan:
£3.09/month -
3 year plan:
£2.10/month
CyberGhost hosts over 4500 servers in 90 locations across over 60 different countries. This makes CyberGhost a preferred VPN for those that travel the world for business or pleasure. It doesn’t place restrictions on browsing habits, so users benefit from unlimited traffic and bandwidth.
CyberGhost utilises 256-AES bit encryption to protect your payment info from cyber-criminals and hide your browsing data from ISPs. So you can rest assured that your sensitive data is secure.
CyberGhost is one of the leading VPNs because it is able to combine usability with unique tools and powerful features, as well as a privacy policy that protects customers. In a nutshell, it does what a VPN should, without the unnecessary frills that sometimes populate other services.
There is not a free service, but CyberGhost can usually be picked up for just £2.10 a month, depending on what deal is being offered. If the price is currently too high for you, then chances are CyberGhost will offer a special discounted price soon enough. If you do take the plunge on CyberGhost, then rest assured that, just like NordVPN, you do get a 45-day money back guarantee.
NordVPN
One of the most popular services for securing your online activities.-
Monthly:
£9.15/month -
1 year plan:
£5.35/month -
2 year plan:
£3.05/month -
3 year plan:
£2.29/month
Privacy is a major issue when it comes to VPNs, and NordVPN makes all the right noises about keeping your information private. NordVPN states that the company does not insert ads into your web traffic, and doesn’t profit from the sale of user data. On top of that, NordVPN only collects aggregated app-crash statistics and voluntary diagnostic data, meaning that the service doesn’t collect any personally identifiable information. Good news.
NordVPN is consistent across every platform on which it’s offered, and includes ad blocking as an added bonus. You can also connect up to six devices at the same time.
Even if NordVPN doesn’t work out for you, they have a 30-day money-back guarantee. So you are completely covered either way. You can either be impressed with the service, and continue with your plan, or — if you don’t like what NordVPN offers — you can get out for free.
TunnelBear
One of a small number of providers that offers a truly free VPN service.-
Monthly:
£7.85/month -
1 year plan:
£3.92/month -
2 year plan:
£3.28/month
You can earn more data by selling your Twitter soul and tweeting about the company, which can raise your limit to 1GB for one month. This isn’t a long-term solution, however, and you may find yourself glancing at the paid options, particularly if you find TunnelBear to be a usable service.
The paid-for plan removes the restrictions associated with the free plan, such as the download limit, the numbers of available locations, and the amount of connected devices.
It’s also worth noting that TunnelBear has cranked up its privacy policy, so the VPN now collects even less data on users. TunnelBear has removed the need to supply a first name to sign up, and ditched its record of a user’s number of total lifetime connections. Great news for those who prioritise anonymity.
PureVPN
PureVPN is not the most advanced VPN, but its free trial stands out as one of the best.-
Monthly:
£8.63/month -
1 year plan:
£4.26/month -
2 year plan:
£2.44/month
PureVPN provides advanced features like Firewall protection and dedicated IP addresses, and it allows P2P and BitTorrent support. It also has a strong privacy policy, so your data should be hidden from prying eyes.
The process of connecting to PureVPN can be frustrating, and it doesn’t offer the best connection speeds, but that should’t put you off. It’s still a comprehensive service that you can try out before committing with your cash.
Surfshark
Surfshark offers an excellent set of features for high-speed streaming.-
Monthly:
£9.48/month -
6 month plan:
£4.75/month -
2 year plan:
£1.82/month
Surfshark also offers a wide range of impressive features including split tunnelling and enterprise-grade infrastructure, with a 30-day money-back guarantee meaning you can access everything for free. Just don’t forget to cancel your subscription if you’re using this method.
If you choose to commit to Surfshark, the best rates are reserved for the longest contracts. If you’re willing to commit to a longer contract, the monthly rate comes down sharply.
Windscribe VPN
Windscribe offers up an interesting alternative to paid VPN services.-
Monthly:
£7.07/month -
1 year plan:
£3.21/month
Windscribe offers up an interesting alternative to paid VPN services as it doesn’t really follow these unwritten rules of a free VPN. For example, Windscribe gives you a decent 10GB per month data allowance if you register your email address (2GB if not). That is considerably more than the 500MB you get with Tunnelbear’s free service. Speeds are average, but usable, making Windscribe one of the best free VPNs on the market.
We aren’t saying Windscribe is the complete package. There are always downsides to a free service. More often than not, free services are limited in terms of location, and Windscribe is no different. You only get access to eight countries, for instance, but that’s not so bad if you aren’t a regular traveller.
Windscribe is an all-around strong free service, but if you do require more, spending £7 gets you a month of unlimited access to 47 locations. Pay for a year upfront, meanwhile, and the price drops to around £3 a month.
Windscribe offers a real alternative to paid VPNs, but still flounders if you require a good number of locations. If you do, then you may be persuaded to upgrade.