Just like VPNs do for consumers, the the best business VPN will make it simple and safe to connect securely to your business networks.
Given the current exceptional situations worldwide, using a business VPN is extremely important for any modern company that has a flexible and mobile workforce.
As a VPN helps you protect business data by keeping a secure company network and internet connection. Which in turn, allows you to ensure and maintain high levels of privacy and security.
This is especially helpful in the world of small businesses, which usually have limited resources to devote to managing security. Fortunately, there are business VPNs out there which are a breeze to set up and manage, plus they can be scaled to fit the organisation’s needs as it grows.
Business VPN vs Consumer VPN: the main differences
While business VPNs perform a similar function like consumer VPNs, there are some key differences. For starters, they are designed to protect the privacy of the whole business and they add additional protection against surveillance and hacking. Consumer VPNs are generally used for individual preferences like unblocking a website or service, while business VPNs are used for business security and data protection.
In addition, business VPNs provide a dedicated IP address with a dedicated server, while the IP for the consumer VPNs might be shared with other users and can change every time you connect to the service. This also means that the servers are specially designed for business users.
One of the main differences is that the business VPN is designed for multiple users. It basically means the employees will use one universal account with the account manager having full control. Also, some providers have a minimum user requirement before they offer a business VPN service. An important notice is that the company will know what websites their employees visit when using a business VPN.
Even the installation is different, although the actual installation will vary depending on the service but the company will usually get help from the VPN provider and their security experts.
Today’s top business VPN options:
1. Perimeter 81 is the best business VPN
Perimeter 81offers companies features and benefits galore, but it all begins at robust security and its zero-trust network. This service really has got the confidential data of you and your employees at its heart. It works on pretty much every format out there and benefits from fast connection speeds. Excellent!
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2. NordVPN Teams – a close second from a huge name
You’ll likely have heard of NordVPN – you may even use it at home! Its enterprise version is equally as impressive and comes in a little cheaper than Perimeter 81. It has tons of servers at hand, secure double data encryption, fully functioned kill switches and much more.
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3. Twingate – mixing security with usability
Twingate (from the same stable as Hotspot Shield) wears its sheer ease-of-use as a badge of honor. It won’t take your IT admins long to get this zero-trust network up and running, and then it will go about its security work efficiently in the background – you’ll barely know its there!
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The best business VPNs 2021
Perimeter 81, offers a great business VPN experience for users who work across multiple devices and switch from one to another frequently. It’s a powerful service with many features and benefits.
Their zero-trust network service will always ensure secure, zero-trust access to web applications. This will increase efficiency and security, help with mitigating data loss, as well as reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) for IT security by replacing disconnected point products with a single, consolidated security platform.
The software-defined perimeter (SDP) is used to restrict network access and provide customized, manageable and secure access to networked systems. Perimeter 81 uses its own SDP solution to offer simple cloud migration security, and secure access to cloud environments such as IaaS, PaaS, and more. It also has integration with Microsoft’s Azure SIEM and Amazon S3.
The provider also uses some advanced security features which proactively protect employees from dangerous public Wi-Fi threats, regardless of where they are working from. The two-factor authentication is also available for extra security.
Also, since Perimeter 81 is cloud-based, you can scale your network as you go without the need for external hardware. Another bonus is that you can easily manage team settings and view employee network access all in one place.
The provider has well-designed clients for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android, is compatible with Linux, Linux X64 and Chromebook, and includes a single-click web management console.
While the server coverage may be slightly limited, it didn’t bother us as we got above-average speeds in our performance tests. The provider upholds a strict no-logging policy. Perimeter 81 supports IKEv2, OpenVPN, L2TP and PPTP security protocols, WireGuard connector, features automatic Wi-Fi security, DNS filtering and business clients enjoy priority support around the clock.
Perimeter 81 has three business plans to choose from, depending on the number of users needed – including a custom plan if required. The packages available are:
NordVPN Teams is NordVPN‘s solution for businesses and corporate users benefit from the same sterling levels of security and reliability the provider is known for, alongside the added bonus of getting a dedicated account manager for business account holders.
Companies also get a dedicated business VPN server for internal use, and each VPN account is assigned a fixed dedicated IP address regardless of the location, network or device. Since this is a plug and play, cloud-based business VPN, companies of any size can onboard within hours.
With the number of servers constantly growing, NordVPN is one of the better VPN providers when it comes to server numbers. It’s not the fastest network out there, but it’s fast enough – and more importantly, the NordVPN Teams is consistent in terms of its performance.
This provider offers lots of security features, including double data encryption, a kill switch, and much more. NordVPN is privacy-focused, keeping no logs of user activity and requiring no company details to purchase.
There are three plans available: Basic, Advanced and Enterprise. For the Enterprise plan, you’ll need to reach out to their sales team for a quote although prices start as little as $7 per user per month.
Not technically a VPN, Twingate is another zero trust network with the primary aim of keeping your business’s data as secure as possible and only available to those who really need it. Those trying to get access to the company network will be assumed to be ‘untrusted’ by default, only giving authorization once the right hoops have been jumped through and, even then, you get to choose what members of your business can access what systems.
If that sounds like it’s going to make working in an agile way a pain, there’s no need to worry. Twingate has been designed to function quietly in the background. From initial set up to day-to-day operation, the whole point is that you’ll barely know Twingate is there cloaking your network from bad actors.
On that front, Twingate boasts in big bold text on its homepage that this is a product that has been ‘Built for IT admins’. Available to deploy in just a few minutes and then managed from a centralised console, this is a provider has got the back of the poor old IT helpdesk tasked with handling yet another piece of corporate software.
Twingate has some hefty support documents online, which is handy if you run into a specific issue. But we’d definitely value a more instant form of support – somebody on the end of a phone, or at least a live chat operative available 24/7.
Of the business ‘VPNs’ on this page, Twingate has some of the most attractive ‘per user’ pricing, especially if you’re a mid-size corporation and so only really need its ‘Teams’ package.
TorGuard certainly has a huge selection of servers, meaning you should never have a problem finding a reliable connection. That said, our testing revealed only average levels of performance, with some spikes in latency. Still, the speed trade-off might well be worth it as you get tons of options to set up your VPN experience on any OS.
Every TorGuard business VPN account comes with a 24/7 dedicated account manager and access to a dedicated VPN management portal. Security-wise, TorGuard takes care of business (ahem) with all the regular protocols, 256-bit AES encryption, and a ‘Stealth VPN’ option that avoids deep packet inspection.
There are three business price plans plus a custom option. Each gets you unlimited access and support, the only difference being the number of users covered, and dedicated IP and email addresses. The packages available are:
Encrypt.me Business VPN is a great choice for smaller teams who frequently use multiple devices. This is because the provider supports an unlimited number of devices which isn’t something you see often. Apart from that, the provider offers very solid performance and it’s quite simple to use.
Encrypt.me works on all major platforms, including iOS, Android, MacOS and Windows, and it’s available via Amazon as well. Each employee will have to download the app and they’ll be ready to use it in minutes.
Security is very good with several interesting features available. You have DNS protection, Auto-Secure function, Content filtering, and private endpoints, so employees can connect to the office network remotely. As for privacy, there is some session logging though, so this might not be ideal for every business.
The pricing is flexible and it’s based on how much team members you need. The price starts at $15.98 per month for a minimum of 2 members.
While ExpressVPN doesn’t have a dedicated business plan, it’s the best consumer VPN out there, which makes it a perfect choice for remote workers and single business users. The performance is great and their server coverage is quite adequate, so you’ll have no problem finding a good server.
One of the first things you notice with ExpressVPN is that their app is compatible with so many platforms. Apart from the usual platforms, the provider has a client for Linux, Kindle Fire, Chromebook, Nook, and more. They are all easy to set up too. In addition, there are browser extensions for Firefox and Chrome.
With ExpressVPN you also get top-grade security and encryption. All the standard encryption and security features are there with some additions like split-tunneling or the fact that ExpressVPN protects your internet traffic by using its own DNS servers. The privacy protection is favorable as well, with a clear no-logging policy.
One small complaint would be the pricing as it is a bit more expensive than usual, but it might be understandable considering what you get. The packages available are:
VyprVPN manages all of its own servers which definitely shows when it comes to performance levels. In our tests, we found our download speeds more than doubled compared to our normal rates with the VPN turned off – it doesn’t come any better than that.
Vypyr provides you with easy-to-use and intuitive software for overall account management, as well as apps for all major platforms. In addition to OpenVPN, PPTP and L2TP/IPsec protocols, VyprVPN offers additional security features like a NAT Firewall and its own Chameleon technology (which got upgraded to 2.0 version) for preventing deep packet inspection (DPI), VPN blocking and throttling. 24/7 live chat support is in place for when you need assistance.
Interestingly, there isn’t much information listed on the website regarding the business plans. To find out more about them, and discover the exact pricing, you have to apply for a free trial or contact customer support. There are two of these plans pitched pretty closely together, starting from $299 and $349 respectively. The packages available are:
How to choose the best VPN for business
Obviously, protecting sensitive business data is the main priority here, so you need a VPN with the beefiest levels of security. Since you’ll be handling multiple accounts at once, for multiple staff members, quality management software or a dedicated account manager are important considerations.
Having access to plenty of server locations is always a good thing, particularly when it comes to a mobile workforce, and nippy performance is handy for transferring large files or perhaps partaking of HD videoconferencing. Another important factor is the number of connections available and supported devices, which must suit the size of your firm and the hardware your employees use.
- We’ve rounded up the best free VPN options to download
Also consider
1. ibVPN : Their VPN is best for securing your company’s data with military grade encryption while working remotely and to access business tools while traveling or when connected to public WiFi. They claim that they “provide the most complete business VPN solution offering fast VPN servers, SmartDNS and Proxies to make sure it suits all your company’s needs”, adding “for easy access we have developed VPN clients for major OS (Windows, Mac, iOS and Android) so even the less techie can connect in seconds with a simple click.”
2. Hide.me : This VPN is geared towards “any company which wants to give its employees the geographical freedom to work without compromising on their security, any company which wants to make sure that their employees are always secure even while using public Wi-Fi connections, any company which does not want to spend a lot of time on administrating its VPN solution and any company which does not want to spend a lot of money on their VPN solution.” Hide.me’s Business VPN offers a flexible Windows SDK to control the VPN connection over an API. You can bundle the SDK into your existing application or just build your GUI on top of it. With their API, you can automatically create, delete, disable, and enable VPN accounts. They don’t ask you to pay upfront and offers a monthly consolidated billing option so that you pay only for accounts that have been active.