Best VPN for 2023 – Top Virtual Private Network Options

Security is a major concern, particularly when it comes to browsing the web. Many consumers wish to prevent snooping Internet service providers (ISPs), or simply increase anonymity online. A virtual private network (VPN) offers many benefits. But which one is right for you? Check out the best VPNs in 2023 for all uses!

What is a VPN and Why Should You Use One?

A VPN or virtual private network functions by routing your web traffic through a VPN’s server for a secure and encrypted connection. That way, the IP address seen is that of the VPN service rather than the network you’re connected to.

ISPs often record your IP address, as do websites and applications such as computer programs. As such, you may wish to remain anonymous, or at least pseudo-anonymous when browsing online. For torrenting, even legal torrenting, you may wish to use a VPN provider so as to mask your IP address (note: here at Tech Up Your Life, we do not condone piracy, so please only torrent legal material).

Additionally, re-routing your traffic through a VPN server lets you set a different location for your web traffic, also known as geoshifting. Thus, you may unlock geo-protected content, such as being able to access foreign Netflix libraries from abroad. If you’re traveling and want to stream iTV and BBC programs while in the United States for example, a VPN unblock works.

Why use a VPN:

• Remain anonymous while browsing the web
• Add an extra layer of encrypted security
• Mask your IP address
• Access geo-protected content with a VPN unblock
• Torrenting

What is a VPN: A virtual private network, or VPN, is a service that redirects website and app connection requests through VPN servers to hide your IP address or virtual location for increased anonymity and security.

What to Look for in a VPN – Top VPNs 2023 Considerations

When selecting a VPN, there are many considerations, from cost to use case and advanced features.

Desired use cases: First, think about what you need a VPN for. When simply bolstering security while browsing the web, most VPN services should suffice. But if you want a VPN for torrenting, geoshifting, or another purpose, often you’ll need to connect to certain servers. Most virtual private network providers do include special VPN servers for the likes of streaming and torrenting.

Connection speed: Using any VPN will throttle your traffic by nature of routing network traffic through a server. But some VPN providers tout faster server speeds than others.

Servers: When analyzing VPN servers, two main elements matter: the number and location of servers. A high amount of servers means you’ve got plenty of choices for re-routing your internet traffic. Location is key though, as you’ll want servers peppered throughout a variety of countries.

Security features: If your primary concern is privacy, you might consider a logless VPN service. Admittedly, this is a bit tough to verify. However, many virtual private network companies have proven track records of respecting user data. You may also want a kill switch that automatically disconnects your device from the internet in the event that your VPN connection drops.

Advanced functionality: Several advanced settings come in handy, particularly if you’ve got specialized VPN requirements. For instance, split-tunneling allows you to direct some web and app traffic through your virtual private network while circumventing your VPN for other applications.

Device compatibility and app support: What devices and the number of apps you need matter. While it’s pretty easy to use a third-party VPN app such as OpenVPN, a simple installer is easier, so consider that platforms such as Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Amazon Fire TV, and iOS you’ll want to use. Similarly, the majority of VPNs have restrictions on the number of devices you can register on a single plan. Often, paid add-ons let you enable more.

Customer support: Hopefully, you don’t need technical support, but if you do, a VPN provider with great customer service is incredibly beneficial.

Cost: And price is important as well. You can find monthly, yearly, and even lifetime plans. At this point, the question isn’t should you subscribe to a VPN, it’s which one is right for you.

What to look for in a VPN:

• Price – VPN cost (monthly, yearly, lifetime plans)
• Compatible devices (Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Fire TV, iOS, game consoles, Kodi, etc.)
• Dedicated servers for torrenting, streaming service access, etc.
• Server locations and amount
• Number of devices you can enable
• Security features (logging policy, encryption type)
• Advanced settings (i.e. split-tunneling, kill switch)
• Customer support
• Connection speed

Best VPN 2023 Overall – ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is a solid all-around VPN service provider. It’s got over 3,000 servers in 160 locations spread over 94 countries. You can use up to five simultaneous VPN connections, and there are more than 30,000 IP addresses. ExpressVPN boasts blisteringly fast speeds while maintaining a security-focused approach.

On the security side, ExpressVPN claims to be a no-log VPN by not recording IP address origins, session duration, activity while connected, and other analytics. Still, some information is collected such as data transferred by users, dates but not times, and whether or not successful connections were made. That’s pretty general, and should be innocuous enough to not prove meaningful in identifying users.

A useful albeit rare feature that ExpressVPN includes is split tunneling. Essentially, you can pick specific applications to send data through your VPN’s tunnel and exclude others. For instance, you can stream from Netflix in Firefox with a VPN enabled, while having the rest of your network traffic unmasked. This could be useful if you demand unthrottled speeds for some apps but require a VPN for another program.

ExpressVPN has apps for the likes of Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, routers, game consoles, and more. While it is compatible with Linux, you’ll need to use a command-line tool. As such, ExpressVPN might not be as user-friendly for the average consumer. Likewise, ExpressVPN foregoes a traditional username and password login for an activation code obtained in the customer portal.

The monthly plan retails for $12.95 USD, while the 6-month package is $9.99 a month. The best deal is a 15-month tier at $6.67 per month. Nevertheless, ExpressVPN features a superb balance of speed, security, and performance for what manages to be the best VPN for most users.

Pros:

• Fast – unlimited bandwidth
• Secure – best-in-class 256-bit encryption
• Apps for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Apple TV, Amazon Firestick, Roku, game consoles, smart TVs, Linux, and more
• Logless
• Easy to use
• Split tunneling included
• Lost of servers (3,000 servers in 160 locations spread over 94 countries)
• Great customer service – 24/7 live customer support

Cons:

• No lifetime plan
• Some elements such as activation code login and the command line app for Linux might prove confusing

Best Cheap VPN in 2023 – Ivacy VPN

While Ivacy VPN may be affordable, it doesn’t cut corners. The monthly plan goes for $9.95, with a yearly option at $3.50 a month or a two-year option for $32 upfront. But the biggest savings come with its five-year plan which you can get on sale for as low as $1.16 a month, or around $70 billed at once. You can also opt for a lifetime subscription. That’s a ridiculous discount. And performance remains superb.

Ivacy VPN unblocks streaming services such as Disney Plus, Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer. There’s unlimited bandwidth and military-grade 256-bit encryption. Ivacy claims a no-logging policy. There are Internet kill switches, and you’ll find P2P support for torrenting on select servers.

With its over 1,000 servers across 100 locales, Ivacy VPN maintains a diverse distribution of VPN servers. Impressively, you can connect 10 devices simultaneously. What’s more, Ivacy VPN sports a vast array of apps including a dedicated Kodi app. Everyday use is simple with a clean, uncluttered user-interface.

By default, you’ll find various options such as smart connect which is a basic VPN connection, secure download for peer-to-peer downloading, streaming which supports services like Hulu, Disney+, and Netflix, as well as unblocking for circumventing firewalls and geographic restrictions.

Performance is excellent with minimal speed loss, of course, this varies a lot based on location and server load. The base license lets you install Ivacy on 5 different devices. Although Ivacy includes a robust privacy policy, much of it remains unverified. Basically, you’re taking Ivacy VPN at their word. That’s not uncommon among VPN providers, but it’s still worth noting. With its mix of speed, security, and affordability, Ivacy VPN is a fantastic choice for remaining secure online without breaking the bank.

Pros:

• Affordable
• No-log VPN
• military-grade 256-bit encryption
• Split tunneling
• Kill-switch
• Lots of apps available (Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, Roku, Kodi, Raspberry Pi, routers, smart TVs, Xbox, PS4)

Cons:

• No third-party security audits to verify security claims (not uncommon among VPN providers)

Best VPN for Privacy – NordVPN

NordVPN balances privacy, performance, and reliability marvelously. It’s a good VPN for a variety of purposes making it a wonderful option for many users. It’s user-friendly and features several VPN technologies including OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec, and even WireGuard.

With over 5,000 server locations form around 59 countries, NordVPN maintains a wide-spanning VPN server distribution. Every NordVPN server is a physical server rather than a virtual server. As such, when you establish a VPN connection, you’re actually routing traffic through a server in that geography rather than an emulated connection.

Where NordVPN really shines is its additional protection. You’ll find Tor capabilities as well as multihop functionality. With multihop, or Double VPN, you can ensure a secure connection even if one part of your connection gets compromised. Sporting multihop and Tor, NordVPN is a privacy-centric VPN.

Third-party audits further confirm NordVPN’s reliability and security. Although every VPN impacts Internet speed somewhat, NordVPN only minimally affects browsing speeds. Therefore, it’s a fast, reliable, and secure VPN service. Unfortunately, all of this excellence comes at a cost, quite literally. It’s a bit pricey, although you’re getting one of the best performing virtual private networks on the market so NordVPN justifies its price tag.

Pros:

• Excellent security features
• Fast
• Tor and multihop connectivity
• Up to 6 simultaneous connections
• Over 5,000 server locations in around 59 countries
• Ad-blocking and threat detection
• Dedicated servers for streaming and P2P
• Dedicated IP address
• Supports WireGuard VPN protocol
• Lots of apps available (Android, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android TV, Linux, Chrome, Firefox)

Cons:

• Pricey ($11.95/monthly, $6.99/month on 1-year plan, $4.99/mo. on 2-year plan, $4.49/mo. on 3-year plan)

Best VPN for Power Users – Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access (PIA) is an outstanding VPN company for power users. PIA is log-less and features an extremely reliable kill switch that shuts your Internet off in the event that your VPN gets disconnected. You can safely torrent without any limitations. And Private Internet Access boasts a bevy of different features for a customizable configuration.

You can unblock content from sites such as Netflix using PIA’s more than 35,000 international servers. A single subscription comes with support for up to 10 devices and unlimited bandwidth. Cross-platform Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS support lets you run PIA on virtually any hardware or software. Unfortunately, select popular streaming services, notably iPlayer, won’t work with Private Internet Access. And there haven’t been any third-party security audits. Internet speeds are pretty good, although some VPNs are a bit zippier. Overall, PIA is an excellent, configurable VPN for tech enthusiasts.

Pros:

• Great speeds (around 260Mbps)
• Over 35,000 servers
• Unblocks popular streaming sites like Netflix
• Cross-platform support for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux
• Easy to use
• Lots of configuration options
• Strict no-logging policy

Cons:

• Not the fastest speeds
• No third-party security audits
• Can’t unblock iPlayer

Best VPN Service for Speed – VPN Unlimited

KeepSolid VPN Unlimited is an incredible choice for blazing-fast speeds and comprehensive privacy protection. You’ll enjoy over 500 servers across 80 locations. There are dedicated streaming and peer-to-peer torrenting servers. And protocol support includes OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, IKEv2, WireGuard, and PPTP.

An exhaustive list of apps includes Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, as well as browser extensions for Chrome, Opera, Edge, and Firefox. General use is a breeze and uncomplicated. There are tons of plans including a three-year tier, and lifetime subscription for 5 devices which boasts nearly unrivaled cost-effectiveness.

Disappointingly, device handling is a bit complex. Once you’ve registered different devices by downloading corresponding KeepSolid VPN Unlimited apps and logging in, you begin to fill up your device slots. After you max those out, you have two choices: buy more slots or remove registered devices from your dashboard. Yet there’s an unfortunate two-week waiting period after you’ve removed a device and before you can replace that slot. It’s not a major issue, but can be inconvenient for those with immediate activation needs. Ultimately, its value and performance makes VPN Unlimited an enticing VPN offering.

Pros:

• Fast
• Secure
• Lots of apps available (Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, Android, Apple TV, Android TV, and more)
• 500 servers across 80 locations
• Dedicated P2P and streaming servers
• Great value plans
• User-friendly
• OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, IKEv2, WireGuard, and PPTP support

Cons:

• Limited device slots and two-week waiting period after freeing up a slot
• Not as many server locations as other VPN services

Best Budget VPN Service – ZoogVPN

Pretty much every virtual private network features limitations on the number of devices you can register. While ZoogVPN is no different, its competitive pricing allows for far more simultaneous devices than comparative VPNs. The 10-device lifetime subscription clocks in around $35, while the 25-device lifetime plan retails for about $45, plus a 5-device lifetime plan for $25.

However, ZoogVPN doesn’t offer the same level of encryption as you’ll find on premium virtual private network services. Moreover, it lacks advanced features such as multihop, VPN tunneling, or Tor connectivity.

Similarly, its server count is around 30 from roughly 21 countries. That’s much smaller than most other VPN services. Streaming works pretty well for the likes of Netflix, iTV, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, and Hulu. But iPlayer won’t work in certain regions like China. Still, despite a few shortcomings, ZoogVPN does include 256-bit encryption and DNS leak protection. Coupled with extreme affordability, ZoogVPN is the best cheap VPN for basic web browsing and streaming.

Pros:

• Excellent affordability
• No logging
• 30 servers in 21 countries
• Great for streaming
• OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP, and PPTP
• 256-bit encryption
• DNS leak protection
• Lots of client apps (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Chromebooks, routers)
• Dedicated P2P servers

Cons:

• Lacks advanced features such as tunneling, multihop, and Tor
• Can’t stream from BBC iPlayer in some countries like Egypt and China

Best Value VPN – FastestVPN

Well-priced, secure, and with speeds quick enough for daily use, FastestVPN is a worthy choice. You get access for up to 10 users. P2P optimized servers allow for high definition video streaming and downloading without buffering. Its military-grade 256-bit AES encryption applies to all of its over 200 servers. And you’ll enjoy unlimited server switches as well as bandwidth.

A NAT firewall, included, lends robust protection. Plus, ad-blocking and malware protection further ensure a reliable connection. Geoshifting works well, and split-tunneling is standard. You’ll find a smattering of client apps for Windows, Android, macOS, iOS, Linux Kodi, and the Raspberry Pi. Performance really varies, and occasionally FastestVPN doesn’t quite life up to the fastest in its name. The zero-logging FastestVPN is hands-down the best value VPN service on the market.

Pros:

• Zero logging
• Military-grade 356-bit AES encryption
• Over 200 servers
• Unlimited bandwidth
• Ad-blocker and malware protection included
• Internet kill switches
• Geoshifting
• Split tunneling
• Connect up to 10 devices at once
• NAT firewall for additional protection
• P2P optimized servers

Cons:

• Connection speeds can vary

Most Feature-rich VPN – SurfShark

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_93KzDGmCI

SurfShark is a feature-laden virtual private network. Curiously, its pricing is incredibly competitive, making it a shockingly good value. Onboard, you’ll find 1,700 servers around over 16 locations in 63 countries. Client app support includes Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. Furthermore, SurfShark throws in a smart DNS program.

Whereas most VPNs limit simultaneous connections, SurfShark remains unlimited. Similarly, bandwidth is unrestricted. There’s true IP protection with WebRTC protection, and IPv6 leak protection with a kill switch. SurfShark includes torrent and streaming capable servers, so geoshifting works perfectly. Disappointingly, many of its security claims haven’t been verified by third-party audits. Since that’s not uncommon amongst VPN providers, it’s tough to hold it against SurfShark. Nevertheless, the peace of mind would be nice. Mixing features with affordability, SurfShark is a top VPN contender.

Pro:

• Smart DNS included
• 1,700 servers around over 16 locations in 63 countries
• Lots of client apps (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and more)
• DNS leak protection
• WebRTC protection
• Geoshifting (Netflix, iPlayer, etc.)
• Dedicated P2P torrent servers
• Military-grade AES 256-bit protection
• No log VPN
• CleanWeb ad-blocking and malware protection
• Unlimited devices

Cons: 

• No third-party security audits

Best VPN Options FAQs

Best VPNs in 2023 – Final Thoughts

With the rising popularity of VPNs for everything from basic web browsing to robust security, torrenting, and geoshifting for VPN unblocking, a virtual private network has become a necessity. And there’s a lot to consider. Speed, security, dedicated peer-to-peer servers, and price are all important. Plus, you’ll want to think about whether you need a no-log VPN or not, and consider the various features such as split-tunneling or kill switches that you may need.

For most users, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, PIA, and Ivacy are solid choices. VPN Unlimited is competitively priced and doesn’t compromise on features. ZoogVPN and SurfShark both boast a slew of different amenities with only minor shortcomings. But there are VPN services for every use and budget, from affordable offerings with limited servers to highly-secure virtual private networks.

Your turn: What VPNs do you recommend in 2023?