The top VPNs,
ranked and compared

ExpressVPN is first in our overall ranking, at 9.9 out of 10, followed by IPVanish (9.8) and NordVPN (9.7). That order weighs speed, privacy, streaming and price together. If one of those matters far more to you than the rest, the order changes: see the full ranking and the rankings by use case above.

TotalVPN has the lowest long-plan price among the VPNs we rank: $1.59 a month on the 2-year plan. The first bill is only half the story, because most providers renew at a higher price. The price index lists today's price and the renewal price for each one, and the cheap VPN ranking compares them on value.

Among the VPNs we rank, Proton VPN is the one with a genuine free plan: no data limit and no ads, on one device, with fewer server locations than the paid plan. For anything more, the paid providers offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, which works as a free month if you cancel in time. Details are in the free VPN ranking.

It depends on the job. Start from the ranking for your case (a streaming service, a country, a device) rather than the overall list, or take the quiz and it narrows the list for you in about a minute.

Often, but not with every provider and not on every server, because streaming services block many VPN addresses. Each service has its own page with the providers that work with it and what to do when one stops: Netflix, BBC iPlayer, sport and the rest under streaming.

A little, because your traffic takes a longer route and is encrypted on the way. On a nearby server with a modern protocol the difference is usually small; on a distant or crowded server it is noticeable. Our speed benchmark shows the measured figures for each provider.

In most countries, yes, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and the EU. A few countries restrict or ban them, and what you do while connected is still subject to local law. The country-by-country guide has the detail.

Every day. A script opens each provider's checkout page and records the price it shows for the long plan, plus the renewal price where the page states one. The latest capture and the history are on the price index.